ã€ŠThe Cycle of Hatred: A Naruto Insertã€‹


 Chapter 1

    When you think of reincarnation, you think of happy childhoods, hyper-intelligent children who aren¡¯t actually children, jokes galore and smiles for days. At least, that¡¯s how it goes in the fanfics I¡¯ve read. So you¡¯ll understand when I say nothing ¨C even with foreknowledge ¨C could have prepared me for the absolute fuck up my life had become just an hour after my birth.

    Looking at it differently, I suppose it was obvious. I know ¨C knew ¨C who my parents were. I also knew they were destined to die almost immediately following my birth. Before¡­ well, whatever this could be called, there was an obvious detachment from the situation.

    Beyond the physical one of screen and person.

    I felt bad seeing it, sure. It¡¯s hard not to given what the story shows of Naruto¡¯s childhood and his parents¡¯s love for him. But at the end of the day, none of it was real. Naruto is a character created by the mind of a single man and his life unfolds between the covers of a manga.

    Or so I thought.

    Let me tell you this, though: there is little else more agonising than seeing your parents massacred by the very beast sealed within your stomach. Made even worse by the knowledge that the orchestrator of all this was the boy who was practically their surrogate son.

    No amount of rationalising had helped the tsunami of grief, rage, and hatred. Not after they held me in their arms and looked at me with eyes filled with nothing but unconditional love, even as they condemned themselves to death.

    Nobody had looked at me like that before. Talked about me like that before. Of all the plans and hopes they had for me when I would be born. They were so damn hopeful about it that I really believed their plan would work.

    ¡­Until Obito held a kunai to my throat and ransomed me with my mother¡¯s life as the price. As much as I wished my father didn¡¯t ¨C he chose to save me.

    Laid upon the altar of their sacrifice, I begged them to run ¨C at least, I tried to form the words. Yelled until my throat was hoarse for them to leave me behind. I¡¯d died before and wasn¡¯t afraid of dying again. But the smaller, calmer part of me knew that even if they could understand me, they wouldn¡¯t.

    And so, I watched my parents die on the night of Konoha¡¯s near-destruction.

    Grief ¨C a thick, chilling spike of a thing ¨C ran my chest through. My throat burned, leaving me gasping like a fish for air. Tears pooled and blurred the world to my eyes. A pair of nimble hands slid beneath me and lifted me off my mother¡¯s quickly cooling corpse.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright now, Naruto,¡± a soot-stained face smiled. Deep wrinkles trailed and dug weathered lines into his skin, joining the crinkle of his smile. He smelt of ash, smoke, and polished wood. I blinked up at his kind, dark eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you now. I promise.¡±

    <hr>

    As it had for many others on that fateful night, everything crashed down in ceaseless destruction and death for Hiruzen Sarutobi. All within a single night. His wife? Dead. His successor? Dead. The village¡¯s Jinchuriki? Dead. Leaving their infant son an orphan and the new host of the Nine-Tailed Fox.

    Those damnable tails and ear-splitting roars would haunt his dreams for the scant years left of his life.

    Hiruzen leaned against his chair, surrounded on either side by mountains of paperwork weighed to his desk by numerous mission requests. What Minato was thinking, unfortunately, he would never know. He took a deep drag from his pipe and looked upon the village that had become the purpose of his existence since his wife died

    The Nine-Tails¡¯s path of destruction had at last begun to fade from the minds of the people, but as a village, they had barely recovered from the tragedy.

    Were it not for Minato and Kushina¡¯s sacrifice, the village would have ceased to exist that night. Still, they had certainly seen better days. The other hidden villages were no doubt plotting around the tragedy and while he doubted war would be on the table, it did not mean that everything was peaceful in the Elemental Nations.

    Let alone the internal problems the village was facing.

    Every day, Hiruzen regretted his decision to let Danzo live. Seeing Naruto live a miserable existence when he should, by all rights, be lauded as a hero was heartbreaking and it was all because Danzo wished to take advantage of the boy¡¯s pain and create an emotionless weapon bound to his every beck and call.

    He expelled the hot smoke, slowly. Thick coils of misty white slipped between his lips. His shoulders sagged and relaxed but the weight of his guilt remained. For his own sake, Naruto would remain blind to his status for now. For all its vaunted kindness, the Leaf could be cruel.

    Yet they would be kinder than Naruto, were he to hold himself responsible for his parents¡¯s deaths. Their harsh words and glares would be nothing compared to the unimaginable cruelty of one¡¯s mind ¨C Hiruzen could attest to that.

    The thought remained in his mind as he released the last puff of smoke and it followed him through the village until he reached the door of Naruto¡¯s home.

    As he usually did, Hiruzen knocked. Once. There was no reply. Regrettably, this was normal for them now. He knocked twice more before he heard scuttling behind the door.

    ¡°Come in, sir.¡±

    He winced. The cold reply slipped beneath his robes and skewered him precisely in the centre of his chest.

    ¡°...Then, excuse me.¡± Hiruzen entered the house, removing his shoes beforehand. He crossed the spotless floor, peering into the kitchen at the neatly organised dishes on the washing rack. ¡°You¡¯ve been taking care of yourself, I see.¡±

    Naruto rounded the corner and stared at him with unblinking blue eyes. Hiruzen struggled to maintain eye contact. How could he when he saw the faces of those he failed?

    And it was clear that he had failed Naruto too.

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    ¡°I have to, sir,¡± said Naruto. ¡°I live alone and I¡¯m responsible for everything that happens to me. Now, can I get you anything to drink? Some tea? Coffee? I might have some orange juice in the fridge too.¡±

    ¡°Tea would be nice, child.¡± He stroked his beard, before adding: ¡°With milk.¡±

    As Naruto busied himself in the kitchen, Hiruzen took the opportunity to inspect the one-bedroom apartment ¨C starting with the living room.

    Like the rest of the house, it was almost devoid of anything personal. The blinds were down and the light from the television spilt across the room. It cast long, flickering shadows on the wall and ceiling.

    The tape of last year¡¯s Chunin Exam was paused and a half-empty glass of water sat on the coffee table between the sofa and screen.

    The bedroom, however, was even more impersonal than the living room. There were no posters on the walls ¨C not of Lord Hashirama and Lord Tobirama, himself or Minato. There was nothing that would lead him to believe he was in the home of a young boy.

    The more he searched, the closer Naruto¡¯s home looked like that of a Chunin¡¯s. Every month since the start of the year, he searched to see if anything had changed. Especially given that he had recently joined the Academy. Hiruzen had hoped that the presence of other children so close to him would help ease the grip of cold caution around his heart.

    Because evidently, he was not enough.

    The Academy''s first year mandatory reading list stacked the bedside table, as well as what seemed to be a journal at the very bottom of the list. Hiruzen stopped there. While he had no problem looking through Naruto¡¯s home, he did not want to alienate the boy from him more so than he already was.

    The rattling whistle from the kitchen led Hiruzen back to the living room. He took a seat at the dining table just before the walk-out balcony overlooking the village.

    Naruto entered with a tray, carrying a teapot, two mugs, and a dozen biscuits. It was an odd food combination, all things considered, and not one Hiruzen had encountered until he started visiting Naruto ¨C that being said, it had grown on him.

    ¡°So, how are you finding the Academy so far?¡± he asked between bites.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ interesting, but not as interesting as I had hoped.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°If I had to divide the eight-hour school day, we spend two hours towards the end of the day sparring and training, with the rest being split equally between Mathematics, History, and¡­ teaching us how to read and write.¡±

    ¡°Do you not think reading and writing are important skills for a shinobi?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think listening to the same question being asked three times in a row is important for a shinobi.¡±

    ¡°A fair point,¡± Hiruzen chuckled. ¡°But it will be good for you, being around children your age that is.¡±

    ¡°Will it? I don¡¯t think so because ¨C and I say this at the risk of stating the obvious ¨C people don¡¯t like me very much.¡±

    At the reminder of Naruto¡¯s poor social status, he fought to not recoil as another one of his blunders reared its head again.

    ¡°Okay,¡± he sighed. ¡°If you¡¯re so smart, I¡¯ll ask you a question. You have four tries to figure it out. If you get it right, you can ask me one question of your own.¡±

    ¡°...Any question?¡± Naruto asked.

    Hiruzen¡¯s heart almost shattered at the doubt laced in the voice. At the stuttering hesitance. At the child whom he saw in equal light to Konohamaru looking at him how he did ¨C speaking to him how he did.

    At the implication that Naruto did not trust him to be truthful. Yet despite the pain, he knew he only had himself to blame.

    ¡°Any question,¡± he repeated, gentler this time.

    Before his eyes, the caution dissolved a little. Just barely enough that Hiruzen noticed it, and the sight gave him hope that his relationship with the boy was not unsalvageable.

    Naruto adjusted his position, elbows propped in front of him as he leaned over the table. ¡°Alright, hit me.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Hiruzen smiled. ¡°What has four legs, a body, yet cannot walk?¡±

    ¡°A riddle? I thought you¡¯d ask me a mathematics question, or one about some weird historical fact.¡±

    ¡°When did I say so? Why, do you want me to give you a clue?¡±

    Naruto chewed his bottom lip for a moment. ¡°...Any drawbacks to this clue?¡±

    ¡°One less guess. Do you still want it?¡± At his nod of agreement, Hiruzen said, ¡°It¡¯s in this very room with us¡±

    Immediately the child¡¯s eyes fell to the tray, scanning its contents. Then, he looked left and right. ¡°The sofa?¡±

    ¡°Not quite the object I was thinking of, but you¡¯re not wrong.¡±

    He clicked his tongue and returned to searching. A minute passed, during which Naruto scarfed down two biscuits, chewing them intensely.

    ¡°...The coffee table?¡± he frowned.

    Hiruzen grinned, a small snort escaping him. ¡°I said that the clue to the answer is in the room with us, not the answer itself.¡±

    ¡°...So did I get it wrong?¡±

    ¡°No, no.¡± Hiruzen waved his hands. ¡°The answer is correct.¡±

    Naruto clenched his fists and laughed softly to himself. ¡°I knew it!¡±

    ¡°Well done, Naruto,¡± he sat back and smiled, placing his hands in his lap. ¡°What would you like to know?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Naruto frowned and clenched his jaw. ¡°I want to know what¡¯s so special about me, sir.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You visit me every month. Just me. There are so many orphans in the village but I¡¯m the only one you personally give their stipend. Why?¡±

    And there was the crux of the matter. Hiruzen shrunk back at the pleading light in Naruto¡¯s eyes. He could not tell Naruto the truth. Not yet. But if he were to lie to him, the scant bit of trust he managed to build over the last half an hour would burn to ash.

    Unfortunately, his duty as Hokage superseded his guilt.

    ¡°You certainly don¡¯t ask easy questions,¡± said Hiruzen. ¡°As for your monthly stipend, what can I say? You are a special boy.¡±

    He eked out a laugh, reaching to ruffle his hair. Unconcealed hurt flashed across Naruto¡¯s face and Hiruzen¡¯s hand froze halfway across the table ¨C the distance between them felt far greater.

    ¡°Alright then.¡± He reached within the folds of his robes and slid the wad of note across the table. ¡°Here¡¯s your monthly stipend. Make sure it lasts.¡±

    He turned to leave as fast as possible, swallowing thickly as the door slammed behind him. The setting sun¡¯s orange and purple hues lit the sky. Nebulous, dark clouds curved around the village while looming shadows crept after Hiruzen. Their cries of, ¡°Have a good evening!¡± or ¡°Hello, Lord Hokage!¡± fell on deaf ears.

    He was locked in conflict with his guilt. It was a raging sea storm, with waves that rose and crashed against his flimsy resolve. Like he would a dinghy, all he could do was hold firm against its cracked wooden edges, praying that it remained steadfast.

    He cursed Danzo¡¯s name again. It felt hollow to him, though. Danzo may have been the one responsible for the villagers ostracising the boy, but the blame for Naruto¡¯s ignorance landed squarely on his shoulders.

    But as per usual, Hiruzen would lament. He would suffer in silence; perhaps even break out a case of sake if it became too much to bear sober. Because Naruto could not know the truth ¨C not yet.

    And if that meant taking all of the boy''s enmity onto himself, then so be it. Hiruzen had done ¨C and would continue to do ¨C grislier things for the sake of the village.

 Chapter 2

    I¡¯m used to being alone.

    Not in the super-edgy, I-hate-company kind of way, though. Loneliness has simply become a part of my life. Not a constant companion, but more like a visitor ¨C one I stopped trying to keep away.

    You see, I¡¯d simply grown numb. Numb to the villagers veering their children away from me when I pass by in the street. Or on the better days, when I¡¯m completely ignored. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m well aware that the way they treat me is horrendous, but as much as I want to, I can¡¯t hate them. Not when I understand exactly what they feel and why they feel it.

    Regardless, I¡¯m the one who receives their glares and muttered curses and that makes me angry. Because while they might not know the true culprit behind their grief, I do.

    There are vicious cycles, and then there is the hell that is my existence in the Hidden Leaf.

    Sometimes, I wonder if it¡¯s the Nine-Tails¡¯s fault. That maybe, he¡¯s manipulating me and nurturing my hatred for his own benefit. But then I remember the spray of blood and the huge ivory nail running my parents through and the possibility burns to ash.

    No, my hatred for Obito and the Nine-Tails is definitely mine. The Nine-Tails manipulating me, though¡­ is a whole other can of worms. After a nightmare a few years back, I went through a period of second-guessing my every thought. Even now, despite knowing dad¡¯s seal is airtight, there¡¯s a small voice in my head terrified of the possibility.

    I¡¯m used to being alone. Which is what scares me the most. In a handful of years, I¡¯ve turned into someone who I don¡¯t recognise sometimes. Then, I¡¯m left staring at the mirror, wondering when I changed.

    I¡¯d like to say I know the exact moment it happened, but truth be told, I¡¯ve got no idea.

    My faith in genuine human kindness hasn¡¯t quite bottomed out yet ¨C mostly thanks to Mr Teuchi and Ayame. See, I didn¡¯t know exactly how attention-starved I was until I decided to visit Ichiraku Ramen for the first time -- a given when one finds oneself reborn in Konoha.

    One visit became two, three, and then four, until I was going there daily.

    Hell, I blew almost all my stipend on it a couple of years back. Not the wisest decision, I know, but the food was worth it and thanks to that, Mr Teuchi offered me a job. I was pretty sceptical at first, given my age, but it really wasn¡¯t anything too difficult. Mostly, my job¡¯s to shadow Mr Teuchi ¨C and Ayame when she¡¯s around ¨C and do whatever I¡¯m told to.

    In other words: washing equipment and prepping ingredients. Neither allow me anywhere near the actual cooking no matter how many times I swear that I know my way around a kitchen.

    All in all, against the grim backdrop of my childhood, those two have made for some of the brightest memories of my life.

    A small grin swept the frown off my face as I trailed through the empty streets. Well, relatively empty. Konoha¡¯s a fairly early-rising place where people either produce stuff for a living or sell things from people who do.

    Case in point: Ichiraku Ramen. Despite being open for a few decades now, it¡¯s a small restaurant that can seat about six people at a time so most take their food to-go. Ayame and Mr Teuchi live above the shop but spend more time downstairs than they do up.

    The morning freeze seeped through my jacket and trousers, chilling me to the bones. Though winter wasn¡¯t quite in full swing yet so it hadn¡¯t begun snowing. Still, I could see the white sheen over the grass and the fogged windows of houses as I walked through the village.

    I entered the shop through the back, making sure to lock the door behind me. My eyes tingled at the heat in the room and I immediately shrugged off my jacket, straining to hang it up on the rack behind the door.

    A light voice chuckled at my misfortune. ¡°You¡¯re not tall enough for that yet, Naruto.¡±

    ¡°Ayame,¡± I looked over my shoulder, voice strained. ¡°Would you please help me out instead of judging me from across the room?¡±

    She snorted and took the jacket out of my hands.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Dad¡¯s in the middle of making some ramen broth but we¡¯ve got last night¡¯s leftovers in the fridge if you want them. Unfortunately, there¡¯s no miso, but there¡¯s tonkotsu and salt. Which one do you want?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have scrambled eggs instead, please.¡±

    We moved into the kitchen where Mr Teuchi stood over four boiling pots with a mesh sieve in one hand. Every so often, he would scoop the scum off the top of each pot and empty it into the sink.

    I guess he couldn¡¯t hear us over the sound of the bubbling pots ¨C which was good for me. I made a beeline to the other stove, but before I could go any further, Ayame steered me away.

    I fought to break out of her grip for a few seconds and she laughed. ¡°Nope. Not today, kid.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I sighed when she smirked. ¡°No, really? I can¡¯t even do that? It¡¯s scrambled eggs. It won¡¯t even take me longer than five minutes to make!¡±

    She opened the latch separating the restaurant¡¯s kitchen and dining area and ushered me out. ¡°You will take a seat and I will make you breakfast. Go do some homework or something while you wait.¡±

    ¡°Already done it all,¡± I muttered ¨C mostly to myself.

    With the morning cold at my back and the kitchen¡¯s warmth at my front, I watched as Mr Teuchi tossed a whole onion, about two cloves of garlic, and a ginger stick into each pot. Eventually ¨C when he had placed a lid over each pot ¨C he noticed me.

    ¡°Oh!¡± He wiped his hands on his apron. ¡°Hello there, Naruto. Would you like me to make you a bowl for breakfast?¡±

    ¡°No thank you,¡± I smiled. ¡°Ayame¡¯s making me some eggs.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of eggs¡­¡± Ayame glided across the kitchen with a steaming plate balanced carefully beneath a towel on the palm of her hand. She slid a fork across the table. ¡°... here you go!¡±

    I muttered a brief thanks and dug into my food, mood quickly plummeting in the face of the school day ahead. Not only that, but after Itachi went and butchered the Uchiha clan last month, the Konoha Council (in other words, the ex-members of Team Tobirama) decided to put an end to letting kids graduate early on grounds of ¨C and I quote ¨C ¡°emotional instability¡±.

    I suppose it makes sense if you squint your eyes. Kakashi is an emotional wreck of a man who tried to kill himself through a blaze of high-rank missions and¡­ well, Itachi killed his entire clan save for Sasuke.

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    But that¡¯s ignoring the fact that they were capable shinobi who were forced to dance to the tune of the powers that be.

    It¡¯s not all too bad, though. There¡¯s nothing difficult to do since I find most things on the academic side a breeze. History is actually interesting too ¨C at least when I put aside the blatant propaganda against enemy villages.

    The sting of onion filled my nose as Ayame snapped her fingers in my face.

    ¡°Huh?¡± I wiped the thin film of tears out of my eyes.

    ¡°Dad was wondering how you find the physical side of the Academy.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say like that. He¡¯ll think I¡¯m doubting him,¡± Mr Teuchi admonished her. ¡°What I meant was that back in my day, the Academy was faster-paced so I was curious if they changed how they teach you things.¡±

    ¡°I can see that,¡± I nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not anything too difficult, to be honest. We spar every week and do something physical daily, but right now, the focus is bringing everyone up to standard ¨C so lots of running. For those of us with decent stamina, they¡¯ve started us on flexibility and complex obstacle courses.¡±

    ¡°No kunai or shuriken training yet?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s after the winter break. Most of the class can¡¯t even do the basic Academy taijutsu style properly yet. Hell, we¡¯re not even doing anything chakra-related until summer.¡±

    ¡°You know, it¡¯s things like this that have me appreciate the shaky peace we¡¯ve got right now.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Not so long ago, children entered the Academy and graduated as full-fledged shinobi in no more than three years before being immediately shoved onto the battlefield.¡± His eyes almost glazed over before he pulled himself out of the reverie. ¡°But do your best, Naruto. Just because we¡¯re in a time of peace, doesn¡¯t mean it will remain peaceful forever.¡±

    I blinked away the image of a swirling orange mask and the crimson eye burning behind it.

    ¡°I know, Mr Teuchi.¡±

    He smiled and passed me my coat. ¡°Good lad. Now get out of here. You¡¯ll be late if you hang around any longer.¡±

    ¡°See you after school,¡± I smiled and zipped it up.

    Ayame stuck her head out of the stall¡¯s blinds and waved me up the street. ¡°Have a nice day!¡±

    <hr>

    When I really think about it, it takes a special kind of caution to willingly curb your own progress. Both by accepting that I was in for a long six years and that I wouldn¡¯t be able to use the shadow clone jutsu to make things easier.

    ¡­Nope, that¡¯s bullshit.

    There¡¯s just no way for me to realistically get my hands on a forbidden jutsu guarded by ANBU. I don¡¯t care that canon Naruto did it, I¡¯m not going to play games with my life or hinder my progress onto a team that would fit my disposition just to get it.

    I¡¯m not so close to the Third Hokage anymore either. He still comes by to visit, but our conversations are stilted. He¡¯s stopped making efforts to bridge that gap and I¡­ just stopped caring.

    Why should I? I tossed him an olive branch, a helping hand, a goddamned lifeboat that he decided to throw back in my face.

    There are other ways to get my hands on it. Maybe I do well on a mission and get to ask for a reward or bring it up to my jonin sensei.

    I huffed explosively, slightly picking up the pace of my run. My thoughts flitted from the shadow clone jutsu to Ichiraku Ramen to the complicated frown on Iruka¡¯s face every time our eyes met. The rhythmic thud of footsteps and laboured breaths followed me as I jogged around the track.

    Sasuke was close behind, his pale face red and slick with sweat. Kiba lagged just barely behind him ¨C neck and neck more often than not ¨C and over the gulf was a cluster of people spread across the track.

    In no time at all, I lapped Choji, who looked dead on his feet.

    During the winter, the physical portion of the school day is moved to the morning. According to Iruka, it¡¯s supposed to warm us up and get us energised for the day ahead. When he called it to an end, I was sweaty, but no worse for wear.

    I could probably have gone for another hour or so too. We trailed back into the classroom, cutting across the track field.

    ¡°Goddamn it,¡± Kiba grunted, taking a swig from his water bottle. ¡°I¡¯ll beat you one of these days, Uzumaki.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°Beat Sasuke first, then set your sights on more.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely beat him,¡± Kiba huffed. ¡°And then I¡¯ll leave you in the dust.

    Sasuke turned around and scowled at me. I sighed and shrugged my shoulders.

    Kiba doubled down. ¡°Yeah, I said it, Uchiha. I¡¯m going to beat you one of these days.¡±

    Sasuke deepened his frown and marched into the classroom. Kiba followed, probably angry at his dismissal. I shrugged again and walked to my seat, relieved. The trick to dealing with kids is to divert their attention and I¡¯ve neither the patience nor the mind to deal with my classmates all day long.

    Thankfully, I¡¯m not the centre of attention in the classroom ¨C beyond when my teachers make me. That honour goes to Sasuke. I snorted and pulled my notepad and pen out of my bag, reviewing last week''s notes.

    Quickly, a grimace crawled across my face. I crossed a line through a misspelt word and rewrote the correct one top. Learning how to read and write will always be a pain. Especially since Japanese is so far removed from English.

    It¡¯s not the most difficult thing in the world ¨C or it wouldn¡¯t be, if not for the constant suspicion of sabotage I have to carry with me at school.

    The teacher, a chunin called Fujino, is an anomaly where my teachers are concerned.

    My mathematics teacher, for instance, is deadset on somehow making sure I can¡¯t properly learn multiplication, and my history teacher is an overzealous marker who treats me as if I pump out academic grade work.

    But Fujino completely breaks away from the norm.

    It¡¯s been a little over a month at the Academy and I still don¡¯t know if she¡¯s teaching me wrong. Nothing about her suggests it. There¡¯s no visible enmity when she speaks to me. She doesn¡¯t one-sidedly zero in on any perceived misbehaviour like Iruka does either. After a while, my suspicion wore away.

    But there are moments when I think twice because blindly trusting her could screw me over big time.

    The class around me settled down as Fujino entered the room. She had waist-length purple hair and warm brown eyes framed by circular red glasses. Bundled within her arms was a stack of paper ¨C last week¡¯s tests.

    ¡°Good morning everyone,¡± she beamed. ¡°As promised, I¡¯ve marked your tests!¡±

    The apprehension in the room was heavy in the air.

    She giggled. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. The punishment for failing isn¡¯t that bad. You¡¯ll be staying behind after school for a month to work on your reading and writing skills, okay?¡±

    Gliding around the room, she handed back each paper with either a smile or a conciliatory pat on the arm alongside a slightly smaller smile.

    ¡°Naruto,¡± she looked at me over her glasses. ¡°Well done. Keep going and you¡¯ll be writing pages of work in no time.¡±

    I glanced over my paper, feeling a swell of pride. This is the one subject I genuinely had to try at and to see my effort rewarded definitely felt good.

    Fujino moved on swiftly, breaking the bad news to an already tuckered-out Choji.

    ¡°Hey, Naruto?¡± a voice sounded from the row above me.

    I looked up at a civilian kid ¨C Taro, I think his name was. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Why is your wrong answer marked as right?¡±

    ¡°...Wrong answer?¡± I glanced down at my paper and then back at Taro. ¡°Hold on, mind passing me your paper for a sec?¡±

    Taro shrugged. ¡°Sure.¡±

    I placed Taro¡¯s paper beside mine ¨C and even used my deskmate¡¯s to verify. Barely able to stop myself from snapping, I returned the papers and glared at Fujino from across the room.

    ¡°T-That little¡­¡± I dug my hands into my thighs.

    A very large part of me wanted to march up to the bitch and rip her a new one but that would see me kicked out of class before I could really get going and if I complain to her, she could throw up whatever bullshit reason she wanted. ¡­But if I were to take it to another teacher, she could straight up lie and call me a horrible student.

    I felt a hot burn in the back of my throat as she laughed at something Ino had said. The harder I puzzled over it, the more I realised Fujino had thought this thing through. If I really were a child, she would¡¯ve destroyed the best opportunity I had to learn to read and write.

    And for what? Grief displaced on a seven-year-old? Some kind of sadistic perversion?

    My pulse thundered in my head. There was no questioning that I¡¯d make her pay ¨C I just had to be smart about it.

    And while I¡¯m no Shikamaru, I can be cunning when I need to be.

 Chapter 3

    There was a chill in the air. A distinctly sharp hint of danger. Its possibility rested on a knife''s edge, where a tip in any direction would spell catastrophe.

    She couldn''t quite manage to rest. Oh, she could fall asleep, but would wake not too long afterwards, every instinct buzzing in the back of her skull.

    Something was wrong, but what exactly that was danced outside her grasp.

    She lay perfectly still in the darkness of their bedroom. Despite her glasses lying on the bedside table (just beside his), she could barely make out the countless ridges and bumps running across the ceiling.

    The mattress sank under the weight of a rumbling snore. She rolled over; but not too fast, else the bed would groan with the anguish of a thousand souls. Nose to his back, she slipped her arms around his torso.

    She hoped his warmth would bring some much-needed calm. The steady beat of his heart warded off the strange sting in the air. Before she knew it, her shallow breaths matched his¡­ until it didn''t.

    He stiffened, grunting as he sat up.

    She forced her eyes open. "...What is it, Junpei?"

    "Fujino...this chakra. It''s¡­ way too large to be human. It''s almost like¡ª!"

    His voice was completely dominated by the deafening blare of the civil defence siren. An electrical jolt coursed down her spine, both energising and terrifying. Moments later, she stood facing her husband, worry reflected on his face.

    He frowned as he pulled his sheath over his back, fastening it. His lips parted, unsaid words shimmering in his eyes before his head snapped behind him. Junpei pulled back the blind, revealing a masked shinobi.

    ANBU, Fujino''s mind supplied. From the slender figure, they were a woman. Her long purple hair fell behind and around the pale, feline mask.

    He opened the window.

    "Jonin Kikuchi. You have orders to join Lord Third at the base of Hokage Mountain." She turned to Fujino. "Chunin Shimizu, your orders are to aid in the evacuation efforts and then join the battle."

    Her heart pulsed. She glanced at Junpei. Horror had flushed the blood from his face and his eyes remained rooted to the window

    Swallowing, Fujino asked, "What''s the fight?"

    The ANBU was silent for a moment. "...The Nine-Tails has escaped its seal."

    The words passed through her, tearing her heart out. Suddenly ¨C too suddenly ¨C her flak jacket felt light. The tools and weapons concealed within would be completely useless. When she had gathered enough of her fear-jolted mind to process the here and now, the ANBU was gone.

    Junpei growled, grabbing a fistful of his black hair. "What the hell am I supposed to do against a goddamned Tailed Beast!"

    Fujino reached a shaking hand towards his shoulder. He blinked, and then his face fell as if he had only realised that she was still there.

    "Shit," he said.

    The world shimmered. Fujino smiled wetly, not bothering to wipe away the frustrated tears.

    Ever the optimist, Junpei was quick to rein in his fear, hiding it behind a quick grin. But she saw through it. She always did, no matter how well he hid it.

    "I reckon this might go better than I think," he said as he rubbed his shoulder. "Everyone above Tokubetsu Jonin will go and fight the Nine-Tails with Lord Third. Not terrible odds, right?"

    Fujino didn''t agree. She wanted to tell him how felt. How afraid she was that she would find him, hours later, his body mauled and broken. Or how he might find her. But with those green eyes boring into her¡­ she couldn''t bring herself to move the words up her throat.

    Because doing so would force her to admit that she could lose him.

    "...Be safe," was all she could manage.

    Junpei sighed with a fond smile. "''Be safe'' is all you can manage, huh? Where''s your declaration of undying love, hmm? Better yet, where''s my good luck kiss?"

    At that, she smiled. "Like I told you on your first A-rank, come back alive and I''ll give you all the kisses you want."

    They shared a brittle laugh.

    The room fell silent again ¨C but not with fear. She focused on a single nostril, pulling in all the air her lungs could hold, and expelled it in a long, drawn-out breath. Despite the fear clamped around her lungs, her mind was as sharp as ever.

    The muted instincts buried under her relaxation had come to the surface. Her chakra answered the call, its familiar heat banishing the block of ice lodged within her chest. In an instant, they were on the roof.

    The Nine-Tails'' roars were louder than even the siren

    One swing and it levelled the north-western side of the village. Towering apartments were culled like blades of grass. Dozens of bodies cut through the air, with dozens more flitting across the village towards the beast.

    "Hey."

    Fujino flinched.

    "I''ll be back soon," Junpei said with damp resignation in his eyes. He nodded once and his resolve hardened. "Prioritise the children but don''t ignore the others. As cynical as it sounds, we''re going to need a lot more shinobi after this."

    A sickly tendril wormed across her heart ¨C but Junpei was right. For each shinobi that would die tonight, another would take their place. This was what life in a hidden village was like in all its glory.

    All she could do was hope that the genin were strictly forbidden from anything but evacuation attempts.

    She blinked and Junpei was gone, leaving the ghost of his smile behind ¨C alongside the promise of his return. Whether or not he would fulfil that promise, she didn''t know.

    She had her duties and he had his, and as shinobi of the Hidden Leaf, they were contractually bound to fulfil them.

    <hr>

    Her lungs burned. Tears that had long since dried lined her face but she couldn''t stop ¨C not now.

    Slung across her back was a sleeping child. He had screamed until he was hoarse, fighting her every step of the way until exhaustion had claimed his tortured consciousness. The sight of his parents brutalised across the remainder of their home was not one she would forget anytime soon.

    Nothing she had seen tonight would leave her mind.

    She winced. Orphaned children. Childless parents. Grieving husbands. Widowed wives. Fujino thought the end of the third war was bad but this¡­ the sheer amount of senseless death¡­ it trumped any mass funeral she had attended in her childhood.

    She leapt from roof to roof. Her bird''s eye view of what was once a bustling village, teeming with life, had been thoroughly ripped apart by the claws and tails of a monster. She passed the street where Mr Banri would pull his taiyaki cart. A few blocks away, genin pulled sobbing children away from the quickly cooling corpses of their parents.

    The apartment block rumbled, and she wasn''t even able to cry a warning before it collapsed atop those too slow to avoid the falling concrete. She watched, helpless, as a genin abandoned the elderly man she was carrying, leaping away from the descending rubble.

    Fujino cursed, turning away. She had seen enough death tonight.

    The weight on her back stirred.

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    She sighed but maintained her speed. The faster she got to the orphanage, the better it would be for the both of them.

    His hot breath spread across her ear, but the words chilled her to the bone. "...It wasn''t a nightmare."

    All his choked sobs made it past the blaring siren, chipping away at her soul.

    A haggard woman stood watch at the orphanage''s front gate with dozens of children assembled around her. The younger ones were crying into the legs of children not much older than themselves. She swallowed the cold, dead remains of her heart.

    "M-Miss Shinobi?" the matron asked. "Another child?"

    Fujino nodded, wordlessly releasing the little boy. He stared at her with soul-crushingly empty eyes.

    "Why did you save me?" he asked, voice quiet enough that only she could hear him. "Why didn''t you save Ma and Pa?"

    "I-I¡­"

    She scrambled for an answer. He took one last look at her and slipped into the small crowd.

    That wretched howl raked its claws through her. Fujino shook her legs out ¨C she had more than enough chakra left to join the fight. Enough chakra to carve out a pound of flesh for the dead families she''d had the misfortune of encountering.

    Making a few shaky hand signs, she flickered to the orphanage rooftop and took off. She registered a blur in her peripheral vision and slowed down.

    A vested shinobi pulled up beside her. "We''ve orders to join the fight! Head to the eastern exit!"

    She nodded. "It''s about time we avenge the innocents that monster has killed."

    "Damn right," the chunin growled, vanishing in a burst of speed.

    Fujino stopped and laughed weakly. It was a hollow lie. The truth was, she was sick and tired of seeing people die for no reason at all. Of seeing the viscera of helpless civilians, unable to lift a finger against that which wanted them dead.

    At least there was more purpose in her existence confronting the thing responsible.

    She gazed forlornly at the Nine-Tails and the countless ant-like figures swatted aside by its writhing tails.

    Somewhere in that direction, her husband was fighting, and at long last, she could join him. The thought alone warmed the raw wound that her heart had become.

    <hr>

    Death had come, shrouding the village in a menacing light. They stood in a ring of fire, caged with a beast that had turned their home into a graveyard.

    For close to an hour, the village''s shinobi had fought ¨C every single jutsu imaginable hurled at the gargantuan beast''s hide. One by one, they were ripped apart by its tails, scattered across the razed village, or slammed against the masses of shinobi crowding it.

    To them, it was a life-or-death battle. A struggle for survival. For the Tailed Beast, it was nothing but a game.

    Fujino could see it. Even in the face of her imminent death, she could see it.

    Its unsettlingly human-like eyes flashed with perverse glee like it could taste the fear heavy in the air. The abyssal orb stretching its maw continued to grow, forcing the Nine-Tails further and further outside of the village''s eastern walls.

    Not that there were any walls left to break.

    Fujino was teetering dangerously close to chakra exhaustion. Her weapons were lost in the vast masses of orange fur, save for the single kunai clenched in her quivering hands.

    "T-This is it¡­" a chunin muttered nearby.

    He might have been a jonin for all she knew. In front of the walking disasters known as Tailed Beasts, there was no difference between genin, chunin, and jonin.

    "Fuck!" a young-sounding man yelled. "This can''t be how we go out! We never even had a chance against it!"

    The sound of weapons clattering to the ground followed one after the other. The Nine-Tails'' blood-red eyes curved up at the sight. The sides of its lips twitched into a manic grin.

    Fujino''s fingers twitched. Was there any point in raising her weapon? It would do nothing. Just as the slew of her fire-release jutsu had done nothing. Her grip slid to the very bottom of the hilt, the rest of the weapon swinging back and forth.

    Her flickering resolve followed each swing of the kunai.

    It swung right.

    The mourning cries of dozens of children punished her for her cowardice. Her face twisted at a pain felt deeper than the throbbing ache in her tired limbs.

    It swung left.

    Her swimming vision cleared, taking in the monstrous glory of a tailed beast bomb. If good fortune was with her, Fujino would have never seen it in her lifetime. From the very little she had read, a single one would turn the entirety of the Hidden Leaf village into a smoking crater.

    With a choking gasp, she surrendered her weapon and her will to fight, shutting her eyes tight in wait for what she could only hope to be a painless death.

    "Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf," Lord Third boomed. "Hear me!"

    Fujino looked behind her. Lord Third, caked in debris and blood, was perched atop a demolished roof, resting against his famed Adamantine Staff. Her childhood had been filled with stories of his famed exploits as the God of Shinobi but this night ¨C tragic as it was ¨C had kindled a newfound respect for the former Hokage.

    An hour against the Nine-Tailed Fox and he had cast nothing but the highest ranked elemental jutsu. He was the sole reason that the vast majority of them had survived so far ¨C Fujino included.

    Momentarily taking her eyes off him, she chewed her bottom lip in worry.

    The brief reprieve from her still imminent death brought a worrying thought to mind. Where was Junpei? She hadn''t seen a single trace of him in the battle. Not the tell-tale howl of his wind-release jutsu, nor had she heard his incessant habit of yelling the name of his jutsu over his lungs.

    Not once.

    "Tonight, you stand against insurmountable odds, braved by our village''s first and greatest Hokage: Hashirama Senju! All is not yet lost. Raise your weapons and look forward!"

    Vast torrent of chilling air swept across the village. It took all she had and more to stand her ground, digging her heels in deep. Blinding garnet light slipped between her raised arms.

    The earth itself thrashed under the Nine-Tails'' attack. Panic-filled screams and harsh curses exploded forth all around her. Fujino shrieked out a hurried prayer to whatever god would hear her. Her only wish was to be reunited with Junpei in the Pure Lands.

    When the pressure on her eyelids receded, she hesitantly blinked them open to a hazy golden barrier.

    "W-What happened?"

    "Ar-Are we¡­ dead?"

    Fujino slowly reached a probing finger towards the barrier. Miniscule ripples flooded around her finger. She tracked swirling paths on the face of the barrier, squinting through its golden light.

    She leapt back at the earth-shattering howl from the other side.

    "Just as each of you must protect the village and its inhabitants," Lord Third smiled, walking up to the barrier. "The Hokage has a duty of care to their shinobi. Now, please stand back, everyone. I may no longer wear the hat, but I am still the Hidden Leaf''s Third Hokag¡ª!"

    He stumbled back, ashen-faced.

    "Minato¡­"

    He raised his staff, slamming it against the barrier. It shuddered once, pulsing. A stuttering light surged across it. He slammed the barrier again but it remained strong.

    "He''s keeping us out," Lord Third growled as his staff vanished in a puff of smoke. He slammed his bare fists against the barrier. "Minato!"

    Fujino retreated, Lord Third''s cries growing distant.

    Her feet felt weightless. She drifted across the ruined remains of the eastern gate. Her eyes scanned the corpses of deceased shinobi with desperate ferocity. The pit in her stomach grew at every unfamiliar face she saw. One at a time, the corpses mounted, with Junpei nowhere to be found.

    It was not until hours later that she found his mutilated body at Konoha Hospital. Her feet would not move. Her eyes remained fixed on his unnaturally pale face. His unmoving lips and those closed green eyes that would never open again.

    Junpei would never wake again.

    Her mind ¨C no, her being itself ¨C simply shut down in the face of that reality. Years later, she still had not fully moved on. Not mentally, or physically. More than five years after the fact, Fujino still lived in the same home.

    In their home.

    Their pictures were mounted in the entry hallway and framed in their ¨C her ¨C bedroom.

    Her tired purple eyes flickered over to his bright grin. She sipped from a mug of coffee. Over the last few hours, she had made a sizeable dent in her marking. The third and second years'' had been finished hours ago and only half of the first years'' remained.

    She slid the marked paper onto the pile of completed first year essays and palmed a new one. Seeing the name at the top of the next paper made her pause.

    "Naruto Uzumaki¡­" she muttered.

    A storm of emotions broiled within her.

    Fear, not of the boy, but what he could become. No, what the Nine-Tails could become. He was smart ¨C smarter than any child she had seen. What she was afraid of was what the Nine-Tails could become with the knowledge he would acquire.

    The village could not take another slaughter. She could not take another slaughter. Not after she had barely cobbled together the remains of her life.

    Fujino began to mark his paper. Each slightly misspelt word that she encountered and credited twisted a chilling knife into her chest. No matter her feelings about his circumstances, she could admit that Naruto gave nothing but his best efforts in her class. Not just her class, but every class in the Academy.

    But where she should feel pride, she felt the distant prickle of fear ¨C of danger. The same chill in the air she felt on that night. Her training as a shinobi warred with her choices. Her integrity as a teacher warred with her choices.

    The memory of Junpei warred with her choices.

    Frowning, Fujino continued. She hadn''t completely botched his chances at learning proper reading and writing skills, she tried to tell herself. Only enough that he would begin to doubt his prodigious capability. Only enough that he would not reach full bloom. He could still become a resourceful shinobi.

    She snorted derisively. The words didn''t even have to be verbalised to feel void to her. Regardless, she continued. Because the alternative would mean accepting the distinct possibility of danger once again.

    That, she refused to do.

 Chapter 4 [1]

    With the winter break steadily approaching and the Academy settling into a routine schedule, I found the days whizzing by. They were a blend of boredom and brief moments of curiosity amidst a hail of biting wind and infrequent snow. I say boredom because nothing of note had happened since discovering Fujino¡¯s sabotage. Classes ran as usual, with me zoning out during everything but her classes and sparring.

    I leaned back against the bench, releasing a slow, quiet yawn. My eyes tingled and I swallowed another yawn as I looked out of the window. The barest pinkish hues of sunlight stretched over the bleak, grey sky.

    Homeroom had come to a close. The room exploded into noise as Iruka closed the sliding door behind him. I could see almost everything and everyone from the back of the layered classroom. A small crowd of eager-eyed girls had formed around Sasuke, with another crowd of jealous boys glaring at him.

    I shook my head with a smile. Well over a month now ¨C closer to two ¨C and you¡¯d think the fixation would die down on both sides. Maybe the mysterious allure of him being the last Uchiha is something irresistible to a child¡¯s mind.

    Not that I¡¯d be one to know.

    The rustle of packaging crinkled beside me, followed by a sharp crunch. I turned with a raised eyebrow more amused than anything else.

    ¡°Choji?¡±

    The round-faced boy paused mid-bite, pulling the untouched morsel from the depth of his mouth.

    ¡°You understand that it¡¯s only nine in the morning, right?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Did you have breakfast?¡±

    He nodded again.

    I scratched my cheek, thinking of a way to word this that wouldn¡¯t set him off. For all his gentleness, even insinuating that he was fat would upset Choji for at least an hour.

    ¡°I¡­ guess you must be hungry then.¡±

    He frowned at me, suspicion in his brown eyes. He clutched the bag of crisps closer to his chest. ¡°What¡¯s it to you, Naruto?¡±

    ¡°Relax, bud. I¡¯m not going to steal your food.¡±

    He nodded ¨C almost to himself ¨C and popped it back into his mouth. ¡°Good. Do¡­ you want some?¡±

    I stared at the outstretched bag and tilted my head. ¡°...Why not?¡±

    When our history teacher walked in, I was working on dislodging the remains of the spicy-flavoured crisps from my teeth. The classroom plummeted into silence. Mizubayashi wasn¡¯t the sort who¡¯d stand for any foolishness on that front ¨C his words, not mine.

    He opened a notebook and settled behind the podium, scribbling a question on the blackboard. The class moved on at a snail¡¯s pace. Mizubayashi started with a quiz before launching into what I can only describe as a lecture on the establishment of the strange civilian counsel sessions that Lord Third holds each month.

    It was interesting¡­ at first anyway. I had always wondered why he did so when the Hidden Leaf¡¯s pretty much an autocracy, at least on paper. But then it veered in a direction I didn¡¯t care for. For the vast majority of the lesson, I skipped ahead in the textbook and read up on Tobirama Senju who ¨C despite his questionable actions regarding the Uchiha ¨C was arguably the best Hokage this village had ever seen.

    I felt a pang of longing alongside a thrum of frustration. Dad would¡¯ve probably been the best Hokage in the village to date. If nothing else, he was taking steps to solve the decades-long Uchiha dilemma.

    Mizubayashi clapped his hands.

    ¡°Right, to finish, we¡¯ll take a look at something very fundamental to our village¡¯s existence in preparation for next week. We¡¯ve covered it in passing but we¡¯re going into detail today. Now, who wants to tell me what the Will of Fire is?¡±

    Sakura¡¯s arm shot past her pink hair.

    ¡°The Will of Fire is the founding belief of our village. We use our love for our family and friends as motivation to defend ourselves from our enemies. If we lose the Will of Fire, we¡¯ll turn to evil and hatred.¡±

    ¡°Perfectly summarised, Sakura.¡± Mizubayashi smiled and began to pace about in front of the blackboard. ¡°The Will of Fire is universal ¨C that means the same for everyone ¨C in Konoha. It goes beyond the divide between shinobi and civilians. We all feel love for our family and friends. We all care for neighbours and everyone who helps the Hidden Leaf keep moving, right?¡±

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    He nodded at the chorus of yesses.

    ¡°The Will of Fire, as Sakura says, is keeping that love in mind in everything we do. Remember who and what you¡¯re training for ¨C and when you go out on missions ¨C who you¡¯re fighting for¡­ Jun?¡±

    ¡°But the whole village, sensei? I can¡¯t imagine the whole village!¡±

    Mizubayashi chuckled. ¡°Neither can I. But you can imagine your family and friends, can¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°...Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Keep them in mind. Your friends and family live in the village too. So when you fight for your friends and family, you fight for the village as well. It''s something you can take pride in.¡±

    Jun stumbled over his words. ¡°I¡­ still don¡¯t understand, sir.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You might not understand it, but you feel it and live it. You came here to be a shinobi, which means the Will of Fire burns within you. If not today, then you¡¯ll understand one day.¡±

    Someone else raised their hand. ¡°Sir! Do other hidden villages have the Will of Fire too?¡±

    There was a round of laughter that Mizubayashi took part in. He raised a hand to put an end to it with a smile.

    ¡°No, Tatsuo. The other hidden villages don¡¯t have the Will of Fire. It¡¯s why they might be possessed by greed ¨C like the Hidden Cloud, who are famous for stealing bloodlines. But we have the Will of Fire, passed onto us by Hashirama Senju, who put an end to an era of warring clans and barbarity. So long as we keep those we care for close to our hearts, we won¡¯t fall to hatred and greed like the other villages.¡±

    A few more questions flew across the classroom. Some weren¡¯t the smartest while others were thought-provoking. Mizubayashi¡¯s answer to Tatsuo left a bad taste in my mouth.

    He¡¯d twisted Hashirama Senju¡¯s hopes for genuine understanding among people into propaganda. Not just him, but people like Tobirama Senju, Danzo, and even Lord Third as well ¨C which brought a pretty controversial question to mind. Part of me wanted to know the answer to that question, but another revelled in the tight spot it would corner the chunin into.

    I chewed my tongue for a bit before tentatively raising my hand.

    Mizubayashi nodded.

    ¡°Sir, what if the people you love and fight for one day become enemies of Konoha? What then? Would we lose the Will of Fire?¡±

    He tilted his head. ¡°Mind explaining what you mean?¡±

    I swallowed. This was going to be bad, but what the hell? Not like there¡¯s any guilt stopping me.

    ¡°Take¡­ Orochimaru. He was one of the Legendary Sannin ¨C he almost became the Fourth Hokage at one point. But he betrayed the village. Doesn¡¯t caring for him ¨C no matter who he was before ¨C mean you¡¯d go against the Will of Fire?¡±

    Now, I don¡¯t know about it being so quiet that you could hear a pin drop ¨C I probably would if anyone had a pin to drop ¨C but it was quiet enough that the howling wind outside intruded through the closed windows.

    The mention of the disgraced Sannin was enough to turn the curious glances into slight frowns and critical whispers. I stared defiantly at the dozens of judging eyes pointed in my direction. This would probably push me further away from my peers than I already was, but it didn¡¯t matter.

    I¡¯m conflicted about Hashirama Senju¡¯s ideals and the thing known as the Will of Fire. Love and understanding are important in reaching peace ¨C be that a happy one or simply grudging coexistence. But what happens when it gets in the way of peace like Lord Third¡¯s refusal to kill Orochimaru? Because of Lord Third, Orochimaru was at large in the Elemental Nations, kidnapping and experimenting on God knows how many innocents.

    Looking at it in another way, what happens when hatred and vengeance overlap with the pursuit of peace, leading to even more war? I clenched my jaw at the remembrance of that night, expelling the surge of negativity as best as I could with an explosive breath.

    This wasn¡¯t about me right now. It was about the Will of Fire as an ideology.

    The silence stretched on until it was almost unbearable. Mizubayashi hummed. His jaw shifted like he was carefully considering his words before voicing them for the class to hear. Before he could, though, there was a rattling bell that announced the end of the period and the start of lunch.

    Whatever he was going to say would have been ¨C and was ¨C drowned by the collective scuttles and rattles of everyone packing up.

    I took a few curious glances at Mizubayashi as I followed the queue down the stairs. His eyes were cautious, almost. I couldn¡¯t tell. All I knew was that they were intense. His stare dug into my back when I turned to leave through the door.

    Maybe it was my questioning or something else entirely, but I had a feeling he¡¯d be taking notice of me a lot more from now on. Beyond being a twat of an essay marker anyway.

    As usual, I took to the rooftop for lunch, back against the locked doors of some kind of storeroom. Distant cries and giggles drifted from the playground below. A strange heaviness rooted me to the ground as I took frequent bites out of my sandwich.

    I¡¯d made sure to pack some extra protein in advance. Two hard-boiled eggs. Coupled with the sandwich, I¡¯d have more than enough energy for this afternoon¡¯s spars. Some ramen after school would be perfect for some carbs ¨C the taste is just a bonus.

    I shivered a little and zipped up my coat. As cold as the weather is up here, I prefer it over the inevitable awkwardness that would come from playing with children in a sandpit. My lips turned down in disgust. Almost two decades later I can still feel the grind of sand grains in the back of my mouth.

    I took a swig from my water bottle and leaned back against the metal doors, the chilling wind¡¯s sharp prickles dancing across my face.

 Chapter 4 [2]

    I stretched my tongue along the inside of my mouth, left eye twitching at the sting where I¡¯d chewed up my cheek. Blaming eyes latched onto Sasuke. He stared back, seemingly unreadable at first glance.

    But I¡¯d grown used to his usual demeanour. Iruka was to thank for that. He¡¯s consistently been pairing me with those best at taijutsu in our class ¨C namely Sasuke, Choji, Hinata, Kiba, and a repeater from last year by the name of Sabo.

    With Sasuke, the tells weren¡¯t in his face, but his body. Like his shaking lead hand and the defined clench in his jaw. He was tired, plain and simple. As good of a poker face as he has, Sasuke isn¡¯t as unflappable as he¡¯s trying to have me believe, and me? I had the energy to spare and then some.

    Darting in, I faked a jab to his head, pulling in my fist to slam an elbow into the side of his guard. His torso dipped and his weight shifted to his back leg when I took the opportunity to shoulder-check him. It wasn¡¯t as effective as I thought ¨C it didn¡¯t push him out of the circle.

    I did succeed in smothering him, slipping in quick body blows while he fought to push me away from his chest. A hot flash exploded across my face. The clunk of my jaws slamming together shuddered up my head and my nose began to throb.

    My lead hand rose between us ¨C half-opened to parry and defend me ¨C  while I blinked tears away. Worst case: I¡¯d be prepared to grab a fistful of his shirt and throw the niceties out the window. I doubted it would keep him away for long, but it¡¯d buy me some time.

    Something slightly warmer than my saliva seeped across my mouth. By its heavy, metallic aftertaste, I must¡¯ve chewed up that cut pretty badly. None of the Academy medics would tend to it on grounds of it being self-administered ¨C which was the bullshit rule they applied to me and me only.

    I know that if Sasuke were to go to them with a busted-up mouth, they¡¯d heal it immediately, gushing about how he must¡¯ve got it during sparring. It¡¯s one thing for me to shrug off the villagers, unable to do anything, but people actively sabotaging my future ¨C not just Fujino ¨C was starting to get old¡­ and quickly at that.

    I spat a glob of bloody saliva to the side, chuckling as a girl from the Sasuke Fangirl crowd belted a loud ¡°eww¡±. The amusement was enough to force the wave of vitriol to recede and I sighed. Sasuke wasn¡¯t to blame for any of this ¨C hell, he¡¯s had it worse than me.

    Not that this was a competition or anything but I pitied him, truly. I, at least, had almost two decades of experience and coping to fall back on when my parents died. It wasn¡¯t all effective, but he had none of it.

    Pity has no place in a fight, though. I tightened my fist and spat out another glob. As long as I didn¡¯t mangle the cut, the bleeding should stop.

    Sasuke glanced down at the bloody spit with a smidge of pride in his dark eyes. He batted aside my lead hand, throwing his right towards my exposed face. I pulled up my back hand to stop it.

    He hissed as I sunk my lead hand in from below. His tensed stomach coiled around my knuckles and I leaned away from a swinging hook, mindful of the ring¡¯s edge a handful of steps behind me.

    One good hit would send me over.

    The brief pause in the fight had allowed him to reclaim the centre of the ring. Now I was the one on the back foot. I threw up a hasty turtle shell born out of a year of constant pummellings from my previous life.

    It wouldn¡¯t save me for long; experienced boxers had taught me as much. Boxers; who, bear in mind, aren¡¯t allowed to use anything but their fists.

    Sasuke¡¯s fists hit me where my hunch-backed turtle shell guard didn¡¯t cover: my stomach. I dug my heels deeper into the hard ground beneath us. I peered at him through my raised fists, counting through gritted teeth.

    Leave a man to do nothing but wail on you and they¡¯ll fall into a pattern. That was the first thing I learned. Most experienced fighters correct that, but there aren¡¯t any experienced fighters in the Academy.

    Sasuke¡¯s hands slipped behind my neck and his elbows squeezed around my raised arms. Knee after knee collided against my forearms. Eventually, one would slip between them and end the fight. With how hard he was hitting me, I¡¯d be surprised if I¡¯m not gasping for air.

    His grunts, the scratches of our shoes against the ground, and my breaths and whispers were the only sounds I registered. I clenched my stomach, waiting it out as my body jolted.

    Another knee was headed my way for sure. I twisted my hips and pushed my shin against his inner thighs. I muttered a curse as our knees clacked together hollowly.

    Sasuke stumbled back, more off-balance than he had been this entire fight. I dove for his legs, pulling them out from beneath him, and pounced. He pulled his head up and offered his back to the ground.

    I brought down my fist with about as much restraint as could be given his age ¨C but enough to end the fight. A pained yelp tore his grimacing mouth wide open and I mounted his body.

    My twitching fist hovered over his face and it would be faster than anything he could do. This fight was over, and he could see it too. He gulped, grudging respect mingling with frustration.

    When Sasuke and I spar, it¡¯s not like he doesn¡¯t win. I just win more. At the same time, those aren¡¯t wins I can take any satisfaction in. Where taijutsu is concerned, my ¡°spot¡± at the top of the class isn¡¯t assured for very long. I¡¯d like to say it frustrates me, but that would be a lie.

    The Academy¡¯s basic style ¨C which is a simplified version of Hashirama Senju¡¯s taijutsu style taught to every Academy student ¨C was so widespread that nothing I did should be a surprise to anyone worth their salt. My style was a mash of the Academy¡¯s taijutsu style and other ones I dabbled in throughout my short life.

    Mainly Boxing, Muay Thai, and some grappling off the street. It was not going to last long without any improvement. Most fights I had with the top taijutsu contenders in my class were mental battles I won through experience, not superior skill.

    I would soon be ousted from the number one spot ¨C if not this year then the next. People like Sasuke, Hinata, and Kiba had their clans¡¯ taijutsu styles and expert instruction. Those styles are more polished than my year-long experience boxing and the few tips I¡¯d grabbed from conferences and friends practising other arts.

    I could reach out to Lord Third, but I wouldn¡¯t. Does that mean my stumbling around blindly was my own fault? Probably. No, definitely. But we had grown too far apart for me to have that kind of relationship with him.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    Or maybe that was just my ego talking. I gave a mental shrug and opened my fist. Sasuke clasped his first two fingers around mine and I pulled him up using my free hand.

    The watching crowd exploded into cheers for all of five seconds before Iruka shut them up with a yell. He cleared his throat and smiled at the both of us ¨C well¡­ more at Sasuke than me, but he still gave me my flowers.

    Practically glowing praise from him.

    ¡°That was a good fight, you two. I could see that you were both thinking multiple steps ahead. Sasuke, Naruto was just thinking a little further ahead than you were, which is why you lost. It really could have gone either way.¡±

    Sasuke folded his arms with a frown and I knew better than to give him any commiserations. Having the person who beat you compliment your performance after a fight that you lost rarely feels good.

    I nodded at him.

    He blinked at me and returned it slowly. The unwanted and unneeded crowd of fangirls quickly formed around him, a few stopping to shoot nasty glares at me. I backed off with a snort and wandered over to Choji and Shikamaru, who were with the rest of the class.

    Sasuke and I were one of the last people to spar, so there wasn¡¯t long left till the end of the lesson and all the other interesting fights had ended before ours. I trudged down the Academy¡¯s front steps sorer than I would have liked. Usually, I try to fight passively, but it wasn¡¯t an option this time around.

    I veered around crowds of parents and children and took to the path leading into the heart of the village. The sizzles of street stalls and energised yells surged and fell. With it being winter, the sun was nearly submerged beneath the horizon at the end of the school day.

    I muffled a yawn behind my hands as I reached Ichiraku Ramen, taking a good look between the fabric covers on the shop¡¯s front. It was enough to see that it was busy this evening. There were six seated, with at least half a dozen more lined up. Dozens more would come before closing time.

    Nighttime is when ramen bars are the busiest in Konoha. Especially during the winter. A hot bowl of ramen is the perfect thing for Konoha¡¯s freezing nights.

    I hung my coat on the back of the door and yelled a greeting towards the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯m back!¡±

    Ayame popped her head out of the kitchen door and grinned. ¡°You¡¯re not looking so hot today. Who beat you up?¡±

    ¡°You should see the other guy,¡± I laughed and then winced when the side of my tongue lapped against the inside of my cheek.

    ¡°Is your mouth cut?¡±

    ¡°Yup.¡±

    She frowned and pulled me into the kitchen by the hand. Forced to sit on a stool while Ayame mixed some salt and warm water, I peered around the kitchen for Mr Teuchi. His usual booming laugh came from the serving window.

    ¡°Hey, Mr Teuchi,¡± I called. ¡°I¡¯m back!¡±

    His response was instantaneous. I heard his footsteps before I saw him turn the corner where my legs dangled off a stool.

    ¡°How was school today?¡±

    ¡°Pretty good. Some interesting stuff happened too.¡±

    He worked on preparing a bowl of tonkotsu ramen while we talked, looking back at me when he could.

    ¡°Interesting how?¡±

    ¡°Well, today we sparred, and that¡¯s always fun. I learnt a few things during it too. The next time I spar again, I¡¯ll do it differently¡±

    Like keeping my jaw clenched and breathing out of my nose. I usually do, but I¡¯m going to make it a habit this time. The one time I didn¡¯t, Sasuke clocked me right in the mouth.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good. Anything else you¡¯d like to share?¡±

    ¡°He can do that after this.¡± Ayame pressed a half-filled cup of salt water into my hands. ¡°Move that around your mouth, make sure you focus on the cut. It won¡¯t be fun, but it¡¯ll hurt less once you¡¯re done.¡±

    I took a swig, a sharp spike exploding across the tender flesh. I did as instructed. Each rinse hurt less and less until the cut was a faint throb in the side of my mouth.

    Emptying the rest of the water into the sink, I pointed at my cheek. ¡°I¡¯ve got a cut.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± said Teuchi. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure your ramen isn¡¯t too spicy, then. Now, mind answering my question?¡±

    ¡°Oh. Uh. I guess you could call this interesting.¡±

    I stopped at a snicker.

    Ayame waved her sieve at me. Broth dripped onto the kitchen floor and the scum within the tool almost tipped over its sides.

    ¡°When someone says anything like that, it¡¯s guaranteed to not be interesting.¡±

    ¡°Now, now, Ayame,¡± Teuchi slid a ramen bowl through the serving window. ¡°Any more and you¡¯ll be bullying him. Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t seen what you say to him when you think I can¡¯t hear you.¡±

    She spun around with a stamp of her foot.

    ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m bullying him?¡± she said incredulously. ¡°He¡¯s said far worse and you know it! As his elder by ten years, it¡¯s my job to make sure he doesn¡¯t get a big head.¡±

    My lips twitched into a smile. ¡°It¡¯s not me who has a big head right now.¡±

    ¡°What was that?¡±

    I glanced off at the customers slurping down the noodles with a grin.

    ¡°At least I can reach a shelf, short stack.¡±

    I laughed when Teuchi threatened to make her cut onions all night if she took it further. ¡°Anyway, we covered the Will of Fire today in class. If the whole idea behind it is to love and protect those around us to achieve peace, why is it only limited to the Land of Fire?¡±

    Teuchi hummed but didn¡¯t say anything for a little while. The clamour of the restaurant meant that the silence wasn¡¯t awkward, but I was left on the edge of my seat (literally) for his reply.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been a shinobi, so don¡¯t take my word as law. The existence of chakra and jutsu means that conflict will always be a thing. The Hidden Village system was invented with the end of war and conflict in mind, but the reality is that nothing has changed since the Warring Clans era.¡±

    His voice trailed and I found my thoughts doing the same.

    Bottom line is, the Will of Fire is an ideal. The reality is that war will always happen. Be it because of revenge, altruism, ambition, or hope. So long as those in suffering existed, there would be those who sought to change their circumstances through it.

    In a way, I understood why Nagato and Konan were so bent on teaching others through pain (the persona and the sensation). It¡¯s a fresh, constant reminder of the consequences of war. Just as a child learns to not touch a boiling kettle, people will learn not to wage war through mass, indiscriminate pain.

    But pain fades away until it¡¯s nothing but a memory. What then? Make them feel more pain? That would only fuel the cycle of hatred and retaliation.

    Even as my eyes grew heavy and tired, my mind grasped for alternatives and solutions.

    I¡¯d come from a world less brutal than this one, where world wars had still happened. Was peace possible here, when every man, woman, and child could kill with a wave of their hand and go about their day?

    ¡°Naruto.¡±

    My droopy eyes snapped open. Teuchi mussed up my hair with a laugh.

    ¡°You think too much. There¡¯s no use in cooking up hypothetical futures in your head when you can¡¯t do anything about them in the present. Focus on graduating from the Academy before you tackle this life¡¯s big questions. Now, if you wish to cook here, how about I teach you about proper plating?¡±

    More than happy to do so, I peered attentively from my stool. Unfortunately, height isn¡¯t something I¡¯ll be seeing much of for quite some time

    I worked well into the evening, only leaving when the waves of customers finally began to thin ¨C and at Mr Teuchi¡¯s insistence too. I would have stayed longer if not for him.

    Would I have been able to? Probably not given that I¡¯m moments away from nodding off, but it¡¯s the thought that counts.

    Finally arriving home, I only stopped to take off my shoes.

    Despite my exhaustion, my mind jumped to tomorrow¡¯s plans, putting an unneeded damper on my otherwise good mood. It had been a week since Fujino screwed me over and despite my doubts, I¡¯d be willing to give her an out if she took it.

    Making a spectacle out of this would only make things harder for me but I was more than willing to bring her up to Lord Third if she didn¡¯t.

    It all depended on how tomorrow went.

 Chapter 5

    Yawns of various lengths fogged the air around me. The atmosphere was heavy with broken sleep and disgruntled mutters. The same as yesterday and the day before that, Iruka had gathered us on the track for our morning run before homeroom.

    The sun peeking through the cloud cover did little to ward off the chill in the air. Warm tears pooled in my eyes as a small yawn opened my mouth. I stretched my legs and flexed slightly numb toes from within my shoes.

    Choji and Shikamaru yawned one after another.

    ¡°Man,¡± Shikamaru sighed. ¡°I¡¯d rather be in bed right now.¡±

    Choji¡¯s shoulders rounded, and his head slumped forward in defeat. ¡°I hate running¡­¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°What?¡± Shikamaru asked.

    ¡°You know, for someone so smart, you tend to be pretty short-sighted.¡±

    His eyes narrowed.

    ¡°I mean, think about it: your dad¡¯s the Jonin Commander and the head of the Nara clan. The chances of you being allowed to kick back and live an easy life are next to none.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean I have to go looking for trouble like you do,¡± he replied. ¡°And you can¡¯t tell me that topping almost every class isn¡¯t looking for trouble. I¡¯ll do just enough to pass. In the end, I guess I¡¯ll be teamed up with Ino and Choji, which is fine by me. No reason to try so hard.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there?¡±

    Choji fidgeted nervously between us. I stared at Shikamaru. A part of me was annoyed by his laziness. The other wanted to laugh at the discomfort written over Choji¡¯s face.

    In the end, I ignored both.

    ¡°The world¡¯s anything but peaceful. What happens when, one day, you find yourself against someone you can¡¯t beat and wish you had given just a little more effort in your training? Or worse, when you can¡¯t save the people you care about.¡±

    Choji shrunk back. Shikamaru¡¯s frown deepened. He walked towards me, mouth opening to reply when we were covered in a shroud of darkness.

    Iruka leered down at us. ¡°What are you three doing? RUN!¡±

    Choji bolted and left Shikamaru and I behind. We stared at his back before jogging after him, running side by side until we reached the cluster of stragglers. I readied myself to overtake when Shikamaru tugged the back of my shirt.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Listen.¡± He breathed out of his nose. ¡°We¡¯re going to continue that talk later.¡±

    ¡°What happened to not looking for trouble?¡±

    He scoffed.

    His dedication to laziness, at least, was something I could admire. I took off, moving to the front of the pack by the end of the first lap. I could¡¯ve done it faster, but it would mean being a lot more sweaty by the end.

    I kept up my lead, glancing over my shoulder at Kiba and Sasuke. The gap between us and the class had closed a little over the month or so we¡¯d been doing laps before school.

    By the time we finished, everyone was a lot more energised. They mostly complained on the way in, but the run had succeeded in waking them up.

    Iruka took a moment to let everyone relax before starting homeroom.

    ¡°Now that we¡¯re all warmed up, here are the day¡¯s announcements. With the winter break in two weeks, the Academy will be running an open day during the holiday for interested parents and children. We¡¯re taking volunteers from across the school. Please raise your hand if you want to volunteer so I can jot down names and hand them to the coordinator. Otherwise, feel free to come to me until the end of term.¡±

    Sakura was the first to volunteer, followed by Ino, who turned and stared pointedly at Shikamaru and Choji. The pair stiffened before Choji tentatively raised his hand. Shikamaru slumped forward with an audible sigh.

    A few more hands popped up from around the classroom, mostly friend groups who wanted something to do during the break.

    ¡°Shikamaru!¡± Choji whined.

    The lazy boy groaned.

    ¡°Come on! You can¡¯t leave me alone with Ino.¡±

    His pleading eyes turned to me. ¡°...Naruto?¡±

    I snorted. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even know what I was gonna ask!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s to help out at the open day, right?¡± He nodded in reply. ¡°I can¡¯t. I work at Ichiraku¡¯s, and winter¡¯s their busiest.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    Choji and I stared at Shikamaru. He sat back with a smirk. I stared at him quizzically as he raised his hand.

    Iruka looked up from his notepad, where he was scribbling down the names of the volunteers. His eyebrows twitched upwards. ¡°Shikamaru¡­ is that you volunteering or do you have something to say?¡±

    ¡°Both, sensei. I¡¯ve had an idea. Naruto works at Ichiraku¡¯s and was thinking of chipping in to cater if his boss lets him. I think more people would be willing to attend during winter if we provide them with ramen for the cold.¡±

    ¡°Naruto, is this true?¡±

    Excited whispers buzzed about the room. My heart rate spiked a little as Iruka blinked at me in surprise. I don¡¯t know what happened. Maybe it was the fact that I didn¡¯t want to disappoint the first expectations anyone had ever had of me, but I found myself nodding dumbly.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ quite nice of you,¡± Iruka spoke slowly, almost like he was convincing himself rather than me. ¡°Well done. I¡¯ll take this up with Mr Teuchi when I¡¯m next at Ichiraku¡¯s. Anyone else?¡±

    With the attention off me, my eyes snapped to Shikamaru.

    ¡°That was dirty, you brat.¡±

    ¡°Brat?¡± he laughed. ¡°We¡¯re the same age.¡±

    ¡°Are we? I couldn¡¯t tell over your pettiness to get back at me for earlier.¡±

    Despite mostly saying it in jest, my heart slowed at his comment. No matter how smart he was compared to his peers, Shikamaru was seven, while I wasn¡¯t. That said, the years of isolation had worn me away.

    There was just something nice about having people to talk to as an equal, especially after years of being avoided.

    I loved Teuchi and Ayame to bits, but the situation was just¡­ different. I pushed away the swell of emotion at the thought.

    Choji leaned over the desk, face dimpling as he glanced worriedly between us. ¡°Guys, don¡¯t fight. We can go together. That¡¯s not so bad. And thanks in advance for the ramen. I¡¯ll take having to follow Ino around if it means I get ramen out of it.¡±

    With the tension diffused, he leaned back with a smile. I blinked in surprise before laughing. ¡°No worries, big guy.¡±

    Iruka waved us all goodbye as he left the classroom. Minutes later, Mizubayashi entered, a thick textbook in tow.

    This class wasn¡¯t as interesting as the last, with him returning to bog-standard shinobi history. Given that I¡¯d covered the material in my own time, there was nothing my active mind could grab hold of besides flicking through the textbook for more interesting trivia.

    So I drowned out Mizubayashi¡¯s voice and tucked my head into the crook of my arm. When I looked up, Choji¡¯s round face filled my vision.

    He craned his neck up from the row ahead and I leaned back to stretch the cricks out of my neck.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Hey, Naruto?¡± Choji asked.

    I yawned. ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Want to sit with us for lunch?¡±

    ¡°Us? Who¡¯s us?¡±

    He pointed to himself. ¡°Me and¡ª¡±

    Shikamaru poked my shoulder from the seat to my left.

    I flinched, wrestling control over my breathing before asking, ¡°Why¡¯d you do that?¡±

    He shrugged and walked down the stairs. Choji fidgeted from the other side of the table. ¡°S-So¡­ are you coming?¡±

    I slung my jacket over my shoulders and followed Shikamaru. ¡°Sure. You¡¯re good company.¡±

    He smiled.

    ¡°Not sure about old lazybones, though.¡±

    Shikamaru stopped near the blackboard and levelled an unimpressed stare at me.

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know if he likes the nickname,¡± said Choji.

    ¡°Too bad for lazybones, I don''t plan on stopping.¡± I poked my head into the classroom. ¡°Do you guys wanna head to lunch or not? I¡¯ve got my food with me, but I hear the line is killer.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered with this¡­¡± Shikamaru complained. ¡°...annoying blondes.¡±

    Despite his words, there wasn¡¯t any heat in his voice. Choji ran after him, and I followed. We travelled down to the dining hall, where masses of students were waiting to be served. I found our year¡¯s section and took a seat at the end of our class¡¯ table.

    A blue tray clattered into my vision, sliding halfway across the table. I looked up, expecting Choji, only to find myself staring into a pale face and a pair of turquoise eyes. I finished my sandwich first, washing it down with some water.

    ¡°Ino,¡± I nodded. ¡°What can I do for you?¡±

    She surprised me by sitting back with a smile instead of replying. The silence played out between us, her smile only widening.

    ¡°...What¡¯s so funny?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Oh, nothing,¡± she said. ¡°I expected you to be a lot more like Sasuke, is all.¡±

    My brain struggled to comprehend her words for a good few moments. I think she realised because her smile widened into a grin.

    ¡°...What gave you that impression?¡± I asked, genuinely curious. ¡°I don¡¯t ignore people, do I?¡±

    ¡°No, but you like to keep to yourself.¡± She tilted her head. ¡°You haven¡¯t gone out of your way to hang out with anyone from class until today¡­ and with Shikamaru of all people.¡±

    I felt myself growing strangely defensive. ¡°...What¡¯s wrong with Shikamaru?¡±

    Ino snorted. ¡°I¡¯ve known him since I could walk. He¡¯s not the easiest of people to get along with, but my parents want us to become the new Ino-Shika-Cho trio when we graduate.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    She clapped her hands. ¡°So, I¡¯m curious, Naruto Uzumaki. What about a lazy, rude, annoying guy like Shikamaru has made you want to start being¡­ what did Dad call it? Social.¡±

    A breath I didn¡¯t know I was holding left my body. All of that tension and analysis only to build to such a simple question. I laughed a little. It was moments like these that made me realise just how young my classmates are.

    There would be brief moments of sudden maturity, and then they¡¯d go and do something to remind me that they¡¯re still only children.

    ¡°Oi.¡±

    Two blue trays slid across either side of Ino. Shikamaru slumped onto the low stool, barely acknowledging her presence while Choji snuck into the one beside her as if that would do anything to help him.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Shikamaru asked.

    Ino crossed her arms and jutted out her chin. ¡°You don¡¯t control me.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± He flared his nostrils and sighed.

    ¡°This is why we don¡¯t get along,¡± she frowned. ¡°You just want to¡­ exist. Right, Choji?¡±

    She turned so fast her hair whipped around. Choji shrunk back, looking down at his plate of fried rice.

    ¡°Man¡­¡± Ino growled and clenched her fists close to her face. ¡°One¡¯s lazy, and the other doesn¡¯t want to say a word. I don¡¯t know why our parents keep putting us together!¡±

    I watched all this unfold with a small smile that vanished once Ino¡¯s eyes found their way to me. Their intensity didn¡¯t diminish in the slightest and only grew the longer she stared.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to the ramen,¡± she finally said and stood up. ¡°But what you see in these two, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    As suddenly as she had arrived, Hurricane Ino was gone, leaving Choji and Shikamaru in no mood for conversation. I chuckled at their discomfort and got started on the second half of the sandwich, my eyes counting down the minutes until Fujino¡¯s class would arrive and, with it, the only thing stopping me from enjoying my evening.

    <hr>

    After the fiasco that was my last lesson with Fujino, my trust in anything she¡¯d ever taught me went right out of the window. Thankfully, after seeing my recent test, Mr Teuchi asked Ayame to help me out, meaning I didn¡¯t have anything to worry about on the learning front.

    That said, I couldn¡¯t calm down. Hours spent contemplating the best angle of attack, and I wouldn¡¯t be able to do it because I just couldn¡¯t calm down. Throughout the majority of the lesson, my nerves had gotten the better of me.

    I didn¡¯t fear Fujino, but what I wanted to do relied solely on her buying that I knew nothing about her actions ¨C which was true, but didn¡¯t help my nerves in the slightest.

    Whenever she called out my name, my pencil would slip between my clammy fingers. It was even worse now that we would be in the classroom alone. Once the lesson finished, I had to lounge about in the school library for an hour, and now, I was standing awkwardly in front of the door, eyes darting about in case anyone was around.

    I clenched the worn test paper in my hands, its edges worn and crinkled.

    The faded green door slid open, revealing Fujino ¨C and from the looks of it, she was ready to head home. I don¡¯t know how I never noticed it before, but now I did: a brief flash of genuine fear behind her red-rimmed lenses.

    An easy smile washed over her face. ¡°Naruto! What can I do for you? I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t headed home. It¡¯s quite late.¡±

    ¡°U-Um.¡± It didn¡¯t take much faking to act the part of a nervous schoolboy on my end. ¡°Can I talk to you, sensei?¡±

    She blinked and opened the classroom door for me. ¡°Of course.¡±

    I watched as she buzzed about, laying her bag on the table, pulling a chair and placing it opposite the teacher¡¯s desk, and even breaking out Iruka¡¯s tin of biscuits, pulling out one for each of us.

    ¡°Here.¡±

    I took a bite out of it and chewed slowly enough to give me time to think. It wasn¡¯t enough.

    Fujino clasped her hands together and leaned forward. Her eyes flickered to the test paper on the table. ¡°So, what¡¯s bothering you?¡±

    I slid it towards her, holding back a smile when the hand closest to it twitched. ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to upset you, but you marked my paper wrong!¡±

    ¡°Wrong?¡± she asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I checked my paper against Taro¡¯s and Yumi''s a-and Goto''s too! It was 45%... which means,¡± I paused. With every passing second, my heart felt like it was going to explode. ¡°I didn¡¯t pass.¡±

    My head was now hung low, leaving me unable to see her reaction.

    ¡°No¡­¡± she said, speaking low and gently. ¡°No, Naruto. You didn¡¯t fail, you did goo¡ª¡±

    I sprung up, making her jump.

    ¡°I know why you did it though!¡± I grinned ¡ª both because I made her flinch but also at how quickly the blood drained from her face.

    She swallowed thickly. ¡°N-Naruto, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because you like me, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°W-What?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you like me?¡± I tilted my head. ¡°Actually, I think I¡¯m your favourite student too. You wouldn¡¯t bring my grade up without me being your favourite.¡±

    Her face fell, eyes blinking owlishly at me.

    My smile turned small and gentle. ¡°It¡¯s okay, sensei. I understand. Sometimes, we do wrong things because we don¡¯t want to hurt the people we care about.¡±

    ¡°N-Naruto¡­¡± Her face was still pale, pure shock written over every fold and wrinkle.

    ¡°But it¡¯s not fair to give me better marks because you like me,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯ve got to treat me the same as everyone else, otherwise you could get in trouble. I don¡¯t want you to lose your job.¡±

    That was a big enough lie that I had to try not to laugh.

    I might¡¯ve pushed this further than I¡¯d ever thought of, but at some point, I¡¯d got too into it to stop. The words I spoke hit her with a weight I didn¡¯t know words could have. Like I was slamming her with a cudgel when I opened my mouth.

    Did she finally grow enough of a conscience to realise that sabotaging the education of a six-year-old was an all-round shit thing to do?

    I couldn¡¯t give a single fuck either way.

    Pushing the paper closer to her, I gave her a respectful bow. In any other circumstance, I would rather sit through detention until the end of my school days, but the strained noise coming out of her mouth was hilarious enough for me not to care.

    I stepped into the corridor, expecting her to follow me. Then again, she was too stunned to speak, let alone move. ¡°Have a nice evening.¡±

    The door slid shut behind me and didn¡¯t open the entire time I crossed the corridor to reach the stairs. Something told me that Fujino didn¡¯t see this turn of events coming. In all honesty, it wasn¡¯t the first thing on my mind but once the rage and incomprehension died down, I realised two things.

    The first was that while Lord Third would instantly resolve the situation, part of me wanted to see if I was up to the challenge of doing it on my own. Fujino wouldn¡¯t be the last person to try and pull something over me in my career. It would be better for me to try and resolve it in a safe environment where I could always fall back on Lord Third if it got out of hand.

    The second wasn¡¯t nearly as grand or well-thought-out. There was just a personal pleasure in throwing a wrench in her plot on my own terms. The shock on her face made me snigger while I walked home.

    The best thing about it was that there would be nothing to punish me for. As great as it felt to make her squirm, however, I wasn¡¯t under any illusion that this would stop her, but what I did do was warn her. After this, there was no way she didn¡¯t know that I was onto her.

    If Fujino had any shred of decency left, she would stop here ¨C but in case she didn¡¯t¡­ well, Lord Third would be around to deliver my stipend in a few weeks.

    I¡¯d vented most of my frustration, and she¡¯d had her warning. Whatever happened next would be out of my hands and in that of the Hokage¡¯s.

 Chapter 6

    When I opened my eyes, the world was on fire.

    Everything, from the sky to the earth, was alight with burning orange tendrils that licked angrily at me. Blackened, towering buildings smouldered and the heavy scent of charred flesh violated my nose.

    I retched and fell to my knees, palms burning. When I rose, a scorched path opened itself from within the sea of flames. I walked to it, every step spawning a fresh wave of nausea, but I was eager to escape the oppressive heat.

    I passed by buildings, levelled or destroyed. Familiar buildings. I swallowed thickly and continued. My ribs curled inwards, stomach clenched. The air turned cold but when I looked back, the fires stretched as far as the horizon could see ¨C soundless.

    A cry snatched the silence. In the clearing ahead of me, through the broken walls of the village, I gazed upon the stuff of my nightmares. My lips parted. A strange, strangling gasp left my mouth.

    This nightmare. This same nightmare. It wasn¡¯t one I¡¯d had in years! Cold, foreign shock easily gave way to furious anger.

    I marched through the broken walls and shook my fist skyward. ¡°You fucking bastard! Do you enjoy torturing me like this, huh? Why do you do this? What did I ever do to you!¡±

    Halfway through my tirade, the world shimmered. I blinked, and it slipped down my face. As usual, I made sure to keep my back to the baby on the altar. I deafened my ears to the final words.

    They pulsed in my head instead.

    Blood-red eyes blinked down at me. Those were not the mindless eyes of a beast. There was no tomoe in them.

    Its lips curved up ¨C mocking me ¨C even as its fur lost its substance and its body evaporated and swirled in a crimson haze of chakra. The world disintegrated¡­ except for the altar I¡¯d so far made it a point to ignore. Two lay at its base, lightless eyes pointed at me.

    Within the surrounding abyss, I looked for it ¨C knowing where it would be as sure as I was that the sun would rise once I woke up.

    There he was. His single remaining eye was nothing more than a dot in the distance ¨C but he was there. Pulling strings in the background and forcing the world to dance to his tune.

    I sent a kunai hurtling at him with a flick of my wrist. Then, I looked down at¡­ myself: toothless, swaddled in the very same orange blanket I¡¯d fashioned into a scarf last week.

    Laughing softly, I closed my eyes and, after a time that could have been seconds or far longer, I awoke. I didn¡¯t sit up immediately but stared at the roof. The world rocked uneasily beneath me, vision fading in and out of focus.

    I swallowed and winced at my parched throat. The sun was just beginning to rise and I was awake even earlier than the birds. My heart thrummed uneasily inside my chest.

    Clearly, I wouldn¡¯t be going back to sleep until the day was over.

    Minutes later I took to the streets on a morning run that would kick off my day. It was the first thing I did after freshening up ¨C and for good reason too. Despite the thin veneer of productivity, the two-week-long break from the Academy was not going very well for me and the adherence to a schedule was about the only thing stopping me from sleeping in all day.

    Throughout my life ¨C both here and elsewhere ¨C I¡¯ve always been someone whose thoughts are prone to spinning wildly out of control. It wasn¡¯t too big of a deal before. The biggest problems I¡¯d ever faced were looming exams or narrowly missing my rent.

    But now, I had to look forward to a life of constant battle and what would probably be my death in around a decade.

    It, quite frankly, pisses me off to admit but the thought terrified me. My hatred for Obito and his hand in the sequence of events leading to my death was nothing compared to how scared I was of my future.

    It was part of the reason why I never hung out with any of my peers and holed myself up in the library or on the school¡¯s roof until now.

    Life itself felt too slow for me. I couldn¡¯t progress fast enough. Chakra and all it entailed was barred to me until the new year at the earliest. Meanwhile, Madara ¨C or his will through Obito ¨C was off manipulating things in his favour while I had to deal with children, bitter adults, and my powerlessness.

    The powerlessness to change any of the things that inspired that fear in the first place.

    That¡¯s how things were up until last year, anyway. After I met Teuchi and Ayame, the sense of spiralling hopelessness screeched to a halt. I could, for once, live in the moment.

    But my spells of negativity, while made worse by the unjust hatred aimed at me, would have happened anyway. I mean, who on God¡¯s green earth would be able to live with the knowledge of a future where they¡¯re likely to die?

    I tutted once and focused on putting one foot in front of the other, swallowing the taste of blood.

    My heart wasn¡¯t in it today. I was certain it would not be in much of anything.

    I¡¯d never understood that nightmare. Was it something my mind had concocted years after the fact? Was it the Nine-Tails doing it to screw with me out of boredom?

    I just didn¡¯t know.

    When I had finished my run around the village, I returned no calmer than I was when I left. Restlessness ¨C individual chilling pinpricks ¨C danced across my skin from crown to feet and my breakfast was tasteless on my tongue. Glancing about the village on my way to Ichiraku Ramen only worsened it.

    All my thoughts were as far removed as could be from ramen. I looked at the children darting about, waved off by grinning parents and seethed with indignation.

    How? How could they smile like that with everything I knew was coming? I smiled wryly to myself at the thought, realising that I was the only one who knew what was coming.

    It was almost ironic, really.

    I took a small detour, following the pair of siblings as they raced towards Konoha¡¯s main playground, located in the centre of the village. Not out of any desire to go and play, but to just watch.

    Maybe seeing their careless innocence would banish the spell of stormy thoughts that I could do absolutely fuck-all about.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    And it did for a while¡­ until I heard the crying.

    <hr>

    ¡°If you¡¯re a Hyuuga, then show us your Byakugan!¡±

    Her eyes stung. She clasped her hands close, eyes darting about. ¡°I-I¡­¡±

    She gulped once and her lips trembled. Her father¡¯s voice boomed in her head.

    ¡°You are the heir to the main clan, Hinata. It¡¯s high time that you carry yourself as such. Kindness will get you nowhere in this world.¡±

    But fainter ¨C barely a whisper ¨C her mother¡¯s words came to mind.

    ¡°There¡¯s enough bloodshed and cruelty in this world, Hinata. Be that smidge of missing kindness, make friends, talk things out, and maybe things will become better.¡±

    Hinata remembered the hope she felt that day. Looking into the eyes of her assembled classmates, she saw none of what her mother had spoken of.

    Her stomach clenched, edging closer to her ribcage. ¡°I-I¡­¡±

    ¡°But if you¡¯re not, don¡¯t look at us.¡± Nobu stomped to the front of the pack with a mocking grin. ¡°Your eyes are real freaky, huh¡­ Byakugan Monster!¡±

    Hinata gasped ¨C but it came out as a whimper. Nobu blinked and then snickered.

    She squeezed her eyes shut, heat exploding across their lids. Her heart hammered in her chest. Never in her life had she expected to hear her clan¡¯s prized ability be insulted¡­ and insulted because of her. She wished she were anywhere but here: in the middle of the playground, surrounded by their loud, cruel laughter.

    Her father¡¯s lessons were at the forefront of her mind. Always there, so cold and stern. But Hinata could not adhere to them. No, she never could. Never enough; always falling short of his expectations ¨C their expectations. Her throat trembled with the weight of her fear ¨C a thousand unspoken words strangled.

    She opened her eyes to a blurred world, surrounded by her classmates ¨C people she thought she could become friends with.

    It was why all of this had begun.

    Foolishly, she had hoped that maybe¡­ she could have fun here. Hinata might have not been very social during the first term, but this was her chance! The invitation to come and play at least allowed some escape from her father¡¯s demanding gaze.

    Unfortunately, it proved to be the same. Maybe worse, because no one there ¨C save for Neji ¨C had spoken to her like this before.

    The circle inched closer, looming over her. Hinata¡¯s head swivelled around. Everywhere she looked, she saw unbridled glee at her suffering. In one step, Nobu was in front of her, breaching the gap between her and them. His hot breath washed over her face and she stumbled.

    She looked up, paralysed. His form blotted out the sky, casting an intimidating darkness over everything.

    ¡°Lookie here, everyone! The Byakugan Monster¡¯s crying!¡±

    Hinata closed her eyes. No one would come to help her and she could not help herself. Their laughter washed over her. Her eyes burned. A fresh wave of hot tears seeped out, trailing burning paths down the sides of her face.

    Her father was right. She would never be enough. Not for him, not for them¡­ or herself.

    ¡°Enough.¡±

    The laughter stopped.

    ¡°U-Uzumaki?¡± Nobu stepped away from her, all amusement vanishing from his face. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Her eyes snapped open out of pure shock. Uzumaki was notorious for vanishing during break times. No one knew where he went during school, let alone outside of it.

    A small warmth ignited in her chest. Someone had come to help her.

    Naruto glanced around the circle, and then at Nobu.

    ¡°Get lost. All of you.¡±

    Nobu frowned. ¡°Wait, why do we have to listen to yo¡ª¡±

    ¡°Do you really want to finish that sentence?¡± Naruto asked, boredom bleeding into his voice.

    ¡°U-Um¡­¡± He shared a glance with someone in the circle of people surrounding them and turned heel. ¡°L-Let¡¯s go, everyone. It¡¯s the holiday, we don¡¯t need to waste our time with them.¡±

    As the crowd dispersed, Hinata rose to her feet, patting herself down. A wet chill spread across the small of her back and she looked down at the puddle behind her.

    Ignoring the discomfort, Hinata bowed to Naruto. ¡°Th-Thank you for helping me!¡±

    Naruto remained silent and walked away. Stumbling a little, Hinata followed him, torn between speaking and simply continuing in silence.

    ¡°I¡¯ll walk you home so you can get yourself cleaned up.¡±

    ¡°T-Thank you!¡± She looked down, shrinking into herself.

    While Hinata was grateful, she was also frustrated that she had to be saved in the first place. Soon, she could see the compound in the distance, and their walk slowed to a stop.

    Naruto looked her up and down before he asked: ¡°What was that? Back in the park, I mean.¡±

    ¡°E-Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Why did you let them do that to you? You let them get close ¨C even when it was clear as day Nobu wasn¡¯t looking to have a conversation. In fact, why do you let them bully you at all?¡±

    ¡°I-I¡­¡± Hinata stammered, not expecting the barrage of questions.

    Naruto frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you in sparring. You could have dealt with Nobu. Easily. Did you expect someone would come to help you?¡±

    She stepped back. Naruto stepped forward.

    ¡°Or did you give up?¡± His voice dropped a tone. ¡°Because if you did, I don¡¯t see any reason why you¡¯re trying to be a shinobi. Weakness is something that no one can be blamed for. So long as you try to overcome it, no one has any right to make fun of you for it. But you willingly let them do this to you. Even when both of us know you could have fought back.¡±

    He was not yelling, but his voice was intense. Hinata¡¯s heart forced itself up her throat. Each of his accusations worked ceaselessly to destroy the veil of safety his help had faintly brought.

    Was he here to make fun of her as well? Was nowhere safe?

    ¡°...This world isn¡¯t kind, Hinata. And it¡¯s not fair either. People aren¡¯t kind. No matter what Lord Third says about the village being a family, that will always be true.¡± Naruto sighed once before his voice regained its steel. ¡°I won¡¯t mince my words: grow a damn spine. You have everything going for you. You have your clan¡¯s vast wealth, skilled shinobi to ask questions to, and if all else fails: the reputation to keep people like Nobu away!¡±

    Somehow, Hinata had found her voice again. She swallowed her heart back down and yelled: ¡°T-Then why!¡±

    Both she and Naruto were stunned into silence at how loud it was. Hinata froze, afraid. A measure of gentleness entered his tired blue eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you already. You allow them to. You¡¯re competent, but you¡¯re not strong. Become strong where it matters. Carry yourself in a way that you can be proud of and people like Nobu will never bother you again.¡±

    Hinata chewed on her lip as Naruto walked away. She peered at a puddle in front of her while her equally helpless reflection blinked back.

    ¡°Lady Hinata!¡±

    The spell was broken, and she looked up, one of the many Hyuyga guards marching towards her. His face was set into a deep scowl ¨C but that was usual for most people in the compound.

    ¡°Why do you look like this?¡±

    He turned his accusatory gaze to Naruto and his frown deepened.

    ¡°No!¡± Hinata waved her hands in front of her. ¡°H-He didn¡¯t do it. I f-fell over and he brought me back home.¡±

    ¡°...I see,¡± he said. ¡°In any case, come with me. You must freshen up. Lord Hiashi has asked that you take your lunch with him today.¡±

    Hinata gulped but fell in step with him. She looked back. Naruto stood at the start of the footpath and offered her a resolute nod. She nodded back, a foreign solidness fuelling the action.

    She clenched her fist and took one step forwards, and then another, until the reception hall was the only thing she could see.

 Chapter 7 [1]

    A mug of piping hot coffee nested between his numbed hands, sleeves dragged halfway over his wrist and a blanket draped around him. Iruka took slow, cautious sips from the cup, watching the sun from the balcony of his apartment.

    His home of fourteen years ¨C going on fifteen soon.

    He smiled softly. It was a strange smile, pulled until it was taut. While grateful for the home and the den of happy memories it had become, its foundations lay on the worst night of his life. It took time, and painstaking effort, but Iruka had made something of himself, rising to the rank of his parents ¨C chunin.

    Blowing a little over the coffee, he tipped his head back and took a gulp. It was not exactly morning anymore, but there was no such thing as the wrong time for coffee.

    After Iruka''s promotion a few years ago, the steady grind of C-rank missions slowed down as his enthusiasm waned. Even before he was given his flak jacket, he knew that being out in the field was not something he liked. He did not enjoy acting as an assassin for hire and though he had killed many deserving of death, he had done worse to those who did not. Because above all else, shinobi must fulfil their obligations to a paying client.

    A little under a week ago, his first term as a teacher at the Academy had drawn to a close and he knew deep down that this was his calling. Iruka had felt more satisfaction in the brief months spent teaching than all the time spent in active service to the village. The negatives of the job were nothing in comparison. So long as he made sure to meter his time out responsibly, the divide between his private and professional lives would remain undisturbed.

    Iruka¡¯s musings were cut short by the crisp sound of a knock on his door. He shrugged off the blanket and rose, with some effort, out of the reclining outdoor chair and into the warm apartment and opened the door.

    ¡°Fujino?¡±

    She looked up and he realised immediately that she wasn¡¯t okay. Her dark eyes looked exhausted, framed by dark bags, and her already pale skin held a deathly pallor.

    ¡°...Can I come in?¡± she sighed.

    Iruka opened the door wide. ¡°Yes. Yes, come in.¡±

    He watched her out of the corner of his eye as he closed the door. She took a seat in his living room, shrinking into herself.

    ¡°Coffee?¡±

    Iruka froze, waiting for her reply. When she did not respond, he asked again.

    ¡°W-What?¡± Fujino flinched, blinking rapidly. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t hear you.¡±

    ¡°I asked if you wanted some coffee.¡±

    ¡°Yes, please¡­. Lord knows I need it.¡±

    With his half-finished coffee in one hand and Fujino¡¯s in the other, he glanced at her out of his peripheral vision.

    ¡°So, do you want to tell me what brought you here so early?¡± Iruka asked.

    Instead of answering Fujino, set her coffee down on the low table in front of her and faced him. ¡°Now that I think about it, Iruka, our relationship is quite the ill-fated one.¡±

    ¡°Heh.¡± He grinned, but it was more of a grimace. ¡°Yes, I suppose so. We did meet on the worst night of both our lives.¡±

    An uncomfortable silence descended. Fujino¡¯s face grew haunted and Iruka almost wished he was anywhere else before shaking himself free of the errant thought.

    Fujino glanced at him appraisingly. ¡°That might be true, but you¡¯ve made something of yourself. You¡¯re different. Nothing like the frail little boy I carried out of the rubble of his family home.¡±

    He gritted his teeth. Her words alone had brought the shadows of the past into the light. He watched as the walls of his new home caved in before his eyes, the faint call of his mother¡¯s desperate voice coming from so very far away.

    ¡°And me¡­¡± Fujino stopped and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m no different to who I was on the night I lost Junpei.¡±

    Seeing her the way she was: so defeated, hurt Iruka. No matter the ill-fated nature of the friendship, he liked to think that it wasn¡¯t all bad.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Fujino?¡± he urged her.

    Whether or not he wanted that train of thought to end for his sake or hers, he didn¡¯t know.

    She looked at him. ¡°I can¡¯t do this, Iruka. I can¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°Do what?¡±

    Fujino didn¡¯t reply for a moment. ¡°Him. Naruto Uzumaki.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Suddenly, it made so much more sense but raised just as many questions. Why now? After months of no indication that it weighed so heavily on her. But then again, Iruka was very much the same. He made it a point to shove all his feelings and thoughts so deep into the recesses of his mind knowing that one day, it would rear its ugly head.

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    It seemed, for Fujino, that day had come.

    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ nothing like I thought he¡¯d be,¡± she babbled. ¡°He¡¯s smart, and kind, and completely impervious to all the cold stares and horrible things we all say to him and I¡­ it¡¯s terrible!¡±

    ¡°I understand, believe me, Fujino. I do.¡±

    ¡°Y-You do?¡±

    Iruka nodded.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to make of him. When Lord Third told me that I would be his teacher¡­ I didn¡¯t take it well. I mean, how could I? But being his homeroom teacher has baffled me even more. I can¡¯t look at him without seeing something of that night. The whiskers, the slightly sharper than average teeth¡­ and those eyes that seem to look through me.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s wrong, Iruka!¡± Fujino almost wailed. ¡°He¡¯s just a boy!¡±

    ¡°...I know, Fujino,¡± Iruka replied and the uncomfortable silence returned.

    The faint urge to throw up some kind of excuse to leave flashed across his mind ¨C not that it was an excuse. But at the same time, leaving her to wallow around alone in this state would do her no favours, especially because she would return to teaching Naruto by the week¡¯s end.

    He cleared his throat. ¡°How about this: I¡¯ve got a few errands to run for the open day at the end of the week. Stick with me for a little while and see if this helps you take your mind off things.¡±

    Brow scrunched together, Fujino opened her mouth to speak.

    ¡°Hold on now,¡± said Iruka. ¡°If you¡¯re going to tell me you need to go back home, don¡¯t. We both know that¡¯s the last place you need to be. If you¡¯re not up for a busy day, at least let me treat you to some ramen.¡±

    She clenched her jaw and eventually sighed. ¡°Alright, fine. When do we leave?¡±

    Smiling, he slung on his jacket and opened the door.

    ¡°Right now.¡±

    Not much later, they ducked their heads through the blinds of the small shop. The older man beamed at him from over the counter.

    ¡°Iruka, how have you been?¡± said Teuchi. ¡°You rarely come these days.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know.¡± He waddled through two stools and prompted Fujino to sit beside him. ¡°I haven¡¯t found the time.¡±

    Teuchi waved him off with a familiar knowing smile.

    ¡°None of that. I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve become a teacher. What happened to becoming the God of Shinobi?¡±

    Iruka cringed a little. ¡°That¡­ yeah, didn¡¯t work out.¡±

    Fujino snorted from beside him, flushing a little when they turned to her.

    ¡°And who¡¯s this?¡± Teuchi asked.

    ¡°Fujino, my colleague and friend. Fujino, this is Mr Teuchi, ramen chef extraordinaire.¡±

    ¡°E-Enough of that, kid. Miss¡­ Fujino? Since you¡¯re new here, your first meal is free of charge.¡±

    She reached into her purse but pulled her hand back out at his glare.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad we''ve come to an understanding. What''ll you be having?¡±

    Iruka waited until she rattled off a tentative of salt-flavoured ramen to ask Teuchi if he would pitch into the Academy''s open day.

    ¡°I heard about that. Are you sure you want us to cater? We''re a much smaller restaurant and will need quite a bit of help with supplies and costs. If I use my current stock, it won''t last until the end of the month.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯ll be fine. You''ll be provided for. All we need is agreement from you.¡±

    ¡°Looks like I''ll have to get the old Ramen Cart into shape.¡± He glanced back. ¡°Hey, Ayame!¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    Without Teuchi blocking the majority of the kitchen from view, Iruka got a good look at the people behind the counter. The usual sight of Ayame flashed across his mind. Through the open door at the back, he saw the shock of blond hair sitting at a desk in the room behind the kitchen.

    Fujino looked at him, just as shocked, staring at the oblivious boy.

    ¡°Spotted Naruto, have you?¡± Teuchi smiled. ¡°He¡¯s an interesting boy. Turned up one day with a froggy wallet filled to the brim, all serious-like, and said, ¡°What¡¯ll this get me?¡±

    Iruka snorted at the mental image, distinctly aware of Fujino¡¯s discomfort from beside him. Teuchi noticed it too from the slight frown pinching his brow.

    ¡°Say, Miss Fujino, you''re Naruto¡¯s Language teacher, right?¡±

    Her head rose sharply.

    ¡°What do you think of him?¡±

    ¡°I-I¡­he¡¯s¡­ strange.¡±

    He laughed. ¡°Right? I''ve never seen a kid like him. He¡¯s quiet and keeps to himself more often than not, but he''s very thoughtful too. He might not look it, what with those eyes that always look like they''re picking a fight¡ª¡±

    Iruka couldn''t help the loud snort that escaped him, nor could he stop it from growing into a laugh.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± he coughed. ¡°All this time, I''ve been trying to find a way to describe his eyes and you''ve nailed it.¡±

    Teuchi shook his head in amusement and the disturbance even drew Fujino¡¯s gaze away from the kitchen.

    ¡°What do you think of him?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Who?¡± Teuchi asked as he slid the hot ramen bowl towards Fujino.

    ¡°Naruto.¡±

    Iruka stopped eating from his bowl ¡ª prepared by Teuchi without the need to ask. The question was one he also wanted an answer to.

    Teuchi hummed. ¡°I¡¯ve known Naruto for a year now so I can''t claim to be an expert, but he''s a kind but lonely boy. There''s more to him than just those two things, but it''s the best way I could answer your question.¡±

    ¡°No, thank you. You''ve given me a lot to think about.¡±

    She frowned into her bowl with intense eyes.

    Something told Iruka that he had not given her more to think about than she already had but returned to his bowl. He and Teuchi continued to hash out the details of the open day and what Teuchi could provide himself. They were done by the time they finished their bowls, which Teuchi quickly topped up.

    ¡°Since that''s done, how about I tell you more about Naruto? As his teachers, I think you''d benefit from hearing more about how he thinks ¡ª though don''t assume everything I say is the truth.¡±

    Iruka shared a glance with Fujino and they leaned forward as one.

    He left the bar well into the afternoon, having learned more about Naruto than ever before. It dragged at his mind while he went through the rest of the day and prepared for the open day. His feelings, on the other hand, weren''t so straightforward, but the boy behind the fears and nightmares was slowly starting to form.

    Whether or not Fujino saw that same boy, Iruka didn''t know. From what he could see of her at work the next few days, the meal at Ichiraku¡¯s had at least cleared some of the storminess from her face.

 Chapter 7 [2]

    The open day fell halfway through the winter break ¨C on the first weekend in fact ¨C  and while it wasn¡¯t as big as the first day of the academic year, it was still something that a fair bit of the village was excited about.

    Though on second thought, it was probably because of the boom in the Leaf¡¯s birth rate after the Nine-Tails¡¯ rampage. The village not-so-subtly was rewarding families for having children, meaning that the population had skyrocketed in the last five years.

    Or was it steadily returning to where it used to be?

    Either way, it meant that Ayame and I had our work cut out for us. Teuchi had lent us what he called his ¡°Ramen Cart¡±, a wheelable cooking station. Thankfully, the Academy had hired a genin team on a D-rank mission to help us move the cart to the front of the Academy as well as run back and forth to Ichiraku¡¯s to top up our quickly decreasing stock.

    It was a win-win situation in my book. They got some free ramen and money and we didn¡¯t have to break our backs wheeling the damn thing. All in all, the open day wasn¡¯t as bad as I thought it would be. There was a welcome talk from Lord Third and guided tours led by the older students.

    After that, parents and kids were free to wander the school in search of the many exhibits set up by the subject teachers, including the physical side of the Academy.

    For that, they had set up an obstacle course on the track field.

    Over the last two hours, I didn¡¯t have much opportunity to leave the cart, except for when Ayame sent me to fetch some water or throw something away. She was doing all the heavy lifting where the ramen was concerned ¨C not that I was tall enough to contribute.

    Throw in what seemed to be boundless amounts of energy and it was no wonder I couldn¡¯t keep my eyes off the obstacle course over yonder.

    ¡°Naruto?¡± Ayame¡¯s breath dampened the air as she shook the noodles in the strainer. ¡°Be a dear and start up the song again, please. That should bring some more customers.¡±

    ¡°Aye, aye.¡±

    I grinned and pressed a button on the weird megaphone-looking thing taped to the top of the cart. A catchy tune blared out of it, echoing far beyond the cart. Ayame groaned and my grin only widened. According to her, she was old enough to remember when she, her mother, and her father wandered the village¡¯s streets to that very same tune.

    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Dad got rid of this thing?¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± I hopped down to the floor and dusted my trousers. ¡°It¡¯s a nice song, don¡¯t you think? ~ Welcome to the ra-men stop. ~ One day, it¡¯ll be a shop but till then, my friend, you¡¯ll have to lend me a hand! ~¡±

    A growl rumbled in her throat and she lobbed an onion root at my head. I saw it coming from a mile away and ducked, allowing it to tumble into the bushes behind me.

    ¡°Never again. If Dad hears you singing that, then he¡¯ll start.¡± She shook her head. ¡°No thank you. I had to deal with years of that irritating jingle.¡±

    I laughed some more at her irritation. She hadn¡¯t started like this at all. Hell, she was even singing along, to begin with¡­ but I guess two hours of it had become pretty annoying, especially since I didn¡¯t help matters. Singing along every single time it played wasn¡¯t the nicest thing to do, but sue me, I was starting to get pretty goddamn bored.

    My gaze drifted to the obstacle course once again. The echoing chime of a bell reached me before it was smothered by a rising tide of cheers. Someone had probably beaten the course, which was impressive considering it was the one that my class was doing before the winter break. No one had completed it at all the entire evening.

    I craned my neck skyward as if it would somehow allow me to see who it was that won.

    ¡°Go.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Ayame nodded at me with a smile. ¡°The obstacle course. Go to it.¡±

    I pulled my eyes away from the section of wall blocking my vision with some reluctance. ¡°...Nah, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve got to be here to help you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You¡¯re what, seven? I can¡¯t expect you to sit down for two hours straight and not get antsy. Go. It¡¯ll be good for you to let loose a little.¡±

    I was already walking away when I voiced my doubt.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I stopped to ask as she nodded again. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go to the obstacle course and come right back, ¡®kay?¡±

    ¡°Take your time!¡± Her voice echoed. ¡°Go see your friends or something. I work with Dad during rush hour. This? This is nothing.¡±

    Guilty conscience sufficiently mollified, I took off running, turning the corner to see a child clambering down from the last log. I glanced at the blackboard held up by one of the students to his time of one-minute-fifty-two before I was spotted by the pair jotting down the scores of the kids.

    I recognised them as one of the many kids who¡¯d been bribed to come by the promise of free ramen during the last week of school and waved them over.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± the girl asked, swallowing a yawn.

    ¡°I was wondering if I could give the obstacle course a try?¡±

    She glanced furtively at her classmate, who mussed up his bright brown hair with a frown. ¡°I mean¡­ I dunno. It¡¯s not like you can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Would a bowl each at the end of this sweeten the deal?¡±

    Their heads snapped towards me.

    ¡°Deal!¡± ¡°Deal!¡±

    Moments later, I was carefully balanced on top of the first log with the next one about one arm¡¯s length away, ready to start. There were only seven logs to clear ¨C half less than usual ¨C and it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult, especially since I¡¯d been slowly introducing some parkour to my morning runs recently.

    But I needed something to waste some energy on, so here I was.

    ¡°Right!¡± the boy called. ¡°Ready¡­ GO!¡±

    After the first step, it was smooth sailing. The subsequent jumps granted me even more momentum until the biting wind was nothing in the face of my quickly burning heart. Before I knew it, it was over, and I tugged the rope dangling from the bell to signal the end of the game.

    I grinned in the face of the roaring applause as a gaggle of starry-eyed kids crowded around the final log.

    ¡°Woah!¡± ¡°That was so cool!¡± ¡°Can you teach me to do that?¡±

    To say that I didn¡¯t feel a small smidge of pride at their adoration would be a lie, but from the looks the two students in charge of this deal were sending me, there was only one real answer to their praise.

    I winked at them, leaning in to share the conspiratory secret. ¡°You can find out if you join the Academy.¡±

    Their responses were about as excitable as I¡¯d expected.

    A part of me felt bad about enticing them into what would most likely be a life fraught with suffering, but at the very least, they would have the option to quit if things got too hairy and had parents look out for them.

    That was more than the orphans in my class had.

    They rushed back to their respective parents, tugging eagerly at their clothes. I stretched out my now-warmed limbs and hopped down, ready to return to boring monotony once more.

    Of course, things were never that simple.

    ¡°Goddamned demon brat.¡±

    A wave of whispers and glances rippled through the crowd but nobody added any fuel to the fire.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    I didn¡¯t flinch in the face of the scorn from¡­ the mother of the boy whose record I¡¯d smashed to pieces. I simply bowed in her direction once before walking away. I knew how these things went, after all. One reply, good or bad, would lead to more insults and make it a spectacle.

    None of the kids deserved to have a happy evening ruined, no matter how much their parents deserved a tongue-lashing. On my way out I caught the eyes of the two students, who looked absolutely nonplussed, both offering me an awkward smile that I returned.

    Ayame was quick to notice my frown.

    ¡°What happened to you and why are you back so early? Didn¡¯t you go to see your friends?¡±

    ¡°Not in the mood anymore,¡± I grunted. ¡°Now, what can I help with?¡±

    One intense staredown later, she shuffled to the left to make some space for me. She pointed at some scraps pushed to the side of a cutting board. ¡°Throw these away.¡±

    I heard the voices before I saw what was happening. Assuming the worst case, I sprinted back to the cart.

    ¡°That godforsaken boy is behind your counter? No wonder your ramen is so bitter. I¡¯ll make sure to tell everyone I know to stay away from Ichiraku¡¯s!¡±

    Ayame, more furious than I¡¯d ever seen her, poked her flushed face through the cart.

    ¡°Excuse me? What right do you have to do anything of the sort, you bitch!¡±

    The woman shoved a finger in her face, her hair dyed an eye-searing orange and yelled something incomprehensible.

    Her son met my eyes from around her ankles and buried his chin in his chest. I beckoned him over and he trotted towards me, slipping under his mother¡¯s notice.

    Typical.

    Their shouting match raged on so I bent down on a knee to talk to him. ¡°What¡¯s your name, kid?¡±

    ¡°H-Haruto.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I feigned mock horror. ¡°My name is Naruto. You stole my name!¡±

    It wasn¡¯t the best thing to start with given he was currently attempting to push his chin even deeper into his chest so I changed track.

    ¡°Um¡­ what¡¯s up with your mother?¡±

    He blinked wetly. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, big bro. I told her you were cool b-but she didn¡¯t listen.¡±

    I watched him swallow a sob, ruffling his brown hair to calm him down. ¡°Hey, do you know what makes a super strong shinobi?¡±

    ¡°...N-No?¡±

    ¡°You get three guesses.¡±

    He wiped his eyes. ¡°Super strong jutsu?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Erm¡­ being good at obstacle courses?¡±

    I crossed my arms over each other. ¡°Nope! Want me to tell you?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, please.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s being able to keep a calm head. If you control this,¡± I tapped a finger to the side of my head, ¡°no one will be able to push you around.¡±

    Haruto frowned and tilted his head in disbelief. ¡°Really, big bro Naruto?¡±

    ¡°Yup. If you can keep a cool head, you can do lots of things. Like, figuring out the best way to train. It¡¯s not good to get upset and then accidentally hurt yourself, is it?¡±

    ¡°...I guess not.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡± I grinned at him, drawing out a small smile. ¡°So, what kind of shinobi do you want to be, Haruto?¡±

    That question seemed to do the trick. His eyes lit up as he launched into a tirade on how the Fourth Hokage was the coolest Hokage ever ¨C which I had to admit, did bring a smile to my face.

    Every so often, I returned my eyes to the ongoing argument between Ayame and Haruto¡¯s mum. It was growing even more ferocious, Ayame having taken a fistful of the woman¡¯s dress in her left hand and waving a ladle threateningly in her right.

    Thankfully, one of the teachers heard the commotion in the distance and rushed over in a blitz of movement, startling the both of them.

    Haruto¡¯s smile vanished at the sight of the green flak jacket.

    When the shinobi turned around, I frowned at the tell-tale scar across the bridge of his nose.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Iruka swept his stern gaze across the small crowd that had gathered over the past few minutes. He zeroed in on the main culprits, brow soaring in shock. ¡°Ayame? What¡¯s going on here?¡±

    She let go of the woman¡¯s clothes and fixed her underneath her cap.

    ¡°This woman marched up to our cart, completely unprovoked, and called Naruto all sorts of horrible things.¡± Ayame shot her a scathing glare that was returned with equal intensity. ¡°I¡¯ll admit that it got out of hand, but what kind of adult treats a child this way?¡±

    Iruka hummed and folded his arms.

    ¡°And what do you have to say for yourself Mrs¡­¡±

    ¡°Takashi,¡± the orange-haired woman said, offering a small, demure bow. ¡°That boy intentionally participated in the obstacle course, as a student, to diminish my son¡¯s achievements. But with nothing I could do, I came to buy the two of us some ramen before heading home.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Iruka said, his voice carefully controlled. ¡°But I don¡¯t understand what that does to explain the insults you levied against a student of this school.¡±

    The woman blinked in mild confusion. ¡°W-Well¡­ given his u-unpleasantness, it¡¯s only right to a-assume¡ª¡±

    ¡°Assume what, exactly?¡±

    A strange edge bled into Iruka¡¯s voice. It wasn¡¯t one I had ever heard from him before. The crowd slowly dispersed until it was only me, Ayame, Haruto, and his mother.

    ¡°Before you say anything that you¡¯ll regret, I would have you know that the boy you are about to speak of is my student. I have witnessed what kind of person he is for several months and only come second to Ayame here in terms of understanding him.¡±

    My mouth fell open against my will. The words were just so foreign coming out of his mouth. He barely had a kind word to say about me for months. Not that he had ever said an unkind word about me either, but the shift in behaviour smacked me right in the face.

    Haruto¡¯s mother scrambled into a boy. ¡°M-My apologies, esteemed shinobi. I, uh, didn¡¯t k-know ¨C o-or intend to offend you or your¡­¡±

    Her eyes widened when she saw her son standing right beside me. To his credit, Haruto stuck out his chin and stared right back.

    ¡°Attaboy,¡± I whispered before shushing his giggle.

    ¡°Ayame?¡± Iruka asked. ¡°Is this something that needs to be elevated beyond an apology? I can do so if you wish, but it would save all involved the time and money if this could be settled with a formal apology.¡±

    ¡°I mean¡­¡± Her embarrassed gaze flicked over to me for an instant. ¡°If Naruto¡¯s cool with it, then so am I?¡±

    For the first time, my teacher looked at me. And I mean really looked at me. None of the half-second glances or clouded stares he¡¯d been levelling at me all year. I looked back, unsure of what to make of the sadness in his eyes.

    ¡°What do you say, Naruto?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Haruto tugged on my coat nervously. I blinked down at him, and then at his mother. ¡°...I don¡¯t see why an apology wouldn¡¯t suffice, but could I talk to Mrs Takashi, first?¡±

    He swept a hand in her direction and shuffled out of the way.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡±

    She flinched.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean,¡± she asked as the fear subsided.

    ¡°Why did you do it? I didn¡¯t insult Haruto. I didn¡¯t discourage him. Heck, I even encouraged him. He¡¯s a pretty cute kid, you know? It¡¯d be criminal for me to upset him!¡±

    Haruto tittered from behind us, thawing the tension a little. His mother still looked hesitant, a whole host of complicated emotions pooling in her eyes and I realised almost immediately that this wouldn¡¯t be an instant thing.

    Maybe I¡¯d succeeded in bridging some of the gap through her son, but so long as my reputation within the village remained as the Demon or the Fox Brat, I¡¯d be having conversations like this all day.

    ¡°How about this?¡± I whispered. ¡°You apologise and then go about the rest of the open day. Whether or not you choose to enrol Haruto next year is your choice, but don¡¯t ruin this for him.¡±

    She bit her lip, some cutting retort probably on the tip of her tongue until she saw his hopeful face and innocent grey eyes.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­ to the both of you.¡±

    Ayame didn¡¯t look convinced, but I stopped her from saying anything with a smile. It would only draw this out further. I nodded at Iruka, noticing that the odd sadness still hadn¡¯t quite left his eyes.

    ¡°Mrs Takashi, I think that¡¯s that. Feel free to enjoy the rest of the open day, but one more incident and I¡¯ll have to ask you to leave.¡±

    She gave a hasty bow and pulled Haruto behind her, though not before he could yell, ¡°Bye, big bro!¡± over his shoulder. Iruka left as soon as they did, but the awkwardness was still heavy in the air.

    ¡°Naruto!¡± Ayame huffed, a thousand things burning in her brown eyes.

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    She tried again but I ignored her incredulous gaze.

    ¡°Why?¡± She frowned, hand on hip. ¡°That bitc¡ª evil woman deserves so much worse than an apology!¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡± I raised my voice before she could get in another word. ¡°BUT! Haruto didn¡¯t deserve to see any of it. He¡¯s like four, right? Something like that, anyway.¡±

    Ayame chewed her lip. ¡°But what about you, then? You¡¯re a kid. You shouldn¡¯t have to sit there and take fully grown adults treating you like that. You¡¯re lucky Iruka was there this time. He¡¯s a pretty nice guy, you know?¡±

    Nice guy. Iruka wasn¡¯t the first person who came to mind when I thought of a nice guy. I didn¡¯t know what happened, but the change in heart was a welcome one. That was one less teacher to worry about ¨C and provided Fujino didn¡¯t escalate, the only person I¡¯d have to worry about was Mizubayashi.

    And honestly? His class was a breeze.

    In no time at all ¨C helped by the jingle playing constantly ¨C the stream of customers had started once more. There were a lot more of them too since the open day was slowly coming to an end. Surprisingly, Haruto and his mother made a stop to buy some to-go for their whole family, which hadn¡¯t mollified Ayame, but it was water under the bridge for me. The fact that Mr Teuchi promised both of us a decent split from the earnings certainly helped hasten the process.

    Five minutes before closing time, the genin team returned, ready to take the cart back. I muffled a teary yawn as light snowflakes drifted on the breeze and melted on the sleeves of my jacket.

    Winter would be over soon and if we were lucky, the coming spring term would finally introduce us to the wonders of chakra.

 Chapter 8

    Hinata breathed in the cold morning air, taking in the fog-shrouded courtyard as she walked across the clan compound. These days, she walked a little straighter, made eye contact for longer, and was even trying to curb her constant stuttering. It wasn¡¯t always smooth sailing, and there were days when her doubts voiced themselves louder than usual, but she felt proud of herself.

    She walked across the polished wooden floorboards of the sparring room, where her father and Neji would be waiting. She had done all she could to avoid that hall after the unpleasantness of last month¡¯s sparring but there was only so long that she could put it out of her mind.

    A handful of weeks whizzed by since the incident with Naruto, and while she would have liked the surge in confidence to be a permanent thing, Hinata knew she would have to start from the very bottom: which meant being able to eat in the same room as her father without shrinking back from him.

    It was hard, at first, and her desire to simply take her meal with Hanabi in their room didn¡¯t make things easier. But there was one good thing that had come from eating with her father: he began to try and understand her. Months of her bowing her head at his disparaging words had left an unflattering impression of him, but the meals helped.

    Compliments from him felt foreign, but he was beginning to look like more of a man and less of a statue. All of this and more wriggled in the back of her mind as she entered the room and laid eyes on him.

    ¡°Father,¡± she bowed.

    His face was set in an ever-present frown but his eyes were appraising her. Life at the Hyuuga compound had shifted since the day Naruto had made his mark on her life. It wasn¡¯t noticeable at first, but it all came to a head when she spoke back to Neji, pleasing the elders who often came to watch her spars.

    Of course, it hadn¡¯t helped the subsequent beating from her cousin, but because of it, her father and the elders hadn¡¯t completely written her off. It was then that Hinata learnt the horror of the Caged Bird Seal.

    She glanced at Neji. He glared at her over folded arms and, despite what she saw that day, her chest tightened in anger. It took a while for her to process what it was she was feeling ¨C but she got there. Not only anger but frustration.

    No matter how she felt about the Branch clan¡¯s situation, she would not let him beat her senseless out of pity.

    ¡°Hinata,¡± her father nodded. ¡°Today, you will take these past month¡¯s learning of the Gentle Fist¡¯s forms and spar Neji.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    He looked at Neji. ¡°It would do you well to remember that I will not tolerate a repeat of last month.¡±

    Neji scoffed.

    ¡°The rules, as always, are simple. Fight until you can go no longer ¨C or until I say so.¡± He took a seat at the end of the hall near the entrance. ¡°Begin.¡±

    Gathering her chakra, Hinata made a hand seal in front of her face just as Neji did. The world¡¯s colour washed away, revealing all that lay beneath the surface. Neji took the initiative to put her arms out of commission for the fight ¨C but she wouldn¡¯t let it happen so easily.

    Slapping away his lead hand, she just about deflected the other upward, forcing him to backpedal. Darting forward, a shot at his head turned into a knife hand aimed at his throat. He slipped it with a growl, driving a palm into her stomach. Hinata took it with a wince, trapping his arm in the crook of her elbow. She drove a closed fist into his stomach, manoeuvring a little around the locked limb.

    He thrashed, in an attempt to escape her grip, breaking the hold without much effort. ¡°Y-You little¡­¡±

    Hinata backed away. Fuelled by rage, Neji threw himself at her, attacking between feints and fake-outs, and took advantage of every instance she fell for one to disable a pressure point so that he could prolong the punishment ¨C all while taunting her.

    ¡°Is this how you expect to be the head of our clan?¡±

    She barely blocked a side kick.

    ¡°Do you think you can change?¡±

    He dodged three consecutive punches, rushing in until he was right in her face. Hinata braced for attack, eyes half-scrunched. Frustration, pooled in her until it burned too hot to ignore. Naruto¡¯s words from the beginning of the winter break bounced around in her mind.

    ¡°Become strong where it matters. Carry yourself in a way that you can be proud of and people like Nobu will never bother you again.¡±

    Gritting her teeth, Hinata rebelled against all her instincts and rushed towards Neji. He froze, not for long, but it was enough for her to start an attack of her own. She kept herself compact, weaving around to throw and dodge from different angles. The shock on his face gave way to anger as he trailed back, hitting her so hard that her guard crumpled.

    It all went downhill from there.

    A strike to the shoulder took her left arm out of commission. Hinata tried her best to keep her edge, but she couldn¡¯t. Neji was bigger than her, stronger than her, and had so much hatred behind his attacks that she failed to mount any kind of defence.

    She toppled and fell onto the cold, wooden floor. Neji stood over her, flushed and panting in exertion.

    ¡°If this is your limit, how do you expect to fulfil your destiny as clan head?¡±

    She met his cold, imperious gaze with something of her own: defiance.

    ¡°H-How I fulfil my destiny isn¡¯t up to y-you, Neji.¡±

    Her legs shook as she rose, but she did it anyway. If not to prove to herself that she could, then to prove her father and Neji wrong.

    Left arm hanging uselessly at her side, Hinata took a ready stance. ¡°L-Let¡¯s go again.¡±

    ¡°Y-You!¡± Neji bit down on his lip, the veins around his eyes bulging.

    ¡°Enough.¡±

    Her father surveyed them from his seat.

    ¡°I believe this match has come to an end.¡±

    Neji bowed stiffly and exited the room.

    Deactivating her Byakugan, Hinata prepared herself for the usual tongue-lashing. She straightened her posture and folded her arms in front of her. He towered over her, dark green kimono taking up the breadth of her vision. He raised his hand and Hinata squeezed her eyes shut to not see those judging eyes.

    A strange weight settled on the crown of her head.

    ¡°Well done, Hinata.¡±

    She opened her eyes. Her father was smiling and he was smiling at her. It wasn¡¯t a big smile, barely an upturn in his lips, but the look in his eye was infinitely warmer than usual.

    ¡°Well done.¡±

    Gasping in disbelief, Hinata hid her grin.

    <hr>

    Shikamaru was bored. Not that it was anything new, but the thought came to mind more frequently these days. The novelty of starting school had worn off completely after the open day ¨C which was just about the most interesting school had been. After the holidays, the focus had shifted more towards the shinobi side of their education, which was all well and good, but as the heir to the Nara clan, there wasn¡¯t anything taught so far that he didn¡¯t already know.

    Even chakra theory.

    That being said, today¡¯s lesson was bound to be the least boring so far. After weeks of mind-numbing meditation in smoke-filled rooms with special chakra-conductive incense sticks, they were ready to begin doing chakra exercises.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    He looked around from his seat at the very back of the class. The excitement in the room was loud to a bothersome degree. It only grew when Iruka walked around with a tray full of leaves. Now that it was spring, a little greenery had returned to the village, which he supposed was why Iruka had picked now to begin with chakra exercises.

    He was a little interested in seeing what they¡¯d be doing since his father promised to teach him the Shadow Imitation jutsu ¨C or at least get him started on it ¨C when the Academy got him started on chakra exercises.

    Iruka cleared his throat from the front of the class. As usual, no one listened. Shikamaru covered his ears and counted down in his head.

    ¡°HEY!¡±

    The classroom plummeted into silence.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Iruka put the tray on the front table. ¡°You know I don¡¯t like to yell at you all, but you give me no choice sometimes.¡±

    Shikamaru sighed.

    When would the man learn that softening himself to the class would only let them take even more liberties with him? He shook his head and leaned back, forearms crossed and nestled beneath his head.

    It was none of his business anyway.

    ¡°Now that all of you have come into contact with your chakra thanks to the incense sticks, we¡¯ll be getting started on some chakra control exercises. I understand that not all of you will be able to do it at first ¨C I¡¯ve not brought incense sticks for a reason after all ¨C but all of you will get it eventually.¡±

    Choji hummed from beside him. ¡°Hey, Naruto? Do you think that¡¯s true?¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡± Naruto looked up from his notebook. ¡°I¡­ guess? Everyone managed to find their chakra with the incense sticks. The more chakra you have, the easier it is, but that wasn¡¯t a big problem before. It might take a while, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be one now.¡±

    He didn¡¯t look convinced and chewed his thumb nervously.

    ¡°Troublesome guy,¡± Shikamaru muttered. ¡°Choji. Your clan¡¯s sort of famous for having more chakra than average and you found your chakra pretty quickly before. Why are you worrying?¡±

    ¡°But what if,¡± Choji¡¯s worried brown eyes flashed. He leaned closer, ¡°what if I can¡¯t find it without the incense?¡±

    He furrowed his brow in irritation. Sometimes, being Choji¡¯s friend was really, really annoying.

    Naruto patted his shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Worst comes to worst, I¡¯ll help you.¡±

    ¡°Promise?¡±

    ¡°I promise,¡± he grinned.

    When Iruka reached the end of the classroom, he placed a small tray of leaves in the centre of their row. There weren¡¯t enough people in the class to fill out the massive auditorium, so they got the entire row to themselves.

    He smiled at three of them before stopping at Naruto.

    ¡°Listen,¡± he whispered, careful not to raise his voice. ¡°Don¡¯t be too upset if you don¡¯t take to this so easily. You have larger chakra reserves than normal, so you¡¯ll find these next few months to be a bit harder than others. It¡¯s hard to control that much chakra at first.¡±

    ¡°I know, sensei,¡± said Naruto. ¡°It¡¯s nothing some effort won¡¯t fix, right?¡±

    Iruka smiled.

    ¡°I guess I didn¡¯t have to worry, then.¡±

    Shikamaru watched the exchange out of the corner of his eye, more bemused than anything else. With nothing to do in school but watch people, there were things he¡¯d seen that most didn¡¯t. Their teachers ¨C Iruka included ¨C all had it out for Naruto at the beginning of the year.

    Some more vocally than others. Only Fujino went against the trend, but since they returned from the winter break a few months ago, she avoided him like the plague; Iruka did too until after the winter break. That entire deal confused him. Some teachers went from not liking him to liking him, some the opposite, and others made it clear they had a bone to pick with the blond.

    Of course, all of this could be solved by just asking Naruto, but Shikamaru didn¡¯t want to. That would turn this from a headache into a full-blown, skull-squeezing migraine. If he wasn¡¯t in any immediate trouble, he wanted no part in it.

    Leaning over to Choji, he asked, ¡°What did Iruka say about the leaves?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re meant to¡­ stick them to us using chakra.¡±

    His eyes widened in disbelief and sought out Naruto¡¯s for reassurance, only to find amusement.

    ¡°So long as you find your chakra again, you¡¯ll be fine,¡± he said. ¡°Oh? What¡¯s wrong Shikamaru? Isn¡¯t your clan famed for their chakra control? This shouldn¡¯t be hard for you, right?¡±

    Shikamaru¡¯s head slumped against the desk. His defeated groan came out muffled between his arms.

    ¡°There, there.¡±

    Choji patted his back, but it only made things worse. Scratch the day being boring. Now, it had just taken a downright troublesome turn.

    <hr>

    After eight years of frolicking among weaklings and sycophants by day and running himself into the ground by night, his lifelong ambition was taking shape. His progress wasn¡¯t as fast as he would¡¯ve liked ¨C it wasn¡¯t fast at all ¨C and while being the strongest among his age group would have been something to take pride in¡­ he wasn¡¯t.

    When afternoon came and it was time to gather on the trackfield for shinobi exercises, Sasuke made sure to bring his A game. Nothing less would suffice; not against Naruto Uzumaki. His face tugged into a frown; not being the strongest was a pill that he couldn¡¯t manage to fully swallow.

    Sasuke deserved that, at least. He was the only one who dragged himself to the depths of exhaustion after class, conditioning his knuckles on training logs until his shins were clumps of angry, purple bruises and his knuckles were raw and bloody. Naruto, meanwhile, looked as if he hadn¡¯t a care in the world. He completed every task set to him with such laughable ease that Sasuke felt like he was doing everything wrong ¨C he hated it.

    He hated how far above him Naruto seemed and not just him, but the entire class.

    Gathered in two lines, they stood before Iruka and Mizuki. It was the former who spoke first.

    ¡°Afternoon everyone. Today, we¡¯ll be taking a break from the sparring and taijutsu training to start on something new.¡±

    He waited for the buzz to die down.

    ¡°Shuriken and kunai training.¡±

    Immediately someone raised their hand.

    ¡°Sensei!¡±

    Iruka nodded.

    ¡°Do we have to learn both?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he replied. ¡°But be careful of which you pick. After next week, you¡¯ll effectively be barred from choosing a different one until next year ¨C well, you won¡¯t, but for your own sake, I strongly advise that you all pick one and stick to it otherwise the final exams will become even harder.¡±

    After answering a few more asinine questions, he took the kunai group to one side of the field whilst Mizuki took the rest. The blue-haired Chunin gave a basic demonstration of proper throwing technique to their group.

    Sasuke waited impatiently for it to be over. When it was his turn, he took a handful of blunted shuriken out of the wooden box and stood at the front of the line in front of the three target logs. He scanned over the white outline of a human torso painted on the log, picking out his targets.

    All lethal.

    ¡°Sasuke,¡± Mizuki said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you give us a demonstration?¡±

    He smirked at the rising excitement from the sycophants behind him. If they wanted a show, then that¡¯s what they¡¯d get. This wouldn¡¯t take long. He readied himself to throw, two other shuriken already prepared in his left hand.

    Sasuke froze the the surge of excitement from the other group.

    ¡°Oh, wow!¡± ¡°Amazing!¡± ¡°Three kunai?¡±

    His head turned against his will. He walked in the direction of the cries and the rest of the group followed him out of curiosity ¨C Mizuki included. They left the shade-covered grove and walked into the early summer sun across the field to the set of logs near the shrubs.

    ¡°Well done, Naruto,¡± Iruka smiled. ¡°This can¡¯t have been your first time wielding kunai.¡±

    ¡°Nah, I¡¯ve been practising with them for a while now. It¡¯s a shinobi¡¯s bread and butter.¡±

    Sasuke looked at the log to see three kunai embedded in the painted man¡¯s head. They were arranged neatly in a single line, blades plunged into the wood.

    ¡°But you threw those simultaneously. I think you¡¯ve been practising for more than ¡°a while.¡±

    Naruto laughed and rubbed the back of his neck, smiling at the praise heaped upon him by their mindless classmates. Sasuke walked away, seething. Seeing Naruto so proficient with kunai brought an unpleasant memory to mind. He tried to cast it away but it came back, creeping from the dark recesses of his mind.

    These days, Naruto reminded him too much of his accursed older brother. He treated everyone around him as if he knew something about the world that they didn¡¯t. It hit too close to home and the blond being so proficient with kunai only cemented the comparison in his mind.

    The facts were laid bare to him over the nine months he had attended the Academy: Naruto was better than him; he was smarter, faster, stronger, and more skilled.

    Sasuke marched back to the alcove, followed by a quarter of the previous group and Mizuki. The targets he¡¯d picked for himself seemed just a little further away than usual. He drew his arm back to aim, the shuriken¡¯s weight a tad more noticeable than before.

    He threw and embedded it more left than he would¡¯ve liked. Grabbing two, he threw again, hitting the target straight in the head ¨C he had aimed for the chest ¨C and the throat. There was a quiet round of applause by the few stragglers who had returned with Sasuke.

    Mizuki walked to the log and dislodged the shuriken, returning them to the box.

    ¡°Well done, Sasuke. Your clan was famed for their shuriken techniques so I thought you¡¯d be an exemplary example.¡±

    Sasuke¡¯s mouth tugged down at the reminder of Itachi. His gaze flickered towards Naruto who was still smiling away the praise and adoration. A bitter taste filled his mouth. Mizuki¡¯s next words barely registered, his eyes boring intensely at Naruto until he felt sick to the stomach.

    He scoffed and moved to the back of the line, watching his classmates miss the targets one after the other. Any superiority he felt over them was dwarfed by Naruto and not so far away.

    Each cheer for him boiled his blood. No one could be that flawless. No one.

 Chapter 9

    Chakra control was never going to be my strong suit.

    I knew this going in, and I would continue to remember it moving forward. After a certain point, there¡¯s such a thing as having too much chakra. Now, was I upset at having to do ten times the work of everyone my age for a fraction of the progress? Maybe a little, but the distant thought of being to spam jutsu was too exciting not to be worth it.

    I was still pretty pissed off at how much trouble it was, though. The Academy¡¯s basic chakra control exercises just weren¡¯t cutting it. Believe me, I gave them more than the benefit of the doubt. But the gains from being able to stick leaves onto various parts of my body just wasn¡¯t worth the ridiculous amount of time spent doing so on my end.

    Hence my current venture.

    With a little under a month until my first graduation exam, I had to pull out all the stops to pass the chakra-related side of it. See, the win condition was to concurrently stick a leaf to my forehead as well as one on each palm and let¡¯s just say that right now, things weren¡¯t exactly looking good.

    That aside, discovering my chakra reserves had to be the single most intoxicating experience in my life. Better than anything I¡¯d ever experienced before. I mean, I knew I would probably have a lot of chakra, but it was almost ridiculous for me to have the reserves of a fully grown male at the age of eight.

    Which unfortunately meant that for me to pass all the end-of-year exams, I¡¯d have to go beyond the basic chakra control exercises the Academy had started us off on.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m ready.¡±

    Gingerly, I lifted my foot off the ground and planted it on the base of the tree trunk. Some of the bark was already cracked from previous attempts, despite my trying to minimise the chakra output.

    Sending chakra to the soles of my feet was sort of hit or miss as far as my control over it went. The problem wasn¡¯t sending it there, it was making sure I sent just enough to stick. Too much ¨C which was really easy to do ¨C and I¡¯d go flying but too little would mean I wouldn¡¯t stick at all.

    No running starts either. That made it all the easier to use too much chakra. Trust me, I¡¯d tried.

    Hinata cleared her throat. ¡°Okay, Naruto. I¡¯m ready.¡±

    I took the first step, focusing solely on directing chakra to the bottom of my left foot. Then I took another step. Ignoring the pull of gravity, I seemed to remain mostly stable ¨C I was shaking a little bit but it wasn¡¯t anything alarming.

    ¡°How¡¯s my chakra looking?¡± I asked her without looking back.

    I had to keep my focus otherwise I would either fly or fall.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Not what I¡¯d describe as steady, but it doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯ll throw yourself off.¡± She hummed. ¡°Maybe try a little more?¡±

    I did, even if I felt like my already hair-trigger control of my chakra was beginning to slip.

    No flying yet, though.

    Another step and the apprehension in my chest loosened. The bark crackled under the weight of my foot but I wasn¡¯t sure if that was because it was already weakened or because I was using too much chakra.

    I stopped, but Hinata didn¡¯t bring it up so I continued. About halfway up the tree, I began to relax. My stiffened muscles eased on the clenching. I wasn¡¯t immediately messing up so I could afford to find out what made this work.

    Maintaining a firm grasp over the chakra, I drew my focus inwards.

    Getting my feet to stick to the bark was like using a broken faucet. If I turned it even an inch too far, the water ¨C or my chakra, rather ¨C would surge out (which wouldn''t be a problem but bear in mind the feet aren''t the best for fine chakra control). What I needed to find was that sweet spot. Not too much or little but just right. My hope was I¡¯d be able to train my chakra control adequately enough that I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about it for a while.

    Not because finding myself inferior to a bunch of preteens stung.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m starting to get it ¨C hey, Hinata?¡±

    I twisted my neck back. The sleeves of her white and purple hoodie were rolled up and her left hand hovered in front of her face, drawing attention to the veins bulging against the sides of her silvery-grey eyes.

    ¡°N-Naruto, I think you should stop using so much¡ª!¡±

    I had an inkling as to what she was saying when the bark under my foot let out a sharp snap. Cutting off the chakra flow to my feet wasn¡¯t even enough to save me. A small explosion sent me hurtling backwards and I barely made out the worry on Hinata¡¯s face among the rest of the world rushing past.

    Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t as violent as the first few times I¡¯d tried this last week.

    I leaned my neck forward to right myself just as I touched down. The soles of my shoes ground against the earth. I stopped sliding and tipped over to my back. Not the best landing nor the most stellar technique to minimise damage, but I hadn¡¯t sprained anything ¨C or worse ¨C broken a limb.

    Everything else I could live with.

    ¡°A-Are you¡­ okay?¡±

    ¡°I mean, my shins are pretty raw and I¡¯d rather that not happen, but if it wasn¡¯t for you, I would¡¯ve been worse off.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± She smiled a little. ¡°That¡¯s good, then. That''s¡­ uh, g-great. H-Hey, umm, do you want to¡­.¡±

    Hinata¡¯s voice trailed and she stopped making eye contact. I sighed. For all the strides in confidence she had made, there was this odd hero worship directed towards me that often left her like.. well, this when asking for something.

    That said, I was infinitely grateful that it was hero worship and not a crush. The former, I could deal with. The latter would make our already strange friendship very, very awkward. Plus, if she did develop a crush on me, I would have been worried given the fact that it would have been because I crushed her already pitiful self-esteem.

    Hiding my wince, I rose and brushed the grass and dead twigs off my clothes. That nightmare threw the entire day off kilter. I still felt bad about how I snapped at her, even now.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll call it quits for today,¡± Which really meant I¡¯d take a break to do it later, ¡°so we can get to sparring. If you¡¯re up for it, that is?¡±

    The grin she sent my away almost forced me to consider rescinding the offer. Ever since her shift in mindset that day, Hinata¡¯s taijutsu prowess had spiked. Or rather, her newfound confidence allowed her to take full advantage of the skills she already had.

    It wasn¡¯t an instant thing. Her even asking to train with me took an entire month but almost half a year later, she was fighting Sasuke competitively . Her fighting style was much more aggressive now, which made her an even harder problem to deal with than Sasuke, in my opinion.

    Sasuke¡¯s style was laid back and relied on fast, precise counters and deducing patterns. I could get by through out-thinking him or simply not giving him time to think. Hinata¡¯s style, on the other hand, was built for close-quarter combat. She would trap punches, smother kicks, and overwhelm me by not letting me do much of anything.

    But I was all the better for sparring with her. She might not have been using all of her clan¡¯s techniques, but there were things I was learning from fighting her that let me refine my own style ¨C like the trapping, for one.

    We moved to an open clearing in one of the village¡¯s many public parks and I drew a decently sized circle around us using a stick. ¡°Academy rules: submission, KO, or ring-out.¡±

    I took a ready stance a moment after Hinata. We didn¡¯t need a countdown. The two of us formed the seal of confrontation and met in the middle of the ring. I was on the defensive from the get-go; she forced me to block a flurry of palm strikes while I struggled to find my footing.

    I backed away, throwing out a jab to earn some space, and to my credit, it worked. I barely grazed her forehead but succeeded in stopping her advance for a moment. I danced on the balls of my feet, shifting my weight from left to right before exploding into a driving knee with the weight of my entire body behind it.

    Hinata blocked with a wince and I followed up with an elbow to the temple. She buckled forward, head over chest and, seeing an opportunity to end the fight, I wrapped an arm around the nape of her neck to choke her into unconsciousness. She thrashed in my grip, chin digging painfully into my forearm. After an eternity of struggle, she threw her weight to the side and pulled her head out from between my arms.

    We broke apart, huffing but still on our toes. Gulping down one last bit of air, I clenched my jaw and blitzed in, layering heavy body blows and the occasional knee between lightning-fast jabs. Hinata¡¯s eyes darted about like balls in a pinball machine, following each of my hits as they came, she countered with immediate precision ¨C and without her Byakugan activated. I took several palm strikes to my stomach ¨C and at the rate this was going, I¡¯d end up taking a deep breath and lose the fight.

    My tongue was as dry as sandpaper and my throat wasn¡¯t much better. Ahead of me, Hinata¡¯s shoulders barely rose and fell. Her pale, heart-shaped face glistened with sweat and was flushed an energetic shade of red.

    With the momentary pause over, the fight reset and we met in the middle.

    She offered an open palm facing skyward, left leg placed in front of right. Her right hand crossed over the left side of her chest and the other hovered out in front of her. Bracing my feet, I mirrored her stance and placed the back of my wrist against the inner part of hers.

    She pushed and so did I, neither of us giving any ground to the other. I leaned into her using my wrist and stumbled when the rock-steady opposition from Hinata faltered for just an instant. She flourished her wrist, placing mine firmly in the grip of her hand and yanking it down. Cold air whistled in my left ear. I ducked towards her and slipped past the blow, though not before the edge of Hinata¡¯s palm glanced my face.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    Two more strikes followed. I ducked again and blocked, careful not to get my feet tangled as we danced around the ring. It was a careful game of cat and mouse on the boundary of the circle drawn around us. Sometimes, I was the mouse with my foot on the line and other times, it would be Hinata. We exchanged so many blows that I could feel the bruises beginning to form, each a negligible weight slowing my punches and kicks, but together, they were beginning to take their toll.

    Lungs burning for air, I stepped in. She struck out with a front kick I snaked around, lashing her lead thigh with a calf kick when it touched down. Despite the limp to her step, she charged and released a storm of punches at my midsection. I shoved her away.

    If I had done this earlier, she probably would have countered and knocked me out, but we were in too deep to be capable of anything besides the very basics. Again, the fight paused. This time, our breaths were audible. Endlessly deep and frequent, as if not even all the air in the world would be enough for our lungs.

    Fighting Hinata was a crash course in Wing Chun all over again. It refined my cobbled-together style and ironed it out a tad ¨C not just with her, but with everyone I sparred. Fighting Choji and Kiba, I learnt the value of my sheer physicality. Fighting Sasuke and Shikamaru ¨C when he could be bothered ¨C kept my mind sharp, a pretty hard thing to do when I was around children all day.

    The sources of inspiration from my jack-of-all-trades taijutsu style came from fading memories and experiences etched into another body. Now, I was pulling bits and pieces from everyone I fought with a style worth observing to create my own. It wouldn¡¯t be complete for a while ¨C not until I had it pass through the critical hands of whoever would be my jonin sensei, but it was certainly starting to take off.

    Taking a spar with the Hyuuga heiress to a standstill was enough evidence of that.

    ¡°How¡­ how about we bring this to an end, yeah?¡± I huffed.

    Hinata smiled a little and nodded.

    Mustering up one final surge of energy, we charged forwards, matching punch for punch and kick for kick. I let her set the pace of the final exchange, focusing on keeping myself compact and avoiding her blisteringly fast strikes. Even now, when we were beaten black and blue, her form was still textbook.

    The wind swirled in my ears, the sound dizzying me as I ducked, pivoted, and trailed out of range. I ignored the sting of my dry throat as I swallowed, focusing on the thrum of my racing heart. There had to be a pattern within her overwhelming offence, some kind of tell to her moves now that we were running on fumes.

    I smothered my frustration when I couldn¡¯t find one. Hinata had probably been sparring with her cousin under the watchful eye of her father by now. There was no way Hiashi Hyuuga would allow that kind of flaw in his daughter¡¯s taijutsu ¨C not with how prideful he was.

    No, I was only wasting what little energy I had left like this and had basically handed Hinata all the momentum.

    I stamped down and slapped away a lead palm strike, eyes flickering between her poised back hand and her front leg. Which would she choose? A kick or a punch? The distance between us was wide enough that she¡¯d be able to pull off either. I met her eyes and committed to a course of action. If I was wrong, I would lose, and that would be that.

    Hinata shuffled back, chambering her lead leg to snap at me on the way in. I was going too fast to come out completely unscathed so I weaved to the right, tensing my stomach. Her foot slammed into the left side of my body ¨C heel digging painfully into my ribs.

    But that was it. Too tired and too slow to load up anything particularly damaging, she was nowhere near as fresh as she was at the start.

    Using my momentum from the attempt to dodge, I spun around and slammed my elbow into her. The world jolted; my head felt like deadweight as I landed the blow, stumbling off to the side. I regained my footing and shook off the sense of vertigo, expecting Hinata to rush at me at any moment.

    She lay sprawled on the ground, halfway between sitting and lying.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    She gasped for air. ¡°I-I win!¡±

    I blinked and looked down at my left foot rooted to the ground halfway outside the ring.

    ¡°Now that¡¯s some bullshit,¡± I muttered under my breath and walked over to her, holding out my hand. ¡°Since we said Academy rules, congrats. You beat me fair and square, Hinata.¡±

    She shot me a million-watt smile and completed the seal of reconciliation. I sat beside her, silent while I waited for the throbbing to die down. I couldn¡¯t quite tell how beat up we were yet, but we had gone pretty hard at it. The bruises in a few hours would give us a more definitive answer, though. It wouldn¡¯t be a good answer, but an answer nonetheless.

    The faster the bruises formed, the longer they¡¯d take to heal. Well, at least the ointment Hinata usually brought with her would help with that.

    We sat in the field and dissected the fight while it was still fresh in our heads. It was clear to both of us that I tended to fight passively when things got tough. Not that it was a negative thing per se, but I was too content with letting my opponent move me around. Hinata delivered this information with a small smile on her face that, on any other person, would have infuriated me.

    ¡°Right, your turn,¡± I said. ¡°You did pretty damn good today. By your fighting style, I¡¯m guessing you want to become a close-range taijutsu fighter right?¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°Initially, anyway. Father suggested it. I can always learn more things in the future so long as my foundation is good.¡±

    ¡°Solid advice. Pace-wise, you dictated most of the fight, but you don¡¯t tend to think ahead.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°As shinobi, thinking one step ahead is standard. We¡¯ve got to not only think about what our opponent will do but how they¡¯ll react to our counters and then act accordingly.¡± Hinata peered at me with intrigue and I continued, ¡°You know the elbow I hit you with at the end? It¡¯s because I guessed what you were gonna do first. But I could only guess that because I¡¯ve grown used to how you fight.¡±

    ¡°So¡­?¡± Hinata cocked her head, the beginning of a thought gleaming in her eyes. ¡°You could guess what I do because I¡¯m too obvious? Should I keep some skills hidden to give me the advantage?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say you''re obvious in general, because you¡¯re not. I¡¯ve just fought you too many times so you¡¯re obvious to me.¡±

    ¡°Naruto, do you have skills that you keep hidden?¡±

    I smiled. On the one hand, some would argue that I did. My knowledge of Hinata¡¯s taijutsu style didn¡¯t come from my knowledge of the Gentle Fist, but that of Wing Chun. In the same way, the majority of my taijutsu style had a basis in otherworldly martial arts.

    Skills whose origin I kept hidden, so to speak.

    ¡°You could say so,¡± I said.

    She bowed her head in acceptance. Upon completing our morning training session, we applied her strange-smelling ointment to our aching limbs and returned to the village in search of food.

    In other words: ramen.

    Unlike canon Naruto, I didn¡¯t eat the stuff too often. Once every week was usually enough for me, but I felt like breaking the rule today. Taking Hinata through the back of the shop, I dropped off my stuff. We ate a quick lunch and left. Today was my day off, and since it was the height of rush hour, Teuchi and Ayame were too busy to stop by.

    Microwaved or otherwise, the food was still good.

    As usual, I walked Hinata to her clan compound, stopping at the base of the footpath leading to the front gates. The two usual guards fixed me with their usual stares ¨C though they never used their Byakugan on me, so props to them.

    The veins around those eyes did unsettle me.

    ¡°Hinata,¡± I called after her. She stopped turning around. ¡°Are you coming to hang out with Shikamaru and Choji later?¡±

    ¡°U-Umm¡­¡± Her eyes darted between me and the guards. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ my father¡­ I-I might be busy, Naruto. Sorry¡­¡±

    I sighed, a little disappointed. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I appreciated the value of hard work, but apart from her training sessions with me and the school day at the Academy, Hinata didn¡¯t have much of a social life.

    And if there was one thing she needed, it was to get out and talk to more people.

    ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll let you leave if you finish your work fast?¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡± A measure of hope pooled in her eyes. ¡°Okay. I won¡¯t make any promises, but I¡¯ll do my best to meet you guys near the Great Tree at¡­¡±

    ¡°Five.¡±

    ¡°Five, then.¡± She cast her gaze down. ¡°But in case I can¡¯t¡­ tell Shikamaru and Choji I¡¯m sorry, okay?¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± I lightly shoved her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up over it. If you make it, you make it and if you don¡¯t, you don¡¯t. We¡¯ll see you on Monday anyway.¡±

    Hinata nodded, a little less upset than before. I waved her off until she disappeared behind the giant black gates, leaving me alone on the footpath.

    One of the guards shouted from the top of the path.

    ¡°Get lost, kid! Just ¡®cause you¡¯re friends with the young lady, doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯ll let you loiter!¡±

    Well, not completely alone.

    I turned around and yelled at the top of my lungs, ¡°Up yours, bastards!¡±

    Before they could chase me off their property, I clambered onto a nearby wall and took off running, streaking across the rooftops and market stalls with my laughter still on the wind.

    An hour later, I was on the other side of the village, waiting to see if she would be able to make it.

    The market stalls ringed around the base of the Great Tree were lit up with various lanterns. A stream of people flowed in or out through the single, wide path leading away from the tree. Shikamaru, Choji, and I sat on one of four benches parked at its base, legs dangling over the ground.

    ¡°Man¡­¡± Shikamaru yawned again. ¡°Why are we here again?¡±

    I didn¡¯t respond and continued staring out at the path for Hinata. Choji crunched on a handful of chips, making a frustrated noise at the back of his throat. We had been waiting out here for nearly twenty minutes now; even I was starting to get bored of it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think Hinata will be coming so can we go?¡±

    Choji looked a little guilty, but if he disagreed, he didn¡¯t say anything.

    I hummed. ¡°...We¡¯ll wait for a few more minutes. After that, we can go.¡±

    Shikamaru leaned back and closed his eyes. The minutes stretched on, and my hopes of Hinata appearing began to thin. I sighed and got up. She usually didn¡¯t manage to come to our little gatherings, but today¡¯s one was special.

    It was probably going to be the last one before our final exams for the year but time was up.

    ¡°Where are we going, Naruto?¡±

    Choji tossed his empty bag into a nearby bin and caught up with us.

    ¡°I dunno. It¡¯s not like we do anything but wander around anyway.¡±

    He nodded in acceptance and the three of us set off on the footpath that funelled out to the rest of the village. We stopped at the familiar cry, turning to see Hinata ¨C decked out in her usual white and light purple hoodie and jogging bottoms ¨C sprinting up the path.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    I broke out into a grin.

    ¡°Nice that you could make it.¡±

    She smiled.

    ¡°Half an hour late, mind you,¡± Shikamaru interjected with his voice as bland and usual.

    ¡°Shikamaru!¡± Choji tugged at his sleeve.

    He didn¡¯t break eye contact with her, his blaming gaze firmly locked on Hinata.

    She frowned for a moment before sighing, ¡°I-I know and I¡¯m sorry. Father really wouldn¡¯t let me go.¡±

    ¡°What changed his mind?¡±

    ¡°I convinced him that the four of us are going to do some last-minute revision for the exams.¡±

    Choji¡¯s face twitched. ¡°Are we?¡±

    ¡°Goddamn it,¡± Shikamaru groaned, face in hand.

    I laughed at the both of them.

    ¡°Well, chances are, we¡¯ll probably have to do it now. Sorry you two, but Hinata¡¯s dad¡¯s the type to have people follow her around. You don¡¯t want her to get into trouble do you?¡±

    Hinata looked crestfallen and fiddled with the sleeves of her hoodie instead of looking at us. Choji gave me a slow but firm nod. We turned to Shikamaru, intense but silently pleading.

    ¡°Alright, fine,¡± he said. ¡°But don¡¯t expect me to actually do any work.¡±

    ¡°Typical,¡± I said. ¡°But fine.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, Shikamaru. I don¡¯t like work either, but at least I try to do it.¡±

    They quickly began arguing and continued down the footpath. I caught something about minimum effort for maximum results before they moved out of earshot.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get going, Hinata.¡±

    She blinked at me, nodding slowly. We walked a few paces behind them so we wouldn¡¯t get roped into their argument, but close enough that we could hear it all.

    ¡°Naruto, you know we don¡¯t have to revise, right? We can do something more fun. Me forcing you to because of something I said wouldn¡¯t be fair¡­¡±

    I kept walking with a smile.

    ¡°If my father brings it up, I¡¯ll take the punishment. I did lie to him.¡±

    Ahead of us, Shikamaru threw up his hands in annoyance.

    ¡°Naruto.¡±

    I turned.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re your friends, after all. Or rather, I am, but Shikamaru and Choji will come around. If you can¡¯t rely on me to get you out of a tough spot, then who can you rely on?¡±

    ¡°...Thank you.¡± She bowed her head to hide her smile.

    ¡°Not so sure about Shikamaru, though.¡±

    The boy in question turned around.

    ¡°What was that?¡±

    Hinata looked at each other and shared a silent laugh.

    ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Nothing.¡±

 Chapter 10 [1]

    I shook out my slightly numb limbs and flexed my wrist. With one exam down and two more to go, my chances of graduating as Rookie of the Year were looking pretty good. The graduation exams would take the entire school day; we¡¯d just finished the written exam, leaving only the physical and chakra control tests.

    ¡°Did you do okay?¡±

    ¡°I think I did well,¡± I said. ¡°How about you?¡±

    Choji sighed. ¡°I think I passed.¡±

    ¡°And ain¡¯t that a miracle.¡±

    Shikamaru laughed and pushed him.

    Choji yelled in mock anger and grabbed hold of him. Hinata caught us at the base of the staircase as whispering groups rushed around us, ready to enjoy the half-hour break we¡¯d been given between the written exams and the chakra control test.

    We walked around the main playground, past the climbing frame, and found a set of benches hidden under the shadow of a tree. Choji and I sat on one while Hinata and Shikamaru took a seat on the bench opposite ours.

    ¡°How did you do, Hinata?¡± Choji asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ happy. I didn¡¯t do amazingly well, but I didn¡¯t fail either.¡±

    We all looked at Shikamaru.

    ¡°Why¡¯re you looking at me for?¡±

    ¡°How¡¯d you do?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I probably did alright.¡±

    ¡°Alright¡±, he says,¡± Choji sighed. ¡°Watch when we get our grades during the holidays only to find that he¡¯s scored first.¡±

    ¡°If he does, I¡¯m going to be very offended,¡± I said.

    Shikamaru snorted. ¡°Why?¡±

    I looked at Hinata, who looked at Choji, who then looked back at me; an entire conversation passing in an instant.

    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll say it,¡± I said. ¡°Shikamaru, do you have any hobbies?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, why?¡±

    ¡°Humour me, what¡¯s your hobby?¡±

    ¡°...I play shogi sometimes.¡±

    I grinned. ¡°That checks out.¡±

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Anyway, I¡¯ll be generous and say that you¡¯ve dedicated quite a lot of effort to learning the best plays, right?¡±

    ¡°I guess so.¡±

    ¡°One day, say I come along, barely look at the rules, and trounce you. How would you feel?¡±

    He furrowed his brow. ¡°...Not good.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how we feel when it comes to you,¡± said Hinata. ¡°You¡¯re either asleep half the time or staring out the window.¡±

    ¡°So,¡± Shikamaru threw up his hands, ¡°I guess I¡¯m just smarter than you all.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°You probably might be. But I¡¯m going to make sure you score second on academics.¡±

    He shot to his feet.

    ¡°It¡¯s not enough that you¡¯ve beaten all of us black and blue at some point? You can¡¯t let me have this?¡±

    Choji laughed and Hinata covered her mouth to muffle hers.

    ¡°Nope,¡± I grinned. ¡°Until you start putting in more than just the minimum effort, no can do.¡±

    He sat down with a huff, muttering to himself through folded arms.

    ¡°Oh, yeah!¡± Choji shrugged off his bag and fumbled through it. ¡°I brought some snacks ¨C well, my ma gave me some snacks ¨C because I knew that this written test was gonna be tough.¡±

    He pulled out four bags of paprika-flavoured crisps, a pack of bottled juice cartons, and some fruit. I glanced at Shikamaru. He shrugged and reached over, grabbing one of everything and Hinata thanked Choji before doing the same.

    ¡°Thanks, man,¡± I said.

    ¡°No problem,¡± he smiled. ¡°Food is made to be shared.¡±

    We finished our snacks and chatted for a while before we were forced to head back in. From what Iruka had told us, the chakra control tests would be a little more laid back than the written exams ¨C which was obvious since we all knew what the test would be a month in advance.

    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    This time, everyone sat at the front of the class, meaning the first three rows were packed.

    Iruka entered a little later with a piece of paper in hand.

    ¡°When I call your name, get up and follow me. I¡¯ll be taking you to the chakra control test. Honoka Abe.¡±

    A silver-haired girl stood up, peering about unsurely. Iruka opened the door and left with her, and when it closed behind them, the room exploded with nervous whispers that persisted until the two returned.

    ¡°How¡¯d you do?¡± someone asked.

    Iruka cleared his throat. ¡°No talking about the test until you¡¯ve after you¡¯ve all done it; those are the rules. Next: Choji Akimichi.¡±

    Choji rose stiffly. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Iruka smiled.

    The two of them exited the room.

    This happened at least a dozen more times until it was my turn. Some returned with smiles on their faces but not everyone did. I wasn¡¯t too nervous all things considered. At the end of the day, every single exam we would do today assessed how much effort we were willing to put in over both a long and short period of time.

    I¡¯d done both, meaning unless something went terribly wrong, my success was guaranteed. The classroom door slid open, revealing Iruka and Sasuke. He ignored the invitations from various girls in our class to sit next to him and returned to the very end of the first row.

    ¡°Naruto Uzumaki.¡±

    I stood up and turned to my three friends. ¡°Wish me luck.¡±

    ¡°Like you¡¯ll need it.¡± Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

    Choji and Hinata frowned at him, and I heard the beginnings of an argument just as the door closed. Iruka led me down the hall, turning onto the staircase and going up. I followed him wordlessly. He glanced back at me every so often, as if to convince himself that I was still there.

    ¡°Naruto,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the same advice I¡¯ve given everyone before you: keep a cool head. Our chakra and how well we can control it depends a lot on our emotions. If you¡¯re nervous or scared, you won¡¯t be able to control your chakra well. I get that you might be nervous, but it will not help you.¡±

    I nodded. It all made sense judging from what I¡¯d read up on chakra theory. We reached an unremarkable door that looked the same as any other that we¡¯d passed on the way here.

    Iruka stood to the side. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting here.¡±

    Taking a breath, I knocked twice. There was no response. I looked at Iruka; he gave me an encouraging nod and I entered a typical classroom.

    High windows stretched across the left side and all the tables and chairs had been pushed to the back of the class, except for one table in the centre of the room with two chairs on either end. An old man ¨C probably the invigilator ¨C sat on the side facing the door.

    He had wrinkled skin, tanned a deep bronze. His kind eyes were pinched almost shut, but I could just about make out warm brown eyes. He looked more like a kind old man than a shinobi, but then again, being a shinobi meant exercising secrecy so I guess that was the point.

    ¡°Good morning, young man.¡±

    I looked at the clock hanging at the back of the class ¨C it read quarter-to-twelve. That couldn¡¯t be true because when I left my homeroom, it was fifteen-past-twelve.

    ¡°It¡¯s afternoon, actually, so good afternoon.¡±

    He smiled without looking back to see if I was right.

    ¡°I stand corrected. What is your name?¡±

    ¡°Naruto Uzumaki,¡± I said, taking the only other seat in the room. ¡°And yours, sir?¡±

    ¡°Sir,¡± he smiled. ¡°The youth are kinder than used to be these days, it seems. My name is Kousuke Maruboshi, pleased to meet your acquaintance.¡±

    The name didn¡¯t ring any bells, which must¡¯ve shown on my face because Maruboshi laughed.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know me, young man. My time was long before you. Not even your sensei would know of me if I was not on a C-rank mission with him some years ago.¡±

    I took in his wizened features. He was probably about as old as Lord Third, maybe a little older or younger, give or take.

    ¡°Did you fight alongside Lord Third or something?¡±

    Maruboshi let out a low, rumbling laugh.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a roundabout way of calling me old?¡±

    I scratched my cheek. ¡°...You don¡¯t exactly look like you¡¯re in the prime of your life.¡±

    ¡°Kids these days are something else,¡± he chuckled. ¡°To answer your question, yes, I had the honour of fighting alongside Lord Sarutobi long ago but enough about me. Today, it is all about you. Are you ready to begin?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Maruboshi nodded encouragingly. ¡°Good. Please perform the leaf-sticking exercise. One on your forehead and one on the palm of each hand.¡±

    I started by sticking one leaf to my forehead, drawing a thin stream of chakra from the centre of my body to my head. When I pulled my hand away, the leaf remained. I did the same to the palms of my hand, spreading my fingers and facing my hands down.

    He wrote something down on a clipboard and smiled.

    ¡°Very good. With this, your test is complete, unless there is anything else you wish to show me.¡±

    I weighed up the options in my head. Thanks to the tree-walking exercise, my chakra control was pretty decent and while I wouldn¡¯t show him that I could walk up solid surfaces, there wasn¡¯t any harm in taking the leaf-sticking exercise further.

    ¡°Actually, yes, there is.¡±

    I returned the leaves to the tray before plunging all ten of my fingers into the box. Breathing in, I directed thinner streams of chakra to the tips of my fingers before showing them to the invigilator.

    ¡°Does this count?¡± I asked.

    Maruboshi smiled. ¡°It does. What superb chakra control. Rest assured that you have the best chakra control that I have seen thus far. Well done, young man, well done indeed.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Now, unless there¡¯s something else you wish to show me, you may leave.¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°No, that¡¯ll be all. Have a good day.¡±

    I waved Maruboshi goodbye and opened the door. Iruka turned around the instant the door clicked open.

    ¡°Are you finished?¡±

    I nodded and we walked side by side for a few minutes.

    ¡°You took longer than everyone else,¡± he finally said.

    ¡°I was getting to know Mr Maruboshi. He¡¯s interesting.¡±

    Iruka smiled.

    ¡°He sure is. I was on a B-rank mission with him a few years ago. He¡¯s got a bit of a reputation in the village.¡±

    ¡°He does?¡±

    ¡°He does. They call him the Eternal Genin, the Leaf¡¯s Strongest Genin, and the Unkillable Old Man.¡±

    ¡°That first one; is it because he¡¯s weak or because he¡¯s old?¡±

    Iruka laughed. ¡°He¡¯s definitely not weak, that¡¯s for sure. I¡¯ve heard that he¡¯s refused every promotion to Jonin for some reason.¡± He opened the door to the stairwell for me. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll run a mission with him once you¡¯re a genin.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like that. He seems nice,¡± I replied.

 Chapter 10 [2]

    The exams continued long into the afternoon, with the physical section being some kind of assault course, followed by a twenty-minute break, marksmanship using either shuriken or kunai, and now: shinobi kumite.

    As we had throughout this past year, we were all standing around Iruka but, unlike the usual relaxed buzz, there was a hanging silence. The sort where you wait for it to drop and put an end to the stomach-clenching nerves, except it doesn¡¯t. Mizuki was also present under the shade of a tree with a clipboard. More so than with anyone else, I was carefully neutral in all my interactions with him, whether or not I perceived any animosity.

    I was the most nervous around him, but he didn''t do much else beyond the occasional sneer when he thought I wasn¡¯t looking. While I knew he was going to betray the Leaf and run to Orochimaru, I didn¡¯t see how he¡¯d achieve it besides doing something monumentally stupid. His way in would have been me ¨C probably relying on my relationship with Lord Third to get me into the Hokage¡¯s Office ¨C but since I wasn¡¯t failing the Academy, I was left scratching my head.

    There was also the distant possibility of him banding up with Kabuto (and God knows what he was doing besides spamming the Chunin Exams twice a year). I watched him out of the corner of my eye as he scribbled something onto the clipboard. At least, I did, until someone snapped their fingers in front of my face.

    I blinked and swatted the hand away.

    ¡°Are you back with us?¡± Iruka raised an eyebrow.

    I pulled my lips into a tight line. ¡°My focus slipped. Sorry, sir.¡±

    ¡°I know that it¡¯s been a busy day, but keep your wits for this last test and then you¡¯ll be on vacation for three months. Just because you¡¯ve been doing well all year, doesn¡¯t mean you can slack off.¡± He looked around the class. ¡°That goes for all of you, alright?¡±

    The class slipped some energy into their reply, causing Iruka to smile. He called up the first pair to spar, drawing a bigger-than-normal circle around them. A girl from one of the minor clans ¨C Fumi was her name¡­ I think ¨C and a guy called Taro. Their fight wasn¡¯t pretty, nor was it quick. They threw mostly telegraphed punches and had the poor habit of letting each other get up after being sent to the ground.

    Eventually, Taro stepped outside the ring and, whether intentional or not, Fumi won the fight. The second fight was identical to the first, and it was the same for the fourth and fifth fights. The sixth was a bit more interesting since Sabo was fighting. He was a repeater from the year before. While all his classmates went up to the second year, he was forced to redo the year because ¨C in his words ¨C he¡¯d goofed.

    With another year to polish practically everything about him, Sabo was pretty great at taijutsu. Not as good as Sasuke or Hinata, but he often fought Kiba to a standstill. Looking at this understanding of the Academy¡¯s basic taijutsu style, he knew it in and out. It was all muscle memory for him, which the vast majority of our class lacked.

    Of course, I was ignoring the obvious fact that Sabo was a year older, taller, and stronger than Ino. She didn¡¯t look too thrilled to be up against him. As the head of what I¡¯d taken to calling the Sasuke Fan Club, Ino didn¡¯t care very much about anything at school besides socialising and trying to win Sasuke¡¯s heart so Sabo had a pretty distinct advantage over her.

    But before Iruka could start the match, she raised her hand.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong Ino?¡± Iruka asked. ¡°Are you giving up?¡±

    ¡°No. I wanted to ask if we can use jutsu?¡±

    ¡°Jutsu?¡± Iruka frowned and glanced at Mizuki, who shrugged back. ¡°I¡­ while there¡¯s no rule explicitly forbidding it, none of you know ¨C or should know ¨C any jutsu at this point. We¡¯ve been working on your chakra control and teaching you hand signs, but you won¡¯t learn jutsu until next year. Though¡­ I suppose we can¡¯t stop your parents from teaching you.¡±

    The worry melted off her face and she danced on the balls of her feet.

    ¡°What!¡± Sabo threw up his hands. ¡°How is that fair?¡±

    ¡°If you had passed with the rest of your class last year, Sabo, you wouldn¡¯t be here,¡± Iruka replied, his voice dry. ¡°You also have an advantage over everyone because you got to cover everything twice.¡±

    Seeing the blood in the water, Ino clasped her hands together. ¡°Please, sir? If this is my graduation exam, I want to do my best and that means leaving it all in here.¡±

    Iruka wrangled with his thoughts for a minute, his face set in deep thought. He nodded slowly and began the match. That being said, he inched towards the ring, worry clear on his face.

    I wanted to scream as I watched Sabo stand there and stare at Ino. This was his final exam, not a sparring session! And even if it wasn¡¯t, no one in the right mind would let someone prepare a jutsu to use against them and just watch.

    As she finished the hand seals, I began to understand why exactly it was Sabo didn¡¯t graduate.

    ¡°Mind Transfer Jutsu!¡±

    Since Sabo hadn¡¯t moved at all, he got caught in Ino¡¯s jutsu, stiffening up before going completely slack and walking out of the ring.

    ¡°...Shinobi kumite is now over. Make the unison seal and leave the ring.¡± Iruka shook his head wryly, looking down at the clipboard to see who was next. ¡°Iori and Matsuda.¡±

    ¡°Shikamaru?¡± I asked.

    He pulled his gaze away from the ring. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Since Ino can use her clan¡¯s jutsu, am I right in assuming you can do the same with yours?¡±

    ¡°Man,¡± His lips tugged up in a smirk, ¡°I dunno. Me telling you would be a damn stupid thing to do.¡±

    Choji was too absorbed in both his nerves and the current match to hear him, but Hinata did.

    She sighed and fixed him with a withering stare. ¡°You might not be paired with him.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know that yet,¡± he replied. ¡°Unlike you two, I¡¯m not great at taijutsu so I need as many cards stacked in my favour as possible.¡±

    By the time we were done, the match was over; I didn¡¯t see if it was won through submission or ring-out but it was probably submission based on how dirty the two¡¯s clothes were.

    ¡°Choji.¡±

    He yelped.

    Iruka looked square in his direction as a few people laughed. ¡°...and Naruto.¡±

    Horrified, Choji twisted his neck to look at me. All the blood drained from his face when I gave him a small smile. Shikamaru¡¯s laughter didn¡¯t help much but Hinata quickly shut him up.

    We walked into the ring; Choji was in front of me, shoulders hunched and neck bent. He was never the most confident of people and Iruka putting him up against the best taijutsu user in his class wasn¡¯t doing him any favours.

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    Whether or not I was the best taijutsu user in our class was pretty debatable but nobody could claim to have even half the endurance and stamina I possessed. Even my recovery time was far shorter than the other kids; it was probably the most important factor in my current progress because being able to consistently push out more training per day meant more progress.

    Iruka walked into the centre of the ring, standing directly between us. I shot him a quizzical look but he stayed stone-faced.

    ¡°Make the seal of confrontation.¡±

    We did, though Choji¡¯s hand was visibly shaking.

    ¡°Begin!¡±

    To his credit, Choji moved towards me. His punch was stiff, and so telegraphed that I stopped, caught it and pulled him in by the arm. He was hyperventilating in my ear and I squeezed his shoulder.

    ¡°Listen,¡± I hissed. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to have a conversation. Choji? Calm down. This is a spar and you¡¯re still my friend. I won¡¯t beat the hell out of you just because you¡¯ve been matched against me.¡±

    ¡°H-How the hell am I supposed to w-win?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not, but as a shinobi, there¡¯ll be plenty of fights we can¡¯t win!¡±

    Choji teeth ground together. ¡°Then what do I do, Naruto!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t go down easy and make it clear to Iruka you did your best.¡±

    With nothing more to say, I shoved Choji away and took my stance. Choji did the same, looking a great deal less nervous than before.

    This time, I made the first move and edged in until I was tentatively in range. I was a short kid, so there weren¡¯t many people I was taller than ¨C practically all the girls were taller than me and so were the vast majority of boys ¨C so Choji had the physical advantage here.

    All I could hope was that he didn¡¯t recognise it and push the pace.

    I shifted angles, letting my fist fly and slip between Choji¡¯s guard. He took the hits and winced, shuffling around to keep me in view. I watched him tighten his back hand, but he didn¡¯t move it. Instead, I was forced to slip away from his lead hand ¨C it was so close to hitting my nose that I felt a heaviness on my brow.

    Good. That was good. If Choji was calm enough to plan like that, I didn¡¯t have to worry about him giving the teachers a poor showing ¨C and I also didn¡¯t have to worry about him not making it to the second year.

    After that, the fight was relatively straightforward. It wasn¡¯t the most exhilarating fight, but I made sure not to hold back too much. Choji being my friend was one thing, and I was certain that Iruka knew I was holding back a little, but if I made it too blatant, he would have to do something about it. So, I let the fight go on until I was sure Choji was able to show a decent amount and then went in for the finish.

    Over the handful of exchanges, his confidence grew so much that when he stepped in for the last time, he did so pretty carelessly. I darted in to meet him, grabbing his lead arm and positioning my feet to throw him over my hip. He thudded into the dirt and I locked his arm with my knee on his hip to make sure he couldn¡¯t escape.

    ¡°Surrender, Choji. It¡¯s over.¡±

    He gritted his teeth.

    ¡°I-I w-won¡¯t¡ª¡±

    I tightened the lock and he whimpered.

    ¡°A-Alright, I surrender!¡±

    Iruka called at the end of the match and we left the ring as the next pair walked past us. The rest of the matches flew by. Sasuke beat Kiba in under two minutes, Hinata beat someone else even faster, and Shikamaru won his match by also having his opponent walk out of the ring.

    Iruka was pretty ticked off that he couldn¡¯t judge either¡¯s performance, but since he¡¯d allowed Ino to use the Mind Transfer Jutsu, he couldn¡¯t stop Shikamaru from using the Shadow Bind Jutsu either.

    A crowd of worried parents stood at the gate when school was over. Hinata and Shikamaru wished me goodbye with the promise that we¡¯d do something during the holiday. Choji did the same, but before he could go, I grabbed his shoulder.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked.

    I let go of his shoulder. ¡°I was wondering: since Ino and Shikamaru could use their clan¡¯s jutsu, can you? And if so, why didn¡¯t you use it when you fought me?¡±

    ¡°U-Um¡­¡± He scratched his cheek, turning away from me. ¡°I don¡¯t have enough chakra yet.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good for me that you don¡¯t. Cause if you could use it, I probably would have lost.¡±

    Choji snorted.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± I pushed him a little. ¡°I don¡¯t know any jutsu ¨C at all. Could you imagine me trying to dodge a massive fist?¡±

    He started to laugh, which was great because I could see that the exams were still bothering him.

    ¡°Go on,¡± I said. ¡°Your parents are waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°Okay. And Naruto?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    He turned around and gave me an awkward hug. I didn¡¯t stop him or anything, but it was still a little awkward.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    I patted his back a few times. ¡°No worries. I¡¯ll see you soon. Have a great summer, alright?¡±

    He ran down the steps and joined his parents. A man who looked like his father scooped him up and roared in laughter. All around me, I watched happy parents embrace their children. As much of a bad idea as it was, I began to wonder what it would¡¯ve been like if my parents were here.

    Someone put a hand on my shoulder. I didn¡¯t need to see who it was because their next words said it all.

    ¡°Don¡¯t dwell. It makes it worse, trust me.¡±

    ¡°Sensei, does it get better?¡±

    He sighed and patted my shoulder.

    ¡°Seeing all this? No, not really. But having friends does help.¡±

    I nodded. We stayed like this for a while; both of us watching the happy families wander home. Once everyone was gone, I turned around and gave Iruka a sincere bow. We might not have got off to a very good start, but he¡¯d proven that he wasn¡¯t out to get me.

    ¡°Thanks for teaching me.¡±

    He smiled and the scar on his face wrinkled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Have a good holiday.¡±

    When I got home, I was surprised to find an envelope on my welcome mat. I rarely got any letters, besides random restaurant brochures. Everything to do with my housing situation was managed by whatever institution in the village¡¯s management dealt with orphans.

    I picked it up and left my shoes on the mat behind me. The fact that I¡®d got a letter at all made me curious enough to disregard doing much else so I sat on the only couch I owned and ripped it open.

    ¨C ¨C ¨C

    Dear Naruto,

    I¡¯ve sat on this letter for a while, trying to figure out the best way to communicate this to you. You have no parents I can come to so I decided to put it off until the end of the year. I¡¯ve asked the people you¡¯re close with and am writing this letter because of what I learned from them: that you are much smarter than you let on.

    I allowed my personal feelings to overcome my responsibilities as your teacher. As of this letter reaching you, I have resigned as a teacher at the Academy and surrendered myself to Lord Third¡¯s judgement.

    While he was certainly more merciful than he should have been, I have returned to active service with a fine and a year of border patrol as punishment. I deserve far worse and was more than ready to accept imprisonment. There is so much I wish I could tell you to rid myself of this guilt, but I cannot.

    Despite what everyone says, you are a child. I¡¯m writing this to apologise in the only way I¡¯m able to. Doing so in person ¨C were it not forbidden by Lord Third ¨C isn¡¯t something I think I¡¯m up to right now. Looking you in your eyes and admitting exactly what it is I did makes me sick to my stomach.

    I know I do not deserve your forgiveness but I ask for it anyway.

    Regards,

    Fujino Shimizu

    ¨C ¨C ¨C

    I read the letter twice before I set it down. It had been so long since that fiasco that I¡¯d cast her from my mind ¨C she made it easy to do by pretty much ignoring my existence. Reading the letter, I expected myself to feel something ¨C anger, hatred, pity, anything.

    But I didn¡¯t.

    The only thing I left, as I sat there on my couch, was the exhaustion ¨C mental and physical ¨C from the day¡¯s events. Maybe it was strange of me, but I didn¡¯t care what Fujino experienced to make her hate me in the same way I could care less if a shop barred me from entering.

    I was curious as to why Lord Third never said anything about her. He had come to give me my stipend last week but hadn¡¯t mentioned a thing. Though he did ask how I was finding school, that was part of our usual routine.

    Scanning the letter one more time, I swallowed at the strange sense of detachment. I wouldn¡¯t be seeing Fujino after this year, and while she did admit her guilt to the Hokage, I didn¡¯t care. I expected to feel some kind of vindication or contentment that she was at least being punished but¡­ I didn¡¯t.

    Fujino was just a speed bump in the grand scheme of things. I probably wouldn¡¯t see her again and even if I did, that would still be true. Allowing her actions, or anyone else¡¯s, to dictate my thoughts was exhausting. Sure, I¡¯d never experienced something as direct as what she did, but I¡¯d had more than half a dozen months to sit on it.

    I walked over to the bin in the open-plan kitchen and tore up the letter, balling it up between my hands.

    ¡°Apology accepted.¡±

 Chapter 11 [1]

    Asuma knew four years was a long time. He¡¯d returned a different man to who he was when he left, but almost foolishly, he expected the village and the people within it to remain the same. He felt a little less sure of himself now that he was back. Quietly, he looked at himself in the mirror. He saw his father stare back at him for a second, but he blinked, and then he was gone, replaced by his reflection tracking water in from the bathroom.

    He pushed his damp hair up with his forehead protector and pulled a long-sleeved shirt over his head. Kurenai stood outside, just beyond the stairwell''s frosted glass panels, making him swallow nervously. He¡¯d only just returned the day before and while they had agreed to meet up, seeing her was still a shock.

    Learning that she¡¯d made Tokubetsu Jonin hadn¡¯t sunk in until he saw her. The respect the rank commanded wasn¡¯t something a letter could convey but he could tell she¡¯d settled into the role by how she handled the chunin at the check-in point.

    Before he could muster up the courage to open the door, she noticed him at the door, walking over until she could see him and beamed, forcing him to open it. She marched toward him, arms folded over her black t-shirt as she stared at his face.

    ¡°What?¡± he asked, ignoring the self-conscious prickles dancing across his skin. ¡°Do I have something on my face?¡±

    She stepped back and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°...You just woke up, didn¡¯t you.¡±

    ¡°Are we going or not?¡± He shook his head and walked in front of her.

    ¡°Slow down; you don¡¯t even know where we¡¯re going. It¡¯s been so long you¡¯d get lost without me to guide you.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go that far,¡± he scoffed.

    She laughed and took the lead, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her red jogging bottoms. Asuma followed her with his head on a swivel, taking in the shops and sights like he¡¯d never seen them before. Kurenai led him into a bustling side street off the main road. He looked up at the washing lines strung across the buildings and the street performers. The scent of freshly roasted meat wafted through the air and Asuma closed his eyes and pulled it in.

    ¡°Wait¡­ I know where we¡¯re going,¡± he said.

    She smiled. ¡°Guess I underestimated your memory. I¡¯m glad you remembered this place, though. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s important, right?¡±

    He winced at the edge in her voice¡ªforgetting this place would have been a monumentally stupid move on his part. It was the restaurant where their jonin sensei took them after every major milestone: their graduation test, first C-rank, and eventual promotion to chunin rank.

    If he ever had children, he''d probably bring them to Yakiniku-Q too.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Raido?¡± Asuma asked as they entered the restaurant. ¡°And do you think that lazy bastard can make it or is it just us?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re early, but there¡¯s a bunch more people coming. You might not know all of them, though.¡± She sat in the booth nearest to the door. ¡°Here.¡±

    Asuma poured from an already prepared jug of water and pushed the glass across the table.

    ¡°...What have you done with the old Asuma?¡±

    He laughed as he poured himself a glass. ¡°Let¡¯s just say my time out has been good for me and leave it there.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad,¡± she said with a smile.

    It was almost comical how easily they slipped back into their old dynamic.

    Kurenai rambled while he sat back to listen to it all. She paused every so often to check that he was still paying attention, which was usually his signal to chime in. Usually, his focus drifted and he found himself thinking about something completely unrelated and then she''d notice and fix him with the off-putting stare she was known for¡­ which she was doing right now.

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± he said.

    A raised eyebrow was all she needed to show her doubt.

    ¡°Really. You were talking about your promotion from chunin to tokubetsu jonin, right?¡±

    She blinked slowly.

    ¡°Told you,¡± he said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m a new man now.¡±

    ¡°You know,¡± she took a measured sip from her glass, ¡°I could get used to this new Asuma.¡±

    He smirked and rested against the sofa in self-satisfaction as she started back up again and slowly, his eyes began to close. Somewhere between three and five minutes in, she suddenly cut herself off. Asuma sat up, afraid he¡¯d missed a question, but he came up blank.

    He stared questioningly at her and she squirmed out an answer: she felt bad that she had spent fifteen minutes talking about herself and her life when they hadn¡¯t seen each other for four years.

    Asuma laughed harder than he could remember, wiping tears from his face and controlling his breathing. ¡°It was just that? Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m just glad our friendship¡¯s the same.¡±

    She smiled a little tightly and nodded. A strangeness clung to his insides, coiling and twisting¡ªand he didn¡¯t like it.

    A boisterous voice boomed behind them, ¡°Did somebody say friends?¡±

    Asuma popped his head out of their booth and grinned at his best friend¡¯s scarred face. ¡°Raido, that you?¡± He walked into the busy restaurant, clad in the standard shinobi uniform. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re still as stiff as usual. I mean, come on¡ªwho goes to a gathering in their uniform?¡±

    ¡°Someone in it for so long that it becomes their natural state of being. Leave him alone, we¡¯ve all been there,¡± another voice chuckled, deeper and more gravelly than Raido¡¯s. He whipped his head back to Kurenai, who smiled until her cheeks dimpled pleasantly.

    He rocketed out of his chair and stepped around a grinning Raido to envelop his sensei in a bear hug.

    ¡°Easy there, wunderkind,¡± His sensei patted his back, ¡°hugs from you have felt weird since you outgrew me a few years ago. I get all the ash and tobacco smell on me and have to explain it to my wife.¡±

    Asuma broke the hug but gripped both his shoulders firmly. ¡°That¡¯s half the fun, Shikaku-sensei. You passed your filthy habit onto me and then quit, leaving me high and dry, so in my eyes: that¡¯s the least you deserve.¡±

    ¡°I blame you for that till this day, sensei.¡± Kurenai wrinkled her nose and leaned out of the booth.

    ¡°Come now, Kurenai,¡± said Shikaku, trying for a smile. ¡°We both know he would¡¯ve done it anyway. I think you¡¯re forgetting how rebellious he was as a brat.¡±

    Their small booth quickly became a den of boisterous conversation. More friends arrived as they talked and drank¡ªor so he was told. Asuma recognised the first few and gave them enthusiastic greetings but more unfamiliar faces began to pop up, either as their plus ones¡ªso many people had arrived that they¡¯d had to move to the first floor.

    Orders were placed in no time and for a while, they all talked over sizzling cuts of beef. He found himself lingering on the edges, too unfamiliar with the topics of conversation to chip in but as he was the person everyone was dedicating the afternoon to, it wasn¡¯t like he could just up and leave. That left him in a tight spot where he had to rely on his close circle¡ªShikaku, Raido, and Kurenai. Raido and Shikaku¡¯s jobs were a round-the-clock thing, so they had to leave after two hours, leaving him with just one lifeline.

    Asuma popped the last bite into his mouth and searched for Kurenai. He made his way through the clusters of socialising people, clutching a half-empty tumbler to his chest.

    ¡°Hey, erm¡­ welcome back, man!¡±

    He raised a hand to greet a group he didn¡¯t recognise, slowing his stride down.

    ¡°Idiot,¡± a lady who must¡¯ve been his friend hissed, ¡°I told you his name was Asuma¡ªso how the heck did you forget it in less than twenty seconds?¡±

    ¡°...Sorry, alright? I don¡¯t even know the guy, even if he¡¯s a jonin, he¡¯s been gone for years!¡±

    She dragged him away, directing an apologetic smile his way. Squeezing between them and a table, he weaved around half a dozen more people before he reached Kurenai¡ªthough he heard her laugh before he saw her.

    She was part of a small circle of kunoichi talking animatedly to each other. Asuma froze as he watched life carry on around him. While he probably could¡¯ve got her to come over, he didn¡¯t¡ªrather, he couldn¡¯t. It was his party but it felt like he was the one intruding. Everywhere he looked, people were in the middle of conversations that he didn¡¯t know enough about to disturb.

    Still holding his half-empty glass, Asuma returned to his seat and called for another order of beef, settling the seasoned slices atop the grill and taking small, sour sips of his drink. He slipped a piping-hot side of beef over his tongue while the sounds of conversation boxed him in from either side.

    He held a hand up for the waiter posted at the top of the first-floor staircase. ¡°Waiter, another round of drinks for my friends, please.¡±

    The simultaneous cheers from everyone didn¡¯t make him feel better, but he raised his half-empty glass with enough false cheer to make himself grin anyway.

 Chapter 11 [2]

    He tugged at his collar and adjusted his tie so it wasn¡¯t choking him anymore. He looked around the Sarutobi compound gate and breathed a sigh of relief. After that disaster of a welcome party a few days ago, hopefully, the family dinner would be a step up. He walked the lamp-lit streets of the Sarutobi compound, thankful it was late enough for his arrival to go unnoticed.

    Perched atop a roof, he squinted into the darkness and flitted to his family home. He¡¯d only just landed on the south wall¡¯s tiling when his heart sank.

    ¡°Why, hello there, young master. I knew you would enter through here. You always had a habit of sneaking around.¡±

    ¡°...Grannie. It¡¯s been too long.¡± He hopped down in embarrassment and she gave him a toothy grin; the wrinkles on her face had deepened since he last saw her. ¡°You¡¯ve grown¡­ old.¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t we all?¡± She raised an eyebrow, ¡°I was old when you were born, young master¡ªand get rid of that, will you? You know your brother hates the smell; he¡¯s brought Konohamaru with him.¡±

    ¡°Konohamaru?¡± Asuma crushed the half-disintegrated cigarette in his hand. ¡°How is he?¡±

    Grannie beckoned him to follow her as she circled back to the front entrance. ¡°As much a terror as you were at that age. He drives your brother up the wall, that one.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± He ignored the realisation that he wasn¡¯t sure if Konohamaru was three or four. ¡°He needs someone to loosen the stick he¡¯s got jammed up his ass.¡±

    She shook her head wryly. ¡°Your foul mouth is still in action after all these years, I see.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d better believe it, Grannie,¡± he smiled.

    They trudged across the well-cut lawn and rounded the building¡¯s eastern side, bumping into the other servants finishing their day''s work. He recognised some of them¡ªthey were people he¡¯d seen around the clan compound growing up¡ªbut found himself consistently not recognising a good few.

    ¡°Wait a sec, is that you, Asuma?¡±

    Grannie stopped and wagged a finger in front of her face. ¡°Sadao if I find that you¡¯ve managed to foist off your work on one of the new hires, I will bring out the paddle.¡±

    ¡°Sadao?¡± Asuma was beyond shocked to find his childhood friend working as a servant in his own home. ¡°What happened to you becoming a playwright?¡±

    Sadao turned the corner dressed head to toe in the Sarutobi clan¡¯s servant wear: black kung-fu slippers and a set of burgundy samue. He didn¡¯t know who started the trend, but the servants had worn it for as long as he could remember.

    ¡°Ah-ah-ah¡ªyou¡¯re jumping to conclusions, my chain-smoking friend.¡±

    Asuma snorted when Grannie poked him in the ribs.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what your relationship with the young master is, when you are at work, you will refer to him as such¡±

    ¡°Yeesh, Grannie.¡± Sadao rubbed his side. ¡°I¡¯m here part-time,¡± He stared pointedly at Grannie, ¡°young master.¡±

    ¡°This a recent thing?¡± Asuma asked after he¡¯d suppressed his laugh at being called ¡®young master¡¯ by Sadao of all people.

    ¡°No, he asked me for work shortly after you left,¡± said Grannie.

    ¡°...Right.¡± Because there was little else he could say in the face of something he wouldn¡¯t have known about.

    Sadao interjected quickly, ¡°I¡¯ve been working here for a few years to save up the funds for props and special effects¡ªand so have a few of the actors and actresses; you might¡¯ve seen them on your way here. In fact, my play¡¯s going to be performed soon¡ªI¡¯d like you to come see it. You''ll be in the VIP box and everything; I¡¯ll mail you the tickets for the first screening next month.¡±

    Asuma blinked. ¡°I was wondering why some of them looked so unfamiliar. And sure, I¡¯ll come. What¡¯s it called?¡±

    ¡°The Life and Times of the Fourth Hokage and there isn¡¯t a better way to find out about the Fourth Hokage than asking the Third Hokage. Plus the actors and actresses can get a feel for the lives of the people they''ll be portraying.¡±

    Sadao and his crew working as servants in his family home didn''t feel any less weird with that information, but it made much more sense to him. Asuma looked to the dining hall, trying to keep the edge out of voice. ¡°Does he even have time for you?¡±

    His friend made a so-so gesture. ¡°I¡¯ve been working here for three years and only just finished the play so you tell me.¡±

    ¡°Go and make yourself useful, Sadao.¡± Grannie waved her cane threateningly at Sadao, who danced out of its range and hid around the corner.

    Asuma spotted him sprinting down the engawa and into a side room.

    ¡°That boy¡­ so, shall we continue, young master?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± he smiled and allowed her to lead him to the dining room.

    A whole roasted chicken lay spread in the centre of the table, flanked by sides of vegetables and a massive bowl of steaming pilaf rice. Around it sat his family members. Seeing them, it felt like he¡¯d been gone for ten years instead of four.

    His father¡¯s hairline had receded even further and his face was sagging with the weight of age. At thirty-five years old, his brother looked hale and healthy, though he could see the beginnings of his father¡¯s renowned widow¡¯s peak coming in¡ªand his sister-in-law sported the odd grey streak in her dark hair.

    ¡°Asuma,¡± his father smiled.

    ¡°Hello, dad.¡± He shuffled on his feet, eyes flickering from his father¡¯s to the table, and then back to his father¡¯s eyes.

    He raised an open palm. ¡°Do take a seat.¡±

    Asuma sat beside his brother and opposite Konohamaru, who¡¯d been fastened to a highchair and returned his brother¡¯s smile.

    ¡°How¡¯re you settling in?¡± Seiji asked.

    ¡°Not too bad. Things have changed, but that¡¯s life. How have things been going for you?¡±

    ¡°Not too bad; I became clan head last year. Father''s getting up there in age, and he''s been talking about stepping down for years, so here I am.¡±

    ¡°...Congratulations.¡±

    His brother smiled and began plating the assorted food, pushing the burden of conversation onto Asuma. He gave a small, tight-lipped smile towards Konohamaru, which soon proved to be a mistake.

    ¡°Hey¡­ who¡¯re you?¡± he asked, split between trying to lick his elbow and blinking curiously at him. Seiji dropped the plastic serving spoon in shock, scattering rice grains across the table.

    ¡°Dad, you need to be more careful; wasting food is bad.¡±

    ¡°Konohamaru,¡± Seiji sighed. ¡°I told you before we came here: he¡¯s your uncle, my little brother.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but I don¡¯t remember having an uncle.¡± Konohamaru flapped a hand, crossed his arms, and nodded to himself sagely. ¡°And you forgot you had a little brother until today.¡±

    ¡°Sorry about this, Asuma,¡± said Yasuko, his sister-in-law, as she shushed Konohamaru. It didn¡¯t seem to work though, because the kid was growing more belligerent with each attempt.

    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s fine,¡± he said eventually¡ªbecause, really, what else could he say? ¡°He was barely one when I left, so I can¡¯t expect him to remember me. Sucks for you guys, though.¡±

    His father coughed. ¡°Excuse me¡­ but how?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Asuma grinned, ¡°I¡¯ve come dressed for the occasion and get to carefully give him the best impression of Uncle Asuma. In a few years reckon he¡¯ll be coming to me for his every need.¡±

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Seiji snorted. ¡°Is that so? Remind me who you came to for everything important in your life.¡±

    ¡°Sure, but that was before I had the life experience I do now. I got to see the sights beyond the Leaf Village that you didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? Look where that got you.¡± There was a strange undercurrent to Seiji¡¯s voice that Asuma didn¡¯t like. He furrowed his brow and opened his mouth but his father beat him to the punch.

    ¡°Enough, Seiji,¡± his father said. ¡°Your brother has been gone for years.¡±

    ¡°And what¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Asuma asked.

    ¡°Peace, son, I didn¡¯t mean to offend you. It¡¯s just been so long since we¡¯ve had dinner together¡ªis it truly wrong of me to ask for a happy time between us?¡±

    There was a strange staredown between the three of them. Not quite angry but it was clear that a decade of arguments and animosity couldn¡¯t be solved by a single dinner. He dislodged bits of food between his teeth while he glared at his brother.

    ¡°Woah!¡± Konohamaru gave an airy laugh. ¡°I like you, strange uncle.¡±

    ¡°Strange Uncle?¡± his father repeated and Asuma could hear the laugh in his voice. ¡°I like it¡ªbut why is he strange?¡±

    ¡°Really, grampa?¡± He gawked and vaguely waved his stubby little arms. ¡°Look at his clothes. They¡¯re strange clothes, right mama?¡±

    ¡°Slow down there or you¡¯ll fall over,¡± said Asuma as he leaned over the table, ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that these are the latest fashion in the Land of Fire. Know what they call them?

    ¡°What?¡± he asked, and staring at those curious blue eyes, he knew he¡¯d won him over.

    ¡°They¡¯re called suits.¡± Asuma leaned in and hissed at the end, causing his nephew to wriggle back with a shrill, excited laugh.

    From there, things could not have gone better. Asuma baited him into asking about the suit before dialling back to the more hilarious aspects of his time in the Fire Capital¡ªlike the insanely opulent festivals the Daimyo would throw for the most inane reasons. This, of course, quickly extended to all the other mind-numbing things the Daimyo had done and Asuma didn¡¯t quite realise how hair-brained it all was until he was away from the Fire Capital.

    ¡°No way,¡± Yasuko gasped, wiping streaming tears off her flushed cheeks as she turned to his father, a desperate amusement layered in her voice. ¡°Please tell me it¡¯s not true.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± he chuckled before finishing the last bite on his plate, ¡°our Daimyo¡¯s wife, and thus our Daimyo, did indeed create a national holiday because Tora¡ªthat¡¯s their pet cat, Konohamaru¡ªdid not disappear for three consecutive months. Since last year, every village in the Land of Fire has had a national holiday on the last Friday of April.¡±

    Asuma looked around at the various emotions at the table: amusement from Yasuko, bemusement from Seiji, sheer confusion from Konohamaru, and his father¡¯s helplessness at having to corroborate it all. Seizing the moment, he clapped his hands and continued while the emotions were still fresh. He told them of his exploits as one of the Twelve Guardian Shinobi¡ªtoned down for Konohamaru¡¯s sake, successfully captured the entire table¡¯s attention.

    For all his father¡¯s knowledge about the Daimyo, he rarely concerned himself with matters outside of national security¡ªmeaning even he sat rapt as Asuma spoke. He stopped only when his throat was dry (and slightly hoarse) from all the talking.

    Pouring out a glass of water, he felt a swell of pride at the empty plates. He¡¯d entertained the table and then some. ¡°So, what now? Is dinner over?¡±

    ¡°Over?¡± Seiji smiled. ¡°No, no, no. What about dessert?¡±

    ¡°Dessert? Last I checked, our family didn¡¯t do dessert, did it?¡± Asuma frowned at his father.

    ¡°Things change, my son. I¡¯m quite fond of those frosted cakes, myself. It¡¯s a fairly recent import from the Land of Tea but it¡¯s taken the village by storm.¡±

    ¡°Dessert, huh?¡± he muttered, before shaking his head. ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll go help Grannie¡ªwhy are you looking at me like that Seiji? You know she won¡¯t stop unless we force her to.¡±

    His elder brother stuck his hands up and started to say something before Asuma¡ªto Konohamaru¡¯s obvious amusement¡ªwaved him off. He walked the familiar narrow halls to the kitchen, where Grannie was loading various cakes, pastries, and puddings onto a rattling cart.

    ¡°Let me help you there,¡± said Asuma as he swooped over her¡ªbecause she was just that small¡ªand wheeled the cart out of the kitchen. ¡°Don¡¯t even try to talk me out of it, you know it won¡¯t work.¡±

    ¡°Young master¡­ alright. But be careful. The ramp from the kitchen to the main house¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Asuma smiled at her, clearing the small ramp without any problem. ¡°See?¡±

    She wrung her hands together before clasping them in front of her. They walked side by side across the house, carefully turning corners to avoid incoming passersby, and simply enjoying each other¡¯s company without a need for words. Still, it was Grannie who broke the silence first, making a strange noise.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Asuma asked. ¡°Did we leave something behind?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°No, nothing like that. It¡¯s¡­ I¡¯ve missed you, young master. Truly.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Smiling, he looked ahead and continued pushing the small cart forward. ¡°...I¡¯ve missed you too, you know. I¡ªhow do I say it? I guess I needed to leave. These past few years have been good for me and even though I was away from you all¡­ I don¡¯t regret it, but I missed you.¡±

    Silence blanketed the small corner of the hallway they stood in. Asuma looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

    ¡°When we last met, I feared for your future. You and your father always had your differences but you were¡­ you were so hateful and bitter that it scared me.¡±

    He winced, not at being called bitter and hateful¡ªbut at the implication that he was no longer like that. His time outside of the village had healed many things, but his relationship with his father was not one of them. He struggled to formulate a reply before they returned to the dining hall.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant!¡±

    Asuma and Grannie shared a glance as the yelling grew louder. He parked the tray to the left of the door, making sure it was out of the way.

    ¡°Why, mama?¡± Konohamaru, still bound to his chair (though it was rocking back and forth), ignored his mother¡¯s pleas to stop. His forehead was scrunched in focus as he asked, ¡°Why was he gone for so long?¡±

    Asuma carefully circled the table and returned to his seat. His father watched the affair sadly, his wrinkled hands intertwined and placed in front of him on the table. Seiji sipped his water and raised an eyebrow towards Asuma. Yasuko, growing sick of her son¡¯s constant questions, lifted him out of the rocking chair and left the dining room.

    ¡°What was that about?¡± Asuma asked¡ªto which his father gestured towards the empty high chair.

    ¡°You happened, Asuma,¡± said Seiji, the edge in his voice returning. ¡°You returned to our lives so suddenly, expecting everything to be the same¡ªthat¡¯s what happened.¡±

    ¡°What¡­ that¡¯s¡ªno, I¡ª¡±

    His father interrupted, ¡°Enough, Seiji.¡±

    ¡°No, father. I¡¯m in the right here and you know it.¡± Seiji glared at Asuma. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re the only one who couldn¡¯t stand it? That you were the only one with problems? I saddled down and faced them but you? You ran, and then you came back one day completely out of the blue.¡±

    ¡°Seiji¡­ I couldn¡¯t stay,¡± said Asuma, smiling pleadingly. ¡°If I did¡­ I don¡¯t know what would¡¯ve happened. I hated this place and¡­¡± He glanced at his father and shook his head. ¡°Listen, I¡¯m sorry I hurt you.¡±

    His brother scoffed and folded his arms. ¡°Don¡¯t apologise to me. Apologise to my son who doesn¡¯t remember my brother¡ªhis uncle. Tell me, did you ever plan on coming back, or did it take ten of the twelve esteemed guardian shinobi dying to remind you of your family?¡±

    With that one question alone, the confidence he¡¯d erected over the last few days came crashing down. He could see it in their faces: his father''s and his brother¡¯s. He could see that this wasn¡¯t the first time they¡¯d asked themselves that. That they too didn¡¯t know if Asuma would return. Truth be told, even he didn¡¯t know if he would return until it happened¡ªand for him to just waltz in and pretend otherwise?

    He snorted as if he¡¯d heard a bad joke.

    ¡°Seiji,¡± his father barked before his voice softened. ¡°Asuma¡­¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Asuma frowned at him. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re treating me like¡­ like I¡¯m going to go and run away.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡± Seiji asked.

    Asuma whirled on him, furious, but then the wind left his sails and he sighed. ¡°Father,¡± he said, feeling more tired than ever before. ¡°May I be excused? I just¡­ I can¡¯t do this right now.¡±

    His father nodded sadly, dragging a heavy hand over his face.

    ¡°What did I just say, Asuma? Running away won¡¯t solve your problems, it just throws them to someone else!¡±

    ¡°What do you want, Seiji?¡± Asuma snapped, turning around a few paces before the door. ¡°Do you want me to throw myself to the floor and cry? Will that make you feel better¡ªtell me!¡±

    Seiji flushed and, for a moment, looked like he wanted to hit him very, very hard. Instead, he shook his head, looking almost as exhausted as he did. ¡°No. I just want you to realise that I suffered too.¡±

    He gave him a long, searching look and muttered, ¡°You don¡¯t think I knew that?¡±

    Shaking his head, he walked out of the door just as the beginnings of an argument erupted between his father and his brother. Grannie stood outside the dining hall, wiping tears from her face. He passed Yasuko further down the corridor; she smiled apologetically.

    The fact that none of them had said anything against his leaving only proved him right: things had changed, and he couldn''t tell if it was for the better or the worse.

 Chapter 11 [3]

    He cracked his eyes open and bent halfway over the table while preparing a cup of tea. Dishes from the day before piled inside the sink and random clutter from the Fire Capital littered the kitchen countertop. He didn¡¯t wait for the water to finish bubbling before tipping out the kettle¡¯s contents into a red mug and leaving the kitchen as he found it. The living room was in an entirely different condition: save for his unpacked suitcase shoved into the corner of the room and his suit from the abysmal dinner hanging limply over the door, it was completely bare.

    He collapsed onto his couch with a low grunt, careful not to spill any of the tea onto the carpet. Common sense dictated that spending a day in self-flagellation was not healthy behaviour¡ªbut common sense wasn¡¯t stopping him from feeling to blame for his situation. Konohamaru¡¯s tantrum was a symptom of something much more harmful: there was a tangible distance between himself, and the people he loved and cared for.

    So, with nothing else to do, he latched onto what-ifs, managing to crawl his way out of bed. The first thing he did was look around his lifeless apartment, walking across the cold wood, a stranger in his home. Asuma saw his reflection in the television screen ahead of him, slouched and slack.

    The heat from the tea barely registered as he took sip after sip, its warmth radiating across his body. His mind slowed to a crawl and though his eyes looked straight ahead, he couldn¡¯t see anything, nor could he hear anything¡ªmeaning he missed the first knock at the door.

    The second snapped him out of his self-constructed purgatory and Asuma nearly dropped his mug on the third; the tea sloshed dangerously against the sides of his mug as he shot to his feet.

    Who had come to see him of all people?

    He crept to the door, looking through the peephole, staring blankly at a man he hadn¡¯t seen in years. Like Grannie, he¡¯d grown older and more wrinkled, the cross-shaped scar on his chin had faded a little, but it stood out on his bronzed skin. By the looks of it, the bandages that wrapped around his head now extended down to his right arm¡­ but that eye remained the same.

    It frightened him as a child; he never quite understood how it could be that fierce but as an adult¡ªa shinobi¡ªhe understood exactly why and it was all the more reason to question why the Shinobi of Darkness was at his front door.

    ¡°...Elder Shimura,¡± he said, carefully stepping aside to allow him in.

    ¡°Are you not going to invite me in, Asuma?¡±

    ¡°Make yourself at home, Elder Shimura. You know my home is yours.¡±

    ¡°Much obliged.¡±

    Danzo gave him a small smile and entered the house cane-first. He left his shoes by the closed door and looked at Asuma; the corners of his lips curved up.

    He was already painfully conscious of how empty his home was. Danzo looking around in silent judgement only made it worse¡ªbut there was little he could do now that he was past the threshold. Reaching the living room, Danzo looked between the couch facing the television and the armchair facing the dining table, lowering himself into it.

    ¡°Can I get you anything? Tea or coffee?¡±

    Danzo rubbed his scar with his thumb and index finger. ¡°What kind of coffee?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the Daimyo¡¯s special blend,¡± he confessed. ¡°I¡¯m not one for coffee so it¡¯s been sitting in my cupboard, but he gave it to me as a gift.¡±

    ¡°I see. I¡¯ll have the coffee then.¡±

    Asuma entered the kitchen and prepared it absent-mindedly. He pulled a mug down from the topmost shelf of a cupboard and poured out the coffee, bringing it back to the living room. Danzo took the offered mug with a smile and sniffed the steam wafting out of it.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± he hummed, ¡°this is an exquisite blend. How did you know I took my coffee black?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ part of the method.¡± Asuma swallowed his shock¡ªhe¡¯d been so preoccupied with trying to figure Danzo out that he forgot to add milk and sugar. ¡°The Daimyo told me that it was best taken that way.¡±

    Danzo smiled pleasantly and closed his one eye. Asuma picked up his half-empty mug and sipped the fragrant tea, waiting until he¡¯d finished the now-lukewarm drink to breach the silence. ¡°While this is nice and all, I¡¯d like to know what it is I can do for you, Elder Shimura.¡±

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Ironically, this particular visit is little more than a social call.¡± Asuma raised an eyebrow in disbelief and Danzo smiled. ¡°Is it wrong to visit my friend¡¯s son?¡±

    ¡°When you haven¡¯t seen him since he was eleven?¡± he snorted. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Are you truly upset that I stopped coming?¡± Danzo¡¯s lone brown eye shone amusedly.

    ¡°No, just curious. Why did you stop coming?¡±

    ¡°It was not my choice. Following the Fourth¡¯s tragic death¡­ your father and I had a disagreement on what direction our village should move in. Militarily, we were¡ªare¡ªthe weakest we¡¯ve ever been. The only reason the other villages didn¡¯t make any open moves against us was because of the Sannin¡ªbut thanks to the Snake, that defence fell apart. The rest of the Elemental Nations have no clue that the Slug Princess has abandoned our village but they will find out eventually.¡±

    ¡°Things aren¡¯t that dire, are they?¡± asked Asuma.

    Danzo raised his only visible eyebrow. ¡°All we have left of the legendary trio is the Toad Sage¡ªand we both know he is rarely in the village. So, where does that leave us? Tell me, what did your father do when the Cloud delegation attempted to kidnap the Hyuuga heiress underneath our noses? Did he gather our strength and have their war-mongering Kage face retribution? No, he readily offered the life of Jonin Hizashi Hyuuga.¡±

    Asuma stared at his empty cup of tea in thought before looking up. ¡°What was he meant to do, Elder Shimura? We didn¡¯t have the manpower to go against the Cloud¡ªnot after the Nine-Tailed Night.¡±

    ¡°That is not what I¡¯m saying. It¡¯s simply an example of the reason why your father and I do not get along anymore.¡± Danzo took a moment to breathe. ¡°...I mean no offence when I say this, but it is what I think: Hiruzen should not have taken the hat after the Fourth died. He¡¯d grown too soft, and if that wasn¡¯t bad enough, he allowed his grief to blind him and ignored the cliff that our village is hurtling towards¡­

    ¡°I mourned the Fourth too¡ªbut not like your father. I did not know him personally, only professionally, and here is what I thought: Minato Namikaze was the ideal shinobi¡ªthe ideal Hokage. There is a time for diplomacy and a time for strength; Minato Namikaze¡ªno, the Fourth Hokage¡ªknew this. As did your father¡­ once,¡± said Danzo, stopping to take a sip of his drink. ¡°That day has long since passed.¡±

    ¡°...Why are you here?¡±

    Danzo smiled. ¡°To the heart of the matter, then. I¡¯m here to talk about you. As one of the Daimyo¡¯s shinobi retinue, you acquired a bounty of 35 million ryo and are listed in every Bingo Book besides ours. And, towards the end of your tenure, you put your duty as a shinobi above personal ties¡ªthat is something I respect, Asuma.¡±

    The night he fought his sworn comrades to the death pushed itself past the surface. He, Chiriku, Nauma, Tou, and Seito had fought the others until only he and Chiriku remained.

    Involuntarily, he looked up and found a grim understanding in Danzo¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°What do you want, sir?¡± he hissed, in no mood for beating around the bush.

    ¡°Patience,¡± he said, and still, Asuma found no pity in his eyes¡ªonly understanding. ¡°The Cloud has let us be after the Hyuuga Affair, but what of the other villages? The Fence Sitter and his ilk will not break the peace, even if they could; they left the war with the heaviest losses. By their own making, the Mist is a non-factor, and that only leaves the Sand, who is our ally, whatever good that brings us.¡±

    The Sand was forced into an alliance with the Leaf at the end of the war, but instead of building back their forces through missions and funding, the Wind Daimyo limited the Sand¡¯s funding and outsourced many of their high-paying missions to the Leaf.

    To Asuma, it wasn¡¯t a question of if the alliance would break down, but when.

    He looked at Danzo. ¡°We¡¯re not much better. Our military isn¡¯t so hot, and the only reason we¡¯re doing so well¡ªcomparatively¡ªis because of our good relationships with the smaller villages through trade and joint missions. That, and Lord Atsuhiko likes us a lot.¡±

    ¡°You sell yourself short,¡± said Danzo. ¡°He is fond of the Leaf because of you. Your actions secured the backing of Daimyo Atsuhiko for years to come. What we need is ideal shinobi who embody the creed, not glorified samurai stuck to notions of honour and kindness.¡± Their eyes met and Asuma blinked owlishly at the implication that he could be the shinobi ideal like the Fourth was; Danzo smiled and clasped his sleeve-covered hands in his lap. ¡°Asuma, I would like to invite you to my residence next week¡ªfor tea.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because you returned at the perfect time and returned with achievements, accolades, and strength. This village needs more jonin-ranked shinobi to dissuade anything like the Hyuuga Affair from ever happening again. If the Cloud did it once, who¡¯s to say the Stone won¡¯t do the same¡ªor even the Sand.¡±

    ¡°And you think I can be the one to do that?¡± Asuma held back a laugh at the implication. ¡°You overestimate me, Elder Shimura.¡±

    ¡°Do I? To me, you¡¯re underestimating yourself.¡± He rose with his cane in hand. ¡°I look forward to hosting you.¡±

    Asuma followed him to the door and returned the older man¡¯s nod, watching him return to the heart of the village from the balcony. Danzo was an unexpected disturbance, a man he didn¡¯t expect to see in a thousand years.

    Returning to the living room, he collapsed onto the sofa and returned to staring at his reflection on the television screen.

    ¡°The ideal shinobi, huh?¡± he muttered.

 Chapter 12 [1]

    Ant-like figures scuttled about in the distance, vanishing under the tiled roofs splayed across the horizon. There was a cold edge to the air and people were slowly beginning to roll out of bed and get ready for the day ahead. It being summer, the sun rose a full three hours ago, so there wasn¡¯t any gloom to keep people in bed.

    The Academy had wrapped up its second year a month ago, leaving me with six weeks of freedom to do as I wished: working and training. Now that I was five feet tall, I could do a lot more¡ªlike cooking, when the situation allowed. Taijutsu-wise, I was in top form, but my spars with Hinata grew infrequent as the academic year went on, almost stopping completely.

    I supposed her clan upped her training regimen or something, which was fine by me. The sun arced over the village with its golden brilliance and I let its warmth dance on my skin for a heartbeat before flying down the hill¡ªmy legs did the running themselves. Reaching the bottom, I stopped myself from falling face-first, my head pulsing with heat.

    ¡°What¡¯s taking him so long? I know he¡¯s not expecting me, but¡­¡± I looked about for my running partner and as the question hung in the air around me, he rounded the corner, wearing a loose t-shirt and shorts. ¡°Choji! Hey, I¡¯m over here!¡±

    He looked about first and then froze when he noticed me, racing over in less than ten seconds, flushed and already sweaty. I bent down to pull up my socks and debated if we should run up the hill but decided against it. My first run in a week being an uphill sprint probably wasn¡¯t the smartest thing to do.

    We ran side by side, jogging to the left of the street and circling stalls, bins, and lampposts.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come last week?¡± he asked through light breaths. ¡°I waited for fifteen minutes every day.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, man. I was really busy but I¡¯ll make it up to you. Dango?¡±

    ¡°Hmm. ...Three sticks?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do you one better,¡± I smiled. ¡°Four sticks.¡±

    Choji¡¯s face broke out into a broad grin. ¡°No take-backs, right?¡±

    I wriggled my upper back free of my sweaty shirt and rolled out my shoulders. ¡°Nope. I¡¯ve kept up my physical training, so this run shouldn¡¯t be so bad. How about you?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not beating me, Naruto. Not after skipping a week. I¡¯ve been eating hard, training hard, and resting hard,¡±

    ¡°How do you even rest hard?¡± His grin was smaller and more confident; a strange competitiveness grew within me¡ªthe simple desire not to lose, even though I¡¯d gain absolutely nothing by winning. ¡°Fine. First to the Hokage Building?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re on!¡±

    I pulled ahead of him and stretched my legs as far as they could go. The morning wind ripped its way through me but I paid it no mind. Tearing down the street, I dodged people going about their mornings¡ªuntil a woman and her dog rounded the corner, one chasing after the other. They veered right in front of me, going stone still in panic. I couldn¡¯t stop and threw my head back to Choji, who wasn¡¯t too far behind me.

    There was enough distance for him to stop in time¡­ but I couldn¡¯t say the same about myself. I cursed and soared over their heads while my hands looped around one of many street lamps towering over us. I used the momentum to flip upright and balance on it, even as it dug into my calloused hands and wobbled dangerously.

    Thanks to chakra adhesion, I wasn''t in any danger of falling.

    Choji skidded to a halt before, going around the woman and her dog and folding his arms. ¡°You didn¡¯t say we were allowed to leave the ground!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not,¡± I scratched the back of my head. ¡°Thing is, I would¡¯ve run into the lady and her dog otherwise¡ªyou¡¯re welcome, by the way.¡±

    I hopped down and the brown dog tilted its head curiously. I blinked at the lady¡ªwho was irritatingly taller than me by a handful of inches¡ªand gestured to it. She nodded dumbly and I rubbed its head, giving it a few scratches behind the ears.

    ¡°Come on!¡±

    Standing straight, I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Alright, alright, calm down¡­ ready¡ªset¡ªGO!¡±

    We lurched over, catching ourselves with a solid step and blasting off the ground in a dash. The woman¡¯s dog yipped excitedly from behind us and, by her startled cry, was chasing us. Buildings and people blurred past and I could feel my heart pounding at the base of my throat as the flat street gradually shifted into an incline.

    Red-faced and huffing and puffing, we continued to climb until gleaming silver peeked over the horizon. I stood still and looked onto the decline sprint and then beyond at the four stone-carved faces staring down at us.

    Choji gave me a two-fingered salute. ¡°Good luck.¡±

    I watched him shuffle to the edge and snicker to himself before he started running, and then laughing loud and clear. Following suit, I rushed down the hill and began to close the distance. There weren¡¯t many obstacles besides the odd passerby but since they could hear Choji before they saw him, we didn¡¯t have to slow down.

    He pulled ahead as the gap between us widened and I realised I wouldn¡¯t make it in time. Eyes darting about, I jumped directly at a wall and righted myself, running onto its roof and soaring onto another. Choji hadn¡¯t noticed me yet, too busy sprinting for his life. Grinning to myself, I passed gaps that he needed to turn onto side streets for and stayed close enough that he wouldn¡¯t grow too suspicious.

    Looking over the ledge, I spotted him turning left and going hell for leather to the front gate. I scrambled onto my hands and knees and slid off the ledge until I was hanging by the fingers. He blasted past my alleyway just as I fell into a crouch behind a bin. My feet pounded into the dirt and I caught up¡ªclose enough to tap his shoulder.

    Still, he made it to the gate first, on his hands and knees for air. I swallowed deeply. My pulse beat madly in my chest and each breath I took left my lungs burning for more. There was a heavy, sweaty silence as we struggled to wrangle our breathing into control.

    Choji straightened and grinned up at me, cheeks dimpling. ¡°Naruto!¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± My mouth twisted up; despite my cheating, he still won. I didn¡¯t know what his family was feeding him, but it was clearly doing him some good. ¡°Well done. Meet me in front of the Academy in a little while, I¡¯ll bring the dango.¡±

    He nodded, and we walked together until the intersection, exchanged a fist bump, and went our separate ways.

    I took to the rooftops to get home, enjoying the cold chill in the air as I walked across washing lines like they were tightropes. My shower was quick and to the point¡ªwe were meant to be at the Academy soon, and I only had an hour to make breakfast, and grab the dango.

    Scarfing down the last of my cereal, I washed my mouth out with some water and flew out of my door. The dango shop was barely a five-minute walk away from my place. I entered an alleyway a street away and formed a series of hand seals, focusing very carefully on moulding my chakra and what exactly it was that I wanted to change.

    There was a whole lot of theory that came with the Transformation Jutsu, and by the time we¡¯d leave the Academy, Iruka told us we had to be well-versed in the ins and outs of the Seven Ways of Going, which were seven identities we¡¯d learn to assume seamlessly when infiltrating enemy territory: clergy, samurai, merchants, craftsmen, performers, farmers, and beggars.

    It would involve lots of field trips to temples, the village¡¯s seedier districts, work experience weeks, picking up at least two instruments, and I was looking forward to all of it. For this, though, a simple disguise would be enough. I pulled a handheld mirror from my pouch to examine my features.

    There wasn¡¯t a massive change; my telltale whiskers were gone and my sunny-blonde hair was a darker, sun-kissed brown. Smiling to myself, I slipped the mirror into the pouch at my back.

    ¡°Welcome, welcome!¡± the store owner¡ªa bronzed, wrinkled old woman¡ªsmiled. ¡°What can I getcha?¡±

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have,¡± I clutched my chin and counted, ¡°seven mitarashi sticks, please.¡±

    She gave me another grin and passed me a paper bag, palming the money. Once I was back in the alleyway. I dispelled the jutsu by disrupting the constant chakra flowing to my hair and face.

    I tossed my wallet into the air and caught it firmly. ¡°Man, I love the Transformation Jutsu. Makes living much easier on the wallet, isn¡¯t that right, Froggy?¡±

    <hr>

    Clusters of huddled families scattered about the Academy¡¯s massive red gates; their nervous energy stuck to them like ominous dark clouds. I was further back in the shade, near the benches all the first-years and their parents completely ignored.

    To my left was the slightly damp paper bag; six skewer sticks poked out the top. I clamped my teeth around the last ball, tasting the sweet and somewhat smoky soy glaze with the tip of my tongue. My cheeks tightened at the taste and my tongue went completely numb with pleasure as I twirled the stick between my fingers.

    Popping the skewer into the bin, I absentmindedly traced the swirls of one of the Hidden Whirlpool emblems stitched into both shoulders of my black long-sleeve.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    I looked behind me to see Shikamaru wearing a cream t-shirt and baggy jogging bottoms. ¡°Hey yourself. You didn¡¯t come with Choji? I swear you guys are basically neighbours.¡±

    ¡°Sort of. He was in the shower or something and I got bored of waiting.¡± He nodded at the paper bag. ¡°Those for him?¡±

    I patted the seat beside me, and he swung his legs over the raised stone slab and took a seat. ¡°I promised him four and bought you and Hinata one skewer each. These are mitarashi dango, so they¡¯re grilled and have soy sauce on them.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t need to hear all that,¡± he said through a mouthful of dango balls. ¡°Dango¡¯s dango.¡±

    Just like always, he''d framed his answer in the perfect way to elicit frustration¡ªand the little prick knew it too. I sighed my frustration away¡ªat least, I tried to¡ªand shifted my focus toward dislodging an annoying clump of dango from the back of my mouth.

    Shikamaru finished his skewer and leaned back to rest on his palms, casting his gaze skyward. Nothing new was happening near the crowds of first-years, so I looked up too, fixating on a dog-shaped cloud chasing an undefined white mass. I lost sight of the dog and tried focusing on its shape to no avail, so I gave up and started looking around again.

    ¡°Hinata, Choji, we¡¯re here!¡± I waved them over as they came into sight. Choji marched towards me, looking down at the paper bag, and giving me a slight nod. ¡°Take them, but give Hinata one. We¡¯ve already had ours.¡±

    Clutching the paper bag in one hand, he pulled out a skewer and passed it to Hinata. She smiled and pulled the topmost ball of the stick. ¡°How¡¯ve you been, Naruto?¡±

    ¡°Really good, actually. I¡¯ve been on lots of runs with Choji and played some shogi with Shikamaru.¡±

    ¡°You suck, by the way,¡± said Shikamaru.

    ¡°I know,¡± I replied and jabbed a finger at her. ¡°Anyway, you need to come out more.¡±

    ¡°Father has me busy training all the time and if it¡¯s not that, I¡¯m doing one thing or another.¡±

    I sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯re getting our results today¡ªknow what that means?¡±

    ¡°...No?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have a very powerful bargaining chip when you go home,¡± I said. ¡°They¡¯re definitely better than last year¡¯s, so you can wrangle yourself out of your dad¡¯s grip for a few hours at least.¡±

    She smiled and said, ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re right.¡±

    Choji stiffened at the mention of grades. He nibbled at his third dango stick and stared intensely at the Academy¡¯s front gates. Exams were never his cup of tea, even if he¡¯d slowly been growing in confidence and skill. Whenever we¡¯d have mock exams¡ªlet alone the actual end-of-year ones¡ªhe¡¯d turn into a tightly wound bundle of nerves; it was obvious to anyone who knew him.

    The kid liked to eat, but when he was nervous, he¡¯d eat a lot slower than normal and, sometimes, he wouldn¡¯t even eat at all.

    ¡°Listen,¡± I patted his shoulder, ¡°you¡¯ll be okay. You did everything you could.¡±

    He pulled his gaze away from the doors and nodded to himself. ¡°That¡¯s right, I did my best. ¡­I just hope it¡¯s enough.¡±

    The heavy twin doors swung open and dug shallow grooves into the soft earth, kicking up ankle-high dust clouds. Children swarmed in, leaving their parents behind and heading towards the various entrances littered about the ground floor. We waited until the front gate was a little less congested before heading in.

    Iruka was already in the classroom when we arrived and so were a few others. He looked up from the podium where he was sorting our reports and shot us a warm smile. ¡°Morning, you four. Have you had a nice break so far?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sensei,¡± said Hinata. ¡°Have you?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± He scratched the back of his head, ¡°I¡¯ve had to do a lot of marking, but it¡¯s been restful.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m never becoming a teacher,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°Way too much marking. You¡¯ve got your own class, and then there¡¯s moderation between teachers of the same grade¡ªand that¡¯s ignoring dealing with marking for teachers who aren¡¯t able to do their own for whatever reason.¡±

    My friends looked at me strangely and Iruka chuckled. ¡°I understand, but for someone so adamant about not becoming a teacher, you seem to know a lot.¡±

    ¡°...I pay attention,¡± I replied dryly and took my seat in the first row.

    The classroom grew louder as the room filled up. People who hadn¡¯t seen each other in weeks grinned and talked a little too noisily for my liking, but I couldn¡¯t blame them for it¡ªthey were just kids and I knew some adults who did it all the time. By quarter-past-ten, everyone had arrived and Iruka called for silence. It took him yelling for everyone to hear it, but the loud conversations turned into whispers in the end.

    ¡°Good morning, all.¡± He held up a stack of paper. ¡°I have your grades, but before I hand them out, I¡¯ve got a few announcements to make. This¡¯ll be our homeroom for the third year so make sure you come to the second floor and not the first. Next, there¡¯ll be some changes to sparring from now on. The other teachers and I have reviewed your recent exams¡ªit¡¯s the end of the taijutsu-only spars. This year, and every other year moving forward, you¡¯ll be allowed to use everything at your disposal¡ªit¡¯ll be true shinobi kumite.¡±

    ¡­This would make things harder. After all, I¡¯d been able to maintain my lead over everyone by taking advantage of the limits placed on us during sparring. Now that it was gone, I wasn¡¯t so sure if I¡¯d be able to keep my top spot for the third time.

    ¡°That¡¯ll be all,¡± said Iruka, stepping down from the podium and handing out the reports.

    I turned mine over and smiled happily at the results. Grades were scored similarly to threat assessments in bingo books; they went from D-rank to S-rank, with D-rank being the equivalent of the very minimum passing grade¡ªit was basically a fail, to be honest.

    Academics¡ªreading, writing, mathematics, and world history¡ªwere scored separately from shinobi studies. Both had an overall grade for each category calculated using the individual grades of each specific subject in said category. My ranking in our year cohort was boxed in the top right of the report¡ªand just like last year, I was 1/56.

    ¡°What did you get?¡± I asked Shikamaru.

    He yawned. ¡°Same old. S-rank in academics, D-rank in shinobi studies.¡±

    Ignoring the fact that he¡¯d skimmed over a failing grade like he hadn¡¯t a care in the world, I turned to Hinata.

    ¡°I scored B-rank in academics and A-rank in shinobi studies,¡± she said.

    ¡°Nice,¡± I replied. ¡°What did I tell you? I¡¯m pretty sure you jumped an entire grade for both.¡±

    She nodded happily.

    Choji clutched his report tightly in his hands and Hinata held her hand over his shoulder before she tapped it a few times; he looked at us with wet eyes and gulped hard.

    ¡°...Are you okay?¡± I asked.

    He rubbed his eyes against his forearm and passed me the paper with a gasping laugh. ¡°I-I did it!¡±

    I looked over the paper and could feel Shikamaru and Hinata doing the same over both my shoulders. I looked at the grades for each subject and then at his overall for academics and shinobi studies¡ªC-rank in academics and B-rank in shinobi studies.

    Hinata gasped and enveloped him in a hug and I grinned and ruffled his hair. ¡°What did I tell you?¡±

    Shikamaru poked his arm between us and offered something to Choji, who asked, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ you know,¡± Shikamaru said as he looked away, ¡°...the limited edition version of those crisps you like to eat.¡±

    ¡°...As in the ones you can only get in the Land of Lightning?¡± Choji''s eyes widened. ¡°No way, dude, c¡¯mere!¡±

    As Shikamaru backed away, I snorted and grabbed his shoulders, steering him towards Choji, who wrapped him in a tight hug.

    ¡°Thanks, Shikamaru.¡±

    Shikamaru struggled for a little bit and then gave in, returning the hug. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. That said, I had to promise my parents to clean my room for three months to get my hands on those¡ªmy mother won¡¯t be happy that I basically failed shinobi studies either. Sure, the S-rank averages it out to, like, a B or C-rank, but she knows I didn¡¯t try.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯ve only got yourself to blame for that,¡± I replied but instead of scoffing and rolling his eyes¡­ he looked down at his grades, frowned, and then glared at me.

    He opened his mouth to talk but was interrupted by Hinata; she gagged and leaned away from him. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re telling me you never cleaned your room before that?¡±

    ¡°No?¡± he tilted his head. ¡°The longest I went was a month before my old lady did it for me after a lot of complaining.¡±

    She wrinkled her nose.

    Choji laughed and released him. ¡°Enough about that¡ªlisten, my parents are going to celebrate this in style¡ªyou¡¯re all invited. I¡¯ll get my dad to talk to yours if I have to, Hinata.¡±

    She blinked at him in surprise and then smiled. ¡°Thank you, Choji.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± he said, looking around our emptied classroom. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ve got to break the news to my parents.¡±

    I waited for all three of them to leave the row before I followed them out of the door. Shikamaru made it a point to storm past me and keep Hinata and Choji between us.

    I sighed, falling back a little but still keeping them in sight. They rushed past Sasuke, who stared challengingly at me as I walked him by. It could¡¯ve been because I¡¯d stopped him from being ranked as Rookie of the Year for the second time now.

    Either way, something told me the coming year was going to be a tough one.

 Chapter 12 [2]

    Choji was over the moon. Sometimes, he found himself grinning from ear to ear at just how much he¡¯d learned¡ªat how much he¡¯d changed. He gave his room a final check, making sure it was spotless before he descended the stairs to the ground floor. His parents were running back and forth between the kitchen and dining room.

    ¡°Hey, little man.¡± his father grinned over empty plates and bowls, ¡°Are you excited for today?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Choji said as he grinned back. ¡°I can¡¯t wait for you to meet Naruto.¡±

    ¡°Your mysterious running partner. I¡¯m looking forward to meeting him.¡± He walked the corridor and stopped at the door. ¡°Your ma¡¯s cooking right now¡ªI know it¡¯s your day and all but would you mind helping her out? I¡¯ve got to go outside to grab a cake for you.¡±

    ¡°Sure!¡± He poked his head around the kitchen door. ¡°Ma, do you need some help?¡±

    Various steaming pots bubbled and frothed on the stove. Every single burner was occupied and he felt the heat clinging to his face. His mother stepped back from the stove and beckoned him closer. ¡°Pour four cups of rice into a bowl and wash it for me, will you?¡±

    He rolled his sleeves up and did as asked, moving his bowl of uncooked rice into the sink. Forming a claw with his fingers, he raked them through the grains, back and forth and mixing them. The water was cloudy and filled with starch so he drained it out and did it again before pouring the wet rice into the rice cooker and topping it off with a few cups of water.

    ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± he said.

    His mother smiled. ¡°Thanks, honey. Come help me peel these potatoes and carrots.¡±

    Opening the drawer, he pulled out a second peeler. They worked in a comfortable silence while the pots and pans bubbled over the stove. Choji enjoyed the task, not only because of the mouth-watering scent filling the kitchen, but because of how in sync he and his mother were.

    There were no words needed at all and when the peeling was finished, they moved on to cutting.

    ¡°...what do you think his room is like?¡±

    Choji stopped cutting and looked out the open window. He craned his neck at the familiar voices, leaning over the sink and poking his head through the window. He followed the sound of conversation and saw his three friends rounding the corner to their front door. His mother was already smiling at him when he turned to ask and without another word, he bolted out of the kitchen.

    He fumbled for the handle and yanked it open¡ªbut in his excitement, he forgot to unlock the top latch.

    ¡°...You alright there?¡± Naruto asked when he finally opened the door. ¡°That sounded pretty intense.¡±

    ¡°I bet he accidentally locked the door,¡± Shikamaru smirked. ¡°He¡¯s kind of slow sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Shikamaru,¡± Hinata frowned and nudged him, ¡°be nice.¡±

    Choji shook his head at their antics. ¡°I forgot to unlock the top latch.¡±

    ¡°See!¡± Shikamaru waved his hand at him. ¡°What did I say? ¡°Shikamaru, be nice,¡± she says. The truth hurts, Hinata, but it¡¯s the truth.¡±

    Naruto got between them before an argument could start and ushered them through the door. Choji shot him a thankful smile and locked it behind them. They took off their shoes before going any further. Shikamaru, being the only one out of them to have been to his house before, greeted Choji¡¯s mother first.

    ¡°Hey, auntie.¡±

    ¡°Shikamaru. How¡¯s school?¡± his mother asked with a smile.

    ¡°As boring as ever.¡±

    ¡°Of course it is,¡± she sighed. ¡°Hello again, Hinata.¡±

    ¡°Mrs Akimichi,¡± Hinata gave her a polite bow, ¡°it¡¯s been too long.¡±

    ¡°It has, hasn¡¯t it. The last time we spoke was at your birthday party last year. You¡¯ve only grown prettier since then.¡±

    Hinata blushed but managed a smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°And who¡¯s this?¡± her voice hitched slightly when she saw Naruto, but it must¡¯ve been a hiccup or something because she was still smiling.

    ¡°Ma, this is Naruto Uzumaki¡ªmy running partner!¡± Choji grinned and grabbed him by the shoulders, thrusting him towards her as if offering a present.

    ¡°Is that what they call friends these days?¡± Naruto snorted and twisted his neck. A raised eyebrow was all it took for Choji to free him. He bowed just shy of expressing deep gratitude. ¡°Nice to meet you, Mrs Akimichi. I¡¯m Naruto Uzumaki¡ªin other words, these three¡¯s minder.¡±

    Choji¡¯s mother laughed even harder when all three of them glared at him¡ªsomehow, though, it sounded forced to him. ¡°I¡¯ve heard quite a lot about you, Naruto.¡±

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°All good I hope?¡±

    There was something in Naruto¡¯s voice that made Choji stop and stare. His mother evidently heard it too because she pursed her lips. Naruto stared at her until she sighed and nodded her head.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard some things, but it¡¯s good to finally meet you. The food won¡¯t be ready for quite some time, so feel free to head up to Choji¡¯s room, you three. I¡¯ll call you down when it¡¯s time.¡±

    Naruto tilted his head. ¡°Would you like some help? I work at a restaurant so I¡¯m not completely clueless in the kitchen.¡±

    ¡°How nice. I see why Choji likes you so much.¡± His mother turned to them. ¡°Are there any other budding chefs hiding amongst you?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately not,¡± said Hinata. ¡°Father thinks that cooking our meals is¡­¡±

    ¡°Beneath you?¡± Naruto supplied.

    She nodded sadly.

    ¡°Would you like to learn?¡± His mother asked.

    Hinata chewed her lip. ¡°A-Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Positive. If you never try something, how will you know if you like it or not?¡± she asked. ¡°And if you do end up liking cooking, feel free to come over whenever you want.¡±

    Choji smiled¡ªthis was going even better than he thought it would. He knew Naruto would be an instant match with his parents. Unlike him, they were super outgoing and believed in putting their best foot forward.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to help too,¡± said Choji.

    ¡°You were already helping, but thanks for offering, honey. What about you, Shikamaru?¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like much of a question,¡± he drawled.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a question, dear.¡±

    ¡°...You know me so well.¡± Shikamaru sighed. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I can go upstairs and play with myself so I don¡¯t have a choice.¡±

    Naruto gasped and erupted into a coughing fit while his mother¡¯s eyebrows disappeared into her hairline.

    ¡°What?¡± Shikamaru asked, looking at Choji and Hinata questioningly, only to find them equally confused.

    ¡°Did he say something wrong?¡± Hinata asked.

    ¡°N-No,¡± said Naruto. ¡°I choked on my spit.¡±

    ¡°...Right¡± his mother replied, rubbing her hands together¡ªbut not after giving Naruto a strange look. She brought them together and grinned. ¡°Get into single file, kiddos¡ªit¡¯s cooking time.¡±

    Cooking time turned out to be him, Hinata, and Shikamaru playing assistant to Naruto and his mother. It was a louder experience than he was used to, but he preferred it that way. It made things more fun. They joked and laughed while they worked¡ªaside from Shikamaru, who took every opportunity to slink away to the seat at the small table beside the fridge.

    Eventually, his mother gave up trying to get him to help and put him on tasting duty instead¡ªall of the dishes were varying degrees of spicy. Choji smiled as his lazy friend muttered curses while they walked to the dining table with bowls stacked with food.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be a baby, Shikamaru,¡± said Naruto. ¡°If you stopped trying to run away, you wouldn¡¯t have to eat the super spicy food.¡±

    ¡°And if you hadn¡¯t offered to help, I wouldn¡¯t have had to do it either,¡± he replied. ¡°Jeez, are you a workaholic or something?¡±

    ¡°Cooking isn¡¯t work,¡± said Choji. ¡°It can be relaxing too.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± said Shikamaru disbelievingly. ¡°Let¡¯s say it¡¯s relaxing¡ªhe still works multiple shifts a week at a busy ramen shop.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Hinata piped up from the rear of their line, ¡°if you pick your job right, it won¡¯t feel like work. At least, that¡¯s what my nanny says. I¡¯m not sure I believe her.¡±

    His mother¡¯s laugh reached them from the dining room. She circled the table and placed various cutlery beside each plate. When she was finished, she pulled a tray of roasted meat out of Shikamaru¡¯s hands and ruffled his hair. ¡°Face it, kid, you¡¯ve been outnumbered.¡±

    He sighed. ¡°You¡¯re all such a drag to be around sometimes.¡±

    ¡°And I will make it a point to continue being one,¡± Naruto replied.

    Choji watched them take their seats on the right side of the table with a small smile. A few years ago, he would have never imagined the two of them exchanging more than a sentence, let alone being friends. As different as they were in worldview, they were also more similar than either of them would like to admit.

    After all, both of them looked past what he was and saw who he was¡ªwhich was why they would always be his best friends.

    ¡°Choji,¡± said Hinata, tapping his shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s sit down.¡±

    He nodded and followed her around the table. His mother disappeared into the kitchen to fetch something and Naruto and Shikamaru were deep in some kind of debate that he didn¡¯t want to get involved in so he looked at Hinata.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong. I¡¯m just happy you managed to make it.¡±

    ¡°Your father can be¡­ quite persuasive.¡±

    Choji raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re telling me. Though to be honest, part of me was expecting your dad to still say no.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for sending your father, by the way.¡± She said as she smiled. ¡°And so was I¡­ I wonder why he said yes.¡±

    He nudged her shoulder. ¡°Maybe you convinced him.¡±

    ¡°...Me?¡±

    ¡°With your grades. From what you¡¯ve told me, he¡¯s strict, but he¡¯s still your dad, right? You doing well makes him happy.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± she nodded once, and then again. ¡°You¡¯re right. Thank you, Choji.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcom¡ª¡± he replied, only to be drowned out by the boom of his father¡¯s voice.

    ¡°I come bearing gifts!¡±

    The four of them shared a glance and then turned to the door to see his father walk in with a massive tiered cake.

    ¡°...How are we going to finish it all?¡± Naruto whispered.

    Hinata blanched.

    Choji tried for a confident smile, but it came out as a grimace instead.

    ¡°See this?¡± Shikamaru pointed at the cake. ¡°This is why I don¡¯t stay in Choji¡¯s house for more than five minutes.¡±

    Thankfully, his mother returned, brandishing a ladle. His father took the cake to the kitchen and they all sat at the table, enjoying the fruits of their labour and swapping stories. Most were embarrassing, and at some points, Choji wanted to crawl under the table and never resurface.

    Still, he wouldn¡¯t change it for the world because he was sitting at a table with everyone he loved and cared for.

 Chapter 13 [1]

    Just like that, the month-long break from the Academy passed faster than I¡¯d expected. Granted, I¡¯d kept myself busy throughout, but the six weeks passed in what felt like the blink of an eye. Between meeting up with my friends, training, and work, I faced the end of the final week of my vacation and the last weekend before I had to return to the Academy for the third year in no time at all.

    Even with the allowance of jutsu and lethal weaponry in sparring, I wasn¡¯t too afraid of where I¡¯d fall in the class pecking order. I¡¯d consistently honed the skills available to me and had a few tricks up my sleeve for my more privileged classmates¡ªeverything else I¡¯d take in stride and not stress myself to death over before it happened.

    Distracting myself helped a lot with that and no task was as focus-consuming as cooking. In an environment as high-stress as a semi-popular restaurant, it meant working with the knowledge that six hungry customers sat waiting beyond the curtain to my right and that at least half a dozen were waiting outside.

    For better or for worse, I couldn¡¯t think of much else. The evening was relatively calm, but the work was as demanding as always. I was manning the kitchen alone after moving ingredients into our storeroom and walk-in freezer as well as a few other odd jobs around the restaurant.

    My sweaty forehead itched beneath the plain black bandana fastened to my head. It smushed my wild blond hair down, only making the heat worse, and the space between me and the closed pots was almost unbearably warm.

    I reached over to my right; two bowls of boiled eggs sat underneath the curtain-covered shutter, encased within their shells. The curtains fluttered faintly and sometimes burst open to reveal the six customers behind it. Because the kitchen was too hot for the shutter to be completely closed, two roughly cut curtains were the best we could do.

    I froze halfway to the bowl as Teuchi¡¯s booming voice rose over the muted bubbling of the pots below me.

    ¡°...I¡¯ll get that to you in a second.¡± He opened the curtain covering the serving hatch. ¡°Kiddo, I need two salts¡ªalso, where¡¯s that miso and is the egg hard-boiled?¡±

    Nodding, I dipped my hand into the bowl of hard-boiled eggs and peeled the shell, setting it atop a bowl of prepared ramen. He took the bowl, vanishing with a grin and some kind of joke that drew a round of laughter from the customers. I pulled the lid on the pot of noodles boiling right underneath me. The heat washed over my face and I could feel the individual beads of sweat pulsing on my face.

    With the lid in my left hand and the noodle strainer in my right, I readied myself and plunged the strainer into the roaring pot. A clump of noodles settled into it and pulled the ladle further into the water. Adjusting my grip, I tossed the noodles to get the excess water out, plating it and did the same with a second bowl.

    A hand settled on my left shoulder and another wrapped itself around my waist before I was dragged away.

    ¡°Ayame, what the hell are you doing?¡± Twisting my neck, I struggled to break out of her grip. ¡°I¡¯m busy! There¡¯s an order of¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªtwo salts, I know. I¡¯ve got you covered.¡± She stopped dragging me and instead turned me around. ¡°Here you go.¡±

    My three friends gathered around Ichiraku¡¯s back entrance. ¡°What¡¯s this about? Guys, I¡¯m working. I get paid for this; it¡¯s not like I can just leave whenever.¡±

    Hinata sighed and stepped back, allowing Choji and Shikamaru to enter and more or less drag me out of the restaurant by the arms¡ªin my work attire no less. None of them seemed to want to respond to my questions and the afternoon breeze did little to cool me down as I struggled in their grip.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t funny. Let me go. I won¡¯t ask again.¡±

    The two boys on either side of me didn¡¯t say a word in reply and Hinata¡¯s shoulder-length hair swayed in the wind as she walked a few metres ahead of us; she didn¡¯t reply to me either but I clamped down on my rising irritation until they released me about five minutes away from Ichiraku¡¯s.

    ¡°Right,¡± I yanked the sweaty bandana off my head and scrunched it tightly in my hand, ¡°do you three have any idea what the hell you just did? There¡¯s so much stuff to do. There¡¯s the broth that I need to make and then the cleaning, and then dealing with the leftovers¡ªI mean come on, are you serious!¡±

    All three looked guilty for a moment and I stared incredulously at them. The silence let me think for a moment and Ayame¡¯s involvement in it all slowly dawned on me. If she was in on their plot, it stood to reason that Teuchi was as well. My anger simmered down a little¡ªat least they had the sense to make sure their plan didn¡¯t mess anything up.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    I sighed. ¡°What¡¯s this stunt about?¡±

    ¡°Stunt?¡± Shikamaru frowned. ¡°You know, work is all well and good but you take it too far.¡±

    ¡°Too far?¡±

    Hinata and Choji winced, but didn¡¯t disagree with him.

    ¡°Yeah, too far,¡± Shikamaru replied. ¡°If you¡¯re not working, you¡¯re training. We can¡¯t find you unless you go out looking for us!¡±

    I glared and he glared back.

    ¡°You can¡¯t find me because I¡¯m busy. Not everyone is as lazy as you are.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± He jutted out his chin. ¡°Then when did we last meet up?¡±

    ¡°...Like four days ago; on Monday.¡± I looked at Choji and Hinata. ¡°Right?¡±

    Choji shook his head sadly. ¡°That was nearly two weeks ago.¡±

    The words made me grimace¡­ did half a month really pass without me noticing it? Rather, I didn¡¯t understand how half a month could pass without me noticing it.

    ¡°See? You¡¯re always putting your work and training over us. I bet that if we were to ask to train with you, we¡¯d hang out every day.¡±

    ¡°Shikamaru, that¡¯s enough,¡± said Hinata, but there was an uncertain quiver in her voice that I didn¡¯t like.

    He turned to her and shrugged. ¡°Whatever. This was all you two¡¯s idea anyway.¡±

    I sat down on a nearby bench and threw the wrinkled bandana into my lap, dragging my hands over my face in exhaustion. Surely it wasn¡¯t that bad. I¡¯d made it a point to fit in time for them while keeping up my schedule. Though to be fair, I¡¯d found myself so busy that I couldn¡¯t remember what I did yesterday, let alone the week before.

    So I posed the question to the two who hadn¡¯t said anything. ¡°What do you guys think, Choji, Hinata?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I dunno.¡± Choji shrugged. ¡°I see you every day, but that¡¯s because we run together. There¡¯s also your sparring with Hinata but like Shikamaru said, it¡¯s like¡­ it¡¯s like we don¡¯t meet unless we can fit into your life.¡±

    I mulled over his words for a few moments. They weren¡¯t wrong, and my stomach twisted at that realisation. It was hard to balance my training and work and all the other things piling up around me¡ªand inside my head. While I hadn¡¯t intentionally taken afternoon shifts to avoid them¡­ they weren¡¯t exactly the first people I¡¯d thought of when the opportunity arose.

    It was the same with training¡ªit came first because if it didn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t survive. That said, it wasn¡¯t fair on them.

    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry for avoiding you all. I didn¡¯t mean to, but it happened.¡± Leaning back, I gestured at Hinata. ¡°Since Ayame seemed to have known, I¡¯m guessing you cleared this with Mr Teuchi too.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Hinata. ¡°He was all for it. You tend to work pretty late when he doesn¡¯t need as many hands around and he thought you were working too much anyway.¡±

    ¡°Am I?¡± I asked, mostly aiming the question at myself.

    Choji nodded. ¡°Yes, you are. Remember when you didn¡¯t run with me for a week because of your training? Or after the dinner at my place where I didn¡¯t see you for a few days because you wanted to finish an original ramen recipe.¡±

    ¡°...Yeah,¡± I cringed slightly as I replied. ¡°Fine. You¡¯re right. But you guys haven¡¯t answered my question. What¡¯s this stunt about? You drag me out of work and then what? What¡¯s the endgame?¡±

    Hinata grinned and pulled four tickets out of her pocket. ¡°These.¡±

    I took one and turned it horizontally with a frown. ¡°The Life and Times of the Fourth Hokage. What is this, a play? Did you get one for each of us?¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°VIP tickets¡­ not that I¡¯m unhappy¡ªbut are you sure? At least let me pay you for mine. It must¡¯ve been expensive.¡±

    ¡°My father bought the tickets,¡± she replied. ¡°He said it was a reward for my hard work.¡±

    ¡°Then I hope you don¡¯t mind if I take back the offer,¡± I grinned and turned the ticket over. ¡°VIP Box 2, 7:30 PM¡­ this Saturday¡ªneat.¡±

    ¡°...So, are you coming?¡± Choji looked expectantly at me and, despite our argument, so did Shikamaru.

    ¡°Sure,¡± I said and stared directly at Shikamaru, ¡°and for what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯ll try to make more time for you all. I didn¡¯t realise it was getting so bad.¡±

    ¡°Or don¡¯t. Ain¡¯t my business either way,¡± he shrugged, but even then, he couldn¡¯t hide the relief in his eyes.

    Hinata twisted back to glare at him and he rolled his eyes, basically taunting her into lecturing him on manners and propriety. Choji sighed helplessly and gave them a wide berth, taking the odd glance whenever Shikamaru said something.

    ¡°I swear, this guy always puts his foot in his mouth.¡± I rose from the bench and tossed my bandana over my shoulder. ¡°There any more burning heart-to-hearts or can they wait until tomorrow because I¡¯ve got to get back to work.¡±

    ¡°About that,¡± said Choji. ¡°Mr Teuchi says he doesn¡¯t want to see you until Sunday.¡±

    I froze mid-step. There was no way that they¡¯d prevented me from going to work until next weekend, right? With school starting in a few days, I couldn¡¯t put a shift in until the end of the week.

    ¡°...You guys did not just do that,¡± I frowned.

    ¡°It was Ayame, I swear,¡± said Choji, seeing the panic on my face.

    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to her later, then.¡± Hinata and Shikamaru¡¯s argument went undisturbed, so I put my hands on my hips and raised my voice. ¡°Seeing that I can¡¯t go back to work, what do you guys want to do for the rest of the afternoon?¡±

    Their simultaneous smiles at my suggestion were almost enough to stop their argument¡­ almost.

 Chapter 13 [2]

    Countless rows of tiered seating flowed back and forth across the large auditorium. It was dimly lit; the only light sources were the two massive stage lights pointed at the stage on either side of the hall. They illuminated a little more than it, though; the first few rows closest to the stage, the theatre¡¯s fancy architecture, and the edges of the VIP boxes were all bathed in yellow light.

    I squinted for any familiar faces but it was too far and too dark for me to make anything out besides vaguely human silhouettes and flowing clothes. I looked at the double doors behind me; Choji was still extracting snacks from the bar separating the hall and the reception. Impatience stirred and itched across the back of my hands.

    The longer I held the door open, the more annoyed the people in front of me would get, and if they turned and recognised me¡­

    Let¡¯s just say I¡¯d rather avoid the hassle and leave it at that. Given my ticket had been paid for by the Hyuuga clan, I didn¡¯t see much need to attend under the guise of a transformation. I didn¡¯t want to do it either. Spoiling an evening of fun with my friends by having to explain how cruel people could be wasn¡¯t something I wanted to do¡ªor feel responsible for.

    It would happen one day, but not today, and hopefully not by my own hands. Funnily, it was also part of why I was so hesitant to meet them in the public places they often suggested. Whenever we¡¯d hang out, it would always be something we could do without outside help. Almost always, they came to my apartment and, failing that, a public park far away from the usually popular places.

    I shifted my weight between my feet, clenching and unclenching my jaw as Choji bagged each item and offered Hinata some. I relaxed a little when he finished¡ªbut then he pulled out another bag, grinning happily, and my stomach. I accidentally pushed the door open even wider, spilling more light onto the row a few feet ahead of me.

    The people turned back to look at me and I grimaced, pushing my head into my chin to hide my whiskers.

    ¡°...Naruto?¡±

    I looked up a little at the familiar voice. A head of brown hair and grey eyes peeked over the seat. ¡°Haruto?¡±

    ¡°It is you!¡±

    His voice spiked and his friends immediately shot up, wild-eyed with shock and more than a healthy dose of fear. One managed to slam a hand over his mouth. ¡°Shush, Haruto! They¡¯ll kick us out if you don¡¯t¡ªwait, is that Naruto?¡±

    I cringed at the volume and then snorted when the third kid clamped a hand over his mouth. She looked at me with an embarrassed smile. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± I said, letting the doors click shut behind me. ¡°How was Results Day for you guys?¡±

    They looked at each other hesitantly so I tried for something encouraging.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry if you failed. Repeating a year might sound bad, but it means the teachers think you have potential. If you didn¡¯t, they¡¯d just chuck you out of the Academy, right?¡±

    My words had the opposite effect. Haruto¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief and his two friends were similarly horror-stricken.

    ¡°You can be expelled if you fail?¡± the boy in the middle gasped. He shook his head dizzyingly fast. ¡°No way that¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, Nori,¡± said the girl. ¡°Didn¡¯t Mizuki-sensei say the same thing on our first day?¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah,¡± Haruto dangled over the back of his seat and tilted his head, causing his hair to flop to the right, ¡°but he told us it was to make us give it our all. Otherwise, you definitely would¡¯ve been expelled, Ko.¡±

    The red-haired girl¡ªKo¡ªgrimaced. ¡°...Maybe Nori¡¯s right.¡±

    I laughed, and they all looked at me. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry too much. It¡¯s almost impossible to get thrown out. The fact that you made it past the entrance exams means the school thinks you¡¯re worth teaching.¡± They sighed in relief. ¡°So, how did your exams go?¡±

    Nori poked his head up with renewed energy. ¡°A-rank in shinobi studies and C-rank academics!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that so happily,¡± Ko snorted. ¡°You know you almost failed academics, right?¡±

    ¡°I aced shinobi studies, though.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Tell Naruto what you got.¡±

    It was too dark to see if she was blushing, but she sounded embarrassed enough. ¡°...A-rank academics and C-rank shinobi studies.¡±

    Nori¡¯s snort only made her sink lower until I could barely see the top of her head over the seat.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look so down,¡± I said, stifling my amusement. ¡°Think of it this way: Nori will have to study multiple subjects for months to improve his grades. You¡¯ll have to train your body, but if you train hard and eat right, you¡¯ll be okay.¡± Ko had stopped hiding and shot Nori a grin; he looked at me in betrayal. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m just saying, I know which one I¡¯d prefer.¡±

    Haruto waved at me. ¡°Do you wanna know what I got?¡±

    ¡°Sure. What did you get?¡±

    ¡°S-rank in shinobi studies and B-rank in academics.¡±

    I whistled. ¡°They don¡¯t give many S-ranks out in the first year. What was your overall spot in the rankings? Rookie of the Year?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he grunted. ¡°...Runner-up.¡±

    ¡°2nd place is still amazing.¡± He scowled at me and I decided to skip over the useless commiserations. ¡°Alright, who got Rookie of the Year, then?¡±

    ¡°Asami¡ª¡± His scowl deepened when the door opened and light broke across his irritated face. ¡°¡ªHyuuga.¡±

    Hinata peered curiously at him before he slumped forward and groaned feebly, his face burning cherry-red with embarrassment. She turned to me in silent question but I shook my head. Beyond the auditorium, Choji approached the doors with two bagfuls of snacks and Shikamaru followed close behind, carrying eight drinks.

    ¡°What took you so long?¡± I asked when the doors clicked shut behind him.

    ¡°This dumbass wanted more snacks.¡± Shikamaru passed me one of the drink carriers with a sigh. He stopped and stared at the three kids dangling over the theatre¡¯s plush seats. ¡°Huh. Look what we have here, it¡¯s the little brats again.¡±

    Choji opened the bag up and offered them theatre-appropriate snacks: marshmallows and jelly beans.

    ¡°Lookie here, you two,¡± said Ko through a mouthful of jelly beans. ¡°It¡¯s pineapple head again.¡±

    Hinata snorted and then clamped both hands over her mouth in disbelief that she¡¯d done so. She turned to me¡ªlooking at Shikamaru for a split second. Her lips twitched up before she wrestled them under control and asked, ¡°Who are they?¡±

    ¡°Who, these lot?¡± I gestured to the three soon-to-be second-years. ¡°They¡¯re three annoying little brats.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Hey!¡±

    Shikamaru snickered at their collective outrage but Choji shook his head and offered them more sweets.

    ¡°In all seriousness, I met them at the Academy¡¯s open day almost two years ago. They¡¯re my cute little juniors.¡±

    Haruto grinned at me, and I stuck him a thumbs up.

    ¡°And how do Shikamaru and Choji know them?¡± Hinata asked.

    ¡°Morning runs for Choji. They work with their parents and get up pretty early so I got to introduce him. As for Shikamaru,¡± I looked at him, ¡°do you want to tell her, or should I?¡±

    ¡°Nah, let me.¡± He grinned. ¡°So, it all started when¡ª¡±

    He was cut off by someone clearing their throat too loudly to be genuine from somewhere further down. The three kids froze like deer in headlights. Choji stopped chewing and squinted into the darkness and Shikamaru began to frown¡ªshaking his head.

    ¡°So anyway, it all started when¡ª¡± The person cleared their throat again, and this time, Shikamaru retorted. ¡°What the hell¡¯s wrong with you? The play hasn¡¯t started yet and we¡¯re not even the only ones¡ª¡±

    He was cut off by a chorus of fake coughs. The three second-year kids looked at each other and tried not to laugh. Choji looked around nervously and Hinata pursed her lips in distaste. Luckily, Shikamaru wasn¡¯t hot-headed enough to start something, shrugging instead.

    ¡°Yo, little brats. Come with us. We¡¯ve got an empty VIP box where we can talk all we want.¡± He spoke louder than he needed to, but I couldn¡¯t say that I wouldn¡¯t have done the same. ¡°Is that fine with you, Hinata?¡±

    ¡°Hinata?¡± Haruto whispered. ¡°Hold on¡­ that¡¯s who Asami trains with, isn''t it?¡±

    ¡°Asami?¡± Hinata peered curiously at him. ¡°So you¡¯re the boy she keeps talking about.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me we¡¯ve got a budding romance,¡± Shikamaru laughed.

    Nori and Ko jeered and playfully nudged their irate friend.

    ¡°What?¡± Haruto spluttered. ¡°I don''t like her! She''s gross and weird and one time, I swear I saw her lick her sweat after sparring!¡±

    I interjected before the irritating twats in the middle row could interrupt them, gesturing at the staircase leading to the eastern VIP boxes. ¡°How about we continue this over there?¡±

    I let them pass before I followed and watched them mingle.

    To me, Haruto and his friends were practically children, and I treated them like little siblings of sorts. It was easier to see them as children because they were younger than me¡ªphysically speaking. Seeing my friends get along with them as equals was a little off-putting. We were all around the same age¡ªmentally, I was just about in my thirties, counting this life, anyway¡ªso a little disconcertment reared its head from time to time.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Like most things in my life, though, I couldn¡¯t do much except shake it off and get on with things.

    We took out seats in our box and handed out snacks and drinks and I gawked at the sheer number of cups between Shikamaru and I. ¡°Choji?¡± He grunted with a fistful of marshmallows in his right hand. ¡°What were you planning to do with eight drinks? There were only four of us before we ran into this lot.¡±

    ¡°Four for the first half of the play and four for the second. These things can get pretty long.¡±

    There wasn¡¯t much I could say in reply so I slid a mango nectar into my cup holder and offered Ko the carrier. She took a drink and passed it along. Leaning forward, I propped my elbows on the ledge and glanced over the stage. Cast members and special effects staff rushed past, readying props and moving things around.

    Hinata and Haruto spoke in hushed tones while Choji and Nori whispered over a bag of marshmallows.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s starting,¡± I said, noticing the noise below gradually tapering off.

    ¡°Thanks for stating the obvious,¡± Shikamaru replied, amused that he got the last word in before the play started.

    An olive-skinned man in a red suit walked onto the stage. He tapped the spongey microphone in front of his mouth and nodded in satisfaction when the sound spread across the hall. ¡°Welcome, esteemed guests, ladies, gentlemen¡ªchildren too; I haven¡¯t forgotten you. My name¡¯s Sadao Sarutobi, the playwright behind this project. Sorry to disappoint you with my average looks and charm¡ªI know many of you have come for our alluring male lead¡ªbut given how near and dear the focus of the play is to our hearts, I¡¯d like to say a few words before we begin.

    ¡°The Fourth Hokage was the greatest shinobi the world has ever seen. From humble beginnings and with fierce effort, he turned the tide of the Great War and was a figure loved by all of us. With each stroke of his kunai, he carved his legacy into the very fabric of our village¡ªand the world¡ªleaving an indelible mark that transcends generations.

    ¡°As we gather here today, let us not merely recount the feats of this legendary shinobi but delve into the essence of his being¡ªthe essence of courage, of resilience, and of unwavering determination in the face of adversity. Let us honour not just the man, but the ideals he embodied, the values he upheld, and that which he entrusted to us.

    ¡°To those who beheld his rise to greatness, Minato Namikaze was more than a hero¡ªhe was a beacon of hope, a symbol of unity, and a guiding light in our darkest hour. To those who inherit his legacy, may you carry forth his spirit with pride. He may have departed this world, but that legacy endures, immortalised in the hearts of all who call the Leaf Village home and the shinobi who stake their lives to defend it.

    ¡°Before I go, I¡¯d like to thank Lord Hokage for allowing me into his home and providing me with the bulk of the material for this play. I¡¯ll always be grateful for that¡ªand everything you do for our sake.¡± He raised a hand to the VIP box opposite ours. A spotlight cast a hazy beam onto Lord Third and his family¡ªthough the only people I recognised were Asuma Sarutobi and Konohamaru.

    Right then¡ªlooking at them smiling and waving from the VIP box opposite ours¡ªI felt an uncontrollable surge of¡­ of envy, as intense as it was short. They sat there, almost the same as me¡ªgrandson and son of the Hokage¡ªwith all the pedigree the station afforded them, cast in light with praises heaped on them left, right, and centre.

    And there I was¡ªthe son of the Hokage whose very life the play wished to examine¡ªignored and reviled by everyone who¡¯d lined up in droves to come and watch a play about my father.

    I looked down at the villagers applauding them fervently as the hot surge fizzled out, leaving me dispassionate, and returned my attention to the playwright.

    ¡°So, as the curtains rise and the stage comes to life, let us embark upon a journey¡ªa journey that transcends time and space¡ªa journey into the heart and soul of a true shinobi¡ªMinato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage of the Leaf.¡±

    Eager applause and appreciative cheers surged around the stage. Haruto stuck two fingers in his mouth and released a screeching whistle. I stopped clapping and gave him an amused glare.

    ¡°What?¡± he asked, looking away after a few seconds. ¡°It was a good speech.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I smiled and forced my focus onto the present¡ªa fun evening with my friends. ¡°It was.¡±

    The stage light cut off and flickered to life and after a few minutes of abrupt darkness, the curtains parted to reveal a little over half a dozen people rushing this way and that, leaving whispered conversation and nervous mutters in their wake. A hooded man stood out amidst the grim atmosphere, navigating through the crowd with purpose, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon.

    The crowd rushed him by and vanished off-stage, leaving him alone. He pulled the hood down, revealing a face that I¡¯d almost forgotten. Sunny-blonde hair, and bright blue eyes¡­ but his face¡­ it identical to mine.

    I gasped deeply and the influx of cold air pierced its way down my throat.

    ¡°H-He looks just like him!¡± Haruto gawked. ¡°Naruto, look!¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I see him.¡±

    ¡°...I didn¡¯t expect him to look exactly like him,¡± said Shikamaru. He turned to Hinata. ¡°Is he wearing a mask?¡±

    After a moment, she replied, ¡°No. That¡¯s his face. He dyed his hair and he¡¯s wearing contact lenses, but it¡¯s his face.¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s kind of scary.¡±

    Choji and Nori nodded in agreement.

    ¡°He¡¯s also wearing make-up,¡± said Hinata, ¡°but I get your point. It¡¯s uncanny.¡±

    ¡°For sure,¡± said Ko, shivering a little. She sat up and leaned forward. ¡°Actually, he kind of looks like Naruto.¡±

    ¡°W-What?¡± I turned to the redhead beside me.

    She pointed towards the actor. ¡°Him. You look a lot like him. Is he your dad?¡±

    ¡°The Fourth Hokage?¡± Shikamaru snorted, peering over the ledge. He smirked at me. ¡°...You know, I kind of see it. Imagine that, our Rookie of the Year being the Fourth¡¯s secret son.¡±

    ¡°No, not the Fourth Hokage, dumbass,¡± Ko snapped. ¡°He¡¯s dead and there¡¯s no way we wouldn¡¯t know if he was his dad. I meant the actor. Naruto, is he your dad?¡±

    Shikamaru winced, and so did Choji and Hinata. They looked at her almost pitifully and she stopped talking and furrowed her brow. ¡°What, did I say something wrong?¡±

    ¡°Ko, he can¡¯t be my dad because I¡¯m an orphan,¡± I said, suppressing the pang in my heart. ¡°My parents are dead.¡±

    The loneliness took its toll, even if I tried not to show it. Seeing my classmates with their parents or brothers and sisters every day made my small apartment feel like a mockery of a childhood home. Friends could do so much. At the end of the day, they would go home to their families and the involuntary solitude would settle in every shadow and corner, slowly closing in on me.

    ¡°O-Oh.¡± Ko dug her chin into her chest in what looked like an attempt to fold into herself. ¡°I-I¡¯ll shut up now.¡±

    I smiled wryly when my father¡ªthe actor started talking. It moved their attention from me onto the play again, despite the awkwardness hanging over our box. Hearing his voice made me feel relieved; it broke the spell his appearance cast on me a little bit. It was a little nasally, giving his words a weightlessness that made them easier to swallow.

    But his face¡­ man, it was a dead-ringer. I¡¯d probably be able to find imperfections between him and the pictures of my father I had stashed away in old newspapers¡ªbut from as far away as we were, he looked exactly like him.

    As the play unfolded before me, I found myself unable to tear my gaze away from the actor. Each movement and gesture seemed to echo memories I never had the chance to create. Despite the slight disconnect caused by his voice, his portrayal was eerily accurate. The way he carried himself, the subtle nuances in his expressions¡ªI almost believed that it was him.

    The play delved deeper into the story of my father¡¯s life and I found myself drawn into the narrative, a silent observer.

    It riled up my friends; they cheered and gasped but I remained completely silent throughout, unsure how to react. Each scene unfolded like pages from a long-forgotten diary, revealing parts of my father''s life that I had never known, stories that had been whispered in hushed tones or preserved in the fading ink of history Lord Third had revealed to the playwright.

    Revealed to the playwright, and not me.

    ¡°Minato-sensei!¡±

    I almost fell out of the box at how far I leaned out. I knew who those three were instantly. Being played by adults was one thing, but by their clothes and mannerisms, it wasn¡¯t even difficult¡­ after all, there was one of them that I wouldn¡¯t ever forget.

    ¡°Kakashi, Rin¡­¡± He smiled at the third child, ¡°...Obito.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the mission this time, sensei?¡± Obito asked.

    I gritted my teeth at the sight of him. He wasn¡¯t real, but I didn¡¯t care. The play being a re-enactment or the real thing wasn¡¯t the point. The very idea that Obito put his loss above everyone else¡¯s, devalued the lives of others because of his own and even went as far as to turn his blade on a man he saw as a father¡­

    And my mother said she wanted me to turn out like him. I curled my lip at the thought.

    ¡°It¡¯s a C-rank mission to guard a convoy from the Hidden Grass as they return to their village. They¡¯re carrying a secret missive so expect enemy interaction.¡±

    Obito grinned and pumped his fist. ¡°Hell yeah! Keep your eyes peeled, Kakashi. This is where I show what a real Hokage candidate looks like.¡±

    The lights flickered and the scene changed.

    Obito stood surrounded by enemy shinobi, his clothes smudged and dirty. He was littered with cuts and gashes and his shoulders heaved with effort. Six enemy shinobi surrounded him with their weapons drawn. The one in front of Obito held his ninjato high, ready to cleave it down¡ªand he did. Obito squeezed his eyes shut. The weapon caught the rays of stagelight, its blade flashing before whistling downward.

    Distant thunder rumbled and plunged the hall into darkness. ¡°Flying Thunder God Dance.¡±

    When the lights came back on, all six shinobi lay dead around Obito, who looked up gratefully at his sensei. I smothered the swell of outrage at the sight¡ªnone of this was real, no matter how it made me feel. And yet, within the turmoil of emotions that swirled within me, there was a sense of catharsis¡ªa bittersweet release that came from witnessing my father''s legend brought to life on stage.

    In just an hour, he¡¯d become more than just a distant memory or a figure etched in stone¡ªhe was a living, breathing presence. He''d become flesh and blood, though nothing compared to the last scene¡ªwhen the Fourth Hokage came under the light.

    He stalked the stage, clad in the vibrant, flowing Hokage cloak. War drums blared around him and the ornate props and architecture were reduced to rubble and dust. Unmoving bodies scattered the stage, and an eerie kokyu ensemble set the final act¡¯s tone.

    A dozen ANBU rushed onto the stage and kneeled before him as one. Their shoulders tremored and their clenched fists were uncertain.

    ¡°Go, evacuate any civilians left in this sector,¡± said the Fourth Hokage. ¡°I will deal with the Nine-Tails. Go!¡± The ANBU bolted off stage and vanished from view, leaving him alone and surrounded by endless corpses.

    The air around me grew thick with tension as the deafening roar of the Nine-Tails reverberated through the atrium. It was a sound that invoked a primal fear, a reminder of the terror that had once gripped the village during its rampage through Konoha. A blast of cold air followed the bestial roar. I could see the fear of the audience in the seats below us.

    Some recoiled in horror, their eyes wide with terror as they were transported back to that fateful night. As ridiculous as it sounded, it took me a few tense moments to remind myself that it wasn¡¯t real¡ªthat the Nine-Tails was still locked inside me.

    The Fourth Hokage drew a three-pronged kunai and the roaring stopped¡ªonly then did I unclench my fists. He looked around sadly at the audience, and then above at each VIP box.

    His gaze stopped on ours. ¡°In this moment of uncertainty, I stand before you, ready to do what must be done. The village I hold dear is threatened, and as the Fourth Hokage, it falls upon me to protect it, no matter the cost.¡±

    He spoke with a calm resolve and a hint of sadness and, for a fleeting moment, it was as if my father''s spirit had been summoned, everything about him tangible in the air around me.

    ¡°As I prepare to face this challenge, I do so with the knowledge that sacrifices must be made for the greater good,¡± the actor continued, his voice steady as he addressed the crowd before him. ¡°And if it means laying down my life to ensure the safety of our village, then I will do so without hesitation.¡±

    I watched the actor deliver his lines with a sincerity that completely destroyed the illusion I¡¯d grudgingly accepted over the last hour and a half.

    I saw his last moments¡ªthey¡¯d haunted my dreams for years, and they still did. I knew more than anyone else how much he wanted to live. The duty he carried was one he did willingly, but it was never that easy.

    The actor took his final bow and exited to thunderous applause, leaving me seething. Each clap dialled up the sheer incredulity pounding away in my head. The villagers applauded his sacrifice while they¡¯d been treating me like a pariah for close to a decade now, forcing me to accept and ignore their treatment because there wasn¡¯t anything else I could do.

    I¡¯d prided myself on my level-headedness and comparative mental maturity but the one, raging thought I had was that none of this was fair.

    A strange heaviness settled within me as my friends and I left the theatre, weighing down my steps as I processed what I had witnessed on stage. I walked through the dimly lit corridors while echoes of the performance still lingered in my mind, intertwining with the bitter realisation of my father''s fate.

    He¡¯d played the hero for the village, sacrificed my future, and made me a Jinchuriki for the village and for what?

 Chapter 14 [1]

    More students had been sent to the infirmary in the last four months of the Academy than in the previous two years combined. That particular realisation was immediately followed by another: metal, despite being blunted, was very much still metal. We only sparred three times a week, but I had to fight multiple people per session rather than just one¡ªand that was ignoring the addition of the ¡°everything goes¡± rule.

    Because spars weren''t limited to just taijutsu anymore.

    With the inclusion of jutsu and weapons, what was once a challenging but relatively harmless activity became an easy way to rack up injuries. I¡¯d only fractured a few fingers since the start of the year but my classmates weren¡¯t so lucky. It was bad enough that I¡¯d started taping up my hands. It wouldn¡¯t do much in the way of defence, but it helped prevent annoying injuries that would take days to heal.

    Well, days for me and weeks for everyone else. I found it irritating to do at times and ran out of tape more often than I liked, but it was better than opening calluses and getting them infected¡ªI¡¯d found that one out the hard way.

    The damned cold made all the above ten times worse. Winter had come, bringing seeping wetness and a constant, biting cold. Being struck by blunted metal hurt enough without it, but with the added chill, it was as bad as taking mallets to the fingers¡ªat least the warm-ups Iruka put us through made the pain easier to shrug off.

    We stood in an awkward huddle on the track field at the end of one such warm-up. I flexed my taped fingers from within the safety of my pockets as we waited for the first pair to be called up.

    ¡°Naruto and Tomio. The spar ends when one of you can¡¯t go on any longer¡ªor when I call it.¡± Iruka huffed a frosty breath into the air and stared pointedly at Tomio before looking at me. ¡°Understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sensei,¡± we replied in unison.

    I slipped my hand into the pouch holstered to my right thigh and easily slipped my fingers around a worn leather hilt. Iruka gestured to the open ground to his left and we took our positions. It wasn¡¯t much of a surprise that the Academy ditched the concept of a ring after the second year. They were used mostly to train our situational awareness¡ªand weapons did the job just fine.

    We¡¯d also grown reliant on the idea of a ¡°ring-out¡± signalling the end of a fight¡ªme included. Now, we fought with the threat of actual bladed weapons and walked out with more than just bumps and bruises.

    Standing face-to-face with my opponent, I purged all other thoughts from my mind and looked him over for any openings to exploit. Tomio, like many of the kids in my class, returned for the third year with a renewed desire to beat me. The new sparring conditions put a sizeable question mark next to my name¡ªafter all, I''d only beaten everyone black and blue when the spars were strictly traditional shinobi kumite.

    Or so they said¡ªnot that I was particularly upset. If it meant that they¡¯d try harder in class and live past the average shinobi life expectancy of nineteen, then I was all for it.

    The spar began without Iruka having to say a word.

    Tomio formed the Confrontation Seal and hurled three shuriken in a wide arc. I was already moving by the time he pulled his arm back to throw and moved in to close the distance, launching a kunai straight towards him. He brandished a kunai to deflect mine, the momentary distraction giving me just enough time to dig my hand into the pouch at my back and slip three shuriken between my fingers.

    He planted his feet and held his kunai forward, ready to deflect them, but I wasn¡¯t done. I blitzed through several hand seals whilst the shuriken cut through the air and the weapons multiplied. Three shuriken blurred into six, before doubling just as quickly until a little over a dozen metal stars buzzed angrily towards him.

    The Shuriken Clone Jutsu was a far cry from Lord Third¡¯s Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu. While it multiplied the shuriken thrown, the copies were intangible, and didn''t require much chakra compared to creating a clone of myself because of how small the shuriken were. That made it perfect for misdirection¡ªwhich was exactly what I needed at the moment.

    Tomio gritted his teeth as he watched the incoming salvo. Realising he couldn¡¯t tell which ones were real and which ones weren¡¯t, he leapt away, though not before a moment¡¯s hesitation¡ªand that moment cost him. The vast majority of the shuriken that he dodged were illusory clones, leaving the original three to slam into him.

    They wouldn''t draw blood but with the average weight of each shuriken being about fifty grams of pure steel, it still hurt like a bitch. He rolled to his feet and looked back to see his kunai on the ground; too far for him to reclaim before I reached him.

    Pulling another kunai from a second holster strapped to my left thigh, I sprinted towards Tomio, intent on ending the spar within the next few moves. He winced, falling into a low stance, but with no weapon to defend himself with, the fight was as good as over. Curling my wrist inwards, I readied myself to throw the kunai before I saw something that made me stop.

    The little bastard had managed to get his hands on smoke bombs and I felt a flash of envy as thick as the cloud of smoke in front of me.

    Tomio was one of the few students in my class besides the clan kids with shinobi parents, a fact he liked to brag about. It came with benefits that made sparring him an irritating ordeal¡ªin all of my spars since the Academy started back up a few months ago, nobody had pulled out smoke bombs.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    My envious musing was cut short when a hail of shuriken pierced the smoke cloud. There were enough that I didn¡¯t feel confident enough to dodge them all, so I jumped instead. It didn¡¯t give me much of a view into the smoke cloud¡ªdespite it already dissipating¡ªand the kunai I¡¯d lobbed into it hadn¡¯t seemed to strike anything.

    I touched down in front of the sea of scattered shuriken, keeping my eyes on the cloud in front of me. After a few moments of silence, I realised one thing very quickly: Tomio wasn¡¯t in the smoke cloud. Goosebumps raced along the back of my neck. I dropped onto my back and watched him swing his kunai right where my head had previously been.

    The lack of a target to stop him sent him stumbling and I watched him try to regain his balance for a few precious moments. While he struggled to stay on his feet, I spent those moments gathering my focus. Moulding chakra without hand seals was difficult, but not impossible¡ªespecially since chakra control was my fort¨¦.

    ¡­Well it wasn¡¯t exactly my fort¨¦ because that would imply it came easy, but rather, something I put an ungodly amount of practice into. I didn¡¯t have the best chakra control, but nobody in my class trained it as hard as I did.

    I mixed my chakra and directed it from the centre of my body to my palms. I leaned back onto my neck and shoulders, propping my hands underneath me as support, and kicked out, planting my feet squarely in Tomio¡¯s chest. The blow¡¯s force travelled up my body via the soles of my feet¡ªand I only remained stable thanks to a nifty skill I called chakra adhesion.

    I wasn¡¯t the one to name it and it wasn¡¯t a secret skill or anything. I¡¯d just found more ways to use the principles taught in the tree-climbing and water-walking exercises to make up for my lacking jutsu repertoire.

    Tomio let out a choking gasp and curled over. I heard him slam into the ground as I extended my legs. Despite being winded, Tomio rolled over from his back and was struggling to stand. After a nod in silent appreciation of his grit, I kicked his feet out from under him.

    He yelped as I caught him by the scruff of his shirt to stop his fall, laying cold steel over his throat.

    ¡°Y-You,¡± he coughed, taking fast, shallow breaths.

    I tightened my hold over his shirt as he thrashed in my grip and shrugged at Iruka. After making it clear he''d lost, I put him down. He landed roughly and scrambled to his feet, looking ready to go again.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± said Iruka. ¡°Naruto wins.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Tomio snapped. ¡°I had him!¡±

    Iruka frowned. ¡°Enough. Don¡¯t make me force you to clean the homeroom for a week again, Tomio. If I say you lost, then you lost.¡±

    The kid bowed his head and clenched his fists tight.

    Iruka smiled kindly. ¡°...That said, your strategy was sound and almost worked. Using the Transformation Jutsu to hide amongst the shuriken was a good idea¡ªas was using a smoke bomb. Trap-making and the like aren¡¯t until next terms so it¡¯s good that you¡¯re reading ahead.¡±

    I shot Iruka a sceptical look while I picked up my scattered weapons but didn¡¯t voice my suspicions aloud. Tomio was too hot-headed to sit down and make traps, so his parents either bought or made those smoke bombs for him.

    ¡°Right, next up is¡­¡± He looked through his notebook. ¡°Ah, here. Shikamaru and Yumi.¡±

    That was enough of a command to join that class as we¡¯d get so Tomio gathered the rest of his shuriken and left the field first. His friends met him halfway, walking on either side of him and shooting me nasty glares.

    ¡°He¡¯s not that great anymore now that sparring isn¡¯t taijutsu only,¡± one said. ¡°You almost got him at the end there.¡±

    The other nodded in agreement, her pigtails bouncing earnestly. ¡°He¡¯s right. Naruto¡¯s not invincible. He¡¯s lost to Hinata, Kiba, Sasuke¡ªheck, Shikamaru too! If he¡¯s losing to that lazybones Nara, you¡¯ll get him soon.¡±

    They offered him more platitudes that he shrugged off and vanished into the crowd. The girl had spoken with just enough certainty to irritate me¡ªeven though the hypocrisy in her statement was as clear as day. Everyone I¡¯d lost to were clan kids who had jutsu outside of the Academy curriculum to fall back on.

    Clan kids who, to my amusement, had wiped the floor with all of them just as I had. I also loved the part where she failed to mention I¡¯d beaten each of the people she¡¯d mentioned almost as many times as they¡¯d got one over me¡ªhell, maybe even more.

    Shaking my head wryly, I raised a hand to my friends as they walked Shikamaru to the ring and came to a stop in front of me.

    ¡°That double-legged kick was amazing,¡± said Choji, turning to Shikamaru. ¡°D¡¯you know how much ab strength you need to pull off something like that?¡±

    Shikamaru snorted. ¡°Enough to be a drag.¡±

    ¡°Do a lot of double-legged kicks in your spare time, do you?¡± I asked jokingly.

    He smirked. ¡°Nah, my Shadow Bind Jutsu is enough.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s really not.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you,¡± he smiled and went to stand opposite his opponent.

    I tuned into Hinata and Choji¡¯s conversation as we returned¡ªhalf-listening to it as I waited for my annoyance with Shikamaru to run its course.

    ¡°Technically,¡± Hinata was saying, ¡°It wasn¡¯t all ab strength.¡±

    Choji tilted his head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°There was also some chakra involved,¡± she replied. ¡°He stuck himself to the ground using his palms.¡±

    He asked her something else that I tried to pay attention to, but just couldn¡¯t. Instead, I chose to turn my focus on the ongoing spar. It was frustrating to watch, and not because Shikamaru was losing¡ªhe wasn¡¯t.

    His fights usually went one of two ways: either he beat his opponent in under a minute with the Shadow Bind Jutsu, or he gave up. The latter only ever occurred when the odds were stacked against him, and given the current weather and the time of day we sparred, the odds were practically always in his favour.

    A few minutes later, he walked back to us with a pep in his step and I couldn¡¯t help but think back to what Tomio¡¯s friend had said. Of all the names she mentioned, Shikamaru¡¯s annoyed me the most. She implied that he¡¯d somehow made up for the deficiencies in his taijutsu. I knew he hadn¡¯t, but it didn¡¯t matter to the rest of the class.

    Most of all, it didn¡¯t matter to Shikamaru, something he¡¯d made abundantly clear these last few months. He joined me under the shade of a tree, more smug than a rooster in a henhouse.

    ¡°So, what did I tell you?¡± he grinned.

    I knew everything I needed to know from the look on his face: taking it further with him would go absolutely nowhere. Knowing that, however, didn¡¯t stop me from clenching my jaw as I watched the next sparring match.

    Those shadows arcing across the track field were the only reason Shikamaru was winning and one of these days, I¡¯d prove that to him.

 Chapter 14 [2]

    Ino crumpled under a solid uppercut to the liver and fell into a crouch, exposing the back of her head to me. She looked up with tears in her eyes, her face immediately squeezing together in pain and I winced at her feeble moans.

    It was things like this that unearthed my guilt at beating the brakes off literal children. In my defence, I wasn¡¯t about to give her the time or space to use the Mind Transfer Jutsu so I watched her keel over, clutching the right side of her torso, and decided to put my kunai away.

    ¡°...Please don¡¯t make me hit you again,¡± I sighed. ¡°It¡¯d make me feel bad.¡±

    ¡°S-Screw you, U-Uzumaki,¡± she gasped. ¡°If you knew you''d feel bad, why would you even hit me so hard?¡±

    ¡°Because I''m not about to give you full control over my body to do who knows what.¡±

    I offered her a hand up and waved to Iruka, who called our match to an end. Despite her earlier words, she readily took my hand and let me walk her to her friends. Shino passed me on his way to spar next and I gave him a nod.

    Of all the clan kids in my class, he and Ino were the easiest to fight because their weaknesses were where I excelled best: close-quarter combat. That said, Shino and his chakra-consuming bugs were a bit of a problem. His taijutsu was pretty average, but unlike Ino, he worked around the problem instead of hoping for a hail mary.

    After Sasuke, he was probably the best at shurikenjutsu.

    The sharp clang of steel behind me signalled the start of the spar. Ino¡¯s breathing eased somewhat and she began to walk on her feet¡ªthough she didn¡¯t stop leaning on me, something that had me raise an eyebrow.

    ¡°So¡­ you seem to be walking fine,¡± I said.

    ¡°What about it? You¡¯re the one who ruined my clothes with kunai. You injured me and now you¡¯re going to leave me on my own? What happened to fellow shinobi looking out for one another?¡±

    She tutted in disappointment and despite my best efforts, a snort escaped me. ¡°Maybe if you trained your taijutsu, that wouldn''t have happened.¡±

    She hummed. ¡°Maybe you can help me out sometime? You know, with you being the best at taijutsu and all.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± I replied easily. My classmates wanting to get stronger was always a good thing. ¡°Thing is, you''ll have to condition yourself a bit more before I teach you the stuff you want to learn. I run with Choji every morning before school if you want to join?¡±

    ¡°Choji?¡± Her voice dropped a little. ¡°You know what, nevermind. I just realised I won''t be able to. I help my parents set up shop in the mornings.¡±

    Her instant change in attitude was strange, but I shrugged. ¡°Suit yourself.¡±

    We fell into slightly awkward silence as I steered us towards her friend group. Sakura marched up to me with a stern frown and a crinkle in her brow. She took Ino out of my hands and turned to probably lecture me on excessive force. I didn¡¯t get to hear it because Ino silenced her with a hand and a small smile.

    Thankful, I gave her a nod and walked away just as I caught the beginning of a budding argument between the two.

    ¡°That went way worse than I''d hoped,¡± Ino sighed. ¡°I cried when he hit me. He must think I¡¯m not cut out to be a shinobi.¡±

    ¡°It was a liver blow, Ino. People don¡¯t just shrug those off,¡± Sakura replied. ¡°And honestly, I dunno what you see in him. He¡¯s violent and so full of himself. Sasuke is much better¡ªstronger too.¡±

    ¡°Is he though? Woah, easy there, Sakura. Don¡¯t give me that look; I didn''t say anything bad about Sasuke. He¡¯s still super handsome. Anyway, I¡¯m not really sure, there¡¯s something just different about Naruto, you know?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t see it,¡± Sakura deadpanned. ¡°Like at all.¡±

    She started to say something else but I wasn¡¯t around to hear it. I made a beeline straight for the tree my friends were sitting under, my mouth quickly drying at the realisation Ino might have a crush on me.

    My classmates beginning to have crushes on people wasn¡¯t surprising. They weren¡¯t so childish anymore, even if they had their moments and¡ªto my irritation¡ªpuberty was basically right at our doorstep. I wasn¡¯t looking forward to that at all, especially given how much older I was compared to people ¡°my age¡±.

    I¡¯d even heard mutters about confessions behind the school in the year above ours. Crushes and the like weren''t something I was even going to entertain. Even if I had no intention of reciprocating, Ino having one on me just made me feel slimy. If things went well, pretending to be painfully oblivious would do the trick.

    Not to mention this entire thing came completely out of nowhere. If anything, I was expecting it from Hinata, not Ino.

    ¡°You look like you''ve swallowed a fly,¡± said Shikamaru as I took a seat beside him. ¡°What¡¯s up? Did Princess Ino demand you take responsibility for ruining her outfit?¡±

    ¡°Very funny,¡± I said dryly, skipping over him mentioning Ino. ¡°Who¡¯ve you got winning this? Kiba or Shino?¡±

    ¡°Kiba¡¯s a drag to fight,¡± said Shikamaru. ¡°He¡¯s got way too much energy¡ªbut he''s an idiot.¡±

    I snorted.

    ¡°His senses are miles better than ours but all he does is come at you over and over and over again.¡± He pointed at Kiba attempting to superman punch Shino, missing, and then following after him with an onslaught of wild strikes but Shino danced just out of range. ¡°See?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, but Shino¡¯s taijutsu isn''t the greatest. Kiba¡¯s superior there and his sense of smell counters Shino¡¯s bugs.¡±

    ¡°Not exactly. If he stopped sticking to him for just a moment, then yeah, sure. But at the rate he¡¯s going, Kiba¡¯s going to lose from regular exhaustion or worse: chakra exhaustion.¡±

    It took me a while to get what he meant but watching Kiba relentlessly chase after Shino helped me realise it. The parasitic bugs smelled exactly like Shino because he housed them inside his body. At close range, it wouldn''t matter, but if he hung back, Kiba would be able to smell them out and pick them off his body.

    Unfortunately, he wasn''t backing off¡­ at all.

    ¡°...Oh, dear.¡±

    Shikamaru snorted. ¡°We¡¯re lucky Shino doesn''t know more about his bugs. I''ve heard some of the Aburame bugs carry toxins that¡¯ll have you in a straightjacket for life. Apparently, there are even some that crawl into the body and eat you from the inside out.¡±

    I shuddered remembering that one GIF where Shino¡¯s giant bugs ate through the Ten-Tails¡¯ mini clones. The idea that he could do that to a human being just as easily was¡­ terrifying.

    ¡°...What the fuck is happening?¡±

    Shikamaru''s cursing drew Hinata¡¯s attention immediately and Choji looked up from his snack.

    ¡°Seriously, look at Kiba,¡± he said. ¡°Look!¡±

    Kiba was hunched over the ground. Thin streams of hazy-blue chakra wafted off his four limbs. He began to growl. It was a deep, feral-sounding burr. The crowd edged back slightly as he bared his teeth, flashing longer and sharper canines.

    ¡°Ninja Art: Beast Mimicry!¡± He grinned and gave the class a bestial smile.

    A few people clapped for him, but the vast majority were shuffling away and I didn''t blame them. Right now, Kiba looked like the front cover of a werewolf flick¡ªand his slit pupils were kind of unnerving.

    ¡°That''s a lot of chakra,¡± Hinata muttered.

    I nodded in silent agreement with her and turned to Shikamaru. ¡°He¡¯s smarter than you¡¯re giving him credit for. The chakra leaking out of his body is way too concentrated for the bugs to resist.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still stupid,¡± he replied. ¡°He¡¯s forcing himself into a pinch and for what? Is he going to be happy he won when he wakes up with acute chakra exhaustion tomorrow? A shinobi should know when something''s a waste of time and energy.¡±

    ¡°I think you''re trying to rationalise your laziness,¡± I replied.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Never said I wasn''t.¡±

    It was good that he was self-aware, otherwise, he and I wouldn''t get along¡ªat all.

    Chuckling, I turned back to the match and watched Kiba bounding after Shino on all-fours. His body bent at strange, unnatural angles as he avoided a volley of shuriken. Shino reeled in one of the metal stars and he twisted his neck to catch it between his teeth.

    To my shock, there was a sharp snap and Kiba barked out a steady stream of curses.

    ¡°No way that idiot thought biting down on a shuriken was a good idea!¡± Shikamaru laughed.

    ¡°He chewed right through it,¡± Choji muttered. ¡°That must take some crazy jaw strength.¡±

    Hinata activated her Byakugan and winced. ¡°He¡¯s cut up his tongue pretty badly.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯d punish you for that stunt, but I think you''ve done enough of that yourself.¡± Iruka stood over Kiba as he spat out bloody globs and shards of metal with a long sigh. ¡°Head over to the infirmary, Kiba.¡±

    ¡°May I accompany him, sensei?¡± Shino asked.

    ¡°Please,¡± Iruka replied. The class sniggered at Kiba¡¯s misfortune as he trundled away. He flicked through his notebook. ¡°Oh, this is going to be a good one. Naruto and Sasuke, please step forward.¡±

    ¡°...Well shit,¡± I muttered under my breath before throwing up a grin. ¡°Here we go, I guess.¡±

    Choji squeezed my shoulder for good luck and Hinata sent me off with a smile.

    ¡°No parting words for me?¡± I asked Shikamaru.

    He grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t try to chew shuriken. Kiba¡¯s an animal and you see where that got him.¡±

    That got a loud laugh out of me and half a dozen heads snapped back¡ªall of them being part of the Sasuke Fan Club.

    ¡°I bet he thinks Sasuke¡¯s a joke¡ªwell, he¡¯ll show him!¡± ¡°I bet Sasuke¡¯s going to be Rookie of the Year, not him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not even that handsome¡ªwhat the hell are those whiskers about?¡±

    The last one was so left field it almost made me stop and turn.

    Sasuke¡¯s fan club weren''t the only ones itching to see me lose either. Tomio leered nastily at me as I fell in step behind Sasuke, running a finger along his throat as I walked around him. He¡¯d had a bone to pick with me ever since he lost a few weeks ago.

    Ino stood a few spaces away from them with Sakura and gave me a thumbs-up when we locked eyes. I broke eye contact after a second¡ªno way was I going to open that can of worms any more than it already was.

    Instead, I stared Sasuke in the eye as we squared off. His hands were stuffed into his pockets and he probably already had his shuriken ready. I didn''t bother with hiding anything and formed the Confrontation Seal with my free hand. Sasuke took his right hand out of his pocket and did the same; we didn''t need any words¡ªtwo nods and we were off.

    He exploded into a back flip and whipped two shuriken outward. I watched them curve out in a wide arc before veering back to pincer me and ducked low. They rushed over and spun as I rose and rushed at Sasuke.

    Luckily for me, I spotted the wire strings clutched between his fingers in time. They were thin¡ªalmost invisible¡ªbut after noticing them once, the optical illusion wore off and they became easier to see. I looked back at the shuriken whirling through the air. Sasuke yanked them back in a straight line and layered one atop the other, casting an identical shadow on the ground.

    Squatting deeply, I waited for a beat to mould my chakra and directed it to my feet, soaring much higher than I¡¯d be able to with physical strength alone. I righted myself and launched my kunai through the shuriken the minute they came into range, pinning the stars to the ground.

    They spun madly around the blade before clanging to a stop.

    I weaved through a few or so hand seals as I fell and simultaneously moulded my chakra. Four identical clones materialised beside me in a smoky rush. Using the cover, I cast an additional jutsu before launching a volley of shuriken at Sasuke. He hopped back, deflecting any stray shuriken, and lurched forward to find me amongst the clones I¡¯d summoned.

    With my clones at his front and me at his back, I was guaranteed at least one good hit before he realised I¡¯d pulled the wool over his eyes. Unfortunately, Sasuke had already dispelled two of my four clones so I disrupted my disguise as a shuriken and threw my last kunai at his exposed back.

    He grunted and turned around, pain and irritation flashing in his dark eyes. Without even looking, he stabbed the final clone through the head as if it were never really there, dispelling the illusion in a puff of smoke. He schooled his expression and shot towards me. My kunai lay at his feet and he started by picking it up and slipping it into his holster.

    Distinctly aware of my disadvantage with each trail the cold steel cut through my shirt, I backpedalled and relied on my taijutsu to dance in and out of danger. I dodged a reverse stab to the head, wedging my wrist in the crook of his elbow, and then using my right hand, I locked it into place and yanked it down. Sasuke broke out of my grip with a growl, having had to sacrifice his kunai to do so.

    I sent him stumbling with a well-placed front kick and picked up his kunai as a substitute for my own, bringing it closer to my face. It looked identical to my kunai¡ªif in better condition¡ªbut the balance was slightly different to the ones I was used to. Bobbing it up and down, I familiarised myself with its weight as Sasuke regained his bearings.

    He pulled my kunai from earlier out of his holster and held it straight ahead.

    ¡°There any chance we can switch kunai before we do this?¡± I asked. ¡°Yours feels funny.¡±

    That actually got a smirk out of him¡ªeven if his reply was to blitz forward¡ªwhich was an absolute win as far as Sasuke went. We clashed, pushing against each other on the edges of our blades. My wrist tremored as Sasuke leaned his weight against me. Feeling myself slipping back, I redoubled my efforts and almost slammed face-first into the ground when he slipped around me.

    I planted my free hand on the ground ahead of me and brought my knee in while twisting my neck back to aim a high kick. Based on the little I could see, he was slinking to my right so if I timed this right¡­

    I felt my heel collide with the inside of his wrist, sending his kunai sailing way out of range. Sasuke took the chance and slugged me right in the face, destroying my balance. Raw, burning pain flashed across my face and I blinked away inky blotches as I sat up. My kunai must¡¯ve slipped out of my hands because I watched him boot it across the field, levelling the playing field.

    After wiping the tears out of my eyes, I clenched my empty fists and settled into a solid stance. With no weapons left, an intangible mutual understanding passed between us: the next exchange would decide the winner of our spar.

    Everyone and everything fell into taut silence, from the Sasuke Fan Club who were so vocal at the start of the fight, to my classmates yelling encouragingly from the sidelines. I heard my laboured breathing in my ears and slowly circled to my left. Sasuke did the same, fixing me with an intense stare. Each step brought us closer in range of one another. I kept my guard tight, not quite as front-on, but still held my fists at eye level.

    I didn¡¯t know which one of us struck first. My vision was a blur of limbs. I trapped Sasuke''s attacks and struck back with swift vertical blows, using my shins and elbows to check his kicks, sticking to him and making sure he wouldn¡¯t have the range to hit me with anything bad.

    I¡¯d thrown almost a dozen blows; by comparison, Sasuke barely scratched half a dozen yet his strikes were just as significant¡ªif not more¡ªthan mine. Each was heavy, and either allowed him to follow up or stopped me from establishing a rhythm. As the exchanges intensified, I found myself caught in a whirlwind of strikes and counterattacks.

    In a moment of miscalculation, I left an opening in my defence, a split-second hesitation that Sasuke capitalised on ruthlessly. His fist smashed into my side, glancing my liver and driving the air from my lungs. I staggered as a wave of pain radiated through my body, crippling me for just long enough.

    Through the pain, I felt a sympathetic pang for Ino as I sagged onto a knee. This had to be karma for ignoring her thumbs-up or something. Either way, Sakura was right¡ªliver blows sucked to be on the receiving end of.

    Before I could fully recover, Sasuke pressed his advantage, closing the distance between us with lightning speed. Despite the pain, I gritted my jaw and rose, still half-curled over and pressing my elbow against my liver to protect it. His strikes came at me fast, each one finding its mark with alarming accuracy.

    The first few slammed against my arms and shoulders. I tried to evade, but blocking proved to be all I could do. With a final, devastating blow, Sasuke slammed a left hook through my guard and struck my liver a second time, sending me crashing to the ground. The impact reverberated through my bones, leaving me gasping for breath as I struggled to push myself upright.

    I looked up at Sasuke as the pain set in. His expression was mostly unreadable, save for the glimmer of triumph in his eyes. I continued my struggles to sit up and froze completely when he offered me a hand. The gesture sent his fan club into a frenzy and their compliments and applause clashed in a wave of noise.

    ¡°This one is Sasuke¡¯s win,¡± said Iruka, walking up to us. ¡°Well fought, the both of you. I reckon you guys could take some of the sixth-years and win.¡±

    Sasuke nodded at the praise, though he couldn¡¯t hide the small smirk under his hair.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a shame they don¡¯t do early graduation anymore,¡± I joked, taking a deep breath.

    He laughed and told us to join the rest of the class. Halfway there, I¡¯d recovered enough to walk on my own so Sasuke let me go and gave me a firm nod. I returned it, as was our strange custom after sparring. No matter how upset either of us was at the end of a fight, we¡¯d offer each other that much respect.

    Ignoring the stupid comments and remarks from my classmates, I joined my friends under the tree.

    Choji lightly punched my shoulder. ¡°Way to go. It was a really good fight.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it was,¡± I replied with a smile.

    That said, something scratched at my chest, refusing to let me calm down. I felt¡­ frustrated, which was natural, I supposed. After fighting as hard as I could, I didn¡¯t like coming up short¡ªnot after the countless hours I put in every day.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get him next time. It was a super close thing,¡± said Hinata.

    I lightly traced a finger around the Hidden Whirlpool emblem on my left shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll have to step up my training. I¡¯ve been letting my taijutsu skills rust. You down to help out?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make time,¡± she said with a firm nod.

    Shikamaru shook his head. ¡°What¡¯s the point in all that effort, though?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Listen,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s worth it. Who¡¯s to say you¡¯ll beat Sasuke after sacrificing your time and energy?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve done it before.¡±

    ¡°And look at you now.¡± Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. ¡°You might¡¯ve beat him before, but you¡¯ve lost now. Say you guys fight, and you win, what then? There¡¯s no guarantee you beat him after that. Then you¡¯ll be right back where you started, spending two weeks on training before realising you¡¯ve forgotten about us¡­ again.¡±

    I frowned but remained silent. Getting into this with him was about the last thing I wanted to do. For a few tense seconds, he stared at me and I stared back. Hinata and Choji hovered around, unsure of what to do until I broke the tension between us with a sigh, gingerly rubbing my side.

    Contrary to how his words made me feel, I actually liked Shikamaru. He was witty, generally not a bother to be around, and could be pretty observant when he felt like it. But there were things about him that I didn¡¯t like, namely his obsession with doing the very bare minimum.

    For all his smarts, he rarely thought about the future, content to laze about because why not? As if the world wanted him to prove him right, Iruka called him up for the final spar of the day.

    After his fight, he swaggered back to us and fixed me with a pointed stare that seemed to say: I told you so.

 Chapter 15 [1]

    My day started before most people even woke up; it had to if I wanted to get strong enough to live a long life¡ªbut that didn¡¯t mean I enjoyed it¡ªand sometimes, just getting out of bed was tough. Even though winter had started to give way to spring, we were still in duvet weather, making my early start that much more difficult.

    The covers would get caught between my toes or I¡¯d be a little too warm to want to leave my bed; it wasn¡¯t an ideal situation in the least, but that¡¯s where my contingency came in: a horrible, shrill alarm clock I bought at a flea market a few months ago.

    Bringing my fist down, I slammed the damned thing into blissful silence, watching it thud to the ground. It was oddly resistant to damage, which I guess made sense. If I ever made an alarm that sounded like that, I¡¯d make sure it could withstand a tumble¡ªbut maybe it was the flea market effect.

    Most things I¡¯d bought from them in this life and the last seemed to be stupidly durable.

    I ate a quick breakfast with two hours remaining to complete my morning training. The run to and from the park took around twenty minutes, so it was closer to an hour and twenty minutes rather than two full hours¡ªwhich was fine. It wasn¡¯t as if I¡¯d achieve anything particularly groundbreaking in forty minutes that I wouldn¡¯t in an hour and twenty.

    Unsurprisingly, there were countless public parks in the Hidden Leaf and they had it all: small streams, and a deep earthen scent accompanied by almost as much wildlife as there were trees. Not to mention the amazing views. The one I frequented was on the east side of the village and had all of the above if not more. A long, winding stream weaved through it, winding back around to Hokage Mountain.

    Shrugging off my trackie, I started with some stretches after my run to the park and immediately got to work. Today was a rest day as far as rest went for shinobi. The Academy had a gym on the ground floor that was free to all students and it was where I got the majority of my weight training done¡ªnot today, though.

    I hopped onto the canal, wandering along it while I thought, adjusting the chakra output accordingly. I¡¯d more or less got the hang of water-walking. Things got shaky when crossing rapids but it wasn¡¯t as if anyone really ran over water outside of fights. Most of the time, bodies of water functioned as leverage for jumps rather than a surface to travel on.

    Once my chakra network was sufficiently warmed up, I left the canal and walked over to a particularly tall tree. I traced a hand over the many foot-shaped indents coating its trunk with a fond smile. As it always was, the tree would be the perfect training object. It was insanely wide and thick, so there was no way I¡¯d topple it with what I¡¯d come here to do. I¡¯d managed to figure out two very useful chakra skills that I wanted to train: Chakra adhesion and repulsion.

    Well, repulsion more so than adhesion. I wasn¡¯t able to use it in combat yet beyond boosting my jumps as I¡¯d done against Sasuke, so the best remedy for that was to get it to a level where I could. If I¡¯d learned anything during the sparring matches, it was that I had to find a way to get ahead again.

    The fights between me and some of my classmates had become closer than I¡¯d liked. I knew it was inevitable. They had so many resources like specifically tailored training to bring their skills up to par, not to mention jutsu they¡¯d be able to use throughout their careers. The Academy taught us jutsu, sure, but they didn¡¯t teach anything about nature-releases in a practical sense.

    They didn¡¯t have the personnel for it¡ªespecially after the Nine-Tails¡¯ Rampage¡ªand even if they did, why teach valuable jutsu to people not even guaranteed to make genin rank? The more I thought about it, the more it made sense¡ªwhich sucked, because I sure could use powerful jutsu these days.

    No matter how I looked at it, chakra manipulation was the only way to get any immediate benefits to use in sparring. Its biggest benefit was in ninjutsu, but since I didn¡¯t know any useful ones, I decided to incorporate it into the next best thing: my taijutsu style.

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    The familiar warmth of my chakra spread across my body. It gathered in my gut and churned clockwise, spinning faster and faster. My chakra network was happy to receive the influx of chakra. It definitely wouldn¡¯t have been if I didn¡¯t walk across the canal and I¡¯d have had a mild case of chakra burn to deal with which¡ªfor the unenlightened¡ªwas not the most fun thing to have.

    The usual run-of-the-mill chakra burn was bearable. I was left sore for a few hours afterwards when it first happened to me.

    Not that I¡¯d thank the Nine-Tails for that.

    With chakra being present in every living organism, it was an essential component for survival. Moulding higher amounts than necessary, however, was not and doing too much without building up to it was an easy way to acquire chakra burn around tenketsu. It was like working a muscle; without a proper warm-up, lifting heavy weights could lead to unnecessarily serious injury.

    Making sure to keep the chakra rotating while I got ready, I took a stance that was part-boxing part-wing chun. I kept my right foot back and led with my left with my elbows tucked in to protect my ribs. Rather than clenching them, I held my hands open ahead of my face and eased out a calming breath. I couldn¡¯t afford to let the nerves take hold. My chakra would react to it, making this a nightmare for me.

    I slid my left foot forward and struck the tree trunk, funnelling as much of it as I could control through the limb. A soft crackling registered in my ears before I was blown away, my shoulder rotating outwards and over my head. I stumbled back and barely stopped myself from toppling over.

    ¡°...Didn¡¯t expect it to kick like a damn mule,¡± I muttered and shook out my tingling arm¡ªit was beginning to numb like I¡¯d slept on it all night.

    A few wooden chips had found their way into my palm. I picked them out of my hands and stared at the palm-sized print seared into the splintered tree trunk. If a single hit did that to a tree, I wondered what it would do to a person¡­

    Shuddering slightly, I picked the rest of the chips out of my hand and wiped the blood on my jogging bottoms. It took my noticing the bloody pinpricks pooling all over my palm for me to realise chakra repulsion was a pretty flawed technique. It was bastardised chakra enhancement, to be honest¡ªand with my current level of control, it wasn¡¯t a smart thing to be doing.

    The backlash sucked, which immediately made it a technique to use sparingly, but maybe I could circumvent it by using chakra adhesion to root my lead foot to the ground. That way, I could drive all the force into my opponent. I looked at the tree in apprehension and my shoulder gave a little twinge at the thought.

    I certainly wouldn¡¯t be trying it today, but with some modification, it could be a technique worth pursuing.

    At least chakra adhesion was faring better under the microscope. It was perfect for my taijutsu style, adding another layer of complexity to it. Grapples became a lot harder to escape, giving me almost complete domination at close range. Ironically, Hinata suggested the idea to me¡­ and then proceeded to block my tenketsu and show me exactly why I shouldn¡¯t rely on it.

    In all honesty, seeing how much she¡¯d improved frustrated me, but I¡¯d be lying if I said I didn¡¯t know it would happen eventually. There was only so far I could go alone¡ªbut that wasn¡¯t to say I was down and out quite yet. Since my loss against Sasuke, I¡¯d figured out a few more tricks, like using chakra adhesion to keep my feet rooted to the ground.

    That alone let me leverage a lot more power into my strikes. I¡¯d wring everything I could out of my current arsenal because there was nothing else I could fall back on except my taijutsu. But I wouldn¡¯t ignore future additions¡ªlike chakra repulsion¡ªjust because they couldn¡¯t bear any fruit at the moment.

    I was working the long game; the sort that would allow me to extend my life, prevent a world war, and exact retribution for my parents. My open palms cut through the air as I went through one form after the next. I dodged imagined opponents, seamlessly flowing into counterattacks and combinations.

    Everything I knew about taijutsu across both lives went into this style. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it was the one thing I could say that I put my entire being into. I didn¡¯t rest until the back of my throat felt raw and I took deep, gasping breaths, drenched in sweat.

    Wandering back to the massive tree, I put on my discarded trackie and zipped it up, trapping all the pulsing heat within its confines. My skin felt slick, like I was covered in slightly warm oil and I was painfully aware of the sweat tracking down my skin and dampening my shirt.

    ¡°Still, there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll risk giving myself a cold. Shower, snack, grab my lunch from Ayame, and then school,¡± I said, committing the list to memory. ¡°That sounds about right.¡±

    Padding along the grass, I jogged towards the running path leading out of the park and returned home.

 Chapter 15 [2]

    On the days we sparred, school ended at 1:30 PM. Everything from then onwards was dedicated solely to the skills necessary for shinobi. We finished at 5:00 PM, with sparring taking up the last two hours.

    So far, I¡¯d already fought twice and won both matches.

    My chakra skills widened the gap between me and the vast majority of the class. However, it wasn¡¯t nearly enough to overcome the clan kids¡¯ specialised training. Chakra adhesion was little more than a trick, and one easily dispelled at that. All it took to break the adhesion was my opponent using their chakra to dispel mine. It had its uses, but against the clan kids, the furthest I could go was to use it to leverage more of my weight in my strikes.

    That still left my limited range as a glaring issue that almost all of them were able to take advantage of. Most of them, anyway. Ino preferred to use our matches to strike up conversations with me before surrendering.

    ¡°I wonder who¡¯ll fight next?¡± Choji asked as he returned victorious from his match.

    ¡°How about you look through Iruka-sensei¡¯s notebook, Hinata?¡± Shikamaru suggested.

    ¡°That¡¯s an invasion of his privacy!¡±

    He leaned back and tucked his hands behind his head. ¡°Too bad. I¡¯d be able to get a nap in if I knew I was done fighting for today. Oh, well.¡±

    She folded her arms and muttered something incomprehensible under her breath. Honestly, sometimes that girl was too tightly wound for her good. I guessed her growing closer to her father a lot earlier than she would have without my interference had made her more like the man.

    Taking a look at Iruka, who was still going through his notebook, I grabbed her attention with a cough. ¡°I¡¯m not hearing you say no. Does that mean you¡¯ll do it?¡±

    Inhaling sharply, Hinata readied herself to say something¡ªbut to my delight, Iruka signalled us to gather around him, cutting her short.

    ¡°The next spar will be between Shikamaru Nara and¡ª¡±

    When we all turned to look at him, he groaned loudly. ¡°Me again? I fought like twenty minutes ago!¡±

    ¡°A shinobi must always be prepared for battle,¡± Iruka replied cooly. ¡°As you know, we can¡¯t gather vast amounts of chakra instantly. Doing so would burden the chakra network. You might be wondering why I¡¯m bringing this up. I¡¯ll say this at the risk of stating the obvious: were you to have made sure your chakra network was active between your last fight and now, you would have had the advantage, Shikamaru. The leaf-sticking exercise taught in your first year wasn¡¯t just for concentration, you know.¡±

    He was right¡ªand it wasn¡¯t just something that applied to Shikamaru; he was just reaping the reward for his laziness. Iruka¡¯s advice applied to all of us. Despite having last fought almost an hour ago, I should have at least been making sure my chakra network didn¡¯t fall into its dormant state.

    Keeping moulded chakra in my body without expelling it was an easy way to speedrun chakra burns, but I had enough that letting it leak out my tenketsu wouldn¡¯t amount to any real loss. If they were smart about it, it wouldn¡¯t bother most of the class¡ªeven the ones with meagre reserves¡ªand if it did, it would still help build endurance and teach them to fight in nonideal circumstances.

    I started to gather my chakra and let it leave my hands, starting slow and steady. I wasn¡¯t sure when I would fight, but it would only help me to make sure I was as ready as could be.

    Shikamaru joined the crowd and Iruka turned back to announce his opponent. ¡°As I was saying, the next battle will be between Shikamaru Nara and Naruto Uzumaki.¡±

    I almost stopped moulding my chakra.

    I hadn¡¯t fought Shikamaru in a while and if there was anybody I wanted to fight more than I did Sasuke, it would be him. Not for any sense of personal progress or rivalry, but to simply prove a point. That was the extent of my stake in it: not wanting my friend to die one day because he didn¡¯t work hard enough.

    With all the small changes I¡¯d made, I could only help but wonder whether I¡¯d created a tornado somewhere else in the world. Maybe someone important died when they were meant to live. The fact that I just didn¡¯t know was cause for worry but I shook the thought free from my mind.

    Even if that were the case, there was literally nothing I could do about it, so I walked to the field without looking back.

    Shikamaru would come.

    He would come because a strange arrogance lay beneath his laziness. A practical kind of arrogance that could almost be excused as pride. He only ever bothered being lazy when he was thoroughly outclassed. If it was something he wasn¡¯t sure he could complete, he either half-assed it or didn¡¯t try entirely.

    That was my friend¡¯s approach to life, extending as far as the most mundane of tasks, to the shinobi kumite we engaged in. Were he to be matched up with Hinata, Kiba, Shino, or Sasuke, he rarely tried to fight them. Either he¡¯d do just enough and then lose, or surrender without putting up an effort at all.

    That he fought me earnestly was very telling of what he thought of his skill level in comparison to mine. It should¡¯ve pissed me off¡ªand it did¡ªbut the arrogance aside, I was also happy that he was able to accurately assess each situation he found himself in. His mind was a fearsome weapon, but so was his body¡ªone he refused to train beyond the minimum.

    There was only one goal for me in this spar: to show him the consequences of not improving his body. I wasn¡¯t entering it with the intent of sparring, but of throwing every single skill I currently possessed right at him. This match would be unlike any of the ones before¡ªthe ones I¡¯d fought to figure out his control over his shadow, dipping in and out of his jutsu¡¯s range and dragging him to the depths of exhaustion.

    The ones I¡¯d treated like practice, holding myself to a set of unspoken rules. I couldn¡¯t claim to be a shinobi, not as I was now, but I¡¯d tried and tried and tried and failed to get him to see reason.

    Nothing worked with him.

    So, this wasn''t just a spar¡ªit was a lesson. A demonstration of the consequences of complacency in the world of shinobi. If nothing else, I would make sure that Shikamaru wouldn¡¯t have the chance to rely on his crutch today.

    I formed the Confrontation Seal and watched him carefully. He¡¯d barely made the seal when I blitzed forward with inhuman speed. I could feel the heat of my chakra coursing through my feet as the world blurred. I dug my heels into the ground, rubber soles grinding against the earth, and skidded to a stop.

    Shikamaru''s eyes widened and he just barely blocked a body blow, my fist slamming against the outer side of his elbow. He immediately tried to shift around me, but I didn¡¯t let him, gripping his forearm and reeling him in. With my kunai against his throat, I leaned in close enough that only he could hear me.

    ¡°You¡¯re dead.¡±

    I felt his gulp through the hilt.

    He broke away in a single jerky motion, bringing his hands together¡ªnot that I¡¯d let him mould his chakra, let alone weave hand seals.

    I rushed after him and closed in again, smashing a fist through his gathered hands and doubling him over. Backing away, I got ready to load up a kick but only got as far as chambering my leg before I stopped. Shikamaru lurched forward, still bent over, and I caught the glint of steel. Lowering my foot, I brought up my guard and cupped the blow, once again using chakra adhesion to guide his wrist off-centre.

    He dispelled my unnaturally strong grip by cycling his chakra and directing it to the affected area. Too bad for him, I was already holding onto his arm without the help of my chakra, but he deduced the source of my unnatural grip strength.

    His doing so only proved why I had to get rid of his irritating work ethic even more. He smirked in self-satisfaction as he disrupted my chakra flow and I immediately slammed a fist into his face, sending him stumbling back.

    I watched him take a few moments to recover and pointed my kunai at him. ¡°You¡¯re dead again.¡±

    Wiping his face, he swiped his kunai off the ground with a glare and threw it at me. I smacked it away using mine, not even breaking my run. The tactic had delayed me a little, but not for long enough to let him use his signature jutsu.

    Once more, I closed the distance using some well-timed chakra repulsion, but instead of slowing down, I threw my kunai. It clipped his shoulder, cutting into his shirt and the flesh beneath, and plunged into the ground behind him. Halting the chakra flow, I entered close range.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    Shikamaru brandished his kunai threateningly. I side-stepped his initial strike, feeling the blade slice through the air, and launched a barrage of punches, aiming for any opening in his defence. Shikamaru was quick to react, his kunai deflecting each blow with precision. His movements were economical, conserving his energy as he focused on figuring me out. I pressed on relentlessly, refusing to give him a moment''s respite.

    Grunting, he overcommitted on a swing, leaving his body open and I drove an uppercut into his exposed torso, whispering, ¡°And you¡¯re dead.¡±

    He stiffened¡ªwhile his lazy demeanour may have fooled others, I knew better. We continued to exchange blows and I could see the frustration boiling in his dark eyes. There was a competitive side to him that may not have been as strong as Sasuke¡¯s or mine¡ªbut it was definitely there.

    I redoubled my efforts in a determined surge, raining down a flurry of strikes in rapid succession. All of my moves flowed, and I was completely in control of every single move I made, trapping his arms to keep him in place and slipping quick blows whenever I was able to.

    Shikamaru struggled to keep up, his movements becoming more erratic as he tried to anticipate my next move. I refused to let up, pushing him to his limits in a relentless onslaught. Growing sick of the one-sided beating, he leapt back and threw a kunai to keep me occupied, bringing his hands together again.

    I caught the thrown kunai by the hilt and returned it to him with a flourish of my wrist, sprinting after it. I¡¯d aimed for his other shoulder and it whizzed past, tearing into his shirt and skin. Having succeeded in breaking his focus, I readied myself for the imminent collision.

    We slammed into each other, falling in a tangle of limbs. I pinned him below me and released my second kunai from its holster, ready to force him to yield. Instead, I inhaled a flood of smoke through my nose and my mouth so potent that I fell onto my back.

    I dropped my kunai to rub and wipe the tears from my burning eyes. Spluttering, I looked at the paper remains of a smoke bomb draped around my neck and shoulders. Then my eyes darted about wildly¡ªwhere was Shikamaru?

    All at once I realised the smoke bomb was his. Ignoring all subtlety, I leapt up in an uncontrolled burst of chakra, clearing the smoke cloud, and looked down at my quickly shrinking shadow. I stiffened unwillingly just as I reached the apex of my jump, falling feet first and slamming into the ground.

    I didn¡¯t fall, and despite the throbbing in my knees, walked one painful step at a time. I struggled against the jutsu while trudging ahead, but it was like trying to push a boulder. Forced to bend over and crouch low, I watched myself swipe the discarded kunai off the ground and face Shikamaru.

    The bridge of his nose was beginning to swell. Bloody trails trickled down both his arms in thin trails, crossing and merging about halfway down his forearms. He clutched his left hand over his ribs and despite his numerous injuries, made a show of slowly raising his right hand with a smirk.

    I felt the press of cold steel against my throat.

    ¡°You¡¯re dead,¡± he said.

    ¡°Seems to be the case, yeah,¡± I grunted. ¡°Mind letting me go?¡±

    He smiled. ¡°Say the words.¡±

    ¡°...I yield.¡±

    Iruka came over, smiling from ear to ear. ¡°Shikamaru, well done! You fought extremely well, despite the gap in your skills, and used your strengths to wrestle the fight in your favour.

    ¡°Thanks, sensei,¡± said Shikamaru.

    ¡°Your performance was good as well, Naruto,¡± said Iruka. ¡°You lost, not because of a lack of skill, but because you didn¡¯t end the fight when you should¡¯ve. I counted at least two chances you didn¡¯t follow up on.¡±

    I didn¡¯t have to look to my left to see that Shikamaru was smiling.

    Iruka let us return to the rest of the class with a reminder to keep our chakra networks active¡ªjust in case¡ªthough I doubted either of us would be called up to spar again so I took Shikamaru to the infirmary. The medical ninja stationed there disinfected Shikamaru¡¯s cuts, gave him an ice pack, and then sent us on his merry way.

    He and I met Choji and Hinata under the tree as usual and two stared at the ice pack pressed against his face.

    ¡°...Wasn¡¯t this a bit too far?¡± Choji asked.

    I pulled my lips into a thin line. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to punch him that hard, but he wasn¡¯t exactly able to defend himself. Instead, he stopped and smirked when he figured one of my techniques out.¡±

    Shikamaru looked off to the side and refused to engage.

    ¡°For once, you¡¯ve got no snarky comeback,¡± said Hinata with a small smile.

    Choji snorted. ¡°You reckon we should give him a shiner every time we spar with him? It might break that habit of his.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not do that, please,¡± said Shikamaru. ¡°My mother won¡¯t let me hear the end of it. I bet she¡¯ll take a picture of my face when I get home too.¡±

    To be honest, I thought Hinata and Choji would be a lot more upset given how aggressive I was in our match. I expected them to act like the children they were but forgot that this world wasn¡¯t my original one.

    Injuries that would see an ordinary school shut down for good come were just business as usual here and, while I¡¯d acclimated to the world for the most part, I¡¯d forgotten the Academy wasn¡¯t an ordinary school. I lost myself in my thoughts for a while as I replayed the spar with Shikamaru.

    A voice broke through the din, calling out names for the next match. My ears perked up as I heard Sasuke''s name being called, followed swiftly by Shikamaru''s. I blinked in surprise, my mind struggling to process what I had just heard.

    Sasuke against Shikamaru? The idea seemed surreal. Shikamaru had only fought twice so far, and his second fight was the only one to give him any difficulty, but Sasuke? A completely fresh Sasuke facing off against Shikamaru, no less.

    It was a match-up I hadn''t expected and one that piqued my interest.

    As the crowd around me began to stir with excitement, I watched in anticipation as Sasuke and Shikamaru made their way to the centre of the training ground. The atmosphere crackled with tension, mounting until the match began with Sasuke moving with a level of speed and agility that left Shikamaru struggling to keep up.

    I couldn''t help but be in awe of his skill. His strikes were precise and carefully calculated to exploit Shikamaru''s injuries and lack of comparative skill. Despite being outclassed in terms of speed and power, Shikamaru relied on his intellect and cunning to try and gain the upper hand. Unfortunately, it was just a bad matchup; Sasuke excelled at shurikenjutsu, completely nullifying Shikamaru¡¯s main strength and not just that, he was also really good at close-quarter combat.

    Ironically, Shikamaru was no slouch. He acquitted himself well but was clearly fighting a losing battle. Taking into account the fatigue from our earlier fight, his injuries, and the chakra he was expending in trying to catch Sasuke in the Shadow Bind Jutsu, it was no surprise he was starting to look like he was moving underwater.

    Not that he was likely to win, even if he was in peak condition¡ªwhich he wasn¡¯t. He started pawing at Sasuke, swaying without moving his feet to conserve energy while dodging. It let him keep going for much longer, but he was also forced to take some hits. Eventually, he gave in, sagging to the ground and acknowledging his defeat.

    Sasuke helped him up and walked away, leaving Shikamaru alone on the field. They weren¡¯t the last spar of the day, so I volunteered to help bring him back. Pulling him to his feet, I slipped under his arm and leaned him on me as we walked back.

    ¡°...He sure did a number on you, huh?¡± I remarked.

    Shikamaru grunted.

    ¡°You did well against him but I¡¯m going to be honest: your chances of beating him on a good day aren¡¯t all that high.¡± I was quiet for a moment. ¡°Today wasn¡¯t a good day for you¡ªno thanks to me, anyway. And for that, I don¡¯t apologise, but you know what?¡±

    I was met with silence, which was a little off-putting. Still, this was something he needed to hear. He wouldn¡¯t like it, but there wasn¡¯t a better moment for me to hammer home everything I¡¯d been telling him for the last year and a half.

    ¡°If you trained as hard as you tried to win that fight, you would¡¯ve beaten him. We both know this isn¡¯t about that fight or our fight. I¡¯ve been telling you this for a while: your entire work ethic isn¡¯t one a shinobi should have.

    ¡°You¡¯ve probably already heard from your parents, me, and Iruka-sensei, but at a certain point, you¡¯ve got to ask yourself whether not working hard is something you¡¯ll regret. If you don¡¯t work hard, you only have yourself to blame when you come up short¡ªwhether that¡¯s here and now, or far into the future.¡±

    Shikamaru stopped walking completely. ¡°You mean like you?¡±

    ¡°Sorry?¡±

    ¡°You,¡± he said. ¡°You train every day and were Rookie of the Year since we started the Academy, but you lost to Sasuke the last time you guys fought. That¡¯s on you, right?¡±

    I frowned at him, not liking where this conversation was going. ¡°...And your point is?¡±

    He was quiet for a while. The last pair to spar walked past us without a sound and soon, our classmates¡¯ attention was on their match instead of us. He only spoke once the cheers started up.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing much, really,¡± The smile he shot me was thin and sharp at the corners where his lips curved up, drawing towards his malicious dark eyes, ¡°Just¡­ it looks like you won¡¯t be Rookie of the Year anymore, is all. Wouldn¡¯t that be a waste of your hard work? I guess that¡¯s too bad.¡±

    Against all sense of reason, I felt a strange heat in my chest. My breathing picked up, and before I knew it, I could hear my heart hammering away. It wasn¡¯t the same as the anger I was used to feeling. It wasn¡¯t the kind of anger I felt watching the play about my father, or the sort I grew up with because of the villagers. There was an odd pain there too¡ªit hurt.

    I was hurt.

    Hurt that my friend didn¡¯t appreciate the care I was showing him by offering sincere help for help¡¯s sake. I hadn¡¯t felt that way in a long, long time.

    The next few words came to my tongue unbidden.

    ¡°Don¡¯t blame me for the failing grade you¡¯ll walk out with this year¡ªand don¡¯t pretend it doesn¡¯t get to you. I know it does. Disappointing everyone who has hope for your talents?¡± I shrugged. ¡°Just know that¡¯s on you¡ªno one else.¡±

    Shikamaru gasped. It was a faint, crushed sound that extinguished all my anger.

    I didn¡¯t know how long we were still for, but it was long enough that Choji and Hinata had run up to us, freezing at whatever looks were on our faces. I passed Shikamaru over to them in silence

    I stumbled at the sheer disgust overflowing within me. I¡¯d made a child cry solely to make myself feel better because his words had hurt me¡ªthere was no other reason.

    Looking around at the other children readying themselves to go home, I only felt the disgust rise. I left the Academy as fast as I could without looking one way or the other. The sight of his hurt expression and the heartwrenching sound of his gasp clung to me as I walked away.

    The bitter taste of regret lingered on my tongue and I knew I¡¯d crossed a line.

 Chapter 16 [1]

    Tea with Danzo had become many things over the last few months: regular conversation, strange politicking, hypothetical do-or-die scenarios¡ªall of which occurred over a game of shogi. There was no need for invites anymore; they had a time and a place. Asuma wasn¡¯t ever quite sure what to expect.

    He couldn¡¯t figure Danzo out to save his life; not his motives¡ªhe was very clear about what he wanted from Asuma¡ªbut the things that made him a person: his likes and dislikes, hobbies and passions.

    The conundrum aside, he quite liked the old guy. He looked frightening but was a good conversationalist when he wanted to be. Asuma imagined someone called the Shinobi of Darkness to be dreary, but he turned out to be the complete opposite.

    Asuma wandered leisurely through a park on his way to the Shimura residence. It was a building strangely similar to his own family home, which he supposed made sense. The Shimura clan wasn¡¯t as reputable as the Sarutobi anymore, but that was only because his father had become Hokage rather than through any fault of theirs.

    They arrived at the Leaf Village together with the Sarutobi, Yamanaka, Nara, Akimichi, and Aburame clans. The Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi naturally gravitated towards the Sarutobi because of their alliance in the Warring States era. Conversely, the Shimura clan shared a deeper bond with the Aburame clan.

    Even the village¡¯s laws were skewed in a way to favour the founding clans¡ªthough Tobirama Senju made sure to give the subsequent additions to the village enough breathing room to prosper. His village¡¯s history, something that Asuma had disregarded for years, had suddenly become so much more interesting since he¡¯d returned to the Leaf.

    He had Danzo to thank for that and more.

    It was almost funny how easy it was to spot the vestiges of the Warring Clans era in the village. As the Leaf¡¯s founding clans, the Uchiha and Senju brought their various vassals with them, civilian and shinobi alike.

    There were even a few Uzumaki descendants hanging about, despite their village¡¯s annihilation though most barely counted and were distantly related to the delegation that had come with Mito Uzumaki. None that remained in the village bore the clan¡¯s once-feared name¡ªthough the Nine-Tails¡¯ Jinchuriki was an exception to that rule. Barring him, the last to do so was Kushina Uzumaki, wife of the Fourth and the adopted daughter of Mito Uzumaki, and once she died, so did the clan.

    ¡°God-fucking-damn it!¡±

    Asuma stopped to look in the noise¡¯s direction, seeing nothing but trees and grass. Curious, he walked towards the source and followed the continuous string of curses, wanting to find out what it was that had pissed them off so much. Emerging out of the thicket, he looked onto the stream cutting through the park and winding westward.

    A little blonde boy stood hip-deep in its depths, wet from head to toe. He was about to move closer, but stopped when he saw the boy¡¯s face¡ªthose whiskers were unmistakable. Almost any civilian off the street would know who the boy was from those whiskers alone, but because Asuma was the son of the Hokage and a jonin, he knew just a bit more.

    He was the son of some immigrant Uzumaki woman who¡¯d arrived shortly before the Sacking of the Hidden Whirlpool. The civilians hated him because they thought he was the Nine-Tails reborn and the bringer of the Fourth¡¯s death. In reality, he was the unfortunate Jinchuriki of the beast that had killed his mother and countless people

    The civilians didn¡¯t know what the difference was, but a simple library visit would have cleared most¡ªif not all¡ªof their worries. Asuma could understand why they didn¡¯t do so. Emotions were complicated things. Many people lost family to the Nine-Tails, and for some, it was easier to displace their grief onto the literal representation of the Fox rather than confront it.

    He wasn¡¯t exempt either¡ªfor years, he blamed his father for his mother¡¯s death, despite her willingly going to defend the village. His relationship with his father would never be the same because of everything that had happened since that night¡ªbut the boy was completely blameless.

    Asuma stayed hidden among the thicket for a few minutes while a numb grief resurfaced within him. The boy reached into the stream and picked up a handful of pebbles. Holding out his left arm, he placed them along his forearm in a row before dropping the arm by his waist. The pebbles defied the pull of gravity and remained stuck to his arm, even as he dipped below the water to grab another handful.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± the boy breathed, lifting a foot out of the stream and setting it on top of its surface. ¡°One more time.¡±

    Using it as leverage, he lifted his other foot and did the same.

    Water-walking at his age was already insane enough, but sticking pebbles to both arms while doing so almost defied logic. Spell-bound, Asuma continued peeping between the trees, watching the boy take tentative steps across the water. He waddled around, each step uncertain, before standing still for a few moments.

    Asuma watched him for a few minutes. He waded across the stream, getting halfway across before he fell waist-deep into its depths. He had little to gain from keeping up to date on the village¡¯s recent prodigies, but surely this was ridiculous? He looked ten at best. It was strange to see a child performing advanced chakra exercises in a time of peace but regardless, if he stuck it out with his chakra training until he became a genin, Naruto would see the benefits his patience would bring.

    Whatever he chose, Asuma hoped the kid wouldn¡¯t regret it in the end.

    Fifteen minutes later, he exited the park and passed under a tall gate. It was wide enough for five people to walk through simultaneously and marked the beginning of the steep stone staircase leading to the Shimura residence. He revelled in the embracing sense of familiarity as he walked the streets, stopping in front of a large building raised half a storey above the rest.

    Two men stood guard at the front gate, each standing on either side of the open entrance. They wore matching black kimono with simple olive-green patterns, covered by a similarly green skirt-like garment tied at their waists. Rather than the streamlined shinobi boots, they wore more traditional wooden sandals and carried two single-edged swords, one long and one short, on their waists.

    ¡°State your purpose, sir,¡± said the one on the right.

    Before Asuma could do so, his taller, bulkier friend spoke up. ¡°Idiot! That¡¯s our lord¡¯s esteemed guest, Lord Asuma Sarutobi.¡±

    He was glad that the guards weren¡¯t wearing helmets because the shock on the first guard¡¯s face was too amusing to be hidden behind a face plate.

    ¡°You goddamned fool.¡± The second guard turned and offered him a deep bow. ¡°Sir, I apologise on my partner¡¯s behalf and will make sure he suffers the appropriate punishment for his ignorance. Please, enter. Lord Shimura awaits you in the teahouse.¡±

    ¡°Go easy on him, will you?¡± said Asuma. ¡°The man¡¯s just doing his job.¡±

    He walked between them after accepting their bows with a shorter one of his own and followed the paved path around the main building. In his opinion, civilian vassals were little more than a formality from a time when clans waged on one another. Even that was already a distant memory held onto by a few not long for this world¡ªhis father and Danzo barely counted among their number.

    The samurai of today were once little more than civilian vassals and existed as weapons for wealthy families to use¡ªbe they the clans, or nobility. When Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha unified the lands now known as the Fire Country, enough vassals expressed dissatisfaction with their lot in life and proposed a nation of their own.

    In his kindness, the Leaf¡¯s First Hokage offered them what was known today as the Land of Iron, alongside the very fundamentals of chakra manipulation to make of what they will. Despite the harsh climate, the ex-vassals eagerly accepted and made off in a mass exodus from all over the world, settling between the Land of Lightning and the Land of Grass.

    Within a handful of decades, they had become something of a neutral party and were strong enough to ward off any invasion from their immediate neighbours. They were a neutral party in all shinobi conflicts¡ªa feat merited solely by their strength.

    While not all the vassals left the families and clans they had sworn oaths of allegiance to, the complete change in how the nations waged war meant there was little place for civilian vassals except dealing with other vassals or acting as political symbols rather than a military force.

    Because, in the end, civilian vassals were only skilled civilians. The samurai, meanwhile, were in a class of their own and the strongest among them could easily hold their own against elite jonin.

    Danzo sat cross-legged, waiting for him on the opposite end of a low table. His tea room was old, visibly so, with wooden shutters for windows and tatami flooring. Another civilian guard outside¡ªbarely visible through the translucent paper of the door¡ªclosed the door shut behind Asuma. There was a second cup of tea before the shogi table, wafting steam into the air.

    He sat atop the marked pillow opposite the old man, bowing slightly. ¡°Elder Shimura.¡±

    Danzo smiled and returned the bow. ¡°Asuma. How has your week been, my boy? I hear you¡¯ve been searching for missions to put yourself on. I hope the search has been going well.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not the best,¡± he said with a grimace. ¡°High-ranked missions are hard to come by, especially given my circumstances. I¡¯ve also got a hearing with my father and the Jonin Commander next week that might bring an end to my job hunting. It¡¯s not exactly a court-martial, but I¡¯m guessing they¡¯ll be bringing up my reasons for leaving the village and whether I¡¯m still loyal or not¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t give up hope. To be quite frank, if you didn¡¯t return with boons for the village, you would have faced punishment instead of a disciplinary hearing. When you left, it was only through your father¡¯s hand that you weren¡¯t branded a rogue shinobi.¡±

    Asuma sighed. ¡°...I know. It¡¯s kind of irritating, but I can¡¯t say it¡¯s not unfair.¡± Asuma chuckled, taking a small sip of Danzo¡¯s blend.

    ¡°That said, I will do my best to put in a positive word for you. Despite our strained relationship, I am part of your father¡¯s advisory council and the previous head of the ANBU.¡±

    He bowed slightly in his direction. ¡°Thank you very much, Elder Shimura.¡±

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°Think nothing of it, my boy. I told you all those months ago, didn¡¯t I? You returned at the perfect time and with achievements, accolades, and strength.¡±

    Danzo looked towards a handful of photos hung on the wall, particularly at the one in the centre. It was of himself, looking roughly in his twenties, with his arms around a grinning man he recognised as father, and the Second Hokage.

    The usually stern man had a small smile on his face as he drank in the image. ¡°This village needs strong shinobi to stop us from hurtling over the cliff¡¯s edge. You are one of them, Asuma. There¡¯s also Kakashi of the Sharingan; The Green Beast, Might Gai, and the newly-minted genjutsu mistress, Kurenai Yuhi.

    ¡°Two of which are S-ranked shinobi¡ªand I reckon I¡¯ll probably make S-rank in a few years,¡± said Asuma. ¡°The majority of our jonin are high-quality, well-rounded shinobi.¡±

    ¡°And yet, it is simply not enough. There are far more genin and chunin due to the Nine-Tailed Night and the only tokubetsu-jonin likely to ascend are the Snake¡¯s ex-disciple, Anko Mitarashi, and the late Fourth¡¯s Thunder Squad: Genma Shiranui, Raido Nanashi, and Iwashi Tatami. Do you understand my point, son?¡±

    ¡°...I hear you,¡± he said after a long moment. ¡°We¡¯ve always had a lot of genin and chunin, but there are fewer jonin now than ever¡ªand that¡¯s including the Great War. So few that if another one breaks out, we¡¯d all go to hell in a handbasket. It¡¯s a possibility that¡¯s looking more real with every day that goes by. Have you heard the rumours of a change in leadership on our border? My contacts in the Fire Capital tell me the Land of Rice Fields is now officially the Land of Sound.¡±

    ¡°I have,¡± said Danzo with a slow nod. ¡°Who do you think is behind this so-called Land of Sound? It¡¯s more likely than not that they are an enemy of the Leaf, but it will take several months for the Intelligence Division to bring back worthwhile information from our border¡ªby then, it may be too late.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d probably place my bets on a rogue shinobi. It doesn¡¯t make sense for the big villages to disturb the peace, and the little ones are still recovering.¡± Asuma quietly took another sip of his tea. ¡°And if any of the villages wanted to pull something, it¡¯d have been after the Hyuuga girl was kidnapped¡ªor better yet, when the Nine-Tails laid waste to us.¡±

    ¡°A well-thought conclusion. Which rogue shinobi do you think it could be?¡±

    ¡°Rogues with a bone to pick with Konoha¡­ could be anyone, to be honest. There¡¯s plenty of Sand ninja who don¡¯t like the Leaf. The Cloud doesn¡¯t have many rogues, none strong enough to create their own country anyway, but the Leaf¡­ Maybe it¡¯s Itachi Uchiha?¡±

    Even uttering the bastard''s name darkened the room. Danzo rose with a groan, leaving his cane behind. He pulled the teapot from the table and onto the tatami flooring. Walking over to the cupboard pushed into the corner of the room, he returned with a bottle of sake and two small saucers.

    After pouring a serving for both of them, he handed Asuma his drink. ¡°You were saying?¡±

    ¡°Well, who¡¯s to say the Uchiha were enough for him? I¡¯m not sure, but that kid seems twisted enough in the head for that and he¡¯s probably only grown stronger. He¡¯s what, seventeen?¡±

    ¡°Eighteen.¡± Danzo clicked his tongue. ¡°It takes more than power to create a force that will endure and if there is one thing Itachi Uchiha is not, it is a leader. I will not rule it out as an option, but it seems unlikely to me.¡±

    ¡°Other than him, I guess the only other big rogue is Orochimaru.¡± Asuma finished his serving and refilled it before he spoke again. ¡°Things sort of went downhill after the Fourth Hokage beat him for the position. Sure, he was conducting human experiments the whole time, but it¡¯s like he stopped caring about getting caught after he fell out of the running. Surely he¡¯s not petty enough to try and destroy us because he didn¡¯t become the Hokage¡­ right?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ would not put it past him,¡± Danzo exhaled slowly. ¡°He is a dangerous man and has been conducting his experiments across the country for years. His research into bloodline limits is second to none, and we use much of his theoretical work on jutsu creation here today. With that kind of resume, securing the backing of some puffed-up lord would not be difficult.¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± said Asuma, frowning. ¡°What about his laboratories? Wouldn¡¯t it be stupid to put all his research in one place given we¡¯ve been hunting him down for years now?¡±

    ¡°Orochimaru would never do such a thing. He trusts no one, so I would not be surprised if he continues to construct secret laboratories,¡± said Danzo, scoffing. ¡°We have raided many of them in recent years, but there are just as many we are yet to find. To claim a land of his own wouldn¡¯t prevent us from continuing our raids¡ªbut if he creates a hidden village and begins to resist rather than run away?

    ¡°It would send a message to the other villages about his strength and our weakness. Of course, this is all conjecture. Until the Intelligence Division returns with their findings, the identity behind the Land of Sound¡¯s leader will remain a mystery to us. I only pray we have more time to prepare the next generation of jonin.¡±

    He stared into his saucer. ¡°Peace never lasts. Even if we¡¯re not at war, someone¡¯s doing something that might provoke someone else and drag us into the resulting mess. It¡¯s a vicious fucking cycle.¡±

    ¡°Aye, that it is. But if you refuse to join it, you will be a victim to it, which is why I will do my best to turn the hearing in your favour. Putting you on probation would dull your edge, something that we cannot have. Our enemies sighting you will disabuse them of any fantasies they may have of waging war on us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty much in top shape,¡± said Asuma with a small smirk as he moved his game pieces to counter Danzo¡¯s assault. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ve been resting for a little bit, but I¡¯ll be fine so long as I stretch my legs a little¡ªsomething you should probably do, Elder Shimura.¡±

    There was a lot you could learn through how a person played shogi. It was a battle of wit, after all, and revealed interesting things about an opponent to the right person. Asuma had played the game long enough to pick up on those patterns but didn¡¯t know the old man well enough to assume any personal qualities of his.

    Style-wise, Danzo was aggressive, but it was a thoughtful kind of aggression. He would rarely make significant decisions, spending the majority of the time stacking the odds in his favour through small and seemingly insignificant moves. By the time Asuma got an inkling as to what he was planning, it was too late.

    It was a frustrating style to play against and he would know because his father¡¯s style was similar, albeit ridiculously passive.

    Asuma¡¯s forfeit was decisive. He¡¯d played the game through his head twice and couldn¡¯t see any way to win, so it saved them both the time. ¡°You win, Elder Shimura.¡±

    Danzo¡¯s smile was smug as he topped up Asuma¡¯s cup. ¡°An astute decision. There¡¯s no shame in stepping back from an unwinnable situation. More tea, or would you prefer sake?¡±

    ¡°Tea, please,¡± he replied.

    He sipped from the cup, allowing its slight bitterness to twist his face into an annoyed scowl. The irritation at losing washed over him for a few moments, and he sat in it, committing his mistakes to memory.

    ¡°You know,¡± he began, setting his cup down, ¡°I saw something interesting today. There was a kid training in the park, a promising one too. He couldn¡¯t be older than ten, but there he was, on the stream, water-walking.¡±

    ¡°An impressive feat for his age, but nothing to write home about,¡± said Danzo. ¡°However, it shows that he was intelligent enough to figure out the applications of chakra through the Academy¡¯s lessons.

    ¡°He was water-walking while sticking pebbles to both arms while he did so.¡± Asuma looked carefully at the man sitting opposite him before continuing, ¡°The child is one I¡¯m sure you know well. You¡¯ve known about him since the day he was born.¡±

    To Danzo¡¯s credit, he realised who he meant almost instantly. ¡°I see.¡± He nodded once, thumping his cane against the wall. Asuma turned back to see the guard stationed outside the teahouse get up and walk away. ¡°You may speak freely now.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the Nine-Tails brat, Naruto Uzumaki.¡±

    Danzo blinked his sole eye in surprise. ¡°Truly? That¡¯s certainly good news. Excellent news, in fact.¡±

    ¡°...What do you mean?

    ¡°If this is about his seal, you have nothing to worry about. I was among the few present when Jiraiya inspected. It has been drip-feeding him the Demon Fox¡¯s chakra while keeping the beast tightly shackled for years now.¡±

    Asuma shook his head. ¡°Forget his seal, I¡¯m talking about him.¡±

    ¡°The boy?¡± Danzo leaned forward. ¡°What about him?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a genius, a prodigy¡ªand you know that mess that could cause.¡± Asuma breathed out slowly. ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough geniuses to know that being one isn¡¯t always good. Always rushing to things without listening to anybody¡¯s advice.¡±

    ¡°But he will one day become a weapon for the Leaf against our enemies,¡± said Danzo. ¡°Surely you see the merit in capitalising on his mind while it is at its most plastic. By the time he graduates, his interest will be set in one direction or another, but if he is taught now, he could become well-versed in every single shinobi art.¡±

    On some level, he understood Danzo¡¯s rationale. It was cold, but the village needed a symbol, now more than ever. His father wasn¡¯t getting any younger and the village was at its most vulnerable state. The kid currently had more chakra than some adults. With that kind of potential, confining him to rudimentary techniques wasn¡¯t helpful in the slightest when his talent was there and ready to be capitalised on.

    Asuma stared at the ceiling and chewed the inside of his cheek. That was what his years as a shinobi told him¡ªbut Asuma was a man first, and a shinobi second.

    Naruto Uzumaki grew up in a time of peace.

    He was too young to understand the gravity of weapons and jutsu¡ªtoo inexperienced to understand what being a shinobi meant. He was a budding genius, but one without the crucible of war to forge him. However, throwing him to the wolves was a cruel thing to do when it wasn¡¯t strictly necessary yet, and that was ignoring what would be asked of him by the village.

    Time and time again, the world proved Asuma right. When the expectations and orders became too much to bear, the child geniuses would break. It happened to Kakashi of the Sharingan, it happened to Itachi Uchiha, and it would happen to Naruto Uzumaki too.

    Because, eventually, the things expected of Naruto Uzumaki would become too much for him to bear. It wouldn¡¯t matter, though; the moment a person¡ªadult or child¡ªdonned a forehead protector, they ceased to be human.

    That said, he wondered if it was right to rip the last vestiges of childhood away from him.

    ¡°You know¡­ I don¡¯t think he¡¯s ready.¡± Asuma leaned forward and stared at Danzo. ¡°He¡¯s a child who knows jack shit about war and shinobi, except for what¡¯s in dusty old books. Why pull him away from his peers and his friends? There¡¯s no war to fight, no enemy to beat, no ally to defend¡ªit¡¯d be pointless.¡±

    Danzo raised an eyebrow. ¡°As much as you hate to admit it, you¡¯re more similar to your father than you think. Both of you are idealists, there¡¯s just more steel to you than there is to him. The boy is a weapon, Asuma, and the sooner he understands that, the better.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s also a child and I¡¯ve seen how these kids turn out. They stay away from their peers like some kind of wall separates them¡ªand then end up as the subject of some tragic, cautionary tale. Avoidable tragedy. You saw what happened to Kakashi. When he needed people to help him, they couldn¡¯t, because they weren¡¯t there, and then he broke. Jonin at nine? ANBU at twelve? Would you do the same to a Jinchuriki, knowing the risks?¡±

    ¡°From your description, he¡¯s no Kakashi Hatake, but I understand your point.¡± Danzo stopped and drank some tea. ¡°If you''re so concerned, how about you make sure he doesn¡¯t go down the same path? Teach him the value of comrades and make sure that when duty calls, he is ready and fit to answer.¡±

    ¡°What, me?¡± Asuma snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not a genius.¡±

    ¡°On that, we agree,¡± Danzo chuckled. ¡°That said, I have heard that the boy isn¡¯t too keen on the Will of Fire.¡±

    He rolled his eyes. ¡°Really? Big surprise. The village treats him as a scourge on the earth and now he doesn¡¯t like the village? Elder Shimura, believe me, I never saw that one coming.¡±

    ¡°Very funny, Asuma, but you¡¯re only partly correct. The villagers¡¯ treatment of the boy may indeed be a factor in his disillusionment towards the Leaf, but it is not the sole cause. Naruto Uzumaki is, I¡¯m told, quite the philosophical child. Does that remind you of anyone?¡±

    ¡°...If you¡¯re comparing him to me, we¡¯re worlds apart, Elder Shimura. I was almost a man when I started questioning the village¡ªand isn¡¯t he a little too young to be thinking about sacrifice? What would he know about the Will of Fire?¡±

    ¡°Does it matter?¡± Danzo fixed him with a piercing stare. ¡°Sooner or later, he will learn, and¡ªaccording to your logic¡ªwhen he does, it may be too late.¡± The old war hawk¡¯s stare pinned him to the spot, and he found himself unable to look away from his eye.

    Asuma grunted. ¡°...Fine, maybe you¡¯re right.¡±

    Danzo reassembled the shogi table. ¡°Another game before you go?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± said Asuma. ¡°But this time, I¡¯ll win.¡±

 Chapter 16 [2]

    Danzo won the next match and the one after that.

    The last one was close, but ultimately, Asuma sprung a trap that Danzo had laid so well that he hadn¡¯t seen it coming. Sick and tired of losing to decrepit old men, he announced that he would retire for the evening and stormed out of the teahouse, despite knowing he would return in one week to challenge Danzo once more.

    Shogi wasn¡¯t the reason he and Danzo met every week, but it was a nice bonus and distraction from the heavy topics they often talked about. The games were neither the first things to enter Asuma¡¯s mind nor were they last to remain with him at the end of their meetings. More curious than not, he wondered if the Nine-Tails kid was still training in the park. He looked up at the darkening sky and decided that he probably wasn¡¯t.

    It would have been two hours since he saw the boy training by the stream and no matter how precocious, a kid was still a kid.

    ¡°Might as well check, though,¡± muttered Asuma as he exited the front gate.

    The guards fell into deep bows and yelled in unison, ¡°Excuse me, Lord Sarutobi! We apologise most profusely, Lord Sarutobi!¡±

    ¡°Man, you guys crack me up,¡± said Asuma, wiping tears from his eyes. ¡°I already told you, I¡¯m not pissed at your friend for not recognising me earlier, I swear. You act like I¡¯m going to force you to commit seppuku at the smallest inconvenience and I doubt Elder Shimura is the kind of guy to do that.¡±

    They glanced nervously at each other before the taller one spoke. ¡°L-Lord Shimura is a fair lord, but h-his nephew, Lord Yoshito, i-is rather¡­ severe.¡±

    The genuine fear in his voice immediately sobered him up and he leaned over and patted their shoulders. ¡°...Does he doesn¡¯t make you vassals commit seppuku?¡±

    ¡°No, nothing that extreme,¡± said the second guard. ¡°When he¡¯s sober, he¡¯s rather pleasant to talk to, if a little erratic. But he¡¯s rarely sober and instructs us to do impossible things, and when we inevitably fail, his punishments can be¡­¡±

    He trailed off and Asuma shook him impatiently. ¡°Come on, out with it. If he¡¯s abusing you guys, I¡¯ll go right back in and bring it up to Lord Shimura.¡±

    ¡°N-No!¡± The first guard yelled before tempering his voice. ¡°It¡¯s nothing painful, but his punishments are quite demeaning. Things like seppuku are rare, and only occur when a vassal brings great dishonour upon the clan. However, punishments from our lords do not count as dishonour. Satoshi¡¯s cousin was forced to run around the entire residence thrice¡ªcompletely naked.¡±

    Asuma stared between the both of them, trying to see if it was all an elaborate joke, but the fear on their faces told another story. He snorted, unable to contain his amusement within him, and soon gave up doing so, laughing to himself as he turned away.

    ¡°My advice? Stay away from Yoshito, and if you can¡¯t, try to give him more alcohol. It''ll send him to sleep eventually.¡± He looked over his shoulder and grinned. ¡°Who knows, maybe he¡¯ll make you two run naked around the entire village next? If his alcoholism becomes a serious enough problem, bring it up to Elder Shimura.¡±

    He waved them goodbye over his shoulder and descended the steps, surrounded by forestry on either side. He entered a well-trod sidepath leading back into the park he¡¯d entered from and slowly edged towards the left side, where the stream was. This time, he wasn¡¯t greeted by curses and yelled exclamations.

    He pressed onwards, wading through the thicket and sliding down the small slope until the stream came into view. Still wet from head to toe, Naruto stood atop the stream with his eyes closed. A few pebbles adorned both his arms, and he took a step forward, slightly more stable-looking than before.

    The water around his feet rippled outwards.

    Asuma bolted forward an instant before the chakra flow to his feet spiked, sending him flying skyward in a rage of frothing water. Naruto flailed in the air and all the pebbles plummeted into the water. Asuma sprinted down the bank and jumped up to intercept him, setting him down on the other side of the stream.

    ¡°Biting off a bit more than you can chew, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    The boy blinked in surprise and stared at him in recognition.

    ¡°Have I met you before?¡± Asuma asked.

    ¡°Oh!¡± He shook his head, spraying a few droplets. ¡°No, but I¡¯ve seen you before.¡±

    ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°That play. The Life and Times of the Fourth Hokage. At the start, the playwright introduced himself and then thanked Lord Third.¡±

    ¡°Right. Funny that you were there too¡ªthe Leaf¡¯s a small world.¡±

    He folded his arms a little awkwardly. Asuma wasn''t in the habit of talking to children, but there was something strangely disconcerting about this one; a knowing gleam in his eye that meant a little more than above-average intelligence.

    ¡°So, uh, what are you doing out here?¡±

    ¡°Training. Thanks for the save by the way.¡± He ran a hand through his hair and shook it out violently. ¡°The waters aren''t deep so I would¡¯ve broken something in the fall.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Asuma replied, taking a seat on the grass beside him. ¡°Do you know what kind of training you''re doing?¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Yup. Chakra control training. Word is, I''ve got huge reserves, so apparently I''ll struggle with control in the future. I''ve decided to make sure that''s not a problem.¡±

    Asuma hummed. ¡°That¡¯s all well and good, but you''re like ten, aren''t you? A kid your age shouldn''t be spending a Saturday alone¡ªwell, I guess the day¡¯s already over, but I¡¯m making a point here.¡±

    ¡°...Ten and six months.¡± He picked up a pebble and hurled it across the stream. It bounced thrice before sinking halfway. ¡°I¡¯m alone because the only person who''ll train me is me.¡±

    He picked up another pebble and whipped his wrist. This time, it skipped four times before sinking.

    ¡°...Makes sense,¡± Asuma replied.

    The kid snorted. ¡°You¡¯re terrible at this, huh?¡±

    ¡°Bad at what? Stone skipping?¡± He picked up a pebble and tossed it, clearing the stream in six skips.

    ¡°Nice, but I wasn''t talking about stone skipping.¡±

    ¡°I figured and was trying to change the subject,¡± Asuma replied. ¡°But considering you''re water-walking at ten, I was an idiot for thinking it would work. Tell me, why are you training so hard, Naruto?¡±

    ¡°I never told you my name.¡±

    ¡°...You''re a famous kid.¡±

    Naruto threw his head back and barked out a harsh like. ¡°More like infamous, but fair enough. Since you know my name, you might as well tell me yours.¡±

    ¡°Asuma Sarutobi, Jonin of the Leaf.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you''re related to Lord Third since you were in the VIP box with him.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d be right. He''s my father.¡±

    ¡°I wonder what that''s like.¡± Naruto leaned back on his palms. ¡°Having your father as the Hokage.¡±

    ¡°Not as cool as it sounds. Being Hokage is a round-the-clock deal. If you''re not all in, the village suffers, and for the village to prosper¡­¡±

    ¡°You had to suffer,¡± said Naruto, staring at him with a knowing gleam in his eye.

    Asuma didn''t like it¡ªnot the understanding in his eyes, nor the direction that the conversation was headed¡ªso he grabbed hold of its reins. ¡°I get you being a prodigy and all, but you''ll regret spending your childhood in forests alone, trust me on that one.¡±

    ¡°I don''t have much of an option. I train every single day and it''s not enough.¡± He laughed hollowly. ¡°You know, one of my friends might''ve been right. All that effort for what? I waste weeks to learn something, and a clan kid comes in with a technique taught to them by their sixty-something-year-old elder and beats me.¡±

    Asuma took a mental step back at how bitter he sounded.

    ¡°Guess what the worst part is,¡± he demanded. ¡°That same friend is probably being forced to train with one of his clan¡¯s elders.¡±

    Naruto breathed out explosively. A million words left unsaid hung in the air, laced with frustration. Together, they stared at the setting sun over the brush in silence. Asuma spent the time gathering his thoughts while they took turns skipping stones across the stream.

    ¡°This might sound strange, but tell me everything,¡± he said. ¡°Get it all off your chest. Every single thing that''s on your mind, big or small. Come on, throw it at me. I can spare a few minutes, at least, because, if nothing else, it might make you feel better.¡±

    Naruto shrugged. ¡°Worth a shot.¡±

    For the next few minutes, Asuma listened¡ªmostly. Occasionally, he''d stop to ask for clarification, but otherwise let the kid ramble, mostly about his lack of growth compared to his classmates. He''d never thought so deeply about the gap between shinobi-born and civilian children before. After all, he was a son of the Sarutobi clan and had all the resources he would ever need.

    Listening to Naruto, though, he realised just how frustrating it was to be confined to a handful of rudimentary jutsu when he probably had enough chakra control and chakra to fire off at least a few C-ranks. But if he was too concerned with chasing strength, his entire childhood would slip him by without him even realising.

    When it came down to it, he needed to remember why he was sacrificing his humanity, but at the rate he was going, Naruto would have nothing to fall back on¡ªno warm bath to submerge himself in when the job became too much¡ªand would break.

    His frustration was understandable, but titles like Rookie of the Year and Runner-up mattered very little in the real world. He¡¯d seen many rising stars cut down too soon by an enemy¡¯s blade. Excluding any hatred towards their village, killing promising flowers before they had the chance to bloom was common practice in the Elemental Nations.

    ¡°Right,¡± said Asuma. ¡°Here¡¯s the deal. I might¡ªemphasis on the might¡ªbe able to teach you a few things.¡±

    Naruto sat up straight and his jaw was slack with shock.

    ¡°Hold your horses. I won¡¯t throw jutsu at you for no reason and I won''t let you demand things of me,¡± said Asuma. ¡°I am a jonin, and that¡¯s something you respect, training or no training. I don¡¯t need to teach you, but I¡¯m choosing to purely out of the kindness of my heart.¡±

    A small part of Asuma shrivelled at the bald-faced lie. He wasn¡¯t teaching the kid solely out of the kindness of his heart, but for the good of the village¡ªthe kid¡¯s wellbeing and the village¡¯s wellbeing were one and equal.

    ¡°Do you know the field across the other side of this stream?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No, can¡¯t say I do.¡±

    ¡°Cross the stream, and go straight ahead. There¡¯ll be an open field once you get through the trees. You can find it on foot, but I suggest you tree-hop. I¡¯m sure you know what that is since you¡¯re walking on water. There¡¯s no path or signs for you to follow so you¡¯ll have to follow my instructions to the letter.¡±

    ¡°Straight ahead¡­ that way?¡± asked Naruto.

    Asuma nodded. ¡°Right on. We¡¯ll meet there in exactly one week at 9 AM sharp. If you¡¯re late by even a minute, this thing is off, do you understand?¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± said Naruto, standing up and bowing respectfully towards him. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, Asuma-sensei.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯m nipping that in the bud,¡± he said while stifling his wince. ¡°There¡¯ll be none of that sensei stuff, kid. I don¡¯t plan on becoming a teacher anytime soon. There are missions to do and bounties to claim so I¡¯ll leave the teaching to old fogies like my father.¡±

    ¡°Asuma it is, then.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t sure if his choice was the right one, but from the moment Danzo made the comparison between Naruto and him, he realised that the Jinchuriki wasn¡¯t something he could ignore.

    Despite not being an orphan, he knew what it was like to not understand why people gave their all to a village of strangers¡ªand not just themselves, but their very families. Asuma¡¯s doubts about the Will of Fire hadn¡¯t been put to rest even with his reaffirmed loyalty and perhaps they never would be.

    It wasn¡¯t the perfect philosophy, but it was the best thing to come out of a bloody era. All he could do was ease some of the Jinchuriki¡¯s doubts and make sure he remained loyal to the village.

 Chapter 17

    A week of nothing sounded like heaven on paper.

    No homework to do, no jutsu to learn; just him and the massive clouds rolling overhead, but no matter how long he lazed about, Shikamaru didn¡¯t feel better. Nothing he did dislodged the weight in his chest. It was still heaven on paper, though. Every day after school, he came home and immediately switched out of his outdoor clothes. The house was his to rule for the few hours it took for his mother to get back from her day job as a ranger.

    Today, though, his father was the first to arrive. Seeing him walk through the door when it was still light out was¡­ weird. His job was a drag, but there was no one smart enough in the village to do it¡ªor so he said.

    ¡°You might as well give up.¡±

    Shikamaru frowned over the board. ¡°No.¡±

    His father laughed. ¡°If you were this focused on your training, you know how much headache you¡¯d save me?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you start too,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m already up to my neck thanks to Ma¡¯s nagging.¡±

    ¡°Your report card said that you¡¯re close to failing the physical side of the Academy. We¡¯ve had to come to two parent-teacher meetings since your first year and it¡¯s starting to sound like a third¡¯s on the way.¡±

    ¡°This again?¡± He threw his head back and groaned. ¡°I¡¯m taking part in the spars and beating every single person I come up against!¡±

    The silence forced him to remember the events of the day he lost against Sasuke and the argument that followed. The weight in his chest tugged down to the pit of his stomach.

    ¡°Listen, you goddamn sloth, you¡¯re no idiot, even if I find myself doubting that sometimes.¡± He smiled when Shikamaru glared. ¡°If you beat your opponent with the Shadow Possession Jutsu, what the heck are you leaving your teachers to grade you on? And I know you know there¡¯s more to the marking criteria than winning.¡±

    The weight edged closer to the pit in his stomach, dangling painfully close to it. He swallowed. ¡°But I don¡¯t need to use anything else. A win¡¯s a win, and if Iruka-sensei can¡¯t see it, that¡¯s his problem, not mine.¡±

    He looked down at the shogi board, intentionally breaking eye contact.

    His father¡¯s stare remained a presence in the back of his mind while he moved his attention away from their discussion and onto the match at hand. Despite the leech on his focus, he managed to find an opening to exploit and ease back into the game. It was no ticket to victory, but it stayed the executioner¡¯s blade for the next couple of moves.

    Before Shikamaru was forced to admit defeat, the bedroom door clicked open.

    ¡°Honestly, Shikamaru, I knew you¡¯d be in her¡ª¡± His mother stopped and, almost exactly like a deer would, stood still and stared.

    His father grinned. ¡°Surprise?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re home? Early, at that¡­ right, we¡¯re making tonight special, come on.¡± She surged towards them, ranger gear and all, and took them by the arms.

    They trudged close behind and grumbled about the disturbance to the game. Truthfully, neither of them cared; a game was, at the end of the day, a game, but it was the song and dance they played at home. Shikamaru found himself trying not to smile when she sat them down on the sofa, threw on a film tape, and ran off to roast some venison. With nothing else to do, he stared at the screen, watching the film but not really watching it at the same time.

    He was never the type of guy to force his focus to stay, so he let his mind wander to other things, like the report card that had come home earlier this week. On some level, he understood why he ended up with the grade he got. Iruka¡¯s warnings had fallen on deaf ears time and time again, but he didn¡¯t care about failure. The things Shikamaru wanted out of life had nothing to do with grades or winning fights.

    Being a shinobi was a dangerous job. Their life expectancy was a quarter of the average Leaf Village civilian¡¯s. That was a wartime statistic, but wars happened all the time in the Elemental Nations. It was world wars that weren¡¯t likely to be a thing anymore. Those were costly, and after the almost back-to-back second and third ones, he doubted any village was keen on starting a fourth.

    The problem, ironically, wasn¡¯t war. Shikamaru, despite being practically dropped onto the Academy¡¯s doorstep, didn¡¯t care much for becoming a shinobi. As the Nara heir, it was his lot in life to become one¡ªthat, he understood. But S-ranked jonin or bagging himself a flee-on-sight order in every single enemy bingo book?

    That kind of exhausting ambition was better served by people like Sasuke and Naruto. All he wanted was to live an ordinary life. In his case, doing so required a certain level of strength, but that was the way the cookie crumbled. He couldn¡¯t control being born as the heir to the Nara clan any more than he could control there being a clear sky on a summer¡¯s day.

    He¡¯d like it if he could but reality was often disappointing. What he could control was how much of himself he sacrificed. Shikamaru would do his duty and nothing more, but nobody seemed to understand that¡ªor ask if being a shinobi was something he even wanted.

    When he blinked, the end credits were rolling and he flexed his fingers and toes, overwhelmed by the warmth shuddering down his body. He pressed the mute button on the remote control, making his father¡¯s light snores the only noise left as he exited.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s finished?¡± asked his mother as she laid down the tablecloth in the dining room.

    He nodded and smothered a yawn. ¡°The old man¡¯s still sleeping.¡±

    ¡°He is getting up there in age. Sleep¡¯s a precious thing when you''re old.¡± She shot him a matching smirk. ¡°Though, you¡¯re looking pretty tired yourself.¡±

    ¡°Nah,¡± He smothered another yawn, ¡°just hungry.¡±

    ¡°In that case, help me out here and then go wake your father up.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s for dinner?¡± asked Shikamaru as he set down the cutlery.

    ¡°Venison steak and mushroom miso ramen.¡±

    ¡°From Ramen Ichiraku?¡±

    ¡°What? No.¡± She looked at him as if he¡¯d grown a second head. ¡°From the market¡ªare you okay?¡±

    ¡°...Yeah, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll go wake up the old man. Don¡¯t croak till then.¡±

    He bolted out of the door before she could find something to throw at him and returned to see full bowls and two jugs at the centre of the table. The meal was good, but by the looks, his parents were exchanging, it was clear there was more to the special day than he¡¯d initially thought.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked.

    His mother blinked. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I told you he¡¯d realise.¡± said his father.

    That only made him even more suspicious so he set down the spoon he was using to sip the broth and sat up straight. ¡°Alright, what¡¯s going on? Is this some kind of intervention?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly. We¡¯re only touching base with you. The report card¡¯s one thing, but it¡¯s just a piece of paper.¡± His father cleared his throat. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ clear that something¡¯s happened. You¡¯ve been at home every afternoon this week¡ªnot that it¡¯s a bad thing, but¡­¡±

    ¡°What your father¡¯s trying to say is that we¡¯re worried.¡± His mother took over. ¡°You haven¡¯t told us about meeting up with friends, or your plans, or any of the things you usually do. Is¡­ is everything okay?¡±

    Shikamaru sighed. It wasn¡¯t like he hadn¡¯t noticed the weird looks his parents had been shooting him all week; he pretended not to while a small part of him hoped that they wouldn¡¯t bring up the change to his schedule. There was no sense in lying to them either. His old man was way too smart and his mother just knew.

    ¡°...No. No, it¡¯s not.¡± He clenched his jaw and sat back so that he could keep both their faces firmly in his field of vision. ¡°Naruto and I had a fight¡ª he¡¯s just so irritating sometimes, you know?¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± asked his father.

    ¡°Well, he always goes on about how I¡¯m too lazy and that I can work harder than I do.¡±

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    His mother tilted her head. ¡°But can¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°See?¡± Shikamaru raised his eyebrows. ¡°There you go now. He pushes his insane expectations on everyone else and then locks himself away when he doesn¡¯t meet them. Is it so bad that I don¡¯t want to be like that?¡±

    ¡°...Okay. So, what¡¯s the problem? Because I¡¯m lost here.¡± His father clasped his hands together and looked at his mother. ¡°Your friend wants you to work harder than you do now, but you don¡¯t want to?¡±

    His mother pursed her lips. Shikamaru saw the apprehension in her brown eyes and swallowed the betrayal tickling the back of his throat. He should have expected their reaction. At the end of the day, hard work was troublesome, and his parents¡ªespecially his mother¡ªdidn¡¯t seem to care about anything he thought on the matter.

    ¡°I think that Shikamaru needs a friend like that, honey. I love Choji, but he cares too much about people¡¯s feelings to push back against our son.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re taking his side now?¡± Shikamaru lurched forward, propping his hands on the table.

    ¡°Now hold on, kid,¡± said his father. ¡°We¡¯re just trying to make sense of all this¡ªI haven¡¯t even met him so what side is there to take? What is it about him asking you to work hard that annoys you so much?¡±

    ¡°I get not wanting to be constantly on the ball, but all your friend seems to be asking you to do is apply yourself,¡± said his mother. ¡°I¡¯ve been asking you to do the same for years. You have so much potential, but until you start to work hard, it¡¯ll only be potential.¡±

    ¡°But I am winning!¡±

    Their faces remained the same: set in their ways, and as hard and unmoving as granite. The only thing that ever mattered was hard work. If he didn¡¯t come home exhausted with all his muscles screaming in pain, he failed some kind of test they laid out for him.

    ¡°The Shadow Bind Jutsu is all I need to win,¡± said Shikamaru. ¡°Why do I need to run myself into the ground every day when I can do just enough? Why is enough never enough, mum?¡±

    His mother raised an eyebrow. ¡°I think you¡¯re not mad at Naruto for saying what he did. You¡¯re mad that, unlike Choji, he isn¡¯t willing to let you waste away. Do you want him to lie and tell you the Shadow Possession Jutsu is enough to get you through your entire life?¡±

    Shikamaru¡¯s breathing turned short and he felt his face grow impossibly hot. Why did it surprise him that they, of all people, didn¡¯t understand him? It wasn¡¯t like this was the first time he¡¯d heard them rant about his laziness. But a part of him expected at least his father to be in his corner. He looked at him over the plates and jugs, appetite completely gone, and waited for his reply.

    His father hummed, traced the scars lining his face, and looked him dead in the eye. ¡°If you want me to tell you that Naruto was wrong, I can¡¯t do that, but that doesn''t mean I''m saying you''re wrong either. You don¡¯t like to work hard? That¡¯s perfectly fine¡ªI¡¯m the same way. We choose how we live and deal with the consequences, good or bad.¡±

    As Shikamaru''s father spoke, he felt a mix of relief and frustration swirling within him. On one hand, it was a relief to hear his father acknowledge his perspective, yet on the other hand, it only served to highlight the growing chasm between them in understanding. The words hung heavy in the air, each syllable resonating with the weight of their expectations and his internal turmoil.

    Shikamaru''s grip on the spoon tightened, his knuckles turning white as he struggled to contain the rising tide of emotions threatening to consume him. ¡°But it''s not that simple,¡± he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper yet laden with a simmering intensity. He could feel the frustration beneath the surface of his skin, threatening to burst out at any moment. ¡°It''s never been that simple.¡±

    His mother''s brow furrowed in concern, her confusion-covered eyes searching his face for answers that he didn''t have. She would never understand him in the way he wished and he was beginning to believe that not even his father could. Shikamaru met her gaze briefly before turning back to his father.

    "You don''t understand," Shikamaru said, his voice gaining strength with each word. "Neither of you do. It''s not just about working hard or not. It''s about..." The strength vanished and he trailed off, unable to articulate the complex web of emotions and expectations that had ensnared him for so long.

    His father''s expression softened, a flicker of understanding passing through his eyes. "I know it''s not easy, son," he said, his voice gentle yet tinged with regret. ¡°But sometimes, we have to make difficult choices, even if they go against what we want out of life.¡±

    Shikamaru''s fists clenched at his sides, his nails digging into his palms as he struggled to contain the storm raging within him. His father''s words echoed in his mind, a stark reminder of the weight of responsibility that had been thrust upon him from birth.

    "I can''t do this right now," Shikamaru said, his voice barely a whisper yet carrying the weight of a lifetime of frustration and resentment. Without another word, he pushed himself away from the table, the scrape of his chair against the floor echoing through the room.

    His parents watched in silence as he made his way to the door, each step heavy with the burden of expectation and the crushing weight of duty. As he stepped out into the cool air, Shikamaru knew that he was finally free. He cast his gaze skyward to the clouds rolling overhead. If only for a moment, that¡¯s exactly how he felt: free from the suffocating grip of expectation.

    It didn¡¯t last though.

    Leaving the Nara compound, he wandered down the hill to join the village proper. Civilians roamed about all around him, but just over the noise, he could hear and see shinobi taking to the roofs over everyone on the street. He didn¡¯t like it. Seeing them was a sign of where his life was headed and what he had to become. Not that he feared the shinobi life, but the kind of life Shikamaru desired was the one where he walked the streets as he did now.

    Naruto was the opposite. They¡¯d had many debates that came to mind. His blond friend was always rushing to get to places, rushing to get stronger, like he had a bomb strapped to his chest. Shikamaru, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t in any kind of rush at all. He was under no illusion that he¡¯d be able to avoid the shinobi life, but neither did he want to jump headfirst into it.

    That landed him in a bit of an odd spot. His friends, everyone from Hinata to Choji, had something they wanted from the shinobi life. He wasn¡¯t as close with Hinata as he was with Choji, but if he had to hazard a guess, it had something to do with clan pride and matching up against her prodigy of an older cousin in the year above. Choji was a lot simpler: he wanted to reimagine himself. He was always awfully self-conscious, but it nosedived at the start of the Academy.

    Now that he thought about it, both his friends only became so work-oriented after they met Naruto and Shikamaru found himself frowning. He wondered where his friends were now, more than a week on from the incident. Probably with Naruto having the time of their lives without a thought for him. Out of his three friends, he was the only one not so crazy about training.

    It used to be him and Choji, but Choji was starting to take taijutsu more seriously, throwing off the dynamic of the friend group. Naruto and Hinata¡¯s more exhausting pursuits were always balanced out by him and Choji, but when he started to go on runs with Naruto, the three of them grew closer together¡ªleaving Shikamaru as the friend they rarely called when they wanted to have fun.

    If they asked him to train, he wouldn¡¯t do it, but the idea of them doing things without him didn¡¯t sit right either. They hadn¡¯t even made the effort to contact him. Did they even care? Did Naruto¡¯s feelings and friendship matter more to them than his? With how much the group had changed this year, Shikamaru wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they did.

    ¡°Shikamaru? What are you doing here?¡±

    He stopped and turned back, too surprised to say anything for a few moments. Hinata and Choji met him at the junction separating the road to and from the Nara compound, and the market street running across it. He looked around briefly for any sign of Naruto, only turning around fully when he didn¡¯t see him.

    ¡°I¡¯m on a walk. You?¡±

    Choji looked at Hinata. ¡°We¡¯re on a walk too.¡±

    If there was one thing Choji was not, it was a good liar. He and Hinata were the least likely to hang out together. Usually, he only hung out with either himself or Naruto. Then again, given the current state of the group, it wasn¡¯t like he had much choice in companionship.

    ¡°No Naruto?¡± Shikamaru asked, nodding at Hinata.

    She glared. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen him since that day.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen me since that day either,¡± he replied. ¡°Are you upset about that too?¡±

    Hinata opened her mouth to reply, but Choji cut her off. ¡°Actually, we were headed to your place.¡±

    ¡°I noticed.¡± Shikamaru let the embarrassed flush on his face settle. ¡°So¡­ you two are on a walk, huh? I guess that dinner really was an intervention, after all.¡±

    ¡°Despite what you think, we¡¯re all worried about you,¡± said Hinata. ¡°Especially since you¡¯re clearly not worried about yourself nearly as much.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean, Hinata?¡± He was already walking away before she even got the chance to reply. ¡°Know what? I¡¯ve already seen where this goes so I think I¡¯ll pass on the argument. See you guys around.¡±

    She sniffed. ¡°I thought you were smart enough not to be a jerk, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hinata!¡±

    They both flinched at the intensity of the shout¡ªa shout that had come from Choji of all people; he¡¯d never had that kind of steel to him before.

    ¡°We¡¯re here to fix a fight, not start another one.¡± Choji stared at her until she muttered an apology before jogging up to him. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, man.¡±

    ¡°...It has.¡± Admitting that did something to Shikamaru. He gulped as a hollowness seeped into him down to the bones.

    Choji smiled and rubbed the back of his head nervously. ¡°Listen, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out at my place again. Just like before.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Shikamaru frowned. ¡°You guys waited for so long before coming to me. Why? Was it because you went to Naruto first? Does he matter more to you than me? If so, I don¡¯t see any reason to agree¡ª¡± He cut himself off at Choji¡¯s frown. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Stop it. He''s our friend and you''re our friend too. Neither of you made any effort to contact us. What the heck did we do to you? Nothing, but did you care?¡± He huffed. ¡°Both you and Naruto have been avoiding us, so don¡¯t act as if we¡¯re bad friends because of it.¡± He ran a hand through his long hair and winced. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being so¡­ you know¡­¡±

    ¡°Aggressive?¡± Shikamaru offered.

    ¡°Assertive,¡± Hinata replied. ¡°Don¡¯t apologise for it, Choji. It''ll ruin the effect.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not wrong.¡±

    Choji hung his head low and they shared a snort before reality hit him and Shikamaru looked away.

    ¡°So¡­ will you come?¡± Choji shuffled between them and looked up almost desperately at him.

    Shikamaru didn''t know why, but he smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll come as long as it¡¯s us.¡± He started to walk away, slowing down when Choji and Hinata pulled up beside him. ¡°Now that I definitely know that the dinner was an intervention, do you guys want to go on a real walk?¡±

    ¡°Wait a sec.¡± Choji rummaged through his pockets and pulled out three bags of roasted peanuts. He gave one to Shikamaru before passing one to Hinata. ¡°Here.¡±

    Despite taking it, Shikamaru raised his eyebrow. ¡±...Why are you giving this to me?¡±

    He smiled. ¡°Do I need a reason to give you a snack?¡±

    Shikamaru supposed he didn''t and happily threw a bunch into his mouth, enjoying the saltiness on his tongue.

 Chapter 18

    I still couldn¡¯t believe it. After so long, I finally had it¡ªI had the resource I¡¯d been chomping at the bits for. It was obvious that Asuma Sarutobi wasn¡¯t helping me out for the most altruistic reasons, and why would he? I was the village¡¯s Jinchuriki, a living weapon to be pointed at their enemies, so training me was as much in the village¡¯s interests as it was mine.

    Even if he was training me solely out of the goodness of his heart (which I very much doubted), what reason did I give him to do so in the first place? I probably looked like any other petty little shite scrounging for a way to one-up his classmates and who was I to presume I was the reason he even decided to train me?

    Maybe Lord Third finally decided to do me solid, because right now, the evidence sure did point that way. I wasn¡¯t sure whether or not it was true, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to be nicer to the old man next time he came around.

    As things stood, there was no way to reveal my reasons for pursuing strength without my reincarnation coming into play. Without doing so, what could I tell him? That I did it on a whim, that it was for fear of war¡ªor the sake of peace? Each reason sounded as empty as the last when it came from a five-foot-tall ten-year-old who knew nothing about the pain of loss.

    It didn¡¯t really matter whether or not I did. It was all about the optics¡ªand worse, it came across as all too arrogant. No, the only way Asuma would believe me was if I gave an age-appropriate reason. Did that mean I lied to him? Not in my opinion. Some would call it a lie of omission, but I never said anything untrue¡­ I just left out the more important reasons why I needed power.

    The much more important reasons aside, I was frustrated that literal children were beating me in spars. Especially if I was going to be kidnapped by Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki in around two years¡ªand that was a big if. For all I knew, maybe I¡¯d die at the hands of Zabuza, or hell, any nameless mook between now and then.

    So, my sole goal was to show Asuma Sarutobi everything I knew.

    Doing so would allow me to take advantage of his knowledge to figure out the best direction for me to grow. I had my ideas on what I wanted to learn, but none of it would matter if I couldn¡¯t impress him enough to take me on as a student in the first place. Falling into a crouch atop a tree branch, I launched myself forward by overloading the chakra sticking me to it in the first place.

    Tree-hopping was as much an art form as it was a method of transportation. It wasn¡¯t a skill limited to traversing forests either. The forest environment was perfect for it, but it was useful in any environment. Using too much chakra in the initial launch meant that you¡¯d destroy whatever was under your feet, so it was one of those skills that required finer chakra control than most genin were used to.

    That constant destructive capability was probably why the Academy taught us parkour from the very first day. Parkour was a way to traverse most obstacles without destroying the home of some poor civilian for no good reason. Being out in a forest meant that I didn¡¯t have to worry about destroying homes, but I kept a tight hold of my chakra as an exercise in control more than anything else.

    True to Asuma¡¯s word, there was a large field past the thickly-packed cluster of trees. The grass was messy and overgrown in places, which made sense since it was pretty out of the way. I¡¯d made sure to arrive half an hour earlier to get my warm-ups in before Asuma arrived.

    To perform at my best, I needed to make sure that both my muscles and chakra network were ready to go, otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be able to get the most out of what I had planned. My prospective teacher arrived exactly thirty minutes later, a cigarette burning in his mouth. He wore standard-issue gear for the most part¡ªwhich consisted of the village¡¯s current flak jacket over a black Hidden Whirlpool long-sleeve and cargo pants¡ªand landed a few feet away from me.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s got a lot of energy this morning.¡± He pulled his cigarette free from his mouth and exhaled, his face contorting under the pressure of a slow, drawn-out yawn.

    ¡°Well,¡± I made a show of spreading my arms, ¡°I¡¯ve got to work up a light sweat. Who knows what we¡¯re going to do today.¡±

    He was silent for a single appraising moment. ¡°...You¡¯re going to be a headache and a half aren¡¯t you.¡±

    I grinned.

    ¡°Get down from the tree.¡± He turned around and finished the rest of his cigarette in a single drag, exhaling a cloud of smoke so thick it looked grey. ¡°We¡¯re going to play a game.¡±

    I cut the chakra flow to my feet immediately and surrendered to gravity¡¯s pull, flipping in midair. The fall wasn¡¯t very high, so I landed in a crouch and let my knees absorb the impact. ¡°You mentioned a game?¡±

    ¡°Yep. It¡¯s pretty simple in theory. All you¡¯ve got to do is hit me once. Me blocking doesn¡¯t count either, has to be somewhere I don¡¯t want to get hit. You manage that and you win.¡±

    Excitement raced down my spine. I needed to make an impression on Asuma and a straight-up fight was the best chance. This was perfect because, to my knowledge, Asuma wasn¡¯t S-rank like Kakashi or Might Gai, but he was probably the strongest shinobi in the village after them.

    Surpassing him was a must, and this would let me know how big the gap between us was.

    ¡°And how do you win?¡± I asked.

    Asuma stuck his hands into the pouch at his back and removed¡­ a pear? I looked closer and saw the numbers circling it.

    ¡°This is an alarm clock. I¡¯m going to set it for¡­¡± He scratched his chin and hummed. ¡°Eh, I¡¯ll be generous and give you twenty-five minutes. If you can¡¯t land a blow in that time, I win.¡±

    ¡°Sounds pretty fair, but I¡¯ve got a question.¡±

    He walked to a nearby tree and levelled a trench knife against it. ¡°It¡¯s going to have to wait a minute.¡±

    There was an audible hiss. I saw the hazy blue glow of chakra around the blade right before he swung it through the tree. The upper half toppled to the side and he popped the alarm atop the stump. I shook off my astonishment at how casually he¡¯d used high-level chakra manipulation.

    It was expected of most chunin¡ªlet alone jonin¡ªand if I was aiming for strength beyond that, I needed to accept it as a fact of life just as he had.

    I still had to collect my jaw from the ground, though.

    ¡°I wanted to know, what do I get if I win?¡±

    Asuma frowned thoughtfully. ¡°If you win, I¡¯ll give you some gear. Good stuff that you¡¯ll be able to use until you¡¯re at least fourteen, maybe fifteen. Once puberty hits, you¡¯ll need something bigger, but it¡¯ll last you until then.¡±

    ¡°And if you win?¡±

    Instead of answering, he smiled. ¡°Time¡¯s a ticking, kid.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s do this.¡±

    He extended his arm at the elbow and beckoned me in. I didn¡¯t let it annoy me, and yet, the closer I got, the bigger he seemed. It wasn¡¯t just the size difference, either. Something else was at play. His huge body cast a looming shadow over me, sucking the heat from the air.

    One step forward and breathing became an ordeal on its own. For every bit of air I dragged in, thrice the amount left my lungs. In no time at all, my chest began to burn.

    Asuma was a mountain, staring down at me with his unblinking, impossibly lifeless eyes. Gritting my teeth, I took a second step. The edges of my vision darkened while I fought to breathe, to move, to fight¡­ and not to pass out.

    I swayed before catching myself, turning my head to stare into the darkness swirling overhead. My legs were seconds away from giving out and as if things couldn¡¯t get worse, something insanely powerful had turned its attention onto me.

    I was lightheaded, being squeezed on all sides by a pressure I couldn¡¯t pinpoint, and slowly suffocating. If I couldn¡¯t move, then I¡¯d simply have to close the distance by throwing myself forward using chakra. I moulded it with practised ease (despite the cold) and submerged myself in its warmth.

    The heavy presence bore over me, but with my chakra as a pillar to lean against, I advanced. Breathing was still difficult, but with my chakra aiding me, I didn¡¯t have to fight for it as hard. The pressure was there, but with my chakra as a barrier, it was a few feet away instead of right up against me.

    More importantly, Asuma was big, but the distance between us was clear.

    I lowered my guard. ¡°What the hell is this?¡±

    ¡°How ahead are you? I¡¯m pretty sure you shouldn¡¯t know about genjutsu yet.¡± He tilted his head and all of it just¡­ vanished. ¡°To be fair, it isn¡¯t exactly genjutsu in the first place.¡±

    ¡°Then what is it?¡±

    ¡°Killing intent. The only similarity it bears to genjutsu is that I use my chakra to influence you. I didn¡¯t trick your brain, but nothing you saw was real.¡±

    ¡°...I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    Asuma rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°This¡¯ll have to be quick since we¡¯re on a timer. Think of chakra like a kunai. You can use it on its own, but you can also apply various poisons to it, right?¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that chakra is the kunai and that you¡­ added killing intent to it? That pressure wasn¡¯t your chakra?¡±

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    ¡°What did you feel?¡±

    ¡°The air being pushed out my lungs and a lot of pressure,¡± I said, rubbing my chest uncomfortably.

    ¡°That was killing intent. It differs from person to person. You felt like that because my primary chakra affinity is wind, and I tend to use it the most in battle, which is why it¡¯s reflected in my killing intent.¡±

    ¡°I get that,¡± I said. ¡°But what is killing intent? Is it some kind of jutsu, and if so, how come you didn¡¯t use any hand seals.¡±

    ¡°Killing intent isn¡¯t a jutsu. It¡¯s a state of mind; the willingness to die, and the willingness to kill, reflected in my chakra. ¡±

    ¡°Does chakra normally have that kind of¡­ quality?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It does. But it¡¯s mostly subconscious. I¡¯m speaking as if it¡¯s something you do consciously, but unless you¡¯re specifically employing killing intent, or something similar, you¡¯re not doing it on purpose.¡± He rubbed his chin and released a long sigh. ¡°There¡¯s a mental component to chakra, which is why you can¡¯t efficiently mix it when riled up. You¡¯ll come to realise that¡¯s sort of a lie because it only refers to uncontrolled emotions. By focusing your fear, rage, or any other emotion, you can imbue your chakra with that quality and be all the more powerful for it, understand?¡±

    ¡°I think I understand the basics,¡± I said. ¡°Chakra usually has subconscious qualities laced within it based on our state of mind. Killing intent is just battle experience consciously projected outward using chakra¡­ right?¡±

    He flapped his hand about. ¡°Close enough. Any half-decent sensor could tell you more about how that looks, but I¡¯m not one and neither are you. Now, enough talk. I won¡¯t use any more killing intent so come at me. We¡¯ve got¡­ fifteen minutes left, give or take.¡±

    That was as good a green light as I was going to get. Asuma stood at an intimidating height and me being a humble five-foot tall ten-year-old meant close-range combat was a no-go. It would mean telegraphing every blow and wasting energy trying to close the distance between us.

    I made my hand seals and leapt back, vanishing into a rush of smoke that surged around me. A dozen clones burst through the fading smoke and, using their sheer number and the smoke as cover, I dipped into my pouch and gripped one of three smoke bombs I¡¯d bought for this very fight.

    I¡¯d developed a newfound appreciation after being caught unawares by the things not once, but twice. It was the perfect tool for me, especially since the amount of smoke the Clone Jutsu released varied. The most important factor was chakra control, but a close second was the number of clones you wanted to create.

    After a certain point, the smoke generated was more of a loss to the chakra reserves than a natural result of the jutsu. Most people eventually used the Clone Jutsu so much they didn¡¯t generate smoke anymore¡ªbut I wasn¡¯t most people. With my chakra reserves, I could effectively create a never-ending army of illusory clones and then use the smoke as cover to set up further attacks.

    But that was only step one of my plan to fight Asuma.

    ¡°Okay,¡± I muttered, slipping a hand into my weapons pouch. ¡°Where is he?¡±

    The smoke was thick enough for me to just about see through it. After registering Asuma¡¯s position and my quickly dwindling number of clones, I summoned one more clone and threw several shuriken towards the mass of bodies, clearing the ground in one enhanced step.

    I flew through the hand seals for the Transformation Jutsu, following close behind the swarm of metal stars. Asuma deflected most with a kunai¡ª except for me because I¡¯d gone wide on purpose. He turned to face the clone I¡¯d left in the smoke cloud and I shot over his head, undoing the transformation in time to stick to the tree.

    Climbing into the safety of the canopy, I lay flat against a branch. I was slightly too far to hear what he was saying to the clone, but it didn¡¯t matter. It was only meant to be a distraction for the next phase of my plan. Sliding back to the tree¡¯s trunk, I stood perpendicular to it through sheer strength.

    My back muscles strained at the effort, but I didn¡¯t need to hold the position for too long. The bark crackled dangerously under my feet in warning and I could feel the upper layer starting to give way. I increased the chakra flow to my feet even more before ripping both kunai free from their holsters.

    Kunai poised and ready, I shot forward at eye-watering speeds, raising the blades high above my head. Tears streamed out of my eyes, but I kept them open until I couldn¡¯t any longer. When I opened my eyes, Asuma was gone, and I was on the fast track to take a massive bite out of Mother Earth.

    ¡°Slow down there. What are you trying to do, kill me?¡±

    My rapid descent slammed to a stop, one of the kunai in my hands flew into the brush, and my kneecaps knocked together¡ªyet I managed to chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re a jonin. It¡¯d be disappointing if you didn¡¯t manage to avoid it.¡±

    I heard him hum. ¡°Good point.¡±

    Thankfully, he took a second too long to answer so using the only kunai I had left, I sliced the scruff of my shirt off and fell into a crouch. Before Asuma could let go, I blew myself off the ground using chakra and slammed an axe kick into his forearm. For a split second, his arm was a springboard, one I used to flip over his head and dip into my weapons pouch.

    He sprung back in an agile backflip, scattering half a dozen shuriken across the field. I gathered chakra via the Confrontation Seal with my right hand and tossed a smoke bomb between us with my left. The smoke cloud tripled in size once I used the Clone Jutsu, summoning a small army of about a dozen clones.

    This time, though, I joined the clones charging towards Asuma. While they didn¡¯t cast shadows themselves, I could make sure that they covered my own. It was sort of terrifying to see how easily he made quick work of them.

    Swallowing my unease, I guided my chakra, feeling it course down to the soles of my feet and blast me forward. I slammed to a stop behind Asuma and stabbed, striking nothing. A heavy hand settled on my shoulder and I immediately flipped forward, twisting around in mid-air.

    ¡°Talk about an overreaction,¡± Asuma said with a sigh.

    I levelled my kunai at him. ¡°Stop it.¡±

    ¡°Stop what?¡±

    ¡°All of this¡ªcut it out. I¡¯m fighting you seriously here. I¡¯m coming at you with everything I have and you¡¯re treating it like it¡¯s a joke.¡±

    To a jonin like him, I was a joke, and therein lay the source of my frustration. While he was playing around with me, my enemies were growing stronger. There were people my age who¡¯d completely curb-stomp me as I was right now. Knowing all I did, I couldn¡¯t afford to waste time messing about anymore, and if that meant pissing off a jonin, that¡¯s what I¡¯d do.

    ¡°We both know I¡¯m not any kind of threat to you, but I¡¯m trying my best here. Do me the favour of at least reciprocating that, otherwise there¡¯s no point to this.¡±

    Asuma pulled out two trench knives and brandished them with a long sigh.

    I could feel my kunai hilt through my clammy hand and eased out a breath. The blades glowed a faint blue and I crushed the urge to spring back behind the cover of smoke and clones. Doing so wouldn¡¯t win me the spar. I wasn¡¯t sure how long we had left, but if I wanted to land a blow before time ran out, close-range was the way to go.

    Despite not being happy with doing so, I had a few ideas I could try in case my plan failed. He entered striking distance, and I jammed up, watching his metal-covered fist move closer to my face. It wasn¡¯t like I froze on purpose, but there was a heavy pressure leaking out of him, and the closer he got, the more I felt it.

    It wasn¡¯t as focused or as strong as the killing intent from earlier, but it didn¡¯t need to be to throw me off. I chewed the inside of my cheek, the pain reinvigorating my limbs, and dodged. Asuma twisted his wrist inwards and flared out his elbow, turning the blade towards me. The hazy glow of chakra was growing stronger by the minute, and if those blades were anything like my enhanced palm strike, I was better off staying clear of them.

    Flipping back, I pumped chakra through my hands and blasted into the canopy. The field was relatively small and surrounded by trees on all sides. I flew through it, firing chakra through both my hands and feet each time I landed for maximum speed. Each time I landed on a branch, I summoned a clone and, once I¡¯d circled the field, they burst out of the treetops.

    I didn¡¯t stay hidden this time and jumped out of the canopy from above, fitting three shuriken between my fingers. Asuma levelled both his trench knives at the clone army, spinning around the moment they touched down. They vanished in successive smoke clouds, and I gaped as I fell.

    The knives had turned into handles for two dangerously visible serrated chakra blades. I hurled the shuriken and fell into the brush, springing forward as a fourth shuriken. Narrowly avoiding a wide slash that I¡¯m pretty sure destroyed at least one of the shuriken I¡¯d thrown, I plunged into the grass.

    Asuma looked up in the direction the shuriken had come from and I waited until he¡¯d completely turned his back before lifting the transformation. With the reveal of some kind of chakra lightsaber, I knew I had no chance at either long or close range. The only weapon I had left was my chakra repulsion, something I¡¯d hit a dead end on.

    Using chakra adhesion to stop me from being blown away forced me to take more of the backlash head-on, but my other choices were looking grim right now. Moulding more chakra than I thought I¡¯d need, I divided some to stick my lead foot to the ground, sending the rest coursing up my body and down my shoulder.

    This was it.

    I slammed my hand into his back and let the chakra run wild. That proved to be a very, very bad idea. The upper bit of my arm bone popped out of the socket, rendering it completely useless¡ªnot that I¡¯d be able to use it anyway¡ªand my body shuddered, kept rooted to the ground by the quickly fading adhesion. I looked at my right arm in horror for a few seconds until the pain hit, bringing me to my knees.

    The alarm clock blared across the field and I blinked at the world through hot tears.

    ¡°Kid!¡± Asuma appeared by my side. He tore away my already ripped shirt and took a look at my arm. ¡°You¡¯ve dislocated it, which you should be grateful for. It could¡¯ve been much, much worse. Going this far for a spar; goddamn, what the hell is wrong with you?¡± He grasped my bicep with one hand and my wrist in the other. ¡°Look at me.¡±

    I did, with great difficulty, looking back and forth between his face and my arm.

    ¡°Explain to me exactly what that was.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, gritting my teeth through the pain. ¡°W-When you overload the chakra sticking you to a surface, it blasts you off, destroying whatever¡¯s underneath. I had the idea to incorporate that into my taijutsu style. That kind of strength would let me end fights in a single¡ª!¡±

    He pulled down on my wrist, popping the bone back into the socket. I¡¯m pretty sure I whimpered, but that was the sort of knowledge I¡¯d take to the grave. A fresh wave of tears pooled in my eyes and I cradled the elbow of my now-relocated arm to my chest.

    ¡°In a single blow¡ªand it would, if you knew what you were doing. All you¡¯re doing right now is letting insane amounts of chakra rampage through your body and hoping that you can take it and that your opponent can¡¯t.¡± He jabbed my throbbing arm, making me hiss. ¡°Next time you want to experiment, make sure you go to someone who can help you, understand?¡±

    Wiping my tears, I bowed my head. ¡°...Please, help me. There are things that I want to try, but at the rate I¡¯m going, I¡¯ll end up crippling myself.¡±

    ¡°...To be fair, you did win, so you¡¯re heading in the right direction.¡± He rubbed the back of his neck guiltily. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you here this time next week with the gear. Make sure you bring a list of things you want to learn and I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±

    Rising to my feet, I rotated my shoulder a few times, wincing at the dull ache. I¡¯d probably heal the damage overnight, but it felt like I¡¯d fractured a bone. This was the first time I¡¯d dislocated anything in both lives, and I wasn¡¯t enjoying the experience.

    ¡°Thank you, Asuma.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, but take it easy today. Make a stop at the hospital and get your shoulder looked at by a medic just in case¡ªhere.¡± He scribbled something onto a sticky note he¡¯d pulled out of his flak jacket. ¡°This should get you in and out without wasting the entire day in a waiting area.¡±

    I accepted the note and vanished into the canopy, leaving my new teacher behind. I¡¯d stop at my apartment for a shirt before going to the hospital, partly because of the cold, but wandering around shirtless would just give the villagers another thing to complain about.

    The spar hadn¡¯t gone the way I hoped, but it was safe to say that proper chakra enhancement would be on the list of things to learn.

 Chapter 19 [1]

    Deep orange light beamed through the classroom¡¯s tall windows, bathing the room in the setting sun¡¯s brilliance as it dipped below the horizon. I carried a water-filled bucket with me up each row, silently dragging the mop across the classroom¡¯s hardwood floors, and used a blade scraper to dislodge hardened pieces of gum from under the long tables. I had no doubt my classmates would stick more gum underneath the table by next week, but I did it anyway.

    Solitude at school wasn¡¯t something I expected to experience again. I took my lunches on the school roof and only appeared when I had to. However, the solitude gave me time to think past the guilt and disgust at myself and reflect on why I felt the way I did. Most likely, it was because I was a child¡ªone with the experience of an adult¡ªand from a child¡¯s perspective, my response to Shikamaru was fair.

    He went for the jugular first because he couldn¡¯t stomach criticism, and I responded in kind. Shikamaru hadn¡¯t spoken to me at all since then¡ªrather, I avoided speaking to him, or anyone for that matter. We¡¯d argued about our differences in worldview before, but I always pulled away before things could really get ugly.

    I wasn¡¯t a child. I should¡¯ve been above targeting his insecurities, even if he was a little shit and wasn¡¯t above targeting mine. At the end of the day, he would grow and learn that it wasn¡¯t okay to do so. As for me, that was a lesson I¡¯d known long before this life. There was no excuse for how I acted, so if it took me being alone to stop being a child, then so be it because the one time that I didn¡¯t, our entire friend group fractured.

    ¡°You¡¯re still here?¡±

    I looked down from the top of the tiered classroom.

    ¡°Iruka-sensei?¡± Leaning the mop and the bucket against the back wall, I jumped from table to table and landed at the front of the class.

    ¡°You could have taken the stairs, you know?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s Ren? Isn¡¯t she meant to be on cleaning duty with you?¡± He looked around the classroom. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s ditched it?¡±

    ¡°Dunno.¡± I shrugged. ¡°But I¡¯m kind of glad she isn¡¯t here. Doing this alone was pretty calming.¡±

    Iruka gave me an odd look and walked over to his desk, putting on his chunin vest and grabbing his backpack from under the table. ¡°Even if that¡¯s true, you should probably head on home now. All the afterschool clubs are done and they¡¯ll be locking the front gate soon.¡±

    ¡°I was already finished anyway,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯ll see you next week, sensei.¡±

    ¡°Have a nice weekend.¡±

    I forced a smile on my face and nodded.

    The best way to get back on track was to stick to a schedule, so the first thing I¡¯d do after dropping my things home would be to go and train. Looking out at the fields behind the school, I saw the last football games wrapping up and a few of the other club members were trudging towards the gate.

    I joined them at one of the ground floor¡¯s exits.

    ¡°Wait for us, Naruto!¡±

    Haruto tore around the corner first, followed first by Nori and then Ko. They wore plain shirts and shorts, with socks hiked up just under their knees. Against my initial thought to leave, I stayed still and waited for them to reach me. Maybe it was how elated they looked as they ran up to me, but against my initial reaction to ignore them, I stood still.

    They gathered in front of me, and I noticed that, despite how much they¡¯d grown, I still stood taller than them

    ¡°Why are you still here?¡± asked Haruto.

    ¡°I had to clean my homeroom,¡± I replied.

    Ko winced in sympathy after tying her hair back to keep it out of her sweaty face. ¡°We had to clean our homeroom yesterday. You managed to get out so early.¡±

    ¡°Me and her were stuck in there until six,¡± said Nori.

    ¡°I bet you guys were chatting the entire time,¡± I replied, snorting softly when they couldn¡¯t form a reply. ¡°If that¡¯s all, I¡¯ll be off. I need to go train for the exams. They¡¯re only a few months away. See you guys around.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Haruto grabbed my shoulder and then let go immediately when I looked at him, flushing slightly. ¡°S-Sorry. I just meant¡­¡± He looked at Ko and Nori, who nodded in support. ¡°Um¡­ spar with us, please!¡±

    I blinked. ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°We want you to spar with us,¡± repeated Nori. ¡°We know you¡¯re the best at taijutsu in the entire school, except for Neji Hyuuga in the year above yours. Please! It¡¯ll help us improve.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± said Ko.

    Haruto smirked and clenched his fist. ¡°Besides, we¡¯ll get to show you how much we¡¯ve learned.¡±

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    Between the three of them, any resistance I had crumbled. I reached over to ruffle their hair and walked away to a series of surprised yelps and cries. I continued walking without looking back until I reached the school gates.

    ¡°What are you guys waiting for?¡± I asked. ¡°You scared or something?¡±

    Haruto was the first to look up, his grey eyes clearing up instantly. ¡°You wish!¡±

    Ko and Nori beamed and sprinted after him and I let their animated conversation wash over me. Instead of taking to the roofs as I usually did, I walked through the village¡ªobviously avoiding the more populated bits¡ªand absorbed the sights.

    The people aside, the Hidden Leaf Village was a beautiful place, with a nice forest aesthetic that blended with the sprawling buildings. None were ever taller than four stories, with the Hokage¡¯s Red House being the only exception.

    Twenty minutes later, we gathered in a field under the shadow of a great tree. Haruto, Ko, and Nori stood ahead of me with determined grins and I relaxed, shooting them an easygoing smile.

    ¡°This¡¯ll be strictly taijutsu, alright? You guys haven¡¯t got to use actual weapons in taijutsu yet so it¡¯s only fair. Ready?¡± They nodded and I shifted my weight. ¡°Alright, come at me.¡±

    Since it was three against one, I sought to break their advantage by running straight at them. Not having expected the move, all three hopped back. I suppressed the instinct to mould my chakra and threw myself into the thick of it. Nori looked the most hesitant so I went for him first. Using the momentum from my run, I slammed a front kick into his hastily prepared guard, sending him sprawling.

    Seeing him roll across the grass got Haruto and Ko to spark to life. The redhead engaged with a determined yell. I blocked her first punch and dodged the next. She pressed her advantage and pushed me back, giving Nori time to recover and Haruto an opening to exploit. He came around me and tried to snake his hands around my neck so I dropped low, flooring a surprised Ko and using the momentum to do the same to him.

    I rose just as Nori barrelled into me. We slammed into the tree and I leaned forward, slowly pushing him back. ¡°...I didn¡¯t know you were this strong,¡± I chuckled.

    He bared his teeth in a grin that looked more like a grimace as he struggled to stop me from overpowering him. ¡°I¡¯ve been helping my pa around the smithy.¡±

    ¡°The Academy has a free gym on the ground floor, you know? It might help you get stronger in a more focused way.¡±

    ¡°I m-might have to start doing that with ho-how this is going¡­¡±

    I nodded in acceptance and pushed Nori far enough to give me some space to manoeuvre before suddenly letting him go. I pivoted and he went flying, arms outstretched to cling onto me, and collided head first against the tree.

    ¡°M-My nose!¡± he yelled.

    Haruto and Ko stood on either side of me, and based on the gradual lack of cursing from behind me, it was safe to assume Nori was ready to pull something too. I smiled when they started to circle me.

    These three had a bad habit of assuming I¡¯d wait for them to set up whatever it was they wanted to try.

    Smirking, I feinted a kick in Nori¡¯s direction, causing the black-haired boy to flinch sharply. Ko and Haruto, assuming I was about to go for him, broke the circle. The redhead went high, while Haruto went low, swinging his heel around the back of my foot. I braced down, negating his sweep.

    ¡°Damn,¡± he cursed and rolled out of the way of my stomp.

    Ko stepped in. ¡°Eyes on me, twinkletoes!¡±

    Grinning at the nickname, I countered her incoming right hand with a sharp left hook, knocking her off balance. She hissed and shook it off, engaging with a fast one-two combination. I blocked her lead hand and caught her other arm, swinging around to face Nori.

    He was too committed to a sidekick to stop and sunk his heel into her gut, pressing all the air out of her, and effectively knocking her out of the fight. He was perfectly off balance from his kick, so all it took was a jab to send him on his behind for the second time this fight.

    I rushed after him and slammed my fist down just next to his head, also knocking him out of the fight.

    I stood up and put my hands on my hips. ¡°Well, that¡¯s it for you guys, the¡ª!¡±

    Something collided against me, and I tripped forward, bracing myself against the tree trunk in front of me.

    ¡°I¡¯m not done yet,¡± said Haruto, taking up a basic ready stance. ¡°It¡¯s you and me now. Don¡¯t hold back.¡±

    Fixing my shirt, I looked at him appraisingly. ¡°If you¡¯re so sure.¡±

    For the first time in our free-for-all match, I moulded my chakra. The gap between us closed in less than a second and I grabbed hold of his lead hand, solidifying our connection with chakra. Yanking him in, I pulled on his neck and slammed a knee into his face. He reeled back, dazed and I shoved him forwards. Haruto regained his balance and stepped forward to meet me, throwing a combination of blows.

    Surprised by how fast they¡¯d come, I stopped advancing and blocked them, letting him set the pace. He fell into a familiar combination of palm strikes and slapped my hits aside. After the fourth exchange, I signalled a time-out and stared at him inquisitively.

    ¡°Haruto? When did you learn the Gentle Fist?¡±

    ¡°The Gentle Fist?¡± He frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve just been studying Asami¡¯s fighting style since her taijutsu¡¯s better than mine.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a Hyuuga,¡± I replied. ¡°So she uses the Gentle Fist. Perhaps the second most important thing to their clan after the Byakugan?¡±

    All the blood drained from his face.

    Nori laughed nervously. ¡°...You¡¯ve done it now, man.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m not going to go to prison, am I?¡± asked Haruto. ¡°I¡¯ve only been working on it for a few weeks. I was going to use it in my next spar against her¡­ but now, I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Ko spoke up. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Naruto¡¯s using the Gentle Fist too. He does a lot of palm strikes and his stance is similar to Haruto¡¯s. He doesn¡¯t slap hits away, though.¡±

    Haruto blinked. ¡°Really?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Yeah. I tend to deflect them with my forearms or trap them instead¡±

    ¡°Can you teach me?¡± He asked, looking at me like a man on death row. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to prison, Naruto¡ªI¡¯m an only child!¡±

    ¡°First, slow down.¡± I held back my laugh. ¡°You¡¯re not stealing secret jutsu and don¡¯t have the Byakugan, so you can¡¯t even use it in the first place. The Gentle Fist is more than just palm strikes; anyone could do what you¡¯ve just done. Secondly, sure, I''ll teach you. Not now, though.¡± I wiped the sweat off my forehead. ¡°We¡¯ve gone at it enough.¡±

    He slumped in disappointment. ¡°Damn.¡±

    ¡°Chin up, dude. That wasn¡¯t a no,¡± I laughed, looking at the other two lying in the grass. ¡°But here¡¯s a more important question. Ramen, anyone?¡±

    Their answers were unanimous, so I took them to Ichiraku Ramen to refuel.

 Chapter 19 [2]

    ¡°Go on,¡± I said, nudging the three children forward. ¡°It¡¯s on me today. Eat till you burst. I¡¯ll only charge you if you throw it up.¡±

    They shuffled nervously in front of the restaurant, peeping through the blinds at the three customers occupying the seats on the right side of the shop. Luckily for them, the left three seats were completely free, and I heard them whisper fiercely about who should sit next to the scary tattooed man.

    I formed three hand seals and focused on getting rid of my whiskers and turning my hair a dirty blonde. It was small enough of a change that Haruto and the others wouldn¡¯t think it too strange if I called it training. I pushed open the back door and locked it behind me, hanging my coat on the rack immediately to my left.

    ¡°I¡¯m back. Mr Teuchi? Ayame?¡±

    ¡°Kid?¡± Teuchi was the first to hear me arrive, looking up from three miso ramen bowls. ¡°You don¡¯t have a shift today. What do you want?¡±

    I sighed. ¡°Can¡¯t I come here for the good company?¡±

    ¡°These days, you only stop by for food and work,¡± he replied with an amused glare. ¡°Out with it. What do you need?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you, but fine. I¡¯ve got three kids¡ªmy underclassmen¡ªwho I thought I¡¯d treat. I don¡¯t mind working extra hours to make up for the loss.¡±

    ¡°Course I¡¯ll feed ¡®em.¡± He frowned intensely at me. ¡°And work for it? You already work here, don¡¯t you? Call it an employee benefit. Now, you¡¯d better sit your butt down on the other side of the counter. I¡¯ll get your favourite whipped in a moment.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I began, folding my arms, ¡°but no. Like I said, I brought ¡®em here. Helping out is the least I can do.¡±

    ¡°Well, hold on now¡ª¡±

    ¡°Besides,¡± I continued with a challenging glare. ¡°I¡¯d like to feed my own customers, thank you very much.¡±

    Teuchi deflated at my final comment and gave me a resigned, grudging nod, popping his head through the open shutter and passing the three men their bowls.

    ¡°That was impressive.¡±

    I finished typing my apron just in time to watch Ayame trail down the stairs, clad in a loose black t-shirt and baggy trousers. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t manage to get Dad to give me my own space until I was fourteen,¡± she said. ¡°Look at you doing it at ten.¡±

    ¡°Cut him some slack, Ayame. You¡¯re his only child. It¡¯s not like he had any previous experience to go off before you, right?¡±

    She gave a half-nod in agreement and raised an eyebrow. ¡°What have you done to yourself?¡±

    ¡°Oh, this? Watch.¡± I cut off the chakra flow to my face and grinned. ¡°Transformation Jutsu. It lets me turn into basically anything I can imagine¡ªsort of. Pretty neat, right?¡±

    ¡°No kidding. The things I could do with that¡­¡± She had a faraway look on her face for a few moments before snapping back to attention. ¡°What were you doing using it here in the first place?¡±

    I shrugged noncommittally. ¡°Training.¡±

    She gave me a dubious look but didn¡¯t push any further.

    ¡°Do you want to help out with this?¡± I asked while forming the hand seals for the Transformation Jutsu. ¡°You might as well if you¡¯ve got nothing to do.¡±

    ¡°What, me?¡± she scoffed. ¡°Hah, no way! It''s my off day and you¡¯re asking me to do more work?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Not like you were going to do anything with your day besides reading Icha Icha, right?¡±

    My words had the desired effect and then some.

    Ayame flushed a deep scarlet, her brown eyes darting about wildly in case her father had overheard me, and then she pounced. Her hands tangled around me and squeezed tightly and her voice came out in a strangled hiss.

    ¡°How did you find out? Were you in my room, you little shit?¡± She stopped and detached from me. ¡°...Hold on. How do you know about Icha Icha in the first place?¡±

    I stared at her blankly. ¡°From your books. They were very¡­ informative.¡±

    ¡°So you admit,¡± she said with a deep frown. ¡°I¡¯d punish you, but since both know Dad can¡¯t ever find out about this, how about a deal.¡±

    I subdued my rising grin into a smirk. ¡°...I¡¯m listening.¡±

    ¡°I need a way to buy your silence, so how about some pocket money every week?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ tempting, but I¡¯ll have to pass. Mr Teuchi pays me well and I¡¯ve got a lot of cash saved up.¡±

    And probably some kind of inheritance from my parents.

    ¡­Maybe.

    ¡°So money¡¯s out. Damn.¡± She chewed her lip. ¡°What can I give you that you don¡¯t already have?¡±

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Easy. Just do whatever I say for the rest of the month.¡± I chuckled a little at her horrified expression. ¡°Relax, I¡¯m not evil. You¡¯ll probably end up being my helper during my shifts or something. Think of it this way; Mr Teuchi complains that you¡¯re lazy, right? Maybe it¡¯s because you go off to read your dirty literature, but regardless, this is a way to get him on your side.¡±

    Ayame stroked her chin pensively. ¡°...You might be onto something.¡±

    ¡°So, do we have a deal?¡± I smirked, offering my hand.

    She took it and pumped it once. ¡°We do, you little creep¡ª¡¯cause you¡¯d have to be one to even know what Icha Icha is¡ªbut we have a deal, indeed.¡±

    She jogged up the stairs with a pep in her step, completely unaware that she¡¯d signed away four weeks of her life to me. I snickered to myself at the thought of all the things I could have her do. Like my laundry, my shopping, and all the other irritating tasks I couldn¡¯t be bothered to do myself.

    It went beyond pettiness. Every second taken away from the regular day-to-day obligations was one I could spend on things I cared more about.

    Alone in the kitchen once again, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work, preparing three miso bowls with every topping available. I even made sure to give the kids half a hard-boiled and soft-boiled egg so they got a taste of everything. Given how active they¡¯d been today with school, football, and their spar with me, seconds would be a certainty.

    After a glance at a clean ladle to make sure the transformation was still active, I walked out the back door, carefully balancing the piping hot bowls on a tray. While it wasn¡¯t something I¡¯d usually do, I felt the need to go above and beyond for those three¡¯s first Ichiraku experience because it could be one of the things they remembered most fondly about their childhood.

    I rounded the corner and popped my head through the blinds.

    ¡°Yo!¡±

    Nori was the closest to me¡ªsitting at the very end¡ªand so reacted first, yelping loudly and setting off Ko. She turned with a string of curses aimed mostly at Nori, but also at whoever had set him off: me. Haruto was wedged between her and the ¡°scary tattooed man¡± so he was limited in how he could react but he twisted his neck in my direction.

    ¡°Watch your profanity, Ko,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re in a revered establishment, after all.¡±

    ¡°Maybe don¡¯t scare your customers to death and they won¡¯t curse in your revered establishment, yeah?¡± She glared at me, an amused light in her eyes. ¡°Are you going to argue with me? Isn¡¯t the customer always right?¡±

    ¡°Me? Why, I would never and to prove it, here are your meals, gentlemen.¡± I gasped and let them grab their respective bowls, snickering at Ko¡¯s mock outrage but I eventually gave her the final bowl.

    ¡°Woah,¡± said Nori through a mouthful of noodles. ¡°These are good. Like really good! Did you make them yourself?¡±

    ¡°The broth, yes. The noodles, no. Mr Teuchi made those.¡±

    Ko and Haruto slurped noisily beside him, the latter conquering his fear enough to ask, ¡°Is Mr Teuchi the old man with the wrinkly eyes.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let him hear you say that,¡± I said. ¡°He might charge you for this meal.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Ko frowned. ¡°Shut your hole, Haruto. I don¡¯t have any money and the ramen is too good to give up. If you say something stupid, I¡¯ll bite you.¡±

    ¡°Relax, will you?¡± the grey-eyed boy frowned back. ¡°I was just asking.¡±

    ¡°Well don¡¯t,¡± she replied, bringing their conversation to an end.

    I returned to the kitchen, hearing them scarf the food down to the back entrance. Fastening my apron, I got started on the next set of orders as a new batch of customers replaced the gang of tattooed men. I could hear their animated conversation through the shutter and it was loud enough to overpower whatever my three underclassmen were arguing about.

    ¡°...I swear, man, Old Banri was spooked. Refused to take me into the Land of Rice Fields.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t hear part of it because the men started to talk over each other, so I focused on garnishing one¡¯s order and taking the opportunity to get a closer listen.

    ¡°Really?¡± Another was saying. ¡°That¡¯s not how I heard it. Apparently, the Daimyo there let it happen.¡±

    A pair of weathered hands plucked the bowl and, after a moment of scuffling, passed it down the long table.

    ¡°That¡¯s just a rumour¡ªI¡¯ve heard it all at this point. From a vicious coup, an assassination, you name it,¡± the first man replied. ¡°. And it¡¯s not called the Land of Rice Fields anymore. One of my links in the place told me it¡¯s called the Land of Sound. Ominous, huh? I wonder what happened up there.¡±

    I took a half step back from the shutter. ¡°...The Land of Sound?¡±

    ¡°Aye.¡± Teuchi''s taller, broader body stopped me from retreating further. He looked down with a kind smile. ¡°It¡¯s certainly something. Countries don¡¯t change titles often unless there''s been a conflict of some kind. I¡¯ve heard rumours that someone supplanted the Daimyo, but that¡¯s all they are¡ªrumours. We¡¯re protected here in the Land of Fire. The peace will last a few years longer at the very least so there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±

    He patted my shoulder firmly before leaning over the counter with a booming laugh.

    The world beneath me lurched. I felt my heart beat violently in the back of my throat, hitching my breath with every pulse and tremor. Teuchi was right on one thing: the peace would last for a few years longer, but everything would go to absolute fucking hell after that.

    I swallowed hard, finding my throat painfully dry. How had I missed something so important?

    I¡¯d spent the last decade burning in hatred against a foe that wasn¡¯t assured, living almost carelessly with children while something far worse than Obito bided its time next door. For all the twisted things he¡¯d done, Obito could at least be called human. I could understand his motivations, even if I hated the bastard.

    Orochimaru¡ªthe body-snatching, soul-plundering, abomination that he was¡ªwas worse. He was a much more immediate threat to my existence¡ªone I¡¯d practically forgotten until it was shoved right under my nose. As shameful as it was to admit it, I forgot all about Haruto, Ko, and Nori beyond the wall in front of me.

    I forgot about my shift at Ichiraku¡¯s.

    I forgot about my spat with Shikamaru and the fracture in my friend group.

    When my blood had stopped running cold, the first thing I did was bolt out of the back door, taking off and sprinting to the only place I could: my usual training spot.

    ¡°What have I been doing all this time?¡± I hissed.

    No matter how many forms I went through, or how many times I slammed my bare knuckles into the tree¡¯s thick bark, no answer came to mind.

 Chapter 20 [1]

    Hinata stared at the building across from her, looking down at the street below every so often. The air was cold and her hoodie wasn¡¯t enough to keep her skin from prickling at the wind¡¯s touch. She was crouched before the rooftop ledge, peering over it at the apartment complex across the empty street. A slow yawn tore her mouth open and she blinked away tears to clear her vision, resuming her watch.

    ¡°You said he leaves his place every morning to train?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Naruto usually goes out to do his own training after breakfast.¡± Choji sat cross-legged with his back against the ledge. ¡°I reckon he¡¯s going to come out any minute now.¡±

    This was the furthest either of them had gone to find Naruto but unless he wanted to be found, it was impossible to find him. Hinata didn¡¯t understand why he was avoiding them. With Shikamaru, he most likely felt they were avoiding him in favour of Naruto, which was why he avoided them, but Naruto didn¡¯t have any reason to be upset with them, did he? What had they done to him?

    Choji once wondered if he¡¯d decided to stop being friends with them. At the time, Hinata didn¡¯t believe it. She was sure he was taking some time off to clear his mind but a little over a week since and he¡¯d made no effort to contact either Choji or her. She knew the two of them hadn¡¯t hung out as much as they used to¡ªbut there was a reason for that.

    The older Hinata became, the more the clan and her father expected of her. She¡¯d grown more skilled over the last few years, which meant her father and the elders were beginning to spend more time preparing her for her destiny as the eventual Hyuuga clan head. Her training wasn¡¯t just shinobi-focused. There were so many responsibilities she had to the people of the clan that Hinata had to be aware of at all times.

    But she couldn¡¯t complain, or express dissatisfaction, because it was unbecoming of her¡ªboth as a lady and as the clan¡¯s heir. If the choice were down to her, Hinata would spend every day with her friends, but the choice was not hers to make. The sole purpose of her existence was for the sake of the clan. As her father said: clan first, village second. To her shame, Naruto got¡­ lost, somewhere within the sea of duties and lessons.

    ¡°There he is,¡± said Choji.

    Hinata blinked and her eyes latched onto Naruto¡¯s long, blond hair vanishing around the corner of the apartment¡¯s central staircase. Choji scrambled into a crouch, half-hiding behind the ledge. They waited in nervous silence as he exited onto the street and turned into the nearest alleyway to the apartment building.

    ¡°Hinata!¡±

    Choji reacted first, vaulting off the roof and falling onto another about a storey below them. Hinata followed suit, using the ledge as leverage to jump further across the street and grabbing onto a lamppost to pull herself up. By the time they¡¯d crossed the street and had taken to the rooftops, they could already see Naruto ducking under washing lines and bouncing from building to building, his hair swaying behind him.

    ¡°Where is he going?¡± Choji asked, forced to raise his voice if he wanted to be heard over the wind ripping through them.

    Hinata sprung across a gap and continued sprinting. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but he seems excited.¡±

    Despite the distance between them, Hinata could see him quite clearly. The Byakugan came with passive benefits that meant her vision was far better than normal even when she wasn¡¯t using it. Of course, anyone who learned to manipulate chakra could enhance their senses, but those with dojutsu were special in the sense that their baseline was already much higher than average. So when Hinata saw him make an abrupt drop, she immediately stopped Choji from going any further.

    ¡°Do you think he saw us?¡± he asked.

    Hinata frowned. ¡°Unless he¡¯s got eyes in the back of his head? I don¡¯t believe so, no. Give me a moment.¡± She took hold of her focus and her vision cleared. ¡°Nothing about his body language suggests it. I think¡­ I think it¡¯s just him being paranoid.¡±

    ¡°Of what, being followed?¡± Choji took a moment to snort at the irony. ¡°No reason to try and avoid that, right?¡±

    ¡°...I suppose it¡¯s more than just paranoia,¡± she acknowledged with a small smile.

    They gave it a moment, trailing at a slower pace than before. Naruto¡¯s sprint through the village''s back alleys ended close to the busy high streets and he surged across the rooftops once more. The two of them continued to stay close and eventually touched down at a public park on the western side of the village.

    Since there were no buildings to hide behind, and the path Naruto was taking was wide and open, the two of them had to give him time to create enough distance between them. Once she felt he was a decent distance away, Hinata emerged from behind the cover of a tree and waited for Choji to join her. He was slightly lanky and his usually brown hair was a few shades darker.

    She looked him up and down before humming appraisingly. He¡¯d managed to get rid of the clan markings on his cheeks as well. ¡°A little taller than normal. How long can you keep it active?¡±

    ¡°Long enough. It¡¯s not like we¡¯ll have to hold the transformations all day.¡± He nodded at her. ¡°And you?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t changed much.¡± Hinata tied her long¡ªand now brown¡ªhair into a ponytail.

    ¡°Your eyes?¡±

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    ¡°That, and my hair. Those are my only standout features. Now I look like any other Leaf Village girl.¡±

    Choji frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t put yourself down like that. People are more than just their features.¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Hinata smiled. ¡°But thank you, Choji.¡±

    He nodded firmly and they set off, forced to run for a little while to catch up to Naruto. With Hinata¡¯s Byakugan, they found him easily. At the end of the paved path, he took a left into the brush and they followed him to the river, hiding until he¡¯d crossed it and vanished into the thicket before following.

    ¡°What was the point in our disguises?¡± Choji asked. ¡°There¡¯s no one around.¡±

    Hinata didn¡¯t respond for a moment and walked up a tree to perch on one of its long branches; Naruto was moving faster than ever before. ¡°In case we get caught, I don¡¯t want Naruto to know it¡¯s us. It might push him away.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s not like we¡¯re letting him catch us in the first place. These transformations are just a waste of chakra.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll stop using them when he stops moving,¡± said Hinata. ¡°Then we¡¯ll corner him and try and figure out why he¡¯s been avoiding us all week.¡±

    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t that also push him away? Not that I don¡¯t want to ask Naruto a few questions of my own, but using disguises to just talk to him might send the wrong message.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what the right message is at this point. He¡¯s the one who decided not to contact us.¡±

    Choji hummed noncommittally.

    Naruto stopped at a clearing a little bit ahead of where they were. It was surrounded by trees on all sides and the grass was overgrown. ¡°Stop,¡± she hissed. ¡°There¡¯s someone else with Naruto and he¡¯s got a lot of chakra.¡±

    ¡°Do you recognise them?¡±

    Hinata took a closer look. ¡°He looks familiar, but I don¡¯t remember where I know him from.¡±

    ¡°Describe him.¡±

    ¡°Tall, black hair, standard chunin gear, a beard, tanned skin.¡± She waited a moment. ¡°And he¡¯s¡­ smoking.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s hundreds of shinobi who fit that description.¡±

    ¡°Not many with jonin-level chakra reserves.¡±

    Choji almost fell off the branch. ¡°How does Naruto know a jonin?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Hinata frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t like it. Naruto doesn¡¯t have any parents or family, so there¡¯s no one stopping the jonin from taking advantage of him.¡±

    ¡°Can you get us closer? I can¡¯t see anything and I doubt you can lip-read. Oh, also cut the disguises. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s a sensor, but jonin are scary. We don¡¯t want to use chakra around him.¡±

    ¡°Right. There¡¯s a cluster of trees back there we can hide behind; come on.¡±

    Given that there was a jonin present, the two of them had to carefully circle back to reach their hiding spot, all without alerting him. It was a slow and painful process where any noise sent a spike through Hinata¡¯s heart. The rustle of leaves had never sounded so scary to her before. Still, they reached the spot and allowed themselves a moment to relax. Unfortunately, because of how long it took for them to get there, they arrived when Naruto and the jonin were in mid-conversation.

    ¡°...today¡¯s not going to be fun,¡± said the jonin. He had his back towards them, but because he was so tall, he was blocking Naruto from view. ¡°It¡¯s going to be pretty painful so don¡¯t be afraid of telling me if it becomes too much.¡±

    ¡°I can do it. No, I have to. There¡¯s no half-assing this, Asuma.¡±

    Hinata was surprised at the steel in his voice. The last time she heard it was when she first spoke to him and he gave her a much-needed piece of advice.

    She liked to think that their friend group had been good for Naruto. When he first joined the Academy, he was cold and closed off. He never spoke to anyone and responded to the animosity from the teachers with equal fervour. When it came to the rest of them, all they got was indifference. The idea that Naruto could become like that again wasn¡¯t something she liked.

    ¡°Asuma?¡± Choji gasped. ¡°I know him! He¡¯s the son of Lord Third and the Sarutobi head¡¯s little brother.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Recognition bloomed in her mind and Hinata widened her eyes. ¡°I remember him. We saw him at the play.¡± She looked back at Asuma Sarutobi, jonin of the Leaf and son of the Hokage. ¡°What could he want with Naruto?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Hinata,¡± said Choji, sounding a great deal less concerned than before. ¡°But by the looks of it, he¡¯s probably training Naruto. It¡¯s fine. My clan¡¯s got a really good relationship with the Sarutobi. This is going to be great for him, I promise.¡±

    Would it? Hinata doubted that Asuma Sarutobi was plotting something nefarious, but Naruto was the sort to get carried away. She knew because she used to spend almost all her time around him. Naruto and her would often spend entire days training, talking about training, or analysing their performance during training. Not that she thought it was a bad thing to do, but for Naruto, it was all he did.

    More and more she started to think that training served as his break from the mundane world, rather than the mundane world acting as a break from his training.

    ¡°...Choji?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s avoiding us.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± He frowned. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen him for a week and he hasn¡¯t tried to contact us. What else could he be doing?¡±

    Hinata clutched her chin. ¡°Think about it. Remember during the summer break when Naruto completely forgot about us for a little bit because of his training?¡±

    ¡°...Yeah?¡±

    ¡°What if this is another one of those times? Maybe his fight with Shikamaru was too uncomfortable for him to confront so he threw himself into training and just¡­ forgot about it all. Forgot about Shikamaru, forgot about me, and forgot about you.¡±

    ¡°I think¡­¡± Choji trailed off, looking around at the forest, and then at Asuma¡¯s back. ¡°I think that it doesn¡¯t change a thing.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    There was real anger in his voice now. ¡°No matter which one it is, he¡¯s still a bad friend. Whether he really did forget about us or is avoiding us on purpose, it doesn¡¯t change anything I intend on doing.¡±

    ¡°And what do you intend on doing?¡± Hinata asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to find Naruto and tell him¡ª¡±

    ¡°Again!¡±

    They flinched and looked into the clearing. Naruto and Asuma Sarutobi stood further ahead in front of the stump of a tree. It was about as tall as Asuma and its other half lay horizontally on the ground to the right of them.

    Naruto stood at the ready, his fists wrapped in layers of¡­ she took a closer look and realised it was linen¡ªand that he was beginning to sport bruises on his knuckles.

 Chapter 20 [2]

    Naruto slammed his fist into the stump without hesitation. He didn¡¯t make a sound but Hinata saw the way his eyebrows twitched when he inhaled sharply through his nose.

    ¡°Again!¡±

    He hit the stump even harder with almost perfect technique, leveraging more of his weight into the blow.

    ¡°Again!¡±

    Hinata gritted her teeth. The sight reminded her too much of her taijutsu lessons with her father. Palm techniques were the Hyuuga¡¯s main weapon, which required their hands to become weapons sharper and more lethal than any blade. Conditioning was also something they did daily at the Academy where they went through the forms of the Leaf¡¯s basic taijutsu style on training logs.

    However, Naruto was taking it too far¡ªway too far.

    ¡°Again!¡±

    He slammed his fist into the log, and when he pulled it back, bloody dots had begun to seep through the ivory fabric. Naruto didn¡¯t stop. At Asuma¡¯s calls, he slammed his fist into the log over and over again. Choji looked squeamish as the exercise went on, and even Hinata found herself frowning.

    ¡°Enhanced!¡±

    Hinata wondered what the change in command meant. Naruto closed his eyes and took a breath. The wind picked up, drawing a soft breeze across the clearing. He snapped his eyes open and punched, driving his weight forward. The stump cracked and groaned, giving way to Naruto''s fist burying itself halfway into the stump.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± Choji whispered. ¡°Hinata, what¡¯s he doing? He hasn¡¯t used chakra like that before.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s applying chakra repulsion differently?¡± she mused, activating her Byakugan.

    Asuma Sarutobi circled the stump and stood in front of Naruto. ¡°Harder. The goal of today is to see how far you can push it while keeping control of your chakra.¡±

    ¡°And if we get a dislocation like last time?¡± Naruto asked dryly.

    Hinata frowned and mouthed, ¡°Dislocation?¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± said the jonin. ¡°You know what you¡¯re doing now. When I say crank it up, I don¡¯t want you to stupidly pump chakra through your body. Carefully guide it and let it explode out of the necessary tenketsu only at the last moment.¡±

    Naruto nodded and raised his fists. Hinata watched the flow of swirling chakra move from his gut up his chest and down his shoulder. At the same time, he went through the motions of a punch, guiding it down his arm.

    She peered closer, almost leaning forward in anticipation. When he threw the punch, the gathered chakra exploded out of his fist, both empowering the actual blow and acting as an attack on its own. Now that she was looking at it, the punch itself wasn¡¯t enhanced, as Asuma Sarutobi said, but a setup for a delayed chakra attack.

    Choji blinked owlishly at the rough, fist-sized hole carved into the top of the stump. ¡°Can you explain that, please?¡±

    Hinata raised an eyebrow. ¡°I could, but it¡¯s pretty self-explanatory.¡±

    ¡°Super strength?¡±

    ¡°...Basically,¡± she said.

    He leaned back onto his palms and chuckled. ¡°Damn.¡±

    Hinata was inclined to agree. She wasn¡¯t confident enough in her chakra control to pull off an enhancement of that kind of magnitude, but she was sure she¡¯d be able to do it one day. The Gentle Fist did the same thing, just with less chakra, and aimed at disabling tenketsu instead of pulverising the target. Watching Naruto destroy chunks of the thick trunk with every punch was so mesmerising that it almost made her forget that he was destroying his hands.

    He pulled his arm back, clenched his jaw, and threw his entire body forward. His fist collided with the deep indent he¡¯d pummelled into the bark, and it exploded in a burst of woodchips and dust. Naruto stood still, the blood leaking through the linen wraps and dripping onto the floor.

    ¡°...Alright, that¡¯s enough,¡± said Asuma.

    Naruto sounded breathless and there was a hysterical lilt to his voice. ¡°How did I do? I think I did alright. It wasn¡¯t as strong as I imagined, but that¡¯s fine. I have a lot of chakra and can probably make it stronger.¡± He tightened the wraps, completely oblivious to his mangled and bloody fists. ¡°What are we doing next?¡±

    He lightly thumped the top of Naruto¡¯s head. ¡°Next, you¡¯re going to get your hands looked at by a medic.¡±

    ¡°What? I don¡¯t need a medic. I¡¯ll be great after a good night¡¯s sleep.¡± Naruto tightened the bandages around his hands. ¡°Dunno why, but my body heals quickly. I¡¯m not stupid, Asuma; I know my limits. I haven¡¯t broken anything and hit them just hard enough to condition my knuckles.¡±

    Hinata didn¡¯t believe him, so she took a look at his knuckles for herself. They were bruised and bloody, but not broken. It should¡¯ve been relieving, but Naruto being completely aware of what he was doing to himself scared her even more than the alternative.

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t, I would¡¯ve stopped you, but I needed to make sure you weren¡¯t overextending yourself,¡± said Asuma. ¡°Now, get out of here. We¡¯ll be sparring next week, so make sure you rest. No training at all today, and make sure you don¡¯t go overboard afterwards. Keep it light.¡±

    Naruto gave a lazy two-fingered salute and vanished into the canopy. Choji released a sigh and stared at Hinata. ¡°I take it back. This is not going to be great for him, not with the way he is now. He doesn¡¯t know when to stop.¡± He got up and climbed onto a branch. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go and catch up to him.¡±

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    Hinata nodded numbly, scanning the forest. She found him hopping between branches, swinging from tree to tree as if his hands weren¡¯t injured. He didn¡¯t seem to be in pain, nor did he express any discomfort to Asuma. Naruto wasn¡¯t like this before. Sure, he was obsessed with training, but he was the first person to make sure she took proper breaks, stayed hydrated, and watched out for injuries.

    What had made him so reckless?

    ¡°How about you two come and talk to me instead of running around in circles? You¡¯re friends with Naruto, right?¡±

    Choji looked down at her with wide eyes. She stood petrified for a few moments, looking at the silent question in his eyes. Running wasn¡¯t even an option; he would catch up to them in an instant. But if they stayed, who knew when they¡¯d find Naruto again?

    ¡°What¡¯s it going to be, kids?¡±

    Hinata looked up at Choji. ¡°Let¡¯s talk to him.¡±

    ¡°What about Naruto?¡± asked Choji, looking ready to leap into the forest. ¡°This is our chance.¡±

    ¡°Would he even listen to us? Do you know how many times we¡¯ve brought up his training habits to him before?¡± She shook her head. ¡°He apologises, but he never really changes. Asuma Sarutobi is his teacher. Maybe it¡¯s sad, but I think that Naruto is more likely to listen to him than he is us.¡±

    Choji searched her face. ¡°So, what are you saying?¡±

    ¡°I think we should tell his teacher everything we¡¯re worried about and have him bring Naruto to us. We shouldn¡¯t have to chase him around just to have a conversation, Choji.¡±

    ¡°...I know,¡± he replied, landing beside her. ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll talk with him.¡±

    Hinata nudged his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll have to talk to him first, you know.¡±

    ¡°What, why?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re the one who said your clan has a good relationship with the Sarutobi.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the clan, my father, not me,¡± said Choji. ¡°I don¡¯t know the guy!¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re at a better starting point than me.¡± She nudged him forward. ¡°Go.¡± He looked back and glared at her. Hinata held his gaze until he sighed in defeat. ¡°Thank you, Choji.¡±

    He threw his hands up behind him as they emerged from the thicket. Asuma stood head-on, his arms folded, and carefully assessed them as they got closer to him.

    ¡°Um¡­ hello, sir?¡± Choji stumbled over his words and took a moment to gather himself. ¡°I¡¯m Choji Akimichi and my friend is Hinata Hyuuga.¡±

    ¡°I think I can tell,¡± said Asuma, smiling. ¡°You¡¯ve got the markings and she has the Byakugan. I¡¯d like to know why you guys are stalking my student. He can be a bit of a stick in the mud, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s the type to be an asshole, is he?¡±

    ¡°No, nothing like that, sir¡ª¡±

    ¡°Drop the ¡°sir¡±, kid. Just Asuma is fine. I was never one for formalities.¡±

    ¡°¡ªAsuma, then. We¡¯re Naruto¡¯s friends.¡±

    He raised his eyebrows in amusement. ¡°Friends that¡­ stalk each other?¡±

    ¡°When said friend avoids us when something goes wrong, yes.¡± Hinata stepped forward and accepted the burden of Asuma¡¯s curiosity. ¡°He had a big fight with another friend of ours about a week ago. Since then, he¡¯s vanished. He hasn''t been in school all week, but because he¡¯s at the top of the class, none of the teachers are complaining all that much¡ªbut we know he''s not okay.¡±

    ¡°At first, we thought it was because he was embarrassed and was taking time off to gather his thoughts,¡± said Choji. ¡°The friend he fought with was the same, but he was at least willing to be around us at school.¡±

    ¡°And now?¡± asked Asuma. ¡°Why do you think he¡¯s avoiding you?¡±

    ¡°We think he¡¯s avoiding us because he¡¯s forgotten about us,¡± said Hinata. ¡°Naruto was always the kind of person to get carried away and lose track of things. He takes training to a completely different level¡ªhe¡¯s obsessed with it.¡±

    ¡°Last summer,¡± Choji interjected, talking faster and faster. ¡°He took a week off from his morning runs with me to apparently work on his chakra control. He never asked how I felt about it, and sure he apologised, but something similar happened not even a month later.¡±

    The jonin was openly frowning, and Hinata could see the displeasure on his face.

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s a bad friend. The fight with our other friend happened because Naruto gave him genuine advice but because he was too immature to take it and grow, he lashed out at Naruto, who did the same.¡± Hinata ignored Choji¡¯s glaring¡ªShikamaru was wrong to slap Naruto¡¯s help away. ¡°Naruto just¡­ loses track of his priorities sometimes.¡±

    Even without Choji¡¯s pointed staring, she knew how flimsy the argument sounded, but Naruto wasn¡¯t a bad person. Hinata knew that. He helped her when no one else would, and it seemed that now, she had her chance to do the same.

    ¡°Don¡¯t excuse it.¡± To her surprise, it wasn¡¯t Choji who said those words, but Asuma. Something that looked awfully similar to regret flashed across his face for just a moment. ¡°He put training over you.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± said Choji, nodding firmly. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean we don¡¯t want to be friends with him, though. He¡¯s still one of my best friends¡ªjust not a very good one at the moment.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Hinata.

    Asuma folded his arms. The clearing was quiet for a few moments. Choji and Hinata squirmed nervously under his gaze, forced to remain still until he gave his verdict.

    ¡°Okay, thanks for bringing this to me. I understand that he can take training too far, and I knew something had happened with a friend of his because he complained about a Nara when I first met him. I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s the mutual friend?¡±

    They both nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure he stops avoiding you. There¡¯s no excuse for it, especially since it seems like all you two want to do is help him. Whether he¡¯s avoiding you on purpose or by accident doesn¡¯t matter. He¡¯s still in the wrong at the end of the day.¡±

    She made sure to look away from Choji¡¯s triumphant brown eyes.

    ¡°What are your names again?¡± asked Asuma.

    Hinata gave him a shallow bow. ¡°I¡¯m Hinata Hyuuga. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Jonin Sarutobi.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯ve changed my mind. Naruto might be a stick in the mud but you? You¡¯re an entire tree.¡± Asuma chuckled and Choji joined him. ¡°You¡¯re an Akimichi, but I want to know which one.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Choji.¡±

    ¡°Alright then. Thanks for bringing this to me, Hinata, Choji. I¡¯ll make sure that Naruto knows exactly how you two feel.¡± He frowned for a moment before his easygoing smile returned. ¡°And I¡¯ll be giving him a piece of my mind too.¡±

    She wondered whether they¡¯d got Naruto into trouble with his teacher but quickly shook the thought free. It wasn¡¯t her fault that he decided to go dark on them, and she didn¡¯t intend on running into his jonin teacher.

    As far as she was concerned, it was Naruto¡¯s fault.

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯ll work?¡± asked Choji on the way back to the village.

    Hinata hummed. ¡°I don¡¯t know. None of our talks with Naruto have worked.¡±

    ¡°...True.¡±

    ¡°But,¡± She smiled, ¡°I think that this has the highest chance of working. It¡¯s a jonin, after all.¡±

    Choji laughed. ¡°Also true.¡±

    She hoped it would work. Hinata enjoyed Naruto¡¯s friendship, she valued his company, and Choji most likely thought the same. That said, continuing a friendship with someone who obviously didn¡¯t value them was a foolish thing to do.

    And if there was something Hinata Hyuuga was not, it was a fool.

 Chapter 21 [1]

    Now that I was cooling down and the adrenaline was fading, I shuddered at how easily the wind slipped past my t-shirt, chilling me to the bone. I rose slowly, feeling every muscle strain at the most basic movements. It was a slow process, but the soreness was invigorating; thanks to that pain, I could feel just how much I was progressing with each training session.

    ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day here,¡± said Asuma, looking like he hadn¡¯t fought me for forty minutes straight. He snorted at my struggles to sit up. ¡°I need to increase your endurance training. If you¡¯re this spent after a spar, I¡¯m scared to imagine what¡¯ll happen in the field.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m this spent because of that endurance training you put me through before the sparring, or have you forgotten about it?¡± I hissed, partly out of pain but also because of how damn smug he sounded.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He fingered his ear. ¡°All I¡¯m hearing are the complaints of a scrub.¡±

    The heat in my chest swelled, but I stopped myself from saying something that would have the man tease me endlessly. Asuma was a great teacher, but he was also childish, petty, and a sloth dressed as a human being.

    ¡°Since you haven¡¯t made a smart-ass remark yet, I¡¯m guessing you agree. Great!¡± He took a seat in front of me, crossing his legs in the grass.

    ¡°Wait,¡± I said, adjusting myself so I was cross-legged too, ¡°I¡¯ve got a question: why are low-ranked wind jutsu so weak? Like, not that it¡¯s not. Blunt force is great when you¡¯ve got massive chakra reserves, but on average, low-rank wind jutsu aren¡¯t all that damaging.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a loaded question.¡± I tilted my head in confusion and he raised a finger. ¡°Ninjutsu aren¡¯t assigned ranks based solely on their strength; there are some pretty powerful D and C-ranked jutsu, after all. Strength aside, there are a few other factors that contribute to a jutsu¡¯s overall rank: the raw chakra requirement, the degree of chakra control, the jutsu¡¯s difficulty¡ªwhich can be because of the previous two factors, but also the number of hand signs¡ªand lastly, its actual strength.

    ¡°Also, I¡¯m gonna caveat this by saying we¡¯re talking strictly about offensive jutsu. Other ninjutsu categories have their own criteria. Low-ranked wind jutsu are weak because they use wind pressure. That''s not an inherent weakness, mind you, but because they¡¯re low-ranked, the pressure they exert isn¡¯t all that damaging.¡±

    ¡°Are the other nature-releases the same?¡± I asked. ¡°You can make low-ranked wind jutsu more powerful by using more chakra than the activation amount, but I¡¯m not talking about that.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean then?¡±

    I scratched my head. ¡°...I guess I¡¯m trying to ask whether or not the other low-ranked nature-release jutsu are also weak.¡±

    ¡°Yes and no. They counter one another regardless of rank. See, nature-releases inherently lean more toward offence or defence. Fire and lightning are the most offensive, while earth is the most defensive. Wind and water are more neutral and are equally good at both. That said, that doesn¡¯t mean offensive or defensive elements can¡¯t be used oppositely either. All low-ranked jutsu are lowly ranked because they¡¯re easier to use than, say, a B-ranked jutsu.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡± I shrugged and sighed disappointedly. ¡°I guess having wind as my primary affinity was a case of real bad luck, eh?¡±

    ¡°Woah.¡± Asuma frowned. ¡°Wind is perfectly good at what it does. Especially once you get out of scrub territory.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I grinned. ¡°Because all I¡¯m hearing are the complaints of a scrub.¡±

    It took a few moments for the joke to land, and I saw it in the way his expression collapsed into this one dry stare. ¡°Ha, ha. Very funny, kid.¡±

    ¡°I try.¡±

    ¡°All nature-releases are dangerous. In the end, whether or not they¡¯re initially better at offence or defence doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Asuma shifted so that he was sitting more comfortably. ¡°Right, let me paint a picture for you. Nature-releases have their entry-level status, right? Wind knocks things back but loses power as you go out of range; earth is only good for defence because it''s slow and rigid and so on.

    ¡°But none of that matters once you master an element. I¡¯ll start with wind since we¡¯ve got the same primary affinity. The reason why low-ranked wind jutsu use wind pressure is because it¡¯s just easier to do when you¡¯re unskilled.¡± He spun one of his trench knives around a finger. ¡°Once you get the cutting factor down, it¡¯s lethal.¡±

    His explanation made sense. Even in situations where an opponent¡¯s element countered another¡¯s, mastery of your element could mean the difference between life and death¡ªespecially in situations like that. ¡°What about the other elements, then?¡±

    ¡°Water¡¯s basically got the same deal as wind, it¡¯s just more¡­ solid, which comes with its ups and downs. Earth lets you manipulate its consistency, lightning shocks less and pierces more, and fire¡­ well, it gets hotter.¡± Asuma could see the smile crawling across my face. ¡°If I hear another word about me being a scrub, I¡¯ll make you do super-sets next week. Fire¡¯s plenty cool, Naruto. Like the other nature-releases, there are visual tells to see whether your opponent¡¯s mastered it. Regular orange flames turn white-hot, and beyond that, a little bit blue.¡±

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Blue flames, eh.¡± I blinked as an interesting detail came to mind. ¡°The Jinchuriki of the Two-Tails, Yugito Nii.¡±

    ¡°What about her?¡± Asuma asked.

    ¡°Her flames are blue. That mean anything?¡±

    It was only for a moment, but the playfulness vanished from his eyes. His usually amused brown eyes were cautious, but I stared back completely unfazed. I understood why he was being careful, but my question was completely genuine.

    ¡­Plus I couldn¡¯t reveal that I knew I was a Jinchuriki because where would I have got that knowledge? Blaming the villagers would be a big leap since there was no way for me to verify that information.

    Thankfully, it was just for a moment. Asuma leaned back on his palms. ¡°It¡¯s an ability of the Two-Tails, also known as the Blazing Hell Cat. Its command of flame is second to none in the entire world¡ªhuman or otherwise¡ªand that extends to its Jinchuriki.¡±

    ¡°Cool,¡± I replied.

    I wanted to enquire about the other Jinchuriki, if only to make sure they were still alive, but that would be pushing it. Asuma was a good teacher, and I enjoyed being around him. Asking for too much too soon would only make our training sessions awkward and risk scaring him away. It wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t know my identity, so there¡¯d be a better time for questions like that.

    The clearing only grew colder as the sun continued to set. I felt the moment come to an end and stood up, brushing grass off my trousers. ¡°I¡¯m gonna head home. I need to be up early tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± said Asuma. ¡°I forgot that you¡¯ve got school.¡±

    ¡°Wow.¡±

    He rolled his eyes. ¡°Come on, you''re the one who chose to play hooky for a week.¡±

    ¡°Because they couldn¡¯t teach me the things I wanted to learn!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to go back eventually, kid.¡±

    I sighed. ¡°...Yep.¡±

    Asuma snorted and cleared the ground, landing on a thick branch and giving me a lazy salute. ¡°By the way, next week¡¯s session won¡¯t be on Saturday. It¡¯ll be on Sunday instead. I¡¯ll see you then¡ªand you better have returned to school.¡±

    ¡°What happens if I don¡¯t?¡± I asked, more to be petulant than anything else.

    He vanished, bursting out of the top of the tree moments later and blending with the forest in no time. I started the lonely trek home, crossing the river, and exiting the park. My limbs were deadweight, requiring twice the effort to move. At the same time, I felt weightless. It was the strange kind of paradox that occurred if you waited long enough after doing something physically intense.

    Landing on the rooftop of my apartment complex, I scaled the railing attached to its side, stopping just before the drop to my door. There was a man in front of it, but because of the angle, I couldn¡¯t see his face. His hair was tied back, and he was at least a chunin based on his vest.

    ¡°Who are you and what are you doing in front of my house?¡± I asked, still suspended from the balcony.

    ¡°Naruto?¡±

    The man looked up and I almost released the grip I had on the railing. ¡°Iruka-sensei?¡±

    ¡°Come down from there, please. I¡¯d like to talk to you.¡± He smiled, crinkling the faded trail of the scar on his nose.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you come in?¡± I asked, unlocking the door. ¡°Can I get you anything? Tea, water, orange juice?¡±

    Iruka shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s late and I wouldn¡¯t want to impose.¡±

    ¡°If you say so.¡± I stopped halfway across my apartment¡¯s threshold, backtracked, and closed the door. ¡°Not to be impolite, but why are you here, sensei?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here to talk about your attendance.¡± He nodded pointedly at my grimacing. ¡°You¡¯ve been gone for almost two weeks and as your homeroom teacher, I¡¯ve come as the bearer of bad news.¡±

    ¡°A week and a half.¡± I gave him a tight-lipped smile. ¡°And yeah, that¡¯s fair.¡±

    ¡°Before I deliver the bad news, is there anything I should know about? Some kind of extenuating reason that I can give you a pass for?¡±

    ¡°...No, not really,¡± I replied. ¡°I took time off school. I wasn¡¯t sick, stressed, and definitely didn¡¯t have a family emergency.¡±

    My joke didn¡¯t lad, making Iruka frown instead. ¡°Why¡¯d you do it then?¡±

    ¡°Skip school?¡± I shrugged. ¡°It was getting to a point where all the sparring drama was becoming too much so I decided I wanted out for a bit.¡±

    ¡°What about all the schoolwork you missed?¡±

    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Sensei, we both know classwork is the least of my worries. I could probably do the end of year exams now and pass.¡±

    ¡°Even then, you can¡¯t just pick and choose when you attend, Naruto. The Academy is a commitment and privilege. Each year, hundreds of kids fail to pass the entrance exam and, if offered, they¡¯d take your spot in a heartbeat.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°Really, I do. But would you believe me if I told you this week has been more useful for my growth than the last couple of months?¡±

    His lips formed into a small frown that pulled down at the corners¡ªyet I could see the conflict in his eyes. ¡°...This won¡¯t become the norm, will it?¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious. I¡¯m not sure you¡¯ll be eligible for Rookie of the Year if your attendance takes another hit like this. You¡¯ve already been docked a few points off your final grade.¡±

    ¡°How much?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re deducting five points off whatever you get at the end of the year¡ªthat could be an entire grade.¡±

    His words were almost enough to make me laugh¡ªalmost. I never really cared about the title or the marks in the first place. Still, I stood straight and nodded firmly. ¡°I promise, sir. You¡¯ll see me once the weekend¡¯s out.¡±

    Iruka looked me over like he was probing for weakness, searching for a chink in my armour to exploit. When he didn¡¯t find one, he pushed off the railing and placed a hand on my shoulder. ¡°I hope so. Here¡¯s the work you missed; I expect it on my desk a week from now. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Naruto.¡±

    I didn¡¯t enter my house until he walked onto the street three storeys below my apartment and vanished around a corner. The envelopes containing the amount I owed for gas and electricity lay on the welcome mat on my feet. I leaned down and picked them up with a grimace, laying them atop the folder Iruka had given me.

    The village¡ªin other words, Lord Third¡ªonly gave me the money for my monthly expenses, but I didn¡¯t have to pay any rent and wouldn¡¯t until I became a genin. Thankfully, with my monthly wage and the money Lord Third delivered personally on the first of every month, living expenses weren¡¯t worrying.

    That said, the sight of bills never failed to annoy me, and I spent the rest of the evening paying said bills, cooking dinner, and cleaning the house.

 Chapter 21 [2]

    At school, I mostly found myself zoning out, through no fault of the actual Academy, but after a couple of lessons from Asuma, I just couldn¡¯t look at it with any real degree of seriousness anymore. Perhaps that was a good thing: it helped me not take things so personally because I¡¯d gone right back to where I was at the beginning of the first year.

    I wasn¡¯t unbeatable, and my classmates weren¡¯t weak, but I had a few more tools under my belt that let me breathe a little easier. I realised halfway through history that this is probably what life was like for the clan kids and grinned¡­ until I realised Sasuke could probably still beat me and he¡¯d been training alone since he was seven.

    Oddly enough, I didn¡¯t mind so much. Finding a source of knowledge had put my mind at ease because my growth was assured now. Whether or not Sasuke beat me didn¡¯t matter anymore because it was never really about him.

    So imagine my surprise when the opportunity to do so fell right into my lap on the first sparring session of that week. A good dozen or so matches had gone by when Iruka called Sasuke and I to the stand. The class seemed pretty excited because apparently, he¡¯d gone on a week-and-half-long win streak that had irritated everyone who wasn¡¯t his unwanted fan club.

    He walked slightly ahead of me as we moved away from the class. I hung back, squeezing through the crowd that had formed away from the fan club while I figured out how I¡¯d approach the spar. Enhanced strikes were completely off the table; I wasn¡¯t strong enough to regulate them to non-lethal levels. However, that didn¡¯t mean I was completely helpless. Knowing Sasuke, he wasn¡¯t one to take things easy.

    ¡°Right, this will be the final spar of the day. Are you two ready? ¡± Iruka asked, raising his arm high. ¡°Begin!¡±

    I didn¡¯t want to deal with his shurikenjutsu¡ªninja wires were a given with him¡ªso I threw aside all subterfuge by moving into a drop step and blasting forward. My chakra control hadn¡¯t changed much in two weeks, but the way I went about using chakra repulsion couldn¡¯t be more different.

    Sasuke was surprised but gathered himself quickly enough to dodge my attacks. I braced myself, anticipating his first strike, but he launched into a series of rapid punches rather than just the one. I weaved and dodged, feeling the wind from his fists grazing my skin. Finding an opening, I countered with a swift jab to his shoulder. He was quick to deflect, smoothly transitioning into a low sweep that caught me off guard.

    I stumbled, regaining my footing just in time to block his follow-up kick and lunged forward, aiming a roundhouse kick at his head. Sasuke ducked beneath the blow, his movements fluid as he countered with another sweep. I fell into a backwards roll and retaliated with three kicks that I used to return to a standing position.

    Sasuke reached into his back pouch and I made the split-second decision to throw a kunai at him. He hopped back and it hit the ground, having struck nothing, but it bought me time. He was going for his pouch again, and while he¡¯d managed to pull out a shuriken, he didn¡¯t have enough range to throw it, making the weapon more of a liability than anything else. I aimed almost exclusively for the left side of his body and he was forced to take more than a few hits to keep the shuriken in his hands.

    Stupidly, though, I¡¯d fallen into a rhythm that Sasuke figured out after a few exchanges. That particular mistake earned me a fancy, one-armed backflip kick to the face. I ran my tongue along my teeth licking the thin blood trail across my bottom lip.

    ¡°Great,¡± I muttered, springing forward to dodge the metal star.

    Landing atop my kunai from earlier, I pulled it off the ground and rolled to the side, standing slightly askew. Sasuke threw another kunai after me and reeled in the ninja stars but instead of backing away, I ran towards him.

    He stared incredulously, only making me grin. Once he realised I wasn¡¯t going to stop, he discarded the ninja wire and threw a handful of shuriken that he multiplied with the Shuriken Clone Jutsu, stopping me in my tracks. I jumped out of the way, letting the weapons pass and resumed my run. When I looked back, Sasuke was winding up to throw what looked like way too many wire-guided shuriken, his small smirk growing into an excited grin.

    I planted my feet and smiled back, watching the spinning metal race towards me and worked through a little under a dozen hand seals, dragging in as much air as I could. My lungs expanded and I felt like I¡¯d burst at any moment, but I held it in: the chill of the air in my lungs, the warmth of my chakra, the anticipation, all of it.

    With my chakra control, learning jutsu wasn¡¯t difficult. I was sure that would change depending on the chakra control requirement, but I was never going to be known for my chakra control anyway. No, my problem was always finding someone willing to teach me jutsu. Thanks to Asuma, that wasn¡¯t a problem for me anymore.

    Leaning over, I released a focused gust, destroying the shurikens¡¯ momentum. They clattered uselessly to the ground in front of me, and while he was staring at me in open-mouthed shock, I blasted off the ground and punched Sasuke squarely in the jaw, holding a kunai over his throat. Surprisingly, he looked far from pissed at the loss and even let me help him up.

    ¡°I suppose you haven¡¯t been slacking,¡± he grunted.

    ¡°Nope,¡± I replied. ¡°So, what did you think about the new jutsu? Pretty cool, right?¡±

    He picked up all his shuriken and secured the ninja wire. ¡°So, your affinity is wind.¡±

    ¡°Yep¡ªfound that one out recently by buying chakra paper.¡± I watched his face twist in derision at the mention of chakra paper and smiled. ¡°Yeah, chakra paper¡¯s a gimmick that shinobi peddle to rich people to make some money. There are better ways for shinobi to find out their affinity that doesn¡¯t cost an arm and a leg but as far as time and money go, chakra paper¡¯s not bad.¡±

    ¡°My clan, they¡­ I watch over one of those training sites.¡±

    ¡°The Temple of Fire, right? Is it true that the fires there are always burning?¡±

    A dark look flashed across his face. ¡°...Yes. It¡¯s an Uchiha¡¯s responsibility to keep them alight using the Fireball Jutsu.¡±

    ¡°Do you know it?¡±

    Sasuke scoffed, but there wasn¡¯t any malice behind it. ¡°Step aside.¡±

    I gestured, giving him a wide berth to demonstrate the Fireball Jutsu. He stood straight and started to gather chakra through the Confrontation Seal, but that was as far as he got.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Iruka came running across the field, stopping directly in front of Sasuke and I. ¡°Stop, you two. It¡¯s wonderful that you¡¯re both capable of nature-release ninjutsu at your age, but you¡¯ll demoralise your classmates if you go any further. Let¡¯s call it a day, yeah?¡±

    Scoffing again, Sasuke started to walk away but stopped abruptly.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Iruka asked.

    He looked at me, looking like he wanted to say something. I squashed the urge to shake my head and smiled. ¡°It was a good spar, Sasuke.¡±

    He nodded and continued walking away.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Naruto,¡± said Iruka after a moment. ¡°Where did you learn that jutsu?¡±

    Whatever lie I was going to tell would have to be good¡ªand the best kind of lies were those that had a little bit of the truth. ¡°I was training in a park during my week off and a shinobi happened to see me. I dunno who she was, or what rank she was because she was in casualwear, but we made a bet. She lost, so I made her teach me a jutsu¡ªshe didn¡¯t actually think I¡¯d be able to do it, though.¡±

    Iruka wasn¡¯t a genius, but he wasn¡¯t an idiot either. He looked suspicious of my excuse, but still sent me away without pushing further. On the walk back, I enjoyed the class¡¯ reactions a little more than I should have. Tomio looked like he wanted to eat a hat and Sasuke¡¯s fan club was torn between singing his praises for accepting defeat so gracefully and staring at me as if I¡¯d dropped out of the sky.

    ¡°Naruto!¡± Ino bounded towards me as we all walked out of school that afternoon, falling into step to my left while ignoring the glares from Sasuke¡¯s fan club. ¡°That was amazing!¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I smiled, mind racing for the best way to end our conversation.

    ¡°You know nature-release ninjutsu. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone in our class who does!¡±

    I scratched the back of my head. ¡°...Sasuke does.¡±

    ¡°Which one?¡±

    ¡°The Fireball Jutsu.¡±

    She blinked before slapping her palm against her forehead. ¡°Duh. I forgot he¡¯s an Uchiha. Damn it, now Sakura won¡¯t ever shut up.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s pretty cold of you, princess. I know he¡¯s the last of his clan and all but damn.¡± Shikamaru glanced over at us, focusing on Ino as opposed to me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Naruto,¡± said Ino with a forced smile on her face. ¡°But I¡¯m going to go deal with him.¡±

    I smiled back. ¡°Feel free.¡±

    Nodding as if my blessing counted as permission to go and argue with him, she marched away, rolling up her sleeves. Not too long after that, someone tapped my shoulder. I turned, expecting it to be him, but it was Hinata instead.

    I smiled. ¡°Hey, there. It¡¯s been a while.¡±

    Hinata didn¡¯t smile back, which threw me off a little. She led me away from the class to Choji, who looked¡­ unhappy, to say the least.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you two?¡± I asked.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Choji asked, sounding hurt. ¡°You avoid us for ages, and then ask us what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡­He had a point, one that I was beginning to grasp, but it was too little too late now. They were already upset, but I couldn¡¯t go back in time and un-panic myself to hang out with them.

    ¡°This is going to sound bad, but bear with me,¡± I said. ¡°I didn¡¯t avoid you guys¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªOn purpose?¡± finished Hinata, folding her arms. ¡°We realised.¡±

    Choji frowned. ¡°And it doesn¡¯t matter. Our point is that this isn¡¯t the first or even the third time you¡¯ve done this. We always come second to your training. It makes us feel unwanted, o-or that we exist as your friends only when you want us around. It¡¯s not fair!¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not, and I¡¯m sorry I hurt you guys, but believe me, I had an actual problem to deal with last week. It might look like I was avoiding you just to train, but it wasn¡¯t that either. Or else why would I have stopped coming to school?¡±

    ¡°Then why?¡± asked Hinata. ¡°We¡¯re your friends, aren¡¯t we? You¡¯re supposed to come to us if you have a problem so we can solve it together.¡±

    Choji nodded. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be alone, man.¡±

    Instead of making me feel relieved, their words had almost the opposite effect. The sentiment was nice, and nothing either of them had said was wrong.

    I enjoyed the brief respite of hanging out with my friends, but to be friends with someone required more than just spending time together. It required honesty, loyalty, and the willingness to speak uncomfortable truths. Were these two ready for all the uncomfortable truths?

    No. I doubted they¡¯d ever be, but if I never gave them the opportunity and kept soldiering on by myself, what point was there in calling them my friends?

    I was tired of dealing with everything alone. Any time something went wrong, I had no one to turn to because my problems were always things the people I cared about had no business knowing: Obito, Orochimaru, the Akatsuki, the Fourth Shinobi World War. More than that, I was tired of defending myself against these two, who were too immature to understand that maybe my reasons for not being there were more than just being a training addict.

    But maybe¡­ they could learn. Not the whole truth but part of it¡­ maybe.

    ¡°Fine,¡± I frowned and took a deep breath and picked up the pace. ¡°Come with me.¡±

    They looked at each other but followed me deep into the nearest park. I walked far enough that we passed by all the kids rushing home after the school day, deeper and deeper until I was satisfied.

    ¡°Hinata, look around with you Byakugan, please; is there anyone nearby?¡±

    She took a moment to gather chakra and when she opened her eyes, they glowed with an otherworldly light, veins bulging across her face. ¡°No, there¡¯s no one except us.¡±

    I swallowed, noticing my throat was uncomfortably dry.

    ¡°You guys want the truth?¡± A wan chuckle escaped from my throat. ¡°Truth is: I¡¯m a Jinchuriki, a living sacrifice, basically. I have been since the day I was born. I lied to all of you; my birthday isn¡¯t October 9th, it¡¯s October 10th, and the last thing the Fourth Hokage did before dying was seal the Nine-Tailed Fox inside of me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Choji trailed off, mouth open.

    ¡°Insane, right?¡± I sighed, hating the bitterness charging my words but not moving to stop it in any way. ¡°My childhood sucked, you two. Before leaving the orphanage I had to fight with kids almost weekly because they¡¯d heard whispers from adults about me being a monster. Of course, that only made things worse and Lord Third ended up giving me an apartment to stop them from bothering me.

    ¡°Except,¡± I chuckled, ¡°that didn¡¯t happen. The point is, I¡¯m tired of pretending my life¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not. Things are better now, but that doesn¡¯t erase the years that weren¡¯t. You two are both clan heirs so you wouldn¡¯t understand. Whenever you have a problem, you can go right to your parents, or some elder to help. Me? I¡¯m that one monster the village hates without parents or siblings. Everything I¡¯ve learned, I learned on my own.

    ¡°You can attest to that, can¡¯t you, Hinata?¡±

    I looked the girl in the eye until she looked away. Sure, I felt bad about weaponising what were otherwise really heartwarming moments between us where we developed the beginnings of my chakra enhancement, but I had to make sure she understood¡ªthat the both of them did.

    After hiding or avoiding voicing my thoughts for so long, just this small grain of truth felt liberating. There was something nice¡ªeven with the circumstance¡ªabout having people to voice the truth to.

    I¡¯d been alone for so long I¡¯d forgotten how it felt.

    ¡°Quite frankly, you guys are being selfish,¡± the words continued pouring out of my mouth, and I had no desire to stop. ¡°Friendship¡¯s a two-way street. You want me to share my problems¡ªcool, but now that you know them, what the hell can either of you do to make them better?¡±

    As expected, they couldn¡¯t reply. I¡¯d already made things better, but this was something they needed to hear. Maybe they¡¯d also stop being my friends as Shikamaru had, but I¡¯d at least imparted a meaningful lesson to them on my way out.

    ¡°Listen,¡± I said, sighing, ¡°I¡¯m not asking you guys to change the village for me or anything like that. It¡¯s not your responsibility but¡­ you guys said I¡¯m not sharing my problems, so here I am¡ªsharing.¡±

    If I said anything else, I¡¯d only devolve into vitriol over my treatment at the hands of the village or potentially reveal things I shouldn¡¯t so I took the white-hot negativity and shoved it back down.

    I stuck my hands in my pockets and started to walk away. Was it cowardly to run away before seeing their reaction? Probably, but I had no desire to face more rejection and fear.

    Not from people I counted as friends.

    ¡°...N-Naruto!¡± It was Choji who had yelled. His face was twisted with indecision for a short moment, but he shook it off. ¡°Come to my place on Saturday morning. We¡¯ll have an answer for you then. But this¡­ thing between you and Shikamaru? It¡¯s gone on for too long.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve caught us in between the both of you,¡± said Hinata, she looked away for a moment, and when her eyes returned to me, they didn¡¯t waver. ¡°What you revealed to us was something, but if there¡¯s one thing that we can help you with, it¡¯s this.¡±

    I stopped for a moment and thought the offer over. ¡°...Fine. I¡¯ll be there.¡±

 Chapter 22 [1]

    Life was full of revelations this week. Most had come solely from and around one of his best friends. Most of the time, Choji was a fan of surprises. The ones he was used to usually had something to do with good food, which was always welcome. Unfortunately, none of the week¡¯s news had anything to do with food.

    If that wasn¡¯t bad enough, the latest one had completely altered his worldview, which upset him more than he cared to admit. To him, the Leaf wasn¡¯t a terrible place. It housed bad people and good people, which was a given in life, but he liked to give people the benefit of the doubt and in doing so, found himself on the receiving end of the good more than the bad.

    Naruto wasn¡¯t always an amazing person to be around. Before the Academy, Choji didn¡¯t remember seeing him much and only heard about him from all the friend groups Naruto had been kicked out of. They all said the same things: that Naruto was mean and would beat you up if he caught your staring.

    Somehow, that turned into Naruto being a monster; he thought it was a reputation he¡¯d garnered alone but how could he have been so stupid? Those looks from the adults were more than just distaste¡ªit was outright scorn. Nothing shy of him sending people to the hospital could do that. Turns out Naruto went a step further, bringing death and destruction¡ªby proxy, they said.

    In truth, Choji didn¡¯t know much about the Nine-Tails beyond a few facts: it was orange, as big as a mountain, and had nine very destructive tails. It was a topic rarely brought up except for one specific day of the year, and even then, only to mourn lost loved ones. Jinchuriki were an even stranger concept to him. It wasn¡¯t a topic they¡¯d covered in the Academy yet so he had to do a little digging on his own, though it wasn¡¯t anything a quick library search couldn¡¯t solve.

    Or so he thought.

    Books on the Tailed Beasts were rare in the Leaf, probably because of the tragedy of the Nine-Tailed Night. He¡¯d journeyed to three different libraries, finding only one book on the topic, alongside sparse information on Jinchuriki¡ªliving prisons. The idea that Naruto, kind and caring Naruto, housed a creature like the Nine-Tails didn¡¯t make sense to him. To his regret, Choji reassessed every detail and memory of his friend with intensity.

    How could he carry that kind of burden with a smile?

    The question troubled him while he worked to prepare his room for the day, sitting on the edge of his awareness as the tasks piled up. He got to vacuum cleaning, changing his bedsheets, rearranging his wardrobe, bringing his washing downstairs and separating them into piles, and all the mindless chores he could occupy himself with.

    As the Akimichi heir, he didn¡¯t have to do chores anyway, but with Naruto¡¯s confession, he felt like he needed something to do that wasn¡¯t sit down and think. He couldn¡¯t train because he was expecting guests soon, so chores it was. Surprisingly, it was pretty soothing, but only enough to take his mind off things for a little while. In the end, one fact remained: his perception of his best friend had shifted ever so slightly, the newfound knowledge casting a looming nine-tailed shadow over everything he¡¯d ever known about him.

    Was the Leaf one big family if they excluded someone so important to its survival? How could Naruto go around with a big smile, pretending everything was okay? Choji¡¯s walk slowed down as he approached his room, eyes wide. Naruto wasn¡¯t okay. He¡¯d admitted as much, hadn¡¯t he?

    Regret flooded him at the thought and he accepted it with a faint smile. As much as he beat himself up about not noticing, Naruto was right. What could he do against an entire village of people who either actively loathed his friend¡¯s existence, or were ignorant of him?

    The morning dragged into early afternoon and the sunlight beaming through his bedroom window brought no clarity to mind. All he received were more answerless questions birthing complicated emotions. He sighed and started on the week¡¯s assignments, forcing his focus outward.

    Hinata was the first to arrive, as expected, and came to his room after greeting his parents. She sat on the edge of his bed, peering over at the desk while he wrote. His shoulder was heavy with her gaze and his mind was anywhere but on the work.

    ¡°So,¡± He leaned back in the chair and looked at the ceiling, ¡°are we gonna talk about it?¡±

    ¡°Talk about what?¡±

    Choji turned around the spinning chair and stared at Hinata. She squirmed a little and looked away. He continued staring until she ran out of places and things to look at, her eyes turning to face him again.

    She smiled sadly. ¡°What is there to say, Choji? Looking back, it was obvious. We never met anywhere he could be recognised, and if we did, it was always a park because everyone except Mr Teuchi and Ayame hates him.¡±

    ¡°Some friends we are,¡± he said with a rueful chuckle.

    ¡°Does it change anything?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Hinata smiled sadly, her eyes shining with a strange sadness despite her words. ¡°The knowledge. Naruto¡¯s still Naruto. Nothing we¡¯ve done together with him is different, right?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s still my friend,¡± said Choji, clenching his fists. ¡°But you know.. the entire reason he exists is to keep it contained. That¡¯s not the kind of thing you forget¡ªthe village will never let him.¡±

    She remained silent.

    ¡°How could he be so happy with everything that he is? I don¡¯t think he was happy at all, so that only makes me wonder how much of it¡ªour friendship¡ªwas real. ¡±

    ¡°All of it,¡± she replied. ¡°Nothing about knowing who Naruto is changes what we¡¯ve gone through with him. It doesn¡¯t push aside everything that he is to us, Choji.¡±

    ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    ¡°Because¡­¡± Hinata swallowed, blinking rapidly. When she opened her eyes, they glinted with unshed tears. ¡°Because I¡¯ve known what he is the entire time we¡¯ve been friends.¡±

    Choji¡¯s stomach dropped. ¡°W-What?¡±

    She took a moment to compose herself. ¡°My father. When he noticed I was going out to train with Naruto, he sent someone to find out what I was doing and, when he did, he called me to his study and told me about it.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s not his secret!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the kind of man my father is.¡± Unlike before, her face was perfectly expressionless. ¡°His exact words were, ¡®As my heir, you will know exactly with whom you are associating ¡ªand only then will you decide.¡¯¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± He floundered until his voice rediscovered itself. ¡°That¡¯s cruel, Hinata! To judge a person for something they can¡¯t control it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s so¡­ cruel.¡±

    ¡°Are you calling my father a cruel man?¡±

    ¡°N-No, that¡¯s not what I meant, I was jus¡ª¡±

    ¡°Because you wouldn¡¯t be wrong.¡± That stopped his rushed apology. ¡°People can be cruel, like everyone who¡¯s cruel to Naruto. But they can be kind as well. My father shared Naruto¡¯s identity because he cared about me and didn¡¯t want me to suffer the village¡¯s cruelty like Naruto does. I still chose to be Naruto¡¯s friend anyway; I chose to find out who he was¡ªyou¡¯ve done it in reverse, but does finding out what he is change anything?¡±

    ¡°...No.¡± He stopped, digesting the full weight of her words. ¡°It doesn¡¯t.¡±

    But it left him with an indescribable feeling¡ªa constant, dragging weight in his chest. Was it because he knew what his friend was going through?

    He laughed quietly to himself.

    ¡°What¡¯s funny?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve figured it out.¡± He looked at his hands. ¡°It¡¯s because I can¡¯t do anything about it that I feel like¡­ like this. It¡¯s not like his fight with Shikamaru; it¡¯s not a problem I can fix and¡­ that hurts.¡±

    ¡°Says who?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Hinata frowned. ¡°Who says we can¡¯t fix it? Remember how Naruto was before we met him?¡±

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    ¡°Of course. How could I forget?¡±

    ¡°Remember how hard it was to get him to meet us out of school the first time?¡±

    Choji looked down. Now that he knew the reason for that, memories like that made him sad. ¡°...Yeah.¡±

    ¡°We did it anyway. And the time after that and the one after that. He stopped being so closed off and started having fun with us.¡± She got up and jabbed him in the chest. ¡°After you invited him to eat lunch with you one day, he stopped disappearing.¡±

    A weird warmth spread from the place Hinata had poked him and he started to smile. She was right¡ªabout all of it. They couldn¡¯t change what Naruto was, but they could be there for him when the world wasn¡¯t. They could show him that not everyone hated him and¡ªmaybe one day¡ªthat would get through to the rest of the village.

    Until then, he¡¯d always have them.

    ¡°...Thanks, Hinata.¡± Choji looked up and grinned. ¡°Seriously, though, I think you should tell Naruto.¡±

    Her smile quickly turned into a grimace, and the guilt returned to her eyes. ¡°Y-Yeah. I was planning to today¡­ but I¡¯m nervous.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    She looked out the window. ¡°He was my first ever friend. What if¡­ what if he doesn¡¯t want to be friends with me anymore.¡±

    He slapped a hand over his mouth, smothering a snicker. His eyes teared up, and the laugh burst out of him only when he couldn¡¯t hold it back anymore. Hinata drew her eyebrows together and glared; clear hurt stretched across her face.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± Choji wiped his face. ¡°You¡¯re so dumb sometimes. If you think Naruto would ever stop being friends with you, you¡¯ve got another thing coming. I can¡¯t tell you how he¡¯ll react, but if it were me, I¡¯d appreciate being friends with you even more. Someone who looks past the obvious even if it¡¯s what everyone else sees? They¡¯re like finding a needle in a haystack.¡±

    She stepped back, and to his surprise, flushed a deep crimson.

    ¡°W-What? What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°N-Nothing. I¡­ just didn¡¯t expect you to say¡­ that, but I suppose you¡¯re straightforward enough to. And now? Now it¡¯s my turn to thank you.¡± She gave him a deep bow and her shoulder-length hair flopped over her face. ¡°Thank you, Choji. Truly.¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯re welcome, but is the bowing really necessary?¡±

    ¡°Shut it and take my gratitude.¡±

    He laughed. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Naruto arrived fifteen minutes later, and the ensuing conversation between him and Hinata went almost exactly as predicted. He was shocked, but not upset, silencing Hinata¡¯s profuse apologies with a smile. Something joined the three of them together then, bringing them closer than they¡¯d been before. When Naruto looked at them, a different kind of gratitude shone in his blue eyes.

    That only made what he had to do next even harder.

    Choji cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I won¡¯t pull any punches when Shikamaru gets here.¡±

    Hinata winced.

    ¡°...Yeah, I was sort of expecting it.¡± Naruto shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m willing to accept my fair share of criticism. The things I said that day were¡­ less than ideal.¡±

    Hinata sniffed. ¡°That may be the case, but who was the first person to go below the belt?¡±

    ¡°Hinata,¡± Choji warned.

    ¡°Why?¡± She glared. ¡°Why do you defend him when he was wrong, Choji? Can you honestly tell me that it¡¯s right to respond to offered help the way Shikamaru did?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not that. You don¡¯t understand him.¡± He sighed and looked at Naruto. ¡°Neither of you do. I¡¯m not being biased because Shikamaru was my first ever friend, I swear.¡±

    Hinata looked away.

    ¡°I¡¯m being serious.¡± He waited until she looked back. ¡°It¡¯s not about not doing hard work. It¡¯s not about hard work at all¡ªbut I¡¯ll let Shikamaru explain it when he gets here. The real problem isn¡¯t even the fight you two had¡ªnot to me.¡±

    Naruto tilted his head. ¡°What¡¯s your problem with me and him, then?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s that neither of you wants to understand each other,¡± Choji said tiredly. ¡°Hinata, you too. All three of you think your ways are the only way, and that everyone who doesn¡¯t do things like you is crazy, wrong, or both. Well, no one except Shikamaru ever says that bit out loud, but can you tell me you haven¡¯t thought like that before?¡±

    ¡°At least I have the decency not to say it,¡± said Hinata. ¡°I don¡¯t hate Shikamaru, and he¡¯s pleasant to be around¡­ when he¡¯s not being an impolite, slothful human being.¡±

    Choji raised an eyebrow and looked at Naruto expectantly.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Naruto winced and smiled guiltily. ¡°Come on, you can¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t thought that way before.¡±

    ¡°Nobody¡¯s perfect,¡± he laughed. ¡°But the difference between me, and the three of you is that I accept that Shikamaru is the way he is because he wants to be.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s wasting his potential,¡± said Hinata. ¡°You, of all people, should see that!¡±

    Naruto folded his arms and watched him.

    ¡°If he wastes his potential, then that¡¯ll be his choice. I can talk to him but I can¡¯t force him.¡± Choji said as he leaned back in his chair. ¡°I dunno, but maybe Shikamaru would listen to you if you guys listened to him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s what we¡¯re doing today,¡± said Naruto. ¡°Listening to Shikamaru?¡±

    He smiled and let him make his guesses. Not too long afterwards, Shikamaru arrived, bringing with him two weeks of unaddressed awkwardness. Hinata was still seated at the foot of his bed; Naruto sat at its head, just behind the pillow, and Shikamaru decided to sit to the right of the wardrobe leaning against the wall.

    Choji moved his chair in front of the window, allowing himself to watch all three of them. Hinata looked as nervous as he felt but hid it behind her perfect posture. She tilted her chin upwards a little¡ªas if she was balancing a stack of books on her head¡ªwhile her eyes roamed the room. Shikamaru and Naruto refused to look at one another seemingly not out of lingering animosity, but guilt.

    It was a relief to see. At first, he was afraid that their friendship was dead in the water and didn¡¯t hold much hope for today¡¯s event, but the previous discussion and the sight of the two of them now was a relief. All he had to do was set the stage so that the two could talk¡ªand maybe Hinata would learn a bit more about their lazy friend while they did.

    So, why was he sweating? He wiped the sheen of his forehead with the back of his hand, rubbing it on the outside of his thigh. He ignored the heat radiating off his body and tried for a smile¡ªit felt like a grimace. ¡°Let¡¯s start with something easy. Shikamaru, how¡¯ve you been this week?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± He blinked. ¡°Alright, I guess. It¡¯s just school, so it¡¯s not the most exciting of stuff.¡±

    Hinata looked like she wanted to say something but pressed her knuckles against her lips. The sight made Choji smile a little¡ªshe was already taking their discussion to heart.

    ¡°Naruto, how¡¯s your week been?¡± he asked after nodding at Shikamaru¡¯s answer.

    The blond raised an eyebrow. ¡°Good. I went back to school, fought Sasuke, and beat Sasuke. All in all? A good week.¡±

    Shikamaru bristled and then frowned.

    ¡°Calm down, man,¡± said Naruto, frowning as well. ¡°I wasn¡¯t dragging up old drama. I was just happy that I finally beat someone who I¡¯ve been struggling against for the longest. Is that so wrong?¡±

    He sighed and leaned back against the wall. ¡°...Nah.¡±

    ¡°See, it¡¯s not old drama,¡± said Choji. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯ve called the two of you here.¡±

    All eyes were on him now.

    ¡°First things first, I¡¯m going to apologise to you, Shikamaru.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because I lied to you. Last week, I said Naruto wouldn¡¯t be here.¡± He spread his hands. ¡°But he¡¯s here because I think the two of you need to have a conversation¡ªthe conversation. No more running away from each other. No more insults and hurtful words.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve seen where that goes,¡± said Hinata, looking at Shikamaru. ¡°Right?¡±

    He held her gaze for a few seconds and looked away. The air between them was heavy. There was so much to say that no one could say¡­ anything.

    Naruto sighed. ¡°Choji, not that I don¡¯t appreciate what you¡¯ve done but this isn¡¯t going to work.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I think the idea is great¡ªyou¡¯ve got the two of us in a room.¡± He smiled tightly. ¡°But I think you and Hinata should give us some privacy. There are things that we can¡¯t say in front of either of you. These things might hurt to hear, but we have to say them. If you guys are here¡­ we won¡¯t be able to.¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who gave us a speech about saying and hearing uncomfortable truths?¡± asked Hinata.

    Choji got up from the chair. ¡°He¡¯s going to say those truths, Hinata, but they¡¯re not meant for us.¡± He walked over to his bedroom door and opened it, gesturing to Shikamaru. ¡°They¡¯re meant for him.¡±

    Hinata sighed and walked out of the room, waiting for him outside its threshold. ¡°Can I at least trust that you¡¯ll be civil?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t promise that, Hinata, but we¡¯ll do our best. Choji?¡± Naruto smiled at him and shifted halfway between the foot of the bed and the head. ¡°Thanks, man. I don¡¯t know if you hear this often, but you¡¯re a really dependable guy.¡±

    Instead of replying, Choji slammed the door shut, his ears burning. He could hear Naruto and Shikamaru¡¯s laughter from behind the door and Hinata took one look at him before joining them. They entered the living room where his parents were watching some kind of nature documentary and sat down on the free couch facing the television.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked his mother.

    Choji grunted.

    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Okay then. Hinata, why¡¯s he being all moody?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± she smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Mrs Akimichi. We just learned your son doesn¡¯t take praise very well.¡±

    His father looked at him and let out a booming laugh. ¡°My little man¡¯s as brave as they come, but when it comes to accepting his dues, he¡¯s as meek as a newborn calf.¡±

    ¡°Dad!¡± He groaned and slammed his face into his palms. ¡°Stop it!¡±

    To his horror, his mother joined in and he could only hide his face from the world in the hopes they would stop. Choji was never good with praise. He never felt like he deserved it because he was only doing the things he wished people did for him. Treating people in the way he wished to be treated.

    There wasn¡¯t anything praiseworthy about it.

    He looked up at the ceiling; his two best friends were somewhere up there. Were they listening to each other, or were they just arguing? Choji didn¡¯t know, but in the depths of his heart, he hoped and prayed that when the two of them came down those stairs, they¡¯d be friends again. Because after everything he¡¯d done: following Naruto, searching for Shikamaru, talking to Asuma Sarutobi, confronting Naruto at school, and finally bringing the two of them here.

    After all of that, that was the only thing he wanted.

 Chapter 22 [2]

    Shikamaru knew this was coming; he couldn¡¯t escape the events of the last week¡ªnot if he wanted to keep being friends with Choji and Hinata. He wasn¡¯t even angry anymore, just tired. Tired of the endless arguments and having to justify himself all the time. If it wasn¡¯t Naruto, it was his parents. If it wasn¡¯t them it was Hinata, Choji¡¯s mother, his teachers.

    Practically everyone at this point.

    He was tired of being ignored because he was lazy. Nothing he said ever meant anything because everyone assumed he didn¡¯t care about anything but that wasn¡¯t true. He just didn¡¯t care about being a shinobi. No one ever seemed to want to ask what he wanted¡ªit was all about what they wanted him to do.

    Despite that, he regretted how things turned out. He didn¡¯t mean to say the things he said. He was just so¡­ angry at Naruto that all the months of his nagging and disregard for Shikamaru¡¯s own opinions came rushing back and he hurt Naruto the only way he knew how. Looking across the room, he saw real anger in Naruto¡¯s eyes. Anger that he was responsible for. His usually kind face twisted into a frown.

    He took a breath and stood up, sitting down on the floor and leaning against the bedframe. Now, they were level, and Shikamaru stared directly into his eyes. He wanted to look away, but he couldn¡¯t; something about the intensity of his gaze captured his own.

    ¡°You were wrong to insult me,¡± said Naruto. ¡°Why? I offered help and tried to cheer you up after the loss.¡±

    Shikamaru glared. ¡°This isn¡¯t about the fight or anything else that happened after it. This thing between you and me started way before that¡ªyou just refused to see it any other way.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Naruto scoffed. ¡°So, what then? It¡¯s fine you behaved like a dumbass just because we value different things?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± He clenched his jaw and forced his voice down to a talking level. ¡°No. I¡¯m saying that you don¡¯t seem to care about what anyone thinks!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s rich coming from you.¡± Naruto laughed and he felt the anger starting to boil. ¡°You don¡¯t listen to anyone and you don¡¯t give a shit about your future. There¡¯s a whole world out there with people stronger than the Hokage, never mind you and me. Your life will be in danger just by wearing our village¡¯s symbol on your forehead. That doesn¡¯t matter?¡±

    ¡°I never said it didn¡¯t matter!¡± He was standing now, his shoulders heaving. His face felt hot and his voice cracked, but he ignored it. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who assumed I didn¡¯t care it was you, Naruto¡ªall of you!¡±

    The room was so quiet they could hear the birds outside Choji¡¯s window. All the anger fell from Naruto¡¯s face and he sighed, walking over to the window and closing it. He brought Choji¡¯s chair with him and set it in front of the bed.

    ¡°It¡¯s obvious this isn¡¯t working, so let¡¯s do it differently.¡± Naruto sat down on the mattress and gestured at the chair. ¡°Take a seat.¡±

    Shikamaru shuffled forward, unsure of what he was planning, but sat down anyway.

    ¡°I¡¯m sick of the two of us being stupid about this,¡± said Naruto. ¡°You¡¯re right, I don¡¯t get you. The way you think makes absolutely no sense to me¡ªI think you can be really frustrating.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re not?¡±

    ¡°Even then, everyone¡¯s frustrating sometimes. Hinata can be way too stuck-up and stubborn to the point that she doesn¡¯t listen. Choji¡¯s sometimes too afraid to say things that need to be said¡ªbut I guess he¡¯s working on that. Me? I can get carried away with training because¡­ well, because I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    ¡°Of what?¡± he asked.

    Naruto shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later. Again, I don¡¯t get your way of thinking. I never gave it a chance before, but if we¡¯re going to get anywhere, I need to understand why you are the way you are. I think you¡¯ve heard a lot about what I think, but what do you think and why?¡±

    ¡°W-What?¡± Shikamaru leaned back in his chair, scooting away from him.

    For a moment, his brain went completely blank¡ªand why wouldn¡¯t it? No one had ever tried to actually understand beyond what was polite. They always gave up once it got to that point so Naruto might¡¯ve been the first person to ask why he thought and acted this way.

    ¡°I¡­ I guess I¡¯d like to start with a question.¡± Shikamaru stopped looking away from him. ¡°What do you want to achieve by being a shinobi?¡±

    He scratched his chin. ¡°To put it simply: I want the power to live a life free from fear.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Hinata and Choji also want something from being a shinobi. But I don¡¯t. Everything I want starts and ends with living an average life.¡± He laughed quietly. ¡°It must sound crazy to you. I¡¯m the son of one of the village¡¯s biggest clans and all I want is to live an ordinary life.¡±

    ¡°No, not strange¡­¡± Naruto hummed. ¡°But you know you won¡¯t be able to, right? Just by being the only child of your parents, your major life decisions are all picked out for you. You¡¯re in the Academy, you¡¯ll be a shinobi, and you¡¯ll succeed your father¡ªmaybe on both counts.¡±

    Shikamaru nodded. ¡°I know, alright? But my bottom line is that I don¡¯t want to. All I want is a family, a nice house, and enough to enjoy myself. I can¡¯t control how I was born, and I know I have duties to my parents and the village. I¡¯ve never said I won¡¯t fulfil them, but why does nothing I want matter?¡±

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    ¡°I¡­¡± Naruto frowned and clutched his chin. ¡°Let me think for a minute. If I¡¯m going to be honest, I didn¡¯t expect you to say anything except, ¡®Work¡¯s hard, don¡¯t wanna do it. I prefer doing nothing.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Glad to disappoint,¡± Shikamaru replied, snorting softly.

    Naruto took a few minutes, humming to himself and frequently looking over at him in mild surprise¡ªas if he was surprised Shikamaru was still there.

    ¡°Correct me if I¡¯m wrong, but you¡¯re basically telling me you don¡¯t want to live a difficult life? As in, you want a regular family, regular home, decent position so that you don¡¯t have to worry about anything in life, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re also aware that your environment has made a few of those things impossible.¡±

    Shikamaru nodded. ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°But even then, you want to do¡­ not the bare minimum, but just enough?¡±

    ¡°Is that a bad thing?¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to be honest?¡± asked Naruto, his eyes going from curious to grim.

    ¡°...Yeah?¡± He sat up and eased on the apprehensive frown. ¡°Do you have a problem with anything I¡¯ve said or something?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly.¡±

    ¡°Then what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Remember when I said I work hard out of fear? It¡¯s because the village has a lot of enemies. There¡¯s Orochimaru of the Sannin, and sure he¡¯s been pretty quiet for years now, but what about that lunatic Itachi Uchiha?¡± Naruto¡¯s smile was brittle. ¡°I¡¯m ignoring so many other things as well. There¡¯s the Stone, who hates our guts, and the Sand.¡±

    ¡°The Sand? Aren¡¯t they our allies?¡±

    ¡°You passed Economics with flying colours and the answer to your question¡¯s right in front of you. Hidden Villages are sustained by trade and missions. The Sand trades pretty frequently with the Land of Fire, but they¡¯re falling on hard times because it¡¯s quickly becoming their primary source of income. How are most missions funded?¡±

    Shikamaru frowned. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve got actual paying clients like regular people, nobles, and businesses, but they make up a minority of the actual mission requests and are mostly low-rank ones assigned to genin and sometimes chunin. Missions above C-rank are paid for by the Daimyo, but a village¡¯s Kage decides what the actual mission is. Kage-decided missions make up the bulk of a hidden village¡¯s mission income.¡±

    Naruto nodded. ¡°The answer to my question wasn¡¯t a massive section in the school textbook, so if you don¡¯t know, I¡¯ll just tell you.¡±

    ¡°...No, I remember reading about it.¡± He pinched the bridge of his nose to help gather his thoughts. ¡°When the Sand lost the Great War and Lord Third forced them into an alliance with us, the Wind Daimyo requested us for a lot of high-rank missions, not the Sand.¡±

    ¡°And there¡¯s your answer.¡±

    His stomach dropped. ¡°Oh¡ªoh. He did it to strengthen the alliance between us but that¡¯s bullshit¡ªhe just doesn¡¯t trust the strength of his country¡¯s shinobi because they lost the war!¡±

    Naruto spread his hands and shrugged. ¡°So where does that land our alliance with the Sand? I bet its people¡ªthe shinobi in particular¡ªblame us for their poverty. Why wouldn¡¯t they? It¡¯s a lot easier than committing treason.¡±

    ¡°...They wouldn¡¯t go to war with us, would they? That¡¯d be the same as inviting the Stone to try something and boom¡ªworld war.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, man.¡± He leaned back on his palms. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ªand that¡¯s why I¡¯m afraid. The world is at peace right now, but it¡¯s not a stable peace. It was always one enforced using the Fourth Hokage as a deterrent¡ªand when he died, things started going downhill. A world like that? It won¡¯t let you take things easy. Are you sure you want to roll the dice on your dreams like that? On your family or your potential wife and kids?¡±

    Shikamaru looked away, unable to hold the genuine concern in Naruto¡¯s eyes.

    It was easy to gripe and groan about the burden of expectations, but sometimes, when was alone at night, his mind asked questions his tongue was terrified to utter. Questions he could ignore by pretending they didn¡¯t exist¡ªhe hadn¡¯t spoken them, and no one had asked him to answer. Now, his friend sat there, not only asking those questions but placing them beside actual reality.

    His problems¡ªthe things he felt angry over¡ªwhat chance did they stand? And yet, he didn¡¯t feel an ounce of the burning anger coursing through his veins when his mother and father brought up their arguments about reality and consequences.

    Naruto leaned forward and intertwined his fingers in front of his face. ¡°I get where you¡¯re coming from¡ªat least, I think I do. It wasn¡¯t really about the hard work more than what it meant you had to do. And honestly? Your dreams are great.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ thanks, I guess?¡±

    ¡°Just don¡¯t forget that you exist in a world with all of us¡ªpeople. Some of them won¡¯t hesitate to kill you and everyone you care about. They¡¯re not a distant threat millions of miles away. There might be people in our village who are willing to do horrible things to us. You never know.¡±

    Shikamaru looked down, strangely accepting of the idea. ¡°I guess¡­ I guess I want to be free to choose. To see whether or not what I want will work out.¡±

    ¡°I hear you. We all want different things out of life.¡± He grimaced and looked away for a second. ¡°...Listen, I know I can get pretty forceful about things. It might have come out of concern and care but I ignored your feelings and thoughts so I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry for that.¡±

    ¡­There it was. The consideration nobody had thought about giving him before today.

    That was why he wasn¡¯t angry.

    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth,¡± Shikamaru sighed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for¡­ being a dick. I shouldn¡¯t have shot you down like that. ¡­Not by aiming at something I knew was a sore spot. Your timing was atrocious, but that ain¡¯t an excuse for me to lose my cool over offered help instead.¡±

    Naruto smiled and nodded in satisfaction. He stopped and fixed his shirt, going over to the door and opening it wide. ¡°Great¡ªI¡¯m glad we¡¯re on the same page.¡±

    He twisted his neck. ¡°So, we¡¯re cool now, right?¡±

    ¡°I might get annoyed at your laziness now and again.¡± Naruto chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s just who you are. I know why you¡¯re like that now, and I¡¯ve¡­ mostly accepted it. But yeah, we¡¯re cool.¡±

    He closed the door behind him.

    Shikamaru didn¡¯t know what to think for a moment. To have his entire worldview disassembled and restructured to him was¡­ an experience. By the end of it, he was slightly more aware of where he sat in the world.

    Where his dreams sat in the world.

    His father said it best: people made their own choices in life and whatever came from those choices, the burden of consequences¡ªgood and bad¡ªwasn¡¯t just a choice, it was a responsibility. His lack of ambition, no matter what anyone said, remained. But now, reality sat at the edge of his mind.

    He wasn¡¯t sure how, but maybe one day, he¡¯d find a balance. One where his dreams and the world sat equally on a scale.

 Chapter 23 [1]

    There was one disguise¡ªone transformation¡ªthat I could use flawlessly. It was so flawless that I reckoned only true masters of disguise could recognise it.

    Over the years, the disguise ended up becoming my go-to, changing a little from its original form to fit the new circumstance I¡¯d found myself in a decade ago now. I even had a dedicated outfit for it: a black long-sleeve and dark blue cargo pants. The shoes were simple trainers, flat-footed, and had no particular logo¡ªthough I did find myself missing the old Nike tick sometimes.

    August was rolling in and the overwhelmingly blistering heat had eased off these last few weeks. I looked out of my bedroom window, sticking a hand out of it to decide whether I needed to put something over my shirt.

    ¡°I guess not,¡± I muttered, walking over to the tall mirror attached to the left door of my wardrobe.

    The person looking back at me was noticeably taller than I normally was, standing at five-foot-eleven. My skin was slightly tanned¡ªthe kind of tan you¡¯d get from long years out in the sun¡ªand I was sporting black hair and brown eyes, though my hairstyle was the same as my real form.

    Initially, I decided to grow my hair out to screw with the villagers. Have them make the connection between me and my father and then seethe at the idea I could look anything like the Fourth¡ªthe man whose death I was supposedly responsible for. At some point though, I decided to tie the back of my admittedly wild hair into a small ponytail.

    Mostly because I hated how it felt when I got sweaty and it stuck to my nape, but I couldn¡¯t cut it because I enjoyed annoying the villagers too much. And so a compromise had to be made. The hairstyle was a part of me now, and when I thought of myself, it was the first thing that came to mind.

    My whiskers were completely gone and on the whole, my face looked a little boyish. Precise age details were finicky to get down and I didn¡¯t trust my skills enough to age myself up too much so I was hovering in that weird range between 16 and 20.

    Iruka-sensei had finally seen fit to teach us the Transformation Jutsu¡¯s voice modulation component a few months ago and I¡¯d been using the transformation ever since to do everything. And I do mean everything because if nothing else, it was a useful exercise in chakra manipulation.

    ¡°Good to see you again, old chap,¡± I snorted, speaking English for the first time in a while.

    Learning (or was it re-learning?) to speak English was a lot harder than I thought and getting down my once-native southern accent was even more difficult. I¡¯d learned Japanese first, so I had to spend months teaching my tongue to speak differently than it had been doing for years. The writing and reading were the easy parts.

    I¡¯d decided to do those the minute I could but put speaking off because I thought I¡¯d be able to slip back into it instantly.

    To this day, I wondered what the hell I was thinking. Moments like those reminded me I was still a child in both body and mind. My life experience might¡¯ve been the grand sum of twenty-two, but the brain was as much a part of the body as anything else¡ªand said body was ten years old.

    That said, my disguise wasn¡¯t a one-to-one version of who I was before my rebirth. I¡¯d been Naruto for over a decade and felt as much like him as I did myself and it showed in the disguise. Everything above the face was still the same shape, though my nose, jaw, and lips were all from my past life. Ultimately, it was a useless thing, but I wanted to make my disguise the perfect blend of who I was and who I used to be.

    Cracking a grin, I left my apartment and pulled out my palm-sized notepad where I¡¯d scribbled down a list of things I needed to buy for next week. I had my training with Asuma in four hours. His change to Sunday was unexpected, but thankfully my shift at Ichiraku¡¯s was a morning one on Sundays, leaving me with the rest of the day free.

    All in all, shopping would take around an hour and a half¡ªmaybe two¡ªgiving me time to heat my lunch and another two hours to digest it before training.

    My shopping list would take me from the southern side of the village to the east¡ªto the merchants¡¯ gate, where all the merchants and businesses entered. It was also where the high-end shops and restaurants were, like Yakiniku-Q and a few others. Like the famous chain supermarket brand in all the main hidden villages: Ninja-Mart.

    There were two other gates, the north and the west. The former was for visitors¡ªanywhere from foreign ninja to people coming on day trips from neighbouring towns. All of them passed through the northern gate. It was the second biggest gate out of the three, the first being the merchants¡¯ one on the east side.

    The western gate was shinobi-only. It was frequented by people going and returning from missions and was right next to one of the T&I offices dedicated to receiving prisoners. When I became a genin, it was the gate I¡¯d be using to go on missions with my team, and it was active 24/7.

    Returning my attention to the shopping list, I decided I¡¯d work by proximity, so whatever neat order I was thinking when I wrote this went right out of the window. Luckily, the park Asuma and I trained at was also on the east side of the village.

    Which meant I could splurge on some fancy food!

    That alone was a mood booster, accelerating my stroll to a brisk walk as I made a stop at my first shop.

    ¡°Mr Totsugi, it¡¯s been too long!¡±

    I smiled at the owner of the secondhand clothes store. It was mostly a family-run business where the community dumped unwanted clothes. The salvageable ones were repaired and everything else was dumped, meaning the quality was a steal¡ªespecially considering the price.

    ¡°How are you, Mr Sanada?¡± I said, walking over and shaking the man¡¯s hand.

    I couldn¡¯t help it. Being in my body, using my first voice (or whatever I could remember of it) made me want to try and become the person I used to be in the little ways. Of course, that garnered weird looks from my unfortunate victims, but given that they hated the real me, I didn¡¯t care much.

    The usuals had long since accepted it now and were actively reciprocating my weird and supposedly foreign habits. Maybe they were carrying them over to their own lives, spreading handshake greetings everywhere.

    I chuckled at the mental image.

    ¡°How¡¯s your son?¡± asked the shopkeeper, his old face stretching into a smile. ¡°I had no idea what I was doing when I was your age. My daughter ran circles around me and without my wife, she would¡¯ve had me wrapped around my finger before she turned ten! I don¡¯t know how you do it alone.¡±

    I never had children in my last life¡ªdied too young¡ªbut people had children younger here. It wasn¡¯t rare to see twenty-year-old married couples with toddlers, especially since the village had been incentivising people to do so through various welfare policies.

    ¡°With lots of patience, sir. Lots of patience.¡± We shared a hearty laugh. ¡°It helps that he was already five when I adopted him. I don¡¯t suppose you have any everyday wear for ten-year-old boys, do you? Don¡¯t worry if they¡¯re out of style. He doesn¡¯t care much about fashion. I don''t even mind if they''re a bit oversized because he¡¯ll grow into them.¡±

    Mr Sanada pointed a finger at me and bounced on his feet. ¡°In that case, I have just the thing for you. How many outfits will you need?¡±

    I rubbed my chin. ¡°Shorts are out since the weather will only get colder. Let me get¡­ three short-sleeves, one long-sleeve¡ªhe has enough of those already¡ªand two pairs of trousers.¡±

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    ¡°I have some jeans around 140 centimetres.¡±

    ¡°Perfect. Two jeans then.¡±

    Mr Sanada slid his glasses up his face. ¡°And the other two?¡±

    ¡°You know what?¡± I smiled. ¡°Surprise me.¡±

    I walked out of the building with a couple more items than I¡¯d intended to buy but was satisfied with all of them. Mr Sanada had even thrown in a free belt when I mentioned my supposed son¡¯s trousers size was 135 cm instead of 140 cm.

    It was kind of sad, really.

    No matter how many times I did it, I¡¯d never stop feeling the jarring shock of¡­ not being Naruto Uzumaki. Mr Sanada, who I¡¯d learned was an insanely kind man, had run me out of his shop a few years ago¡ªdid that still make him a good man?

    Hell, the way people looked at me was different, let alone how they treated me. It was the same with all the other shops. Hideo the butcher tossed in an extra chicken breast because he knew I had a growing son. Instead of refusing to serve me, the carpenter¡¯s family brought me a cup of tea while I sorted out an order after realising the table and chairs my place had come with had run their course.

    None of this was new to me, having been going about in this disguise for a few months now, but it was always sobering to see. An hour later, I was down to the last place on my list, mildly hungry, and eager to have lunch.

    I looked up at the massive red sign. A shuriken separated the two words, acting as the shop¡¯s logo. ¡°Ninja-Mart, here I come.¡±

    Adjusting my grip over the shop trolley, I slotted in a coin and steered it away.

    ¡°U-Um¡­ excuse me, sir?¡±

    A relatively young woman stood behind me. The first thing I noticed were her clothes¡ªa rough patchwork kimono and wooden sandals. She was carrying a backpack, but it only had one shoulder strap that was digging painfully into her shoulder.

    She had straight, dark brown hair and almond-shaped eyes. Her skin was incredibly pale¡ªso much so that, if I looked carefully, I could see her greenish veins standing out against her skin. Either she was a really youthful-looking adult or a teenager, standing at around five feet tall.

    I was a little surprised because people from the poorer north-west of the village didn¡¯t come to the Leaf¡¯s east side often.

    ¡°Can I help you?¡± I gave her a disarming smile but it only seemed to make her more nervous. ¡°Why¡¯d you call me, sir? I¡¯m not that old am I?¡±

    ¡°O-Oh, no!¡± She waved her hands in front of her face. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to offend you.¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I went for a joke that didn¡¯t land. What can I help you with?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Rukia. Just Rukia¡ªI have no last name, you see.¡± She bowed proper and deep, her long hair hovering over the ground. ¡°I arrived just today from a small village. My father sent me here to restock.¡± Rukia pulled out a withered scrap of paper from her kimono. ¡°The tools we use are beyond repair. Do you know where¡­ this shop is?¡±

    I leaned over her shoulder, staring at the hastily scribbled name of a smithy on the west side of the village. I knew of it because it was where I bought and maintained all of my weapons. Asuma recommended it to me after our training one day because the wares were cheaper for their quality compared to some other shops. They weren¡¯t limited to just shinobi weapons and did all-purpose tools like axes, hoes, sickles, and whatnot.

    ¡°I do,¡± I replied. ¡°But you¡¯re going to have to wait for me to do my shopping. I¡¯m Totsugi, by the way¡ªno last name either.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Totsugi.¡± She bowed again. ¡°And that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll accompany you if needed.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°You sure? Just wait out here.¡±

    ¡°Since you agreed to help me, it¡¯s only fair I help you as well.¡±

    Seeing that I wouldn¡¯t be able to convince her to stay, I let her come with me. To my surprise, she could read¡ªwhich wasn¡¯t a given for people who lived in the village¡¯s poorer areas; school cost money here unless your child entered the Ninja Academy. I supposed I was being too judgemental¡ªbeing poor didn¡¯t instantly eliminate someone¡¯s literacy chances.

    Because of Rukia, we were in and out in no time. She immediately sussed out aisles with just a glance and found the items I needed faster than me¡ªand yet, since she was from a small village, she probably hadn¡¯t ever stepped foot in a Ninja-Mart before. Once I¡¯d paid for my groceries, I shrugged off the mostly empty backpack I¡¯d been carrying around and started filling it up.

    ¡°Right!¡± I grunted and slung the back across my back. ¡°I dunno about you, but I¡¯m starving. You were a huge help today so how about I treat you to your first taste of Leaf Village cuisine?¡±

    Rukia frowned up at me with her lips slightly downturned like she couldn''t quite make up her mind. ¡°...Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°I am the one offering. Besides, I¡¯m starving and I¡¯ve only been running errands for a few hours. You¡¯ve probably been out and about longer than I have. Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you, but I think I¡¯m alright¡ª¡± She was cut off by a low gurgle, flushing down to her neck. I raised my eyebrow and she looked away. ¡°...Thank you, Totsugi¡ªsome food would be nice.¡±

    And so that¡¯s how I ended up trying Yakiniku-Q for the first time.

    It was heavy on the wallet, but Lord Third¡¯s stipend saved the day. The old man probably wouldn¡¯t like me blowing a decent amount on fine dining, but Mr Teuchi would make up the loss at the end of the month. If things got bad¡ªwhich I didn¡¯t think they would¡ªI¡¯d just eat Ichiraku Ramen all the time.

    It wasn¡¯t exactly healthy, but I wasn¡¯t going to run out of food options any time soon.

    I popped a beef slice into my mouth, smiling at how it numbed my tongue. ¡°This is worth the price.¡±

    ¡°...How much did you pay for all this?¡± asked Rukia while she fried the cuts.

    Every time I¡¯d try to help out, she¡¯d slap my hand away and glare so I simply gave up after the third go.

    I stuck another slice into my mouth, skillfully dodging the question for a little while.

    Rukia flipped over the slices and frowned. ¡°Totsugi.¡±

    ¡°...9,500 ryo.¡± Her frown deepened, making me wince. ¡°Before you say anything, I intended to eat something expensive today regardless. I¡¯m not in the east side often so I thought I¡¯d splurge a little.¡±

    ¡°Even then, did you have to invite me?¡± Rukia huffed. ¡°It was kind, but I don¡¯t want you to suffer later on because of me.¡±

    ¡°Eh, I won¡¯t suffer.¡± I picked up the tongs she¡¯d discarded a few minutes ago and placed new cuts on the grill. ¡°I get paid in a few weeks and have quite a bit of money saved up. If I didn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t have offered, so no more complaining.¡±

    She looked like she wanted to contest that but sighed in the end. ¡°If you say so.¡±

    I learned a bit more about Rukia as the meal went on. She was adopted by a widower who found her abandoned at the site of a robbery gone wrong. A bandit crew had slaughtered her parents, who were travelling through the Land of Fire as merchants. Her adoptive father found her hours later, and seeing the tragedy she was born into, took her in to give her a better life.

    I shared a little bit about myself so that it wasn¡¯t one-sided. After she revealed something as heavy as that, I felt like I¡¯d pried a little.

    ¡°You have a son?¡± Rukia¡¯s eyebrows disappeared into her hairline. ¡°But¡­ aren¡¯t you my age?¡±

    ¡°How old are you?¡±

    ¡°Fifteen.¡±

    I laughed, using the little time I had to figure out a believable explanation. ¡°I¡¯m nineteen and yes, I have a son¡ªlegally speaking, anyway. I ended up adopting him when I was fifteen.¡±

    ¡°...I see.¡±

    ¡°We also look nothing alike. He¡¯s got blond hair and blue eyes.¡±

    ¡°I wonder how you explain your relationship to people,¡± she smiled. ¡°What¡¯s his name, if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Naruto.¡±

    She laughed. ¡°As in the ramen topping?¡±

    ¡°As in maelstrom.¡± I shook my head at her laughter. ¡°Though he is a huge ramen fan.¡±

    We kept ordering beef until we¡¯d had our fill. Yakiniku-Q charged a flat amount and let you eat as much as you wanted, within reason anyway. I had to explain that to my new friend because she set down her chopsticks after four beef slices and told me she was full. Even then, I needed the expertise of one of the waiters to set her mind at peace before she could really cut loose.

    For someone so small, she ate a disturbing amount and I found myself thanking God it was an all-you-can-eat place.

    ¡°You know,¡± said Rukia, as we walked out of the restaurant, ¡°you¡¯re a good person, Totsugi.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m selfish too. Buying you a meal was convenient for me as well.¡± I explained. ¡°If I didn¡¯t, I¡¯d have to take you all the way to the blacksmith¡¯s only to cross the village after that to eat my lunch.¡±

    ¡°...And now you¡¯ve ruined the moment.¡±

    I snorted and continued to walk. We could¡¯ve taken a carriage, but I¡¯d eaten a little too much beef. If I took a carriage, I¡¯d either end up in a food coma¡­ or throw it all up later. Asuma was a fan of making me do egregiously active warm-ups so it was a real possibility. When we arrived, I was significantly less full.

    ¡°There¡¯s your blacksmith,¡± I said, pointing at a building on the high street. ¡°Your dad has a good eye for quality. They¡¯re pretty cheap with prices, so you¡¯ll be getting your money¡¯s worth.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Totsugi.¡± Rukia bowed and walked away.

    I raised a hand in farewell when she turned around before making my way back home. I only had an hour left before my training so I had to hurry.

    Making sure there was no one in sight, I dived into an alleyway and climbed to the roof, taking off.

 Chapter 23 [2]

    It was touch and go for a few moments and I had to force down the premium beef a couple of times, but I got home with over half an hour to spare. After a quick shower and a change of clothes, I was off, no longer under disguise, and raced across the rooftops back to the east side of the village.

    I looked at my wrist and frowned. ¡°Damn. I might end up being late.¡±

    After making sure there was no one nearby, I mixed my chakra and made a few hand signs, bracing myself. The world wrenched behind me and my eyes flooded with so many tears that I couldn¡¯t see anything. It slammed to a stop, lurching me forward. My arms flailed about in search of any objects to stop myself from falling, grasping only air, so I tipped forward until I caught myself using my palms.

    I twisted my neck to look back and grinned¡ªand why wouldn¡¯t I? With one jutsu, I cleared roughly 15 metres in a single step.

    That said, the Body Flicker Jutsu wasn¡¯t as impressive as I thought it would be. Don¡¯t get me wrong, it was definitely a speed enhancement, but in my opinion, it wasn¡¯t a good one. The jutsu was static; it didn¡¯t let you change directions while moving, so if an opponent caught onto where you were going, it was curtains because of the jutsu¡¯s second flaw.

    Well, it wasn¡¯t a universal flaw, and could be fixed relatively easily¡ªI just couldn¡¯t do it yet.

    The Body Flicker Jutsu was a standard D-rank speed technique; one so fast that the human eye couldn¡¯t keep up with it¡ªand that included its user. For people lucky enough to have dojutsu or weird bloodline limits, this was a non-issue since their sight was better in general. For the rest of us, the prerequisite to overcoming the second flaw was enhancing your sight using chakra and in the middle of battle, this wasn¡¯t exactly ideal.

    It was listed as an escape technique, so its focus was never on battle in the first place. If there was a way to overcome the issue by slightly lowering its speed, I didn¡¯t know how to do that either. The Body Flicker Jutsu was one we were going to learn closer to the end of the year, but Iruka-sensei taught it to Sasuke and me a little earlier because we were further ahead than he thought.

    To be fair, all of my conclusions had come from about a week¡¯s worth of experimentation, so maybe there was something I hadn¡¯t figured out yet.

    I arrived at the clearing just barely on time. Asuma was wandering about as usual and finished smoking before he came over.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to teach me that trick sometime,¡± I said.

    He grinned. ¡°You sure you want to start smoking, kid? I doubt you have any hair on your chest.¡±

    ¡°What, no?¡± I made a face. ¡°But manipulating wind chakra like that seems useful. You blew away all the cigarette smoke on and around you without a single hand sign.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Be clearer next time.¡± Asuma ruffled my hair¡ªhe knew I hated it, but that was exactly why he did it in the first place. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll teach you, but only when you¡¯re good enough for it. Right now, all you know is one D-rank wind-release jutsu and a few things you learned in the Academy and you haven¡¯t even learned everything they¡¯ve got to offer¡ªhave some patience.¡±

    I swatted him away and fixed my hair. ¡°So, what are we doing today?¡±

    His easygoing smile turned slightly bloodthirsty and I felt the usual pressure of his killing intent on my skin. Instead of shutting down like I did the first time we fought, I grinned and sprung back from him, pulling out both my kunai and brandishing them. Asuma drew his trench knives and did the same, our stances mirroring one another¡¯s.

    These last few months with the man had let me pick up a lot of useful skills¡ªand his bukijutsu style was one of them. It was just better than the basic weapon forms I learned in the Academy, which made sense. As childish as he could be, the guy was an A-ranked jonin for a reason.

    He tilted his head sideways. ¡°For a kid who hasn¡¯t even seen first blood, you¡¯ve got a decent presence. I can¡¯t call it killing intent because¡­ well, you haven¡¯t killed anyone.¡±

    The ¡°yet¡± went unsaid between us.

    ¡°At this level, you¡¯ll at least throw off the other brats you¡¯re sparring with.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to use it against them.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Asuma grinned. ¡°So, you beat the Uchiha kid and think you¡¯re hot shit, do you? Don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to win the same way. Not when he knows you can use wind-release jutsu.¡±

    He stared pointedly at me as the rest of his intended meaning went unsaid. Sasuke was adept at fire-release ninjutsu, and fire countered wind. However, it wasn¡¯t anything I wasn¡¯t aware of. I knew I needed to up my skills rather than get my hands on new jutsu, otherwise, Sasuke would beat me pretty handily in our next encounter.

    He didn¡¯t need to hear me say it, though. ¡°Are we gonna talk, or are we gonna fight?¡±

    I blinked and Asuma was gone.

    ¡°Kids these days. Suit yourself.¡± He sighed, the hot air from the exhale tickling my right ear.

    I pivoted so fast the world was a blur, going for a slashing hook aimed at his belly. He skipped out of the way but I chased after him, stabbing and slashing with increasing ferocity. He blocked each attack easily, all with the usual smile on his face. I planted my feet, sliding the rings of each kunai around the index and ring fingers of my right hand, freeing my left to gather chakra via the Confrontation Seal.

    The majority of it went right down, allowing me to spring ahead and quickly close the gap before it even had the chance to widen. I stretched out my left hand while spreading whatever moulded chakra I had left across my palm. It made contact with Asuma¡¯s flak jacket and the momentum from my sprint and Asuma¡¯s combined, dragging me along with him.

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    He looked down and I twirled my fingers, spinning both kunai around until I had them layered atop each other and pointed straight at him. I clenched tightly and lunged, dragging him towards me at the same time.

    Asuma grinned, breaking the link between us and making one hand seal. ¡° How about¡­ no.¡±

    The next thing I knew, something had slammed into me¡ªand it slammed into me hard, ripping both kunai out of my hands.

    It was like I¡¯d been thrown into a tumble dryer; I felt myself crash through several branches, twigs nicked every inch of exposed skin, and I took several mouthfuls of leaves. I spat them out and cracked my eyes open, seeing the world hurtling away. In no time, I burst out of the canopy and, as I started to slow down, looked around the clearing.

    For a moment, everything stopped, and I was weightless¡­ and then gravity kicked in to drag me right back down to reality. My eyes darted about and I pulled out another two kunai aiming my descent at a particularly big tree. I plunged the blades into the bark but the whiplash was so bad I almost lost my grip.

    It didn¡¯t hurt, though¡ªafter years of training, most parts of my hands were rough and calloused; the worst I felt was an uncomfortable tugging in my shoulders. Readjusting, I stretched them about before yanking one out of the tree and sending it straight down to Asuma.

    He caught it easily and looked up, his voice oozing betrayal. ¡°Hey! What was that for?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re asking me that after blasting me away!¡±

    He folded his arms and squinted, nodding several times. ¡°Yep. As expected, you¡¯re throwing a temper tantrum over it. Typical.¡±

    I snorted, returning my focus to the only kunai I had left.

    While I was slightly annoyed that he¡¯d done all that, there was more to my behaviour than childishness or irritation. I needed to buy myself some time, and buy it I did. The world shifted as I let go of the kunai, standing on my feet. I bent over, pulled it out of the tree, and walked to the ground.

    ¡°Here.¡± Asuma tossed me the kunai and sprung away, on guard. ¡°Let¡¯s go again.¡±

    I caught it, taking up the same stance, and nodded.

    This time, he was the one going on the offensive. His attacks were twofold: punches using his trench knives¡¯ knuckleduster-like ridges and swinging cuts with the weapon¡¯s edge. He threw in weird mixups every so often, like uppercuts that turned into sideways-aiming stabs, but so long as I stayed calm, I could react accordingly.

    Switching my lead hand into a forward grip, I exploited the gaps between his attacks to slip past his guard and stab him. I leaned forward, driving the point forward. Asuma leaned to the side and brought his elbow over the kunai, trapping my wrist between his torso and arm. I had maybe a few seconds before he¡¯d win so I let go of the kunai, relaxing my wrist enough that I could wriggle free, and immediately jumped out of range.

    Asuma raised his guard with a smirk. ¡°Okay then. How are you going to deal with this?¡±

    Chakra danced across his blades, blue energy trailing their length and width. They buzzed to life, lengthening into two serrated chakra swords. He held them vertically in a different stance¡ªone I¡¯d seen only once before.

    ¡°Last time, you dislocated your shoulder.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not happening today.¡±

    He snorted. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡±

    After flying through my hand seals, I dragged in a deep lungful and jumped into the air.

    Wind-Release: Breakthrough was the weaker, D-rank cousin of Wind-Release: Great Breakthrough, a C-rank wind jutsu. It required less hand signs, less chakra control, and less chakra. Unfortunately, that meant it also had less power, but I could always overload its activation requirement to make up for that loss.

    Overloading jutsu had a limit, though. Too much and it would self-destruct, making it more likely to blow up in your face than harm your opponent.

    So to be safe, I overloaded it within reason¡ªeven if part of me wanted to see how far I could push it. Asuma could definitely take it, but it was an overall stupid thing to do when I could just experiment with him later.

    I opened my mouth and aimed, releasing a violent gust. Asuma sliced upwards, cutting right through my jutsu with a wind blade so powerful I could make out its shape. I twisted in mid-air and fell into a crouch in the grass, immediately turning around to watch the wind blade cut through the top half of two trees, sending them crashing to the ground.

    I looked back with my jaw hanging open in shock. ¡°Are you trying to kill me?¡±

    Asuma blinked, as if he only realised what he¡¯d done, and sheathed his knives immediately. ¡°I¡­got a bit too fired up¡­ my bad.¡±

    ¡°I accidentally shish kebabed you, but my bad!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s shish kebab?¡±

    I swallowed my heart back down and looked around for my kunai from earlier. ¡°Goddamn. You''re a lunatic, Asuma.¡±

    ¡°In your defence, you did a lot better than when I last used my chakra sabres.¡±

    I fixed him with a withering stare.

    ¡°Right.¡± He coughed. ¡°Seriously, well done.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I replied, calming down as the adrenaline started to fade. ¡°What now?¡±

    Asuma sighed. ¡°Now, I make an announcement: our training¡¯s going to go on a brief hiatus.¡±

    I sprung to my feet. ¡°What, why?¡±

    ¡°...One question at a time please.¡±

    I took a breath. ¡°Okay, why are we stopping?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯ve finally got a mission.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I grinned. ¡°That¡¯s amazing! You¡¯ve been wanting to get on one for months now, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I was digging into my savings to get by.¡± He muttered something under his breath that I didn''t catch. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you much about it, but it¡¯s long-term. The estimated mission period is two months, but it could take longer.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s basically all of the summer!¡± I spluttered. ¡°What am I meant to do for that long? I thought you were going to teach me more wind jutsu.¡±

    Asuma sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that you''ll need more than ninjutsu to beat little Uchiha.¡±

    ¡°Forget Sasuke! I need to diversify my skill set. Right now, everything I have is offensive: Breakthrough, enhanced blows, and your bukijutsu. I need something different to at least make me harder to catch.¡±

    ¡°...I was hoping you''d say that.¡± The exasperation melted off his face, replaced by a bright grin as he pulled out a small scroll from his flak jacket. I reached out to take it but he pulled back. ¡°Not yet.¡±

    I furrowed my brow. ¡°Is there some kind of challenge I''ve got to complete first?¡±

    ¡°Nothing like that.¡± He tucked the scroll back into the jacket and turned around. ¡°We¡¯ve got to do something first¡ªcome on.¡±

    Without waiting for my answer, Asuma jumped into the canopy, giving me little choice but to follow. He led me deeper into the park in silence, not uttering a single joke the entire way¡ª that''s how I knew something was wrong¡ªbut I followed him without question.

    He''d earned that much trust and more.

 Chapter 23 [3]

    We stopped tree hopping after a short while. It was clear we were well out of park territory a good ten minutes ago. Thick, overgrown bushes knotted and intertwined across the tree trunks below and the canopy grew progressively thicker as we continued until the leaves completely blotted out the sky above. But the forest was cast in a light glow as the sun shone through the countless leaves encircling us.

    Asuma dropped to the ground abruptly and again, I followed, staying within a metre of him. My ears caught the faint tinkling of a river, the sound only becoming clearer as we travelled. I exited the forest and squeezed my eyes shut at the change in brightness.

    ¡°Okay, we''re here,¡± said Asuma and, after a moment, followed with, ¡°...Oh. D¡¯you need a moment?¡±

    I wiped my eyes and blinked rapidly. ¡°No, I''m good. Why are we here?¡±

    ¡°See for yourself.¡±

    I looked at the barbed fence stretching across as far as I could see. Countless wooden signposts adorned it in a neat line and they all said the same thing.

    ¡°...Fishing permit required, no trespassing. If you are caught, you could be fined a minimum of 20,000 ryo¡ªwait.¡± I looked back at Asuma. ¡°We¡¯re going fishing?¡±

    He gave me a double thumbs up.

    ¡°...I guess I could eat,¡± I muttered to myself. ¡°Do you have a permit, then?¡±

    ¡°Nope. Mine expired years ago and they''re a hassle to get your hands on so we¡¯re going to jump the fence.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s illegal.¡±

    ¡°So?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Just don''t get caught¡ªand before you give me a speech about the law and social order or something, it''s fucking fish, kid. We''ll grab a few, cook them, and then be on our way, okay?¡±

    ¡°Hey, I wasn''t going to give you a speech on social order.¡±

    Asuma stared at me dispassionately. ¡°Yeah, somehow, I don''t believe you.¡±

    I smirked. ¡°I was going to give you a speech on how you should know better¡ªyou¡¯re the son of the esteemed Hokage, for crying out loud. Have some shame!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you start,¡± Asuma groaned, clearing the fence in one leap. ¡°And get over here!¡±

    I did and¡ªafter finding a calmer part of the river¡ªwe spent an hour wading about, barehanded, taking off everything except our trousers, which we rolled up to our knees. Fishing as a chakra user was surprisingly fun. All we needed to was guide chakra to our palms and then overload it, blasting the water and sending the fish sky-high.

    So, why did it take an hour then? Because we made a game out of seeing if we could catch the fish as they fell back down. I learned very quickly that fish were slippery little bastards so I figured out how to catch them before Asuma did¡ªand the answer was chakra adhesion.

    I''d caught three fish in a row when he started to realise I''d figured something out.

    ¡°Hey,¡± He looked back, wet from head to toe, and frowned, ¡°how¡¯d you catch them?¡±

    I looked back at my row of prone pisces with a satisfied smirk and then directed it back to him. ¡°Not telling¡ªyou¡¯re the jonin, aren''t you? Go figure it out.¡±

    And just to be annoying, I blasted a surge of water, drenching him from head to toe. He tumbled into the river, and when he managed to get up, I doubled over.

    ¡°What the hell!¡± I laughed. ¡°You look like a drowned ra¡ª¡±

    I swallowed a mouthful of river water and then some, huffing and puffing as I trudged onto the pebbled bank.

    ¡°Okay.¡± I nodded once, locking eyes with Asuma. ¡°If that''s how you want to play it, I''m game.¡±

    The ensuing water fight went on for twenty minutes until I looked back to see that all my fish were gone.

    ¡°...Asuma.¡±

    He stopped mid-palm thrust.

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    ¡°Look at the fish.¡± I pointed back at the bank. ¡°We lost them.¡±

    The manic grin slowly faded from his face. ¡°...I really think you should give me your secret fishing technique now, kid.¡±

    Given that I didn''t have my fish anymore, I did. Another hour later, we were dry and in clothes again, sitting on the bank eating roasted fish on skewers and watching the sunset. The sky was a deep crimson and long orange clouds dragged along towards the horizon.

    ¡°Unseasoned fish aside, this was nice,¡± I said. ¡°Thanks for bringing me here.¡±

    Asuma grinned across from me. ¡°I thought it''d be a fun farewell. We fight, we fish, and then we eat. I''m glad it was.¡±

    I raised a finger. ¡°Bring some paprika next time or something. I''ll take anything over unseasoned fish.¡±

    He rolled his eyes, peering into the crackling flames of the fire we were using to cook the fish. I was about to pull out another skewer but the way Asuma called my name made me pause.

    ¡°What?¡± I frowned.

    He took a breath. ¡°It¡¯s time we talk about the elephant in the room¡ªyour friend situation.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± I smiled. ¡°That. Don''t worry, it''s solved now. We talked and everything''s good between us.¡±

    ¡°Even then, I still think we should talk.¡±

    He looked serious about this so I adjusted my position and nodded. ¡°Okay, let''s talk.¡±

    ¡°Your two friends¡ªChoji and Hinata? They followed you to the clearing a few weeks ago.¡±

    ¡°Wait, really?¡± I blinked. ¡°I didn''t notice anyone following me and I always use anti-tailing techniques¡ªgoddamn dojutsu, I swear, man.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Asuma sighed. ¡°Anyway, when your training finished, they were going to follow you but I told them to stay.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because I wanted to know what you had done that was so bad two other kids decided to follow you around instead of enjoying their weekend. You know what they told me?¡± He frowned. ¡°They told me about your habit of prioritising training over the people in your life, Naruto.¡±

    I winced. ¡°I know, it''s not good but¡ª¡±

    ¡°Do you, really?¡± Asuma wasn''t shouting, but his words were charged with some indescribable emotion that I couldn''t just shrug off. ¡°I''d like to tell you a bit about myself, Naruto, if that''s fine?¡±

    I nodded and he closed his eyes, taking a deep, audible breath through his nose and adjusting himself so he was more comfortable.

    ¡°Four years ago, I left the Leaf to become a guardian shinobi in charge of the Fire Daimyo¡¯s protection. I left the village behind without looking back because I couldn¡¯t stand this place. How it demanded sacrifice from everyone. Not knowing any better, I lived by my father''s example and dedicated myself to the village but after almost ten years I wanted¡­ no, I needed to do something for myself.¡±

    ¡°So I left.¡± Asuma looked up from the fire, its flames still dancing in his brown eyes. ¡°And to be honest, I was the happiest I¡¯d been in years. I went on adventures, captured all kinds of criminals, stopped the Daimyo from being kidnapped, assassinated, you name it. I''ve done it all. But one day, I had to return. Guess what I came back to?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°A village that had moved on.¡± He leaned back on his palms and sighed. ¡°Everyone I know and love has moved on with their lives and it didn''t take me long to realise that there was no space for me anymore.¡± He shook his head with a wry smile. ¡°You can''t have your cake and eat it too. It''s not fair to expect everyone else to put their lives on hold while you do one thing or the other, making time for them only when you decide it.¡±

    His words hit too close to home and the guilt and regret in his eyes were too familiar for me, so I looked away.

    He sighed and cleared his throat. ¡°Here. It¡¯s a C-rank support jutsu: Wind-Release: Frequency Disruption. I want you to have mastered it and Breakthrough by the time I get back. Jutsu above D-rank come attached with theory essays that I recommend you read and try to understand.¡± But when I went to grab the scroll, he pulled away. ¡°All I need in return is one thing. Can you do it?¡±

    ¡°I can''t make any promises till I know what you want.¡±

    He held my gaze for a few uncomfortable. ¡°Can you do it?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I''ll do my best.¡±

    There was a searching look in his eyes before he spoke. ¡°I need you to dedicate some time every week to the people you care about. It can be as many times a week as you''re able to¡ªbut you need to do it, Naruto, do you understand? Don''t let them move on or you''ll regret it¡ªtrust me.¡±

    Only then did he give me the scroll and after everything Asuma had shared, it felt heavy to hold. Over the last few months, he''d taught me a lot of things I was grateful for, but above all else, this was the most thought-provoking lesson of all.

    As the only one who knew what was coming, I had to sacrifice things for the future. The question wasn''t if I had to sacrifice, but what I was willing to sacrifice, like spending time with friends and family.

    Did more training today really mean I''d live a happy life tomorrow? The man right next to me was evidence enough to shake my belief in putting all of my time into training.

    And yet the future and my foreknowledge remained. They were constant reminders of the threats and all of them were mind-bogglingly stronger than I was right now. But there was only so much that I could train each day.

    Was that a valid excuse to neglect everyone who cared enough about me to worry? Nothing was ever that simple. I puzzled between bites of roasted fish, looking over at Asuma every so often. He was completely out of it, a strange melancholy twisting his face¡ªand so I continued to think over his words in silence.

    The flames crackled and hissed, slowly dwindling between us as the sky darkened and day turned into night.

 Chapter 24 [1]

    Yasuhiro leaned back in his chair, his lower back tensed as he eased himself into the crumbling piece of furniture. The rest of the village hall was very much the same and in dire need of repair. The roof leaked under the slightest bit of rain but as the chief of Tenka Village, he knew better than to use the community¡¯s hard-earned money to make his own life easier.

    Tenka Village sat on the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Iron. In a few decades, he¡¯d watched it grow from a few small huts to a bustling village that was two hundred people strong. Sadly, it was one born of necessity as after the Great War, many found themselves fleeing various wars and evil leaders.

    For him, it was the countless skirmishes in his home country, the Land of Rain.

    Initially, he intended to migrate to the Land of Iron after plundering a set of well-forged swords from a wandering ronin. Corpses of mercenaries and shinobi alike were common back then, but finding one untouched was sheer luck on his part. Unfortunately, there was no secret manual of the man¡¯s martial arts.

    Still, the swords had sentimental value and were the single most prized possession he had¡ªthe only prized possession he had and one he would pass on to his grandson in due time.

    ¡°If only the little brat learns to calm down,¡± he huffed, exhaling thin smoke clouds as he set his aged pipe on the table.

    The village hall¡¯s dilapidated door smashed open with enough force he heard it from his office a floor above.

    ¡°Chief!¡±

    Yasuhiro bit his tongue, cursing as he flew down the stairs. ¡°What is it?¡± He rounded to face Naomichi the Blacksmith. ¡°Is it¡­ Is it them?¡±

    Naomichi nodded, which was all the confirmation he needed to fly through the door with the younger man on his tail. Yasuhiro kept his head on a swivel, taking a headcount of any villagers they passed and instructing them to lock themselves in their homes.

    ¡°Fuckin¡¯ rogues,¡± Naomichi grunted. ¡°Who do they think they are, huh? Settin¡¯ up shop outside our village and then treatin¡¯ us like fuckin¡¯ peasants!¡± He stamped to his foot and spat on the well-trod earth below them.

    Yasuhiro didn¡¯t voice his thoughts, but the same frustration broiled within him. His swords pressed themselves against his left hip and he gripped the katana¡¯s worn handle to calm himself down.

    Two years¡ªthat was how long the band of rogues had terrorised Tenka Village.

    They arrived during the dead of night, kicking down doors to announce their intention to settle in an abandoned tower nearby and anyone of use was dragged away kicking and screaming to renovate it. Every service the village could offer was abused: the inns were occupied without pay, the village folk were used as serfs, and they consistently and regularly undermined Yasuhiro¡¯s authority.

    Yet, what could he do? The rogues were once shinobi and could use chakra as easy as breathing. He was an old man in possession of well-maintained but aged samurai swords and the rest of the villagers were even worse off than he was.

    He and Naomichi stopped in front of The Empty Plate¡ªnamed quite aptly for when it was built. Looking back at Naomichi, he raised a hand. ¡°Wait out here. I will handle Goro Tanimoto.¡±

    ¡°...Fine,¡± replied the blacksmith, spitting again at the mention of the band¡¯s leader.

    Sighing, Yasuhiro opened the door with shaking hands, scanning the first two floors. As expected, they were filled to the brim with rogues¡ªbe they masterless samurai or villageless shinobi. Goro sat front and centre, directly in front of the door, the inn¡¯s only serving girl sat quivering on his lap.

    She whimpered, looking ready to bolt towards him, but Goro¡¯s rumbling laugh stopped her before she could twitch in his direction. He tilted his chin up and flashed him a vicious leer. ¡°It sure is nice to see you alive and well, old man.¡±

    ¡°...Mr Goro,¡± Yasuhiro bowed slightly, ¡°would you mind releasing the poor girl?¡±

    He rolled his eyes, sending her off with a harsh slap to the rear. ¡°Off you go.¡±

    The rest of the rogues jeered and whistled, some even trying to grab onto her as she crossed the floor. She threw herself into Yasuhiro¡¯s embrace, sobbing into his old kimono.

    ¡°There there.¡± He rubbed circles into her back, not letting the rage bleed into his voice. ¡°Go home, Yumi. I¡¯m sorry this happened to you¡­ but it¡¯s a burden I cannot lift off our shoulders. Go home to your husband and your son¡ªbe with them for the rest of the day. I¡¯ll help close up with Chie when we finish here.¡±

    Gratitude overflowed Yumi¡¯s red-rimmed eyes. ¡°Th-Thank you, Chief.¡±

    Goro barked out a laugh that his subordinates tagged onto. The tavern door swung shut, leaving Yasuhiro alone in the dining area with twenty-odd rogues when there should¡¯ve been at least half a dozen more.

    ¡°Good to see you¡¯ve still got your wits about you, old man,¡± said Goro, almost as if he¡¯d read his mind. ¡°I¡¯ve lost a few of my men since you last saw us.¡± Yasuhiro clammed up, but the rogue shinobi continued, ¡°See, my boys and I had an unpleasant encounter with some Hidden Sound ninja.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m not familiar with that village.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a new one. I dunno who¡¯s in charge of it and I don¡¯t really care. There¡¯s a reason I don¡¯t wear a headband anymore. Living under the thumb of some decrepit old bastard never tickled my fancy¡ªno offence to you, of course.¡± Goro grinned and leaned forward, cupping his chin in a hand. ¡°Bad news is, I lost a few of my men, damaged or lost a good number of weapons, and worst of all¡ªI¡¯m starving!¡±

    Yasuhiro narrowed his eyes, searching the man¡¯s face for any lies as his comrades laughed at the moronic joke. At the very least, his trademark nodachi was nowhere to be seen so he seemed to be telling the truth.

    ¡°Well, we can do something for your hunger first,¡± he said, throwing up a pleasant smile and bowing deeply. ¡°As for the weapons, I invite you to my office in the village hall after your meal so we can discuss the details of your repairs.¡±

    The rogue ninja pointed his finger in his direction. ¡°See this? This is why we get along so well. You always know when to bow¡ªand with me, that¡¯s all the goddamn time, isn¡¯t that right, old man?¡±

    He deepened his bow to the point that he couldn¡¯t see anything beyond his own feet. His grey hair hung over his face. Yasuhiro gritted his teeth, praying it hid the hatred contorting his face.

    ¡°...Of course, Mr Goro.¡± He took a breath. ¡°I¡¯ll check the kitchen and see how the food is coming along¡ªwith your permission, of course.¡±

    Goro waved him away. ¡°And tell them to bring more alcohol!¡±

    Three terrified cooks scrambled around the kitchen, finishing meals they were already cooking in bulk and pulling out leftovers from the fridge. The inns were the village¡¯s biggest source of income, and Yasuhiro made sure to invest in their future. Technology was a rare sight outside of towns, but he¡¯d procured two home fridges a decade ago to give to the two inns.

    He pulled aside one of the workers¡ªa sweaty, pimpled teenage boy. ¡°Where¡¯s Chie?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m over here, Ohashi.¡±

    Yasuhiro turned to her, eager to skip the byplay between them. ¡°Can you do it?¡±

    Chie stood taller than him¡ªnot that he was tall at all¡ªand her dismissive stare had only intensified with age. ¡°What do you take me for? Worry less about my kitchen and more about controlling the herd of deer you call a village, you wrinkly bastard.¡±

    She was one of the village¡¯s founders alongside himself and a few others who had died shortly after the rogues arrived. Her casual disrespect, as much as it seemed otherwise, was a sign of their friendship and a source of amusement in the otherwise dreary village life.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s good to see that despicable excuse of a man hasn¡¯t dimmed your fire.¡±

    The cooks flinched.

    Chie rolled her eyes. ¡°If you think he can hear us over the noise in here, you guys are better imbeciles than I¡¯ve given you credit for.¡±

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    The pimpled boy spun around. ¡°He¡¯s a shinobi, ma¡¯am, with magic powers.¡±

    ¡°And if he heard us, he¡¯ll walk in here and paint the room with our insides. I couldn¡¯t tell you which is worse, kid. Two years under his yoke or instant death. I¡¯m growing tired of this song and dance.¡± She shrugged her shoulders and turned to Yasuhiro. ¡°Get out of here, Ohashi. I¡¯ve got this sorry lot covered.¡±

    Yasuhiro smiled gratefully. ¡°Thank you, Chie. Goro will head to the village hall after you feed him and his. In the meantime, I¡¯ll get the stragglers off the streets and make sure there aren¡¯t any children out.¡±

    ¡°You go do that.¡±

    He left through the back exit, circling to the main street. The village should have been bustling with life right about now; it was just past lunchtime and people would be readying themselves to return to work. Instead, they were forced to deal with a horde of ungrateful, uncaring, inhuman bastards under the command of Goro Tanimoto.

    True to his word, Yasuhiro made sure to usher anyone left outside back into their houses, combing the streets as he made his way back to the village hall. The building served both as his family home and his place of work.

    ¡°Grandfather!¡±

    Despite the circumstances, he smiled as his grandson sprinted towards him from the front door. ¡°Tsutomu, my boy. Who sent you here?¡±

    ¡°Myself,¡± the six-year-old replied with a toothy grin, though it quickly fell from his face. ¡°Grandfather¡­ is it true?¡±

    Leading him back into the house Yasuhiro walked him across the corridor and away from the village hall proper¡ªhis living quarters were attached to the side of the building. ¡°Is what true?¡±

    Tsutomu bowed his head. ¡°The Jagged Blades¡­ are they back?¡±

    ¡°The Jagged Blades,¡± he scoffed. ¡°A fancy name won¡¯t hide what they are, son. Goro and his subordinates are little more than pathetic lowlives who oppress those that they can and cower from those they can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯re scary, grandfather,¡± his grandson whimpered. ¡°What am I supposed to do?¡±

    Yasuhiro kneeled and ruffled his hair. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything. Leave it to us adults to handle them.¡± Tsutomu nodded reluctantly. ¡°Go, now. Stay in your room until I come to find you.¡±

    On his way out, he locked the door separating the village hall and his residence from the outside. It wouldn¡¯t stop Goro or any of his men from busting it down, but knowing his grandson couldn¡¯t wander into danger set his mind at ease. He took a teapot and two old teacups to his office as he waited for the Goro to arrive.

    The rogue entered the office with a lazy smirk, swiping the teapot and pouring himself a glass and¡ªto Yasuhiro¡¯s worry¡ªpouring him a glass as well. He took the glass but held off on drinking first for fear of offending the man.

    As expected, his demands were obnoxious, and more importantly, beyond the village¡¯s capabilities. Naomichi was the only blacksmith experienced with weapons and he couldn¡¯t fill an order that size¡ªeven with the help of his students. Next came the routine question of topping up the outposts¡¯ provisions.

    Tenka Village made enough to have a small surplus, but in recent years, the Jagged Blades had been siphoning off the surplus they usually traded to nearby villages, turning their home into a self-sustaining one.

    While the rogues weren¡¯t around all the time, the irregularity of their hunts for bounties made it impossible to plan for their return, leaving Yasuhiro to improvise around Goro¡¯s personality.

    ¡°Chief!¡±

    The front door slammed open, drawing a curious sound from the rogue ninja. ¡°Who¡¯s got the stones to disturb our meeting, hmm?¡± He raised an eyebrow and stood up. ¡°Come, old man. Let¡¯s go see.¡±

    Sliding his swords off the rack, Yasuhiro slipped them through his waistband and followed the ex-shinobi down the stairs. ¡°Naomichi? What are you doing here?¡±

    The blacksmith was red-faced, still bent over and heaving for breath while shaking fearfully at the sight of the rogue ninja. ¡°The Em-Empty Plate! Yumi¡¯s hu-hu-husband¡­ he¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªyou heard the man,¡± said Goro, shoving Naomichi aside. ¡°To The Empty Plate, we go.¡±

    Yasuhiro trailed behind him, fearing the worst. Yumi¡¯s husband was a good man, but he had a temper and was fiercely protective of his wife¡ªespecially since the Jagged Blades had come to town. Usually, his wife was there to calm him down, but today¡¯s events had crossed a line, shaking her to the core.

    Judging by the cheerful tune he was whistling, Goro knew that too. He threw open the tavern¡¯s door and let out a long hum before stepping aside. Meanwhile, Yasuhiro didn''t need longer than a few seconds to realise what had happened. He turned, emptying his stomach into the corner of the room as the gathered shinobi jeered.

    ¡°Coward!¡± ¡°He¡¯ll only make the smell worse!¡± ¡°Get him out of here!¡±

    He stumbled towards the body, tracing a hand across his young lifeless face. ¡°...K-Kashiigi, you stupid, stupid boy.¡± He bunched the dead man¡¯s kimono inside a fist, his eyes burning with tears.

    ¡°Damn. Someone ran him right through,¡± said Goro, standing over him and casting his looming shadow over both him and the body. He raised his voice, ¡°Oi! Which one of you stabbed the poor bastard?¡±

    A gaunt-looking man stepped forward¡ªhe sported a quickly darkening bruise on the side of his face. ¡°It was me, boss.¡±

    ¡°He slugged you so you stabbed him?¡± Goro folded his arms. ¡°Why¡¯d he even do it?¡±

    Yasuhiro rose to his feet, swaying slightly as he wiped the tears from his face. ¡°Th-The serving girl is¡­ was his wife.¡± He looked up, trying to keep his eyes off the corpse.

    ¡°He came in here screaming bloody murder.¡± The gaunt man snorted. ¡°So I told him his wife completed her services as expected and that he should be proud of her.¡±

    ¡°I get why he hit you now.¡± Goro laughed and nudged the corpse with his foot. ¡°Sorry bastard got what he deserved. See, we rule this town, right boys?¡±

    The rest of the Jagged Blades roared, raising tankards and stamping their feet. Yasuhiro bowed his head and bit the inside of his cheek. He desperately wanted to draw his sword and kill every single scumbag in the inn, but they were shinobi.

    ¡°Hey, old man?¡± Goro swung his head back. ¡°I¡¯ll be generous and let your people off the hook. This idiot¡¯s dead anyway and the situation¡¯s a pretty positive one.¡±

    He gulped. ¡°It¡­ it is?¡±

    ¡°Sure. That cute serving girl¡¯s a widow now, ain¡¯t she?¡± He smirked, undisguised lust smouldering in his dark eyes. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll take her on as a concubine.¡± Again, his subordinates broke out into jeering laughter, whistling and bellowing at the top of their lungs. ¡°But I¡¯m not a savage. I¡¯ll give her space to mourn, go out on more raids, shower her in gifts¡ªshe got any kids?¡±

    ¡°O-One.¡±

    ¡°Boy or girl?¡±

    ¡°A boy.¡±

    Goro scratched at his stubble. ¡°...The little shit might want revenge.¡±

    Yasuhiro widened his eyes. ¡°N-No, he¡¯s barely one, Mr. Goro!¡±

    The Mercenary¡¯s face brightened. ¡°That¡¯s perfect! I¡¯ll take in the schmuck¡¯s kid. Teach him my ways.¡± He nodded to himself and walked to the kitchen, banging on the door. ¡°Old hag, bring more alcohol! There¡¯s a celebration to be had!¡± He walked back, looking down at the corpse in surprise. ¡°Go deal with the body, old man.¡±

    ¡°...Yes, Mr Goro.¡±

    As he was too small to carry the body on his own, Yasuhiro had to get one of the cooks to help him. Over the next few days, news of Kashiigi¡¯s death spread like wildfire and many hid their hateful glares until the rogues returned to their outpost. The only thing he could do to contain their rage was to propose a solution.

    It was one he had been weighing up in his mind for the last nine months.

    He called for a village meeting inside the hall, forced to face the hundreds of people he had failed to protect. Yumi¡ªKashiigi¡¯s wife¡ªsat off to the side with her infant son, surrounded by concerned neighbours. She shot him a nervous smile and returned it, taking a breath before addressing the crowd before him.

    ¡°Thank you for gathering here today, everyone.¡± He ran his eyes over the crowd of assembled adults. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it feels like we are brushing past Kashiigi¡¯s death. In some respect, we are. The Jagged Blades and their tyranny has stripped our village of all life.

    Their sadness hung in the air and he saw his helpless gaze reflected in the many of the villagers¡¯ eyes.

    ¡°Mr Ohashi!¡± Naomichi jumped to his feet. ¡°We can¡¯t take this anymore. Every time those bastards come here, they trample over us. They were bound to kill someone eventually and they will kill more!¡±

    Yasuhiro looked down at the stage¡¯s hardwood floor.

    Naomichi had only given voice to the thoughts every one of them was thinking. He was forced to bend to Goro¡¯s whims. If he wanted food, he got it; if he wanted amusement, he got it; and as the village¡¯s leader, he was the one to break the terrible news to his people.

    He was the one they looked to for support¡ªsupport that he couldn¡¯t offer. Because of his inability to offer it, Kashiigi had taken things upon himself and died.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Naomcihi. Something must be done. We won¡¯t be able to take much more of their barbarity.¡±

    ¡°What do we do then?¡± The question had come from Chie, who was one of the people crowded around Yumi. The old woman''s voice was blunt and her words were to the point. ¡°Because last I checked, none of us are shinobi.¡±

    Yasuhiro smiled. ¡°You¡¯re right. However, if we pool our resources together, we can hire shinobi of our own.¡±

    Intrigued whispers rose among the crowd.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he added. ¡°I¡¯ll be contributing a sizeable amount of my savings to take some of the demand off the rest of you. It¡¯s only right that I do so.¡±

    ¡°If we¡¯re pooling resources, it better be someone good,¡± said Chie.

    Yasuhiro tried for a confident smile, but seeing the doubt on everyone¡¯s faces at his words, it turned into a grimace. Of course, he couldn¡¯t blame them, but it still hurt to see.

    ¡°I-I¡¯ll do it!¡±

    The whispers stopped.

    ¡°Yumi¡­¡± His mouth hung open slightly in surprise. ¡°A-Are you sure?¡±

    The widow nodded, a dark hatred rising to the surface of her tired face. ¡°They took my Kashiigi away from me¡ªaway from his son. I believe in you, Mr Ohashi. You¡¯re always standing between us and that horrible Goro. If my money will help, I¡¯ll gladly give it to you.¡±

    ¡°Fuck it.¡± Naomichi shot out of his chair. ¡°I¡¯ll give you my money too. I¡¯m bloody tired of running around like a workhorse for that lot.¡±

    One by one, the villagers stood up, pledging their support. Yasuhiro bowed deeply to them and they returned his bow, bringing tears to his eyes. ¡°Thank you, everyone¡­ truly. I¡¯ll use your money to hire the strongest shinobi around.¡±

    Yumi gasped. ¡°W-Wait, does that mean¡­?¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± He nodded with a confident grin. ¡°Goro¡¯s days under the sun are numbered from here on out, so stay strong, everyone. I¡¯m going to be hiring the Hidden Leaf.¡±

 Chapter 24 [2]

    There was more to Kakashi¡¯s lateness than honouring the memory of his dead friend¡ªjust as there was more to his harshness as a teacher than arbitrary criteria. He wanted to teach his would-be students one thing; one lesson that every one of them failed spectacularly.

    They needed to learn to not rely on him and for them to achieve that goal, it meant relying on each other¡ªout of the dozens of children he¡¯d assessed, barely a handful seemed willing to do so. He saw shadows of the arrogant little shit he used to be in every new face. The one who believed wholeheartedly that comrades were of no value.

    Where did that land them? Relying on his mercy to pull his punches, unable to give their back to an ally.

    People like that weren¡¯t fit to be shinobi¡ªout in the field, they only had their allies and sometimes even they wouldn¡¯t be enough. And yet, after failing close to forty children, Lord Third hadn¡¯t stopped throwing would-be genin at him, so here he was, at another genin draft meeting in the faint hopes he¡¯d find some competent ones.

    He threw open the doors with a mighty sigh, disturbing the ongoing discussion and attracting half the room¡¯s ire, but Kakashi raised a hand at the only person who mattered. ¡°Yo!¡±

    ¡°Kakashi,¡± said Lord Third with a tired sigh. Elders Utatane and Homura scoffed to his right and Danzo, as always, merely frowned. ¡°You¡¯re five minutes earlier than last year, so I suppose I won¡¯t punish you.¡±

    ¡°Much obliged, sir.¡±

    ¡°Take a seat and I¡¯ll read out this year¡¯s roster from the top for your benefit.¡± Lord Third simply smiled away half the room¡¯s grumbling. ¡°Honoka Abe, Choji Akimichi, Tomio Araya¡­¡±

    He leaned his head back, not bothering to write down any names because doing so was a waste of time. After the various jonin had picked up to six students they wanted to teach, the cohort¡¯s homeroom teacher would pull up their recommended genin teams.

    More often than not, Lord Third tended to go with those recommended teams unless someone made a good case to the contrary¡ªbut Kakashi wasn¡¯t that person. He cracked his eyes open as the graduating year¡¯s teacher walked towards the centre of the room, wheeling a standing board behind him.

    He flipped back a page, revealing the team compositions complete with photographs of each student. ¡°These are the proposed teams from my end, Lord Hokage.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Iruka¡ªyou may be seated.¡± Lord Third cleared his throat. ¡°Alright, let us begin. Tell me which students you want, and which ones you do not. Take into account the draft on the board, but you may also make an argument for a different team altogether if you wish provided your reasoning is sound and no one else makes a stronger argument.¡±

    Kakashi closed his eyes again, running down the minutes until it was his turn to go. The old man had given up trying to correct his behaviour so long as he didn¡¯t cross the line into disrespect¡ªwhich he wouldn¡¯t. His general lack of care for hierarchy aside, Lord Third was still the strongest shinobi in the village.

    As expected, most were angling for the top ten and a few ambitious ones probably wanted the Rookie of the Year¡ªnot that their wants mattered. In the end, the most capable students would go to the most capable teachers.

    Kakashi glanced at Lord Third, who was listening to the first jonin¡¯s speech with feigned interest. Knowing the old man, he¡¯d most likely end up with the most troublesome of the lot. His yearly requests to return to the ANBU had been denied upon the condition that one of his students make jonin and it just so happened that the two most troublesome students out of the lot were almost guaranteed to¡­ if they survived.

    ¡°Jonin Kurenai Yuhi.¡±

    Kakashi didn¡¯t recognise her from any of the previous draft meetings so she was most likely a new promotion. Her last name seemed familiar to him, but he only realised why when she stood up to face him¡ªher father was Shinku Yuhi, the shinobi who¡¯d detained Kakashi and all the other young shinobi, preventing them from fighting against the Nine-Tails.

    ¡°Lord Hokage, I don¡¯t want Naruto Uzumaki because I wouldn¡¯t have much to teach him. I also don¡¯t want Sasuke Uchiha because I believe there are others better equipped to teach him than myself.¡± Kurenai Yuhi looked over at him for a split second. ¡°With that in mind, I would like to request Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka, and Kiba Inuzuka as my genin.¡±

    The disapproving whispers started almost immediately, but she didn¡¯t look perturbed in the slightest.

    ¡°...Are you aware that the Ino-Shika-Cho formation is a tried and tested team with the full backing of the three clans?¡±

    ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°And you still wish to go ahead with your proposed team?¡±

    The red-eyed woman stood up straight. ¡°I do.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Lord Third asked, his brown eyes alight with curiosity.

    ¡°Sir, while the Ino-Shika-Cho formation is indeed formidable, I believe that Choji Akimichi is an outlier better suited for an assault team.¡±

    ¡°And the other two? Why do you believe they should be on your team rather than continuing the successful model of the Ino-Shika-Cho formation.¡±

    She took a breath, her eyes looking about the room as if daring someone to challenge her. ¡°The team I¡¯m proposing would be a hunter-killer team focused on assassinating or capturing targets of interest to extract vital information. Each of their abilities is perfect for a team like this and will draw out their maximum potential.¡±

    Lord Third rubbed his chin pensively. ¡°...You make a good point, Jonin Yuhi. So long as no one makes a better point by the end of the meeting, those three students will be yours.¡± He looked to the elders on his right. ¡°Anything to add, my friends?¡±

    Danzo gave a small shake of his head and it seemed he spoke for the other two elders because Lord Third asked the next shinobi to plead their case.

    ¡°L-Lord Hokage!¡± Kakashi looked up to see an Akimichi jonin leaning over the table. ¡°T-This is too far!¡±

    ¡°Is it?¡± asked the old man with a small smile. He looked to the rest of the room. ¡°Are the rest of you in agreement with Jonin Akimichi?¡±

    Around two-thirds of the room hummed in agreement¡ªthey were the old guard, people who¡¯d fought in the wars and had seen the formation first-hand. The last third was all new hires who were either too afraid to go against the old guard. Kurenai Yuhi growled under her breath, looking ready to make another speech but the bearded man beside her placed a calming hand on her shoulder.

    After a second look, Kakashi realised it was the Third¡¯s wayward son¡ªthe very same one who''d practically abandoned the village for years. He remembered hearing that Asuma Sarutobi had returned to the village, but he didn¡¯t pay the news any mind at the time, assuming he¡¯d be demoted or something. Seeing him at a genin draft meeting was certainly a surprise.

    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t this a shame?¡± Lord Third chuckled at the room¡¯s mood. ¡°It seems I¡¯ll be disappointing so many of my jonin. Would any of you care to challenge my opinion?¡±

    Just a sliver of his killing intent was enough to exert noticeable pressure on a room of jonin, bringing an end to any debate over Kurenai Yuhi¡¯s choices. Kakashi felt himself sweat underneath his mask, adjusting it slightly to let the air cool off the uncomfortable heat.

    Lord Third was willing to let a lot of things go but disrespect towards himself or his subordinates was not one of those things¡ªespecially if the disrespect was coming from one of their own.

    The next slew of arguments were all variations of the same pitch so he tuned them out until he heard his name being mentioned. Kakashi looked up, realising it was Asuma Sarutobi who was currently speaking. He stood tall despite the disdainful looks from the majority of the room.

    ¡°All these jonin refusing to take on Naruto Uzumaki is great for me because I¡¯d like to have Choji Akimichi, Hinata Hyuuga, and Naruto Uzumaki as my genin,¡± said Asuma Sarutobi.

    Lord Third hummed. ¡°And if I were to say that young Naruto will go to Kakashi¡ªwhat then?¡±

    Kakashi sat up, leaning forward intently in anticipation. He hadn¡¯t seen this coming; granted, he didn¡¯t know Asuma Sarutobi, but that only made his announcement even more of a surprise.

    ¡°You wouldn''t be wrong from a certain point of view. The Sharingan is a surefire way to control a rampaging Jinchuriki because of its powerful ocular genjutsu. However, regular genjutsu, barrier ninjutsu, and even a plain old beating can do the same job. Where the Sharingan really shines is its ability to control Tailed Beasts.¡±

    ¡°But?¡±

    Asuma Sarutobi grinned. ¡°But I believe that so long as you¡¯re a decent amount stronger than the Jinchuriki before they lose their mind, you can clobber them before things get hairy. Regardless, you¡¯re looking at this the wrong way, old man.¡±

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    Lord Third raised an eyebrow. ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not only you¡ªall of you are looking at this incorrectly. I get that Naruto Uzumaki¡¯s a generation talent and as Jinchuriki, he¡¯s supposed to be a literal deterrent against other nations.¡± He folded his arms and jutted out his chin. ¡°But despite how important he is to this village, nobody seems to be worried at how sceptical he is of this place¡ªand worse, he¡¯s completely right to be!¡±

    The disdainful glares aimed at the man turned into scornful mutterings. A swift reprimand by Lord brought an end to it and he faced his son once again. ¡°Please, continue.¡±

    ¡°I know you¡¯re already aware that I¡¯ve been teaching the kid in my spare time for two years now¡ªotherwise you would¡¯ve stopped it before the very first training session. Now, in those two years, I think I¡¯ve gotten a better handle on who he is than anyone in this room.¡± Asuma Sarutobi spoke his next words with damning confidence. ¡°Beyond the few friends he has and maybe myself, Naruto Uzumaki could not give a rat¡¯s ass about this village, the Will of Fire, and its people.¡±

    Lord Third dragged a hand over his face. ¡°...I¡¯m aware, nor can I condemn him for it.¡±

    ¡°And yet,¡± said Danzo, speaking up for the first time in this meeting, ¡°what can be done about it? What can you do about it that Jonin Hatake cannot?¡±

    Kakashi looked up at the mention of his name, slightly narrowing his eye in Danzo¡¯s direction. The man hadn¡¯t said a word this entire meeting but when he finally spoke up, it was in support of Asuma Sarutobi, a jonin who wasn¡¯t thought well of these days.

    Asuma Sarutobi nodded gratefully at the man and Lord Third gave his friend a searching look before deflating with a heavy sigh¡ªalmost as if he was feeling the weight of every single year of his life.

    ¡°Honestly?¡± the jonin said with a shrug. ¡°I dunno, but I know enough to try to help¡ªhaving once been quite sceptical about it all myself. I might not be a Jinchuriki or possess the Sharingan, but I¡¯m decently strong¡ªand better than any of that, I think I can help Naruto Uzumaki believe in the Will of Fire again.¡±

    Kakashi watched on, an odd panging in his chest. He tried to tell himself that he didn¡¯t want to teach Naruto¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to risk losing him, but watching the man plead so earnestly in the way that he should have¡­ it was a bittersweet thing.

    ¡°...As you wish, Naruto Uzumaki is yours.¡± Lord Third took a moment to collect himself, and when he opened his eyes, none of the previous tiredness showed on his face. ¡°Kakashi, your team will now be Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Shino Aburame¡ªthat would satisfy your request for a saboteur team?¡±

    ¡°...It would,¡± said Kakashi, once again avoiding eye contact.

    Lord Third hummed and fixed his attention on his son. ¡°I believe I know your answer, but I will ask you the same question that I asked Jonin Yuhi¡ªwhy break up the Ino-Shika-Cho trio?¡±

    ¡°Seeing that she and I discussed this together, I¡¯m glad you asked, old man.¡± Asuma grinned and looked at the rest of the room. ¡°First, as far as I¡¯m concerned, the rest of you can go and shove it up your¡ª¡±

    ¡°Asuma.¡±

    The jonin coughed, looking away from Kurenai Yuhi¡¯s withering frown. ¡°...Sorry.¡±

    Lord Third snorted softly. ¡°You were saying?¡±

    ¡°Right¡ªChoji Akimichi. Like Kurenai mentioned, we believe he¡¯d do better on a heavy assault team.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Throughout the Academy, he¡¯s slowly built up his once nonexistent confidence and abilities. I believe that not only would it prevent him from growing as a shinobi, it would also damage the confidence he¡¯s worked hard to build over the last few years because of the degree of reliance the formation requires.¡±

    ¡°...A fair point,¡± said Lord Third. ¡°I believe you have an alternative?¡±

    ¡°My fortress-busting squad will centre around Choji Akimichi as the main damage dealer. Hinata Hyuuga will take advantage of her dojutsu to scout ahead and neutralise the enemy before I send off Choji Akimichi to¡ªand excuse my language¡ªessentially fuck shit up.¡±

    ¡°And how does Naruto Uzumaki factor into this plan?¡± asked Lord Third.

    ¡°He¡¯ll be the mid to long-range support, taking advantage of his large chakra reserves to bombard the enemy with ninjutsu. Once he learns to control the Nine-Tails¡¯ chakra, he can take some of the demand off both Choji Akimichi and Hinata Hyuuga.¡±

    He eased into his chair as the sales pitches started. As predicted, almost every teacher waived the right to teach the Jinchuriki, mumbling about Kakashi¡¯s Sharingan and bringing a small frown to his face.

    They made their speeches, vying for dominance over a small percentage of students who had the highest scores; a few went for students with high potential but lower marks, but the majority were fixated on the top ten.

    Before Kakashi knew it, it was his turn to speak.

    ¡°Kakashi,¡± said Lord Third. ¡°Knowing your proclivities, I took the liberty of deciding on your team myself. Feel free to object to any particular children you don¡¯t want to teach. Team 7 under Kakashi Hatake will be Sasuke Uchiha, Shino Aburame, and Naruto Uzumaki.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­ I don¡¯t particularly care about who I teach, but I have something to say. Many gathered here believe, for one reason or the other, that I will be the Jinchuriki¡¯s teacher. Because of this assumption, they avoid his potential entirely¡­ well, it''s either that or undeserved prejudice.¡± He swept his eyes across the room, a good few heads looking down in embarrassment¡ªor fear, he wasn''t sure which. ¡°Whether I''ll get Sasuke Uchiha is a foregone conclusion. That said, I would like to waive my right to teach Naruto Uzumaki.¡±

    Kakashi looked away from Lord Third¡¯s disappointed eyes. ¡°...And why do you not wish to teach him?¡±

    Truth be told, he wanted nothing more than to teach his sensei''s son¡ªto make up for the years he''d spent shirking the responsibility of raising him. Yet when the opportunity presented itself, Kakashi couldn''t do it. Worse, he was afraid to do it¡ªworried that he would once again lead his loved ones to death.

    As he stared at the familiar blond hair and blue plastered on the board beside him, Minato-sensei''s strangely enduring trust forced itself to the front of his mind¡ªmisplaced trust that led to his and Kushina¡¯s death.

    Misplaced trust that led to Obito¡¯s death. So, who was he to believe his sensei wanting him to train his son wasn''t just another tragedy waiting to happen?

    Repeated experience had proven to him that when it came down to it and Kakashi was the only thing standing between his loved ones and certain death, he failed them every single time. Minato-sensei put him in charge of Obito and Rin and Obito died, asking him to protect Rin with his dying breath.

    Not long after that, he failed so badly that she felt the need to impale herself on his jutsu rather than trust in his abilities to protect her himself. So, if denying his sensei¡¯s wishes meant his son got to live, then Kakashi would gladly forgo teaching the boy¡ªeven if he so desperately wanted to.

    ¡°Jonin Sarutobi made a pretty convincing case, and it¡¯s clear he cares enough about the genin he proposed to be a good teacher.¡± He looked up and shrugged. ¡°And if I''m going to be saddled with a team, it might as well be to my capabilities. I''m keeping my eye out for genin who would fit on a team primarily based on sabotage. For obvious reasons, Jinchuriki aren¡¯t exactly on the top of that list.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡± Lord Third''s disappointed gaze lingered a few moments longer.

    With the top ten students spread amongst himself, Asuma Sarutobi, and Kurenai Yuhi, the meeting came to a swift conclusion. Everyone else was forced to settle with students with lower marks, or overall lower potential, grumbling about their rotten luck. Kakashi scoffed at their excuses¡ªin the end, the most promising students went to the most capable teachers.

    He exited the stairs at the bottom of the Hokage Building, keeping his head low. If he was quick enough, he¡¯d be able to vanish before he found him.

    ¡°KA-KA-SHI!¡±

    A booming voice cut the reception¡¯s orderly silence. Everyone carried on as normal, all too familiar with the owner¡¯s antics to care.

    Kakashi sighed. ¡°...Hello, Gai.¡±

    His energetic friend cleared the metres-long distance between them in a single step, flashing him a double thumbs-up. ¡°How did it go? D¡¯you get a team? Will I finally be able to match my lot against yours to settle our score once and for all?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, I have a team.¡±

    ¡°YES!¡± Gai raised his hands skyward, vibrating with excitement. ¡°THE TIME IS UPON US AT LAST!¡±

    Kakashi slinked lower and lower as he pictured the next few months of his life.

    Genin teams went through two weeks of E-ranks consisting of menial jobs they performed in the last year of the Academy while their sensei evaluated their abilities. It not only cutified the image of shinobi to the villagers, but also helped ease their transfer into the shinobi world with familiar tasks.

    After that, Gai would constantly bombard him with joint training requests, possible joint missions¡ªanything that allowed him to drag Kakashi¡¯s team into competition with his own.

    ¡°Gai?¡±

    The two of them looked back up the staircase as Kurenai Yuhi and Asuma Sarutobi came into view.

    ¡°Kurenai!¡± said Gai with a smile. ¡°I hope you acquired the genin of your choice?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s this with you?¡±

    She smiled. ¡°Come on, Gai. You know him.¡±

    Gai squinted at him. ¡°...His face does indeed seem familiar.¡±

    ¡°Really, dude? I know we weren¡¯t that close, but goddamn,¡± said Asuma.

    ¡°ASUMA SARUTOBI!¡± Gai reared back. ¡°HOW COULD I HAVE FORGOTTEN YOU?¡±

    The man scratched his chin with a sad smile. ¡°...I was gone for four years, so I don¡¯t blame you.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense. The fault is mine for forgetting about you no matter how many years you were gone,¡± said Gai with a broad grin. ¡°To make up for my failure to recognise you, I will treat the three of you to a meal in celebration of successful genin draft days¡­ you did receive the genin you wanted, right?¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± Asuma replied.

    Gai turned back to Kakashi. ¡°Isn¡¯t this wonderful news, my eternal rival?¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯s wonderful news, Gai,¡± Kakashi replied, knowing full well his response wouldn¡¯t change anything that man said next.

    ¡°Off we go, then. For today, you¡¯ll not worry about food and drink!¡±

    Asuma gave Gai a good-natured slap to the shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Gai,¡± said Kurenai, walking on Asuma¡¯s right. ¡°It seems someone¡¯s forgotten basic courtesy when offered a gift.

    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Gai laughed. ¡°I can feel the strength of Asuma¡¯s gratitude in my shoulder¡ªhe¡¯s indeed quite strong. We should go a few rounds sometime, no?¡±

    Asuma hummed. ¡°You know, I¡¯d like to see how I¡¯d match up against you. I might not be S-ranked yet, but fighting the strongest shinobi in our village is a good way to feel the gap between us.¡±

    ¡°The debate of who is the stronger shinobi between myself and my eternal rival is a tale as old as time¡ªhowever, I will do my best!¡±

    ¡°...Please don¡¯t. I¡¯d like to keep all my limbs by the end of this.¡±

    Gai and Kurenai laughed. Meanwhile, Kakashi trailed behind them, torn between going home and following them. Gai would hunt him down and drag him to the restaurant anyway, so there was no point in pretending he had a choice in the matter.

    His gaze wandered to the back of Asuma¡¯s head.

    If nothing else, he¡¯d be able to figure out just what kind of man¡ªwhat kind of shinobi¡ªhe¡¯d entrusted Minato-sensei¡¯s son to.

 Chapter 25 [1]

    As far as expectations went, the first few months of genin life were underwhelming. On our initiation day, we all met up in our homeroom and people vanished in groups of three when the different teachers arrived to whisk away their new charges. I expected Asuma would have some kind of trial lined up for us to see if we were cut out for shinobi life, but I should¡¯ve known better.

    He shrugged and told us to meet up at the Academy¡¯s front gate in the afternoon only to take us out to eat some barbeque¡ªnot that I didn¡¯t like it. The days following were slightly better. We met up at 8 AM for morning training on weekdays where Asuma would dedicate the majority of his focus to Choji and Hinata.

    Meanwhile, I either focused on keeping my taijutsu sharp, training my chakra control, or trying to master the few jutsu I knew. Wind Release: Frequency Disruption was the most versatile jutsu I had. It used air pressure to screw with sound waves and depending on how much chakra I used, I could obscure more than just the sounds I was making.

    Asuma was pretty up-front about our team¡¯s purpose and even though we weren¡¯t a stealth team, with Frequency Disruption and Hinata¡¯s Byakugan, we¡¯d be able to sneak up on targets with ease. Today, our teacher had gone against the grain by instructing us to gather at the village¡¯s North Gate at six in the morning. He didn¡¯t tell us what for, but before anyone could ask, Maito Gai and his team appeared.

    Introductions apparently didn¡¯t exist because the minute the man saw us, he threw out what was meant to be a motivational speech and took off running.

    ¡°How the hell am I supposed to run towards my youth?¡± I frowned. ¡°Surely running forward means you¡¯re getting¡­ old?¡±

    Asuma laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t try to think about it, just run.¡±

    I tried to figure it out for a few moments longer but gave up and chased after the pack. Gai¡¯s continued and fervent encouragement drifted from some unknown distance ahead. The remaining seven of us trailed after him at various paces. Lee was doing his best to stay within arm¡¯s length and failing, though he was a sizeable distance ahead of Tenten and Neji, who ran at a constant but enduring pace.

    And then there was us.

    Choji and I ran side by side and our breathing remained even as the run approached the twentieth minute. Our teacher, meanwhile, made a show of running at our pace to watch us suffer Gai¡¯s supposedly light morning runs.

    I looked to my right where Hinata soldiered on, red-faced. Her pace was by no means slow and her stamina was superior to the vast majority of fresh genin but she was the most unconditioned out of everyone here. Choji and I had been going on regular runs for about two years and even he wasn¡¯t having the best time.

    In comparison, Team 3 had suffered their teacher¡¯s training regimen since last year¡ªand the two jonin were¡­ well, they were jonin. At the pace we were running, we¡¯d reach the western gates in another twenty minutes and still, Team 3 showed no signs of stopping.

    ¡°Why,¡± I huffed, looking back at Asuma, ¡°in the world would you subject us to Maito Gai¡¯s insane training in the first few months of our careers?¡±

    Asuma snorted. ¡°How do you know about him anyway?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°What¡¯s with his mini-me? Because last I checked, he didn¡¯t have any kids.¡±

    He chuckled a little, inclining his head in agreement.

    ¡°H-How long¡¯s left?¡± Hinata gulped down a breath. ¡°Because¡­ this is a bit much.¡±

    I grimaced sympathetically for the girl. I¡¯d slaved away for three years and was a freak of nature to begin with but Choji and Hinata hadn¡¯t trained at Team 3¡¯s pace before. Then again, neither had I, but almost all of the training I liked to do was constructed with my inhumanely stupid recovery in mind and I had a lot of energy to begin with.

    My two friends¡­ not so much, but the run continued anyway¡ªI pulled ahead, edging closer to Neji and Tenten while the gap between my team and me widened. Asuma remained at the very back, padding behind Hinata and Choji, which was reassurance enough to press on.

    I got close enough that my footsteps registered in the two¡¯s ears, though Tenten was the first to turn. She filled out a grey vest and her arms were corded with a surprising amount of muscle. The veins standing out on her forearms were evidence enough of the rumours I¡¯d heard about an upperclassman who¡¯d wield a different weapon every day of the week and still thrash their class.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to be able to keep up,¡± she said, her brown eyes looking me over appraisingly. ¡°Were you the Rookie of the Year or something?¡±

    Neji sniffed without looking back. ¡°No, that was Sasuke Uchiha.¡±

    ¡°Ah. You must be the Runner-up then. What''s your name?¡±

    ¡°Naruto Uzumaki,¡± I supplied. ¡°And you two?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Tenten. The guy next to me is Neji Hyuuga¡ªwhich you¡¯d probably figure out if he turned around, but he¡¯s shy like that.¡± She snorted when Neji gave a protesting grunt¡ªthough he continued looking straight ahead. ¡°That¡¯s enough chat for now. We¡¯ll see if you can keep up until the end of the warm-up.¡±

    Accepting the dismissal for what it was, I brought my focus back to the run, squinting at the distance to see how far ahead of us Gai was. Somehow, his encouragement came at us loud and clear.

    ¡°THAT¡¯S IT, EVERYONE! KEEP AT IT!¡±

    Upping the pace with snort, I veered around Tenten and Neji, the former warning me not to overdo it. I chuckled as the distance between me and Lee shortened with each stride. Even if I did overdo it, I¡¯d be as right as rain tomorrow morning. When I was within arm¡¯s reach, I tapped his shoulder.

    ¡°You have been training hard, Neji,¡± said Lee, not looking over his shoulder. He turned around and almost jumped away but regained his composure quickly. ¡°...You¡¯re more impressive than I¡¯ve heard, Naruto Uzumaki.¡±

    ¡°And what have you heard?¡± I asked

    ¡°That you lost the Rookie of the Year position to Sasuke Uchiha.¡± Lee¡¯s eyes were intense before his face broke out into a grin. ¡°But the Academy is not all-knowing, right?¡±

    ¡°Right on.¡± I smiled back and we shared an amused silence. ¡°What¡¯s your name, friend?¡±

    He grinned and stuck out his thumb. ¡°I am Rock Lee.¡±

    ¡°Good to meet you. You already know my name, so there¡¯s no point in introducing myself. Instead, how about we have ourselves a wager? Whoever catches up to your teacher has to do an extra set of whatever exercise he makes us do.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°Deal,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m quite confident in my physical ability, you know.¡±

    Grinning, I counted us down, taking a lungful of air before blasting off. I was expecting him to be slower but he was slightly ahead of me, his long strides taking him further than mine could.

    Maybe he hadn¡¯t started training for the Eight Inner Gates yet.

    I kept up and we continued sprinting after Maito Gai in the distance. He led us out of the village, turning right to come off the beaten path straight ahead from the gate and we hugged the side of the village¡¯s outer walls, padding through the tall grass. Green-vested chunin patrolled from above, their idle chatter drifting to the grass below.

    Gai raised an arm to the sky. ¡°Morning all!¡±

    They laughed together, one shouting back, ¡°Are you training your genin again, Gai? If so, you might want to look back before these two get lost in the grass.¡±

    His friends laughed and Gai turned back, his thick eyebrow disappearing into his bowl cut.

    A challenging smirk crawled onto his face and he upped the pace. Lee and I abandoned all attempts to conserve our energy and ran after him as fast as our legs would carry. A few minutes in I could taste blood, my rapid breaths rising above the rustle of grass in my ears, only second to Lee¡¯s encouragement as we came out onto a field.

    Gai stood a few metres away, shining with sweat. He fixed a proud grin as Lee and I thudded to a stop before him, panting and heaving. ¡°Well done, boys! I¡¯ll admit, I did not expect you to be on par with Lee, young Naruto.¡±

    I looked and used my shirt to wipe the sweat off my face. ¡°T-That a fact?¡±

    He nodded firmly. ¡°Lee, you also did well. Training harder than last time is a must and so now, we will now do two hundred pushups.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Gai-sensei!¡± Lee straightened. ¡°You¡¯re welcome to join us, Naruto.¡±

    I stepped back. ¡°...Is that all at once or in sets?¡±

    ¡°All at once, of course,¡± said Gai. ¡°The pain shall stoke the fires of your youth and elevate you unto greater heights!¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± I looked back to see whether everyone else was any closer to arriving. They weren¡¯t so I sighed and assumed the push-up position. ¡°...Alright, let¡¯s do this.¡±

    Tenten and Neji arrived at the twenty push-up mark and joined in after taking a few breaths. Hinata, Choji, and Asuma arrived another twenty pushups later, but the three of them decided to sit under the shade of a tree while I went at it. I didn¡¯t really blame my two friends but Asuma?

    ¡°You¡¯re not going all the way down!¡±

    I glared at him and blinked away the sting of sweat from my eyes.

    He jutted his chin and lit a cigarette while fighting an amused smile. Thankfully, they joined in once we were done with the pushups, jogging at a relaxed pace behind Gai as he led us to the next spot. This time, we were grouped up together, hanging back a decent distance from Gai to avoid tiring ourselves out.

    Tenten was sandwiched between Hinata and Neji, looking pretty uncomfortable. It wasn¡¯t like the two were being hostile to each other or anything, but there was an air of awkwardness between them. What could it be about? Hinata had grown a lot over the past few years, which should have led to a better relationship with Neji¡­ right?

    Then again, her not being a pushover would only fuel his destiny schtick. I gave the two a second look and Hinata caught me staring, shaking her head. I sighed and caught up with Choji and Lee.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked Lee. ¡°These are the shinobi training grounds, right?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°There are several dozens of them behind Hokage Mountain, serving different purposes. The ones closer to the waterfall are mostly for chakra control training but it¡¯s also useful for Water-Release users.¡±

    ¡°What about the one we¡¯re in now?¡± asked Choji.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Lee grinned and patted his bicep. ¡°Physical training! But there are other grounds too. Like forests with canopies so thick, it¡¯s always dark. We had a week-long survival training a while ago. There were snakes and everything¡­¡± He gave a small shudder. ¡°Today, it¡¯s all about physical training.¡±

    ¡°Any sparring?¡± I asked, slapping a fist against my palm.

    ¡°Unfortunately not. Sparring was yesterday and we need to do a D-rank today.¡±

    ¡°Damn. Same here¡ªon the mission count, but we¡¯re probably going to spar in the afternoon.¡±

    Choji groaned.

    Lee patted his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, friend. Every spar is a chance to grow.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let him fool you,¡± I said with a smirk. ¡°He¡¯s plenty strong and has giant fists and everything. If he hits you with a solid one, the fight¡¯s over.¡±

    ¡°So?¡± Choji twisted his neck and glared. ¡°How am I meant to land anything when you hang back and knock me on my ass all the time?¡±

    ¡°See, that¡¯s when¡ª¡±

    We came to a stop and Gai clapped his hands, spreading out his arms with a wide smile. ¡°We are here!¡±

    I stepped onto the rubber floor, enjoying the way the ground absorbed my weight. Our next training spot was an entire callisthenics gym, equipped with bars¡­ and there were a lot of them¡ªbars for pullups, dips, and ground-level ones for pushups. A set of monkey bars boxed in the rest of the equipment, containing us under a massive rectangle.

    ¡°What are we doing here?¡± I asked. ¡°There any particular routine?¡±

    Gai snapped his fingers. ¡°There is indeed and it goes by the name of circuit training¡ªeveryone pick a number.¡±

    Team 3¡¯s responses were lightning-quick.

    ¡°Three,¡± said Tenten.

    ¡°Four,¡± said Neji.

    Lee grinned and gave Gai a thumbs-up. ¡°One.¡±

    I looked back at Asuma and he shrugged. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll take two then. Choji?¡±

    ¡°Five.¡±

    Each of the numbers corresponded to a particular exercise and over the next three minutes, we rotated between them, taking a minute of rest after each one. By the end, I was feeling a pleasant burn across my body and my shirt was an entire shade darker. Gai hadn¡¯t declared any real end to the circuit so I assumed we were meant to continue until complete failure.

    Choji was the first to go after about twenty-five minutes, followed by Hinata not too long afterwards. Neji was next, lasting barely five minutes after Hinata and he seemed pretty annoyed about it too. Me, Tenten, and Lee were going strong for a long while after them, alternating between the exercises. Eventually, Tenten threw in the towel and I followed after her, seeing no real sense in going until I dropped involuntarily.

    Lee, on the other hand, continued until he was barely able to move. Gai pulled several bottles of water from his duffel bag alongside orange sweat towels. He wandered about, ruffling everyone¡¯s hair. No one protested because we were simply too tired to do anything beyond existing.

    ¡°Good work today, everyone,¡± said Gai. ¡°You have a good bunch, Asuma. Feel free to join us in morning training whenever you¡¯d like.¡±

    Lee nodded. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet new friends.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± said Asuma, smirking at us. ¡°It all depends on what these three say. What do you think about training with Team 3 again?¡±

    Choji gave a feeble-sounding groan, lying down on the warm rubber floor.

    Hinata wiped her face. ¡°I¡­ wouldn¡¯t mind but maybe we should wait until we¡¯re stronger?¡±

    Neji snorted, but when we all looked at him, he grunted and refused to say anything.

    ¡°What about you, Naruto?¡± asked Lee. ¡°Would you like to train with us again?¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± I ran a hand through my hair. ¡°Choji and I are up at six for my morning run anyway and my team meets at eight so we can swing by. I¡¯ve got a couple of hours to kill so why not?¡±

    ¡°Then join us,¡± said Gai. ¡°Today was a special occasion because of the joint training but Tenten, Lee, and I go on our morning run at six regardless.¡±

    ¡°What about Neji?¡±

    The ivory-eyed teen looked at me directly for the first time, tilting his head to this side as if he didn¡¯t know what to make of me.

    ¡°Neji does not go on the runs, but he trains with us afterwards,¡± said Lee, placing a hand on my shoulder. ¡°But I look forward to running with you.¡±

    ¡°Likewise.¡± I tilted my head down and emptied the rest of my bottle over the back of my head. I shook out my hair and Choji recoiled, showing more energy than ever. I laughed. ¡°It¡¯s just a bit of water.¡±

    He huffed and eyed the distance between us warily and after a little rest, we returned to the village and entered the nearest breakfast place. We ate in complete silence for the most part. After a training session like that, there was no room for chatter. The only thing anyone cared about was refuelling. As hungry as I was, I made sure not to overeat, tapping out once I¡¯d had my fill anymore and chasing down my meal with a glass of water.

    All in all, my first meeting with Team 3 had gone about as well as it could have and I was looking forward to training with them¡ªeven Neji, as sour as he seemed because with the Chunin Exams barely half a year away, training with Gai would always be welcome.

 Chapter 25 [2]

    My team and I arrived near the Academy later in the afternoon, returning from a successful but mind-numbing D-rank. The missions office was a massive open room on the top floor of a small building attached to the Academy. There were other offices around the village for genin, though. It was half the school¡¯s size and there weren¡¯t any windows. When it rained, the wind swept in the water at an angle and when it didn¡¯t, there was the wind to contend with.

    The missions office was¡ªas the name suggested¡ªwhere the vast majority of general shinobi missions were issued. The village¡¯s various departments had their missions delegated to them directly by the Hokage and were almost always B-rank and above. X-rank missions were a thing, but only ANBU did them.

    Probably because they were suicide missions where death wasn¡¯t just expected, but the entire mission¡¯s purpose. Thankfully, the ones in the mission office were plentiful but pretty incredibly easy to complete. The only good thing about them was that they provided genin with a livable wage. Weeding gardens was a small price to pay when people had bills to pay.

    That said, the odd C-rank floated about every so often.

    Generally, C-ranks were about as difficult as missions issued here got. Of course, in the real world, nothing was assured, so some mission ranks were adjusted retrospectively as well. Asuma had stated outright that he didn¡¯t think we were ready for a C-rank mission yet because missions above D-rank came with the implication of shinobi combat¡ªnot always, but sometimes.

    Asuma¡¯s refusal to put us on one for the time being left the Genin Corps¡¯ chunin-led squads to swoop in and nab those C-ranks for themselves. I¡¯d had my eye on an escort mission from the Leaf to the Land of Hot Waters for a while now but it seemed some other squad had poached it.

    ¡­Not that I¡¯d had any particular claim on it in the first place, but it still annoyed me.

    I grumbled down the stairs, lamenting yet another boring menial job ticked off the monthly quota. The genin life was pretty fun until D-ranks came around. I swear, the things felt like they were made to kneecap my progress. There wasn¡¯t a single thing about them that felt like an accomplishment and it wasn¡¯t like I didn¡¯t understand their significance either.

    Understanding why they made us kids do them only annoyed me more because I was the last child anyone in this village wanted to see. Asuma pretended not to notice me using the transformation jutsu, which was nice. Hinata and Choji hid their pity by getting me to show off with the jutsu, which was a pretty adorable gesture, to be honest.

    But I was even beginning to get bored with the D-ranks where I didn¡¯t have to hide my identity. With all the jutsu I knew, I was itching for some kind of yardstick to match myself up against. There was only so much sparring could do because the only way to judge my performance was active combat.

    At the same time, part of me was terrified of having to point my weapons at another living, breathing human being. A human being with people who cared about and relied on them¡ªand to snuff out their life knowing that? It¡­ it didn¡¯t eat at me, but it was there: cold and hard in the pit of my stomach. No shinobi went through life without killing because if you weren¡¯t willing to kill, then you died.

    Something solid struck the top of my head. Asuma slipped the rolled-up mission request into his flak jacket with a grin.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I nodded at the request he¡¯d pocketed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± he said, placing a guiding hand on Choji and Hinata¡¯s shoulders. ¡°This afternoon, we¡¯ll be doing some more joint training.¡±

    ¡°With who?¡± Choji asked.

    Asuma shook his head. ¡°Not telling. That¡¯d spoil the surprise.¡±

    ¡°We seem to be doing a lot of joint training today,¡± said Hinata, twisting back to raise an eyebrow at our teacher. ¡°Is there any particular reason why?¡±

    ¡°There is, but you¡¯ll find out during the training.¡±

    I pressed the back of my index finger to my lips in thought. ¡°...Is it Team 3 again? Lee said they were going to do some training in the afternoon.¡±

    ¡°Nope, but good try.¡± He walked past me with a frustratingly knowing smile, pushing Hinata and Choji into an alleyway. ¡°Come with me and you¡¯ll find out.¡±

    Again, we exited the village through the western exit¡ªthis time following the path out from the gate. A dozen or so metres in, it forked out into two paths: one went straight ahead, and the other curved right. Asuma led us down the second path, jumping a barbed fence spanning as far as the eye could see and breaking out into a sprint the minute we touched down.

    I wasn¡¯t sure which training ground this was but there was nothing but tall grassland all around. Then, we reached a second fence and crossed into a thick forest. Instead of tree-jumping like I thought we would, Asuma kept us low to the ground. I could hear the low gurgle of a river somewhere nearby.

    ¡°Asuma?¡± I asked. He didn¡¯t look back but grunted curiously. ¡°Are you taking us fishing?¡±

    ¡°Fishing?¡± He chuckled. ¡°Not today but thanks for reminding me. I need to do that with these two.¡±

    If he was going to say more, he would have¡ªbut he didn¡¯t. Our footsteps were all out of sync, creating a discordant set of rustles as we trampled over dead leaves and the earth below. Seeing that I literally had nothing else to do, I made my hand seals, infusing a decent bit of chakra to expand the jutsu¡¯s range.

    Its effects were obvious almost immediately. Our footsteps noticeably dropped in volume and were no longer distinct from one another.

    Choji stumbled forward. ¡°What the hell?¡±

    ¡°What did you do, Naruto?¡± asked Hinata.

    ¡°I used a support wind jutsu¡ªWind-Release: Frequency Disruption.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Boredom, training, to start a conversation. Take your pick.¡±

    ¡°How long can you use it for?¡± she asked, clutching her chin in a hand. ¡°Does the jutsu take a flat amount of chakra to activate it and continuously drain chakra to sustain itself?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve got heaps of chakra anyway and if nothing else, it keeps my chakra network active. Say we¡¯re out on a mission, I can use Frequency Disruption to make us harder to catch and if we end up getting caught anyway, there¡¯s no need for me to warm up my chakra network.¡±

    ¡°Standard practice is to keep your chakra network active anyway,¡± said Asuma. ¡°Still, it¡¯s a good idea, kid.¡±

    Choji grunted. ¡°When do I get a cool jutsu, huh?¡±

    He turned around and smiled. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who said you want to get a good handle on the Expansion Jutsu before I throw nature-release ninjutsu at you?¡±

    ¡°...Doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t grumble about things.¡±

    I laughed and patted his shoulder.

    ¡°Hinata,¡± said Asuma. ¡°Have you changed your mind about picking up any ninjutsu from me? I¡¯ve mastered wind and fire but I can get you access to any other jutsu you¡¯ll need.¡±

    ¡°Wait.¡± I reflexively raised my hand like we were back in class again. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°You said we¡¯ve got the same primary, right?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Wind.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯ve mastered fire¡ªwind¡¯s direct counter?¡±

    ¡°I have. It was a bitch to do, but I got it in the end and even created a jutsu. I used to be a stubborn little shit so it was the next element I picked up after getting good with wind. My old man said I wouldn¡¯t be able to so I wanted to prove him wrong.¡± Asuma snorted and shook his head wryly. ¡°If nothing else, it gave me the patience I¡¯ll need for the other nature-releases. I got down fire, so the rest will be a breeze. What do you think, Hinata?¡±

    She looked away into the thicket surrounding us. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry. My clan is very¡­ particular about making the Gentle Fist the centre of my arsenal. Nature-release ninjutsu is¡ªI wouldn¡¯t say looked down upon because the older clan members use it, but young Hyuuga are generally dissuaded from learning it too early.¡±

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    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± I grimaced. ¡°...okay, I¡¯m sorry, but that¡¯s stupid. I ain¡¯t looking down on your clan or anything, because the Gentle Fist is scary, but if you¡¯re going to learn it anyway, what¡¯s the difference between then and now? No one said you can¡¯t learn both together, did they?¡±

    She sighed.

    Asuma rubbed the back of his head and hummed. ¡°...Okay, how about genjutsu or medical ninjutsu?¡±

    ¡°Those are fine.¡± Hinata perked up at his words. ¡°Are you proficient in either of them?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not, but I know a genjutsu specialist.¡± Vaulting the fence in front of us, we landed on a field of grass once again. ¡°Speaking of the devil, we¡¯re here.¡±

    There was a wide river a good distance ahead of us with a tall stone slab planted on a raised platform on its banks. Though that wasn¡¯t the first thing any of us saw. I grinned and waved at the four people sitting in front of the stone slab.

    Choji squinted. ¡°...Is that?¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± said Hinata, affirming his suspicions without the need to activate her Byakugan.

    I jabbed Asuma¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You couldn¡¯t tell us we were training with our old classmates?¡±

    ¡°I could¡¯ve, but where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± he replied, ruffling my hair. ¡°Go on, kids. We¡¯ve got about five minutes till training begins anyway.¡±

    Choji had run halfway to the river in the time it took me to question Asuma. Hinata and I walked at a relaxed pace. I took the time to look over our old classmates¡ªthey hadn¡¯t changed much. Granted, we hadn¡¯t been on our teams all that long, so I didn¡¯t know what I was expecting.

    ¡°Jonin Yuhi,¡± I said with a nod.

    The red-eyed lady smiled pleasantly at us. ¡°Nice to meet you three at last. Shikamaru has said a lot about you three.¡±

    Hinata blinked at our friend in question. ¡°You have?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get excited,¡± he drawled.

    I shook my head with a small smile. ¡°We¡¯ve missed you too, man.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯m worried about you¡ªit¡¯s only been five days since we last saw each other.¡±

    Raising my hands, I back off, leaving Hinata to deal with him. Kiba and Choji were skipping pebbles across the river and since I had nothing to do, I decided to join them.

    ¡°Hello, Naruto!¡±

    I paused mid-step. ¡°Hi, Ino.¡±

    The blonde-haired girl smiled pleasantly at me. I turned around to face and she tapped her chin thoughtfully. ¡°That forehead protector looks good on you.¡±

    I huffed. ¡°I got the black one thinking it was like the standard blue, just darker. The cloth is too damn long and now I¡¯m running about like an idiot.¡±

    She giggled. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Really,¡± she said, hiding the smile behind her hand. ¡°You¡¯ll grow into it.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Ino,¡± said Hinata with a strange lilt to her voice. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Ino turned around and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m talking to Naruto. How¡¯ve you been Hinata?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been well, thank you. I was talking to your sensei earlier.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯d like to learn genjutsu¡ªnot to become a specialist but because I can¡¯t just rely on taijutsu. After that, some medical ninjutsu would be nice.¡±

    I slowly walked away, easing out a breath as the two engaged in weird double speak. For me to not recognise that the two of them had varying degrees of crushes on me would be moronic. Hinata wasn¡¯t very obvious about it because she valued my friendship first so it took me a few years to notice. It was easier to deal with her than Ino¡ªthe blonde made it painfully obvious in the last year of the Academy.

    She didn¡¯t ask me out or anything, but she¡¯d sit with us at lunch and break and whatnot. She and Hinata got on surprisingly well, to be honest, even if their weird double-speak was awkward to sit through. I¡¯d got a lot of practice feigning obliviousness when those two were together.

    Asuma raised an eyebrow when I returned to him. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Girl trouble?¡±

    ¡°Girl trouble?¡± Shikamaru looked over at Hinata and then Ino. ¡°Ah. Sucks to be you.¡±

    I sat down beside him. ¡°Don¡¯t you start, lazybones.¡±

    ¡°Lazybones?¡± Kurenai said with a small snort of laughter. ¡°I think I¡¯ll start calling you that, Shikamaru. It sums you up almost perfectly.¡±

    He threw his head back and groaned towards the sky.

    ¡°See?¡± I pushed his shoulder playfully. ¡°Someone agrees with me.¡±

    ¡°Shut it, Naruto.¡±

    ¡°Whatever you say.¡± I laughed and leaned forward, crossing my legs. ¡°Asuma, you said we have five minutes till training starts. It¡¯s been five minutes.¡±

    Kurenai wrinkled her nose. ¡°Leave it to him to be late.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t see this coming, Kurenai?¡± Asuma smiled.

    ¡°I did, but I¡¯m going to complain regardless.¡± She tapped her chin and then whirled on Asuma. ¡°Oh, you should¡¯ve brought Gai and Team 3. That would have made him come here on time.¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°My lot and I already trained with Gai this morning. I didn¡¯t want to be a bother.¡±

    I felt a sudden rush of cold wind at my back before something knocked me over. I opened my eyes to a mass of pink hair in my face. ¡°...I think I¡¯m gonna hurl.¡±

    ¡°If you are, don¡¯t do it on me,¡± I said, gingerly lifting them off me to see who it was. I already had my suspicions but I had to be sure. ¡°...Yep, hello, Sakura.¡±

    Kakashi Hatake stood over us, his grey eye narrowed pleasantly.

    Asuma patted his shoulder. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to use the Body Flicker Jutsu, Kakashi.¡±

    ¡°Without it, I¡¯d just be late,¡± replied the man.

    ¡°But you¡¯re late already. What¡¯s the difference?¡± asked Kurenai.

    He turned his head to her. ¡°I¡¯d be fashionably late.¡±

    She put her hands on her hips, a few degrees away from openly glaring at him. I lifted the man¡¯s charge out of my lap waiting for the immediate spell of dizziness and vertigo to run its course. Sasuke and Shino gave me two identical nods that I returned, though Sasuke broke eye contact to scoff at Sakura.

    She scrambled away from me and scowled as if I¡¯d done something wrong.

    ¡°That¡¯s cold of you.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I stop you from cracking your head open and I don¡¯t even get a thank you? See if I try to help you next time.¡±

    She sighed and bowed. ¡°Thanks, Naruto.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± I replied.

    Finally, I turned my attention to Kakashi, who seemed to be looking at me again. I honestly had forgotten all about him, probably because I¡¯d never seen him before until today.

    I didn¡¯t know if I should¡¯ve been feeling angry at him or not. As the closest person to my parents, he should¡¯ve made an effort to be in my life but he was fourteen when they died and then a few years before their deaths, one of his closest friends jumped onto his attack and killed herself.

    Was it wrong of me to feel a sense of relief that he wasn¡¯t part of my life earlier? Not because he was a bad omen but because neither of us was in a good place, mentally speaking.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard a bit about you, Naruto,¡± said Kakashi, placing a hand on Sasuke and Shino¡¯s shoulders. ¡°From these two.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    He chuckled at the disbelief in my voice. ¡°Well¡­ Shino more than Sasuke.¡±

    ¡°That makes more sense.¡±

    Sasuke snorted.

    ¡°I hear you and Sasuke have a bit of a rivalry going on.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°I like to think we get along well enough, but it¡¯s something like that.¡±

    ¡°I see. Well, today¡¯s training will let me see how true that is.¡± He nodded at Asuma and Kurenai. ¡°Let¡¯s get this started.¡±

    All of us genin stood assembled in a row before the jonin, waiting for instructions. I¡¯d done joint training twice before¡ªin the morning with Team 3 and then earlier on with Team 8. The fact that we were all top ten graduating students in our respective classes wasn¡¯t lost on me either.

    ¡°Afternoon, all,¡± said Kakashi. ¡°I¡¯m sure some of you are wondering why you¡¯re here¡ªwhy, it¡¯s for training, of course, but think of it like an assessment as well¡±

    ¡°What will you be assessing, sensei?¡± asked Sakura.

    ¡°Whether you guys are ready for out-of-village missions.¡±

    I could feel our collective attention fix on the man and seeing his weird eye smile thing, that¡¯s exactly what he¡¯d intended.

    Asuma took over. ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourselves. The missions might still be D-ranks, but for all you know there¡¯s a decent likelihood that you¡¯ll run into non-shinobi combatants¡ªronin, bandits, yakuza, and the like.¡±

    ¡°Nice!¡± Kiba pumped his fist. ¡°Man, I¡¯m psyched!¡±

    ¡°Which brings us to today¡¯s exercise,¡± said Kurenai with a smile. ¡°Each of our teams serves a different purpose. Team 10 is a frontline vanguard team, Team 7 is a saboteur team, and Team 8 is a hunter team. So, here¡¯s what¡¯s going to happen,¡± She turned to address her team, ¡°Team 8, you have one hour. In that hour, you need to capture a specific member from each team and I¡¯ll inform you who they are shortly.¡±

    Kakashi clapped his hands. ¡°Team 7, your job is to protect said teammate from being captured for an hour. Your teammate will not be able to use chakra at all, so you¡¯ll have to take that into account. Oftentimes, saboteur teams will also work on extracting hostages in enemy territory alongside the usual pesky stuff we get up to. With that in mind, you¡¯ll know the fellow member that Team 8 is hunting.¡±

    Asuma gave the three of us a wide grin. ¡°And now, it¡¯s your turn. One of you is a second target that Team 8 has to capture but from a certain point of view, you guys are the most screwed. Since we¡¯re a vanguard team, fighting in completely unknown situations is going to be something you¡¯ll just have to get used to.¡±

    ¡°I don''t like where this is going,¡± muttered Naruto.

    ¡°Team 10, you will not be told which one of you Team 8 will be hunting.¡± He chuckled at Hinata¡¯s disbelief. ¡°Yeah, I hear you but here¡¯s where you¡¯ll get a leg up: said teammate won¡¯t be prevented from using chakra. Keep that teammate safe for an hour and you win.¡±

    ¡°Sensei,¡± said Hinata. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean any of us could be the target and we wouldn¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°Mhm.¡±

    I looked at Team 8¡¯s huddle a few metres to my right; Shikamaru caught my eye and smirked. Kakashi pulled out what looked like a prisoner seal that restrained a person¡¯s ability to mould and therefore direct chakra. The surprising thing wasn¡¯t that he had one of them¡ªa saboteur team having prisoner seals made sense.

    It was who he¡¯d applied the prisoner seal to.

    ¡°...Guys, this just became a lot harder than I thought. Sasuke¡¯s the target on Team 7¡¯s end.¡±

    Hinata pinned the top of her thumb between her front teeth. ¡°Team 8 has Shikamaru, Ino, and Kiba. If I¡¯m judging this right, Shikamaru is going to plan, Kiba¡¯s going to be their muscle, and either he or Ino will restrain the target with their jutsu. We don¡¯t know who they¡¯ll be coming after.¡±

    I slung an arm over both their shoulders and brought them into a huddle of our own. ¡°But we know they¡¯re after Sasuke, so here¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do¡­¡±

    A few minutes later, we stood assembled in front of the jonin, who gave us one final smile.

    ¡°Teams 7, 8, and 10¡­ disperse!¡±

 Chapter 26 [1]

    ¡°Teams 7, 8, and 10¡­ disperse!¡±

    Sakura took one sweeping look at the different teams before they sprinted into the forest. The jonin had limited their options to a specific section of the forest to the memorial stone¡¯s right. She could see Choji and Naruto leaping after Hinata in the distance and when she searched around them, their hunters were nowhere to be seen but Team 7 continued straight ahead.

    Team 8 could have been right above them or chasing Team 10, but there was nothing they could do about it. Their target was Sasuke, the strongest member of their team¡ªso putting some distance between him and them was a must.

    Sasuke ran ahead of herself and Shino, his pace slower than normal. It needed to be if he wanted to last for the entire exercise. With his chakra restrained by the prisoner seal stuck to his back, he couldn¡¯t use it to traverse the treetops, forcing them to travel along the ground. They were the ones with the biggest disadvantage out of everyone¡ªSakura knew that.

    Team 8 was going to come after them first and avoid Team 10. The question wasn¡¯t whether they would but how long they had before Team 8 arrived. She chewed on her thumb while running behind Sasuke. It wouldn¡¯t matter how far they ran, Team 8 didn¡¯t have their chakra bound.

    She blinked through the rays of sunlight spilling through the forest, drawing her gaze to where the sun met the horizon in a resplendent explosion of orange and red and then lower to the tall shadows dancing along the ground.

    ¡°Um¡­ guys?¡± she called out.

    Shino tilted his head to her and Sasuke grunted, doing the same.

    ¡°We can¡¯t stay in the forest,¡± she said, gesturing at the shadows surrounding them. ¡°Shikamaru¡¯s hijutsu are going to be at their strongest when he faces us.¡±

    They took her words in silence. Sakura kept her eyes on the two of them despite the urge to look away while she waited for a reply.

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    ¡°Indeed,¡± said Shino. ¡°Sasuke is also a liability right now.¡±

    Sakura¡¯s stomach dropped.

    Sasuke folded his arms, his dark eyes flickering like embers¡ªbut he didn¡¯t refute Shino¡¯s words. Sighing, he looked at her instead. ¡°You¡¯ve stated the obvious, Sakura. What¡¯s your plan?¡±

    ¡°I think¡­¡± She looked away for a split second, fidgeting with her hair. ¡°I think that we should move to the river. It won¡¯t eliminate all the shadows, but it¡¯s less of a risk than fighting here.¡±

    ¡°Why fight at all?¡± asked Shino.

    She shook her head. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t fight them if we have the choice, but in case we do, the environment should suit us more than them. If we fight them, we¡¯ll lose.¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m what?¡± asked Sasuke, the heat returning to his eyes. ¡°Helpless?¡±

    ¡°N-No, that¡¯s not what I said!¡± Sakura waved her hands in front of her face.

    ¡°Yes¡ªyou are helpless by the very definition of the word, Sasuke. You cannot spearhead the battle because of the prisoner seal,¡± said Shino. ¡°That role now falls to Sakura and I.¡±

    Sasuke considered them, his offence retreating in the face of curiosity¡ªas if he hadn¡¯t considered that they could do it.

    ¡°Our goal is to protect you, not subduing Team 8,¡± said Sakura. ¡°If we have to fight them we will¡ªand when that happens, we¡¯ll need your shurikenjutsu. Maybe Kakashi-sensei will give us a good mission if we win the exercise.¡±

    His lips tugged down though he wasn¡¯t frowning. ¡°You said something about a river?¡±

    ¡°I did!¡± Sakura beamed at him. ¡°If we keep going northwest, we¡¯ll come out onto its banks.¡±

    ¡°And then?¡±

    ¡°We continue moving,¡± said Shino. ¡°I¡¯ve sent a small number of my insects back for reconnaissance purposes. So long as they are not discovered, we should have a steady stream of information on their whereabouts. At the very least, we won¡¯t be caught by surprise.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s perfect, Shino,¡± said Sakura. ¡°We might not have to fight them at all, right, Sasuke?¡±

    Training with Kakashi-sensei in the morning had made the physical gap between them and Sasuke painfully obvious. It hurt to admit it, but Sasuke ignored their input, choosing to do what he wanted and expecting them to follow. It wasn¡¯t like his decisions landed them in trouble, but it made Sakura feel ignored and unimportant¡ªso, seeing Sasuke listening to her was a nice change of pace.

    He cleared his throat and started running with renewed purpose; he angled his body to the left, making Sakura smile.

 Chapter 26 [2]

    Kurenai frowned at the memorial stone, tracing her finger over her father¡¯s name but before her mind could sink any further, she pulled back both mentally and physically. Behind her, Asuma leaned underneath the shade of a tree, leisurely smoking a cigarette. Above him sat Kakashi, reclining on one of the thicker branches, chortling to himself.

    ¡°Do you have to read that in public?¡± asked Kurenai.

    Kakashi yawned. ¡°Civilians are barred access from the training grounds, ergo: not a public space.¡±

    ¡°You know what I mean.¡±

    ¡°Reading them in your presence?¡± Asuma suggested.

    ¡°No.¡± Kurenai began to frown, sensing the by-play between the two. ¡°I meant reading¡­ erotica outside the privacy of your own home.¡±

    ¡°Ooh, erotica,¡± whispered Kakashi, leaning down towards Asuma while cupping a hand over his mouth. ¡°That one¡¯s a dirty word.¡±

    Asuma chuckled. ¡°Cut her some slack. She gets that enough from Anko.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s another thing,¡± said Kakashi, his single grey glimmering with unabashed amusement. ¡°How do you regularly hang out with the most provocative, sexually liberal kunoichi in the village, but blush whenever anyone throws out innuendo.¡±

    Asuma stifled his laughter. ¡°And whenever she says something that little kiddies shouldn¡¯t be hearing, she starts looking about as if the ANBU¡¯s onto her.¡±

    The two men snickered at her expense and she huffed, unwilling to feed their relentless teasing. It all started after Gai treated the three of them to a meal following the genin draft meeting. Kurenai was expecting the two to be polite at best, but once they found a common goal in making fun of her right-mindedness, it was curtains for her.

    So, she waited until they finished laughing to change the topic. ¡°Don¡¯t take this the wrong way, Kakashi, but I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t fail this batch.¡±

    ¡°So am I,¡± he replied. ¡°But they show promise. Sakura¡­ has a lot of room to grow, but her chakra control is second to none. While Shino and Sasuke aren¡¯t the most vocal of people, their ability speaks for itself and Sakura¡¯s willing to do almost anything Sasuke says, so their teamwork isn¡¯t half bad.¡±

    ¡°I thought my old man forced them onto you,¡± said Asuma.

    ¡°He did. He¡¯s been forcing brats onto me for years,¡± Kakashi replied. ¡°I want to go back to the ANBU but his condition is that at least one of my students makes jonin to replace the loss.¡±

    ¡°And since you have the Sharingan and can teach him the most, Sasuke Uchiha is your ticket back,¡± said Kurenai.

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    There was something in Kakashi¡¯s response that didn¡¯t sell the reasoning to her, but she let it go¡ªbecause in the end, it wasn¡¯t her business.

    ¡°I feel sorry for all the brats you flunked before,¡± said Asuma as he finished the last of his cigarette. ¡°We all know the Genin Corps has nothing on receiving consistent training from a jonin. It¡¯ll take them double the time to become chunin.¡±

    Kakashi grunted. ¡°Trust me, they weren¡¯t fit to be shinobi and it¡¯s not like they all went to the Genin Corps. They repeated the Academy¡¯s final year first¡ªthe Genin Corps was for the ones who failed the genin test a second time.¡±

    ¡°What, you¡¯re telling me you flunking them was a good thing?¡±

    ¡°Yes, actually.¡± Kakashi hopped down from the tree and pulled out a notebook from the pouch at his back. ¡°I¡¯ve kept a list of every single team Lord Third has thrown at me. Most of them passed their next genin tests with flying colours and then around a quarter became chunin within two years¡ªa couple have even become tokubetsu jonin.¡±

    ¡°Look at that,¡± Kurenai put her hands on her hips and smirked at Asuma, ¡°even Kakashi is more responsible than you.¡±

    ¡°...I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± he muttered, looking away.

    ¡°Please,¡± She grinned, tasting blood in the water, and stepped closer to him, ¡°tell us how your genin didn¡¯t get a test.¡±

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    ¡°Really?¡± asked Kakashi, sounding vaguely impressed. ¡°You passed them right off the bat?¡±

    ¡°In my defence, I¡¯ve been training Naruto for years.¡±

    ¡°And the other two?¡± Suddenly, he jumped back and clutched the sides of his face in horror. ¡°...No. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to come out and reveal you¡¯ve been training your genin team years before us.¡±

    Kurenai laughed.

    ¡°No, just Naruto, and to be honest, I didn¡¯t think they needed a test,¡± said Asuma, a nostalgic look in his eye. ¡°With a bond like that, I won¡¯t have to worry and their capabilities speak for themselves.¡±

    Kakashi did his strange eye smile thing and Kurenai hid her satisfaction behind a disappointed shake of her head and an off-hand remark.

    Truth be told, she was glad that Asuma had found meaning in something after his time out of the village. Not to mention it helped knock off the last vestiges of immaturity off of him¡ªthough the beard helped a lot with that.

    ¡­Of course, he ruined the moment the minute he opened his mouth.

    ¡°Bets, anyone?¡±

    She huffed and folded her arms.

    ¡°I¡¯m in,¡± said Kakashi. ¡°What are we betting on?¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s going to win the training exercise, of course. Who are you betting on, Kakashi? My lot?¡±

    He stroked his chin. ¡°That¡¯s a tough one. Sasuke is by far the strongest member of Team 7 but right now, he¡¯s little more than a skilled civilian. We didn¡¯t say Team 10 were to be treated by Team 7 as hostile shinobi in our instructions, so their best move would have been to link up with them. Oh well, that will be my first lesson for them after this is over. Don¡¯t forget to look underneath the underneath.¡±

    ¡°My team should have thought of that as well. Five and a half against three is good odds no matter how you cut it, especially since no one on my team has their chakra sealed and, no offence Kurenai, they¡¯ll win a pitched three vs. three against your kids.¡±

    Kurenai smiled. ¡°Hinata Hyuuga has no clue that she¡¯s a target, though. Why did you pick her?¡±

    ¡°Naruto tends to put a lot onto himself and that¡¯s true both in life and in battle. Whether he¡¯s the target won¡¯t matter because he¡¯s fighting under the assumption that he is. Meanwhile, Choji¡¯s role won¡¯t change regardless of him being the target.¡± Asuma began to smile. ¡°No, it¡¯s Hinata who¡¯ll learn the most from being a target.¡±

    ¡°How about you, Kakashi?¡± asked Kurenai.

    His mask stretched over his face as he yawned. ¡°Shino¡¯s good, but not enough to carry an entire team on his back and Sakura¡¯s no frontline fighter. Their teamwork is alright, but it needs a lot of work. Essentially, it boils down to doing whatever Sasuke says and backing him up. Sasuke is literally Team 7¡¯s greatest strength. I need Shino and Sakura to appreciate their abilities and more importantly, I need Sasuke to respect them.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t help but smile at their reasoning. The two of them cared a lot about their students and that was easy to forget amongst their aversion to hard work. That said, Kurenai was confident in her team''s ability to successfully capture both targets and she¡¯d make that known.

    ¡°Since direct confrontation is a hunting squad¡¯s natural weakness, I think my team will have the most trouble with Team 10. Luckily, they don¡¯t have to beat Team 10.¡± Kurenai looked at Kakashi. ¡°If I¡¯m right, Team 7 will be the first to go, swiftly followed by your team, Asuma.¡±

    ¡°Is that you throwing your bet in?¡± asked Asuma.

    Kurenai rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh, alright¡ªconsider that me putting my money with Team 8. Kakashi?¡±

    ¡°Naturally, I¡¯m going with my cute genin,¡± replied the silver-haired man. ¡°How much are we betting?¡±

    Asuma scratched at his beard. ¡°How about 2,500 ryo? It¡¯s enough for a decent meal¡ªor some drinks, I guess. Just to be clear, winning means evading capture, right?¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°Then, if my team evades capture but Kakashi¡¯s doesn¡¯t, he pays the both of us 2,500 ryo?¡±

    ¡°He would,¡± she replied.

    The masked jonin raised his hands and gasped. ¡°Woah, why me?¡±

    ¡°You just admitted that your team is screwed six ways to Sunday without Sasuke Uchiha,¡± said Asuma.

    Kurenai giggled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Kakashi. There¡¯s plenty of time to fix your team¡¯s power balance. For now, just accept the hit to your wallet because it¡¯s not like you¡¯re running short on money. Anyway, what were you saying, Asuma?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going with Team 10 but I¡¯ve got some specifics: my team evades capture but Kakashi¡¯s doesn¡¯t.¡±

    She raised an eyebrow and folded her arms. ¡°...You know that won¡¯t net you any extra money, right?¡±

    ¡°Too late.¡± Kakashi shook Asuma¡¯s hand immediately, sealing the deal. ¡°It¡¯s the principle of the thing. Just imagine if the opposite happens, Kurenai.¡±

    ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t?¡±

    This time, it was Asuma who replied, ¡°Think of it like a sub-bet between Kakashi and I. So, what are you offering me if I win? It can¡¯t be money since our evil overlord has spoken.¡±

    Kurenai sighed, resigning herself to the two of them doing whatever the hell they wanted.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He paced through the grass, moving in and out of the shade. ¡°One unbound favour.¡±

    Asuma¡¯s stare was intense. ¡°Favours are serious things, Kakashi. I¡¯ve got no say where or when you might call it in.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just trust me?¡± asked Kakashi.

    ¡°No,¡± said Asuma with a snort. ¡°For all I know you might ask me to grab a limited edition of the Icha Icha series. There are a lot of things I¡¯m willing to do but I have my limits.¡±

    ¡°Okay, fine.¡± Kakashi pulled out his notebook and handed it to Asuma. ¡°Jot down your terms so my favour won¡¯t break them. Do we have a deal?¡± Asuma returned the notebook after a few minutes and they shook hands.

    ¡°I guess so.¡±

 Chapter 26 [3]

    ¡°Here¡¯s what I want you to do.¡±

    He didn¡¯t like the tone in the lazy bastard¡¯s voice, but he listened anyway.

    Shikamaru might¡¯ve been lazy, but he was a pretty smart guy when he wanted to be. Kiba wouldn¡¯t lose much by listening to him and if he didn¡¯t like what he heard, doing his own thing was always an option. Besides, his team needed him. Their fancy jutsu were useful on a hunting team, but his ability to get stuff done was more important when it came down to it.

    Kiba smirked to himself; he could do that and then some. ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡±

    They kneeled around an overgrowth beside the memorial stone where the jonin had ordered the start of the exercise.

    ¡°Last I checked, the range on Hinata¡¯s Byakugan is about fifty metres, give or take, but it might be more than that, so make sure to stay out of its range.¡±

    ¡°Do you still have their scent?¡± asked Ino.

    ¡°Who d¡¯ya think I am?¡± Kiba rolled his eyes. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve got their scents.¡±

    She frowned. ¡°Well, how was I supposed to know? It¡¯s not like I keep up to date on your weird¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hey.¡± Shikamaru snapped his fingers. ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this. Knowing Naruto, he¡¯s going to erase their scents pretty quickly if you don¡¯t go now.¡±

    Kiba¡¯s smirk nearly slipped off his face. His other senses were good and following tracks was second nature to him, but he relied on his sense of smell more than he liked to admit. Akamaru yipped excitedly from on top of his head and he smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right, Akamaru. We¡¯ll get to ¡®em before they can do that.¡±

    He clambered up a tree trunk, using some chakra alongside his stronger-than-average nails to quickly ascend its length.

    ¡°Kiba!¡±

    Pausing before he could take off, Kiba looked down at his teammates.

    ¡°Remember what I told you,¡± said Shikamaru, a serious light to his usually uncaring brown eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t go wild and try to take them out. You¡¯ll¡­ what I¡¯m trying to say is that we don¡¯t need you to subdue them. Track them, see if you can figure out their plans and stuff.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, go on.¡± He waved his hand lazily but stopped for a moment to give them a confident thumbs up. ¡°Go wrap this thing up. Kurenai-sensei said she¡¯ll treat us to something good if we win.¡±

    Ino and Shikamaru returned his gesture and darted out of the shrub, taking to the treetops and following Team 7¡¯s quickly cooling trail. Kiba swaddled Akamaru into the front of his tracksuit, zipping it up about halfway.

    ¡°Alright, boy.¡± He perched on his hands and feet, mixing his chakra. ¡°Here we go.¡±

    Tracking a target in a forest was difficult for most people, but it was second nature for a natural-born tracker like Kiba. The dense foliage and uneven terrain was just another playground for him to explore. He breathed in deeply, drawing the forest''s myriad scents, filtering out the familiar ones until he pinpointed Naruto''s unique smell.

    His scent was faint, masked by the damp earth and the heavy canopy above, but it was there, a thread for him to follow¡ªthe faint but distinctive blend of miso broth and soy sauce, mixed with the sweat from long hours of work. It was an unusual combination, but it made Naruto easier to track, even in the forest¡¯s complex environment.

    The smell of freshly cooked noodles and the occasional hint of garlic and ginger were embedded in his clothing, mixing with his body¡¯s natural musk and allowing Kiba to follow Naruto with confidence. He sprang from branch to branch with Akamaru snug against his chest.

    His ninja hound¡¯s ears twitched, picking up subtle sounds Kiba might¡¯ve missed, but together, they were an unbeatable tracking duo. His strong nails, enhanced by chakra, dug into the bark of the trees, providing an extra grip as he swung and leapt effortlessly.

    Kiba paused, crouching low to the ground as they reached a small clearing. He closed his eyes and focused on his sense of smell. The air currents carried Naruto''s scent, faint but undeniable, mixed in with two others that he found equally familiar.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    They really thought they could hide from him.

    ¡°Akamaru, let''s move,¡± he whispered and darted forward, weaving through the trees with silent grace.

    He picked up the sound of distant footsteps and shifted his path, angling his path to avoid them. Naruto was clever, always unpredictable, but Shikamaru had known him long enough to anticipate his tricks. He knew Naruto would try to throw off their scent and soon enough, his ears picked up the sounds of a nearby stream.

    ¡°I¡¯ve finally gotcha,¡± he murmured, his movements swift but cautious.

    The forest was alive with the sounds of birds and small animals. Kiba''s senses filtered through the noise, focusing on the sounds of his quarry. Naruto was going to cross a stream to lose his scent so Kiba adjusted his path, moving parallel to the water and using the trees as cover.

    The sudden silence around him made his instincts prickle. He listened intently, twitching at a faint rustling above, but before he could react, a massive shadow loomed overhead.

    He¡¯d realised he was being ambushed all too late.

    With a thunderous roar, Choji descended from the treetops, his right arm expanded by the Multi-Size Jutsu. He crashed down like a living boulder, cratering the ground. Kiba dived to the side, narrowly avoiding being crushed, but the force of Choji''s landing sent shockwaves through the earth that threw him off balance.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get him!¡± Choji bellowed, his voice echoing through the trees.

    Kiba rolled and sprang to his feet, his eyes wide with shock. ¡°You''re pretty fast!¡± he shouted, adrenaline pumping through his veins.

    Choji didn''t give him a chance to recover. With surprising agility, he swung a massive arm, aiming to sweep Kiba off his feet with a growl. ¡°Are you calling me fat, dog breath?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, tubby.¡± Kiba jumped back, but the sheer force of the wind from Choji''s strike almost knocked him over. ¡°Glad you figured it out.¡±

    The Akimichi bull-rushed him, his right arm once again ballooning in size. Faint blue wisps coated the limb and Kiba realised that being anywhere near it was a bad idea.

    ¡°This isn''t good,¡± Kiba muttered, his mind racing. He needed to fall back and come up with a new strategy. Akamaru barked urgently from within his windbreaker, sensing danger. Kiba put as much distance between them as possible, throwing two smoke bombs at Choji and tossing another behind him.

    With the added cover, he had the advantage for now.

    ¡°He¡¯s three metres to your right, Choji,¡± came Hinata¡¯s voice from somewhere above.

    He cursed, blitzing through his hand seals with a greater sense of urgency. They were meant to be the hunting team yet here he was, being hunted by his own quarry. Finishing his hand seals with determined finality, he fed Akamaru a food pill and popped another into his mouth.

    The consequences would suck but he needed every advantage he could get.

    His eyes rolled into the back of his head at the pleasant strength surging through his body. Kiba clenched his hands into fists, mindful of his longer claws and smirked at the visible chakra trails wafting off his body. Akamaru growled from beside him in human form, vibrating with bloodthirsty tension.

    They roared in unison, launching themselves into twin spinning drills, aiming directly for Choji, who braced himself for impact. Hinata gave an alarmed cry but it was too late¡ªshe¡¯d never make it in time.

    Just as they were about to make contact, a powerful gust slammed into them. It wasn¡¯t enough to stop the jutsu, but it knocked Kiba off course. They crashed to the ground, rolling to a stop. Akamaru returned to his dog form, knocked out cold. Kiba was in a slightly better state; he shook his head and stumbled to his feet.

    Another gust of wind surged forward, kicking up debris and forcing Kiba to shield his eyes. He barely had time to react as Naruto descended from the treetops.

    ¡°Fucking hell!¡± Kiba growled.

    He jumped to the side, avoiding another blast of wind, but Naruto was relentless. He leaned back, clapping his hands together to gather a vast amount of chakra, and threw his upper body forward, spewing an even more powerful gust out of his mouth.

    It ripped through the forest, tearing at the ground, and sent Kiba crashing into a tree. He was seeing stars and by the time he managed to react, Choji was already closing in, using two massive arms to barrel through the forest. He swung one enlarged arm with incredible force, aiming to finish him off.

    Kiba struggled to his feet but his entire body screamed in protest. He knew he couldn¡¯t afford to take another hit, especially from Choji, so he slipped his fingers into the pouch at his back and removed two smoke bombs.

    ¡°Choji, duck!¡± Naruto''s blue eyes were alight with fierce determination.

    Reacting a second too late, Kiba grunted as a concentrated blast of wind landed square on his chest. He sailed across the ground, each collision rattling his very bones until his efforts to stop sent him tumbling. He tried to push himself up, but his limbs weren¡¯t responding.

    Akamaru was barking desperately, but the sound was faded, muffled by the ringing in his ears.

    ¡°Sorry, Kiba,¡± said Naruto, his voice echoing in the haze. ¡°We don¡¯t have any time to waste here.¡±

    Choji loomed over him, his shadow casting a dark silhouette. Kiba''s mind and heart raced but his body refused to respond, so he was forced to watch Choji''s fist descend.

    He didn¡¯t feel its impact.

 Chapter 26 [4]

    The world opened up before her eyes. She flew under the canopy, weaving between trees and drinking in the sights of nature with perfect clarity despite her speed. The steady beat of her wings filled her with unparalleled joy with each flap and she stuck out her chest to release a joyful cry.

    That said, Ino hadn¡¯t forgotten her purpose.

    She continued her flight, retracing her steps to see what had become of Kiba. The signs of a fight grew clearer¡ªcratered ground, damaged trees tottering on their roots, and deep grooves where jutsu had dug up the earth.

    Kiba lay at the site of the damage, out cold.

    After the initial shock had run its course, Ino immediately cycled back at a slower pace, cautious. Team 10 was certainly nearby, otherwise, she would¡¯ve been dragged back into her body ages ago. Everything pointed towards her being right; after a few minutes, she noticed footprints branded into the bark because of rough tree-hopping technique.

    However, there were only two pairs of footprints, suggesting they¡¯d split up. Ino continued, taking advantage of the woodpecker¡¯s acute sense of hearing to make out abnormal sounds, not that there were any.

    The footprints alone allowed her to catch up to Team 10 easily enough, but without any sounds to go off, she had to circle back a few times to avoid getting lost. When the trail of footprints ended, Ino continued moving forward, confident she¡¯d find Team 10 because it was the same direction she and Shikamaru had travelled in¡ªand find them she did.

    They ran in an arrowhead formation with Hinata taking the point and Choji and Naruto following behind her. Ino kept her range, inching closer. The three hadn¡¯t noticed her yet so she dared to close the distance ever so slightly.

    The attack came without warning.

    Hinata spun so fast that her long hair whipped around, masking the kunai in her hand. It struck Ino¡ªthe bird¡ªdirectly in the chest, ending her flight. She felt her grip over the bird slackening as its consciousness began to dwindle.

    ¡°Why¡¯d you kill the bird,¡± she heard Choji ask.

    Hinata walked over to her dying body, a spiderweb of veins protruding against the sides of her eyes. ¡°Its chakra network was slightly off, which is one of the effects of the Mind Transfer Jutsu.¡±

    ¡°What about insects?¡± asked Choji. ¡°There might be bugs nearby.¡±

    Naruto walked over to the dying bird. ¡°There¡¯s no point in following us around¡ªwe¡¯re not the ones tracking him.¡±

    With no host consciousness to piggyback off, her own exited the now-dead animal, closing the distance to her body. Ino opened her eyes with a deep gasp, jerking upwards at dizzying speeds. She looked around slowly. Her entire body ached in ways that it hadn¡¯t before and her mind felt like it was moving through sludge.

    She debated eating a food pill before ultimately deciding against it. Sure, it would double her chakra reserves and give her the energy to fight for three days and three nights, but she had maybe two more jutsu in her before she ran the risk of serious chakra exhaustion.

    Her life wasn¡¯t on the line so putting it there without the need to was absolutely nuts.

    Groaning, she refreshed her mind on her surroundings¡ªthe difference in vision between a bird and a human was slightly startling but she shook it off. The next thing she did was look for Shikamaru; he sat cross-legged nearby with a slight frown and his eyes closed.

    ¡°What kind of guy doesn¡¯t let a girl lean on him?¡± she asked.

    Not that she particularly cared, but she liked to wind him up with stupid questions every once in a while¡ªit also t helped her forget about the cold steel plunging deep into her chest and the agonisingly slow process of asphyxiation as she choked on her blood.

    Or rather, the bird¡¯s.

    Ino rubbed her chest, grimacing at how sweaty she was.

    ¡°The kind of guy that knows when you¡¯re trying to play him.¡± He snorted but quickly cut himself off when he opened his eyes and saw her. ¡°You look like death. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to tap out here?¡±

    ¡°No way,¡± she said with a glare. ¡°Not after what I saw¡ªand not after what happened to me.¡± His silent question filled the space between them and she frowned, looking away. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°Still, I¡¯ll have to adjust my plans. We can¡¯t have you in battle like this.¡±

    ¡°And you can¡¯t fight without me.¡±

    ¡°...I can buy you some time to recover, though,¡± he said with a sigh, muttering something under his breath. ¡°So, what did you see?¡±

    ¡°...First, Kiba¡¯s out cold,¡± she said, squirming a little. ¡°I mean, what did you think would happen? He¡¯s strong, but fighting Hinata, Naruto, and Choji? He was never going to win¡­¡± Ino blinked, exclaiming, ¡°He was never going to win and you knew it!¡±

    ¡°Yes, I knew it. We needed a diversion because Team 10 would have immediately gone after us.¡± Shikamaru stuck a finger in his ear. ¡°And you¡¯re being too loud.¡±

    Ino glared at him. ¡°Stop deflecting. I know there¡¯s no one nearby. That was scummy of you, Shikamaru. You said we¡¯d back him up without ever planning to.¡±

    He looked away. ¡°But it¡¯ll be worth it. Where¡¯s Team 7?¡±

    ¡°How the heck am I supposed to know?¡± she asked, rolling her eyes. He didn¡¯t speak, so she huffed out an answer: ¡°I can¡¯t tell since they¡¯re out of my sensory range now, but based on their travel speed and general direction when we were chasing them? About ten minutes west of here. You were right¡ªthey¡¯re headed to the river.¡±

    ¡°And Team 10?¡±

    Ino grimaced. ¡°They¡¯re about fifteen minutes south from us and are closing in.¡±

    ¡°Then we need to hurry¡ªcome on.¡±

    Ino took the lead, taking them through the quickest path possible to reach Team 7. There was a quiet tension between them¡ªshe still hadn¡¯t let go of how easily Shikamaru had thrown away Kiba and he knew it. However, she couldn¡¯t fault the strategy either; with the way things were going, they¡¯d win the training exercise.

    And even if she had something to say, just moving required a higher degree of focus and Ino¡¯s overburdened mind was struggling to cope. Because of how low she was running, she had to pay attention to how much chakra she used to propel herself through the forest.

    ¡°Are we close enough that you can sense their chakra signatures?¡± Shikamaru pulled up beside her as they jumped from tree to tree.

    She nodded.

    ¡°Good.¡±

    Without another word, she dropped behind a bush, minimising her presence as much as possible as he went ahead to engage them. Shikamaru''s plan was brilliant, but the downside was that it required flawless timing and precision.

    Ino watched as four clones descended upon Team 7 along the river bank. Sasuke sprung back, barking out orders as he covered his retreat with a volley of shuriken, destroying half of the clones. Sakura stood in front of him protectively, leaving Shino to face the clones.

    Hidden from view, Ino closed her eyes briefly, mentally preparing herself for the delicate technique. She had to be fast and accurate¡ªbecause there would be no second chance. In the event of failure, Shino¡¯s chakra-consuming bugs would immediately give up her position.

    Sakura''s eyes darted around, her instincts on high alert. ¡°Stay close to me, Sasuke!¡± she called out, frequently shifting her stance around him. ¡°Kiba and Ino are hiding somewhere around here. Otherwise, Shikamaru wouldn¡¯t try anything like this.¡±

    ¡°You seem pretty sure about that,¡± said Shikamaru with a small smile.

    He was down to one clone that soon puffed out of existence, pierced by one of Sasuke¡¯s wire-guided shuriken. While the prisoner seal prevented him from moulding chakra, he wasn¡¯t someone they could just ignore.

    Frustrated, Ino chewed her lip.

    Sakura was too perceptive. She was beginning to see Shikamaru''s misdirection tactics for what they were and, sooner or later, Ino would be forced to reveal her position to prevent him from losing. Soon enough, Team 10 would reach their location, destroying all hopes of her and Shikamaru winning the training exercise.

    Sakura¡¯s movements were precise and defensive, ready to intercept any attempt to breach their position. Ino watched as Shikamaru¡¯s shadows lashed out, trying to bind Sasuke. Sakura stepped back, allowing Shino to counter with his insects. They siphoned the jutsu¡¯s chakra and the shadows dwindled, forcing Shikamaru to either abandon his jutsu or pump even more chakra into it to overcome the rate of chakra absorption.

    He chose the former, summoning another half a dozen clones. A certain degree of chaos returned to the battlefield thanks to the clones, taking a load off both himself and Ino. Sakura¡¯s focus was on Shikamaru with her back to her hiding spot.

    Ino steadied herself.

    ¡°They say no plan survives contact with the enemy. Sorry, Sakura,¡± she whispered, feeling the familiar surge of chakra as she initiated her jutsu.

    After this, she¡¯d probably only have one more good jutsu left in her.

    Her consciousness shot out of her body through the gap between her hands fast enough that the world blurred. She entered Sakura¡¯s mind, quickly overpowering her before the disorientation that always accompanied the transfer kicked in. Renewing her grip over the kunai, Ino-as-Sakura turned to Sasuke.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Stay calm,¡± she said. ¡°If they¡¯re not backing up Shikamaru, it means they¡¯re planning something.¡±

    Sasuke nodded.

    Ino internally sighed in relief; deception was half the battle won. She felt the rush of her heartbeat, the tension in her muscles, fearful that something would give her away. Sakura¡¯s consciousness fought her all the while but Ino redoubled her efforts, stifling the irritating resistance in the back of her mind.

    She looked around, assessing the situation from a new vantage point.

    Shikamaru¡¯s clones swarmed Shino, keeping him occupied, if only for a few seconds. Ino moved, guiding Sakura¡¯s body with careful precision, slowly shifting behind Sasuke. Sensing the shift, Shikamaru redirected his efforts subtly. He repositioned himself to keep Sasuke in his line of sight, now unobstructed by Sakura thanks to her.

    ¡°Now, Ino!¡± he signalled, his voice carrying a note of urgency.

    Shino and Sasuke looked about cautiously, expecting her to burst out of a thicket or descend from a tree. She smirked and grabbed Sasuke¡¯s arm. ¡°Hold still,¡± she whispered, her voice low and commanding.

    Sasuke, confused but compliant, didn¡¯t resist.

    ¡°Do it, now!¡± Ino yelled through Sakura¡¯s lips, and Shikamaru¡¯s shadow raced forward, spearing through Shino¡¯s to extend further.

    Sasuke tried to break out of her grip but Ino snaked her other arm around him, pressing him close to her and sticking herself to the ground to stop him from breaking free. Violent winds slammed into them from above, destroying Ino¡¯s balance¡ªand therefore the chakra flowing to her feet¡ªand her hold over Sasuke.

    Before she could gather her bearings, a second wave finished the job and the four of them tumbled away from each other.

    Sasuke scrambled to his feet, pointing a kunai in her direction with a small frown. ¡°...Yamanaka.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Ino,¡± said Naruto, dropping between them. ¡°It was a good plan, but we¡¯re here to ruin it.¡±

    She looked at him with a guilty smile. Naruto cocked his arm back and swung but before it could land and transfer the damage back to her, Ino pulled the plug on the Mind Transfer Jutsu, her consciousness returning to her body. The short journey ate away at her already meagre chakra reserves.

    Her eyes snapped open and she gasped.

    ¡°She¡¯s in a bush,¡± said Hinata, her voice coming from above.

    Ino¡¯s stomach sank and she darted to safety right before Choji destroyed it with his thunderous descent from the canopy. She emerged in front of Shikamaru, taking stock of the current situation. Hinata was perched on a treetop above them, Naruto stood guard in front of Sasuke and Sakura.

    Shino threw a shuriken between them just as Choji rushed at her and Shikamaru. ¡°Why are you here, Team 10?¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Choji¡¯s eyes were wide with disbelief. ¡°We¡¯re here to help you, man.¡±

    ¡°That said, if you throw another weapon at my teammate, we¡¯ll leave,¡± said Hinata.

    Naruto laughed. ¡°Alright, calm down everyone. We¡¯re here to help Team 7.¡±

    ¡°But our second target¡¯s on your team,¡± said Ino. ¡°How about you let us capture Team 7 and go put some distance between us.¡±

    ¡°Why should he?¡± said Sakura, smirking over Naruto¡¯s shoulder. ¡°He¡¯s got more to gain taking you out here and now¡ªassault team, remember?¡±

    ¡°...Shit,¡± she grunted.

    ¡°Do you know what time it is right now?¡± asked Shikamaru.

    ¡°Not exactly, but it¡¯s sunset,¡± Sakura replied. ¡°Why?¡±

    Sasuke was the one to answer, ¡°That¡¯s when the shadows are the longest¡ªand when Shikamaru¡¯s jutsu is at its most dangerous. He can rely on the length of the shadows, leaving him with more chakra to use for other ninjutsu.¡±

    ¡°Bingo. So, here¡¯s what¡¯s going to happen. First, I¡¯m going to capture our target on Team 10 and then?¡± He looked straight at Sasuke. ¡°Then, it¡¯s your turn.¡±

    Without another word, his shadow shorts out before swerving towards Choji. Ino stifled her laugh and jumped headfirst into battle, engaging Shino rather than Naruto. Their blades met in a shower of sparks before she pushed off the edge to put some distance between them. She looked back to see Hinata switching positions with Naruto, who went to help Choji.

    Ino fingered a smoke bomb, pivoting and aiming at Sasuke.

    ¡°She¡¯s going to use the Mind Transfer Jutsu on Sasuke!¡± Hinata cried.

    Naruto yelled out, punching Shikamaru so hard he bounced his head off a tree and crumpled to the ground. When he stumbled to his feet, Choji pressed a kunai to his throat, leaving Ino alone against several opponents.

    His sunny-blond hair swayed in the wind as he bolted towards Sasuke. ¡°Get out of the way¡ªI¡¯ve got Sasuke!¡±

    Ino watched Hinata flit back onto a tree branch with her peripheral vision, her hands still aimed at Sasuke. She quickly switched her aim to her, but she dodged sideways to escape. Naruto came sprinting from the thicket up ahead and Ino switched her aim a final time, summoning the last dregs of chakra she had left.

    Naruto¡¯s eyes widened in horror, terrified words forming on his tongue.

    She smirked, readying herself to send her consciousness into his mind. ¡°Sorry, honey, but you¡¯re out.¡±

    Her consciousness clashed with his for a moment, but then it touched something else and Ino found herself in an unfamiliar darkness.

    She couldn¡¯t see much of anything but knew she was falling, which was weird. Usually, she entered an opponent''s mind, dominated their consciousness and controlled their body. There wasn¡¯t anything¡­ material about that human mind¡ªnot with the Mind Transfer Jutsu, anyway.

    She touched down and took in her surroundings, warm drafts tousling her long hair. Her surroundings were dark, but not so dark that she couldn¡¯t see. Ino stood still, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the darkness before continuing. Ahead of her was a single, narrow path that seemed to only narrow even further as it went on. With nowhere else to go, she followed it until it gathered into a small gap that she forced herself into.

    Ino squeezed until she was through, emerging out of it and walking across a wide, windowless room. The walls were carved with intricate symbols that spanned the entire room, including the ceiling and floor. However, the most striking thing in the room was the massive prison cell straight ahead. It was easily more than forty metres tall and just as wide, with a two-metre-long tag plastered on top of the lock.

    She edged closer to the prison, wary of what could be inside, but more curious than cautious. It almost proved to be her undoing because when its inhabitant tried to stab her, she didn¡¯t see it coming. A gargantuan claw scraped at the stone floor, wedging between the thick bars, and missing her by a mere inch.

    Ino screamed, scrambling away and falling onto her back, her heart racing. She stopped, suddenly very aware of the slitted crimson pupils¡ªthe very massive slitted pupils¡ªlooming overhead.

    ¡°Tch¡­ almost.¡±

    ¡°...He-Hello?¡±

    ¡°Look at what¡¯s crawled into the seal,¡± said a deep, gravelly voice from beyond the barrier. ¡°You are not my captor, little trespasser, merely a child¡ªlost and terrified¡ªcowering¡­ from me.¡±

    She buckled to her knees under a wave of pure¡­ hatred so thick it solidified the air. Clawing at her throat, she gagged, trying to breathe, but her lungs refused to obey her. The monster¡ªbecause there was no other word for it¡ªlaughed at her suffering and increased the pressure of its hatred.

    Its inhuman crimson eyes gleamed with unbridled, sadistic glee at her suffering. ¡°Your suffering is exquisite, little trespasser. Only, it¡¯s a shame this damnable seal prevents me from spearing you and swallowing you whole.¡± It chuckled, sighing as the laughter came to an end. ¡°But it¡¯s no matter. Watching your will break will have to suffice until the day this accursed prison weakens.¡±

    The overwhelming hatred somehow doubled in intensity and Ino heard the cries of a thousand tortured souls in her ears. Her throat was so raw that she might¡¯ve been screaming alongside them. Her heartbeat stopped and started, dancing to the whims of the terrible presence dwelling deeper in the cave.

    Her own cries reached a feverish pitch, and she was re-energised with the desperation to live.

    Ino screamed, flailing away from him only to go flying so far that her bare shoulder smashed into the leftmost wall. Her mind must have been broken beyond repair because she watched Naruto throw himself towards her, pulling her into his embrace as they made contact with the ground.

    ¡°What the hell did you do?¡± Naruto hissed, his voice teetering on the edge of hysteria. ¡°Why!¡±

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know,¡± she stammered, too out of it to notice Naruto had practically smashed her against his body and still hadn¡¯t let go. ¡°C-Can¡­ c-can you put me down, please?¡±

    His eyes cleared and he put her down, aghast, straightening his clothes as he inspected every inch of her. He twisted his neck and growled at the monster inside the prison. ¡°...You bastard.¡±

    ¡°Naruto,¡± it spoke with a deep, gravelly voice. ¡°You do not understand the good it does me to speak with you at last.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say the same, monster,¡± Naruto replied, his voice more intense than Ino had ever heard. ¡°You don¡¯t understand how desperately I want to bury you with my own hands.¡±

    ¡°Believe me, the feeling is mutual.¡±

    There was something in its voice that made Naruto turn on his heel immediately, looking stricken.

    ¡°W-What?¡± Ino stuttered as he took her by the hand, squeezing until it hurt, and dragged her away. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, boy? Are you afraid of me?¡±

    To Ino¡¯s relief, Naruto didn¡¯t look back, so neither did she.

    They walked hand in hand out of the cave through a path that wasn¡¯t there when she first entered the prison room. Outside of the cavern, the two of them stood under grey skies and a cold sun, overlooking a barren wasteland. He placed a calming hand on her shoulder and when she looked up, she nearly gasped at how gentle Naruto¡¯s vivid blue eyes were.

    The tears fell from her own eyes without any say on her part.

    ¡°N-Naruto?¡± Ino choked and sniffled her way back to coherence. ¡°Wha-Wha-What is that thing and why is it in your mi-mind?¡±

    He jutted his chin towards the cave. ¡°It¡¯s a mutt that can¡¯t be put down. Don¡¯t worry about it for now. Let¡¯s get out of here¡± He offered his hand and Ino took it.

    The monster began to laugh¡ªits voice somehow reaching them from outside the cave. It started with a slow burr and built up to thunderous, booming laughter that shook the ground beneath them. This time, it was Ino who was clinging onto Naruto with a vice-like grip.

    He was her only lifeline back to safety.

    ¡°Ino?¡± Naruto closed his eyes and sighed. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been through a lot today, but I¡¯m going to need you to release your jutsu.¡±

    She looked back at the cave and then at his face with wide, terrified eyes. ¡°B-But what if the mo-monster. What if¡­ what if it kills me?¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t,¡± said Naruto, squeezing her shoulder again. ¡°I promise. The sooner you do it, the sooner we can get out of here, understand?¡±

    ¡°...Okay.¡± She wiped the tears from her face. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Ino¡¯s consciousness returned to her body at an excruciatingly slow pace and with each passing second, she feared that the monster would burst out of the cave so much that she didn¡¯t know when exactly she exited Naruto¡¯s mind. The green of the forestry around her was muted and everyone¡¯s voices were coming from so far away.

    She tried to respond, but her mouth wouldn¡¯t move¡ªand when she tried to move anything, the same thing happened. All she could was look blankly at the sky, her vision darkening bit by bit. Then, she was back in the cave, surrounded by the pervasive darkness and the monster¡¯s hatred.

    All at once, Ino opened her eyes wide and screamed until she couldn¡¯t scream anymore, surrendering herself to blissful unconsciousness. Before everything went dark, she saw Naruto¡¯s face, concern etched into every crevice of his skin. His blue eyes were heavy with guilt and while she could see her hand captured in his, she couldn¡¯t feel it.

    Her vision continued to dim, and Ino realised it was a shame that she couldn¡¯t feel his warmth anymore.

 Chapter 27 [1]

    The only thing stopping me from losing it was¡­ a lot of things, actually, and said things were staring at Ino in various degrees of shock and horror because she¡¯d screamed herself hoarse before passing out. My first order of business was getting her help for whatever the Nine-Tails had done to her, so I extracted my hand from her limp one and picked her up, walking to Shikamaru, who was sporting a quickly yellowing bruise from where I¡¯d punched him.

    ¡°Here. Take her to the memorial stone. I¡¯m going to go get Kiba.¡± He nodded, looking a little dazed as he picked her up. ¡°Actually, no. Give her back; you¡¯re concussed. Sasuke, you take her.¡±

    Sakura circled Shino and Sasuke, her brow furrowed. Concern for Ino morphed into hostility towards me. ¡°What did you do?¡±

    Taking a deep breath to calm myself while I transferred her unconscious friend to Sasuke, I held Sakura¡¯s gaze and kept the anger out of my voice¡ªI wasn¡¯t angry at her. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. I don¡¯t know why she screamed, but she passed out from chakra exhaustion. Earlier, we caught her using a bird to track us and that was before we all fought.¡±

    ¡°She used the Mind Transfer Jutsu twice afterwards,¡± said Sakura, biting her thumb. Her gaze flitted back to Ino and the sight of her limp body had obvious worry crawling all over Sakura¡¯s face. ¡°The chakra cost from her scouting and then taking over our bodies¡­¡±

    ¡°Exactly my point.¡± I stepped around her. ¡°Training¡¯s over everyone. Get Ino to the jonin so they can take her to the hospital. A medical ninja will look at her and see what¡¯s up.¡±

    Sasuke was the first to go, hoisting Ino onto his back and sprinting into the forest. Shikamaru walked after them at a slower pace but was quickly overtaken by Sakura and Shino and now that I didn¡¯t have to keep up a front, I sat down in the grass and groaned.

    The sheer mental exhaustion from the past¡­ actually, I didn¡¯t know how long my first interaction with the Nine-Tails lasted. It could¡¯ve happened in an instant for all I knew but regardless, dealing with Ino while talking to the Nine-Tails had sapped me of a lot of my usual mental clarity.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Choji asked. ¡°What happened when Ino used her jutsu on you? That reaction can¡¯t just be because of chakra exhaustion.¡±

    Hinata opened her mouth to say something but then decided otherwise. I raised an eyebrow and she looked away almost guiltily.

    ¡­She¡¯d had her Byakugan active the entire fight, but none of the Nine-Tails¡¯ chakra had leaked out of the seal, had it?

    ¡°What?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Ino¡ªwhen she used her jutsu on you, I saw a different kind of chakra enter your chakra network¡ªa dark chakra. Then I saw the seal on your stomach. It¡¯s where the chakra came from¡­ isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not me you should worry about,¡± I said. ¡°Ino saw¡­ it first. I arrived afterwards.¡±

    ¡°Even then,¡± said Hinata. ¡°You¡¯re the¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m alright¡± I insisted, smiling tiredly at the two of them. ¡°But you¡¯ve got a point. Meeting it for the first time was intense.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± Choji asked.

    I barked out a laugh. ¡°Something tells me I¡¯ll be talking about it a lot today.¡±

    ¡°You know what I mean,¡± he replied, folding his arms. ¡°Knowing about something and seeing it are two different things, man.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t lie to you, I¡¯m not okay.¡± I smiled wryly, spreading my arms out. ¡°Unfortunately, there¡¯s not much either of you¡ªor even I¡ªcan do about it.¡±

    Just thinking felt like wading through a river of syrup and I was moments away from genuinely snapping at the two people closest to me. Instead, I tried for a bright smile, but it didn¡¯t make me feel better, nor did it convince Choji and Hinata.

    ¡°I¡¯m not mad at either of you, I just need some time alone to get my thoughts in order, alright?¡±

    Choji folded his arms, looking like he might say something, while Hinata pursed her lips. Eventually, they walked away. They weren¡¯t happy about my decision, but I wasn¡¯t in the mood to deal with their endless questions right now¡ªand even if I was, I didn¡¯t have the answer to their questions.

    I remembered the dark chuckle shaking the prison walls as Ino screamed. My chest swelled with a targetless anger and with nowhere to direct it, I expelled it with a massive sigh. If what Hinata had said was true, then the torture the Nine-Tails put Ino through had inadvertently¡ªor purposefully¡ªinjected more than the usual amount of Tailed Beast chakra into my body.

    Enough that it was distinct from my own.

    It wasn¡¯t enough to do much to the seal but when my father freed it from Obito¡¯s control, it wasn¡¯t like the Nine-Tails stopped killing and eating people so it really could have been nothing more than sheer maliciousness.

    I trusted my firsthand experience when it came to dealing with a monster that had taken more lives than I could fathom and firsthand experience taught me the Nine-Tails desired two things: carnage and freedom. If I had anything to say about it, that monster wouldn¡¯t get anywhere near another human being ever again.

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    But I didn¡¯t have a say¡ªor rather, what I wanted fell short compared to what I needed to do. The Nine-Tails¡¯ power would make it far easier to fight against the coming future threats¡ªand by training to control its power, I¡¯d be able to see my mother again.

    Giving that thing any leverage over me turned my blood to acid¡­ but the facts remained despite my feelings.

    Kiba ran into me about halfway towards the clearing where I¡¯d left him earlier. Like Shikamaru, he was also pretty concussed, so I didn¡¯t have to fight him into submission or anything. After I explained things to him, we travelled in silence since neither of us were in the mood for small talk, emerging a few metres away from the memorial stone.

    Kurenai raced towards us, crouching on a knee and looking at Kiba with pursed lips. ¡°You¡¯re concussed.¡±

    ¡°I also took a food pill,¡± he said.

    She sighed. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be taking all three of you to the hospital.¡±

    Kiba tried fighting her on that but I¡¯d walked too far out of earshot to hear what she said in reply. Whatever it was, he dropped his shoulders, clenched fists, and sat down with everyone else. Kurenai¡¯s face looked furious, swivelling left and right until she saw Shikamaru.

    He blinked and stood up, meeting her halfway as she launched into a tirade.

    Instead of joining the rest of my class, I went to Asuma. He and Kakashi stood under a tree, carefully watching over my eight ex-classmates. This was just a training exercise but some of them had gone to life-threatening lengths just to win. That said, we were training to take missions outside the village and none of us had ever left the Leaf¡¯s walls before.

    The fact that they weren¡¯t looking at them in concern showed they approved of their drive at least.

    It wasn¡¯t all a result of determination, though¡ªthere was a degree of nervousness involved that no one wanted to admit to even if its effects were clearly showing. Kiba had downed a food pill without a second thought and Ino¡­ I looked back but turned away before the pity overwhelmed me.

    Thanks to my parents¡¯ seal, she was never going to die but she¡¯d still had an encounter with a Tailed Beast and coming out of those unscathed might as well be a pipe dream. Least of all the most hateful¡ªnot to mention the most powerful¡ªone of all.

    ¡°Your insanity has rubbed off on the rest of these lot,¡± said Asuma with a smile. ¡°Two are seriously concussed, one¡¯s driven herself into serious chakra exhaustion, and the rest are well on the way there.¡±

    ¡°Kiba¡¯s also eaten a food pill,¡± I said, the ghost of a smile flickering over my face, ¡°and speaking of¡­¡±

    I tapped my ear and turned my head slightly to face him, waiting for Asuma to catch onto my meaning, but he didn¡¯t. Kakashi figured it out instead. He drew a pen and notebook from his flak jacket. I ripped out an empty page on the back and then passed it back. Asuma¡¯s eyebrows surged up and Kakashi¡¯s single grey widened.

    They looked back at me simultaneously and I grimaced, breaking eye contact with their hands pressed against my shoulders.

    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m sorry you had to find out this way,¡± said Kakashi. He gave me another firm pat. ¡°Asuma, I¡¯ll deal with the kids and set things up.¡±

    He nodded and walked down the small decline to the memorial stone. Kiba was the first to make a fuss, rocketing to his feet before stumbling, his ass slamming to the ground. The more level-headed people out of the group looked at him with concern, eventually heeding Kakashi¡¯s orders to go home for the day.

    Kurenai departed, carrying Ino on her back and ensuring Kiba and Shikamaru were in front of her. The less-injured lot shuffled away in a disorganised clump with their feet dragging behind them. I caught Hinata and Choji¡¯s concerned looks and fished through my pockets, tossing them my house key.

    The meaning was clear enough and I followed up the gesture with a firm nod, watching them walk away and disappear around the bend.

    Asuma and I stood alone under the tree. ¡°So¡­ this is the part where I¡¯d offer you a cigarette to take the edge off life.¡±

    I levelled a dry look his way.

    ¡°But,¡± He grinned, slightly denting the cigarette between his teeth, and started his lighter, ¡°the responsible adult in me says no.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, haven¡¯t met him yet but I¡¯ll let you know when I find him.¡±

    ¡°Nice one.¡± He exhaled the thick smoke with a chuckle, pulling the cigarette from his lips. Beneath the amusement, I saw a wary concern in his brown eyes. ¡°How are you holding up, kid?¡±

    I inspected his face and then the forest across from us. ¡°Pretty alright. I have to be the worst-kept secret in this goddamn village. I figured it out before even meeting the monster because of them.¡±

    Asuma snorted.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious. Hinata and Choji know because I told them a few years ago.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a pretty big assumption to make,¡± he said, taking a drag. ¡°Even if you had suspicions, there was no way for you to truly know.¡±

    ¡°...It wasn¡¯t a sure thing until today,¡± I said, measuring my next words carefully. ¡°And does it even matter? The way they treated me made it obvious something was up in the first place. ¡°The Fox brat¡±, isn¡¯t exactly subtle now, is it?¡±

    He didn¡¯t say anything for a while. I could see the words settling in his expression, sinking beneath the surface. His usual easy-going brown eyes were careful and calculating; he opened and closed his mouth a few times, not speaking until his voice croaked through parted lips.

    ¡°Does anyone else know?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just them.¡±

    ¡°Not the Nara kid?¡±

    ¡°Uh,¡± I paused. ¡° Shikamaru and I weren¡¯t on speaking terms when I told them.¡±

    ¡°So, they¡¯ve known about you for two years?¡± Asuma rubbed his chin. ¡°Okay. But how about you? Sure, you had your suspicions but you never had them confirmed until today¡ªhow do you feel?¡±

    I shuddered as I remembered the night of my birth¡­ the blood, their words. ¡°...I don¡¯t even have a word for it. Part of me can¡¯t believe I¡¯m saying this but I understand why everyone hates me.¡±

    ¡°Kid¡­¡±

    I raised my hands. ¡°I know I¡¯m not the Nine-Tails. That¡¯s not the point I¡¯m making. You understand me, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied, laying a heavy hand on my head. ¡°It¡¯s the shit you¡¯ve been saddled with as its Jinchuriki and for all the grieving people, that makes you a target. Not that it¡¯s fair, but it¡¯s just the way things are.¡±

    ¡°¡­I know.¡± Sighing, I let my hands fall. ¡°So, what now? Are we going to report this to Lord Third?¡±

    ¡°We need to grab Kurenai¡¯s genin first¡ªthe one who entered your seal¡ªbecause your situation¡¯s technically taboo to talk about.¡±

    Despite my trying, I couldn¡¯t hold back my laugh.

    Asuma let go of my head after ruffling my hair and laughed. ¡°No one knows how it got leaked to the villagers, but my old man made spreading it taboo and¡­ well, you know how that turned out.¡±

    With nothing more to say, we left the training grounds.

 Chapter 27 [2]

    I followed Asuma expecting to waste a solid few hours of my life in a hospital¡ªbut it turns out shinobi get special privileges. Ino was out after twenty minutes, leaning against Kurenai for support. The particular wing of the shinobi that we were in wasn¡¯t all that busy so, ignoring the workers, we were the only people around.

    I purposefully shifted to Asuma¡¯s left¡ªsandwiching him and Kurenai between Ino and me. Avoiding her might¡¯ve been callous on my part, but until she got the facts from Lord Third, I didn¡¯t want to see her reaction. Neither of the jonin disturbed the tense silence that hung over our solemn journey.

    What could either of them say? Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re going to talk to the all-powerful leader of our autocratic village wasn¡¯t the best of openers.

    When we arrived, the Red House¡¯s reception was empty, with carpeted space leading to the reception. We walked at a hobbled pace because Ino was dead on her feet. If not for Kurenai, she would¡¯ve sagged to the floor long before we made it out of the hospital.

    Kakashi stood waiting at the stairwell¡¯s exit, reading his usual erotica as he leaned against the wall opposite the double doors. ¡°Great. You guys are right on time; everyone¡¯s waiting inside.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Kakashi,¡± said Kurenai, ushering Ino along with a gentle nudge.

    Asuma nodded and walked on first. I didn¡¯t follow him and turned to Kakashi instead. He didn¡¯t catch me staring at first because he was looking at Ino but when I didn¡¯t move, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    There was a stiltedness to his voice¡ªlike he was forcing his usual smooth attitude.

    ¡°...I¡¯m not looking forward to this meeting.¡±

    ¡°Understandable.¡± He smiled¡ªI couldn¡¯t see the smile but his face softened underneath the mask. ¡°You learned about your unwilling prisoner and, on the very same day, have to talk to the Hokage and advisory counsel about it. Just one of those would be enough for a tough time but you¡¯ve got to deal with both.¡±

    I shook my head and slowly exhaled.

    ¡°Naruto, no matter what the villagers say, you¡¯re not that Nine-Tailed Fox,¡± said Kakashi out of nowhere.

    I pulled my lips into a thin hard line. ¡°So everyone keeps telling me.¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± I smiled without humour. ¡°It¡¯s a small distinction, though. I look in the mirror every day to these whiskers on my face. Did you know that Nine-Tails has the same whiskers?¡±

    He stopped leaning on the wall, hands hanging limply at his sides.

    ¡°It¡¯s the little things, like my sharper canines, that have me wondering how much of an impact the Nine-Tails has had on¡­ well, me. I might not be the Tailed Beast but I¡¯m not exactly separate from it.¡± I shrugged, feeling a bone-deep tiredness setting in. ¡°Sorry for unloading that on you.¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± said Kakashi. ¡°Nothing you said was wrong, but you¡¯re ignoring a key detail.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Are you killing and eating people?¡±

    ¡°...No?¡±

    He smiled. ¡°Be more convincing otherwise I¡¯ll take ten steps back right now.¡±

    ¡°Wait, I think I¡¯m starting to feel the urge to,¡± I said, my lips twitching. ¡°But no, I¡¯m not killing and eating people.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. You¡¯re the only thing stopping the Nine-Tails from turning the entire village into a buffet. Sure, the villagers blame you for the people the monster killed but without you, they very well may have joined them. Without you, all of us would have died¡ªme included, so thanks for that.¡±

    ¡°And the Fourth Hokage,¡± I said.

    ¡°And the Fourth Hokage.¡± Kakashi slumped a little, his voice dropping. He didn¡¯t know that I knew, but we shared a moment of mourning before he straightened, throwing up his eye-smile and ruffling my hair. ¡°Now, blondie Yamanaka is one of those people too; you¡¯ve got nothing to be ashamed of, so go on, now.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming?¡± I asked, surprised at how earnest I sounded.

    Kakashi chuckled slightly. ¡°Not today¡ªsorry, Naruto.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± I nodded, digesting the answer slowly. ¡°Okay. Thanks for the talk and¡­ you know, getting this thing together.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± he said, giving me a two-fingered salute.

    ¡°I¡¯ve held up Lord Third for long enough. I¡¯m not trying to be like you.¡± I started walking away. He laughed and waved over his shoulder.

    Asuma stood waiting for me next to the office door. ¡°Ready?¡±

    ¡°Nope, but let¡¯s do it.¡±

    He cracked the door open, letting me in first.

    Lord Third¡¯s desk was as cluttered as always; various documents, scrolls, and mission reports were stacked into small mountains over the large oaken surface. He sat behind the desk with an almost mournful look when I entered.

    Not ready to open that can of worms yet, I looked at the two strangers in the room.

    The younger one was pale¡ªspecifically Yamanaka pale. He bore enough resemblance to Ino that I crushed the urge to compare the two by looking back. Instead, I forced my eyes on the last person in the room.

    I stopped in my tracks because in front of me sat Danzo Shimura, the man who inherited Tobirama Senju¡¯s prejudices against the Uchiha, stoking the flames so he could cull them and benefit from their eyes.

    Did he have his freaky arm yet?

    Orochimaru was meant to create it for him but he was a rogue ninja a good few years before the Uchiha Massacre. I was certain he had Shisui Uchiha¡¯s eye hidden under the bandages on his face. Of course, no one here except myself knew that, but that didn¡¯t make him any less threatening.

    When an already fucked world knew you as the Shinobi of Darkness, that was a thousand red flags on its own.

    I wrenched my gaze away, catching the fading remorse on Lord Third¡¯s face as composed himself¡ªnot that this was a surprise. The occasion was different, but it wasn¡¯t a foreign look to me. Every year on my birthday, he¡¯d formally invite me to his office for the day and we¡¯d spend the time dancing around the elephant in the room.

    Things had got better since he sent Asuma to train me and I¡¯d long since accepted the fact that he probably wouldn¡¯t open up to me until I made chunin. Sometimes, though, I¡¯d catch him staring at the portrait of my father hanging on the wall above the door and then taking the odd glance at me.

    As usual, his expression returned to the usual impassive stare he donned when wearing the hat and I felt Asuma place a reassuring hand on my shoulder. Together, we bowed and greeted him, which he returned with an incline of his head, smiling kindly at Ino. She rushed to bow to him but with the extent of her exhaustion, she could barely struggle off her chair.

    ¡°Please, there¡¯s no need, Genin Yamanaka. Today has been strenuous enough for you, I imagine.¡± Ino pulled her lips into a thin line, scrunching her brow together. ¡°I am glad that you are in as good a condition as you are despite the day¡¯s nightmarish events. I have an account from Jonin Hatake, which was produced by Genin Uzumaki¡ªand now, I would like to hear yours.¡±

    ¡°...Yes, Lord Hokage.¡± She squirmed in her seat and avoided all eye contact. ¡°When I used the Mind Transfer Jutsu on Naruto, I¡­ I ran into something strange. Like, it was a part of him but separate at the same time¡ªand then I opened my eyes and was in a cave.¡±

    ¡°A cave?¡± Lord Third asked. ¡°Inoichi, could you provide further clarification?¡±

    Inoichi nodded solemnly. ¡°While there are Yamanaka hijutsu that deal with mindscapes, the Mind Transfer Jutsu is not one of them. Ordinarily, the Mind Transfer Jutsu fashions the user¡¯s consciousness into a weapon that is then used to attack a target, taking over their consciousness, and thus, their body. I believe that when my daughter used it, she¡­ for lack of better phrasing, attempting to take over the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox.¡±

    Asuma swore.

    ¡°I-I¡­ he¡­¡± Ino pointed in our general direction. Her breath hitched in her throat and she gulped, finally getting the words out in a rush of air. ¡°Naruto has the Nine-Tails inside him?¡±

    ¡°Well, things could be worse, right?¡± said Asuma, trying for some optimism. It fell flat and he coughed, muttering an apology.

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    ¡°Yeah, about that,¡± I said, pulling my lips into something halfway between a grimace and a smile. ¡°There are things I didn¡¯t tell you and Kakashi-sensei earlier because there wasn¡¯t enough space on the paper.¡±

    ¡°Wait, why is he ¡®Kakashi-sensei¡¯ while I¡¯m plain old ¡®Asuma¡¯?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been calling you ¡®Asuma¡¯ since before you were officially my sensei. And is this important right now?¡±

    ¡°That was before I officially became your teacher¡ªand yes, yes it is.¡±

    ¡°Well, now you know why I don¡¯t call you Asuma-sensei,¡± I replied with a roll of my eyes. ¡°I swear, you really pick your times, Asuma.¡±

    He looked away as his grumbles faded¡ªthough before the silence could re-settle over the room, Ino giggled. As hysterical as it sounded, it noticeably lowered the tension pressing down on us; that she could still laugh after facing the Nine-Tails¡¯ hatred said good things about her future.

    Lord Third coughed. ¡°It warms my heart to see that you get along so well, but please, be professional.¡±

    Asuma snorted, a snarky retort on his tongue but he caught Danzo¡¯s unimpressed gaze and, with a narrow of the bandaged man¡¯s eyes, decided he¡¯d swallow it instead.

    ¡°Sorry, sir,¡± I continued. ¡°Going back to what I was saying, Ino¡¯s presence inside my head let me enter the seal without any prior training. When I found her, the Nine-Tails was¡­ well, it was torturing her. Is she¡­ is Ino going to be okay?¡±

    ¡°In time, she will be fine, Uzumaki,¡± said Inoichi, a small smile breaking the mask of professionalism he wore. ¡°And as her father, I am thankful that you saved her when you did. Any longer and that damnable monster would have driven her into psychosis. As an intruder into your mental space, the seal¡¯s protection does not extend to her.¡±

    Ino smile turned brittle. ¡°Thank you, Naruto.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± I looked around the room¡ªat Kurenai¡¯s smile, at the old man¡¯s smile, at the intrigue in Danzo¡¯s eye. Anything to avoid seeing how fragile she looked, only to find himself staring at the Yamanakas¡¯ turquoise eyes with a smile. ¡°...you¡¯re welcome, I guess.¡±

    The moment was over, but it felt like an eternity. I released a breath I didn¡¯t know I was withholding when Lord Third spoke up. ¡°Now, onto business¡ªDanzo, if you will.¡±

    The one-eyed man folded his arms, speaking with a slow, gradual cadence. ¡°Genin Yamanaka, the knowledge you are now privy to is an S-ranked secret¡ªdo you understand what that means?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, Elder Shimura,¡± said Ino, her eyes briefly flicking between me and her father. ¡°Secret information related to the village¡¯s security.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Danzo nodded. ¡°Genin Uzumaki¡¯s status as a Jinchuriki is one of those things. It is closely guarded intel revealed on a need-to-know basis. Until the day he masters the Tailed Beast¡¯s powers, this secret protects him from the eager hands of our enemies.

    ¡°I trust that I do not need to impress the meaning of secrecy upon you?¡±

    She nodded rapidly.

    Danzo was silent for a few moments. ¡°That said, the punishment for revealing his identity without express permission from Lord Third will result in a two-million-ryo fine alongside a minimum of ten years imprisonment.¡±

    Inoichi frowned¡ªnot at Danzo in particular, but he frowned. As if the man himself wasn¡¯t deterrence enough, the punishment he revealed had caused Ino to pale to the point where she looked like she was on the verge of death.

    ¡°Come now, Danzo,¡± his father chuckled. ¡°Young she may be, but Genin Yamanaka is a shinobi. There is no need to terrify her with the consequences of something she will never do, yes?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, Lord Third,¡± she replied, stuck between gratefulness to him and skittish glances at Danzo, who hadn¡¯t stopped staring at her.

    Lord Third smiled. ¡°You may go home now, Genin Yamanaka. You and your team will have a reprieve from all duty for one week to recuperate. Genin Inuzuka will have a tough time ahead of him in the coming days, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    ¡°By your leave, Lord Third,¡± said Kurenai. ¡°Inoichi, I¡¯ll hand Ino over to you.¡±

    The man nodded. ¡°Thank you, Kurenai.¡±

    She squeezed Asuma¡¯s arm and held the door open for Inoichi and Ino before following them out.

    ¡°Naruto, stay,¡± said Lord Third just as I turned my back to leave.

    The door clicked shut.

    ¡°Yes, sir?¡± I asked, controlling my voice to come out as flatly as it could.

    This conversation wasn¡¯t one I wanted to have right now, but here we were.

    ¡°All those years ago, you asked me what makes you different, why I come to you out of the countless orphans in this village.¡± Lord Third propped his elbows up on the table and that same guilty look he liked to hide from me crawled across his face. ¡°And now you know.¡±

    Asuma walked over to one of the support pillars, folded his arms, and watched. I shot him a look and he gave me a slow nod.

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say to that.¡± Taking a breath, I continued, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve had suspicions about what I am for years now¡ªthe villagers don¡¯t make it hard.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the old Hokage replied with a grimace. ¡°No, they do not.¡±

    ¡°I felt betrayed that you didn¡¯t confirm it for me, though.¡±

    That one was sure to hit Lord Third right where it hurt¡ªbut after years of turmoil and needless anguish, I felt like it was the least he deserved. Danzo didn¡¯t look the least bit concerned about the heaviness in the air.

    Then again, this was the point in their relationship where they were strictly professional¡­ but if that was the case, why was Danzo the only member of Lord Third¡¯s counsel present right now?

    ¡°Was that song and dance necessary?¡± asked Asuma, taking over the discussion. ¡°I get making sure the girl doesn¡¯t blab to anyone, but the whole good cop bad cop thing was just stressful.¡±

    ¡°Stressful, but necessary,¡± said Danzo. ¡°All that we do¡ªand all that we are¡ªis for the Leaf.¡±

    ¡°For the Leaf, indeed.¡± Lord Third sighed. ¡°Naruto, it may have been short-sighted of me, but I withheld your status to give you whatever childhood I could¡ªbut in doing so, I lost your trust and for that, I am truly sorry.¡±

    I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. ¡°Not much we can do now except keep going.¡±

    It took me almost six years to pry one confession out of the old man and it wasn¡¯t even his choice. Good-intentioned as his motivations could be, it didn¡¯t change the fact that his choices placed me as far as could be from a nice and happy childhood.

    But like I¡¯d told him¡ªthere was nothing I could do but move on with my life.

    ¡°Besides, you got your son to train me, right?¡± I smiled a little at the way his eyebrows scrunched up his already wrinkled forehead. ¡°He found me when I wasn¡¯t doing so well at the Academy¡ªbecause there¡¯s no way he ¡°accidentally¡± managed to find me in one of a hundred parks in the village.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± The old man looked to Asuma and then to me. ¡°Naruto, I was not the one responsible for Asuma deciding to take you on as his pupil.¡±

    ¡°...If you weren¡¯t then who was?¡±

    Asuma tilted his head. ¡°Look to your right.¡±

    ¡°E-Elder Shimura!¡± I stepped back slightly, clamping down on my rising panic. ¡°No way!¡±

    Lord Third didn¡¯t look as surprised as I thought he would while we waited for Danzo¡¯s reply with bated breath.

    ¡°Asuma has been taking tea with me for some time now,¡± Danzo revealed the information in his usual slow manner, his eye sweeping the room as he spoke. ¡°We talk about many things and when he one day came to me after encountering a particularly gifted young man, I proposed that he take him under his wing¡ªthere is nothing else to it.¡±

    ¡°Is that true?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Pretty much,¡± said Asuma.

    Lord Third stroked his beard and he considered Danzo from the corner of his eye, still facing me. ¡°...I was also not unaware of Danzo¡¯s involvement in Asuma training you. Our relationship, Naruto, is complicated. When I saw that Asuma had approached you, despite it not being on my orders, I decided to let it happen for your sake. However, remember that neither I nor Danzo coerced Asuma into training you¡ªhe could have easily refused and that would have been that.¡±

    And it sounded nice, but whichever way I twisted things, Danzo was the reason behind practically everything I¡¯d learned since halfway through the Academy, which begged the question¡ªwhat the hell did he want with me?

    ¡°Kid?¡± Asuma asked me. ¡°You good?¡±

    I drew my gaze from the carpeted floor and up to his concerned face.

    The reveal that Asuma hadn¡¯t come to me on his own wasn¡¯t surprising. I spilled my heart out to him, appealing to him in a way that garnered sympathy all for him to possibly train me. He didn¡¯t exactly teach me because of altruism either¡ªI assumed he had some kind of political angle by deciding to teach me but just didn¡¯t care.

    Not until I¡¯d found out Danzo of all people encouraged him to do so.

    Yet Asuma was the only one willing to give me the time of day¡ªand by extension, Danzo was the only person willing to give me the time of day. Even if I had known back then, I wouldn¡¯t have rejected Asuma¡¯s offer to train me. There were things I wanted to achieve in life and with the sort of time frame I was running on, there was no being picky about things.

    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± I replied. ¡°It¡¯s just a shock. This whole time I thought Lord Third asked you to train me.¡±

    Asuma''s eyes darted to the side where Lord Third was sitting. ¡°My old man knew about it and let it continue happening so it¡¯s not like he wasn¡¯t involved.¡±

    ¡°Do not think too deeply about it, Genin Uzumaki,¡± said Danzo. ¡°In the end, I am happy a mere suggestion on my part helped you to grow to the extent that you have.¡±

    Knowing the things I did about Danzo, my mind repeated his words three times over¡ªsearching for something¡ªbefore I bowed in his direction. ¡°Thank you, Elder Shimura¡ªand you as well, Lord Third. Elder Shimura might have been responsible for the initial act, but without your blessing, none of it would¡¯ve happened.¡±

    Lord Third smiled with a nod of his head in acceptance.

    ¡°Hey, what about me?¡± asked Asuma. ¡°Where¡¯s my thank you?¡±

    I glanced at him for three full seconds before I bowed to the two old men again and turned to leave. He squawked in outrage and started ranting about ungrateful students and all the years he toiled for my sake.

    ¡°In any case, Asuma¡ªyou and Naruto are free to leave.¡± Lord Third took a moment to stifle his chuckle. ¡°Unlike Team 8, I will only give you three days rest in light of today¡¯s revelation. Team 10 will be expected to resume its usual duties after this week.¡±

    ¡°Damn,¡± Asuma grunted, patting my shoulder. ¡°At the very least, let¡¯s take advantage of the next few days, kid. Come on, I¡¯ll treat you, Hinata, and Choji to dinner. They¡¯re at your place, right? We¡¯ll grab some takeout and eat there if that¡¯s fine?¡±

    I nodded slowly, looking pensive. ¡°Sure.¡±

    The cool night air helped to clear my head, slipping past my clothes. I closed my eyes and focused on the sensation of the wind trailing across my exposed forearms and sighed, opening them to a darkening sky. Asuma walked the paved ground in front of me and I followed, half-listening to him jokingly complain about a lack of respect.

    Being away from Danzo¡¯s presence and his deceptively welcoming attitude went a long way in giving me some clarity to think straight. There was some unknown dynamic between Asuma, Lord Third, and Danzo. It was there in the slight glances Asuma took at the bandaged man and I would¡¯ve been fooled by the dynamic between Danzo and Lord Third if I didn''t know any better.

    Their relationship definitely wasn¡¯t as strong as it seemed in the office¡ªnot after the things Danzo had done. He took pride in being called a man of darkness; in doing unspeakable things for the sake of his ideals. If he could, he¡¯d twist the village to that ideal¡ªmy knowledge made that clear enough.

    All of this was true¡­ and yet it didn¡¯t change anything. Without Danzo, Asuma wouldn¡¯t have trained me. He too had his reasons for extending a hand to me when I needed it¡ªmaybe his reasons and Asuma¡¯s reasons were the same. I didn¡¯t know how far his influence ran and at the same time, I was grateful for it.

    Maybe that¡¯s why the meeting left me feeling so discombobulated¡ªlike a leaf being blown about this way and that, completely at the wind¡¯s mercy¡ªbecause it wasn¡¯t only because of Danzo. I hadn¡¯t expected to meet the Nine-Tails in the way I did and not this soon. I thought that the day I ventured into the seal-space, I¡¯d be equipped and ready for everything it could throw at me.

    I received a harsh reminder instead¡ªso, with two reveals like that, it was no wonder I felt out of it. Each cut of warm beef on my tongue felt heavy and on any other day, the taste would have sent euphoric tingles across my face.

 Chapter 28 [1]

    As usual, Naruto was the first to arrive for morning training. Choji¡¯s usual morning cry came from over a small hill as they arrived. ¡°Yo-ho!¡±

    Hinata knew that the morning runs Choji shared with Naruto¡ªand more recently, Team 3, sans Neji¡ªalways put him in the right spirits for the day and helped him approach the dreary D-rank run with a big smile on his face and today was no different. Her lips curved up as Naruto came into view and waved them over, joining him in warming up.

    Asuma arrived towards the end, smoking his pre-breakfast cigarette.

    He liked to smoke one before breakfast and after every meal¡ªand that was just standard, ignoring the dozens he smoked out of boredom. His proficiency in the fire nature change meant he wasn¡¯t doing much damage to his lungs but Hinata disliked the smell, even if he dispelled it right as he was finished.

    Once they were finished, he stamped out its butt and smiled. ¡°You all look to be in good spirits. Any reason for that?¡±

    Choji stretched out his arms. ¡°Yeah! We did all sorts of things these past few days¡ªthere was an All-Comers Taijutsu Tournament that Gai-sensei was running for an afternoon.¡±

    ¡°Any of you enter?¡±

    ¡°Naruto did,¡± said Hinata. ¡°He fought Rock Lee.¡±

    Asuma was grinning now. ¡°So, how did you like getting your ass handed to you?¡±

    ¡°How do you know I lost?¡± Naruto asked, glaring.

    ¡°Since it¡¯s open for civvies, I¡¯m guessing it forbade jutsu and the use of chakra to make things fair. Your taijutsu is good, but Maito Gai is a taijutsu specialist and if what I saw of his mini-me is anything to go by, so is he.¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°Yeah, fine. I lost¡ªbut it was fun. In a real fight, I think I¡¯d win but I can¡¯t deny Lee¡¯s taijutsu is something else.¡±

    Hinata¡¯s lips tugged into a frown at the hint of defeat in his voice. It frustrated her to no end that Naruto¡ªdespite his strength¡ªwas his biggest critic to the point that he blinded himself to his own capabilities.

    She caught Asuma¡¯s eye and shared a nod in understanding.

    ¡°How was your weekend, sensei?¡± asked Choji and after a moment, he added, ¡°It probably wasn¡¯t as fun as ours.¡±

    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t.¡± Asuma heaved his shoulders and slumped slightly. ¡°I drank tea with an old man and played some shogi.¡±

    ¡°My condolences, sensei. Depending on the old man and their playstyle, it can be a particularly mind-numbing way to spend your time,¡± said Hinata, her voice smooth¡ªso smooth that the amusement within almost went unnoticed.

    Naruto snorted.

    ¡°Not this old man, but it doesn¡¯t beat a tournament so you guys have that on me.¡± Asuma laughed. ¡°But let¡¯s get this started. Choji, come with me. I think you¡¯re ready for your next earth-release jutsu.¡±

    As the two walked away, Hinata and Naruto were left alone.

    The first three days of the week were dedicated to one-on-one training¡ªthough Asuma checked in every so often to give out pointers. Today was Choji¡¯s turn, tomorrow would be Hinata¡¯s, and Wednesday would be Naruto¡¯s. The final two days were mostly freestyle; sometimes they sparred with Asuma as a team or were instructed to tail one of the shinobi without them noticing.

    Other times, they did joint training with the different genin teams, but after the last one, Hinata suspected that they wouldn¡¯t be doing one for quite some time.

    ¡°Are we doing the same as usual?¡± Naruto asked, adjusting his forehead protector.

    He was the only team member to come to training in standard battle gear, wearing a heavy-looking brown vest fashioned after the chunin flak jacket. However, there were no sigils weaved into the fabric and it seemed to be an older model since the thick collar had neck and shoulder guards.

    The long-sleeve mesh shirt he wore underneath the vest extended into plated fingerless gloves. Naruto crouched over his knees, adjusting his boots and momentarily revealing the velcro weights wrapped around his ankles. ¡°Because if we are, I¡¯ll make sure to give you some space to use your genjutsu in live combat¡ªbut don¡¯t think that means I¡¯ll just let you land it for free.¡±

    According to Choji, he and Naruto had decided to take after Team 3 in their physical training, which explained the weights Naruto was wearing.

    ¡°Since we¡¯re sparring, we¡¯d be extending the fight for long enough for us to learn from it otherwise it¡¯s pointless.¡± Hinata shook her head, shaking her long, dark hair. ¡°I¡¯ve finished reading the theory on the Wavering Palm and my clan has been helping me practise it.¡±

    ¡°Did you land it?¡±

    ¡°Regrettably, no¡ªbut I was close.¡±

    ¡°Well, maybe today¡¯s the day.¡±

    She considered his words for a moment before perking up when a question came to mind. ¡°How about you? You¡¯ve been trying to add a cutting property to your wind jutsu, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve managed to cut leaves with my chakra.¡± He trailed his thumb inside the palm of the other hand while he spoke. ¡°I¡¯m trying to infuse it into my ninjutsu but it¡¯s like I¡¯m back to square one again. I¡¯ve got one hell of a habit when it comes to wind ninjutsu.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve used those jutsu hundreds of times, so it¡¯s not a surprise that you¡¯re finding it hard to change your method,¡± she said with a smile and an incline of her head. ¡°But maybe today¡¯s the day.¡±

    He stepped back and pulled out two kunai, holding the blades out to the sides. ¡°Very funny.¡±

    Hinata engaged as he leaned in, ready to do the same but before the weight forced him to commit to a step-in, Naruto lurched back and threw both kunai. Hinata continued to close the distance as they left his hands. He blasted them forward with Gale Palm; she stayed calm, following the blades¡¯ trajectory with her eyes and dodging without disturbing her run.

    ¡°Goddamned dojutsu,¡± she heard him curse, spewing six tennis-ball-sized air bullets towards her.

    Hinata didn¡¯t have the option to dodge.

    She was moving too quickly to jump over the air bullets and their sheer number stopped her from dodging in any other way, so she took up a somewhat ready stance while she ran. The hazy blue glow around her hands betrayed her plans to him¡ªluckily, this was a spar and Naruto explicitly said he¡¯d give her the chance to spread her wings a little.

    The various air bullets froze in place inches before making contact and using her knowledge of tenketsu, she directed her moulded chakra to the palms of her hands. Her training in the Main Family¡¯s techniques was going well¡ªand even if she wasn¡¯t capable of performing them to perfection, she still understood enough to make things easier.

    Directing the moulded chakra, Hinata expelled it from her palms and used the momentum of her spin to defend against the air bullets. What she was doing was an inherently flawed technique; Heavenly Rotation required chakra to be expelled from all her tenketsu points but Hinata was solely using the ones in her palms.

    Not only did it lack the impregnable defence of Heavenly Rotation, but it also lacked the stability that came with expelling chakra from every tenketsu point. By all means, it was a stopgap until she could master its full form¡ªbut it would work for now.

    Naruto sprinted into range while she struggled to rein in her chakra. He ducked underneath a deflected air bullet, transitioning into a sliding kick, and obliterating her shaky balance. For the moment that she was motionless, Hinata saw the air bullets burst through clusters of foliage, drill through the bark, and the ones that missed eagerly dug into the earth below.

    As she fell, her heart dropped at the realisation that her hands would make contact with the ground first. The world slowed down for an instant, and Hinata could see it all with perfect clarity¡ªher left arm coming up over her and arcing below her body¡ªthe visible surge of chakra exiting her palms¡ªand the initial clumps of soil unearthed by that same surge.

    She shot into the forest, destroying bushes and splintering branches as she tried to right herself. Her back slammed into a tree trunk and she nearly choked, hastily reeling back the chakra flow so that she didn¡¯t plummet to the ground. Hinata didn¡¯t make a sound¡ªand three deep breaths later, she swung herself onto a branch and waited, the beginnings of a plan forming inside her mind.

    Naruto edged into the forest, sweeping the recent wreckage in search of her. Regrettably, the two of them hadn¡¯t managed to spar as much as they used to and back then, she barely managed to spend an hour or two after school with him, Shikamaru, and Choji before one of the branch family members came looking for her.

    Things had only become busier for her since graduation.

    That lack of usual sparring meant their once similar fighting styles had diverged and become wildly different. These days, he favoured Asuma¡¯s dual-wielding style, just with kunai instead of trench knives. Regular kunai weren¡¯t exactly the most chakra-conductive material but it was possible to have one¡¯s chakra flow through them.

    It was just costly¡ªthough Hinata supposed Naruto wouldn¡¯t find that cost a problem. He only needed to master the free use of slicing wind chakra first. For some reason, he chuckled, but the momentary distraction allowed her to descend from above and take him by surprise.

    She exploded into motion, instantly wiping the smile off his face. Naruto¡¯s style had become more passive, seeking opportunities to slip in heavy enhanced blows and create enough distance to use ninjutsu. He favoured limb traps, maneuvring both his body and her own to control the direction of the fight.

    Each time he shoved her away, Hinata doubled back with renewed intensity. Otherwise, she¡¯d find herself on the end of a jutsu. Tenketsu-blocking strikes slipped between his arms, hidden behind regular palm strikes, and while the phantom glow around her hands was a dead giveaway of chakra usage, she maintained airtight control over it.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Taking account of all of that, Naruto¡¯s actions, and her plan¡ªshe was slowly losing ground. Here, she was the aggressor but why did she feel like she was on the back foot? Physical differences aside, her style was generally the more aggressive one and while things were mostly going to plan, fighting Naruto was like trying to bottle a storm.

    He was always looking to dart out of range using chakra repulsion and if he didn¡¯t do that, he was looking to blast her away.

    After a deep breath, Hinata kicked it up a notch and used the strongest taijutsu technique she knew, the Eight Trigrams. While she could only perform the most basic sixteen palms¡ªa derivative of the already-simplified thirty-two palms¡ªit was more than enough for what she wanted to achieve.

    Naruto blocked the first two just in time, trying and failing to trap her limbs as she continued her onslaught, striking at and disabling his shoulder. He tried to escape but she darted after him and continued the Eight Trigrams, unleashing four more attacks. With one less arm, he only managed to intercept the initial strike, leaving him open for the next three.

    It threw her off for just a moment, but she course-corrected and continued. She disabled his other arm, preventing him from escaping or making the Confrontation Seal to gather his chakra¡ªshe knew he could gather chakra without any hand seals, but he¡¯d formed a habit of using the seal for convenience¡¯s sake.

    ¡°Ah, fuc¡ª¡± Hinata decided to strike just below his Adam¡¯s apple on the sixth to stop the expletive. She pulled back the knife hand and frowned, though she couldn¡¯t stop the smile from breaking through her stern expression. ¡°No need for foul language, Naruto.¡±

    He opened his eyes wide, using his eyebrows to communicate the extent of his outrage, and like two infuriated worms, they writhed up and down, wrinkling his brow.

    Her smile faltered and she once again struck his throat. ¡°There you go.¡±

    ¡°N-Next time you want to do something like that,¡± he let out a hacking cough, ¡°maybe kill the actual sensation or something.¡±

    ¡°Not possible as of now,¡± Hinata replied. ¡°I don¡¯t trust myself enough to start deadening your nerves¡ªbecause that¡¯s what I¡¯d be doing.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that.¡± He nodded, not in understanding but rather in acceptance. ¡°Why can¡¯t you do it?¡±

    ¡°Deadening nerves in a controlled environment with a professional observing your every move is a lot easier than doing it in the wild.¡± Her lips twitched at the joke. ¡°Besides, I haven¡¯t tried it on people yet. Are you still eager to have me deaden your nerves?¡±

    ¡°A professional? You didn¡¯t tell me you¡¯re interning at the hospital. Since when?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not. There tend to be quite a few Hyuuga medics, even if it¡¯s considered second-class within the clan.¡±

    ¡°Mainly branch family members, then,¡± Naruto said grimly.

    Hinata brushed past her displeasure at the reminder of inter-clan politics. ¡°Natsu¡ªmy nanny¡ªis in the shinobi reserve but she used to be a chunin-ranked medical ninja.¡±

    ¡°What, the one with green hair who makes sure she¡¯s staring at me whenever we all hang out at your place?¡± he asked, rolling his eyes. ¡°Gee, who would¡¯ve thought.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be mean, Naruto.¡±

    ¡°Hey, she¡¯s not here to defend herself and I¡¯m nice enough in person when she¡¯s not glaring at me.¡±

    Because he wasn¡¯t slandering Natsu, Hinata didn¡¯t take any issue with his words¡ªbut she felt conflicted about it, which was why she took a little satisfaction in her final and seventh strike: a gentle tap to his nose using her index finger.

    He puzzled over the gesture for a moment. ¡°Hinata¡­ why did you¡­ boop me?¡±

    ¡°Boop?¡± she laughed. ¡°Is that even a word?¡±

    He was going to reply, but her plan had come to a head. Naruto lurched to the side, gasping. He spread his feet to stop himself from falling but it was only a temporary measure and his feet gave out mere moments later.

    ¡°G-Gen¡­jutsu?¡± he belched out, not waiting for her confirmation to close his eyes.

    Hinata stepped back and watched, satisfied with her win as the genjutsu continued to exert its influence over her friend.

    Genjutsu were self-sustaining after successful use, manipulating the target¡¯s chakra flow to cause its effects. They relied on the target¡¯s ignorance and used their chakra to continue working but that didn¡¯t mean they were permanent. Most genjutsu existed as a set-up for a subsequent attack since they were almost always recognised and dispelled, either by the target or their ally.

    Using her Byakugan, she could see his chakra flow slowing down, disrupting her technique. He opened his eyes with a belch, clearing his throat noisily. ¡°...Well, that sucked.¡±

    Hinata simply beamed and got to work unblocking his tenketsu. They stayed seated in the grass in companionable silence while he recovered before leaving the forest at a slow pace.

    ¡°Genjutsu, huh?¡± he muttered. ¡°When did you do it?¡±

    ¡°When I dropped out of the tree,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Is it a touch-based genjutsu? Because before you started using the Eight Trigrams, you made a hand seal. I don¡¯t know of any genjutsu that works with just one hand seal and there¡¯s no way you trained it to that point in a few weeks.¡±

    ¡°That was the last hand seal I made, you just didn¡¯t see the rest of them. Wavering Palm requires me to land seven hits while I get a little bit of my chakra to enter your network. The Eight Trigrams was the easiest way to do it because of its overwhelming aggression.¡±

    ¡°But I only counted six,¡± he said with a frown. ¡°You didn¡¯t land anything else because I either dodged or deflected them.¡±

    She circled in front of him, walking backwards and tapping his nose again with a smirk. ¡°And there¡¯s seven. The last one doesn¡¯t require me to send any more chakra into your body. It just activates the jutsu with the chakra from the other strikes.¡±

    His face fell. ¡°No way.¡±

    ¡°Yes way,¡± she said, flashing a small grin before returning to his side. ¡°By the way, what does boop mean?¡±

    ¡°Boop? It¡¯s what you did to me when you tapped your nose.¡± He demonstrated it on himself. ¡°See? Boop.¡±

    His voice rose in pitch towards the end of the strange word, drawing a snort from her. It sounded so ridiculous yet, somehow, it fit. After that, Naruto dragged his feet, travelling a few paces behind her and complaining about losing to a boop of all things.

    Once he was over it, he caught up with her with a statement in tow. ¡°Every day, I only become happier with my choice to be a ninjutsu specialist.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t we all be one if we could?¡± Hinata asked with a roll of her eyes. ¡°Unfortunately, not everyone has humungous chakra reserves.¡±

    ¡°And they¡¯re still growing,¡± he said in a sing-song voice, specifically to irritate her. He dodged a light shove from her, dancing out of range. ¡°Hold on, now. Do you want to know why it makes me happy?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because I get to keep nausea-inducing shinobi like you far away from me.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± she narrowed her eyes, ¡°...sense an insult somewhere in that sentence.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he shrugged, not bothering to hide the mischievous glint in his blue eyes, ¡°but nothing I said was untrue.¡±

    Choji¡¯s exhilarated yells interrupted her retort before they stepped foot in the clearing. He and Asuma had practically dug up a stretch of the earth, inevitably caking their trousers in dirt and dust. Choji had stripped down to a dark vest, revealing impressively thick arms that shone under the sunlight. His green haori and clan t-shirt were strewn across a tree branch alongside Asuma¡¯s flak jacket.

    ¡°This looks like the site of a massacre,¡± said Naruto.

    ¡°The Stone Fist Jutsu is a nightmare when you pair it with the Partial Expansion Jutsu¡ªand the best part is that Choji caused all of this.¡± Asuma chuckled and spread his arms, gesturing at the surrounding wreckage.

    Naruto peered at the deep craters in the ground and let out a low whistle and Hinata couldn¡¯t help but be impressed as well. Choji¡¯s usually expanded blows cratered the ground on their own and couldn¡¯t be walked away from by most genin.

    ¡°...We¡¯re not a team for subtlety, are we?¡± said Hinata with a wry smile.

    ¡°Says the person who put me in a genjutsu and has all-seeing eyes,¡± replied Naruto. ¡°Not a team for subtlety my ass.¡±

    She laughed and he seemed like he was about to as well until Choji swayed on his feet. Naruto lurched forward and caught him before he could fall, almost falling on top of him in the process when he started to sag.

    ¡°Please tell me we don¡¯t have a mission in the afternoon,¡± said Naruto. ¡°Because I think Choji is flirting with chakra exhaustion right now.¡±

    Hinata gave him a once-over with her Byakugan. ¡°His knuckles are bearing the consequences of all of this¡ªbut a week¡¯s rest should be enough.¡±

    ¡°Or a medical ninja and a day off¡ªwhich I was going to get to right after this,¡± said Asuma. ¡°And no, we don¡¯t have a mission, Naruto, but we¡¯re going to meet up again at 4.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Naruto asked, keeping an eye on Choji¡ªwho was doing his best to stay aware of his surroundings¡ªso he shook his shoulders. ¡°Stay awake.¡±

    His eyes snapped open. ¡°I-I¡¯m not sleeping, dude.¡±

    ¡°Stay standing and I¡¯ll leave you alone,¡± he replied and proceeded to pull him up by the arm.

    Grinning, Choji puffed out his chest and looked at Asuma with renewed attention. ¡°Why are we meeting up at 4, sensei?¡±

    ¡°Would you look at that? He¡¯s not completely out of it,¡± said Asuma. ¡°We¡¯ve got a meeting with my old man at 4.¡±

    Hinata straightened at the mention of the Hokage. The flagrant disrespect by her teacher had long since become routine so she focused on the information. ¡°Is it important?¡±

    ¡°Very,¡± was Asuma¡¯s reply; he looked strangely serious for once.

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll be on time,¡± said Naruto. ¡°But I swear, if you make it sound like it¡¯s something interesting only to take us to Yakiniku-Q with Lord Third, I¡¯ll fill your cigarettes with grass.¡±

    It said a lot about the sort of man they had for a teacher. When he wanted to teach, he was exemplary, if a tad informal¡ªand the schedule they had was evidence of that¡ªbut when he didn¡¯t want to teach, he went to incredible lengths to ensure that he didn¡¯t.

    Every once in a while was fine but sometimes, he took it too far.

    Asuma tried to stop himself from smiling but gave up in the end. ¡°I¡¯m being honest this time, I swear.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Naruto stared at him for a few seconds. ¡°I¡¯ll get going then¡ªgot somewhere to be today.¡±

    ¡°And miss team lunch?¡± Choji asked, sounding put down.

    ¡°Sorry, man.¡±

    Asuma clapped his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s too late¡ªhe is lost to us.¡±

    He rolled his eyes at their theatrics and walked away.

    ¡°Naruto?¡± Hinata called out, catching up to him with a brisk walk. ¡°You never miss team lunch. Is everything okay?¡±

    ¡°Everything¡¯s fine,¡± Naruto replied, tilting his head as confusion crept into his voice. ¡°I¡¯ve just got somewhere to be is all.¡±

    ¡°Is it important?¡± she asked again.

    He snorted. ¡°You know that¡¯s the second time you¡¯ve asked that, right?¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s important¡ªI¡¯ve got to talk to Ino about¡­ the incident.¡±

    Without another word, Hinata nodded firmly, turning on her heel. Inwardly, however, her stomach was doing backflips and somersaults. The three-day break had given her a decent enough glimpse into Naruto¡¯s state of mind.

    While shaken by the encounter with the Nine-Tails, he¡¯d come out of it with a renewed determination to not let it and his status deter him. Asuma had prevented Choji and herself from talking to Ino about Naruto or the Nine-Tails¡ªso had Naruto and Hinata still didn¡¯t understand the reason why.

    Expanding the circle of those who knew about Naruto was a good thing, right?

    Everyone except her and Choji seemed to disagree. It was why Shikamaru still didn¡¯t know about Naruto being a Jinchuriki despite the two of them being in on the secret¡ªand she felt the weight of that secret every time they met up¡ªeven if, again, Naruto asked them not to reveal it to him.

    Had Ino not taken the news well? She¡¯d faced the brunt of the Nine-Tails for an undefined amount of time, so if she was afraid or upset at Naruto, then Hinata could understand.

    She didn¡¯t agree with it, but she couldn¡¯t blame her for it.

    At the same time, Ino cared about Naruto in a way that no one else did¡ªHinata knew it because she did as well. It was why her stomach was still twisting into knots now, more than half an hour after Naruto left.

    Despite the unease that admitting that to herself brought, all she could hope was that Ino didn¡¯t confuse the boy with the monster.

    Less for her sake and more for Naruto¡¯s.

 Chapter 28 [2]

    Ino had been on countless delivery runs for the last few days, bundling bouquets in her arms and running across the village. The work wasn¡¯t particularly tiring and it certainly didn¡¯t stimulate her enough to take her mind off things¡ªbut it kept her busy and busy was good.

    She climbed down yet another roof and gave herself a once-over¡ªthe bouquet was fine, her clothes weren¡¯t wrinkled, and she wasn¡¯t a mess.

    Good.

    Raising her fist, she knocked on the door and waited five seconds. She was going to knock again but it clicked open, revealing an old woman standing a head shorter than herself.

    ¡°Oh, are those the flowers?¡± she smiled.

    Ino returned the smile, but it felt hollow. ¡°Are you Mrs Miyazaki?¡±

    ¡°I am, young miss.¡±

    ¡°Then they¡¯re yours.¡±

    Ino offered the bouquet. The old woman stretched her hands out but stiffened. ¡°Wait one moment. I left the money upstairs.¡±

    ¡°But, ma¡¯am, you¡¯ve already paid¡ª¡± Mrs Miyazaki was gone before Ino could say another word. Basic decorum stopped her from crossing the threshold and following the old woman upstairs. She sighed. ¡°... already paid for them.¡±

    There was nothing she could do except wait for her to return. Thankfully, she wasn¡¯t left waiting long and Mrs Miyazaki happily took the bouquet before fishing through a thick, weathered purse. She retrieved a single 1,000 ryo note so fresh that Ino could probably smell the ink off it.

    ¡°Here.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, ma¡¯am.¡± Ino clutched her hands to her chest. ¡°I couldn¡¯t take it¡ªbesides, you¡¯ve already paid for the flowers.¡±

    Mrs Miyazaki smiled and pressed the note into Ino¡¯s hands. ¡°I insist, my dear. It¡¯s for the trouble.¡±

    ¡°What trouble?¡±

    Instead of answering, the elderly woman closed the door, singing her goodbyes from behind it.

    ¡°Honestly.¡± Ino put her hands on her hips and sighed heavily¡ªbut she was smiling.

    Her cheeks dimpled with an ease that she¡¯d sorely been missing the last few days but after a few, blissful moments, the memory came back¡ªthe oppressive hatred returned¡ªand wiped it off her face.

    ¡°Dear?¡± Mrs Miyazaki¡¯s voice came from behind the door. ¡°You¡¯ve been standing there for quite a while now. Is everything alright?¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Ino flinched, her mind returning to the present. ¡°Y-Yeah, I¡¯m fine, ma¡¯am. Have a nice day!¡±

    In two jumps, she was back on the rooftops, the village splaying out across her field of vision. It was only midday when she returned from the delivery and the village was busy at work as lunchtime approached.

    Yamanaka Flowers only got busy in the mornings and the evenings. Between then, the shop went undisturbed, save for the frequent order run from previous days. Usually, her parents hired genin to do it, but Ino volunteered. It was tough work and was hard on her body but she needed to feel something.

    The joint training events had left her numb after the fallout. The things she learned, the promise she¡¯d made, it was too much but Ino refused to shut down. If she shut down and stopped moving, that monster would be the only thing she¡¯d think about. She bit her lip and fiddled with her arm warmers, flicking her eyes around the various display plants.

    ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± her mother walked to the front till. ¡°How was the delivery, honey?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°The same as usual. Mrs Miyazaki gave me a 1,000 ryo tip.¡±

    ¡°She gave me one as well,¡± said her father, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t know what for¡ªI¡¯ve got nothing to spend it on¡ªso here.¡±

    Her mother took it and slipped it into the front of her apron. ¡°I¡¯ll be having that.¡±

    The two of them agreed to Ino doing the deliveries on the condition that her father accompany her and while she would have preferred the solitude, her father was a comforting presence. He didn¡¯t poke or prod¡ªand she loved him for it. He humoured her requests to spar her every night, letting her tire herself out enough that the nightmares stayed at bay.

    They caught up just before sunrise sometimes and when she opened her eyes, those demonic red eyes would linger.

    ¡°Take all my money, why don¡¯t you.¡± Her father huffed and folded his arms. ¡°You money-grubbing thing.¡±

    Her mother smiled and tilted her head without disturbing the brown locks tied into a bun sitting atop her head. ¡°Now, honey, don¡¯t pout. It¡¯ll wrinkle your forehead.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I wear my forehead protector all the time so no one will notice.¡±

    Ino rolled her eyes but couldn¡¯t help her smile.

    They¡¯d been like this since she could remember. When she was younger and they¡¯d go out on family dates more often, she remembered seeing husbands and wives arguing and talking over each other. It was strange to her because her parents had never raised their voices at one another¡ªnot in her presence anyway, and if they had a problem, they talked it out calmly.

    She was nothing like them.

    If she had a problem she made it known, often by raising her voice. Her mother said it was unladylike and her father pretended to cower in fear of her rage. Her temper was a running joke in their household and that was another reason why she loved her parents so much.

    But it was also something that she was incredibly self-conscious of and she hated the slight shrill to her voice whenever she lost her composure.

    ¡°Come on, you two,¡± said Ino, folding her arms. ¡°We have more orders, don¡¯t we?¡±

    Her parents looked at each other, not managing to hide the concern in their shared gaze. It wasn¡¯t the first time they¡¯d looked at her like that¡ªand Ino wasn¡¯t surprised that they were. She knew she wasn¡¯t okay at the moment and maybe she never would be. Perhaps returning to how she was before meeting the Nine-Tails was an impossibility, a daydream, and she¡¯d continue with her life carrying that experience forever.

    Right now, that thought scared her.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have any more orders for today, honey,¡± said her mother. ¡°We¡¯ve got to prepare the rest.¡±

    Her father patted his chest. ¡°This is my last day off, so let¡¯s make the most of it¡ªhow about a bit of familial competition?¡±

    Ino blinked and, all of a sudden, she realised that it had been three days. Lord Third had been kind enough to give her father three days off¡ªand while it wasn¡¯t as long as the week afforded to Team 8, she was grateful to have him around when he¡¯d otherwise be out till late.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    Those three days were over now and he¡¯d be leaving soon.

    ¡°Chin up, firecracker.¡± Her father placed a hand on her head. ¡°Don¡¯t look so down.¡±

    ¡°You know I hate that nickname,¡± she mumbled.

    He sighed and Ino felt the vibrations of his exhale down his arm.

    She closed her eyes and moulded just a little bit of chakra to comfort herself in his vast chakra reserves. It was like receiving a hug that encompassed her entire being. When the nightmares became too much, Ino extended her sense of perception to the room across from hers and touched her father¡¯s reserves.

    Like her, he was a sensor-type shinobi and did his best to extend her the comfort she desired when she reached out¡ªlike now¡ªand didn¡¯t push her for more. Because she¡¯d extended her sensory range, Ino picked up on a familiar chakra that couldn¡¯t be mistaken just by its sheer size¡ªlet alone the usual calm flow.

    The ringing door slowly opened but Ino didn¡¯t turn around, unsure of what expression she was wearing, but knew exactly who had stepped foot into the shop.

    ¡°Excuse me, Mr and Mrs Yamanaka?¡±

    ¡°Naruto. It¡¯s lovely to see you again.¡± Her father stepped around her. ¡°Look, honey¡ªit¡¯s our little hero. You didn¡¯t get to see him before but he¡¯s here now.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Quite the handsome young man, isn¡¯t he?¡± Her mother''s smile was a little too smug for Ino¡¯s liking. ¡°We have a lot of thanking to do, don¡¯t we? How about you stay for lunch?¡±

    ¡°Oh no. I couldn¡¯t impose on you like that during working hours,¡± said Naruto. ¡°I¡¯ve come to talk to Ino, you see.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Ino felt the atmosphere shift.

    ¡°In that case, feel free to go up to my daughter¡¯s room,¡± her mother said. ¡°Come here, behind the till.¡±

    Ino went on first and from the sound of it, Naruto followed her. They walked up the stairs to the building¡¯s upper floors, where she and her family lived, realising with a start that Naruto was the first boy to see her room.

    She stopped halfway down the carpeted corridor and without turning around, said, ¡°Wait one sec. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ okay?¡±

    Her pace was brisk, but unsuspicious and, once inside, she took a moment to stare at her slightly flushed face in the wardrobe mirror before kicking up a storm. She cleaned up her cluttered desk, dashed her childhood stuffed teddy bear under the bed, and eyed the room for anything else before sticking her head into the corridor.

    ¡°You can come in now.¡±

    Naruto came into the light spilling out of her room and now that they were out of the dark corridor. He¡¯d taken off his shoes at the foot of the stairs but was dressed in combat gear for the most part. The light glimmered off the long-sleeved mail shirt underneath his plain t-shirt and she noticed his bandaged cargo pants were holstered on the sides of both legs.

    Knowing him, he probably had two weapons pouches at his back as well.

    ¡°Did you come straight from a D-rank?¡± she asked, closing the door behind him.

    He let her pass and she sat at the foot of her bed. ¡°No. I came straight from training.¡±

    ¡°You train in mission-wear?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he shrugged, ¡°if you get used to moving in gear, you¡¯ll be more comfortable during combat.¡±

    Nodding silently, she decided to start doing the same. Her sensei was pretty strict but even she hadn¡¯t informed Ino of a particular dress code. Maybe it was one of Naruto¡¯s unique quirks, like wearing weights. She looked at his wrists and ankles and, sure enough, he had a velcro band wrapped around each limb.

    Before running into the Nine-Tails, she would have thought that doing things like training in mission gear and wearing wrist and ankle weights was too much. Being so helpless had made her painfully aware of one thing, though.

    Ino never wanted to be that helpless ever again.

    ¡°Do you want to sit down?¡± she said with a sigh. ¡°You¡¯ve been standing at the door for a while now.¡±

    He blinked and pulled a chair from her desk, positioning it in front of her. ¡°...Yeah. Sorry about that.¡±

    ¡°So¡­¡±

    ¡°So,¡± he wrung his hands, ¡°where do we start this?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll start with a question. How long have you known?¡±

    He sat up. ¡°My whole life.¡±

    ¡°...How?¡± Ino asked, her stomach turning. ¡°Did¡­ did you meet the Nine-Tails?¡±

    His face darkened. ¡°No¡ªI know what I am because of the villagers. Let¡¯s just say my childhood wasn¡¯t very fun and leave it at that.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Ino remembered the way people used to look at Naruto¡ªthey still did, but it was less hate and more fear even since he graduated. She didn¡¯t know why they looked at him like that but never bothered to learn either. Knowing the reason why made her feel a lot more guilty and she managed to look at Naruto¡¯s face long enough for it to gnaw at her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± he said, not unkindly. ¡°I don¡¯t need pity. It sucked, but I¡¯ve moved past it.¡±

    She swallowed. ¡°I¡­ uh. Okay.¡±

    ¡°Any more questions?¡±

    Ino shook her head.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s my turn. How are you?¡±

    She squashed the reflexive, ¡°I¡¯m fine¡±, forming on her tongue and looked into her lap. In the few minutes that they¡¯d been in each other¡¯s company, Ino had looked at Naruto¡¯s face for all of five seconds. After finding out what he was, she saw things in his face that¡ªquite frankly¡ªterrified her.

    His canines were sharper than normal people¡¯s and when he smiled¡ªhe did that a lot when he was nervous¡ªthey looked like fangs.

    Until a few days ago, she hadn¡¯t known what the Nine-Tails looked like. There weren¡¯t any pictures or paintings¡ªjust the memories of everyone who¡¯d survived that night, including her parents. She once dismissed the whiskers on his as cute birthmarks¡ªbut what if they weren¡¯t? What if the fangs and the whiskers and his freakishly strong body were all signs of the monster¡¯s influence on him from early on?

    The worst thing was that Ino liked him¡ªhis face, the whiskers, the way his sharper canines made his usually harmless smiles look mischievous. She liked him but was terrified of the monster inside him.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not okay, Naruto. You have the monster that killed the strongest Hokage inside of you. It managed to somehow get through the seal the strongest Hokage made and...¡± She breathed in deeply, settling down with a quick, rattling breath. ¡°...So, no. I¡¯m not okay.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± said Naruto, his voice heavy with¡­ with something she couldn¡¯t recognise. Hatred? Guilt? Sorrow? She didn¡¯t know. ¡°Not being okay is fine, you know?¡±

    ¡°Feeling like this is okay?¡±

    Naruto paused halfway through a nod. ¡°Not exactly. It¡¯s not a good thing, but it¡¯s not bad that you feel the way you do.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re not worse,¡± said Ino. ¡°You¡¯ve had that thing in you since you were born. Everyone who lost anyone to it hates you for it¡ªand that¡¯s not fair.¡±

    ¡°Who said I¡¯m not?¡± He levelled her with a gaze so¡­ dead that it stopped her in her tracks. ¡°Worse, that is. When I¡¯m alone and I don¡¯t have Choji or Hinata to prod at me,¡± he snorted softly, ¡°or Shikamaru to bug me, I won¡¯t lie, it gets to me. Do you know how terrifying it is? The idea that the thing responsible for killing my parents and so many innocents could smother my own free will if it breaks free?¡±

    Ino pulled her lips into a thin line. ¡°I¡¯ve got some idea now.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± He snorted. She looked up and he tilted his head, making the sadness in his eyes swim around. ¡°I suppose you do, don¡¯t you? So, what now? Where do we go from here? If you want, I can give you some space, and let you sort things out. I want to help, but my being here might make things worse¡­¡±

    ¡°No!¡± She nearly stood up and looked him right in the eye before averting her gaze¡ªshe couldn¡¯t look at him without¡­ without seeing it.

    Admitting that to herself made her burn. He saved her from it and stood against the monster that even the Fourth Hokage couldn¡¯t beat and she couldn¡¯t look him in the eye?

    ¡°I¡­¡± She grabbed fistfuls of her skirt and squeezed until she could feel her palms through the fabric, tears pricking her eyes.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Naruto stretched his hand out.

    Ino jerked back and then whipped her head up and widened her eyes so fast that the tears slipped down her face. Her mouth opened and closed wordlessly as she tried to push the apology up her throat and out her mouth.

    It wasn¡¯t working.

    The hurt on Naruto¡¯s face lasted for an instant¡ªjust an instant¡ªbut she saw it.

    ¡°...Ino, I think some time away from me might do you some good,¡± he said, putting on a false smile¡ªlike the ones he wore during the first year of the Academy¡ªand the pain in her chest almost made her stop breathing for a second. ¡°Just for a little while, okay?¡±

    He walked away, growing smaller in her vision and closed the door. She could hear her father¡¯s voice from behind it but neither he nor Naruto were speaking loud enough to make out any words. Their footsteps grew distant so she drew her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her shins, and hiding her face from the world.

    No tears fell from her eyes; instead, the frustration¡ªthe pain in her chest¡ªgrew and grew with no outlet for minutes. Ino¡¯s breathing turned short and she scrambled out of bed, staring at her reflection in the mirror. It could have been seconds or hours, but she stayed still, staring at herself, unblinking and unmoving.

    She was completely and utterly empty.

 Chapter 28 [3]

    Hiruzen considered the masked man kneeling before him over his paperwork. ¡°Report, Saru.¡±

    Of course, he was aware of the man behind the mask but protocol had to be followed at all times. After his son and daughter-in-law joined the Shinobi Reserve to properly lead the Sarutobi clan, the mantle of Saru had fallen to his proteg¨¦ and the newest addition to Hiruzen¡¯s personal ANBU guard, Sozen Sarutobi.

    ¡°Yes, Lord Third,¡± replied Saru.

    Hiruzen noticed that he had overcome the nervousness of being in his presence and smiled.

    ¡°Genin Yamanaka has been taking a rather active break. Her schedule is as follows: she wakes up irregularly through the night but always leaves her room at 0730 hours, helps the family business with deliveries until 1630 hours, and spars with Jonin Yamanaka before retiring at around 2045 hours.¡±

    ¡°Any deviations from that schedule?¡±

    ¡°No¡ª¡± Saru strangled the rest of that sentence. ¡°Apologies, sir¡ªyes. On Saturday at 1340 hours, she visited Genin Inuzuka at the hospital as he was receiving treatment for a soldier pill he consumed during training. More importantly, at precisely 1205 hours today, Genin Uzumaki entered the establishment shortly after Genin Yamanaka returned from a delivery run and left at 1235 hours looking mildly upset.¡±

    ¡°...Interesting.¡± Hiruzen filed that information away and nodded at his subordinate. ¡°At ease, Saru.¡±

    Saru immediately relaxed. ¡°Permission to remove my mask?¡±

    ¡°Granted.¡±

    Sozen sat in one of the two armchairs in front of Hiruzen¡¯s desk, releasing an audible sigh of relief. He clutched his hands in his lap and Hiruzen could feel the young man¡¯s eyes roaming restlessly.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Sozen?¡±

    ¡°Enzou has been watching Genin Yamanaka while she sleeps¡ªif you¡¯ll beg my pardon, sir, I don¡¯t believe she¡¯ll reveal Genin Uzumaki¡¯s Jinchuriki status to anyone.¡±

    Without looking up, Hiruzen asked, ¡°And what has led you to that conclusion?¡±

    ¡°She has had ample time to do so¡ªsuch as visiting Genin Inuzuka alongside Genin Nara and Haruno. However, she did not. Instead, she seems to be doing her utmost to prevent herself from thinking about her encounter with the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox.¡±

    ¡°Noted,¡± Hiruzen replied. ¡°Is there anything else you wish to report?¡±

    ¡°No, sir.¡±

    ¡°Then you are dismissed. Enjoy your lunch, Sozen.¡±

    The young man put his mask back on and opened the window to Hiruzen¡¯s left. ¡°Ready the table weights, sir.¡±

    After ensuring his paperwork wouldn¡¯t follow his subordinate out of the window, Hiruzen gave him the go-ahead before closing the window after him and returning to his work. Each member of his guard liked to leave the room in their own clandestine ways after reporting. It was one of the few sources of amusement in Hiruzen¡¯s otherwise dreary day besides his grandson¡¯s frequent so-called assassination attempts.

    His office fell into a peaceful silence but the solitude did not bring him any peace¡ªnot when he had learned that Naruto was not doing well off the back of his friend¡¯s confrontation with the Nine-Tailed Fox. Contrary to popular belief, Hiruzen Sarutobi was not an ignorant man, even in his old age.

    Softer, perhaps, but never ignorant. The Professor, he was called these days, a softer title in softer times. He hadn¡¯t been referred to as the Bloody Ape in decades. He wasn¡¯t sure he still had it in him, truthfully, which was why he was so hesitant to take the hat back.

    His personal ANBU briefed him on things many would consider unknowable¡ªlike his old friend Danzo¡¯s machinations regarding his son, yet he let it happen for the sole purpose that his son seemed to be all the better for it and his experiences at the Fire Capital would ensure he didn¡¯t stray into the darkness.

    Naruto, however, was an entirely different kettle of fish. He was vulnerable, malleable, and a weapon for war if needed¡ªnot that it would be needed on his watch.

    Danzo seemed to have given up his ambitions of turning Naruto into his emotionless toy and wholeheartedly supported the boy¡¯s efforts to grow strong. That he let Asuma take charge of Naruto¡¯s training was evidence of that¡ªbut it also ensured he would be kept up to date on the boy¡¯s capabilities.

    To what end, Hiruzen did not know, but for now Danzo¡¯s schemes helped Asuma and Naruto, and so he would tolerate them.

    He had distanced himself from his advisory counsel in recent years after allowing himself to be pressured by them until young Itachi took the burden of choice upon himself and massacred his entire clan. Worse, the loss of the Uchiha was a terrible blow¡ªthey were a source of incredible military strength and struck fear into the hearts of their enemies.

    That same strength was ready to turn on the village and because he could not make a choice in time, his counsel had seen fit to make it for him, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of innocents when the heads of the conspirators would have been enough. All because Hiruzen lacked the firmness to take a stand on his own.

    His teachers fought for a world where children would not see death and decimation so easily yet it happened right before his eyes and, on that night, he promised himself it would never happen again. He would not put himself in that position again. To ensure that, he needed to put his counsel at arm¡¯s length and remind him that he was the Hokage, that their job was to advise him and nothing else.

    However, he only had cause to punish Danzo for brazenly establishing an independent faction for personal gain within the ANBU¡ªa fact he¡¯d turned a blind eye to until Danzo manipulated a volatile Itachi into doing something rash.

    Danzo adhered to his order to disband the ROOT by joining the shinobi reserve, separating his faction from the ANBU. The order was meant to overtly kneecap Danzo¡¯s influence more than anything else. He would still have the prestige of an elder, but none of the power he previously held as Hiruzen¡¯s shadow.

    It was the frustrating game they had been playing for years now, with Danzo skirting along the edge of Hiruzen¡¯s capacity to forgive.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    The Sage knew that the only thing saving his old friend was his usefulness to the village¡ªa fact Danzo had reminded him of repeatedly in the years after the Uchiha Massacre. In truth, he knew the usefulness of the ROOT to the current village ecosystem and knew that despite its missteps, especially in the Land of Rain, ROOT had hamstrung many of A and Onoki¡¯s ambitions.

    The other two members of his advisory counsel were far simpler to deal with. Utatane and Homura had used his indecision as justification in backing Danzo¡ªand so he rewarded them.

    He made Homura the headmaster of the Academy at the beginning of the year following the Uchiha Massacre. Shortly before that, he also commanded Utatane to focus on her duties as head of the Intelligence Division in light of such a tragedy and in doing so, ensured that the burden of responsibility sat squarely on his shoulders thereafter.

    Once more, he faced his duties with a clear mind and with the knowledge that every decision he made was his¡ªand this time, he had no one to outsource problems to. He could discuss things with his jonin, with the village''s many divisions, touch base with the ANBU Commander, and call on his advisory counsel.

    But just like in the Great War, the ultimate decision¡ªboth above and under the table¡ªresided with him; only this time, his job was ensuring the current peace lasted.

    He hummed and looked through the recent mission requests¡ªit was about time for the new jonin teams to leave the village¡¯s borders. Kakashi had come to him, reporting as much; as had his son.

    Hiruzen hadn¡¯t expected the jonin to carry out regular joint training so regularly, least of all Kakashi. It was as close to live combat as the children had seen so far and their skills were improving every day. He had the confidence to send Teams 7 and 10 on C-rank missions and believed they would be able to survive most unforeseen circumstances.

    Team 8 was in a difficult spot that required a more delicate hand. Luckily, Kurenai was better suited for that.

    All that was left was deciding which missions to send each team on. It was a village tradition for new jonin teams to request their first out-of-village mission from the Hokage. Ordinarily, they would go to the Missions Office and collect a request from the board. However, the missions posted on the ranked boards never exceeded B-rank, meaning all the other missions were issued through the village¡¯s divisions after passing through him.

    For the first time since eight in the morning, Hiruzen set aside his usual paperwork and looked through the mission scrolls he had requested the day before. Three C-ranks: an escort mission, a request to identify and apprehend the head of a human trafficking ring, and the elimination of just under three dozen bandits¡ªhalf a dozen of them being rogue ninja.

    He put away the trafficking mission with a long sigh. It would have to be sent back down to the missions office for the Genin Corps batch to take instead of giving it to Team 8 as he had originally planned.

    The intercom positioned on his desk crackled to life and his receptionist¡¯s voice hissed into clarity. ¡°Lord Third? Team 10 has arrived for their scheduled meeting at four.¡±

    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± His eyes lingered on the mission scrolls for a moment before he pushed down on the respond button and leaned towards the microphone. ¡°Send them up, Hanako.¡±

    Hiruzen heard them before he saw them and, as expected, none of them knocked. His son entered first and saluted him with an easy grin.

    ¡°Yo, old man!¡±

    His greeting left his students in various states: Choji Akimichi was stuck between horror and awe at his teacher¡¯s behaviour; Hinata Hyuuga¡¯s face was dead set in disapproval; and Naruto Uzumaki sent Hiruzen a half smile in apology for Asuma¡¯s greeting.

    Hiruzen pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Asuma, Team 10, welcome.¡±

    The three genin bowed in unison and even Asuma gave a small bow of his own.

    ¡°Judging by your curiosity,¡± said Hiruzen, quickly sweeping his gaze across the three children, ¡°you three are not aware of this meeting¡¯s purpose.¡±

    They looked at Asuma who shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re not, no. I thought I¡¯d make it a surprise.¡±

    ¡°And the surprise is?¡± asked Naruto, voicing his teammates¡¯ concern.

    Hiruzen smiled. ¡°Why, a mission, of course.¡±

    Choji Akimichi gasped. ¡°Is this really happening?¡±

    ¡°That appears to be the case, Genin Akimichi.¡± He chuckled and picked one of the three scrolls he¡¯d gathered. ¡°Team 10, listen closely: Yasuhiro Ohashi of Tenka Village has requested the elimination of the Jagged Blades, a brotherhood of bandits three dozen strong. Further information is included in this scroll. Read it and commit it to memory¡ªyou leave in thirty-seven hours.¡±

    His words had the intended effect on the children, exciting and scaring them in equal measure. Even the usually unassailable Naruto looked shaken by the news but Hiruzen had full confidence in their ability to return successfully. The mission he gave them was, in some respect, the most difficult one out of the three.

    Unlike the other two, combat was a certainty and they would return having taken human life for the first time. As a frontline vanguard squad, combat and killing was unavoidable and would be something they needed to get used to.

    Asuma walked closer to acquire the mission scroll, stashing it safely inside his flak jacket. ¡°That¡¯ll be all, right?¡±

    ¡°Not quite. Let me deal with them first and then stay behind for a moment,¡± replied Hiruzen. ¡°Genin, I have one more announcement. As I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware, the standard mission split is forty-sixty¡ª40% to you, 60% to the village. That percentage will then be divided between the four of you at 10% each.¡±

    Naruto immediately raised a hand to interject but Hiruzen held up a hand to mollify him.

    ¡°However, any extra money that a shinobi earns while on the mission, like the mission rank being adjusted in retrospect¡ªbe it higher or lower¡ªwill affect the sum that each of you receives. In your case any bounty money you make is yours to keep¡ªdo you understand?¡±

    The three children nodded with a seriousness that only made them look adorable¡ªbut that was the danger with most fresh genin. They ran headfirst into danger out of sheer ignorance and it was the responsibility of their elders and superiors to protect them while they learned to do better.

    ¡°Good. Team 10, dismissed.¡± As the children turned to leave, Hiruzen added, ¡°Asuma, stay.¡±

    The genin froze and looked back at Asuma, who ushered them to the lobby below, promising that they¡¯d look at the mission scroll together. When the door had closed behind them, their footsteps padded down the corridor into silence. He fell into the chair opposite Hiruzen, making his curiosity apparent by asking a question.

    ¡°Why the secrecy, old man?¡±

    Hiruzen sighed. ¡°I must enquire about young Naruto. The next time I will see him personally¡ªand outside the walls of this office¡ªwill be his birthday. I do not know if he wishes to continue a relationship with me after clearing that¡­ misunderstanding between myself, yourself, and Danzo but it has come to my attention that I have let us grow apart for too long.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Asuma grimaced, ¡°so, it was about that. Honestly, make the effort, Dad. Go and visit his apartment and talk with him instead of just doing the bare minimum. From what I hear you¡¯ve been dancing around his identity as our Jinchuriki for years.¡±

    The, ¡°From Danzo¡±, went unsaid but both Hiruzen and his son knew where that particular bit of information had come from. Asuma had no reason to suspect Danzo was planning anything nefarious but Hiruzen?

    Hiruzen had known his old friend since they were children¡ªlong enough to see him adopt more of the world¡¯s darkness until he became it.

    ¡°So, I say you clear the air.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps¡­ perhaps I will, my son. I¡¯ve spent so long discounting that option that it¡¯s become second nature.¡± Hiruzen scratched his goatee. ¡°But more importantly, how is Naruto handling the week¡¯s revelations? How is he coming to terms with being a Jinchuriki?¡±

    Asuma smiled. ¡°He¡¯s been taking it better than I thought¡ªeven if he¡¯s having some doubts about the fox¡¯s influence on him, but as you said, the seal¡¯s airtight. I think it¡¯s more his guilt about the Nine-Tails harming Ino Yamanaka than anything else.¡±

    ¡°I see. Keep me updated on his progress, Asuma.¡±

    ¡°Will do.¡± His son gave him a final lazy salute and left the room to find his students.

    Hiruzen looked between the two scrolls and decided which mission he would give to Team 7. It was a simple enough decision and, once it was made, the daily drudgery resumed and he sat up, intent on making a sizeable dent in the week¡¯s paperwork.

    As Lord First had loved to say¡ªa Hokage¡¯s work was never-ending.

 Chapter 29 [1]

    Today¡¯s training was pretty light on account of our mission. It was meant to keep up routine and nothing more. We didn¡¯t have to report back in the afternoon¡ªAsuma told us to get our affairs in order, like preparing camping equipment, buying mission-specific clothes¡­ and writing wills. They made us practise writing wills in the Academy, but it was different back then.

    No one was actually at any real risk of death at school.

    Writing a will was standard procedure when going on an out-of-village mission, no matter what rank. Who knew what might happen after leaving the walls of the village? The world was a dangerous place and even though we weren¡¯t leaving the country, any number of tragedies could be lying in wait between the Leaf Village and Tenka Village.

    And while I was writing my will, I was confronted with the fact that I didn¡¯t have much to leave behind or many people to leave my possessions to. All my savings would go to Ayame and Teuchi¡ªwhich at this point was no more than 600,000 ryo after years of saving¡ªand my house, alongside anything inside besides a diary written in English, would go to whichever orphan needed it.

    The experience at least helped get my head on straight. My attitude to death was anything but cavalier. There was nothing quite like the feeling of your life slipping away, but then again, it wasn¡¯t exactly common to die by stabbing back on Earth.

    However, it was just Tuesday here and an occupational hazard in my line of work.

    My job was to avoid that hazard as best as I could, which meant making sure my knives were as sharp as possible to avoid an encore of my first death. Since money wasn¡¯t a concern, I¡¯d had the bright idea to have a separate stash of weapons for missions, which I used for training¡ªplus, my equipment was already pretty worn after years of use.

    So, that afternoon, I ventured to the village''s western side under my disguise as Totsugi. I¡¯d struck up something of a rapport with the blacksmith under that disguise ever since I revealed Asuma had recommended I shop there for my ¡°son¡±. Just the assurance that I¡ªwho had come under a jonin¡¯s recommendation¡ªwould recommend the smithy to others was enough to get a further reduction when buying things in bulk.

    And buying things in bulk was exactly what I was there to do.

    I greeted the front-of-house worker and the owner¡¯s apprentice. ¡°Heya, Miss Kuwahara.¡±

    ¡°Lay off with the formality, goddamn it,¡± she grunted with a roll of her eyes. ¡°At this point, you¡¯re as good as family.¡±

    ¡°Will calling you by your first name get me a discount?¡±

    She snorted and adjusted her apron, the movement sending ripples across her impressively muscled arms. ¡°Nope, you¡¯re already buying things discounted as is, but it might get you something nice if I like how you say it.¡±

    ¡°Goddamn it, Hotaru!¡± Seto came grumbling from the open-doored forge, and his thick grey beard shuddered with every word. ¡°Stop flirtin¡¯ with anything that moves and get to work¡ªand hello, kid. You look well.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Mr Seto. My son¡¯s been sending me on errands all week, but I¡¯ve been alright besides that.¡±

    ¡°Believe me, I know how that feels.¡± He shook his head and sent his daughter a look. ¡°She turns twenty-one this year, and I¡¯m still going about this damned village buying things for her. At my age? She¡¯s got no shame, I tell you. If she wasn¡¯t a half-decent smith¡­¡±

    Hotaru skipped back out of her father¡¯s path with a cheeky grin; their dynamic was strange but amusing. Seto Kuwahara was a strange old man who didn¡¯t seem to care much about anything besides smithing and his daughter. The story goes that he found her on his doorstep one night with no explanation.

    He was going to take her to one of the nearby orphanages but somewhere along the line, he had a change of heart and decided to raise her instead. The local community disapproved of someone like him raising a girl, but he did it anyway, and she came out perfectly fine and turned out to have a knack for metalworking.

    Even if she was a notorious flirt.

    It also helped to have someone easy on the eyes as your front-of-house staff rather than a crotchety, old man. The only reason he¡¯d eased up on me was because of Asuma and my being a repeat customer.

    Even then, getting under his titanium exterior was difficult enough.

    ¡°You here for your son again?¡± Seto asked, wiping the sweat from his brow with a worn rag.

    ¡°He goes on his first C-rank tomorrow. I thought it¡¯d be smart to have a separate set of weapons for his missions and training, so I came to you.¡±

    ¡°Roger that. You¡¯ll be wanting the full set of shuriken and kunai?¡± At my nod, he relayed the order to Hotaru louder than needed, considering she was less than four metres away. ¡°Know what, I¡¯ll throw in a complementary set of senbon for the occasion¡ªfree of charge.¡±

    I eyed him across the counter. ¡°That¡¯s out of character.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Oi.¡± He looked away but couldn¡¯t hide the slight flush on his face.

    ¡°You can¡¯t blame me,¡± the grin slipped on my face without thinking, ¡°I¡¯m just saying, all my other attempts at weaselling a little extra out of you were met with a resounding, ¡°Screw off, kid.¡±

    ¡°Had to make a decent number of senbon for an order, but I hadn¡¯t made ¡®em for a while, so I decided to make more than needed to get back into shape.¡± He looked at the clock on the wall. ¡°They should be arriving today to collect it.¡±

    Right on cue, the smithy¡¯s old door creaked open.

    ¡°Totsugi?¡±

    I mirrored the look of surprise on the entrant¡¯s face.

    ¡°Rukia?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± I floundered for a few seconds but managed to collect myself before she did. ¡°How¡¯s your father¡¯s farm doing? Last time you were here, you said he¡¯d managed to expand, right?¡±

    She smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good. What brings you to the Leaf this time?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here for more tools. We¡¯ve managed to hire some extra hands, which means more equipment¡ªone moment.¡± Rukia approached the counter. ¡°I¡¯m here to collect Order No. 356, sir.¡±

    Seto backtracked into the smithy but stopped mid-step. ¡°Hotaru!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± she yelled back.

    ¡°I¡¯m handing the kid over to you.¡±

    He vanished into the smithy, and I left Rukia at the counter to walk across the room.

    Hotaru smirked. ¡°I ain¡¯t complaining.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± I chuckled. ¡°The order was one set of kunai and shuriken plus a free set of senbon. I didn¡¯t get a discount, but an extra set of weapons for my kid is just as good.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯ll be 25,000 ryo.¡± She boxed the weapons up for me and placed them into a bag. ¡°Come back again sometime, by the way. I haven¡¯t seen you around for months.¡±

    ¡°By your tone of voice, a guy might think you¡¯ve missed him.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I have,¡± she said with a wink

    I grinned and swiped the bag. ¡°Not making any promises, but I¡¯ll try.¡±

    Rukia watched the exchange between us and fired off a question the minute I reached her. ¡°Are you and her¡­¡±

    ¡°A thing?¡± I snorted. ¡°No. She likes to flirt is all.¡±

    She accepted my reply with a thoughtful nod and Seto returned with various tools bundled into his arms and a case placed perilously on top. I helped by plucking it off the uneven metal mountain and putting it on the counter. Rukia slid a weathered bundle of notes across the table and shrugged off the open straw backpack slung across her shoulders.

    She placed the farming tools inside and Seto opened the case, revealing a set of senbon.

    ¡°It¡¯s for treating my father,¡± she said when she caught me staring. ¡°I do acupuncture for my village to make some extra money. I don¡¯t have a licence from one of the fancy schools in the capital, but I study under the village¡¯s doctor when I can spare the time.¡±

    I accepted her reason with a quiet nod.

    She placed the case into a cloth bag and bowed slightly to Seto and then Hotaru.

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    ¡°No, young miss, thank you for buying my wares,¡± the old man said with a grunt.

    Her gaze travelled around the room and returned to me, obvious regret twisting her smile. ¡°I¡¯d love to catch up, Totsugi, but I¡¯m travelling back with a merchant caravan that will pass through my village and they¡¯ll be leaving soon.¡±

    I waved off her concern. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Rukia. Go catch that caravan.¡±

    She shot me a grateful smile and ran out of the shop as fast as her burden would allow. I left at a slower pace, enjoying the late afternoon breeze as I eyed the stalls. Eventually, I went home and dropped off the stuff before changing clothes and heading to Ramen Ichiraku.

    I hadn¡¯t broken the news to Ayame and Teuchi yet.

    Seeing that it was later on in the afternoon, the shop wasn¡¯t so busy¡ªin fact, it was empty, so it made sense why Ayame was taking the opportunity to wipe down the countertop.

    ¡°Ayame!¡±

    Ayame looked up and a radiant grin exploded across her face. She dropped the rag on the countertop and emerged around the building. ¡°Look who¡¯s finally decided to show his face around here. Your last shift was a few days ago, you know, but no one said you couldn¡¯t stop by.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know.¡± I relaxed into the hug. ¡°But I¡¯m not a kid anymore¡ªI¡¯m a shinobi now. I can¡¯t spend the day as I¡¯d like, and believe me, there¡¯s nothing I¡¯d love more than to spend time with the two of you.¡±

    Her face softened at my words¡ªbut only until the gears started turning in her head. ¡°The jury¡¯s still out on the not-being-a-kid part.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that I¡¯m a legal adult.¡±

    ¡°Grow taller than five-foot-six, and I¡¯ll believe it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get there¡­ eventually.¡±

    We entered the building through the back entrance and went upstairs to the living area, bickering all the way. I couldn¡¯t help the pang in my chest as we walked down the familiar, creaky hallway. While my apartment was legally my home, Ichiraku felt more like home than anywhere else.

    Teuchi was in the living room, flicking through a novel over half-moon glasses. The window was open all the way to allow some air in, and the portable fan was on full blast and placed in a corner of the room.

    ¡°Dad, look who¡¯s here.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Naruto!¡± The cheer in his voice was more than obvious in the way he was grinning. ¡°Give me a moment to finish this chapter. I¡¯ll have your favourite whipped up before you can say your name.¡±

    ¡°Ramen would be nice, but we need to talk first.¡± Slipping off my shoes before the carpet, I took a seat on the couch. ¡°I think you might want to sit down for this, Ayame.¡±

    The two shared a glance and the fan in the room was especially loud for some reason. I let out an internal sigh as the awkwardness set in¡ªI hadn¡¯t even said anything yet!

    ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯ve got an announcement to make.¡± I winced at my voice crack. Ayame and Teuchi¡ªbless their souls¡ªhid their smiles at the sound but didn¡¯t tease me about it. ¡°I¡¯m going on a mission tomorrow.¡±

    I paused to let the weight of that sink in.

    Ayame gave me a blank stare. ¡°So? You go on missions all the time.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what he means,¡± said Teuchi, looking uncharacteristically serious. ¡°Naruto was over the moon when he told us about going on his first mission, even if it was a menial D-rank. You¡¯re going on your first mission outside of the Leaf, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    I nodded grimly.

 Chapter 29 [2]

    ¡°This mission isn¡¯t like the ones I¡¯ve done so far. Not only is it outside the village, it¡¯s a C-rank, which means there¡¯s a high likelihood of combat.¡±

    ¡°Not against other shinobi, mind you,¡± I said, rushing to calm Ayame down with a lie¡ªa lie of omission, but still a lie. ¡°But because of the likelihood of combat, it means writing a will.¡±

    A dark look crawled over Teuchi¡¯s face, accompanied by Ayame¡¯s gasp.

    He was always a more perceptive man than most and knew me better than anyone; he was the one who saw me at my mental lowest and helped me through a lot in life. He was the closest thing to a father that I had in this second life, so I was afraid of hurting him by revealing that I¡¯d included him in my will.

    Not just him, but Ayame too, which was why I¡¯d put off revealing the mission to the two of them for as long as possible.

    ¡°Naruto¡­¡± Ayame looked ready to either hug me or launch into a lecture¡ªpossibly both.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to die.¡±

    The two of them sat straighter at my bluntness.

    ¡°That said, as a shinobi, I¡¯ve got to account for all the possibilities. If I die without a will, everything I own will go back to the village, and the little money I¡¯ve saved will end up in the village¡¯s coffers. I don¡¯t want that to happen when I¡¯ve got people I care about more than the people who made my childhood hell.¡±

    ¡°But to write a will¡­¡± Ayame trailed off with a shudder. ¡°...It¡¯s ominous.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s standard procedure,¡± I said with a sad smile.

    Teuchi sighed. ¡°Am I correct in assuming you¡¯ve included Ayame and I in your will?¡±

    Ayame nearly stood up in shock. ¡°Naruto!¡±

    Instead of replying, I removed a folded piece of paper from my pocket. Clearing my throat, I made sure to keep my eyes on the paper, afraid of what I¡¯d see on their faces if I looked up. ¡°I, Naruto Uzumaki of the Hidden Leaf Village, being of sound mind and body, do hereby declare this to be my Last Will and Testament, revoking all prior wills and codicils made by me or in my name.

    Teuchi rubbed a wizened hand over his face, his face looking older than I¡¯d ever seen. Ayame wiped the glistening film of tears from her eyes, spilling a few droplets down her face, but she set her jaw to hear out the rest of my will to its end. Something in my chest twinged at the sight¡ªI didn¡¯t plan on dying but this was one of those things that were necessary if the worst-case scenario played out.

    Taking a deep breath, I firmed my resolve and continued reading.

    ¡°I leave my estate as follows: to Teuchi, employer and close friend, of the Hidden Leaf Village, I leave the sum of 300,000 ryo to be removed from my savings account. To Ayame, a close friend, of the Hidden Leaf Village, I leave the sum of 300,000 ryo to also be removed from my savings account. To the Leaf Village Welfare Association, I leave my apartment to be transferred to an eligible orphan at the earliest convenience.¡±

    Pausing, I skipped over irrelevant bits such as guardianships or debts and expenses, taking in a fragile breath before starting up before either of them could interrupt. I spared a glance over the paper but neither of them seemed ready to move, let alone speak.

    ¡°I leave the residue of my estate to Ramen Ichiraku, my place of employment.¡± Looking up from the paper for a moment, I saw the swelling of unshed tears in Teuchi¡¯s eyes. ¡°In the case that Ramen Ichiraku as an establishment; its owner, Teuchi of the Hidden Leaf; or his daughter, Ayame of the Hidden Leaf; predecease me, the residue of my estate shall be distributed to the various orphanages of the Hidden Leaf Village.¡±

    I returned the folded paper to my pocket with a dry mouth and a sense of emptiness as I sat down on the sofa. My eyes didn¡¯t leave the carpeted floor¡ªI could feel my will and its words hanging in the air with a heaviness that made it hard to do anything else.

    Until Teuchi broke the silence.

    ¡°Okay,¡± he said standing up. ¡°This is understandably¡­ a lot, but I¡¯m honoured¡ªwe are honoured¡ªthat you love us enough to leave us something in the event of your death.¡±

    I smiled hollowly. ¡°Mr Teuchi, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°However,¡± his voice turned stern, ¡°we will have no more talk of death. It¡¯s an inevitability¡ªeven more so as a shinobi¡ªbut when death comes for us in its diabolical forms, most of the time, we fight like hell against it, shinobi or not, and I expect you to do the same.¡±

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    I gave him a salute, not quite managing a grin. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±

    ¡°Good. Now come here and hug me, you gloomy brat.¡±

    I chuckled and did as asked, feeling a weight rest against my back. When the arms wrapped around me, I realised Ayame had laid her head across my back and enveloped Teuchi and I in a hug of her own. It was heartwarming for all of ten seconds until the functional strains of hugging a seated person while receiving one from someone else became apparent.

    I tried to wriggle out without hurting Teuchi but gave up after Ayame made it clear she wasn¡¯t letting go of me.

    ¡°Ayame,¡± said Teuchi warningly.

    She let go immediately, freeing the older man from the both of us.

    ¡°Do you have any more solemn news to announce, or is that the worst of it?¡± asked Teuchi, now on his feet.

    I shook my head. ¡°That¡¯s about the worst of it.¡±

    He shook his head with a wry laugh and walked down the corridor.

    With that kind of weight off my shoulders, I enjoyed the final afternoon before my first C-rank as well as I could. I hadn¡¯t spent this much time with Teuchi and Ayame since I started in the Academy¡ªit wasn¡¯t on purpose, but with the numerous things on my plate, I¡¯d found less time to spend with them outside of my shifts.

    It bothered me so much that before I left, I promised to spend more time with them moving forward.

    After such a sumptuous meal and a quick run to burn through some energy, I hoped to sleep restfully but that wasn¡¯t the case. I spent the first couple of hours awake in bed, my mind too active to rest, so I went through my mission equipment twice over. It didn¡¯t help anything as far as my restlessness went, but when I returned to my bed, it was cool again.

    What felt like five minutes later, my alarm blared beside my head and I freed a fumbling hand from my covers and silenced it, getting to work.

    Breakfast was a sordid affair of leftover ramen from the afternoon at Teuchi and Ayame¡¯s house. Usually, I¡¯d have something more balanced but from the moment I opened my eyes, I had half an hour to get ready and assemble at the western gate.

    I slipped my restocked holsters and packs into my ratty robes, tightened my wooden sandals, and¡ªfor the first time, left my training weights underneath behind. It was a relatively small thing, but it was like leaving a part of myself behind.

    I forged on, tightening my grip over the worn backpack slung across my back.

    To my surprise, Asuma was the first person there, leisurely smoking a cigarette on the stone steps of one of the nearby buildings. He was wearing a simple, worn burgundy kimono and wooden sandals. The hair that was usually pushed up by his forehead protector fell over his forehead and I couldn¡¯t see a single weapon on his person.

    No doubt they were concealed on his person, either inside his sleeves or in storage seals somewhere.

    He gave me a nod in greeting, slowly going through his cigarette. I kept a reasonable distance from him on account of the spell and placed my backpack next to me, sitting on the staircase opposite his.

    ¡°I hate how uncomfortable these clothes are,¡± I said. ¡°Look at how frayed the cuff of this thing is too.¡±

    Asuma chuckled. ¡°We need it for cover and you know Hinata has it worse than you.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe her father¡¯s letting her wear contact lenses.¡±

    ¡°For all their blowharding about pride, the Hyuuga are still a shinobi clan. It¡¯d be stupid to flaunt their famed eyes when it¡¯d get in the way of the mission.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a point,¡± I said.

    Hinata and Choji arrived not even a few minutes later, also dressed in shabby peasant clothes. Unlike me, they were carrying plastic bags, which they laid at Asuma¡¯s feet. He unfurled a scroll just about the width of my backpack, laying it on the floor. It was marked all over with some kind of script.

    We stood around it and watched him stack the contents of the bags within the scroll¡¯s boundaries. When he was sure everything was perfectly balanced, Asuma made a hand sign. A thick surge of smoke burst from the scroll and when it cleared, the equipment was gone. He rolled up the scroll and slid it into a protective case before placing it at the very bottom of my bag, ensuring it wouldn¡¯t get damaged by my equipment.

    ¡°Thanks for agreeing to carry our stuff, Naruto,¡± said Choji for the first time today and the third time since we were given our mission.

    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Again, you¡¯re welcome, but it makes strategic sense as well. It¡¯s pretty uncommon for a group of peasants to be carrying a bag full of possessions each. They rarely have more than one since they¡­ you know, don¡¯t own much.¡±

    ¡°Just take my thanks,¡± said Choji with a sigh.

    Hinata laughed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but with Naruto, that is impossible. You''d have better chances getting Asuma-sensei to quit smoking.¡±

    Her usually ivory-coloured eyes were a startling brown¡ªnot because of their shade, but because the colour made Hinata look like an entirely different person. Choji¡¯s markings could be shrugged off so he hadn¡¯t bothered to hide them and, of course, none of us were wearing our forehead protectors.

    I tuned out their teasing with a shake of my head and smothered a low yawn.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not even involved in this,¡± Asuma stamped out his cigarette and banished the smell with a chuckle, ¡°but that¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s get a move on, kids. We¡¯ve got a lot of ground to cover. I want us to get halfway to Tenka Village by the end of this week without draining too much energy.¡±

    I shared a nod with my teammates before we set off.

    We stopped in front of a booth just before the western gates¡ªthey¡¯d never looked so big before¡ª and Asuma tapped his fingers against the glass, alerting up the chunin inside. She scanned the clipboard on the desk and crossed us off the list.

    ¡°Team 10, you are cleared to leave.¡± Her gaze moved past Asuma and landed on the three of us, softening slightly¡ªwell, at least when it left me. ¡°Good luck.¡±

 Chapter 29 [3]

    Since all the village gates were unimaginably heavy, one was always open, but it was incredibly hard to leave the western exit despite that. Ignoring the chunin in the booth, two more stood guard outside it and over half a dozen more were patrolling the gate from above.

    The only other gate with more defence was the merchant¡¯s gate on the east¡ªand for obvious reasons all to do with money.

    We passed without any trouble and about fifteen minutes into our journey, I was suddenly hit with the realisation that I¡¯d left the village for the first time. When I looked back, the village and its massive structures looked smaller than ever and only became smaller as we travelled further and further away.

    I was expecting the day¡¯s journey to be somewhat eventful¡ªin the anime, there was always something happening before a mission ever started, whether that was random passers-by asking for help with something fairly innocuous or running into bandits. In reality, we spent hours alternating between tree-hopping and walking before.

    We only started looking for somewhere to rest when the sun had started to set, dying the horizon. The landscape had changed to mostly flatland an hour ago, but luckily, we¡¯d discovered a safe enough cave to camp out in. I pulled out the night¡¯s dinner: instant ramen. It wasn¡¯t the most nutritious thing to eat, but after a day of mindless travelling, no one was in the mood to cook anything.

    Choji had thought of a question while we slurped over the various flavours of instant ramen I¡¯d packed into my bag.

    ¡°What if the bandits have a sensor?¡± he asked. ¡°What are we meant to do then? Hiding you or Naruto from them is impossible.¡±

    ¡°Hey, give me a little more credit than that. I didn¡¯t become a jonin by winning the raffle,¡± said Asuma, flicking a spark from his cigarette into the dying campfire. We edged closer to take in more of its warmth. ¡°It¡¯ll take Naruto a while to learn to mask his chakra because he has so much of it, but that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re completely screwed. Goro Tanimoto, the Jagged Blades¡¯ leader, was once a chunin from the Hidden Waterfall, so there¡¯s a bingo book entry for him, and he¡¯s no sensory ninja.¡±

    ¡°So?¡± Choji stopped going through his second pot of ramen to speak. ¡°Isn¡¯t that still a problem? There are two other genin with him.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but not as big as if Goro Tanimoto was the sensor because he¡¯d be able to monitor the entire village fairly easily. Seeing that they¡¯re bandits, I doubt they even have a sensor, but I¡¯m not ruling out the possibility either. We¡¯re going to book an inn as far away from their base of operations as possible and make sure Naruto doesn¡¯t go beyond that side of the village.¡±

    ¡°That might work,¡± said Hinata, looking thoughtful. ¡°Even if they do have a sensor, I doubt their range is that extensive.¡±

    Asuma grinned and patted my shoulder. ¡°And when we attack, Naruto and I will fake any potential sensors out by flaring our chakra. This little guy has more than triple my chakra reserves, so it¡¯ll be more than enough.¡±

    His words drew a question out of me this time. I forced down the rest of my ramen in a rush and cleared my throat to grab his attention. ¡°This whole deal with chakra reserves doesn¡¯t make sense to me. In the Academy, we learned that you¡¯ve got to mould the chakra required for jutsu, so how come people talk about chakra reserves as if they¡¯re a resource to draw from?¡±

    He scanned our faces carefully and set down his empty pot between his crossed legs. ¡°Do you guys want the simple answer or the long answer?¡±

    Hinata smiled. ¡°The long answer¡ªit¡¯ll blow their minds.¡±

    I smiled at her enthusiasm¡ªshe always enjoyed chakra theory, which I supposed made sense when she could see it. It didn¡¯t surprise me that she was so gung-ho about everything chakra-related when her entire bloodline centred around seeing it.

    ¡°Chakra reserves don¡¯t exist¡ªat least, not in the way that you think.¡± He beckoned us closer, and we inched around the fire. ¡°Since you guys want to get into chakra theory before bed, I¡¯m making you all participate in my explanation. What¡¯s chakra made up of?¡±

    Choji¡¯s hand shot up. ¡°Physical and mental energy, sensei!¡±

    ¡°Precisely.¡± Asuma returned his enthusiasm. ¡°Now, physical energy can be improved by training your body and mental energy can be improved through life experience. That doesn¡¯t mean everyone with high levels of physical and mental energy has trained super hard or is some wrinkly windbag on their deathbed.¡±

    He waved his hand in my general direction.

    ¡°Some people just win the genetic lottery¡ªtake Naruto, for example. His unique situation also means that his chakra will continue to grow even after he leaves puberty thanks to the Nine-Tails. I say this because I want to make it clear that you two¡ªChoji and Hinata¡ªshouldn¡¯t use him to measure your growth in terms of chakra.¡±

    They nodded eagerly.

    ¡°Great.¡± He adjusted his sitting position slightly and leaned forward. ¡°Now, you know that physical and mental energy are related to but aren¡¯t dependent on the body¡ªand that to create chakra you mix those two energies. When you get tired after using a lot of jutsu, it¡¯s because you¡¯re spending the energies you use to function.¡±

    I furrowed my brow at the implication of his words. In that case, ¡°chakra reserves¡± was just a word for the potential maximum amount of chakra a person could mould¡ªbut that still left me with a few questions. How were sensors able to determine that amount? Did they even know that maximum amount, or was it just guesswork?

    Asuma once again broke my wandering mind by disturbing the momentary silence. ¡°Here¡¯s another question for you all: is all the chakra we use consciously moulded by us?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± said Hinata, instinctively raising her hand. ¡°The body passively moulds a little bit of chakra anyway for basic bodily processes. If you completely run out of chakra, you¡¯ll die.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Asuma replied. ¡°But remember, physical and mental energy can be increased through training and life experience¡ªsomething shinobi do and have in spades. Do you know what that means?¡±

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°...It means that shinobi have more passively moulded chakra than average.¡± My mouth fell open. ¡°So, that¡¯s how sensing chakra capacity works. In that case, how much passively moulded chakra do I have?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you asked, Naruto,¡± said Asuma with a laugh. ¡°We can find the answer to that question right now. Hinata, I want you to use your Byakugan and look at the three of us in turn. No need to look too close¡ªyou don¡¯t need to glance at our tenketsu for this, just the general chakra flow.¡±

    She set down her still-steaming pot of noodles and took a few steps back, levelling the Confrontation Seal a few inches in front of her face. I watched the individual veins around her eyes crawl outward like a series of writhing insects and when she opened her eyes, there was a piercing yet faraway gleam to them.

    I held back my shudder at the intensity of her gaze.

    ¡°Anytime today, Hinata,¡± said Asuma.

    She flinched like he¡¯d snapped her out of a daydream. ¡°O-Oh, sorry! Yes, you¡¯re right, Asuma-sensei. Choji has the least amount of passively mixed chakra, you have a considerable amount more, and Naruto has roughly three-and-half to almost four times as much as you.¡±

    ¡°Woah¡­¡± Choji blinked slowly and turned to look at me. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s insane, Naruto.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± I smiled wryly. ¡°Just getting half-decent control over my chakra took me years. Ask Hinata; I¡¯ve been doing chakra control training since I was seven. This seal is always skimming some chakra from that monster and adding it to my reserves, so I¡¯ll never be able to stop training my chakra control.¡±

    ¡°I do not envy you there,¡± said Asuma.

    Smiling, I just shrugged at his words¡ªit was a small sacrifice to make in return for more chakra.

    ¡°I knew you had a lot of chakra when we were younger, but I chalked it down to talent,¡± said Hinata. ¡°Knowing the reason behind it puts a lot of things into perspective.¡±

    Her smile was bright enough for me to look away but I at least returned it before staring into the dwindling campfire.

    ¡°There ends my lecture on chakra theory for today!¡± Asuma clapped his hands. ¡°Off to sleep, you three.¡±

    ¡°And not you?¡± I murmured. ¡°Bet you¡¯re going out for a smoke.¡±

    ¡°Mhm,¡± Hinata and Choji said in unison.

    ¡°Look at that, you know me so well.¡± Asuma grinned and ruffled all of our heads in turn. ¡°You¡¯re right, but only partly¡ªI¡¯m also going to lay a few rabbit traps. You guys don¡¯t want to have instant ramen for breakfast, do you?¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound so bad,¡± I yawned out.

    Hinata made a noise in the back of her throat. ¡°Speak for yourself!¡±

    ¡°All food¡¯s good food,¡± said Choji, nodding to himself as if he¡¯d said something profound. ¡°I know that I¡¯ll enjoy whichever you choose, but for the record, I¡¯d like some protein, Asuma-sensei.¡±

    ¡°Well, you know how our team works, Naruto,¡± said Asuma, stepping around the fire. ¡°Majority rule wins¡ªrabbit stew it is.¡±

    ¡°You do that, but I¡¯m tapping out here,¡± I said as I zipped up my sleeping bag. ¡°We have a lot walking ahead of us tomorrow.¡±

    I positioned my feet towards the campfire, wishing my friends goodnight before closing my eyes. Choji and Hinata crawled into their respective sleeping bags with a series of rustling and I heard the crunch of Asuma¡¯s footsteps as he left that cave.

    Our first day of travelling was over and there would be a couple days like this to follow before we made it to Tenka Village. We spent the day making good distance, chatting whenever just drinking in the sights became boring. At night, we took turns whipping up a creative dinner, making sure that no one ever did it consecutively.

    That way, at least some of our day was unpredictable.

    After just under a week of tree-hopping, walking, and sleeping in caves and tents, we¡¯d made it to Tenka Village an entire day earlier than I thought we would. The sun was almost underneath the horizon by the time we passed the shoddy wooden gate, but we¡¯d arrived before nightfall.

    I counted that as a success in my book because it meant sleeping in a proper bed for the first time in over a week.

    The place didn¡¯t quite match up to my expectations, but what did I know? The Hidden Leaf was a village only in name; it was practically a city. I trudged Asuma, peering at the locals passing this way and that, clad in patchwork yukatas and kimonos. I even saw a kid running around in what looked like a heavily adjusted¡­ potato sack.

    I gave him a second look and still couldn¡¯t be sure that I saw that right. He raced off, giggling behind four other kids wearing clothes of a similar quality.

    The inn we were looking for wasn¡¯t exactly in a great part of town¡ªwe¡¯d passed another called The Empty Plate that seemed to be the best thing out of the entire town. The three-storey pagoda-style inn towered over all the low buildings in the village except for what looked like a gathering hall in the distance¡ªeven the state of it was typical of what I¡¯d seen of Tenka Village so far.

    Unfortunately, Asuma made it clear that we weren¡¯t signing in there thanks to my chakra reserves potentially tipping off the Jagged Blades. Seeing the state of the inn he¡¯d decided on, I couldn¡¯t help but lament what was otherwise a blessing for the first time in my life. Errant blades of straw littered the ground, probably from the bedding, and the receptionist was a beady-eyed man who didn¡¯t bother to hide that he was drinking on the job.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± said Asuma, spreading his arms over our shoulders. ¡°I¡¯d like a room for four¡ªit doesn¡¯t have to be amazing¡ªjust somewhere for my children and I to spend four nights.¡±

    He looked over us dismissively. ¡°20,000 ryo.¡±

    Choji stiffened beside me and Asuma gave a wheezing laugh.

    ¡°Please,¡± he gestured to the state of our clothes and pushed us ahead of him so that man could get a good look at the dirt on our faces, ¡°our journey has been long and we don¡¯t have that kind of money.¡±

    Surprisingly, I saw the gleam of pity behind the haze of drink in his eyes. ¡°...The best I can do is 14,000 ryo for four nights. You¡¯ve got to have that much if you¡¯ve travelled as far as you look like you have.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said with a smile while Hinata and Choji gave an elated laugh to sell our gratefulness.

    We could have paid the amount in full, but peasant travellers having that kind of money and being willing to part with it without some haggling would¡¯ve been suspicious, even with the innkeeper being slightly drunk.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t thank me yet,¡± he said, taking another swig from his weathered gourd. He looked at Asuma, the pity vanishing from his eyes. ¡°One room, yeah? No complaints on quality?¡±

    ¡°No complaints,¡± Asuma replied.

    ¡°Top floor, it¡¯s the room at the end.¡±

    Swiping his gourd off the table, he led us up the stairs and opened the door¡ªrevealing our lodging for the rest of the mission. The nights camping outside beat this hovel by a landslide and calling it a bedroom would be an overstatement. There was only one bed and even that was a sorry thing of aged wood and just enough straw spread thin between two questionable blankets.

    He closed the door behind us before we could say anything and I took the first step towards the monstrosity, patting it with a tentative touch. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not sleeping on that. Pretty sure I saw a cockroach crawling around back there. Any takers?¡±

    And so began the staring contest between Asuma, Choji, and Hinata to see who¡¯d subject themselves to the bed while I rummaged through my things to set up my sleeping bag.

    ¡°Right, pick a straw off the floor from anywhere in the room. Whoever gets the shortest one has to sleep on the bed,¡± I heard Asuma say.

    After a series of creaky footsteps, I heard them reconvene near the door.

    ¡°...Great,¡± Hinata muttered. She sat at the very edge of the bedframe and sighed. ¡°This is what I get for trying to be fair and not using my Byakugan.¡±

    I chuckled and looked up from the floor. ¡°Face it, you deserve that bed for trying to be a fair shinobi.¡±

    She couldn''t muster a reply over Asuma and Choji¡¯s laughter and nodded glumly.

 Chapter 30 [1]

    Breakfast in Yasuhiro Ohashi¡¯s home was a deeply strange affair. He was welcoming to the point that it bordered on subservience and the long table in the dining room was piled with a dozen dishes; against the backdrop of the worn house, it looked¡­ out of place. The old man sat stiffly in his chair, taking second and third looks between bites at us to see if we were still there.

    I couldn¡¯t blame Yasuhiro for his nerves because there was no sugarcoating what we were here to do. As Team 10, we had been hired as contract killers¡ªus, kids barely a few years older than his grandson. Then again, shinobi didn¡¯t count as human to most civilians so it probably wasn¡¯t our age¡ªwas his behaviour out of a general fear towards shinobi?

    The cordial atmosphere was awkward because the questions we asked him had no business being spoken over a dining table. He answered them regardless, stopping to banish the shadow of his grandson creeping down the hallway to listen in on our discussion.

    The information he knew was certainly helpful and a lot more detailed than the bullet-point notes jotted down on the mission scroll. The Jagged Blades had lost half a dozen men in a recent raid, dropping their numbers down to a little over twenty¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t enough. There were too many unknown variables to risk storming their outpost.

    Towards the end of the meal, a hawkish old woman strode into the dining room with her hands clasped behind her back and swept her intense gaze across the table. Nodding once in what seemed to be satisfaction, she stood to Yasuhiro¡¯s right at the head of the table.

    ¡°This is Chie,¡± said Yasuhiro, gesturing to the woman. ¡°She is the Head Chef at the Empty Plate, a close friend of mine, and the person responsible for our breakfast today.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t overstate your worth to me, Ohashi,¡± Chie said, snorting. ¡°I had the misfortune of crossing paths with you in this life and nothing more.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the accepting nod Yasuhiro gave at her words but that soon proved to be a mistake that drew Chie¡¯s ire.

    ¡°Is something funny, you whiskered brat?¡±

    ¡°Are you talking to me?¡±

    Chie rolled her eyes. ¡°No, I¡¯m talking to the wall behind you¡ªof course I¡¯m talking to you, you airhead.¡±

    Her¡­ bluntness was a refreshing change from the thirty minutes of servile reverence and completely shifted the room¡¯s atmosphere.

    I tried to stop my laughter but it proved to be a difficult task. She was the walking, talking caricature of a bitter old person. ¡°N-No, there¡¯s nothing funny, ma¡¯am. Nothing at all.¡±

    Hinata made a disapproving noise somewhere in the back of her throat but didn¡¯t say anything. Asuma and Choji, like me, were holding back their laughter, albeit better than I was, which left me to take all of the old woman¡¯s scorn.

    ¡°We¡¯re dealing with shinobi, alright,¡± she said, crossing her arms. ¡°They lie as easily as they breathe, even if Whiskers over here is poor at it.¡±

    ¡°Whiskers?¡± I breathed out, having finally wrestled control of my laughter.

    Chie nodded. ¡°Have you looked in a mirror before?¡±

    I decided not to dignify that with a response.

    ¡°That¡¯s Chie for you.¡± Yasuhiro laughed thinly. ¡°I hope the food was to your liking and if you require anything else, be it lodging or otherwise, feel free to come to me. Let me say this again: I¡¯m truly glad that you are here at last¡­¡±

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    We rose out of our chairs and bowed.

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary but the offer is appreciated,¡± said Asuma.

    Since it was still early in the day, we returned to the inn on the far western side of Tenka Village. Our room wasn¡¯t terrible, but after a week of rough sleeping, my sense of judgement wasn¡¯t exactly sound even if the inn¡¯s wooden floor was a few notches better than the uneven cave floors we¡¯d got used to.

    ¡°Hinata, you look absolutely shattered,¡± I said while Asuma took a deep drag from his cigarette less than a metre away from the three of us. ¡°The bed wasn¡¯t that bad, was it?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡± Her eyes flicked to Asuma momentarily. ¡°...no, it wasn¡¯t the bed. I didn¡¯t sleep much last night.¡±

    ¡°Why? What happened.¡±

    She opened her mouth to speak before a yawn overtook her words.

    ¡°Once you and this corpse,¡± Asuma prodded a snoring Choji awake with his foot, ¡°went to sleep, Hinata and I went to do a little reconnaissance. Well, not me, but her. I went to arrange breakfast with Yasuhiro Ohashi by turning up inside his bedroom.¡±

    I leaned forward, my interest immediately piqued. ¡°How did she manage to get close enough to the Jagged Blades for it to be useful? Isn¡¯t her range about thirty or so metres?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just my omnidirectional vision.¡± For once, Hinata wore a bright confident grin and was just a few degrees shy of puffing out her chest. ¡°I¡¯ve only been able to do it for a few months, but I can focus my sight in one direction and see a lot further. While there weren''t any above-average chakra signatures in the village when we came in, I wanted to give everything a thorough look to be sure.¡±

    I noted that down for future reference and brought my focus back to the mission, nodding at Asuma. ¡°Okay, what did you guys discover?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all good news! There are fewer bandits than in the mission request. It seems they¡¯re down to twenty-eight bastards instead of the original thirty-two.¡±

    I nodded slowly. ¡°That¡¯s good¡­ really good, actually.¡±

    ¡°But remember, Goro Tanimoto isn¡¯t the only shinobi,¡± said Asuma. ¡°He has two genin under him of unknown strength¡ªthough one of them carries a katana. In terms of chakra, they¡¯ve got more than Choji, at least, so that¡¯ll make our original plan all the more challenging. I¡¯ll only let you three at the chunin if you beat the two genin.¡±

    I grinned. ¡°That¡¯s perfect because it means we don¡¯t have to change the plan much.¡±

    ¡°Slow down there,¡± said Asuma. ¡°Just because we don¡¯t know their capabilities, doesn¡¯t mean we should just rush in blind.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± I said, agreeing with him. ¡°What¡¯s the plan, then?¡±

    ¡°You and Choji are on information-gathering duty today. Try and see what the villagers know about the Jagged Blades that can be useful. Yasuhiro made it clear that they¡¯re using the village for supplies: food, weaponry, and the like, so ask around and see if anything useful comes up.¡±

    ¡°What about Hinata?¡± I asked. ¡°She looks dead on her feet.¡±

    Asuma nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t mention her. She¡¯ll be resting for today. I think she couldn¡¯t sleep last night because of the nerves post-watch.¡±

    ¡°When are we going to make our move?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That depends on how much information you two can gather since I booked this room for four days. I¡¯m not expecting anything big like the jutsu they use. Any habits they fall into, whether they¡¯re all holed up in the outpost or come down to the village, and things like that.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡± I clasped Choji¡¯s arm and pulled him up. ¡°You heard the man. Off we go.¡±

    After stretching, he looked at Hinata with obvious concern. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Choji,¡± she smiled, ¡°just very tired is all.¡±

    ¡°And here¡¯s another thing,¡± Asuma interjected. ¡°Split up. Naruto¡¯s still limited to this side of the village in case they have a sensor, so Choji, you¡¯ll have the eastern side.¡±

    ¡°What about food?¡± Choji asked. ¡°We¡¯re going to be out all day, right?¡±

    ¡°500 ryo should be enough.¡± He fished through his back and pulled out a handful of coins for the both of us alongside pouches since we didn¡¯t have any pockets. ¡°Any more and it¡¯ll look suspicious.¡±

    I tied the pouch around my belt. ¡°Just to double check, there aren¡¯t any specific questions you want answered, right?¡±

    ¡°Nope. Just general things about the Jagged Blades to help verify Yasuhiro¡¯s information. Besides the two genin-level ninja¡ªwhich Hinata discovered¡ªwe haven''t learned about anything we didn¡¯t already know.¡±

    ¡°What makes you think the villagers know anything more?¡± asked Choji.

    ¡°They probably don¡¯t but it can¡¯t hurt to try.¡± Asuma shrugged before sitting up. ¡°Oh, buy me a bottle of sake on the way back. Alcohol¡¯s cheap here; make up some bullshit about buying it for your parents.¡±

 Chapter 30 [2]

    Downstairs, the innkeeper seemed to be nursing a hangover from the previous night¡¯s drinking. He was slumped over the desk and groaned feebly when Choji and I passed him.

    We continued walking for a while before splitting up with a firm handshake and wishing each other good luck. I spent less than an hour wandering around, listening in on conversations along populated streets, hanging around stalls, and mixing in with kids running about. Moral quandaries aside, children were up there on the list of things that disarm people of their suspicion.

    During that hour, I hadn¡¯t picked up on anything interesting; the village pretended that the Jagged Blades weren¡¯t sitting on a hill not too far east from the city. Not that I blamed them, but the lack of information was frustrating; I couldn¡¯t go to the smithy because it was on the eastern side of the village so that left only one place¡ªThe Empty Plate.

    Honestly, I didn¡¯t want to go; I only decided to because of Chie. The inn pushed the limits of what counted as ¡°west¡± and was also the most popular place in Tenka Village. It sold good food, the alcohol was decent, and the beds were better than the shithole Asuma had us living in.

    I bit the bullet and circled the building in search of a back entrance of some kind. The rich aroma of soup grew stronger and I soon stopped in front of a half-closed door positioned at the back of the building. Peeking through it, I spotted Chie standing on a raised wooden block, snapping at three nervous chefs scurrying about the kitchen.

    ¡°Freckles,¡± she pointed at a freckled guy stirring a massive pot, ¡°add some water to that soup.¡±

    I slipped through the open door. ¡°Please, may I have some food?¡±

    The three chefs that Chie was ordering about stared at me and looked back as one to Chie.

    Realistically, I figured this wasn¡¯t the first time some hungry child infiltrated the kitchen in search of food¡ªespecially since the rogue shinobi had settled in¡ªso my strategy wouldn¡¯t bring undue attention onto myself. I was also a little hungry so getting myself a snack while carrying out Asuma¡¯s order killed two birds with one stone.

    Chie pulled out a roll from a basket and pushed me outside. ¡°What do you want, Whiskers?¡±

    I nibbled at the cold bread.

    ¡°Well, out with it!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for people with information on the Jagged Blades,¡± I said, keeping my voice down. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be important, but it¡¯s best to diversify the information sources we have. Do you have any suggestions?¡±

    ¡°Why ask for food then?¡± She tutted. ¡°It¡¯s a waste of food.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying about being hungry.¡±

    ¡°You ate an hour ago.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°I need to eat a lot¡ªgrowing body and all that.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not much we villagers can tell you because we¡¯re not shinobi,¡± said Chie, huffing out her words. ¡°However, if you¡¯re looking for more people to question, you can go to my serving girl¡ªthough she¡¯s not working today.¡±

    ¡°Where can I find her?¡±

    Chie pursed her lips but eventually grunted out where her serving girl¡¯s house was. Luckily for me, it wasn¡¯t that far from the inn I¡¯d slept in.

    ¡°Before you go,¡± Chie¡¯s voice stopped me mid-step, ¡°understand that you might want to approach the conversation with some tact. Yumi¡­ the last few months have been a troubling time for her.¡±

    ¡°Troubling how?¡± I asked, but she wouldn¡¯t answer and shut the door in my face, forcing me to find out what happened from the woman herself.

    Slightly annoyed but mollified by the roll I¡¯d got out of the exchange, I walked to Yumi¡¯s house, arriving a little past noon. Now that the sun was on full blast, people had retreated into the shade of buildings¡ªmost of the kids running about had sought shelter in their homes but a few idiots were still outside.

    I knocked on the door.

    ¡°Yes, who is it?¡±

    Yumi was apparently an exhausted-looking young woman with chestnut-brown hair and hazel eyes. She squinted through the sunlight, holding her child closer to her chest. I looked over her shoulder¡ªsurprisingly I was taller than her¡ªbut couldn¡¯t see anything past the darkness of closed blinds despite it being the middle of the day.

    ¡°Can I come in?¡± I asked, smiling and returning my gaze to her face; it didn¡¯t change the distrust on her face. ¡°Chie sent me.¡±

    She turned to the side, brow furrowed doubtfully, but let me in after a long moment. Once the door closed behind me, I relaxed a little, following her down the corridor. ¡°Are you currently alone?¡±

    She stopped and turned around, hiding her¡­ son, probably, from view. ¡°...Why do you ask?¡±

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    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not an enemy. It¡¯s an important question, so please, answer it¡ªare you alone?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°I am alone.¡±

    ¡°Great.¡± I grinned in as friendly a manner as I could. ¡°Look, Chie said you¡¯d be a good source of information on the Jagged Blades. My name is Naruto Uzumaki and I¡¯m a genin of the Hidden Leaf.¡±

    She stiffened.

    ¡°Wait,¡± I said, afraid she¡¯d ask me to leave, ¡°just give me a moment to explain. You all commissioned the Leaf by pooling your resources¡ªit was in the mission request¡ªbut we can¡¯t afford to tip off Goro Tanimoto and his men by revealing our identities¡ªwhich means none of you can know we¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°Why tell me?¡± she said, jutting out her chin. ¡°I¡¯ve had it up to here with shinobi and I¡¯m not anyone important.¡±

    ¡°That sentence alone says otherwise.¡± I shrugged lazily, channelling my inner Asuma to hide my annoyance at her lack of cooperation. ¡°The more information you can give me, the sooner we can make our move on Goro Tanimoto. True, your help isn¡¯t going to be a deciding factor but it might help¡ªand think of it this way: do you really want to upset the help that you hired for no apparent reason?¡±

    Instead of answering, Yumi closed the distance between us before veering left into the kitchen. I made to follow her but she turned around past the door threshold and shook her head. ¡°Take a seat in the living room. I¡¯ll be there with some tea in a minute.¡±

    So, I sat across from her in a living room as dark and glum as the hallway, nesting a cup of herbal tea. Not willing to drink any tea from a stranger, I placed my cup down on the floor between my legs and leaned forward.

    ¡°Why the animosity earlier?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s a strange reaction to have towards an otherwise adorable kid like me¡ªeven if I told you I was a shinobi.¡±

    That got the morose woman to smile, even if it only stayed on her face for a split second before vanishing.

    ¡°I¡­¡± she wrung her free hand, fidgeting with the fabric of her clothes. ¡°wasn¡¯t sure if you were who you claimed to be.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Fair enough. It¡¯s not every day that a kid turns up at your door and claims to be a shinobi.¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°About a week ago, a group of strangers came to the village¡ªthere were three of them¡ªand started asking questions about the Jagged Blades. They were Leaf shinobi, so I told them everything I knew.¡±

    I stopped a frown from forming on my face¡ªI needed her to keep talking. ¡°Can you describe what they looked like?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, but I don¡¯t remember the details because they were wearing hooded robes.¡± She furrowed her brow. ¡°I think one was a woman because they spoke the most and had a gentle voice, but I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡± I nodded once, maintaining a calm exterior.

    Inwardly, though, I was panicked beyond belief because too many unknowns had piled up in the space of minutes. Another group of shinobi had come to collect the bounty on the Jagged Blades and they were aware of our presence thanks to a misunderstanding.

    Had they packed up shop and left? It would fit Yumi¡¯s recount of things seeing that the Jagged Blades were still up and running. Hinata hadn¡¯t picked up any extraneous chakra signatures nearby either¡­ but it wasn¡¯t like she looked further than the outpost.

    A week was more than enough time to grab the bounties and disappear, so if they didn''t, it meant that they probably had some kind of grudge against the Leaf. Was it Hidden Stone shinobi? Technically, sending foreign shinobi into enemy countries was against the peace treaties, but the major villages broke that accord all the time.

    The only other option I could think of was Hidden Sound shinobi, but seeing that Orochimaru planned on entering his sacrificial subordinates into the exam, making an enemy out of the Leaf wasn''t something he planned on doing until he was all good and ready.

    Then who could it be?

    Swallowing hard, I put a stop to that train of thought, focusing on Yumi once again. ¡°Thanks for the information¡ªwe¡¯ll look into it and see who those strangers were. Now, what can you tell me about the Jagged Blades?¡±

    Her eyes darted to the wall beside the door where several pictures hung in rows. She kept her eyes level with the ground as she spoke. ¡°They appeared out of nowhere one night, taking anyone who looked strong to renovate the old watchtower east of the village. All they do is hunt other rogue shinobi¡ªfor money, probably¡ªand raid villages. Whenever they return, they take craftsmen and the village¡¯s smith to the outpost and fill up The Empty Plate, eating and drinking to their heart¡¯s content for free.¡±

    I remained silent, just absorbing her words.

    As a shinobi, I wasn¡¯t under any illusion that the occupation was a moral one. I was paid to carry out any number of tasks to whomever Lord Third decided. Today, it was exterminating rogue shinobi and taking the bounties on their heads¡ªtomorrow it could be silencing a perfectly innocent person who overheard the wrong information.

    But man, these Jagged Blades made it easy to get some vindication out of an otherwise grim job.

    ¡°One afternoon, my husband, Kashiigi, h-he¡ªhe¡¯d had enough of the way they were treating me and stormed into The Empty Plate.¡± She furiously wiped at her eyes, snarling out her next words. ¡°And those¡­ those animals killed him for it! Goro Tanimoto comes by every few weeks with gifts and jewellery,¡± she showed me a box of glistening rings and necklaces, ¡°but it¡¯s only so he can show his men that he conquered me by getting me to sleep with him.¡±

    I grimaced, not bothering to hide my disgust.

    Yumi¡¯s pallid face was flushed and her eyes darted about frantically. ¡°I¡¯d rather die than give that bastard the satisfaction!¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± I nodded once. ¡°Thank you for recounting this for me, truly. It was definitely helpful in clarifying Goro Tanimoto¡¯s character to me.¡±

    She nodded slowly, sagging into the couch as the surge of energy left her. I looked around at the dark living room, the clothes strewn about. Despite the self-inflicted darkness, Yumi¡¯s house was generally in an okay state, so maybe she hadn¡¯t completely given up on living a life. My gaze dropped to the baby¡ªwho I now knew to be a little boy called Kentaro¡ªsleeping soundly against her chest. Little Kentaro would never know the love of his father, who cared so deeply for him and his mother that he defied reason to defend them.

    ¡°Let a little light in,¡± I said, rising out of my seat and cracking open the living room blinds.

    A wide ray beamed in, illuminating the carpet and the far wall beside the door where the family photos were¡ªlightning up the wide smile on her late husband¡¯s face.

    ¡°Goro Tanimoto will die before the week is out and while his death won¡¯t bring your husband back, I hope it¡¯ll return some semblance of life to you and the village.¡±

 Chapter 30 [3]

    Instead of waiting for Yumi¡¯s response, I let my words be the last thing for her to remember me by. Being a shinobi was an overall shitty hand, but instances like these would help me feel just a little more optimistic about the things I¡¯d have to do in the future.

    I returned to the village, wandering about for a couple of hours more to see what else I could find out. No one on this side of the village was likely to provide me with as firsthand an account of Goro Tanimoto as Yumi, but there was still the chance that I¡¯d overhear conversations about other Jagged Blades members.

    After wandering about for a solid hour, I returned to The Empty Plate for lunch where I asked Chie for any other sources but all the ones she named were on the other side of the village. The things she knew about the Jagged Blades weren¡¯t all that different to Yasuhiro¡¯s information either, so after finishing my meal, I returned to our lodging.

    Of course, I hadn¡¯t forgotten the bottle of sake Asuma had requested. It was a strange request seeing that he wasn¡¯t much of a drinker, but I obliged anyway. Hinata was awake when I arrived and Choji had returned before I did, sitting on the foot of the bed while Asuma smoked a cigarette on the far side of the room.

    ¡°...I¡¯m back?¡± I said, though it came out as more of a question.

    Hinata smiled, still looking tired but nowhere near as exhausted as before. ¡°Welcome back, Naruto.¡±

    ¡°When did you get back, Choji?¡±

    ¡°Uh, not too long ago; half an hour ago at the maximum,¡± he replied.

    ¡°Did you find anything useful?¡±

    A dark look crossed his face. ¡°In a way.¡±

    ¡°We were waiting for you to return,¡± said Asuma, finishing his cigarette in a single drag before dispelling the acrid scent. He moved closer to the bed and sat cross-legged. ¡°And now that you¡¯re here, we can finally put our heads together.¡±

    I sat down and passed him the bottle.

    ¡°Cheap-looking, but it¡¯ll do,¡± he said with a wry smile, setting it down on his left.

    ¡°What is it even for?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You¡¯ll find out¡ªnow, who wants to go first?¡±

    Choji and I looked at each other for a long moment.

    ¡°Do you¡ª¡± ¡°You go first¡ª¡±

    I blinked. ¡°I¡¯m not going to say anything for the next ten seconds.¡±

    ¡°...Okay, thanks,¡± said Choji, shaking his head. He readjusted his sitting position and cleared his throat. ¡°When I went to the eastern side of the village, I walked around for a while to get a mental picture of the area. There were places packed with people like streets full of stalls but I didn¡¯t overhear anything except gossip.¡±

    ¡°Same here,¡± I said and we shared a nod.

    ¡°But then I found a smithy.¡±

    I perked up at his words¡ªYumi had mentioned a village smith so it stood to reason that there¡¯d be a smithy somewhere.

    ¡°The Jagged Blades put in a big order of kunai and shuriken at the start of the year. The thing is, they shut down the trade routes in and out of the village, but they provide smiths¡ªMr Naomichi and his apprentices¡ªwith the materials from their raids.¡±

    Hinata frowned over her blanket. ¡°Are they getting paid?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Choji shook his head, looking legitimately angry. ¡°Mr Naomichi and his apprentices have families but apparently, Goro Tanimoto says that providing the raw materials is payment enough.¡±

    ¡°If he hadn¡¯t shut down the trade routes, he wouldn¡¯t have to supply the materials in the first place! And it¡¯s not like he¡¯s giving them the materials to do with as they please¡ªhe¡¯s commissioning them without pay!¡±

    I remained silent as the two of them seethed over the Goro Tanimoto¡¯s cruelty¡ªthey weren¡¯t wrong at all.

    Asuma hummed. ¡°This Goro Tanimoto seems like a cruel sort of guy, doesn¡¯t he.¡±

    The two of them nodded firmly.

    ¡°We¡¯d be doing the village a whole lot of good by dealing with him as well, right?¡±

    Again, they nodded.

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Asuma, adjusting his position, ¡°tell me, what have we been hired to do?¡±

    I opened my mouth. ¡°To¡ª¡±

    ¡°Not you, Naruto,¡± said Asuma, holding up his hand. ¡°I¡¯m asking Choji and Hinata.¡±

    I held back my grimace because I could see what Asuma was about to do from a mile away.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been¡­ instructed to deal with the Jagged Blades on behalf of Yasuhiro Ohashi, the Chief of Tenka Village,¡± said Hinata, looking slightly confused while she spoke.

    ¡°Choji, what does that involve? Hinata was a little vague by referring to our mission as dealing with the Jagged Blades.¡±

    Choji frowned. ¡°We¡¯re going to¡ªuh¡­ kill them.¡±

    ¡°Right you are. Goro Tanimoto is a bastard through and through, there¡¯s no doubt about that, but we¡¯re going to kill him¡ªis that the right thing to do?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re putting an end to his evil!¡± Hinata¡¯s eyebrows rose into an arch. ¡°If he hadn¡¯t tormented the villagers, they wouldn¡¯t have hired us to kill him. The Jagged Blades are reaping exactly what they sowed.¡±

    ¡°And we¡¯re some kind of moral authority now?¡±

    His words gave her of them a moment of pause.

    ¡°I think,¡± said Hinata, speaking slowly, ¡°that we are doing the right thing.¡±

    ¡°You two are misunderstanding something crucial about being a shinobi. You¡¯re kind children, and that¡¯s something I want you to hold onto, but not before you hear this,¡± said Asuma, looking at me. ¡°Naruto, what is a shinobi?¡±

    ¡°A shinobi is a blade for hire who will do whatever is instructed of them by their kage.¡±

    ¡°And what is the Will of Fire?¡±

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    I pulled my lips into a thin, hard line. ¡°The Will of Fire is the dominant shinobi philosophy in the Leaf, impressing the need to sacrifice everything for the village and its people.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like it¡¯s all well and good doesn¡¯t it?¡± Asuma nodded, returning to Choji and Hinata. ¡°But one day, you could be hired to go and do something your conscience will immediately say, ¡°hell no!¡±, to. What then?¡±

    Hinata frowned into her blanket and Choji looked contemplative.

    ¡°We might be doing the moral thing now, but our job is anything but moral. To convince yourself otherwise is hypocrisy¡ªand there¡¯s nothing more dangerous than a hypocritical shinobi.¡± Asuma frowned deeply, his face looking more grave than I¡¯d ever seen it.

    Despite that, it didn¡¯t look like Hinata had truly understood what Asuma had said. I saw a retort forming on her face before she shook her head and leaned against the bedframe and Choji remained silent, still thinking things over.

    Right and wrong, as it related to shinobi, would be a difficult thing for them to grasp¡­ at least, until they experienced it firsthand; that was where the real cost of being a shinobi reared its ugly head.

    Following orders was an easy thing to do when those orders aligned with your worldview¡ªbut what happened when they didn¡¯t and the cost of disobedience was death?

    ¡°You might not understand it now, but one day, you will. I just hope you remember my words,¡± said Asuma, sighing softly, and pointing at me. ¡°Naruto, what did you discover today?¡±

    ¡°Mostly the same thing as Choji,¡± I said. ¡°I ended up speaking to a serving girl from The Empty Plate; Goro Tanimoto killed her husband and orphaned her son.¡±

    Hinata¡¯s gaze snapped onto me and I could see the righteous anger wrinkling her brow. Asuma saw it too and closed his eyes for a long moment, taking a breath.

    ¡°Go on,¡± he said.

    ¡°The Jagged Blades treat the village as a free resource and because they shut down all trade in and out of the village, they¡¯ve made everyone reliant on them,¡± I said, running my tongue along the inside of my cheek in thought. ¡°But I also discovered that a group of shinobi might be trying to take the bounty on the Jagged Blades.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± said Hinata. ¡°I scanned the village before we entered and then watched the outpost. There weren¡¯t any above-average chakra signatures.¡±

    ¡°The serving girl told me that three people came to the village around a week ago and were asking about the Jagged Blades. When she inquired if they were Leaf shinobi who¡¯d come to exterminate them, they didn¡¯t deny it and no one¡¯s seen them since.¡±

    ¡°Sensei, what are we going to do?¡± asked Choji, looking troubled. ¡°They could be enemy shinobi.¡±

    ¡°They probably are enemy shinobi.¡± Asuma frowned. ¡°Standard procedure says outside interference by other shinobi¡ªforeign or otherwise¡ªis enough grounds for us to turn around and go home. People will hold you retreating on your very first mission over you for a while; it¡¯s not career-ending at all, but I¡¯ll leave the choice in your hands. Do you want to continue the mission, or should we leave Tenka Village?¡±

    That was the question, wasn¡¯t it? On the one hand, we could avoid having to fight enemy shinobi of unknown rank. Tenka Village would still be freed from the Jagged Blades and we could count the mission as a success in a moral sense.

    We wouldn¡¯t be abandoning the villagers to the Jagged Blades¡¯ cruelty, anyway.

    But where did that leave us? The next thing we¡¯d have to deal with would be an invasion of Sand and Sound Village shinobi, Orochimaru, and Gaara. Not only that, we would have to deal with all those threats without any prior battle experience.

    Asuma could probably hold his own against most threats¡ªespecially since his taijutsu was only second to Maito Gai¡¯s in the village. Choji, Hinata, and I had been training hard for years so we weren¡¯t the typical genin. If not for that, I¡¯d vote to go home in a heartbeat.

    This¡­ it was doable¡ªwe were in the dark about the shinobi¡¯s identities, but it wasn¡¯t an impossible task.

    I clenched my fist¡ªthe decision was made. ¡°I think we should do it. We need the experience, even with the threat. So long as we¡¯re cautious, we shouldn¡¯t be taken unawares and we can change our strategy with an ambush in mind.¡±

    Choji folded his arms. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m with Naruto,¡± said Hinata, even if she looked hesitant. ¡°The threat of unknown enemy shinobi¡­ it¡¯s a big one, but I think we can handle it if we keep a calm head. You said shinobi execute their orders to completion, right?¡±

    ¡°Naruto said that not me,¡± said Asuma, smiling, ¡°but I get your point. Fine, we¡¯ll go ahead with the mission, but we¡¯re going to change the plan of attack. Instead of having you and Choji split off when Naruto and I make our rush at the outpost, we¡¯re going to storm it as one. Then, we¡¯ll deal with the rogues as quickly as possible.¡±

    ¡°What if we get ambushed on the way there?¡± Choji asked.

    I shook my head. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t make sense. Why attack us when we¡¯d be expecting it the most?¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± said Asuma. ¡°If they¡¯re going to ambush us, it¡¯ll happen either during or after we clear the outpost; they¡¯ll take advantage of the chaos, or get us when our guard is down.¡±

    ¡°Can we use that against them?¡± asked Hinata.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Well, if they attack during the battle, we can use the Jagged Blades to defend against them just by running away.¡±

    ¡°What happened to morality?¡± He smiled at her with a raised brow. ¡°Isn¡¯t that kind of evil?¡±

    She blushed but was still fighting off a smile. ¡°It¡¯s tactical,¡± she huffed out, ¡°and it¡¯s the least they deserve!¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m kidding¡ª¡± Asuma raised a hand, chuckling¡ª¡°but what if they ambush us afterwards?¡±

    Choji¡¯s hand shot up. ¡°We can pretend we¡¯re tired and then ambush them right back!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not how an ambush works,¡± I said with a snort, ¡°but you¡¯ve got the right idea. We won¡¯t even have to pretend to be distracted¡ªnone of us have killed anyone before.¡±

    Whatever optimism our brainstorming had brought swiftly evaporated with my reminder. It was a topic we¡¯d been deftly avoiding on the journey here but seeing that we¡¯d committed to a course of action, I decided to rip the bandaid off.

    Choji very visibly didn¡¯t like the idea of becoming a killer, but I could see the logic warring with his emotions¡ªhe had a very expressive face.

    ¡°Something tells me I won¡¯t have much trouble with the Jagged Blads,¡± said Hinata, frowning.

    Asuma rolled his eyes. ¡°Saying it and doing it are two different things.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± I said, setting my jaw. ¡°And besides, I¡¯m not looking forward to killing them either. Their shittiness aside, a life holds weight.¡±

    She broke eye contact with me and pushed open the shuttered, wooden window, looking onto the village below.

    ¡°Here,¡± said Asuma, making a sudden move for his back. He rummaged inside it, pulling out the lids of our flasks. ¡°Here¡¯s a drink for each of you; take a glass and wait on my call before you drink anything.

    I watched him open the bottle of alcohol and pour about a shot¡¯s worth into each lid. Choji, Hinata, and I took the three lids, clutching them awkwardly as he poured out a fourth using his own flask lid.

    ¡°Why are we drinking?¡± Choji asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t it for adults?¡±

    I tilted my head from side to side. ¡°Legally speaking, we are adults.¡±

    ¡°Physically speaking, we¡¯re children,¡± Hinata shot back, eyeing the wine inside her flask. ¡°Though it¡¯s not exactly forbidden. I used to drink diluted wine all the time at clan gatherings.¡±

    Choji stared at her in surprise. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing compared to the real stuff,¡± said Asuma, holding his lid out. ¡°Come on, hold yours out too, kids.¡±

    We did so tentatively, watching him to see what would happen next.

    ¡°Naruto¡¯s right¡ªno matter what happens tomorrow, you¡¯re going to take human lives. Lives, not life. It¡¯s an experience that will change you, no matter your thoughts on it¡ª¡± he looked at Hinata, and then at Choji, before his gaze settled on me. ¡°¡ªbut don¡¯t let it overwhelm you. Accept it for what it is¡ªdon¡¯t shrug it off¡ªand when the mission is complete, we will talk. I won¡¯t leave you guys alone, so you can take a little comfort in that, alright?¡±

    We nodded and his usual easy smile slipped across his face.

    ¡°Good¡ªand now that we¡¯ve got that over and done with, bottoms up!¡±

    He threw his head back and we mirrored him. Choji and Hinata let out two simultaneous sounds, wrinkling their noses. I swallowed the sake a beat after them¡ªfeeling its bittersweet burn down my throat. That night, we went to sleep, knowing that we¡¯d receive a baptism in blood the very next day.

    The realisation sat in my stomach and I didn¡¯t quite know how to feel about it. Like Asuma said, taking life and thinking about it were two vastly different experiences. I just hoped that when the time came, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate¡ªbecause if I did, I could just as easily lose mine.

    I had to be able to stomach murder not only because it was a necessity, but because I¡¯d do just about anything to avoid the powerlessness of feeling my very existence slip away into nothingness.

 Chapter 31 [1]

    I couldn¡¯t sleep.

    The only light source in the room was the clear moonlit sky coming in from the slightly open window, but even that failed to illuminate the entirety of the room. I lay awake on the hard wooden floor, staring at the ceiling and sighed.

    ¡°Naruto,¡± Choji¡¯s voice sounded from beside my head as a whisper, ¡°are you awake?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± I whispered back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    He was silent for a long, long moment.

    ¡°What do you think about it¡ªabout killing?¡±

    The conversation we¡¯d had as a team seemed fresh in both of our minds seeing that he was still up.

    ¡°Killing, huh?¡± The word itself carried a weight that both of us could feel. ¡°It¡¯s a response beyond the pale in most cases. As shinobi, it¡¯s necessary, but that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s supposed to be easy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve thought a lot about killing, even during the Academy. We were only killing animals on field trips, but that was for food as much as it was to get us used to blood and the other stuff.¡± He stopped speaking but in the silence, I could hear the intake of air as he tried to formulate his next sentence. ¡°In our clan, there¡¯s a way to going about killing animals: you make sure they don¡¯t suffer needlessly and before and after eating, you have to express gratefulness¡ªbut humans aren¡¯t animals.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°There¡¯s a whole argument to be had about that.¡±

    ¡°Not like that,¡± he huffed, nudging me with his elbow, ¡°I meant that animals give us nutrients and their fur protects us from the cold; their fat can be used in candles or as soap. There¡¯s a purpose to killing them that isn¡¯t just killing.¡±

    ¡°I hear you, man,¡± I said, smiling even though he couldn¡¯t see it. Choji was a soul-crushingly kind kid. ¡°The reason why we kill animals and make use of every part of them is because of survival.¡±

    ¡°Right¡ªthat¡¯s it. But with killing people, I can¡¯t help but wonder why, you know? We all have friends and family who love and depend on us. Finding out someone you care about is dead is painful enough so why make people experience that sooner by ending their life¡ªwhy?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for the same reason, Choji¡ªsurvival. Conflict and violence¡­ they¡¯re wired into us; for some people like Kiba, it¡¯s a little bit more, and for others like you, it¡¯s a little bit less.¡±

    ¡°But what does that have to do with killing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get there, I¡¯m just setting the scene first.¡± I took a deep breath and freed my arms from the sleeping bag, laying them across my stomach, and clasping them together at the fingers. ¡°Your family hunts a lot so you should know about survival of the fittest.¡±

    ¡°I do, yeah.¡±

    ¡°In the wild, there¡¯s always something animals stand to gain by killing, right? They eliminate a potential threat and receive food or territory¡ªheck, they get to keep their life. Human beings aren¡¯t all that different even if we¡¯re a little bit more complicated. That same brutal violence is wired into us even if we can communicate on a deeper level than animals.¡±

    ¡°That might be true,¡± said Choji with his voice heavy with doubt despite his words, ¡°but then why isn¡¯t everyone killing?¡±

    ¡°Because not everyone wants to kill¡ªbut there are still people who do because there¡¯s something to gain.¡± I tried to keep the heaviness out of my voice with the next sentence but I must¡¯ve failed because Choji stiffened slightly. ¡°Killing won¡¯t ever stop because while some people don¡¯t want to kill, there are people that do because they have something to gain from it¡ªphysically or otherwise¡ªand that¡¯s not even the worst of it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not?¡±

    ¡°No¡ªwhat¡¯s worse is that killing won¡¯t ever stop because so long as there are people who kill, their victims will hate and kill them in turn. Over and over and over again because as much as the law punishes lawbreakers, an eye for an eye is a tale as old as time.¡±

    The two of us lay there on the floor, waiting for the other person to say something, but neither of us uttered a word. The conversation about killing had brought the mission even further to the front of my mind and once again, any exhaustion I felt was banished by a chill.

    ¡°Naruto?¡± asked Choji. ¡°What do you think about why people kill each other?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± I sighed, thinking over my answer slowly. ¡°I¡­ understand why people kill and even agree with some of their reasoning. Killing for no apparent reason is wrong, but when that person has killed someone you love? You can¡¯t condemn them for wanting vengeance.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but what if you kill someone who hasn¡¯t done anything to you, like personally?¡±

    My lips twitched upwards at the lack of subtlety in the question. ¡°So, we¡¯re talking about the mission now, huh?¡±

    He didn¡¯t say anything, but he let out a strangled hum at having been found out.

    ¡°Okay, think of it this way: tomorrow, we¡¯re going to go out there to siege the outpost, whether we want to kill the Jagged Blades or not. We can talk as much philosophy about why people kill as we want but tomorrow, they¡¯re going to try to kill us to stop us from doing the same to them.¡±

    Those were the facts.

    In an ideal world, everyone would be able to live without conflict and in relative peace, but life was anything but ideal and the sacrifice needed for peace would always be war, violence, and death. That was as true in my past life as it was in this one and I felt my frustration rise at everything.

    So, was it surprising that power was prized above all in this shinobi world? For all my pointing out the shinobi system¡¯s faults, I accepted the necessity of fighting to kill so that I could survive, embraced my desire to kill Obito for killing my parents, and willingly put myself in an avoidable kill-or-be-killed scenario to achieve both those goals.

    Because until I had the strength to do something about it, I was beholden to the world¡¯s rules, as countless other shinobi were.

    ¡°So that¡¯s it then?¡± Choji asked. ¡°Kill, otherwise you¡¯ll die.¡±

    ¡°Yup¡ªthat¡¯s the bottom line.¡±

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    I¡¯d said that to him before we¡¯d drifted off into a light nap preceding our move on the outpost, but felt a lot less certain the closer we drew to the watchtower and the further we left Tenka Village behind. The sky above was lightening from pitch-black to a deep, dark blue and while our surroundings still weren¡¯t visible, Hinata led us from the front at a steady pace.

    We circulated our chakra to keep our networks primed and ready even if no one attacked us on the way to the outpost. Armed to the teeth and clad in my brown flak jacket, the mesh shirt, and the concealed weapons, I was¡­ uncertain. All my training and preparation¡ªit was all for this. To take the skills I¡¯d learned, the techniques I¡¯d honed, and use them to kill.

    But I wasn¡¯t scared or excited at the prospect of doing so. Just empty¡ªgrudgingly accepting.

    We stopped at the edge of the forest, peering over the undergrowth at a stretch of several dozen metres of grass where the outpost stood tall. It was fenced in by several wooden spikes plunged into the earth. When I squinted, I could just about see two men standing guard at the front of the gate facing us and there were probably three more pairs stationed at each side of the fence.

    Torchlight bobbed between the wooden spikes, bathing the ground in an orange glow.

    ¡°Hinata, where are the shinobi?¡± asked Asuma.

    A moment later, she replied, ¡°All of them are asleep but there¡¯s an archer with a telescope at the top of the watchtower.¡±

    Taking a closer look, I noticed the glint of a lamp, like a firefly, on top of the outpost.

    Asuma smiled¡ªbut this smile was unlike his usual ones. There was an edge to it; I wouldn¡¯t call it bloodthirsty, but it was unnerving.

    ¡°Hit ¡®em hard and hit ¡®em fast,¡± he said, looking at Choji. ¡°Body flicker down there, bust down the walls.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Naruto, go with him and bring down the wall¡ªbut wait until Hinata is with you.¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Hinata, I want you to take out the other guards stationed around the perimeter while these two focus on the front entrance. Then, go up there and deal with the guy on the watchtower.¡±

    Again, I nodded to myself¡ªthis was doable. I just hoped the adrenaline and muscle memory combined would be enough to stop us from freezing, but after the conversation I¡¯d had with Choji, I couldn¡¯t be so sure.

    So, I tapped his shoulder.

    He looked up and I could see duty warring with doubt and indecision in his brown eyes.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do this,¡± I said, standing in front of him. I took all the moral quandaries and shoved them as deep as they would go, staring at the outpost and circling chakra around my body. ¡°Don¡¯t think¡ªjust follow me.¡±

    I blasted out of the undergrowth.

    The world wrenched past; chilling winds ripped through my hair and eyes but I kept them open, touching down a few metres in front of the guards. They froze at the sight of me and I saw one go for the blade at his hip. Dividing the moulded chakra I had left after using the Body Flicker, I sent half to my feet, closing the gap between me and the two guards in the blink of an eye.

    Making use of the rest, I swung for the one going for his weapon, spinning on my heel before he even hit the ground. Something warm and wet splashed across my face at how fast I¡¯d turned¡ªI ignored it. Slipping into my pouch, I hurled a kunai at the other guard¡¯s exposed throat and he toppled back, gurgling.

    I turned after registering someone¡¯s footsteps. It was Choji. He looked between me and the bodies and froze. I swallowed¡ªwhen had my throat become so dry?

    ¡°Break down the wall,¡± I croaked, using the clean plate on the back of my right hand as a mirror. A still-wet bloody smear ran across my right cheekbone, trailing down to my jawbone. I stared at my reflection until the front gate exploded in a shower of wooden chips and a chorus of low thuds.

    Choji¡¯s enlarged fist shrunk back to normal size. He slammed his palms onto the ground, finishing his series of hand seals. Clumps of earth coated his hands completely, coalescing around his forearm into two hardened gauntlets.

    ¡°I-Intruders!¡±

    It was obvious that we¡¯d caught the Jagged Blades with their pants down. Six of them were milling about the courtyard and scrambled for their weapons when we busted down the front gate.

    The distant but clear bellow of a horn broke out across the outpost before that same sound was echoed two or three times over. I gritted my teeth and used Great Breakthrough, aiming for the two-storey building where the rest of the forces and the three shinobi were sleeping. It wouldn¡¯t kill the shinobi, but it would kill the stream of mercenaries bolting out of the windows and doors.

    My lungs expanded as the chakra I¡¯d gathered there transformed into violent winds. I jumped up before releasing it all at the building. Cupping two chakra-coated hands in front of my face, I shaped the jutsu into a targeted cone of sheer destruction. It expanded as it left my hands and kept me in the air.

    I swept the violent wave back and forth, causing as much damage as possible while slowly returning to the ground. It slammed into the building destroying its entire front face and levelled the rest of it with little resistance. At least four of the stragglers escaping the building were blown away and the unlucky few left inside were soon crushed underneath wooden beams and tiling.

    The ones on the ground scrambled out of the way, rushing towards us with their weapons raised.

    ¡°S-Shit!¡± The group we¡¯d run into after busting down the door put their weapons between us and them. ¡°It¡¯s the Hidden Leaf¡ªshit. I didn¡¯t sign up for this!¡±

    ¡°Choji,¡± I nodded at the wrecked building, ¡°most of them are dead but the three shinobi and whoever¡¯s left are going to come busting out of there pretty soon, come on.¡±

    Without waiting for his reply, I threw myself into the thick of things¡ªthere was no thinking.

    A sword came for my head so I ducked low, sweeping the assailant off their feet and then slamming my foot down as I rose.

    Something crunched beneath my heel.

    In the same breath, I pulled out two kunai from my holsters and brandished them, stepping forward with a burst of chakra under my feet. Forcefully breaking into the formation of four mercenaries, I plunged the blades hilt-deep into two of them and knocked the other two back with enhanced punches to the chest.

    The last of the final two coughed at a bloody globule into my face before hurtling several metres away from me. I wiped it away, more disgusted that he¡¯d spat at me than the blood covering my face, hands, and boots.

    And thank fuck I wasn¡¯t wearing open-toed boots.

    ¡°Naruto!¡±

    Choji bellowed, raising his fists as another group of mercenaries stormed forward.

    The horn continued to below, even as the clang of weaponry and rousing battle cries filled the outpost. He stood at my side and planted his feet as a horde of mercenaries wielding swords and sabres charged. I punched at¡ªand through¡ªone after the other¡ªonly stopping to give Choji a wide enough berth to exhaust his stone gauntlets.

    By the time I¡¯d managed to get enough space to look at him, his stone gauntlets were broken away in chunks and painted red with blood. That said, he seemed too hopped up on adrenaline to pay attention to the bodies surrounding him.

    Gritting my teeth, I hurled a volley of shuriken at an oncoming wave of mercenaries.

    ¡°That ain¡¯t reaching us, you evil little bastard,¡± one jeered, raising his sword.

    I smiled humourlessly and brought my palms together to finish my hand seals. A powerful draft of wind surged out from me and propelled the shuriken even further. Some of the mercenaries had shields raised but most were fooled into believing my weapons wouldn¡¯t reach them.

    Before I could close in to end their suffering, something dropped into the group from above. I caught a twin cobalt flare before the glow vanished into their midst. Hinata emerged from their corpses, dispelling the chakra coating her hands to tie her hair back into a ponytail.

    She probably should have done that earlier, but I shook the thought off. As she drew closer, I noticed that she didn¡¯t have a single drop of blood on her¡ªunlike Choji and I. The worst of it was a light sheen on her slightly flushed face.

    The commotion behind me gradually eased off. I turned to see Choji surrounded by at least five bodies¡ªand they hadn¡¯t died easily. Two¡¯d had their heads smashed repeatedly; one was laying down, his chest caved in; and three had fallen in a tangle of bladed weapons, impaling each other.

    All the while, he stood in between them¡ªhis stone gauntlets were gone and his knuckles were raw and red.

    ¡°Choji?¡± I ran up to him. ¡°Hey!¡±

    His listless eyes were pointed at the three impaled mercenaries. I yanked him by the shoulder.

    ¡°Listen,¡± I hissed, purposefully squeezing him tightly enough to cause pain¡ªto bring a flicker of life to his eyes¡ªotherwise he¡¯d shut down completely, ¡°do you hear that?¡±

 Chapter 31 [2]

    Choji furrowed his brow and listened closely¡ªHinata did too. Now that there were no more horns, and the battle had died down, it was far easier to make it out: a consistent, almost rhythmic thumping.

    It went: one, two¡ªTHUMP.

    Hinata immediately looked closer. ¡°Goro Tanimoto is breaking out through the back. He¡¯s with the two genin and three normal bandits.¡±

    ¡°Where and how?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Most of the damage was received by its front. You destroyed the entirety of the second floor and most of the first, but the back of the building is stable enough for them to break out.¡±

    ¡°How much chakra do the shinobi have?¡±

    ¡°One is somewhere between Choji and I and has a katana. The other has more than both of us but is unarmed. Of course, Tanimoto has more than us and less than you and Asuma but that''s not saying much.¡±

    ¡°Choji,¡± I barked, making him flinch. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡±

    ¡°I-I¡­¡± He squeezed his eyes shut and when he opened them, they were clear, focused. ¡°I¡¯ll take the one with more chakra.¡±

    ¡°Hinata?¡±

    She straightened. ¡°I¡¯ve got the one with the katana.¡±

    We shared a nod and positioned ourselves right where they¡¯d emerge from. I circulated my chakra, getting ready to level the rest of the building. Hinata perched on the edge of a tree, staring down at the rubble, and Choji refreshed his stone gauntlets directly below us, setting his jaw.

    Expecting the worst, I levelled my palm at the area Hinata had pointed out, aiming Shotgun¡ªa modified Wind-Release: Gale Palm. Gale Palm was a high-coverage, low-force wind jutsu geared more for crowd control than outright damage.

    Shotgun, however, compressed the gale¡ªand by simply using more chakra than needed, I retained its wide range. A dense, revolving wind formed in front of my palm and I fired it, bringing down the section of wall Tanimoto and his shinobi were hammering on, along with the rest of the building.

    ¡°Did I get them?¡± I asked, looking at Hinata.

    She shook her head, but before she could open her mouth to say anything, the rubble burst apart, revealing three blood-stained shinobi¡ªand none of the blood was theirs. Once the dust settled, I frowned¡ªthey¡¯d used the three mercenaries as meat shields. Either that or my jutsu simply hit them instead.

    I stared down the three ex-shinobi from above, moulding as much chakra as possible before all hell broke loose. The katana-wielding rogue drew his sword, taking a ready stance and Goro Tanimoto pulled a single-edged, ringed broadsword off his back.

    ¡°Leaf shinobi,¡± he said with a deep frown, laying the non-cutting edge across his shoulder. ¡°Who sent you?¡±

    He deflected the kunai I threw at him¡ªthe weapon drawing his attention from Choji and onto me¡ªthough he saw Hinata, and a second later, his expression went from rage to apprehension.

    Wrenching another two kunai free, I held them in reverse grip and launched at Goro, ignoring the two genin on either side of him. I crouched low when I landed, avoiding a horizontal swing from his blade.

    He jumped back, giving me the space needed to throw a front kick. I connected with the flat of his blade and grunted, sending a blast of chakra through my sole to send him flying. The force flipped me back but I righted myself in midair and landed, dashing forward before he could regain his footing.

    Goro slammed into the remains of the building and righted his grip over his sword, the rings colliding at how fast he¡¯d swung the weapon. I caught its edge on my kunai, stopping it dead on as he squared his feet and continued pushing. I could feel him overpowering me so I readied the kunai in my other hand and buried it as deep into his stomach as it would go.

    The attack forced him to let go of his weapon and he backed away, glaring at me hatefully. ¡°W-Who sent you?¡±

    I levelled my remaining kunai at him.

    A vein bulged in his head as he snarled, ¡°Fine¡ªI¡¯ll turn you to ash¡ªthen it won¡¯t matter!¡±

    Cursing, I hurled the kunai at him to stop the flow of his hand seals.

    He skipped away and I looked back to see Choji and Hinata embroiled in battles of their own. If I dodged, the fire jutsu would hit them. I flew through hand seals of my own as I turned back, gathering more chakra than I did when levelling the building.

    A wave of heat slammed into me as Goro spewed a fireball that quickly swelled in size. It set the rubble aflame and roared as it neared me. I kneaded the chakra in my lungs and reared back, shaping it with my hands into a focused cone. It slammed into the centre of the approaching fireball, dispersing the flames in all directions.

    The resulting shockwave blasted the surrounding debris away and the intense heat diminished almost instantly as my jutsu overpowered his. Goro''s fireball, formidable as it was, couldn''t withstand the concentrated power of my jutsu, splitting it into harmless embers that floated down like dying stars, singing the outpost¡¯s wooden remains.

    Goro''s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°What kind of jutsu is that?¡±

    I didn''t respond, focusing instead on regaining my breath and steadying my stance¡ªeven though I had a lot more jutsu in me before I¡¯d felt any sort of strain, I didn¡¯t want to risk Choji and Hinata entering the splash zone. My gaze shifted momentarily to check on the both of them; they seemed to be holding their own.

    A measure of relief washed over me at the sight¡ªthere was no hesitation in their attacks despite having killed for the first. Goro, more frustrated with a growl, retrieved his sword with a growl.

    ¡°You think this is over?¡± His stomach was dyed red with blood but he didn''t show any sign of backing down. ¡°Because it¡¯s not¡ªnot by a longshot.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I replied, strangely relaxed now. The residual heat from the collision made my skin prickly, but I readied my kunai.

    As Goro lunged forward, his blade gleaming in the flickering firelight, I rooted myself, channelling my focus to the point of tunnel vision. Efficiency and precision were key here. Goro''s sword swung towards my neck, but I stepped in, closing the distance. My left hand, still gripping the kunai, intercepted his wrist with a powerful deflection, redirecting the blade harmlessly past my shoulder.

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    I wrenched it down with my right hand and stabbed the kunai deep into his forearm before pulling it out and slamming the hilt into his face. He staggered, his breath hissing out between clenched teeth, but his grip over the sword didn¡¯t slacken one bit.

    Goro''s sword came slashing horizontally; I flowed around his defences, dropping low and taking advantage of his injured side. My leg whipped around in a seamless motion while I carefully controlled my chakra and unleashed a devastating sidekick to his knee. The joint buckled with a sickening crack.

    His knee gave out under him as he roared in pain and fury, sword arm flailing wildly in an attempt to slash at me. I grabbed his wrist again, twisting it sharply. The blade clattered to the ground and I drove my kunai into his forearm, pinning it to the ground. I ground my knuckles into his face, each punch snapping his head back and forth, blood splattering from his mouth and nose.

    Setting my jaw, I continued to pummel him, more blood splashing across my face and clothes. He tried to rise, but I stayed ahead of his attempts to regain balance by delivering heavy blows to his injured stomach.

    Taking a deep breath, I slid behind him¡ªevading yet another wild, sloppy strike and pounced. Both my arms locked around his throat and I did the same with his waist using my legs. He struggled, but my hold was ironclad. His fingers clawed at my arm, but couldn''t find purchase.

    With a final, desperate effort, he sagged back, trying to squash me underneath him, but I only tightened my grip, cutting off his air supply completely. His struggles grew weaker, his movements sluggish. I felt his pulse fading under my arm and snapped his neck with a final, brutal twist.

    Goro¡¯s body went limp, and I released him, letting his lifeless form slump to the ground. I stood over him, heaving, and wrenched my kunai out of his corpse and then considered the thought before ripping the nine-ringed broadsword from his dead grip.

    From the looks of it, Choji and Hinata had finished up too. The natural course of battle had taken them farther away from where our brawls had started. However, each of us stood in a bloodbath of our own making.

    Three shinobi lay dead at our feet and dozens more mercenaries encircled us. The crackles of sizzling embers filled the silence. I could see them¡ªmy friends¡ªbut something stopped me from going to them or even taking a step in their direction. So, instead, I stood still and stared.

    At the bodies; some were my doing, some were Choji¡¯s¡ªthe four over there were Hinata¡¯s. One after the other, I took life after life. Why couldn¡¯t I feel anything? Shock, revulsion, or even some kind of rush? Instead, there was a hollowness in my chest. Not quite gnawing or heavy but a stationary hollowness at the nine lives I¡¯d taken: the two at the gate, the six inside, and Goro Tanimoto.

    Someone touched my shoulder¡ªI didn¡¯t react to it as quickly as I should have. Choji stared at me, looking like he might burst into tears. Hinata gave me a brittle smile and I blinked, not knowing how to reply.

    ¡°Good job, you three,¡± came our teacher¡¯s voice from a tree above us. ¡°You handled that about as well as I expected.¡± He landed in front of us, placing a hand on each of our heads in turn. ¡°Killing isn¡¯t an easy thing, so talk about it¡ªdon¡¯t let it eat you up inside.¡±

    I looked at my friends out of the corner of my eyes.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be so¡­ easy, you know?¡± I spoke first because Hinata and Choji wouldn¡¯t¡ªfor better or worse, I led them into this shitshow, so I felt some kind of responsibility in leading them out of it. ¡°Killing was always that one thing you never did. Ever. I thought it¡¯d be harder.¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s messy¡ªand the blood it gets¡­ it gets everywhere. I a-accidentally swallowed it a-and¡ª¡± Choji cut himself off and retched, emptying his stomach on the rubble of the building I¡¯d flattened.

    He reared up, took another look at the bodies littering the outpost and retched again.

    Hinata patted his back, purposefully keeping her eyes to the ground. ¡°...With my Byakugan, I could see the exact moment each of them died¡ªwithout fail. It was terrifying¡ªthat no matter what, we¡¯ll die in the same way.¡±

    ¡°You know the saying,¡± said Asuma, sighing. ¡°Those who kill should be prepared to be killed in turn. There¡¯s a karma to this life¡ªa price to every life we take that we¡¯ll pay, whether you believe in an afterlife or not.¡±

    ¡°Sensei?¡± Choji¡¯s voice wavered. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve. ¡°I¡­ Why do people kill?¡±

    Our teacher frowned and, instead of answering, he removed a cigarette from his pack and held one between his teeth. My hand hovered in the air for a moment and I sighed, making my decision.

    ¡°Pass me one,¡± I said.

    Asuma raised an eyebrow. ¡°A cigarette?¡±

    ¡°Pass me a cigarette. Right now, I need to feel something that isn¡¯t this¡­ this emptiness, even if it¡¯s the burn of those death sticks.¡±

    He lit it for me before passing it over, face softening. I took a deep drag, my throat burning, but clamped down on my rising cough before breathing it back up. Tears pricked my eyes. Once I blinked them away, I caught Hinata¡¯s eye.

    ¡°Give it here,¡± she said.

    I handed it over, fully expecting her to stamp it out but she took a drag from it and handed it back, spluttering. Then, Choji asked for it, and in a daze, I let him take it, accepting it between my fingers when he was done and watched it slowly disintegrate.

    Asuma watched our exchange with a deep sadness in his eyes before walking away. He removed another sealing scroll from his pouch, beheading the corpses of the two shinobi Choji and Hinata had killed before doing the same to Goro Tanimoto. I took another drag of the cigarette, tossing the butt into the rubble.

    Choji and Hinata stared at the ground until he returned.

    ¡°Come on,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s report back to the village and go home.¡±

    Even when we¡¯d left the outpost behind, it felt like I was still there, surrounded by the bodies and the embers. The cigarette¡¯s bitter taste lingered on my tongue but I was grateful for it. The bodies of my first two kills greeted me at the front gate and I froze, taking in the sight of the one who took a kunai to the throat.

    I¡¯d looked away from his dying expression then¡ªthe strangled cry was too much for me. This time, I didn¡¯t shy away. His eyes were still open, but they were dull. They followed me, those bottle-green eyes. I could feel them at my back, judging me¡­ blaming me.

    The emptiness returned and I sighed, ready to ask for another cigarette. ¡°Hey, Asuma can I¡ª¡±

    Two things happened, then.

    A jangle ran across the field, coming from the undergrowth to our left¡ªthe same undergrowth we¡¯d emerged from at the start of our assault. I squinted at the darkness, just about able to make out a humanoid shape in the early morning light before I slammed to the ground hard.

    My friends yelped beside me and while I couldn¡¯t see a thing over Asuma¡¯s broad body sprawled on top of us¡ªI could hear. Something big and heavy collided into the ground. He rolled away from us and we scrambled to my feet. I knew that sword¡ªthat irregular, broad cleaver. Its owner stood next to it, gripping its handle and unearthing it as if the ground was simple butter.

    A spiked, interlinked cord lay on the ground next to it before it snapped back sharply. I looked further into the field and my stomach dropped¡ªthis was wrong. Why were they here?

    The broadsword came for us again but Asuma wedged his trench knives between the massive cleaver and himself. Sparks flew before he slipped underneath the swing, the huge blade just narrowly missing his head. Before he could do anything except stand, the sword came swinging down and he sprung back.

    One more person stepped out of the shadowed forest wearing a thin, porcelain-like mask with slits where the eyes should be and a flowing, crimson pattern trailing down. I followed his movements with my eyes, raising Goro Tanimoto¡¯s blade just in time to deflect a hail of senbon.

    Hinata and Choji avoided the massive chain hurled from across the field.

    Was this a battle we could even win? I gritted my teeth, plunging the ringed broadsword into the soil. If I made it out alive, I could always retrieve it, but until then, it would only be a hindrance.

    Asuma¡¯s trench knives buzzed to life, piercing the deadly silence with their hum. ¡°Zabuza Momochi, what business do you have with the Hidden Leaf?¡±

 Chapter 32 [1]

    Sasuke was eager for combat¡ªa test to match himself against. It was the next step on the long path to vengeance for his dead clan.

    The village¡¯s forehead protector gleamed in the sunlight, and he proudly displayed his clan¡¯s sigil on his back as the only Uchiha worthy of the name. Kakashi and Shino took the front of the guard detail, and he and Sakura were placed on rear duty, sandwiching Tazuna between them.

    After the initial questioning all those days ago, the old man was content to walk in silence, having long since finished his gourd full of alcohol. During the two weeks of travel, they¡¯d stopped in nearby towns to rest whenever possible. Tazuna only found more booze, and the team restocked their supplies. When they couldn¡¯t do so, they camped under the night sky.

    Sasuke disliked the agonisingly slow pace when all of them¡ªeven Sakura¡ªwere capable of so much more. Still, his responsibility weighed on him, both as a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf and as the representative of his clan of one. His father¡¯s lessons were always in the back of his mind, bloodstained, but there, so he bore it while paying attention to the old man and calling for breaks whenever he faltered.

    ¡°Hey, Sasuke?¡± His pink-haired teammate chirped, talking his ear off as she had been for the last twenty minutes. ¡°We¡¯re going to reach the Land of Waves soon. What do you think it¡¯ll be like?¡±

    Sasuke considered her question but eventually gave a noncommittal grunt¡ªhow was he to know? That said, Tazuna was leading the project to construct a bridge connecting the Land of Waves to the Land of Fire, so he was more well-off than the average person in his country but still looked as poor as the Leaf¡¯s more deprived citizens.

    It was a small bit of information, but perhaps it spoke of the country¡¯s state as a whole. At the same time, he had travelled for the total duration of a month to and from the Land of Waves, so judging him by his appearance wouldn¡¯t be all that accurate.

    ¡°Curb your expectations, kids,¡± Tazuna drawled. ¡°The country¡¯s a shithole, and my bridge is the only hope it has of a prosperous revival.¡±

    ¡°...Yeah, right,¡± Sakura muttered under her breath.

    Inwardly, Sasuke couldn¡¯t help but be sceptical of the old man¡¯s capabilities as a craftsman, let alone a builder, but that was as far as he allowed his doubts to grow. The mission was simple: escort the old man back to the Land of Waves. Anything beyond that was not his concern and would be a waste of energy.

    Sasuke frowned and looked up at what was presumably the bridge that Tazuna was responsible for. It was encased in so much fog that he could barely see the scaffolding and construction equipment. They kept close to the side of the bridge, using it as cover¡ªbut against what?

    Or rather¡­ whom?

    ¡°Mr Tazuna,¡± said Kakashi, speaking for the first time since they¡¯d agreed to pay the ferryman an exorbitant amount of money to board his boat. ¡°You and the ferryman look awfully tense. Is something the matter? Your behaviour is a little concerning. Whenever we raise our voices, you and the ferryman jump as if you¡¯ve seen a ghost!¡±

    He raised his voice to prove a point, only for the ferryman to flinch hard enough that the movement rocked the boat, sloshing foamy seawater against the sides. He looked around in what was probably a less discreet manner than before, but it was obvious to Sasuke that he was wary of something.

    ¡°That is suspicious indeed, sensei,¡± said Shino.

    Kakashi nodded, reaching over to pat his hooded head. Shino folded his arms, staring at the ferryman through his glasses until the man looked away.

    ¡°There, there, Shino. No need to scare the man responsible for our transport.¡±

    Sasuke decided that he had no such obligation¡ªthe ferryman needed his money, after all, and they''d insisted on only paying half the agreed price before boarding. He pulled out a kunai free and made a show of drumming the flat of the blade against his inner thigh. ¡°You cut off the engine a while ago. Why? Rowing by hand is more tiring, not to mention inefficient¡­ and you''d better be honest with me.¡±

    Kakashi reached over, and Sasuke felt an even weight settle atop his head. He leaned away from it immediately, fixing his teacher with a fierce glare that he only laughed at.

    ¡°Hold on a minute,¡± Sakura reflexively raised her hand as she always did before stopping halfway with a sheepish smile, ¡°it¡¯s the middle of the day. Shouldn''t people be working on the bridge?¡±

    Kakashi ruffled Sakura''s hair; she seemed the most happy with the gesture out of the three of them. ¡°Those are all good questions either of you gentlemen would be happy to answer, wouldn''t you?¡±

    The ferryman looked straight on, leaving Tazuna to bear the brunt of Team 7¡¯s stares.

    Kakashi''s face turned startlingly cold and was completely devoid of its previous humour. ¡°Mr Tazuna, be completely honest with us, otherwise, my team and I are well within our rights to turn back. Is there something you haven¡¯t made us aware of?¡±

    The ferryman continued pretending he hadn¡¯t heard Kakashi¡¯s question, casting his gaze across the fog in search of threats he couldn''t see. Tazuna stared down at his lap with a sigh. He took a swig from his gourd and wiped his mouth against his bare arm.

    ¡°Alright,¡± the old man coughed, ¡°I¡¯ll come clean¡ªbut no, I didn¡¯t lie. More like I¡­ stretched the truth a little.¡±

    Kakashi''s eye smile returned almost instantly, and his voice brightened. ¡°How so, Mr Tazuna?¡±

    ¡°I indeed need your protection while journeying to my home, but it ain''t for something as simple as protecting me from bandits and the usual low-lives. The Land of Waves doesn¡¯t produce a lot of stuff, so I make routine trips to the Land of Fire to talk to suppliers and negotiate. I¡¯ve needed to do a few more of those trips in recent months.¡±

    Sasuke noticed the look the old man gave the bridge to their side. A strange mist overcame his eyes as he beheld it¡ªhis face was almost mournful.

    ¡°My country... it''s being bled dry by a money-grubbing bastard,¡± he broke off with a derisive snort, ¡°a highwayman to his rotten core. You''d have heard of him, I reckon¡ªsome big-shot international shipping magnate by the name of Gato.¡±

    ¡°As in the Gato Company?¡± Sakura asked with wide eyes. ¡°What does he want with a country as small as the Land of Waves?¡±

    ¡°On the surface, he¡¯s the boss of an international shipping company, but under it, he deals with gangs, ronin and shinobi to take over small countries and local businesses. Contraband, killing, kidnapping¡­ there¡¯s nothing that bastard won¡¯t do if it means raking in more ryo.¡±

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Sasuke sat forward and already found himself frowning.

    ¡°Gato set his eyes on the Land of Waves about a year ago, using his massive wealth to get both feet in the door. Before we knew it, he¡¯d taken over the country¡¯s shipping and transport, which was when the violence began. Control over the sea is vital to an island nation like mine; it means control over the finance, politics, the people¡ªit¡¯s absolute power.¡±

    ¡°T-That¡¯s terrible,¡± said Sakura, gasping.

    ¡°The only thing that leech fears is the completion of my bridge.¡± Tazuna shook his head. ¡°I started building it about when he arrived and he¡¯s tried to shut it down several times since.¡±

    ¡°Your bridge would end his monopoly of power,¡± said Shino. ¡°Killing you would act as an example to others as well. So, you¡¯ve become a hindrance to him, then.¡±

    ¡°That I have, kid.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case,¡± said Sasuke, his brow furrowing, ¡°why haven¡¯t we run into anyone he¡¯s hired? A man like Gato would want you dealt with as soon as possible, but it¡¯s been¡­ oddly quiet these past few weeks.¡±

    Sakura looked over her shoulders nervously.

    ¡°It¡¯s worrying, but there¡¯s one more thing I¡¯d like to ask, Mr Tazuna,¡± said Kakashi with a nod. ¡°If you knew Gato uses shinobi, why didn¡¯t you make that fact known to the village in your request? That would¡¯ve got you a couple of chunin and a team of tokubetsu-jonin instead of my cute little genin.¡±

    Sasuke immediately glared at him but didn¡¯t say anything to the contrary¡ªas much as it burned him to admit it, Kakashi was right. A tycoon like Gato could easily hire A-rank or even S-rank jonin if he didn¡¯t care about throwing ryo out. Tazuna managing to get a team with an elite jonin like Kakashi happened by chance, and if it came down to it, he¡¯d prioritise their lives rather than Tazuna¡¯s.

    It was against the shinobi code, but Kakashi¡¯s career would eventually recover. The dead couldn¡¯t be brought back. He¡¯d been headstrong once and it lost him Obito and Rin. He wouldn¡¯t add Sasuke, Sakura and Shino to that list.

    Especially now that they¡¯d learned of the old man¡¯s dishonesty.

    Under the right circumstances, a group of chunin and tokubetsu jonin could beat stronger enemies, but the same couldn¡¯t be said about a group of one jonin and three genin.

    ¡°The Land of Waves is a poor nation¡ªeven more so under Gato¡¯s hand. The feudal lords are poor and kiss up to Gato in the hopes that they¡¯ll earn money that way.¡± Tazuna stared at Kakashi directly. His voice was calm and measured, but the effect was broken by the tremor in his hands. ¡°Us regular folk are even poorer. Had I been honest about the mission, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to afford the Leaf¡¯s services. As it stands, you¡¯re the only hope we have to save our nation.¡±

    Sakura looked between Tazuna and their teacher. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± his smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes, ¡°if you choose to head back after we disembark, I won¡¯t blame you. I¡¯ll probably die before I make it home at the hands of whoever Gato hired. My eight-year-old grandson will be heartbroken, but there¡¯s nothing that can be done.¡±

    ¡°Hold on, now¡ª¡± Kakashi raised his hand, trying to interject but Tazuna ignored it.

    ¡°And my daughter? She¡¯ll live the rest of her life in grief, nursing a hatred for the Hidden Leaf for letting her father die.¡± Tazuna shook his head, that faux smile still in place. ¡°But it¡¯s no fault of yours; actually, it¡¯s more my fault than it is yours for being unable to afford the Leaf¡¯s services.¡±

    He threw his head back and laughed, but Sasuke could hear the despaired edge to his chuckles.

    Kakashi hummed and glanced at Tazuna before turning to face them. ¡°What¡¯ll it be? The choice is yours. Do you want to continue with the mission despite Tazuna lying about it? Bear in mind that we¡¯re likely to at least run into veteran chunin-level combatants at a minimum, not to mention jonin.¡±

    Sasuke glanced at his teammates. Shino was as hard to read as always, his eyes were hidden behind those tinted circular glasses, but Sasuke noted the tightening of his folded arms at Kakashi¡¯s words. Sakura was far easier to analyse; she was stuck between fear and pity at Tazuna¡¯s current circumstance.

    Seeing that Kakashi had opted to leave the decision in their hands, his words would probably tip the scales in either direction.

    ¡°If we succeed, we¡¯ll have it on our records,¡± Sasuke said slowly. ¡°This mission is at least A-rank in difficulty, though. Between Kakashi and the three of us, I think we¡¯ll be able to protect Tazuna for a couple of weeks until the bridge¡¯s completion if we¡¯re careful.¡±

    ¡°Do you agree?¡± Kakashi asked. ¡°Shino, Sakura?¡±

    ¡°O-Oh¡ª¡± Sakura sat up straighter and Sasuke could feel her eyes on him. ¡°...Without us, Mr Tazuna will die, right?¡±

    ¡°Without a doubt,¡± Tazuna replied.

    ¡°If he did, he¡¯d only be facing the consequences of his lie,¡± said Shino, looking at the old man for a moment. ¡°Being kind-hearted is a luxury only the strong can afford¡ªand we aren¡¯t strong.¡±

    Sasuke scoffed. ¡°With my ninjutsu, I can handle chunin, and when my Sharingan manifests, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°But it hasn¡¯t yet,¡± Shino cut him off smoothly. ¡°If the assailants are anything above chunin rank, we won¡¯t be able to protect Tazuna and Sakura simultaneously.¡±

    The pink-haired clenched her hands in her lap. She was more aware of her weakness than everyone and despite Kakashi¡¯s training to bring her up to form, her arsenal was still the most limited out of the three of them, and the one combat-oriented ninjutsu she knew lacked any offensive power.

    She didn¡¯t have anything to make up for it either and lacked speed and agility. Unlike other classmates with smaller chakra reserves, she didn¡¯t dabble in poisons and paralytics or even seduction¡ªan area where kunoichi usually excelled.

    Instead, she focused more on academics without any thought for her future.

    Irritation swelled in Sasuke¡¯s chest. Kakashi hadn¡¯t taught them anything worthwhile since the joint training exercise with Teams 10 and 8, and before that, all they¡¯d done was physical training and develop their chakra adhesion. For Shino and himself, it wasn¡¯t a problem, but Sakura had no skills or techniques beyond the basic ones taught in the Academy.

    And for all her strategic thinking, here, she was a liability.

    Kakashi sighed. ¡°I did warn you, my cute little genin. I might be an elite jonin, but if I come up against someone as strong as me, my hands are tied. I won¡¯t let any of you die¡­ still, there¡¯s a real risk to this, and you¡¯ll be the ones taking it.¡±

    Tazuna looked unsure as a grim silence seeped through the fog.

    ¡°Think it over until we reach the shore.¡±

    They sailed in silence, the weight of the decision pressing down on them as the shoreline grew clearer with each passing moment. The boat came to a gentle stop, and the mist began to lift. Kakashi jumped out first, landing gracefully on the sand, followed by the others.

    Tazuna climbed out last, his shoulders sagging under an invisible weight.

    Sasuke scanned the area, alert and tense despite his confidence. Shino adjusted his glasses, his face impassive but his movements betraying a heightened state of awareness. Sakura, clutching her pack, looked back at the boat and then at Tazuna.

    ¡°So, what''s the decision? Do we continue or head back?¡±

    Sasuke took a deep breath. ¡°We continue. I believe we can handle this.¡±

    ¡°This will be dangerous,¡± said Shino, ¡°but I trust in our abilities and Kakashi-sensei''s leadership.¡±

    Sakura hesitated, then stepped forward with a firm nod. ¡°I''ll stay, too. I don''t want Mr Tazuna to die because we were too scared to try.¡±

    Tazuna''s eyes widened, a mix of relief and gratitude washing over his features. "Thank you... thank you, all of you."

    ¡°Alright then,¡± Kakashi''s visible eye crinkled in what might have been a smile, ¡°It''s settled. We''ll protect Tazuna and see this mission through to the end."

    As they began to move inland, the fog thickened around them once more, shrouding the path ahead in uncertainty. The further they walked, the more it lightened until Sasuke could see the green of trees and the winding path ahead of them. But suddenly, the mist thickened as two figures materialised within the haze, their presence heavy and foreboding.

    Kakashi¡¯s eye widened in recognition. ¡°You¡­¡±

    ¡°Captain,¡± greeted the shorter of the two men.

    Sasuke''s heart pounded violently in his chest, his mind spiralling into the depths of his memories where he saw¡ªand smelled¡ªthe blood and heard the bone-chilling screams and then the years of eerie silence that followed.

    Every muscle in his body tensed, and he felt a suffocating mix of fear and fury gripping him.

    ¡°Itachi¡­¡± he whispered, his voice trembling. The world around him blurred as his focus honed in on his brother. The dark cloak adorned with red clouds was a new sight, but the calm and menacing demeanour¡­

    It was all too real, too familiar.

 Chapter 32 [2]

    The ground fell away beneath him, and Sasuke felt himself being pulled back to that horrendous night. Surrounded by the darkness of his parents¡¯ room and the pool of blood beneath them ebbing towards him, he remembered the calculating look in Itachi''s eyes as he looked down at his younger brother.

    Those eyes now stared at him with the same chilling indifference. Sasuke''s hands clenched into fists, his nails digging into his palms as he struggled to regain control.

    ¡°It seems you¡¯re still not worth killing, little brother,¡± Itachi had said, and those words echoed in Sasuke''s mind, amplifying his rage.

    A small, strangled cry escaped his lips as he fought to breathe, his chest tightening. The fear and grief clashed against an unyielding rage burning through him. Hot tears pressed against his eyes, unbidden, but he didn¡¯t wipe them away.

    He heard Kakashi order them to get back, but it was muted, and nearly drowned by his cascading thoughts.

    Sakura''s voice, distant and shaky, cut through it all. ¡°Captain?¡±

    Her words broke through the nightmare, anchoring Sasuke to the present moment. He blinked rapidly, forcing himself to focus on her and Kakashi. The world slowly came back into focus, just enough for him to breathe again.

    Sakura turned her gaze from the two rogue ninja to Kakashi, confusion and fear evident in her eyes. ¡°...Did he just call you his captain, Kakashi-sensei?¡±

    ¡°He did indeed.¡± Kakashi¡¯s expression hardened, but his voice remained steady. He held his arm out like a barricade, positioning himself in the line of fire. ¡°Itachi Uchiha¡­ is my former subordinate.¡±

    Sasuke¡¯s breath hitched, and he shook his head, trying to clear the lingering fog of his traumatic memories. ¡°How?¡­ He¡¯s t-the one who¡­ who¡­¡± His voice trailed off, unable to complete the sentence.

    Kakashi glanced at Sasuke, his eye softening slightly. ¡°Stay focused, Sasuke. I¡¯ll tell you about it once this is over, alright? We need to get through this first.¡±

    Sasuke nodded, swallowing hard as he forced himself to stand tall. His team¡¯s presence helped him to momentarily shelve the fear¡ªonly giving free rein to the unbridled rage it had been suppressing. This was his chance, his moment to face Itachi and show that he wasn¡¯t the helpless child he once was.

    Sasuke¡¯s mounting rage only halted when Kakashi lifted his forehead protector revealing the Sharingan.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t mastered this eye yet, so I¡¯m going to be on the defensive here. Again, don¡¯t look into Itachi¡¯s eyes. He¡¯ll ensnare you in genjutsu.¡±

    ¡°As wise as always, Captain.¡± Itachi hummed. ¡°However¡­ that eye of yours does not belong to you and so pales in comparison to mine.¡±

    Kakashi chuckled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure, Itachi.¡±

    Beside Itachi stood a towering figure with blue skin and a shark-like grin. ¡°Copy Ninja Kakashi, eh? Seems Gato wasn¡¯t lying when he said we¡¯d find interesting prey here.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re Kisame Hoshigaki, I presume?¡±

    The blue-skinned shinobi grinned¡ªSasuke looked closer and noticed the sliced-through Hidden Mist sigil. ¡°What gave it away?¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t any regular sword you¡¯re hefting around. It¡¯s Samehada, one of the Mist¡¯s legendary seven swords.¡± Kakashi shrugged. ¡°Well¡­ that and the smell of fish.¡±

    Kisame Hoshigaki chuckled and heaved the massive bandaged blade onto a shoulder.

    ¡°What are you doing here, Itachi?¡± Kakashi asked.

    Itachi tilted his head. ¡°The Akatsuki has been hired by the Gato Company, Captain. I¡¯ll have to ask you to hand over the bridge builder. For old times¡¯ sake, I¡¯ll let you and your genin go¡ªand yes, even you, little brother.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t do that, now, can we?¡±

    ¡°Oh, this is going to be fun.¡± Kisame laughed, baring his filed teeth in a vicious grin. ¡°Since you know this lot, we¡¯ll go on your call, Itachi.¡±

    Itachi considered the question with a tilt of his head. ¡°Keep Kakashi occupied, but don¡¯t rough him up too badly. He¡¯s still needed, after all. I¡¯ll handle the rest.¡±

    At that, the blue-skinned man chuckled and lunged forward.

    Sasuke¡¯s hands clenched into fists, his knuckles white. That careless tone¡­ the same tone of voice he took when explaining why he killed their parents, their neighbours, Shisui¡­ fuelled the embers he¡¯d been stoking for the last five years.

    Itachi¡¯s shadow¡­ his betrayal¡­ had constantly clung to him for the last five years. He killed anyone Sasuke had ever cared about and ensured he burned the possibility of future relationships to ash with the threat of his existence.

    And seeing him before him, the Uchiha crest at his back burned white-hot against his skin.

    ¡°This time¡­ I¡¯ll kill you, Itachi!¡± he yelled, charging forward.

    ¡°Sasuke, wait!¡± Kakashi called out, but it was too late.

    He clenched his kunai tightly. The fear and helplessness gave way to something hotter, more primal. His vision tunnelled, focusing solely on the object of his five-year vendetta, to the point where he barely noticed Kisame Hoshigaki rush past him.

    Itachi¡¯s eyes flashed with cold amusement. ¡°But how? You¡¯re still weak, little brother.¡±

    ¡°Oh, this is going to be fun.¡± Kisame laughed, baring his filed teeth in a vicious grin. ¡°Since you know this lot, we¡¯ll go on your call, Itachi.¡±

    ¡°Keep Kakashi occupied but don¡¯t rough him up too badly. He¡¯s still needed, after all. I¡¯ll handle the rest.¡±

    At that, the blue-skinned man chuckled and lunged forward.

    He blasted past Sasuke in an instant and, by the sounds of it, engaged Kakashi. Sasuke roared, going into his pouch to hurl several shuriken at Itachi. His rage propelled him forward, kunai in hand, aiming straight for the throat. Itachi effortlessly sidestepped, his twin Sharingan eyes spinning hypnotically.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    Sasuke skidded to a halt, turning sharply to face him again.

    ¡°You¡¯ve grown, Sasuke,¡± he kicked out and struck through Sasuke¡¯s guard, propelling past Kakashi and Kisame.

    He landed in a heap just in front of his teammates and Tazuna.

    With a swift motion, Kisame swung his massive sword, and Kakashi barely managed to deflect the blow¡ªthough its force sent him flying and they only moved further away with each successive strike. Sakura and Shino immediately flanked Sasuke, their faces set with determination as he swayed to his feet. Tazuna stayed behind them, clutching his gourd as if it could offer any protection.

    ¡°Stay back!¡± Sasuke yelled. He slapped away Sakura¡¯s hand. His chest gave a twinge at the hurt in her face but it was quickly vaporised by his rage. ¡°He¡¯s mine!¡±

    With a scream of frustration, Sasuke launched a barrage of shuriken at Itachi, who deflected them effortlessly with a flick of his wrist. Sasuke dashed in again with a kunai in hand, slashing furiously.

    Itachi dodged each attack with minimal movement, his expression unreadable.

    ¡°Is this all you¡¯ve got?¡± Itachi asked, catching Sasuke¡¯s wrist in a vice-like grip and twisting it, causing Sasuke to drop his weapon with a sharp cry. Itachi¡¯s eyes flicked to Sakura and Shino.

    Sasuke frowned, wrenching himself to safety. His left hand throbbed but he barely felt the pain, spitting to the ground in disgust at Itachi¡¯s words.

    ¡°You rushed at me without a second thought for your comrades. Why?¡± He could see it¡ªthat same euphoric glint in his eyes when Sasuke found him standing over their parents¡¯ bodies. ¡°Have you abandoned them for power?¡±

    Sasuke saw red and launched himself at Itachi¡­ only for him to disappear. He spun around¡ªand his stomach dropped.

    ¡°We can¡¯t just watch!¡± Sakura started to move forward, but Shino held her back.

    ¡°We have to be strategic,¡± Shino replied. ¡°Itachi Uchiha is an S-rank threat¡ªhe¡¯s at least as strong as sensei and definitely beyond us! Do you remember how he toyed with us during the Bell Test?¡±

    She didn¡¯t move when he let her go and neither of them saw Itachi approaching.

    ¡°G-Guys,¡± Sasuke croaked, heart racing. ¡°Watch out!¡±

    They turned at the same time, immediately flinching but raising their weapons.

    ¡°...M-Mr Tazuna is un-under our protection,¡± said Sakura, despite her hands shaking.

    Itachi, his back to Sasuke, turned around with a chilling smile. ¡°You should have stayed in the village, little brother.¡±

    Sasuke tried to launch himself forward but he suddenly found himself pinned to the ground, thick metal spikes driven through his limbs and torso.

    The pain was immediate and excruciating, every attempt to move sending waves of agony through his body. He gasped, his breath coming in ragged bursts. No matter what he did: speeding up his chakra flow, slowing it down, stopping it, flaring his chakra¡ªnothing worked!

    ¡°This is the reality of your weakness.¡±

    Sasuke thrashed despite the agonising pain¡ªhe couldn¡¯t let Itachi do it again after he¡¯d dedicated five years of gruelling training for the sole purpose of killing him. But he was helpless, forced to watch Itachi walk with a deliberate calmness towards his teammates and Tazuna.

    ¡°C-Come back here.¡± He tried to threaten him, but it didn¡¯t work. ¡°I¡¯ll tear you apart myself, coward!¡±

    The pinwheels in his eyes spun faster, melding into a distinct pattern Sasuke would never forget. ¡°Do you remember what I told you, Sasuke? That if you wish to kill me, you should curse me and hate me; to live a long and unsightly life until you have the same eyes that I possess.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Sasuke yelled, his mouth drying rapidly the closer Itachi drew to his teammates. However, his body refused to move, still completely dominated by the genjutsu and the helplessness only reignited that deep, seething hatred he felt towards the man he once called ¡°brother.¡±

    With swift, precise movements, Itachi blew past his teammates and slashed Tazuna''s throat. Blood sprayed out and the old man crumpled to the ground. Sasuke''s eyes widened in horror as his gaze moved from the dying old man to his two comrades¡ªthey would be next.

    Them¡ªas much as it scared him to admit it¡ªhis friends.

    Before Sasuke could react, Itachi moved with blinding speed. He grabbed Sakura by the throat, lifting her off the ground. Her neck snapped with a sharp crack and he let her body fall. Burning tears obscured Sasuke¡¯s vision and when he opened his eyes, he saw Shino attempt to launch an attack.

    His insects swarmed towards Itachi, but Itachi was faster. He grabbed Shino by the throat and immediately flitted back to Sasuke, meeting his hateful, teary gaze with a smile.

    ¡°And you,¡± he said, staring into Shino''s eyes and lifting him higher, ¡°you were right about one thing: you never stood a chance.¡±

    With a swift motion, he snapped Shino''s neck and relinquished his hold over his lifeless body.

    ¡°Itachi!¡± Sasuke¡¯s eyes burned with tears of rage and frustration. ¡°I¡¯ll never stop until you¡¯re dead!¡±

    ¡°Perhaps one day,¡± Itachi replied, his voice like ice. ¡°But today, know that your efforts have fallen short¡­ and that your friends have died because of it.¡±

    Looking at the corpses of his two teammates, the hatred left Sasuke frighteningly quickly, replaced with a slow, gnawing despair. Gritting his teeth, he mustered the focus to look up at Itachi despite the pain.

    ¡°Why? Why are you doing this?¡± he choked out, not giving him the satisfaction of hearing his anguish.

    ¡°Is that sorrow I hear in your voice?¡± He chuckled, then. ¡°Where was this concern for your comrades when you rushed at me?¡±

    Sasuke shook his head over and over, as if denying the sight before him would bring them back to life. His vision blurred with tears as Itachi¡¯s words cut through him. Sakura''s dull green eyes stared at him, and just ahead of her, Shino¡¯s broken form lay on the ground, unmoving.

    His heart pounded violently in his chest, each beat echoing the terror of that fateful night. The blood, the screams, his parents¡¯ bodies¡ªall of it came rushing back, overwhelming him. His breath hitched, coming in short, ragged gasps as he re-watched Itachi move closer to his teammates.

    The fear was suffocating, freezing him in place. Sakura''s neck snapping, Shino''s lifeless body¡ªeach moment felt like a dagger to his soul. Once again, Sasuke was too weak to protect those he cared about, and that realisation tightened around his chest like a vice.

    His vision blurred with tears, transfixed by the sight of their unmoving corpses.

    ¡°Did you know that you awakened the Sharingan on that very night? Though it seems you repressed it. Unable to bear the truth of your powerlessness, you hid from it, and now look at you.¡± Itachi''s words cut through the haze like a knife. ¡°The truth is, foolish little brother of mine, is that your comrades died because of your weakness.¡±

    The fear and helplessness gave way to something hotter, more primal.

    Sasuke closed himself off, unwilling to subject himself to the pain of losing anyone ever again. Yet Sakura and Shino¡ªjust through their constant presence in his life all day, every day¡ªmanaged to matter to him before he even knew it.

    ¡­And now they were gone.

    The unfairness of it all lit a spark within him and, just like after he awoke in the hospital all those years ago, that spark caught fire, burning away all the fear.

    An inferno of hatred ran rampant within him, leaving him trembling. ¡°I''ll k-kill you... I swear I''ll kill you!¡±

    It was the same vow Sasuke made in the hospital five years ago. However, it was no longer just a vow worth committing his life to. Not when the monster stood tall over their bodies.  It tore at him, unwilling to cease until he did something¡ªanything¡ªagainst the man responsible for the unceasing pain.

    No, it wasn¡¯t a desire but a desperate need.

    His vision sharpened, the world coming into crystal-clear focus¡ªand Sasuke knew it instantly. The Sharingan, with its spinning tomoe, had awakened. The pain in his eyes was searing, but he welcomed it; he embraced it, submerging himself as the power of his bloodline washed over him.

    Itachi''s eyes widened slightly, a flicker of something¡ªperhaps recognition or satisfaction¡ªcrossing his face.

    Sasuke clenched his kunai tightly. This time, he wasn¡¯t powerless. This time, he would fight¡­ even if it killed him.

    ¡°Today,¡± he said, taking a step forward, ¡°I¡¯ll cast off your shadow¡ªone way, or another.¡±

 Chapter 33 [1]

    ¡°Zabuza Momochi, what business do you have with the Hidden Leaf?¡±

    Asuma kept his students inside his peripheral vision, calming himself down by the time he finished his question. They had carried out their raid, knowing there was a chance that they would be ambushed. Knowing, however, wasn¡¯t the same as responding. It boiled his blood, but Zabuza Momochi had timed his ambush perfectly, waiting for his team to come down from their adrenaline high.

    And what better time to launch an ambush when your enemy was so far removed from the battle that they were discussing morality? Luckily, the kids had kept their chakra networks active just in case, but what was the point if they couldn¡¯t get their heads in the game?

    ¡°What else would a rogue like me want?¡± Zaubza hefted his massive cleaver over his shoulder with ease.

    He nodded¡ªit was straightforward then. ¡°So, it¡¯s money¡­ I¡¯m guessing you were after the Jagged Blades?¡±

    ¡°I was until more interesting prey wandered into this backwater village.¡± He looked him up and down with an impressed whistle. ¡°Asuma Sarutobi: A-rank threat, wanted dead or alive¡­ bounty of sixty-five million ryo. Why go for small-fry like Goro Tanimoto and his lackeys when there¡¯s you?¡±

    Asuma¡¯s stomach gave a little somersault at his doubts being confirmed¡ªthere was no talking his way out of this one¡ªand now his only option was to fight to the death against the Demon of the Mist.

    Of course, none of this showed on his face, and he responded to the question with an easy smile. ¡°Making a move on the Hidden Leaf in our territory, eh? That¡¯s pretty bold of you.¡±

    He stood more side-on, facing both his genin and Zabuza.

    Naruto was up and alert¡ªgood.

    He gave him a slight nod before flicking his eyes to Choji. The kid was looking at Zabuza¡¯s allies blankly, and it was obvious that his mind was nowhere near the present. Noticing his look, Hinata fitted several kunai between her fingers and leaned over to whisper something in Choji¡¯s ear.

    Zabuza shrugged. ¡°We¡¯re so far out it might as well be the Land of Grass out here. Besides, the Third Hokage is a pretty infamous pacifist these days. He bent over backwards for the Cloud despite holding all the chips, so I doubt he¡¯ll do anything to us when we kill you.¡±

    All banter went right at the window with that comment, and the smile fell from Asuma¡¯s face in a heartbeat.

    He levelled his chakra sabres at the rogue ninja with an openly bloodthirsty smile because screw this guy for dredging up old news. ¡°¡­There goes any chance of talking this one out. It¡¯s a damn shame, too¡ªI washed these clothes just yesterday.¡±

    Zabuza held his sword out to the side, evidently amused. ¡°I guess the operational procedures on your Bingo Book entry were right, after all¡ªyou¡¯re a lazy bastard, even when your life''s on the line.¡±

    Instead of replying to the low-level insult, he glanced at the kids again¡ªChoji¡¯s eyes were focused, nervous, but back in the game. Reassured, he gave them a final nod before diverting his full focus to the jonin-level rogue before him because Asuma couldn¡¯t afford to offer anything less if he wanted to keep his own life, never mind the kids.

    His biggest priority was to move their battle away from his genin.

    It wouldn¡¯t mitigate the risk of death completely, seeing that the masked hunter was at least a few notches above the Demon Brothers, but the odds were certainly better without their leader. So, Asuma attacked without warning, surging ahead of his students at speeds too fast for anyone on the battlefield to react to save for Zabuza.

    He felt the cold trail of wind chakra within his lungs and the almost immediate depletion of the chakra he¡¯d moulded for his jutsu, but he couldn¡¯t be stingy. Zabuza had the physical advantage¡ªjust lifting that stupidly humungous sword proved that¡ªbut Asuma was confident in his chakra reserves.

    The rogue ninja slammed the top of the blade into the ground and crouched behind it. He couldn¡¯t have announced his intentions any louder, making Asuma smile. The space between them rippled as Asuma expelled a wave of compressed air from his mouth. It took shape, easily visible, as a massive ball and eagerly surged towards Zabuza¡¯s defence.

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    For a moment, he thought the rogue Mist ninja might withstand Vacuum Great Sphere¡ªthat sword wasn¡¯t just some random hunk of metal but one of the seven most renowned blades in the world¡ªbut his fears were put to rest in an instant.

    The blast reached critical mass, flattening the grass around its epicentre and Asuma gave a small prayer for Danzo inside his mind. The old war hawk boasted an impressive arsenal of wind jutsu that he offered freely and his mastery of wind-release ninjutsu surpassed Asuma¡¯s. Danzo¡¯s wind jutsu were concussive yet sharp, managing to retain the wide-range damage while still being able to cut precisely.

    Zabuza went flying, blade and all, back towards the destroyed outpost and Asuma raced after him, moulding more chakra. He crashed into the watchtower¡¯s smouldering remains, but in the seconds it took Asuma to arrive, he stood at the ready and roared, swinging the Executioner¡¯s Blade wide and fast.

    Asuma ducked, feeling the air whistle above him, and countered with a swift upward strike from his left trench knife, aiming for Zabuza¡¯s ribs. Zabuza twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the chakra blade, and brought his sword down in a brutal overhead slash. Catching the Executioner¡¯s Blade between the ethereal scimitars, Asuma pushed back and used the momentum to spin underneath the massive sword.

    Zabuza¡¯s swing continued, burying the tip of the blade into the ground. Their eyes met, and Asuma immediately capitalised on the opportunity with a slash. Zabuza wrenched the blade out just in time to block but staggered. He regained his footing just as quickly and lunged in with a snarl.

    This time, he feinted a high slash before pivoting and aiming low. Asuma skipped back, avoiding a slash that would¡¯ve otherwise opened him up from hip to throat. Zabuza chased him, even as he dodged and pivoted, riddling him with cuts of various depths while he used the momentum to swing his sword in a deadly arc.

    The air grew heavier with each exchange, chakra and killing intent leaking into their surroundings. Asuma¡¯s trench knives, with their chakra-infused scimitars, gave him the versatility to match Zabuza¡¯s reach and ferocity. He weaved and dodged in the hopes that his elusiveness would piss the rogue ninja enough to make a mistake.

    He was halfway there, but the rage didn¡¯t grant Asuma any openings. If anything, it made Zabuza even more aggressive. The fight raged on amid the ruins of the outpost, each strike bringing them closer to the final, decisive blow.

    Asuma could feel it in his muscles¡ªhe was growing tired, slower, and soon enough, he¡¯d screw up, and Zabuza would exploit that and kill him. He tasted blood in the back of his throat, and his arms throbbed in protest each time he raised them.

    Meanwhile, this guy was coming at him without any sign of exhaustion. He slipped to the side of another swing and got ready to counter when Zabuza broke the pattern and slammed the flat of the blade into him instead. The blow sent him flying but he gathered his wits and righted himself in mid-air, flipping back to the ground before launching himself back even further.

    The massive blade spun fast enough to blur.

    He gritted his teeth, bringing his hands together as fast as possible and altering his series of hand signs to go for an easier, but weaker jutsu. He aimed, levelling his palm with the incoming blade and used Wind-Release: Shotgun, one of Naruto¡¯s modified ninjutsu. The compressed winds collided against the weapon, sending it arcing wide.

    Zabuza raced after it, making Asuma grit his teeth. He moulded more chakra and launched himself into the air. His eyes roamed over the battlefield, searching for the rogue, though he didn¡¯t need to look far.

    He burst into view and threw his sword again with a roar. ¡°You can¡¯t dodge in mid-air, Sarutobi!¡±

    Grinning Asuma kneaded the chakra in his stomach, orange wisps flickering out of his mouth. Zabuza¡¯s jubilation vanished, replaced with realisation and then something different.

    Horror.

    In mere moments, Asuma engulfed most of the outpost in a sea of flames. He remained suspended in the air, gathering more chakra and turning up the heat until he was sure he¡¯d reached the absolute limit of his control. He only touched down after finally running out of moulded chakra and instantly ignited his chakra sabres.

    The fires that had nothing to latch onto died once Asuma stopped supplying his chakra as kindling, the flames vanished to reveal Zabuza crouching behind his sword, raw and red but very much alive.

    He glared at Asuma with an intense hatred.

    Smirking, Asuma beckoned him in with a wave of chakra blades. ¡°Looks like someone failed to dodge.¡±

    Yet, instead of rushing in as he¡¯d expected, Zabuza sheathed his sword and darted out of sight. In moments, a thick mist draped their surroundings.

    ¡°I¡¯ll admit it¡­¡± The rogue ninja¡¯s voice came from everywhere at once. Asuma couldn¡¯t pinpoint its location but remained on guard. ¡°You¡¯re stronger than I thought¡­ however, things won¡¯t go as you like for long.¡±

    Crossing his arms, Asuma whipped his arms outwards, summoning a massive gust that banished the mist. Zabuza pierced the fog before it could completely dispel, but he ducked under the blade and buried both chakra blades into the man, twisting the weapons sharply.

    Zabuza toppled back, eyes rolling into his skull, yet his corpse liquified before it touched the ground.

    Asuma stepped back as the mist resettled over the outpost. Zabuza¡¯s chuckles reverberated within the mist.

    ¡°Nice try, but I¡¯m not so obvious.¡±

    Asuma sighed, looking down at the puddle left after he disposed of the rogue ninja¡¯s water clone. Inwardly, though, he couldn¡¯t help but swell with joy. Zabuza had willingly turned their battle into one of ninjutsu¡ªand in a battle of ninjutsu, he was a lot more certain of victory.

    ¡­That said, the Silent Killing Technique wasn¡¯t reliant on Zabuza¡¯s Hidden Mist Jutsu.

    ¡°Better keep my guard up,¡± he muttered to himself.

 Chapter 33 [2]

    Haku often pondered the philosophy of shinobi. Strictly speaking, she wasn¡¯t a shinobi; she hadn¡¯t studied under any hidden village nor taken on the titles that rendered her as one. She was a civilian, but for circumstances beyond her control, the world had forced her to become a shinobi in all but name.

    Her hand traced the mask fastened to her head.

    ¡°Even this¡­¡± she muttered, finger trailing across the red patterning.

    It belonged to a hunter from the Mist¡¯s ANBU sent after them a few years ago. Usually, Zabuza would have dispatched them as he did with all the other hunters, but instead, he ordered Haku to do it; called it a final test seeing that she had learned all the Demon Brothers had to offer.

    But she saw it for what it was¡ªhe wanted her to take another¡¯s life. He took her in when no one would and gave her purpose; for Zabuza, she would kill without question, but being willing to kill and able to kill were two different things.

    In the end, it wasn¡¯t her but Zabuza who took the hunter¡¯s life. Gozu and Meizu teased her for it, and Zabuza glared, but neither of them ever disparaged her for it. She wondered what that meant when she was alone; in the end, it mattered very little. Mercy was a luxury, and soon, the gap would be close enough that it wouldn¡¯t be an option.

    Maybe her master and teachers knew this. Maybe their laughter was on the part of her ignorance.

    She nibbled her bottom lip and stayed on the periphery of the current battle. Would today be one of those times?

    Haku shook her head, once again breaking the Leaf genin¡¯s momentum with a shower of well-aimed senbon. The symbols gleaming off their foreheads brought a series of memories to the front of her mind, but she squashed them before his face came to mind.

    Her eyes focused on the biggest threat out of the three genin. The blond boy was the obvious leader, using his ninjutsu to thwart Gozu and Meizu¡¯s poisoned chain. If allowed to do as he pleased, the others wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill her allies.

    Haku came to a decision and flew across the battlefield, armed with four senbon and a curved knife in her offhand. The blond boy reacted immediately, abandoning his hand signs to spring back and deflect the volley. In the next exchange, she realised he was as fast as her and backed away.

    Close-range combat was tantamount to suicide. She was strong, but her strength paled in comparison to her speed. The blond boy, however, possessed monstrous physical strength. Fitting another batch of senbon between her fingers, Haku formed seals with her free hand and a dozen more needles materialised using the vapour in the air.

    She glanced at the ruined outpost in concern. There was more vapour in the air than usual, and dark plumes writhed skyward, standing out against the pink-hued sky. That moment¡¯s distraction was all her opponent needed to close the distance at blinding speeds.

    He wasn¡¯t as fast as her¡ªhe was faster. His left hand came swinging, and she swayed back, barely avoiding a swipe from his kunai.

    She felt it cut along her mask but succeeded in creating some distance and launched two dozen water needles at him. They were broken apart against a compressed gale, exploding in a shower, dousing the tall grass between them. The morning dew glistened, and it was cold enough that she could see his breath misting in front of his face.

    An idea came to mind, then; Haku sent a chakra-coated senbon whizzing to his face. He leaned off-centre, but it ripped through the remaining vapour left on his breath, coalescing into a water needle and stabbing him. The blond boy twisted out of the way enough that it cut his forehead instead of puncturing his eyes.

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    Blood trickled down the blond boy''s face, mingling with the sweat and grime. Haku noted his sharp intake of breath, the way his eyes flickered with both pain and fury at having nearly lost his eye. He charged forward faster than before. Haku barely had time to react, instinctively raising her arms to block the barrage of punches and kicks.

    Unable to run, she parried his blows, feeling the force of his attacks reverberate through her slender frame. Her mind raced, seeking an opening. The blond boy was relentless, each strike more powerful and precise than the last. Haku spun on her heel, deflecting a kick aimed at her ribs and countering with a swift swipe of her curved knife.

    The blade caught the edge of his sleeve, tearing at the mail sleeve but failing to draw blood. He retaliated with a knee to her midsection, and Haku doubled over, gasping as the wind was knocked out of her. She stumbled back, creating a momentary gap between them. Her hand moved in a blur in her panic, forming a series of seals.

    Ice began to form around her, separated at first, but coalesced in an instant as a protective barrier that she hoped would buy her enough time to regroup. The blond boy hesitated for a fraction of a second, then lunged, creating a spiderweb of cracks in the barrier with one punch.

    He shattered its front face with the second.

    Shards flew in all directions, catching the light and shimmering like deadly fragments of glass. Haku ducked under his wild swing, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn''t afford to let him get too close again. He hurled a kunai at her but she weaved around it, slashing at his back before disappearing again just as quickly.

    If she stopped her onslaught, he¡¯d gather more chakra and use what she finally realised was chakra enhancement. His strength was still a notch above hers, but they equally matched in speed so long as he couldn¡¯t increase it using his technique.

    Haku once again darted in under the cover of water needles, aiming for an incapacitating stab. The boy twisted at the last second, her blade grazing his shoulder instead of sinking deep into flesh.

    He whirled around, blue eyes blazing with determination.

    He closed the distance between them in what felt like an instant, grabbing her wrist and twisting it. Haku cried out, the knife slipping from her grasp. He yanked her forward with his other hand forming a fist aimed at her face.

    She dropped to the ground, rolling away just in time to avoid the punch but before she could capitalise on the opening, Haku heard a cry that stopped them in their tracks for very different reasons.

    ¡°Naruto!¡±

    The blond boy stiffened at the cry and gave her a cautious look, even as his eyes flitted to his comrades. He launched into a series of hand seals and immediately exhaled a massive gust strong enough that she could see its shape.

    Haku countered immediately with Water-Release: Water Bomb, just about countering the jutsu. A light gale tousled her tied-back hair, and the grass below her drooped under the weight of her ninjutsu.

    She blitzed over to her teammates, keeping the battle at bay with her presence. Her opponent did the same, standing guard over his injured teammates, allowing the dark-haired girl to attend to him.

    ¡°Haku,¡± Gozu growled, his straight hair sticking to his forehead protector, ¡°what are you doing? Why are you holding back!¡±

    Meizu raised his unarmed hand placatingly and nodded at her. ¡°Kid, I get you weren¡¯t raised in the Bloody Mist like us and Zabuza were, so but you can¡¯t afford to hold back.¡±

    She nodded numbly, hearing their words but not truly listening.

    How could she when there was a chance¡ªan infinitesimally small chance¡ªbut a chance that the boy she was fighting and nearly killed¡­ might be her friend¡¯s son; with that realisation, all the fight left her body, vanishing just as easily as she had dispelled his¡ªno, Naruto Uzumaki¡¯s¡ªwind-release ninjutsu.

    Haku met his eyes, remembering a conversation she¡¯d had aeons ago.

    ¡°We also look nothing alike. He''s got blond hair and blue eyes.¡±

    ¡°I wonder how you explain your relationship to people," she smiled. "What''s his name, if you don''t mind me asking?¡±

    ¡°It''s Naruto.¡±

    ¡°Haku,¡± Meizu shook her by the shoulder roughly, ¡°get your head in the game, goddamn it.¡±

    She swallowed hard and nodded. ¡°R-Right.¡±

 Chapter 33 [3]

    ¡°Naruto!¡± The cry came from a few metres away, but I recognised the voice instantly.

    It was Hinata.

    But there was¡­ an edge to her voice that almost made me lose focus of the jutsu I was preparing. Strangely, Haku flinched too, standing stone still, despite the four senbon primed in his left hand.

    I took note of that and quickly flicked my gaze east.

    Hinata stood guard in front of Choji while the Demon Brothers flanked her on either side. They lashed their linked chain forwards, yet each time, it was deflected inches before making contact with Hinata¡¯s palms. But even she didn¡¯t have the focus to repel their chain repeatedly without slipping up and ending up poisoning herself on the spikes.

    Cursing, I stopped mid-hand sign and partitioned the chakra. I¡¯d been breaking apart Haku¡¯s water ninjutsu by overcharging my wind jutsu this entire time but in doing so, forced myself to knead more chakra. It was a bitch to do, but it was how I¡¯d managed to maintain decent control over my stupidly large chakra capacity.

    I sent around a third of the moulded chakra down to my feet before blitzing through the rest of the hand signs, altering the jutsu I¡¯d planned on using. I steadied my feet, using a fraction of the chakra in my feet to stick to the ground, and belched an air bullet the size of a man and the width of a car directly at Haku.

    What was even more strange was that his previously lightning-fast reaction was a beat too slow. I couldn¡¯t see past that ANBU mask of his, but he seemed preoccupied with something.

    Throughout our fight, he¡¯d made it clear he was keeping me in check as much as I was doing the same to him. It was clear beyond anything else that he¡¯d paid close attention to our assault on the Jagged Blades¡¯ outpost. He knew about my chakra enhancement and how I leaned more toward close-range combat.

    But I wouldn¡¯t look a gift horse in the mouth.

    Haku fired a wide jet of water to counter my jutsu. I could see it already breaking through my jutsu but that was perfectly fine. Focusing on the chakra I¡¯d directed to my feet, I cleared the ground in an instant, sailing high enough to look down on the battle unfolding down below.

    As I reached the apex of my jump, I twisted my head to the outpost, where Asuma and Zabuza¡¯s battle had destroyed its remains. The ground was scorched and blackened. The outpost was still aflame, roaring and writhing under some strong wind.

    I couldn¡¯t count on Asuma to save our hides, and with Choji injured, it fell on me to try and get us out of here alive.

    Drawing two kunai, I aimed and flicked my wrists wide. The Demon Brothers reacted just about as expected, twisting out of the way. The movement also pulled the chain back with them, giving Hinata some reprieve and me somewhere to land.

    ¡°Be quick, what¡¯s happened?¡± I asked, positioning in front of my friends and drawing two more kunai.

    Hinata immediately ripped her pouch free. ¡°Choji¡¯s been hit with a paralytic but I can bleed it out of him if you can buy me fifteen¡ªno, ten seconds.¡±

    I gritted my teeth. ¡°Where¡¯s ANBU mask?¡±

    ¡°Still dealing with your jutsu but it¡¯s unravelling. She¡¯ll be here in five seconds, minimum.¡±

    I froze after hearing Hinata say ¡°she¡±¡ªHaku was a girl here?

    ¡°Naruto!¡±

    I jolted back to the present and tightened my grip over my kunai. ¡°Bleed him out and bandage him in five.¡±

    Whatever he replied with, I didn¡¯t hear it because the Demon Brothers had made their move.

    I couldn¡¯t move, otherwise, they¡¯d kill Hinata and Choji, so I threw my kunai at them and weaved seals faster than I ever had in my entire life.

    My chakra was almost frantic but I tried to ease the flow as my lungs expanded. I directed some chakra to my palms and used Great Breakthrough, swinging from left to right as fast as I could. The focused gale was akin to a whip, lashing from side to side and I held the Confrontation Seal, gathering more chakra to fuel it.

    It wasn¡¯t the most complicated technique, but it was effective and that¡¯s all that mattered. The Demon Brothers buried their claw-like gauntlets to anchor themselves to the ground. Despite that, their bodies flailed helplessly under winds so strong they were tearing literal chunks out of the ground.

    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of energy at the sight of their long cloaks riddled with minuscule, surface-level cuts. It meant that my training to infuse some cutting into blunt-force wind jutsu was working.

    But my smile vanished almost immediately¡ªit was a sixth sense. A chill along the nape of my neck that spelt things out for me as clear as could be.

    It was Haku.

    ¡°Oh no,¡± I muttered, crouching and twisting my torso to avoid Hinata and Choji.

    Now that I was higher, my jutsu made direct contact with the ground. I flicked my head diagonally, managing to knock the Demon Brothers away as I turned in the other direction. I saw the glimmer of needle-thin senbon before they were blasted away but Haku was nowhere to be found.

    Even if I managed to knock him¡ªor rather, her¡ªaway, the Demon Brothers would definitely take the chance to poison me. Instead, I armed myself with another kunai and stood sideways, facing both directions while keeping Choji and Hinata in front of me.

    ¡°Are you ready yet?¡±

    Choji rose to his feet with a grimace. ¡°...Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Never mind that,¡± said Hinata, rapidly shaking her head. ¡°Naruto, ANBU mask is coming.¡±

    Shooting her a thumbs-up, I turned in the other direction, trusting my back to the two of them without hesitation. Now that Hinata was no longer on the defensive, I had nothing to worry about. The Demon Brothers had the advantage in terms of teamwork, but Hinata and Choji were stronger than them.

    With my fears laid to rest, I focused on my own battle. I could see Haku just fine¡ªwe were in an open field. She ran right at me, throwing senbon after senbon. I deflected most of them and dodged the ones I couldn¡¯t. She¡¯d probably laced them with the same paralytic the Demon Brothers were using.

    Stepping in before she could back up again, I slammed a front kick into her guard, the momentum from my chakra-enhanced dashing sending her sprawling across the grass. She swayed back to her feet, but I was already in range, feinting and weaving around her guard to apply enough pressure and dissuade her from committing to anything too big.

    But¡­ wasn¡¯t this too easy? Why was she letting me get so close and where the hell was her ice mirrors? If this was some kind of plot on her end, then it wasn¡¯t a very good one. Haku was all defence, barely slapping away my attacks and focusing on dodging, so I took a chance and ramped up my offence even more.

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    She leaned forward as if to prepare an attack and I skipped back. Instead, she jumped over me, throwing a hail of senbon to prevent me from following after her. Behind us, Choji and Hinata had the advantage against the Demon Brothers¡ªespecially Choji.

    He¡¯d re-applied Stone Fist to his already expanded arms and fought with no hesitation thanks to the added reach and defence. Haku threw a senbon at Choji, but he blocked it using his stone gauntlets, backing away from her intrusion.

    ¡°Haku!¡± one of the Demon Brothers growled. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you using your Ice-Release?¡±

    She gestured towards Hinata and Choji, but instead of listening in on their conversation, I tapped Choji on the shoulder and blitzed into range. The Demon Brothers were slow to react and Haku was caught completely off-guard¡ªso her reaction was even slower. I launched one of the brothers in the opposite direction to the other, leveraging both my weight and momentum to send him flying.

    Choji rushed past us, re-engaging the furthest one with more space than before and no allies to worry about injuring by accident. Hinata engaged the only left but went for Haku first, forcing her to spring back and giving me an opportunity to attack her on a silver platter.

    I slammed a spinning elbow into the side of her head, feeling her buckle under the blow. While she was shaking it off, I adjusted my feet, guiding chakra down my body to steady myself. To be honest, I didn¡¯t know what the problem with her was, nor why she was suddenly holding back¡ªbut I didn¡¯t care.

    My priority was getting my friends and I back home alive¡ªand Haku was in the way of that goal.

    I buried my fist into her stomach, allowing the gathered chakra to flow out of it. She gave a strangled grunt behind her mask before the enhanced blow took her off her feet. Slowly, I approached her fallen body, not sure whether she was faking or not. I stood over her for a few moments¡ªa minute at max¡ªbefore something changed.

    ¡°She¡¯s unconscious,¡± said Hinata.

    I swept my gaze across the field to see Choji standing over the other Demon Brother¡¯s corpse, shoulders heaving.

    ¡°How¡¯d you do it?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Targeted his heart. Without their teamwork, they¡¯re not particularly difficult to deal with.¡±

    Accepting her words with a nod, I picked up Haku¡¯s body, draping an arm over my shoulder and heaving her up with very little effort. She was a lot lighter than I thought she¡¯d be.

    ¡°Don¡¯t follow me and scan over Choji for any lingering toxins.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°What are you going to do with her?¡±

    ¡°With her?¡± I looked to the outpost and mustered up confidence that I definitely wasn¡¯t feeling. ¡°I¡¯m going to see if I can buy us some safety.¡±

    I half-dragged Haku to the outpost, circling the burning and burnt wood to find an entrance that wasn¡¯t likely to crush my hostage. Inside, Asuma and Zabuza were locked in a fierce exchange. Surprisingly, neither of them was too injured, but Asuma looked more tired than I¡¯d seen him. He held out his chakra sabres but I could see his shoulders heaving up and down.

    I continued to drag Haku behind me until I was around twenty metres out from the two of them, but they noticed me well before that, stopping their battle but still facing each other.

    ¡°Zabuza,¡± I began with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve come to bargain.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Asuma asked, looking between Zabuza and I cautiously. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous¡ªget out of here.¡±

    I didn''t let Asuma''s words deter me. With every step I took closer to Zabuza, my heartbeat grew louder in my ears, but I kept my grip firm on Haku''s limp body. ¡°Listen to me, Zabuza. I''ve got Haku. If you want her back, you''ll have to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Do you think you can bargain with me, brat?¡± Zabuza''s voice cut through the air like his oversized blade, sharp and unforgiving.

    His gaze locked onto mine.

    I felt a wave of killing intent crash over me. It was like being plunged into icy water, every nerve in my body screaming in terror. My breath caught in my throat, and I struggled to keep my composure.

    The weight of his intent was suffocating. My legs trembled, threatening to buckle under me. Each step forward felt like wading through thick mud, my body fighting against an invisible force. I could feel my resolve weakening, the confidence I had mustered slipping away. Visions of death raced through my mind¡ªall the different ways Zabuza could and would kill me.

    ¡°I-I''m serious, Zabuza,¡± I stammered, trying to keep my voice steady. ¡°We can end this without more bloodshed. Just listen to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut it!¡± Zabuza''s roar sent another jolt of fear through me. His eyes, cold and merciless, seemed to pierce through my very soul. ¡°You dare to bargain with me using a tool? You have no idea what you''re dealing with, kid.¡±

    My grip on Haku''s body tightened, but my hands were shaking. I tried to push back against the overwhelming pressure, but slowly, I was being crushed underneath it. Sweat trickled down my face, and my vision blurred at the edges.

    I could barely keep my focus on the ground in front of me let alone Zabuza.

    My voice was barely more than a whisper. The crushing weight of his intent was breaking me. Every instinct screamed at me to run, to get away from this monster, but I couldn''t move.

    For the first time in my life, I was paralysed by fear.

    Zabuza took a slow, deliberate step toward me, his presence looming larger, more oppressive. His voice was mocking, filled with disdain. ¡°You are nothing but a child playing at being a ninja.¡±

    The world seemed to narrow to just the two of us, his killing intent the only thing I could feel.

    Zabuza''s laughter was cold and devoid of humour. ¡°What makes you think I need any of you alive?¡±

    He raised his sword, ready to strike, and I felt a jolt of fear run through me.

    The killing intent intensified, and I felt my vision narrowing further. Every breath was a struggle, every muscle in my body screamed in agony. I was on the verge of blacking out. My mind was a whirl of despair and regret.

    Why the hell had I tried to bargain with a man who¡¯d killed a hundred people at the age of ten?

    Summoning every last ounce of my willpower, I forced myself to speak. ¡°Kill me, and I¡¯ll slit her throat.¡±

    Zabuza froze, not changing his posture at all. The unbearable pressure eased just a fraction and his beady eyes flickered with something unreadable. Doubt? Curiosity? I couldn''t tell. But it was enough for me to push on.

    ¡°We have no reason to be enemies,¡± I continued, my voice gaining strength with each word. ¡°But this girl here is worth more to you than Goro Tanimoto. I¡¯ll give her back to you alive alongside Goro Tanimoto if you leave.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t?¡± He grunted. ¡°Not while you hold your kunai to my subordinate¡¯s throat? Your sensei¡¯s bounty is at sixty-five million ryo.¡± Zabuza''s gaze hardened again, but the killing intent didn''t return with the same force. ¡°Why would I ever let that go?¡±

    I swallowed hard, trying to steady my breathing. ¡°Because the Demon Brothers are dead. It¡¯s the four of us against just you. You¡¯re outnumbered, and I¡¯m giving you a way out.¡±

    Then, the pressure on me intensified¡ªmy throat dried, and I felt the panic I¡¯d suppressed starting to rise again, bit by bit. Instead of succumbing, I nodded at Asuma¡ªbut it felt more like a convulsion than a gesture¡ªand he pulled out the scroll holding Goro¡¯s corpse within it.

    ¡°Again!¡± I raised my voice, pressing the knife against her throat hard enough to draw blood despite my shaking. ¡°Haku is worth more to you alive than she is dead. Take the bounty you came for, and we can part ways.¡±

    ¡°You heard him.¡± Asuma stepped forward, ready to intervene if necessary. ¡°We can end this and live to fight another day.¡±

    There was a long, tense silence. Zabuza''s eyes bore into mine, and I could see the conflict raging within him. Finally, he lowered his sword slightly, the killing intent dissipating like a receding tide.

    ¡°I¡¯d offer you one of the Demon Brothers too, but they were your subordinates¡­ right?¡± I trailed off, afraid of drawing his ire again.

    ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit,¡± he replied. ¡°They outlived their usefulness, so I¡¯ll make good use of their corpses, but you¡¯ve got balls, kid. Take one of ¡®em.¡±

    Almost blankly, I watched him walk over to the corpse of one of his subordinates, scaring the crap out of Choji, sliding his massive sword beneath the corpse and slinging it over his shoulder without an ounce of hesitation. Was this the reality of being a shinobi? I shuddered at how blas¨¦ it was.

    Zabuza''s eyes flicked to Asuma, then back to me. Choji and Hinata came running, immediately standing next to me. He took Haku from my arms before I could even notice what happened, slinging her over his shoulder.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got guts, kid.¡± He let out a long, slow breath, glancing at Hinata with a furrowed brow. ¡°We have a deal¡ªbut make no mistake, if you try anything, I¡¯ll cut off your arms and legs.¡±

    I¡¯d done it.

    My legs finally gave out as the adrenaline left my body. I sank to the ground, exhausted but hopeful. I watched Zabuza lop off Goro Tanimoto¡¯s head along with one of the genin before leaving the outpost.

    Hinata and Choji flopped to the ground beside me, staring up at the pink-hued sky before a shadow fell over us.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go report to Yasuhiro,¡± said Asuma, helping me up.

    Choji struggled to his feet, using Goro Tanimoto¡¯s ringed broadsword as a crutch. ¡°And after that?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll rest for the day and then go home,¡± he replied.

 Chapter 34 [1]

    Haku woke with a jolt, gasping for breath. Darkness surrounded her, but the desperation from the battle still clung to her mind. Her heart pounded as she tried to make sense of where she was and she pushed herself up, her muscles aching but not injured.

    She remembered the clash of weapons, the heat of the fight, the enemy¡ªor rather, Naruto¡¯s relentless advance. If she truly wanted, she could have fought back¡­ fought until he died but she didn¡¯t want him dead.

    And here she was, a failure. Had Zabuza left her for dead? Was the fight still going on? She couldn''t afford to wait and find out after she¡¯d recovered. Her hand fumbled around her, finding the familiar smooth shape of the ANBU mask before she slipped it over her head.

    Judging by the acrid scent of charred wood, she was in a cave. A faint noise in the distance snapped her to attention. Haku forced herself to stand, her legs shaking. She needed to move. In the worst case, an intruder was seeking to kill her and she couldn¡¯t die yet.

    Not until she discovered whether her purpose in life had come to an end.

    With the mask securely in place, Haku took cautious steps forward, her senses heightened. The faint glow of fire deeper within the cave drew her toward it, and she followed the sound of crackling flames.

    Zabuza¡¯s silhouette came into view first, hunched and brooding by the fire. Relief mixed with apprehension surged through Haku; he was alive, but the tension in the air was palpable. She swallowed hard, steeling herself for what was to come.

    ¡°Master?" she called out softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

    He turned sharply, his eyes locking onto her with an intensity that made her flinch. Without a word, he closed the distance between them and grabbed her by the collar, slamming her against the cave wall. The rough stone bit into her back, pinned against the cavern by his forearm, but she bit down the cry of pain that threatened to escape.

    It would only bring her more pain.

    ¡°You worthless child,¡± he hissed, his voice cold and merciless. ¡°You had one job, Haku. One job, and you failed¡­ again.¡±

    Each word struck her like a physical blow, and Haku struggled to keep her composure. The pain from the battle was nothing compared to the anguish his words inflicted. She wanted to explain but the words caught in her throat. She wrangled against the tears threatening to fall from her eyes, hiding her face by lowering her head because shinobi must not show emotion.

    After failing to kill the Hidden Mist ANBU operative hunting was nothing. Until now, her mercy and humanity lacked any consequences¡ªbut it was different now. Gozu and Meizu¡ªher very first teachers in the world¡ªhad died.

    And they died because of her.

    ¡°I-I''m sorry, sir," she managed to say, her voice trembling despite her efforts to keep it steady. ¡°I will not fail you again.¡±

    ¡°Sorry?¡± Zabuza released her with a shove, causing her to stumble. ¡°Sorry doesn''t fix your mistakes. You''re supposed to be my tool, my weapon. A weapon doesn¡¯t make mistakes!¡±

    Haku''s heart sank.

    She had always known her place was to serve Zabuza, to be the instrument of his will. But in that moment, with Naruto¡¯s determined eyes and his father¡¯s kindness still fresh in her memory, she faltered. She had let her humanity slip through the cracks of her shinobi training, and now she was paying the price.

    Perhaps she deserved it.

    ¡°I won''t fail again,¡± she repeated, more to herself than to him. She had to believe it, otherwise what use was she to him?

    Zabuza''s gaze bore into her, and for a moment, she saw something akin to doubt flicker in his eyes. It was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the usual coldness but lasted enough to crush her even more.

    ¡°See that you don''t,¡± he growled, turning away from her. ¡°Next time, I won''t be so lenient. Fail me again and I''ll end you myself. Your thing with mercy? It ends here. A weapon that shows mercy has no worth. What do you even have without me?¡±

    He nodded at her for an answer.

    ¡°N-Nothing, Master.¡±

    ¡°...Maybe it was a mistake to take you in.¡± Zabuza leaned in and lifted her chin using his index finger and thumb. ¡°I don¡¯t need empty words and promises. If you can¡¯t be of any use to me, I¡¯ll toss you aside. Just remember¡­ before me, you lived a meaningless existence, wanted by no one.¡±

    She nodded slowly to not let the tears fall.

    As he walked away, Haku sank to her knees. She fought to keep her tears at bay, reminding herself that she was a tool, nothing more. Tools did not cry, nor did they feel. Time seemed to stretch as she sat there, the fire''s warmth doing little to chase away the cold that had settled in her chest.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    She replayed the battle in her mind, every misstep, every hesitation. Naruto''s determined face haunted her thoughts, a stark contrast to her master¡¯s bitter but rightful anger. In the cold silence of the cave, Haku vowed to bury her emotions even deeper, to become the perfect weapon Zabuza needed.

    Haku knew she had to harden herself and let go of any semblance of weakness or weakness. But a small part of her, the part that had hesitated, wondered if she would ever truly be able to. Totsugi was her friend and Naruto was his son. Neither of them deserved to die¡ªno, she didn¡¯t want to kill them.

    However, her wants didn¡¯t matter¡­ not to Zabuza. Tools were not supposed to have wants or dreams. As the fire crackled and the shadows danced on the cave walls, Haku forced herself to her feet. She had no choice but to push forward, to prove herself once more.

    She caught up to her master as the early morning light beamed through the sparse trees in their golden brilliance. If he noticed her, he didn¡¯t give any indication and continued striding through the forest. Her eyes fell to his waist, where the thick sheathe for the Executioner¡¯s Blade met a pouch spanning the length of his lower back.

    The end of a scroll poked out through the buttoned flap, marked in the Hidden Leaf¡¯s telltale red, yellow, and green. Her mind got to work filling in the gaps based on their conversation earlier but Haku was still left with questions.

    But had the anger simmered down enough for her to ask them?

    ¡°...Master?¡± she began, slow and hesitant. He didn¡¯t reply¡ªor even grunt¡ªbut neither did he stop her from talking so she continued, ¡°What happened after I¡­¡±

    Zabuza scoffed. ¡°Say it like it happened, brat. You lost, plain and simple¡ªto a kid younger than you¡ªuseless is what you are.¡±

    She swallowed the hurt as always. Haku was grateful for the mask she wore. For all her expertise in stealth, she had an incredibly expressive face and, were her master able to see behind it, he would spot the conflict churning in her eyes immediately.

    ¡°That blond boy¡ªSarutobi called him Naruto, I think¡ªused you as a bargaining chip. There he was, crapping his pants in my presence, but he managed to make a pretty strong argument.¡±

    ¡°What was it?¡± she asked.

    Zabuza grunted. ¡°...You¡¯re more important to me alive than killing Sarutobi¡ªat least for now. I¡¯ll turn in his bounty myself one day, mark my words.¡±

    Haku smiled beneath her mask. Both at his concern for her and at his resolve to try again. Zabuza was never one to take defeat sitting down.

    ¡°His terms were that I take Goro¡¯s head and we go our separate ways. Seeing that Gozu and Meizu died, I decided to cash in one of their heads too.¡±

    Her smile vanished, replaced with a deep, piercing pang in her chest.

    Gozu and Meizu¡ªtwo men she¡¯d come to see as older brothers¡ªwere dead. Like her, they were weapons for Zabuza to wield as he saw fit. After all the years they¡¯d spent together, to hand their corpses in for money¡­ it left a bad taste in her mouth.

    She kept her thoughts to herself. Zabuza was already furious with her and he disliked her humanity on the best of days.

    ¡°Sixty-five million ryo¡ªgone!¡± He lashed out, sending a small tree crashing to the ground. Haku stopped, afraid he¡¯d turn his anger on her.

    After a few moments, he started to walk away, navigating the bushes and brambles with his sword.

    Haku caught up to him again. ¡°Are we going to hand in the bounties, Master?¡±

    ¡°Later,¡± he replied. ¡°The corpses won¡¯t rot so long as the seal stays, and since we won¡¯t be screwing with it, it¡¯ll last for months. We¡¯re headed to the Hidden Waterfall.¡±

    ¡°For?¡±

    His glare was answer enough and their journey to the Hidden Waterfall was carried out in silence. They arrived under the cover of the night; Haku followed closely behind Zabuza, the dense forest pressing in on them from all sides. The towering trees filtered the sunlight into a perpetual twilight, casting long, shifting shadows against the ground.

    Haku¡¯s thoughts drifted as she moved, her body on autopilot. She replayed the confrontation with Zabuza in her mind, his harsh words echoing in her ears. She couldn¡¯t afford another mistake; she needed to prove her worth to him. Her resolve hardened with each step, the weight of her mission pressing down on her.

    The forest path was narrow and winding, often disappearing altogether beneath the thick underbrush. Zabuza navigated it with ease, his movements precise and confident. Haku struggled to keep up, her eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger. She knew that the Hidden Water Village was hidden behind its majestic waterfall, but little else.

    She could hear its rushing water, distant but there, and it grew louder with each step until the trees parted to reveal the waterfall in all its glory. The sheer volume of water cascading down the cliffs created a mist that hung in the air, refracting the sunlight into a rainbow of colours and its roar was deafening.

    Zabuza led them to a concealed path behind the waterfall, hidden by a curtain of water. The rocks were slippery, and the mist clung to Haku¡¯s skin, making the descent treacherous. They slipped behind the waterfall, entering a narrow, dark path leading into a hidden cavern. Haku¡¯s heart raced, the enclosed space amplifying her sense of vulnerability.

    He stopped and made a gesture. Looking ahead, she saw two guards sitting across from one another on chairs. In an instant, she hurled senbon at both of the men. They stiffened, heads turning left and right, and slowly sagged to the ground.

    If Zabuza was still angry at her, he didn¡¯t show it¡ªeven if knocking them out was the logical option, she still feared his wrath. ¡°Take off your mask once we¡¯ve got our money and go look around for anything interesting. I¡¯ll squeeze this place of everything it¡¯s got before I move on.¡±

    She nodded and took the lead this time, tucking her mask away into her robes. They emerged from the tunnel and entered the heart of the village. It was built into the natural landscape, with buildings carved into the rock and connected by a network of wooden bridges and pathways.

    Seeing that it was the dead of night, the villagers were nowhere to be found, but their movements were purposeful and efficient. Zabuza and Haku stayed in the shadows, avoiding detection as they made their way to their destination. Their target was the village leader¡¯s office, a modest structure at the very back of the village that was partially hidden by the surrounding foliage.

    Zabuza led Haku through a series of hidden paths and narrow alleys, avoiding the main thoroughfares and any watchful eyes. They moved with the practised ease of seasoned shinobi, their footsteps silent on the rocky ground. As they approached the office, Zabuza signalled for Haku to stay hidden.

    She nodded, attaching herself to the ceiling and following him. Her senses were on high alert, despite the lower calibre of shinobi in a minor village like this one. Zabuza slipped into the shadows, blending seamlessly with the darkness until he entered the office and she joined him.

 Chapter 34 [2]

    Inside the office, Zabuza moved with lethal grace. The room was sparsely furnished, with a large desk dominating the centre and shelves lined with scrolls and documents. The village leader, an older man with a stern expression, sat behind the desk, oblivious to the danger lurking in the shadows until he felt the cold press of Haku¡¯s curved knife against his throat.

    ¡°W-What is this¡ª¡± Haku felt his pulse quicken. ¡°Y-You¡¯re the De-Demon of the Mist!¡±

    Zabuza chuckled but didn¡¯t answer.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± the old man asked, mastering his nerves after a long moment, though he couldn¡¯t keep the nervous warble out of his voice.

    ¡°Why the hostility? I¡¯m here to do you a favour, chief.¡±

    Haku kept her blade steady against the leader''s throat, feeling the tremors in his pulse. Zabuza''s presence filled the room, his aura a palpable force. She could sense the fearful shift in the village leader''s posture¡ªhis defiance was brittle.

    "You trespass into my village, threaten my life, and call it a favour?" the old man murmured, his voice betraying a trace of steel beneath the fear.

    Zabuza''s chuckle was a low, dangerous rumble. ¡°Your rogue ninja, Goro Tanimoto, is dead. Courtesy of me and my associate behind you.¡± He nodded towards Haku, his eyes never leaving the leader¡¯s. ¡°You had a problem. We solved it, and now, you owe us.¡±

    The village leader''s eyes darted to Haku, then back to Zabuza. ¡°You expect me to pay for a service I didn''t request of you?¡±

    Zabuza''s expression hardened, and the air grew colder. Haku felt the weight of his killing intent pressing down on the room as a suffocating blanket of menace. The village leader tremoured in his seat and all his bravado crumbled under the assault of Zabuza''s dark presence.

    ¡°You can either pay us now,¡± said Zabuza, his voice like ice, ¡°or we can discuss what happens if you refuse, and believe me, you don''t want to know the details.¡±

    The village leader swallowed hard as he reached for a hidden compartment in his desk. He fumbled with the latch, finally retrieving a heavy bag of ryo.

    ¡°Ta-Take it," he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°Take it and go.¡±

    Zabuza''s gaze didn''t waver as he took the bag, the sound of clinking coins a stark contrast to the tension in the room. ¡°Smart man¡ªbut next time, you might not be so lucky."

    With that, he stepped back, signalling Haku to lower her blade. She did so, but never let her guard down, following Zabuza out of the office with her senses still on high alert.

    ¡°Haku,¡± her master called as they neared the exit, ¡°stay here a couple of days undercover.¡±

    She tilted her head.

    ¡°I want to see what else we can wring out of that old man besides money. Look for dirty secrets, weak spots, the like.¡±

    ¡°Where should I find you afterwards?¡±

    ¡°On the way here, we passed a cave due west of the waterfall. I¡¯ll be there.¡±

    Haku bowed, exchanging a final nod with him before he slipped away to safety.

    As the days passed, her mind continued to churn over her failure and her master¡¯s harsh words. She had to prove herself when he¡¯d trusted her enough to let her redeem herself. The opportunity came unexpectedly during a foray into the village after settling down in an abandoned building.

    Deep in the morning market, there was a bright-haired young girl¡ªseemingly her age¡ªbeing treated with remarkable hostility despite her bubbly attitude. Haku¡¯s curiosity got the better of her so she observed from the shadows as the bronze-skinned, blue-haired girl moved through the village.

    ¡°Good morning sir¡ªg¡¯day, ma¡¯am!¡±

    The girl¡¯s attempts at interaction were met with scowls and cold shoulders. It puzzled Haku. Why would someone so seemingly benign provoke such animosity?

    She followed the girl discreetly, her training keeping her well hidden but Haku¡¯s curiosity turned into concern when the girl¡¯s light skip picked up speed. Her movements were fluid and confident and she even threw her head over he shoulders, flashing a bright grin.

    Then, she turned a sharp corner, prompting Haku to chase after her across the treetops. The girl stood in the field, her gaze piercing through the forest¡¯s dim light.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re there. You can come out.¡±

    Haku fell into view, her expression carefully neutral since she wasn¡¯t wearing her mask. ¡°You¡¯re very¡­ perceptive.¡±

    The girl¡¯s expression softened into a slight smile. ¡°And you¡¯re stealthy. I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re not here to cause trouble since I hear you¡¯ve been following me for a while.¡±

    She noted the strange phrasing with a nod. ¡°Just curious.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± the girl sat down on crossed legs, spreading her arms wide, ¡°I¡¯m an open book.¡±

    ¡°The villagers¡­ why do they dislike you so much?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t even ask for a girl¡¯s name first, huh?¡± she said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m Fuu, you?¡±

    ¡°...Rukia,¡± Haku replied, slightly abashed.

    ¡°That¡¯s a pretty name. I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re not from here?¡±

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°...Why do you say that?¡±

    Fuu shrugged. ¡°Everyone here knows about me.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± said Haku, mentally kicking herself for the misstep¡ªshe could have at least questioned the locals before following the girl. ¡°I¡¯m new here. What did you do that has them so¡­¡±

    She trailed off, unsure of how to put it. Their conduct transcended mere dislike; it was something more intense.

    ¡°Hateful?¡± Fuu suggested with another shrug. ¡°It¡¯s not what I did but what I am. I¡¯m the host of the Seven-Tails. He¡¯s a funny old guy called Chomei.¡± She stopped speaking and tilted her head as if listening to something. ¡°Pardon me, he¡¯s Lucky Seven Chomei¡ªhappy now?¡±

    ¡°Pardon me?¡± Haku frowned.

    ¡°Oh, not you! I was talking to Chomei, the Seven-Tails.¡±

    Aside from the earth-shattering news that weapons of mass destruction were capable of reason, Haku found herself strangely disoriented by the teal-haired girl. Her endless cheer was both intoxicating and shallow¡ªthere was a lack of¡­ genuineness that she couldn¡¯t quite place.

    Fuu continued rattling off in the grass, muttering to herself or Haku¡ªor even the Tailed Beast.

    Haku observed Fuu closely, feeling a pang of sympathy for the girl. As Fuu continued to speak, her tone more frustrated with each passing word, Haku quietly knelt in the grass and gathered wildflowers from the forest floor.

    ¡°Not like they¡¯d ever change their minds, even if I¡¯m participating in the Chunin Exams for them,¡± Fuu scoffed, waving a hand in front of her face while tugging clumps of grass out of the earth with her other. ¡°Rigid, judgmental, cruel people till the end, am I right?¡±

    Haku glanced at Fuu with a soft smile but said nothing. She continued to pick flowers, selecting the prettiest ones she could find.

    ¡°At least you¡¯re not like them, Rukia!¡± Fuu¡¯s voice was lighter now, but there was still a tinge of sadness there.

    ¡°Thanks for the compliment,¡± Haku replied, her hands working deftly as she wove the flowers together. ¡°You mentioned you were competing in the Chunin Exams?¡±

    Fuu nodded happily. ¡°It¡¯s a month from now in the Hidden Leaf village this time, though the last one was in the Land of Tea. My village is sending two teams and I¡¯m on one of ¡®em.¡± She jabbed a thumb to her chest and tipped her chin up. ¡°Me!¡±

    Her cheer was infectious, and Haku found herself smiling too. ¡°Congratulations, Fuu.¡±

    ¡°Thanks!¡±

    Haku finished her work and stood up, holding a delicate flower circlet in her hands. She walked over to Fuu and gently placed it on her head.

    Fuu blinked in surprise, her fingers lightly touching the floral wreath. ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡±

    Haku smiled warmly. ¡°It¡¯s for you. You¡¯ve been picking at those flowers for ages and I thought it would look beautiful on you¡ªand I¡¯m glad I was right.¡±

    Fuu¡¯s eyes shimmered and, for a moment, her cheerful facade cracked, revealing the vulnerable girl beneath for a brief but meaningful moment. ¡°...Thank you, Rukia. No one¡¯s ever done something like this for me before.¡±

    Haku simply nodded, her own eyes soft with understanding. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Fuu. You deserve kindness, just like anyone else.¡±

    The blue-haired girl¡¯s smile grew more genuine, and she looked at Haku with a newfound warmth. ¡°You¡¯re really something, Rukia. I¡¯m glad we met.¡±

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    As the conversation drifted on, Haku¡¯s mind began to race.

    Fuu¡¯s participation in the Chunin Exams was an amazing chance for her to make a significant move. If she could infiltrate the Chunin Exams under the Hidden Waterfall¡¯s banner, it would give her a chance to demonstrate her worth to Zabuza, to prove her loyalty and resourcefulness.

    He fled the Hidden Mist after failing to kill the Mizukage, a perfect Jinchuriki and here sat Fuu, a girl her age in cooperation with the Seven-Tails. Aligning with Fuu¡¯s team could offer both a strategic advantage and a chance for redemption.

    Haku¡¯s mind was already working on a plan.

    She needed to convince Zabuza of the value of her plan to turn her encounter with Fuu into a path to regain her master¡¯s favour. Instead of completing the instructed two days of reconnaissance, Haku snuck out of the Hidden Waterfall the instant she and Fuu parted ways, racing to the designated meeting spot to break the good news.

    The dense forest blurred around her as she sprinted through the trees, her breath coming in short bursts. The journey back to the cave near the Hidden Waterfall seemed to take forever, but her determination drove her forward. As she approached the cave, Haku¡¯s heart pounded with anticipation. The air was cooler here and, unlike the cave she¡¯d awoken in days before, there was no fire burning.

    Zabuza was seated just past the mouth of the entrance, his Executioner¡¯s Blade resting against the wall beside him. He looked up as she entered, his expression unreadable.

    ¡°Master,¡± Haku said, trying to keep her voice steady despite her excitement. ¡°I have news.¡±

    Zabuza raised an eyebrow, a hint of interest in his eyes. ¡°And what¡¯s so urgent that you¡¯ve come here a day early?¡±

    Haku took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm her racing thoughts. ¡°While I was in the Hidden Waterfall, I encountered a girl named Fuu¡ªand you won¡¯t believe this¡ªshe¡¯s a Jinchuriki! The host of the Seven-Tails. She¡¯s participating in the upcoming Chunin Exams in the Hidden Leaf.¡±

    ¡°Their Jinchuriki? Really, now?¡± Zabuza¡¯s eyes narrowed, his interest piqued.

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Haku stepped closer, her voice growing more confident. ¡°The Hidden Waterfall is sending two teams and Fuu is on one of them. If I can join the other team from the Hidden Waterfall, not only can we gain valuable intelligence, but also create an opportunity to manipulate the outcome in our favour. It¡¯s a chance to show our skills, regain our reputation, and even gather intelligence on our enemies, including those from the Hidden Leaf.¡±

    Zabuza considered this for a moment with his gaze fixed on Haku. The silence stretched, thick with tension. ¡°You¡¯ve thought this through?¡±

    ¡°Every detail,¡± Haku replied earnestly. ¡°If we participate under the Hidden Waterfall¡¯s banner, we can blend in, exploit the chaos of the exams, and leverage the situation to our advantage. I don¡¯t even have to make it to the customary tournament. I just have to convince Fuu to join us; she doesn¡¯t have much love for this place.¡±

    This wasn''t just about redeeming herself in Zabuza¡¯s eyes anymore; it was about helping Fuu, too. The girl was ostracized and mistreated by her own village. Joining forces with Haku and Zabuza could offer her a way out, a chance at a better life like it had for Haku.

    Her master¡¯s face remained inscrutable but the tension in his shoulders eased slightly. ¡°You have a point. If you can use this opportunity to our benefit, it might just redeem your earlier screw-up.¡±

    Haku¡¯s heart leapt with cautious hope.

    ¡°Very well. It seems I¡¯ll have to visit the old man and return his coin!¡± Zabuza¡¯s gaze grew colder, but a hint of approval glinted in his eyes. ¡°If you can secure this position and turn it to our advantage, you¡¯ll earn back some of the trust you¡¯ve lost. But remember, failure will not be tolerated. Do this right¡­ or you¡¯ll face the consequences.¡±

    ¡°I understand, Master,¡± Haku said, bowing deeply. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down.¡±

    Zabuza waved her off with a dismissive gesture. ¡°Go then. Make the necessary arrangements. Spend the next day getting to know the Jinchuriki better.¡±

    She raced off with renewed purpose until his voice echoed behind her.

    ¡°And Haku¡­ don¡¯t disappoint me again.¡±

    She left the cave, her mind already working on the next steps. The Chunin Exams would be a chance to prove her worth both to her master and herself¡ªand Haku would not fail.

    Not again.

 Chapter 35 [1]

    ¡°How long are you going to make me wait, Hiruzen?¡±

    Hiruzen kept his eyes on the paperwork despite his awareness of the person sitting across from him for the last fifteen minutes. It was a punishment of sorts¡ªone they both knew the reason for¡ªand it also let him get his thoughts in order because while he¡¯d made the summon, he was not excited about having Danzo in his office.

    Alas, thanks to recent events, it was a necessity.

    He brought the stamp down harder than needed and sighed. ¡°...You¡¯ll wait until I¡¯m good and ready to talk to you.¡±

    Danzo scoffed. ¡°Things are serious enough that we¡¯ve skipped the talk via correspondence but you still wish to play this inane game?¡±

    ¡°Enjoy it, old friend. Besides, ¡°this inane game¡±, as you put it, seems appropriate.¡± He scoffed again. ¡°Find it amusing, do you?¡± Leaning forward, Hiruzen clasped his hands on the desk. ¡°Then I shall be blunt: what do you want from my son, Danzo?¡±

    ¡°I simply found Asuma in need of guidance some years ago. He could become a much-needed pillar for the village to rely on in the future, after all.¡±

    He shook his head with a light snort. ¡°...The number of times I¡¯ve heard that line. A pillar for the village or a pillar for you, old friend?¡±

    Danzo simply leaned back with a serene smile and Hiruzen inhaled loudly, finding no outlet for his frustration besides an equally loud exhale. The ANBU agents within the office had been dismissed thirty minutes ago, eliminating the need to keep up the cumbersome charade their friendship had become. He could not see the usual exasperated fondness in Danzo¡¯s eyes¡ªbut, in truth, it had been years since Hiruzen felt any cheer at the thought of his old friend either.

    These days, it only brought him a great deal of headache.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you already know why I¡¯ve summoned you,¡± said Hiruzen with a resigned wave of his hand.

    Danzo blinked his hazel eye and, in his usual brusque manner, he grunted, ¡°The Akatsuki.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t ask how you know of Kakashi¡¯s debrief,¡± said Hiruzen, meeting his gaze, ¡°it¡¯ll only make me lose my temper. What I will ask you instead, Danzo, is what shall we do about it?¡±

    ¡°To my knowledge, this¡­ new Akatsuki has been doing nothing except mercenary work.¡± Danzo lightly tapped his cane against the ground. ¡°The more concerning thing is that it is a cell of S-ranked ninja. They¡¯re unlike the Akatsuki of the past; there are no mediocre underlings.¡±

    Hiruzen didn¡¯t bother to hide his frown.

    Danzo tilted his head with a narrow of his eye. ¡°Fortunately, Kakashi encountered Itachi, otherwise he would have died. I¡¯ve heard they have a pair of immortal shinobi, so it¡¯s no surprise that the Snake joined their ranks, even if it was only a temporary deal.¡±

    ¡°Orochimaru, eh?¡± said Hiruzen, leaning back. ¡°They put a bounty on his head a few years ago for betraying them, didn¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°In any case, we¡¯ve no reason to believe this incident is out of the norm for them. According to Itachi, they were hired by Gato of the Gato Company to end the Land of Waves Bridge Construction project by killing its lead, allowing Gato to take ownership of the bridge. Turned that bridge builder¡¯s dream into a nightmare for his people, it seems.¡±

    Hiruzen pulled five sheets of paper from a folder, sliding them across his desk.

    ¡°Bingo Book entries¡­ and of Akatsuki members at that,¡± Danzo muttered.

    Hiruzen nodded. ¡°A mercenary group needs renown and the easiest way to do so is to get people talking. The Akatsuki has taken on various high-profile jobs in recent years, garnering a reputation. With all the resources at my disposal, I¡¯ve managed to gather the profiles of five reported members, all rogue shinobi: Kisame Hoshigaki of the Mist, Sasori of the Sand, Deidara of the Stone, Kakuzu of the Waterfall, and Hidan of the Steam.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve no idea if this is the extent of its members. What of the masked Uchiha who aided Itachi in the purge of their clan?¡±

    ¡°What worries me is that there¡¯s no mention of a masked man. On that front, we can only trust in young Itachi.¡±

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Be that as it may, we need intel,¡± said Danzo, tapping his cane against the ground. ¡°Who is the masked man to the Akatsuki¡ªis he their leader?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Hiruzen clutched his chin, ¡°but I cannot shake the feeling that there is some relation between this Akatsuki and the Akatsuki of the past. This new Akatsuki is mysterious; their motives, members, and methods¡­ it¡¯s all shrouded in mystery.¡±

    Danzo folded his arms. ¡°What mystery? They share nothing with that group but their name; likely an inspiration that took root when my forces aided Hanzo¡¯s in crushing Jiraiya¡¯s charity project.¡±

    ¡°Your meddling likely had a direct hand in bringing about this more dangerous Akatsuki,¡± said Hiruzen without bothering to hide his frustration. ¡°Once again, your overzealousness rears its ugly head.¡±

    Danzo huffed. ¡°Minato Namikaze crippled the Stone and terrified the Cloud. The Mist continues to eat itself even today and our boot was pressed against the Sand¡¯s throat¡ªwe were winning the war.¡±

    He looked up, meeting Danzo¡¯s passion with dead calm. ¡°Tread carefully.¡±

    ¡°You caved precisely when you should have stood tall. Waiving our right to demand reparations from the Stone for initiating the war? That wasn¡¯t just a poor decision, it was madness; we could have come out of the war in a much better position if not for your naivety.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± He sighed, once again swallowing his old friend¡¯s disrespect. ¡°If we¡¯re discussing madness, then what of your decision to stoke Hanzo¡¯s greed to shut down the peace talks?¡±

    ¡°And bring our momentum to a screeching halt?¡± Danzo shot back. ¡°It¡¯s pure sentimentality on your part and if you truly were against my doings, then why didn''t you stop me? You know as well as I that the end of the war in the Rain would have achieved absolutely nothing for the conflict would have simply moved location.¡±

    Danzo sat back and stared at him but, instead of dragging their argument on further, Hiruzen sighed. Like the burdens he¡¯d taken on, it was long and heavy, pressing against his shoulders.

    They were here to discuss a solution, not rehash the past.

    ¡°In any case, Hanzo of the Salamander is a non-issue,¡± Hiruzen said, ¡°and has been for a few years. Whoever this new Akatsuki leader is, they don¡¯t seem to harbour any grudges towards us.¡±

    ¡°As always, you¡¯re ignoring the obvious thing,¡± said Danzo. ¡°This Akatsuki¡­ they may not have any bases anywhere that I¡¯m aware of, but Hanzo has not mentioned them at all in their correspondence with me over the years. Or are you going to tell me it¡¯s a coincidence, Hiruzen?¡±

    Hiruzen rubbed the back of his neck with a low yawn. ¡°I¡¯m not sure; Hanzo is a paranoid man. It took you very little to convince him to turn his blade on the Akatsuki. Operating under the name of vanquished insurrectionists would be the fastest way to incur that man¡¯s wrath.¡±

    ¡°All of this is beside the point,¡± said Danzo. ¡°As you asked me, what are we to do about it? The Akatsuki is merely a mercenary group¡ªa dangerous one, perhaps¡ªbut not nearly enough that it warrants action¡­ at least not in this peace you created.¡±

    Hiruzen snorted. ¡°Surely the irony isn¡¯t lost on you?¡± He was ignored, of course, but the humour was enough to uplift his mood for the next few moments while he considered his answer. ¡°There¡¯s no war to obfuscate your¡ªor in this case, our¡ªintentions and while we could use Orochimaru and Itachi¡¯s membership as justification in declaring the Akatsuki our enemies, there is still so much we do not know.¡±

    ¡°Then, what?¡± Danzo asked with a harrumph. ¡°We wait for Itachi to drag the masked Uchiha madman into the light? He can¡¯t do anything that will risk destroying his cover and simply waiting things out isn¡¯t an option. This time, our side was just collateral but what if we weren¡¯t and Kakashi died instead?¡±

    ¡°As usual, you¡¯re being too hasty. There are too many unknowns to brand the Akatsuki as our enemies outright. We can afford to go to war with them, but why? It¡¯s unnecessary, especially when the effort will open us to attack. Onoki is living up to his title but will pick a side of the fence to fall on if we give him cause.¡±

    ¡°At the risk of stating the obvious, the Akatsuki is the bigger threat right now,¡± said Danzo.

    ¡°I will leave the matter to Jiraiya, at least for now,¡± Hiruzen replied, ¡°After all, I received these Bingo Book entries from him. In his pursuit of Orochimaru¡¯s whereabouts, he inevitably uncovered his involvement with the Akatsuki.¡±

    ¡°And then?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll cross that bridge when I come to it.¡± Hiruzen smiled. ¡°Thank you for your input, old friend. You¡¯re dismissed.¡±

    Danzo stared at him as he worked his jaw. Hiruzen returned to his paperwork, aware of his presence against the crown of his head, and when the office door clicked shut, he allowed himself a low sigh. He did not doubt that Danzo was cooking up schemes of his own and if he wanted to, Hiruzen could shut down his ROOT operations.

    However, the ROOT¡¯s existence lent itself to the village¡¯s security, especially in the current political stalemate. Calling it peace was too much¡ªnot after the Raikage¡¯s blatant disregard for the treaties signed after the Third Great Shinobi War¡ªbut it was the closest thing to peace the world had seen in a long while.

    As long as he lived, Hiruzen would see it continue till his dying breath, at least until the new generation could lift the burden from his shoulders.

    ¡°This accursed paperwork will kill me before any kunai,¡± he muttered.

    Unlike before, there was no one to give him an earful for not doing his paperwork; that responsibility used to be Danzo¡¯s. Despite all that had transpired between them and his old friend¡¯s blatant abuse of his trust, Hiruzen missed his presence sometimes.

    Though the nostalgia always died in the cradle.

 Chapter 35 [2]

    He took his time finishing the paperwork, seeing that it was the only thing left on his schedule for the day, but it was mind-numbing work. When he finished it, his wrist pulsed with a dull throb. The chair beneath him gave a mighty creak as he rose, slipping his cloak on alongside the ceremonial Hokage hat.

    ¡°It¡¯s only seven, eh?¡± he murmured with a smile. ¡°Perfect. It won¡¯t be too late, then.¡±

    As he crossed the floor, he gave the portrait shots of his predecessors a forlorn look before regrettably dragging his gaze to his sole successor. The corridor was noticeably warmer than his office and his body pulsed with heat underneath the flowing white and red robe. Without breaking his stride, he allowed his gaze to drift ever so slightly and caught the smallest flicker of movement from behind a nearby pillar.

    He continued forward, focused on the presence lurking in the shadows.

    In an instant, a figure leapt from its hiding place, aiming straight for him. Hiruzen moved with the grace of a man half his age, shifting his weight enough to twist his torso subtly. The child¡¯s form sailed through the air, hands outstretched, only to find empty space where the Hiruzen had been moments before.

    Landing with a soft thud, the boy quickly spun around, his wide eyes filled with a mixture of surprise and frustration. Hiruzen stood a few feet away and a faint, knowing smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He resumed his pace and moved down the corridor as if the ambush hadn¡¯t happened. Behind him, the young shinobi-in-training picked himself up, dusting off his clothes, already plotting his next attempt.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get you next time, gramps,¡± came his nasally, childish voice. ¡°I swear, I almost had you!¡±

    Hiruzen kept his silence for a while until they came upon the grand, spiralling staircase fashioned after the Uzumaki clan¡¯s emblem. ¡°Konohamaru, as much joy as your antics bring me¡­ have you learned nothing from the past weekend¡¯s events?¡±

    He stepped aside, allowing the boy to descend first.

    Konohamaru did his best to look serious, but on a face that young, it only looked adorable. His unruly brown hair was allowed to run free, spiking in some places and lying flat in others. The village sigil dominated his black shirt with vibrant crimson and a long scarf followed the length of his back and hung just above his ankles.

    ¡°Come now,¡± Hiruzen placed a hand on his shoulder, ¡°didn¡¯t you find him interesting?¡±

    ¡°...He called my helmet stupid,¡± Konohamaru frowned with defiant blue eyes. ¡°But his hair¡­ it¡¯s like a stupid, tiny ponytail. And he¡¯s got a stupid name too!¡±

    ¡°Is that all you took away from that discussion?¡±

    Konohamaru looked away, his cheeks flushing slightly. ¡°I-I guess he was a little cool¡ªno one¡¯s ever spoken to Ebisu-sensei like he did.¡±

    Hiruzen hid his smile.

    ¡°Do you know him, gramps?¡±

    ¡°In fact, I do!¡± He smiled, patting his grandson¡¯s head as they reached the bottom of the stairwell. ¡°I think of Naruto as a grandson of mine¡ªlike you.¡±

    That drew Konohamaru¡¯s attention and a pair of big blue eyes shone with curiosity. ¡°Really? Then¡­ then how come he calls you, ¡°Lord Third¡±, like everyone else?¡±

    ¡°What can I say?¡± Hiruzen chuckled. ¡°He¡¯s a very formal child sometimes.¡±

    His grandson accepted the answer with a nod before his interest moved to the village¡¯s shops and street food stalls. He only let regret twist his face once he was sure Konohamaru was captivated.

    The village was bathed in the soft, warm hues of twilight, the sky a blend of oranges and purples. A serene quiet settled over the streets, with many villagers winding down for the day, but there was still a gentle hum of life as shopkeepers closed up and families enjoyed their evening routines.

    Hiruzen walked with Konohamaru by his side, the boy¡¯s energy more subdued as he took in the sights and sounds of the village he would one day help protect. Despite his age, Hiruzen¡¯s steps were steady and many villagers paused to bow or offer a respectful greeting to the both of them.

    ¡°Good evening, Lord Third,¡± a shopkeeper called out, her voice filled with admiration. She offered a warm smile to Konohamaru as well. ¡°Out for a stroll with your grandson, I see?¡±

    Hiruzen nodded graciously. ¡°Indeed. The village is beautiful at this hour, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    The shopkeeper beamed. ¡°It is, sir.¡±

    Hiruzen smiled in return and, as they continued, he led Konohamaru toward a small dango shop, one of his favourite spots for a treat. The old woman behind the counter brightened when she saw them approach, her eyes crinkling with joy. ¡°Lord Third! What a surprise to see you here tonight.¡±

    He greeted her warmly. ¡°My grandson and I were just out for a walk, and I thought some of your famous dango would be the perfect end to our evening.¡±

    The woman chuckled and began preparing their order, her hands moving with the practised ease of someone who had been in the business for decades. ¡°You always did have a sweet tooth, even on the eve of a mission¡ªand young Konohamaru, how are you this evening?¡±

    Konohamaru perked up at being addressed, his earlier frustration forgotten. ¡°I¡¯m good! Gramps said we could get dango tonight!¡±

    The old woman laughed as she handed over the skewers, her gaze softening as she looked at the young boy. ¡°Enjoy, my dear. It¡¯s on the house.¡±

    Hiruzen accepted the treat with a nod of thanks, slipping a few coins into the tip jar when she wasn¡¯t looking. As they wandered further through the village, he noticed how the villagers¡¯ faces lit up as they passed.

    They walked through the marketplace, where the few remaining vendors offered friendly waves, and through the quieter residential areas, where children played in the streets and greeted them with wide-eyed wonder. Konohamaru munched happily on his dango, occasionally looking up at him with poorly concealed admiration.

    As they neared the Hokage Monument, the massive stone faces of Konoha¡¯s leaders glowing softly in the twilight, Hiruzen paused to take in the view. The village stretched out before them. Konohamaru, following his gaze, seemed to sense the gravity of the moment and fell silent.

    Hiruzen placed a gentle hand on Konohamaru¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Do you see everything before you, my boy?¡±

    Konohamaru nodded.

    ¡°If you truly wish to become Hokage, everyone and everything you can see¡­ you will lead them all. It¡¯s a responsibility that you shouldn¡¯t take lightly. Naruto may have been harsh, but that was all he wished to impress upon you.¡±

    Stealing a glance at his grandson, Hiruzen saw the village in his eyes, reflecting a mixture of awe and determination. They stood there longer, the village below them and the stars beginning to twinkle above through the cloud cover.

    He let Konohamaru go after slipping a little extra money into his pocket and descending the mountain. The walk to his destination passed by too quickly and his mind wandered too much for him to enjoy the sight of children running about.

    Before he knew it, Hiruzen stood before a familiar apartment building, ascending to the floors in a single, soundless leap. He swallowed and rested the base of his palm against the thick, navy-blue door. The cold evening air circled his lungs and as he wet his lips, Hiruzen wished he had not forgotten his pipe in the office before knocking on the door.

    His heart thudded between his slow breaths and the long, hanging silence of the apartment block¡ªbut the door opened after what felt like an eternity, revealing startled blue eyes on a slightly less startled whiskered face.

    ¡°Evening, Naruto,¡± said Hiruzen, clasping his sleeved hands before him. ¡°I was hoping to visit you after your mission. I know it¡¯s only been a few days since your return. If you¡¯re not up to it, I¡¯ll just return at another tim¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªNo.¡± Naruto blinked, opening the door wider. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I have time and it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve got any plans, so come in, sir.¡± He stepped aside, allowing Hiruzen to enter before retreating further down the corridor.

    After slipping off his shoes, Hiruzen spied into the kitchen to his left where a pot of noodles bubbled vigorously atop the stove. He cracked a small smile, still hunched over, and placed his shoes to the side where they would be out of the way.

    ¡°What can I get you to drink?¡± Naruto asked. He was inside the kitchen now, stirring the pot. Hiruzen stared at the back of his head where the back of his hair slipped out of a bandana and joined into a ponytail tickling the base of his nape. ¡°There¡¯s tea, coffee¡ªI don¡¯t drink it, it¡¯s for Hinata whenever she can escape her clan¡¯s compound¡ªand there¡¯s also some orange juice in the fridge.¡±

    ¡°Tea please,¡± Hiruzen chuckled. ¡°With milk¡ªand perhaps some of that ramen I can smell?¡±

    That got a smile out of the boy. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s a personal recipe I want to pitch to Mr Teuchi at some point. It isn¡¯t quite at Ichiraku Ramen¡¯s level, but I hope you enjoy it. Take a seat in the living room and I¡¯ll be with you soon.¡±

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    Hiruzen nodded but before he could turn down the corridor, Naruto yelped, his bare feet slapping against the hardwood floor. When he turned, he saw a glass of water in his left hand and a metal fork in the other.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Naruto smiled thinly. ¡°I forgot to offer you some water.¡±

    ¡°Much obliged,¡± he replied, accepting the cup with a bow of his head.

    On his way to the living room, he took a peek into Naruto¡¯s bedroom and noticed the addition of a whiteboard attached to the wall. The Academy textbooks occupied a shelf instead of the dresser table. Hiruzen made his way to the small living room, his eyes catching the subtle changes in the apartment.

    The once sparsely furnished room now held small signs of personalisation¡ªan old, threadbare rug lay under a low table, a stack of neatly arranged Wind-Release scrolls beside it. The walls now displayed a few framed photographs, one of which was of Team 10, the four of them smiling after what must have been a particularly difficult mission retrieving the Fire Daimyo¡¯s family cat.

    Hiruzen couldn''t help but feel a pang of nostalgia mixed with a touch of sadness as he settled down on the cushion beside the table. The faint sounds of Naruto bustling in the kitchen drifted into the room, and he let his gaze wander. The apartment was humble, much like Naruto himself, but it was clear that the boy was trying to make it his own, carving out a space where he could belong.

    It was a far cry from the empty box he¡¯d dined in years past.

    Naruto had grown in more ways than one, and Hiruzen found himself both proud and worried. Naruto¡¯s life had never been easy, and the weight of his burdens was something Hiruzen knew well. He took a slow sip of water, the coolness soothing his parched throat.

    The evening had grown colder and he felt the familiar ache in his joints reminding him of his advancing years. Soon, Naruto emerged from the kitchen, carrying a tray with a steaming teapot, some sugar, two cups and the accompanying saucers. He sped off and returned with two large bowls of ramen, placing everything carefully on the table before sitting opposite him.

    ¡°Here you go, sir,¡± Naruto said, pouring tea into Hiruzen¡¯s cup. The aroma of the freshly brewed tea mingled with the rich scent of the ramen, filling the room with a comforting warmth.

    ¡°Thank you, Naruto,¡± Hiruzen replied, wrapping his hands around the cup. He took a small sip, savouring the delicate balance of flavours. ¡°This is an excellent blend.¡±

    Naruto nodded at the compliment, his earlier nervousness seeming to fade. ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it.¡±

    Hiruzen smiled softly, looking at Naruto with a mix of fondness and concern. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you settling into the shinobi life so well.¡±

    Naruto nodded, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes¡ªan uncertainty Hiruzen could sense, though the boy tried to hide it. They might have returned from their mission in high spirits, but they still encountered an incredibly strong A-rank¡ªborderline S-rank¡ªjonin on top of having taken life for the first time.

    Expecting him to be in perfect health was a pipe dream.

    Still, they ate in companionable silence for a few minutes, the quiet sounds of slurping noodles and clinking chopsticks filling the air. Hiruzen couldn¡¯t help but feel a deep sense of gratitude for this moment, for the chance to sit with Naruto, to share a meal and a conversation.

    He didn¡¯t have the time or the opportunity to do it often. Outside of the boy¡¯s birthday¡ªas a genin of the Leaf, Naruto was no longer eligible for the orphan stipend.

    He was considered an adult in the eyes of the law, which was why Hiruzen needed to mend the smouldering bridge between them; ignoring his own emotions for a moment, now more than ever, he needed to maintain a decent relationship with the village¡¯s sole Jinchuriki.

    In time, the food dwindled until they¡¯d drank the broth from their bowls and were left to refill piping cups of tea. Naruto¡¯s eyes explored the wall behind Hiruzen, momentarily focusing on him whenever he made a sound or adjusted in his seat.

    ¡°How are you settling back in?¡± Hiruzen asked. ¡°Your mission took an¡­ shall we say, unexpected turn?¡±

    Naruto grimaced behind his cup. ¡°That¡¯s putting it lightly.¡±

    ¡°And you? My son¡¯s debrief gave me a more detailed account of how you convinced Zabuza Momochi to retreat.¡± He sighed and set his empty cup atop its saucer. ¡°Taking the brunt of his killing intent without a hysterical reaction is no small feat. Lesser shinobi have died under the pressure and some even choose to end their own lives than suffer another second under that kind of influence.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about it. It was unlike anything I¡¯ve ever faced.¡± He looked away abruptly. ¡°Well, the Nine-Tails was worse, but it was the first time something like that was aimed at me, you know?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°I would like to tell you that things will get better, but in our line of work, that¡¯s simply a falsehood.¡±

    ¡°...Yeah, I guess so.¡± Naruto set his empty teacup aside, propping his forearms on the table. ¡°Not to sound impolite, sir, but why the visit? I don¡¯t take the stipend anymore and it¡¯s not my birthday, right?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Hiruzen replied, outwardly unperturbed by the question, ¡°I was hoping that we could have a much-needed conversation tonight.¡±

    ¡°About?¡±

    ¡°Our relationship.¡± The change in atmosphere was immediate¡ªNaruto¡¯s posture changed from casual to guarded and his eyes grew heavy with a weight of emotions Hiruzen couldn¡¯t quite make out. ¡°Especially in light of the misunderstanding between myself, Danzo, Asuma, and yourself.¡±

    ¡°For years, I talked to you as if you were the one responsible for my training with Asuma and yet it turns out that it was all thanks to a man I¡¯d never met before,¡± said Naruto with a deep frown.

    Hiruzen took the veiled barb with a grimace. ¡°Things were better between us, were they not?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they were¡ªbut not because of you.¡± Frustration leaked past the calm and he saw a fire in Naruto¡¯s eyes. ¡°The truth, sir, is that I¡¯ve suspected I was a Jinchuriki for years but who could I talk to?¡±

    ¡°Me,¡± Hiruzen replied with a sigh. ¡°I understand your childhood left you with very little trust in anyone, however, I was always there.¡±

    Naruto inhaled deeply, nostrils flaring. ¡°Yeah, you were there, but let¡¯s not pretend I could have come to you, sir.¡±

    ¡°...Why not?¡± he asked, slowly assessing the rising tension in Naruto¡¯s shoulders.

    Despite the tension, he could feel the distance¡ªthe coldly formal barrier¡ªthawing. Naruto¡¯s words hovered just shy of disrespect and even now, he used Hiruzen¡¯s station as a way to prevent the barrier from thawing completely.

    ¡°The villagers might¡¯ve left me with little trust but you know who else did that? You, sir. Do you know how many times I laid out the stage for you to just give me something?¡± Naruto shook his head with a snort. ¡°But all you managed to do is prove to me why I couldn¡¯t tell you anything. My life would have been so much better if I had someone to confide in but for some reason, you were deadset on keeping me ignorant while the village treated me however they wanted.¡±

    ¡°Naruto¡­¡±

    ¡°But so long as they don¡¯t reveal my identity it¡¯s fine, right? Calling me a demon walking, an ill omen, a scourge on the village¡­ all of that¡¯s fine so long as the S-rank secret doesn¡¯t get out, yeah?¡±

    Hiruzen pulled his lips into a thin line. This was simply a consequence of picking the village over Naruto; one of many choices he made every day to ensure he didn¡¯t fail Lord Tobirama¡¯s trust in him.

    ¡°So,¡± said Naruto, taking a breath, ¡°please don¡¯t tell me I could have come to you¡ªbecause I couldn¡¯t. I¡¯ve asked you so many things that you just dodged or laughed off.¡±

    ¡°May I speak?¡± he asked with a raised brow.

    Naruto slumped back into the chair and nodded.

    ¡°Firstly, let me tell you how happy it is to hear you,¡± said Hiruzen with a small smile. ¡°And I mean truly hear you. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve ever been completely open with me until today.¡±

    ¡°Even under the circumstances?¡±

    He smiled. ¡°Especially because of them. I cannot say that I made the best decision from where I stand today. Had I known you were aware of the Nine-Tails within you, perhaps I would have made a different choice.¡±

    ¡°And yet you didn¡¯t,¡± Naruto replied, his voice hard.

    ¡°No, I did not. The secrets I kept contributed to our relationship today, but at the time, they were the best choice I could make¡ªnot only for you,¡± he said, speeding up to stop him from interrupting, ¡°but for the village as well.¡±

    He swallowed and with no small amount of anger, said, ¡°You¡¯ve seen how that village treats me, right? Do they really mean more to you than me?¡±

    Hiruzen felt his face soften at the hurt in his voice; to see that Naruto still cared about him even now was something he didn¡¯t know he needed.

    But it only made what he had to say next that much harder.

    ¡°You are important to me, more than just personally, too,¡± Hiruzen began, trying to ease into his thoughts, ¡°but as a leader, I must always work for the good of the majority, of which you are a part. Keeping your identity hidden allowed¡ªand will continue to allow¡ªyou to get as strong as possible before our enemies come for us.¡±

    Sky blue eyes stared back at him unflinchingly but Naruto did not interrupt.

    ¡°It was also meant to guarantee you a burdenless childhood,¡± Hiruzen grimaced and inclined his head, ¡°though I can see, now, that it would never have been the case, even if you were unaware of the Nine-Tails. But it was the choice I made without the knowledge that you knew. Nor were you in any rush to tell me. Instead, you pushed me away¡ªwhich discounts your points even if the sentiment is fair.¡±

    Naruto¡¯s reaction was obvious to him before he even made it. His brow scrunched together, blue eyes burning with indescribable weight. Right as he was about to flip his lid¡ªmouth cracking open soundlessly¡ªHiruzen raised his hand.

    Everything fell into silence; Naruto''s light breaths, the clock on the wall, the village beyond the window, and even his own mind.

    ¡°The fault for our relationship does not lie on your shoulders, no matter how you contributed to it by keeping your silence,¡± said Hiruzen, smiling. ¡°You are a child, burdened with knowledge he should not know. I did not share my knowledge with you before because of your immaturity and perhaps our conversation today has proved me right. However, things are different now. You are no longer a child under the law and killing has taken what little innocence remains within you.¡±

    Naruto shook his head, looking away for a fraction of a second.

    ¡°Shinobi cannot be emotionless tools, even if our creed asks it of us, but that is a separate topic.¡± Hiruzen cleared his throat. ¡°I will be direct: the Nine-Tails is not the only secret I have been keeping from you and after tonight, there will be no more secrets on my end.¡±

    He let his words hang, charging the space between them. Naruto¡¯s eyes widened, his face slackened, and he leaned forward slightly, propping up against the table using his elbows.

    ¡°Your parents died the night the Nine-Tailed Fox laid waste to our village, that much is true, but without their sacrifice, neither of us would be standing here today. I never knew exactly when to tell you as you grew up faster than I hoped you would. So many opportunities, but I used the distance between us as an excuse to put it off. I waited for the right moment and the right moment never came¡ªtake from my regrets now that lesson going forward.¡±

    Hiruzen watched as Naruto''s breath caught in his throat with a quiet gasp.

    The silence between them thickened like a coiled spring. He could see the boy¡¯s knuckles whiten as he gripped the table''s edge, the anticipation hovering in the air, heavy and unbearable, waiting for the words that would change everything.

    ¡°Naruto, your father is Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, and your mother is Kushina Uzumaki, the second Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox.¡±

 Chapter 36 [1]

    It had only been a few days since I returned to the village¡ªtwo if I didn¡¯t count the night we arrived. I hadn¡¯t left my house for the first couple of days, focusing on getting my apartment up and running instead. With a vacuum cleaner and feather duster in hand, I set out to eliminate the dust cover that had settled over practically everything.

    Today, the early summer morning was bright, with a pleasantly cool breeze. It wouldn¡¯t stay that way for long, though. People had already hung up wet clothes the night before in anticipation of the coming heat and I¡¯d dressed for it, wearing a white shirt with the swirling Hidden Whirlpool emblem at its centre along with thin, black shorts.

    I swept my eyes over the winding streets and alleys, searching for three particular people; they were the reason I was hanging about near the Academy. It took me fifteen minutes to find them¡ªthey were taller now, and walked with a little more confidence, but were as childish as always.

    Grinning, I dropped down, landing in front of them. They froze, cautious for a split-second before recognition and then joy split their faces.

    ¡°Naruto!¡±

    I wasn¡¯t even standing straight when they mobbed me. ¡°Relax, guys, but yeah¡­ I¡¯m back.¡±

    Ko was the first to step back, red hair tied into a loose bun. ¡°When did you get back?¡±

    ¡°A couple of days ago,¡± I replied, extracting myself from Nori and Haruto. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve left my house since getting back.¡±

    ¡°How was it?¡± Haruto asked, grey eyes peering at me with obvious curiosity. His hair had grown into a messy side part curling outward across from his eyebrows.

    ¡°The mission?¡±

    Nori nodded, brushing dark coils out of his eyes.

    ¡°Let¡¯s walk for a while.¡±

    I fell back, watching them fan out in front of me. School kids rushed by to the Academy and yawning parents waved them off further down the street. While the three of them were caught up in the excitement of learning about my mission, I wondered what I should even tell them. They knew what kind of life they were signing up for¡ªthe Academy made sure of that¡ªand in a year, they too would go out and take human life.

    But was it wrong of me to want to spare them of it for a little while longer?

    See, part of me felt responsible for luring them into this life all those years ago and I¡¯d become a strange role model in the time since. They came to me whenever they had trouble in school for advice, for notes, or just to vent.

    I sighed. ¡°My mission was to eliminate a rogue group that had taken over a village on the northern border of our country.¡±

    They fell back immediately, walking at my sides with barely suppressed glee.

    ¡°We spent a week travelling, camping out under the stars or in caves whenever we found them. It was similar to the camping trips back in the Academy, except we didn¡¯t have any challenges to do. You could almost convince yourself it was a holiday.¡±

    ¡°Almost?¡± Haruto asked.

    ¡°Almost.¡± I smiled at him. ¡°When we reached Tenka Village, it all sunk in. We rented a room, and the very next morning, went to have breakfast with the village¡¯s chief to confirm the mission¡¯s details. After that, Choji and I hit the streets and started investigating all day.¡±

    ¡°Did you find out anything important,¡± Nori asked.

    ¡°Yep. I ended up talking to this lady whose husband was killed by the rogues. She was suspicious of me because apparently, a group of hooded people arrived a week before us and she thought they were Hidden Leaf ninja.¡±

    I knew I had them hooked now, using the silence as a way to best figure out how to tell the rest of the story.

    ¡°The idea that there could be enemy shinobi hunting the rogues¡ªor us¡ªwas pretty serious, but it wouldn¡¯t change our plans too much. We woke up at the crack of dawn and made our move on the rogues¡¯ outpost and just as we were about to head back, we were ambushed.¡±

    ¡°By who?¡± Ko asked.

    ¡°Zabuza Momochi and his comrades, all rogue ninja from the Hidden Mist.¡±

    Nori frowned. ¡°Who¡¯s that again? He sounds familiar.¡±

    ¡°Idiot,¡± Ko huffed, ¡°he¡¯s one of seven ninja famous for mastering the First Mizukage¡¯s legendary blades. Wait¡­ he¡¯s a jonin!¡±

    I nodded. ¡°He wasn¡¯t alone either. He had the Demon Brothers with him, they¡¯re two chunin, and a woman was wearing a Mist Village ANBU mask.¡±

    Haruto gaped. ¡°How did you guys win?¡±

    ¡°That''s the funny thing,¡± I said with a smile, ¡°my sensei fought Zabuza, taking the fight away from us, and Choji and Hinata fought the Demon Brothers.¡±

    ¡°So, you fought the ANBU lady?¡± Ko asked.

    ¡°I did¡ªand I beat her too. Hinata and Choji beat the Demon Brothers and I used the ANBU lady as a hostage. If Zabuza wanted me to return her, he had to leave us be.¡±

    ¡°Did he?¡± Haruto asked.

    I nodded.

    ¡°Woah¡­¡±

    I could see the excitement and awe growing on their faces.

    Ko''s eyes widened with disbelief as she realized just how dangerous the situation had been, the weight of what I was saying clearly sinking in. Nori was deep in thought, his brows furrowed and Haruto''s face practically lit up, a mix of admiration and excitement in his eyes as he hung on every word.

    I felt a strange mix of pride and concern at their reactions. They were still so young, so eager to prove themselves, but they had no idea what they were really in for. It was all stories and legends to them, something thrilling and just out of reach, even with the Academy¡¯s programming.

    If I could, I wanted to protect that innocence for just a little while longer, to keep them from realizing that the stories weren''t as glamorous as they seemed.

    I smiled. ¡°Skip school and come with me.¡±

    I¡¯d grown to care less and less for school as the years went on thanks to finding a better teacher in Asuma. It seemed, in a strange way, that those three had found a better teacher in me as well. With my notes to study from, classes stopped being a chore, so it wasn¡¯t like skipping a day would hurt them much¡ªstill, I noticed the worry in Haruto¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I said with a smile, ¡°you¡¯d have to miss a lot more than a day for them to contact your mother.¡±

    Ko snickered. ¡°You would know. Mizuki-sensei uses you as an example of the kind of student not to be.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ grades and titles don¡¯t have much to do with your actual strength, anyway.¡± I stood tall and folded my arms.

    She gave me a mock salute and I walked past her rolling my eyes. ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    I stared at a particular spot in the wall where the paint protruded outward in the vague shape of a child. ¡°I can see you, you know? Come out while I¡¯m still being nice.¡±

    The camouflage cover dropped to reveal Konohamaru, scarf and all¡ªbut he¡¯d given up on his weird helmet, it seemed.

    He nodded appreciatively, not upset in the slightest that I¡¯d caught him. ¡°As expected of you, Naruto Uzumaki.¡±

    I blinked. ¡°How do you even know my name?¡± He opened his mouth but I interjected, ¡°Right, Lord Third. Dumb question.¡±

    He smirked. ¡°As expected of you, Naruto Uzumak¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the second time you¡¯ve said that. Why are you here, kid?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± His eyes looked past me at my three friends and I could see a flicker of something¡ªdoubt, maybe¡ªenter his blue eyes. It vanished, replaced with a cocksure resolve. ¡°I¡­ you have the honour of having me as your first-ever underling!¡±

    To my surprise¡ªHaruto stepped around me and stared down at Konohamaru. ¡°Naruto doesn¡¯t have underlings, pipsqueak.¡±

    ¡°Who the heck are you calling pipsqueak?¡± Konohamaru smirked. ¡°Do you know who my grandfather is?¡±

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Nori and Ko tapped Haruto¡¯s shoulders in warning but he wasn¡¯t having any of it. I watched his nostrils flair and¡ªwith a strange detachment¡ªstarted to chuckle. Was he¡­ jealous of Konohamaru?

    Both of them turned, asking in unison, ¡°What¡¯s funny?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± I replied. ¡°Kid, Haruto¡¯s right. I don¡¯t have any underlings. These three sort of count as my students¡­ maybe?¡± I looked at them and they all nodded immediately.

    Haruto wasn¡¯t the only jealous one, after all, it seemed.

    Konohamaru folded his arms and looked at Ko, Nori, and Haruto grudgingly, ¡°Then I¡¯ll be your¡­ fourth student. When do we start?¡±

    Nori opened his mouth but I raised my hand to silence him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have school to get to?¡± I asked.

    ¡°...What about them?¡± he jutted out his chin.

    I followed his gaze to see Haruto, Ko, and Nori¡ªall three wore light smirks.

    Konohamaru stamped his foot. ¡°W-Why, I oughta¡ª!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± I sighed, grabbing him by the scruff of his shirt before he could throw himself at them. ¡°You want to skip school? Fine, just don¡¯t come crying to me if you get into trouble.¡±

    Ko groaned. ¡°He¡¯s coming with us?¡±

    ¡°I am!¡± Konohamaru grinned.

    ¡°Why? You don¡¯t like him?¡± I asked.

    Nori shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡±

    ¡°What, then?¡± Konohamaru looked down, clenching his fists. I stared pointedly at them until they looked away in guilt, laying a hand on the kid¡¯s head. ¡°I don¡¯t mind him coming and if it¡¯s because he¡¯s a kid, boohoo. You guys are kids too.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Ko frowned. ¡°You¡¯re only a year older than us.¡±

    I jabbed my thumb against the centre of my forehead protector. ¡°This thing says I¡¯m an adult and until you get one next year, you''re all kids to me. Now, come this way.¡± With a hand on Konohamaru¡¯s shoulder, I guided him past Haruto, Ko, and Nori before letting him go ahead and staring at the other three expectantly. ¡°Are you guys coming or not?¡±

    They blinked and started walking, their irritation at hanging out with a kid much younger than them giving way to the possibility that I might leave them, which was good enough for me. I didn¡¯t expect or care whether or not they became friends with him instantly. Konohamaru was stubborn enough to keep needling me until I gave in, so why not sic him on Haruto, Nori, and Ko instead?

    He was prideful enough to become my supposed fourth student, which meant learning under the other three and they¡¯d be more eager to befriend him once they learned about the benefits of knowing the Hokage¡¯s grandson. Genuine friendship would come later and, if not, I¡¯d just have them unify in collective rage against me through training.

    I wrestled control of my expression as Konohamaru started needling Nori, the stocky, dark-haired boy too polite to tell him to screw off. This continued all the way to Ichiraku Ramen, where Ko and Konohamaru stopped arguing to stare at the building¡¯s back entrance.

    ¡°Ramen? It¡¯s only nine in the morning,¡± said Ko, taking a moment to re-tie her bun. ¡°Why are we here?¡±

    ¡°Not everyone knows I¡¯m back yet,¡± I said, walking to the door. ¡°Just give me a moment to check in on Mr Teuchi and Ayame and then we can head to a park or something. We¡¯ll see if you guys have made any progress since we last sparred.¡±

    Haruto grinned. ¡°You bet! Me and Asami have been sparring lots since our taijutsu styles are similar. I even¡ª¡±

    ¡°You and Asami Hyuuga, huh?¡± I smirked. ¡°What¡¯s happening there?¡±

    Ko and Nori took equally devious smirks and turned to Haruto in unison. The brown-haired boy flushed almost immediately.

    ¡°N-No! It¡¯s not like that¡ªI s-swear!¡±

    I let go of the issue, but his two friends didn¡¯t.

    Konohamaru walked up to me, but not after scoffing at the three of them. I raised an eyebrow at the reaction, walking to the door. Before I could raise a fist to knock, the door opened wide. Teuchi burst out of its threshold, enveloping me in a massive hug and lifting me off the ground. I blinked, feeling faint vertigo at having been swung around before I looked him in the eye.

    ¡°...I¡¯m back?¡±

    His grin widened and Teuchi threw his head over his shoulder. ¡°Ayame¡­ Naruto¡¯s back!¡± He dragged me into the restaurant and I heard the door close behind me. ¡°Over here!¡±

    Entering the break room, I saw Ayame sitting at a circular table reading a newspaper article. She looked up and Teuchi transferred me into her grip and I was enveloped in a less crushing but equally warm embrace.

    ¡°When did you get back?¡± she asked, grasping my shoulders and pushing me away enough to get a good look at me. Her brown eyes eagerly drank in my features and when she was satisfied, Ayame pulled me in for another hug.

    I extracted myself from her grip with a smile. ¡°A few days ago. I spent the last few cleaning my place thanks to the lovely new coat of dust on everything.¡±

    Teuchi interrupted me by slinging an arm over my shoulder. ¡°You should give us a spare key so we can clean up your apartment while you¡¯re away.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± I tapped my chin. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty good idea. I¡¯ll get one made soon.¡±

    ¡°Good. Now, do you want to tell me why these guys are following you instead of going to school?¡± His smile turned stern and I looked at the four kids I¡¯d pulled out of school for the morning.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± said Haruto, eloquently explaining his thoughts to the world.

    Ko and Nori froze, no better than him but it was Konohamaru who put the final nail into the coffin. The little shit marched right up to Teuchi, barely reaching his waist and having to tilt his head back almost completely to look him in the eye.

    ¡°I¡¯m allowed to be here,¡± he said, folding his arms.

    Teuchi raised an eyebrow. ¡°And why is that?¡±

    ¡°Because I say so.¡±

    ¡°And what if I say otherwise, young man?¡±

    Konohamaru smiled. ¡°But you can¡¯t. Don¡¯t you know who my grandfather is?¡±

    ¡°Hey, cut that out,¡± Haruto interrupted, brows furrowed. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to say that for a while now. Just ¡®cause your grandpa¡¯s Lord Third, doesn¡¯t mean you get to be an asshol¡ª¡±

    ¡°The help is appreciated,¡± said Teuchi, smiling at Haruto, ¡°but unneeded, kid. See, my Ayame here used to be quite the little brat¡ªlike you, young man.¡± I looked at Ayame with curiosity and she looked away, cheeks reddening. ¡°I know a thing or two about dealing with spoiled children.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Konohamaru poked the bear even further by smirking. ¡°What are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°First of all, the four of you,¡± he looked at Haruto, Nori, and Ko before his gaze returned to Konohamaru, ¡°should still be in school, but because of this one, you¡¯re all going to help me before heading back.¡±

    I chuckled and walked over to Ayame, pulling out a chair beside her. ¡°This is going to be good.¡±

    ¡°Hold on there, Naruto.¡±

    ¡°What, why?¡±

    Teuchi fixed me with an unimpressed stare. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question. Why are these four following you around?¡±

    I squeezed my eyes shut and when I opened them, all four of those brats were smirking at me, triumph glimmering in their beady little eyes. And I couldn¡¯t lie, because not only would it piss off the old man, they¡¯d rat me out in an instant.

    Konohamaru included.

    ¡°Because I told them to.¡± I sighed. ¡°But it was only for the morning. After I visited you, I was gonna take them to the park to spar before sending them back.¡±

    Well, now they¡¯re going to help me set up because this one,¡± he patted Konohamaru¡¯s head, ¡°decided to mouth off. Then, they¡¯ll eat some nice bowls of ramen before heading back in time for the afternoon lessons.¡±

    Whatever bone the trio had to pick with Konohamaru, Teuchi gave them no time to do so. He set me off to work on some broth for later in the day and, from the sound of it, put all four of them on cleaning duty with Ayame watching them like a hawk.

    ¡°Are we gonna spar?¡± asked Haruto over his ramen bowl when we¡¯d finished after an entire hour.

    ¡°Watch the floor,¡± I replied, sipping a spoonful of broth. ¡°You don¡¯t want Mr Teuchi making you guys clean it up, do you?¡±

    That got me a round of mutters from all four of them. Konohamaru sat in the corner of the room, silently slurping on his noodles as if he hadn¡¯t eaten in days.

    Teuchi entered the break room from the kitchen, wiping his brow with a rag. ¡°Spar? No, you guys are going back to school.¡±

    Ko and Nori looked to me for help but I shook my head. ¡°You heard the boss man. We¡¯ll spar this weekend.¡±

    ¡°Why not after school?¡± Konohamaru whined.

    I looked at him with amusement. ¡°Because I¡¯ve got things to do.¡±

    ¡°What things?¡±

    Instead of answering, I walked up and crouched low enough till I was level with him, whispering, ¡°None of your business.¡± He threw his head back, brows scrunched so hard in frustration that I laughed. ¡°...Okay, fine. I¡¯ve got to go and check in on some more people. Don¡¯t give me that look¡ªI know more people than Mr Teuchi and Ayame.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Ayame gasped. ¡°No¡­ that can¡¯t be true!¡±

    Ko laughed at my expense and even the ever-dour Nori snorted. I clutched my heart in exaggerated hurt, turning my gaze onto Haruto. ¡°Back me up here, man!¡±

    ¡°I dunno¡­¡± The corners of his lips curved up. ¡°You¡¯re pretty gloomy.¡±

    I slumped against the wall in defeat to a round of chuckles.

    ¡°Okay, off with you all,¡± said Teuchi, herding the four of them through the backdoor with napkins and bottles of water. ¡°And if I find out you decided to play hooky, I¡¯ll make your ramen extra spicy next time!¡±

    He closed the door behind them with a faint smile still lingering on his face.

    ¡°I really should be going,¡± I said, leaving behind my empty ramen bowl.

    ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± Ayame asked. ¡°Can¡¯t you stay for a while?¡±

    ¡°Leave him be. He¡¯s just come back from a mission.¡± Teuchi swatted her lightly. When he looked at me, I could see neverending concern in his eyes. ¡°How was it?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°It wasn¡¯t great, but it ended well. I¡¯m a lot richer and I got to do some good.¡±

    ¡°The number of shinobi who¡¯ve sat opposite that counter¡­ do you know how many of them come for a hot bowl of comfort after a mission?¡±

    ¡°...No?¡±

    ¡°Too many¡ªbut do you know how many of them promise me that they¡¯ll come back safe and sound, but don¡¯t?¡±

    I looked at my feet. ¡°...Too many.¡±

    He hummed, laying a hand on my head. ¡°You might grow taller than me one day, you¡¯re stronger than me, but that worry? The worry that gnawed at me the entire time you were gone? I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll ever go away, even if you became the Hokage.¡±

    There he went again, dropping gems of wisdom and a punch to the gut alongside said gem. I snorted, blinking the unbidden heat out of my eyes. ¡°...Like I¡¯d ever choose to do that much paperwork.¡±

    ¡°Get out of here,¡± he chuckled, opening the door for me. ¡°But don¡¯t be a stranger, you hear me?¡±

    Ayame squeezed her head under his arm in the doorway. ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡±

    I looked back at them and gave a lazy two-fingered salute. ¡°I¡¯ll be there for my shift on Thursday!¡±

    Once the amusement faded, I was left wandering the busier streets in¡­ boredom wasn¡¯t quite the right word. I knew that there was something I had to do, I just didn¡¯t have the desire or energy to do it, so I hopped across the rooftops instead. Hokage Mountain stood tall in the distance, but I kept my eyes off it, at least for the first half an hour. When the beating sun grew too hot to withstand, I fell back to street level and went wherever my feet took me.

    I drifted through the village, the familiar sights blurring into a haze as I moved without purpose. The vibrant colours of the market stalls, the distant chatter of vendors, and the occasional glint of metal from a shinobi''s forehead protector all melted into the background. My mind wandered as much as my feet, skimming over thoughts and memories that seemed just out of reach.

 Chapter 36 [2]

    A gentle breeze swept through the alleyway, bringing with it the faint scent of grilled fish from a nearby stand. My stomach growled, but I ignored it, too restless to stop. Today was just another day, passing like so many others, with no more meaning than the last.

    Or so I tried to tell myself.

    In time, my feet took me to where my mind was too afraid to go, the building¡¯s red tiers stretching higher. Grimacing, I walked past the guarded front gate and entered the building. A cool blast of air conditioning struck me from above as I entered the building.

    The receptionist noticed me first, lips pursing into a frown.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to see Lord Third.¡±

    She relayed my message into the intercom and I walked past without another word, ascending the winding staircase. The door to Lord Third¡¯s office was slightly ajar so I opened it without a sound. Somehow, he noticed me, the aged lines on his face relaxing just a little at the sight of me.

    ¡°Naruto.¡±

    I pulled my lips into a smile or tried to anyway. It felt more like a grimace and didn¡¯t come as easily as a smile should have. Lord Third noticed, but only widened his own smile in response. The shadow of our conversation last night hung over the room like a mortcloth, stifling any goodwill I felt despite it all.

    I¡­ I understood why he made his choices, but those choices left me without anyone to trust for a long time. What was I to do, then? I¡¯d spent so long seething at my lot in life, being angry at Lord Third. He came to me, explained himself, and even went a step further by revealing my parentage to me.

    To be honest, I thought he¡¯d take that secret to the grave.

    Shuffling a little, I gave him a slight bow. ¡°Uh¡­ hello, sir.¡±

    ¡°Here for the key, I assume?¡± he continued, undaunted by my awkwardness as he reached into a drawer.

    I nodded, inching closer to the cluttered desk, and held my hand out, ready to accept the golden key. Its weight settled into my palms, oddly heavy to touch and I pocketed it, feeling its drag inside my shorts.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Lord Third¡¯s voice stopped me as I turned to leave, ¡°I forgot to mention this last night, but your friends have also returned from their missions.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I turned, momentarily forgetting the weighty awkwardness. ¡°Are they okay?¡±

    ¡°Team 7 failed their mission,¡± he replied. ¡°Jonin Hatake is in the hospital, but is fine to receive visitors.¡±

    ¡°Why did they fail?¡± I asked.

    He shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you. It¡¯s classified.¡±

    Furrowing my brow, I swallowed that information, dozens of questions bursting from the unanswered one. Who had they encountered that was strong enough to land Kakashi in the hospital and prevent them from succeeding? Zabuza had come after the Jagged Blades and was in the Land of Fire, so who had Gato hired?

    I wouldn¡¯t get an answer from Lord Third, Kakashi or the other members of Team 7 for that matter.

    ¡°What about Team 8?¡±

    Lord Third¡¯s face wrinkled into a frown. ¡°They did not go on a mission.¡±

    I did a double-take at that. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Jonin Yuhi turned it back in and has seen fit to blacklist them from out-of-village missions for the foreseeable future due to Genin Nara¡¯s conduct during the joint training. In truth, I agree with her. They are not ready for the responsibility¡­ not yet.¡±

    So, that was it, huh?

    When no one came to back up Kiba, I realised he was being used as a sacrificial piece but didn¡¯t think much else of it since it was a training exercise. However, on a real mission, Kiba would have died. A tactic like that should have been Shikamaru¡¯s last resort but he used it right off the bat. In the chaos of Ino¡¯s debacle, it slipped my mind but I couldn¡¯t argue the decision since Shikamaru deserved it.

    I did feel bad for Kiba, though; Ino might have gone along with Shikamaru, but the poor guy did nothing wrong, even eating a food pill was a bit hair-brained because death was never on the table during a training exercise.

    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ uh, go talk to him,¡± I said, slipping up, in part, due to the news throwing me off kilter.

    ¡°Perhaps the word of a friend will remind young Nara of what being a Leaf shinobi means,¡± Lord Third replied with an appreciative nod. ¡°In a similar vein, Team 7 could do with the companionship of their fellows.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll spread the word to Team 8 as well.¡±

    ¡°See that you do.¡±

    With a nod, I turned to walk away, moving my left foot from the open door so I could step through it.

    ¡°Naruto?¡± again, Lord Third¡¯s voice stopped me before I could leave his office.

    I turned around with my eyebrows arched in curiosity. ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Have a good day.¡±

    I blinked before a smile stretched across my face against my will. Triumph swam in Lord Third¡¯s eyes at having managed to make me smile and I turned around, partly out of embarrassment but also to stop the door from closing.

    ¡°...Thank you,¡± I grunted out, closing the door behind me.

    The key sat heavy in my pocket, growing heavier with each step I took away from Hokage Mountain but it wasn¡¯t time yet.

    I had one more thing I wanted to do¡ªno, I had to do before I went there. Arriving at the front of the Nara compound, I was met by two guards reclining in chairs on either side of the massive gate. They took one look at me and gestured me in. By their lazy posture, it was easy to write them off as the usual slothful Nara, but I saw the way their eyes raked over my body as I walked on by.

    In time, I stood before the door to Shikamaru¡¯s family home, the key in my pocket feeling heavier than it should. I knocked, and Shikamaru''s father opened the gate, giving me a curious look but letting me in without a word.

    ¡°...Naruto Uzumaki,¡± he said with a raise of his brow. ¡°You¡¯ve returned.¡±

    I bowed. ¡°Jonin Commander.¡±

    ¡°None of that, now,¡± he replied with a wave of his hand. ¡°I¡¯m unofficially off-duty for the next four hours.¡±

    ¡°Unofficially?¡±

    He winked with a rogue grin that stretched across his scarred face.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Shikamaru?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯m here to talk to him.¡±

    ¡°I figured you would. He¡¯s out back.¡±

    He gestured over his shoulder to a corridor that led to their garden where I found him lying in the grass, staring up at the clouds like usual. I walked over and sat down beside him.

    He didn¡¯t bother looking at me. ¡°What¡¯s up, Naruto?¡±

    ¡°I heard about the training,¡± I said, keeping my tone neutral.

    ¡°Yeah, it was a mess as everyone keeps saying,¡± Shikamaru replied, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice.

    ¡°A mess that you¡¯re responsible for,¡± I replied. ¡°You came up with that plan, remember?¡±

    He groaned and sat up. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t all on me. Kiba was reckless! Why the hell would he choose to fight you, Choji, and Hinata?¡±

    I frowned. ¡°Kurenai-sensei seemed to think it was on you for making the call and I think I agree with her.¡±

    ¡°Of course you do,¡± Shikamaru shot back, finally turning to face me. ¡°Unlike you, my team isn¡¯t the strongest. I had to make a choice with the pieces that I had.¡±

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t have to sacrifice Kiba,¡± I pointed out. ¡°There were other options. If this was real, Kiba would have died, man.¡±

    He shrugged, the frustration clear on his face. ¡°It¡¯s easy to say that now, after the fact, but out there, I did what I thought was best given the situation. If they had just stuck to the plan¡­¡±

    I stayed quiet for a moment... my words weren¡¯t sinking in so maybe another angle would work.

    ¡°I get that it¡¯s tough, but blaming everyone else isn¡¯t going to help. You¡¯re the one they¡¯ll look to for help. You¡¯re practically the second-in-command after Kurenai-sensei. What are you supposed to do if Ino and Kiba can¡¯t trust you for fear that you¡¯ll sacrifice them like some shogi piece?¡±

    ¡°I get it, alright?¡± Shikamaru sighed, running a hand through his hair. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ annoying, you know? Having to rely on others when they can¡¯t even follow a simple strategy.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± I said, standing up, ¡°but if you keep thinking like that, you¡¯re just going to isolate yourself from them. We all make mistakes, Shikamaru, but the first step to never making them again is admitting that mistakes were made in the first place.¡±

    He didn¡¯t respond right away, just lay back down and stared at the clouds again.

    ¡°In other news, Team 7 is ready to receive visitors according to Lord Third.¡± I stood there for a moment before heading off. ¡°Do you know what would help you with getting your team¡¯s trust back?¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°Kiba¡¯s friends with Shino and Ino¡¯s friends with Sakura. Go to them and offer to check in on their friends. Sure, they might not be very happy with you now¡ªyou know, having missed out on an out-of-village mission¡ªbut it¡¯d be a step in the right direction and maybe Kurenai-sensei will change her mind if you extend an olive branch.¡±

    Shikamaru didn¡¯t reply, but I figured he¡¯d come around eventually.

    Leaving the Nara compound, I found myself back in the village streets with no clear destination in mind. The sun hung high in the sky and I drifted past the same stalls I¡¯d seen earlier, the vendors calling out their wares to the passing crowds. The smells of grilled meats and fresh vegetables filled the air, but my appetite had faded.

    Instead, I kept moving because there was no avoiding it any more.

    The building was pretty modest as far as houses went, but it was still a damned sight better than my apartment and surprisingly modern to boot. The exterior was painted in soft, earthy tones and a small, well-maintained garden bordered the front, filled with a variety of plants.

    I guess I was¡­ surprised that the house was still being tended to after over a decade, brushing my hands over the bright flowers and eyeing the hardy shrubs beside the stone path leading to the door. A few wind chimes hung from the eaves, their gentle tinkling sound carried by the breeze.

    I pulled the key out of my pocket, tongue thickening inside my mouth, and twisted the lock. Gulping, I held the handle to steady myself as a sudden wave of vertigo slammed against me. A wave of damp heat washed over my face and I blinked, getting used to the faint scent of lemon-scented incense. Closing the door behind me, I fumbled for the corridor light, illuminating the frames hung all along the bottom of the staircase to my right.

    I inspected the pictures capturing various moments across their lives and swallowed.

    The first photo showed my parents standing side by side in front of our home; it looked exactly as it did in real life. My father wore an easy smile, while my mother¡¯s face was lit up with a far bright, confident grin, and yet, they looked so happy together, like nothing in the world could touch them.

    Clenching my jaw at the memory of Obito¡¯s orange mask, I moved my eyes to the next picture¡ªit was a picture of them on their wedding day. My mother¡¯s red hair was pulled back into a neat bun, and she was wearing a simple, elegant kimono. Dad stood tall beside her, looking proud and a little embarrassed, like he wasn¡¯t used to being the centre of attention.

    I chuckled quietly, tracing my fingers over each picture. Each one was a window into a time I couldn¡¯t fully remember but could feel in my bones¡ªa past filled with love, hope, and the family I never got to know but that warmth I felt twisted into something darker that had been simmering under the surface for years.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    My hand clenched into a fist, and I had to force myself to take a deep breath, but it didn¡¯t help because the rage was there, burning hotter with each second.

    Obito. He took this from me. He stole my parents, my family, and what my childhood ought to have been. I could have had all of this¡ªa mother¡¯s warm hugs, the feeling of being loved, of belonging, but I grew up alone again, with no one to turn to.

    All because of him¡ªhim and his selfish delusions.

    My fingers dug into the wood of the picture frame as I imagined what my life would¡¯ve been like if Obito hadn¡¯t ripped it all away. Every struggle, every lonely night, every time I wondered why no one was there for me¡ªfollowing me beyond the grave and here. Obito turned my life into a fight for something that shouldn¡¯t have been so damn hard to find after it slipped between my stubby, infantile fingers.

    A family.

    My breath came out ragged, and I realized I was trembling. I wanted to smash something, to destroy something the same way he destroyed my life. The way he destroyed my parents. I forced myself to let go of the frame.

    The photos were all I had left of them, and no matter how much I wanted to give in to the anger, I wouldn¡¯t let it take this away from me too because I had people I cared for; a sister in Ayame, a father in Teuchi, and a team of friends and a mentor who cared for me as family should.

    Still, the rage wouldn¡¯t disappear, it wouldn¡¯t fade nor did I want it to.

    I wouldn¡¯t let it.

    It was the fire that drove me forward at the worst points of my life, the reason I fought so hard. One day, I¡¯d make Obito pay for everything he¡¯d taken from me, but for now, I¡¯d keep these memories close and use them as a reminder of what I was fighting for.

    After wandering through the house and finding little more than the remnants of a life left behind, I stood at the door to another study. I hesitated for a moment, resting my hand on its worn wooden handle, before finally pushing the door open. The room was small and cosy, with a single window letting in a soft beam of sunlight that lit up the dust particles in the air.

    The faint, musty aroma of leatherbound books and aged paper hung in the air, turned damp and warm with time. Every shelf I could see was lined with books¡ªsome old, some newer, all of them carefully arranged. A small desk sat nestled in the corner, cluttered with writing tools and an old, empty ink pot.

    I stepped further into the room, running my fingers along the spines of the books¡ªmost were fiction pieces¡ªuntil something caught my eye, its cover worn from years of use. I pulled it from the shelf, feeling the weight of it in my hands, and took a seat at the desk.

    The first page that greeted me was a picture of my mum, younger and full of life, holding up a certificate and standing with a broad smile next to Dad after her graduation. As I flipped through the pages, the photos told a story of their lives together¡ªtraining, laughing, sharing moments that were both mundane and extraordinary.

    Like one where Dad lay flat against the ground, crushed under the weight of a blue, haori-clad toad as large as an adult man¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t just pictures of them. The more I turned the pages, the more I saw my mother with other people, and more commonly, another woman, someone who looked familiar.

    They were older in these photos than the ones from before, often caught in moments of laughter, sometimes sitting together under a tree or sharing a meal with other people. I kept flipping through, finding more photos of the two of them, until two folded pieces of paper slipped out from between the pages.

    One was a picture of my mother with the dark-haired woman I¡¯d seen her in several photos with and another was a note, weathered and dog-eared, but still whole.

    Leaning forward, I began to read:

    ¡°Mikoto¡¯s always been so good at remembering everything. It¡¯s like she has this perfect recall of all her best moments, and it drives me crazy sometimes. I guess that¡¯s the Uchiha for you with their special eyes. She doesn¡¯t need photos to remind her of the good times¡ªshe just remembers. I wish I could do that¡­ just to keep its voice away. Maybe that¡¯s why I keep this book, so I don¡¯t forget all the love and laughter we¡¯ve all shared. Like Lady Mito said, sometimes, when things get tough, I look back at these pictures, and it fills me up from head to toe with¡­ I can¡¯t even describe it¡ªbecause it¡¯s more than love.¡±

    ¡°...Wait,¡± I murmured, reading and re-reading the note.

    I leaned back, realising with a start why I found the raven-haired woman so familiar: she was Mikoto Uchiha, Sasuke¡¯s mother. Tucking the photobook underneath my arm, I slipped the photo and note into my pocket and left the room as quietly as I entered it. Downstairs, I traced my fingers against the photos, stopping at one of Team 7.

    A young Kakashi looked like he was in the middle of scoffing at an irate Obito. Dad had a hand atop both their heads with a helpless smile and Rin stood between them, twin peace signs flashing with an accompanying grin despite her friends¡¯ expressions.

    ¡°...Kakashi, huh?¡± I murmured, staring into his grey eyes, unscarred and alight instead of the damp pools they¡¯d become.

    I travelled, both certain and uncertain; I knew where I was going and what I wanted to do, but I didn¡¯t know how he would react. I didn¡¯t want to dredge up bad memories, but he was the last point of connection I had with my parents.

    The last point of connection I had access to, so I entered the hospital through the shinobi entrance. The receptionist let me pass without a question and I murmured Lord Third thanks for it. Faint antiseptic lingered in the air, mingling with the soft hum of distant medical equipment. The walls were a calming shade of blue, with occasional framed prints of the village.

    The floor beneath my feet was polished and almost too quiet, except for the muted footsteps of nurses and doctors as they moved about their duties. I stopped in front of the door to Kakashi¡¯s room. There was no one around, so I knocked on the door, not expecting any response.

    ¡°Come in,¡± came his voice, muffled but cool.

    I blinked and opened the door, heartbeat thrumming in my throat, walking into Kakashi¡¯s hospital room. There was a long, single bed placed by the window, sunlight coming through the translucent vertical blinds and making the room feel a bit less sterile.

    Kakashi lay in bed, looking pale but calm. An IV drip was attached to his arm, and the beeping of the heart monitor was the only sound apart from the soft rustle of the blinds. The bed was neatly made with crisp white sheets, and there was a small table beside it with an Icha Icha book and an empty cup beside a jug of water.

    The air smelled clean, with a hint of the plant¡¯s freshness from the pots on the windowsill. Kakashi shifted slightly and looked my way, offering a weak smile. It wasn¡¯t his usual grin, but it was enough to remind me of the person he was, even in this hospital room, and he still wore his mask despite it all.

    ¡°What can I do for you, Naruto?¡± he croaked.

    I set the thick photobook on the visitor¡¯s chair on the other end of the table. ¡°I can pour you a glass of water for one.¡±

    He pulled his mask down, taking a deep gulp from the glass. ¡°...Thank you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± I said, blinking.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t expect to see my handsome face so easily, did you?¡± he said, the crow¡¯s feet around his right eye wrinkling. ¡°I usually keep a subtle genjutsu over anyone I¡¯m around when I eat or drink. It makes it look like I have another mask under this one but I¡¯m wiped¡ªhave been all week since we got back.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked, taking a seat and settling the photobook across my lap.

    Kakashi shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s classified.¡±

    I sighed. ¡°Lord Third said as much. Can you tell me why you¡¯re in the hospital at least?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say I used an ability that I haven¡¯t mastered and paid the price for it.¡±

    Taking the answer for the deflection it was, I nodded slowly. ¡°...Okay.¡±

    ¡°More interestingly,¡± he said, pumping energy and cheer into his voice, ¡°why the visit¡ªnot that I¡¯m complaining. I¡¯ve only had Sakura and Shino for company these past few days. Sasuke visited me once when I woke up and never again¡­ my heart weeps!¡±

    I shook my head, not sure what to make of his melodrama-worthy performance but I couldn¡¯t let the conversation go his way. After the house and last night¡¯s talk, I wasn¡¯t in the mood for anything except the truth, so I pushed the photobook across the table, moved the jug to the floor and opened it to a page.

    Kakashi sat up immediately, eyes roaming over the pages and his fingers turned them, over and over, until he reached the end. He sighed, and the usual hidden regret in his eyes pushed to the surface in all its damp, pitiful glory.

    ¡°So¡­ you know.¡±

    I nodded.

    He bowed his head. ¡°You must hate me for not being there for you.¡±

    ¡°No more than I hate Lord Third for choosing the village over me.¡± He flinched at the heat in my voice and I sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ happy with your choices, how could I be? But¡­ more than anything, I want to understand them.¡±

    ¡°Well, what do you want to know?¡± he asked, shifting against the mountain of pillows at his back.

    I tapped my chin¡ªwhat did I want to know?

    ¡°Why?¡± I asked, more curious than upset. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you reach out at all?¡±

    He looked at the ceiling, mask still around his neck and sighed. ¡°Why, huh? I¡­ to be honest, I was afraid.¡±

    ¡°...Why?¡± I repeated, frowning this time.

    ¡°Because you were like me.¡± He looked at me then, and his grey eye hardened so much that I could swear it grew darker. ¡°Always training¡ªand you had that look in your eye too. That look that cared only about results because you had something to prove. I don¡¯t know what, but it was there.¡±

    I gulped, wincing at my dry, sore throat.

    ¡°I might not have been there, but I paid attention,¡± he continued, looking through the vertical blinds this time. ¡°Naruto, it hurt watching you push your friends away and put the second to your training because it¡¯s exactly what I did.¡±

    ¡°...Is that why you didn¡¯t teach me?¡± I murmured, to myself in part.

    Kakashi tilted his head. ¡°Not completely. I found out about you and Asuma. In the few years he¡¯d been training you, you learned to balance training with valuable friendship.¡±

    ¡°But you could have still taught me as my jonin sensei,¡± I pointed out. ¡°I¡­ wasn¡¯t the best friend, but I was learning, you know?¡±

    ¡°I could have,¡± he agreed, ¡°but on the off-chance that I stoked your worst impulses, I would have never forgiven myself. Besides, I¡¯ve failed too many people to add you to that list¡ªyour parents included.¡±

    ¡­That was certainly something. I swallowed, not so much accepting his words as I tried to understand them. I was the least angry at Kakashi out of everyone in my life, which started and ended at Hiruzen Sarutobi. Jiraiya was my father¡¯s sensei, and my parents picked a name out of his book, but he wasn¡¯t my godfather.

    All responsibility over me was on Lord Third¡¯s shoulders, as per my mother¡¯s dying breath and while I had no want for money, my childhood was no childhood at all.

    And now, I knew why and I hated it¡­ but I understood.

    Kakashi had spent his life searching for reasons to continue beating himself over the head with guilt and something told me that if I allowed him to use me as yet another reason, he¡¯d never stop.

    ¡°Life¡¯s not a single straight road,¡± he continued, ¡°and more often than not, it goes to unexpected places. You see, it¡¯s not my place to be your jonin sensei anymore, but that¡¯s life¡ªit doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t help you out, though, so ask away. What else do you want to know? Not like I get many visitors these days...¡±

    I smiled and leaned forward. ¡°How was it? Learning from my father?¡±

    ¡°First thing¡¯s first, get me my flak jacket from the coat rack, will you? It¡¯s getting cold but I don¡¯t want to close the window.¡±

    I did as ordered, draping the green vest across his lap.

    He blinked and then a hesitant smile twitched from the corner of his mouth, mask still draped around his neck. ¡°It was¡­ educational¡ªyeah, that¡¯s how I¡¯d best put it. I dunno, Naruto¡­ there was so much¡­ so much.¡±

    From there, it was perfectly smooth sailing. I don¡¯t know how long I sat across the table, listening to stories and cautionary tales about my mother and father. They were close with Kakashi for sure, but I didn¡¯t know they were that close. He told me of nights where they¡¯d huddle around the living room and watch television with the rest of his genin team and the weekly dinners with as many as a dozen of their friends.

    At the end of it, the regret returned to his eyes and the same emptiness settled deep inside me and I knew that we were both thinking the same thing.

    ¡°Hey,¡± I said, eager to continue the positive conversation, ¡°can you use the Rasengan?¡±

    Kakashi blinked away the regret. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my dad¡¯s signature jutsu, right? I wondered whether you could use it too.¡±

    He nodded and I saw the ghost of smirk on his face. With a practised motion, he extended his hand and at first, there was nothing¡ªa heartbeat of silence that made me feel like I¡¯d made a fool of myself¡ªbut then, a delicate wisp of chakra began to swirl from his palm¡­ right before a plume of smoke flooded out of his palm.

    It cleared to reveal an orange book with an ever-popular title that had me slumping in disappointment.

    ¡°Behold!¡± Kakashi held out the book, bowing his head in reverence.

    I sighed. ¡°What do you have there, Kakashi-sensei?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you¡¯re unaware of the famed Icha Icha series, young man,¡± he replied with a leer. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that this was your father¡¯s favourite edition. Now, I was going to give it to you when you made chunin¡ªthat¡¯s when Lord Third said he¡¯d reveal your parents¡¯ identities to you¡ªbut you decided to be extra mature and wring it out of him earlier, so here you go.¡±

    My eyebrows crawled up to my hairline at the accusation¡ªsomething told me my mother wouldn¡¯t let those books survive if she found them¡­ unless he kept a stash?

    ¡°It¡¯s true¡­ and now, I pass it on from father to son¡ªsafeguard it.¡± Kakashi¡¯s voice was rich with admiration, ¡°The book was a gift from your father. The best gift, even.¡±

    I accepted it gingerly. ¡°Thank you, Kakashi-sensei. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find some use for it¡­ maybe.¡±

    ¡°When we¡¯re alone, Kakashi is fine, alright?¡± He chuckled and then nodded to himself in satisfaction. I nodded dumbly, slipping the porno novel into the same pocket that held the key to my family home and then zipping up the pocket immediately.

    ¡°Naruto?¡±

    I looked up.

    ¡°I need a favour from you¡ªdon¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not in return for the book,¡± he clarified, sliding the mask back up his face, all the previous humour gone. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ worried for Sasuke after our mission. Sakura and Shino tell me he¡¯s been avoiding them and, like I said earlier, he hasn¡¯t visited me since I woke up. I reckon he¡¯s pushing his friends away as a reaction to our failed mission.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± I digested the information with a slow nod. ¡°What do you need?¡±

    With his mask back up, the crow¡¯s feet around Kakashi¡¯s right eye crinkled with full effect. ¡°If he¡¯s pushing his friends away, maybe his eternal rival can get through to him.¡±

    ¡°...For the record, I¡¯m not going to wear a green jumpsuit.¡±

    He barked out a laugh at that. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t ask that of anyone.¡±

    I shared a smile with him and rose out of my chair, tucking the thick photobook under my arm. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do, Kakashi.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all I ask,¡± was his reply.

    Out in the corridor, I opened the front cover out of curiosity¡ªI¡¯d never read an Icha Icha novel before¡ªnot even Ayame¡¯s secret stash. The inner front cover was empty, and where there should have been a foreword or something on the next page, I found careful penmanship¡­ and a note assigned to me?

    Taking a seat outside Kakashi¡¯s hospital room, I began to read:

    ¡°Dear Naruto,

    Honestly, I don¡¯t when I¡¯ll give this to you and it¡¯ll never make up for the years that I wasn¡¯t there. I hope you can forgive me, but I¡¯ll give this to you anyway. Know that it¡¯s incomplete and that it falls to you and me to finish your father¡¯s magnum opus¡ªthough I¡¯ve thrown in the towel, so it¡¯s all you, kid.¡±

    ¡°No way,¡± I breathed, my heartbeat quickening while I flicked through the book.

    There wasn¡¯t a lick of smut or any prose fiction at all. Instead, I found careful instructions and margin-squeezed tips on learning and mastering the Rasengan and that wasn¡¯t even all. I flicked further ahead to a section marked by a dog-eared page and drank in its contents.

    ¡°...Furthering the Rasengan,¡± I murmured, ¡°the theory behind the Chidori.¡±

    After that, I couldn¡¯t read any further.

    Slamming the book shut, I raced back into the hospital room, practically bursting through the door. Kakashi lay on his back, snoring loud and hard. I bowed deeply and spoke loud and clear, knowing that he definitely wasn¡¯t sleeping.

    ¡°Thank you, Kakashi. I¡¯ll do you proud.¡±

 Chapter 37 [1]

    As the forestry blurred past, I kept alert, counting the hurtling heads of my companions around me as we left the village walls behind. The cuts along the back of my hand and some of my right forearm gave slight twinges underneath their bandages, less so with each pulse. The only reason I hadn¡¯t gone to the hospital was because they¡¯d already begun healing by the time I finished showering.

    ¡°Remind me, why you didn¡¯t take the offered break?¡± Asuma asked, effortlessly keeping pace with us.

    Behind me, the two Akimichi clan members lagged behind us a little, lugging massive scrolls slung across their shoulders. Hinata led the charge up front, her head on a swivel, with Choji alongside her for company.

    I shrugged, throwing my arms out, and the crook of my elbow whacked into a thin cluster of branches, sending stinging pinpricks to my fingertips. Despite what a monumentally stupid decision it was to exaggerate my shrug while in motion, the sensation made me smile. The injuries alone proved that I was going somewhere with this¡ªKakashi had warned me about destabilisation.

    If anything, it was my fault for growing excited at the sight of a little success and thinking myself the exception to the rule and that it didn¡¯t implode sooner was a miracle¡­ or a sign that I was headed in the right direction.

    ¡°I can¡¯t let up now,¡± I replied, running a hand through the blonde fringe over my forehead. ¡°Not after Tenka Village.¡±

    Predictably, Asuma fell silent after that and I looked ahead at my two closest friends. After the Tenka Village mission, being subjected to Zabuza¡¯s killing intent, I¡¯d gained a taste of my future and realised that it wasn¡¯t my jutsu or my chakra enhancement that saved me from Zabuza.

    Realising all my training¡­ that every bit of effort I¡¯d put into honing my skills amounted to nothing in the end was a hell of a thing. Neither of my teammates had been subjected to his killing intent directly, but they felt it nonetheless. I remembered the restlessness on their faces when they turned up at my doorstep, dragging a half-asleep Asuma behind them, and demanding we go on a mission despite having returned from a re-adjusted A-rank a week prior.

    No one in the world could sit still after something like that¡­ but then I looked over at Asuma, who still looked ready to doze off, feeling the need to amend the thought.

    ¡°Another two entered my range!¡± Hinata¡¯s voice rang loud and clear ahead of us. ¡°Seventy-five metres straight ahead!¡±

    I relayed the information to the two Akimichi doggedly pursuing us, catching the grins on their tattooed faces before I turned around. The anticipation stopped after the second encounter but was replaced with a constant giddiness, helped in no small part by the pair of round but muscled men.

    ¡°Here it comes,¡± Hinata warned, suddenly breaking off with Choji following her.

    I landed, crouched atop a branch, noting Asuma to my left and the Akimichi to my right. Then, I saw it between the cover of another tree a little further ahead. Snout in the air, turning this way and that, in search of us, most likely, and goddamn was it huge. But it wasn¡¯t a massive departure from the six we¡¯d hunted in the last hour. This bear wasn¡¯t as muscular as the first one we fought and was nowhere as aggressive as the third one.

    To be fair, all the bears we¡¯d been contracted to help hunt were far bigger and more aggressive than normal, so that wasn¡¯t saying much.

    Ryota Akimichi laid a large, weighty hand on my shoulder, a mane of spiky black hair racing down his shoulders. ¡°Go on, Naruto, let¡¯s see you use that jutsu¡ªthe massive one.¡±

    ¡°That massive one?¡± I mumbled, furrowing my brow in thought as his twin brother Yuudai looked on in encouragement. ¡°You mean Great Breakthrough?¡±

    The two men nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen one that strong before,¡± Yuudai whispered. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be that strong, should it, Jonin Sarutobi?¡±

    Asuma snorted. ¡°Nope.¡±

    Seeing that he wouldn¡¯t explain further, I dodged the awkwardness by jumping right into things. The bear spotted me immediately, baring its fangs, and I watched its pupils dilate right before it launched forward, swiping a massive paw at my descending body. Finishing my hand seals just in time, I launched to safety using Great Breakthrough.

    But instead of spewing out immediately, I circled the wind chakra inside my lungs, building up its momentum before launching it forward. The bear took the wave of air decently, managing to bury its claws into the air¡ªand that worked until it lost its grip¡ªand crashed onto its back.

    Who would¡¯ve thought that wind would benefit the most from rotational momentum?

    Before I could say a word, Choji dropped from the treetops, enlarged stone fists clasped above his head. He brought his arms down on the fallen bear with a bone-crunching impact, the ground trembling beneath the force. The bear let out a pained roar, but it was clear that it was weakening.

    The bear struggled to rise, its feral growls muffled by the ringing in my ears. Blood dripped from its mouth and head, and its once-fierce eyes were now glazed with pain. I knew Choji¡¯s attack had done significant damage, but the bear wasn¡¯t out of the fight yet.

    I landed on the ground, my feet digging into the earth as I steadied myself. Dust and debris clouded the air, and I coughed as I waved my hand in front of my face to clear my vision. There was no time to waste. The bear was down, but it wouldn¡¯t stay that way for long so we had to finish this before it mustered up enough energy to get up.

    Even now I could see it trying to push itself up, brown eyes burning with animalistic fury that seemed to promise that it wouldn¡¯t stop until one of us was dead.

    ¡°Choji, don¡¯t let up!¡± I yelled, my voice raspy because of the dust. ¡°It¡¯s still alive!¡±

    Choji didn¡¯t need to be told twice. He raised his massive fists again with a face filled with grim determination. Then, with all his strength, he brought them crashing down on the bear¡¯s skull¡ªonce, twice, and then again until it slumped over, flat against the ground. Its body convulsed, limbs twitching as if to resist the inevitable, but Choji wasn¡¯t done.

    He lifted his fists again and brought them down with even more force, over and over, each blow driving the bear deeper into the ground. The bear¡¯s roars faded into wet gurgles, but still, it tried to rise, bloodthirsty eyes settling on me with a deep, gnawing hunger.

    ¡°Just¡­ stay¡­ down!¡± Choji grunted as he delivered the final blows.

    After what felt like an eternity, the bear finally stopped moving. Its body lay limp and lifeless, the once terrifying creature now nothing more than a heap of flesh and fur. Choji staggered back, panting heavily, his fists stained with blood.

    I approached cautiously, my heart still racing. I didn¡¯t take my eyes off the bear until I was sure it was truly dead. There was no sign of movement, no rise and fall of its chest. It was over.

    ¡°You did it,¡± I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

    Choji nodded, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. ¡°Yeah¡­ but¡­ that was¡­ harder than it should¡¯ve been,¡± he replied, still catching his breath.

    I couldn¡¯t disagree but neither could I place my finger on what exactly was wrong. Ryota and Yuudai joined us moments later, slinging the scrolls off their shoulders before their feet touched the ground. The two of us stepped back, letting the two men get to work, and joined Asuma and Hinata instead.

    ¡°Is it me,¡± Hinata began, inspecting the fallen bear with her Byakugan active, ¡°or are they getting¡­ stronger?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think stronger¡¯s the right word,¡± I replied, frowning. ¡°This bear wasn¡¯t bigger than some of the ones from earlier but they¡¯re all¡­ strange.¡±

    Asuma pulled the cigarette out of his mouth to reply. ¡°The mission request did say that these bears were killing too many things, didn¡¯t it? Are you really surprised when those bears then turn out to be strange?¡±

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s true,¡± said Choji, nodding along. ¡°Besides, we¡¯re making sure they don¡¯t suffer needlessly, right?¡±

    I caught the look he gave me, remembering the talk we¡¯d had lying on that hardwood floor back in Tenka Village and returned his nod.

    ¡°Look at our young master growing up on us!¡±

    Ryota and Yuudai joined us, scrolls fastened over their backs, wearing matching grins. They were twins who strived to be the opposite in every regard. Where Ryota wore his hair in a long black mane, Yuudai¡¯s was a short, shocking white, with a few bangs barely touching his eyebrows, and their face tattoos followed a similar colour scheme.

    Yuudai slung an arm around Choji¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I think it¡¯s about time he gets his bear pelt, eh, bro?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Ryota looked at me and then moved his gaze back to Choji. ¡°He has been doing the most amount of work.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± came Hinata¡¯s indignant voice. ¡°Without me, you¡¯d all be lost!¡±

    Asuma cackled. ¡°She¡¯s got you there. Maybe she deserves a pelt instead.¡±

    Sharing a glance, the twins flashed their black and brown pelt vests, rotating on the spot.

    ¡°What do you think, young lady?¡± asked Yuudai, spreading his arms wide to show her his brown pelt. ¡°It¡¯s quite warm and stylish, no?¡±

    Ryota nodded along. ¡°Unfortunately, polar bears are only native to the northern countries, and we refuse to wear the pelts of animals we haven¡¯t killed and skinned ourselves.¡±

    Hinata gestured to the scrolls at their backs. ¡°...What about the last seven bears you stored?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not wearing the pelts,¡± Yuuda said with a grin. ¡°You guys are¡ªcan we interest you in a pelt vest, Naruto? Call it thanks for moving so expeditiously, yeah?¡±

    I looked up. ¡°Me? Uh¡­ I¡¯m good with Asuma¡¯s old flak jacket.¡±

    Ryota leaned in, inspecting what felt like every inch of the jacket. ¡°This old thing? It looks like it¡¯s been through a war.¡±

    ¡°Probably because it has,¡± said Asuma, finishing the last of his cigarette before crushing it underfoot. ¡°That¡¯s my war-issued flak jacket that he¡¯s got on.¡±

    ¡°Would you be interested in a pelt vest, Jonin Sarutobi?¡±

    I chuckled in the face of their shamelessness and then started to laugh when Asuma seriously began to consider the idea. ¡°Hey, how about we finish this mission before you congratulate us on a job well done.¡±

    The brothers stepped back, hands raised in surrender. Yuudai went into his pocket notebook, his expression uncharacteristically serious. ¡°This next one¡¯s probably the most dangerous of the bunch, and I don¡¯t say this lightly.¡±

    Ryota pulled his lips into a thin, hard line. ¡°We call him Onikuma. I¡¯d tell you more, but I don¡¯t think anything we can say will sell it to you before you lay your eyes on the bastard.¡±

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°You guys gave him a name, huh?¡± Asuma noted with some interest.

    ¡°You¡¯d give him one too after what we saw,¡± said Yuudai. ¡°We were refilling our canteens when we saw a bear fishing downstream. See, that¡¯s scary enough. We didn¡¯t become shinobi, but we know our clan¡¯s hijutsu. We were heading off when this huge as shit bear comes crashing in, knocking down trees, and rushes at the other bear. They fight for a while, but it was clear Onikuma was just stronger.¡±

    ¡°Any reason why this Onikuma was so aggressive?¡± Hinata asked.

    Ryota took over. ¡°We¡¯ve got no clue, but it¡¯s been happening to more and more. The bears are getting too aggressive, even for animal standards, which is pretty bad when this training ground is meant to simulate the wild.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you¡¯re asking us to cut down their numbers,¡± I realised, clutching my chin. ¡°If we get rid of the bloodthirsty ones, the prey will have a chance to beef back up for a bit.¡±

    Asuma shrugged. ¡°Where¡¯s this Onikuma at, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Last we saw of him was about here,¡± said Yuudai, pointing out a red circle on a drawn-out map. ¡°We¡¯re guessing that he¡¯s made his den around here, but we might be slightly off.¡±

    ¡°Define slightly.¡±

    Ryota smiled. ¡°Bears typically hunt several miles out from their dens, so slightly is a lot.¡±

    ¡°Luckily, you have someone who can help,¡± said Hinata, returning the older Akimichi¡¯s smile.

    Yuudai cheered. ¡°If we can take out Onikuma, you¡¯ll all get pelt vests free of charge!¡±

    Shaking my head, we decided on a course before Hinata took point once more. We fell into a familiar silence, the Akimichi twins bringing up the rear, Choji running beside Hinata, and me and Asuma sandwiched between them, leaving the cratered, blood-spattered clearing far behind.

    What the hell could make that many bears so aggressive? There wasn¡¯t any shortage of food, and every bear we¡¯d come across looked hale and healthy as far as that went. If anything, they were a bit too big. As Ryota said, maybe it was some freak accident. The ambient levels of chakra in the training grounds were higher than the rest of the village, after all.

    However, that only made me wonder how certain animals even gained the ability to talk and wield chakra in the first place. Maybe these bears were on the path to becoming like the sage creatures or something. What if we were disturbing something we didn¡¯t fully understand?

    My thoughts swirled as we moved deeper into the forest, the trees growing denser, their shadows lengthening as the afternoon sun dipped lower. The air felt thicker here, heavy with the scent of pine and earth. There was an oppressive stillness as if the forest itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

    ¡°Onikuma shouldn¡¯t be too far now,¡± Hinata murmured, her Byakugan scanning the area ahead. ¡°I¡¯m picking up some larger chakra signatures, but they¡¯re scattered. Could be other animals.¡±

    ¡°Or more bears,¡± I added, my voice low. The thought of facing Onikuma alongside other monstrous bears didn¡¯t exactly thrill me, but I wasn¡¯t about to back down.

    The nagging feeling in the back of my mind wouldn¡¯t go away. Something about this whole situation felt off like we were missing a crucial piece of the puzzle. But what?

    We pressed on, the silence around us growing more pronounced with every step. Even the usual sounds of the forest¡ªbirds chirping, leaves rustling in the breeze¡ªit was all muted as if the world was holding its breath in anticipation of what lay ahead. The ground beneath our feet was soft, and damp from recent rain, and our footsteps were barely audible thanks to Wind-Release: Frequency Disruption.

    Finally, Hinata came to a halt, raising a hand to signal us to stop. She scanned the area again, her eyes narrowing as she focused on something in the distance.

    ¡°There¡¯s a cave up ahead,¡± she said, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°It¡¯s large, and there¡¯s a strong chakra presence inside. It could be Onikuma.¡±

    ¡°Looks like this is it,¡± Asuma said, his tone businesslike.

    I nodded, catching the gaze of my two teammates. ¡°Hinata, keep an eye out for any surprises. Choji, you¡¯re with me on the front line. And you two,¡± I added, looking at the Akimichi twins, ¡°stay safe.¡±

    The twins nodded, their usual playful demeanour replaced with a seriousness that matched the gravity of the situation. They understood, as well as the rest of us, that this wasn¡¯t just another hunt. We approached the cave cautiously, our senses on high alert.

    The entrance was wide, almost unnaturally so, with jagged rocks framing the dark mouth of the cave. The air that wafted out was cool and damp, carrying with it the unmistakable scent of wet fur and earth. It was a scent that promised danger, that a powerful creature dwelled within.

    I swallowed, surprised at the lack of nervousness in my stomach¡ªall I could feel was the constant, swirling warmth of my chakra. After the twins had hyped up Onikuma, I was under no misgiving that we were about to face something far more dangerous than any of the bears we¡¯d encountered before.

    No mere bear could match up to Zabuza¡¯s killing intent.

    I caught a flash of Hinata¡¯s smile as we descended. Choji positioned himself at the ready, muscles tensed. I took a deep breath, feeling the familiar surge of chakra as I flexed my fingers and if Onikuma was anything like the other bears, it knew we were here. The silence was almost unbearable, broken only by the soft rustle of leaves and the distant call of a bird.

    Then, from deep within the cave, a low, rumbling growl reverberated through the air,                                               The sound was primal, filled with raw, untamed power as the infamous bear emerged, all hulking muscle and sheer fury. Easily the biggest bear we¡¯d fought all day and with the faded scales trailing its forehead, the sight was truly something incredible.

    The gust of wind that erupted from my mouth was more controlled than before, focused into a concentrated blast aimed directly at Onikuma¡¯s face using chakra-coated hands. The bear staggered, but only for a moment. His eyes narrowed in rage as he shook off the attack and lunged toward me.

    Choji was there in an instant, his massive stone fists swinging down to intercept Onikuma¡¯s charge. The bear twisted mid-air, avoiding the full brunt of the attack, but Choji¡¯s blow still connected with its side, sending it crashing into the ground. Onikuma roared in fury, the sound reverberating through the clearing, and in a split second, he was back on his feet, barreling toward Choji with renewed aggression.

    My friend braced himself, chakra flaring around him as he prepared to meet the charge head-on.

    ¡°Choji, keep him busy!¡± I shouted, already forming the seals for another jutsu.

    Choji roared in acknowledgement, his enlarged fist slamming into Onikuma¡¯s shoulder just as the bear lunged at him. The impact staggered the bear, but Onikuma recovered quickly, his claws flashing as he swiped at Choji¡¯s midsection. Choji twisted to avoid the worst of the blow, but Onikuma¡¯s claws raked across his chest, drawing blood.

    I was there in an instant, slamming a kick into the bear¡¯s exposed side, feeling the solid muscle through the sole of my foot. It crashed back, beady eyes snapping onto me, drooling. Choji seized the momentary distraction, slamming a massive stone fist into Onikuma¡¯s face. Slipping out of the bear¡¯s sight, I watched Choji pull back, the stone gauntlets spattered with blood.

    He went for another punch, Onikuma¡¯s maw snapping dangerously close to Choji¡¯s face. With a flick of my wrist, I launched a kunai at the bear with a burst of chakra, hitting it right in the eye. Roaring, Onikuma reared back, its remaining eye finding me in an instant before he charged. Launching myself into the air, I blitzed through hand seals and spat out a gust wide enough to flatten the bear against the ground.

    Choji was on its back in an instant, slamming blow after blow into Onikuma, and struggled to rise, but his movements were sluggish, his strength waning. Blood dripped from multiple wounds, staining the earth beneath him. As I fell, I circled my chakra to my feet, drawing my right leg up high and lining myself with the fallen bear¡¯s head.

    ¡°Choji, clear!¡± I yelled.

    He launched himself off the bear in an instant and before Onikuma could rise, the heel of my boot came crashing down on its skull with all the enhanced force I could muster. The impact was like a small explosion, cutting off the bear¡¯s roars. Bone gave way under the blow and I rolled off its back to the side, kunai poised and ready to follow up on the attack.

    When Onikuma didn¡¯t move, I slowly straightened.

    ¡°I think we¡¯ve done it,¡± said Choji, his haori bright red and bloody. ¡°That bear was massive.¡±

    I poked his chest, pulling back when he hissed. ¡°Those aren¡¯t deep, but we¡¯ll swing by the hospital anyway.¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± said Ryota, walking towards us with his brother while Hinata and Asuma walked behind them. ¡°That¡¯ll scar.¡±

    Yuudai grinned. ¡°A badass scar.¡±

    ¡°Just get him sealed up,¡± I said with a sigh, nodding at Asuma. ¡°Are we done?¡±

    Hinata eyed Choji with concern, pulling him aside with her medical kit in hand and the twins returned after sealing Onikuma, exhausted by the ordeal but grinning nonetheless.

    Once we finished up, we moved to a clearing and got to work helping the Akimichi men with skinning and butchering the bears. After another few hours of arduous work, we sat around a campfire, eating thin cuts of roasted bear meat on skewers with the afternoon sun slowly curving towards the horizon.

    ¡°Amazing work, Team 10,¡± said Yuudait raising a bottle of alcohol to us. ¡°It was a real joy seeing you guys in action.¡±

    Hinata smiled with a respectful bow of her head. ¡°It was our pleasure.¡±

    I caught her gaze halfway through lifting a bottle to my mouth, freezing at the disapproval in her eyes. ¡°What? It¡¯s not illegal. And don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s improper after you,¡± I said, pointing at her and then Choji, ¡°smoked a cigarette after Tenka Village.¡±

    ¡°But that was in Tenka Village,¡± she shot back, turning her heated gaze onto Asuma. ¡°For the record, I still hate them.¡±

    Our sensei nodded with obvious amusement. ¡°You made that clear.¡±

    I took a sip of the alcohol, tilting my head in acknowledgement. ¡°...It¡¯s not bad.¡±

    Choji peered at me with mild curiosity, but it was Ryota who caught him staring, a devious smile spreading across his face. ¡°Yuudai, our young master wants to try some alcohol!¡±

    ¡°W-What? ¡°I-I didn¡¯t say that!¡± Choji sat up, wide-eyed. They shoved a bottle into his hands and he eyed it cautiously, looking at me and Hinata for help.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let them tease you into it,¡± I said, snorting. ¡°If you want to drink, then drink.¡±

    He set the bottle at his feet. ¡°M-Maybe later.¡±

    Hinata snatched it up immediately, passing it to Asuma who knocked it back without hesitation.

    Swallowing, I clicked my tongue. ¡°Ryota, Yuudai, do me a solid and take a walk for a little bit. I need to talk to my team about shinobi stuff.¡±

    The brothers blinked in surprise but rose without a word, walking off into the forest. I stared at Hinata and she nodded, deactivating her Byakugan once they were out of range.

    ¡°What do you have to say that required sending off those two?¡± asked Asuma, pulling out a smoke.

    ¡°I found out who my parents were last weekend.¡±

    Choji and Hinata gasped, Asuma stopped lighting his cigarette, and I felt a deep hollowness in my chest for some reason.

    ¡°...And?¡± asked Choji.

    ¡°Let me start by saying no one can know¡ªno one. It¡¯s on the level of my furry little problem,¡± I said, making sure to hold eye contact with my two friends. ¡°Just one more secret you guys have to keep, alright? It felt wrong not to share it with you three, at the very least. I¡¯d tell Ayame and Teuchi too but¡­¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re civilians,¡± said Hinata with a complicated look.

    Choji nodded. ¡°We get it.¡±

    I sat there in silence for a little while.

    ¡°The anticipation is killing me, kid,¡± said Asuma, exhaling thick smoke.

    I managed a smile. ¡°Well, here it goes: Lord Third told me that my father was the Fourth Hokage and my mother was Mito Uzumaki¡¯s adopted daughter.¡±

    Seeing Choji and Hinata¡¯s reactions hit me harder than I expected.

    Their shock was palpable¡ªHinata''s, usually so composed, just gaped at me like I¡¯d grown a second head and Choji¡¯s eyes were wide with disbelief. I couldn¡¯t tell if the quickened thudding in my chest was excitement, dread, or something in between, but it was hard to keep my voice steady.

    This was one less secret hidden from people I valued and boy was it a weight off my shoulders.

    Asuma took a long drag on his cigarette, exhaling slowly as he processed the news. He didn¡¯t say anything for a moment, just stared at the campfire, the flickering flames reflecting in his eyes. ¡°I knew your mother was an Uzumaki woman, but Lady Kushina?¡± he said, exhaling. ¡°I¡¯ve got to commend my old man. That was the misdirection of the century, especially since so few of them actually made it to the Leaf after the Hidden Whirlpool was razed to the ground.¡±

    Choji was the first to break the silence. ¡°The Fourth Hokage? Your father?¡± His voice was hushed, almost reverent, but there was a tremor there too. I could see the gears turning in his head behind those eyes, trying to reconcile the legendary figure with the regular guy sitting across from him.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I confirmed, trying to sound casual, but my voice wavered. ¡°The Fourth and Lady Kushina Uzumaki from the textbooks. It was all kept secret because of¡­you know.¡±

    Hinata¡¯s hand reached for her mouth, her eyes shimmering with a mix of emotions. ¡°That means¡­you¡¯ve been alone all this time, not knowing?¡±

    I nodded, the weight of that lie pressing down on me again, and the hollowness in my chest expanding. ¡°...Not knowing anything.¡±

    Asuma¡¯s voice was unusually soft when he spoke again. ¡°I can see why they kept it hidden, but¡­¡± He trailed off, then sighed, crushing his cigarette into the dirt. ¡°You¡¯re carrying a heavy burden, kid. It¡¯s no wonder you¡¯ve had a rough time.¡±

    ¡°I guess,¡± I mumbled, looking away. I clenched my fists, the remnants of chakra still thrumming under my skin. ¡°The thing that killed them¡­ was sealed into me. Apparently by my father. I guess they were sort of strapped for options or something¡­¡±

    The three of them sort of just sat there, slow horror dawning on their faces and I looked away. The fire crackled, and for a moment, I felt an overwhelming urge to just toss everything into those flames and watch it burn away. But I couldn¡¯t. Not with them looking at me like that.

    And so the awkward silence reigned.

    Hinata nodded, her gaze firming up as she hugged me. ¡°We¡¯ll be here for you. Whatever happens.¡±

    Choji joined in, patting my back in silent support, which was when Asuma stood up, laying his hand on my head.

    ¡°Listen, I¡¯m going to go talk to those two knuckleheads and make sure they don¡¯t get suspicious. But, kid¡­¡± He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. ¡°Don¡¯t let this eat you up. Use it. Your parents¡­they were strong, but they also had people who believed in them that they leaned on like my old man. Let us be that for you, alright?¡±

    I nodded, not trusting myself to say anything.

    With that, he walked off into the trees, leaving the three of us by the fire. Choji stared into the flames, Hinata beside him, and I felt something then. We didn¡¯t need to say it out loud, but I could feel it, and so could they.

 Chapter 37 [2]

    The silence after that was more comfortable than ever, even if the Akimichi twins disturbed it less than a minute in. We departed at the western entrance with the promise that the brothers would deliver each of us our own bear pelt vest in a few weeks and the four of us returned to the missions office to report our success.

    Well, we were until I realised we were close to the sectioned-off Uchiha Compound. They let me go easily enough and I wondered if our conversation earlier had to do anything with it before shaking my head. I couldn¡¯t expect them not to treat me differently so soon after a massive reveal like that.

    The usual chatter of the village felt distant, muffled. I could still feel the weight of our earlier conversation, the shock and curiosity in Choji and Hinata¡¯s eyes lingering like an afterimage. They¡¯d be talking about it, for sure, but I couldn¡¯t dwell on that now.

    The road ahead was quieter as I approached the Uchiha Compound. The once-bustling district now stood like a forgotten relic, taped and posted with signs warning trespassers. Its grand gates were closed to the public and the air was thick with a stillness that only deepened as I passed a barrier meant to keep others out.

    Eerie silence pressed in on me from all sides. The buildings, once home to one of the Leaf¡¯s most powerful clans, were in various states of decay. Some stood tall, defiant against time, but they all looked abandoned. The emptiness in a place as big as this was oppressive and I could see the old Military Police base and its Uchiha sigil despite the Military Police transferring out of the compound years ago.

    I made my way down the main street, my footsteps echoing off the stone path beneath me. The Uchiha crest, faded but still visible on the walls and gates, seemed to watch me as I passed. It was strange, being here alone, surrounded by the remnants of a clan that had once been so prominent in the village. Even stranger was the fact that I was here to see the last living member of that clan, someone I had called a friend, though we hadn¡¯t spoken much since¡­ well, since everything.

    I stopped in front of a large, imposing house near the compound¡¯s centre. It looked no different from the others, but I knew this was where Sasuke would be. The place had a certain aura, a feeling that I couldn¡¯t quite place, but it made my skin prickle. I took a deep breath, steeling myself before stepping forward.

    The door creaked as I pushed it open, the sound loud in the quiet, and I slipped inside. The air was cooler in here, the dim light filtering through dusty windows, casting long shadows across the floor. I could feel the weight of the past here, too¡ªan almost tangible presence that seemed to wrap around me as I walked further into the house.

    ¡°Sasuke?¡± I called out, my voice low but clear, cutting through the silence. There was no immediate answer, but I knew he was there.

    He had to be.

    I continued forward, my senses on high alert Finally, I reached a large room at the back of the house. The sliding door was slightly ajar, and I could see the faint outline of someone sitting in the centre of the room, back straight, posture rigid. Even from here, I could feel the intensity of his presence.

    I pushed the door open a little more and stepped inside. ¡°Sasuke¡­ it¡¯s me.¡±

    He didn¡¯t move, didn¡¯t even acknowledge me at first. It was like he was carved from stone, so still and silent. I waited, letting the quiet stretch out between us, knowing better than to push him too quickly.

    Finally, he spoke, his voice low and cold, cutting through the gloom like a blade. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    My eyes adjusted to the darkness and I saw his fingers, blistered and raw, peeking between bandages and Sasuke himself looked like he¡¯d seen better days. His pale skin was sallow and deep bags circled his eyes.

    ¡°I heard you were back,¡± I began, tucking my hands into the pockets of my flak jacket, ¡°so¡­ I thought I¡¯d pay you a visit.¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡± he repeated with those blank eyes of his boring into me.

    I didn¡¯t know what he saw on that mission, but Sasuke looked like a dead man walking. And yet, deep down, I knew the only way to get him to open was to fight him. Even in the dark, he looked so tightly wound that it made me tense.

    His voice was sharp, and I stopped for a moment, knowing I was probably the last person he wanted to see but I wasn¡¯t about to back down.

    ¡°I wanted to see how you¡¯re doing,¡± I said, taking a few steps closer. ¡°You¡¯ve been cooped up here since you got back. People are starting to talk, you know.¡±

    ¡°Let them talk,¡± he replied, his tone dismissive but still sharp. ¡°It¡¯s none of their business and it¡¯s none of yours.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± I conceded, shrugging. ¡°But you can¡¯t keep shutting everyone out forever.¡±

    He finally looked at me then, his eyes narrowing. ¡°Why do you care?¡±

    I hesitated, feeling the weight of that question. Why did I care? Was it because he was a tentative rival? Because he was someone whose help I could use? Because I felt bad for him? No, personal feelings wouldn¡¯t work here.

    Not when he was like this.

    ¡°Because you¡¯re not the only one who¡¯s gone through stuff,¡± I said, keeping my voice steady. ¡°You don¡¯t have to face things alone.¡±

    His eyes flashed¡ªwas it anger? It was hard to tell, but I could see the way his body tensed, hands balled into tight fists.

    ¡°Oh, so you think you¡¯re so better than me because you can?¡± he said, voice low, and I could hear danger there. ¡°You basically hand me Rookie of the Year because you thought you were so much better than I am and now you¡¯re here to check in on me?¡±

    ¡°Come on, dude,¡± I frowned, ¡°you know I don¡¯t look down on you. I skipped school a couple days a week because I didn¡¯t think it was worth my time¡ªnot you or any of our classmates.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t pity me,¡± he spat.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t pity, it¡¯s a reality check. Keep pushing yourself like this and there¡¯ll be more than blisters and ripped skin to deal with.¡± I started to smile, taking my hands out of my pockets. ¡°Besides, who the hell will I have to fight if you lose steam before ever getting strong?¡±

    He stood up so suddenly that I stepped back, and then he was in my face, eyes alight with a burning fury. ¡°Is that a challenge?¡±

    Seeing how volatile he was, this was the only way to get him to vent it out: provocation. Sasuke was nowhere near being able to simply talk things out through conversation, at least not at first.

    So, my only real choice was provocation.

    I stepped back, meeting his gaze. ¡°And if it is?¡±

    Without another word, he swung at me, and I barely had time to react, ducking under his fist. I could feel the wind of his punch just grazing the top of my head, and I countered with a quick jab to his side. He dodged, of course, his reflexes as sharp as ever, but I could tell he wasn¡¯t holding back.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    We circled each other, the room feeling smaller with every step we took. He came at me again, this time faster, more precise. I blocked his strike with my forearm, the force of it reverberating through my bones. I retaliated with a quick series of blows, my fists moving faster than usual thanks to the brief burst of chakra out of my feet.

    He noticed. His eyes flicked to my hands, then back to my face, and I saw the briefest flicker of surprise before he masked it. I wasn¡¯t going to give him time to analyse it and pressed the attack, forcing him to move, to react. I was faster now, stronger, and I could tell it was throwing him off.

    Sasuke¡¯s lips twisted into a snarl as he stepped up his speed, but I kept up and exceeded his, my enhanced strength making every strike count. He dodged, deflected, and countered with precision, but I could see him flagging.

    I wasn¡¯t fighting to win but he was¡ªand he wasn¡¯t succeeding. His frustrations bled into all his strikes, slowing him down, but that only seemed to feed that fire even more.

    Maybe if I overwhelmed him to the point that he gave in, he¡¯d be ready to talk. And so I kicked things up a notch further. For every punch that he threw, I returned with three more. I split his guard open with swift uppercuts and smothered his half-formed swings with limb traps that I used to hit him even more.

    Then, his eyes changed, the black of his pupils bleeding into the crimson of the Sharingan. Two tomoe swirled in each eye, locking onto me with a deadly focus. I stopped my next punch just inches from his face, his left hand half-raised to catch the blow. Sasuke¡¯s chest was heaving, his eyes still locked on mine, and for a moment, neither of us moved.

    The tension in the room was thick, the air uncomfortably heavy.

    I sat down opposite him and caught my breath. ¡°...The Sharingan, huh?¡±

    He touched his face, dojutsu still active, almost in disbelief.

    ¡°When did you awaken it?¡±

    ¡°...On our mission to the Land of Waves,¡± he said, the red of his eyes slowly fading to dull black. Sasuke swallowed, staring at his feet. ¡°You know about him¡­ Itachi Uchiha.¡±

    I grimaced. ¡°He killed your clan and left you as the sole survivor, right?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°He was there, in the Land of Waves, to kill the person we were meant to guard.¡±

    ¡°...Just him?¡± I asked, chilling unease slithering down my spine.

    ¡°No,¡± he replied, equally as grim. ¡°He¡¯s allied himself with some kind of terrorist organisation called the Akatsuki. There was another missing ninja with him. Kisame Hoshigaki, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked. ¡°It was you, Sakura, Shino, and Kakashi-sensei against two exceptionally powerful shinobi, right?¡±

    A dark look flashed across his face and I wondered if I¡¯d overstepped. ¡°Kakashi fought Kisame Hoshigaki. My brothe¡ªItachi Uchiha put the rest of us under genjutsu. He knocked Shino and Sakura out and then made it look like he¡¯d snapped their necks.¡±

    I pursed my lips. ¡°...That explains the Sharingan.¡±

    ¡°When I awakened it, I finally thought that I¡¯d be able to put up a fight against him but¡­¡± Sasuke trailed off, fists clenched tight once again. ¡°Nothing changed. He was still so much stronger than me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t take this the wrong way,¡± I warned, already seeing his hackles rise, ¡°but how did you guys survive?¡±

    I almost regretted asking the question.

    Sasuke exhaled loudly, not responding for a long moment. ¡°Honestly? It was Kakashi. I was fighting Itachi Uchiha with everything I had, but then he stopped fighting me to stare off into the distance. I slugged him as hard as I could and he got up and left.¡±

    ¡°Left where?¡±

    ¡°I followed after him and that¡¯s when I saw Kakashi on the ground and Kisame Hoshigaki staring at the bottom half of his own arm,¡± Sasuke replied with his voice returning to the bland, emotionless tone it held before. ¡°Itachi Uchiha ordered a retreat. For a moment, I thought they were going to kill us. Do you know what he said?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I replied.

    He gritted his teeth. ¡°That I still wasn¡¯t worth killing. After that, he knocked me out and when I came to, Shino and Sakura were setting up a campsite and making sure Kakashi didn¡¯t die¡ªwe had to feed him a soldier pill just so he didn¡¯t keel over.¡±

    I blinked. ¡°...That certainly answers my question.¡±

    Sasuke looked at me and I could see him close up in real-time. ¡°You got what you came for. Now, get out.¡±

    ¡°...Are you really going to leave things like this?¡± I asked.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Any answer I gave would set him off, the question was what would set him off the least? Right now, Sasuke wanted revenge, plain and simple, so what if I offered to help?

    Surely that¡¯d work, right?

    I stood up with a lazy shrug. ¡°I won¡¯t give you the usual speech about how revenge is all-consuming because I believe there¡¯s nothing wrong with desiring vengeance for the things we¡¯ve lost.¡±

    ¡°What would you know about loss?¡± Sasuke scoffed.

    ¡°Careful there,¡± I replied, glaring. ¡°I told you earlier, you¡¯re not the only person in the world who¡¯s suffered. Whichever madman let the Nine-Tails loose killed my parents and, one day, I¡¯ll kill him too. See this?¡± I pulled out the photo of Sasuke¡¯s mother and mine along with the note. ¡°This is one picture of hundreds from my mother¡¯s photobook.¡±

    His mouth fell open and I saw a deep longing in his eyes that felt like looking into a mirror. For a moment, I was assailed by unimaginable self-loathing towards myself, but in the end, this was for his benefit as well. He read over the note countless times and then moved his gaze onto the picture of his mother.

    ¡°...Thank you,¡± he murmured, ¡°for bringing me this.¡±

    I smiled. ¡°Our mothers were friends. I¡¯ve got a few more photographs of your mother. There¡¯s even a couple of your father that someone managed to sneak in there. I¡¯ve got suspicions that it was one of them.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Sasuke whispered.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get them copied and send them over soon,¡± I said and placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°All I have of my mother and my father are pictures. Pictures and diary entries of all the things they never got to do. Of the parents they never got to be. So, if what I feel isn¡¯t loss, then what is it, Sasuke? You tell me.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡± Sasuke asked, his voice lower¡ªand unless I was hearing things, gentler. ¡°Stop beating around the bush.¡±

    I took a deep breath to steady myself. ¡°...Maybe having someone to help you out with your revenge would be neat.¡±

    ¡°Help?¡± He was in my face now¡­ and boy was he angry. ¡°Who says I need your help, huh? It¡¯s none of your damn business, Naruto!¡±

    I stepped back, raising my hands at the impressive frown on his face. ¡°Alright, I hear you. My point is that you can get further with four hands than you can with two. So, here¡¯s my offer: until we get revenge, we can be training partners.¡±

    He was guarded, but curious. ¡°...Go on.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve got our own teams, so I doubt we¡¯ll have much time, but I think that¡¯s good. It means we can develop away from each other and find each others¡¯ weaknesses whenever we do spar.¡± I put my hands back in my pockets. Sasuke was growing more relaxed with each word. ¡°Besides, with teachers as work-averse as ours, we might learn more from each other than them.¡±

    ¡°In that case, I don¡¯t mind sparring every once in a while.¡± Sasuke snorted. ¡°Until our revenge comes to pass, we¡¯ll be training partners.¡±

    He said it like it was a promise, the seriousness in his eyes so intense that it circled back to being comical, but I returned his nod.

    ¡°Talking about teachers, go check in on Kakashi-sensei, will you? My team visited him the other day and he¡¯s been complaining about a certain ungrateful student. Shino and Sakura are pretty worried about you too.¡±

    Sasuke blinked, actually looking away at that.

    I slowly walked away. After a conversation like that, he probably needed some time alone to parse it all¡ªI know I would.

    But then a thought occurred to me.

    ¡°Would you like the photos laminated?¡± I asked.

    He flinched, both at how loud my voice was, but he also seemed to forget that I was there at all. ¡°W-What?¡±

    ¡°The photographs,¡± I repeated, quieter this time. ¡°Do you want them laminated or not? I recommend you get them laminated. Stops them from yellowing and stuff.¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯d be nice,¡± he replied, walking me out of the building.

    He started to bow when we made it outside but I stopped him, sticking out my hand instead.

    ¡°If we¡¯re going to be training partners, we¡¯ll shake hands instead,¡± I said, clasping his hand in mind and pumping it once.

    He looked confused but didn¡¯t press me on it, so I turned to walk away. In the end, a handshake was a relatively small thing and meaningless in the grand scheme of things, but it made the exchange feel less one-sided and me a little better about myself.

    As I approached the gates, I found myself thinking about the future¡ªabout the possibilities that lay ahead for all of us. The road was still long, and the obstacles would be plenty, but I wasn¡¯t alone. And neither was Sasuke, whether he realised it or not.

    The sky above was streaked with orange and pink, the sun dipping low on the horizon, casting a warm glow over the village. I glanced back one last time at the Uchiha Compound, from the outside, now. The shadows cast by the gates grew longer in the fading sunlight, but they didn¡¯t seem as dark as before.

    With a small, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corners of my lips, I turned away and walked toward the village, feeling lighter with every step. The past would always be there, but the future was ours to shape. And for the first time in a long while, that thought didn¡¯t feel so daunting.

    It felt¡­ strangely hopeful.

 Chapter 38

    ¡°Who are we waiting on?¡± I asked.

    Tenten straightened, finishing her stretch, and adjusted her grey tank top and red jogging bottoms. She¡¯d only grown leaner since I¡¯d seen her¡ªbut somehow, her arms looked bigger.

    She snorted. ¡°My sensei¡¯s cool and hip rival, supposedly.¡±

    ¡°His cool and hip rival?¡± I repeated. ¡°Kakashi-sensei?¡±

    She shrugged.

    Lee and Gai paced down the street, completely in sync as they warmed up. Choji sat against a small staircase, following them with his eyes. He made space for me to sit beside him without a word, resting his chin in his palm.

    I broke the silence first. ¡°According to Tenten, Kakashi-sensei is exercising with us today.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Choji blinked. ¡°We¡¯ve been doing this for months and it¡¯s just been us. Do you think the rest of Team 7 are coming too?

    If Sasuke reached out to his teammates since we¡¯d talked last week? Maybe. They must have been eager to improve off the back of a mission like theirs and that drive would serve them well enough in their training.

    Besides, I was looking forward to seeing Kakashi again.

    ¡°I hope so,¡± I replied, smiling, ¡°I think it¡¯d be nice for them to join. Maybe we¡¯ll be able to grab Hinata to join if there are more peopl¡ª¡±

    My answer was cut short by a massive plume of smoke sprouting in front of us. Gai and Lee halted just in front of it, no sign of tension in their shoulders, and when the smoke cleared, Team 7 gathered in all their early morning glory. Sakura was stifling a yawn, I couldn¡¯t see much of Shino on account of his glasses, but Sasuke looked like death¡ªalbeit a bit better than a few days ago¡ªbut it was obvious that he wasn¡¯t getting enough sleep.

    ¡°Kakashi!¡± Gai flew towards his friend, extending his fist out. ¡°You¡¯re looking to be in better spirits, my friend!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been worse, but I¡¯ve also been better.¡±

    Gai nodded enthusiastically.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Rock Lee!¡± He bowed at a perfect ninety-degree angle, stiff as a chalkboard. ¡°Kakashi-sensei, I¡¯ve heard much of your exploits from, Gai-sensei!¡±

    ¡°Gai, I didn¡¯t know you had a disciple.¡± Kakashi hummed amusedly. ¡°He¡¯s even wearing one of your jumpsuits.¡±

    ¡°Were it up to me, my entire team would be wearing them.¡± He shook his head sadly. ¡°They say one¡¯s teacher is like their second parent. Only Lee takes that message to heart.¡±

    Sasuke caught Choji and I staring and offered me a stiff nod. I returned it, managing not to smile at his awkwardness¡ªI had no idea what would set him off at this point and we¡¯d only just made progress.

    ¡°Alright!¡± Gai clapped his hands, gathering everyone¡¯s scattered attention with a bright, flashing grin. ¡°Let¡¯s start with two laps around the village, everyone. We have some newcomers today so we won¡¯t go as hard as usual, but we¡¯ll keep a youthful pace!¡±

    He took off immediately, followed by Lee.

    Tenten rolled her eyes. ¡°Won¡¯t go as hard as usual my ass.¡±

    Choji chuckled, jogging beside her, and I looked up back at Team 7 for a moment before following them. The morning air was brisk as we settled into our rhythm, each step part of the chorus of determination.

    Team 7 lagged initially, but soon they found their stride, the initial lethargy peeling away like old skin. Sakura shook off her grogginess and kept pace with Shino. Sasuke kept his eyes trained on me as I slowly widened the gap, while Shino¡¯s movements were precise, almost mechanical in their regularity, as though each step had been predetermined.

    We didn¡¯t exchange words, just fell into step with each other as we rounded the first corner. Gai and Lee were already a green blur ahead, charging forward with their boundless energy, always setting the pace¡ªbut it was Tenten who drew my attention, not them.

    She refused to let them get too far ahead, always pushing herself to close that gap. She always tried to close the gap over the last few months even if she could never reach them. Her muscled arms rippled with each step and, as we caught up to her, I noticed the taut set of her jaw.

    ¡°Hey,¡± I huffed out. ¡°Reckon you¡¯ll get ¡®em this time?¡±

    She stuck her chin up. ¡°I¡¯ll damn well make sure I do!¡±

    Choji picked up his pace with a chuckle and the two of us ran after him, running side by side for a long moment. We rounded the corner and abandoned moderation to sprint. Tenten exploded forward, followed by Choji. I ran after them, carefully controlling my steps, and pulling ahead when they began to flag.

    But neither of them gave up and I could hear the thud of their shoes against the ground, slowly growing distant to my ears. The village passed by in a blur as we ran and the early-morning sun cast long shadows across the ground, growing longer with each stride.

    By the time we completed the second lap, sweat had soaked through our clothes, and our breaths came heavy and deep¡ªthere was something else, too: a quiet sense of accomplishment that didn¡¯t need to be voiced.

    Choji and Tenten, despite the obvious strain, wore a small, satisfied smile and Team 7 lay on the ground, wheezing; Sakura had the absolute worst of it, but there was an uncharacteristic glee in her eyes while Sasuke was struggling to stay on his feet, taking deep lungfuls of air.

    I caught his eye and gave him a slow nod. He huffed, wiping the sweat off his face with his shirt and nodded back.

    ¡°Excellent work, everyone!¡± Gai proclaimed, his voice full of enthusiasm. ¡°You¡¯ve all shown the true spirit of youth today!¡±

    Kakashi, who had maintained an effortless pace with his genin, gave us a lazy thumbs-up. ¡°Not bad for an early morning run,¡± he said, his eye crinkling in what I assumed was a smile.

    We gathered in a loose circle, catching our breath and stretching out sore muscles. Despite the fatigue, there was a lightness in the air, a sense of connection that hadn¡¯t been there before. Gai and Lee would call it the spirit of youth or something, not that I¡¯d argue against it.

    Team Gai left for the allotted 8 AM genin training after giving us their farewells, leaving Choji and me alone with Team 7.

    ¡°You guys go on ahead too,¡± said Kakashi, looking at his genin. ¡°I just need to do a few things, but I won¡¯t be late.¡±

    Sakura pursed her lips. ¡°...We all know that¡¯s a lie.¡±

    ¡°W-What?¡± He stumbled, clutching his forehead. ¡°Have I really inspired so little trust in you guys?¡±

    ¡°Sensei, you¡¯ve been late 172 times since you took us on as your genin,¡± said Shino.

    ¡°That¡¯s quite a lot.¡± Kakashi nodded to himself. ¡°Okay, I promise I won¡¯t be late this time. Head to Training Ground 3. I¡¯ll be there in twenty minutes or so, ¡®kay?¡±

    Sakura frowned, but Sasuke started to walk away, so she reluctantly stopped herself from replying and gave him one last glare.

    Shino stuck his hands into the pockets of his trench coat. ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that promise, sensei.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± he replied, right eye crinkling, and then waited until they were far away enough before speaking. ¡°So, Naruto¡­ how are things going?¡±

    His eye flicked over to Choji.

    ¡°He knows, Kakashi,¡± I said. ¡°So do Asuma and Hinata.¡±

    Kakashi blinked. ¡°As in¡­ everything?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Okay, then, I guess he can come with us.¡±

    ¡°How come the two of you are so familiar?¡± Choji asked.

    Kakashi looked at him. ¡°His father was my Jonin Sensei.¡±

    ¡°...His father¡ªoh!¡± His eyes widened. ¡°Right, I get it. So, where are we headed?¡±

    ¡°Since you promised you wouldn¡¯t be late, a nearby park should be fine, right?¡± I asked Kakashi.

    He shrugged. ¡°I planned on being late regardless.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s mean,¡± said Choji. ¡°I¡¯m glad Asuma¡¯s not like that.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°Me too.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± Kakashi sighed, ¡°you kids are what¡¯s mean. What happened to having a sense of humour, huh?¡±

    Instead of deigning that with a response, I started walking and Choji followed me.

    The park was quiet this early in the morning, the soft rustle of leaves underfoot the only sound between us. We weaved through several winding paths, past the playground and the small pond, until we reached the secluded clearing on the far side. The open space was perfect¡ªsurrounded by trees thick enough to act as cover.

    I stepped into the centre, testing the ground beneath my feet, and searched for a proper target. Kakashi leaned back against a tree to my right and Choji sat next to him in the grass, not bothering to hide the curiosity on his face.

    ¡°Since you seem so confident, I¡¯m assuming you¡¯ve made some progress?¡± Kakashi asked.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    I shrugged. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve made some progress. It¡¯s only been a couple of weeks, but I¡¯m satisfied with what I¡¯ve got so far.¡±

    ¡°Go on, then. Let¡¯s see it.¡± He waved his hand, tucking away the Icha Icha novel into his flak jacket.

    I lifted my palm, unable to hold back my smile as the Rasengan bloomed, bright blue light spilling between my fingers and lighting up deadened bark.

    ¡°Woah,¡± I heard Choji say. ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°This,¡± I replied, ¡°is the Rasengan.¡±

    ¡°As in¡­the Fourth Hokage¡¯s signature jutsu?¡±

    ¡°The same.¡± Kakashi chuckled. ¡°It took four years for Minato-sensei to develop it and you learned it in fourteen days.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not done yet.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked, but I didn¡¯t reply.

    Allowing the chakra to gradually disperse, I watched the Rasengan slowly dwindle before its blue light faded and even let the dregs of gathered chakra fade before I reined in my focus.

    ¡°So, there are three principles that lead to a perfect Rasengan,¡± I began, lowering my right hand. ¡°First is rotation, where you take advantage of the momentum to cycle a ton of chakra in rings like so.¡± I held up my hand to show the wide vortex around my hand. ¡°Next comes power, which means using more chakra and spinning it even faster.¡±

    Kakashi nodded. ¡°After that comes containment, where you squeeze that chakra into shape.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± I smiled, the still-spinning vortex in my hand spinning faster than it ever had before. The blue chakra turned pale, still blue, but only barely and a piercing whine filled the clearing. ¡°If you take advantage of the rotational momentum and inject some wind chakra into the regular chakra¡ªin other words, use nature transformation¡ªand then contain it¡­¡±

    I trailed off, gritting my teeth. Just this step alone required more focus than I was used to. Wind chakra was hard to control in the first place; something about it refused to be limited. It was much easier to direct it than control it, but that¡¯s exactly what I needed to do. Using the spinning momentum was difficult, but manageable, even if any slip in my focus would cut me up badly.

    Packing in the vortex, I forcefully compressed it into a ball¡ªor as close to a ball as possible. The white-ish ball was unstable and surrounded by a revolving gust crown, trails of sharp wind chakra seeping out of the ball at random as it revolved above my palm.

    ¡°Wind-Release: Rasengan,¡± I grimaced, not trusting myself to smile without losing control.

    Pivoting on my foot, I slammed the jutsu into the tree behind me, watching it effortlessly shred the bark before exploding, sending the tree¡¯s upper half toppling to the ground and grinding a smooth, sloping hole through the top of the stump. Hissing, I pulled my arm back, revealing raw and torn skin along the insides of my fingers.

    Choji rushed to me but I shook my head. ¡°This is pretty tame considering what it did to me when I first tried this¡ªand I was dialling back on it too.¡±

    ¡°The bandages¡­¡±

    ¡°They were from this, yeah,¡± I confirmed with a nod. ¡°It¡¯s near completion¡­ I can feel it.¡±

    ¡°Closer to completing it than I was, anyway,¡± said Kakashi, ruffling my hair.

    I smiled. ¡°Your notes were super useful, by the way.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d hope so,¡± he said, huffing. ¡°While we¡¯re at it, is there anything else you want to unveil while we¡¯re here? No further evolution to show?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately not.¡± I sighed, running my uninjured hand through my hair. ¡°This is all I¡¯ve got.¡±

    At least, until I could use senjutsu chakra to stabilise this thing somehow¡­ but for all I knew, that was years away from now and if I was still getting injured using it, Wind-Release: Rasengan wasn¡¯t in a truly usable state.

    I was gritting my teeth at the thought until Kakashi snorted.

    ¡°¡®All I¡¯ve got,¡¯ he says.¡± The jonin rolled his eyes. ¡°Listen, you¡¯ve made more progress in two weeks than I had in the months it took to create the Chidori.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯ve been perfecting my chakra manipulation for years,¡± I shot back. ¡°If anything, the Rasengan and its principles fit right in with my enhancement seeing that rotational force will up the power even more.¡±

    ¡°Nonetheless, you¡¯ve got down an A-rank jutsu in two weeks¡ªand right on time too.¡±

    ¡°Right in time for what?¡± Choji asked.

    Kakashi made a show of blinking his left eye theatrically slowly. ¡°...Oh, would you look at the time? I really should be going, you two. My genin are waiting for me. No way do I want to be late again and upset Sakura¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± I glared at him more for the shite deflection than anything else. ¡°no way am I buying that.¡±

    He raised his hands. ¡°I¡¯ll see you guys around¡ªget to training safely!¡±

    I moved to grab him but he blurred, disappearing from view and just barely kicking up shards of bark from the tree I¡¯d demolished. Gritting my teeth, I slammed my fist into the stump, using whatever leftover chakra I had to blow a hole through it, much to Choji¡¯s amusement.

    He snorted. ¡°Do you want to go look for him?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right.¡± I scoffed, shaking the wood shavings off my knuckles. ¡°We won¡¯t find him if he doesn¡¯t want us to. Let¡¯s head to training instead. Otherwise, we¡¯ll be late and Asuma won¡¯t let us live it down.¡±

    ¡°What do you think he was talking about?¡± Choji asked as we escaped the park at breakneck speeds.

    I shrugged despite the thoughts broiling in my mind. The village was bustling with life recently, cleaning up the streets, stalls and shops hiking up the prices for virtually everything.

    We were getting ready for something and it didn¡¯t take a genius to put two and two together. In retrospect it was obvious, but I¡¯d fallen down a rabbit hole these past few weeks with the Rasengan that consumed every waking moment and, now that Choji knew, I¡¯d continue to hone it during training time too.

    ¡­Not that I¡¯d get much of that anymore with the Chunin Exams rolling around.

    Hinata and Asuma stood against a pair of training logs in our usual meeting place, their conversation halting when they saw us.

    ¡°What took you so long?¡± Hinata asked. ¡°Your early morning training with Team 3 usually wraps up earlier than mine does.¡±

    I ignored the urge to scratch at my scabbing hands. ¡°We had to wait for Team 7 to arrive.¡±

    ¡°Kakashi¡¯s out of the hospital?¡± asked Asuma.

    Choji nodded, looking at me for a long moment.

    ¡°Oh,¡± I said, realising why he was staring, ¡°you can tell them. They already know about everything anyway.¡±

    ¡°Naruto¡¯s learned the Rasengan,¡± he blurted.

    Asuma leaned back. ¡°Is that it? I sort of guessed something like this would happen at some point. It¡¯s pretty well-known that Kakashi was the Fourth¡¯s student. Either he or my old man would have taught him sooner or later.¡±

    I slumped my shoulders, slightly disappointed at his lack of reaction, even if it was made better by Hinata¡¯s slack-jawed face.

    ¡°Come on then,¡± he said, smirking. ¡°Let¡¯s see it.¡±

    Chakra gathered in my hand, spinning rapidly. A small sphere formed, glowing with a soft, blue light. It pulsed, alive with energy. Wisps of chakra swirled inside, a contained storm of power and the air around it buzzed with a perfect, lethal beauty.

    Asuma released an impressed whistle.

    Hinata peered at it using her Byakugan with a gasp. ¡°I-It¡¯s¡­ i-it¡¯s pure shape manipulation.¡±

    ¡°Pretty cool, eh?¡± I chuckled, dispelling the jutsu by cutting off the chakra flow and letting the dregs dissipate. ¡°So, what are we doing today?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got some news that might just top the Rasengan,¡± said Asuma, with all the confidence of a seasoned gambler holding a royal flush and a smirk too wide for comfort.

    Choji took the bait. ¡°I doubt it¡­¡±

    ¡°Try me.¡±

    His confidence pulled our attention over to him and he revelled in it for a few moments, stretching out the tension until it was unbearable.

    Hinata stamped her foot. ¡°Come on, sensei!¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright.¡± He raised his hands. ¡°I¡¯ve entered you three into the Chunin Exams.¡±

    Choji¡¯s jaw dropped, his usual laid-back expression replaced with wide-eyed surprise. Hinata froze, her breath catching as her Byakugan faded, the veins around her eyes smoothing out. She bit her lip, a mix of nerves and determination flickering across her face.

    Asuma¡¯s words settled over us, the weight of them pressing down like a sudden storm. The Rasengan, for all its power, was almost insignificant compared to this. If I could at least become a chunin, I¡¯d be one step closer to getting my hands on jutsu no jonin could ever give me and using my father¡¯s Flying Raijin technique to absolutely fuck Obito over wouldn¡¯t be a pipe dream.

    Surely my father wouldn¡¯t be shortsighted enough to not write down his notes and ideas for upgrades and modifications to a legendary jutsu, right?

    The Chunin Exams were an opportunity¡­ but they also posed an incredible danger. Gaara, Orochimaru, and I could only wonder who else awaited us there with my teammates none the wiser. Choji scratched the back of his head, his usual appetite forgotten, while Hinata shifted slightly, her resolve hardening as she processed the news.

    The playful energy from moments ago was gone, replaced with an understanding of what lay ahead. Asuma held out three forms emblazoned with the Leaf Village seal at the very top.

    ¡°You can sign these, but there¡¯s no pressure from me.¡± Asuma¡¯s stare was serious and unflinching. ¡°I recommended you three because I think you¡¯re ready, but if you¡¯re not one-hundred percent in, don¡¯t sign these. I don¡¯t mind letting you guys polish up your skills for another six months and enter the January exams.¡±

    I looked at my teammates in silence¡ªwhatever they chose, we¡¯d still be dealing with an invasion.

    Hinata pulled the forms out of his hands, conjuring a pen from within her hoodie. ¡°I¡¯m going to enter because I agree with Asuma-sensei. We¡¯re ready.¡±

    ¡°Me too,¡± said Choji, nodding twice. ¡°We can do it.¡±

    They turned to me in unison and I smiled. ¡°You think I can say no after that? Give me one of the damn forms.¡±

    Asuma handed over his pen and I scanned over its contents, seeing the words but not truly reading them. In the end, I was entering the exams not to avert some kind of crisis¡ªit was way too late for that¡ªbut I could use this crisis as a stepping stone to prepare and hopefully thwart subsequent ones.

    No, I wanted something completely different from the Chunin Exams.

    I needed an accurate assessment of how strong I was now, if only to see how far I had to go and if that meant writing my name on the dotted line of no return, then I¡¯d do it. All my classmates were stronger than my memories told me they otherwise would have been, so hopefully, the examinees should fare as better yardsticks of how far I had to go. Gaara and his siblings in particular.

    One by one, we returned the forms to Asuma, signed and dated, brimming with determination and a hunger to get things started there and then.

    I breathed out, long and slow, looking around with fresh eyes. ¡°...What now?¡±

    ¡°Now?¡± Choji asked with a challenging grin on his face. ¡°Now I¡¯m thinking Hinata and I fight you at the same time.¡±

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± I asked.

    Hinata smirked. ¡°Why? Are you afraid that you¡¯ll lose, Naruto?¡±

    ¡°...Don¡¯t stand there and take it, Naruto!¡± Asuma bellowed, and when I looked up, he was sitting on a trunk, looking down at us with endless amusement. ¡°Fire back!¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°Choji, you were there when I explained that the Rasengan only improved my chakra enhancement. Are you sure it¡¯s a good idea to test it out for yourself?¡±

    ¡°Eh, you won¡¯t hurt me too badly so close to the exam,¡± Choji replied. ¡°Asuma-sensei, when is it?¡±

    ¡°Two days from now,¡± our teacher replied. ¡°Room 301 of the Academy, funnily. Make sure you¡¯re there by 8 AM sharp, otherwise, you¡¯ll have missed the boat.¡±

    ¡°There we have it. We can make it a challenging spar without going all-out¡­ especially if it¡¯s Choji and I against you.¡± Hinata¡¯s eyes gleamed with challenge. ¡°Besides, how are you going to use your chakra enhancement, let alone the Rasengan if you can¡¯t mould chakra?¡±

    I cracked my knuckles, springing back to put some space between us while I cycled chakra around my body. Luckily, I was still warmed up from the earlier demonstrations, which only turned this battle in my favour. Hinata and Choji were stronger than a lot of people our age¡ªstronger than many of the ninja we¡¯d come across in the Chunin Exams¡ªbut if I wanted to thrive, I had to be stronger.

    Bulging veins slithered across Hinata¡¯s face, eyes sharpening to deadly focus and Choji shrugged off his Haori and scarf, dressed in his grey tank top and cargo pants, and his regular-sized hands clad in thick, spiked, stone gauntlets.

    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Since when could you do that?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who practises in their spare time,¡± he replied, raising his fists. ¡°But enough of this. Are we gonna chat, or fight?¡±

    Hinata giggled, stepping into her usual stance.

    ¡°Okay, you two,¡± I breathed out, already gathering wind chakra before my hands even left my sides, ¡°bring it.¡±

 Chapter 39 [1]

    We arrived early to an almost empty room when a strange vertigo hit me immediately. The sputtering ceiling lights cast a dim orange glow over the aged wooden tables. I hadn¡¯t been here in months¡ªit was familiar, yet completely changed from my memories. Strangers filled the space, wearing symbols of villages I knew only from lessons taught in this very room.

    Some huddled in groups, leering at the two entrances and each other. Others sat casually atop the tables, their easy posture betraying none of the tension that prickled through the cool air.

    ¡°Relax, relax,¡± I heard one of the Leaf genin say. He was older than us¡ªeighteen at least¡ªand placed a comforting hand on the shoulders of two younger genin while their third teammate nibbled at her bottom lip. The older genin¡¯s teammates wore easygoing smiles. ¡°I¡¯ve done this before, so trust me, alright? You¡¯re gonna want to stay as calm as possible. It wouldn¡¯t do to lose your nerve this early on. Here¡¯s a spray I picked up from the Land of Hot Water. Some fancy feudal lord¡¯s daughter said it¡¯s supposed to improve mood and lower anxiety.¡±

    I leaned closer, straining against my brown flak jacket to get a better look.

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Hinata whispered, veins bulging around her eyes. ¡°There are faint traces of his chakra dispersed in the solution.¡±

    We walked away and I glanced back. ¡°Genjutsu, huh?¡±

    ¡°I wonder what they¡¯re planning,¡± Choji muttered.

    A frown tugged at Hinata¡¯s lips as she deactivated her Byakugan. We took a seat near the middle of the room. ¡°Whatever it is, it¡¯s none of our concern.¡±

    Sometimes, I forgot that this life of mine was more than life-or-death battles. The subterfuge got lost in the mind-numbing classes of my childhood, the endless training sessions, and my worrying about the future, only for me to ironically walk face-first into it.

    ¡°Aye,¡± I murmured, leaning back to glance under our table at the squared locket bunched in my fist. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    I scanned the room, keeping my eyes peeled for a head of crimson hair. To my knowledge, Karin Uzumaki only ever fell into Orochimaru¡¯s clutches after these Chunin Exams.

    There wasn¡¯t much I could do to effect real change in the world in the present, but I had to start somewhere, and right now, that was these exams. I was so taken with the idea that I almost forgot that there was no way for me to know she was an Uzumaki in the first place.

    Luckily, there was a handy way to remedy that.

    ¡°Hey, Hinata?¡± I tapped her shoulder. ¡°Do me a favour and look at everyone with your Byakugan. I want to know if there¡¯s anyone with chakra levels to worry about.¡±

    She nodded, pulling her fur-lined battle hoodie¡ªcourtesy of the Akimichi twins¡ªover her head. It was a lighter flak jacket, with handy pockets and all. Choji was rocking a similar hoodie, except it was ripped at the sleeves for the sake of mobility.

    I, on the other hand, ended up whittling them down to a furry shoulder cape I never planned on wearing¡ªbut maybe I¡¯d give it to Haruto as a graduation present or something.

    Team 3 entered the room not too long after I asked Hinata to keep an eye out for people. I waved at Lee and Tenten, catching the deep glare Neji threw Hinata as they took their seats on the far side of the classroom.

    Hinata ignored him, for the most part. ¡°Naruto, I¡¯ve found one.¡±

    I stiffened. ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°Right entrance. She¡¯s a Hidden Waterfall shinobi with bright hair.¡±

    ¡°Hidden Waterfall?¡± I scanned the room and nearly had a heart attack.

    The Hidden Waterfall shinobi she was talking about was Fuu, a fellow Jinchuriki¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t her who caught my eye. I¡¯d recognise that face anywhere but couldn¡¯t reconcile my memories to that forehead protector.

    What the hell was Rukia doing here? And as the teammate of Fuu, Jinchuriki of the Seven-Tails no less. If I wasn¡¯t secure in the knowledge that Fuu wasn¡¯t a lunatic like Gaara, I would¡¯ve been far more terrified¡ªbut I wasn¡¯t¡­ at least, not yet.

    I was confused. Who the hell was Rukia and what reason did she have to visit the Hidden Leaf under disguise as a Hidden Waterfall shinobi?

    ¡°I¡¯ve found another person.¡±

    ¡°...Who?¡± I asked, grudgingly pulling myself out of my head to look over my shoulder at Hinata.

    ¡°Red hair, left entrance, wearing Hidden Grass forehead protecto¡ª¡±

    I was moulding chakra before she could even finish her sentence, placing a steadying hand as I felt the jutsu take hold. The warmth from my chakra¡ªslightly chilling as I transformed it into wind chakra¡ªtravelled up my throat, settling in my voice box.

    ¡°Hey you,¡± I said, no audible sound leaving my mouth. Karin twitched, looking over her hunched shoulders. ¡°On your left.¡±

    She met my eyes and then froze.

    ¡°Keep walking, otherwise you¡¯ll look suspicious and don¡¯t talk¡ªI won¡¯t be able to hear you.¡± I leaned forward. ¡°I¡¯m Naruto Uzumaki. This is going to sound extremely strange, but do you know anything about the Uzumaki clan? Blink once for yes and twice for no.¡±

    To my frustration, she blinked twice.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± I stopped scratching the back of my head. ¡°Look, we¡¯ll talk later. Long story short, you¡¯re part of a clan of people with massive chakra reserves. Some can use chakra-sealing chains or sense the chakra of others as well as its quality. I¡¯m part of that clan and think you are too¡ªyou¡¯ve got the red hair and the massive chakra reserves.¡±

    Doubt warred with recognition behind Karin¡¯s red-rimmed glasses. She wasn¡¯t buying what I was selling yet and dragged her long sleeves lower down her arm as if I could see through them at the bite marks underneath.

    ¡­Well, that was true, to an extent.

    One of her teammates barked at her and she trudged after him. I broke the connection I¡¯d created by modifying Wind-Release: Frequency Disruption. I¡¯d tacitly started calling it Whispering Wire, even though the volume I spoke at mattered very little.

    Our short conversation had gone as I¡¯d hoped. There was no reason for her to believe me, even if I¡¯d hit her chakra-sensing ability on the head. It was why I¡¯d brought my locket¡ªthough I didn¡¯t know when I¡¯d be able to show her it.

    ¡°Her chakra isn¡¯t the only thing strange about her,¡± said Hinata, ¡°There are bite marks all over her body¡ªand I mean everywhere.¡±

    I frowned. ¡°Is that so.¡±

    ¡°So, why did you talk to her?¡±

    I could see her Byakugan was still active under the shadow cast by her hood. That was the one pitfall of Whispering Wire. It used wind chakra to compress the sound waves leaving my mouth into a thin wire, invisible to the eye and audible only to the person whose ears I connected it to¡ªbut as usual, dojutsu were bullshit.

    I sighed. ¡°You saw her chakra reserves, right?¡±

    ¡°Smaller than yours, but bigger than everyone¡¯s here¡­ except the girl from the Waterfall, for some reason.¡±

    ¡°Look at this,¡± I murmured, gesturing to the locket in my hand.

    She looked down and gasped after a moment. ¡°...No way.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    Choji leaned forward. ¡°What happened?¡±

    I used Whispering Wire again to catch him up to speed and he looked ready to get up and talk to Karin immediately.

    ¡°What are we waiting for guys? We¡¯ve got a bit of time until the exam starts.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate the enthusiasm, but her team¡¯s not going to make it easy and I don¡¯t want to be too pushy about it. There¡¯s no way the Grass has kept her in ignorance for no reason. If she knew what she was, she¡¯d have no reason to stay there.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all well and good, but Team 7 is here,¡± said Hinata. ¡°Let¡¯s greet them.¡±

    I knew she¡¯d never admit it, but Hinata seemed eager to escape Neji¡¯s gaze, or at least distract herself by talking to our ex-classmates. She lowered her hood and slid out from the table to lead us down the stairs. Sakura noticed us first, relieved at finding some familiar faces out of a pretty unsettling crowd.

    ¡°Hey, guys,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°I was afraid we¡¯d have to sit with Team 3.¡±

    Choji shrugged. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Sakura¡¯s green eyes flickered over to where Team 3 were sitting and her smile strained. ¡°Lee¡¯s¡­ revealed some news that I don¡¯t know how to process yet.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°He confessed, after all. Hinata, give me my money.¡±

    ¡°I thought he¡¯d do it after the exams,¡± Hinata grumbled, fishing through empty pockets. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you once we¡¯re done.¡±

    ¡°...Man, am I glad I stayed out of that,¡± said Choji, looking at Sasuke.

    Sasuke had an amused smile on his face. ¡°The shoe is finally on the other foot.¡±

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°Sasuke!¡± Sakura whined, betrayal on her face.

    Shino made his presence known with a quiet clearing of his throat. ¡°Say, have you three seen Team 8 by any chance? It¡¯s growing dangerously close to the agreed-upon time and they¡¯re too capable to get caught in the genjutsu downstairs.¡±

    ¡°They might not even be here,¡± said Hinata.

    ¡°What do you mean?

    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± said Sasuke. ¡°Unlike us, they¡¯ve had no combat experience since the joint training exercise.¡±

    I grimaced at the certainty in Hinata¡¯s voice. Sasuke was right, in a way, but their combat experience didn¡¯t matter nearly as much. They weren¡¯t in any state for an exam as dangerous as this one if they couldn¡¯t trust each others¡¯ decisions. Not that it would matter¡ªthey¡¯d find themselves fighting off an invasion in a month.

    I just hoped they sorted out their issues before then.

    ¡°Hey, you guys.¡± We all turned to see a white-haired, glasses-wearing guy approaching us with a smile. ¡°You should be more considerate of those around you. Aren¡¯t you rookies fresh out of the Academy? Man, you¡¯re still going about all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed¡­ just so you know, these exams aren¡¯t a field trip.¡±

    Sakura frowned with her hands on her hips. ¡°And who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Kabuto Yakushi and you should really take a good look around you.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°What, talking is suddenly outlawed before the exam even starts, eh?¡±

    Kabuto¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Of course not¡ªbut everyone¡¯s always tense before the exams. Tempers flare at minor annoyances and I¡¯d hate for you guys to tap out before things begin. You kids going around without a care in the world remind me of myself, is all.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve taken these exams before?¡± Hinata asked.

    ¡°Seven times, to be precise. I¡¯ve been doing these exams for four years now. They¡¯re hosted twice a year in allied countries, with the genin of allied villages invited to participate. Quite the time-consuming deal, I¡¯m afraid, but it¡¯s the easiest way to progress one¡¯s career in peacetime.¡±

    Sasuke moved forward. ¡°You must have something else to tell us. I doubt you came all the way here to warn us about tempers.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ something like that. I thought I¡¯d offer some help seeing that you¡¯re first-timers.¡± Kabuto laughed, fishing through his pockets. ¡°Oh, here they are.¡± He bent down, placing a stack of orange cards on the ground next to him. ¡°These are cards I¡¯ve created over the past four years of exams, gathering intel on potential examinees in allied villages as well as our own.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t we see anything on it?¡± Choji asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s because¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s sealed,¡± I replied.

    Kabuto smiled at being cut off without a hint of irritation on his face. ¡°Precisely¡ªbut it¡¯s not any old seal. Only my chakra can unseal the information I¡¯ve got on these cards. To put it plainly, it¡¯s a lock with my chakra as the key.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t someone with enough chakra overpower it?¡± asked Sakura.

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Shino. ¡°But most shinobi don¡¯t have overwhelming chakra reserves. People like Naruto are in the minority, so why would anyone spend their time or chakra forcing through a deck of sealed cards?¡±

    Pulling a card off the top of the deck, Kabuto placed it down, leaving his index finger on its surface and channelling his chakra with a hand seal. A small cloud of smoke burst forth from its blank side, revealing a labelled map of the participating villages. Underneath the map was a legend of the village sigils, detailing the number of examinees from each.

    ¡°The Hidden Sound?¡± Sakura frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a Hidden Sound before¡­¡±

    Kabuto chuckled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about them too much. As far as the Hidden Sound goes, it¡¯s a small shinobi village of a small nation that popped up a few years back. There isn¡¯t much information on them besides the number of their participants for now. That said, if they¡¯ve been selected to enter these exams despite that, they¡¯re the best their village has to offer.¡±

    I slowly slid my right hand into the holster strapped to my leg. Kabuto knowingly provoked the Sound genin to cause a spectacle, showing off the Sound village¡¯s cream of the crop genin, but the bastard was enough of a loose cannon in my future that I wanted to be a thorn in his side.

    At least once, anyway.

    As expected, one of the Sound ninja vaulted over the final set of tables, propelling himself high enough to hurl two kunai in offence. Kabuto dodged it by leaping back clumsily, and as he leaned forward to regain his footing, I saw the hurtling figures of the other two genin closing the distance.

    I sprinted into a front kick that knocked one into the other and positioned myself before Kabuto. ¡°There¡¯s a way to act in someone else¡¯s village and it¡¯s not like this, people.¡±

    Kabuto sighed in audible relief from behind me. ¡°You saved my bacon, Naruto.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember telling you my name, Kabuto.¡±

    ¡°My info cards, remember?¡±

    I snorted. ¡°Remind me to check up on what you know about me at some point.¡±

    ¡°Sure, just focus on those three, please.¡±

    Dosu Kinuta, the only Sound genin whose name I could remember, started to chuckle. ¡°Yakushi¡­ seems like you¡¯re nothing special, even though you¡¯re a veteran examinee.¡±

    The only girl on their team chuckled mean-spiritedly.

    ¡°Write this on your fancy info cards, Glasses,¡± said the genin who¡¯d thrown the two kunai. ¡°The three Sound Village genin will be chunin by the time you flunk out of these exams.¡±

    I smiled, letting my hands fall to my sides. ¡°Gonna ignore me right until the end, huh¡­¡±

    I fixed my eyes on them, letting the weight of my presence settle like a noose tightening around their necks. Their shoulders stiffened, and I could see the moment they realised what was happening¡ªthe slow crawl of fear widening their eyes. I didn¡¯t need to lift a finger. The way they stood there, frozen, told me enough.

    I leaned in ever so slightly, and their breaths hitched. I knew they could feel it, the unspoken threat wrapping around them like a vice. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked, still smiling. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say anything?¡±

    Dosu Kinuta¡¯s single visible eye narrowed as I increased the pressure, exuding more chakra with each passing second. His two teammates¡¯ faces paled, shimmering with sweat, unable to move their feet.

    That fear¡­ I knew it well. It spread to the rest of the class. I saw people freeze under its grip, others tensed and stared at me like deer in headlights, some looked ready to fight¡ªand Gaara grinned like Christmas had come early.

    I was going to press harder, see how much the Sound genin could take until they replied, when a deafening explosion shattered my focus. Thick smoke¡ªthick enough that I couldn¡¯t see a thing beyond myself¡ªenveloped the front of the class.

    ¡°Quit the pissing contest and get to the front of the class, you degenerates!¡±

    I looked over my shoulder at thirteen shinobi outfitted in standard T&I gear. Their leader, scarred and draped in a flak jacket, wore an unsettling smile, disturbing the lines of faded scar tissue on his face.

    ¡°My name is Ibiki Morino, your proctor for this first exam.¡± He pointed at the Sound genin, who¡¯d returned to their seats in the confusion. ¡°Control yourselves, Sound Village brats. Act up again and you won¡¯t like what happens.¡±

    Dosu Kinuta raised his hands. ¡°Apologies, Proctor Morino. It¡¯s our first time here; we got a bit too excited, you see.¡±

    ¡°And you, blond brat.¡±

    I straightened. ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Tone down on the killing intent. There''ll be no butchery in this exam.¡± He swept his eyes across the room. ¡°Matter of fact, from here on out there won¡¯t be any fights, competitions, pissing contests, or anything of the like without permission from your proctor. See this box? Come here, one by one, pull a number out, and go to the corresponding seat, so I can begin the exam.¡±

    Once everyone was settled, he explained the rules. I was sitting a considerable distance away from Choji and Hinata, but that wasn¡¯t a problem. With our test papers in front of us and an hour to answer nine questions, I picked up my pen and got to work.

    The questions themselves weren¡¯t impossible to answer, but for the vast majority of genin, they might as well have been. Then again, the proctor had pretty much told us that cheating was the name of the game here by instructing us to act like shinobi and that we¡¯d be deducted two points for each instance of awkward cheating rather than disqualifying us outright.

    Not everyone caught onto that, though, nor did they have any special methods to aid their cheating.

    ¡°Hey, Choji,¡± I whispered, directing my words to his ears three rows down from me. ¡°Don¡¯t panic. I¡¯ll give you my answers for this test.¡± His shoulders lost all tension and I smiled. ¡°Question 1 is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Numbers 11, 56, and 2, you¡¯ve failed.¡±

    I stopped, looking up to see who¡¯d been kicked out this time. In the last fifteen minutes, seven people had been caught and dismissed from the exams, but this was the first time three people went out simultaneously.

    ¡°Sir!¡± a brown-haired boy wearing a Leaf forehead protector exclaimed, gesturing to his two teammates. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, but I didn¡¯t do anything! Isn¡¯t it suspicious that my two teammates went out at the exact same time as me?¡±

    The proctor scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s none of my concern. Once again, 11, 56, and 2, you¡¯re out¡ªleave the classroom.¡±

    For a moment, I thought he might fight the decision, but he and his teammates clenched their jaws and walked towards the nearest exit. Halfway down the staircase cutting between the rows of seating, the boy stopped with wide brown eyes.

    ¡°I-It was genjutsu!¡± He pointed at someone in the row to his right, and when I leaned forward to see who, it was the older genin from before. ¡°Sir, we were sabotaged by him before the start of the exam, can¡¯t you see?¡±

    The proctor appeared at his side instantly, throwing him down the staircase and glowering at the boy¡¯s teammates. ¡°Do I have to do the same with you two?¡±

    ¡°H-He sabotaged us!¡± the boy exclaimed from the bottom of the stairs.

    ¡°And that¡¯s your own fault. Do you remember what Proctor Morino told you at the start of the test?¡±

    Understanding¡ªand then shame¡ªcontorted his face. He rose to his feet and left, followed by his equally frustrated teammates. I turned away and continued relaying my answer to Choji, unbothered by the steady flow of participants being kicked out of the room.

    Seeing that Kankuro was allowed to add an entire proctor to the exam, I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d kick me out for seemingly whispering to myself. For all Ibiki Morino knew, I could¡¯ve been calculating one of their needlessly difficult maths problems¡ªhe probably knew that I wasn¡¯t, but that was beside the point.

    As the promised hour time limit drew closer, I noticed the classroom was far emptier than I thought it would be¡ªand with the arrival of the tenth question, I was sure it¡¯d become even emptier. With the announcement that failing to provide an answer would disqualify us from the Chunin Exams forever, the noose around our necks tightened.

    And so it began¡ªpeople continued to lose nerve as the minutes dragged on, declaring they forfeit and leaving the room while the atmosphere plummeted at what the dreaded tenth question could be. The number of people raising their hands to back out decreased until only an awkward silence remained.

    ¡°To those who remain, well done!¡± Morino¡¯s grin was more terrifying than reassuring. ¡°You¡¯ve passed.¡±

    ¡°E-Excuse me, Proctor Morino?¡± Sakura asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure I misheard you.¡±

    ¡°No, to the sixty-three of you who remain: you¡¯ve passed the first stage of the Leaf Village Chunin Exams.¡±

    One of the foreign genin didn¡¯t take kindly to that announcement. ¡°Then was the point of this hour-long shitshow?¡±

    Morino raised an eyebrow. ¡°There are quite a few points to this so-called hour-long shitshow. The first is that it weeded out those who¡ª¡±

    His explanation on how he toyed with the minds of one hundred people and barred thirty of them from progressing past genin-rank was interrupted by a vaguely human-shaped blur careening through the window. In a split-second, the intruder erected a flag, throwing attached kunai into the ceiling and floor.

    With the banner announcing the presence of our new proctor, Ibiki vanished from our sight, replaced by a boisterous trench coat-wearing woman. ¡°Yo, you wet wipes, I¡¯m Anko Mitarashi, your proctor for the second exam!¡± She pumped her fist, wearing a trench coat over a mini-skirt and short mesh onesie. ¡°Follow me!¡±

    Morino poked his head around the side of the flag. ¡°...You¡¯re early.¡±

    ¡°...H-Huh,¡± She flushed slightly, scanning the room. ¡°Twenty-one teams, huh? Perfect¡ªcome with me, you lot.¡± Leaving her flag where it was, she jumped through the broken window without looking back.

    Ibiki Morino stared back at us for a long moment. ¡°She¡¯s not joking. If you take the stairs, you¡¯ll miss her.¡±

    As if a spell had been broken, people scrambled out of their chairs, booking it for the window. After a few short seconds of chaos, they organised themselves into a line in front of the broken window.

    Sasuke scoffed, tossing a kunai through a perfectly fine window before plummeting after it. Shrugging, I jumped through the hole he¡¯d made, landing softly despite the three-storey fall, and avoided the shower of glass shards as everyone else decided to destroy the Academy¡¯s windows.

    ¡°I like you guys already!¡± Anko Mitarashi howled in delight from behind us as people tumbled down the building with varying degrees of finesse, followed by the proctors from the first exam except Ibiki Morino. ¡°Alright, follow me, people!¡±

 Chapter 39 [2]

    Having long since signed the stupid consent form, Fuu propped herself on her hands, stretching her right arm out of the shade and into the sunlight.

    Chomei¡¯s voice buzzed between her ears. ¡®Oh, look! Someone¡¯s coming over, Fuu! He¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s a Jinchuriki like you and that Gaara guy too. But man, his luck stinks even worse than Gaara¡¯s¡ªthe poor guy¡¯s locked up with Kurama.¡¯

    Fuu¡¯s jaw nearly fell. What kind of luck was that? For there to be not one, but two Jinchuriki¡ªtwo potential friends who understood her like no one else. It was a dream come true!

    It surprised her so much that she gasped, alerting Rukia.

    ¡°What''s wrong, Fuu?¡± her friend asked; she sat further back, spine against the thick tree embracing them in its shade.

    It was only the two of them for now. Shuji had wandered off to scout the enemy, leaving his waiver with Rukia, or so he said.

    Fuu smiled. ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong¡ªbelieve it or not, it¡¯s more like everything¡¯s going right!¡±

    ¡°...Is that so?¡±

    She sat up completely, eyes pointed forward at the advancing figure. ¡°Yep!¡±

    Fuu could see him better now: blond hair lazily tied back, a brown flak jacket, and cool whisker marks on his face. He was a little too serious for her liking, but that was fine; once they became friends, he¡¯d be smiling a lot more.

    ¡®I don¡¯t blame him for looking so glum,¡¯ said Chomei with a low chuckle. ¡®Kurama was never¡­ how do I say it? The friendliest? Always grumbling and glowering. He took Dad¡¯s death the hardest. Only Matatabi could get away with making fun of him. Though by the looks of it, that jinchuriki seems fine.¡¯

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Fuu muttered. Rukia looked over, tilting her head, but Fuu shook her head with a smile. ¡°Just talking to myself again.¡±

    Rukia accepted the explanation with a light nod and returned to staring at her consent form, taking glances at the approaching Jinchuriki with a complicated look. Fuu noticed it but didn¡¯t quite know what to make of it. The girl had been tight-lipped about her past despite their friendship.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know why you enjoy pretending to have lost your mind by answering me aloud.¡¯ Chomei snorted. ¡®Anyways, this guy seems less loopy than that Gaara fellow, I think. His seal¡¯s in a way better condition too, so maybe he might actually want to be your friend.¡¯

    The thought sent a grin racing across her face. Gaara had been... less than enthusiastic about her offer of friendship and his counter-offer wasn''t something that sounded friendly. Hopefully, this other Jinchuriki would be a breath of fresh air after all of the fiddly mind games the Leaf Village chunin had pulled.

    Honestly, these Chunin Exams were far less fun than she''d originally thought. Even if the survival exercise sounded fairly exciting, five days was too much. She was only here to make friends and tour the Leaf Village, which she intended to get back to doing in the afternoon until she found out she¡¯d be stuck in a dark forest for five days.

    She sighed, getting up and meeting the blond Jinchuriki in the sunlight with a broad smile. ¡°Yo! I¡¯m Fuu. Nice to meet you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Naruto,¡± he replied, seemingly surprised that Fuu had approached him. ¡°Naruto Uzumaki.¡±

    ¡®As in¡­ the food?¡¯ Chomei remarked. ¡®His parents have got to be ramen lovers, otherwise that¡¯s just mean.¡¯

    To stop herself from laughing, Fuu¡¯s smile widened to the point that Naruto broke eye contact and his gaze slid to Rukia.

    ¡°You here to figure out what gate we¡¯re headed through so you can make us your first victims, Naruto Uzumaki?¡± Fuu asked.

    He blinked right back at her without so much as a twitch. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ scouting the opposition, actually.¡±

    Perhaps she¡¯d have to change her mind on Shuji¡¯s tactics, after all¡ªbut at the moment, her sole interest was the boy before her. ¡°And does that opposition include Gaara of the Sand, perhaps?¡±

    He blinked again, this time visibly swallowing his shock. ¡°...You know?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Well, my buddy is sort of like my conscience, if that makes sense. Technically, I¡¯m not even meant to be telling you this, but Gaara sort of already knew because of his buddy, and you turned up out of nowhere.¡±

    ¡°You talk to¡­¡± He trailed off, not quite finishing, leaving the question to hang in the air.

    ¡°Yep! I couldn¡¯t hear him at first, but we got closer over the years and now it¡¯s easy peasy.¡± Fuu tapped her chin with a hand at her hip. ¡°You¡¯re not like that, huh? Gaara seems to be, even if his has made him a bit¡­ well, Chomei says loopy, and I can¡¯t lie, that Gaara needs to get his head checked.¡±

    A dark look passed over Naruto¡¯s face midway through her explanation but, like lightning, it vanished as quickly as it struck his face. He shook his head with a low exhale and said, ¡°No. Me and my¡­ buddy¡­ aren¡¯t like that.¡±

    ¡°Have you talked yet?¡±

    ¡°Once.¡±

    ¡°You probably should do it more often. Company aside, they can be a real pillar when things get tough in a scrap.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s your other teammate?¡± Naruto changed topic with about the same subtlety as Shibuki when trying to comfort her after his father¡¯s scathing lectures despite doing nothing to stop them. ¡°There are only two of you here.¡±

    ¡°Well, Shuji¡¯s scouting the opposition too, I guess. As for my other teammate¡­ Hey, Rukia!¡± Fuu turned back and raised her arm high. ¡°Get over here! I¡¯ve got someone I want you to meet.¡±

    Bemused, Rukia folded her consent form, slipping it behind the black obi tied around her midnight-blue battle qipao¡¯s midsection. In the meantime, Fuu decided to ease up on the questions because whatever his experience with Kurama was like, it was obviously a sore topic.

    While that sucked, he seemed to be an interesting sort of guy, so scaring him off would suck even more.

    Rukia bowed to Naruto, all prim and proper, hands clasped in front of her. ¡°Greetings, I¡¯m Rukia of the Waterfall.¡±

    ¡°Exam aside, it¡¯s nice to meet you too.¡± Naruto considered her as if she was some kind of puzzle before returning her bow. ¡°My name¡¯s Naruto¡ªNaruto as in maelstrom, not the ramen topping.¡±

    Rukia gave a small twitch, but Fuu thought nothing of it. Naruto was a funny name, ramen topping or not, but the amusement faded when the two stared at one another in silence.

    Awkward silence¡ªmaybe not for them, but for Fuu.

    ¡°Oh come on,¡± she said, folding her arms. ¡°No small talk? Rukia, I told you, right? That paper test put me off these exams completely! I¡¯m here to see the Leaf and talk to its people, damn it. Here¡¯s a Leaf person, so let¡¯s talk to him!¡±

    Rukia turned to her, tight-lipped. ¡°Fuu¡­ we¡¯re this close to starting the second stage of the Chunin Exams. Are you sure it¡¯s wise to be making friends with likely opponents?¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯re taking this way too seriously,¡± Fuu replied, placing both her hands on her hips.

    For that, she received an eyebrow raise in warning. She never intended to push things further, but she was so annoyed with her friend¡¯s stubbornness that she had to say something.

    Rukia wasn¡¯t even a real Waterfall shinobi! Of course, once Shuji came back, there¡¯d be no such thing as going off and making friends with people.

    That¡¯s what being the village¡¯s genius got you.

    ¡®Am I sensing bitterness there?¡¯ Chomei asked with thinly veiled amusement behind his question. ¡®You declared that you were done letting people choose what you got to do, right? Wasn¡¯t that why you put yourself on the recommendation sheet for this exam even though you knew it¡¯d land you in hot water with Shibuki¡¯s old fart of a father?¡¯

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    It wasn¡¯t as if she expected it to work! Old Hisen was completely off his game for some reason that day. Coincidentally, it was the same day Rukia arrived, but that was beside the point.

    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± said Naruto, looking at Fuu with a similarly tight-lipped smile. ¡°For all we know, we could be hunting you down for your scroll soon.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah? That sounds like you think you can win,¡± Fuu shot back, just to be indignant.

    Rukia coughed lightly.

    ¡°What, I can¡¯t even banter now?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it,¡± Naruto started to say, but he was cut off by a speeding kunai that he sprung out of the way before brandishing one of his own.

    ¡°Shuji!¡± Fuu whirled around, jabbing a finger in his face. ¡°What the heck was that? You need to keep your pants on!¡±

    He put himself between Naruto and the two of them, long brown hair tied into a loose bun and his bangs framing his needlessly intense face.

    ¡°I tried to warn you,¡± said Rukia, returning to the shade.

    Shuji pointed another kunai at Naruto. ¡°What did you want with my teammates?¡±

    ¡°Nothing much. In fact, I¡¯ll be off now. My intention wasn¡¯t to cause a misunderstanding, but I can see how this looks.¡± He bent down, picking up the thrown kunai and inspecting it for a second with a strange carelessness despite the weapon pointed in his direction. ¡°But let me make one thing clear before I give this back to you.¡±

    Rukia slipped her hand into the pouch at her back and Shuji clenched his hand around his kunai.

    ¡°Oh, come on¡­¡± Fuu slammed her palm to her face, unfazed by the chakra literally howling out of his body.

    Naruto frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate you picking a fight with me this close to the second test. For all you know, I could hold a grudge and come after you just for that. Don¡¯t you care about your teammates¡ªor, failing that, even think ahead?¡±

    Shuji stuck out his jaw, but there was an apprehensive flicker in his blue eyes. ¡°What¡¯s your point with all of this? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re playing at, but I won¡¯t fall for it.¡±

    Naruto sighed, muttering something under his breath, and tossed the kunai to Shuji. After a lingering glare at the Waterfall¡¯s genius, he stared at Rukia and turned to Fuu. ¡°It¡¯s a shame our chat was cut short, but there¡¯ll be plenty of time after the survival exercise. See you around, Fuu¡­ Rukia.¡±

    He made a hand seal and a strong draft ripped through the branches above, pulling the discarded leaves towards his body. They swirled around him, a rustling emerald vortex until they dispersed with a second blast of air with Naruto nowhere to be seen.

    ¡®...I¡¯ll admit, that was pretty damn cool,¡¯ said Chomei. ¡®But did you notice, Fuu? That guy was no slouch to avoid Shuji¡¯s attack.¡¯

    Fuu nodded, addressing her teammates with a grin. ¡°Well, wasn¡¯t that neat?¡±

    ¡°Hmph,¡± Shuji sniffed. ¡°It¡¯s a simple variation of the Body Flicker Jutsu. Nothing to ring home about, but you¡¯d be one to be impressed by anything foreign.¡±

    ¡°Always gotta bring the mood down, huh?¡±

    He sniffed again.

    ¡°Now, now, don¡¯t fight.¡± Rukia smiled her usual smile¡ªthe one that meant she was taking great amusement in their arguing but didn¡¯t want to say it. ¡°Have you signed your waivers?¡±

    Shuji nodded and Fuu did the same after a moment.

    ¡°Great. Let¡¯s move closer to the exchange area. I believe that loud proctor will call the start of the exam soon; we¡¯ve waited long enough.¡±

    Fuu sighed.

    ¡®Don¡¯t be like that, Fuu, it¡¯ll be fun.¡¯

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she muttered, dragging her heels behind her other two teammates, ¡°fun. Five days of fun in a dark forest supposedly full of man-eating beasts and people who¡¯ll happily kill me for existing.¡±

    Chomei snorted. ¡®That last one¡¯s not anything new.¡¯

    ¡°I guess not,¡± Fuu replied, sniggering. Rukia and Shuji stopped to look at her and she bit the inside of her cheek for being so loud. ¡°Just talking to myself,¡± she replied, once again tagging a dazzling smile on the end of the excuse.

    The oh-so-lovable, stuck-up village prodigy scoffed and Rukia fired back a smaller smile. Both continued walking, leaving Fuu to trudge behind them with the so-called Forest of Death looming overhead like bad weather.

    <hr>

    Talking to Fuu was¡­ an experience. There wasn¡¯t a negative bone in her body and she was so candid about everything that it initially threw me off. We¡¯d just come from an exam where sabotage was hidden behind friendly faces and some comfort. In that case, her teammate¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t out-of-line, but it was irritating when it occurred just as I made some progress on figuring out Rukia¡¯s true identity.

    One thing was clear, she wasn¡¯t the peasant she¡¯d introduced herself as when we first met.

    She¡¯d given a reaction when I introduced myself¡ªand I purposefully used the same phrasing as when I first talked about my make-believe father. Granted, I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d remember a conversation from a few years ago but it was a shot in the dark instead of some calculated chess move.

    Did she care so much about Totsugi, or was I missing something here? Whether she did, her remembering the phrasing only begged the question: why enter the Hidden Leaf with a false story despite being from an allied village? Something wasn¡¯t adding up here. I didn¡¯t know what yet, but it was enough to keep wriggling at me like an itch I couldn¡¯t scratch.

    I was so caught up in my thoughts that I let three people get within striking distance of me. They couldn¡¯t touch me yet but with shinobi, being within arm¡¯s reach was laughably easy. Before me stood three people I honestly wasn¡¯t expecting to see again. The Sound 3 seemed to want revenge after I¡¯d thwarted their dramatic act with Kabuto, but to what end?

    The one with the holes in his palms snickered. ¡°All alone are we? Isn¡¯t that a shame, guys?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s a shame¡­ more like it¡¯s a stroke of luck for us,¡± said the long-haired girl.

    Their one-eyed bandaged leader chuckled, and only then did I notice that all three of them were wearing snake-skin patterned combat pants, scarves and shirts. Though, the girl wore a vest-type flak jacket and the two guys decided to turn themselves into third-rate villains of some sort with their getups.

    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t the trio of soon-to-be chunin,¡± I said, greeting them with as warm a smile as I could muster with the knowledge they were Orochimaru¡¯s lackeys. The details on their gear weren¡¯t something I¡¯d noticed before¡ªnever took Orochimaru for a fashion man, really.

    Through my narrowed eyes, I peered at our surroundings. They¡¯d picked an area with relatively no people in comparison to some other populated areas outside the grounds. Unfortunately for them, the no-fighting rule continued across the stages, something Anko Mitarashi had heavily stressed with some serious killing intent to hammer it in.

    ¡°So,¡± I tapped my chin, ¡°what could you three scary Sound ninja want with me?¡±

    Dosu gave me a one-eyed smile straight out of Kakashi¡¯s handbook with none of the warmth. ¡°Just a friendly warning from us to you as fellow examinees.¡±

    ¡°Please, do tell.¡±

    The girl and boy chuckled¡ªpart of me wanted to ask for their names, but none of us were on a first-name¡ªor any name¡ªbasis.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve read the consent form thoroughly, but death is a real possibility now. I¡¯m sure you know better than us that this forest is full of dangerous things, but none more dangerous than your fellow examinees.¡±

    I grinned, letting a sliver of the chakra I¡¯d moulded throughout our discussion seep out of my tenketsu. ¡°Is that a threat?¡±

    The spiky-haired guy with death plastered over his shirt scoffed, and he and the long-haired girl fired back with killing intent of their own.

    ¡°As I said, friend, it¡¯s simply a warning.¡±

    With that so-called warning, Dosu Kinuta added his chakra to the mix. I slowly ramped up the intensity of my own, dead set on nipping this thing in the bud before it became a problem. Instead, a killing intent far viler than anything I¡¯d experienced slammed into me, as sudden and dense as a wave.

    It receded instantly, but the three Sound genin were left pale and clammy and I wrestled my breathing back under control. As if we were still under its effect, the four of us turned to the source. Further ahead down the path I was initially walking before they¡¯d cornered me stood a familiar figure.

    Those long, pale garbs, the black collar¡­ it was an outfit I recognised in a heartbeat. Just the sight of her¡ªhim? Who was he even possessing at the moment?¡ªmade my blood run cold. Those eyes were dead, no light nor life within them, just an endless empty pit more twisted than anything I¡¯d ever known.

    Straight hair flowed out from beneath a sedge hat and a ridged purple obi twisted and writhed like twin snakes around their midsection. ¡°Apologies, gentlemen, lady¡ªit¡¯s my nature to act up when so much killing intent is being hurled around. The feeling works me up like nothing else in this world.¡±

    Dosu Kinuta was the first among his team to gather his wits enough to speak, and just barely at that. I opted to stay quiet¡ªrather, I didn¡¯t want to say anything that would draw that monster¡¯s interest in my direction.

    Although I seemed to have failed on that count from the start.

    ¡°J-Just an argument heating up is all,¡± he said, cautiously positioning himself in front of his teammates.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Orochimaru tipped his sedge hat back, flashing the Hidden Grass forehead protector. ¡°In any case, the proctor has announced the scroll exchange. It wouldn¡¯t do to spoil the fun before it can begin, right?¡±

    He met my gaze and I suppressed a shudder.

    Something in his tone immediately cowed the three Sound genin, so much that when he vanished from view, they walked away without a sound¡ªthough once they were far enough, Dosu Kinuta looked back, his expression too hard to read given the distance.

    I exhaled long and hard, doing a final check of my supplies. I¡¯d made sure to needle Asuma into grabbing storage scrolls for us; the big one I¡¯d strapped to my tailbone with a securing function attached to my flak jacket, and then the small ones stowed in the various pockets inside the jacket itself.

    My weapons were fully stocked, my chakra flow felt great despite the shadow of death that had passed over me, and it took a few moments, but my mind cleared. Rukia¡¯s identity, Orochimaru¡¯s fuckery, Dosu Kunita and his grudge¡­ all of it ceased to matter.

    The Chunin Exams were a non-factor after this stage; this was our chance to prove ourselves within the metrics of an exam. I wasn¡¯t sure if there were any records for this seeing that the Chunin Exams were a relatively new thing and their content and location changed with each one¡ªbut we¡¯d break them.

    Everything I¡¯d learned, all my years of practice, was to make sure I put my best foot forward, and if ever there was a time to do that, it was now. So, placing one foot in front of the other, I walked towards the scroll exchange hut, the forest and its forebodingly dark trees growing broader until they blotted the sun from the sky.

 Chapter 40

    Rookie hunters were a thing across all stages of the Chunin Exams¡ªespecially when death reared its ugly head. See, the idea was to threaten rookies with it, or perhaps save them from it, and then demand something they¡¯d never otherwise give in return. Of course, whatever rookie hunters demanded almost always left the rookies at a substantial disadvantage, but that was exactly why they did it.

    Life had a very tangible price in this world. Assassination missions were above the pay grade of genin, but hardly uncommon. Whether it was nobles looking to remove rivals, hidden villages looking to weaken enemies or anything in between, life came with a price tag. Sometimes, however, you could pay to live.  Was it a surprise, then, that we were targeted by rookie hunters from the get-go¡ªand from the Waterfall Village, to boot?

    No, not really.

    ¡°You know we have the same scroll, right?¡± I pointed that out with the same kind of tone I took with customers who wouldn¡¯t take the waiting time for a seat at Ichiraku¡¯s.

    They gathered around me, two in the treetops, one on the ground, leering like they¡¯d come across the perfect catch. The supposed leader brandished a single-edged sword, waving it at about.

    ¡°Blame your teammates for leaving you alone. Cough up your Earth Scroll and we¡¯ll let you run off to find them.¡± The topknot swordsman nodded as if he was being particularly charitable about robbing me. ¡°You¡¯ve got five whole days in this dump, so don¡¯t throw your life away¡ªor do¡­ it makes no difference to us.¡±

    One of his two teammates in the trees added, ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t be stupid, kid. You¡¯ve got a bright future ahead of you to come this far.¡±

    That nearly made me laugh. He was just barely growing whiskers on that face of his, so where did he get off telling me about life like he was some old fart in his sixties?

    I took out the scroll, tossing it into the air and then catching it. ¡°That¡¯s not the fairest offer¡­ let me think about it, yeah?¡±

    Scanning the treetops, I looked up at the abyss covering the sun except for the faraway pockets of sunlight puncturing the darkness. Instead of considering their offer, I was actually weighing up the pros and cons of taking them out. Hinata, Choji, and I had decided not to kill as a rule, but it wasn¡¯t a hard and fast thing.

    On the one hand, they threatened me with death, but on the other, they couldn¡¯t possibly carry that threat to completion. Not against me at least, the angry furball ensured that. Besides, was it worth possibly ruining my good impression with Fuu by needlessly killing her countrymen? I had no desire to start imitating Gaara.

    I¡¯d take their weapons, their scroll and supplies, and then tie them up somewhere for good measure. Death could be a good bargaining chip, but only if you were willing to actually follow through on your threats.

    ¡°Here,¡± I said, throwing the Earth Scroll at the guy on the ground. ¡°I¡¯m choosing life today.¡±

    To catch the scroll, he shifted his sheathed sword to his offhand¡ªthe Earth Scroll barely kissed his fingers when it exploded, enveloping him in smoke. His startled yell was cut short before I heard the unmistakable slump of a prone body embracing the earth.

    The other two jumped down, inching cautiously towards the smoke cloud, even as it began to fade. Hinata dropped from the skies, crashing into one of them and smashing the ring end of her kunai into the back of their head.

    His teammate reacted, raising his kunai to throw but mine struck faster, sending both weapons spinning into the darkness around us with a sharp clang. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hinata quickly signing basic directions to Choji. Still obscured, Choji pounced through the smoke with only faith in Hinata¡¯s directions, closing the distance in the blink of an eye and knocking him out before he could raise his guard.

    ¡°Nicely done, you two,¡± I said, fishing through each of the idiots¡¯ pockets. ¡°Aha¡ªI¡¯ve found it. That¡¯s the second one added to our collection. Not bad for half an hour¡¯s work. I¡¯ve got to say, Hinata, the Byakugan can be pretty convenient sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes?¡± She asked that with such obvious disbelief, I very nearly apologised.

    ¡°Most of the time,¡± I amended. ¡°It¡¯s still a chakra drain.¡±

    Choji snorted. ¡°Like you¡¯d know what that feels like.¡±

    ¡°Point acknowledged.¡± I tossed the second Earth Scroll to him and he stowed it away. ¡°Hinata, you know what to do.¡±

    Closing her eyes, she held the Confrontation Seal out and in front of her face, taking a steadying breath while the veins around her eyes bulged and throbbed. Over the years, I¡¯d grown used to it, but it was disconcerting sometimes.

    She looked pissed, perfectly calm, and on the verge of committing mass slaughter all at once.

    ¡°There are¡­ two teams a kilometre ahead of us.¡± She turned on her feet and I immediately realised she was focusing her vision in one direction to see further. ¡°And then one team¡­ five kilometres that way, but they¡¯re moving.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± I digested the information with a long nod. ¡°Those two teams closest to us, are they moving too?¡±

    Hinata turned around again. ¡°...They¡¯re fighting, I think, but the third team is moving.¡±

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s put an end to it. Maybe this lot were right about demanding scrolls as compensation.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Choji nodded, mischief alight in his eyes. ¡°I get it.¡±

    I looked at Hinata. ¡°What say you, my lady? Too proper to engage in some skullduggery?¡±

    ¡°...Hold on now, I never said that. And skullduggery? According to our proctor, this is an everything-goes scroll battle,¡± she replied, clearing the ground and racing ahead.

    Choji snickered and followed her, leaving me to bring up the rear.

    ¡°...You¡¯ve got me there,¡± I muttered, sparing one last look at the fallen Waterfall ninja.

    Three scrolls up, we stood around the mouth of a cave, ready to proceed to the central tower there and then. After interrupting the scuffle between those two teams and freeing them and the third one of their scrolls, we tied them up and moved on before looking for shelter.

    ¡°We could head over to the tower,¡± I said, burrowing my kunai hilt deep just in front of the cave¡¯s entrance. ¡°But I want to whittle down the competition a little. The final stage of the Chunin Exams is always a tournament. A showy thing that gets taped and sold by random people in the village every year. Daimyo from all over come to watch these matches since it¡¯ll give a decent idea of where a village¡¯s trajectory is headed.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s where you two come in,¡± I finished, standing up.

    If there was one thing Asuma drilled into us, it was playing to our strengths. Hinata always carried a ton of smoke bombs with her to make full use of her vision in close combat and Choji literally gave his enemies no room nor time to breathe so that he didn''t overthink things.

    Between the two of them, I reckoned they could eliminate enough teams that Orochimaru¡¯s lackeys wouldn¡¯t be able to pass this stage. Teams 7 & 3 were just too strong not to grab a scroll easily. The same went for the teams with Gaara and Fuu on them.

    ¡­But not so much for Karin.

    Choji hummed. ¡°...So we¡¯re going to go out and keep looking for teams?¡±

    ¡°Sort of.¡±

    ¡°He means we¡¯re splitting up,¡± said Hinata. ¡°That kunai is to scare off intruders. Of course, anyone properly motivated to seek shelter won¡¯t care, but it¡¯s better than nothing.¡±

    ¡°Barrier Ninjutsu would be useful. I¡¯ll put it on the list to learn,¡± I said, more so thinking aloud than replying to her. ¡°We¡¯re splitting up for a few hours, but we¡¯ll meet back here.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Choji asked.

    ¡°I think that stacking up on scrolls between the two of you won¡¯t be too difficult. There are some¡­ exceptions to that rule that I¡¯ll make you aware of,¡± I said, removing the scroll containing all our Heaven and Earth scrolls so far before unsealing it. ¡°The first is the two jinchuriki¡ªsplit those between you, by the way. In the worst case, you can use them to bargain your way out of a tight spot, but that shouldn¡¯t be an issue with Hinata¡¯s eyes.¡±

    ¡°The two what, now?¡± Choji said with a sharp intake of breath.

    ¡°I only realised it because I talked to one of them. Gaara of the Sand is the more dangerous one.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Hinata asked.

    ¡°Because he¡¯s out of control.¡±

    ¡°Of course he is.¡± Choji sighed. ¡°And the other Jinchuriki?¡±

    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s nothing to worry about, at least, not like Gaara,¡± I said, smiling.

    ¡°She?¡± Hinata asked, her voice dropping.

    ¡°Yeah. I met her before we handed in our consent forms. It¡¯s how I found out about Gaara of the Sand, though I¡¯ll still warn you not to engage if you bump into her, just in case. With your eyes, escape¡¯s always an option if you bump into one of ¡¯em, so don¡¯t be stupid.¡±

    ¡°Look who¡¯s talking,¡± said Choji, nodding at Hinata with a smirk. ¡°Remember the paper test?¡±

    She snorted. ¡°What happened to not involving ourselves in needless fights, huh?¡±

    To avoid their teasing, I shook my head and exited the cave first. ¡°Come back here by sunset¡ªhopefully with a lot more scrolls.¡±

    ¡°What about you?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± I straightened, glancing about the clearing. ¡°...I was thinking of going off to look for Karin. There wasn¡¯t much I could say to her before the paper test. Mind looking for her chakra signature? It¡¯s big, but not as large as Fuu or Gaara¡¯s should be.¡±

    She remained silent for a moment, bulging veins pressing against her skin. ¡°That way,¡± she pointed, ¡°But by the looks of it her teammates are with her. Are you sure you want to talk to her now and not after the exam?¡±

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    I shrugged. ¡°Depending on how well you guys do, she might not have the chance to pass. I don¡¯t know if Lord Third will let the participants from this stage stay for the tournament either, so I need to get her on board with me first.¡±

    They tentatively followed me out of the cave, but whatever their thoughts were on my timing, they wished me luck before they left.

    Hopefully, no one would be stupid enough to set up shop in our cave while we were gone, but you could never be too sure. There was nothing rookie hunters wouldn¡¯t do to get a leg up in these exams and honestly? With the sorts of animals in this forest, I wouldn¡¯t blame anyone for trying.

    <hr>

    I didn''t hear them. That was my first mistake.

    The second was assuming I¡¯d been alone. I should have known better than to trust the silence of the forest, especially when this close to the river. In the minutes I spent skimming the terrain and listening for movement, they were already closing in.

    Something lashed through the air behind me¡ªfast, too fast¡ªand I twisted just in time to feel a sharp pain burn across my forearm. I lost my balance mid-leap but managed to land awkwardly on a thick branch ten feet below. The slice wasn¡¯t deep, but the stinging sensation throbbed more than it should have.

    Poison?

    A quick glance at the wound confirmed it wasn¡¯t just paranoia. I could feel the creeping heaviness settling into my muscles. I clenched my teeth feeling the burn as my body fought the poison and tried to pinpoint who¡ªwhat¡ªwas hunting me.

    That¡¯s when I heard it. A low, metallic hum, almost like a vibrating tuning fork. I whipped my head around, barely dodging another strike as something whistled past my ear. Whatever it was, it embedded itself into the bark of the tree beside me.

    Two kunai knives and I didn¡¯t have to wait long for the follow-up.

    A shadow darted from above, a moving blur between the branches. I managed to catch a glimpse of a headband¡ªSound. A second later, something sharp caught my leg, and I felt the shock ripple up through my feet seconds before the branch I stood on shattered. It forced me to keep my balance and spring into a retreat with the fall because right now, I needed cover to consider my options.

    ¡°So you¡¯re finally catching on,¡± came a voice, muffled but steady. Dosu Kinuta. He was still hidden, but I could feel the pressure in my ears growing, the air vibrating with his chakra, and that meant they¡¯d been tracking me for a while.

    ¡°We noticed you a while ago. Alone. No teammates. No backup. What are the odds of that happening again, huh?¡±

    Of course they had. With what had happened between us and who I attracted with our little stand-off, he must¡¯ve been wanting to blow off some steam.

    "Figured you¡¯d try to run for the river," he continued, and I spotted movement again¡ªthis time slower than the first. Whoever it was now, they moved with precision, getting into position without making a sound.

    ¡°Whatever you''re planning, it''s not gonna work!¡± I called out, keeping my voice steady, hoping they¡¯d underestimate me while I built up some chakra.

    If they thought I was panicking, they might get careless themselves, but then I heard the faint chime of bells and was forced to abandon that goal to disrupt the genjutsu. I launched myself from the branch with the chakra I had left.

    Bells jingled faintly in the air again, but I broke the genjutsu to see thin, almost invisible, threads shimmering in the evening light.

    They weren¡¯t just attacking¡ªthey were herding me.

    I twisted in mid-air, reaching for a kunai, but before I could hurl it to break the trap, another wave of sound hit me from above, vibrating through the air like a physical force. My vision blurred for a moment, the world spinning as I felt the ground rushing up faster than I could react.

    I hit the forest floor hard but broke the fall to not get hurt. Two bodies fell after me, landing a few feet ahead and on their feet. The flak-jacket-wearing girl smirked, showing off the bells clenched in her offhand in an attempt to hide the senbon in her right. Her spiky-haired comrade turned his palm skyward, releasing a sharp blast for the sake of it.

    ¡°Get up,¡± Dosu¡¯s voice rang out, closer now. His form emerged from the treeline, still partially obscured in shadows. ¡°Or don¡¯t. Either way, we¡¯re ending this here.¡±

    I did as he so politely asked, taking my sweet time while gathering chakra and assessing the state of my body post-ambush. Once I was good and ready, I faced him¡ªand then them¡ªwith the proper amount of focus. The Sound Village meant Orochimaru, and two of this lot would be used by the monstrous bastard to summon the First and Second Hokage from the afterlife.

    Killing the three of them likely wouldn¡¯t stop Orochimaru from resurrecting the Hokage, he¡¯d probably grab the next lowest-ranked schmucks in his employ instead, but you never know. Maybe it would throw a wrench in his plans and lead to a different outcome in a month¡ªor maybe it wouldn¡¯t.

    Either way, this let me see where I stood and, at this point, Dosu Kinuta, the one-eyed fuck, had pissed me off by trying to corner me earlier and now the three of them wanted me dead?

    Fuck that.

    ¡°I like that look in your eye,¡± he chuckled.

    The girl in the flak jacket smirked. ¡°It¡¯s a shame we¡¯ve got to kill you¡ªyou¡¯re not half bad-looking, you know.¡±

    ¡°K-Kin!¡± Spiky Hair twisted his neck, the tips of his ears bright red.

    ¡°What? I didn¡¯t say I wanted to jump his bones now, did I?¡±

    I blinked. Her remark had come out of nowhere to the point where even Dosu Kinuta was staring at her from his peripheral vision. Whatever their relationship was, Spiky Hair took offence to that, rushing at me with murderous intent and his hands raised high as he aimed.

    He was fast, I¡¯d give him that. The sharp blasts of air he shot from his palms had the force to shatter bone, and I could feel the wind shift violently as he closed the gap between us. But I wasn¡¯t waiting for him to connect. I sidestepped the first burst, letting it slam into the tree behind me, splintering it on impact.

    His follow-up was predictable¡ªa wide sweep meant to trap me in close quarters. I dropped low, feeling the rush of wind graze the top of my hair as I drove my heel into the ground, kicking up a gust of my own with a violent step in. With a twist of chakra in my lungs, I exhaled sharply, amplifying the wind around me.

    It wasn''t just a deflection¡ªI let my chakra ride the air current, sharpening it. Spiky Hair didn¡¯t see it coming. The blast caught him mid-swing, lifting him off his feet and slamming him into a nearby tree. Those tubes in his arms, the shortcuts Orochimaru installed in him, they simply didn¡¯t measure up to the real thing and all the hours I¡¯d spent honing my control over wind chakra.

    But he also wasn¡¯t the one I was worried about in their trio.

    He hit the bark hard, coughing, but didn¡¯t get up for another go. The others didn¡¯t even flinch, as if they were testing me, waiting for me to drop my guard.

    "Annoying," I muttered, eyes flicking to Dosu, who stood back with his fucked up posture, fingers drumming against his metal gauntlet.

    The ringing returned, louder now, and I felt the pressure building in my head. I didn¡¯t need to hear the hum to know he was prepping for a sonic strike. My bones buzzed from the vibrations, but I knew how his technique worked.

    Sound could cripple, confuse, and disorient, but only if you let it reach you.

    A sharp inhale. I gathered chakra into my feet and burst forward, ignoring the growing discomfort in my ears. Dosu reacted, swinging his arm to release the strike, but I was already mid-jump. I vaulted into the air, letting his sonic wave ripple beneath me. That was the thing about sonic weapons: they had to be at least somewhat focused, otherwise, they were as much of a danger to the user and their allies as their enemies.

    Dosu whipped around, wide-eyed, just as I drove a knee into his ribs. The force of it sent him flying sideways into Flak-Jacket Girl, who barely dodged out of the way. I heard the satisfying crunch of their bodies colliding, turning my attention onto Spiky Hair.

    Blood trickled from his nose with fury written all over his face as he forced himself back to his feet. The guy didn¡¯t know when to quit. He spat on the ground and charged again, palms raised, firing a barrage of wind blasts in quick succession. I had to weave through the trees, zigzagging to avoid being pinned down. Each blast sent chunks of bark and debris flying around me.

    The power behind his strikes was wild, uncontrolled, but relentless.

    ¡°What''s the matter?¡± His voice echoed through the clearing. ¡°Out of tricks? Come on, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re just gonna run!¡±

    I ignored him, gathering chakra as I used the trees to mask my position. I¡¯d need to close the distance without him noticing, but that meant dealing with Dosu Kinuta first. My ears were already ringing¡ªa sign that he was up and about again¡ªand his vibrations were messing with the air pressure around me. The gradually increased throbbing in my head told me he was charging another sonic strike.

    I could feel it coming.

    The air rippled.

    In that second, I expelled chakra from my feet and leapt, pushing off the ground just as Dosu¡¯s sound wave tore through the spot I¡¯d been standing. The force of it shattered the tree trunk behind me, the sound ringing in my bones, but I kept my focus. As I sailed through the air, I spotted Dosu, still recovering from the exertion of his attack.

    This was my chance.

    I descended, forming a hand sign, and transformed the chakra pouring out of my soles into the wind chakra, compressing it into a thin blade. Like a coiled wire, I whipped my legs out and the air around me whistled sharply as I swung my foot over. Dosu barely had time to look up before the cutting wind struck true, slicing deep.

    A hand went to his throat.

    He stumbled, gurgling, pure rage in his beady brown eye. Before I could press the advantage, I heard the faint chiming of bells again. My body tensed instinctively, but this time, I was ready. She weaved between the remaining trees, doubling each time I saw her. I watched her closely, and when I disrupted the genjutsu, I noticed her movements were desperate¡ªhurried.

    She threw another set of senbon, this time aiming for my legs. I deflected most of them with kunai, but one grazed my thigh, a shallow cut¡ªbut enough to slow me down. Her bells echoed in my ears, and I felt the genjutsu clawing at the edges of my mind.

    ¡°Okay,¡± I grunted.

    Dodging another salvo of blasts from Spiky Hair, I barrelled forward faster than she could react, lunging with chakra-enhanced speed. She barely got her senbon up in time to block my strike, but my target was the senbon in the first place. Flak-Jacket Girl reeled, knees braced to retreat, but I pressed on with a swift kick to her ribs, watching her legs give out beneath her.

    She looked up. We made eye contact. I brought my kunai down, wind chakra cutting through bone and leading the steel of the kunai straight into her heart.

    Seeing his teammates fall one by one, Spiky Hair let out a furious roar and charged again, his palms glowing with chakra. I dodged his first strike, but the second caught me on the back foot, knocking the wind out of me.

    I staggered back, pain flaring through my ribs as I struggled to catch my breath.

    He advanced with red-rimmed eyes and tears streaming down his face. ¡°Y-You bastard!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the bastard here?¡± I glared at him, but then a thought sprouted in my mind and it turned my irritation into a slow smirk. My gaze flicked over to the corpses of his two friends. ¡°...You know what? Don¡¯t be too sad, you¡¯ll meet those two soon enough.¡±

    It worked.

    He threw himself at me in a mindless rage, an equally bloodthirsty smirk tearing across his face, but it faded the moment he saw the chakra swirling in my hand. The Rasengan, for all its power, didn¡¯t need any hand seals¡ªjust raw focus and control. The air around it seemed to bend, the spinning chakra drawing everything into its vortex.

    His eyes widened as I rushed forward. He tried to bring his palms up, but he was too slow.

    The Rasengan dug into Spiky Hair¡¯s chest like a drill boring into soft clay, the spiralling chakra tearing flesh and muscle apart from bone with eerie ease. His scream barely escaped his lips before the grinding force turned it into a gurgle. His chest looked like it had been shoved through a meatgrinder, and even the bones were cracking and splitting under relentless pressure.

    Then came the explosion. It wasn¡¯t some clean burst that would propel him back in a marvellous light show¡ªno, it was much, much worse.

    He flew away, but not before his chest ripped open as the blast tore through him. Blood, muscle, and bone splattered across the clearing. I felt it hit me¡ªwarm and wet. It sprayed across my face, coating my arms, and my clothes.

    He collided with a tree with a sickening crunch, his mangled form crumpling like a discarded doll. What was left of him slumped forward, unrecognisable, his body limp, skin flayed, his chest blown apart where the Rasengan had struck. A large, spiralling burn mark still sizzled against what little remained of his torso.

    I didn¡¯t move. Didn¡¯t flinch. The blood on my hands, the gore dripping from my chin¡ªit didn¡¯t matter. My breathing slowed, steady, as if my body had instinctively shut off the need to react.

    I turned away from the wreckage. The forest had gone still, save for the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze, but I wasn¡¯t alone. After the fight, my battle sense was on high alert. I could feel a presence approaching¡ªno, watching.

    And then I saw him¡ªthe Hidden Grass genin¡¯s familiar face, except I knew it was Orochimaru, once again drawn to me by my hand. His flesh mask stretched just slightly too tight over the bones, the eyes¡ªthey were Orochimaru¡¯s yellow eyes¡ªgleamed with amusement.

    The false smile spread wider, unnerving in its unnaturalness. ¡°Well done. I didn¡¯t expect that kind of display from you¡­ but then again, our similarities are numerous, Naruto Uzumaki.¡±

    Blood dripped from my fingertip and my gaze locked onto his.

 Chapter 41 [1]

    ¡°Where are we headed?¡± Choji asked, following behind her as she guided them through the forest.

    Hinata looked over her shoulder. ¡°I need to go and talk to someone before we go hunting for scrolls. Naruto said we¡¯re going straight to the tower after we rendezvous.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just talk to them after the exam?¡±

    Hinata frowned¡ªshe could have done it between the first and second tests but baulked at the task. She didn¡¯t know how to approach it, let alone against the backdrop of the exam and so she stopped thinking.

    ¡°When we get there, don¡¯t interfere,¡± she said. Predictably, he frowned at that, which softened the taut set of her jaw just a little. ¡°Please?¡±

    ¡°What if it turns into a fight? You never know¡ª¡±

    ¡°At that point, yes, you can interfere,¡± Hinata interrupted, ¡°but unless it turns into a fight, let me handle things. It has to do with my clan.¡±

    ¡°Your clan?¡± Choji echoed. ¡°Does it have to do with Neji Hyuuga?¡±

    At that, Hinata could only heave out a sigh.

    She was no stranger to the Hyuuga¡¯s ills, namely the Caged Bird Seal granting the Main House pre-eminence over the Branch House. However, safeguarding the Byakugan was a legitimate issue. The Uchiha¡¯s Sharigan was both a blessing and a curse; it required the would-be plunderer to activate it permanently, unlike the Byakugan, meaning its constant activity rendered it a chakra parasite.

    The Byakugan had no such issue and required a conscious rather than constant supply of chakra. When inactive, it provided slightly sharper vision than the norm with no downsides. There was no difference between a Byakugan wielded by a non-Hyuuga and a Hyuuga, which was precisely why her clan¡¯s eyes were so sought after.

    In that sense, Hinata understood the need to safeguard their clan¡¯s eye. She was the victim of an attempted kidnapping before she¡¯d developed conscious recall, but that was as far as her understanding extended and she lacked the power to change anything.

    It was a fact that followed her throughout her life; its weight made it difficult to advance and Hinata had never been more aware of it than when her father saw fit to enlighten her on the truth, as he called it.

    It was an afternoon no different to any other. She and her father were seated over a low table, attended to by a servant from the Branch House with her head bent low as she poured them their tea before exiting with the same silence that she served them with.

    ¡°As I understand,¡± her father had begun, considering her down the bridge of his nose, ¡°Asuma Sarutobi has seen fit to enter your team into the coming Chunin Exams.¡±

    She had nodded at the time. ¡°Yes, he has, father.¡±

    ¡°And to my knowledge, Maito Gai has also deemed Neji¡¯s team fit to take these exams.¡±

    ¡°He has?¡±

    ¡°What have I told you about asking nonsensical questions?¡±

    Hinata had resisted the urge to frown, though part of her wished now that she had. ¡°Apologies, father.¡±

    He had neither accepted nor rebuked her apology, instead fixing her with a stare different to any other she could remember him levelling at her¡ªand what he proceeded to reveal that day infuriated her to her core.

    Every explanation he then uttered damned the Main House ten times over and only proved why the clan had to change. Her father, Hiashi Hyuuga, head of the Hyuuga clan; revealed the truth to her, not out of guilt or a desire to change the clan. No, he had revealed the truth to warn her so she could be aware of her cousin¡¯s completely justified hatred against their clan in case he did something rash.

    Something in her snapped that day. She couldn¡¯t sit by and watch things any longer¡ªbut realistically, there was little she could do to change the clan at the moment. There was, however, somewhere she could start¡ªsomeone she could start with.

    ¡°...What did you say?¡± Neji uttered, his raised guard hovering between action and inaction.

    Choji stiffened, shuffling up to her right. The gesture only made Neji more agitated, which in turn only made her even more nervous than she already was. But Hinata met his gaze without flinching. Her chest felt tight, her heart thudded in her ears, but she stood her ground. ¡°I said I want to change the clan, starting with you.¡±

    Neji''s eyes narrowed. There was a long pause, the kind that preceded a storm. Rock Lee and Tenten stood quietly at his side and observed the tension with cautious eyes.

    ¡°You want to change the clan? Do you even understand what you¡¯re saying?¡± Neji asked.

    Hinata swallowed. She had prepared for this reaction, knowing full well how her words would be received¡­ but she also knew that if she didn¡¯t say them, no one would and nothing would change.

    Neji''s voice grew colder as he continued and his words came out faster. ¡°You¡¯ll become the Main House¡¯s heir soon. Your sister will be branded and sent to the Branch House. You are¡ªand will become¡ªthe symbol of everything wrong with this accursed clan. And what, you think you can just walk up to me and say you¡¯re going to fix things? Wave a hand and make it all disappear¡ªare you delusional?"

    Each word struck like a hammer, but Hinata didn''t flinch. She had thought about this confrontation for days, going over what she would say, and how she would handle Neji¡¯s anger.

    His pain was justified, but that didn''t make her words any less important. ¡°I didn¡¯t know the truth about what happened to Uncle Hizashi until recently,¡± she said quietly, ¡°but now I do and I can¡¯t just naively sit back and accept things as they are... not anymore¡±

    For a moment, Neji said nothing. His gaze bored into her, his pale eyes a stark reminder of their shared bloodline.

    Then his lips curled into a sneer.

    ¡°And what exactly is it you think you can change?¡± His fists clenched at his sides, having long since abandoned his ready stance, with strained white knuckles. ¡°You¡¯re wandering these exams in over your head, as always. Weak and naive; thinking you can make a difference when you can barely stand up to your father. Don¡¯t insult me with your empty promises.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Choji lunged but Hinata grabbed his arm. He struggled out of her grip until he turned and saw her. His face twisted, flushed with anger, and he trudged back with a low exhale.

    The sting behind Neji¡¯s words punctured and pierced the resolve she¡¯d hardened during the journey to find him, but she refused to let it show. Choji¡¯s indignation on her behalf was heartwarming enough that it numbed Neji¡¯s words a little.

    She knew what he thought of her¡ªwhat most of the Hyuuga clan thought of her¡ªuntil she chose to change all those years ago.

    Weak. Unworthy. A failure to the clan.

    Tenten exchanged a glance with Lee, uncertainty flashing across her face. She shifted her weight as if debating whether to step in, but Lee subtly shook his head, indicating that they should let the confrontation play out.

    Hinata met his gaze and saw curiosity there. She took a step closer to Neji. ¡°I¡¯m not asking for your forgiveness and I¡¯m not asking you to trust me either. But I¡¯m not going to stand by and let Hanabi go through the same thing you did. She¡¯s my sister, and I won¡¯t let our clan ruin her life like they did yours.¡±

    Neji¡¯s eyes widened, caught between disbelief and anger. He tried to respond though no words came out, so he looked at her like she had grown two heads instead. As though the idea that she, of all people, was standing up for anything was utterly absurd.

    She didn¡¯t blame him.

    ¡°...You have no idea what you''re talking about,¡± he managed to say, quivering under heavy anger. ¡°If you think you can change the clan by making speeches and promises then you don¡¯t understand a thing! You were always fated for a life presiding over the Branch House. It defines your life just as my cage defines mine, Lady Hinata.¡±

    He turned on his heel, his back rigid with fury as he stormed away from her.

    Tenten hesitated for a moment, casting a sympathetic glance in Hinata''s direction, but followed him at a brisk pace.

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    Choji laid a hand on her shoulder. ¡°If you think you can change the Hyuuga, then I believe you can do it.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Choji,¡± she said, smiling briefly.

    Hinata stood still, watching Neji''s retreating figure. She had known this wouldn¡¯t be easy¡ªhad known Neji would reject her outright¡ªbut seeing the depth of his hatred still stung more than anticipated.

    She felt a presence beside her and turned to see Rock Lee watching her closely, his expression thoughtful. ¡°You know, Neji can be difficult to reach. He¡¯s very¡­ set in his ways, I suppose, but I respect what you¡¯re trying to do.¡±

    Hinata blinked, surprised by the unexpected support. ¡°You do?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Lee nodded firmly, his eyes shining with the characteristic optimism she¡¯d heard from Naruto and Choji. ¡°I¡¯ve always believed that hard work and determination can overcome anything¡ªeven fate. Like Choji said: if you truly believe that you can change the clan, then you¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Hinata looked down at her hands, her fingers curling into fists. She wanted to believe that. She wanted to believe she could change things, but Neji''s words lingered. Words barked and grunted over the years at her lack of resolve that never quite left her despite the elders¡¯ disappointed stares quickly turning into approval.

    ¡°Neji is strong,¡± she said softly, almost to herself, ¡°much stronger than me, and I¡¯ve never been able to¡­¡± She trailed off, unsure how to finish the thought.

    Lee smiled at her, his bright smile beating back the hesitance. ¡°He¡¯s stronger than me too¡ªbut strength isn¡¯t everything. Determination counts for just as much. Maybe even more.¡± His smile widened as he gestured broadly. ¡°I thought you were like Neji in that regard; you know, looking down on effort because you skipped our morning training. But you proved me wrong, Hinata, and I think you¡¯ll prove Neji wrong too."

    Lee¡¯s optimism was infectious. It banished Choji¡¯s sour mood and momentarily brought a halt to the self-doubt that prevented Hinata from making a difference. She straightened her posture with a slow nod. Lee was right. This was her chance to prove that she could stand up to her clan, the elders, and her father.

    To change the clan¡¯s fate and thereby change Hanabi¡¯s¡ªbut none of that mattered if she couldn¡¯t prove her resolve to Neji.

    ¡°Choji?¡± she called out once Lee had left.

    He looked back at her. ¡°Yeah? Are we heading out?¡±

    With a determined nod, she turned on her heel, her focus sharper than it had ever been. ¡°And we¡¯re going to grab as many scrolls as possible before sunset.¡±

    <hr>

    Choji crouched low behind the thick underbrush, his pulse racing in time with the fading daylight. Sweat gathered at his temples but he kept quiet and composed by way of his training. They¡¯d been tracking one of the teams from the Hidden Grass for what felt like hours¡ªeach painstaking movement requiring precision.

    Hinata¡¯s Byakugan was all well and good for locating enemies, but taking them out required stealth and a mountain¡¯s worth of patience. The Hidden Grass team moved just beyond the treeline, barely visible in the low light. They were close now, their chatter faint and guards lowered.

    Choji¡¯s chakra buzzed faintly through his arms and legs. They could catch them by surprise if he timed this right¡ªstrike fast, take their scroll, and disappear into the woods before they even realised what had happened.

    Minimal risk, no unnecessary death.

    He leaned forward, ready to make his move, when the stillness of the forest was broken by Hinata¡¯s sharp hiss from beside him. ¡°...We need to go, now!¡±

    He was about to ask why, but she darted off, forcing him to follow her. They stayed close to the ground, using the shadows cast by the forest¡¯s massive trees to stay out of sight. Choji heard a faint rustle from above but thought nothing of it until Hinata pulled him behind the cover of the undergrowth.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked, but she put a finger to her lips and tapped her ear.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I find it?¡± The words fell over him, faint, but unshakable fog. He shifted lower, careful not to rustle the bushes in his efforts to hide despite his body aching with tension.

    ¡°Maybe it was nothing,¡± a female voice followed, cautious, though there was something guarded in her tone. Choji couldn¡¯t see her clearly through the trees, but the urgency in her voice was unmistakable.

    The wind barely stirred the trees, yet the quiet was unsettling, as though the forest itself held its breath to see who had come.

    The other voice¡¯s response was laced with venom. ¡°It¡¯s not enough,¡± he hissed, frustration simmering. ¡°I felt it earlier. Someone out there... their killing intent was... tantalising, but now?¡± There was a long pause. ¡°Now it¡¯s gone. They¡¯re hiding from me.¡±

    Choji clenched his fists. He didn¡¯t dare move now that he could see them. Gaara of the Sand¡ªthe red-haired boy with the forehead tattoo; the same one Naruto had warned him about¡ªwas out there hunting for something more than scrolls.

    There was another voice, a gruff male this time, though Choji couldn¡¯t see him or the girl who¡¯d spoken earlier. ¡°Maybe we should leave it, yeah? They¡¯re gone and if they''re really as powerful as you say, we¡¯ll find them near the tower. We still don¡¯t have our second scroll, Gaara.¡±

    Gaara remained unyielding. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving until I find them,¡± he said, his voice low and dark. ¡°I¡¯ll tear apart every team that crosses my path if I have to.¡±

    Choji stayed still, not even daring to shift his weight. Gaara¡¯s presence brought with it an overwhelming sense of danger¡ªand Naruto¡¯s warning replayed itself in his mind. Stay away from Gaara and Fuu¡ªboth were Jinchuriki. But Gaara, Naruto had said, was way worse, and Choji instinctively knew it.

    Just by the seconds of overhead conversation, he was more than a ruthless competitor in this exam¡ªhe was a killer, the kind that wouldn¡¯t hesitate to indulge his bloodthirst. Choji was closer to him than he ever wanted to be with nothing but a few bushes and trees separating them.

    The Sand trio eventually moved on, their footsteps fading into the distance. The forest exhaled in their absence, but the dread within him lingered. Choji¡¯s heart continued to pound as the tension refused to leave his body. His and Hinata¡¯s quarry had long since vanished, nor could he stay still¡­ but he couldn¡¯t move too quickly either.

    Not with Gaara still close enough to hear a snapped twig or the rustling of leaves.

    He remained low, breathing through his nose as quietly as he could, forcing himself to wait. Every second stretched painfully long, but when he felt it was safe, Choji rose with a tentative half-step.

    ¡°Here,¡± he said, offering Hinata a hand.

    He watched her dust herself off; her face was tired, not that it surprised him. Two hours of journeying, sometimes fighting, and constantly using her Byakugan wasn¡¯t exactly easy. If she used it too much, she¡¯d be blind to incoming threats, as well as exhausted¡ªand that would be bad, to say the least.

    She sighed explosively. ¡°...I shouldn¡¯t have let them get that close.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t ¡®let¡¯ them do anything,¡± he replied. ¡°Things just happen. Where¡¯s the Grass team?¡±

    ¡°Gone,¡± Hinata said. ¡°Just give me a moment to¡­ focus. I¡¯ll find them.¡±

    Choji stepped back, taking that moment to calm himself down. Gaara was gone, but the encounter had left its mark. Reminded Choji that this exam was more than a test of skill. Some people weren¡¯t playing by the same rules as him. Some were in it for blood, not scrolls.

    He tried to shake off the feeling that every shadow held a threat. He couldn¡¯t afford to lose focus, but the encounter had rattled him. The near brush with Gaara had stirred a deep, gnawing unease that made every rustle in the trees sound far too close.

    ¡°Incoming,¡± said Hinata. ¡°I can¡¯t find the Grass team we were following, but another three chakra signatures are closing in.¡±

    Around him, the woods grew darker, with its trees casting long shadows that tangled with his own, trapping him in the darkness. The sun was steadily dipping below the horizon. With the afternoon¡¯s battles slowly winding down, lingering too long without shelter was dangerous.

    The faint whistle of a kunai sliced through the air, embedding itself in the tree beside him with a dull thunk. Choji stiffened, instinctively stepping back, but before he could retreat any further, three ninja emerged from the cover of the trees, their Hidden Rain forehead protectors catching the last of the forest¡¯s dimming light.

    Choji sighed. ¡°There any chance we can walk our separate ways?¡± He looked back at Hinata, who was noticeably tired. She could fight, but he didn¡¯t want her using her Byakugan for longer than necessary. He raised an Earth scroll. ¡°Let¡¯s negotiate.¡±

    ¡°Choji, what are you doing?¡± Hinata whispered.

    The leader of the group, taller than the others shook his head. His kunai twirled lazily between his fingers as he took a step forward, smirking. ¡°We don¡¯t care about your scroll.¡±

    This wasn¡¯t about the exam¡ªthis was something else, something worse. Choji could see it in the coldness of their eyes, in the way they stood, tension coiled in their bodies and bloodthirst slicing their faces.

    He hated it.

    ¡°After the last few hours, we just need to let off some steam before turning in for the night,¡± the Rain ninja added, his smile widening. ¡°And what better way to do so than beating around some kid from the Great Five¡ªand one of our hosts to boot?¡±

    There was no reasoning with them. They weren¡¯t here to trade blows over some prize¡ªthey wanted a fight, and they wouldn¡¯t stop until they had it. The first ninja rushed him with a flash of steel, kunai aimed for his throat.

    Choji dodged, but the blade grazed his arm, spurring Hinata to attack. The second Rain ninja was already closing in from the side along with the third. Choji blocked what he could, parried when necessary, but their attacks were coming at him faster than he would¡¯ve liked.

    Across from him, Hinata fought her opponent with a viciousness that belied her fatigue. Choji winced, stumbling forward; his breath caught as blood began to soak his shirt. His opponents were moving in again, so he coated his fists in hardened earth and expanded his arms, sending chakra flooding through his muscles.

    His limbs swelled with power and size as he swung in wide arcs¡ªfar enough that Hinata wouldn¡¯t be caught in the attack. One fist caught one of the attackers dead-on, sending him crashing into the ground with a bone-rattling thud. The other didn''t hesitate despite their fallen comrade. Choji moved slower than them, weighed down by the sheer bulk of his jutsu.

    A kunai flashed through the dark, and Choji caught the blade on his guarded forearm, sparks flying. Planting his feet, he swung through the attack and pivoted. There was a sickening crack, followed by silence¡ªhe didn¡¯t look back.

    Hinata slammed a palm into the final Rain ninja¡¯s chest. The impact saw the Rain ninja collide with a tree and before he could look up, Choji was on him, planting his head deep into the ground.

    Finally, the forest was quiet again¡ªno noises, no whispers, just the steady heave of his laboured breaths. He stood still, panting, blood dripping from his wounds. He hadn¡¯t wanted this. The fight, the deaths¡ªnone of it had been part of their plan.

    His gaze fell on the leader¡¯s body.

    ¡°Now we know what likely happened to the Grass team were following,¡± said Hinata with a long sigh.

    Two scrolls lay there in the dirt, tied to Rain ninja¡¯s belt¡ªEarth and Heaven. Slowly, Choji reached down and unhooked it, the weight of it unfamiliar in his hand.

    He stood there for a long moment, the forest around him dark and still. The Rain ninja¡¯s final breaths echoed in his ears, but thankfully even that was already fading.

    Watching their dimming eyes, he couldn¡¯t help but burn with anger. This wasn¡¯t how it was supposed to go, but as the last light drained from the sky, Choji knew that regret was a fool¡¯s game.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t have to come to this,¡± he muttered, not at all to Hinata.

    She laid a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s head back to the cave. Naruto will have faced better luck than us, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    Even as the words left his mouth, Choji understood that in their world, it always came to this.

 Chapter 41 [2]

    ¡°Tell me, Naruto¡­¡± Orochimaru hummed. ¡°What makes us so similar?¡±

    I frowned. Similar? He couldn¡¯t be serious. This was a monster who¡¯d kidnapped children for his experiments. How could he think we were alike in any way?

    But before I could respond, he moved. Fast. Too fast.

    The air crackled as Orochimaru¡¯s hand shot forward, stretching impossibly. Instinct took over, and I barely dodged, his fingertips grazing my cheek as I twisted out of the way. The impact shattered the tree behind me, splintering it with a loud crack.

    I spun, launching a barrage of shuriken in retaliation, but he slipped between them with inhuman grace, each blade missing by mere inches. He was already in front of me again, coiling and uncoiling with unnatural speed. Pain exploded across my torso, but I bit down and forced myself to keep moving.

    Orochimaru followed up with a roundhouse kick that I ducked under, lashing out with an enhanced punch to the ribs. He twisted, narrowly avoiding it, and I had to jump back to avoid his next attack¡ªthe flicker of chakra-infused kunai aimed right at my throat before it retracted.

    He was toying with me. I pushed off the ground, summoning chakra to my feet as I lunged to land a solid hit on his shoulder.

    He barely reacted, sliding back a few feet with a thin smile. ¡°So, you do have some fight in you,¡± he murmured, eyes gleaming with dark satisfaction.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you answer your question? You said we were similar¡ªwhat the hell do you mean?¡±

    His grin widened, but he weaved through a series of hand seals with lightning speed before raising his arms. I dodged only because I had a feeling I knew what was coming next.

    Writhing snakes burst out of his sleeves, impossibly long and just as fast, with their jaws unhinging as they lunged at me. I jumped to the side, avoiding three, but the fourth caught my leg. The pain was sharp and immediate, but I didn¡¯t hesitate¡ªgiven time, I¡¯d heal.

    I formed the Rasengan in my palm and slammed it down into the snakes and rolled away, blood seeping through the fabric of my cargo pants. The creatures exploded in mangled, fleshy bits seconds before vanishing in a puff of smoke. Getting bit by his poisoned snakes was a bad idea considering I was still fighting off the earlier poison from the Sound Three, but I''d live.

    The bigger problem was why Orochimaru had chosen to visit me.

    ¡°Those snakes,¡± I said, allowing the horror within to show on my face, ¡°You¡¯re Orochimaru of the Sannin.¡±

    He chuckled. ¡°How astute of you, Naruto Uzumaki. Now, prove to me that you are worthy of an answer, and I may offer you the opportunity of a lifetime.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need anything from you,¡± I spat out, pushing through the pain. ¡°Why are you even here? What do you want from me?¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t play coy now. That old dotard would have never let you learn the Rasengan without revealing your father¡¯s identity to you.¡±

    Orochimaru¡¯s eyes gleamed with a sickly light, watching my reaction with the utmost amusement. My heart began to pound but I couldn¡¯t let myself fall into his twisted game. A thought came to me, then, cutting through the fog he was trying to wrap around me.

    A way to take back control of the conversation.

    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re doing all this?¡± I asked with a chest tight with unease. ¡°Because you¡¯re still bitter you didn¡¯t become the Fourth Hokage?¡±

    Orochimaru¡¯s smile faltered for just a second, and then, without warning, he threw his head back and laughed. It wasn¡¯t just a chuckle or a sinister snicker¡ªit was a thick, unhinged cackle that rang through the forest.

    The sound burrowed under my skin, all while he laughed so hard that his body trembled, hands clasped together in front of him as if to hold him upright. It stretched longer than it should have, filling the space between us. My grip on my kunai tightened, but I stayed rooted in place, watching him laugh like a maniac.

    Finally, he calmed, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye with a long, pale finger.

    ¡°Oh, Naruto,¡± Orochimaru said between fading chuckles, ¡°That¡­ that is truly rich. Bitter? About something as meaningless as becoming the Fourth Hokage?¡± He stepped closer, his movements slow and deliberate, with mockery tilting his grin. ¡°Let me tell you something about that precious little title: the Hokage seat is a glorified prison. A place for the village¡¯s chosen fool to sit and pretend they have power¡ªas my teacher so wondrously demonstrates.¡±

    His eyes narrowed, and I could feel the malice beneath his words like a poison slowly seeping into the air.

    ¡°I was passed over for a position that holds no real value,¡± he said, his voice suddenly dropping. ¡°A title given to someone with no true understanding of what lies beyond the limits of that pathetic village.¡±

    ¡°Then why bring it up?¡± I shot back with a smirk, forcing the words past the unease in my chest. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t matter, why get me to question you? You¡¯re still hung up on it, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    A dark light flickered in his eyes. His smile remained, but there was a tightness to it now. ¡°You still don¡¯t understand, do you?¡± Orochimaru said softly, like I was a child who couldn¡¯t grasp something basic. ¡°This has never been about becoming Hokage. This is about surpassing that title¡ªsurpassing the very limitations of human existence.¡±

    I clenched my fists, my pulse quickening as his words slithered into my ears.

    Orochimaru¡¯s eyes glimmered with that same sickly light as he leaned in slightly. ¡°Do you know why I¡¯m here, Naruto? It¡¯s because I see that hunger, the same drive, in you. You may be the spitting image of Minato Namikaze¡­ but you are like me.¡±

    My heart pounded harder to the point that my focus slipped. ¡°I-I¡¯m nothing like you.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Orochimaru¡¯s smile widened at the stutter, his voice almost taunting. ¡°You¡¯ve already proven otherwise. You fight with ferocity, a willingness to kill¡ªand beyond that¡ªrevelry in survival. In being on top when it¡¯s all said and done! The Rasengan¡­ the way you drew poor Zaku in by mocking the death of his comrades¡ªoh yes, I saw all of it.¡±

    My breath hitched, and I felt the blood drain from my face at the insinuation. They wanted to kill me, I was just the one who walked out of our exchange alive. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t take pleasure in it?¡± Orochimaru finished for me, his voice lilting with amusement. ¡°Is that what you tell yourself? That you killed because it was the only option? Confess¡­ you enjoyed it, didn¡¯t you? The thrill of walking out unbroken. The power coursing through your veins as you grow stronger through it all¡ªjust like I do.¡±

    I shook my head, stepping back, my stomach twisting. ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m not like that.¡±

    Orochimaru clicked his tongue, wagging his finger. ¡°Oh, but you are. Maybe you¡¯re still in denial, but I can see it, Naruto, even if you choose to blind yourself. We are not so different, you and I.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a criminal who betrayed everyone who ever cared for you. You kidnapped people, children, experimented on them without a care in the world¡ªin what way are we the same?¡±

    ¡°You and I,¡± he continued, his voice dropping to a low, intimate tone, ¡°are bound by the same fate; rejected, misunderstood, and feared. The wings of our ambition clipped before we can even take flight. But I broke free and can help you do the same.¡±

    I swallowed the knee-jerk urge to scoff¡­ but a very small part of me realised that Orochimaru was telling the truth, so instead, something entirely different slipped from my mouth. ¡°...Help me how?¡±

    He paused, watching me with those predatory eyes, and then his lips curled into a twisted grin. ¡°I could give you what you¡¯ve always wanted. You could see your mother again¡ªand despite our once rivalry¡ªyour father as well.¡±

    My breath caught in my throat, and for a moment, I froze. My parents. The thought of them, of seeing them again¡ªit clawed at me, a desperate, painful longing that I couldn¡¯t brush aside quite fast enough¡ªand he saw it.

    He stepped closer again, barely whispering now, and his words were sweet poison seeping into my mind. ¡°All you have to do¡­ is join me. Join me, Naruto, and you can have everything you¡¯ve ever wanted¡ªyour parents and the company of people who will not curse you for the accident of your birth.¡±

    My mouth went dry. ¡°...Even if I agreed, that¡¯s impossible. They¡¯re gone.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I assure you, it¡¯s quite possible. You know of my work and what I¡¯m capable of.¡± He raised a hand, and the air seemed to grow colder. ¡°It was why I was outcast from the village¡ªthey feared me, as they fear you. So, join me, Naruto, and I will bring your parents back to you.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    I felt my chest tighten, the offer wrapping around my mind like a vice. True reincarnation was the purview of the Rinnegan, but given time¡­ Orochimaru might be able to artificially replicate it. Or perhaps acquire one himself. He was adept at surviving things he wasn¡¯t supposed to. My father was sitting in the Shinigami¡¯s stomach right now, but he could certainly bring back my mother.

    I clenched my fists, trying to push the thought away, but it lingered.

    ¡°And all I have to do is join you?¡± I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

    Orochimaru¡¯s smile softened. ¡°It would be a small price to pay, wouldn¡¯t it? To have your family back? To be with them again and fill the hole created by their absence. I know your ties to this village are but a few.¡±

    I stared at him, my mind racing. For a moment, I actually considered what it would be like to have her alive and well until I saw his eyes. Cold. Calculating. Amused.

    I took a deep breath, shaking my head. ¡°No.¡±

    The air between us felt suffocating, the weight of his offer pressing down on me, tightening around my chest. The thought of seeing them, of finally knowing them, was like a current dragging me under. But I saw Orochimaru¡¯s eyes and realised this wasn¡¯t about me. It was about him, and accepting his offer would mean turning my back on everyone who¡¯d become a part of my life.

    Turning my back on Ayame and Teuchi; Hayato, Nori, and Ko; Asuma, Choji, and Hinata. It would make me exactly like Orochimaru in the worst of ways; he who abandoned Anko Mitarashi for his selfish pursuits. I clenched my fists, forcing myself to breathe and rise above the manipulation¡ªto think.

    ¡°No,¡± I repeated, my voice barely a whisper at first. ¡°No, I appreciate the offer, but I refuse. Not when the catch is becoming a monster like you.¡±

    Instead of his smile fading, it widened. ¡°Oh? And what kind of monster am I that the village doesn¡¯t think the same of you?¡±

    His words were a punch to the gut. My breath caught in my throat as memories of my childhood flashed before me¡ªthose cold, judging stares, the whispered hatred, the loneliness¡ªbut I shoved them back down where they came from. He didn¡¯t deserve the satisfaction¡­ even if he was right in a way.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the same, and you know it,¡± I said, but my voice wavered for just a second. He cocked an eyebrow at the sound. ¡°I can see what you¡¯re doing, and I won¡¯t fall for it. Whatever scheme you¡¯ve got, whatever you¡¯re selling, I¡¯m not buying any of it.¡±

    ¡°Pity,¡± he murmured, his voice soft, almost regretful. ¡°I had hoped you would see reason. But perhaps the fault lies with me as well. You are, after all, still young. A small frog who¡¯s barely put a toe outside of the pond.¡±

    And then, without warning, his face twisted into something monstrous, his features contorting. The air crackled with malice and, in that instant, the game was over, the offer gone. Orochimaru moved, faster than I could react, his hand blurring, but I was ready.

    I leapt back just in time, forced to continuously flip back to avoid his infinitely extending arm. My feet met a tree and I blasted off from it, splintering the massive trunk before Orochimaru destroyed it wholesale. He moved faster than anyone I¡¯d ever fought before. One second, he was on the ground, and the next, he was in the air, his snake-like body twisting through the branches with inhuman agility.

    Again, I dodged just barely in time, throwing myself to the side as his foot crashed into the tree, dislodging me in the process. I hit the ground hard, rolling to absorb the impact before springing to my feet. Pain shot through my leg, the bite from earlier still throbbing, but I couldn¡¯t afford to stop now.

    He landed gracefully in front of me. Chakra swirled in my gut as I exhaled, sending a powerful gust of wind tearing through the forest. Trees snapped like twigs, the force of the wind ripping them out of the ground as it roared toward Orochimaru.

    ¡°I expected more from you, Naruto,¡± he said, his voice mocking, standing as if my jutsu was simply a light breeze. ¡°Is this the best you can do?¡±

    His hand shot out, but I managed to block it. The force of the impact sent a shockwave up my arm, almost knocking me off balance, but I held firm, gritting my teeth as I pushed back.

    ¡°Impressive reflexes,¡± Orochimaru mused, his eyes gleaming with dark amusement. ¡°But for how long can you keep this up?¡±

    He struck faster this time, fingers aimed at my throat. I batted his arm away, darting in with a kunai, though he simply avoided it by twisting out of the way again, so I threw it instead. While he was busy deflecting it, I formed another Rasengan in my hand, the swirling ball of chakra neon against the dim forest.

    Orochimaru¡¯s eyes flicked to it, his grin widening.

    ¡°Ah, the Rasengan. A beautiful jutsu. Let¡¯s see if you can use it as effectively as you did against Zaku, shall we?¡±

    I charged at him, Rasengan in hand, aiming for his chest. He didn¡¯t move¡ªhe just watched, that smug grin still plastered on his face as I closed the distance. His torso peeled and I passed right through the space where his chest should¡¯ve been and stumbled, nearly losing my balance as the Rasengan drilled into the ground.

    ¡°What the¡ª!¡± Before I could even register what had happened, the Rasengan blew me into the air and Orochimaru¡¯s hand raced to catch me. He clenched tight around my throat, reeling me in and slamming the air out of me with a punch to the gut.

    My vision blurred under his tightened grip. I channelled chakra into my legs and kicked back, slamming my heel into him. The impact made him stumble back if only a step, but it was enough for me to twist free, stumbling forward as I gasped for air. I spun to face him, but he was already moving again. Before I knew it, he swept at my legs, knocking me off balance.

    ¡°Is this all you have?¡± Orochimaru¡¯s voice taunted me. ¡°You can¡¯t even keep up, Naruto¡ªand to think I thought you ready to face the truth about yourself.¡±

    I forced myself to my feet, my chest heaving as I glared at him. My mind raced, trying to come up with a plan, something that could give me the upper hand. For someone as strong as him, fighting me was a game¡ªinfuriating, but true. That meant he was underestimating me, now more than ever; if Orochimaru thought he had me beaten, I could use that.

    ¡°Yeah? You think you know everything about me, huh? Just because you¡¯ve been watching for long enough? And hey, you might be right.¡± Orochimaru¡¯s eyes glinted, but he didn¡¯t respond. I pressed on. ¡°Being the one to walk out alive sure is exhilarating,¡± I continued, my voice growing stronger, fueled by feigned anger that I wasn¡¯t quite sure was feigned anymore. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you won¡¯t do to survive.¡±

    ¡°To do anything otherwise is weakness, Naruto,¡± he replied, still amused.

    I chuckled. ¡°Well, I¡¯m still standing, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    His grip tightened around my arm, but this time, I wasn¡¯t just reacting. The Rasengan had been my ace in the hole against the Sound 3, but it wasn¡¯t enough against someone like him.

    I needed more¡ªand for more, I needed more time, something I¡¯d earned enough of thanks to the small conversation. Twisting free with all my might, I created enough distance to risk forming the Rasengan. The swirling sphere of blue chakra spun rapidly in my hand, its familiar hum charing the air.

    ¡°Is that all you hoped to achieve?¡± he asked, frowning. ¡°You really think you can defeat me with the same attack?¡±

    Instead of answering, I smirked at him, and his amused expression changed when he noticed the shift in my chakra. His eyes narrowed with sudden interest. I saw his knees lock out as he straightened, focusing everything on the task at hand, his scientific interest winning out over his sadism.

    The Rasengan pulsed in my palm, the rotation fast and controlled. Wind chakra surged through my body, wild and unpredictable, but I guided it into the Rasengan, almost forcefully. The spinning ball of energy resisted at first, the chaotic wind fighting against containment, but I gritted my teeth and kept pushing, directing the momentum as opposed to controlling it.

    The humming ball turned pale, soft blue light shifting to a near-white as the sound of rushing winds filled the clearing. Barely visible, sharp drafts spun around the edges of the ball; I grinned at the violent storm contained in the palm of my hand.

    Orochimaru¡¯s eyes flicked to the jutsu, and for the first time, he looked genuinely surprised. ¡°Interesting¡­¡±

    I could take advantage of that surprise.

    The Wind-Release: Rasengan roared in my hand, barely held together by my containment. It was unstable, dangerous and far from complete¡ªbut powerful. More powerful than anything I¡¯d ever wielded before.

    I charged at him, the wind screaming in my ears as I pushed off the ground with everything I had. Orochimaru¡¯s body tensed, his smirk gone, replaced by an uncharacteristic seriousness. He moved to twist out of the way, but I kept my arm by my side until the last moment, pivoting to slam it into his chest.

    The jutsu tore into him, the violent wind chakra grinding, cutting, and shredding through his body. I felt brief resistance as the Rasengan met flesh¡ªbut I also felt the raw power of the wind chakra tearing into him. His mouth twisted into a grimace as the jutsu dug deeper, pushing him back.

    And like it did against Zaku, it exploded¡ªand the shockwave sent both of us flying backwards. Trees snapped like twigs, debris flying in all directions as the ground shook beneath us. I hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of me, and my right hand burned.

    I rolled to my feet, panting, and my vision blurred from the impact.

    Orochimaru, on the other hand, lay slumped against a ruined tree, having crashed through three others before he stopped. The front of his robes were in tatters, revealing the pale, mangled skin beneath it.

    ¡°I-Impressive,¡± he rasped. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but he didn¡¯t seem to care for it. ¡°You¡¯ve exceeded my expectations. To think you could use wind chakra with such precision and maintain the Rasengan¡¯s destructiveness¡ªeven your father couldn¡¯t manage that.¡±

    His body juddered while the wounds on his chest slowly knit themselves back together. I felt a surge of frustration at the sight, but this was never a fight I could win.

    ¡°That was exhilarating. With talent like that, I can see why you so readily refused my offer.¡±

    I didn¡¯t respond, my breathing still heavy in my chest¡ªI wasn¡¯t going to show any of that weakness, though.

    Orochimaru took a step forward. ¡°You¡¯ve grown strong. Stronger than I expected. And yet¡­ you¡¯re still holding back, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°The Nine-Tails. I know it¡¯s within you, that unbounded strength. You¡¯re afraid of it, which is why you have yet to use its power. I could help you tame it and use its power to realise your ambitions.¡±

    ¡°I already said no,¡± I took strength in those words, using them to erect a wall between me and him, ¡°and as much as you want to harp on about it, I¡¯m not like you either.¡±

    He let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. ¡°So you keep saying, but you¡¯ve already begun to see the truth in my words. Surviving, living, and being the one to live to fight another day. Those are the true joys of this world¡ªand deep down, Naruto, we are more alike than you¡¯re willing to admit.¡±

    Orochimaru¡¯s body began to twist unnaturally, his limbs elongating, skin shifting like it was too loose for his bones. For a moment, I thought he was preparing to shed his skin like a snake would, becoming more alien by the second.

    ¡°But alas, I can see my offers have fallen on deaf ears,¡± he said with a dramatic sigh, ¡°and I have more pressing matters to attend to. It seems our time together is over, for now.¡±

    I didn¡¯t lower my guard, nor did I look away from him. The pain in my limbs and the burn in my right hand reminded me I wasn¡¯t at full strength either, and even if I was, it wouldn¡¯t have made a difference.

    I met his eyes, slit and gleaming with some unspoken promise. ¡°Continue to grow and experience the world as it is, Naruto. And when the day comes that you are ready to see the world as it could be, instead of how it merely is, we will meet again.¡±

    With that, he melted away, vanishing into the darkened forest like a bad dream, leaving only the lingering scent of decay.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± I found myself saying with the odd sort of detachment that succeeded in being jumpscared. ¡°...at least Choji and Hinata weren¡¯t here for this.¡±

    The forest responded with a cold, creeping silence.

 Chapter 42

    They didn¡¯t see the snake coming¡ªor rather, Sakura didn¡¯t. Lately, she hadn¡¯t seen a lot coming, and this snake was just the latest in a string of blind spots. Four hours in, her drive to get stronger had burned away, much like the motivation that had taken root after Team 7¡¯s disaster of a C-rank mission.

    Sasuke had gotten stronger. Shino, too. They were honing abilities they were born with. But Sakura? She had none of that. No innate talents to lean on. It didn¡¯t excuse her weakness, though since Naruto Uzumaki had made more of the Academy¡¯s basics than she had, even when they were kids.

    Sure, she wanted to get stronger. But between their mission and the looming Chunin Exams, there wasn¡¯t enough time. Just enough to begin to undo a few bad habits and the effects of years¡¯ worth of dieting¡ªnothing more.

    She was faster now, her stamina better. And yet, four hours in, none of that mattered. Her throat ached with every swallow, and a deep fatigue settled in her bones. Despite her precise chakra control keeping her in the game, she knew¡ªif she didn¡¯t rest soon, she¡¯d drag her team down¡ªagain.

    A faint rustle. Shino¡¯s eyes narrowed behind his glasses, sensing it first thanks to his bugs. ¡°Something¡¯s coming,¡± he said, voice low.

    The ground exploded as a massive snake shot up, its fangs flashing.

    ¡°It¡¯s coming!¡± Sasuke yelled, already moving.

    Shino was a blur, slipping out of the snake¡¯s path the minute it emerged.

    Sakura¡¯s heart raced. She saw it coming, knew she had to move, but fatigue clung to her limbs like lead. The world slowed with startling clarity; Sakura saw the light gleaming off the snake¡¯s brown scales; slitted brown eyes stared back at her, hungry¡ªits maw opened.

    ¡°Sakura, now!¡±

    She pushed off the ground, barely avoiding the snake as it hurtled past, barrelling through several trees.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± she whispered, breathless, her mind still catching up to the danger.

    Of course, they paid her apology no mind¡ªthe snake was already returning for its second attack. Its massive body coiled, preparing to strike again, fangs bared and eyes locked onto her. The world narrowed to that moment, instinct kicking in as adrenaline surged.

    ¡°Sasuke!¡± she shouted, but he was already moving, positioning himself between her and the snake.

    Shino¡¯s eyes were focused, his insects swirling around the creature in a dark cloud. ¡°We need to blind it!¡±

    The snake lunged, and Sasuke sidestepped, drawing a shuriken. ¡°Now, Shino!¡±

    Shino released a wave of bugs that surged toward the snake¡¯s eyes, momentarily blinding it.

    ¡°Go for its belly!¡± said Sakura, desperate to contribute despite her fatigue weighing them down.

    Sasuke seized the opening, dashing forward. ¡°Cover me!¡±

    Sakura forced herself to focus, channelling chakra down her arm and legs to steady herself, and threw a kunai. She aimed for the snake''s tail to keep it off balance. Despite its thrashing due to Shino¡¯s bugs obscuring its vision, her kunai struck the end of its body, causing the creature to recoil, hissing in frustration when the bugs followed.

    Sasuke aimed low, his posture tight and tense. The snake writhed in an attempt to shake off Shino¡¯s swarm, but it was too late. With his offhand, he threw two shuriken that went wide. The bugs parted from the snake¡¯s eyes like curtains only to be replaced by the shuriken, blinding it permanently.

    Sakura thought their part ended there, but to her horror, Shino¡¯s bugs returned, slipping through and around the kunai and entering the snake through its eyes.

    It released a furious hiss, its massive body thrashing. Sasuke seized the moment. With the snake disoriented and Shino¡¯s bugs inside it, he buried a blade into the creature¡¯s underbelly, dragging the kunai up with him. The snake slammed against the forest floor in agony. Leaving the blade just below its mouth, Sasuke flipped back.

    Sakura saw flickers of chakra fire in his mouth as he leaned forward, setting the giant snake alight. A wave of heat rolled over her, the sight of the flames dancing across the massive body sending a shiver down her spine. The once vibrant colours of the snake¡¯s scales turned to charred black and deep crimson, its life licked away by hungry tongues.

    She could see the steam rising, mingling with the smoke, and heard the sizzle of cooked flesh; her stomach churned at the sight. Sakura staggered forward to look at Shino, who stood still, scanning the area for any further threats. His eyes were hidden, but she could see the tension easing from his shoulders.

    His insects danced around his sleeve and she couldn¡¯t help but think of them as a strange, happy cloud. A dark cloud¡ªone composed totally of flying insects¡ªbut she could pretend.

    ¡°Nice job,¡± she said, breathless. ¡°For a second, I thought Sasuke had caught your bugs in his jutsu.¡± The insects disappeared up Shino¡¯s sleeve, vanishing to places Sakura didn¡¯t care or want to know.

    ¡°I knew he would end this with the Fireball Jutsu,¡± he replied.

    ¡°Right,¡± she said, feeling the fatigue creeping up to her. ¡°We should¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stay alert,¡± Shino interrupted, cutting her off. He stepped closer, scanning the surroundings with keen precision, tense once again. ¡°Something¡¯s still here.¡±

    Any indignation died at his warning. Sakura removed another kunai from her pouch, painfully aware that if she lost another to the flames, she¡¯d be down to her last.

    ¡°Another snake?¡± Sasuke asked, exhaling smoke.

    Sakura¡¯s back muscles tensed at the phantom hiss reverberating between her ears and pivoted, looking all around her. After a certain point, the greenery blended into darkness and anyone or anything could be waiting beyond it.

    The notion didn''t do good things to her already exhausted body¡­

    Sasuke stood a few paces ahead, his eyes narrowed, scanning the treeline. His hand hovered close to his pouch. ¡°What do you see, Shino?¡± he asked, voice low.

    Shino didn¡¯t reply immediately, his focus split between his surroundings and the faint tremors his insects detected in the earth. He sent out a few more bugs, their tiny forms vanishing into the shadows. ¡°It¡¯s not another snake. Someone¡¯s coming.¡±

    Before Shino could elaborate, a figure emerged from the smoke¡ªa woman from the Hidden Grass.

    Her long, black hair fluttered slightly in the wind, and her face was wrinkled around slitted eyes. The front of her robe was torn to shreds, the same as the sleeves, yet where were the injuries? There was an eerie calmness in his gait as he walked toward them, unbothered by his wounds or the carnage surrounding him.

    Sasuke tensed, eyes narrowing. ¡°Who are you?¡± he demanded, stepping forward, shuriken already in hand.

    She paused, head tilted slightly, as if amused. ¡°Such sharp instincts... impressive for mere children.¡±

    Sakura¡¯s pulse quickened at the way she spoke. There was something off, something wrong. She felt a chill snake up her spine, but her fatigue kept her reactions sluggish. Still, she gritted her teeth and raised her kunai, determined not to be the weak link again.

    Shino stepped closer, his bugs returning to him. ¡°You were controlling the snake.¡±

    The stranger smiled faintly, though her slitted eyes held no warmth. ¡°I see you¡¯ve dispatched my pet rather effectively.¡± Her gaze flickered to the charred corpse of the snake, seemingly unconcerned by its loss. Then, she held out an Earth scroll clear for them to see. ¡°No matter¡ªyou desire my Earth scroll, no?¡±

    Sasuke¡¯s patience wore thin. He brandished a kunai. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for a fight, then that¡¯s what you¡¯ll get.¡±

    The grin widened¡ªher skin folding to accommodate the expression. Her jaw unhinged and her tongue wrapped around the scroll, swallowing it whole. Sakura watched its shape pressed against her throat before the woman audibly swallowed, wiping her mouth with a finger.

    Sakura met her gaze and nearly regretted it¡ªgoosebumps exploded across her arms. Her heart stopped under an invisible, overwhelming weight pressing against her. She swallowed, fighting the urge to hyperventilate and her already-tired knees threatened to buckle underneath her. Next to her Shino was in similar spirits, his insects nowhere to be seen.

    Maybe, like her, he¡¯d realised that the smallest move would lead to death and hid them away. The woman chuckled, aiming three kunai at them. She held her arm high, almost teasingly. Jaw clenched, her kunai¡¯s leather grip rubbing against calluses, she tried to raise it, but her exhaustion combined with the oppressive presence, stopped her from doing anything.

    She closed her eyes; Sasuke would die first for standing in front of them, swiftly followed by her and Shino¡ªand she didn¡¯t want to see it. Sakura heard his grunt and trembled, cracking her eyes open. Blood leaked down his right leg, staining his white shorts red and if she looked up, Sakura was sure she¡¯d see worse.

    ¡°Move!¡± Sasuke¡¯s voice forced her gaze up, past the kunai in his thigh, and towards the woman from the Hidden Grass, three kunai still fitted between her raised hand.

    Sakura¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°S-Sasuke, you¡­¡±

    ¡°I said move, damn it!¡± He ripped the kunai out of his thigh and shoved Shino out of the way before tackling her to the ground.

    Shino scrambled to his feet, his eyes narrowed as he pushed his glasses back into place, the insects in his body stirring again. His swarm buzzed back to life, reacting to the danger as they swirled protectively around him.

    ¡°That was close,¡± he muttered, casting a wary glance at the woman.

    Sasuke hurled his kunai in retaliation, the weapon still slick with his blood. Without warning, she struck. Her speed was blinding, vanishing and reappearing in an instant as she lunged. Sasuke barely had time to react, throwing himself in front of her and Shino. She deflected his attack effortlessly, her hand lashing out toward his chest.

    He managed to sidestep at the last moment. ¡°Move, you two!¡± Sasuke shouted, his voice hoarse.

    Sakura¡¯s muscles screamed in protest, but she forced herself to move, her body reacting on pure instinct as she bolted. Shino did the same, his insects swarming the woman. She tilted her head slightly, seemingly intrigued by Shino¡¯s insects as they buzzed around her, their wings humming in agitation.

    The momentary distraction was all Sasuke needed. He darted in from her blind spot, kunai in hand, aiming for her throat, but she caught his arm without looking and threw him into a tree with bone-rattling force. Sakura paused mid-step, more out of horror than concern for Sasuke. If the woman was that strong, what had she fought to leave that kind of mark on her?

    Sasuke grunted from beside her. ¡°...I won¡¯t die here.¡± Coughing, he rose to his feet and bent over, launching himself towards her. ¡°Shino, Sakura, cover me!¡±

    Sakura watched in horror as Sasuke¡¯s fighting grew more and more frantic, his usual precision abandoned in favour of brute force. The Hidden Grass woman was dodging every strike effortlessly, a mocking smile curling at the edges of her lips. Sasuke''s Sharingan was active, his eyes sharp and glowing red, but it was like he wasn¡¯t thinking anymore.

    He was just throwing himself at her, again and again, without any real strategy. Sakura bit her lip, her hands trembling around the kunai she held. Next to her, Shino¡¯s insects buzzed, ready to act, but even he seemed hesitant to intervene.

    Then, the Hidden Grass woman laughed, a low, sinister sound that made Sakura¡¯s blood run cold.

    ¡°My, my¡­ you really are a disappointment,¡± she said, her voice dripping with condescension. ¡°I had heard so much about the Uchiha clan, about their power, but look at you. Is this what passes for an elite genin in the Leaf these days?¡±

    Sasuke¡¯s eyes widened, his breath quickening. He growled, launching himself at her again with renewed fury, but the woman dodged, sidestepping him with ease.

    ¡°Or perhaps¡­¡± she continued, her tone taunting, ¡°you¡¯re simply upset because you know, deep down, that you¡¯ll always be second-best to him.¡±

    Sasuke froze mid-strike, his kunai hanging uselessly in the air. ¡°What¡­?¡±

    Sakura¡¯s stomach twisted.

    ¡°Yes, him. The one with no family, no clan¡­ and yet, he¡¯s already stronger than you. He¡¯s surpassed you, Uchiha. I fought him earlier; he¡¯s the one who did this to me, in fact.¡± the woman said, gesturing to her destroyed clothes and the faded burns.

    Sasuke¡¯s knuckles turned white as he gripped his kunai tighter, his eyes narrowing dangerously. ¡°Shut up.¡±

    ¡°But you know it¡¯s true, don¡¯t you?¡± the Hidden Grass woman pressed, her smile widening. ¡°You¡¯ve seen it, haven¡¯t you? He¡¯ll continue to grow, and you¡¯ll be left behind, legendary eyes or not.¡±

    Sasuke¡¯s Sharingan spun furiously, his chest heaving with ragged breaths. The anger radiating from him was palpable, and Sakura felt a wave of panic surge through her. This was dangerous¡ªif he made the wrong move, the woman would capitalise on it and kill him.

    ¡°Sasuke, don¡¯t listen to her!¡± Sakura shouted, stepping forward despite the fear tightening her throat. ¡°She¡¯s trying to mess with your head!¡±

    Sasuke wasn¡¯t listening¡ªjust not to her. His eyes were locked on the woman, his expression twisted with rage. He lunged at her again, his strikes more violent, more erratic. The Hidden Grass woman easily dodged, her smile growing with every miss. Her voice was poison to his ears, burning him with each word.

    Sakura clenched her fist¡ªnever before had she felt her powerlessness more than now. Unable to contribute to the fight, all she could do was prevent Sasuke from making a fatal error, but she couldn¡¯t even do that.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Sasuke roared, slashing at her with everything he had, but she wasn¡¯t even trying anymore. She simply stepped aside, watching him stumble forward in his blind rage. Shino¡¯s bugs streamed ahead, aiding Sasuke¡¯s wild attacks by covering his blindspots and swarming the woman, but it didn¡¯t seem to help.

    ¡°Sasuke, stop!¡± Sakura screamed. ¡°She¡¯s manipulating you!¡±

    Sasuke froze, his kunai trembling in his hand.

    His breaths came in shallow, rapid bursts, and for a moment, Sakura thought he might ignore her again, but then his shoulders dropped, his grip easing ever so slightly. Sasuke¡¯s eyes flickered toward Shino, his breathing slowly beginning to steady. His Sharingan, still spinning, locked onto the woman¡¯s movements with renewed clarity.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Sakura could tell his anger was still there, but it had cooled down. She exhaled in relief, watching as Sasuke¡¯s stance shifted. His kunai lowered, but his eyes never left the woman. He wasn¡¯t attacking blindly anymore¡ªhe was thinking.

    ¡°Shino,¡± Sasuke muttered, his voice low, ¡°keep her busy for me.¡±

    The woman tilted her head in amusement and backed away as if to humour him. Shino¡¯s insects surged forward, a swarm of black buzzing shapes that enveloped the Hidden Grass woman. Sasuke used the distraction, slipping into her blind spot and launching his kunai towards her.

    His Sharingan gleamed, analysing her every move and calculating the perfect moment to strike. Sakura watched the battle shift in his favour; his attacks were precise now, each one aimed with purpose¡ªhe was finally fighting like the Sasuke she knew.

    The moment her attention faltered to block the kunai, Sasuke flipped backwards, his hands flashing through hand seals faster than Sakura could follow, burying her under a massive fireball.

    Shino grunted, making Sakura flinch. ¡°Your bugs,¡± she murmured.

    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be avoided,¡± he replied sullenly. ¡°The woman was too dangerous to give any leeway. Thankfully, I managed to save more than half of them.¡±

    Everything was still.

    Then, with a low, chuckle, the Hidden Grass woman stepped back, her hand resting over her face. ¡°That was an impressive attack.¡±

    Despite Sasuke¡¯s victory, the tension in the air hadn¡¯t lifted. If anything, it had become worse. The woman wasn¡¯t retreating, and that smile on her face¡ªit was like she had won something, despite Sasuke landing a blow.

    The woman tilted her head, almost as if she were studying him. ¡°You¡¯ve shown such potential today,¡± she murmured, her tone almost affectionate. ¡°But you¡¯re still held back by your limitations. Your rage, your teammates¡­ your need to surpass Naruto Uzumaki.¡±

    Sasuke flinched, his jaw tightening. His hand clenched around the kunai, knuckles white, but he didn¡¯t respond.

    The woman¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Of course, you crave power to avenge your clan too¡­ and I can give it to you.¡±

    She lunged.

    Sakura screamed, Shino sent the rest of his swarm on without hesitation, both of them watching in horror. The woman¡¯s face was peeled away, revealing unnatural pale skin beneath¡­ a skin mask? She moved faster than she had during their fight, taking Sasuke completely by surprise. Long arms snaked around him, holding him tight before her teeth clamped down on his neck.

    The Hidden Grass woman stepped back, her smile growing as she watched Sasuke writhe in pain on the ground. ¡°This is a gift. Use it wisely, Uchiha. It will give you the strength you need to surpass everyone: Naruto Uzumaki¡­ and Itachi Uchiha.¡±

    Dark lines spread around every inch of Sasuke¡¯s skin like vines while the woman retreated further and further away. ¡°My name is Orochimaru and I believe my gift will bring you to me once again, Sasuke. I look forward to that day.¡±

    Sakura¡¯s mind reeled and her plan to rush towards Sasuke died in its cradle. Against an S-rank criminal and one part of the Legendary Sannin, they might as well have been babies. She and Shino rushed over to Sasuke the minute she was gone.

    ¡°Sasuke! Sasuke, are you okay?¡± Her hands hovered over him, unsure of what to do, terrified of making things worse. His skin was clammy, his face pale beneath the dark, creeping marks.

    He didn¡¯t respond, his body still trembling, his eyes shut tight in pain.

    ¡°Shino!¡± she called, her voice barely holding together. ¡°Shino, help me!¡±

    At her side, Shino¡¯s insects buzzing in a protective swarm around them. ¡°We need to get him out of here,¡± he said quietly, his voice steady, but there was an underlying tension in it that Sakura had never heard before. ¡°We¡¯re sitting ducks for anyone still struggling for a scroll before turning in for the night.¡±

    She nodded, her hands shaking as she carefully touched Sasuke¡¯s shoulder, trying to steady him. ¡°Sasuke, can you hear me?¡±

    His eyes flickered open, the Sharingan still glowing faintly in his gaze, but there was something different. The black marks hadn¡¯t faded, but instead pulsed against his skin, as if alive.

    ¡°We need to move,¡± Shino urged, his eyes scanning the forest. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we already have an Earth scroll to match our Heaven one. Tomorrow we¡¯ll head straight for the tower. ¡±

    Sakura nodded again, though her mind was still spinning. She didn¡¯t know how to help Sasuke, didn¡¯t know what had just happened to him, but she knew one thing for sure: this thing Orochimaru had left Sasuke was no gift.

    ¡°Okay,¡± she propped Sasuke up, half-leaning him against her as he stumbled forwards. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    <hr>

    Karin crouched beneath the roots of a massive tree, clutching the two scrolls to her chest beneath a combat jacket. Her breath came in shallow, uneven bursts, the weight of dread pressing down on her with every passing second. The thick canopy above shrouded the forest in darkness, but her senses were sharp enough to feel something far worse lurking in the gloom.

    She warned her teammates. Well, she had tried, but as always, they hadn¡¯t listened.

    ¡°Just stay here,¡± Shiren had said with a dismissive wave, his sharp eyes never lingering on her for more than a moment. ¡°We don¡¯t need you getting in the way.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kento had sneered, smirking as he adjusted the straps on his gear. ¡°You¡¯re only useful when we need a bite, right? So keep quiet and don¡¯t screw this up.¡±

    Karin had said nothing. What was there to say? She was nothing but their healer, the one they bit into when they needed to replenish their chakra. She wasn¡¯t meant for fighting or making decisions. She had learned long ago that it was easier to accept their orders, to let their harsh words slide off her back like water than to argue. Arguing never changed anything.

    But something was wrong today. Something dark was hunting them.

    She had felt it. The chakra¡ªwild, suffocating, dripping with bloodlust¡ªhad brushed against her senses like the edge of a knife. She had warned them.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, something¡¯s out there,¡± she¡¯d whispered, voice thin, barely audible over the rustling leaves.

    Shiren had scoffed, eyes hard. ¡°Always so paranoid, Karin. You¡¯re imagining things.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, stop whining,¡± Kento had muttered, already walking ahead. ¡°You¡¯re just scared because you¡¯re weak.¡±

    And so, she had stayed. Hidden. Like the tool she was, clutching the scrolls they had entrusted to her. Silent.

    The air was thick now, heavy with the promise of death. Karin¡¯s heart pounded in her chest as she strained to listen, to hear anything beyond the oppressive quiet of the forest. The dark chakra had moved closer, much closer, and it was unlike anything she had ever sensed before¡ªdeep, suffocating, and cold. The kind of chakra that promised violence.

    Suddenly, a scream cut through the silence. It was Shiren. The sharp cry pierced her as if she could feel the terror coursing through him.

    And then¡­ nothing.

    Karin¡¯s breath hitched. She closed her eyes, reaching out with her chakra-sensing abilities. Shiren¡¯s life force¡ªflickering¡ªthen gone, extinguished like a flame snuffed out by the wind.

    Her hands trembled. Shiren was dead.

    The forest remained unnervingly still for a heartbeat, and then, another sound. A loud, wet thud. Kento¡¯s chakra flared for a split second, panic and pain surging through the air, before it, too, vanished.

    Dead.

    They were both dead.

    Karin¡¯s body froze, her blood running cold. Her teammates¡ªher only protection, the ones who mocked her but kept her alive¡ªwere gone. Killed by whatever monster was out there. She could feel it, moving through the trees with terrifying calm, as though nothing could stand in its way, chakra fouler than anything she¡¯d ever encountered.

    And now it was looking for her.

    She pressed herself deeper into the ground beneath the tree roots, heart pounding so hard she thought it might give her away. She couldn¡¯t run. She wasn¡¯t fast enough. She wasn¡¯t strong enough. There was no fight in her, only fear. All she could do was hide and hope that it wouldn¡¯t find her.

    She had always been insignificant. Maybe, just maybe, she could remain invisible. The air shifted. The chakra surged again, so close it made her stomach turn. She swallowed a sob, every muscle in her body locked in place as she held her breath.

    Footsteps. Slow, deliberate, crunching through the undergrowth just a few paces away. The chakra pressed closer. Karin¡¯s eyes squeezed shut, her body trembling uncontrollably. She dared not move or make a sound. The figure drew closer. She could feel his chakra, cold and malevolent, rough like sand, stalking through the forest.

    Her senses screamed at her to run, but her legs were frozen, rooted to the spot in terror. Then, he stepped into view, his outline barely visible through the thick tangle of tree roots that concealed her.

    Pale skin. Red hair a shade darker than hers; the colour of blood. Dark circles framed his hollow, lifeless eyes; eyes that held no emotion, only a quiet, unnerving calm. He stopped, his gaze sweeping over the forest floor with cold, methodical precision, and then¡­ his eyes locked onto her hiding place.

    Karin¡¯s heart stopped.

    The sand at his feet began to stir, snaking its way toward her, curling around the roots of the tree with a slow, lazy inevitability. She was going to die. She was going to die here, just like Shiren and Kento.

    The boy¡¯s lips twisted into a slight, almost bored smile. ¡°You¡¯re not the one I¡¯m looking for,¡± he muttered under his breath as if talking to himself.

    The sand surged forward, ready to crush her and Karin squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the end. A sudden, fierce wind whipped through the trees, scattering leaves in all directions. Her eyes flew open in shock as a figure in black and brown landed between her and the boy, his stance steady.

    He was tall, with blond hair that spiked in every direction, tied at the back into a small ponytail and his familiar blue eyes met hers briefly before turning to face the monster in front of them.

    ¡°You¡¯ve done enough,¡± the blond said, his voice calm, unwavering.

    Karin stared, breathless in remembrance. He was the same boy from the first stage who seemed convinced that they were related. What was it he called her again? Two others appeared at his side just as two others appeared at the red-haired boys¡¯. A boy with slightly round cheeks and kind eyes wearing a hooded pelt vest and a girl with gleaming white eyes that glowed.

    A grin split the monster¡¯s face. ¡°...It¡¯s you!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Naruto Uzumaki,¡± he replied. ¡°And you?¡±

    ¡°Gaara of the Sand.¡±

    Naruto¡¯s eyes remained locked on the monster in front of them, unshaken by the threat of the swirling sand. ¡°You¡¯re not going to hurt anyone else today, Gaara,¡± he said simply, his tone leaving no room for argument. ¡°How about we pick this up some other time?¡±

    Gaara hummed amusedly. ¡°And miss the chance to fight someone so intriguing?¡±

    Karin let out a breath she hadn¡¯t realized she¡¯d been holding. Her muscles, her mind, everything was sluggish, weighed down by the terror that had held her captive. But she reached out, embracing the mass of chakra in front of her¡ªher heart stopped again.

    It was faint, easy to miss at first, but sure as the fading daylight around her, Karin felt it. The wailing remains of a chakra more malevolent than Gaara¡¯s. Naruto¡¯s chakra overlaid it, firmer, brighter, but Karin would not allow herself to hope. As far as she was concerned, she¡¯d escaped one monster and encountered another.

    And yet, Naruto Uzumaki stretched out a hand, half-facing Gaara. Karin shifted, revealing the Heaven and Earth Scroll pressed tight against her chest. Slowly, she reached out, her fingers brushing his before she allowed him to help her to her feet. Her legs were shaking so badly that she almost collapsed, but he caught her, steadying her with a reassuring nod before he let go.

    Still, Karin could feel it and didn¡¯t know where to place his strange kindness amongst the dregs of the most evil chakra she¡¯d ever felt.

    He turned, the swirling sigil she saw at the back of each Hidden Leaf shinobi. Over his shoulder, she saw Gaara. His mostly expressionless face stretched and warped, manic glee on his face at the prospect of a three-on-one fight¡ªor perhaps it was because he¡¯d reunited with Naruto again.

    Karin felt the chakra thickening, sturdy and hot in the boy to Naruto¡¯s right, and electrifyingly precise in the dark-haired girl to his left. She swallowed, aware of Naruto¡¯s chakra but intentionally staying above the surface. That alone was difficult enough; he had more chakra than her.

    The malevolent chakra was present, still faint, but only compared to Naruto¡¯s chakra. That it had increased compared to moments earlier was undeniable. Karin stretched her sense further to Gaara of the Sand and frowned. His chakra was similar; both human and not, and far murkier.

    Karin¡¯s pulse pounded in her ears as Gaara¡¯s sand twisted like a serpent, as hungry for blood as he was. The crazed look in Gaara''s eyes made her knees weak, and the oppressive, chakra only grew thicker. Naruto, however, wasn¡¯t waiting for death like she was. His eyes narrowed as he watched the sand rise, his muscles tensing.

    He wasn¡¯t standing still¡ªhe was reading the flow, and as soon as Gaara twitched, he moved.

    ¡°Choji, get ready!¡± Naruto shouted.

    Gaara¡¯s sand lunged, a massive wave rushing to engulf them. But Naruto was already gone, blurring to the side with chakra-enhanced speed. His movement left only a light wind to wash over where he once stood. The sand smashed into the space he¡¯d vacated, spraying dirt and debris into the air. Karin gasped as the wind from Naruto¡¯s sudden dash whipped through her hair.

    Choji slammed his hands to the ground, already in position. ¡°Earth Release: Mud Wall!¡± he roared, and a thick wall of earth erupted between them and Gaara. The ground rumbled as the wall rose high, solid and thick, standing firm against the swirling sand.

    The sand clashed against it, grinding and cracking the surface, but it held. Karin could see it straining, though, as if Gaara¡¯s sand was eating away at the defences like acid.

    Naruto wasted no time and climbed atop the broad wall. He formed a series of hand seals and a powerful gust of wind burst from Naruto¡¯s palms, sweeping over the battlefield. The wind smashed into Gaara¡¯s sand with an explosive force, sending ripples through it and pushing it back just enough to create an opening.

    Karin¡¯s breath caught as Naruto''s chakra signature moved in a blur of speed, cutting through the distance between him and Gaara in seconds. She risked looking around the wall to follow it, feeling his chakra flare as he darted around the scattered tendrils of sand, each one too slow to catch him.

    Gaara''s eyes flickered in surprise while Naruto weaved in and out of the sand''s reach. His chakra surged into his hand, spiralling into a bright blue sphere¡ªGaara didn¡¯t have time to react. Naruto¡¯s attack slammed into Gaara¡¯s chest, the force of it tearing through him. The impact sent Gaara flying, smashing through the air with a grunt of pain.

    Sand exploded in all directions, lifeless, scattering wildly across the ground.

    Karin¡¯s eyes widened. She hadn¡¯t expected Naruto to hit Gaara so hard, so fast.

    Gaara staggered as he landed, his face twisting in shock. The sand around him writhed, reforming sluggishly, but it couldn¡¯t keep up with Naruto¡¯s relentless speed.

    Naruto stood firm, breathing heavily but already preparing for another attack. He was giving Gaara no time to recover.

    Choji stayed back, the mud wall still holding but barely. ¡°You got this, Naruto!¡± His large hands were still pressed against the ground. Karin could feel him repairing the wall, but judging by the amount of chakra in his body, he was ready for more defensive moves if necessary.

    Gaara¡¯s expression shifted, a mix of anger and frustration. His sand was slower now, a thin layer of sand armour cracked where Naruto¡¯s chakra attack had struck, but that crazed gleam in his eyes only intensified.

    ¡°You¡¯re not escaping me!¡± Gaara growled, his voice on the cusp of euphoria. The sand began to twist again, rising like a storm ready to swallow them all. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    Naruto¡¯s blue eyes locked onto Gaara¡¯s. ¡°We don¡¯t have to fight. Are death and slaughter truly the only things that give your life meaning?¡±

    Gaara¡¯s chakra stiffened, and even without seeing him, Karin could imagine him doing the same. The inhuman element doubling in intensity¡ªthat she could feel it so clearly in Gaara where it previously mingled as one with his own was evidence enough. Naruto soared over the wall, crouching behind them with a cautious look in his eyes. Karin was just about to ask why he¡¯d retreated when two more chakra signatures entered her awareness, giving her a moment¡¯s pause.

    And then those two signatures drew even closer and landed beside Gaara; a tall blonde girl with a folded fan at her back and a taller boy, wearing a pointed black hood, and dark robes. Both wore Sand Village forehead protectors, leaving Karin no questions as to whose ally they were.

    They took one look at the scrolls clutched tight to her chest and broke out into twin smiles.

    ¡°Are these the ones, Gaara?¡± the girl asked.

    The murderous red-haired boy panted, his green eyes bloodshot and his face flushed with strange pleasure. ¡°Stay out of my fight, Temari, Kankuro. I¡¯ll kill you if you interfere,¡± his voice was low and dangerous, standing in stark contrast to his expression.

    His teammates shared an uneasy glance. ¡°Fine by me,¡± said Kankuro with obviously false cheer. ¡°I¡¯m going after that Heaven Scroll. We¡¯ve had rotten luck since the beginning; the one team we ran into had the same scroll as us.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡± said Temari with a similarly false smile. ¡°Things are finally looking up for us. Gaara¡¯s found his target and we have a scroll. You owe me money, Kankuro¡ªwe won¡¯t have to sleep in the forest after all.¡±

    ¡°...Shit. Okay, how about this, ignore the previous bet; you get that scroll before me and I¡¯ll pay you,¡± he said.

    Their arrival served as a brief cool-down period between Naruto¡¯s team and Gaara¡ªand the latter didn¡¯t seem to appreciate that one bit. He was one step shy of growling, the sand at his feet writhing in agitation, and when it seemed he would snap, Naruto extended an arm.

    ¡°Here,¡± he said, speaking to the new arrivals, ¡°You need a scroll, right? Then, how about this: you and yours take this and we can go our separate ways.¡± He looked at Gaara. ¡°And if you want to take our fight further, wait until the final stage of the exams; it¡¯s always a showy tournament. We¡¯ll settle it then.¡±

    ¡°Why run when I can kill you now?¡± Gaara asked, very nearly growling the words out.

    Naruto folded his arms. ¡°Because you wouldn¡¯t be able to do it without killing your teammates¡ªand if you don¡¯t care about them, then a fight in these circumstances is hardly exciting, is it? Not with everyone here to interfere. I didn¡¯t fight you on my own this time but in the tournament stage¡­ I guarantee that I will.¡±

    Temari built up the courage to tap Gaara¡¯s shoulder, looking like she regretted doing so when his head snapped back. ¡°...We have our orders too, Gaara¡­ I-I wouldn¡¯t want to get in the way of your fight but¡ªw-what about Father¡¯s instructions? He¡¯ll be here in a month to check in.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± said Kankuro, stuttering when Gaara¡¯s head turned to him. ¡°Besides, a straight-up fight is a lot more exhilarating than something like this.¡±

    The sand at his feet slowly retreated, slipping down into the gourd fastened to his back. He stopped the bottle and closed his eyes, only opening them when a particularly fine but dull grey patch of sand in front of him refused to return to its gourd.

    He stared at Naruto, frowning. ¡°I agree to your terms, Naruto Uzumaki¡ªbut I will be watching.¡±

    ¡°Feel free to,¡± Naruto replied, tossing the scroll at Kankuro, who offered him a slow nod. No one on Naruto¡¯s side moved until the dark-haired girl announced that they had left her range.

    Karin looked at them, only noticing then that she was one scroll short and cornered. She felt the beginnings of tremors in her knees and clenched the remaining one tight in her hands.

    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± said Naruto, ¡°But you¡¯d never be able to pass the second stage anyway. Your teammates are dead.¡±

    Her grip slackened. ¡°R-Right¡­ so, w-what now?¡±

    ¡°That depends on you.¡± He smiled, wide and blinding. ¡°But I¡¯d hope you¡¯ll come with us.¡±

    And despite herself, Karin agreed, purely because no one had ever asked her permission for anything before.

 Chapter 43

    The incident with Gaara had left me too worked up to sleep, so the first watch was mine. No matter what I knew about Karin, there was no way any of us were letting our guard down until the exam was over. Karin flinched at almost everything I said to her¡ªprobably because of the lingering Tailed Beast chakra¡ªbut she at least seemed perfectly fine with Choji and Hinata.

    Either way, I spent most of my watch sitting at the mouth of our cave, looking back every so often at her sleeping form. She¡¯d fallen asleep first unsurprisingly, followed by Choji, and then Hinata. No one had intruded on the cave since we¡¯d split up according to the untouched kunai and, more importantly, Hinata.

    If they did, they¡¯d long since left. After the last few hours, I didn¡¯t doubt that half of the exam¡¯s participants were firmly out of the running.

    Including Karin¡¯s Earth Scroll¡ªwhich I¡¯d also chosen to relinquish her of¡ªChoji, Hinata, and I had gathered a total of seven scrolls. Four at the start of the exam, and after splitting up, I¡¯d grabbed one, Choji and Hinata had got their hands on two.

    In my defence, I¡¯d had to worry about Orochimaru and a fucked up arm that had healed suspiciously fast before returning to find Choji completely out of it inside the cave. It was still very well raw and bloody, but I couldn¡¯t see bone anymore. Choji and Hinata had been shocked back into action at the sight of me covered in bits of gore and drenched in blood.

    I was still caked in dry blood, but maybe I¡¯d be able to get out of my gear¡ªor at least wash it¡ªtomorrow. I asked Hinata to look me over for anything abnormal and it didn¡¯t take longer than a few seconds to find out what the cause of my healing was.

    ¡°It¡¯s the Nine-Tails¡¯ chakra,¡± she¡¯d said, informing me of the news like I¡¯d contracted a terminal disease.

    I¡¯d suspected as much given my mangled arm healed back to normal in under an hour, but I wanted her to confirm it.

    ¡°Right,¡± I¡¯d said, my mouth turning dry. But I could hardly complain when I needed every bit of power and then some to fight Orochimaru. I¡¯d probably regret it, but at least I¡¯d be alive to feel it. ¡°We can shelve that talk for later. There¡¯s one more thing I want us to do before we head to the tower.¡±

    And with that thing done and among us, there was nothing left for me in the Forest of Death. The only reason the four of us hadn¡¯t booked it before darkness was Karin¡¯s mental exhaustion at the day¡¯s events. In the span of a few hours, she¡¯d lost her teammates, been used as a medic for the same amount of time, and avoided death at Gaara¡¯s not-so-tender hands.

    Granted, it was Choji who¡¯d suggested we stay behind for a very similar reason and Karin¡¯s exhaustion convinced Hinata and I to rain-check the journey.

    If it wasn¡¯t for my knowledge that Orochimaru wasn¡¯t here¡ªbecause by now, Sasuke should have ran into him and the ANBU would be alerted¡ªI¡¯d be in the tower right now. But if taking a small rest was what it took to give Karin a slightly better impression of me, then I¡¯d do it.

    After a few more hours, I tapped Hinata awake. She fidgeted under my hand, ignoring my calls to wake up for another minute. I considered dragging her out of the sleeping bag but she sat up before the idea went anywhere.

    ¡°Is it time,¡± she said, her question broken apart by a long yawn, ¡°¡­to switch yet?¡±

    ¡°I gave you an extra hour¡¯s sleep because I was feeling nice,¡± I replied.

    Hinata manoeuvred around Choji¡¯s snoring, lifeless body. Karin was tucked at the very back so that if she tried anything, she¡¯d at least wake me or Hinata up. Choji wouldn¡¯t wake up even if it was the end of the world. I slipped into Hinata¡¯s still-warm sleeping bag and got some decent enough sleep.

    It wasn¡¯t great, but I¡¯d be able to function.

    We had left-over cup ramen for breakfast. No one was in the mood to hunt something, nor was it smart to do so with the fighting starting back up after nightfall. Getting to the tower only took us twenty-odd minutes. Its age was impossible to miss, worn down by years of neglect. Vines crawled up the walls, weaving through the cracked stone.

    The metal doors were rusted, patches of reddish-brown corrosion flaking off when touched. I could see the remnants of faded red and gold paint that clung stubbornly to the tower¡¯s rusted surface.

    ¡°This is the place,¡± I said, pushing open one of the doors with a slow, yawning creak.

    The inside of the room was as decrepit as its outside suggested. Banners hung, shredded and frayed. At the very front of the room was a whiteboard, brand spanking new, and filled with flowing script.

    ¡°If you lack Heaven, enrich your knowledge and prepare,¡± I murmured.

    Karin inched closer, adjusting her glasses. ¡°If you lack Earth, run the fields in search of it. Those who possess Heaven and Earth will know the way.¡±

    Choji gave a long shrug. ¡°We have the Heaven and Earth Scrolls and the proctor said we needed those to pass.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s open them,¡± I said, taking out a medium-sized scroll from the inside of my flak jacket. Opening it, I unsealed its contents, revealing a pyramid of Heaven and Earth scrolls stacked atop one another. Taking the Earth Scroll at the very top, I tossed it to Hinata. ¡°Hold onto that¡ªit was the Earth Scroll the proctor assigned us in that shed.¡±

    She caught it. ¡°Any reason why?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m feeling poetic,¡± I said, smiling.

    ¡°And I¡¯m assuming you¡¯ll grab the first Heaven Scroll we found?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Who d¡¯you think I am?¡± I threw the other one to Choji and left the rest on the floor. ¡°Open them!¡±

    ¡°It says¡­ person?¡± said Choji, furrowing his brow. ¡°What the heck does that mean?¡±

    The scrolls started to smoke, hissing ominously. Karin leaned over with a deep frown. ¡°That¡¯s a summoning formula. Throw those scrolls, hurry! I don¡¯t think the exam¡¯s over yet.¡±

    Without another word, they lobbed both scrolls across the room before the jutsu was complete and stood at guard. Despite my amusement, I kept a kunai in hand¡ªwith all the things that had changed from my memories, maybe there was a final battle to the Forest of Death¡¯s exam.

    A purple-haired chunin stepped out of the smoke. Her hair was tied into a high bun and she had a hand against the circular red glasses on the bridge of her nose. Unlike the proctors, she wore her standard-issue gear and chunin vest.

    ¡°Well,¡± said Hinata, activating her Byakugan, ¡°Have we passed?¡±

    The woman didn¡¯t answer, instead looking over at us. ¡°There¡¯s one person here who shouldn¡¯t be.¡±

    Karin flinched.

    ¡°We¡¯ve taken her scrolls, she¡¯s just with us to get to the tower, that''s all,¡± I replied.

    The woman looked at me, a measure of something flashing her brown eyes for a second. ¡°...You¡¯ve not had an easy time, I see.¡±

    I grinned¡ªmore at the prospect of a stranger from the Leaf treating me decently than the joke I had cooking. ¡°None of this is mine, I swear.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s lying,¡± Hinata deadpanned, ¡°Most of the blood on his right arm is his, thanks to a malformed jutsu.¡±

    Choji snorted loudly.

    I turned on my heel. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s a work in progress!¡±

    ¡°Malformed, work-in-progress,¡± she replied, ¡°Same difference.¡±

    The chunin smiled, her arms resting at her sides. ¡°You three have changed so much since I last saw you.¡± We stopped our bickering.

    ¡°Do we know you from somewhere, ma¡¯am?¡± Choji asked.

    ¡°Somewhere,¡± she said. ¡°In any case, you who have gathered both Heaven and Earth have passed the test, but do you know what those words behind you mean?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Chunin is the minimum rank required to lead a squad. You have to be strong enough to protect your subordinates, and know enough to make the correct decisions.¡±

    ¡°The message on that whiteboard was left by Lord Third. Heaven is knowledge, Earth is power. Neither will cut it at chunin rank, not by themselves; only with both are you fit to shoulder the lives of others.¡± She smiled. ¡°My instructions end there. Congratulations on passing the second stage of the Chunin Exams, Team Asuma.¡±

    I could feel the tension vanishing from the room at the declaration but knew things weren''t over yet. Maybe we''d gathered enough scrolls to end things at the Forest of Death for today, but I wouldn''t be able to tell until this stretch was over. That meant we had four days to kill in a tower containing Gaara.

    I reckoned Lord Third was in here somewhere, along with the rest of the jonin, so it wasn''t likely anything would happen.

    As we turned to leave, the chunin woman cleared her throat. ¡°Do you not recognise me at all, you three?¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Especially you, Naruto¡­ though I wouldn''t blame you for forgetting me at all.¡±

    I blinked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ but should I know you from somewhere? Your face is familiar but¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Fujino Shimizu,¡± she said, and all at once memories that I''d long since tossed into the abyss came flooding back.

    Of days spent seething in impotent rage and stinging betrayal, pity and satisfaction at the consequences¡ªand ultimately¡­ I''d moved on. Her reveal had completely floored me, and not just me, but Choji and Hinata too.

    ¡°Fujino-sensei from the Academy,¡± Choji guffawed, ¡°What happened? Why did you leave?¡±

    Fujino¡¯s smile was tight-lipped. ¡°I resigned after interferi¡ª¡±

    ¡°We don''t need to know, do we?¡± I said. ¡°Not really, anyway. Go on ahead and grab us a room, I''ll get the rest of the Heaven and Earth Scrolls.¡±

    Ignoring their suspicious looks, I watched Choji, Karin, and Hinata vanish down a corridor, leaving the unsealed scrolls on the floor.

    ¡°You¡¯ve every right to hate me,¡± said Fujino, looking away.

    I looked her in the eye. ¡°Not anymore. I forgave you when I got your letter.¡±

    ¡°You seem to be doing well for yourself.¡±

    ¡°Think so?¡± I snorted. ¡°I¡¯m covered in other people¡¯s blood and guts. I''d argue the opposite.¡±

    She smiled.

    ¡°Why are you here? I can''t believe it¡¯s random.¡±

    ¡°I finished my punishment a few years ago. Lord Third then put me on a probationary period for another year, after which I was requested to attend the exams as a proctor.¡± Fujino shifted slightly under my stare. ¡°When I saw your name on the list for the second stage of exams, I asked to be the chunin they¡¯d sent to congratulate you¡ªor ambush you in case your team broke the rules.¡±

    ¡°What a reunion that would¡¯ve been,¡± I said, chuckling.

    ¡°So, where to from here?¡± she asked, her gaze steadying.

    I shrugged. ¡°Wherever you were going before this. You live your life, I live mine. Honestly, I let go of my hate for the villagers ages ago. Keeping my hatred for you after everything that happened to me would be nuts.¡±

    ¡°It wouldn''t,¡± she replied, ¡°And it¡¯s easier said than done, believe me. For what it¡¯s worth, deep down, they know you¡¯re not to blame. They know, but the pain¡­ of losing someone you love, it¡¯s¡ª¡±

    I sighed. ¡°I get it, believe me, I get it. Just because I got saddled with the thing, doesn¡¯t mean I didn''t lose anyone either. People lost their kids, their brothers, their husbands and wives¡­ me? I lost my parents.¡±

    Her shoulders straightened, and I could see the muted guilt in her eyes resurfacing, even if she wiped them away.

    ¡°You asked me where we go from here? I say we go the way we¡¯ve always gone: forwards. At some point, the pain dulls, we move on, and find something to fill the holes left behind.¡±

    She stared at me long and hard. ¡°You never seemed like a six-year-old to me when I taught you. Your eyes looked so much older¡ªand you¡¯re still like that, even now.¡±

    I smiled, tucking the empty sealing scroll into my flak jacket. ¡°Goodbye, Fujino Shimizu. I won''t miss you, but I won''t hate you.¡±

    ¡°That alone is more than I deserve,¡± she said, her voice thick with emotion.

    I saw her often over the next few days as I explored the tower. We weren¡¯t quite strangers, nor were we acquaintances. It left Choji and Hinata curious to the point of irritation, but I strung them along with a smile with Karin none the wiser.

    Soon, the second stage would come to a close, and I''d be able to pin down Lord Third for a much-needed conversation.

    <hr>

    Hiruzen hadn¡¯t expected to be pulled away from Hokage Mountain until the very end of the Chunin Exam¡¯s second stage. But when two ANBU agents appeared at his doorstep in the dead of night, he knew something had gone wrong. In the world of shinobi, being an ally meant close to nothing.

    Hatred remained, buried and festering, waiting for the right moment to surface. He had incurred a great deal of hatred over many years, some of which he expected to surface before he left this world. Inviting so-called allies into the village was a dangerous game, but one the Leaf needed to play to ward off the threat of a war for a little longer.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Hiruzen had taken as many precautions as possible; he kept foreign shinobi under discreet ANBU watch and made sure each was thoroughly accounted for. Some things, however, just couldn¡¯t be anticipated due to human error; Orochimaru was hard to anticipate even when Hiruzen knew he was there.

    Anko gave a pained wince, a hand to her neck.

    ¡°Does that Cursed Seal still hurt?¡± he asked, pacing in front of an array of screens monitoring the tower¡¯s various floors.

    ¡°Not as badly as before,¡± she said, looking away.

    Hiruzen hummed. ¡°Before leaving the village, Orochimaru displayed an obsession with the Sharingan. Either that or he is finally lashing out against my decision to endorse Minato as Hokage.¡±

    Anko looked up. ¡°He¡¯s here for Sasuke Uchiha¡ªand admitted as such to me.¡±

    ¡°The Sharingan then. I suppose Sasuke would provide an easier target than Itachi,¡± he replied, thoughtful. ¡°I see the village as my family and that includes you as well, despite what you might believe.¡±

    She nodded, looking away again and Hiruzen nearly laughed. Even as an adult, her pride was a thing to behold.

    ¡°What should we do about Orochimaru, Lord Hokage?¡± asked Kawazu, one of two ANBU agents who stood behind the small couch Anko sat on.

    Hiruzen looked at Kawazu, and then her partner, Gama. ¡°For now¡­ nothing. If he is to be believed, Orochimaru has a vested interest in Sasuke Uchiha and threatened Anko not to disturb the exams. Monitor him, but otherwise do nothing.¡± He looked at Anko. ¡°Are you fit to conclude the second stage of the exams?¡±

    ¡°I-I am,¡± she said, shooting to her feet. She let go of her neck, evidently still in pain, and grinned. ¡°This doesn¡¯t even hurt anymore, sir!¡±

    ¡°You youngsters. I suppose it¡¯s fine then,¡± he said, walking to open the door. ¡°Let¡¯s congratulate the remaining fifteen candidates.¡±

    ¡°Five teams?¡± she muttered as they walked. ¡°I expected the number of teams to fall into the single digits. ¡°Sixteen ended up eliminated, then.¡±

    Hiruzen smiled at the obvious satisfaction in her voice. ¡°You may be interested in knowing that both our rookie teams passed.¡±

    ¡°Both of them, huh? That¡¯s certainly impressive.¡± A dark look passed over her face. ¡°I won¡¯t let Orochimaru ruin an innocent child¡¯s life the way he did mine.¡±

    ¡°Enough of that, Anko. Banish him from your mind as much as possible. That mark may give him power over you, but only as much as your mind allows¡ªfirm yourself.¡± Hiruzen ordered, though privately he considered that they may already be too late. Even Minato and Kushina hadn¡¯t found a way to remove Orochimaru¡¯s cursed seals before their deaths and Jiraiya hadn¡¯t either.

    With Sasuke Uchiha already marked¡­ it was only a matter of time until Orochimaru began to work through his cursed seals.

    She nodded, but there was a stiffness to it that she failed to hide. ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Hiruzen watched over the closing proceedings in silence; his turn to speak would come at the very end. He counted sixteen genin instead of fifteen¡ªthough the girl wore a Hidden Grass forehead protector. Naruto met his gaze, damp need pooling in his blue eyes.

    ¡°Lord Third, if you¡¯d please?¡± Anko asked, stepping back.

    He cleared his throat. ¡°Ah, yes. Before I announce the third task, do humour my ramblings.¡± He scanned the faces before him, some more tired than others. ¡°Raising the bar and deepening friendship amongst our allied nations¡­ it wouldn¡¯t do to misunderstand this phrase. Put bluntly, the joint Chunin Exams between our allied nations are merely a substitute for war.¡±

    It was an old lie, a lie that he had told others so many times that Hiruzen had almost started to believe. A mere game would never be a substitute for war, no matter how much he wished it was so. The Chunin Exams were nothing more than a cattle show that the Leaf hosted, and only the minor allied villages joined up to show off to rich merchants, Daimyo and feudal lords.

    None of the Great Five would send their best and brightest into the heart of the enemy, and even the presence of the Sand Kage¡¯s children here had not gone unnoticed by Hiruzen. Were it not for the Leaf siphoning the Sand¡¯s division funding after the Great War, he doubted they would be here.

    The Sand had always been the weakest of the Great Villages, or strongest of the minor villages, depending on perspective.

    ¡°W-What do you mean, sir?¡± asked Sakura, voicing a question he could see forming on many faces in the room.

    ¡°To avoid what would otherwise be a futile whittling of one another¡¯s military strength, our neighbouring countries once picked a specific time and place to do battle¡ªthat is to say, the Chunin Exams began with such a purpose in mind.¡± Hiruzen took a drag from his pipe to let his words settle over the gathered genin, but it no longer brought him the pleasure it usually did. It tasted bitter, even. ¡°However, these exams also exist to promote those among you worthy of chunin rank and allow shinobi carrying the pride of their nations to do battle.

    ¡°The third task invites the various Daimyo, nobles, and other prominent figures to bear witness to the future of their country¡¯s military,¡± said Hiruzen, putting aside the pipe. ¡°They will watch your battles with great interest, I¡¯m sure. Nations deemed to have strong potential shinobi will be showered with mission requests¡ªand, of course, the opposite is also true.¡±

    A genin resembling a striking resemblance to Maito Gai in style, if not in appearance, raised his hand. ¡°Why did you refer to these exams as a deepening of friendship then, sir?¡±

    ¡°I did say that it wouldn¡¯t do to misunderstand the meaning of friendship, young man,¡± said Hiruzen. ¡°These exams are a substitute for the chaos and massacre of war. The cost is certainly lesser by a significant magnitude, but so are the stakes and results. In the end, it is merely a custom by which peace exists through the measured removal of life according to agreed-upon terms. Such a thing is friendship in the shinobi world..¡±

    To Hiruzen¡¯s surprise, the Sand Village¡¯s Jinchuriki spoke up next. ¡°You mentioned the removal of life?¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± he replied, noting Naruto¡¯s frown. ¡°This is where I¡¯d like to explain the third task. From here, whether you advance will no longer depend on the performance of your teammates. In other words, the time for individual battles is upon us.¡± When he finished speaking, two chunin proctors wheeled in a moving table, placing it in between himself and the candidates. ¡°I will call out each of the passing genin teams. When you are called, approach the box and remove a ball.¡±

    ¡°O-One moment, sir,¡± said Sakura, raising her hand. ¡°If my team¡¯s progress isn¡¯t dependent on mine, does that mean I can choose to forfeit here?¡±

    Hiruzen blinked. ¡°You may if that is your wish.¡±

    ¡°Okay, then I forfeit.¡± She looked at Kakashi with a morose smile. ¡°I don¡¯t see myself winning against anyone here. The Forest of Death pushed me to my limits.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, Sakura. Knowing when not to fight is a skill many shinobi could stand to learn,¡± said Kakashi. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you.¡±

    She beamed at him, or at least tried to, for her smile came out brittle and weighed down by disappointment. It was always a shame to see earnest childhood crushed by reality. Ignoring the pang of regret that stabbed through his old heart, Hiruzen continued.

    ¡°Is there anyone else who wishes to forfeit? None? Very well. Team Shuji of the Waterfall, approach.¡± One by one, the five teams removed a ball. The proctor at his side noted down each person¡¯s number before calling up the next person, and once the last candidate had gone, Hiruzen continued his explanation. ¡°You will fight in a tournament one month from now and based on the numbers you drew the matches are:

    ¡°Neji Hyuuga (1) vs Hinata Hyuuga (2)

    Sasuke Uchiha (3) vs Rukia of the Waterfall (4)

    Fuu of the Waterfall (5) vs Tenten of the Leaf (6)

    Rock Lee (7) vs Shuji of the Waterfall (8)

    Choji Akimichi (9) vs Kankuro of the Sand (10)

    Naruto Uzumaki (11) vs Temari of the Sand (12)

    Gaara of the Sand (13) vs Shino Aburame (14)¡±

    Almost immediately, the gathered genin spread out, eyeing their opponents with utmost caution. It was an amusing sight considering their hesitance towards the true intentions behind the Chunin Exams.

    ¡°Prepare yourselves as you wish. Take the month to rest or to train, the choice is yours. The venue in question will be communicated to the jonin a fortnight before the tournament begins,¡± he said as he moved towards the door. ¡°Our visitors may wish to explore our humble village as well¡ªthat too is an adequate use of your time.¡±

    Gai¡¯s sole booming laugh was proof that Hiruzen¡¯s joke had fallen flat on its face, so he exited the room with a long sigh.

    ¡°Lord Third!¡± Naruto jogged towards him, followed close behind by the red-haired girl from the Hidden Grass. Hiruzen stopped and removed his pipe from his mouth. ¡°Can I talk to you about something?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± he replied. ¡°Follow me.¡± Once they were seated in the same camera room that he and Anko had come from, Hiruzen turned to face Naruto. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    The girl looked at him fearfully but soon turned her accusing gaze onto Naruto. ¡°I¡¯ve got reason to believe that Karin here is an Uzumaki.¡±

    ¡°Truly?¡± Naruto had never struck him as the kind of child to lie, especially about something as dear to him as his mother¡¯s clan. ¡°Gama?¡± the ANBU agent in question fell into view from the ceiling. ¡°Take Miss Karin to my office so we may have a deeper conversation at length.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± She looked between himself and Naruto with tears in her eyes. ¡°I-I haven¡¯t done anything wrong, have I?¡±

    Hiruzen smiled. ¡°Nothing of the sort, my dear. But you see, the Uzumaki are a clan with deep ties to our village and Naruto here is one of the only remaining Uzumaki that we know of.¡±

    ¡°...It was true, then?¡± she asked Naruto.

    ¡°It was,¡± he replied. ¡°But Lord Third will explain it to you in a moment.¡±

    Slightly less afraid, Karin relinquished herself to Gama¡¯s custody, leaving the two of them alone in the room. ¡°Before I go, congratulations on making it this far in your first exam, Naruto.¡±

    He smiled mirthlessly. ¡°Thank you, sir, but that¡¯s not the only thing I have to talk to you about.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°I ran into your old student during the exam.¡±

    Hiruzen¡¯s expression hardened instantly. The light from the surveillance screens prickled against his eyelids as he set his pipe aside, focusing entirely on Naruto¡¯s words. ¡°I doubt you mean Jiraiya or Tsunade.¡± Hiruzen said, the edges of his mouth lifting up despite the seriousness of the situation, a moment of levity for himself to lift his own spirits but the sharp shift in Naruto¡¯s demeanour was impossible to miss and with a sigh, Hiruzen said, ¡°Tell me everything.¡±

    Naruto nodded, glancing towards the door where Karin had just left, before turning his attention back to Hiruzen. ¡°It was in the Forest of Death,¡± Naruto began, his voice low and measured. ¡°I didn¡¯t know who he was at first. I thought he was a woman from the Hidden Grass but he was pretending to be one of the participants. The moment we clashed, I knew something was off. She¡­ his chakra, the way he fought¡­ it wasn¡¯t normal.¡±

    Hiruzen¡¯s eyes narrowed, his fingers steepled as he listened. ¡°Did he attack you directly?¡±

    Naruto grimaced, his fists clenching unconsciously at the memory. ¡°I was ambushed by a group of Sound genin and he made his move after I beat them.¡± His voice dropped even further, frustration bubbling to the surface. ¡°Messing with me was all some kind of game to him.¡±

    Hiruzen¡¯s gaze darkened, the weight of Naruto¡¯s words sinking in. ¡°That does sound like him. And how did you escape?¡±

    Naruto hesitated, a flicker of unease crossing his face. ¡°I didn¡¯t. He¡­ let me go. Said he was satisfied with what he¡¯d seen from me. That I was like him, but before he left, he mentioned something about Sasuke.¡±

    ¡°Sasuke? I see.¡± Hiruzen repeated, his brow furrowing deeper. That meant one of two things. Either his old student wasn¡¯t lying when he said he wanted Sasuke, or it was a longer deception that required keeping the story straight across multiple avenues of information.

    Either one was possible with Orochimaru.

    Naruto nodded. ¡°Plans for him. I don¡¯t know what that means, but I didn¡¯t like the sound of it.¡±

    Hiruzen¡¯s silence stretched on for a long moment and Naruto shifted uncomfortably under the intensity of his gaze, but he didn¡¯t flinch. A good sign of Naruto¡¯s own fortitude despite the experience.

    ¡°This is troubling news,¡± Hiruzen said finally, his voice grave. ¡°If Orochimaru has indeed entered the exams under the guise of a participant, it means he¡¯s after something specific either in the village or the exams themselves.¡±

    Naruto¡¯s frown deepened, frustration in his eyes. ¡°He¡¯s after Sasuke, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    Hiruzen sighed heavily, his gaze softening as he looked at Naruto. ¡°Current information, including what you¡¯ve provided, indicates it is the most likely possibility, yes. Orochimaru has long desired to learn every jutsu in existence. Naturally, the Sharingan has always been of great interest to him.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t just let him do whatever he wants. Sasuke¡¯s strong, but if Orochimaru¡ª¡± Naruto¡¯s fists tightened again, but this time, it was out of helplessness.

    ¡°I¡¯m well aware of how dangerous he is, Naruto,¡± Hiruzen interrupted gently. ¡°His knowledge of ninjutsu and his ambition knows few bounds. But that very ambition has led him down a dark path, one that he¡¯s been walking for many years now. He is my most gifted student and my greatest failure.¡±

    Naruto¡¯s jaw tightened, the unease seeming to twist him from the inside out. ¡°So what do we do?¡±

    Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. ¡°For now, you must focus on completing the exams. Orochimaru won¡¯t act openly, not yet. His presence here is concerning, but we must proceed carefully. I will take measures to ensure Sasuke¡¯s safety, but Naruto¡­¡±

    Naruto straightened at the sound of his name, the intensity in Hiruzen¡¯s voice cutting through his worry.

    ¡°You must be careful. Orochimaru¡¯s interest in you is not something to take lightly. He wouldn¡¯t have sought you out without reason.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not scared of him,¡± Naruto said immediately, his voice firm.

    ¡°The fool is an ill look on you, Naruto. Bravery does not lie in the ignorance of danger and, despite my power, I can¡¯t protect everyone at once. Be vigilant. Trust your instincts. But don¡¯t underestimate Orochimaru. He¡¯s more dangerous than you can yet imagine.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯ll do my best, Lord Third,¡± Naruto finally said.

    Hiruzen nodded, his gaze softening just slightly. ¡°That¡¯s all I can ask. Now, go. Rest and prepare for the challenges ahead. And keep an eye on your former classmates¡ªespecially Sasuke.¡±

    Naruto rose to his feet, giving Hiruzen a final nod before turning towards the door. As he reached for the handle, Hiruzen¡¯s voice stopped him one last time. ¡°And Naruto¡­ thank you for telling me about Karin. I¡¯ll look into her heritage.¡±

    Naruto glanced back, a small, tired smile tugging at his lips. ¡°She deserves to know where she comes from, just like I did.¡±

    Hiruzen watched Naruto go, his steps heavy with determination. As the door clicked shut, the room fell silent, save for the faint crackling of the surveillance screens. Orochimaru, again¡ªlooming over Konoha like a storm cloud.

    He sighed, leaning back in his chair, feeling the weight of the years press down on him. Orochimaru always dredged up memories he would rather leave buried. The boy¡ªno, the man¡ªhad once been full of promise. Ambition, intellect, raw talent. And yet, somewhere along the way, that promise had twisted into something dark.

    He remembered finding the laboratories, the experiments. Perhaps if he had listened to Danzo, only forbid Orochimaru from experimenting on the citizens of the Land of Fire, instead of at all¡­

    Or perhaps that would have been merely delaying the inevitable and Konoha would always have eventually been too small and restrictive for Orochimaru¡¯s ambitions.

    It wasn¡¯t the first time the comparison between Orochimaru and Naruto had crossed his mind. Both orphans, both prodigies in their own right, and both so terribly misunderstood by the village. Hiruzen had failed Orochimaru once. Was he now failing Naruto too despite his intent to the contrary?

    He exhaled sharply, the familiar guilt gnawing at him. The village had always feared what it couldn¡¯t understand. They¡¯d pushed Naruto aside, just as they had with Orochimaru after the Great War, though for different reasons.

    A demon fox. An insatiable hunger for power and a warped moral compass to survive at all costs. Beneath that¡­ there was a similar loneliness. A similar longing to prove themselves. Hiruzen had watched it all unfold once. Perhaps, in another life, or perhaps if they had not been his first students, he might have been able to guide them better.

    Kept Orochimaru on a path where his brilliance wouldn¡¯t be so corrupted by humanity¡¯s darkness.

    Kept Tsunade from losing all her faith in the village and her own abilities.

    Kept Jiraiya from constantly flagellating himself over his own mistakes. In the end, he let all three slip through his fingers and the village paid the price for his mistakes.

    Naruto was different, though. He had to be, even if Hiruzen had to see to it personally. The same potential boiled within him, the same drive, but Naruto had something Orochimaru lost long ago¡ªa heart that still believed in people.

    Even after years of mistreatment, he hadn¡¯t allowed himself to sink¡ªand that was what gave Hiruzen hope. He wouldn¡¯t fail him like he did Orochimaru. With hindsight, he could see where he failed and would be able to avoid those same pitfalls.

    His fingers tapped restlessly against the armrest of his chair. The thought of Naruto running into Orochimaru chilled him. What might have happened had Orochimaru chosen to break him the way he¡¯d broken so many others? What if that flicker of understandable darkness in Naruto was stoked instead of snuffed out?

    Hiruzen shook his head, forcing the thought away. He wouldn¡¯t let that happen. He had already allowed one of his students to walk the path of ruin and refused to lose Naruto to the same fate.

    It seemed the exams were proving more dangerous than even he had anticipated. Orochimaru was already playing his hand. Sasuke¡¯s name lingered in his mind. Another child, standing at the edge of a precipice, and Orochimaru¡¯s whispers were surely beckoning him to jump.

    As Enma had warned, his failure to stop Orochimaru years ago was plaguing him at the worst moment. The consequences of his own feeble heart were spreading, and if he didn¡¯t act soon, it would be too late. Suddenly, the room felt too small. He rose from his chair, his decision made.

    The next generation deserved a chance¡ªa real chance¡ªto face the future with more than just raw determination. They needed guidance, training, and time. Time to strengthen themselves, not just physically but mentally.

    And perhaps the one child he¡¯d failed that most carried the weight of the world on his young shoulders, but he would not bear it alone. Hiruzen¡¯s old bones creaked as he made his way to the door, stopping just before the threshold.

    ¡°Asuma will understand,¡± he murmured, more to himself than anyone else, ¡°When the month break begins, I¡¯ll train him myself.¡±

 Chapter 44

    Asuma had been more candid about our options than I¡¯d expected¡ªor well, my options. Choji was training with both his clan and Asuma. Our run-in with Gaara had finally pushed him over the edge on picking up a second nature-release; I¡¯d suggested he take up Fire-Release to compliment and combine with my wind affinity since it wouldn¡¯t have been too difficult to learn given his earth affinity.

    Unsurprisingly, Hinata was going into secluded training with her clan and I didn¡¯t have the heart to tell her that a month wasn¡¯t enough to beat Neji if she relied on just the Gentle Fist. It wasn¡¯t my place to say to her, but I also had faith that she knew that more than anyone having, you know, fought the guy for years now.

    All of my plans hinged on beating Gaara. On the top of that list was learning Water-Release ninjutsu. It would weigh his sand down, thereby slowing it, which was always a plus in my book, including his sand armour. The skirmish between us had only confirmed that his taijutsu was his weakest spot, so it was only a matter of nullifying his biggest strengths as much as possible.

    It was the day after the second stage of the exams. We¡¯d gathered at my place, because that was where my team decided to appear whenever we weren¡¯t training, and I couldn¡¯t be bothered to complain¡ªto be honest, I¡¯d grown used to it by this point.

    ¡°This works out well enough if you want to learn Water-Release ninjutsu,¡± Asuma had said in response to my plans for the month.

    ¡°What?¡± I¡¯d replied.

    ¡°My old man¡¯s decided to train you for the month if you¡¯d like it.¡±

    I stared at him with wide eyes. ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I said, but apparently, he¡¯s deemed it necessary to handle your training himself. I guess after you fought Orochimaru, he feels partially responsible for making sure you¡¯re as strong as possible.¡±

    Hinata and Choji were equal parts astounded and exasperated. ¡°Great,¡± She¡¯d rolled her eyes, ¡°This¡¯ll just be another way to fuel his training addiction¡ªworse still now that Lord Third has legitimised it!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not that bad,¡± I replied, absentmindedly, though Choji disagreed with me on what he called a spiritual level.

    I looked at Asuma using my peripheral vision while we bantered. He¡¯d taught me that it might be worthwhile to build a life once there was nothing to train for, after all. Besides, if I were him, I wouldn¡¯t be too happy with someone else poaching my students, even if they happened to be my direct superior and father.

    ¡°What?¡± he asked when he caught me staring.

    I shrugged. ¡°Are you okay with it?¡±

    ¡°The training offer was for you, not me,¡± he said, snorting. ¡°Besides, my old man was trained by the last two Hokage, you know? Tobirama Senju was the strongest Water-Release user this village has ever seen, so there¡¯ll be lots of things for you to pick up from him.¡±

    The idea of training with the Third Hokage felt¡­ weighty. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I was ready to take the opportunity the minute I¡¯d learned of it, but leaving Asuma behind didn¡¯t sit right either. Though I supposed that nothing was stopping me from dropping in on his and Choji¡¯s training every once in a while.

    By the time I reached the Sarutobi compound, the idea had mostly settled. Lord Third¡¯s summons still struck me as unreal. So had his choice to reveal my parents¡¯ identities to me. Deep inside his walled, tiered home, he looked the part of any other old man drinking tea. He sat at a low table, opposite another untouched cup of tea and a furled scroll beside his own.

    He motioned for me to sit, smiling in that grandfatherly way, and I took a seat across from him. I figured we¡¯d get straight to training, but the Third slid a second cup of tea toward me and nodded. ¡°I hear you¡¯ve put serious thought into your goals this month,¡± he began. ¡°But before that, how go your efforts with Karin?¡±

    ¡°Oh, with Karin?¡± I scratched the back of my head, trying to sound more upbeat than I felt in that regard. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ well, going okay, I guess. Kind of slowly, to be honest. She isn¡¯t exactly opening up easily.¡±

    Lord Third¡¯s gaze stayed steady on me, patient as ever, but something in his expression shifted; he waited, just sipping his tea like he knew I had more to say.

    ¡°I thought I¡¯d just show up and she¡¯d be happy to talk to me after Gaara, but¡­ I dunno. She barely says anything. It¡¯s like talking to a wall. A quiet, glaring wall. I even brought her some dumplings the last time I visited her, but she just gave me this look¡ªthankfully, she still took the dumplings.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes it takes more than just friendliness to reach someone, Naruto. Especially someone who might not have had much reason to trust others,¡± he said. ¡°Besides, from her point of view, you saved her only to hand her over to me, who then confined her to an apartment.¡±

    I frowned, thinking about that. It wasn¡¯t that I hadn¡¯t thought about why she was like that¡ªit was pretty obvious she¡¯d been through some stuff. But every time I tried to get her to say anything, she just shut down. I figured maybe I was pushing too hard, or maybe she just wasn¡¯t used to people like me.

    The actual context of her situation in the Leaf wasn¡¯t much I¡¯d thought about, but from her point of view, it wasn¡¯t exactly great.

    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s simply caution,¡± he replied. ¡°But I suspect, if you give her the chance, she¡¯ll come around.¡±

    I nodded slowly, but there was something else weighing on me. ¡°It just feels like¡­ no matter what I say, she thinks I¡¯m just trying to mess with her.¡± I frowned, feeling a hint of frustration bubble up. ¡°How am I supposed to get through to her if she doesn¡¯t even think I¡¯m serious?¡±

    ¡°Give her time, Naruto.¡± Lord Third took a sip from his cup. ¡°So, how do you want to go about this arrangement of ours?¡±

    I took a breath, choosing my words. ¡°I want to focus on things that¡¯ll help me defeat Gaara. Out of everyone in the exams, besides Orochimaru, he¡¯s the one I¡¯m most cautious of with his sand. Water-Release to slow his sand down, and better ways to close the distance, maybe even taijutsu.¡±

    Lord Third chuckled, eyes sharp but gentle. ¡°You¡¯ve analysed your opponent well, but bear in mind that he¡¯ll likely be taking the time to improve as well. Do not count on your limited conception of him to win. Though, Water Release is a good choice; challenging to learn without a natural affinity, but it¡¯s manageable with the right instruction. I believe you¡¯ll soon be ready to take to the task.¡±

    ¡°Soon?¡± I repeated, taking a sip from my quickly cooling tea. ¡°What about today?¡±

    ¡°I thought I¡¯d take today to introduce you to a speciality of mine,¡± he replied, rising from the low table. He formed a familiar cross-shaped seal and summoned a clone to life in a puff of smoke. ¡°This is the Shadow Clone Jutsu. Unlike their illusory counterpart, shadow clones are corporeal and solid¡ªyour chakra is divided into equal parts among the summoned clones. They are sentient, initially created by Lord Second as a reconnaissance tool. Each clone experiences things just as you would and will return those experiences to you once they are dispelled.¡±

    ¡°In that case, can¡¯t I use shadow clones for my training?¡± I asked. ¡°Of course, not physical training, but learning ninjutsu and stuff.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d not be the first to have that idea,¡± Lord Third replied. ¡°It is possible, but not in the way that you think. While you may have the chakra capacity to summon dozens upon dozens of clones to aid your training, not only will you be unable to retain the knowledge without careful interspersed dispelling and meditation, the influx of such experience will most certainly result in an imbalance between your physical and mental energies.¡±

    I blinked. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound good.¡±

    ¡°I would know.¡± He stopped to chuckle. ¡°Lord Second put me through gruelling physical training to make up for such a debacle in my youth. An imbalance between the two energies would mean having to expend more of the lacking energy to mould one¡¯s chakra.¡±

    I frowned. ¡°But that¡¯ll happen eventually with all of us anyway.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Naruto. It¡¯s called old age,¡± he said with an amused look in his eye. ¡°Spiritual energy grows and continues to grow throughout one¡¯s lifetime. Physical energy, however¡­¡± he trailed off, looking into the garden through the open door. ¡°As an Uzumaki, you are blessed with vitality that will see you laugh off the ills that plague me, even in your twilight years.¡±

    ¡°An imbalance between the energies still isn¡¯t ideal,¡± I replied. ¡°It¡¯ll mean expending more energy to mould chakra, which is a waste¡­ but I suppose it would let me get away with using a few clones for training at a time, right?¡±

    Lord Third nodded. ¡°So long as you are careful, it won¡¯t be an issue. No more than an hour or so with each clone, as well as carefully timing when you dispel them,¡± he said. ¡°So, would you like to attempt the Shadow Clone Jutsu now, or would you like to finish your tea?¡±

    I raised my cup, the drink having long since cooled enough to down with a gulp. ¡°Let¡¯s do it now, please.¡±

    He gave me a wide berth, lifting the small scroll on the table. ¡°Give this a read¡ªand do take your time; we¡¯re in no rush for results today.¡±

    <hr>

    Being a sentient clone was a strange experience. The idea that I could create myself exactly as I existed in the real world was¡­ strange, to put it lightly. That my existence relied on the amount of chakra in me was also a cause for concern¡ªnot that I felt it.

    The weirdness didn¡¯t stop there. My mind still felt like mine, memories intact, personality the same. I knew I was a copy of myself, and yet there I was present, fully me, moving and thinking. It was oddly freeing, like being in a dream where nothing held you back, but at the same time, I was tethered to a timer¡ªand when it ended that¡¯d be it.

    Still, for now, I had one purpose in mind: experience.

    I took a breath, feeling the morning chill with the enthusiasm of a man sentenced to death. I kept my gait easy and casual, hopping the compound¡¯s walls. Lord Third wanted me to observe as much as I could through a clone. It was weird thinking of myself in terms like this as if I were just a tool, something created for a task.

    I didn¡¯t love the idea, but there was probably something in the jutsu itself that was preventing me from losing my shit. If nothing else, I could use myself as a chance to do something I wouldn¡¯t have the time for before the tournament.

    It was around lunchtime, and the Academy¡¯s grounds beyond the tall red gates were full of kids running around, shouting, and huddling in groups. I spotted Konohamaru with a few familiar faces¡ªHaruto, Nori, and Ko eating their lunch¡ªfeeling a little rush of nostalgia as I approached them, remembering my own time here.

    But then it hit me again, the strange sensation of memories being there but the emotions distant, like echoes of someone else¡¯s life. I shook my head, blinking rapidly, before launching myself towards the ledge above them.

    ¡°People really don¡¯t look up much, do they?¡± I said, grinning.

    Haruto nearly dropped his lunch as I landed, and all three of them jerked up to face me with wide eyes. ¡°Naruto!¡± Haruto sounded halfway between excitement and annoyance. ¡°You can¡¯t just sneak up like that!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I grinned, hopping down beside them. ¡°Thought you guys would catch on quick enough. Guess Konohamaru hasn¡¯t been training you guys well.¡±

    Ko folded her arms, trying for a serious look. ¡°It¡¯s not like he tells us what he¡¯s planning before he jumps out of nowhere.¡±

    Nori let out an exaggerated sigh. ¡°Yeah, more like he¡¯s got us guessing which corner he¡¯s gonna pop out from next.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not bad training, actually,¡± I said, glancing around as if Konohamaru might come barreling out from behind a tree. ¡°But where is Konohamaru? Doesn¡¯t usually keep out of sight this long.¡±

    Haruto smirked and did a quick scan of the field before leaning in. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s around somewhere. He got it in his head to ambush us during break time. Says we need to be sharp, so we¡¯re ready to take you down one day.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that right?¡± I laughed, shaking my head. ¡°You should tell him I can spot him from a mile away. It¡¯ll be a long way until he¡¯s good enough to ambush me.¡±

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    ¡°Then you tell him,¡± Ko shot back, kicking at a patch of dirt. ¡°It¡¯s not like he¡¯ll stop bragging about it just ¡¯cause we ask him to.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see him actually pull it off once before he tells us how to do it,¡± Nori muttered.

    ¡°Give him time; he¡¯ll figure something out eventually,¡± I said, snorting at the mental image of Konohamaru behind a corner. ¡°Stubborn as he is, he¡¯ll probably surprise you when you least expect it.¡±

    Nori¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°But you¡¯re training for something bigger, right? The Chunin Exam tournament they¡¯re talking about?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Ko squinted. ¡°You¡¯re up against someone from the Hidden Sand, right?¡±

    ¡°Temari of the Sand, yeah. She¡¯s got a giant fan she fights with and can whip up wind like a storm. It¡¯s tough to get close, but that¡¯ll be part of the fun.¡±

    Haruto blinked, processing that. ¡°Wait, so she¡¯s¡­ what, just fanning people?¡±

    ¡°Something like that,¡± I chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s a lot cooler in person, believe me.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but you¡¯re good at tough fights,¡± Nori insisted, crossing his arms with a grin. ¡°She¡¯ll probably just get annoyed when she can¡¯t blow you over.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow at them. ¡°Let¡¯s not get too cocky, huh?¡±

    Haruto was already bouncing a little. ¡°Come on, you know wind jutsu anyway, so it¡¯s not like she¡¯s got something you don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You never know that,¡± I replied, trying to picture how the match might go down. ¡°You¡¯ve always got to expect the unexpected as a shinobi, but I¡¯m optimistic about my chances.¡± The three of them looked at me like they were already picturing some big victory scene. ¡°And guess what? This isn¡¯t even the real me.¡±

    Three blank stares met my grin, Ko frowning slightly. ¡°Wait, what do you mean, ¡°not the real you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a shadow clone,¡± I said, tapping my chest. ¡°The actual me is training right now.¡±

    The realisation dawned slowly¡ªfirst Nori¡¯s eyes going wide, then Haruto blinking in disbelief. ¡°...Woah. So, you¡¯re not even here?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± I said, feeling the grin widen. ¡°I¡¯m gonna dispel myself in a second, and then¡ªpoof! You¡¯ll know for sure.¡±

    ¡°What¡ªseriously?¡± Nori spluttered, reaching out like he was going to grab my arm.

    ¡°See you around, guys,¡± I said, forming the release seal.

    I caught one last look of shock on their faces as I released the jutsu. For an instant, I felt a rush of satisfaction, hearing Haruto yell, ¡°I¡¯ve got to learn that¡ª¡± before reality came to an abrupt, halt.

    <hr>

    Back in my real body, it was like waking up from a dream, only to realise I could recall everything that had happened with the kids so clearly¡ªthe shock on their faces, the laughter, Haruto¡¯s confused shout as I vanished.

    I blinked, the memory fading a bit as I looked at Lord Third. ¡°I remembered everything,¡± I said, a bit astonished. ¡°Like¡­ every detail. Why don¡¯t you use them for your paperwork?¡±

    ¡°No matter how useful, shadow clones are still a copy of yourself. Your likes, your dislikes, your biases and so forth,¡± he said, shaking his head morosely. ¡°Lord Second, when creating the technique, was able to remove the fear of death from shadow clones, so they willingly put themselves in harm¡¯s way and gladly sacrifice themselves for their creators. I loathe paperwork. If I summon a shadow clone, it too will loathe paperwork and use my summoning as an excuse to refuse, because why should a clone of myself be any more inclined to do it? Believe me, my boy, I have tried. I envy the enthusiasm with which your father took to paperwork. No Hokage save for Lord Second has completed paperwork as quickly as he used to.¡±

    I smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve been planning to go visit a few friends of mine despite the busy schedule¡ªthat¡¯s what my clone ended up doing. Are all the memories meant to be that thorough, or do they decay over time?¡±

    The Third Hokage gave a small nod. ¡°When a clone is dispelled quickly, the feedback is generally crisp and clear. However, the longer a clone stays active, the more fragmented the memories become.¡±

    I tilted my head, processing that. ¡°So, if I¡¯d left the clone up for hours¡­¡±

    ¡°You would not have recalled the experiences with nearly as much clarity¡ªperhaps only the most memorable part. The more information a clone collects, the harder it becomes to parse when it¡¯s returned to you.¡±

    ¡°Meaning what¡ªjust snippets of things here and there?¡± I asked, frowning.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Lord Third replied. ¡°This is worse with multiple clones, of course. The influx of experiences merges, making it nearly impossible to pull anything useful from them, which would make a mass training endeavour a catastrophic waste of your time.¡± He chuckled, patting the low table. ¡°Take it from me, shadow clones are best used with purpose and in moderation.¡±

    I sat back, thinking that over. ¡°It¡¯s usable for training purposes¡­ but is it worth it?¡±

    ¡°It has its benefits, but training with the Shadow Clone Jutsu is a shortcut that may backfire without careful consideration,¡± he said, serious now. ¡°Not only is there the energy imbalance issue, but you may struggle to hold onto specific techniques learned by clones. You may also experience severe mental fatigue after sorting through the flood of memories. It¡¯s a powerful technique, Naruto, but one that demands as much patience as it does skill.¡±

    I gave a low whistle¡ªit was still a viable method, but one with a lot more issues than I¡¯d previously considered. ¡°Wait, Lord Third,¡± I said, an idea forming. ¡°What about using clones in a fight? If they¡¯re only around for a few seconds, that wouldn¡¯t be too long for memories to get jumbled, right?¡± He raised an eyebrow, nodding for me to continue. ¡°Well, if they only stick around for a short time, wouldn¡¯t that make it a good way to gather information or force my opponent to reveal their moves?¡±

    A slow smile spread across his face. ¡°Using them briefly in combat can be effective¡ªit was my go-to method back in my heyday. Clones are an ideal way to distract and divide an opponent¡¯s attention, or to gain quick insights.¡± He paused, looking thoughtful. ¡°But don¡¯t grow too reliant on clones, or you¡¯ll risk your attention being divided at a critical moment due to the mental feedback.¡±

    That made sense¡ªI took the advice in with a series of rapid nods. ¡°I could send in a few clones to draw fire and observe, then dispel them to get the information back without losing focus, or look at the battle from another point of view?¡±

    ¡°Precisely. It¡¯s a technique that can change the rhythm of a fight,¡± Lord Third replied. ¡°Though keep in mind the more clones you dispel at once, even briefly, the more likely the feedback becomes disorienting. But used sparingly and with good timing, shadow clones could make you a truly unpredictable opponent.¡±

    A grin spread across my face, already picturing how Gaara might react to a few surprise clones. ¡°Then I¡¯ll make it work,¡± I said, fired up.

    ¡°With that done, if I am to be your master for the month, perhaps you might address me as ¡°Sarutobi-sensei.¡± He nodded to himself. ¡°You would be the first student since the Sannin that I have taught in a formal capacity, after all.¡±

    I hesitated for a moment, the title ¡°Sarutobi-sensei¡± lingering in my mind. I¡¯d always called him Lord Third, the Hokage¡ªthe old man who was just there, watching over the village but also keeping his distance from me. He¡¯d never seemed like someone I could actually talk to, especially not as a teacher.

    Then again, we were past that now. Changing the way I thought about him still felt awkward, but seeing that he was going to die soon¡ªand that there was nothing I could do about it¡ªgetting to know him as a person was the least I could do.

    ¡°Alright¡­ Sarutobi-sensei,¡± I said again, feeling the words settle. The title sounded odd in my voice like I was learning a new language or trying on clothes that didn¡¯t quite fit. But the Third just gave me a small nod, his expression one of encouragement.

    ¡°Good,¡± Lord Third said, his voice warm with approval. ¡°Now, shall we put some of these ideas into practice?¡± He gestured to the garden, a small spark in his eyes. ¡°With those teachings in mind, let¡¯s move on to some practical training!¡±

    I felt a surge of anticipation. ¡°Definitely.¡±

    <hr>

    The apartment was sparse. Not unpleasant, exactly¡ªthere was a futon, a low table, a few shelves stocked with the essentials. But it felt¡­ impermanent. Like a waiting room disguised as a home. That was what grated the most, Karin thought as she sat by the window, her legs crossed tightly beneath her.

    The day was almost stiflingly still and the only movement was a faint rustling in the courtyard below. Beyond that, though, there was something she could feel¡ªchilly, dark, and detached, cloaked in shadows. She could pinpoint the exact place he stood, whoever he was. The ANBU guard¡¯s presence pricked at the edges of her chakra sensing like a needle every time she brushed it, and every time, it was the same: impersonal, precise. Waiting.

    Waiting for what? For her to run? For her to lash out?

    She clenched her fist, feeling her nails dig into her palm. The Hidden Leaf¡¯s hospitality was about as warm as she¡¯d expected. She half-wished she could send some kind of mental message to her guard, just to let him know she could sense him.

    The quiet footsteps outside her door pulled her from her thoughts. She recognized the chakra before she heard the knock. Karin took a slow breath and stood as the knock sounded. ¡°Come in,¡± she said, keeping her voice steady.

    The door slid open, and the Third Hokage entered, hands clasped behind his back, a soft, contemplative smile on his face.

    ¡°Good afternoon, Karin,¡± he greeted, his voice warm but edged with that practised neutrality. He had the air of someone who had to be a thousand things to a thousand people, yet always managed to look the part.

    ¡°Sir,¡± she replied, a hint of uncertainty slipping out despite her best effort to mask it. She didn¡¯t bow, but she inclined her head out of respect.

    The Third motioned for her to sit. She hesitated, eyeing him as he took a seat across from her. He looked every bit the kindly grandfather she¡¯d seen in fleeting memories of her own, but she couldn¡¯t afford to forget who he was: the one who had the power to decide if she stayed or left, to decide if her life here would be just another cage.

    ¡°I hope your lodgings are comfortable enough,¡± he began, his tone easy, almost conversational. ¡°I know it must be¡­ an adjustment, moving to a new village.¡±

    Karin gave a small, noncommittal shrug. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she said. ¡°Better than some places I¡¯ve lived.¡± She left it at that, not offering anything more.

    The Hokage nodded, as if her response was just what he¡¯d expected. ¡°I know you¡¯ve met Naruto,¡± he said, glancing toward her, ¡°and I¡¯d venture to say he¡¯s been¡­ persistent in his attempts to get to know you?¡±

    Karin tried not to roll her eyes, but a smirk slipped through. ¡°Persistent is a word for it, yeah.¡± She hesitated, glancing away.

    The Third laughed, soft and genuine. ¡°That¡¯s hardly surprising, considering what he¡¯s had to overcome.¡±

    The mention of Naruto¡¯s past, vague as it was, made her stiffen. She didn¡¯t like people prying into hers, and yet here was the Third, speaking freely about Naruto¡¯s. ¡°Yeah, well, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s had a tough time,¡± she muttered, unsure why her tone came out so defensively.

    Karin swallowed, feeling a flicker of something¡ªempathy, maybe, or just an annoying understanding she didn¡¯t want to acknowledge. She shifted her gaze out the window. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask him to,¡± she replied, her tone sharper than she¡¯d intended. Karin looked down, fighting the urge to cross her arms over her chest. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t he leave me alone?¡±

    ¡°Because he knows what it feels like to be alone,¡± the elderly man replied. ¡°To be isolated, either by choice or by force¡ªand so do you. It¡¯s why I believe you haven¡¯t asked him to stop visiting you.¡±

    The words struck deeper than she¡¯d anticipated, and she looked up, searching his face for any hint of manipulation. But all she saw was a steady kindness, the same warmth she¡¯d sensed in Naruto¡¯s chakra every time he showed up, snacks in hand and some ridiculous story about his latest training mishap.

    It was slowly getting to her¡ªdespite the ominous chakra she could sense lurking deep within him¡ªshe¡¯d come to realise he was nothing like Gaara.

    ¡°You know, Naruto didn¡¯t have a family growing up, not in the way most people do. No parents, no clan. He grew up without that sense of connection for years.¡±

    Karin tensed, her instinct to look away, but she forced herself to hold his gaze. ¡°He keeps bringing up our clan, our Uzumaki blood. But I didn¡¯t know them¡ªwhat do they matter to me?¡±

    The Third Hokage¡¯s gaze softened, and he took a deep breath. ¡°To Naruto, it matters more than you might realise. You share that blood, Karin, which makes you the closest thing to a family he¡¯s ever had.¡± He paused, letting the words settle.

    Karin¡¯s breath caught, the casual truth of his words catching her off guard. It wasn¡¯t a word she associated with safety and with warmth. Her mother, as much as she tried, couldn¡¯t protect her from the Hidden Grass.

    ¡°Maybe we are part of the same clan,¡± she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°But he doesn¡¯t¡­ he doesn¡¯t even know me.¡±

    ¡°Nor do you know him,¡± he pointed out gently. ¡°And yet, here you both are, connected by bonds neither of you could have foreseen. You have something to give each other that no one else can.¡± His tone softened as if coaxing the words into her. ¡°Naruto seeks family because he¡¯s never had one. And I think you, too, could find something in him¡ªa connection that might do you some good, even if you haven¡¯t realised it.¡±

    Karin clenched her fists, feeling an uncomfortable weight rise in her chest, one she wanted to push away but couldn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t want to admit he was right; she barely even knew Naruto, and she¡¯d never been the kind of person to cling to others.

    But Naruto saved her from Gaara¡ªand while he had a similarly inhuman chakra, he was no monster¡­ right?

    ¡°I just¡­¡± She bit her lip, hating the admission but unable to hold it back. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to need anyone.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± he replied gently, ¡°it¡¯s less about needing and more about sharing. Strength, understanding, and even just companionship. That¡¯s what family can be. It can be difficult, but it¡¯s what allows you to grow beyond what you¡¯ve known.¡±

    The Third Hokage rose then, his gaze lingering as if he sensed she¡¯d had enough of the conversation. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to think on it,¡± he said, his smile kind but unassuming, like he¡¯d simply planted a seed and expected nothing in return. ¡°Of course, if you wish to return to the Grass, that is fine as well. Despite what you may think, you are not a prisoner here. Go out, get some air, see the sights.¡±

    Her stomach twisted into knots at the thought, but Karin just nodded. As he turned to leave, she instinctively reached out with her chakra sense, following the warm, steady thread of his presence down the hallway. But at the corner of the stairs, something else caught her attention¡ªthat familiar colder thread that sent a chill through her.

    It was the ANBU guard she¡¯d sensed earlier, the same one who lurked just out of sight. She felt his presence suddenly move towards the old man, joining him in the stairwell.

    The Hokage paused, nodding as the guard murmured something to him in a low, clipped voice, and the warm grandfatherly expression she¡¯d seen a moment ago hardened into something almost clinical, his body language shifting with military precision as he listened.

    She felt her heart tighten as she watched from afar, her chakra sense focusing on every flicker of their exchange. Of course. This was still the Hidden Leaf¡ªand Hiruzen Sarutobi was still a shinobi leader, and she was an outsider.

    His kindness had been real, yes, but it was built on something else, something colder. A willingness to use every possible angle, even familial ties, to secure loyalty. It was the nature of every shinobi village. It wasn¡¯t that she¡¯d expected anything different, but still, a sudden shadow was cast over the warm light his words had left.

    Karin scanned the apartment, taking in the blank walls, the simple futon, and the subtle reminders that her stay here was more containment than comfort. It was a cage, though a more polite one than Hidden Grass had ever offered. They took everything she had; her loyalty, her chakra, her trust¡ªuntil there was nothing left of her but a tool to be used.

    She¡¯d come here prepared to resist, to push back against whatever attempt the Leaf made to own her, to make her loyal by force or by guilt. But they hadn¡¯t done that; Naruto¡¯s earnest face slipped past her stormy thoughts. She stood by the window, looking out at the village below. Leaf was a shinobi village, with its watchful guards and its boundaries carefully defined.

    Maybe this place was worth giving a chance.

 Chapter 45

    The waterfall behind Hokage Mountain roared and sprayed at me, giving the spacious cavern a permanent coat of water. Sunlight spilled in from the edge, catching on droplets and transforming the air into a shimmering veil. Humid wouldn¡¯t quite cut it; the air here was heavier. I could feel the moisture as if it were seconds away from condensing, constantly pressing against my skin. The floor was one, massive puddle flowing towards the edge and the plunge dropped away beyond that, the entire cavern hidden behind a massive cloud of spray.

    Thankfully, I was well away from the edge. The drop was a long way down, and I didn¡¯t want to chance things.

    ¡°Despite the location, I will not be teaching you as Lord Second taught me,¡± my teacher of a week and a half said with a wrinkled but roguish smile. ¡°If you¡¯ll allow my hubris, I have a better method in mind.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°Go ahead, sensei.¡±

    The word rolled off the tongue now¡ªhell, I was beginning to feel real honour at being able to call him that. It was easy to see why he was hailed as the pinnacle of the shinobi world, even well out of his prime. He wasn¡¯t exactly as available as Asuma, but the things he taught were well worth the wait since I could always do physical training in between our sessions.

    ¡°Lord Second once brought me here to teach me water ninjutsu at my behest, much like yourself. If you look around, you may understand why,¡± he said, gesturing at the walls and floor.

    ¡°An abundance of water?¡±

    Lord Third smiled. ¡°Perhaps firsthand experience will do you some good. Memorise these hand seal combinations. I will teach you the first one, you will try it, and then we¡¯ll proceed to the next. The first is Dog, the second is Bird.¡± I nodded, idly forming the hand seals as he spoke. ¡°Good. Do that once more while infusing some chakra.¡±

    The shallow puddle across the cavern floor trembled after the first seal, and the portion at my feet writhed into a strange flowing tentacle. I made the second seal and it compressed, forming a more uniform blob¡ªnot quite a sphere, but roughly circular.

    Stepping back I cut off the chakra flow and the hovering orb splashed to the ground. The next combination of seals pulled the watery sheen off the walls and the light mist in the air towards me, once more forming a blob. The one after that drew water out from a crack in the ground before doing much of the same thing.

    ¡°You¡¯re showing me the various ways to manipulate water, right?¡± I said before the next set of seals came at me.

    ¡°Go on.¡±

    ¡°This puddle counts as a flowing source,¡± I pointed to the puddle at our feet. ¡°The walls and air are heavy with condensation, so that counts as transforming already-existing moisture into water.¡±

    ¡°Which is exactly why I¡¯ve brought you here,¡± Lord Third said. ¡°Much like my teacher before me, I intend to teach you the various ways to manipulate water via Water-Release ninjutsu in an area built for that purpose. Manipulating pre-existing water sources is a crutch, one used by novices in the art, or so I thought¡ªin my old age, it¡¯s quite the efficient thing.¡±

    I frowned. ¡°Is it particularly difficult to transform regular chakra into water chakra?¡±

    ¡°Difficult? No, I wouldn¡¯t say that. See?¡± Lord Third turned away from me after forming a handful of seals. A small jet fountained against the wall from his mouth and he turned back. ¡°Give it a go. Would you like me to repeat the seals?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got it, I think,¡± Forming the same seals, I made sure to mould chakra simultaneously, feeling the effects each seal had on the offered chakra, guiding it through my body and out of my mouth in the form of a pressurised spray.

    Lord Third nodded. ¡°Was that at all difficult?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I replied. ¡°Then why do people hail Lord Second as a master for using Water-Release ninjutsu without any nearby sources?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s one of the ills of the shinobi rumour mill, I¡¯m afraid. Impressive feats are passed by word of mouth, each telling more spectacular than the last. Though in the case of Lord Second, he was famed for using incredibly difficult jutsu without the aid of an active water source.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Before I answer that, would you say that the water we created through our last ninjutsu is true water?¡± Lord Third replied.

    I blinked. ¡°...I dunno, is it drinkable?¡±

    ¡°Drinkable? Yes. Nourishing, however, is another question entirely.¡± Lord Third smiled. ¡°Ingesting water created through one¡¯s own ninjutsu, much like drinking salt water, will give you the sensation, and even quench your thirst, but it will not nourish you as natural water does. The same does not apply to the ninjutsu of others, Naruto.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Foreign chakra is poison to the body. You are likely going to bring up medical ninjutsu, yes?¡± He raised a hand, stopping me from doing just that. ¡°A large part of medical ninjutsu is working to offset the adverse effects injecting foreign chakra into someone else¡¯s chakra network causes.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but the water created by someone else¡¯s Water-Release would do what exactly?¡±

    ¡°Much in the same manner as drinking from a river without boiling the water first, you are essentially ingesting unfiltered chakra. The elements created through ninjutsu are not the same as their natural counterparts. Lightning-Release is not true lightning, not as powerful or fast. If it were, the Hidden Cloud would have long since dominated the world, and as such, it is far easier¡ªand much less exhaustive¡ªto manipulate already existing resources, Naruto.¡±

    ¡°So, for Water-Release that would be manipulating various water sources,¡± I said. ¡°Okay. That explains the weird exercises, but why teach me this first?¡±

    ¡°Teach you what first?¡± Lord Third asked.

    I shrugged. ¡°Low-rank ninjutsu generally automates most of this stuff for you. Isn¡¯t conscious manipulation of nature and shape aspects meant to be a pretty advanced thing?¡±

    ¡°Only when you¡¯re a genin learning your first nature-release element. And though Lord Second taught me Water-Release in the manner you described, it was due to the impending war,¡± Lord Third replied. ¡°I won¡¯t be teaching you that way because I would like to nurture your innovative side. Asuma informed me of your forays into jutsu modification¡ªWind-Release: Shotgun, was it?¡±

    ¡°Modified Gale Palm. I added another seal to help me compress the chakra before the wind formed¡­¡± My words trailed off, sinking back down my throat and realisation lightened the weight in my chest.

    Lord Third stared at me, his upper lip twitching into a smile. ¡°Ninjutsu is a wondrous thing, Naruto, and hand seals have a greater role to play than necessary inputs to reach a single result.¡±

    Grinning, I immediately began moulding chakra.

    I could still remember the hand seals Lord Third had taught me, so from there, it was a matter of choice. I watched with tightly controlled glee as the moisture from the walls shimmered, gathering together and moving to me¡ªsolid. I added another hand seal and the flowing puddle at my feet shuddered, rising to meet the condensed moisture from the wall.

    Finishing my hand seals, I held my left hand out, guiding the churning water ball and aimed. It surged towards the cavern wall, lengthening, before breaking against its surface and joining the puddle on the ground.

    ¡°Modification is but the start: omitting certain hand seals, creating entirely new ninjutsu, and many more paths will open up to you,¡± said Lord Third with a warm smile. ¡°I would like to teach you this and more if you¡¯d like.¡±

    The possibilities truly were endless. Everything I¡¯d just learned applied to all the other nature-releases too¡ªwind included. Goosebumps raced up my arms and were laid bare to the world by my baggy and generally soaked tank top. I resisted the urge to give a deep and proper bow as thanks for what he was willing to teach me.

    After this, he and I were beyond that point.

    ¡°I¡¯m willing to learn, Sarutobi-sensei,¡± I replied, settling for a firm nod and a smile.

    He nodded, returning a smile of his own. ¡°That is all I ask of you. I¡¯ve got more time than usual today, so I don¡¯t mind extending our training session by an hour or so.¡±

    ¡°In that case,¡± I formed a seal, infusing some chakra while I spoke.

    The drag on my energy as a whole was immediate. I wasn¡¯t tired, but I could feel an absence¡ªI felt lesser, as a whole. Once the smoke cleared, I saw before me Lord Third with the addition of a clone of myself.

    ¡°Such a fascinating jutsu,¡± Lord Third murmured, a strange but not-out-of-place wonder on his aged face¡ªchildlike was the best way to describe it. ¡°It never grows old to me. I often find myself wondering what Lord Second did to create it.¡±

    I cleared my throat. ¡°You know why I summoned you.¡±

    ¡°That I do, so get out of here,¡± the clone said, turning to face Lord Third with a bright smile and a salute. ¡°Unfortunate that you¡¯re stuck me.¡±

    ¡°And where are you going, Naruto?¡± he asked.

    The clone¡¯s face turned gleeful as he met my eyes. ¡°Who are you talking to? Me or him.¡±

    ¡°Very funny,¡± Lord Third replied. ¡°But since you¡¯re the same person, I don¡¯t mind which one of you gives me the answer.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to visit Sasuke, probably spar with him, and then get started on making lunch before visiting Karin since she actually asked me to stop by,¡± I said. ¡°Meanwhile, he¡¯s going to take you up on that offer to extend today¡¯s training. Would that be alright?¡±

    ¡°Well, in that case, I¡¯ve also got a prior engagement and won¡¯t feel too bad about this.¡± He made a familiar hand seal and an identical copy of himself appeared after a puff of smoke.

    It said, ¡°I wish you luck. Sasuke is not likely to be in good spirits, but I believe you will do him some good. It will, at the very least, take him out of his head for a time.¡±

    ¡°I hope so,¡± I said, giving both him and the clone a final nod before ascending the mountain using chakra adhesion. It wasn¡¯t an absurdly long way to the top, but I took my time regardless, enjoying the cool breeze. Benefits aside, an hour in a humid cave wasn¡¯t pleasant, even if I was having a generally good time inside it.

    As expected, I found Sasuke in the Uchiha Compound¡ªas abandoned as I¡¯d left it the last time I was here. He wasn¡¯t hard to find seeing that he lived in the only maintained home in the entire district-sized place. I wasn¡¯t sure if he was home, so I did the normal thing and knocked¡ªbut only before seriously considering whether I should sneak in.

    Judging by Sasuke¡¯s face, that would¡¯ve been a bad idea. To say he wasn¡¯t doing great would undersell how irritated he seemed. I mentally adjusted my greeting for the sight and stepped back a little to allow him to either come outside or let me in.

    He did neither and his tone was as flat as his expression. ¡°I hear you¡¯re training with the Third Hokage.¡±

    ¡°Who told you that¡ªwait, don¡¯t answer that. Kakashi-sensei?¡± He nodded and I suppressed my groan. ¡°...I bet it was Asuma who told him too. But yeah, I am.¡±

    ¡°Of course you are,¡± he replied, scoffing.

    I stood there on his front porch, wondering whether to turn back but I pulled myself together. ¡°So, are you going to let me in?¡±

    Sasuke stared, opened his mouth to answer, stared some more, and stepped back. He gestured me in and I removed my shoes at the door, looking around the entry hallway to a host of new photographs along the hallway as it turned right. Most were of his mother in her teens and into what I presumed to be her twenties.

    I turned back with a knowing smile and he looked away, snorting. Sasuke left me behind, retreating into the kitchen, and ordered me towards the garden without any instruction as to where in his house that was. His garden was a lot fuller than expected too. The grass was cropped short and there was even a patch dedicated to tomatoes growing upright against metal cages.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t take you for a gardener,¡± I said when he arrived with two warm cups of¡­ hot chocolate. ¡°Didn¡¯t take you for a hot chocolate man either.¡±

    Sasuke sipped from his mug, glancing at the tomatoes. ¡°My father used to grow them in the garden and my mother used to let me sneak a few when he wasn¡¯t around.¡±

    ¡°That sounds nice,¡± I said, smiling, and he was smiling too until he caught himself. ¡°And the hot chocolate?¡±

    ¡°Why are you here, Naruto?¡±

    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve forgotten about our training agreement already.¡±

    ¡°Lord Third¡¯s training you personally. You wouldn¡¯t come here to train.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. Our deal was that we¡¯d spar and workshop ideas. Lord Third training me doesn¡¯t have anything to do with whether I choose to come here.¡±

    ¡°Stop wasting my time,¡± he said, meeting my eyes with the beginnings of a glare. ¡°We both know you¡¯re not here for training. The tournament is a few weeks away and you choose to come here now. Why?¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s the neck?¡± I asked. He raised a hand to his high collar¡ªpressing it against where I assumed the Curse Mark was. ¡°I heard all about your team¡¯s meeting with Orochimaru.¡±

    ¡°Who told you?¡± Sasuke asked.

    ¡°The bastard himself after he spent a decent while smacking me around.¡±

    He scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s not how I heard it.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± I blinked slowly.

    ¡°The way I heard it, you put up a better fight than me.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°I don¡¯t think competing over who lasted the longest against a madman is the best idea.¡±

    ¡°That madman is an S-rank criminal.¡± I frowned, but he kept on going, our mugs of hot chocolate growing colder.

    ¡°An S-rank criminal,¡± I echoed. ¡°So that¡¯s why you¡¯re in such a rush again, huh?¡±

    Sasuke didn¡¯t answer right away, instead letting his gaze linger on the tomato patch. Finally, he muttered, ¡°Orochimaru said I was weak. Said you were stronger than me and now you¡¯re training with the Third Hokage. Maybe he was saying it to manipulate me, but I don¡¯t have time to idle around while you keep getting ahead.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Kakashi-sensei training you?¡± I asked. His jaw clenched as he looked away. ¡°I think there¡¯s a lot he can teach you with him having a Sharingan and all. It might be better for you than being trained by Lord Third, so don¡¯t make this a competition when it doesn¡¯t need to be.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t afford to stay behind,¡± he said. ¡°Not when there¡¯s someone like him out there who thinks he can mark me like some¡­ test subject.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± I said carefully, ¡°but, if that¡¯s the case, why consider using his power?¡±

    ¡°If he¡¯s using me, I¡¯ll use him as well. What matters is that he¡¯s strong¡ªand he¡¯s strong because of what he¡¯s willing to do. Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t get it, Naruto.¡±

    His words reminded me of that frustrating conversation a week ago in the Forest of Death and I frowned. ¡°Actually, no, I don¡¯t.¡± I lied. ¡°Just because he¡¯s strong doesn¡¯t mean what he offered is worth anything. Power¡¯s great, but that thing on your neck isn¡¯t going to get you what you want, and if it does, it¡¯ll take that much more from you. The Curse Mark is just a way for Orochimaru to control you. What use will all that power be then?¡±

    ¡°My eyes evolved even further during my fight with Orochimaru. I finally have fully matured Sharingan.¡± He shook his head, his face tightening. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not using that mark, not in the tournament, not in training; even if I wanted to, Kakashi sealed it away.¡±

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°So what¡¯s the problem?¡± I asked. ¡°I thought the whole point of this thing here was to help us get stronger through combat. Do you think I¡¯m stronger than you?¡±

    Sasuke''s upper body stiffened and I watched with grudging resignation as his eyes turned the colour of blood. It was always a fight with him; I¡¯d come here expecting us to end up fighting, but with the news that he¡¯d attained a fully matured Sharingan, I couldn¡¯t help but regret pushing the conversation in that direction.

    Having him completely break down my taijutsu style before the tournament¡ªor at all, really¡ªwasn¡¯t exactly ideal.

    Some of that hesitance probably made it onto my face because he was smirking. ¡°Where¡¯d all that confidence go?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s gone, exactly,¡± I said, forming the Shadow Clone seal. A wave of smoke rushed through his garden and a little over a dozen clones gathered around us.

    Sasuke smirked, a taunt half-formed in his gaze as he stepped into the circle of shadows cast by my clones, but I was already ready for him; as he tried to spot me, I spread myself out even further, a dozen copies of myself weaving through his vision. I wasn¡¯t about to let him pin me down with his eyes, and he knew it, his mouth pulling tighter in frustration before I saw a sudden smile.

    ¡°...Not all of these clones are Shadow Clones,¡± he said, the pinwheels in his eyes whirring faster as he turned, striking out at the clones seemingly at random. His limbs passed through four clones, dispelling them moments later. ¡°So, eight of these are shadow clones, huh? What a pesky jutsu.¡±

    I smiled, the clones and I speaking in unison. ¡°Your dojutsu can¡¯t see through the Shadow Clone Jutsu? That¡¯s certainly good to know.¡±

    Sasuke¡¯s expression hardened at that, but he didn¡¯t give up, eyes scanning each of my movements as though he could see through them by sheer force of will. I wasn¡¯t about to wait around for him to figure it out.

    We moved as one, the clones and I darting forward with chakra-powered strides, keeping our distance close enough to press but never close enough to corner. Sasuke¡¯s gaze darted left and right, struggling to distinguish real from illusion, his Sharingan tracing every feint and flicker. The moment he braced for an attack, I struck, fists backed with enough chakra to punish him whether he dodged or blocked.

    I drove my fist towards his shoulder. He barely caught it with a forearm block, but the impact drove him back a step, his stance faltering. Sasuke bit down, absorbing the hit with a grunt before he launched a counter. I leapt back, merging seamlessly with my clones while another took my place.

    His Sharingan pinned down clone after clone as he tried to isolate me in the chaos. Each time he moved to focus on one, another rushed him from behind, fists landing heavy. His blocks were fast, his counterattacks sharp¡ªhe¡¯d already dispelled two¡ªbut each one left him paying for it.

    With every hit absorbed, he breathed harder. A flicker of irritation built up in me along with the momentary vertigo from the clones being dispelled. How many times had we gone through this? Sasuke never listened. Not unless he was bruised into doing so. I feinted to his right as another clone swung from the left, forcing him into a misstep.

    He snarled, anger fierce in his eyes, and came back harder. ¡°Stop hiding,¡± he said, spittle flying. He lunged and would have closed the distance if not for a clone slamming him into the ground with a front kick.

    I closed in, the remaining six clones following, surrounding him as he looked up. ¡°You done yet?¡± I asked, the words coming out sharper than intended. ¡°Because I¡¯m getting tired of you trying to prove something every time I see you.¡±

    He gritted his teeth, glaring up at me, eyes still blazing with that stubborn fire. ¡°Shut up.¡±

    I scoffed. ¡°Dude, you¡¯re fighting yourself as much as you¡¯re fighting me! And for what? Because of something that snake told you?¡± His jaw clenched. I exhaled, half-exasperated, half-worn out. ¡°If you¡¯re so desperate to win, then prove it in the tournament, not here. Meet me in the finals, and you can be as violent as you want. But right now, all you¡¯re doing is wasting your energy.¡±

    Sasuke¡¯s fists clenched tighter, but he didn¡¯t lunge. He was listening, if only barely.

    With a sigh, I let the clones vanish around us, leaving just the two of us standing alone in his garden. ¡°You know I¡¯m not your enemy, Sasuke. We both want to get stronger¡ªso let¡¯s just focus on that without trying to tear each other apart.¡±

    He glanced away, tension still evident in his shoulders, but he gave the smallest of nods. And, for now, that was enough¡ªbut as I turned to walk away to grab some water for us, he said something that stopped me in my tracks.

    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    I turned around, smiling. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it.¡±

    The rest of our training session went surprisingly smoothly. After a quick break, we went back to sparring. Sasuke¡¯s moves were sharp and precise, and if he kept any new tricks hidden, he certainly didn¡¯t let it show in his form. Not that I was any different¡ªI¡¯d kept the few Water Release techniques the Third had shown me tucked away, wanting to surprise him if the need ever came.

    It was almost¡­ comfortable, trading blows without the weight of his ego or my dread at it hanging between us.

    The memories from the clone I¡¯d left with Lord Third came flooding back when I got home. Unfortunately, I was in the middle of showering, which led me to slip and fall. Chakra adhesion saved me from banging my head on the ground.

    ¡°...Okay.¡± A massive smile stretched my face. I jumped out of the shower, not bothering to wash the remaining suds off my back and drying myself as I raced to my room. I scribbled down everything while it was still fresh, intent on practising later, and my mind was completely occupied with the memories as I portioned out some noodles, broth, and toppings into containers.

    The apartment was a bit out of the way, just off a quiet side street. I hadn¡¯t been to this part of the village much seeing that it was pretty close to Hokage Mountain. Karin¡¯s apartment seemed harmless, but I was certain people were watching the place. I took a deep breath, feeling the lingering warmth of the day on my shoulders.

    Sure, she¡¯d invited me here, but I hadn¡¯t visited her since my first lesson with Lord Third over a week ago. Maybe it was right to give her some space, but now, I was more nervous than I¡¯d been when I¡¯d come here the very first time. When I reached her door, I hesitated, the containers of ramen still hot in my hands.

    The door opened, and Karin¡¯s eyes flitted over me, scanning my face like she was weighing something. She was wary, but she didn¡¯t look exactly annoyed to see me.

    ¡°Hey,¡± I said, holding up the containers. ¡°Brought some ramen¡ªthought you might be sick of whatever¡¯s in the fridge.¡±

    Her mouth twitched like she wanted to smile, but she stopped herself, quickly looking away. She stepped aside, letting me in with a cautious nod. Inside, the apartment was still as plain as I remembered, but now it felt a little less¡­ impersonal, as though she¡¯d been adjusting to it bit by bit.

    I set the ramen on the table, and after an awkward pause, we both sat down, quietly starting on our food. It wasn¡¯t exactly comfortable, but the awkwardness felt normal, like how distant family might feel at a first meeting.

    ¡°So¡­ what¡¯s new?¡± I asked, half-wincing at the question. I could tell she was picking apart my words in an attempt to find something that wasn¡¯t there.

    She gave a short, nervous laugh, her eyes darting to the door before she responded. ¡°Nothing much. It¡¯s just¡­ quiet here. Quieter than I¡¯m used to.¡± Her chopsticks paused and she glanced at me. ¡°You?¡±

    ¡°Training¡¯s picked up a bit. The tournament¡¯s just around the corner.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡± she muttered, her tone sharp. ¡°You mentioned that the Third Hokage was training you last time.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± I said, feeling the edge in her tone, ¡°or maybe I¡¯m just lucky. ¡­I know things didn¡¯t start off great between us, so I was kind of surprised you invited me. From your point of view, I saved you from Gaara only to hand you over to the ANBU.¡±

    Karin¡¯s chopsticks stilled as she looked down, her face a mask of tension before her expression softened just slightly. ¡°Honestly? I was mad at first. You dragged me here, and for a minute, it felt like I was right back in the Grass.¡± She shifted uncomfortably, rubbing at her wrist. ¡°But¡­ I guess I can¡¯t blame you for wanting to meet the only family you¡¯ve got.¡± She looked away, almost embarrassed. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, the Leaf¡¯s been better than the Grass. At least I¡¯m not locked up in a hospital or strapped to a table somewhere.¡±

    ¡°W-What?¡± I¡¯d known her childhood was terrible, but the candid manner in which she¡¯d said that floored me.

    She shrugged, her gaze hardening. ¡°If you¡¯re useful, they¡¯ll run you dry. If you¡¯re not, they remind you how easily you can be replaced.¡± Her voice was clipped and when she finally looked back at me, her eyes shifted slightly, as though weighing her words. ¡°The Leaf¡¯s¡­ different. I don¡¯t feel like I have to keep looking over my shoulder¡ªbut just that¡¯s been hard to adjust to.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad,¡± I said, smiling. ¡°I know I probably made that harder with all the visits.¡±

    She glanced down, cheeks faintly pink. ¡°Well¡­ it wasn¡¯t the worst thing,¡± she mumbled, though her words sounded carefully chosen. She turned back to her ramen, a little too focused on it.

    I felt a warmth settle in. ¡°Have you got a chance to see the village yet?¡±

    Karin froze, visibly uncomfortable, her grip tightening around her chopsticks. She fumbled slightly before she finally shook her head. ¡°I, uh¡­ no. Not really. I¡¯ve kind of been avoiding it¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s perfect then. I¡¯m actually showing a few people around soon¡ªones I met before the second stage of the exams. Want to come along?¡±

    She blinked, clearly caught off guard. ¡°You¡­ want me to tag along?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± I said, maybe a bit too eagerly if her flinching was to be believed. ¡°You¡¯d get to see the sights, try some good food, maybe meet some new friends. Of course, you might have to do it under disguise since Lord Third let the people from the second stage watch the tournament, but it¡¯s better than sitting in here all day, right?¡±

    Karin stared at me, her face a mix of disbelief and hesitance. She managed a small, tentative smile. ¡°Alright,¡± she said quietly, her fingers tapping against the table before she stilled them. ¡°I¡¯ll go. I think¡­ I¡¯d like that.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Rukia!¡± Fuu¡¯s cry came from down the corridor, immediately followed by Shuji barking at her to quiet down.

    Haku, inside her room in their allocated accommodation, stifled a laugh. The interaction summed up the majority of their stay here since the start of the month break. Neither she nor Fuu were truly concerned with the tournament, albeit for different reasons.

    Fuu had lost all interest in the exams after the nightmare of a time they¡¯d had in the forest. Finding the scroll they needed took three full days after Shuji decided they hide from the initial wave of combat. Haku, however, cared little for the exams themselves, though Fuu¡¯s apathy aided Haku¡¯s mission all the more.

    The younger girl had dragged her out of the house almost every day to simply enjoy the Leaf Village¡¯s atmosphere and bask in the friendliness of people who had no clue who she was. But when she thought Haku wasn¡¯t looking, Fuu¡¯s expression turned sad and regretful.

    ¡°You seem much happier lately,¡± Haku had said on one of their outings a few days back.

    Fuu snapped out of her reverie with a plastered smile. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Shuji¡¯s not here,¡± Haku had said. ¡°I know that the people here treat you a lot better than back home.¡±

    Fuu kicked a pebble down the street. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t if they knew what I was.¡±

    ¡°What if no one has to?¡± Haku said, lowering her voice. She could see the curiosity behind the edge in Fuu¡¯s amber eyes. ¡°Nobody knows who I am, even in the Hidden Waterfall.¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± she asked, confused.

    ¡°How about we leave before the tournament? Just walk out and go and live a life of total freedom. Taking on tasks and travelling the world where no one knows who we are.¡±

    Fuu stared at her, no hint of a joke or quip behind her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re serious.¡±

    Haku nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it¡­ but I''ll give you an answer in a few weeks,¡± she said, a bright grin flashing across her face. ¡°Until then, how about we enjoy the sights!¡± She raced off, Haku following after her at a more moderate pace.

    True to her word, Fuu hadn¡¯t brought up her proposal since but had decided to increase the number of their outings. Haku didn¡¯t mind. It was a departure from her usual routine, but a departure she was growing to enjoy.

    The teal-haired girl blasted through her door with a letter in hand. ¡°Look!¡±

    ¡°I see a letter,¡± said Haku, raising a brow. ¡°One that you''ve obviously opened.¡±

    Fuu stamped her foot. ¡°Stop being annoying and read it.¡±

    Haku scanned its contents and looked back at her friend. ¡°Really?¡± she asked, partly guarded. ¡°Naruto Uzumaki has invited us on a tour?¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°You realise that we may be competing in a tournament with him soon, right?¡±

    Fuu shrugged. ¡°Maybe?¡±

    ¡°Keep your voice down,¡± Haku said, ignoring the joy in her chest at the reaction. ¡°Shuji¡¯s out there.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m taking him up on his offer. You coming, or do you want to be stuck with our resident tyrant,¡± she purposefully raised her voice only to have Shuji yell from across the house.

    Haku giggled. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll come.¡±

    The morning sun filtered through the thick branches above, casting a warm, dappled light over the bustling market. Haku walked quietly, taking in the sights and sounds of the Hidden Leaf¡¯s busy streets.

    They met near the gates she and the other examinees entered from a few weeks ago. Haku was expecting Naruto to be alone, but there was a brown-haired girl with rectangular red glasses framing equally red eyes next to him. She hugged her clothes as if they provided reassurance.

    Fuu bounded toward Naruto.  ¡°Long time no see, blondie!¡±

    ¡°Is that going to be a regular nickname?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Only if it annoys you.¡± Her gaze moved onto the brown-haired girl. ¡°Woah, those are some cool eyes. I¡¯m Fuu, what¡¯s your name?¡±

    The girl met her gaze, though only for a split second. ¡°..S-Suzumi.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Suzumi,¡± said Haku, stepping in before Fuu¡¯s enthusiasm overwhelmed the visibly nervous girl.

    Naruto gave her a probing but grateful nod. ¡°Let¡¯s get this thing on the road, yeah?¡±

    He led the small group with a calm and steady presence. It made him surprisingly difficult to read, and Haku found herself glancing at him, curious, while Fuu badgered him. They stopped near the heart of the market, where an enormous tree loomed over the square, its branches stretching protectively over the stalls and people below.

    As they spoke, Fuu darted around the nearby stalls, her excitement spilling over the countertops. She rushed back, holding up a bright red scarf, her eyes sparkling. ¡°Look at this, Rukia! Isn¡¯t it amazing?¡± she said, grinning as she ran her fingers over the fabric.

    Haku smiled at her. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, Fuu. You really seem to like the market, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I love it! There¡¯s so much to see! And everyone¡¯s so friendly!¡± Fuu¡¯s laughter rang out as she spun around, her green hair flashing as she moved from one stall to the next. ¡°I swear, I want to try everything!¡± She beamed at a passing vendor, who returned her smile with an amused chuckle.

    Haku watched her for a moment, a hint of admiration in her eyes. ¡°You have a way of brightening up a place, Fuu. People seem to feel it too.¡±

    ¡°Well, what¡¯s the point of holding back?¡± Fuu grinned and winked. ¡°If you¡¯re happy, everyone else feels it too.¡±

    Suzumi, who¡¯d been trailing quietly behind, finally spoke up, her voice softer. ¡°Some places aren¡¯t as welcoming,¡± she murmured, her eyes darting around the crowd, her expression cautious. Her hands were tucked into her sleeves, and her gaze stayed sharp, as though she were prepared for something to go wrong at any moment.

    Naruto noticed her posture and gave a small nod. ¡°You¡¯re right, Suzumi. But here¡­ it¡¯s different. You can relax a little.¡±

    Suzumi¡¯s lips pressed into a thin line. ¡°Old habits,¡± she said simply, her eyes scanning the square before glancing back at Naruto. There was a brief pause, then she added, almost reluctantly, ¡°But¡­ this place does feel¡­ safe. Safer than most.¡±

    Haku observed her, feeling a quiet sense of understanding. ¡°It takes time to trust new places. Especially ones like this.¡±

    Suzumi¡¯s gaze softened, just a fraction, as she met Haku¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yes. Exactly that.¡±

    Fuu returned, her arms now filled with a small bundle of brightly coloured items. ¡°Come on, Suzumi, smile a little!¡± she urged, laughing. ¡°You can¡¯t tell me you aren¡¯t excited by all this!¡±

    A faint smile tugged at Suzumi¡¯s lips. ¡°Maybe¡­ just a little,¡± she admitted, a hint of warmth slipping into her guarded tone.

    Naruto chuckled, watching the three of them with a satisfied expression. ¡°Stick around long enough, and this place grows on you. I think you¡¯re all starting to feel it already.¡±

    Haku let herself relax, glancing up at the tree once more, feeling, perhaps for the first time in a long while, that she could let her guard down. They stood under a massive tree circled by various stalls and mobile carts.

    Naruto¡¯s voice broke through her thoughts, his tone light. ¡°This tree here¡ªsee how its branches spread wide? It was grown by the First Hokage using ninjutsu, back when the Leaf was first founded. It¡¯s meant to be a symbol of strength and unity.¡±

    Fuu tilted her head, her wide-eyed gaze on the tree. ¡°It¡¯s amazing! Do you guys climb it for fun?¡± She bounced on her heels, looking like she might do just that.

    Naruto chuckled, nodding. ¡°Kids do it all the time and see who can reach the top. Most of the time, passing shinobi going by the rooftop catches you if you fall. Everyone¡¯s grown up around this tree. It¡¯s meant to be a place of protection¡ªsome say it even keeps away bad spirits.¡± He shot a glance at Suzumi as if trying to draw her into the conversation. ¡°Right, Suzumi?¡±

    Suzumi offered a faint, somewhat distracted smile and nodded but didn¡¯t say much else. Haku noted the fleeting look of hesitation in her expression as she gazed up at the branches, her face half-shadowed by the tree.

    Naruto¡¯s warm voice continued as he handed out small pouches of coins, smiling at each of them. ¡°Alright, grab what you like! Snacks, sweets¡ªwhatever catches your eye. Just be careful, Fuu; you don¡¯t have enough to buy everything.¡±

    Fuu threw him an exaggerated salute. ¡°No promises, boss!¡± And she was gone, disappearing in a flash of green hair and energy as she bolted for a nearby stall.

    Naruto¡¯s smile softened as he turned to Suzumi. ¡°Feel free to look around. If you want, I can come with you.¡±

    She hesitated, then nodded, mumbling something before wandering off to a quieter side of the market. Naruto watched her go with a look Haku couldn¡¯t quite place before he turned back, his expression thoughtful while he followed.

    Alone now, Haku let herself wander for a few minutes, her steps aimless as she browsed through the colourful array of items for sale. The scent of food, the chatter of villagers, the easy flow of people moving about¡ªit was all so¡­ normal. She was used to moving through places like a ghost, slipping unnoticed among crowds.

    Here, she found herself noticed, greeted with polite nods from shopkeepers and curious glances from other shoppers. Her gaze flicked back to Suzumi, who was now browsing a stall of dried herbs and spices with Naruto, her posture tense, shoulders hunched slightly as though the simple act of shopping unsettled her.

    A quiet smile tugged at the corner of Haku¡¯s mouth. She could relate. Haku eventually found herself in a narrow alleyway behind the market. She barely registered the shift from the bustling crowd to the quiet of the alley until a voice called out behind her.

    ¡°Rukia,¡± came Naruto¡¯s voice, calm but focused. She turned, her instincts on edge, but forced herself to relax, offering a faint smile.

    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± she asked, keeping her tone even.

    Naruto¡¯s gaze held steady, though a hint of something sharper lay beneath his calm expression. ¡°Why are you lying about who you are?¡±

    Her blood went cold. Haku froze, her thoughts spinning as she searched his expression. His words hit her like a hammer. Did he know? Had he somehow discovered her mission? That she was the Hunter with Zabuza? She kept her face neutral, carefully masking her alarm.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean,¡± she replied, her voice as steady as she could make it.

    But Naruto wasn¡¯t backing down. His stance shifted, his eyes intent on hers, as though he could see past the surface and right into her thoughts. ¡°You¡¯re hiding something,¡± he continued, his voice low. ¡°Who are you really, and why are you in the Leaf?¡±

    Her heartbeat thudded in her ears, a sharp, insistent pulse of panic. How much did he know? Rather, how much had Totsugi told him and why was he asking this now? Had he orchestrated the entire tour just for this?

    ¡°I¡¯m Rukia of the Waterfall, here to take the Chunin Exams, like the multitude of other genin here,¡± she said, but the tremble in her voice betrayed her unease.

    ¡°Oh? But you see, my father met a Rukia a couple of years ago¡ªlooked exactly like you. And when I introduced myself the same way he introduces me to anyone he meets, you flinched,¡± the even response made all the dread pool in her stomach. ¡°So, I don¡¯t buy your story. Not one bit.¡±

    Should she try and deny it again¡­ and only look more suspicious? It didn¡¯t change the fact that her cover identity was compromised, and Zabuza had explained in blood-curling detail the fate that awaited any rogue ninja captured sneaking into a hidden village¡ªlet alone of the Great Five.

    But she wasn¡¯t even a shinobi¡ªofficially speaking¡ªand this was Naruto¡­ her friend¡¯s son. The very same that almost had Zabuza discard her because of her sentimentality¡­ and the very same who had chosen to spare her instead of killing her.

    It didn¡¯t look like he was willing to spare her life today.

    Haku¡¯s fingers twitched, moving almost unconsciously towards the senbon pouch she¡¯d left in her shared apartment with Fuu and Shuji. If he knew her true identity¡ªif he knew anything about Zabuza or her mission¡ªshe had to act.

    Naruto¡¯s hand shifted towards his side, almost like he was reaching for a weapon. The tension spiked, instinct taking over. Without thinking, Haku channelled her chakra, ice forming in her palm as she shaped a sharp, crystalline blade.

    She held it up defensively, heart pounding as she watched him, but Naruto didn¡¯t move. He stared at her, his expression shifting from surprise to realisation.

    Then, in a puff of smoke, he vanished¡ªand Haku¡¯s stomach sank.

 Chapter 46

    I had a heart attack in the middle of the market¡ªor at least, it felt like one. Half a second later, the sensation resolved into a sudden, overwhelming swell of chakra, only for it to rush back in a somatic flash. I stumbled, catching myself before hitting the cobblestones.

    Karin, mid-bite into a flaky pastry, froze. Her sharp eyes darted to me as if I¡¯d set myself on fire. ¡°What the hell just happened?!¡± she demanded, brushing a brown curl from her face.

    ¡°...Relax.¡± I forced a deep breath, trying to steady my pounding heart. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    ¡°Nothing?¡± she repeated, her voice pitching higher. ¡°You nearly face-planted in the middle of the street, Naruto! And¡ªwait.¡± Her fingers twitched like she was plucking an invisible string. ¡°Your chakra! Earlier, it dipped¡ªno, plunged¡ªlike halfway gone. What did you do?!¡±

    ¡°Shadow Clone Jutsu,¡± I said quickly, glancing over her head at the milling crowd, looking for any sign of Haku. ¡°It creates a tangible, sentient clone. When they dispel, the chakra returns along with the memories.¡±

    Karin stared at me like I¡¯d suggested eating raw pufferfish. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ honestly terrifying.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± I said, already cutting through the throng of villagers. ¡°Follow me.¡±

    ¡°Naruto!¡± she snapped, hurrying to keep up. ¡°You can¡¯t just say something that insane and walk off! What¡¯s going on? Why are we rushing? Why are you dragging me through alleys?¡±

    ¡°Quiet down a moment,¡± I muttered, stepping into a shadowed side street. Haku was gone, but she couldn¡¯t have gone far¡ªnot with Fuu still in the area. She wouldn¡¯t leave her behind, not when Fuu trusted her so openly.

    I summoned another shadow clone, making Karin jump.

    ¡°Okay, no!¡± she said, waving her hands frantically. ¡°I¡¯m not getting dragged into some weird mission without knowing what¡¯s going on!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a mission and I can¡¯t tell you,¡± I said bluntly. ¡°It¡¯s important, though. I need you to pinpoint Fuu¡¯s chakra.¡±

    Her glare could¡¯ve cut steel. ¡°Excuse me? What am I, your attack dog?¡±

    ¡°More like a bloodhound,¡± my clone quipped.

    ¡°...I know you can talk,¡± Karin said, her voice tight with barely contained nerves, ¡°but I¡¯d prefer if you didn¡¯t.¡±

    The clone smirked, transforming into an unassuming, dark-haired teenager. ¡°This better?¡±

    ¡°No, but I don¡¯t have time to unpack why.¡± She closed her eyes and exhaled sharply, her fingers twitching again. ¡°Fuu¡¯s chakra is thirty metres that way. She¡¯s happy¡ªweirdly happy.¡±

    ¡°And Rukia¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°Cold,¡± Karin said, frowning. ¡°But still warm¡ªlike two conflicting things mashed together.¡±

    I frowned. ¡°What do you mean, ¡°still?¡±

    She opened her eyes. ¡°I touched their chakra earlier. It¡¯s¡­ a thing I do. Helps me get a sense of people.¡±

    ¡°Is that sense permanent?¡±

    ¡°Thankfully not,¡± she said with a shudder. ¡°If I had to keep every impression¡­¡±

    I shared a glance with my clone, who nodded and took off, scaling the wall in a flash.

    Karin flinched, her head snapping up to track its movement. ¡°Where¡¯s it going?¡± she asked, the nervous edge creeping back into her voice. ¡°It¡¯s not going to hurt them, is it?¡±

    ¡°Relax,¡± I said, raising my hands. ¡°It¡¯s not an attack. Just reconnaissance.¡± Her narrowed eyes lingered on me for a moment longer before she let out a sharp breath. ¡°Is there anything you want to do here? Because if not, I¡¯ve got somewhere I want to take you.¡±

    She sniffed, shoving her hands into her pockets as we walked out of the alley. ¡°So long as you¡¯re buying more snacks.¡±

    I smiled, but my mind was racing. The clone would find Fuu and Haku soon. I just hoped it wouldn¡¯t bring back worse news than what I was already imagining. If Haku was here, Zabuza wouldn¡¯t be far behind¡ªand whatever they were planning, it couldn¡¯t be good for Fuu, the village, or anyone else. The very idea that they planned on taking advantage of Fuu¡¯s loneliness for their gain pissed me off.

    I was surprisingly less angry that Haku had hidden her identity from me. I¡¯d done the same, if not for some grand purpose like hers. But that only made me wonder what she was sneaking into the Leaf for. Was it to restock? The last time I¡¯d run into her, she was picking up senbon, supposedly for acupuncture.

    Karin tilted her head, watching me closely. ¡°You¡¯re too tense for simple reconnaisence. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    The sound of someone haggling over fresh fish nearby filled the silence between us as I debated what, if anything, I could tell Karin. Trusting her was easy¡ªshe had no stake in the village yet, no reason to double-cross me, but burdening her with this? Dragging her into something deeper when she was still adjusting to life here felt¡­ unfair. But if lied to her, she¡¯d know.

    ¡°You¡¯re not a Leaf ninja,¡± I said, smiling while I passed a few coins over. ¡°I can¡¯t exactly tell you what might end up becoming sensitive information¡ªbut just know they might not be as friendly as I once thought. Can I buy your silence instead?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m such a patient person,¡± she brushed past a vendor, scooping a dumpling off a stick before tossing the coins onto their counter, ¡°but you¡¯d better tell me if this looks like it¡¯ll blow up in your face. For all I know, I might end up caught in the crossfire because of this tour.¡±

    ¡°Noted.¡± I steered us down another side street, one that smelled faintly of soy sauce and fried dough. ¡°You like sweets, right? Ayame¡¯s got this cinnamon thing she¡¯s been working on¡ªthought you might want to try it.¡±

    She perked up at that, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. ¡°Cinnamon? Now we¡¯re talking.¡±

    I grinned, keeping my pace light and easy. ¡°You don¡¯t know the half of it.¡±

    But beneath the smile, my thoughts churned. The clone would find Fuu and Haku, and hopefully, it¡¯d bring back answers. If Zabuza had sent her here¡ªif she had some angle I hadn¡¯t considered yet¡ªthen things could explode in my face like Karin had predicted, perhaps faster than I could manage on my own.

    I shoved the thought aside as Teuchi¡¯s stand came into view, the comforting smell of ramen wafting through the air. For now, I¡¯d focus on what I could control: keeping Karin comfortable and selling the Leaf Village to her.

    The ramen shop came into view, its weathered banner fluttering in the light breeze. Teuchi stood behind the counter, his sleeves rolled up as he prepared a fresh batch of broth. Ayame worked next to him, tucked behind the stove with a sweat-soaked bandana around her head.

    Karin wrinkled her nose as the scent of soy and miso reached us. ¡°Ramen? Really?¡±

    ¡°Not just any ramen.¡± I grinned, stepping up to the counter and giving Teuchi a wave. ¡°This is the best ramen you¡¯ll ever eat. Believe me, it¡¯s worth it.¡±

    Teuchi glanced up, his face breaking into a wide smile when he saw me. ¡°Naruto! You¡¯re back. And you¡¯ve brought a friend, eh? Who¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± I said, pulling Karin forward by the wrist. She stiffened but didn¡¯t pull away. ¡°This is Karin. She¡¯s¡­ new to the village. I thought I¡¯d introduce her to the best food place in the village.¡±

    ¡°Hi. U-Um, nice to meet you?¡± Karin shot me a look that practically screamed that I could¡¯ve warned her, but she managed a tight, nervous smile for Teuchi.

    Ayame leaned over the counter, her smile just as warm as her father¡¯s. ¡°Nice to meet you too, Karin! Naruto¡¯s told us a lot about you.¡±

    Karin¡¯s eyes widened in alarm. ¡°He¡ªwhat? What did he say?¡±

    ¡°Relax,¡± I said quickly, waving off her panic. ¡°I just said you¡¯ve got good taste in food. All the ramen I brought was the old man¡¯s recipes¡ªwhich is why you¡¯ve got to try Ayame¡¯s cinnamon rolls. They¡¯re amazing.¡±

    Karin blinked, clearly thrown by the shift in conversation. ¡°Cinnamon rolls? You said this was a ramen place.¡±

    ¡°Yep, the best ramen ever, but Ayame¡¯s been branching out. Trust me, you¡¯ll love them.¡±

    Ayame beamed. ¡°I¡¯ll get one ready for you! And Naruto, the usual?¡±

    ¡°You know it.¡± I slid onto a stool, motioning for Karin to do the same.

    She hesitated, glancing at the stools and past the counter, and then back at me like she was expecting some kind of trap. ¡°This isn¡¯t some¡­ weird village initiation thing, is it?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I laughed. ¡°No! This is just good food. Chill out, will you?¡±

    Karin mumbled something under her breath but climbed onto the stool next to mine. Teuchi handed her a cinnamon roll on a small plate, and she stared at it for a moment before taking a cautious bite.

    Her eyes widened. ¡°Oh.¡± She took another bite, more enthusiastic this time. ¡°Okay, fine. This is really good.¡±

    Teuchi laughed as he set a steaming bowl of ramen in front of me. ¡°That¡¯s high praise from someone who looked like she¡¯d rather be anywhere else a second ago.¡±

    Karin flushed, muttering something about not expecting cinnamon rolls at a ramen stand before taking another bite.

    ¡°So, Karin, what brings you to Leaf Village?¡± Ayame asked.

    Karin stiffened slightly, her fingers tightening around the plate. I jumped in before she could say anything that might make her uncomfortable.

    ¡°She¡¯s just checking things out,¡± I said casually, slurping down the noodles. ¡°Getting a feel for the place.¡±

    Ayame nodded. ¡°Well, you¡¯re in good hands with Naruto. He knows the village like the back of his hand.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Karin said, her voice softening as she looked down at her plate. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ been helpful.¡±

    The words were simple, but the way she said them made something in my chest tighten. I smiled at her, ignoring the way my mind wanted to wander back to Haku, Fuu, and all the things I couldn¡¯t deal with right now¡ªfor now, this moment was enough.

    The next morning found me seated cross-legged across from Lord Third after another session. I¡¯d mostly been experimenting with what I could do with Water-Release ninjutsu; my favourite was using the water from one jutsu to create a completely different jutsu. And because I didn¡¯t have to take the time to create the chakra-based water, it was a good way of putting pressure on the opponent.

    The air between us was thick with the lingering scent of incense and the quiet hum of birds beyond the open shoji doors. The training ground, nestled behind the Sarutobi compound, was quiet save for the occasional rustle of wind brushing through the trees.

    Lord Third tilted his head slightly. ¡°Something on your mind, Naruto?¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯d you ask?¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t touched your tea.¡±

    I looked down, having completely it was there and then hesitated, Rukia¡ªor rather Haku¡¯s face flashing through my mind. She¡¯d been a mystery then, and the reveal of everything that she was had¡­ complicated things. Had me question each interaction I¡¯d had with her¡ªwhether anything she said was genuine.

    ¡°...I¡¯ve recently become aware of something,¡± I said, taking a tentative sip of what was now lukewarm tea. ¡°I took Karin and a few friends from the Hidden Waterfall on a tour around the village the other day.¡±

    ¡°I vaguely remember you telling me about it, yes,¡± Lord Third replied.

    After a final sigh, I explained everything about Haku that I knew: her disguise as Rukia the Peasant Girl and her newer disguise as Rukia of the Waterfall. My teacher took the information in slowly, nodding me along each time I paused and refilling our teacups when we inevitably emptied them while I spoke.

    ¡°I had my suspicions, but I couldn¡¯t have known anything until I had a shadow clone confront her. And when I pushed her on it, she got nervous and created an icicle¡ªand that¡¯s when I knew.¡±

    ¡°Be that as it may, there isn¡¯t much I can do without tangible evidence.¡± I frowned, ready to interject until he raised his hand. ¡°I do not believe you are lying, but I cannot haul her in for questioning without reasonable doubt. Imagine how it would look if I were to imprison our ally¡¯s genin without an appropriate reason. Worse still, they are guests in our village, Naruto.¡±

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    I clenched my jaw. ¡°So, we can¡¯t do anything but watch as she uses her friendship with Fuu for Zabuza¡¯s end?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say we couldn¡¯t do anything.¡± Lord Third smiled before clearing his throat. ¡°Saru.¡±

    The moment Lord Third spoke, I sat up, scanning the area, my senses straining to catch something¡ªanything¡ªthat betrayed the presence of another. Nothing. Not a whisper of displaced air, nor the faintest shift in shadow.

    And then he was there. A kneeling figure draped in the dark, seamless armour of the ANBU, with a porcelain mask with an apelike snout and mouth covering his features. The soft thud of his knee hitting the wooden floor was the first sound I heard, and even that was so quiet it could have been my imagination.

    ¡°Saru,¡± Lord Third said, his tone calm and composed, as though he¡¯d expected nothing less. ¡°I trust you¡¯ve been listening.¡±

    Saru inclined his head in my direction. The motion was so slight it might have been missed if I wasn¡¯t staring. ¡°Yes, Lord Hokage.¡±

    I opened my mouth to speak but hesitated, unsure if addressing him was even appropriate. Saru didn¡¯t so much as glance my way, his entire focus on Lord Third.

    ¡°Zabuza¡¯s subordinate is in the village operating under a false identity,¡± the Hokage continued. ¡°Through it, she is developing a rapport with our allies from the Hidden Waterfall. Naruto here believes she is manipulating their jinch¨±riki, Fuu, for purposes that remain unclear. You are to confirm her presence and keep watch over her for the duration of the exams. Do not engage unless absolutely necessary.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Lord Hokage.¡± Saru¡¯s reply was immediate and without hesitation.

    Lord Third¡¯s sharp eyes softened ever so slightly. ¡°Discretion is paramount. Do not allow this matter to draw unnecessary attention.¡±

    Saru bowed his head deeper before rising in a single fluid motion. His movements were so quiet, so seamless, that it felt as though he were one with the shadows themselves. Without another word, he stepped back toward the shoji door, his presence dimming until it all but disappeared.

    And then he was gone.

    I exhaled sharply, not realising I¡¯d been holding my breath. ¡°How does he do that?¡± I muttered, glancing at the spot where Saru had just been.

    Lord Third chuckled softly, the sound as warm as it was knowing. ¡°Saru is among the best of my personal ANBU guard. His skill in remaining undetected is second to none.¡± He sipped his tea, as serene as ever. ¡°You may learn something from him, should you pay attention.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I trailed off, my thoughts racing. Saru¡¯s presence¡ªor lack thereof¡ªwas unsettling. If someone that skilled was tracking Haku, did she even stand a chance of slipping away?

    ¡°You¡¯re conflicted.¡± Lord Third¡¯s voice pulled me back to the present. ¡°Speak your mind.¡±

    I stared into my tea, the faint reflection of my face distorted by ripples. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ Haku. When we fought back in Tenka Village, she was holding back to not kill me. Maybe it was because she knew my so-called father, but she doesn¡¯t seem like the kind of person who¡¯d¡­ manipulate someone like Fuu.¡±

    Lord Third studied me for a long moment. ¡°Sometimes, good people do bad things for those they care about. And sometimes, what we see as manipulation is nothing more than persuasion to an end we don¡¯t approve of.¡± He leaned forward with a steady. ¡°Cast her from your mind, for now. The tournament is almost upon us; leave the matter of Zabuza¡¯s associate to me.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Alright, sensei.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t like there was much else I could do anyway. That was part of the reason I¡¯d told Lord Third in the first place: to take the issue out of my hands. That said, my clone would be back with some information soon if only to give me peace of mind.

    ¡°Going back to my training,¡± I said. ¡°I was thinking of a way to upgrade my chakra enhancement. I think¡­ I think I want to add wind chakra to it.¡±

    ¡°...Not that I am against the idea,¡± Lord Third began. ¡°But it¡¯s entirely too early for you to attempt such a thing¡ªespecially with your current technique. Your chakra enhancement, if I am correct, involves overloading chakra adhesion, no?¡±

    ¡°Is it not possible to do?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite possible, but I believe you understand how uncontrollable wind chakra can be.¡±

    I frowned. ¡°Are you saying I should put a pin in the idea?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Lord Third smiled. ¡°In fact, I believe you already know the perfect person to help you.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°My son.¡±

    It took a while to click, but once it did, I damn near sprinted out of the garden with the promise I¡¯d return for our next lesson.

    Sheer excitement propelled me across rooftops despite my lack of knowledge as to where my teacher and teammate were. I checked Asuma¡¯s place first before moving to Choji¡¯s. Beyond a slightly awkward apology to Choji¡¯s mother for disturbing her, I¡¯d come up empty.

    But that only left one place where they could be¡ªand as I descended the hill¡¯s crest, I was proven right. The training ground lacked the random craters that I¡¯d grown used to. I couldn¡¯t find Asuma and Choji near our usual spot and had to round to the river near the ground¡¯s boundary.

    The midday sun cast a warm, lazy light across the training grounds. As I approached, I spotted Choji struggling to keep a flickering flame steady on each of his fingertips while Asuma watched with crossed arms, his usual cigarette dangling from his lips.

    ¡°Not bad,¡± Asuma said with a nod, though Choji¡¯s flames sputtered and shrank. ¡°Focus on the core of the flame¡ªkeep it stable before you try anything fancy.¡±

    Choji let out a frustrated huff, but he nodded, trying again. I couldn¡¯t resist a little jab as I strolled up. ¡°If this is what you¡¯ve been working on all day, I¡¯m surprised the field hasn¡¯t burned down yet.¡±

    ¡°What are you even doing here, Naruto? Come to give me lessons on standing around?¡± Despite Choji¡¯s words, I could see the surprise on his face. He glanced at me with a raised brow quickly masked by a smirk.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve got my reasons,¡± I said, hands in my pockets. My grin widened when I looked at Asuma. ¡°How long have you been torturing him with this?¡±

    ¡°Long enough for him to start asking himself that same question,¡± Asuma replied.

    ¡°As things should be.¡± I tilted my head at Choji¡¯s flame. ¡°Don¡¯t let me stop you, man. Looked like it was going places for a second.¡±

    Choji rolled his eyes but turned back to his training, muttering something under his breath as his fingertips caught aflame. Asuma focused on me now, raised an eyebrow. ¡°So, what brings you out here, Naruto?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that I¡¯m welcome here whenever?¡±

    He only stared at me for that.

    I dropped the cocky grin, just a little, and straightened up. ¡°Okay, Lord Third sent me. He said you might be able to help me figure out this wind chakra thing. Adding it to my enhancement and all that.¡±

    ¡°You say that like it¡¯s easy,¡± he replied, snorting.

    ¡°He said that too¡ªcan you help me out?¡±

    He pulled a sleek pair of trench knives from his coat and handed one to me. The steel gleamed in the sunlight, a promise of something more than just a simple weapon.

    ¡°Inject wind chakra into it,¡± Asuma said, nodding toward the knife.

    I took the knife in hand, feeling its weight settle against my palm. Focus. Wind chakra. I took a deep breath, letting the chakra swirl through my system and into the blade. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a sharp buzz, the knife came to life, crackling with wind-infused chakra.

    A faint blue glow wrapped around the blade, swirling like smoke caught in a breeze. My eyes followed the narrowing trail as the knuckleduster part narrowed into a sharp blade. Perhaps I didn¡¯t have to give it a cutting property. It wasn¡¯t like I intended to use it to cut in the first place.

    My punch landed with a deafening boom, its force rippling with a barely visible shockwave. The trunk didn¡¯t just shake¡ªit bowed, shuddering under the pressure before cracks webbed through the wood. A second later, the entire tree toppled backwards, roots groaning as they tore free from the earth.

    Dust and loose dirt kicked up in a wide circle around the impact, stinging my face and filling the air with the sharp scent of splintered wood. I lowered my arm, staring at the crater-like dent left in the centre of the trunk, the edges compacted and caved inward like a giant¡¯s fist had struck it.

    And to think I hadn¡¯t even swung as hard as I could.

    Choji broke the silence first. ¡°Uh¡­ is it supposed to do that?¡±

    I blinked, half in awe, half startled by how raw and heavy the force had felt. ¡°Guess it packs more of a punch than I thought.¡±

    ¡°¡®More of a punch¡¯?¡± Asuma¡¯s voice came from behind, dry as sandpaper. ¡°Kid, you just flattened a fully-grown tree like it owed you money.¡±

    I turned, scratching the back of my head, the buzz of expended wind chakra still tingling in my knuckles. ¡°I mean, wind¡¯s got to blow something over, right?¡± I tried to play it cool, but couldn¡¯t help the grin tugging at my lips.

    Asuma crouched by the fallen tree, running a hand over the crushed trunk. ¡°No cutting here. Just pure concussive force,¡± he murmured, then shot me a look. ¡°You¡¯re not sharpening it¡ªyou¡¯re compacting it. Condensing all that energy into a single point. It¡¯s¡­ efficient. Messy, but efficient. So, that¡¯s where you want to take your enhancement, huh?¡±

    Efficient. I liked the sound of that. Efficient was better than wild, better than aimless¡ªwhich is what I would¡¯ve called it.

    Choji stepped up, his eyes flicking between me and the fallen tree. ¡°Imagine what happens if you miss.¡±

    ¡°Then the poor guy behind it gets to count his blessings.¡± I huffed, shaking my hand like I could wave off the adrenaline still surging through me.

    Asuma chuckled, resting a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s hope you don¡¯t miss, then.¡± His tone shifted, more serious. ¡°I think I realise why my old man sent you here. Having you figure this out on your own would lead to some gnarly injuries. To get anywhere with this technique, you¡¯d need some trench knives of your own to start.¡±

    I nodded, my gaze lingering on the wreckage. He was right. This wasn¡¯t just about power¡ªit was about control. ¡°That¡¯d be great and I¡¯d be more than willing to pay for a pair.¡±

    ¡°Good, because they can get pricey.¡± Asuma cracked a grin. ¡°I know a guy, but the knives won¡¯t be ready till after the exams.¡±

    ¡°...Damn. Still, thanks, Asuma.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°So, what else has my old man got you working on?¡±

    ¡°Water-Release stuff mostly,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ve got a few jutsu down, working on the mechanics behind ¡®em to sharpen my foundation too. Now that you mention it, a spar would be the perfect way to help Choji. He could practise fighting with a ranged offensive tool¡ªand against its counter to boot.¡±

    Asuma nodded thoughtfully, flicking the ash from his cigarette. ¡°...You¡¯ve got the right idea. Choji¡¯s good in close quarters, but he could use some work at range. What do you think, kid?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Choji looked up, the movement diverting his focus and extinguishing the flames again. He huffed. ¡°Uh¡­ yeah, sure. Fighting you can get pretty demoralising, Asuma-sensei.¡±

    ¡°...Somehow that feels like an insult,¡± I replied, smiling to show I wasn¡¯t offended.

    Asuma waved us toward the clearing by the riverbank. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s keep this clean. Choji, stick to what you¡¯ve been working on. Naruto, show him what the old man¡¯s taught you, but no overkill¡ªwe¡¯re not looking to flatten more trees.¡±

    Choji cracked his knuckles and rolled his shoulders. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll get some revenge for that jab earlier.¡±

    I grinned, stepping into the clearing and cracking my neck. ¡°You¡¯re welcome to try.¡±

    I formed a quick seal and summoned two shadow clones, spreading them out for good measure. Choji frowned, his fingers already weaving seals of his own.

    Asuma raised a hand. ¡°Start!¡±

    The clearing was quiet for a moment, just the sound of the river beyond us. Choji¡¯s Fire-Release jutsu came first, a wave of flames bursting from his mouth in a controlled arc. The heat shimmered in the air as it raced toward me. I leapt back, my clones rushing to intercept. One formed the seals for Wild Water Wave, spewing a jet of water that hissed and evaporated on impact, leaving a blinding steam cloud in its wake.

    I used the cover to close the gap, sending one clone wide while the other churned the steam with a quick Wind Release: Gale Palm. The gust swept through, pushing the cloud into Choji¡¯s face. He staggered, coughing, but recovered quickly, slamming his hands to the ground just in time to block another torrent of water.

    The jet slammed into the wall¡¯s surfaces, sloshing up harmlessly. I formed another seal, sending a sharp burst of wind roaring from my palms to slam into the mud wall. The structure splintered under the relentless pressure, chunks of earth breaking free. Choji darted back before I could break through completely, half-obscured hands moving as he formed another set of seals.

    A wave of flame burst around the cracked wall moments after Choji emerged. The heat pressed against my skin even from a distance while the fire roared toward me, eating up the space with a hot flash. My hands were already moving, a writhing arm rising from the river to form a rushing wave before me. Steam hissed violently as the two elements collided, the air between us thick with vapour once more; Choji was quick, though, slipping into its cover.

    The two clones were on him immediately, one rushing left and the other darting right. He met the first with another wall of earth, cutting off its charge, and swiped at the second with a broad wave of fire. Both went down in moments, the feedback hitting me like a sharp jolt. The disorientation threw me off just enough for Choji to notice the opening.

    He hurled yet another fireball at me without a moment to spare, but at this point, he¡¯d established something of a habit that I was more than prepared for. I finished the seals for Great Breakthrough as the oncoming heat passed through my flak jacket. The fireball broke apart, sheared apart by a compressed, cutting draft.

    My breathing was steady as I watched him take shelter behind a mud wall. Warmth flashed across my face at the realisation that he was constantly reinforcing the area he was hiding behind¡ªwhich was a smart, if reckless way of defending.

    ¡°Not bad,¡± I muttered, regaining my footing.

    Wind chakra swirled in my palms as I formed another attack and thrust it forward, the sheer force of the gale destroying Choji¡¯s sanctuary, reinforcement and all, Scattered debris burst free, only for Choji to raise yet another wall. I cut it down again and pressed the advantage, shaping a wave of water and sending it barreling toward him.

    The collision only sent the wave sloshing back towards me, but I¡¯d counted on it. I made a hand seal and watched the water almost bubble, coalescing into a vaguely human-sized shape. A perfect copy of myself materialised from the gathered water and clambered over the wall, engaging him immediately with a kunai raised high.

    Choji¡¯s eyes widened as I emerged from the other end of the wall, but he reacted quickly, slamming a fist into the ground. He was facing me, so I jumped but watched the ground behind him crack open to swallow my clone instead.

    Still, I cleared the upheaval, and landed in a roll, not sparing an instant before a swirling chakra sphere hummed to life in my palm. Choji¡¯s eyes locked on to the Rasengan and he braced himself. His hands slammed to the ground to erect another wall between us¡ªbut it wouldn¡¯t be enough to stop me this time.

    I planted my feet, crouched low, and, with a deep breath, threw my body forward with the Rasengan leading the way. The wall caved, then cracked, before it shattered. I drove through Choji¡¯s wall with relentless force, the Rasengan drilling into the stone like it was nothing more than sand. Choji barely had time to react.

    He raised his hands to block, but I dispelled the chakra, cocking my arm back for a punch instead. Choji bore it at first but I turned the punch into a tackle and stood over him and the broken wall, breathing hard.

    A satisfied, if tired grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯m done for, huh?¡±

    ¡°I guess so, man. Good fight, though.¡± I smiled, wiping the sweat from my brow.

    He chuckled and pushed himself to his feet, his arms heavy from the fight. ¡°Yeah, yeah, you¡¯re a pain in the ass, Naruto. Jeez, that was a damn good hit.¡±

    I looked at the cracked earth where Choji¡¯s wall had been, the aftermath of the Rasengan still settling. I could feel the energy still pulsing in my hand and the resulting adrenaline buzzing through me.

    Asuma broke the silence. ¡°Not bad, Choji. But relying on the Fireball Jutsu wasn¡¯t great once he started wrecking your walls. Fire beats wind, sure, but it¡¯s not almighty. Mixing it up would¡¯ve kept you less predictable¡ªand spared you from all that steam in your face.¡±

    I nodded, still catching my breath. ¡°I¡¯d have to agree¡ªthat, and using Mud Wall so much. It blinds you as much as it does me, you know. It stopped being a neat trick once I figured it out¡±

    Choji slapped me on the back, a grin still plastered on his face. ¡°Just don¡¯t get cocky in the meantime, alright? Believe me, I¡¯ll get you next time.¡±

    I laughed, shaking my head. ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll be ready¡ªbut until then, sit tight.¡±

    He rolled his eyes, shoving me a little. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±

    I let out another laugh, the satisfaction of a good spar still buzzing in my veins enough that I felt unburdened by the conundrum that was Haku.

 Chapter 47

    The bag of dumplings swung from Fuu¡¯s hand as she walked down the shaded street. The late afternoon buzz surrounded her¡ªmerchants hawking wares, shinobi darting between rooftops, and civilians bustling past with glowing faces that buzzed with festivity. The chaos was oddly soothing, its noise drowning out her thoughts. She bit into one of the skewers, savouring the mix of sweet and savoury as she slowed to a stroll.

    Behind her, a group of nobles in flowing robes turned into an alley, their guards trailing close. Shuji¡¯s warnings about danger from the arriving Daimyo echoed in her head, but Fuu shoved them aside.

    Of course, she couldn¡¯t shove Chomei aside as easily. ¡®That one looks like a peacock, Fuu!¡¯

    Fuu snorted, nearly choking on the dumpling she¡¯d been chewing. ¡°What, the guy in purple? Yeah, I see it. Real fancy bird vibes.¡± She murmured the words under her breath, keeping her tone low enough not to draw attention.

    Chomei¡¯s laughter tickled the back of her mind, warm and easy. ¡®If he¡¯s a peacock, his guards are the tail feathers. Look at how stiff they are!¡¯

    She glanced back, the corner of her mouth quirking. Sure enough, the guards were marching in perfect formation, their serious faces exaggerated by gleaming helmets. It was hard not to imagine them fanning out like a tail whenever the noble waved his hand.

    ¡°Stop making me laugh,¡± she muttered, though she didn¡¯t mean it. Chomei¡¯s jokes were a welcome distraction. It wasn¡¯t every day she could feel this... normal.

    ¡®You need to laugh more,¡¯ Chomei said, his tone softening. ¡®Even I get bored when you¡¯re brooding all the time.¡¯

    ¡°I don¡¯t brood,¡± Fuu protested, though she said it without much conviction.

    She rounded the corner to her team¡¯s accommodation, the modest wooden frame standing stark against the grander structures nearer the main thoroughfare. From the open windows above, voices floated down¡ªShuji¡¯s gruff bark unmistakable.

    ¡°Blah, blah, blah. Stay inside, don¡¯t have fun, end of the world.¡± She popped the last dumpling into her mouth, licking her fingers clean as she climbed the stairs.

    The moment she stepped inside, the room¡¯s tension smacked her like a wave. Shuji sat at the low table, arms crossed, glaring daggers at Rukia. Her friend, as usual, wore her calm like a set of armour, pouring tea with a grace that ignored the weight of Shuji¡¯s scrutiny.

    ¡°You¡¯re late,¡± Shuji snapped without looking at her.

    Fuu tossed the dumpling bag onto the table. ¡°Brought snacks. You¡¯re welcome.¡±

    ¡°Save it,¡± he growled. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t even be out there. Do you realise how dangerous it is right now?¡±

    Fuu rolled her eyes and flopped onto a cushion. ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing this all week. You¡¯re like an old man yelling at clouds. Relax, I¡¯m fine. See? No injuries.¡±

    Shuji slammed his palm on the table, rattling the teapot. ¡°It¡¯s not about you being fine! It¡¯s about not putting yourself in senseless danger! The Daimyo are here, and the streets are crawling with shinobi, samurai, and mercenaries from all over. Do you have any idea what would happen if someone figured out who¡ªwhat¡ªyou are?¡±

    Fuu froze, the skewer halfway to her mouth. Her eyes flicked to Rukia¡¯s, hoping for backup, but her friend didn¡¯t meet her gaze. Instead, she occupied herself wholly with the teapot she was carefully, maddeningly, refilling.

    ¡°Seriously?¡± Fuu¡¯s calm snapped at the sight. ¡°You too?¡±

    Rukia¡¯s shoulders stiffened, but she didn¡¯t look up. Fuu felt the familiar prickle of betrayal claw at her chest. This was becoming routine¡ªShuji ranting, Rukia retreating. What had happened to her? To the girl who once darted as excitedly as her through markets?

    These days, she wouldn¡¯t leave the house unless forced, her smiles as pale and fleeting as winter sunlight.

    Fuu clenched her fists. ¡°You¡¯ve been a total ghost since a few days back. I had to beg you to take a twenty-minute walk and you even cut that short¡ªand now you¡¯re siding with Shuji?¡±

    ¡°Because she knows I¡¯m right,¡± Shuji supplied, as helpfully snide as always.

    Haku set the teapot down with infuriating precision, pointedly ignoring him. ¡°We can¡¯t afford to be careless.¡±

    Fuu barked a laugh, sharp and bitter. Rukia¡¯s calm shattered, her words barricaded behind lips pressing into a thin line.

    ¡°Fine. You two sit here and sulk. I¡¯m going downstairs.¡± Fuu shoved herself to her feet, the cushion skidding back with the force of her movement.

    Shuji muttered something under his breath, but Fuu didn¡¯t stay to listen. She shoved the door to her and Rukia¡¯s room open and stepped into the fading light, the hum of the village rushing to meet her.

    The knock came as the last orange hues of sunset dipped below the horizon. Fuu sat cross-legged on her bed, tossing a kunai up and catching it. She debated not answering, but the door creaked open anyway.

    ¡°Fuu.¡±

    Rukia stood there, arms crossed tightly as if shielding herself from a cold breeze. She closed the door behind her.

    Fuu didn¡¯t look up. ¡°Come to lecture me again?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Rukia¡¯s voice was quiet. ¡°I came to apologise.¡±

    That made Fuu glance up, though her expression stayed guarded. ¡°Really?¡±

    Rukia took a deep breath and crossed the room. ¡°I... I should have backed you up. Despite the legitimate concerns, you¡¯re protected by the Leaf as their guest. The chances of someone finding out you¡¯re a Jinchuriki is next to nothing, let alone kidnapping you.¡±

    ¡°...No kidding.¡± Fuu eased back a little to give her a break, if only for the overflowing remorse in her eyes.

    Rukia hesitated, her hands knotting together. ¡°There¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡±

    ¡°Stop shuffling about over there and sit down first.¡± Fuu pointed at Rukia¡¯s bed opposite her own. ¡°You¡¯re making me dizzy.¡±

    She cracked a smile, only for it to be replaced with that airy nervousness from before. ¡°...You were right,¡± Rukia said, once again wringing her hands. ¡°I haven¡¯t been myself since the tour¡ªand there¡¯s a reason for that. Naruto cornered me on the tour when we separated; he recognised me, Fuu.¡±

    Fuu sat up, rapt.

    ¡°The reason I¡¯ve been¡­ a ghost, as you put it, is because I¡¯m afraid that shinobi will haul me off for questioning. There wouldn¡¯t be a thing I could do about it either. The reason I didn¡¯t speak up against Shuji earlier is that I don¡¯t know if they plan on taking any of you in for questioning.¡±

    ¡°...Your cover as a Waterfall ninja is completely blown,¡± said Fuu, all at once overtaken by remorse. What use was her freedom to wander the Leaf Village¡¯s streets when her friend was living in a fear she knew nothing about? ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Rukia shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t be¡ªI¡¯m the one who should apologise. For putting you in danger¡­ and for failing my master once again.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve brought your master up before,¡± said Fuu by way of question rather than a statement.

    ¡°He¡¯s¡­¡± Fuu saw her hesitate, only for the tension to leave her as her shoulders deflated. ¡°...a former Mist Village jonin. He took me in when I had nothing and no one¡ªhe made me everything I am today.¡±

    Fuu studied Rukia carefully, her brow furrowed. ¡°Your master must mean a lot to you, but what does he have to do with all this?¡±

    Rukia¡¯s lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes darting to the closed door as if expecting someone to burst in at any moment. ¡°Everything,¡± she said quietly. ¡°He¡¯s the one who sent me here in the first place.¡±

    ¡°For the Exams?¡±

    ¡°For you.¡±

    Fuu froze. ¡°Me?¡±

    Rukia nodded, her expression tight. ¡°He knows what you are, Fuu. What you carry. And he... he thinks you¡¯d be safer with us than staying in the Leaf. He¡¯s been watching, waiting for the right time to bring it up. But with Naruto recognising me and all the political chaos about to descend on this village with all the Daimyo¡ªthere isn¡¯t time to wait anymore.¡±

    Fuu¡¯s mouth opened¡ªwordless betrayal flared in her chest¡ªand closed. Caught between confusion and a growing wariness that twisted inside her. ¡°So¡­ what? He sent you to recruit me? I-Is¡­ was our entire friendship a sham?¡±

    Rukia flinched. ¡°No! I won¡¯t deny he sent me here to recruit you, but I¡¯ve come to enjoy your company. My master¡¯s been watching the Hidden Waterfall for a while, and he thinks you¡¯d be better off leaving. And after everything I¡¯ve seen¡ªboth here and in the Hidden Waterfall¡ªI can¡¯t say he¡¯s wrong.¡±

    ¡°Like you¡¯d disagree with your master.¡± Fuu¡¯s voice was sharper now, the initial shock giving way to incredulity. ¡°And leaving? Just up and leaving? To go with you and your mysterious master? Are you serious?¡±

    Rukia leaned forward, her eyes wide and vulnerable. ¡°Think about it, Fuu. The only reason they¡¯re not hauling me off for questioning right now is because of the exams. The nobles, the Daimyo¡ªthey¡¯re a distraction that¡¯s spreading the Leaf thin, but it won¡¯t last. Once they¡¯re processed, everything will calm down, and the Leaf will turn its attention back to things that don¡¯t add up. Things like me.¡± She paused, her voice softening. ¡°And things like you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a guest here,¡± Fuu said, though the words felt hollow even to her own ears.

    ¡°For now,¡± Rukia said pointedly. ¡°But you¡¯re my teammate, and I¡¯ve got a massive question mark next to my name after the tour. How long before that changes? How long before someone decides that keeping a potentially traitorous Jinchuriki from another village isn¡¯t worth the risk?¡±

    Fuu clenched her fists. ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± Rukia admitted. ¡°But I do know what it¡¯s like to be hunted. To be feared just for existing. I¡¯ve seen it happen before, Fuu, and I don¡¯t want it to happen to you.¡±

    Acid burned inside of her, painful and hot. Forced to second guess every single interaction she¡¯d had with the girl across from her, Fuu glared. ¡°Let me guess, your master told you? Convenient that you ran into me when I was upset.¡±

    Haku sighed. ¡°...Because I was hunted for my bloodline ability. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of how those like me are treated in the Land of Water. When news spread, my mother and I were set upon by a mob gathered by my father. I¡­ killed them all, though not before they killed my mother.¡±

    Fuu turned her gaze to the floor, the weight of shame compounded by Rukia¡¯s words pressing down on her shoulders.

    ¡°You¡¯re happier here than I¡¯ve ever seen you,¡± Rukia continued, her voice filled with quiet intensity. ¡°You¡¯ve been treated like a person, not a weapon or¡ªor a monster. But can you honestly say it¡¯ll stay that way? That it¡¯s worth the risk of staying in a village that could turn on you the moment things go wrong or returning to one that loathes you?¡±

    Fuu swallowed hard, her chest tight. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Come with me,¡± Rukia said. ¡°Leave this village¡ªleave your village. My master and I travel the world, so you¡¯d never have to hide who you are. You¡¯d be free. And you¡¯d never be alone again.¡±

    Fuu looked up, her eyes searching Rukia¡¯s face for signs of deceit. ¡°And your master? What does he really want with me?¡±

    ¡°He escaped the Fourth Mizukage¡¯s brutality and knows what it means to be hunted and survive against all odds. I think he sees in you the same strength I do, Fuu.¡±

    Fuu¡¯s hands trembled slightly. The idea of leaving the Waterfall hadn¡¯t occurred to her before. For all her boasting of idolising Kakuzu, she had never considered leaving; it annoyed Shibuki¡¯s father and brought joy to her. She was a weapon to be pointed at a hidden village¡¯s enemy; that fact would not change.

    So, the idea of finally being free was intoxicating, but the risks loomed large, dark and all-encompassing.

    ¡°...I-I don¡¯t know,¡± she whispered.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to decide right now,¡± Rukia said. She reached out, placing a hand on Fuu¡¯s. ¡°Just think about it. Really think about it. Because staying here might not be as safe as you think¡ªnot for me or for you.¡±

    Fuu swallowed, her chest tight with emotions she couldn¡¯t yet name.

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± she said finally, her voice barely audible.

    Rukia nodded, her expression a mix of relief and determination. ¡°That¡¯s all I ask.¡±

    When she left, Fuu looked out of the window. The view was half-obstructed, but straining her neck earned her a glimpse of a sprawling crossroads. A place where children sprinted with wild abandon and people from all walks of life crossed paths.

    ¡®You know me, Fuu,¡¯ Chomei said, uncharacteristically solemn. ¡®Where you go, I go. Besides, I like this Rukia more than Shibuki¡¯s old fart.¡¯

    She chuckled a little, finding it hard not to agree despite the still-tender betrayal in her chest. An excited chorus reached her from the streets below as a group her age sprinted past, snacks and trinkets in hand.

    She¡¯d give anything for more sights like that.

    <hr>

    The courtyard of the Sarutobi compound was serene, its small garden vibrant with late-blooming flowers and carefully raked gravel paths. Only the slight scuff marks and damp patches on the stone hinted at the sparring session that had just taken place.

    Hiruzen Sarutobi lowered his staff, its weight solid and comforting in his hand. He surveyed the courtyard with an approving eye, then turned his attention back to Naruto, who stood at ease a few paces away. The boy¡¯s breathing was steady and his stance relaxed.

    ¡°You¡¯re more precise,¡± Hiruzen said, brushing a bit of dust from his sleeve. ¡°It¡¯s subtle, but I can see it¡ªyour Water Release, in particular, is controlled and deliberate. Less unbridled power.¡±

    Naruto smiled faintly, though his expression remained modest. ¡°I figured it was time I lived up to your lessons.¡±

    Hiruzen chuckled, adjusting his grip on the staff. ¡°I suppose you have. Though, if I keep letting you spar in my garden, it might become a pond before long.¡±

    Naruto¡¯s smile widened as he glanced at the damp patches where his jutsu had struck. ¡°I tried to keep it contained.¡±

    ¡°You did,¡± Hiruzen said warmly. He glanced at the old stone lantern nearby, its base streaked with water. ¡°Mostly.¡± He leaned into a stretch, groaning only partly in exaggeration.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± his youngest student asked, a slight frown on his face.

    ¡°Quite,¡± he replied, straightening. ¡°Growing old does have its demerits, as I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware.¡±

    Naruto smiled. ¡°I knew all that wisdom comes at a price. You¡¯d better retire while you¡¯re still spry. Dying under the weight of paperwork is a sad way to go, sensei.¡±

    ¡°What do you think my ANBU are for? Were such an occasion to occur, I¡¯m sure they can pull my decrepit self from under the wreckage.¡±

    Try as he did, Naruto couldn¡¯t stop his smile from stretching, and Hiruzen enjoyed the snort that followed for the second that it lasted.

    ¡°Seriously, though,¡± said Naruto, ¡°are you sure you¡¯re alright? The tournament¡¯s set to start in a few days and people are arriving from all over.¡±

    ¡°And your point is?¡± he asked with a raised brow.

    His student gestured in his general direction rather awkwardly. ¡°Well¡­ you¡¯re old.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m quite aware of that fact.¡±

    ¡°You know what I mean,¡± Naruto retorted, stopping to heave out a sigh. ¡°These people have seen you younger and stronger. Your age doesn¡¯t matter to us, but to our allies, I reckon it matters a lot.¡±

    ¡°Your point being?¡± Hiruzen asked, slightly put out a the serious turn their light-hearted conversation had taken.

    Naruto hummed. ¡°It might help to have one of our national heroes around. Especially with Orochimaru plotting against the village. Maybe he¡¯ll think twice about pulling something if his old teammates are around?¡±

    That gave Hiruzen a moment¡¯s pause; enough to give the suggestion a palpable weight. Jiraiya, as fickle as he could be, would come racing at the barest hint of Orochimaru¡¯s presence alone. Hiruzen knew his student was still investigating the Akatsuki and their links to his orphaned students from the Rain, but between him and Tsunade, Jiraiya took the discovery of Orochimaru¡¯s sins the hardest.

    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°...Perhaps I will,¡± he replied quietly. Though not yet; summoning Jiraiya could wait a few more days. Naruto¡¯s face was troubled, clouded as if he could read Hiruzen¡¯s mind. ¡°Despite his ills, I¡¯ve known Orochimaru his entire life. He¡¯s not the kind to mount an assault in broad daylight, as his behaviour in the Forest of Death proves.¡±

    ¡°...If you¡¯re so sure,¡± Naruto replied, sighing.

    The two stood in comfortable silence for a long moment. Hiruzen studied the boy before him¡ªcalm, thoughtful, and mature beyond his years. During the month of training, Naruto had grown into a shinobi whose talent was matched by his restraint. Hiruzen considered the scroll locked away in his study¡ªthe Monkey Summoning contract.

    He¡¯d toyed with the idea of passing it to Naruto for some time now. There was a decision there, but one that required care. The boy still had the Chunin Exams ahead of him and there was something to be said for letting Naruto earn his rewards.

    ¡°Tell me, Naruto,¡± Hiruzen said at last, breaking the silence, ¡°what would you say to a little incentive?¡±

    Naruto tilted his head, curious.

    ¡°Win the tournament,¡± Hiruzen smiled, ¡°and I might have a rather unique reward in mind.¡±

    Naruto froze, only for a second, blinking at Hiruzen, seemingly in shock. He folded his arms, his grin contorting into something sly. ¡°Is that so? Well, I wouldn¡¯t want to disappoint you, sensei.¡±

    Hiruzen¡¯s gaze flickered toward the shadows at the edge of the courtyard. A figure lingered there, barely visible against the deepening twilight.

    ¡°First, let me welcome our guest,¡± Hiruzen said evenly. ¡°Do come out.¡±

    Naruto¡¯s body tensed ever so slightly. He turned, his eyes narrowing as they landed on the red-haired boy standing under the arch of a tree. Gaara of the Sand, Hiruzen believed. His posture was relaxed, but his pale green eyes were sharp, unblinking. The gourd on his back seemed almost alive in the fading light.

    ¡°Did you need something, Gaara?¡± Naruto asked, his tone polite but edged with wariness.

    Gaara stepped closer until he was a few metres away from them. ¡°I was watching,¡± he said, his voice soft but laced with something that made the air heavier. ¡°Your control¡­ it¡¯s impressive.¡±

    Naruto said nothing for a moment, studying him. ¡°...Thanks.¡±

    Hiruzen watched the two boys carefully. There was a tension between them, not yet hostile but far from friendly.

    Gaara tilted his head, his expression unreadable. ¡°Why do you hold back?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You have power. I saw it just now. Yet you restrain yourself. Why?¡±

    ¡°Because power without control is a double-edged sword; it¡¯s destruction,¡± Naruto replied. ¡°And destruction doesn¡¯t win battles without cost.¡±

    Gaara¡¯s lips curved into a faint, unsettling smile. The air between them seemed to shift, thickening with tension. Naruto took a step forward, his arms loose at his sides, his expression calm.

    ¡°You think chaos is strength, do you?¡± Naruto asked. ¡°I think that¡¯s just an excuse for you to sate your bloodthirst.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the only answer,¡± Gaara said, his voice rising just enough to reveal the fervour beneath it. ¡°Those who hesitate are crushed. Those who doubt are destroyed.¡±

    Naruto¡¯s hands curled into loose fists. ¡°And what does that make you? A weapon? A monster? Someone who thinks fear is the only way to live?¡±

    Gaara¡¯s smile vanished. His hand twitched toward his gourd. ¡°I am alive because others fear me. I kill to prove my existence¡ªand when we fight, you¡¯ll die.¡±

    Naruto didn¡¯t take that well, his chakra leaking out in response to Gaara¡¯s open bloodthirst.

    ¡°Enough,¡± Hiruzen said sharply, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade.

    Both boys froze, their gazes snapping at him. Hiruzen stepped forward, his staff tapping against the stone as he moved between them.

    ¡°This is neither the time nor the place,¡± he said, his tone firm but measured. ¡°If you wish to exchange philosophies, do so with words, not fists.¡±

    Naruto glanced away, his shoulders relaxing slightly. Gaara, however, remained rigid, his gaze clouded; partly irritated and curious.

    Hiruzen turned to Gaara, his gaze steady. ¡°You remind me of someone I once knew,¡± he said. ¡°Someone who believed strength was found in isolation and power was its own justification.¡±

    Gaara¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    ¡°That path leads only to emptiness,¡± Hiruzen continued. ¡°It blinds you to the bonds that give strength its purpose. And without purpose, power is nothing but a shadow. A companion that can neither speak nor provide comfort. It¡¯s a pale imitation of companionship born out of loneliness.¡±

    Gaara¡¯s expression flickered, but only for a moment. Pain replaced his glare as he clutched his head, stepping back. His movements were stiff, and he turned away without saying another word.

    Hiruzen watched him go, his heart heavy. The boy¡¯s resemblance to Orochimaru was unnerving¡ªnot in appearance, but in the way he clung to his convictions, his obsession with survival above all else.

    Naruto let out a slow breath, breaking the silence. ¡°I don¡¯t trust him,¡± he said quietly. ¡°He¡¯s a loose canon¡ªand a powerful one.¡±

    ¡°Nor should you,¡± Hiruzen replied. ¡°But do not dismiss him entirely. Even shadows can find the light if they are willing to look for it.¡±

    Naruto glanced at him, his expression thoughtful but guarded. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can change him.¡±

    Hiruzen smiled faintly. ¡°Nor should you be. The final decision lies with Gaara himself¡ªand despite our talk, he may choose to continue as he is. But if he chooses to change, it will not be through fear or force, but through understanding.¡±

    Naruto didn¡¯t respond immediately. His gaze drifted to the edge of the courtyard, where the shadows of the trees stretched long and dark.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± he said at last.

    Hiruzen nodded, resting his weight against his staff. The courtyard fell quiet again, the tension dissipating like mist in the morning sun. Perhaps, in the end, it was not the inherent darkness that defined a person, but how they chose to respond to it. Orochimaru might have been his failure as a teacher, but his wayward student¡¯s wicked conscience was as much to blame.

    He only hoped Naruto would not repeat his mistakes.

    ¡°So, what now?¡± his student asked. ¡°There¡¯s a few days left before the tournament.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome to visit, be it to discuss your tactics or otherwise,¡± said Hiruzen. ¡°Though I advise you to rest until the tournament. There¡¯s not much you could do in a handful of days that we have not done already.¡±

    Naruto smiled. ¡°I think I¡¯ll do just that, sensei.¡±

    <hr>

    The Hidden Leaf¡¯s rooftops stretched out, the dips and peaks of the tiles forming a pattern Saru had come to know as intimately as his own breathing. Below, the village proper was alive in the soft, flickering glow of lantern light. The streets murmured with activity even at this hour; a clatter of wheels, the faint hum of distant voices, the occasional bark of a dog.

    As usual, Saru¡¯s focus was on the two figures he¡¯d been assigned to monitor. Rukia, the mysterious foreigner, and her target, Fuu, the Jinchuriki. Their movements across the week had been predictable¡ªmundane, even. Ignoring the initial few days of Rukia¡¯s caution keeping her inside their accommodation, their mornings were filled with errands and they spent the afternoons meandering through the village like idle tourists.

    There had been nothing to suggest they were anything more than what they appeared to be except Lord Third¡¯s orders. Saru crouched low. His ANBU mask pressed cool and firm against his face, the faint orange paint of the monkey motif catching only the barest glint of light before vanishing into shadow as he shifted.

    The two cloaked figures moved through the streets with the deliberate care of people trying not to be noticed. Their hoods were drawn low, but it wasn¡¯t enough to completely mask their profiles. Saru watched their movements with a hunter¡¯s precision, his every nerve on edge. Nearby, Enzo stirred, the monkey perched on his haunches with an ease that Saru couldn¡¯t help but envy.

    Enzo¡¯s tail flicked once, brushing against the rusted metal. His black eyes glittered with quiet curiosity as he scratched at his ear. ¡°Their timing¡¯s bold,¡± he muttered, like he wasn¡¯t quite sure whether he should be impressed or suspicious.

    ¡°Bold isn¡¯t reckless,¡± Saru murmured back. ¡°They¡¯ve stuck to the same routine¡ªmostly. But look at them tonight. Too precise, right? They¡¯re circling places they know, but not actually doing anything. And the cloaks?¡± His gaze flicked toward the pair below. ¡°They¡¯re working something, Enzo, I¡¯m telling you.¡±

    His summon made a low sound of agreement, but said nothing more. Together, they watched as the two girls slipped into the shadows of an alley. Saru straightened slightly, stretching his legs to ease the ache in his muscles before following. The rooftops beneath his feet were rough and uneven. Some of the clay tiles were loose in places, so every step had to be calculated. One wrong move, one misplaced foot, and the clatter of a tile would give him away.

    He tracked the faint pulse of their chakra¡ªRukia¡¯s was cool and steady, like water flowing through a narrow stream. Fuu¡¯s was brighter, wilder, and tinged with an edge of raw energy that made Saru¡¯s teeth buzz if he focused too hard on it.

    ¡°Do you think they know we¡¯re up here,¡± Enzo said suddenly, his voice breaking the silence.

    Saru hesitated. ¡°If they do, they¡¯re not showing it.¡± He kept his tone flat, but doubt gnawed at the edge of his mind. Had they noticed him earlier in the week? He¡¯d been meticulously careful but Rukia was no ordinary mark.

    If she was truly tied to Zabuza Momochi, he would have to keep his wits about him.

    The pair emerged from the alley near the northern gate, their pace still unhurried. Saru signalled to Enzo with a quick flick of his fingers. The monkey vanished into the shadowed backstreets, his dark fur like smoke in the wind. The northern gate was alive with activity despite the late hour. Merchants and peasants bustled to and fro, packing up their wares or unloading goods from creaking carts.

    Chunin guards moved among them, their voices a low murmur as they checked papers and directed traffic. Rukia and Fuu moved through the chaos like ghosts, their figures barely noticeable amid the din. Saru¡¯s sharp eyes caught the way Fuu¡¯s hand brushed against her companion¡¯s cloak. Her shoulders were tense in a way that betrayed her nerves.

    Rukia, by contrast, was unhurried, like she had all the time in the world.

    Saru¡¯s brow furrowed beneath his mask. Fuu often lingered near the gate, chatting with travellers and asking questions about their journeys. It was a harmless habit, one Saru had dismissed as idle curiosity.

    ¡°They¡¯re waiting,¡± Enzo¡¯s voice whispered in his ear.

    ¡°For what?¡± Saru replied.

    Enzo didn¡¯t answer; instead, he pointed with a gnarled finger to a cart trundling into view off a side street. It was laden with crates and the driver hummed tunelessly to himself, oblivious to the two gliding around the cart, using the crowd as cover.

    Saru¡¯s eyes narrowed as they slipped into its shadow, disappearing entirely beneath the canvas tarp. ¡°Clever,¡± he murmured.

    Enzo snorted softly. ¡°They won¡¯t get far.¡±

    They followed as the cart rolled out of the gates.

    Saru¡¯s chakra dampened his naturally-mixed chakra as low as it would go without adverse effects. The forest ahead loomed dark and as they entered it, a thin mist began to creep along the ground. It curled around the roots and trunks like ghostly fingers. At first, it seemed natural, but when it thickened, Saru felt the chakra blanketing him, pressing against his skin.

    ¡°It¡¯s her,¡± he muttered. The mist swallowed the cart and the road in its white veil.

    ¡°Think they¡¯ve spotted us?¡± Enzo asked, his voice tense.

    Saru hesitated. ¡°Maybe. Or maybe they¡¯re just covering their tracks. Either way, we can¡¯t lose them now.¡±

    The brief flicker of a second chakra signature reached him, breaking away from the cart¡¯s path.

    ¡°They¡¯re trying to throw us off,¡± Saru said, his gaze flicking toward Enzo. ¡°Follow the signature that way. I¡¯ll stay with the cart.¡±

    The monkey nodded and disappeared into the mist, his form vanishing as though it had been swallowed whole. Saru pressed forward. The cool dampness clung to his skin, and the sharp scent of wet earth filled his nose. The mist began to dissipate and Saru¡¯s sharp eyes caught movement beneath the canvas. Rukia and Fuu slipped out soundlessly, their figures darting into the trees on the far side of the road.

    Enzo reappeared moments later, his expression sour. ¡°You¡¯re right. It was a water clone.¡±

    Saru nodded, though the tightness in his chest hadn¡¯t eased. He tapped Enzo on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re up again. Follow them and stay quiet. Don¡¯t take any risks; watch and report back. If anything goes wrong, de-summon yourself immediately. I¡¯ll summon you in two hours, alright?¡±

    Enzo nodded once, his dark eyes meeting Saru¡¯s briefly before he leapt into the trees. A minute later, the monkey¡¯s presence faded from Saru¡¯s senses entirely, leaving him alone in the cool, silent night.

    <hr>

    The forest pressed closer as they walked, its shadows deepening with every step. Moonlight thinned to faint green streaks that tangled in the dense canopy above. Haku moved ahead; her steps were light, though every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig sent a ripple of unease through her.

    Fuu matched her pace, lagging slightly behind her. The lively spark that usually animated her movements had dimmed, but it wasn¡¯t gone. That she had chosen to come at all was a quiet relief to Haku, though Fuu¡¯s clipped tone and averted gaze stung in a way she tried not to dwell on.

    Haku deserved it for using their friendship. ¡°We¡¯re nearly there,¡± she said, her voice calm despite the tightness in her throat.

    ¡°I can see that,¡± Fuu replied. Her gaze lingered on Haku for a beat too long, unreadable. Then she shrugged, brushing past the moment with the practised indifference Haku had grudgingly grown used to.

    The cave came into view¡ªa jagged mouth ringed by shallow puddles. The air shifted as they approached, cool and damp, carrying the metallic tang of wet stone. Haku didn¡¯t falter, though her stomach coiled tight as they stepped inside. Near the back, shrouded in shadows, stood her master.

    Zabuza¡¯s broad frame was barely visible in the dim light, but his presence filled the space. ¡°You¡¯re late,¡± he said, his voice low and edged.

    Haku inclined her head in a small bow. ¡°Forgive me, Master.¡±

    Zabuza¡¯s gaze flicked past her to Fuu. He stepped forward, his single visible eye narrowing as he took in the girl standing stiffly near the entrance. ¡°This her?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Haku replied, her tone measured. ¡°She¡¯s capable and resourceful.¡±

    Fuu¡¯s posture straightened under Zabuza¡¯s scrutiny, her defiance sharp in the tilt of her chin. ¡°Nice to meet you too,¡± she said, crossing her arms.

    Zabuza snorted, unimpressed. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± Then his attention snapped back to Haku. ¡°Outside.¡±

    Haku¡¯s breath hitched, though her face betrayed nothing. She turned to Fuu, her voice softening. ¡°Wait here.¡±

    Fuu¡¯s eyes narrowed, her defiance flickering into something more guarded. ¡°Whatever,¡± she muttered, leaning back against the damp cave wall. Despite the casual posture, her orange eyes tracked them as they left.

    The forest surrounded Haku, its quiet broken only by the rustle of leaves. Zabuza stopped a few steps from the entrance, his gaze hard and expectant.

    ¡°I¡¯ve compromised myself,¡± Haku admitted, her voice steady. ¡°The Hidden Leaf knows I¡¯m the same Ice-Release user their genin team encountered.¡±

    Zabuza didn¡¯t respond immediately. His silence stretched, pressing down like a heavy hand. Slowly, his grip shifted on the hilt of his sword, the leather crunching under his fingers.

    ¡°How?¡±

    Haku recounted the events in precise, unembellished detail. She didn¡¯t falter, though every word felt like a weight dragging her deeper. Her master listened without a word, his eyes fixed on her until her account ended.

    He stiffened suddenly, his gaze snapping to the tree line. ¡°We¡¯re being watched.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Haku began, frowning. ¡°I made sure we weren¡¯t¡ª¡±

    Zabuza disappeared before she could finish. A heartbeat later, he returned, dragging something by the neck¡ªa monkey, its dark fur slick under the moonlight. The creature thrashed in his grip, claws scraping uselessly at his arm guards. Zabuza snarled, his hand tightening around the monkey¡¯s throat until it vanished in a puff of smoke.

    He didn¡¯t lower his arm immediately, his eye scanning the surrounding trees before turning back to Haku. ¡°You¡¯ve made a mess,¡± he said, his voice quieter now but no less cutting. ¡°The Leaf will have no doubts about our connection now, and the Waterfall will know I have their Jinchuriki.¡±

    Haku lowered her head, her hands folding neatly in front of her. Her knuckles whitened under the pressure of her grip, but she didn¡¯t speak.

    ¡°The anonymity that made you so useful is gone. They know you¡¯re the last Yuki.¡±

    The words sank like stones in her chest.

    ¡°But I have a mission for you.¡±

    Her eyes snapped up, wide with surprise. Death for her failure had seemed certain¡ªyet instead, her master had offered a lifeline. Relief surged in her chest, sharp and fleeting, but she tempered it quickly, straightening her posture.

    Zabuza exhaled sharply. ¡°Go back to the Leaf. Fix this. Tie up your loose ends.¡±

    The relief curdled. Haku¡¯s breath hitched, the implications settling over her like frost. To return meant death¡ªcertain, brutal, and deserved in the eyes of her enemies for taking Fuu.

    But her master¡¯s disappointment would be far worse.

    She bowed low. ¡°Understood.¡±

    Zabuza lingered for a moment, his gaze heavy. For an instant, an entirely foreign light flickered in his expression, but it vanished before Haku could name it. Then he turned, his strides purposeful as he disappeared back into the cave.

    Haku remained outside.

    Her hands curled into fists at her sides as she let out a slow, measured breath. The reality of the mission hung over her neck, cold as steel and sharper still. But she wouldn¡¯t falter¡ªor rather, couldn¡¯t; Haku would return once she finished what she had started. Perhaps, if she survived, she could face her master without shame and show Fuu the things she promised her.

    She slipped through the gates of the Hidden Leaf with the first blush of dawn. Infiltrating the Leaf itself wasn¡¯t difficult; she waited out on the main path for a while, dirtying her clothes and face, hiding her weapons, and paying off an incoming carriage to take them with her. Just in case, the promise of more money once she stepped foot in the village generally ensured her safety.

    The guards didn¡¯t bat an eye, but just to be safe she¡¯d create three water clones before boarding the carriage to tank her chakra signature to civilian levels in case there were any sensory-types on duty.

    The streets were quiet, still draped in sleep. She found herself in a narrow alley. Leaning against the cold brick, Haku took a moment to gather herself, her chest tightening with each heartbeat. Both she and her master knew what he meant when he ordered her to tie up loose ends. To ask of her something he¡¯d ignored with a scoff her whole life; always leaving the killing blow to the Demon Brothers.

    Then again, her failures merited punishment of some kind. Resolve was all she needed to take advantage of Zabuza¡¯s lessons and right her wrongs. Her hands trembled when she saw him¡ªbesides the odd person near the northern gate, he was the only one out that she¡¯d seen for a while, padding along the paved roads in a measured jog.

    Haku¡¯s heart twisted. This was her chance¡ªno distractions, no witnesses. Just her and him. She slipped silently into the shadows, trailing him in the dark. The senbon were heavy in the pouch at her back. The rhythm of his movements was hypnotic. He hadn¡¯t noticed her yet¡ªshe could strike whenever she wished.

    She gritted her teeth when he veered off into a park, his pace never faltering. Naruto slowed, his steps easing into a walk as he reached a small clearing. He stretched his arms overhead, letting out a quiet sigh, his breath curling in the air.

    Haku froze in the shadow of a great tree. Her fingers tightened around a few senbon. This was the moment she¡¯d waited for; he was alone, hidden from view, vulnerable, and unaware of her presence. Her body tensed, ready to move, but then he turned, his blue eyes sweeping the treeline.

    His gaze didn¡¯t land on her¡ªhe didn¡¯t seem to see her at all¡ªbut the action stopped her cold all the same. There was no tension in his stance, just an ignorant openness. Her hand trembled, the senbon shaking in her grasp. The killing blow was there, waiting. But she couldn¡¯t throw the weapons¡ªwhy couldn¡¯t she?

    Right then, she couldn¡¯t help but hate herself more intensely than ever before. Her kindness had always disappointed her master, but he¡¯d bore it with irritation until it led her to failure. Gozu and Meizu¡¯s corpses were used as funds because of her inability to kill.

    Zabuza had sacrificed her to the Hidden Leaf as the price for that mercy in all but name.

    Naruto stretched again, rolling his shoulders as he began jogging. Haku stood rooted to the spot, her pulse racing. She just needed the right moment for his guard to slip once more. That would be the moment¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t hesitate.

    A rustle to her left. Haku¡¯s heart jolted, her body tensing as she whipped around¡ªbut there was nothing there. Just the faint sway of a branch disturbed by the breeze. She exhaled slowly, calming her nerves.

    A voice broke the silence behind her. ¡°You¡¯ve been following me for a while, you know.¡±

    Haku spun, her senbon flashing in her hand for the second it took to return to its pouch. Her pulse hammered in her ears. Naruto stood barely a few steps away, his sharp blue eyes watching her closely.

    ¡°How¡ª?¡± The word slipped out before she could stop it.

    He shrugged. ¡°You should¡¯ve seen me coming, but you didn¡¯t. I don¡¯t know why.¡±

    She took a step back. ¡°I wasn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°Planning to attack me?¡± Naruto finished. ¡°Because if you were, now¡¯s your chance.¡± He spread his arms slightly, leaving his torso open. His gaze didn¡¯t waver, though there was no malice in it. ¡°Go ahead since I¡¯m all warmed up. Let¡¯s have at it; you were holding back when we fought in Tenka Village, so we might as well set things straight.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t holding back,¡± she said evenly, though the lie sounded thin even to her ears. He frowned and she resented the desire to justify herself. ¡°...And I don¡¯t owe you an explanation.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Naruto said, raising an eyebrow, ¡°you don¡¯t.¡±

    She tightened her jaw, pushing down the confusion and doubt fighting for dominance over her. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± she demanded, the senbon sliding back into her hand.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who followed me,¡± he pointed out with dry amusement. ¡°And based on the hand at your back, you can¡¯t be for anything good.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± The words hovered on her tongue. Then she stiffened, her mask slipping back into place. The senbon pressed against her palm, but her fingers loosened around it. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°It wasn¡¯t for anything good.¡±

    Naruto¡¯s expression didn¡¯t shift, but his eyes searched hers, probing deeper than she was comfortable with. ¡°So, what now?¡± he asked, his tone light as if he wasn¡¯t speaking to someone who might have killed him moments ago.

    The question echoed in her mind, mocking. Her purpose had been clear¡ªto end his life and erase the loose end that tied her to the Leaf by taking the eyes off her. Yet, standing here, that clarity slipped between her fingers like grains of sand.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Her voice wavered, so she bit her lips into silence rather than floundering towards a declaration she couldn¡¯t make.

    She couldn¡¯t kill him. She couldn¡¯t even bring herself to harm him when he was looking at her like that; not when his presence seemed so¡­ unthreatening. The senbon dropped from her hand into its pouch.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she murmured, hands clasped in front as she bowed. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have disturbed your morning.¡±

    Naruto blinked, clearly caught off guard by the apology. ¡°That¡¯s not what I expected,¡± he said with a sheepish scratch of his head. ¡°But¡­ apology accepted? Even though I still don¡¯t get why you were¡ª¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Haku cut him off, her voice gaining a hint of its usual steel. She couldn¡¯t let him dig further, otherwise she¡¯d lose the little bit of resolve she had left. ¡°I¡¯ll be going now.¡±

    Haku turned to avoid his eyes. The momentary stillness during the exchange unravelled away from his presence. Her mind once again roiled with frustration and shame. She¡¯d been handed a perfect opportunity but fell short¡ªagain.

    Her steps carried her deeper into the quieter corners of the Leaf. When she finally stopped, the sun hung higher, its warmth failing to reach the cool shadows of her chosen refuge¡ªa narrow, abandoned alley tucked between the outer walls and a crumbling warehouse.

    Haku leaned back against the rough stone and tried to make sense of things. She closed her eyes, the faint echo of his words still in her mind. So, what now?

    She didn¡¯t have an answer.

 Chapter 48

    She couldn¡¯t hear her thoughts, let alone whatever Kiba was telling her. Suffocating levels of noise came from above and below; it encircled her, yet somehow, Shikamaru had managed to doze off. Ino envied his ability to tune out the world when he wanted to, though the same couldn¡¯t be said about other parts of his personality. Though she had to admit he made efforts to do more than just the bare minimum these days¡ªand clued them in on all the aspects of his plans, too.

    It was, doubtlessly, a result of the disastrous training that Ino tried her hardest not to think about.

    ¡°...right?¡± Kiba huffed, arms crossed tight against his chest, and Akamaru balanced perfectly atop his head.

    Ino blinked, the chanting from the other side of the stadium having calmed down at last. ¡°Say that again, please? I couldn¡¯t hear you over¡­ everything.¡±

    ¡°This place is starting to irritate me.¡± He reached for Akamaru, idly stroking the puppy¡¯s head. ¡°Akamaru¡¯s not having much fun here either.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± She¡¯d forgotten Kiba had a heightened sense of smell. Her eyes fell on the morose animal¡¯s face. ¡°Come here, you.¡± As she comforted Akamaru, Kiba snorted, looking down at the empty arena, only to frown once more. ¡°It¡¯s a little too late to enter the tournament.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± he replied. ¡°Still pissed that we didn¡¯t enter, though.¡± Shikamaru didn¡¯t do so much as twitch between them. ¡°But I can¡¯t say that Kurenai-sensei made the wrong choice. I couldn¡¯t stand this guy until recently. I don¡¯t think we would¡¯ve made it to the tournament anyway.¡±

    Ino smiled. ¡°Oh my god¡­ you¡¯re growing up!¡±

    ¡°Shut it!¡± He clicked his tongue. ¡°Point is, I understand why we were kept out of the exam, but I¡¯d rather be fighting than wasting away up here.¡± When he turned to her, Ino couldn¡¯t help but feel a sympathetic pang at the discomfort on his face. ¡°Ino¡­ I¡¯ve never smelled so much body odour in my life. Do people not know what a bath is?¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡± she trailed off to smother the rising laughter, but it whimpered out of her. Kiba¡¯s hearing was too sharp to miss it. He turned to her, affronted, and it doubled out of her.

    He huffed against the backdrop of her giggles. ¡°Forget it. What¡¯s taking this tournament so long to start, anyway? We¡¯ve been waiting for ages.¡±

    Shikamaru arose with a yawn. ¡°It hasn¡¯t started yet?¡± He sat back. ¡°Okay, who do you guys think¡¯ll win?¡±

    Kiba scratched his head. ¡°If I had to go with someone, it¡¯d probably be Neji Hyuuga.¡±

    ¡°The guy who was in the year above ours?¡± Ino asked. ¡°Hinata¡¯s¡­ cousin, I think.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Apparently, he was Rookie of the Year for his batch. He¡¯s been a genin a year longer than Team 10 and Team 7, so I reckon he might win it all.¡± He looked at Shikamaru. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re going with Naruto.¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Shikamaru shrugged. ¡°He never stops training. Knowing him, he¡¯s probably been training for this tournament his entire life.¡±

    They looked at her, and all of a sudden, Ino realised it was her turn to answer. She opened her mouth, but the words weren¡¯t coming. The answer she wanted to give wasn¡¯t difficult, but it was laden with what she wasn¡¯t afraid to call the worst memory of her life. The vast majority of her knew that it wasn¡¯t Naruto¡¯s fault¡ªbut the smaller, louder minority writhed with fear and doubt.

    Less so these days, but Ino had been thinking of talking to Naruto about everything recently. She didn¡¯t like how things concluded between them, but at the same time, her feelings about him and his situation were hazy¡ªundefined at best and coloured by a fading, overwhelming fear.

    ¡°I still say we should¡¯ve entered,¡± Kiba muttered, his voice low but grumbling.

    Ino rolled her eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve said that a hundred times already, Kiba. Let it go.¡±

    ¡°I have let it go! I¡¯m just saying¡ª¡±

    ¡°That you¡¯re still annoyed,¡± Shikamaru interjected without opening his eyes, his tone as flat as ever. ¡°We get it.¡±

    Kiba made a strangled noise of frustration but bit his tongue, clearly working harder than usual to stay civil. Ino stifled a laugh. This was about as harmonious as their team had ever been. Their seats were decent¡ªhigh enough to give them a good view of the arena but close enough to hear the contestants when things got heated as they waited for a tournament that seemed like it would never arrive.

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying,¡± Kiba pressed, ¡°you¡¯re lucky we weren¡¯t in. I¡¯d have wiped the floor with either of you.¡±

    ¡°Sure you would¡¯ve,¡± Shikamaru drawled. ¡°And then I¡¯d be happy to sit out.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t start,¡± Ino warned, shaking her head despite her smile.

    She was about to nudge Kiba with another teasing remark when someone approached their row. The girl was slight and pale, her brow furrowed in hesitation. She adjusted her red-rimmed glasses nervously before speaking.

    ¡°E-Excuse me¡­ am I in the right place?¡±

    Kiba blinked at her, caught off guard. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Let me see your ticket,¡± Ino said, smiling to ease the girl¡¯s obvious nerves. The girl fumbled with a crumpled slip of paper, holding it out with trembling hands.

    Ino examined it and nodded. ¡°Yep, right next to mine.¡± She stepped aside to let the girl pass.

    ¡°Th-Thank you. I¡¯m Suzumi,¡± the girl said, bowing awkwardly as she squeezed past.

    ¡°Ino,¡± she replied with a grin, gesturing to her teammates. ¡°That¡¯s Kiba and Akamaru and the one pretending to sleep, Shikamaru.¡±

    ¡°I am asleep,¡± Shikamaru murmured without opening his eyes, making Kiba snort. ¡°Now shut it.¡±

    Suzumi giggled nervously and sat down. She seemed ready to curl into herself until her eyes flicked toward Ino. ¡°Um¡­ I overheard you talking about Naruto earlier. Do you¡­ know him?¡±

    Kiba perked up at that, his curiosity overriding the irritation at the noises and smells. ¡°You know Naruto?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªuh¡ªwell¡­¡± Suzumi stammered, visibly flustered. She tugged at the ends of her sleeves, glancing between them like a cornered animal. ¡°We¡¯re¡­ friends.¡±

    ¡°Friends?¡± Kiba repeated, narrowing his eyes slightly.

    Shikamaru cracked one eye open, studying Suzumi with faint suspicion. Ino leaned forward, her smile softening to make up for her teammates¡¯ scrutiny.

    ¡°That¡¯s cool,¡± Ino said. ¡°How do you know him?¡±

    Suzumi hesitated, her gaze darting to her lap. ¡°I¡ªI met him a while ago. He¡­ helped me out. It¡¯s, um, a long story.¡± She looked up, the smallest of smiles breaking past her nerves. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ really kind, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    Ino blinked at the warmth in Suzumi¡¯s tone. A knot tightened in her chest. Kind wasn¡¯t an unusual way to describe Naruto, but hearing it from someone else irked her somehow. She hadn¡¯t spoken to him much lately¡ªnot since¡­ the training incident.

    Her self-imposed distance felt necessary at the time, even if she wasn¡¯t the one to establish it. But seeing Suzumi light up at the thought of him, her words tumbling over each other in her eagerness, left Ino prickled with just enough envy to be conscious of.

    It wasn¡¯t just Naruto¡¯s attention she missed. It was the easy way he made everyone feel welcome and the warmth he brought into a room. And here she was, keeping herself away from it because she couldn¡¯t parse her feelings as a shinobi should.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she finally agreed, forcing her voice into a lighter tone. ¡°He is.¡±

    Before the conversation could continue, the announcer¡¯s voice boomed over the stadium again, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Attention, everyone. Due to unforeseen circumstances, a few participants will not be able to compete today. As a result, there will be minor adjustments to the tournament brackets.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Kiba muttered, his irritation returning.

    Shikamaru shrugged. ¡°No-shows, probably. It happens.¡±

    ¡°Why even bother signing up if you¡¯re gonna flake?¡± Kiba grumbled.

    ¡°Because it¡¯s bothersome?¡±

    Ino shushed them as the announcer continued, ¡°The tournament will proceed as planned with revised matchups. Now, let¡¯s kick things off! The first match of the day: Hinata Hyuuga versus Neji Hyuuga!¡±

    Kiba whistled low, leaning forward in his seat. ¡°Family drama right out of the gate, huh? This should be good. Hinata was always the go-getter kind of fighter.¡±

    Ino frowned, glancing at Suzumi, who seemed distant now. Down in the arena, Hinata stepped into the ring, her posture uncertain but her face determined. Across from her, Neji exuded an air of confidence, his gaze fixed and hard.

    ¡°Poor Hinata,¡± Ino murmured under her breath. ¡°I¡¯d cave if I had to fight someone like him. He seems¡­ awfully intense.¡±

    Kiba scoffed.

    Ino didn¡¯t respond. Her attention was on the tension radiating between the two Hyuuga, but a small part of her still lingered on Suzumi¡¯s words about Naruto until she returned to the match at hand.

    If nothing else, it would show her how far they¡¯d have to go to catch up with their peers.

    <hr>

    The arena was smaller than it looked from the stands. Neji breathed steadily as he faced Hinata, the faint murmur of the crowd settling into white noise. She stood a little straighter than he¡¯d expected, hands poised in the ready stance of the Gentle Fist.

    He almost scoffed at the sight.

    Hinata Hyuuga, heiress to the Main Branch, stood across from him as though this fight would prove anything. To her, perhaps, it might. To him, it was nothing but a reminder of what he already knew: of everything she was destined for.

    Born into privilege, she was offered the techniques he¡¯d had to steal glimpses of through the compound walls. Hiashi Hyuuga had guided her hands, corrected her form, and nurtured her growth. Neji learned the Eight Trigrams and Revolving by spying through the compound¡¯s walls, spitting on rules only the Branch House had to follow.

    For the things she gained, he¡¯d needed to put in twice the effort only to gain half the reward.

    The proctor raised his hand, and the air grew taut. ¡°Begin!¡±

    Neji moved first, closing the distance with a burst of speed. She didn¡¯t see it coming¡ªtoo wrapped up in devising his chakra flow to expect his natural speed. His palm lashed out, chakra rippling toward her left shoulder.

    She deflected with a smooth rotation of her forearm, countering with a strike aimed at his ribcage. He twisted away and retaliated with a calculated series of jabs, each designed to close her tenketsu and limit her chakra flow. She weaved between them, and her stance shifted as she advanced.

    They exchanged blows in a blur, the clash of chakra resonating with every deflection and counter. Neji forced her back with the Gentle Fist. Her breathing quickened, and she darted in low, aiming for his abdomen. Neji spun sharply, his counterattack grazing her shoulder.

    He saw her chakra falter as he struck, a telltale sign that one of her tenketsu had been closed.

    ¡°You¡¯re wasting your time,¡± he said. His palm struck her chest, but this time, she caught his wrist in an iron grip.

    Her chakra surged as she twisted his arm, and Neji had to wrench himself free before she could take advantage of the opening. The movement took effort; he saw the chakra attaching his arm to hers.

    A flicker of irritation broke through his composure, and his next attack came faster. Hinata deflected, and what she couldn¡¯t, she absorbed, retreating only to re-centre. Neji felt the difference in their proficiency with every exchange¡ªhis control was tighter, and his strikes were sharper.

    By every metric, he was better, but she was frustratingly relentless. She switched to her left when he closed her chakra points along her right arm. When he forced her back with a flurry of precise strikes, she surged forward again, ignoring the bruises forming beneath her skin.

    She wasn¡¯t supposed to be this stubborn.

    Hinata¡¯s movements shifted again, blending the Gentle Fist with chakra adhesion. She lunged toward him, her palm glowing visibly, and Neji dodged, narrowly avoiding the strike. He shifted his stance, grudgingly clenching open palms into fists that the Main House would disdain.

    He was reluctant to use the Strong Fist against her, but the combination of Gentle Fist and chakra adhesion proved too cumbersome to overcome swiftly. If she thought she was the only one proficient in a style besides the Gentle Fist, he¡¯d prove her wrong.

    And yet, before he committed to it, Neji¡¯s world took a violent lurch. A surge of nausea nearly doubled him over. The world was a slurry of colours and smudges. He could see the foreign chakra asserting dominance over his senses and crushed it, only to see Hinata¡¯s fist in his face.

    It crashed into his nose, raw and hot, sending him to the ground. Hinata stood over him, her lips curving upwards. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to do that since we were kids,¡± she said, stepping back. ¡°It¡¯s a touch-based genjutsu called Wavering Palm. I needed six touches to set it up and a seventh to activate it.¡±

    Neji stood up and brushed his clothes off. Something wet and warm touched his upper lip, and when he wiped it, his fingertips were stained red. ¡°...Savour it, Lady Hinata, because that¡¯s the last attack you¡¯ll land.¡±

    When he charged, there was no warning¡ªonly the rush of wind as his calloused knuckles drove into Hinata¡¯s forearm, raised just in time to block. He felt the impact reverberate through her body, forcing her back a step.

    Another blow came, this time to her shoulder. Her foot dragged through the dirt to regain her balance.

    ¡°Stay down,¡± Neji said.

    Her jaw clenched, and she met his charge again. This time, his fist drove into her side. The force of the strike twisted her torso. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed to the ground with a gasp.

    The crowd¡¯s murmurs grew louder, but Neji didn¡¯t look up. He loomed over her, waiting for the match to end.

    But it didn¡¯t.

    Hinata¡¯s hands pressed against the dirt as she pushed herself upright, trembling with the effort. Her lip was split, a trickle of blood racing to her chin. Neji lunged again, his punches landing harder. One against her shoulder, another sank into her abdomen. The next clipped her cheek. Her head snapped to the side, but she stayed standing, swaying under the weight of her bruises.

    Her hands rose, steady enough to form the Gentle Fist¡¯s ready stance. He growled, stepping in close and driving his knee. She crumpled around the impact and erupted into a coughing fit as she hit the ground again.

    She rose. He knocked her down.

    Again.

    And again.

    His fist crashed into her ribs, no longer precise but overwhelming in its brute force. Each blow left its mark¡ªpurple bruises blooming on her arms, her hands, her face.

    ¡°Why won¡¯t you stop?¡± he demanded, his composure unravelling with each unanswered question. His leg whipped around her thigh, forcing her to the ground.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°¡­For all your talk of fate, aren¡¯t you¡­ fighting it so desperately even now? Besides, w-what can I say? You made it clear in the forest that you don''t¡­ care for empty words?¡± came the pained murmur from below before her mouth clamped shut.

    Her body shuddered as she tried to rise. Her hands slipped against the dirt, breath hitching as her battered muscles protested. He lashed out before he could think, a hook catching her temple. She sprawled to the ground. Her fingers twitched against the dirt, scraping together what little strength she had left.

    Halfway up, her arms trembled like leaves in a storm. And still, she looked up at him, determined. Neji¡¯s knuckles cracked against her jaw. The sound of the impact echoed through the arena as her body hit the ground.

    She didn¡¯t rise.

    The proctor stepped forward, announcing the match¡¯s end, but Neji barely heard him. His chest heaved as he stared at her crumpled form.

    ¡°Winner: Neji Hyuuga!¡±

    It was a victory¡ªbut not one he could savour. The feeling of triumph he had expected, longed for even, wasn¡¯t there. He was surprisingly¡­ empty. If Hinata had had another year of training and experience during missions to grow as he did, Neji wasn¡¯t sure he would have won.

    He couldn¡¯t deny that she forced him into using the Strong Fist. His bloody nose was enough evidence of that. The audience saw it, his team saw it, and as he looked at the VIP box, his vision enhanced through his cursed birthright, he knew that Hiashi Hyuuga saw it, too.

    Because, for all your talk of fate, aren¡¯t you fighting it so desperately even now?

    He couldn¡¯t even bring himself to dismiss those words anymore. Wearing a hoodie stained with her blood and his knuckles hardened by training that she lacked access to, Neji watched his cousin leave the arena on a stretcher, numb from head to toe.

    <hr>

    Choji¡¯s stomach turned when the fight stopped being competitive. He couldn¡¯t tear his eyes away, even though he wanted to. It felt wrong to watch but worse to look away. He knew Neji Hyuuga¡¯s attacks were calculated to cause as much damage as possible without outright killing.

    At least, not yet.

    They¡¯d all been informed beforehand that while senseless killing was forbidden, the permission to take life granted in the second round wasn''t revoked.  Choji''s fists tightened in his lap. The edges of his nails bit into his palms. So long as Hinata kept getting up, the match wouldn¡¯t be called senseless.

    He hated the cold detachment in Neji¡¯s face, the way he acted as if this wasn¡¯t personal. No one hit like that unless they were trying to make a point.

    Hinata staggered to her feet again, her breath coming in shuddering gasps. Her hand hovered over her ribs as if touching them might give her the strength to keep going. She wasn¡¯t going to win; anyone could see that. But planted her feet firmly on the ground like she¡¯d rather collapse than step back.

    Why didn¡¯t she stay down?

    ¡°She¡¯s tough,¡± Asuma muttered from beside him, his voice low and reflective. Choji glanced at his teacher.

    ¡°She¡¯s going to get herself killed,¡± Choji whispered, his voice bitter. It was quieter than he¡¯d intended, but Asuma caught it.

    ¡°She¡¯s standing up for something she believes in.¡± Asuma leaned back in his chair, arms crossed.

    Naruto frowned. ¡°We both know Hinata doesn¡¯t want to die.¡±

    ¡°Then why keep going?¡± Choji asked.

    ¡°For things worth risking your life for. We might not know why Hinata feels the need to go this far, but that much is obvious,¡± Asuma said, leaving it at that.

    By the time the fight was over, Hinata¡¯s blood dotted the ground in uneven splatters, and the medical team carried her away. Choji stared at the empty ring, unease still roiling in his gut. Moments like this and countless others hammered home the difference between himself and everyone else.

    The lack of that¡­ something that drove Naruto to train to the point of injury, or pushed Hinata to take a beating¡­ and the willingness to kill at the drop of a hat. He knew he didn¡¯t have it¡ªand he hated that too.

    When Choji¡¯s match came up, he still hadn¡¯t shaken the feeling.

    ¡°The next match of the first round: Choji Akimichi vs. Kankuro of the Sand!¡±

    The match started, and Kankuro¡¯s puppet launched under the retreating proctor, claws gleaming. Choji didn¡¯t give it the chance to close in, flying through hand seals. He exhaled sharply, releasing a stream of fire that forced Kankuro to retreat. It wasn¡¯t his most powerful Fireball¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t supposed to be.

    The puppet pierced through the smoke. Choji dropped low, using his palms to propel himself sideways. The claws raked past him, just missing his shoulder. Kankuro¡¯s laughter rang out from the other side of the arena.

    Kankuro¡¯s fingers twitched to command the puppet. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Can¡¯t keep up?¡±

    Choji didn¡¯t answer. His hands flew into a series of seals, and he exhaled sharply, releasing another Fireball. This one wasn¡¯t as large as the first, but like the previous one, its purpose wasn¡¯t destruction. The puppet jerked back, avoiding the searing heat, giving Choji the opening he needed.

    He charged, chakra flowing to his fists as he formed another few seals mid-stride. Visibly glowing chakra outlined his arms before chunks of solid earth solidified. The weight grounded him as he closed the gap. He would¡¯ve liked to use the earth around them to conserve chakra, but giving Kankuro the momentary option of range was a bad idea.

    The puppet surged, but Choji didn¡¯t dodge. He met the attack head-on, his stone-guarded fist smashing into the claws with a resounding crack. Shards of broken metal scattered across the arena floor. Kankuro¡¯s smirk faltered. Choji pressed the advantage. A second strike, heavier than the first, sent the puppet reeling.

    He followed with a sweeping kick, shattering one of its legs.

    ¡°You think breaking my puppet will stop me?¡± Kankuro¡¯s fingers danced at his sides.

    The puppet twisted unnaturally. Choji caught the blue glow of chakra strings and watched its remaining limbs scuttling like an insect¡¯s. He turned with it, keeping his stance low and ready to spring at a moment¡¯s notice.

    His hands flashed through another set of seals, and a burst of fire erupted from his mouth. It wasn¡¯t powerful enough to incinerate, but the heat forced Kankuro to redirect the puppet to avoid further damage.

    ¡°Smart,¡± Kankuro muttered, his tone colder now. The puppet¡¯s claws retracted, revealing a hidden compartment from which needles shot out in a spray. ¡°But not smart enough.¡±

    Choji¡¯s eyes widened, and he abandoned the jutsu to throw himself to safety. He rolled hard across the dirt, but it meant that a few needles nicked his sleeve without finding flesh. The puppet was already closing in to pin him down. Chakra flooded his arm, enlarging it and the stone gauntlet alike.

    He slammed it into the ground, sending a tremor rippling through the earth. The puppet stumbled, its movements faltering just enough¡ªand that was all he needed. Choji closed the gap while his elbow arced in a punch strong enough that it crushed the puppet completely.

    Kankuro growled and armed himself with senbon in one hand and a kunai in the other. Choji charged directly at him, his stone gauntlets crumbling as he leapt. His other fist expanded in mid-air, and he slammed both down in a crushing blow just short of Kankuro¡¯s position.

    The ground cracked beneath him, and Kankuro stumbled. His footing was thrown off for a brief enough moment to give Choji the advantage. Another punch aimed squarely at Kankuro¡¯s chest stopped inches short as he raised his hands in surrender.

    ¡°I-I forfeit!¡± His knees buckled. ¡°...Fucking hell.¡±

    The proctor¡¯s voice cut through the tense silence. ¡°Winner: Choji Akimichi!¡±

    The crowd erupted in cheers, but Choji didn¡¯t bask in it. He turned, chest heaving. His gaze scanned the ruined arena and stopped at the patch of Hinata¡¯s darkening blood. His fist ached, his chakra reserves were lower than he wanted to admit, and sweat dripped from his brow.

    And for once, it felt like enough, even if he wasn¡¯t sure why he was here.

    <hr>

    The proctor¡¯s voice cut through the hum of the crowd, crisp and commanding. ¡°Third match: Tenten versus Sasuke Uchiha. Begin!¡±

    Sasuke eased into his stance, his Sharingan spinning to life as Tenten moved. Her hand went to the enormous scroll strapped across her back, and in one practised motion, she slid it free.

    The unfurling scroll rolled open with a rippling sound, sprawling across the arena floor like a declaration of battle. Its intricate seals pulsed faintly, alive with her chakra. Shuriken, kunai, bladed chains¡ªthey erupted from the scroll in a storm of steel, only for Tenten to meet them in midair. Despite not being aimed at him specifically, there was precision in every launch, an uncanny rhythm designed to box him in.

    He didn¡¯t notice it at first, but by the time he did, it was already too late. Tenten¡¯s hands blurred as she pulled a smaller scroll from her hip. With a flick of her fingers, the scroll snapped open, its seals flaring briefly before ejecting more weapons with brutal speed.

    Blades cut through the air, each one tethered by nearly invisible threads of ninja wire that made them dance unpredictably. It was calculated chaos that she commanded with ease. Sasuke tensed, eyes darting as his Sharingan mapped the incoming barrage.

    The sheer variety of her weapons was astounding, even with the Sharingan tracking every movement. Shuriken, kunai, even a set of chain-linked blades whirling toward him from angles he hadn¡¯t anticipated, though his Sharingan caught the trajectories and remedied that.

    Sasuke ducked low, pivoting on his heel to avoid a spear that hissed past his ear. A kunai aimed at his blind spot clattered against the hilt of his blade as he twisted his wrist in time. His Sharingan traced Tenten¡¯s movements as she landed, another weapon already forming in her hands. She wasn¡¯t just throwing these with reckless abandon¡ªevery attack, along with the weapons caging them together, was placed to limit his options.

    Were he to exit the circle, she¡¯d be able to use her weapons without worry. The only option he had was to blast them away, but he was only halfway through the seals for the Great Fireball Jutsu when she charged without an ounce of hesitation.

    A pair of curved swords flashed toward him, and Sasuke almost admired the efficiency for a moment. He parried the first blade cleanly, sidestepped the second, and retaliated with a sharp kick aimed at her midsection. She twisted away, using the momentum to disengage, and before he could press the advantage, she was already pulling a weighted staff free.

    The Sharingan tracked everything, but it wasn¡¯t helping the way it should. She wasn¡¯t relying on simple, predictable attacks. Her style was a chaotic blend of weapon mastery, forcing him to shift from dodging to deflecting to evading again in seconds. All while he spent precious time figuring her out. Each weapon demanded a different rhythm, a new approach, and the effort to keep up was irritating.

    More irritating was how deliberate it all felt. She wasn¡¯t aiming to outsmart but to overwhelm. The staff came sweeping low. Sasuke leapt over it, hands already forming seals in mid-air. The fire came in a broad wave, forcing Tenten back with a burst of heat.

    He landed lightly, one hand brushing the ground for balance. She skidded to a stop, planting the staff to steady herself. A singed scroll corner fluttered beside her as she pulled it closer. Her eyes narrowed before another flurry of weapons erupted from the scroll.

    Sasuke was prepared this time. He dashed forward, weaving through the projectiles without so much as grazing his shirt. Two steps and he was inside her guard, his fist driving toward her jaw. She blocked with the staff, but the force sent her stumbling back.

    He pressed the advantage, though her defence held, the staff moving in fluid arcs to deflect his blows, but cracks were starting to show. For all her precision, she couldn¡¯t match his speed for long. The staff dropped low, sweeping at his legs again, but Sasuke anticipated it before the weapon reached his knees.

    He threw himself into a flip, twisting mid-air to avoid the follow-up thrust aimed at his back. When he landed, his hands were already forming seals. The fire rushed forward in a focused stream, and this time, she couldn¡¯t evade it completely. The blast caught her shoulder, sending her sprawling across the arena floor.

    Tenten rolled to her feet, breathing hard. Her scroll trailed behind her like a wounded limb, but her grip on the staff was steady, and her stance hadn¡¯t faltered. She¡¯d lost ground, but she wasn¡¯t giving up. He could see it in her eyes¡ªshe was still thinking three steps ahead, even now.

    Sasuke frowned. Her staff came up to intercept him, but he feinted left, drawing her guard just wide enough so that his elbow slammed into her ribs.

    The staff clattered to the ground as she staggered, and in the same motion, Sasuke swept her legs out from under her. Tenten hit the ground hard but rolled instinctively, her hand lashing out to grab a discarded weapon¡ªa straight-edged sword that gleamed as she spun it in a defensive arc.

    Sasuke was on her again before she could regain her footing, the blade catching his kunai in a sharp clang. She forced him back with a series of slashes, her movements fierce but less precise than before.  When she lunged, sword aimed at his midsection, he sidestepped enough that he was clear.

    In the same motion, he wrenched the sword out of her grasp and shoved her away. Tenten¡¯s eyes widened as Sasuke swept her legs out from under her a second time. She hit the ground hard, the impact leaving her stunned.

    Before she could rise again, the cold edge of her blade was at her throat. He didn¡¯t press it down¡ªjust enough for the message to be clear.

    The proctor¡¯s voice echoed across the arena. ¡°Winner: Uchiha Sasuke.¡±

    Sasuke straightened, stepping back as she pushed herself upright. Her expression was unreadable, but she didn¡¯t seem angry. If anything, she looked¡­ thoughtful. Calculating. As if she were already dissecting the fight in her head, figuring out where it had gone wrong.

    She¡¯d been strong. Smarter than he¡¯d expected. And for a brief moment, Sasuke wondered what the fight would¡¯ve looked like if she¡¯d been just a little faster. Or if he hadn¡¯t trained as hard as he had in the last month. Her skills were enough to force him to take the fight more seriously than he expected.

    He pushed the thought aside as he turned, walking back toward the stands. There were only two more matches left in the second round and, beyond that, much tougher fights ahead.

    <hr>

    Her fan cut through the air, sending a sharp wave of wind straight at me. I crouched low, my feet digging into the cracked earth, and thrust both hands forward. A powerful gust of wind rushed out to meet her attack. The collision tore through the arena, sending a cloud of dust and debris into the stands.

    She smirked. ¡°Think you can beat me at my own game?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± I shot back, standing tall.

    Temari¡¯s smile wavered for a second, but she quickly recovered, sweeping her fan wide. A second, more intense gust of wind rushed toward me, the air howling like a storm.

    This time, I didn¡¯t block.

    I darted to the side, letting her attack tear past me. My feet carried me in a wide arc, closing the distance. I formed a single seal, and chakra surged into my lungs. I spit it out just as her gust reached me. The compressed wave of air ripped through hers like paper.

    Temari¡¯s eyes narrowed as she jumped back, already swinging her fan again. I followed her retreat, a swirling wind forming in my palm. It grew stronger as I let it loose, sending ripples through the ground. She swung her fan upward to block, hiding behind it. The polished metal caught the blast head-on, and she slid back a full meter before she stopped.

    ¡°You¡¯re still not getting through this fan,¡± she said, her voice tight with strain.

    The confidence only made me grin. ¡°Who said I need to go through it?¡±

    I closed the gap before she could react. My fist lashed out, not at her fan, but at the ground in front of her. The earth cracked under the force of my punch, sending a cloud of debris into the air that swallowed us both.

    I heard her cough, a telltale sign of her position. I moved fast, darting through the dust and delivering a sharp kick to her side. She staggered, her fan swinging wildly in an attempt to counter, but I was already behind her, Gale Palm ready.

    The burst of wind hit her square in the back, sending her sprawling forward. She hit the ground hard, rolling to a stop near the edge of the arena. Temari groaned, pushing herself up onto her elbows. Dirt streaked her face, and her fan hung limply in her hand.

    She still had fight in her, but it was clear I¡¯d worn her down.

    ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± I asked, not fully to taunt her but to see if she¡¯d push on.

    She glanced up at me, her eyes blazing with frustration. I thought she might try again, but instead, she slumped back, letting her fan fall to the ground.

    The proctor stepped forward, raising his hand. He caught my eye, rolling the senbon in his mouth to the side. ¡°Winner: Naruto Uzumaki!¡±

    The crowd¡¯s roar hit me like a wall of sound¡ªmore muted compared to the last match¡ªbut it barely registered. My eyes stayed on Temari as she glanced back at me, her expression unreadable, then turned and let herself be led away.

    Victory felt good, but it wasn¡¯t enough. Not with so many questions still hanging over the tournament. I¡¯d barely broken a sweat, and that bothered me. This should have been fun, but the looming worries wouldn¡¯t leave me alone.

    There was only one person who might have answers, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to face him, not yet. The guilt gnawed at me. Guilt for being too weak to stop Orochimaru from killing him. I¡¯d always thought I wouldn¡¯t care if he died, and that had been true... until I came back from my C-rank mission. Then, the idea of him dying weighed on me. Now, with him as my teacher? The guilt was crushing.

    I barely made it halfway to the waiting area before a voice stopped me.

    ¡°You made that look easy.¡± Sasuke stood off to the side, arms crossed, leaning against the wall.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said flatly, not breaking my stride. ¡°Your match with Tenten was a good one, too. Though Shino¡¯s fighting Gaara to end the second round soon, I think.¡±

    ¡°Who do you think will win?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be tough for Shino to win. Both ranged types and Gaara outclasses him there too.¡± I noted his slight frown with a smile. ¡°Does that bother you?¡±

    Sasuke pushed off the wall, matching my pace. ¡°It doesn¡¯t bother me. Just thinking ahead.¡±

    ¡°You mean how you¡¯ll deal with Gaara if you¡¯re up against him?¡±

    His silence was answer enough, and I could see the gears turning in his head.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a plan already, don¡¯t you?¡± I pressed, curious. ¡°Is it a new jutsu?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business, is what it is,¡± he said, his tone clipped. ¡°My Sharingan will be enough.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°That¡¯s no plan¡ªyour eyes weren¡¯t enough to give you an edge over Tenten right away.¡±

    Sasuke shot me a sidelong glance, but I caught the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth. ¡°She was stronger than I thought, but I still won.¡±

    ¡°Confidence is good. Gaara¡¯s not going to be so easy to figure out, you know. Good luck,¡± I said finally, stopping at the edge of the waiting area. He glanced at me, surprised by the sincerity in my tone. ¡°If it¡¯s Gaara, you¡¯ll need it.¡±

    Sasuke shook his head with a low scoff. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in the finals, then. Don¡¯t screw this up. I want to face you at your best and win the tournament. I won¡¯t accept anything less.¡±

    I stopped and turned, meeting his gaze. He looked calm, almost smug, but I knew better. Sasuke didn¡¯t do calm¡ªnot without a reason.

    ¡°You¡¯re fighting Choji next round,¡± I said. ¡°Don¡¯t be so quick to overlook him, or you¡¯ll regret it.¡±

    His smirk twitched for a second, but that was enough for me. Not that I was here to bat for Choji, but I knew Sasuke wouldn¡¯t take him lightly.

    I kept moving, my thoughts already racing ahead. It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t believe in Choji¡ªI did. But knowing Sasuke, he¡¯d throw everything he had into that fight.

    And then there was everything else bugging me. My footsteps quickened as I moved toward the VIP area, turning over the idea of talking to Lord Third. But before I could settle on anything, he met me halfway.

    ¡°I was just coming to look for you, Naruto,¡± he said, smiling. He wore his usual red-and-white robes, the Hokage hat perched on his head. His eyes crinkled as he smiled at me.

    I opened my mouth to thank him, but the words stuck. He saw it, too.

    ¡°Something¡¯s bothering you,¡± he said gently.

    ¡°It¡¯s about the two missing participants,¡± I said, the words spilling out before I could stop them. ¡°I ran into Haku two days before the tournament and let her go. I didn¡¯t know at all, and now Zabuza¡¯s got Fuu.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t guilty over that per se; Haku and Zabuza were responsible for all this, not me. But in the short time I¡¯d spent with her, I¡¯d gotten to know Fuu. The idea of her being used as a pawn in Zabuza¡¯s revenge didn¡¯t sit well with me¡ªeven though there wasn¡¯t a thing I could do about it.

    Lord Third sighed. ¡°I promise you this: once the tournament is over, I¡¯ll make sure Zabuza won¡¯t be allowed to continue unchecked.¡±

    His words sat heavy in my chest. He hadn¡¯t even stopped to consider if he¡¯d be alive after these exams. Despite all my efforts to divert his fate, Jiraiya still wasn¡¯t here¡ªmaking Lord Third¡¯s death more likely by the hour.

    ¡°What about Orochimaru?¡± I asked, not even having to fake the worry in my voice. ¡°He¡¯s still out there. He offered to bring my parents back. What kind of jutsu could do that? What if he¡¯s planning something worse than anything we could imagine? What if¡ª¡±

    Hiruzen raised a hand, stopping me mid-thought. ¡°Naruto, I summoned Jiraiya, and he¡¯s undoubtedly on his way. Focus on your next match and allow me to worry about Orochimaru.¡±

    A bitter taste filled my mouth. ¡°That means you¡¯re the only one who can fight him.¡±

    Lord Third didn¡¯t need to reply¡ªI knew what his answer would be. Before he could, the roar of the crowd caught my attention. It was followed by the unmistakable sound of an explosion and the swell of cheers.

    Lord Third smiled, hands clasped behind his back. ¡°Go on now. You won¡¯t want to miss the first match of the second round. And Naruto,¡± his eyes hardened, ¡°fret not and fight to your fullest. There are measures in place for times like this, especially in light of what you¡¯ve revealed about Orochimaru. The Leaf is not nearly as weak as you think.¡±

    I grudgingly turned away. Outside, the crowd was on its feet, roaring as the dust cleared from the centre of the arena. A pair of deep craters nestled two strange objects, each on opposite sides of the arena. Two figures faced off, chakra flaring like fire around one of them.