ã€ŠBlank Slate: Naruto Blank Generationã€‹


 Episode 01: A Shock to the System

    NOTICE: Welcome to Blank Slate: Naruto Blank Generation by @TEZofAllTrades on RoyalRoad.com</a>! If you¡¯re reading this message on another website, my work has been reproduced without permission. Please support the original work on RoyalRoad.

    <hr>

    Sakura Haruno raced across Konoha, taking to the rooftops for a more direct route to the hospital. Emergency medical situations weren¡¯t uncommon in a ninja village, even now, just over two months since the Fourth Great Ninja War came to an end. However, she wasn¡¯t often called in while off duty.

    The Medical Division was more than equipped to deal with the wide range of complex injuries often sustained by ninjas, so the fact that they had specifically requested her support indicated exceptional circumstances. Sakura had an affinity for the precise Chakra control required for Medical Ninjutsu. That and the training she had received under the tutelage of the Hokage, Lady Tsunade, made her a valuable resource.

    During the rebuilding of Konoha after Akatsuki¡¯s attack, the current but outgoing Hokage, widely considered to be the world¡¯s greatest medical ninja, had even more responsibilities than usual to deal with in her role as village leader. Therefore, she had delegated certain areas to Sakura, her most able disciple.

    This included operating the village¡¯s temporary medical facilities while the new hospital was under construction, and then taking on a senior role when it was completed. More recently, Sakura had helped establish an impressive new complex to house and care for the many children left orphaned by the war. Between this, her occasional teaching shifts at the Ninja Academy, and drawing up plans to establish medical clinics in other nations, she was a very busy young woman.

    Finding time for a well-earned break had been difficult, but it had been arranged well in advance. People knew how much she had on her plate, especially the hospital staff, so being woken up in the middle of the night like this spelled trouble.

    Arriving at the hospital, briefly noting her reflection in the glass panes of the entrance doors, she felt mildly embarrassed by her disheveled pink hair and matching pajamas. Now wasn¡¯t the time to be conceded with appearances, though. ¡°What have we got, Naki?¡± Sakura demanded as she burst into the reception area.

    ¡°Oh, Sakura Sensei, thank goodness you¡¯re here!¡± cried the on-call trauma doctor, who was awaiting her arrival. ¡°The border patrol brought the patient in fifteen minutes ago. He¡¯s been taken to Operating Room Five. The wounds appear to be recent, but they¡¯re substantial. I¡¯m not sure there¡¯s anything that can be done.¡±

    ¡°OR Five?¡± Sakura repeated in consternation as the nurse accompanied her to the location. This particular room was specially equipped for treating Chakra burns, which could usually be handled without special assistance. ¡°What¡¯s the patient¡¯s condition?¡±

    ¡°Yes, there wasn¡¯t anything we could do in the ER, so he was taken up right away,¡± said Naki. ¡°The damage is like nothing I¡¯ve ever seen. He¡¯s covered head to foot with significant Chakra burns, but the wounds are irregular.¡±

    ¡°Irregular?¡± Sakura probed.

    ¡°I¡¯m not certain, but I believe they aren¡¯t the result of an external attack.¡±

    Sakura¡¯s eyebrows rose at this surprising assessment. ¡°You think the damage was sustained internally?¡±

    ¡°I believe so, but it doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±

    ¡°Is there a full diagnostic team available?¡±

    ¡°Yes. As per your policy, a team is here and preparing now.¡±

    Sakura ran through the options in her head. First, she needed to determine the extent of the damage, for which she would need help from those she had mandated were on-call in set shift patterns to allow for specialist treatment. But if Naki was correct, this was going to be a difficult surgery.

    Upon reaching the OR, nurses gowned Sakura, and she entered the room with purpose. She didn¡¯t flinch at the sight of the patient, whose skin was cracked and blackened all over. The only undamaged part of him was his hair, which was longer than Neji¡¯s used to be. She was comfortable with seeing wounds by now. The smell, however, was something one never got used to. She couldn¡¯t believe he¡ªa pre-teen boy judging by the size¡ªwas still alive.

    The patient was laid out on the metallic floor, which was inscribed with a large circular seal pattern. He was being attended to by three medical staffers, who were applying the Mystical Palm Jutsu directly to his head, chest, and abdomen. This was keeping him stable but wasn¡¯t having any real effect.

    As others hurriedly prepared strange, wired machinery on one side of the room, Sakura had seen enough to know they had been right to call her. This boy wasn¡¯t going to make it unless she acted quickly.

    ¡°Diagnostic team, ready?¡± Sakura asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± several voices responded, including a blonde-haired woman who was now wearing a mechanical helmet of sorts.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s begin!¡±

    ¡°Right!¡± the voices responded, then a young man with pale eyes and long black bangs over his forehead called out, ¡°Byakugan!¡± His eyes bulged, and the veins around them popped out.

    Next, the woman with the helmet added, ¡°Mind Body Transmission (Shindenshin no) Jutsu!¡±

    A third voice, belonging to a woman with dark glasses, uttered, ¡°Viral Exploration (Kansen Tanken no) Jutsu.¡±

    Thanks to Sakura¡¯s policy of always having medical ninja representatives from three of Konoha¡¯s more specialized ninja clans available, the hospital could gain a new level of insight into the condition of their patients during emergencies.

    First, a member of the Aburame Clan inserted their microscopic insects into a patient. These could monitor the patient¡¯s vitals and functions to an extent. Then, a member of the Hyuga Clan looked inside the patient¡¯s body using their impressive visual Jutsu, observing the Chakra system and the path of the insects as needed. Then, a member of the Yamanaka Clan connected the minds of the people in the room.

    This combination essentially provided Sakura with the power of all three clans, affording her unprecedented insight and the ability to relay information telepathically. In this case, that was going to be very important. Looking through the x-ray eyes of the Byakugan user, she could see that Naki had been right. The damage had originated inside him.

    The patient¡¯s entire Chakra system was in crisis. Somehow, it seemed the boy had generated an incredible amount of Chakra, enough to damage his internal organs and circulation to a ridiculous degree and even burn his skin upon release. How he had done so, Sakura couldn¡¯t say. It reminded her of the time Naruto partially transformed into the Nine-Tails.

    ¡°The internal damage is beyond anything I¡¯ve ever seen,¡± said the Hyuga Clan medic. ¡°Is there anything that can be done?¡±

    Sakura remained silent, observing the flow of the viral insects. Their path around the body, through blood or Chakra, was obstructed in many places. The patient needed healing on the molecular level. ¡°Yes,¡± she finally answered, ¡°but we¡¯re looking at a four-hour surgery here at least. Naki, while we¡¯re working, begin arrangements for a relief team to take over halfway. Call Shizune in to lead it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sakura Sensei,¡± Naki acknowledged before leaving the room.

    ¡°Alright, everyone, this is going to be taxing, but we can save him if we go all out from the start. We¡¯re going to be healing the patient from the inside out.¡±

    ¡°From the inside out?¡± The Yamanaka Clan medic repeated.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s his only chance. For that, we need¡­¡± Sakura paused. She bit down hard on her thumb to draw blood, wiped it on the floor, and then performed the boar, dog, bird, monkey, and ram Hand Seals before slamming her hand down on the floor. ¡°Summoning (Kuchiyose no) Jutsu!¡±

    With a puff of smoke, a large white slug with blue stripes appeared from nowhere, causing the other occupants of the room to flinch with a mixture of alarm and disgust.

    ¡°Good morning, Lady Katsuyu. Apologies for disturbing you at this late hour,¡± said Sakura.

    ¡°Not at all, Lady Sakura,¡± the slug replied just as politely, in a surprisingly sweet voice. ¡°How may I be of assistance?¡±

    ¡°We have a medical emergency that is beyond our standard capabilities. I believe saving the patient is possible, but I¡¯m afraid it will require that Jutsu, and for a prolonged period.¡±

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Oh dear,¡± the slug replied, her antennae drooping. ¡°If it is the only option, then of course I will oblige.¡± Katsuyu then split in two, and the clone then divided itself for each member of the room and climbed up their bodies to perch on their shoulder. The larger remnant then crawled onto the patient¡¯s blackened chest.

    Sakura furrowed her brow in concentration, performed a Hand Seal sequence, and then both she and Katsuyu uttered, ¡°Great Division (Daibunretsu no) Jutsu!¡±

    Immediately, the largest Katsuyu began to crumble. As one of the slugs of Shikkotsu Forest, the summoning creature possessed the ability to divide itself into smaller pieces. However, with the aid of a ninja master¡ªone with expert command of Chakra¡ªshe could continue this process down to the molecular level.

    With each separation, the clones became smaller and smaller until she covered the surface of the patient¡¯s body, resembling a viscous white puddle. Soon, Katsuyu disappeared entirely, absorbed into the patient¡¯s body through their pores. Around a minute later, the clone on Sakura¡¯s shoulder announced, ¡°I¡¯m ready, Lady Sakura. The damage is quite severe, though.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Katsuyu, I know this technique is uncomfortable for you,¡± said Sakura, using the Byakugan to observe the millions of slugs now placed throughout the patient¡¯s body, attached to damaged areas. ¡°We¡¯ll work as fast as we can. Okay, here goes, everyone. Apply Chakra bandages now!¡±

    The cross-legged assistant medics in the room placed scrolls on the floor in front of them and released their seals. Swathes of inscribed cloth shot out from the scrolls and wound their way all around the patient¡¯s body, leaving gaps only for his airway. Another then placed their hand on the bandaged patient, applying an additional seal to insulate the Chakra.

    After providing instructions, Sakura ordered, ¡°Okay, commence operation!¡± The circular floor seal then began to glow green, bathing the room in an eerie light. While the assistant medics focused on healing from the outside, the more experienced doctors and Sakura transmitted their healing Chakra through Katsuyu¡¯s clones and directly into the body via her nano-sized replicants.

    ***

    After Shizune relieved her two hours later, Sakura passed out in an on-call room, happy that she had repaired the majority of the life-threatening damage and confident that her fellow disciple could handle the rest.

    When she awoke later that morning, she found Shizune, a woman with short black hair, standing over her with dark circles under her eyes. ¡°Morning. Katsuyu wanted to pass on her congratulations, but she needed to rest,¡± she said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to thank her later,¡± said Sakura. ¡°The patient?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s been moved to recovery,¡± Shizune assured her, then adjusted her expression to one of concern. ¡°You overdid it, Sakura. You knew I was relieving you, but you still handled the worst of the damage before I arrived. Our team was only in there for another hour.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Sakura responded, smiling sheepishly as she got to her feet with a great effort. ¡°I just wanted to be sure he would pull through. His wounds were strange.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re telling me!¡± Shizune concurred. ¡°That level of internal Chakra damage¡­?¡±

    ¡°Did you report to Lady Tsunade yet?¡±

    ¡°No, I saved that lovely job for you.¡±

    Sakura groaned internally. Her master had been mighty tetchy lately, what with Kakashi Sensei shadowing her everywhere, refusing to take over as Hokage until he felt sufficiently ready for the role, or so he said. Personally, she thought he was just procrastinating. ¡°Great,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯ll report after I check on the patient.¡±

    The two women made their way to the recovery wing, chatting along the way. When they arrived at the right room, Shizune departed, and Sakura picked up a clipboard from the end of her patient¡¯s bed to review the first post-op recovery report. She then moved to the bed and took her first proper look at the dark-haired boy. His skin was red raw, but at least it wasn¡¯t burned black anymore. He looked human now. He looked¡­

    The clipboard in Sakura¡¯s hands fell to the floor, clattering noisily as a fearful expression came over her face. She stumbled backward. Something wasn¡¯t right here. Propelling herself back into the hallway, she screeched, ¡°SHIZUNE! Shizune, come back!¡±

    At the end of the hall, Shizune turned on her feet in alarm and ran back to the patient¡¯s room. ¡°Sakura? What on Earth¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Sakura shook her head, her eyes wide with fear and confusion. ¡°This boy,¡± she started. ¡°I-I know him!¡±

    ¡°You do? How?¡±

    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t make sense!¡± said Sakura, shaking her head again.

    ¡°For goodness¡¯ sake, Sakura, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I know him from the academy!¡±

    Shizune frowned. ¡°Okay,¡± she said, clearly unsure what the issue was and concerned about Sakura¡¯s behavior. Most kids in Konoha attended the Ninja Academy, after all.

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand,¡± Sakura explained frantically. ¡°He was at the academy when I was. He was one of my classmates!¡±

    Shizune looked at the boy lying in the bed, then back to Sakura with distrustful eyebrows. ¡°He¡¯s barely a teenager. Maybe it¡¯s a relative of the boy you¡¯re thinking of? A younger brother, perhaps?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s him. I swear it!¡±

    ¡°Sakura, you¡¯re tired, you probab¡ª¡±

    Sakura took a steadying breath. She needed Shizune to believe her. ¡°His name is Reito. I went to school with him for years,¡± she said more calmly. ¡°After graduation, his team was one of the four that became Genin rookies that year alongside me, Naruto, and Sasuke. When we returned from our first big mission in the Land of Waves, we were told about them.¡±

    ¡°What about them?¡±

    ¡°They were declared missing in action. We never found out what happened to them,¡± Sakura said wistfully. ¡°Shizune, this boy has been missing for almost five years, and he hasn¡¯t aged a day!¡±

    ***

    Over the next two days, the boy, positively identified as Reito Tsu by old records and a select few people who remembered him, was relocated to the Intelligence Division, where he was assigned a guard and kept under heavy sedation. Unfortunately, despite belated orders from the Hokage, word of his existence was already circulating.

    Even among ninjas and those who lived and worked with them, for whom secrets were a part of everyday life, gossip like this spread like wildfire. A Konoha boy had been found covered in wounds on the village border. He had been missing for almost five years, after disappearing under suspicious circumstances, and it was rumored that he hadn¡¯t aged since then.

    The villagers were understandably intrigued. More than that, though, they were concerned. While the official policy for now was one of denial, people were demanding answers, especially those with a vested interest, such as the families of the boy¡¯s missing teammates.

    ¡°Tch!¡± the Hokage expelled with a puff of air as she entered the Intelligence Division, Kakashi and Sakura in tow. ¡°If you would have taken over already, I wouldn¡¯t have this mess to deal with!¡±

    ¡°Apologies, Lady Tsunade,¡± said the silver-haired Kakashi, his voice muffled by the black mask he wore over his mouth and nose, ¡°but seeing how you handle such an unusual situation will surely be educational for me.¡±

    Sakura eyed the man dubiously.

    ¡°Besides, if we¡¯re dealing with a medical condition or a Jutsu that disguises one¡¯s age, you are eminently more qualified than I to handle the matter.¡±

    Tsunade, a beautiful, buxom blonde woman, whose Chakra-induced youthful appearance concealed her true age, scowled darkly at her would-be successor.

    Sakura winced as she noticed the woman absently finger the violet, diamond-shaped marking they both bore on their foreheads. Kakashi Sensei was surely pushing his luck by referencing this. She couldn¡¯t tell if he was flattering the Hokage or insulting her, but either way, she was sure that her master wouldn¡¯t like it, even if he did say it with what she imagined was a smile under his mask.

    She considered what the man had suggested, though. Could Reito be employing a Jutsu of some kind to maintain his youth? Could that be what caused his injuries? But what would be the point of a kid using such a Jutsu? Besides, thinking back to their time at the academy, he wasn¡¯t much of a student. That kind of technique would be well beyond him.

    ¡°Welcome, Lady Hokage, Lord Kakashi, Sakura,¡± said Ibiki Mori, Head of the Torture and Interrogation Team, with a deferent nod. He was an imposing man in a black trench coat. His black headband was the bandana type, which Sakura knew to be concealing heavy scarring on his scalp, evidence of his first-hand experience with his specialty.

    ¡°Ah, please, Ibiki, I¡¯m not Hokage yet,¡± said Kakashi bashfully in response to the formal greeting.

    ¡°Ibiki,¡± the Hokage acknowledged. ¡°Anything?¡±

    The man then led them through the building. ¡°As you know, the Medical Division didn¡¯t find anything unusual. As for us, he¡¯s passed all of our initial screening tests without incident,¡± he explained. ¡°Ino is working on him now. She hasn¡¯t encountered any Genjutsu blocks or mental defenses of any kind. The only thing of consequence is that his memories are¡­fuzzy.¡±

    ¡°Fuzzy?¡± Tsunade questioned.

    ¡°Ino¡¯s word, not mine,¡± said Ibiki. ¡°His memories seem to be intact and freely available to us, but Ino believes there¡¯s something odd about them.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your assessment?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s an interesting case for sure, but unless Ino runs into a problem, I can¡¯t justify using extreme measures to produce information. This isn¡¯t an enemy combatant we¡¯re dealing with. As far as the various teams who have assessed him can tell, physically and mentally, he¡¯s just a twelve-year-old boy, the same twelve-year-old boy who went missing five years ago.¡±

    ¡°Tch!¡± Tsunade muttered, biting the nail of her thumb. ¡°So, after Ino¡¯s mind scan, we¡¯re out of options. The only thing left will be to wake him up?¡±

    ¡°That would be my recommendation,¡± Ibiki concluded, leading them into a room with thick metal doors.

    The large room was empty but for a dome-like metallic device at its center, where Ino stood, and a row of machinery behind it, which was being operated by three members of Ibiki¡¯s team. As the group approached, Sakura cringed at what she was seeing. Reito Tsu¡¯s dark-haired head was poking out of the top of the device, which was a chamber of sorts that was holding him in place.

    ¡°It¡¯s a Mind Reading Amplifier,¡± Ibiki explained for Sakura¡¯s benefit. ¡°The equipment subdues the occupant with Chakra and allows the Yamanka Clan¡¯s mind-reading techniques to be used at their most powerful.¡±

    Ino Yamanaka had one hand placed on Reito Tsu¡¯s lolling head, and her eyes closed tightly in concentration as she combed through his memories.

    Sakura couldn¡¯t help wondering how long her former classmate and rival was going to grow out her platinum blonde locks, which reached down past the waistband of her purple skirt now. She had once grown her hair out, but ever since cutting it to shoulder length, she couldn¡¯t imagine the hassle of having it long again, especially on missions.

    ¡°Lady Tsunade,¡± said Ino with a bow after removing her hand and turning to face the group. ¡°Still nothing out of the ordinary, apart from the fuzziness. Since there are no blocks, the information is easily scanned. If you like, I can connect you?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Tsunade considered. ¡°We need to be getting back. I just wanted to review the progress in case I¡¯m badgered about it by the elders, but since you and Sakura both knew the boy, I¡¯d like for her to stay.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Ino obligingly. When Tsunade, Kakashi, and Ibiki left the room, she added, ¡°This is weird, huh? I¡¯ve done this a bunch of times now, but never on someone I know, especially someone I thought was dead.¡±

    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it¡¯s him,¡± Sakura agreed. ¡°We weren¡¯t really friends, but I always wondered what happened to him and the rest of Team Four.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time we found out, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Sakura nodded determinedly.

    ¡°Okay, well, I¡¯ve isolated his memories of our last days at the academy. It¡¯s probably a good place for us to start, so we can look out for any inconsistencies that might suggest outside interference,¡± Ino explained, placing her right hand back on Reito¡¯s head and her left on Sakura¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Ready? Here goes. Psycho Mind Transmission (Saiko Denshin no) Jutsu!¡±

    <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GcgDuB6ShyY" width="560" height="315"></iframe>

 Episode 02: Academy Daze

    In the uppermost row of the Ninja Academy classroom¡¯s tiered seating, Reito Tsu stared absently out of the window. Reflected in the glass pane, a boy with deep blue eyes, evenly parted medium-length dark-brown hair, and wearing the same red t-shirt stared listlessly back at him.

    While his classmates noisily entertained themselves, Reito observed the fluffy clouds moving over Konoha, or ¡°the village hidden by leaves,¡± as its older residents sometimes referred to it. The students arrived for class ten minutes ago, but their teacher had yet to appear.

    Reito was privately thankful for this since he couldn¡¯t shake off his sluggishness. He wasn¡¯t simply tired, though, he was unknowingly experiencing the effects of Chakra fatigue. Had he been more alert, he would have realized this. Their teachers had warned them about the dangers of overexertion countless times, after all, but what with it being exam week, he felt he needed all the practice he could get.

    With one day left until the big graduation exam, which was an on-the-spot test of any one of the techniques they had been learning, Reito had foolishly stayed up into the early hours practicing his Ninjutsu. Now, he was suffering the consequences.

    ¡°I wonder what¡¯s keeping Iruka Sensei,¡± said his best friend, Kazuki Torimoto, an amiable, green-eyed boy with very long light-brown hair, which he kept tied back in a ponytail. The two of them had known each other all their lives.

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s sick?¡± suggested Yuji Saito, who, despite his occasional rigidity, had become good friends with Reito and Kazuki in recent years.

    Reito huffed with amusement. ¡°When have you ever known Iruka Sensei to take a sick day?¡± he asked with a raised eyebrow, earning a chuckle from the two boys.

    The three of them complimented each other well, in Reito¡¯s opinion. Kazuki¡¯s easygoing nature rubbed off on Yuji, who could be a little uptight, while Yuji¡¯s diligence kept Kazuki in check when they needed to buckle down with their studies, which was often these days.

    During the last two years at the academy, they had bonded over their lack of pedigree, seeing as how so many of their classmates were members of Konoha Village¡¯s most revered ninja clans. The Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi Clans were all represented; then there was Kiba from the Inuzuka Clan, the heiress to the Hyuga, the guy who collected bugs¡­ There was even a Uchiha kid.

    Being part of a clan didn¡¯t automatically make one more suited for ninja training, of course, or so Iruka Sensei always maintained, but it certainly had its advantages, which had become more and more apparent to Reito, Kazuki, and Yuji of late.

    Apart from having a built-in network of mentors who were concerned with your success, clans often possessed special Jutsu and secrets, which they passed down through the generations. Reito had grown to believe that Chakra quality and control may also be an inherited trait. He believed this because of the growing disparity among his peers in terms of skill level and test scores.

    Reito resisted his growing resentment, but it had become clear as time went on that ninja clans produced the more talented academy students. As hard as he worked to keep up, he was now one of the lowest-ranked students in the class, with Kazuki and Yuji placed only marginally higher than him. Thankfully, he had escaped the humiliation of last place, but that wasn¡¯t saying much as that was taken by the class clown, Naruto Uzumaki.

    Reito was the first in his family to be schooled at Konoha¡¯s Ninja Academy. His parents, proprietors of a small but popular tea shop, weren¡¯t happy when he declared his intention to become a Genin after graduation, but it had been his goal from an early age, sparked by a vivid memory of Konoha ninjas putting on a display at a festival by summoning the elements.

    They eventually accepted his choice. Children wanting¡ªand being encouraged¡ªto become full-fledged ninjas was part and parcel of living in a ninja village, after all, and it wasn¡¯t like they were at war or anything. They were flat-out against his younger sister, Reika, doing so, though.

    Kazuki¡¯s family operated an aviary where they raised and trained messenger birds, which Reito always thought was cool. His father was a ninja, working in the village¡¯s Intelligence Division, but he didn¡¯t have any clan ties or anything.

    Yuji¡¯s family didn¡¯t have any ninjas, but pretty much everyone in Konoha knew of them. They ran the village shrine. Being very religious, his parents were vehemently against Yuji¡¯s decision to become a Genin, but he was determined to create a life for himself separate from duty and obligation.

    Reito thought this was admirable but often wondered how committed Yuji was to it. Evidence of the boy¡¯s respect for his family¡¯s work and traditions was clear in his demeanor, his closely cropped hair, and the religious garb he always sported¡ªa white kosode robe with black hakama pants.

    ¡°Should we go tell the office that we¡¯re unsupervised?¡± asked the conscientious Yuji, twiddling his thumbs nervously as his brown eyes darted to the wall clock.

    ¡°Are you kidding? Just relax, man,¡± said Kazuki.

    Still staring out of the window, Reito spotted their teacher entering the academy gates with something large slung over his left shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s no need, anyway,¡± he said. ¡°Iruka Sensei¡¯s coming in now, and¡­ Oh, man, you guys aren¡¯t gonna believe this.¡±

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    A minute later, Iruka Sensei entered the classroom. He was a good-natured man in his late twenties, with a scar across the bridge of his nose and shoulder-length brown hair tied up high. He wore the typical uniform for one of Konoha¡¯s Chunin-level ninjas¡ªloose-fitting navy-blue clothing emblazoned with red swirling patterns on the upper arms, a hunter-green flak jacket, and a headband with a steel forehead protector bearing the village¡¯s leaf-shaped insignia.

    From atop his shoulder, the man heaved the writhing body of Naruto Uzumaki onto the floor, bound tightly with rope. The class erupted into laughter, watching the blonde-haired, goggle-headed, orange-clad boy attempt to wriggle free from his restraints like an overgrown caterpillar. However, they stopped abruptly when their teacher turned on them with one of his sternest expressions.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s the last week of school, if anyone else has any bright ideas about skipping classes, just know I¡¯ll track you down myself!¡± Iruka Sensei warned before crossing his arms and turning on his captive. ¡°Now listen, Naruto. You failed the graduation test last time and the time before that. Tomorrow, you¡¯ve got another chance. This is no time to be goofing off!¡±

    In reply, Naruto turned away and gave a churlish, ¡°Humph.¡±

    A vein in the man¡¯s temple popped out. ¡°Fine!¡± he snapped, pointing angrily in the direction of the other students. ¡°We will have a re-test on the Transformation Jutsu! Even those who have already passed will take it!¡±

    The entire class groaned in protest, including Reito, who complained, ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding! I suck at transformation!¡±

    ¡°Oh dear,¡± said Yuji.

    ¡°Damn that Naruto!¡± added Kazuki, pounding the wooden desk.

    The students begrudgingly got to their feet at their teacher¡¯s insistence and made their way down to the front of the classroom, where they lined up to perform the Jutsu one at a time. Many of them muttered complaints under their breath while scowling at Naruto, who kept his gaze averted determinedly.

    At the head of the line, naturally, was teacher¡¯s pet, Sakura, a pretty girl with long pink hair, who Reito found vexing. It wasn¡¯t the way she sucked up to the teachers that he found most annoying about her, though, it was the fact that she defied his clan theory.

    Like him, Sakura had no ninja ties. She, however, was one of the better students in their class, at least academically speaking. Her abilities weren¡¯t anything special, in Reito¡¯s opinion, especially her Taijutsu, but she tested well and had the basics down pat.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s begin,¡± said Iruka Sensei with a nod to the first participant, pencil and clipboard at the ready to record their results.

    The pink-haired girl stepped forward eagerly, patted down her red tunic dress, and performed the dog, boar, and ram Hand Seals in sequence. ¡°Sakura Haruno, ready!¡± she announced sycophantically. ¡°Here goes¡­ Transform (Henge)!¡±

    White smoke suddenly billowed around her, then quickly dispersed, revealing a second Iruka Sensei standing in her place.

    The teacher looked his copy over approvingly and jotted something down, remarking, ¡°Transformed into me. Good.¡±

    ¡°She did it so quickly,¡± Reito murmured to himself, his brow furrowed.

    With a second burst of smoke, Sakura released her Jutsu, reverting to her original form. ¡°Yes! I did it!¡± she cheered as if she hadn¡¯t performed the technique perfectly on numerous previous occasions. ¡°Did you see that, Sasuke?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll never understand what all the girls see in that guy,¡± mumbled Kazuki with disdain.

    ¡°He is the top-ranked student in our year,¡± suggested Yuji innocently.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s his grades they¡¯re interested in,¡± said Reito sardonically.

    Iruka Sensei consulted his list, then announced, ¡°Next, Sasuke Uchiha.¡±

    Sasuke, an annoyingly handsome, brooding, black-haired boy dressed in a blue top and off-white shorts, stepped forward. He effortlessly transformed into the teacher without a word before the man even had time to look up from his clipboard.

    ¡°Err, good,¡± said Iruka Sensei, surveying the boy¡¯s flawless transformation.

    Kazuki tutted with annoyance as many of the female students praised Sasuke, who seemed completely uninterested as he walked to the back of the line with his hands in his pockets.

    ¡°Next, Naruto Uzumaki,¡± said Iruka Sensei.

    ¡°Failing this re-test won¡¯t override our pass grade, will it?¡± Yuji fretted.

    ¡°I hope not,¡± answered Reito. ¡°I barely scraped by the first time. Let¡¯s see what happens when Naruto fails.¡±

    Naruto stepped forward sulkily. After making the Hand Seals, it took him longer and more effort than his predecessors to generate the required Chakra, and then it began to visibly spill out all over the place as blue vapor, indicating the boy¡¯s severe lack of control. Even so, he successfully managed to transform into¡­a naked girl with blonde pigtails, her body barely concealed by puffs of smoke, blowing a kiss and winking at Iruka sensei!

    For a moment, the man was frozen in shock, as were most of the class. Then, his face flushed scarlet, and he stumbled backward and toppled over.

    ¡°Gotcha!¡± said Naruto after releasing his transformation, laughing raucously while pointing at the fallen teacher. ¡°That¡¯s my Sexy Jutsu!¡±

    Despite the hilarity of the scene they had witnessed, it seemed as though the students were too afraid of reprisals to make fun of it, and with good reason because when Iruka Sensei recovered, he was more furious than Reito had ever seen him.

    ¡°CUT THE STUPID TRICKS, YOU FOOL!¡± the man roared. ¡°This is your last warning!¡±

    There weren¡¯t any more interruptions after that. In fact, everyone performed the Jutsu one by one in silence, all opting to mimic their teacher¡¯s form. Now and then, Iruka Sensei would offer individual feedback, but it seemed like they were all getting passing grades.

    Reito¡¯s nerves were getting the better of him as his turn approached. After Yuji and Kazuki did their transformations with minor notes from the teacher¡ªabout clothing color and the lack of his scar, respectively¡ªReito stepped out of the line.

    He took a calming breath, performed the Seals, and closed his eyes, concentrating on gathering the Physical and Spiritual Energy needed to mold the required Chakra. When he felt the telltale sensation of the churning in his abdomen become smoother, Reito let the Chakra flow throughout his body while uttering, ¡°Transformation (Henge no) Jutsu!¡±

    When the smoke cleared, Iruka Sensei sighed. ¡°It¡¯s the same issue as always, Reito. Everything is reversed,¡± he explained, pointing to the backward leaf of his doppelganger¡¯s headband. ¡°You¡¯ve produced a mirror image of me because you¡¯re relying on your eyes rather than your mind. You won¡¯t always have a subject to copy in the field. Otherwise¡­good effort.¡±

    Reito nodded in understanding but moved to the back of the line, feeling dejected and more nervous than ever about the looming Graduation Exam.

 Episode 03: Double or Nothing

    By the time he arrived home that afternoon, Reito¡¯s exhaustion had finally got the better of him, and he fully intended on going straight to bed. He had performed poorly in all his classes that day. If he had any hope of passing tomorrow¡¯s exam, he needed sleep.

    Passing through the Tsu family¡¯s wood-paneled tea shop, he waved hello to his father, a stocky man with greying hair, who waved back from behind the counter, where he was taking an order from a customer. Before he made it to the back, his mother put down her serving tray, took him by the shoulders, and looked him over closely.

    ¡°Sweetie, you look awful,¡± the round-faced woman said, placing the back of her hand on his forehead to check his temperature.

    ¡°Gee, thanks, Mom,¡± Reito replied with a grin.

    ¡°You know what I mean,¡± she said, swatting him playfully on the arm. ¡°I left a snack for you in the kitchen. Eat that first, then get some rest. You¡¯ll need your strength for tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Good idea, I¡¯ll do that,¡± said Reito with a sigh of relief, thankful that she was thinking the same thing, as he was occasionally asked to help his parents in the shop after school.

    Upstairs, Reito kicked off his sandals and found a sandwich and glass of milk waiting for him in the kitchen as promised. He sat at the dining table to eat it in peace when his younger sister came barreling into the room.

    Apart from her hair being longer and being more than a foot shorter¡ªand being a girl¡ªReika was the spitting image of her older brother. ¡°What did you learn today?¡± she asked excitedly without missing a beat.

    Reito chewed his food longer than necessary, then swallowed and reached for his milk.

    ¡°Reito!¡± Reika whined impatiently, putting her hands on her hips.

    He grinned widely and put his hands up in a defensive manner. ¡°Alright, alright,¡± he said. ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s see, what did I learn, what did I learn¡­?¡±

    Reika frowned and pouted.

    ¡°Well, there was that one dragon-shaped Fire Style Jutsu. That was pretty cool,¡± Reito deadpanned with a hand placed thoughtfully on his chin.

    ¡°Really?¡± Reika asked, starry-eyed.

    ¡°No, not really, dummy! No one at my level can use a Jutsu like that! A good ninja must see through deception,¡± Reito chastised, bopping his sister gently on the head with the palm of his hand.

    ¡°Reitooooo!¡± she sulked.

    He smiled widely before ¡°I didn¡¯t learn anything new. Tomorrow¡¯s graduation¡­hopefully. This week, we¡¯ve just been revising. What did you learn today?¡±

    Reika pulled up a chair and sat down. She eagerly began to explain at length how she had improved her shuriken technique, which, despite his tiredness, Reito dutifully nodded along to while eating the remainder of his snack, as a good brother should.

    ***

    Reito was glad to find himself feeling much better upon waking the following morning. However, his nerves quickly kicked in when he remembered what day it was, and by the time he made it to school, he had a whole swarm of butterflies in his stomach to contend with.

    The morning session consisted of a written exam, the results of which, while not a determining factor in their graduation, would go on their records. The questions were scenarios based on challenges ninjas faced in the field. Reito found it okay. He wasn¡¯t bad at that sort of thing. It was the practical exam he was dreading.

    ¡°We will now start the final exam,¡± Iruka Sensei announced after the lunch break. ¡°When your name is called, proceed to the testing room. The final test will be on¡ª¡±

    ¡°Not transformation, not transformation, not transformation,¡± Reito muttered under his breath, his fingers crossed tightly.

    ¡°¡ªthe Clone Jutsu.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Reito cheered in a whisper while varying degrees of response swept across the classroom.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were so good at cloning,¡± Kazuki remarked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not, but anything¡¯s better than transformation,¡± Reito replied. ¡°I just know Iruka Sensei would have failed me if I did that reflecting thing again.¡±

    One by one, students were summoned to the testing room by Mizuki Sensei, another of their teachers, who was grading them alongside Iruka Sensei. He was a mild-mannered man with fair skin, and his hair was styled like Reito¡¯s, though it was powder blue in color.

    Each time a student was called, they would leave, then return a few minutes later with a shiny new Konoha headband in hand and a smile on their face, barring Sasuke Uchiha, who returned looking as sulky as ever despite a round of applause from the girls in class. After half the class had been assessed with passing grades, including Kazuki, Naruto¡¯s name was called.

    Knowing that the boy had failed the final exam on three prior occasions, Reito was interested to see how he would do. After all, if Naruto could pass the test, he surely wouldn¡¯t have any problems with it. Sadly, when Mizuki Sensei next appeared in the doorway, he was conciliatorily patting a red-faced, empty-handed Naruto on the shoulder.

    Naruto had failed. Again. While some of the students snickered, Reito¡¯s heart sank. He felt bad for the boy, but in that moment, he was more concerned for himself. People could actually fail this test. Was he going to be one of them? Was he going to have to repeat the final year?

    A few minutes later, Yuji returned from his exam, looking relieved while clutching a headband, and Mizuki Sensei called, ¡°Reito Tsu.¡±

    Reito got up from his seat and headed to the door on shaky legs. Yuji gave him a confident nod as they passed, but it did nothing to alleviate Reito¡¯s butterflies, which now felt like they were swarming. He followed Mizuki Sensei down the hall, the phrase ¡®dead man walking¡¯ coming to mind.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Inside the testing room, Mizuki Sensei took his seat next to Iruka Sensei behind a desk with ten or so headbands remaining. Was one of them destined for Reito? He was about to find out.

    ¡°Okay, Reito, when you¡¯re ready, please perform the Clone Jutsu to the best of your ability,¡± said Iruka Sensei.

    Reito nodded in understanding and gulped. He had no problem producing two of the incorporeal doubles, but final-year students were expected to be capable of at least three, and he had only pulled that off a handful of times. He wasn¡¯t sure he could do it under pressure, but he had to try.

    After taking a couple of calming breaths, Reito focused on molding Chakra, then performed the ram, snake, and tiger Hand Seals. This was it. This was his shot. ¡°Clone (Bunshin no) Jutsu!¡±

    To his left, one, two, three afterimages appeared. So pleased by his achievement, Reito lost his focus, and the third clone fizzled out. The remaining two, however, mimicked his movements for another few seconds before vanishing.

    Reito and Mizuki Sensei tentatively looked to Iruka Sensei, who wore a pensive expression. ¡°Could you please step into the hall for a moment, Reito?¡±

    Gone now were Reito¡¯s butterflies. In their place, a gaping maw had formed in the bottom of his stomach. Even so, he nodded and left the room without a word. He couldn¡¯t believe it. They were going to fail him. They were actually going to fail him.

    Through the door, the teachers could just about be heard discussing the situation. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can pass him like this,¡± Iruka Sensei explained. ¡°His Chakra pool is shallow, and he¡¯s never demonstrated particularly good control. Those clones didn¡¯t last five seconds. The first vanished immediately.¡±

    ¡°But he did produce three, and that was the requirement,¡± Mizuki Sensei stated. ¡°It wasn¡¯t anything like Naruto¡¯s performance.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ He¡¯s down as one of the Genin applicants. I just don¡¯t think he¡¯s ready for that.¡±

    ¡°And what about his scores? His Jutsu may need refining, but he works hard, his intelligence scores are always reasonably good, and he got one of the top marks on this morning¡¯s tactical knowledge exam. Shouldn¡¯t that count in his favor?¡±

    After a minute or so of silence, Reito almost jumped out of his skin when the testing room door slid open. The two teachers stood in the doorway, their faces blank. Just as he began to despair, Iruka Sensei raised his hand, presenting him with his very own Konoha headband.

    ¡°Congratulations,¡± said Iruka Sensei with a smile.

    Reito beamed. ¡°Thank you, Sensei!¡± he croaked, bowing low in gratitude.

    ***

    After school that day, many of the graduating students were met at the gates by expectant parents. While Reito¡¯s parents were absent because of work, and Yuji¡¯s didn¡¯t approve of the academy, they were happily surprised when Kazuki¡¯s parents relayed a message.

    ¡°Congratulations, boys,¡± said Mr. Torimoto, who looked remarkably like his son, with a matching long ponytail. ¡°Reito, your parents asked us to take you three right to the shop for a celebratory meal!¡±

    When they arrived at the shop, they found a veritable feast waiting for them at a special table. While Reito¡¯s father worked the shop, his mother and sister joined him, the Torimotos, and Yuji at the table, where they enjoyed their favorite sweets.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Naruto failed. Again,¡± said Kazuki while taking a huge bite out of a red bean pancake.

    Before Reito had a chance to reply, not even sure what he would say considering how close he had been to failing himself, his friend¡¯s mother chastised shrilly, ¡°Kazuki!¡±

    ¡°Wha?¡± the boy replied, his mouth full.

    There was a noticeable change in the atmosphere at that moment, but oddly enough, Reito didn¡¯t think the woman¡¯s reaction was about her son¡¯s table manners.

    ¡°Don¡¯t concern yourself with that boy,¡± she added more calmly.

    Reito frowned. It wasn¡¯t the first time he had heard adults refer to Naruto in this strange manner. He was a known troublemaker, of course, but was that reason enough to explain the funny looks he sometimes got?

    After that tense moment, they ended up having a pleasant afternoon. Shortly after Yuji left for home, however, the celebration was interrupted by the arrival of two Konoha ninjas, who came with a message for Mr. Torimoto. After whispering a few words to him, the man gave his apologies and took off with them, looking rather alarmed.

    ¡°Did you hear what they said?¡± Reito asked Kazuki, who had been sitting next to his father.

    With an apprehensive look in his mother¡¯s direction, the boy gave a surreptitious nod.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be back in a minute,¡± said Reito, preemptively placating his little sister with his last dango and taking Kazuki through to the back. ¡°What is it, what did they say?¡±

    ¡°All the off-duty ninjas are being called in. That idiot, Naruto, stole some scroll from the Fire Estate!¡± said Kazuki.

    ¡°No way!¡± Reito exclaimed. ¡°Man¡­ I feel bad for him, but they wouldn¡¯t call your dad and everyone in for one of his typical pranks. The scroll must be important.¡±

    ¡°Failing the exam and committing a crime¡­ Forget graduating. Naruto¡¯s getting expelled this time for sure!¡±

    ***

    The following morning, Reito arrived at the Fire Estate, which housed Konoha¡¯s leader, the Third Hokage¡¯s, offices and residence. The estate was based at the foot of Hokage Rock, the cliffside that bore the carved faces of the past four Hokages. There, he met Kazuki and Yuji, who were waiting for him outside the large red Administration Building. Today, they were getting their pictures taken for their official Ninja Registration Forms.¡±

    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late, guys. My mom kept fussing with my hair,¡± said Reito.

    ¡°I can see why,¡± joked Kazuki, which the three of them laughed at. ¡°Ready to become a ninja for real?¡±

    ¡°You bet! I can¡¯t wait for Genin Orientation!¡± Reito replied, and the boys made their way into the building and up to the roof as instructed.

    ¡°Wanna train again this afternoon?¡±

    ¡°Definitely!¡±

    ¡°I think that would be wise,¡± Yuji concurred. ¡°The Graduation Exam may be behind us, but we shouldn¡¯t neglect our skills. Most of our peers can produce four effective replications now. Sasuke Uchiha can make five. I only managed three in the exam.¡±

    ¡°I made four clones, but they disappeared like that,¡± said Kazuki with a snap of his fingers and a hearty chuckle. ¡°Iruka Sensei still passed me, but I probably should have done the easy thing and gone for three.¡±

    Reito felt his cheeks flush red. He hadn¡¯t told his friends the truth, that he only passed the exam by the skin of his teeth. He knew they wouldn¡¯t judge him, but the fact that he may not have graduated with them had it not been for Mizuki Sensei¡¯s intervention was too embarrassing to admit right now. Instead, he changed the subject as they reached the roof access door, ¡°Why do you think they take the pictures up here?¡±

    ¡°Maybe for the view?¡± Yuji suggested.

    ¡°Dad says it¡¯s tradition,¡± said Kazuki.

    When they stepped onto the roof area, giving them a great view of the whole village, they spotted the photographer facing away from them, in front of a large camera on a tripod and other equipment, and found Kiba Inuzuka waiting for his turn.

    Kiba, a wild-looking boy with red fang-shaped face markings, had his fur-lined coat hood pulled up over his head, where his little white puppy, Akamaru, sat. Evidently, he wasn¡¯t concerned about smartening up for the picture. ¡°Hey guys,¡± he said in greeting. ¡°I¡¯m glad someone else is here. I didn¡¯t think anyone would believe me otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Believe you about what?¡± asked Kazuki.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± he said with a toothy grin, nodding in the direction of the photographer, who was speaking to whoever was currently having their portrait taken.

    ¡°Hey, you! Are you sure you want to look like that?¡± the photographer asked.

    ¡°Yes, of course! So, c''mon, hurry, hurry!¡± the unseen subject insisted eagerly.

    ¡°Don''t regret it later,¡± the old man said with a sigh, then ducked under his camera¡¯s dark cloth. ¡°Say cheese! Okay, you¡¯re done. Next!¡±

    As Kiba stepped forward, grinning over his shoulder at Reito and his friends, a blonde-haired boy in full kabuki makeup appeared around the photographer and approached them with a spring in his step. They watched in stunned silence as he passed them and made for the stairs, looking absolutely ridiculous but smiling ear to ear.

    Reito looked to Kazuki and Yuji openmouthed, then asked in disbelief, ¡°Was that¡­Naruto?¡±

 Episode 04: Disorientation

    When Reito, Kazuki, and Yuji arrived at the Ninja Academy on Monday morning, sporting their new headbands, they immediately scanned the classroom designated for the orientation meeting. There, sitting near Sasuke in the second row, was Naruto.

    As they took their seats, it quickly became apparent that they weren¡¯t the only people wondering why the boy was present. People all around the room were staring in his direction, whispering to each other, and who could blame them? Naruto had failed the Graduation Exam, after all, and just a few days ago, he had committed a serious crime.

    ¡°Why do you think he came here today? And to have his picture taken, too?¡± asked Yuji.

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just shown up as an act of defiance, to try and force Iruka Sensei to make him a Genin?¡± Reito suggested.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t explain why he¡¯s not in jail or something,¡± said Kazuki. ¡°Dad said half the village was out looking for him on Friday. Plus¡­ I heard a rumor this morning.¡±

    ¡°What rumor?¡±

    ¡°According to Kiba, Choji went out for a midnight snack that same night and saw Mizuki Sensei being carried away on a stretcher!¡±

    Yuji blanched at this. ¡°Mizuki Sensei got hurt?¡± he asked. ¡°If that¡¯s true, it can¡¯t be related to Naruto, can it?¡±

    ¡°Wait, listen!¡± Reito instructed, seeing their apathetic classmate, Shikamaru, pause by Naruto on the way to his seat.

    ¡°What the¡­? Why are you here?¡± he asked, the question that most of the students were wondering if the considerable drop in chatter at that moment was any indication. ¡°Today¡¯s meeting is for graduates only.¡±

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you see this headband,¡± Naruto responded cheerily, turning their way and thumbing at his forehead. ¡°As of today, I¡¯m a ninja too! It suits me, don¡¯t cha think?¡±

    There was no mistaking it; Naruto was wearing a Konoha ninja headband, even though one had been denied to him during the previous week¡¯s exam.

    ¡°I wonder how he got that?¡± said Yuji. ¡°Do you think Iruka Sensei gave him a second chance on the test?¡±

    ¡°He probably just stole it,¡± shrugged Kazuki.

    Just then, Sakura and an obnoxious blonde girl named Ino noisily burst through the classroom¡¯s rear door and began bickering about which of them arrived first.

    ¡°Hey, Sakura!¡± Ino yelled as her rival swooned across the classroom in Sasuke¡¯s direction, brutally knocking Naruto over in her zeal. When she caught up with the pink-haired girl, they began arguing over which of them would sit next to Sasuke, which got other female classmates riled up.

    ¡°Tch!¡± Kazuki muttered with a roll of his eyes. ¡°Girls¡­¡±

    Apparently, Kazuki wasn¡¯t the only one who was annoyed, or perhaps jealous, of this fawning behavior because, at that moment, Naruto climbed on top of Sasuke¡¯s desk, squatted in front of him, so they were face to face, then started staring him down.

    Sasuke didn¡¯t react to this provocation, but the girls were incensed.

    ¡°Naruto! Don¡¯t glare at Sasuke!¡± Sakura barked.

    ¡°Oh dear. I don¡¯t think picking a fight with the top student will end well for Naruto,¡± Yuji commented.

    As Sasuke¡¯s fans started cheering for him to beat Naruto up, Kazuki said, ¡°Relax, the teachers will be escorting that failure out of here in a minute, anyway.¡±

    Reito wasn¡¯t so sure about this, though. The boy¡¯s presence was still troubling him. Even if Naruto had gotten his picture taken as some kind of stunt, he wasn¡¯t stupid enough to believe a stolen headband could get him through Genin Orientation unnoticed. No, something else must have happened. Perhaps it was, as Yuji suggested, that Iruka Sensei gave him another shot. But after stealing that scroll, possibly resulting in Mizuki Sensei being injured, why would their teacher even entertain the idea of a retest?

    Suddenly, the room went silent. A boy in the front row had stood up and accidentally bumped the precariously balanced Naruto from behind. As a result, the squatting boy had been knocked forward into Sasuke, or more specifically, into Sasuke¡¯s lips. The two guys had essentially kissed.

    Reito and Yuji burst into laughter at the sight, while Kazuki positively howled next to them, pounding his desk.

    The girls were not so amused. After Naruto and Sasuke separated, dramatically coughing and sputtering in disgust, they turned on Naruto, evidently enraged that he had stolen their love interest¡¯s first kiss. By the time they had finished smacking the boy around, Kazuki was wiping tears from his eyes.

    Naruto was spared any real harm with the arrival of Iruka Sensei, whose presence caused the girls to disperse.

    ¡°Good morning!¡± said the teacher once everyone had taken their seats. ¡°As of today, you are all fully fledged ninjas. However, you are still Genin. For the thirty students here who have applied to continue your ninja training, the tough part¡¯s still to come!¡±

    ¡°Is he including Naruto in that?¡± Kazuki mumbled.

    ¡°Today, you¡¯ll be assigned to a three-man squad. From here on, your squad will carry out missions as Genin under the supervision of a Jonin-level ninja.¡±

    A noticeable number of the students¡¯ backs straightened at hearing this news, Reito¡¯s among them. He immediately began wondering about what criteria would be used to decide the teams, but Iruka Sensei answered that question for him with his next sentence.

    ¡°The groups have been determined so that the strength of your team will be balanced. We¡¯ve done this based on your performance at the academy and in last week¡¯s exams. Now for the assignments¡­¡±

    Reito¡¯s shoulders dropped. If that was the case, it all but ruled out the chance of him being grouped with his friends. With him, Kazuki, and Yuji pretty much bottom of the class, there was no way they would be put together. It also meant that he was likely to become a hindrance to whichever talented students he was grouped with to make up for his shortcomings. He just hoped that didn¡¯t mean he would be on a team with the likes of Sasuke or Sakura.

    From what Reito knew of his fellow students¡¯ ability levels, the first three teams did indeed seem well-balanced.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°Team Four will consist of¡­ Reito Tsu¡ª¡±

    Reito cursed under his breath, ¡°Typical. Unlucky number four!¡± He braced himself for the news and the inevitable groans of his new teammates.

    ¡°¡ªYuji Saito, and Kazuki Torimoto.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Reito couldn¡¯t help voicing. His reaction was lost, however, amidst a cheer from Kazuki. Yuji remained silent but looked pleased.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Not disappointed, I hope?¡± said Kazuki with a playful elbow to the ribs while Iruka Sensei moved on.

    ¡°No, of course not,¡± said Reito. ¡°I¡¯m just surprised. They said the teams were grouped for balance. I thought for sure that we would be separated.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting us to be on the same team either,¡± said Yuji. ¡°I¡¯m glad, though.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, me too,¡± Reito agreed, but he couldn¡¯t help feeling that their assignment didn¡¯t make sense. His confusion grew as other teams were announced, particularly when it came to Team Seven.

    ¡°Now then, the next group is Team Seven¡­¡± Iruka Sensei announced. ¡°Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, and Sasuke Uchiha.¡±

    Reito frowned, and not just because Naruto had been assigned to a team, which served as proof of his graduate status. The top student, the bottom student, and Sakura, who was the smartest in class but lacked physical prowess¡­ Their team was perfectly balanced, a fact that Iruka Sensei reiterated following Naruto¡¯s noisy objection to working with Sasuke.

    The final three teams seemed just as well thought out, though Reito couldn¡¯t help noticing that the division of clan members was suspicious. The final team, for example, Team Ten, had the Akimichi, Nara, and Yamanaka Clan kids grouped together. They might technically be balanced as a team, but compared side by side with him, Kazuki, and Yuji in terms of overall ability, they had a clear advantage.

    Reito was aware that his resentment of the students from clans was rearing its ugly head, but he couldn¡¯t help thinking the groups were unfair. It was like the deck had been stacked against them, not to mention some of the other groups of less able students. Was there something he was missing about all this?

    ¡°Once again, congratulations on graduating!¡± said Iruka Sensei with a toothy grin, his hands on his hips as he proudly surveyed his students. ¡°In the afternoon session, I¡¯ll introduce you to your Jonin instructors, who will explain the next part of the process. Until then, you¡¯re dismissed.¡±

    ***

    During the break, Reito, Kazuki, and Yuji ate lunch in their usual spot, in the shade of a large maple tree, the roots of which protruded from the earth to form a bench of sorts.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Reito?¡± asked Yuji out of the blue.

    ¡°Huh?¡± he replied.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet since the assignments.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not actually mad about being grouped with us, are you?¡± Kazuki asked.

    ¡°No!¡± Reito insisted. ¡°I¡¯d much rather be with you guys than anyone else, you know that. I just don¡¯t understand how it happened. Naruto getting grouped with Sasuke and Sakura makes perfect sense. Something similar should have happened to each of us. Team Ten and Team Eight¡­ They have clear advantages over other teams. And as for us¡­¡±

    ¡°Who cares? That just makes us the underdogs! After how our training went yesterday, I say we show ¡®em what happens when you underestimate us!¡±

    Yuji smiled meekly and nodded approvingly. ¡°Other teams will require an adjustment period, while our bond is already strong,¡± he asserted. ¡°That should count for something.¡±

    With his concerns all but alleviated by the confidence of his friends, Reito grinned widely. ¡°Right!¡± he agreed.

    At that moment, Naruto ran past the boys toward the school, one hand clutching his stomach, the other holding his backside.

    ¡°What the¡­?¡± said Kazuki. ¡°Well, whatever the reason for his being here today, let¡¯s just be thankful we¡¯re not on his team!¡±

    ***

    Back in the classroom, the students found a group of adults awaiting their return, undoubtedly the Jonin teachers that Iruka Sensei had mentioned. They were an odd-looking bunch. Most wore typical uniforms, while others wore their flak jacket over something else. There were also one or two who pretty much neglected the uniform, such as an attractive, red-eyed female Jonin, who left with Team Eight in a kimono of sorts.

    When the last Jonin was called forward, a tall woman in full uniform with short orange hair and a toothpick in her mouth, who Reito noticed had a particularly stern expression, there were only two teams left, his Team Four and Naruto¡¯s Team Seven.

    Seeing her standing there with her arms crossed, chewing on the pick as she eyed the six remaining students with disdain, he almost hoped that she wasn¡¯t their teacher, but that would have meant they didn¡¯t have one, which fed into his fears about the grouping of the teams. What if they were about to be told they weren¡¯t graduating, after all?

    ¡°And finally,¡± Iruka Sensei announced brightly, ¡°Amaya Daigo will be taking charge of Team Four.¡±

    ¡°Unluck number four, eh?¡± the woman complained out of the side of her mouth before heading for the door. ¡°Alright, you three, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Reito, Kazuki, and Yuji got up to follow their new teacher. Before departing, Reito gave the Team Seven members a respectful nod, hoping for their sake that they weren¡¯t the ones being dropped from the program. However, he regretted it instantly when Sasuke averted his eyes. Sakura turned up her nose, and Naruto jumped to his feet, yelling, ¡°Huh? What about us? We¡¯re stronger than those guys! Where¡¯s our Jonin?¡±

    Shaking his head, Reito decided that perhaps the three of them deserved each other¡ª

    ¡°Sit down, Naruto,¡± Iruka Sensei chastised. ¡°I¡¯m sure Kakashi Sensei will be along in a minute.¡±

    ¡ªand their unreliable instructor.

    ***

    Unsure about their new angry-looking, Jonin instructor¡¯s personality, the boys followed her in silence for about ten minutes, chancing questioning glances at one another along the way. She led them out of the academy and to a bench in a quiet area, where she signaled with a wave of her hand for them to take a seat. As they did so, she remained standing, scrutinizing them, still chewing on her toothpick.

    ¡°I see no need for introductions,¡± she said enigmatically, then looked away as if bored by the prospect of teaching them. ¡°We won¡¯t be spending much time together.¡±

    Reito frowned at this statement. Looking to his right, he saw that neither Kazuki nor Yuji appeared ready to challenge it, so he said politely, ¡°Could you please explain that, Amaya Sensei?¡±

    The woman turned to him, took her toothpick out of her mouth, and answered bluntly in her gruff tone, ¡°I don¡¯t believe in coddling people. I¡¯ve reviewed your records, and you three aren¡¯t cut out to be Genin.¡±

    At this, Kazuki found his voice, ¡°Hey! We graduated! That¡¯s not for you to decide!¡±

    ¡°Actually¡­it is,¡± Amaya Sensei responded darkly. ¡°Of the thirty graduates who applied to become Genin, only nine students will be officially recognized as such. The other Jonin instructors and I have the unenviable task of cutting down that number.¡±

    ¡°But Iruka Sensei already said we were Genin!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he didn¡¯t want to crush the spirits of his precious students.¡±

    ¡°And what about those who fail?¡± Reito asked.

    ¡°The remaining twenty-one of you will be sent back to the academy¡­if you want to try again next year. Otherwise, you will be reassigned.¡±

    ¡°Reassigned,¡± asked Yuji despondently.

    ¡°There are many ways to contribute to the village that don¡¯t require ninja training. For instance, the Intelligence Division and the Medical Division are always looking for new staff. Analysts, technicians¡­nurses, janitors¡­¡±

    Reito felt his eyebrows contract at these words but held his tongue.

    ¡°We don¡¯t want to be janitors or nurses!¡± Kazuki roared.

    ¡°No?¡± said Amaya Sensei in a mocking tone. ¡°Then bird keepers, perhaps? Or shrine workers? Or how about tea shop waiters?¡±

    ¡°We want to be ninjas!¡±

    ¡°How are the nine students selected?¡± Reito asked in as calm a tone as he could manage, his fists clenched tightly. The woman was ridiculing them, even using information about their families. He had to stay in control.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be administering your real final exam tomorrow,¡± Amaya Sensei confirmed, then pointed her toothpick at each of the boys in turn, ¡°but for you three, it¡¯s pointless. As I said before, I¡¯ve reviewed your records¡­ It seems I¡¯ve been given the duds this year.¡±

    ¡°Duds?¡± Kazuki repeated in consternation. ¡°Just give us your test, and we¡¯ll see who the duds are!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re hard workers,¡± Yuji added.

    Amaya Sensei flicked her toothpick away while shaking her head. ¡°You don¡¯t get it, do you?¡± she said with an exasperated sigh. ¡°You three were put together for a reason. My test is just a formality. You¡¯ve already been ruled out to make room for students with real potential.¡±

    Reito couldn¡¯t help letting out a small but audible gasp. Was that it? Was that the reason the boys were teamed up? Had the teachers already decided that they, as three of the lowest-ranked students, weren¡¯t worthy of consideration or the risk of dragging down stronger candidates? As much as he didn¡¯t want to believe this was the answer he had been looking for, there was some undeniable logic to Amaya Sensei¡¯s words.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you this for your own good. You three have no talent. Give up on becoming a ninja!¡±

 Episode 05: Survival of the Fittest

    After providing the boys with the time and whereabouts for their obligatory exercise, Amaya Sensei took off, leaving them sitting on the bench, utterly crushed. Following her departure, they sat in silence for a few minutes before Reito shot to his feet.

    ¡°The way I see it, based on Amaya Sensei¡¯s words, we¡¯ve got three options,¡± he announced, raising his right hand with a finger extended, rousing Kazuki and Yuji out of their respective reveries. ¡°One, we can do as she said; forfeit her test and give up becoming ninja¡ª¡±

    ¡°No way,¡± Kazuki interrupted with less vigor than he might normally have mustered in protestation of such a suggestion.

    ¡°¡ªTwo, we take her test, knowing, as she explained, that we¡¯re probably heading back to the academy.¡±

    Yuji¡¯s head drooped at this second unfavorable option.

    ¡°Or three¡­¡± said Reito, raising a third finger. ¡°We disregard Amaya Sensei¡¯s whole statement.¡±

    Kazuki and Yuji looked at Reito with matching expressions of confusion.

    ¡°You mean to say we should do our best and try not to feel bad about it?¡± asked Yuji.

    Reito shook his head. ¡°Not quite. What I¡¯m saying is, there¡¯s a chance that everything Amaya Sensei told us was manufactured.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Kazuki responded, his mouth agape.

    ¡°Look at how her words affected us,¡± Reito explained. ¡°We¡¯ve lost our confidence, our fighting spirit, our team unity¡­ We¡¯re even considering giving up on the test and becoming ninjas altogether! What if that was her intention?¡±

    ¡°You think Amaya Sensei might be testing us?¡± Yuji asked, raising a hand to his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Hmm. I suppose it¡¯s possible. Being a ninja does require commitment.¡±

    ¡°And the ability to discern fact from fiction!¡± Kazuki added excitedly.

    Exactly!¡± Reito exclaimed. ¡°I was so caught up in what she said that I almost accepted it without question! Looking back, there¡¯s already one lie in what she said regarding our status. Either we are Genins already, and she was lying, or we aren¡¯t, and Iruka Sensei lied to us. Either way, someone isn¡¯t being honest, so it¡¯s conceivable that more lies might be told.¡±

    ¡°But what she said about our grouping¡­¡± said Yuji.

    ¡°I know, I know, that rang true with me as well, but even if it is, it doesn¡¯t mean that everything she said was. The best lies include elements of the truth.¡±

    Kazuki got to his feet, looking energized. ¡°A test with a seventy percent failure rate¡­? I can¡¯t believe I fell for that!¡± he said, punching one hand into the other.

    Reito smiled, glad to see his friend¡¯s optimism return. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no way for us to know how much, if any, of Amaya Sensei¡¯s words were true.¡±

    Yuji stood at that moment. ¡°Therefore, our best option is to work under the assumption that none of it was.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Reito exclaimed.

    ¡°Okay, so assuming you¡¯re right, what¡¯s the plan?¡± asked Kazuki.

    ¡°Well, you two hit on it earlier,¡± Reito explained. ¡°First, whatever the reason for our grouping, it seems that we¡¯re underdogs, but we¡¯ve got a chance to prove ourselves tomorrow. The best way to do that is to play to our strength. Our bond!¡±

    ¡°I get it! It¡¯s like Yuji said, right, we have an advantage over the other teams at this stage because we already get along?¡± said Kazuki.

    ¡°And we¡¯ve even been training together,¡± Yuji added.

    ¡°Yep!¡± Reito confirmed. ¡°We might not be the strongest, but no other team will be as coordinated as a unit as we are, and that¡¯s the whole point of a three-man squad. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll show Amaya Sensei our teamwork and pass her test! However many Genin spots there really are, three of them will be ours!¡±

    ***

    Team Four arrived together at Training Ground Six at nine o¡¯clock the following morning. As they had been advised, they were fully armed with ninja tools: Reito with his extra stock of shurikens, Kazuki with his bow and quiver of arrows slung over his shoulder, and Yuji with his b¨­ staff strapped to his back. The area was a large, picturesque grassy clearing surrounded by woodland.

    Their instructor was waiting for them at its center, her arms crossed, with a new toothpick in her mouth. ¡°Oh, I wasn¡¯t expecting to see you,¡± said Amaya Sensei as they approached. ¡°I figured at least one of you would realize what a waste of time this is.¡±

    The boys didn¡¯t respond to this.

    ¡°Alright, well, no need to drag this out. The other Jonin make their tests into a survival exercise of sorts and give their participants the whole morning. I have no interest in chasing you around and have more important things to be getting on with, so I think an hour should be enough to see what you three can do.¡±

    Again, the boys didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°It¡¯s simple, really,¡± the woman explained, holding up a small sheet of red fabric, then dangled it from her waistband. ¡°We¡¯ll be playing a game of capture the flag. All you need to do is take this from me and have it on your waistband at the end of the time limit. Understand?¡±

    The boys nodded.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Their teacher looked them over suspiciously before adding, ¡°However, there¡¯s one more thing. On the infinitesimal chance that you weaklings can accomplish that¡­only the person holding onto the flag at that time will be receiving my recommendation.¡±

    Despite this shocking piece of information, once again, the boys didn¡¯t react, which elicited a raised eyebrow from their instructor, who then casually spat away her toothpick, looking mildly annoyed.

    Reito smiled ever so slightly. The three boys had spent the previous evening preparing for today. One aspect of this included his assessment of what may arise during the test. He had listed potential tasks that they may be expected to complete, but he had considered more than just that. He had taken Amaya Sensei herself into account.

    His thinking was that if they were disregarding her words from the day before, they should do the same with anything else she informed them during the test. Whether or not she had been lying when they first met, she had clearly been intent on provoking an emotional response from them, even resorting to mentioning their families. It was likely, therefore, that she would do so again, especially if it was part of a strategy to confuse or deceive them.

    Reito had devised numerous scenarios based on that assumption, things that the teacher may say or do to taunt, demoralize, or divide them. Several of those scenarios had already played out, including the proposition that one or more of them may be penalized in some way. After all, Amaya Sensei had told them nine students would become Genin, not three teams, which gave her the leeway to make exactly the sort of threat she just had.

    Reito¡¯s strategy, which Kazuki and Yuji had agreed on, was to complete the test with just one thing in mind. Teamwork. There was nothing they could do about any rules or surprises Amaya Sensei may set. All they could do was complete it to the best of their ability and hope that the teacher had told some lies, and that meant working together as a unit. After all, against a Jonin-level ninja, that would be their only chance.

    Arriving there, with all this in mind and an idea of what to expect, the boys were shielded from the teacher¡¯s words as if holding powerful talismans in their pockets. Even Kazuki, who had lost his temper the previous day, was in full control of himself now.

    Judging by Amaya Sensei¡¯s noticeable surprise, Reito could see that his strategy was already paying off. Now, they just had to stick to the plan, and that hadn¡¯t changed. In the case of a task that required recovering an object, they knew what to do.

    ¡°I warn you now, to have any chance, you¡¯ll need to come at me with killing intent,¡± the teacher explained, pulling what looked like a child¡¯s alarm clock from her pocket, fiddling with it, then placing it on the floor. ¡°You have one hour. Begin!¡±

    Reito checked the time on his wristwatch, then called out immediately, ¡°Formation C!¡±. Right away, Kazuki reverse somersaulted away, creating a fair amount of distance between himself and the others, while Yuji stepped forward. They were now arranged in a line, with Reito in the middle. ¡°Go!¡±

    At this command, Yuji charged Amaya Sensei with his b¨­ staff in hand while Reito ran to the right, and Kazuki ran to the left, surrounding the teacher from three angles but still maintaining the same distance from her and each other.

    Yuji, the strongest Taijutsu user among the three, attacked. Despite his proficiency with the b¨­ staff, which he wielded at speed, Amaya Sensei dodged his strikes effortlessly. It didn¡¯t look like she wasn¡¯t even trying to block. In fact, she hadn¡¯t even uncrossed her arms. Yuji persisted, though. His job wasn¡¯t to overpower her; it was to keep her occupied.

    From the teacher¡¯s south-westerly position, Reito began throwing a copious amount of shurikens one after the other. Doing so while an ally was engaging in close combat was dangerous, but Shuriken Jutsu was one of the few academy classes where he ranked above average, and the boys had practiced this many times.

    Yuji had the kind of skill that made it possible. From his angle, he could see the incoming projectiles and adjust his attacks to account for them, if necessary, by withdrawing a step and delivering a long thrust or ducking down and striking upward.

    The downside was that a skilled opponent, as Amaya Sensei apparently was, could observe his movements to predict when the shurikens were coming. She ducked and dodged many of them, but as Reito increased the number and complexity of his throws, she had to start deflecting some with the aid of a kunai. They had accounted for that, though. The gamble was that she wouldn¡¯t be able to defend from three angles.

    That was where Kazuki came in. From the teacher¡¯s eastern flank, Kazuki was stood with an arrow notched, poised to take his shot. When Reito jumped and released a full spread of shurikens, forcing Amaya Sensei to act, it was time. Sensing the imminent danger, she landed a kick to Yuji¡¯s chest, sending him flying, so she could focus on intercepting the five incoming projectiles with her kunai.

    After deflecting two shurikens, Kazuki¡¯s loosed arrow hit its mark, piercing the teacher¡¯s left calf. However, the distraction caused the remaining three to hit her in the chest. This was it. They had created an opening.

    Reito dashed forward but stopped abruptly when a puff of smoke issued from Amaya Sensei¡¯s position, and two tree sections dropped to the floor with the weapons protruding from them. ¡°The Substitution Jutsu,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Defense!¡±

    Reito and Kazuki moved to Yuji¡¯s position with kunais at the ready, checking their half of the battlefield while the injured boy got to his feet between them. Their instructor was nowhere to be seen. Was she in the woods? Would they need to track her now? ¡°You okay?¡± Reito asked him, his voice a little shaky.

    ¡°Yes, I think so, but that hurt,¡± he answered, rubbing his chest. ¡°She moves so quickly. I haven¡¯t landed a single blow.¡±

    ¡°I noticed,¡± Kazuki answered.

    ¡°Oh? What did you notice?¡± a female voice spoke.

    Reito felt a chill run down his spine. How could she possibly have gotten between him and Kazuki? He twisted on the spot to deliver a spin kick, but the next thing he knew, he was on his back with Yuji and Kazuki lying on either side of him.

    ¡°Are we about done here, boys?¡± exasperated Amaya Sensei, looming over them, the red flag at her waist flapping tantalizingly in the wind. ¡°There¡¯s no shame in admitting defeat when facing a superior opponent. Okay, that¡¯s not true, but it¡¯s the only thing that might keep weaklings like you alive in the field.¡±

    ¡°Plan D!¡± Reito instructed, refusing to take the teacher¡¯s bait. Each of the boys righted themselves with a backflip, and then, while Kazuki and Yuji engaged the teacher, Reito retrieved an item from his tool pouch and threw it down forcefully. A thick smog expanded around their location. As per the plan, the boys retreated under cover of the smoke bomb, fleeing into the woods.

    The previous night, Reito had suggested the boys visit Training Ground Six ahead of their test. It was the smart thing to do for a ninja, to scope out terrain ahead of a confrontation, and Amaya Sensei didn¡¯t say they couldn¡¯t. During the outing, they had designated a meeting place should the need arise for one.

    Within a minute, the boys had found their way out of the smokescreen and regrouped at a spot beneath a large tree, which they had marked earlier with an ¡®x.¡¯ The width of the old tree¡¯s trunk limited enemy angles of attack, and the surrounding brush gave them some cover. From there, they could make out the clearing, where Amaya Sensei was picking up her clock to check the time.

    ¡°Alright,¡± whispered Reito, his heart beating fast. ¡°We¡¯ve laid the groundwork.¡±

    ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll fall for it, though?¡± asked Kazuki.

    ¡°I do,¡± Yuji asserted. ¡°You heard her yesterday; she¡¯s reviewed our records. Our coordination may have surprised her, but the skills we¡¯ve demonstrated so far are likely within her expectations.¡±

    Reito nodded, ¡°Agreed. We¡¯ve shown her what she thinks we¡¯re capable of. We¡¯ll wait until the last ten minutes of our allotted time. Then, it¡¯s time to show her what we can really do!¡±

 Episode 06: Fight and Flight

    Amaya Sensei¡¯s decision to give her test a one-hour time limit had worked in the boys'' favor, as had her apparent disinterest in their abilities. They had shown her some of their basic skills before retreating into the woods. Now, they were biding their time, preparing to capitalize on the final ten minutes of the task.

    Engaging a Jonin-level ninja for a full hour, revealing their abilities while wasting their Chakra, made little sense to Reito. The concept of getting the flag and holding onto it for that long made even less. They had one chance: to catch Amaya Sensei off guard, get the flag, and limit her window of opportunity to recover it by waiting to strike. It was an all-or-nothing gambit.

    Reito would have been reluctant to suggest such a strategy had he been grouped with other students, but the bond he had with Kazuki and Yuji made it possible. He knew they were more talented than he was, but thanks to their trust in his analytical ability and tactical know-how, he was still able to contribute something to their team, and he was grateful for that.

    Thankfully, it seemed as though Amaya Sensei really had no intention of chasing them. With a capture-the-flag exercise, there was no reason for her to, not until they had the flag at least. So, after a very tense half hour or so, Reito checked his watch for the last time and announced with a sigh of relief, ¡°Okay, guys, this is it. We have ten minutes left. Ready, Kazuki?¡±

    The boy took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and then performed a Hand Seal sequence. ¡°Eagle Eye (Washigan no) Jutsu!¡± he said, and when he opened his usually green eyes, the irises had turned yellow and grown considerably in size. ¡°Alright, it worked. Let¡¯s do this! See you in a bit.¡±

    With that, Kazuki leaped upward, disappearing into the canopy of the hulking tree, while Reito and Yuji relocated to the east before emerging from the woods.

    ¡°Ah, there you are,¡± said Amaya Sensei upon spotting the two boys running toward her. She was now sitting on the ground with her arms and legs crossed, looking rather bored as she pocketed her clock, even as the boys approached. ¡°I thought you might have gone home. Oh, it looks like one of you has.¡±

    Once in range, Reito threw a kunai, which the teacher dodged with a sigh and a mere bend of her neck, then Yuji jumped and hurled his staff down at her like a javelin. Again, she lazily dodged the headshot with minimal effort.

    Reito had to work to conceal his grin. He had noticed the teacher¡¯s propensity for dodging their attacks in this manner, only choosing to deflect them when absolutely necessary, surely because she thought it was more humiliating for them. He had been banking on her doing so again.

    When he then threw a full spread of shurikens that were obviously not going to hit her, Amaya Sensei frowned in confusion. That was when she noticed it. Lying just behind her, where it had landed seconds earlier following her dodge, Yuji¡¯s staff began to crackle ominously. The white wrappings around its center were now covered with Explosive Tags, which Yuji had triggered.

    Amaya Sensei reacted just in time to escape the blast, but as planned, she was then forced to retreat from the shurikens that were now in her path. She somersaulted away, landing where they had been fighting earlier. She was clearly surprised, though, to see Reito and Yuji still advancing on her, and Reito extending his forefinger and index finger upward to form the Seal of Confrontation, which was used for basic Chakra activation.

    That was when a number of what appeared to be firecrackers began to go off all around her. Looking down, minding her footing, Amaya Sensei realized she was standing on a minefield of Reito¡¯s used Shurikens, which had been equipped with miniature Explosive Tags. They weren¡¯t powerful but caused an unexpected distraction, giving the boys a chance to throw a well-aimed kunai each. She deflected the first with one of her own, but the second hit her in the shoulder.

    ¡°Impossible!¡± she said, wincing from the wound, obviously not comprehending why she hadn¡¯t been able to simply deflect the second, hadn¡¯t been able to even move. ¡°What have you done?¡±

    Yuji halted two meters from the teacher, while Reito continued and lunged for the flag at her waist, yelling, ¡°It¡¯s up to you now, Yuji!¡±

    ***

    ¡°Leave it to me,¡± said Yuji with confidence. He was now making the Seal of Confrontation, using Chakra in some way unknown to the teacher, which was resulting in her inability to move.

    ¡°How did you¡­?¡± Amaya Sensei mouthed as Reito snatched the red flag and took off for the woods at top speed. ¡°The Paralysis Jutsu at your age?¡±

    ¡°No, Sensei. Your shadow,¡± Yuji answered.

    ¡°Shadow? You¡¯re not from the Nara Clan,¡± she replied, an eyebrow raised with curiosity.

    Yuji indicated to the floor with a nod of his head.

    With some effort, Amaya Sensei craned her neck. An arrow had pierced the floor behind her. On its fletching, a tag of some kind was attached, burning blue with Chakra.

    ¡°I heard about the Nara Clan¡¯s Jutsu. I liked that it could bring a battle to a halt in a peaceful way, so I devised my Shadow Tag Jutsu to mimic it,¡± Yuji elucidated. ¡°I imbue paper and ink with my Chakra to create tags inscribed with an Activation Seal and some extra characters. I don¡¯t have much Chakra of my own, but these can be activated with a minimal amount, just like Explosive Tags. Kazuki attached one to his arrow and fired when Reito set off his distraction.¡±

    ¡°Very interesting,¡± said Amaya Sensei. ¡°Isn¡¯t your technique limited by the amount of Chakra the tag can hold, though?¡±

    Yuji¡¯s white tag was almost burned black already. However, as if in answer to the teacher¡¯s question, there was a whooshing sound and a soft thud. A fresh tag-equipped arrow had sunk into the teacher¡¯s shadow right next to the first. Yuji concentrated and activated it.

    The teacher smiled wickedly as she scanned the tree line. ¡°The long-haired kid has remarkable aim,¡± she praised.

    ¡°Kazuki has worked very hard on his archery and on mastering his father¡¯s visual Jutsu.¡±

    ¡°So, you three planned this right from the start, huh? The other kid laid down his trap during our first bout, and then you both maneuvered me right into it.¡±

    ¡°That was all Reito¡¯s doing. He had us visit the site last night and plan accordingly. He even accounted for the sun¡¯s position to decide on Kazuki¡¯s vantage point. He didn¡¯t know off-hand, but he brought a library book and a compass to figure out where your shadow would be. We may not be the best students, but we are hard workers. You underestimated us, Sensei.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you think the game is over? This won¡¯t hold me.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ¡°Perhaps not,¡± Yuji conceded, reaching into his long sleeve and pulling out an ofuda scroll. ¡°That is why I will now use my own Chakra to supplement the effect of my Shadow Tag.¡±

    Amaya Sensei grimaced as Yuji placed the long sheet of paper on her forehead and held it there with two fingers, channeling his Chakra directly into her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you concerned?¡± she taunted. ¡°Time is almost up. Only one of you can pass, and you don¡¯t have the flag.¡±

    ¡°If only one of us can pass this test, so be it. The alternative is none of us passing, and that outcome is unacceptable to me and to Kazuki as well. We discussed it and will leave here happy in the knowledge that we assisted Reito in becoming a Genin and proved you wrong about us.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡± said Amaya Sensei, her arms moving in increments as she fought against her immobilization and the pain of her wound. ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t waste any more time here, then. I can¡¯t have the three of you making a fool of me, can I?¡±

    Yuji¡¯s eyebrows raised in shock as she gradually brought her hands together to form seals, Chakra rolling off her in waves. From his hiding place, Kazuki fired two more Shadow Tag arrows, which Yuji activated immediately before increasing his Chakra output.

    Neither action appeared to make a difference, and Amaya Sensei finished her long sequence with the snake seal. With gritted teeth, she slowly raised her left leg, then stomped down with all her might, commanding, "Earth Style (Doton): Altered Landscape (Henka Keshiki no) Jutsu!¡±

    Immediately, the ground began to shake with increasing intensity. A second later, Yuji¡¯s eyes widened in fear as a web of cracked earth spanned out from their position, its circumference continuing to grow far beyond them.

    ¡°I¡¯d move if I were you,¡± the woman advised calmly.

    Yuji held on as long as he could as the ground bucked violently, but when the segment of ruptured earth he was standing on rose and teetered over, he was forced to abandon his task and take evasive action or risk falling into a crevice.

    Careful of his footing, he leaped his way to safety. Perched on the branch of a tree, he turned to try and spot the teacher. She was gone, no doubt already in pursuit of Reito and the flag, and much of the once flat grassy clearing now resembled mountainous terrain.

    He couldn¡¯t believe it. Amaya Sensei had fought through his technique and three of his Shadow Tags, then pulled off a high-level elemental Jutsu by channeling Chakra through her foot, all with a kunai embedded in her shoulder. He felt so foolish. He had done the very thing he had accused the teacher of. He had underestimated her. This was a Jonin-level ninja.

    ¡°Yuji! You okay?¡± Kazuki asked frantically, landing on the branch beside him and placing a hand on the panting boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I had a bird¡¯s eye view of that crazy Jutsu. I couldn¡¯t believe what I was seeing. The training ground is wrecked!¡±

    Yuji nodded, but the teacher¡¯s technique had shaken him, both figuratively and literally. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. We¡¯ve got to go after her and try to slow her down.¡±

    ***

    Reito had been racing through the woods at top speed for five minutes when he heard it. A cacophony of some sort was coming from behind him. Was it¡­? No, it didn¡¯t sound like that. When he paused on a branch to try and identify the noise, he found his balance affected. The tree was vibrating. No, not the tree, the ground.

    What the heck had happened? Had Amaya Sensei escaped Yuji¡¯s Jutsu somehow? Was she on her way to his position now? Reito checked his watch, took a deep breath, and continued his retreat. Four minutes. He just needed to hold on to the flag for four more minutes. Unfortunately, he could already tell that he was slowing down. Running across hazardous terrain at maximum speed was quickly consuming his pitiful Chakra pool.

    Just then, there was another noise in the distance, this one easily distinguishable as the sound of an explosion. The first of Reito¡¯s traps had been triggered. Amaya Senesi was coming for him. She wouldn¡¯t have fallen for a proximity mine. He hoped they might slow her approach by putting her on guard for more, but he had primarily set them up as an early warning system.

    When a second explosion sounded, Reito checked his watch. Just three minutes remained, but the second trap had been placed a good distance from the first, which indicated that Amaya Sensei was approaching at an incredible velocity. This realization made him lose focus on his Chakra control, and the foot he used to land on the next tree branch slipped.

    Reito fell out of the tree but managed to stick his landing by using his arms to absorb some of the impact. He flipped over and continued running as fast as he could at ground level, breathing hard now due to the Chakra requirement for such leg speed, which had his arms flailing out behind him.

    For a moment, he found himself wondering whether Kazuki or Yuji would have been better suited for this role, but he quickly reminded himself that he had volunteered because the two of them were essential to delaying Amaya Sensei. He was the only one of them without any useful Jutsu, after all.

    His negative thoughts were interrupted by a third and final explosion, much louder than the previous two. Stopping in his tracks, Reito leaped back into the trees and doubled back the way he came, then carefully wound his way through the brush west of his previous heading. With any luck, Amaya Sensei would follow his tracks the wrong way until they came to an abrupt halt.

    After clearing some thick shrubbery without disturbing it, Reito took cover on the floor beneath it. With two minutes to go, if he continued running, he risked detection. Hiding was his only option now. He didn¡¯t have the Chakra for a lasting Camouflage Jutsu or Transformation Jutsu, so he resorted to the basics, pulling a sheet of green cloth from his bag, which he draped over himself.

    Reito lay there under the plant, watching the seconds count down on his watch, his ears strained for movement. With just a minute left, he nearly jumped out of his skin when a voice whispered very close by, ¡°A camo sheet? I admire your use of the classics, but transforming into a rock or something would have served you better. Perhaps you¡¯re not capable, though?¡±

    Shooting to his feet, Reito was faced with Amaya Sensei, grinning as she chewed on one of her toothpicks. He checked that he was still in possession of the flag, then turned on his heel and ran.

    ¡°You gave me a good run for my money, but it¡¯s over,¡± said Amaya Sensei as Reito looked over his shoulder, seeing her casually reaching for the trailing red fabric at his waist.

    Summoning the last of his Chakra, Reito focused, performed the Hand Seals for the technique that had almost prevented him from graduating, and muttered, ¡°Clone  (Bunshin no) Jutsu!¡±

    Only two afterimages appeared, but that was enough. While Amaya Sensei grabbed at the air, her hand passing right through one of the fake Reito¡¯s flags, he reached into his bag, pulled out an object, and slammed it down on the ground. A blaring light filled the area, accompanied by a deafening noise.

    With his eyes shut tightly, Reito soon stumbled and fell to the floor with his arms over his eyes and ears. When the light of his homemade flashbang dissipated, his senses slowly started to return. He could just about open his eyes, but his ears were filled with a horrible ringing. It wasn¡¯t the sort of high-pitched ringing he would have expected, though. It was more like the clanging of¡­an alarm clock.

    Reito turned excitedly, squinting in the direction of the noise. There was Amaya Sensei, holding her little clock aloft, signaling the end of her test. For a second, a huge grin stretched across his face. However, in the teacher¡¯s other hand was the flag. With a glance at his waistband, he accepted the truth. He had failed.

    Amaya Sensei turned off the clock and walked forward, extending a hand to Reito. She helped him to his feet. ¡°You came very close,¡± she said kindly.

    ¡°Not close enough,¡± Reito sulked.

    ¡°But you impressed me, and trust me, that doesn¡¯t happen very often.¡±

    Reito nodded. ¡°I guess I can¡¯t be too upset,¡± he said glumly, a sad smile coming over him. ¡°At least Kazuki and Yuji passed.¡±

    The teacher blinked at the boy in confusion. ¡°I beg your pardon?¡±

    ¡°Well, you did come right for me after escaping Yuji¡¯s Jutsu, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Why?¡±

    Pointing to the flag, Reito explained, ¡°Because I made a pitstop on my way here. Your rules stated that we had to have the flag at our waist when the test ended. Before I took off, I cut a section off and left it at our meeting spot for Kazuki to find.¡±

    Just then, Kazuki and Yuji arrived on the scene, panting deeply, dropping to their knees from the exertion of catching up with Amaya Sensei and Reito. Each of them had a thin red strip of fabric tucked into their waist.

    The stunned-looking teacher¡¯s jaw dropped, causing her toothpick to fall out.

    ¡°I told Yuji to lie to you, Sensei,¡± said Reito.

    ¡°I told you ¡ª Kazuki and I ¡ª were happy for Reito ¡ª to take the flag,¡± breathed Yuji.

    ¡°With the time limit and Yuji¡¯s delay tactics pressuring you, this statement made you focus all your attention on catching me.¡±

    ¡°A ninja must have the ability to discern fact from fiction, Amaya Sensei,¡± Kazuki taunted, clutching his side, his expression pained.

    ¡°The question now is,¡± said Reito, looking the woman in the eye, ¡°how much of what you have told us was fact? And how much, if any, was fiction?¡±

 Episode 07: The Moment of Truth

    The boys followed Amaya Sensei back to the village in silence, partly due to their fatigue and partly because they were filled with apprehension. She hadn¡¯t told them anything except that they would have a debriefing after she got her shoulder wound patched up. While she was in the hospital, they sat in the waiting room.

    ¡°Argh! I hate this waiting! I wish she would have just told us what¡¯s going on and got it over with!¡± Kazuki grumbled. ¡°Do you think she will say that we cheated by cutting up the flag?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Reito answered. ¡°But if doing that or visiting the site ahead of the test was against the rules, she should have made it clear.¡±

    ¡°I feel bad about injuring her,¡± asked Yuji.

    Reito frowned in frustration. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± he said a little testily. ¡°The medics will take care of her, and she wouldn¡¯t have been injured in the first place had she not underestimated us. Even at the end, she wasn¡¯t taking me seriously. She may have got my flag at the last second, but she could have taken it sooner had she not toyed with me.¡±

    Yuji and Kazuki observed Reito with concerned expressions, which he tried not to notice. They were surely feeling conflicted about passing the test when he hadn¡¯t. They had done so using his strategy, after all. Then again, Amaya Sensei hadn¡¯t confirmed the results one way or the other.

    Just then, their teacher emerged from around the corner with her arm in a sling. Reito also noticed that the usual crease in her brow had softened considerably.

    ¡°Are you okay, Sensei?¡± asked Yuji when she reached them.

    ¡°Huh? Oh, this?¡± Amaya Sensei responded, looking at the sling. ¡°It was only a flesh wound; it¡¯s mostly healed already with Medical Ninjutsu. I told you to come at me with killing intent, but you didn¡¯t throw hard enough to do any real damage. In the field, that sort of mistake could cost you.¡±

    Yuji lowered his head in shame. Apparently, he had held back.

    ¡°So, let¡¯s get to it,¡± the teacher announced, causing each of the boys to straighten up in their seat. ¡°My explanation of the exam¡­ As it seems you have already deduced, I wasn¡¯t entirely honest with you.¡±

    ¡°First off, I would like to apologize for my rudeness upfront. I¡¯m not quite as stern as I made out. Since you were unaware of my personality when we met, I took the opportunity to test your emotional resilience. Judging by the difference between your initial reactions and the composure you demonstrated this morning, you realized this.¡±

    ¡°Reito thought you might be trying to provoke us,¡± Yuji confirmed. ¡°He suggested lots of other things you might say, so we were prepared.¡±

    ¡°Good. Keeping your cool under fire and analyzing information with a level head are important skills for a ninja,¡± Amaya Sensei nodded approvingly. ¡°Secondly, I can confirm now that I was telling the truth about the purpose of the exam. It is used as a means to evaluate and determine which graduates are most suitable to become Genin.¡±

    Reito distinctly heard Kazuki gulp in the seat next to him.

    ¡°However, I mislead you about the number of graduates that would be selected. This was to sow the seeds of uncertainty and division, which, again, you seemed to have picked up on if your unity was any indication. Truthfully, there is no set number. Nine is the average number of students who pass based on previous years. Moreover, it¡¯s not nine students, so much as three teams. Students either pass or fail this stage of the process together.¡±

    Reito¡¯s stomach fell. He had been worried about this. Only two members of his team had passed the test, as Amaya Sensei had originally explained it. Did that mean his failure would prevent Yuji and Kazuki from passing?

    ¡°Thirdly,¡± the teacher continued, ¡°regarding your grouping¡­¡±

    Reito shifted in his seat at this point.

    ¡°I did indeed review your files before our meeting. I also discussed you with your teachers, barring Mizuki, of course.¡±

    Reito raised an eyebrow with intrigue at the teacher¡¯s statement and the little chuckle that followed.

    ¡°Err, forget I said that,¡± corrected Amaya Sensei. ¡°Anyway, based on the information available to me, it was with total honesty that I told you to quit being a ninja.¡±

    The boys flinched as one at this, but Reito caught himself and placed a hand on Kazuki¡¯s knee before his friend jumped out of his seat.

    Amaya Sensei smiled. ¡°My assessment of you was premature,¡± she admitted. ¡°Had I had any inkling of your true capabilities¡­ Well, I would have said the same thing in order to provoke you, but I would have been more interested in seeing what you could do.¡±

    Feeling Kazuki relax, Reito withdrew his hand.

    ¡°You three were definitely this year¡¯s underdogs, but you weren¡¯t grouped to set you up to fail. That was another fib of mine.¡±

    ¡°So why were we grouped?¡± Reito asked, impatient to know the answer to this niggling question.

    ¡°Your teachers recognized that in the last couple of years, your work ethic and performance have improved due to your cooperation. You¡¯ve motivated each other. The teams were assigned to be balanced, not just in terms of skill but to give you all a fair opportunity to pass the exam. In your case, your key advantage wasn¡¯t your skill levels but your existing relationship, and from what I observed this morning, you capitalized on it.¡±

    Reito was pleasantly surprised. Team Four¡¯s grouping had been intentional and not as a way to weed out the competition. Iruka Sensei and the other teachers had noticed their hard work and seen the value in their bond.

    ¡°That said, even after the surprises you showed me this morning, you three have a long way to go. You¡¯re still behind in terms of ability,¡± said Amaya Sensei. ¡°Your Chakra levels and control are a problem. And that brings me to your performance in the exam itself.¡±

    The teacher sat down in a chair opposite them at that point, and the boys leaned in to listen.

    ¡°Yuji Saito,¡± Amaya Sensei began, ¡°You showed promise with the b¨­ staff and were able to adapt your fighting style to compensate for your teammate¡¯s projectile attacks. You also revealed some interesting Jutsu, which show promise but have a lot of room for development.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Yuji nodded affirmatively.

    ¡°Kazuki Torimoto. Your skill with the bow impressed me. Yuji mentioned you had employed a visual Jutsu to complement it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, my dad¡¯s Eagle Eye Jutsu,¡± said Kazuki proudly. ¡°He invented it while working with the birds at our aviary. It doesn¡¯t compare to the Hyuga Clan¡¯s Byakugan¡­but it improves my visual range and acuity by a lot, so it pairs well with my archery.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Amaya Sensei remarked with a warm smile. ¡°Your aim and timing were perfect. However, employing a bow from sniping distance as you did won¡¯t always be possible. You¡¯ll need to work on your Taijutsu, so you can respond effectively to ambush or situations in confined spaces.¡±

    Kazuki nodded fervently, aware of his need to improve his close combat skills.

    ¡°Finally, Reito Tsu. Your Shuriken Jutsu is above average, but you lack overall combat ability, owing primarily to your poor command of Chakra. That said, you made up for your shortcomings with smart use of ninja tools, high-level tactical analysis, and a clever strategy that you and your teammates pulled off to great effect.

    ¡°You saw through my attempts at deception and provocation and prepared accordingly. You made use of every opportunity available to you within the guidelines I set, including scoping out the battlefield and planning and researching how to make use of it. You devised a strategy that could work in numerous situations, used it to lower my guard, and then made your move with the strict time limit in mind. You planned for all this in advance without even knowing the exact test parameters¡­¡±

    Reito felt himself blush.

    ¡°While you perform well on academy intelligence tests, you¡¯re no genius. Even so, you seem to have a knack for the mental requirements of ninja life. You made the best possible use of the information available to you and did everything we could expect of a graduate in such circumstances. The only thing you didn¡¯t do¡­was hold on to your piece of the flag!¡±

    Feeling as though he had been punched in the gut, Reito dropped his head.

    Addressing all the boys now, the teacher went on, ¡°That said, there was one final lie in my explanation of the exam. Passing or failing was never about possessing the flag. Your success is based entirely on my discretion, and I¡¯ve failed almost all the teams I¡¯ve assessed over the years. In fact, I think Kakashi is the only Jonin with a worse pass rate than me now.¡±

    As Amaya Sensei reflected on this statement, Reito remembered that Kakashi was the name of Team Seven¡¯s Jonin instructor, the one Iruka Sensei had mentioned, the one who hadn¡¯t shown up to orientation. Apparently, Naruto¡¯s team were in for a rude awakening. But what about their team?

    Getting to her feet again, the teacher concluded, ¡°In my experience, most students show up to the final exam without any preparation at all, usually terrified of what¡¯s to come after my introduction. While many are confident in their abilities, they fail to recognize the criteria they are being assessed on.¡±

    Waiting on tenterhooks, the boys blinked in confusion. Had they missed something? What was it?

    ¡°Teamwork!¡± roared Amaya Sensei. ¡°We assess you in three-man teams to see how you work as a unit! While your individual talents are lacking, you displayed perfect synergy. As a result, not just one but all three of you came very close to beating my little exercise, something that has never happened before.¡±

    Reito¡¯s heart was fit to burst.

    ¡°Therefore, I, Jonin Amaya Daigo, hereby recommend Team Four for Genin status!¡±

    The boys jumped out of their seats, erupting into cheers. They passed. They actually passed, Reito included. The whooping and hollering continued until they had to be hushed by a nurse at the hospital reception desk.

    ¡°Congratulations!¡± said Amaya Sensei, popping a toothpick into her smiling mouth. ¡°You three have a lot of hard work ahead of you, but I¡¯m confident that you will give it your all.¡±

    ***

    After spending the afternoon celebrating their victory, Reito, Kazuki, and Yuji arrived at the Fire Estate the following morning, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to begin their lives as ninjas.

    Amaya Sensei greeted them outside the Administration Building, then led them inside to a large room, where she informed them Mission Meetings¡ªfor allocating and reviewing missions¡ªand other gatherings were regularly held. First, though, there would be a brief ceremony of sorts, where she would present her team to the Hokage for his approval.

    The room was empty except for a table with two chairs, where a man was sitting, rifling through a pile of papers. In front of the table stood the Hokage himself with his hands held behind his back. He was a very old man now with a white-gray chin beard, dressed head to toe in his formal white and red robes, which included an oversized hat bearing the symbol of the Land of Fire, the country to whom Konoha owed its allegiance.

    Reito wondered, as he often had, how practical an ensemble it was for the village¡¯s supposed strongest ninja. If the man had to go into battle dressed as he was, such a hat would limit visibility, and the robes would surely be a trip hazard.

    ¡°Good morning, Amaya,¡± the wizened village leader said in a tone of surprise as the Jonin lined up the three boys and took her place at the head. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you to be here.¡±

    ¡°Neither was I,¡± Amaya Sensei responded, looking round at the boys with a knowing glance.

    ¡°How many are we expecting?¡± the Hokage asked the man at the table.

    ¡°Four teams in total, Lord Hokage,¡± the man responded.

    Just then, the door to the room slid open, and two more groups entered. A burly, bearded, dark-haired man led in Team Ten. Following them, the young female Jonin Reito remembered from the orientation meeting, owing to her unusual red eyes and lack of uniform, led Team Eight into the room.

    As the two teams lined up beside them, some of the students showing clear signs of surprise to see him, Reito laughed to himself, shaking his head. It was typical¡­ Despite Amaya Sensei¡¯s assurances that all the teams were balanced to give them a fair opportunity at passing, including theirs, Team Eight and Team Ten were here, the two teams that he had noted were chock full of clan kids.

    Reito wracked his brain, trying to figure out which of the remaining teams from the orientation meeting were last to arrive. Team Two, he decided, was the most likely choice. It had three students with middling ability levels, including one from the Hino Clan, who were strong Taijutsu users known for operating the village¡¯s volunteer fire brigade.

    After three minutes of silence, the Hokage announced, ¡°Perhaps we should begin,¡± and nodded in Team Eight¡¯s direction.

    The female Jonin stepped forward, and her students lined up beside her in front of the Hokage. ¡°I, Jonin Kurenai Y¨±hi, present Team Eight for your approval, Lord Hokage: Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, Hinata Hyuga.¡±

    At the mention of their name, each student bowed. Afterward, the Hokage inclined his head in acknowledgment, and Kurenai Sensei led them away.

    The burly Jonin stepped forward next and announced, ¡°I, Jonin Asuma Sarutobi, present Team Ten for your approval, Lord Hokage: Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi.¡±

    When Choji, a rather overweight boy, bowed respectfully, a sealed bag of potato chips fell out of his pocket and onto the floor.

    ¡°Choji!¡± Ino chastised, while Shikamaru lazily raised a hand to his face, and Kazuki and Kiba stifled laughter without much success.

    ¡°Err, sorry,¡± the boy answered, blushing as he crammed the bag noisily into his pocket.

    ¡°Oh, aren¡¯t they the limited-edition scrambled egg flavor?¡± asked the Hokage with what sounded to Reito like genuine interest. However, when the male Jonin cleared his throat pointedly, the Hokage did the same, then dismissed the team with a nod.

    Team Four stepped forward next. ¡°I, Jonin Amaya Daigo, present Team Four for your approval, Lord Hokage,¡± she announced, but before she could call their names, there was a ruckus in the direction of the door, including several thumps, as if someone was trying to kick it in.

    ¡°Take your hand off me,¡± a low voice threatened menacingly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t push Sasuke, you idiot!¡± a second voice spoke considerably louder.

    Just then, there was another, louder thump on the door before it slid open forcefully with a bang, revealing Naruto making a thumbs-up gesture. ¡°The hero always arrives just in the nick of time,¡± he said loudly, then quickly changed his tone when he saw that the ceremony had begun, ¡°Hey, old man, don¡¯t start without us!¡±

    Reito¡¯s jaw dropped at the boy¡¯s sudden appearance and disrespectful manner. More than that, though, he was shocked by what it suggested. Had Naruto passed the exam?

    ¡°Naruto! I told you to let Sasuke go in first!¡± Sakura snapped, smacking the boy on the back of the head.

    Sasuke was standing behind her, his arms crossed, his brows furrowed, as was a male Jonin with spiky silver hair, a mask over his mouth and nose, and his headband skewed to cover his left eye. ¡°Sorry we¡¯re late,¡± the man said innocently. ¡°Kakashi and Team Seven, reporting for duty!¡±

 Episode 08: Off to Work

    After the chaotic arrival of Team Seven, the little ceremony eventually resumed. Following this, the four new Genin teams were assigned their first missions by the Hokage, who reviewed their Ninja Registration Forms with the aid of his adviser.

    If Konoha¡¯s leader was concerned by the information Team Four¡¯s¡ªor Naruto¡¯s¡ªrecords contained, he didn¡¯t express it. He seemed rather entertained by the idea that both Amaya Sensei and Kakashi Sensei had recommended students at all. Both, it seemed, were infamous for the high fail rates of their respective exams.

    Reito couldn¡¯t help but be annoyed by the whole thing. Here he was, so proud of himself, Kazuki, and Yuji for passing, when Naruto, of all people, who was ranked below all three of them, had done the same thing. Maybe Team Seven¡¯s test hadn¡¯t been as difficult as theirs? Maybe Amaya Sensei had been too lenient with them? Well, whatever the reason for Naruto¡¯s passing, it somehow marred their achievement.

    ¡°Maybe that Kakashi Sensei is a soft touch?¡± Kazuki offered after Reito shared his thoughts with his friends.

    The boys¡¯ first mission, if you could call it that, turned out to be vegetable picking, a request from a local farmer who needed extra laborers to bring in his harvest. It was hard work, but not something that required the skills of a ninja.

    ¡°He can¡¯t be, or he wouldn¡¯t have a bigger reputation than Amaya Sensei for failing students,¡± Reito replied while yanking a particularly stubborn carrot out of the ground and swinging it into the basket on his back, which was getting heavy now.

    Yuji called from the row of earth to his left, ¡°The teams passed or failed as a unit. Perhaps Naruto only passed because of Sasuke? He was the top student.¡±

    ¡°That would make sense,¡± began Reito, straightening up and wiping his brow, ¡°except we know now that the exam was all about how the teams worked together. Based on what we saw at the Mission Meeting, those three can barely stand each other!¡±

    ¡°Maybe Yuji¡¯s right ¡ª but for a different reason,¡± said Kazuki, pausing to catch his breath. ¡°Maybe the higher-ups were forced to pass Naruto, so their Uchiha golden boy didn¡¯t get dragged down with him? Same with Sakura. It would just be dumb if the academy¡¯s best and brightest had to repeat the year because they got lumbered with a screw-up.¡±

    Reito wondered about this. He might have thought it possible a few days ago, but after Amaya Sensei¡¯s rigorous exam and her detailed explanation about the reasons for it, giving Naruto an easy ride just didn¡¯t seem like something the higher-ups would do.

    The exam measured the various abilities of the participants to see if they were cut out for life as ninjas, not just in terms of commitment but in terms of safety. Kakashi Sensei and the Hokage wouldn¡¯t have passed Team Seven if Naruto was a danger to himself or his teammates. Would they?

    ***

    Almost two months later, life as a Genin wasn¡¯t what Reito had imagined it to be. Sure, he was doing good and getting a small but regular paycheck for it, which he only dipped into to buy the occasional treat for his little sister, but the missions were a joke. It was always nice to receive thanks in person from the requestees at a Mission Meeting, but the kind of jobs they were being assigned were ridiculous.

    Team Four had completed five missions now, all similar in scope to their first. They weren¡¯t missions so much as odd jobs. So far, they had harvested crops, cleaned the town community center, helped a family move house, tracked down a missing cat, which Reito still believed to be a feral creature, despite the rich owner¡¯s insistence it was her beloved pet, and most frustrating of all, repaired the training ground that Amaya Sensei had ruined during her exam.

    Their latest mission¡ªinvestigating an underground counterfeiting operation¡ªhad sounded promising, but it turned out to be the work of an ambitious eight-year-old who was circulating fake trading cards at the academy during recess.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you three?¡± asked Amaya Sensei when the boys arrived at the Administration Building for their Mission Meeting. They were clearly not in the best of moods.

    Amaya Sensei may not have been as mean as she had made out when they met, but she had still proven to be a very strict instructor. In between taking naps and disappearing for hours at a time while they were working, she had openly criticized their mission performance, often yelling when she deemed it slow or shoddy.

    ¡°We were wondering¡­¡± Reito hesitated as they made their way to the meeting room, ¡°whether you thought we might be ready for a more challenging mission?¡±

    ¡°Oh? What¡¯s wrong with the missions you¡¯ve been assigned?¡± Amaya Sensei enquired.

    ¡°They suck,¡± said Kazuki.

    Reito¡¯s initial inclination was to chastise his friend for such bluntness toward a teacher, but since he didn¡¯t disagree, he held his tongue. Even Yuji, who didn¡¯t approve of such language, remained silent.

    ¡°Really?¡± the teacher said with a smug grin, folding her arms across her chest. ¡°The way I see it, your first five missions helped build your endurance, strength, speed, and coordination.¡±

    Reito opened his mouth to object, but there was something to that. Was it a coincidence, though, or were the missions really designed to train new Genins?

    ¡°Your last mission tested your intelligence-gathering skills, and really, it took you far too long to uncover the culprit.¡±

    ¡°We knew which kid was making those fake cards from day one!¡± Kazuki insisted.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Yes, but it took you a whole week to gather the evidence Iruka Sensei needed.¡±

    Kazuki pouted.

    ¡°This is how D-rank missions work, boys. We¡¯ll do some training after your next one, but I don¡¯t believe you¡¯re ready for C-rank yet.¡±

    From beyond the meeting room door, there was a sudden outburst, ¡°Nooooo! No! No, thank you! I want to do a more exciting mission! Give us something else!¡±

    ¡°That sounds like Naruto,¡± said Yuji.

    ¡°That jerk is disrespecting the Hokage again!¡± said Kazuki in disbelief.

    ¡°Know your place, you fool! You¡¯re still the bottom rookie!¡± rebuked Iruka Sensei, their former teacher¡¯s disciplinary tone unmistakable. ¡°At the start, everyone moves up the ladder by gaining experience from simple missions!¡±

    Amaya Sensei pointed at the door with a raised eyebrow as if to say, ¡°What he said.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s been nothing but blah missions so far!¡± Naruto argued.

    There was some inaudible chatter for a while after that, then a strained voice shouted, ¡°LISTEN!¡±

    ¡°Oh dear, was that the Hokage?¡± asked Yuji, covering his mouth in alarm.

    Minutes passed without further noise when suddenly, Naruto started yelling, ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    ¡°Oh? What a feisty fellow. I sure don¡¯t envy Kakashi,¡± Amaya Sensei remarked.

    Reito clapped a hand to his forehead, wondering for the umpteenth time how the boy was ever allowed to graduate, let alone become a Genin.

    Eventually, Team Seven filed out of the room, accompanied by their instructor and a bespectacled old man in a pointed hat. When they noticed Team Four waiting, Sasuke averted his eyes, Sakura smiled smugly, and Naruto happily revealed that they were going on a C-rank mission.

    The boys turned accusatorily in Amaya Sensei¡¯s direction as their former classmates departed.

    ¡°Is that how we¡¯re supposed to get a C-rank mission? With screaming and death threats?¡± Kazuki groused.

    ¡°Scream at me all you want,¡± she replied with a wicked grin, then turned to enter the meeting room, ¡°but do so at your own risk. I¡¯m not as easygoing as Kakashi.¡±

    The boys begrudgingly followed her in, where the Hokage was sat behind a row of tables with his advisors. Iruka Sensei was among them but came around the table to greet Team Four. ¡°Congratulations on completing your latest mission,¡± he said brightly. ¡°I requested this one myself, so I¡¯m very happy with the outcome. You blew the case wide open! Little Kenji Ohara is in a lot of trouble.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Sensei,¡± the boys said glumly with a bow, feeling a little foolish for helping apprehend a child.

    ¡°Yes, well done on a successful mission, Team Four,¡± the Hokage concurred, shuffling some papers. ¡°Let¡¯s see, now¡­ Yes, your next mission will be¡­ An errand to the neighboring town to babysit the chief Councilor¡¯s son.¡±

    The boys turned their heads as one, eyeing Amaya Sensei with varying degrees of irritation. This was surely the mission that triggered Naruto¡¯s noisy objection.

    She merely smiled without meeting their eyes, answering, ¡°Sounds like just the job for these three. Thank you, Lord Hokage.¡±

    ***

    Despite the absurd prospect of babysitting ahead of him, Reito had to admit that he was excited for the mission come the following morning. Leaving the village made it a little more interesting than previous missions, as did the fact that there would be an overnight stay at an inn to look forward to.

    Before leaving the house with his traveling pack¡ªand the full range of armaments required for away missions, even D-rank ones¡ªReito got a tight hug from his mother and some pocket money from his father.

    ¡°Be safe and listen to your instructor,¡± said the former, kissing him on the cheek.

    ¡°Buy yourself a treat,¡± said the latter, ruffling his hair.

    Reito then had a teary goodbye with his sister, who didn¡¯t like the idea of him going away and wouldn¡¯t let go of his arm. ¡°It¡¯s only for one night, Reika,¡± he assured her, but she only finally relinquished her grip when he promised to bring her back a souvenir.

    Fifteen minutes later, he was walking through the village gate with Kazuki, Yuji, and Amaya Sensei. He had seen his friends fully armed before, with their staff, bow, and other items, but it was the first time seeing the teacher in full ninja gear. She had a katana strapped to her back, making Reito realize again how relaxed she had been about their exam. She had brought a single kunai on the day, but apparently, she was a swordsman.

    It was an odd feeling to be departing on their first away mission. Reito had barely ever left the village except for the occasional vacation, but they were few and far between owing to the demands of the family business.

    He was happy to find that his friends seemed to be as pumped as he was. They had undoubtedly recognized the benefits of the mission as he had. They chatted excitedly about what they would get up to in Shukuda Town, which was one of the Land of Fire¡¯s more infamous visitor spots.

    ¡°We¡¯re not on vacation,¡± interrupted Amaya Sensei with a shake of her head after ten minutes of this. ¡°We have a mission to complete.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but the mission won¡¯t begin right away, will it?¡± asked Kazuki. ¡°That Councilor wants his brat watched for the afternoon and most of the evening. We¡¯ll have some time to kill until then, won¡¯t we?¡±

    The boys looked expectantly to their teacher for her answer. She was silent for a moment before smiling ever so slightly and replying, ¡°Not unless we pick up the pace.¡±

    ***

    The journey took most of the morning. It was almost midday when the steep road dipped, and Shukuda Town came into view.

    ¡°There it is!¡± said Kazuki. ¡°Let¡¯s find a buffet place, and after, we can get some shaved ice!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like shaved ice,¡± said Yuji.

    ¡°Huh? How can you not?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too cold. I prefer spicy foods.¡±

    ¡°On a hot day like today?¡±

    Reito laughed. He¡¯d heard this argument a hundred times, but it never failed to make him smile. At that moment, however, Amaya Sensei raised a hand in front of his face. Reito stopped in his tracks, and the other two boys followed suit.

    ¡°What¡¯s up, Amaya Sen¡ª" Kazuki started.

    ¡°Quiet,¡± she ordered in a dangerous tone.

    ¡°Oi! Is this them? Get up, shithead, this could be them,¡± said an obnoxiously loud male voice.

    Just up ahead, two figures were getting to their feet atop a rock by the side of the road. Each wore matching conical straw hats with dangling white tassels and black robes with a red cloud print.

    ¡°Lower your voice, fool, or I¡¯ll kill you,¡± the second threatened in an impossibly deep tone.

    ¡°Yeah, just try it, you bastard! I¡¯ll sacrifice your old ass to my god!¡± the first retorted, flicking through a small notebook. ¡°It¡¯s them! It¡¯s definitely them, just like your little book says. Three boys accompanied by an orange-haired woman in Konoha uniform.¡±

    Taking the book in question from his comrade and consulting it, the deep-voiced man agreed, ¡°It appears to be them. But don¡¯t drag this out, newbie. Time is money.¡±

    ¡°My ritual takes as long as it takes!¡±

    ¡°How can we help you, gentlemen?¡± Amaya Sensei called out.

    The two men removed and tossed aside their large hats, which Reito couldn¡¯t help thinking were almost as silly as the Hokage¡¯s. He tensed up then, though. Something was obviously amiss, and he didn¡¯t like the look of these guys.

    The foul-mouthed man was young, probably in his early twenties. He had slicked back medium-length gray hair and was licking his lips with a greedy expression. Much of his larger comrade¡¯s visage was obscured by a head covering and a black face mask, but he had unsettling bloodshot eyes with vivid green irises, which created such a contrast they could be seen even at a distance. Both possessed ninja headbands, though the former wore his around his throat like a choker.

    ¡°How can you help us?¡± the noisy man answered mockingly, pulling a three-pronged red scythe from behind his back. ¡°You can offer up your life to Lord Jashin!¡±

 Episode 09: Life Mission

    The noisy man threw his oversized scythe at Amaya Sensei. In a flash, she unsheathed her katana and parried it. However, the man then charged at her.

    ¡°Amaya Sensei!¡± Reito automatically called out in concern, seeing the three-bladed red sickle was connected to the man by a long tether, which he reeled in with one hand, then proceeded to swing around with savage proficiency as he closed the gap between them.

    ¡°Take defensive positions. Don¡¯t interfere!¡± Amaya Sensei commanded before crossing blades with the enemy.

    The boys complied, standing back-to-back with kunais at the ready. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Who are these guys?¡± Kazuki asked fearfully as their teacher deflected the enemy¡¯s attacks with impressive power and speed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Foreign ninja, obviously, but I don¡¯t recognize the symbol on this guy¡¯s headband,¡± said Reito.

    ¡°I do,¡± said Yuji hesitantly, ¡°I think. It looks like the three diagonal lines of Yu Village, the ninja village in the Land of Hot Springs. There seems to be an extra line, though, as if the symbol¡¯s been crossed out.¡±

    ¡°Yu Village? Didn¡¯t Iruka sensei mention once that they are pacifists now?¡± Kazuki questioned.

    ¡°Maybe that explains why it¡¯s crossed out. This guy doesn¡¯t seem like the pacifist type. It might be a declaration of some kind,¡± said Reito, observing the man¡¯s vicious attacks and wincing at the pleasure he was deriding from the fight based on his wild laughter and grating screeches of joy.

    ¡°Should we help Amaya Sensei?¡± asked Yuji.

    Reito wanted to say yes, wanted to assist their teacher against this unprovoked assault, but he controlled himself. Genins like them would only get in the way. ¡°She told us not to¡­but be ready to move if she needs us,¡± he said.

    Each impressive clash of weapons created loud clangs and grinding of steel on steel. Amaya Sensei seemed to be keeping up with her opponent just fine, though, despite the awkward shape of his three-bladed scythe being a bad match for a sword. She was highly skilled in Kenjutsu.

    ¡°Maybe we should attack the other guy?¡± Kazuki proposed.

    ¡°No!¡± Reito snapped. That much he knew for sure was a mistake. They needed to stay close to Amaya Sensei right now. He felt sure that she would have told them to flee otherwise. If they separated from her, she wouldn¡¯t be able to help if the second man pursued them. ¡°The longer he stays out of the fight, the better. We don¡¯t know anything about these guys, their reasons for attacking, or their abilities. Just observe for now.¡±

    ¡°I could take a bird¡¯s eye view.¡±

    Reito considered what Kazuki was suggesting. Having him get into sniping position in a nearby tree was a good idea, but he didn¡¯t want to do anything that might cause the second guy to intervene. ¡°Not yet,¡± he advised. ¡°But be ready to move. Yuji, give Kazuki some tags.¡±

    Just then, Amaya Sensei ducked a swipe of the scarlet scythe and delivered a spin kick to her opponent¡¯s abdomen, sending him flying in the direction of his ally. ¡°Enough of this! Call off your attack and explain yourselves,¡± she barked. ¡°If you come at me again, I won¡¯t hold back!¡±

    ¡°Hurry up, Hidan,¡± said the man with the deep voice. ¡°You¡¯re even slower than my previous partner.¡±

    ¡°Screw you, Kakuzu!¡± the noisy man named Hidan replied as he got to his feet. He then charged at Amaya Sensei again.

    ¡°So be it,¡± said Amaya Sensei, spitting out the toothpick in her mouth and holding her katana out in front of her, parallel to the floor. She then ran her free hand along the steel surface, uttering, ¡°Lightning Style (Raiton): Plasma Blade (Denk¨­ken no) Jutsu.¡± The blade of the teacher¡¯s katana began to glow bright blue and crackle violently with a mix of Chakra and electricity.

    Reito noticed the hairs on his forearms stand on end. He could almost feel the power emanating from the sword.

    Hidan didn¡¯t seem to care, though. He continued running at her while yelling a war cry. Amaya Sensei took a fighting stance with her legs braced, and her sword held at her side. When Hidan was in range, she moved in what seemed like the blink of an eye, showing up behind him, her sword now held above her head and pointing in the opposite direction.

    Reito couldn¡¯t believe it. He wouldn¡¯t have known she had even swung her sword had it not been for the faint blue arc left by her slash, which seemed to indicate that the fight was over. When Hidan¡¯s upper torso moved in a different direction to his lower body, he knew it was.

    ¡°D-did she j-just¡­?¡± Kazuki stammered.

    When Yuji vomited, Reito felt no need to reply. In fact, as he tried to comprehend the gruesome scene before them¡ªHidan¡¯s body hitting the floor with two distinct thuds¡ªhe had to fight the urge to follow suit. Amaya Sensei had cut the man clean in two.

    Amaya Sensei pointed her crackling sword in Kakuzu¡¯s direction. ¡°Explain your actions,¡± she warned.

    Kakuzu closed his eyes with an exasperated sigh.

    ¡°AMAYA SENSEI, JUMP!¡± Reito suddenly pleaded at the top of his voice, the sense of urgency clear in his tone.

    The woman responded to her pupil¡¯s warning, but not in time to avoid a small wound to her right calf. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t deep, but Reito was stunned. He couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing; neither could Amaya Sensei, judging by the look of bewilderment on her face. On the ground, where his upper half lay, Hidan¡¯s scythe-wielding arm had taken a swing.

    ¡°What the¡­?¡± Kazuki started.

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t understand,¡± Yuji whispered.

    Amaya Sensei dashed back to the man¡¯s body and finished him properly, slicing her katana¡¯s crackling blade through his neck this time. Hidan¡¯s head rolled away from his shoulders, but his arm took another swipe at her with his weapon. ¡°Ouch! I¡¯ll get you for that, bitch! Oi, Kakuzu, you bastard, help me out!¡± the severed head jeered.

    Reito¡¯s jaw dropped as their teacher took a defensive position in front of him and his friends. Ouch? The man¡¯s response to his head being cut off was, ¡°Ouch?¡± He shouldn¡¯t have a response to that at all! How was this possible?

    ¡°Why should I do that?¡± Kakuzu challenged.

    ¡°Because she¡¯s a Lightning Style user,¡± Hidan¡¯s head spoke. ¡°You¡¯ve been looking for a suitable one to replace the heart that I destroyed, right? If you don¡¯t help, I¡¯ll stab hers, so you can¡¯t have it!¡±

    Kakuzu narrowed his eyes but didn¡¯t respond.

    Amaya Sensei¡¯s eyes were wide with fear. Whatever Jutsu was allowing Hidan to survive her fatal attacks, it was obviously something she hadn¡¯t come across before, even as a Jonin. ¡°I¡¯m going to create a distraction,¡± she announced. ¡°Ready yourselves and prepare to use your team strategy. It will be just like how your exam played out. Got it?¡±

    Reito nodded in understanding, then looked to his friends, seeing comprehension dawn on each of their faces.

    ¡°Once they¡¯re caught, make for Shukuda Town at top speed and hide until you can safely send word to Konoha.¡±

    Kazuki looked uncertain. ¡°We¡­ We can¡¯t just leave you, Sensei,¡± he said.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°You can and you will. That¡¯s an order!¡± the teacher responded sternly. ¡°Whoever these guys are, they are not normal opponents. They¡¯ve targeted us with an intent to kill. Your D-rank mission is over. This is an A-rank mission now, and your objective is to escape. Is that clear?¡±

    Reito couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. They were supposed to be on a babysitting mission. Why could anyone want to kill them? Still, he, Kazuki, and Yuji nodded as one, each of them showing perceptible signs of fear; Kazuki swallowing hard, Reito wiping sweat from his brow, and Yuji¡­ Well, he still had remnants of vomit around his mouth.

    ¡°Fine, newbie. I¡¯ll patch you up, but don¡¯t damage the heart,¡± Kakuzu finally answered his ally, walking slowly toward his two body parts.

    ¡°Good, good, I¡¯ll make it nice and quick for you. I¡¯ve got what I need now,¡± Hidan answered sycophantically.

    When Kakuzu got close enough to his comrade, Amaya Sensei began weaving Hand Seals. ¡°Go!¡± She ordered. ¡°Earth Style (Doton): Stone Sabre (Kyoganken no) Jutsu!¡±

    ¡°Formation E!¡± Reito added. Then, while he and Yuji moved to opposite sides of the road, and Kazuki disappeared into the tree line, Amaya Sensei slammed her hand into the ground, and following some distinct rumbling, three huge, jagged rocks shot out of the earth around Kakuzu¡¯s feet.

    However, instead of skewering him like a kebab, the ends of the pointed stones somehow shattered on impact.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Amaya Sensei cursed. ¡°An iron skin technique? This one¡¯s not normal either.¡±

    Reito could have sworn that what he could see of the man¡¯s skin had darkened for a moment, but his target wasn¡¯t Kakuzu. While he inundated the upper half of Hidan¡¯s body with shurikens, Yuji hit each of the legs with a tagged kunai.

    ¡°Oi! Don¡¯t do that, you little shits!¡± Hidan roared. ¡°Kakuzu, hurry up!¡±

    Reito tried not to dwell on the absurdity of the moment, what should have been a corpse complaining about being wounded by their weapons.

    When Kakuzu reached for his partner¡¯s torso section, Reito triggered his little trap, setting off his miniature explosive shurikens. Hidan didn¡¯t seem to like that, which he enjoyed, but just like at their exam, the point wasn¡¯t to injure the man and his comrade, it was to distract them. As before, amidst the confusion, Kazuki had struck from his hiding place.

    Amaya Sensei suddenly leaped forward, her lightning-covered sword raised high over her head, ready to deliver a downward slash, and Yuji activated the first of three tagged arrows that now resided in Kakuzu¡¯s shadow. ¡°Shadow Tag (Kage Fuda no) Jutsu!¡± he rasped.

    They had done it. The man wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge or defend against their teacher¡¯s sword attack now. While Naruto was bragging about doing a C-rank mission, Team Four, the rookie Genin underdogs, had engaged in real combat and helped their instructor fend off two dangerous A-rank opponents.

    Sadly, that wasn¡¯t how their story would go. The moment before Amaya Sensei swung her sword down, something very strange occurred, which was saying something given what had taken place up to that point. From the neck of Kakuzu¡¯s cloud-patterned cloak, a black shape emerged, and the mouth of what looked like a mask opened. In the next moment, Reito found himself blown off his feet, spinning uncontrollably through the air.

    He stopped moving when he collided hard with a tree. There was no time to dwell on the pain in his back, though. He had to get to his feet. Using the tree for support, he managed it, but it was a while before his equilibrium returned, and he could survey the scene around him.

    For a second, Reito thought he must still be dizzy, but the branches of the trees on either side of the road really were all leaning in one direction. Whatever it was that popped out of Kakuzu¡¯s back, it had released a powerful Wind Style Jutsu that had blown them away. Just who were these guys, and what did they want?

    At that moment, Amaya Sensei appeared next to Reito, cradling an unconscious Yuji in her arms. There was a bloody gash on the side of his head. ¡°He¡¯s alive. Take him,¡± she said, surprisingly calm. ¡°Did you see where my katana went?¡±

    ¡°Yuji!¡± Reito said as he took his friend¡¯s arm around his shoulder before remembering himself. ¡°No. No, I don¡¯t know where it is. Amaya Sensei¡­ What do we do?¡±

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s changed. I just need to create a bigger distraction than planned. I can¡¯t do that with you around. You¡¯ll take Yuji. As soon as I employ my next Jutsu.¡±

    ¡°What about Kazuki?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to hope he¡¯s okay. Yuji needs you. Now, what are they up to?¡±

    Reito¡¯s stomach fell. One of his friends was knocked out, the other was missing, and his teacher wanted him to abandon one to save the other. The strategic side of his brain understood that this was the best course of action in such circumstances, but his heart was in turmoil.

    ¡°Focus, Reito!¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± he answered, turning to the now distant point in the road where they had been previously.

    ¡°What on earth?¡± said Amaya Sensei, looking with disgust through a simple extendable telescope she had pulled from her tool pouch.

    Reito pulled his out as well. He spotted two of Yuji¡¯s Shadow Tags burning¡ªhe must have activated the second before his injury¡ªbut unless his eyes were deceiving him, Kakuzu¡¯s hand had detached from his arm. It snaked around his body on some kind of cord and pulled Kazuki¡¯s arrows out of the ground. ¡°Are these¡­ Are these guys even ninjas? Are they even human?¡± Reito exclaimed.

    Once free of his restraints, Kakuzu picked up Hidan¡¯s head by the hair and kicked his top section toward his lower body.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like the look of this. I¡¯m going to move now. When I use my Jutsu, you¡¯ll have to move quickly to avoid getting caught up in it. You ready?¡± said Amaya Sensei.

    Reito couldn¡¯t believe how casual his teacher was being. What did she mean, was he ready? Ready for what? Ready to abandon her and Kazuki and run to Shukuda Town with Yuji on his aching back, in the faint hope that he could outrun these monsters? How could he be ready for such a thing?

    ¡°It¡¯ll be alright, Reito. I¡¯m going to make them pay for harming my teammates,¡± she said with a reassuring smile.

    Reito wiped away an errant tear and nodded fervently. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for your signal,¡± he said croakily.

    ¡°Good boy,¡± said Amaya Sensei in a motherly way, gripping his shoulder comfortingly. Then, she was gone.

    Following her with his scope, he watched the woman return to the road and approach Kakuzu. However, he wasn¡¯t alone there now. Inexplicably standing next to him was his partner, somehow fully intact by all appearances. They really were monsters.

    Hidan wasn¡¯t just standing still, though. His legs were moving strangely. Reito wondered if Yuji¡¯s tagged kunai were affecting him, but the unconscious boy hadn¡¯t had a chance to activate the backup hindrance, and they didn¡¯t appear to be planted in his legs anymore. That was when the shape on the floor became apparent.

    Using the blood that had been spilled earlier, Hidan had drawn a seal of some sort on the ground¡ªa triangle in a circle. He had marked it using the bottom of his heel, explaining his odd movement. Reito wished he could hear what they were saying to each other, but the distance was too great. He turned his attention back to Amaya Sensei, watching for her signal.

    The air around her was distorted. She was amassing a huge amount of Chakra, but why hadn¡¯t the enemies responded? That was when Reito noticed. Hidan looked different all of a sudden. His skin had turned jet black, and there were white markings on it. Whatever he was up to, it appeared to be too late. Amaya Sensei was weaving a ridiculously long Hand Seal sequence at an incredible rate.

    ¡°Here we go, Yuji,¡± Reito said to his sleeping friend, hoisting him onto his back, wincing from the effort. Something big was about to happen. After a few more uneventful seconds, that big thing hadn¡¯t come, so without dropping Yuji, he awkwardly raised his scope back to his eye and stared through it in shock. Hidan was grinning widely and had run himself through the abdomen with a rod-like weapon.

    Was this it, was this Amaya Sensei¡¯s Jutsu? Had she controlled the man¡¯s body somehow? No, that didn¡¯t make any sense. Reito was certain she had been about to unleash something pretty impressive, something along the lines of the Jutsu that she had wrecked Training Ground Six with. It would have to be to create the kind of distraction needed for Reito to get away. Besides, making her opponent stab himself didn¡¯t seem like her style.

    Looking at his teacher, a cold chill ran up Reito¡¯s spine. Her hand was shaking, covered in blood. There was a red mark growing on the back of her flak jacket. She had been stabbed. And in the same spot as the enemy. This wasn¡¯t her Jutsu. It was his. He had done this. Reito racked his brain. What was it that he had said earlier¡­ something about a ritual?

    ¡°No,¡± Reito whimpered, watching Hidan stab himself once more, then seeing his teacher lurch in pain and cough up blood in response. ¡°No, no, no, no. He¡¯s got some other weird power. He¡¯s passing on his damage to her!¡±

    What happened next stole what was left of Reito¡¯s hope. An arrow pierced the center of Hidan¡¯s chest. A perfect bullseye to the heart. Kazuki¡­ He was alive. But despite his impressive sight, he hadn¡¯t understood what he was seeing. He thought he was saving their teacher, but in actuality, he had just killed her.

    Dropping to his knees at the same moment Amaya Sensei did, Yuji sliding off his back, Reito watched openmouthed, consumed with fear and shock, as Kakuzu¡¯s hand extended into the trees and pulled Kazuki out by his ankle. The boy struggled in vain like a fish on a line until the large man struck him on the back of the neck.

    Whether his friend was dead or just unconscious, Reito wasn¡¯t sure. All he knew for certain was that he was next. After what could have been minutes or only seconds, Kakuzu appeared before him. ¡°Why?¡± he asked, thinking of how his mother, father, and sister would react if he didn¡¯t make it home, tears streaming down his face. ¡°We¡¯re just kids! Why are you doing this?¡±

    ¡°Money,¡± Kakuzu replied unapologetically. ¡°You four were on my list. I don¡¯t ask why.¡± He then lifted Reito from the floor by the scruff of his t-shirt.

    From somewhere deep within, driven by the need to defend Yuji, Reito found the courage and calm needed to drive a concealed kunai into the man¡¯s neck. It wouldn¡¯t pierce the skin, though, perhaps because of the man¡¯s defensive Jutsu, or more likely owing to his own state of shock. There hadn¡¯t been any strength behind his last desperate act.

    When Kakazu casually broke his wrist in response, Reito¡¯s cry of pain lasted just a moment. Then, with a hard whack to the back of his head, his vision went black.

 Episode 10: Wake Up Call

    ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­ That can¡¯t be all there is,¡± Ino exclaimed.

    ¡°Ino, what¡¯s happened? I can¡¯t see anything,¡± said Sakura, staring through her mind¡¯s eye into a black void. Suddenly, her physical sight returned to her, and she took in the surroundings of the mental interrogation room and the large machine it housed.

    ¡°Hold on, Sakura,¡± said Ino frantically, her hand placed on Reito Tsu¡¯s head, where it had been while the two women had transported into his mind, combing through his memories. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°Understand what? What happened next? What did the Akatsuki do to him? Ino¡­are you crying?¡±

    Ino took her hand off the boy¡¯s head and wiped tears from her eyes. ¡°It was them,¡± she said with a dry sob. ¡°The ones who killed Asuma!¡±

    Sakura raised her hand to her mouth. Of course. Hidan and Kakuzu¡­ They were the two Akatsuki members that Ino had confronted with Shikamaru, Choji, and Kakashi Sensei in an attempt to avenge their own sensei. Based on what she knew about Asuma¡¯s death, Ino had just witnessed a very similar rendition of it.

    Dealing with this kind of work must be difficult enough as it is, but having to see something like that¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ino,¡± said Sakura gently. ¡°Should we get someone to take over?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. It just surprised me, seeing those two,¡± Ino assured her, taking a breath. ¡°So now we know¡­ Three years before we got rid of them, Team Four encountered the Akatsuki¡¯s zombies. Oh, those poor boys. On their first away mission. They didn¡¯t stand a chance.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but why would the Akatsuki target them?¡± Sakura questioned.

    ¡°Kakuzu¡­said they were on his list.¡±

    ¡°Like a bingo book? But why would they be? Their Jonin, I could understand, but they could have killed her and left the boys. So, where have they been all this time? And why hasn¡¯t Reito aged? Ino, we need to go back in.¡±

    Ino nodded, placing her hand back on Reito¡¯s head. After a minute or so, she shook her head. ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense. There¡¯s nothing!¡±

    ¡°Nothing?¡± Sakura repeated. ¡°The battle occurred five years ago. There has to be something!¡±

    ***

    The following morning, Sakura and Ino entered the Hokage¡¯s office to report on their findings. Or lack thereof.

    ¡°There¡¯s almost five years¡¯ worth of memory data after that,¡± Ino explained, ¡°but it¡¯s all blank.¡±

    ¡°Blank?¡± Tsunade growled.

    ¡°Completely! From the moment Reito was knocked out, there¡¯s nothing but static. It seems he was alive during that time but has no sense memory to speak of.¡±

    ¡°What does this indicate?¡±

    ¡°Only two things I can think of. Either he was completely isolated and kept in some kind of altered state, or his mind was somehow wiped. I¡¯m hesitant to say one way or the other.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± asked Kakashi.

    Ino raised a hand thoughtfully to her chin, ¡°Well, Jutsu capable of altering or erasing memories leave traces, but there are none in this case. They also typically target specific memories. For someone to completely wipe five years¡¯ worth of sensory information¡­ It¡¯s beyond anything I¡¯ve ever heard of. Even my dad wouldn¡¯t have been capable of that.¡±

    Tsunade turned in her chair and stared out of the office window, surveying the village as she contemplated her options. ¡°If we wake him up, is there a chance the memories will come back to him?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Ino answered definitively. ¡°There are no memories for him to recall. As far as the last five years are concerned, he¡¯s a blank slate. When he wakes up, the last thing he will be able to remember will be the confrontation with the Akatsuki.¡±

    ¡°So, we still won¡¯t know how he came to be injured or how he ended up on our doorstep,¡± said Sakura.

    ¡°Thank you, Ino. For the record, I¡¯d like you to go through the read-out data once more before writing up your report,¡± said Tsunade, dismissing the girl, who bowed before departing. She then leaned back in her chair and sighed. ¡°Do you think he could pose a danger to the village?¡±

    Kakashi looked pensive for a moment before replying thoughtfully, ¡°There isn¡¯t enough information available to us to say conclusively one way or the other, but we¡¯ll never know unless we wake him up. However, that poses its own problems. Based on what Ino said, it¡¯s going to be as though it happened yesterday for him, especially since he hasn¡¯t aged. It will need to be handled delicately.¡±

    ¡°Sakura?¡±

    Sakura gathered her thoughts. ¡°I know the circumstances of his reappearance are strange, Master,¡± she started, ¡°but I can¡¯t help feeling uncomfortable about how we¡¯re treating him solely a threat. His safe return is also something to celebrate, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Tsunade smiled softly, clasping her hands together. ¡°Normally, I might agree. But remember, the Akatsuki were somehow involved with his disappearance.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯re gone now.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Kakashi interjected, ¡°but they¡¯re the same group who destroyed this village not long ago. Since then, we¡¯ve been at war. We¡¯ve lost a lot of good people in both incidents, including¡­¡±

    The three of them lowered their heads mournfully.

    ¡°He¡¯s going to have a rough time of it, and not just because of what he¡¯s waking up to. The uncertainty surrounding him will make him unpopular with the villagers.¡±

    Sakura knew this to be true. She had seen first-hand how Naruto and Sasuke were treated as they grew up in the village under the shadows of their past. She had even contributed to it before she knew better, before she understood what it must have been like for them. With this in mind, she offered earnestly, ¡°Master, please allow me to oversee his reintegration.¡±

    If Sakura could help Reito get through this difficult time and help him handle what was to come, she would. Maybe Naruto would be able to help in some way when he was done recuperating. He would surely have some sage words of advice. Okay, that was pushing it, but he was bound to have something useful to say to their former classmate.

    ¡°Permission granted,¡± said Tsunade. ¡°We¡¯ll aim to wake him up by the end of the week. Write up a proposal for me to look over as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll still need to be observed, though. Any suggestions, Kakashi?¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    With a glean in his eye, Kakashi replied, ¡°I think I know just the man for the job.¡±

    ***

    The day after Tsunade approved her plan for Reito¡¯s reawakening, Sakura made her way to the hospital, her leave all but forgotten. As per her suggestion, the boy had quietly been returned there to facilitate a smoother transition. It wouldn¡¯t do to have him wake up in the windowless Intelligence Division cell.

    Carrying a bowl of fresh fruit, Sakura made her way to the private room allocated for him on the top floor. The room, located at the end of the hall, had two guards stationed outside. After notifying the nurses of her arrival, she greeted the guards and entered Reito¡¯s room. She briefly checked his chart, confirming that there had been no change in his condition, before looking over the boy.

    Silently, she shook her head as she sat in the chair beside the bed, reflecting on the unfortunate situation. Breaking the news to Reito was not going to be easy. Still, Sakura was glad that she was the one tasked with doing so. She hoped that a familiar face would be of some comfort.

    Two nurses entered the room as she placed her bowl of fruit on the nightstand. ¡°Ready, Sakura Sensei?¡± asked one, who was holding a syringe. With a nod from Sakura, she proceeded to inject it into the boy¡¯s IV line while her colleague monitored his vitals. They then stepped back to observe.

    Within seconds, Reito began to stir, and his eyes slowly began to open, revealing a pair of deep blue irises that sparkled from the sunlight streaming in through the window. He blinked a few times, then lurched up off the pillow. ¡°Yuji!¡± he called out suddenly, a look of sheer panic stretching across his young face. ¡°What¡­? Where am I?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Reito, it¡¯s okay,¡± Sakura assured the boy in a gentle voice, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re in the hospital, but you¡¯re okay.¡±

    Reito took in the room, his eyes darting all over, his breathing shallow. ¡°What happened to Yuji? Is he okay? What about Kazuki? Are they alive?¡± he asked frantically. ¡°Amaya Sensei¡­ Is she really¡­? Oh God. We tried, but they were so strong. We couldn¡¯t do anything. I couldn¡¯t do anything!¡±

    ¡°Reito, I know this is difficult, but try to get a hold of yourself. The mission is over. You¡¯re in Konoha hospital. You¡¯re safe here. Focus on your breathing.¡±

    Reito complied, taking several deep breaths with some difficulty. ¡°Please,¡± he said. ¡°I need to know what happened to my friends.¡±

    ¡°Reito, I have some difficult information to share with you. Before I do, I need to know that you¡¯re prepared to take it in. Do you remember your mental resilience training from the academy?¡±

    Reito nodded in understanding. He closed his eyes, and then, after a few moments, he gathered himself. ¡°Please,¡± he said simply.

    Sakura smiled sympathetically and proceeded to tell him, ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, but based on the amount of blood found at the scene, we believe Amaya succumbed to her wounds. Her body wasn¡¯t recovered.¡±

    Reito gripped the bed sheet tightly with both hands. ¡°And my friends?¡± he asked.

    ¡°We¡¯re not certain what happened to them,¡± Sakura explained, taking one of the boy¡¯s hands in her own. ¡°The three of you have been missing for some time. You were recently discovered, but I¡¯m afraid Yuji Saito and Kazuki Torimoto are still missing and presumed dead.¡±

    Reito¡¯s eyes were screwed up tightly, but a couple of tears escaped from the corners. It was obvious from his pained expression that he was fighting the urge to break down, employing lessons learned at school on mastering one¡¯s emotions and keeping one¡¯s composure under difficult circumstances. ¡°How long have I been unconscious?¡± he asked.

    ¡°First, I want to ask, do you remember me, Reito?¡±

    The boy frowned in confusion at the question but searched her face, nonetheless. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Unless¡­ Are you related to Sakura Haruno?¡±

    Sakura smiled weakly and replied, ¡°Actually, Reito, I am Sakura Haruno. Like I said, you¡¯ve been missing for some time. It¡¯s been almost five years.¡±

    The boy¡¯s brow flickered with varying emotions, then his eyes slowly widened, and he mumbled, ¡°Five years?¡±

    ¡°Teams were sent looking for you, but eventually, they were called off,¡± Sakura explained. ¡°Since Amaya was presumed dead, there wasn¡¯t much hope for you three Genin. A lot has happened since then, but if it¡¯s of any consolation, we got the men who did this to you.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± said Reito despondently, lowering his head.

    Sakura was worried the news might be too much for the boy, but there was more to come, and he needed to hear about it from her, not somebody else. Their training suggested that it was better to receive painful news quickly, after all, like pulling off a band-aid. ¡°There¡¯s more, Reito, if you¡¯re up to it?¡± she said.

    ¡°Please go on,¡± Reito responded, sounding a little detached, his head still lowered in apparent contemplation.

    ¡°It¡¯s about your family, Reito. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m afraid they¡¯re no longer with us.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re dead?¡± the boy asked coolly, his head still cast downward.

    ¡°Err, yes, I¡¯m afraid so,¡± Sakura confirmed solemnly. ¡°But I want to assure you, Reito, the village is here to support you through this difficult time. I¡¯m here for you, and so are the staff at the orphanage, who I¡¯ve ensured have access to all the training and information needed to support young people like y¡ª¡±

    ¡°How did it happen?¡± Reito asked robotically.

    ¡°Well¡­ Around this time last year, Konoha was attacked by a group known as Aka-aaargh!¡±

    In a flash, Reito had snapped out of his seemingly depressed state, reached for the fruit bowl Sakura had brought for him, tossed its contents at her, and hurled it at the window like a discus. As the pane shattered and the nurses screamed, he leaped out of bed in his hospital pajamas and out into the open air.

    ¡°Reito, wait!¡± Sakura cried, moving to the window as the two guards from the corridor burst into the room. ¡°No, I¡¯ll handle this! Follow, but keep your distance.¡±

    ***

    With a surge of adrenaline spurring him on, Reito leaped from the top floor window of the hospital onto its roof, moving faster than he ever had, his senses on high alert. He didn¡¯t understand why the fake Sakura told him what she had, but it was clearly some kind of deception.

    Hidan and Kakuzu had kidnapped him. Now, he was being held somewhere, probably by a rival ninja village, and they were trying to trick him into sharing information about Konoha. As if he would fall for that! He just hoped that Kazuki and Yuji would realize the truth as well.

    Using the ridiculous idea of a five-year time gap to explain the Sakura impersonator¡¯s bad transformation was one thing, especially when he could tell from his voice and body that no time had passed, but suggesting that his friends and family were dead had been a step too far. It was beyond transparent, classic divide and conquer. Playing on his emotions to convince him of their story was an obvious ploy, and he wasn¡¯t falling for it.

    Looking around as he leaped from building to building in search of somewhere to hide and plan his next steps, Reito couldn¡¯t help but be mildly impressed by the effort that had gone into his kidnappers¡¯ plan. They had created a whole replica of Konoha, though much of it was still under construction, but on closer inspection, nothing about his surroundings looked right.

    The fake Konoha was too different. The buildings were familiar, but even the ones that were a good likeness for the real thing were too new, too clean, too modern. The hospital, for instance, was in the same location but shaped slightly differently from before. It was bigger, too. The same was true of the Fire Estate in the distance.

    That was when Reito spotted it. He stopped in his tracks, his blood running cold and his breath catching in his throat as he took in the sight before him. His brain was telling him something wasn¡¯t right. None of this made sense.

    Why would a rival village have taken him and his friends? If information was what they were after, why wouldn¡¯t they have taken the Jonin-level Amaya Sensei instead? Why would they have a fake Sakura greet him, why would they recreate the entire village, and if they had gone to so much trouble, why would they have made such a huge mistake?

    Staring back at him from the cliffside behind the Fire Estate were the familiar stone faces of Hokage Rock. But the famous monument had an extra face, a fifth face. A woman¡¯s face. Moreover, there were workmen suspended from ropes in the process of carving a sixth. Why? Why would they make such a mistake? Even an enemy of Konoha would know that the village had only had four Hokages in its time, and they had all been men.

    The answer came to Reito in a flash. Of course. The mistakes with Hokage Rock and Sakura weren¡¯t mistakes at all. They were illusions. There was no fake Konoha. Everything he had seen and heard since waking up had been part of an enemy Genjutsu! Now that he knew it, he could break out of it.

    Reito concentrated, trying to recall Iruka Sensei¡¯s teachings. To release oneself from a Genjutsu without external intervention, you must disrupt the flow of the caster''s Chakra. You could achieve this by temporarily halting the flow of your own Chakra to the brain, then turning it back on forcefully. It was tricky, but he had accomplished it a bunch of times in class.

    Bringing his hands together, Reito made the tiger Hand Seal and focused on his Chakra circulation. With some effort, he ceased the flow, then resumed it with a burst while uttering, ¡°Kai!¡± Upon opening his eyes, however, he was met with the same view of Hokage Rock. He felt like he had performed the technique correctly, but he tried again regardless and continued trying to no avail. ¡°Kai! Kai! Kai!¡±

    After several more unsuccessful attempts, Reito dropped to his knees, faced with the ugly truth. His logical mind could only draw one conclusion now, however improbable it might seem. As his strength left him, he heard the footsteps to his rear.

    ¡°Reito¡­¡± a gentle voice called.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a Genjutsu, is it?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Sakura replied sympathetically, ¡°I¡¯m afraid it isn¡¯t.¡±

 Episode 11: A New Leaf

    It had been almost half an hour since Reito acquiesced to returning to the hospital with Sakura. She had remained with him in his room, but they had spent much of the time in silence. He found that he needed the quiet in order to keep a handle on his emotions while processing. After a nurse brought in drinks for the two of them, he couldn¡¯t wait any longer to ask his questions.

    ¡°How did they die?¡± Reito asked, gripping a hot cup of tea, the heat burning his fingertips serving as a reminder that this was no illusion.

    ¡°There was an attack on Konoha around this time last year by a group called Akatsuki, the same group that Kakuzu and Hidan belonged to,¡± Sakura explained. ¡°Since you¡¯ve faced them, you know that they have abilities beyond comprehension. So, when I tell you that the damage to the village was catastrophic, you¡¯ll understand that I¡¯m not exaggerating. We¡¯ve had to rebuild from scratch.¡±

    So, that was why everything looked different, Reito thought. That was why there had been scaffolding everywhere. For them to still be building a year later, the attack must have been as devastating as Sakura suggested.

    ¡°The village was lost, but thanks to Naruto, our casualties were drastically reduced.¡±

    Reito frowned at this odd comment. ¡°Naruto? What¡¯s he got to do with anything?¡±

    Sakura smiled softly, shaking her head. ¡°A lot has changed. Naruto¡¯s no longer the screwup we both knew at the academy. He was the one who defeated the enemy. On top of that, he convinced them to use their strange abilities to revive those killed in the attack.¡±

    His brow still furrowed in confusion, Reito responded impatiently, ¡°Revive¡­? You¡¯re saying that Naruto¡­? That¡¯s¡­ So, what happened to my family?¡±

    Lowering her head, Sakura continued, ¡°All of the villagers who perished were revived by the enemy¡¯s Jutsu. However, many of them were still buried under the rubble, and we couldn¡¯t get to everyone in time. Your family was among those we lost that day. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    Reito¡¯s eyes stung with tears. His mother and father, and even his little sister. They were really dead, and to go in such a horrible way¡­ It wasn¡¯t fair. By that point, he had already been missing for four years. How had they coped with his loss? Had they given up on him? Had Reika pursued her dream of becoming a ninja, or had his disappearance shattered it? He would never know.

    ¡°Do you want some time alo¡ª?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Reito started, his voice cracking. He coughed to clear his throat and drank some of his tea before continuing. ¡°No. I still have questions. Where are they buried?¡±

    ¡°Since that incident, there¡¯s also been a war, another event masterminded by Akatsuki. It¡¯s only been three months since the Allied Nations¡¯ victory. Because of the number of losses we¡¯ve sustained in this short period, the village has adopted a policy of cremating our dead. There¡¯s a memorial garden and a monument to honor the fallen, though. I¡¯ll take you there in a day or two.¡±

    ¡°What about Kazuki and Yuji¡¯s families? Are they alive?¡±

    ¡°They are,¡± Sakura hesitated, ¡°but I should tell you that they have been notified of your presence. The Torimotos have expressed concern for you, but the Saitos have been very vocal about getting answers from you, and they command a lot of respect in the village. You¡¯ll need to be prepared.¡±

    ¡°What? But I don¡¯t know anything! How can I tell them what happened when I don¡¯t know myself?¡±

    ¡°I know, Reito,¡± Sakura assured him as the pitch of his voice increased exponentially. ¡°In the spirit of transparency, the Hokage has permitted me to inform you that we have been running tests on you since your return.¡±

    ¡°Tests?¡±

    ¡°A full medical workup and other investigative procedures, including a mind scan. I¡¯ve seen your memories myself. I know what you went through, and if it¡¯s any consolation, there¡¯s nothing you could have done differently. It took some of our best and brightest to bring down Hidan and Kakuzu.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen¡­? Why did I need all that?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a standard response, given how we found you. You were discovered on the border alone, on the brink of death from unusual wounds, and with an unexplainable condition. We would have had to assess you as a potential threat, even if you hadn¡¯t also been suspiciously MIA.¡±

    Reito shook his head, feeling foolish for asking such a silly question. Of course they had investigated him! It was only natural for them to consider him a threat in such circumstances. An enemy could have turned his body into a weapon or turned his mind against his allies. Considering what it sounded like the village had been through in his absence, he was surprised he wasn¡¯t being detained as a precautionary measure.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t found any evidence to indicate that,¡± Sakura told him, perhaps seeing his thoughts reflected on his face. ¡°As far as we can tell, you¡¯re the picture of health, with no signs of mental or physical torture or manipulation.¡±

    ¡°Then why can¡¯t I remember? Where have I been? How did I get back? And what about this?¡± Reito snapped, gesturing wildly at himself with his hands. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me? If it¡¯s been five years, why haven¡¯t I grown? I feel the same as I did yester¡ªI mean¡ªback then!¡±

    Still trying to wrap his head around the idea that the memories so fresh in his mind¡ªof the battle with Kakuzu and Hidan, of Amaya Sensei¡¯s death, of his friends¡ªhad taken place so long ago, Reito leaned back on the headboard of his bed and pinched the bridge of his nose. The absurdity of his predicament was giving him a headache.

    Sakura sighed, ¡°I wish I had answers for you, Reito, but I don¡¯t. It¡¯s obvious something was done to you, but there¡¯s no evidence to suggest what. I¡¯m a Medical Ninja now, and after reviewing your test results, neither I nor my teacher, Lady Tsunade¡ªwho incidentally is the fifth Hokage¡ªhave any idea why you haven¡¯t aged. We¡¯re stumped!¡±

    Reito chuckled in spite of himself. ¡°Is that your official diagnosis as a Medical Ninja?¡± he quipped.

    ¡°Yep!¡± Sakura replied with a smile.

    After pausing to drink the rest of his tea, Reito instinctively drew his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. ¡°So¡­ What now?¡± he asked with trepidation. ¡°If you¡¯re not locking me up and my family are¡­ What¡¯s going to happen to me?¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    Sakura got to her feet and placed her teacup down on the nightstand. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve arranged a place for you at the orphanage,¡± she began. ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as you¡¯re probably imagining. It¡¯s a brand-new facility, and there are a lot of other children there in similar circumstances.¡±

    ¡°Other kids that have been missing for five years with no idea where they¡¯ve been, you mean?¡± Reito mumbled sarcastically.

    Sakura looked like she was unsure whether it was okay to smile at this remark. ¡°Not quite,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll take you there this afternoon. I¡¯ll bring you a change of clothes. Nothing special, but you can pick something more to your style from the orphanage donation bin tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°What about what I was wearing yester¡ª What about what I was wearing when I was brought in?¡±

    ¡°Actually, you weren¡¯t wearing anything when you were brought in,¡± Sakura elucidated.

    ¡°Oh,¡± said Reito, blushing at this strange and unexpected new piece of information, then balling up a fist in frustration. So, he had been discovered on the border after being missing for five years, severely wounded, with some weird age-related medical condition, and naked? What in the world had happened to him?

    ¡°You should have seen your hair; it was down to your knees! I almost didn¡¯t recognize you. I didn¡¯t want it to shock you, so I tried to cut it how I remembered you wore it. I hope it¡¯s okay?¡±

    Reito ran his hand through his hair. It didn¡¯t feel any different, but why had it grown when the rest of him hadn¡¯t?

    ¡°Before we go to the orphanage, I¡¯ll be introducing you to the Hokage. She¡¯s giving a Town Hall meeting to discuss your return right now but should be finished with it before noon.¡±

    Reito laughed derisively, shaking his head. A Town Hall meeting? About him? About Reito Tsu, the most unremarkable student in his class? He very much doubted it was to plan his welcome home parade. The fact that his reappearance necessitated such a thing was a pretty clear indication of the kind of reception he was going to receive from the villagers. They obviously considered him a threat, and the funny thing was, he couldn¡¯t blame them.

    In the last year alone, Konoha had experienced a devastating attack and then gone to war. Who knows what other issues the village had contended with since he disappeared? And now, just as they¡¯re trying to recover, he shows up, bringing with him uncertainty and bad memories. With his family and friends gone and everyone else he knew five years older, who exactly was he returning to? Maybe he and the villagers would be better off if he just¡­.

    ¡°Reito?¡± said Sakura. ¡°Did you hear me? I was just saying¡­about meeting with the Hokage after you¡¯ve had something to eat?¡±

    ¡°Err, yeah, sure,¡± he said distractedly, not making eye contact with the girl.

    ¡°Okay. Well, I¡¯m going to give you some time alone now. I¡¯ll be back after lunch.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± Reito replied, but his attention remained focused on the dark thoughts that had just crossed his mind.

    ***

    Later that morning, after he had tried and failed to keep down the lunch meal the nurses had brought for him, Reito left the hospital with Sakura, dressed in the plain white t-shirt, cargo pants, and sandals she had brought him.

    It was an odd feeling, walking the main path through Konoha, which ran from the main gate all the way to the Fire Estate. It felt like just yesterday when he had walked it in the opposite direction on his way out of the village. Now that he was taking in his surroundings at ground level, without adrenaline coursing through his body, the differences in the buildings were more noticeable. None of them looked original to the town. Akatsuki really must have flattened it.

    There was something else that Reito noticed as he and Sakura made their way toward Hokage Rock. He was beginning to get looks. Villagers going about their day would spot Sakura, then look at him, and stop what they were doing. Others would begin whispered conversations. A few openly glared at him.

    Reito felt very uncomfortable. Five years ago, he was all but anonymous. Nobody knew who he was, save for a couple of regulars he waited on at the tea shop, who knew him simply as the Tsu¡¯s boy. Now, it seemed, he was infamous.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let it bother you,¡± Sakura advised. ¡°Lady Tsunade will have put the fear of God into anyone who was thinking of messing with you, but there¡¯s nothing she can do to stop tongues wagging. They¡¯ll get bored of talking about you once they know you¡¯re just an ordinary kid.¡±

    Reito smiled weakly, looking up at the kind and pretty girl he used to find so irritating. She had changed. The problem was, she was lying. Well, maybe lying was too strong of a word, but she wasn¡¯t being completely truthful. Neither she nor anyone else knew for sure whether he was ¡°an ordinary kid¡± anymore, himself included. Not being able to determine whether he was a potential danger to the village wasn¡¯t the same as ruling it out.

    ***

    The Administration Building turned out to be a very close match to its previous layout, but it was undoubtedly new. Reito had met the Third Hokage a handful of times during ceremonial events and his few Mission Meetings, but he had never been to the village leader¡¯s office. Something about approaching the office of the Fifth Hokage felt like being sent to see the principal.

    ¡°Enter!¡± a woman¡¯s voice boomed when Sakura knocked on the doors of the office.

    Reito surreptitiously wiped the nervous sweat from his brow as he followed her in. The Hokage¡¯s office was a fairly large room but didn¡¯t contain much. It was an impressive sight, though, the Fifth Hokage sat behind a large desk framed by the sunlit windows behind her. Perhaps the design was intended to be intimidating?

    The Hokage herself was also something of a sight to behold. Reito had a rough idea of what she looked like after seeing her face carved into the mountain, but he still wasn¡¯t imagining her to be so young or so attractive. The vision of this blonde woman and his memories of her wizened predecessor created quite the dichotomy.

    ¡°Ah, Sakura, good,¡± said the Hokage. ¡°And this must be¡­?¡±

    ¡°Reito Tsu, this is Fifth Hokage Lady Tsunade¡ª¡± Sakura introduced.

    ¡°Reito Tsu,¡± the boy confirmed with a stiff bow. ¡°Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Hokage.¡±

    ¡°¡ªand I think you may remember my former Jonin Instructor, Kakashi Hatake, the future Sixth Hokage.¡±

    Reito¡¯s eyebrows shot up as he turned to the spot Sakura had indicated. A silver-haired, black-masked man he hadn¡¯t noticed gave a brief wave from the shaded side of the room. The corners of his eyes crinkled as if he was smiling. Sixth Hokage? The man he remembered only as Team Seven¡¯s unreliable instructor was the person whose face workmen were currently carving into Hokage Rock?

    ¡°Yo!¡± said the man.

    Yo? This was how the future Hokage introduced himself? ¡°Hello,¡± Reito replied with an even stiffer bow.

    ¡°Thank you for meeting with me,¡± said the Hokage. ¡°Please allow me to begin by expressing my sincere condolences for your family¡¯s loss.¡±

    Reito was stunned, a cold chill running through him. It was a nice gesture from someone in such an esteemed position, but he hadn¡¯t processed that they were gone yet. With just a few words, the woman had shattered all the imaginary mental barriers he had erected. ¡°Err, thank you,¡± he whispered, hurriedly trying to compartmentalize his now-errant thoughts.

    ¡°This is a unique situation but one that we need to face head-on,¡± the Hokage continued, her gruff tone suddenly reminding Reito of Amaya Sensei, the woman whose death he witnessed. ¡°Sakura has arranged a place for you at the orphanage, and she¡¯ll be taking you there later. She has no doubt informed you that I held a meeting this morning to address the villagers who have expressed concern about your return.¡±

    Reito nodded absently as he fought to get his mind under control.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been very clear. We have no reason to consider you a threat to the village at this time. You are to be treated as what exhaustive testing has determined you to be. A survivor!¡±

    This word caught Reito¡¯s attention, causing him to look up and meet the steely light brown eyes of the Hokage. He couldn¡¯t help but frown. A survivor? Is that what he was? Wasn¡¯t that kind of thinking a little na?ve? He was alive, but without knowing for sure why that was, he didn¡¯t deserve such a noble title. Wary of his reaction, he lowered his gaze.

    ¡°I want you to report any instances of mistreatment to Sakura or your teachers. Understood?¡±

    This time, Reito didn¡¯t hold back his facial expressions. ¡°Teachers?¡± he exclaimed with a look of confusion.

    ¡°That brings me to my next point,¡± said Lady Tsunade. ¡°I¡¯ve reviewed all the information we have on you, limited though it is. While you were a Genin when you disappeared, you were still fresh out of the academy. A lot has changed since then, and frankly, your grades and mission data give me cause for concern. With this and your recent return in mind, it would be foolish for me to have you resume active duty. Therefore, I¡¯m requiring you to recertify.¡±

    ¡°Recertify?¡± Reito repeated with consternation before the word¡¯s meaning dawned on him. ¡°You¡¯re sending me back to the academy?!¡±

 Episode 12: In Memoriam

    Hours later, Reito lay on the bed of his new room at the orphanage, staring up at the ceiling, positively fuming. Thanks to the Fifth Hokage¡¯s mandated ¡°recertification,¡± he wasn¡¯t just being sent back to the academy, his Genin status had been revoked. Everything he had done in pursuit of his dream¡ªstudying, training, and graduating with Kazuki and Yuji, completing missions with them and Amaya Sensei, and what happened on their final mission¡ªit all counted for nothing.

    His logical brain understood why, of course, though sometimes Reito wished he could just be upset about something without seeing the other side of it. Making him recertify wasn¡¯t about his grades or his ability as a ninja. With the current academy cohort preparing for graduation, having him join them was the perfect opportunity to monitor him for a while. There was also the possibility that they were planning to fail him, thereby removing the possibility of him developing as a ninja.

    If this wasn¡¯t infuriating enough, following what Sakura had presented as a simple introduction to the village leader, Reito had been asked to give his official mission debriefing, to recount the full gory details of Team Four¡¯s defeat. He wasn¡¯t a fool. He expected it would have to be done at some point, but was then the right time? And hadn¡¯t they already reviewed his memories? Was it necessary to make him relive it all so soon?

    Reito jumped to his feet and punched his mattress repeatedly. He had done it again, mistaken his last memories for recent ones. It had been five years! When was he going to stop doing that? Why couldn¡¯t he remember? He felt like he was losing his mind, like any second he would realize that this had all been one big Genjutsu.

    He anxiously paced the length of his new home. Cell might be a better word for it, though, since there wasn¡¯t much room for pacing. The box room Sakura had shown him was just wide enough for a single bed with a wooden study desk and chair beside it, and just long enough to fit a wooden double wardrobe at the foot of the bed. It might be okay for younger kids, but for him, it felt claustrophobic.

    The orphanage was nice and new, as Sakura had told him, but the apparent need to house and care for hundreds of parentless children meant the shared facilities¡ªthe common area, the bathrooms, the canteen, the creche¡ªhad taken precedence over individual room sizes. Reito was just thankful he had his own. Even so, he couldn¡¯t imagine living here long-term. He needed to get his own place ASAP, and that meant working.

    The problem was, he reminded himself, that his previous source of income had been taken from him, and what little he had saved from his few missions and working in the family shop was long gone, just like the shop itself and his inheritance. Just like his family. Reito sat back down on the bed, sadness washing over him. The Hokage had given him some money to tide him over. Compensation, she called it. It wouldn¡¯t last long, though. It wouldn¡¯t bring them back.

    Reito curled up on the hard mattress. Now that his rage had ebbed somewhat, it occurred to him for the first time that he might not even want to be a ninja anymore. On their very first away mission, he and his friends had been kidnapped or worse, and their teacher had been killed. Maybe the Hokage¡¯s decision was a sign. Maybe he should do what Amaya Sensei had advised him to do months¡ªyears¡ªago, and give up on becoming a ninja.

    Lying there alone with these negative thoughts running through his head, behind a door with a lock, Reito did what he hadn¡¯t had a chance to do since his awakening. What he hadn¡¯t allowed himself to do. He let go of the emotions he had been holding back and grieved for everything he had lost.

    ***

    Reito awoke before dawn the following morning. Despite the darkness of the early hour, he felt alert and energized. At some point in the night, he had achieved a sense of clarity on his situation, either due to the time he had to think or the tears he had shed. Giving up on becoming a ninja wasn¡¯t an option, and he rebuked himself for even considering it.

    If he was alive, there was a chance that Kazuki and Yuji were too. And even if they weren¡¯t, he had to know one way or the other. The village may have given up on finding out what happened to them, but he wasn¡¯t going to. He owed it to them and their families, to Amaya Sensei, and to himself to uncover the truth. To avenge them. Perhaps in doing so, he would discover the reason for his missing memories and lack of growth.

    Unfortunately, the only real path Reito could envision to making that happen was to continue his ninja training. He needed to get his Genin status back and become strong enough to take on the kind of people that may have been involved in his disappearance. People like Hidan and Kakuzu.

    It wasn¡¯t going to be easy, though. The deck was stacked against him. His abilities weren¡¯t very impressive, and the villagers¡ªand maybe the Hokage too¡ªprobably wouldn¡¯t want to see him succeed. He would have to make it impossible for his teachers to fail him this time around. That meant improving dramatically in a short period of time.

    Reito clenched his fist as he looked out of his small window and watched the dawn sunrise crown Hokage Rock. He might not have natural talent to fall back on, or his friends to support him like before, but he had something no one else at the academy would have. He had a reason to become strong. If he couldn¡¯t become a Genin with talent or teamwork, he would do it with drive and commitment. After barely graduating the first time around, Reito was heading back to school.

    ***

    When Reito made his way down to the orphanage cafeteria for breakfast later that morning, he was taken aback by how many other residents there were in the facility. The large hall was filled to the brim with parentless children, some of whom had to queue for a seat to become available. For obvious reasons, he had been focused on the effect of the attack on the village but now had a better idea of how devastating the war had been.

    One positive to this was that among the sea of faces, Reito was all but invisible. As the other children ate around him, they either chatted away with each other or kept themselves to themselves, the latter of which were easily recognizable by their glum faces. Since he doubted any of them had attended the Town Meeting, without a guardian to speak of, they didn¡¯t seem to know anything about him.

    When Sakura stopped by as planned, she was swarmed by the younger children, who beamed when they spotted her. The reason for this became apparent when she began handing out candies from a large pouch. It seemed as though she made regular appearances at the facility. Reito waited patiently in the lobby while she finished her visit, and then the pair of them left the building.

    ¡°Is that the best thing to do for those kids?¡± Reito asked in a slightly judgmental tone. ¡°Giving them candy? It¡¯s not like it¡¯s going to make things better for them. Plus, should a Medical Ninja really be giving them sugar?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right, I saved you one, here,¡± Sakura replied with a smile, holding out a wrapped treat.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Reito felt his eyes widen and very nearly reached for it, then turned away, pouting, his cheeks flushing scarlet with embarrassment, which Sakura giggled at.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you in on a secret,¡± she said coyly. ¡°They¡¯re not candies, they¡¯re vitamins! They¡¯re sugar-free, too, and I should know, I make them myself!¡±

    ¡°Vitamins?¡±

    ¡°Yep. The food served in the cafeteria is nutrient-rich, but growing bodies need help, and it can be tough to get the younger kids to take supplements regularly, so it¡¯s easier to make it seem special. The older children know.¡±

    Reito didn¡¯t respond but raised an eyebrow in astonishment. She had proved him wrong on all counts. It was clever. Then again, that was to be expected of Sakura. She had always been clever. He shook his head, remembering once again, the irritating girl he had known. This whole situation was just bizarre.

    ¡°You wanted to get some flowers on the way, right?¡± said Sakura, pointing to the Yamanaka Floristry up ahead.

    Reito ignored the looks he was getting from passersby as he spotted the store.

    ¡°Ino should be working today. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll give you a nice discount.¡±

    ¡°Ino?¡± Reito cringed. Sakura was one thing but seeing another old classmate¡ªanother who was sure to have grown to a foot or more taller than him¡ªwasn¡¯t something he was looking forward to. Even so, he wanted to get the flowers, so he steeled himself as they entered the store.

    ¡°Ah, Sakura!¡± said Ino brightly, coming around the counter immediately, as if she was expecting the girl. ¡°Fancy seeing you here! And who might this be?¡±

    In response to the exuberant greeting, Reito noticed a distinct but likely involuntary twitch of Sakura¡¯s right eye and a subtle stiffening of her brow. ¡°Ino, you remember Reito Tsu,¡± she said.

    ¡°Of course, of course, how are you, Reito?¡± asked Ino excitedly. Her almost knee-length blonde hair looked as though it hadn¡¯t been cut since he last saw the girl. Much of it covered the right side of her face. As suspected, like Sakura, she was now considerably taller than him.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± he started, unsure how to complete that sentence without telling a bald-faced lie. ¡°How are you, Ino?¡±

    ¡°Good, good. Good,¡± Ino answered uncertainly, looking him over like she was searching for the rest of her sentence on his face. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right, look who else is here!¡± She indicated in the direction of the counter, where a person in a long green coat stood with their hands in their pockets. Their face was obscured by a low hood, a high collar, and a pair of dark glasses.

    ¡°It¡¯s always nice to see old classmates,¡± spoke a low muffled voice.

    ¡°Err, yes,¡± said Reito without a clue who he was speaking to. ¡°How have you been?¡±

    The unidentifiable person didn¡¯t reply.

    ¡°It¡¯s Shino!¡± Ino announced.

    Reito frowned briefly at the girl¡¯s lack of tact. He recalled the quiet Aburame Clan boy who used to collect bugs during recess, but how was he supposed to know it was him? He couldn¡¯t even see his face.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t remember me,¡± said Shino matter-of-factly.

    ¡°Of course I knew it was you,¡± Reito lied to spare his feelings. ¡°How have you been, Shino?¡±

    ¡°No. You didn¡¯t remember me,¡± he repeated, making the atmosphere very uncomfortable.

    ¡°Well, we were here to get some flowers, maybe you could help with that, Ino?¡± Sakura interrupted, to Reito¡¯s great relief. ¡°You wanted two bouquets, right, Reito?¡±

    The boy nodded, feeling Shino¡¯s eyes on him as Ino put together two tasteful bouquets of white and purple flowers without, he noted, asking what they were for.

    ¡°There we are,¡± said Ino, marveling at her floral creations. ¡°They¡¯re on the house in honor of your safe return! If you ever want to talk, feel free to stop by. We have a lot to catch up on, right Shino?¡±

    There was an awkward silence before Shino answered simply, ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ***

    Several minutes after he and Sakura left the store, Reito asked her, ¡°You told them I was going to be there?¡± It was a statement more than a question.

    The girl seemed to consider her response before giving it honestly, ¡°Yes. I thought it would help. Did I overstep?¡±

    Reito also paused before answering bluntly, ¡°It was beyond obvious. I don¡¯t need anyone¡¯s pity!¡±

    ¡°Pity?¡± Sakura repeated, looking a little hurt.

    ¡°Ino, Shino, even you¡­ None of us were friends. Not really,¡± Reito clarified, his pitch increasing somewhat. ¡°My only real friends are gone, and I don¡¯t need surprise visits from former classmates who barely knew me, so if you¡¯ve got any more of those planned¡­¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Sakura. ¡°I understand, and I apologize for the bad setup. I should have known you would see through that, even if Ino¡¯s acting skills had been better. You were always a sharp one.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t patronize me,¡± Reito mumbled.

    ¡°What? We may not have been close, but you don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t notice you at all back then, do you?¡± Sakura asked.

    ¡°I know you didn¡¯t,¡± said Reito with a dry laugh. ¡°Your attention was focused solely on Sasuke Uchiha!¡±

    Sakura grinned at this. ¡°It¡¯s certainly true that I was keen on Sasuke, but I made a point of keeping an eye on anyone who rivaled my test scores.¡±

    Reito frowned in confusion. ¡°You were the smartest person in the class, I never beat you on a test!¡± he protested.

    ¡°Maybe not, but now and then, Iruka Sensei would sneak tactical knowledge questions into our standard tests, the kind with strategic scenarios and such, to measure cognitive reasoning. Those were the only ones that I ever slipped up on. When I¡­investigated¡­I found that you always did the best on those, even if your overall score wasn¡¯t high. Although, that might have been because Shikamaru was holding back.¡±

    ¡°Shikamaru? The lazy Nara Clan guy?¡± said Reito with a dubious expression.

    ¡°Yeah, turns out, he¡¯s a genius! He¡¯s an advisor to the Hokage now,¡± Sakura explained. ¡°Still, you scored the best on those questions at the time. I always wanted to approach you about your answers to get an idea of how I could improve, but that would have meant revealing that I had snuck into the office.¡±

    ¡°So, ¡®Lazy Shikamaru¡¯ is a genius, and ¡®teacher¡¯s pet Sakura¡¯ snuck into the office?¡± Reito said, laughing to himself.

    ¡°Yep. Only in the interest of education, mind you, I never cheated or anything like that!¡± Sakura insisted haughtily. ¡°The point is, people aren¡¯t always what they seem and they¡¯re capable of change. I promise there won¡¯t be any more planned meetings, but you¡¯re bound to run into our classmates at some point. When that happens, try to be open to it.

    ¡°Your disappearance affected all of us in some way, Reito. For one thing, it served as a stark reminder of the real danger we faced as young ninjas. My team learned that on our own first away mission. We survived by the skin of our teeth, then when we returned, your whole team was presumed dead. It was a real shock for me, and I¡¯m sure our classmates felt the same. Having you back now, looking like you do¡­¡±

    Reito hadn¡¯t considered this. He and his friends may not have been as close with the other students as they were with each other, but they had grown up together. When they were declared MIA, they were all still kids. It had to have affected them, and now Reito was walking around like some sort of ghost from their past. Maybe that explained Ino and Shino¡¯s odd behavior. Then again, maybe they were just odd.

    ***

    Fifteen minutes later, Reito and Sakura arrived at Konoha¡¯s Fourth Great Ninja War remembrance garden. It was an idyllic setting with benches spaced out between rows of flora, at the center of which stood a black stone memorial shaped like a flame. The square slab beneath it was inscribed with the names of those lost during the war and the events preceding it. Among those listed were Takato Tsu, Shizuka Tsu, and Reika Tsu.

    Reito laid down a bouquet for his family, and Sakura gave him some time alone to pay his respects. He thought he would have something to say when he arrived at the memorial, something that might put his family¡¯s spirits at ease, something that might relieve him of the pressure on his chest, but the words wouldn¡¯t come. Maybe one day they would, but for now, with so much uncertainty surrounding him, he could only offer a silent prayer.

    Their next destination wasn¡¯t too much further. Training Ground Three, like the other nine more basic training areas, was inside the village to the southeast. It housed a special memorial reserved for Konoha ninja killed in action. It was very similar in terrain to Training Ground Six, where Reito and his friends had undertaken their final exam, but at the center of the clearing were three wooden posts, and another black stone monument, this one vaguely resembling a giant kunai.

    ¡°We lost it during the attack,¡± Sakura explained. ¡°After things settled down, Kakashi Sensei located it, still intact. It¡¯s terrible to think we might need a new one very soon.¡±

    Reito saw what she meant. Names covered almost all the allotted space on this stone, including those of Amaya Daigo, Yuji Saito, Kazuki Torimoto, and Reito Tsu. Here, he laid down his second bouquet, in memory of his teacher, and as a symbolic farewell to the life he once knew.

 Episode 13: Back to School

    The following morning was to be Reito¡¯s first day at the academy. He was nervous about going back there, not to mention a little embarrassed by the prospect of having to, but more than that, he was eager.

    With only two weeks left of the academic year, the final-year students who would be Reito¡¯s peers were preparing for graduation. That meant he had a lot of hard work ahead of him in order to regain his Genin status. Not only did he have to pass the graduation test, but he also had the secret final exam ahead of him.

    As per academy tradition, the Hokage had ordered him not to share that surprise with other students. At first, he thought that knowing it was coming would be an advantage, but on reflection, it wasn¡¯t going to matter all that much. The exam would be devised and judged solely by the Jonin instructor who delivered it, and he would have two new and unknown teammates hampering him. It was what he didn¡¯t have¡ªKazuki and Yuji¡ªthat would be the real problem. For now, he needed to focus on graduating.

    After changing into some ill-fitting clothes that he had taken from the orphanage donation bin¡ªa black cardigan over a blue t-shirt and khaki shorts¡ªReito left the building. It was a melancholy moment, leaving for school like he used to but without his father waking him, his mother packing his lunch, or Reika walking by his side, and there would be no friends to greet him at the other end of the journey. He really was alone in the world now.

    ¡°Morning!¡± called Sakura from his rear.

    Reito¡¯s eyebrows shot up as she approached. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he asked more aggressively than he had intended. ¡°I thought we weren¡¯t checking in until the end of the week.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m on my way to the academy myself,¡± she answered, ignoring the boy¡¯s tone. ¡°Do you mind if I join you?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he said, privately grateful for the company but dubious of her words. Was this another pity gesture? ¡°Why are you going to the academy?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m teaching today.¡±

    ¡°Teaching? I thought you were a Medical Ninja?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Oh, of course, you wouldn¡¯t know, sorry,¡± Sakura said upon seeing the boy¡¯s confused expression. ¡°Medical Ninjutsu is part of the academy curriculum now, thanks to Lady Tsunade. I occasionally teach the classes.¡±

    Reito stopped in his tracks. Medical Ninjutsu? A subject he knew absolutely nothing about was being taught at the academy now? Was this a joke?

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Sakura assured the boy. ¡°It¡¯s not something anyone can do, so only those who demonstrate an aptitude for Chakra control continue their studies in the final year. You¡¯ll need to learn basic first aid, though.¡±

    Reito resumed walking, realizing how quickly he had started to panic. For a moment there, he thought his ¡®recertification¡¯ had come to an end before it had even begun. ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like I would have made the cut. I¡¯ve never been good at controlling my Chakra,¡± he admitted.

    ¡°You should come to today¡¯s class, though,¡± said Sakura, ¡°just to get an idea of what we do, and how important it is. In the exams, you may need to factor in the difference having a medic on the team can make to a mission, but you¡¯ll do fine at that once you¡¯ve done some reading. I¡¯ll give you some materials to catch up on.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± said Reito, but he couldn¡¯t help asking then, ¡°This isn¡¯t¡­some kind of trick of the Hokage¡¯s is it, to set me up to fail? I don¡¯t want to waste my time if there¡¯s no way she¡¯s going to let me graduate¡ª¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no trick, Reito,¡± Sakura interrupted. ¡°The change in the curriculum was one of the reasons Lady Tsunade thought you would benefit from going back to the academy, but she¡¯s not using it as a way to keep you down.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Frankly,¡± Sakura started, perhaps knowing that Reito was, in her own words, ¡®a sharp one¡¯, ¡°it¡¯s been suggested by others for reasons I¡¯m sure you understand, but trust me, it¡¯s not Lady Tsunade¡¯s style. If she didn¡¯t want you to be a ninja, she would just come out and say it. Between you and me, she¡¯s a bit of a gambler, and she likes to bet on an underdog. She¡¯s giving you a chance to prove yourself.¡±

    Reito felt a wave of relief come over him. If Sakura¡¯s words were to be trusted, he still had a chance. Now, he had to make the most of it. Changing the subject, he asked, ¡°Do you know who my teacher will be?¡±

    ¡°Iruka Sensei still teaches the final year,¡± she said with a smile.

    He wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about this. He liked the man, and the familiarity might make things easier, but Iruka Sensei was also the teacher who had nearly failed him. Thinking about the man who had made the case for his graduation, Reito pressed, ¡°What about Mizuki Sensei, is he still around?¡±

    ¡°Mizuki?¡± Sakura repeated with a look of perplexion. ¡°He hasn¡¯t taught since¡­ Hmm. I¡¯m not sure what the procedure is for this. Well, it¡¯s been a while, so I guess it can¡¯t hurt to tell you, even if you¡¯re not technically a Genin right now.¡±

    Reito narrowed his eyes with interest but waited for the girl to elaborate rather than press her. Had the other teacher passed away during the war or the attack that claimed his family¡¯s lives?

    ¡°Mizuki is in prison. He turned traitor while we were at school.¡±

    Reito¡¯s jaw dropped. Mizuki Sensei, his favorite teacher, the mild-mannered man who had helped him become a Genin, was a traitor?

    ¡°If I remember correctly, it was during our graduation week. After Naruto failed the exam, Mizuki tricked him into stealing the Scroll of Sealing from the Third Hokage¡¯s offices and then tried to take it from him. Unfortunately for Mizuki, Naruto read the scroll and used the Shadow Clone Jutsu to beat him up good!¡±

    Sakura pounded her fist into her palm at those last words, looking rather satisfied at the thought of their former teacher being defeated by Naruto of all people.

    Naruto again? Reito thought to himself, shaking his head in disbelief. The only person ranked lower than him back then, the boy who couldn¡¯t even make a standard clone, had mastered a high-level Jutsu and used it to overpower a teacher and Chunin-level ninja?

    He had a sudden longing to recount his findings to Kazuki and Yuji, and reveal the mystery behind Naruto¡¯s graduation, a secret that had alluded the three of them for¡­five years now. ¡°And then he went on to save the village,¡± he mumbled, then turned to Sakura. ¡°Are you certain this isn¡¯t all one big Genjutsu?¡±

    ***

    Sakura escorted Reito as far as the Ninja Academy administration office, where he was given his classroom assignment by a middle-aged woman with spectacles. When she also handed him a map of the school, he had to bite his tongue to refrain from making a sarcastic comment. He knew his way around for goodness¡¯ sake, he went to this school for years!The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    It was as the first bell rang that Reito wanted to kick himself for his foolishness. Despite using a very similar layout, the new school building wasn¡¯t identical to its predecessor, as evidenced by the fact that the classroom door he opened was an office. Reito hurriedly bowed in apology to its occupants and closed the door.

    He unfurled the map he had screwed up in his palm and consulted its key, thankful that he hadn¡¯t found a bin to dispose of it yet. He was on the wrong side of the building. Anger welled up inside him as he realized that meant he was going to be late now. Blending in with the crowd was no longer an option, everyone was going to see him arrive.

    After catching his breath and sliding open the door to classroom 1-E, Reito mumbled, ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late.¡± He briefly eyed the tiered seating, looking for an empty seat that he could slip into without calling too much attention to himself, but there only seemed to be one free in the middle of the room. People were going to have to move.

    His apology was followed by an uncomfortably long pause, wherein Reito could feel all the eyes of the room on him. Iruka Sensei¡¯s were wide with apparent shock, which he could understand. After his talk with Sakura the day before, not to mention the encounter with Ino, he figured his appearance would garner a mix of reactions from those who remembered him. It had to be disconcerting to see that he hadn¡¯t aged, or that he was alive at all.

    A second later, the teacher¡¯s face relaxed and he ushered the boy in with an extended arm, ¡°Ah, Reito, there you are, come on in. I was just explaining to everyone that we had a new student joining us today. Class, this is Reito Tsu. Please make him feel welcome. Haru, move along, please.¡±

    A boy with short strawberry-blonde hair obligingly shuffled across to the space Reito had spotted earlier, and he made his way to the now-vacant seat. The eyes of his new classmates followed him, piercing him from every angle. Some of them looked friendly enough but most eyed him with curiosity if not suspicion, and then there was the boy in the yellow tracksuit with the flaming red pompadour¡­.

    Had Iruka Sensei not been the only person behind him, Reito might have spun around to check who the boy was glaring at with such open hostility. Unlike at the orphanage, it seemed as though some of these kids had been made aware of his presence by their parents. There was surely no other explanation for the stranger¡¯s fixed squint, furrowed brows, and pursed lips.

    Reito sighed as he took his seat, trying to ignore the boy in his peripheral vision by focusing his attention on Iruka Sensei.

    ¡°Okay, this morning we will be reviewing the Clone Jutsu,¡± the man announced. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss its practical applications, when and where it¡¯s best employed, and of course, how to perform it. I¡¯ll be testing you all tomorrow, so I want you to give it your best effort, especially those of you with the free period this afternoon. Now, who can tell me the fundamentals of the technique?¡±

    It was¡­surreal for Reito, being back at the academy, watching Iruka Sensei writing on the blackboard like his last few months of memories had never occurred. It was as if he had time-traveled. Then again, in some respects, hadn¡¯t he done exactly that?

    As the morning dragged on, Reito was bombarded with flashbacks. Blocking them out took all his concentration, so he didn¡¯t participate in the class. He just wanted to get out of there and get some air, so when the lunch bell rang, he was the first out the door. Without thinking about it, his legs took him to the big maple tree that he, Kazuki, and Yuji often gathered beneath.

    With a sigh, Reito perched on the makeshift bench the tree¡¯s roots provided, placing a hand on his beating chest. He wasn¡¯t sure his newfound determination was going to be enough to get him through this. Was he even doing the right thing, pursuing the path of a ninja? It didn¡¯t feel right without his friends. It felt like¡­a betrayal, just being here. Why him? Why had he survived?

    ¡°Hey, new kid,¡± a voice called, interrupting his thoughts. The boy with the red pompadour was approaching him with two others. ¡°What¡¯s up? I wanted to introduce myself.¡±

    Reito felt his guard go up. This was the boy who was staring him down a couple of hours ago. He very much doubted this was a genuine interaction.

    ¡°Akio Hino, of the Hino Clan,¡± the boy said, extending a hand.

    Ignoring the infuriating clan name drop, Reito returned the handshake, bracing himself for a trick. Maybe the boy was going to squeeze his hand or put him in an arm lock. Nothing happened when their hands met, though. ¡°Reito Tsu,¡± he said. That was when he felt it. A searing pain in his palm. When he tried to yank his arm free, the boy¡¯s grip tightened.

    Reito dropped to his knees, crying out. Had it not been for the pain, he might have recalled his Taijutsu training and twisted himself free or kicked the boy away. Instead, with a wave of rage coming over him, he pushed out uselessly with his trapped hand. As it turned out, this wasn¡¯t such a useless gesture.

    Akio Hino relinquished his grip and stumbled backward a few steps before falling onto his behind. ¡°What the¡­?¡± he said as his two friends helped him to his feet. His scowl from that morning had returned. ¡°What did you¡­?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡± Reito snapped, nursing his hand, which was now red raw and blistered. He¡¯d been burned, but Akio didn¡¯t show any signs of damage. He didn¡¯t know what sort of Jutsu the boy had used, but he needed to get cold water on his hand right away, so he made for the building.

    ¡°Hey, where do you think you¡¯re going, killer?¡± asked Akio accusatorily. ¡°I¡¯m not done with you yet!¡±

    Reito stopped dead in spite of the agonizing pain in his hand, the chill that passed through him overriding his senses. ¡°Killer?¡± he repeated, his eyes wide. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb!¡± Akio spat. ¡°We know all about the Town Hall meeting. Everyone knows you killed your teacher and your teammates! Why don¡¯t you just admit it and give their families some peace?¡±

    The boy¡¯s words cut him like a knife. Was that what the villagers thought? They thought he murdered his closest friends, murdered Amaya Sensei? How could anyone be so hateful, so absurdly stupid as to suggest such a thing? Positively incensed, Reito turned, and stalked toward the idiotic boy, raring to fight, burned hand and all.

    ¡°Reito?¡± a voice called out behind him as Akio and his friends raised their fists in response. ¡°Iruka Sensei wants to see you in the office.¡±

    Suddenly aware of himself, Reito turned to see Haru, the orange-haired boy he had been sitting next to in class. After giving his accuser a final look of disdain, he walked away in silence.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right, walk away, freak!¡± Akio called after him.

    Reito had never been so angry. His cheeks felt as red hot as his injured hand. ¡°What does Iruka Sensei want?¡± he huffed.

    ¡°Oh, nothing,¡± the boy replied, much to his confusion. ¡°I just thought I should say something to stop you guys. You don¡¯t want to get in trouble for fighting on your first day.¡±

    Reito blinked in confusion.

    Haru was smiling deviously. He was a skinny guy, wearing a rather shabby-looking green sweater. ¡°I¡¯d have warned you about Akio, but you left the classroom so quickly, and I wasn¡¯t sure where you went,¡± he said. ¡°He likes to show off his Bloodline Limit.¡±

    ¡°His¡­what?¡±

    ¡°Akio¡¯s from the Hino Clan,¡± Haru explained. ¡°They run Konoha¡¯s volunteer fire brigade because of their inherited ability. Their bodies are fireproof.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s crazy!¡± Reito exclaimed. ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve heard of them, but I didn¡¯t know that.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and Akio knows a Jutsu that lets him raise his body temperature. Because of his Bloodline Limit, it doesn¡¯t affect him, but anyone who touches him gets burned. He¡¯s always looking for an excuse to use it on someone, so you¡¯ll probably want to steer clear of him. He¡¯s annoyingly strong and a bit of a bully.¡±

    Reito shook his head at the thought of another clan kid lording their abilities over everybody else. ¡°Well, thanks for intervening. I¡¯m not sure what I was about to do, but it sounds like I would have got my butt kicked.¡±

    Haru chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± he said. ¡°What was that Jutsu you used?¡±

    ¡°What Jutsu?¡± Reito asked with a quizzical expression.

    ¡°The one that got him off you.¡±

    ¡°Huh? That wasn¡¯t a Jutsu. I just pushed him, and he tripped.¡±

    Haru seemed dubious of this answer for some reason but didn¡¯t press the issue. ¡°Here¡¯s the bathroom,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Let¡¯s get your hand cooled off a bit, and I¡¯ll try healing it.¡±

    ¡°Healing it? You can do that?¡±

    Haru shrugged, ¡°Kinda. I¡¯m in the Medical Ninjutsu class, but I¡¯m not very good at using the Mystical Palm. I can probably help a little, but if you come along to this afternoon¡¯s lesson, I¡¯m sure Sakura Sensei or one of the better students will be able to heal it properly.¡±

    After running his hand under cold water for a few minutes, Reito rested his arm on the windowsill and let Haru try out his medical technique.

    Beads of sweat dripped down the boy¡¯s forehead as he screwed up his brown eyes in concentration, willing his Jutsu to work. A faint green glow emanated from his hand, which he held over Reito¡¯s. It flickered now and then like a candle in the wind. ¡°See, I told you I¡¯m not very good,¡± Haru said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short, it¡¯s helping already,¡± Reito said truthfully.

    ¡°It¡¯s about the only useful Jutsu I can do.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s still one better than me,¡± Reito joked. ¡°I can barely pull off the basics. It was by luck that I graduated the first time around.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s not true,¡± Haru laughed.

    ¡°No, really!¡± Reito insisted. ¡°Iruka Sensei would have failed me had it not been for Mizuki Sensei¡¯s intervention!¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s Mizuki Sensei?¡±

    Thinking back to his conversation with Sakura on the way to school, Reito said, ¡°Trust me, you don¡¯t want to know.¡±

 Episode 14: First Day Jitters

    After Haru did what he could to help with Reito¡¯s burn, the two boys headed to the cafeteria for lunch, which was a necessity now that Haru was looking pale and close to keeling over.

    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s almost completely healed,¡± Reito marveled, flexing his fingers as they joined the lunch queue. Almost immediately, he noticed people become alert to his presence in the large hall. ¡°You know, I appreciate you helping, but you don¡¯t have to eat with me. I¡¯m not just the new kid, I¡¯m¡­ Well, I¡¯m not going to be popular around here.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly,¡± Haru responded without hesitation. ¡°I don¡¯t care what people think, especially people like Akio, and you shouldn¡¯t either. Besides, us orphans have to stick together, right?¡±

    Reito grimaced. He supposed he was an orphan. He just hadn¡¯t used the word to describe himself yet, even if he was living in an orphanage.

    Haru smacked his right hand to his forehead. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, that was dumb of me. We all throw the word around casually. Wow, I¡¯m really making a fool of myself. I forgot to mention that I live at the orphanage too.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you do?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve seen you there, but I figured you¡¯d want some time to settle in. Anyway, the kids there, we try to keep an eye out for one another.¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Reito said with a sheepish grin. ¡°That¡¯s cool.¡±

    Haru shrugged, ¡°Someone¡¯s got to, right?¡±

    ¡°I guess,¡± said Reito, suddenly aware that he hadn¡¯t given much thought to the many other residents at the facility. Maybe he should have been making more effort to get to know people. Talking with Haru was a start. He seemed like a good guy. ¡°So, err, how long have you lived there?¡±

    ¡°A few years now. It¡¯s not so bad once you get used to it. It will be good to get out of there once I start earning some money, though, assuming I can become a Genin with my skills. You already did it, right?¡±

    ¡°Err, yeah,¡± said Reito nervously. ¡°I¡¯m not a Genin now, though. I have to graduate like everyone else.¡±

    Haru nodded.

    ¡°You, err, know about me, then?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard,¡± the boy confirmed like it was nothing. ¡°It must be weird for you, coming back and finding everything¡¯s changed?¡±

    Reito was caught off guard by Haru¡¯s blas¨¦ attitude to his return, not to mention his sympathetic perspective on it. ¡°You can say that again,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m still waiting for someone to tell me it¡¯s all been an illusion.¡±

    ¡°And you really don¡¯t remember anything?¡±

    Reito shook his head.

    ¡°I can¡¯t even imagine¡­¡± said Haru, looking a little downcast.

    As the lunch queue began to move along, Reito changed the subject, ¡°Is it too much to hope the cafeteria menu has improved?¡±

    Haru chuckled, ¡°Sorry, I think you¡¯re in for a disappointment!¡±

    Once the two boys filled their lunch trays, they found a couple of empty seats at a crowded table. Within seconds, however, the table became considerably less crowded. Reito sighed. With any luck, he would only be at the academy for another two weeks, but was this what it would be like every day? People attacking him, or else fleeing at the sight of him?

    ¡°How¡¯s the hand, killer?¡± snarled Akio Hino, who Reito saw coming a mile away thanks to his vivid red hair. He was joined by the two boys from before and a girl with messy shoulder-length brown hair, beady eyes, and red fang-shaped markings on her face.

    Despite the provocation, Reito kept his temper in check and replied coolly, ¡°It¡¯s fine, thanks.¡± He made a point of twirling his fork with the injured hand, which stung but was worth the reaction it elicited.

    Akio¡¯s brows contracted, and he turned to Haru. ¡°Tell me you didn¡¯t heal him? Man, I forgot you were into that girly crap.¡±

    ¡°Oi!¡± barked the girl with the face markings, who, judging by her resemblance to Kiba, Reito deduced must be a member of the Inuzuka Clan. ¡°Not all girls are into that wimpy healing stuff! Seriously, though, Haru, what are you doing with this kid? Don¡¯t you know who he is?¡±

    ¡°I know perfectly well who he is, thanks, Tora,¡± said Haru patiently. ¡°Now, can you go away, please?¡±

    Reito wondered if he should just leave. As he had feared, Haru was getting hassled for associating with him, and that wasn¡¯t fair.

    ¡°Wait,¡± exclaimed Akio, ¡°You know who he is, and you¡¯re still hanging out with him? That¡¯s sick, Haru!¡±

    ¡°Just leave!¡± Haru snapped.

    Reito gripped his fork tightly, trying to restrain himself. If things turned ugly, he wasn¡¯t going to let Haru get caught up in it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m leaving!¡± said Akio with disgust clear in his tone and on his face. ¡°I was just looking out for you, but if you want to have lunch with the guy who got your mom killed, that¡¯s your problem!¡± He and his friends then walked away, leaving Reito and Haru to deal with the fallout of his explosive statement.

    Haru¡¯s head was lowered, and his eyes were shut tightly. He looked how Reito felt, like he¡¯d been punched in the gut.

    ¡°What did he mean by that?¡± Reito asked, fearful of the answer his brain was close to churning out.

    ¡°I was going to tell you later in private, back at the orphanage,¡± Haru said regretfully.

    ¡°Tell me what?¡±

    Haru took a breath. ¡°I didn¡¯t get a chance to introduce myself properly,¡± he said. ¡°My full name is Haru Daigo. My mother was your instructor.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    The room went silent, at least for Reito. He couldn¡¯t hear the ongoing din of the other diners, the clatter of his fork hitting the table, or whatever Haru was now saying to him. There was only white noise as unbidden memories of Amaya Sensei surfaced in his mind. The resemblance was uncanny. Why hadn¡¯t he seen it sooner?

    It was his final memory of Amaya Sensei that took precedence, the one he had been working so hard to suppress. He saw Hidan stabbing himself before she could use her Jutsu, he saw Kazuki¡¯s deadly arrow, and he saw the blood¡­ So much blood. Between the mental image of the woman¡¯s brutal death, the sight of her son sitting before him, and Akio¡¯s recent words¡­ It was too much.

    Reito got to his feet on shaky legs and walked away from the table without a word. In a daze, he found his way back to the bathroom from before, where he regurgitated his lunch in an empty stall. It was a few minutes before he had his thoughts under control. Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, he cursed himself for his weakness and struck out at the tiled wall over the toilet.

    How was he ever going to achieve his goals like this? How was he going to master the skills needed to avenge his friends if he couldn¡¯t even master his emotions? Haru¡¯s revelation had taken Reito by surprise, but he couldn¡¯t fall to pieces every time he recalled his last mission. Ninjas dealt with death all the time. What right did he have to wallow in grief when most of the village had probably lost friends and family recently?

    They hadn¡¯t let it stop them, had they? They had rebuilt Konoha from the ground up, protected it, and maintained the peace their loved ones had fought for. That was the sort of resolve Reito needed. He needed to toughen up. Quickly.

    After taking a deep breath and leaning back against the stall door, it was a few seconds before Reito registered the fresh pain in his hand. Looking down, he realized his knuckles were dripping with blood, which was pooling on the floor. The wall before him now had a veritable crater in it. Shards of porcelain were scattered all around.

    His mouth moved soundlessly in confusion. How many times had he hit the wall? Had anyone heard it? If someone discovered him here now, he would have more to worry about than simply being disciplined for vandalizing school property. The last thing he needed was for people to think he was dangerous, after all, or worse, a basket case not cut out for ninja life.

    Reito bent down and mopped up the blood with a reem of toilet paper, rinsed his re-injured hand under cold water, and then fled the bathroom with it in his pocket. What options did he have now, though? The damage would be reported at some point, and his hand was messed up. Even if he kept it hidden, wouldn¡¯t people just assume he was involved?

    He could either cut the afternoon class with Sakura and go home early in search of some gloves, hoping she wouldn¡¯t ponder his absence, or he could go and have her heal his hand as Haru has suggested but keep his palm turned up and hope she didn¡¯t notice his knuckles. With a huff of frustration, Reito stopped in his tracks. Some options they were. He was being irrational.

    Lacking any real desire to hide the truth about what happened, when it was so obvious he would be caught, he turned on his heel and headed for the office. He would rather just come clean and accept his punishment than put on a big charade. When he arrived at the door he mistakenly entered that morning, Reito raised his left hand to knock when it slid open unexpectedly.

    ¡°Oh, Reito?¡± said Sakura. ¡°Were you looking for me?¡±

    ¡°Err, yeah,¡± Reito lied automatically. It occurred to him that telling Sakura what happened would be easier than reporting to one of the other teachers. He wasn¡¯t sure he could handle one of Iruka Sensei¡¯s looks of disappointment right now.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m just on the way to set up for class, come with me.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± said Reito, and he followed the young woman to a classroom a couple of doors down, which was full of tall, long tables, arranged in a U-shape, noticing that she was wearing a white coat over her clothes.

    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± Sakura asked as they entered the room, ¡°You look a bit peaky.¡±

    ¡°Erm, no, actually,¡± Reito admitted. ¡°I¡­hurt my hand.¡± Holding on to the idea that she might not notice, he removed his hand from his pocket palm up, but the girl immediately flipped it over as she inspected it.

    ¡°Who did this to you?¡± she asked with a frown.

    ¡°No one,¡± Reito insisted. ¡°It was me. I did it myself. I didn¡¯t mean to, but I punched a hole in the wall of one of the bathrooms. I was coming to the office to report it.¡±

    ¡°And this burn?¡±

    Reito shrugged in reply.

    Sakura didn¡¯t look happy but didn¡¯t press the issue. Instead, she focused on healing his hand, which she did in what seemed like no time compared to Haru. ¡°How does it feel?¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± said Reito, flexing his fingers and feeling for any evidence of the recent cuts or blisters.

    ¡°Now, do you want to tell me what happened? I can see there are two injuries here and that someone else already tried to help you.¡±

    Mildly impressed by Sakura¡¯s diagnostic ability, Reito silently cast his gaze downward. ¡°I guess I lost my head for a minute,¡± he mumbled.

    ¡°Okay. And what do you think brought that on?¡±

    Reito lowered his voice to a whisper, ¡°The boy who helped me out¡­ His mom¡­ Amaya Sensei¡­¡±

    There was sudden comprehension in Sakura¡¯s emerald eyes, and she clapped a hand to her forehead. ¡°Haru Daigo¡­¡± she mouthed. ¡°Reito, I¡¯m so sorry. I don¡¯t know how it slipped my mind, he¡¯s one of my students. I should have warned you he would be here!¡±

    Reito shrugged again while shaking his head, still staring at the floor, afraid that his facade would crack if he met the girls¡¯ eyes right now.

    ¡°Listen, I¡¯m just going to let a colleague know about the bathroom situation, but there are exceptional circumstances here, Reito. You¡¯re not going to be in any trouble, alright?¡± said Sakura, handing Reito a textbook. ¡°Stay here, please, and get started on reading this.¡±

    The boy couldn¡¯t focus on the textbook. He must have read the opening line twenty times before Sakura returned. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he had resigned himself to being punished. He deserved it, if not for the vandalism, then for so many other reasons.

    ¡°The damage isn¡¯t as bad as it looks, Reito. It can be fixed easily enough, and that bathroom isn¡¯t used as heavily as others, so it can be sealed off while the work is done without much fuss,¡± Sakura explained. ¡°There¡¯s no reason for anyone else to know what happened, okay?¡±

    Reito nodded in understanding. It was a relief, knowing he wouldn¡¯t become subject to gossip.

    ¡°Do you want to go home for the day?¡±

    ¡°No! I¡¯m fine,¡± Reito protested, though he wasn¡¯t sure why. Leaving was exactly what he wanted to do, but something was holding him back. Shame perhaps? Shame over what he had done. Or was it the shame of being perceived as so fragile he needed to be sent home?

    ¡°Alright, but in lieu of punishment, I¡¯m going to set you extra homework, okay?¡±

    Extra homework? Was that all?

    ¡°Out of interest, Reito, what sort of Jutsu did you use on the wall?¡±

    He frowned at this in response. ¡°Jutsu? I-I just punched it. More times than I realized, I guess. I don¡¯t really remember; I was kinda out of it.¡±

    Sakura looked skeptical of his answer but didn¡¯t question it. ¡°Well, we haven¡¯t got long until the lesson begins. We¡¯re doing a quick test with the Mystical Palm, which you can observe, but after that, we¡¯re making Food Pills, which you¡¯ll be able to join in with,¡± she said. ¡°Regarding Haru, though. He will be here. Is that okay?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. He¡¯s fine. It¡¯s me that¡¯s the problem,¡± said Reito, trying to imagine what it must be like for Haru to have him around, a constant reminder of what the boy had lost. ¡°Maybe my being here isn¡¯t fair to him?¡±

    ¡°Haru already knew you would be here, Reito, and he had no objections. Lady Tsunade met privately with the relatives of Team Four before the Town Hall meeting.¡±

    For what felt like the hundredth time in recent memory, Reito felt foolish. Of course they would have been briefed. It was obvious, so why hadn¡¯t it occurred to him? So much for his supposed analytical prowess.

    ¡°It was my responsibility to inform you about Haru,¡± Sakura confessed. ¡°I really dropped the ball there, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Reito shrugged. He wasn¡¯t sure knowing in advance would have made a difference. Judging by his reaction to learning of Haru¡¯s identity, dealing with it with one sharp shock was probably better than dragging it out. Now, he would be better prepared for any other surprises that might come his way. He hoped so, anyway.

 Episode 15: Bitter Pills

    After Sakura went through the reading Reito needed to do and provided him with the required books, the bell rang to signal the end of the lunch break. Reito moved to the closest empty desk as students began to arrive, just eight of them in total. When he spotted Haru among them, he felt his heart skip a beat and had to employ his mental training once more to block out thoughts of Amaya Sensei.

    Haru didn¡¯t sit nearby, which Reito was thankful for. He wasn¡¯t ready to talk things out yet. As difficult as it was to keep his composure right now, perhaps what he was feeling was just? A worthy form of penance for failing his teacher¡ªHaru¡¯s mother. Logically, Reito knew there was nothing he could have done to save her. He just needed his heart to catch up with his head.

    As Sakura had explained, the first part of her lesson was a test for her students, none of whom complained when she announced this. She handed each of the students a sealed scroll, which they proceeded to unfurl across their long desks. After a short burst of popping sounds, Reito found himself lurching in surprise at the sudden assault on his sense of smell.

    At each student¡¯s workstation, lying still across their now-unsealed scrolls, was a small, dead fish. They were different kinds judging by their coloring¡ªred, green, or silver¡ªbut all roughly the same size.

    The boy to Reito¡¯s right had a red fish, a snapper perhaps. He was fairly short, and much of his face was concealed by the high collar of his oversized hunter-green coat and the orange scarf he wrapped around it. Despite this, people probably didn¡¯t have trouble identifying him owing to his thick head of bushy jade-green hair. He looked like a shrub.

    Reito watched as the students got to work, holding their hands over their specimens with varying degrees of Chakra emanating from them. He frowned in confusion. Sakura had mentioned they would be employing the Mystical Palm Jutsu, but how did one heal a dead fish?

    Five minutes later, however, his question was answered when his desk neighbor¡¯s fish sprang up and began to flail about. Reito¡¯s eyes widened as he tried to comprehend what this could mean for him, for those he had lost.

    ¡°Excellent work, Daishi!¡± Sakura praised. ¡°That was a new record! The rest of you, don¡¯t lose your concentration.¡±

    As the rest of the class refocused their efforts, the green-haired boy took his seat. What Reito could see of his cheeks looked red with embarrassment.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know the Mystical Palm could bring animals back to life,¡± Reito marveled. ¡°Does it work on humans?¡±

    Daishi turned to him briefly, his hazel eyes peeking out over his collar. ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± he mumbled in reply.

    ¡°It¡¯s not what?¡±

    ¡°Alive,¡± Daishi clarified, turning back to the fish, which ceased flopping a few moments later.

    ¡°You mean because it doesn¡¯t have water?¡±

    ¡°No. It wasn¡¯t alive. They¡¯re dead,¡± Daishi explained abruptly, not making eye contact again.

    Reito cast his gaze downward. The boy obviously didn¡¯t want to talk to him. He had probably heard about the Town Hall meeting.

    However, a few seconds later, Daishi volunteered in short, succinct sentences, ¡°We don¡¯t bring them back to life. We temporarily reactivate their cells. It¡¯s not about lack of water. It would have stopped moving anyway. It¡¯s dead.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± said Reito, deciding that the boy wasn¡¯t ignoring him purposefully and putting the silly thought he had been considering out of his mind. He wasn¡¯t going to be bringing anyone back from the dead. That was far beyond the limits of Medical Ninjutsu. ¡°Thanks.¡±

    It was another few minutes before anyone else managed to revive their fish, or activate its cells as the case may be¡ªMarin, a girl with dark glasses that reminded Reito of Shino¡ªthen it started to happen one after the other, with Haru finishing second to last. Daishi didn¡¯t speak again while they were waiting, he just sat unnervingly still, watching his dead fish.

    Reito couldn¡¯t decide if the boy was shy, strange, or both, but he surely had a talent for Sakura¡¯s subject. When they moved on to making Food Pills, Daishi made his batch without consulting the recipe while simultaneously correcting Reito every time he reached for the wrong ingredient. He didn¡¯t speak. He simply pointed to the right item, but Reito appreciated the help.

    He didn¡¯t get a chance to thank Daishi for his assistance, however, as the boy rushed out of the room as soon as the end-of-day bell rang. Haru also left the room before Reito, giving him a much-needed reprieve. They would need to speak at some point, but now wasn¡¯t the time. Even if he had been confident about what he would say to Haru, it had been a long day. Well, it felt like it, anyway.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to do the reading,¡± Sakura called as he made for the door.

    Reito smiled meekly and gave her a nod. Happy to be lost in the sea of other students, he passed through the school and out to the gate, planning to get in some training with the aid of his freshly made Food Pills. They smelt awful and looked darker and lumpier than Daishi¡¯s, but he would surely garner some benefit from all the vitamins packed into them.

    ¡°There! There he is! See? My God, he hasn¡¯t aged a day!¡± Reito heard a man call out over the din of students heading home, then felt a hand jostle his shoulder.

    ¡°No, dear, you mustn¡¯t! The Hokage told us¡ª¡± a woman protested.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what she said, I want the truth!¡± the man said before striking Reito across the face. ¡°Now, tell me, demon! Tell me what you did to my boy!¡±

    Reito was too stunned to react. The surrounding students were backing away, watching as he was being shaken by the scruff of his shirt by the stranger. It was a few seconds before he realized that the bald man, dressed in a white kosode robe with black hakama pants, wasn¡¯t a stranger at all. He was the village¡¯s spiritual leader. He was Yuji¡¯s father.

    There were more lines on his face, which was contorted with a manic rage, but this was definitely the man Reito recognized from the occasional services his family attended on holy days. Next to him stood Yuji¡¯s mother, pulling uselessly on her husband¡¯s sleeve as he continued to manhandle the boy, tears in her eyes. ¡°Confess!¡± Mr. Saito yelled, raising his arm to deliver another blow.

    Reito didn¡¯t resist. Even if he could have summoned the strength to, he didn¡¯t have the will, not after what had occurred that morning. If Mr. Saito needed to hit him to work through his grief, to avenge Yuji, to please his God, who was he to object? He closed his eyes in anticipation of the slap, but the pain never came.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°Begging your pardon, Saito Kannushi,¡± spoke a familiar voice with deference but resolve, ¡°but I must ask you to release your hold and leave at once.¡±

    ¡°You dare lay a hand on me?¡± gasped Mr. Saito.

    Reito opened his eyes to find Iruka Sensei gripping the man¡¯s wrist, which was an inch from making contact with his face.

    ¡°It¡¯s no more than you have done, and in front of many witnesses,¡± Iruka Sensei said in the calm but stern manner he so often employed in class. ¡°I will be reporting this matter as it is. Please do not make the situation worse.¡±

    Mr. Saito looked livid. ¡°Don¡¯t you know who he is? Can¡¯t you see what he is?¡±

    ¡°Reito is one of my students, and I cannot allow you to harm him.¡±

    ¡°Do not be deceived! That thing is not Reito Tsu! Look at it, it hasn¡¯t aged. It¡¯s a demon, a changeling, a Y¨­kai! It took my boy, and now it¡¯s come for the rest of Konoha¡¯s children!¡±

    Just then, a pair of ninjas arrived on the scene. With Mrs. Saito¡¯s help, they pulled her husband away as he continued to yell warnings about Reito.

    ¡°Be on your way, all of you,¡± Iruka Sensei told the onlooking students, who Reito hadn¡¯t noticed were still watching him with fear etched across their faces. They started to shuffle away when he added that they surely had homework or revision to do. ¡°Reito, are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied in a daze.

    ¡°Do you want to come to the office for a mo¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± he said quickly, ¡°I just want to go¡­¡± Home was what he had been about to say. His home wasn¡¯t there anymore, though. At least, he presumed that was the case.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Thank you, Sensei. I¡¯m sorry to have troubled you.¡±

    Iruka Sensei looked conflicted but didn¡¯t prevent the boy from leaving.

    Reito didn¡¯t feel like training anymore, so he headed for the orphanage by a route that took him out of his way, his feet moving as if of their own accord. He was so far beyond knowing how he was feeling. He was numb to his emotions at this point, and his thoughts were like white noise. There was something peaceful about that, though.

    He had been bullied, accused of murder, betrayed, pushed to vandalism, slapped by his dead friend¡¯s father in front of half the school, and labeled a demon by the same man, who happened to be the village¡¯s head priest, all on his first day back at the school he already graduated from five years ago. It might be funny if it wasn¡¯t so absurd.

    When Reito arrived at his apparent destination, he took in his surroundings. Things didn¡¯t look quite the same, but there were enough familiar neighborhood buildings for him to know he was in the right place¡ªa grocery, a barbecue restaurant, the Fire Estate in the distance. As suspected, his family¡¯s tea shop was long gone. In its place, or roughly where Reito imagined it stood at one point, was a store selling furniture and other wares. The home above it belonged to some other family now.

    ***

    Reito fell asleep shortly after he reached his room at the orphanage. It hadn¡¯t been a physically strenuous day, but mentally speaking, he had been exhausted. When he awoke early the following morning, he felt a little more like himself. He also felt very hungry, but with it still being near-dark outside, breakfast wouldn¡¯t be for hours. So, with no other option and a sudden urge to do the training he had put off yesterday, he ate one of his Food Pills.

    It was vile. Even so, his face scrunched up from the bitter taste and grainy texture, Reito forced himself to swallow it, then quickly poured a cup of water from his pitcher to wash it down. The main door would still be locked at this hour, so he carefully dangled himself out of his third-floor window, then dropped to the window ledges below before hitting ground level.

    With the sun just coming up, Konoha¡¯s streets were deserted. There was no one to point at him, stare at him, or bother him in any way, so Reito drew on his Chakra and took the opportunity to run at top speed, his arms flung out behind him. It felt good to have the cool air on his face and in his hair, peacefully quiet but for the chirping of the birds. It was¡­freeing. So, he ran. He ran all the way to Training Ground Three.

    Before getting to work on his old Taijutsu exercises, Reito stopped at the memorial, where he sent out a prayer to his friends, along with an apology for his pitiful behavior the previous day. For him to allow himself to lose control, to be beaten, to be weak, while his friends were missing¡­? It was nothing short of a betrayal. If he wanted to graduate, if he wanted to find his friends, he needed to be strong, and not just physically. He needed to toughen up mentally, too.

    The villagers thought of him as a killer. Mr. Saito called him a demon and would surely be telling all his followers the same thing. Well, maybe that¡¯s exactly what he needed to become¡ªa monster, just like the ones from Akatsuki.

    He had less than two weeks left at the academy. He needed to put aside any foolish thoughts he had about making friends. All his free time should be spent preparing for the graduation exams, and that meant training before and after school every day, training until his arms and legs felt like they might fall off. And if he needed some downtime to rest, that would be spent doing the reading Sakura had set him.

    An hour later, the sun was casting warm light over the clearing, and Reito was surprised to find himself sweating profusely from his workout but still full of energy. He laughed to himself, wondering if his disgusting Food Pill had actually worked.

    Remembering that Iruka Sensei was going to be testing the class that morning, Reito decided to try the Clone Jutsu before ending his training session and getting in a shower before school. He took a couple of deep breaths and focused on molding Chakra. After his previous exam, he knew Iruka Sensei would be looking for three clones, so he focused on that while performing the ram, snake, and tiger Hand Seals.

    ¡°Clone (Bunshin no) Jutsu!¡± Reito recited, activating his Chakra, then looking to his left. He sighed with disappointment. Only two afterimages were mimicking his movements. He should have known he would need more than one good training session before he saw any improvement. Still, he could at least see how long they lasted before fizzling out. It was easier with fewer of them, after all, so he resumed his Taijutsu moves while maintaining the Jutsu.

    That was when he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. To his right, two more clones were moving with him. Reito blinked in confusion, raising his arm to make sure of what he was seeing. The clones¡¯ arms moved too. All four of them. There were definitely four. He had made four clones, not two, and he had only been trying for three. What the heck was in those Food Pills?

    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s pretty good for someone your age,¡± a nearby voice commented suddenly.

    Reito almost jumped out of his skin, the distraction causing his clones to vanish as he spun on the spot to find a man standing ten feet away.

    ¡°Ah, sorry, my bad,¡± said Kakashi Hatake, absently scratching the back of his head.

    ¡°Kakashi Sensei!¡± Reito said in a high pitch. ¡°I mean, err, Lord Sixth!¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, please, I¡¯m not Hokage yet,¡± the man said, waving off the title with a chuckle. ¡°Sorry for disturbing your training. I didn¡¯t expect anyone else to be here this early.¡±

    ¡°Someone like you needs to train?¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course! I can¡¯t let my skills get rusty if I¡¯m going to be Hokage, but I didn¡¯t come to train. I just wanted to visit the memorial.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± said Reito mournfully. ¡°I guess I should have booked the training ground. I was just about to leave if¡ª¡±

    ¡°No need to rush,¡± Kakashi assured him. ¡°And if the area¡¯s not in use, I don¡¯t see why you shouldn¡¯t use it. Did you have a good session?¡±

    ¡°Err, yeah, I think so,¡± said Reito. ¡°Sakura had us make Food Pills yesterday, and I think they really helped. I¡¯ve never made four clones before.¡±

    Kakashi paused before responding with interest, ¡°Really? What¡¯s your usual number?¡±

    ¡°Just two. Three at a push, but not for long. I won¡¯t be able to take a Food Pill for the exam, though, so I need to get better at it.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, the blood test will pick up on something like that,¡± said Kakashi thoughtfully. ¡°Well, if you need a sparring partner, I come here every morning.

    Reito was taken aback by this unexpected offer. Spar with the Sixth Hokage? ¡°I¡­ I couldn¡¯t ask¡­ You¡¯re too important to be spending time helping an academy student.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense,¡± said Kakashi with a wave of his hand. ¡°I¡¯m an early riser and don¡¯t have anything better to do at this time of day, at least not until Lady Tsunade retires. Besides, you¡¯d be helping me out with my own training.¡±

    ¡°Me? I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be much help to you, Sensei,¡± said Reito with a nervous laugh. ¡°I was ranked at the bottom of my old class, and probably my new class too!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to push me too hard; I just need to keep active. Truth be told, my regular sparring partner was injured in the war. Besides that, he was always a bit much to stomach so early in the morning.¡±

    Kakashi appeared to be smiling, but he seemed to be serious about his offer. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re sure¡­?¡± Reito started.

    ¡°Great, I¡¯ll meet you here tomorrow morning at six, then?¡±

    Reito smiled and nodded fervently, then bade the man goodbye and departed for the orphanage. His smile remained plastered to his face for the whole return trip. He was going to be training with the Sixth Hokage!

 Episode 16: Up to the Test

    After showering, changing, and wolfing down two helpings of breakfast, Reito left for school. He didn¡¯t know what to expect from his second day at the academy, but it couldn¡¯t be any worse than his first. With that certainty secure in his mind and the prospect of training with Kakashi Sensei to look forward to, he felt lighter than he had since his awakening.

    He had only taken a few steps out of the orphanage when something threatened his reaffirmed resolve.

    ¡°Morning,¡± said Haru, looking unsure of himself.

    ¡°Err, morning,¡± Reito replied with a gulp. It seemed as though the boy had been waiting outside for him.

    ¡°Can I walk with you?¡±

    Reito paused to consider this. ¡°Sure,¡± he said, deciding it was best to get this conversation out of the way. They walked side by side half the distance to the academy before one of them spoke again.

    ¡°So¡­ About yesterday¡­¡± Haru started. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to lie to you, Reito. I wasn¡¯t trying to trick you or anything, honest. I planned to tell you in private from the start, but then I saw Akio messing with you and thought I should help. Still, I should have said something sooner; I should have known someone would mention it. I just¡­didn¡¯t know how to bring up something like that.¡±

    Reito could sense the sincerity in the boy¡¯s words. ¡°I get it,¡± he said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t really concerned that you were trying to trick me. Learning about you after what Akio said¡­ Well, it messed me up a bit. I know it sounds unbelievable, but for me¡­it¡¯s only been days since it happened.¡±

    ¡°I know. The Hokage told me that, and I want you to know that I believe you.¡±

    ¡°You do?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s obvious that it¡¯s affected you. I can¡¯t even imagine what it must be like for you. Losing your teammates and your teacher like you did on your first big mission, then waking up five years later like no time has passed, finding your family gone, and having to face people like Saito Kannushi and me with all the gossip going around¡­ That¡¯s a lot to deal with.¡±

    As difficult as it was to think about all this, Reito was relieved to hear someone else say it, to understand how crazy it was. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been easy, but it¡¯s not really fair for me to complain. At least I¡¯m¡­ I mean, it must have affected you more.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯ve got just as much right as anyone to be upset. Maybe more. I¡¯ve had time to deal with losing my mom. You haven¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it difficult to have me around, though?¡±

    Haru didn¡¯t respond right away. ¡°A little,¡± he admitted, ¡°but there¡¯s a good side to it as well.¡±

    ¡°There is?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Based on what the Hokage told me, my mom put her life on the line to protect you and your friends. We might not know how or why you¡¯re here now, but I know it¡¯s what she would have wanted. So, if you ever want to talk¡­¡±

    Reito¡¯s heart warmed at these words. ¡°Thanks, Haru. And same to you. I didn¡¯t know Amaya Sensei for that long, but if there¡¯s ever anything you want to ask me¡­"

    ¡°Thanks,¡± said Haru.

    ¡°She was incredible, you know,¡± he assured the woman¡¯s son. ¡°She fought so hard, but those guys¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I know about the Akatsuki¡¯s zombie duo,¡± said Haru with an edge in his tone. ¡°They got what was coming to them!¡±

    ¡°I just wish I could have been a part of taking them down.¡±

    ¡°Me too, but that¡¯s why ninjas exist, right? To take out bad guys? I can¡¯t avenge my mom, but maybe I can help spare other kids the pain I went through. If I graduate, that is!¡±

    Reito beamed and nodded in approval. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a rough couple of weeks, but we have a stronger incentive than others to pass, so let¡¯s work hard! I¡¯m going to train after school if you want to join me?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± said Haru.

    ¡°Cool,¡± said Reito, surprising himself. Just that morning, he had been swearing off friendships.

    After a comfortable silence, Haru changed the topic. ¡°So, you were getting on well with Daishi yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Not especially,¡± Reito shrugged.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s the most I¡¯ve seen him interact with anyone!¡± Haru insisted.

    ¡°Oh. Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s always been a bit of an oddball, but he¡¯s top of the class. Well, the Medical Ninjutsu class, anyway. His healing ability puts mine to shame.¡±

    ¡°Weird. What about the rest of the class? Any more guys like Akio that I should be wary of?¡±

    Haru smirked. ¡°Akio aside, it¡¯s not the guys you need to worry about. It¡¯s the girls in our class that you need to look out for. Some of them can be pretty scary! We¡¯ve got Taijutsu this afternoon, you¡¯ll see then.¡±

    ***

    As Iruka Sensei had informed his students the day before, the morning session was to include a test on the Clone Jutsu. Reito and Haru had barely sat down at their desks when he had everyone line up, eliciting a chorus of groans.

    Seeing as it was his first time performing in front of his new classmates, Reito was a little nervous. They would surely be watching to see how he did, and since he had a spot near the rear of the queue, he would see what level his peers were at.

    Most easily produced three clones for Iruka Sensei. A few made four, including Akio, Tora, Daishi, and a Hyuga Clan girl, who Reito believed was named Hanabi. When the next person was called, Haru nudged him in the ribs. ¡°Watch this,¡± he advised under his breath.

    Reito stood on his tiptoes to see a girl in a royal-blue vest and skirt step forward. Long black bangs framed her fair-skinned face, but most of her hair was tied up in a bun and secured with a chopstick pin. She would have been pretty if it weren¡¯t for her resting scowl. After performing the Hand Seal sequence absurdly quickly, she effortlessly produced five clones without a focusing chant.

    ¡°Excellent,¡± remarked Iruka Sensei. ¡°Next!¡±

    ¡°Whoa,¡± exclaimed Reito as murmurs of disgust broke out among the waiting students. ¡°Who is that? What clan is she from?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s Sekka Shimizu. She¡¯s the top-ranked student, but she¡¯s not from a clan,¡± Haru explained. ¡°She moved to Konoha from Kiri Village in the summer. People call her Bloodmist Sekka, but if you ask me, it¡¯s just out of jealousy because she¡¯s been showing us all up ever since she arrived.¡±

    Reito couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. So, this clan-less, immigrant girl was his new class¡¯s Sasuke, so to speak? Interesting. ¡°Bloodmist?¡± he queried. Unfortunately, without knowing the context, he had spoken a little too loudly.

    ¡°Problem?¡± asked Sekka with a menacing glare, who had stopped next to Reito on her way to her seat.

    Reito felt his cheeks redden. ¡°Err, no. Sorry,¡± he said, and the girl resumed walking after an uncomfortably long moment.

    ¡°Be careful, Bloodmist is a taboo for people from the Land of Water!¡± Haru hissed. ¡°She sent the last person who called her that to the medical office!¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Reito gulped.

    ¡°I told you, the girls here are scary,¡± said Haru just as Iruka Sensei called his name.

    Haru stepped forward and slowly performed the ram, snake, and tiger Hand Seals, then commanded, ¡°Clone (Bunshin no) Jutsu!¡± He produced three afterimages, but the one furthest from him was easily recognizable as a clone, given its faded, almost transparent appearance. It was still a better result than Reito managed at his graduation, though.

    ¡°Hmm. A clone like that will just be wasted Chakra in the field, Haru. You need to amass more Chakra before using the technique,¡± Iruka Sensei chided. ¡°Make sure you practice after school.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sensei,¡± Haru said with a bow.

    ¡°Your turn, Reito,¡± said the teacher.

    The boy took a deep breath. In his mind, the last time he had stood before Iruka Sensei like this was just a couple of months ago. Considering it had actually been more than five years, the idea that he wouldn¡¯t have anything to show for it was frustrating. With the prospect of one of the man¡¯s disappointed expressions to look forward to, not to mention the judgment of his new classmates, Reito decided to give it his all.

    Hoping that the effects of his Food Pill from that morning would pay off again, Reito began molding his Chakra. None of the students who went before him had made less than three clones, so he focused on doing three perfectly. When he felt the rush of energy in his abdomen, he activated the Chakra, crying, ¡°Clone (Bunshin no) Jutsu!¡±

    There was a deep crease in Iruka Sensei¡¯s brow. Worried he had made a mistake, Reito checked over his work, careful not to lose his concentration. They looked fine. Moreover, it had happened again. There were four clones, just like before. No, not four. There were two to his left, but there were three to his right. Five clones. He had made five! And they weren¡¯t fizzling out!

    Reito kept turning his head, recounting his copies. He watched as they finally began fading from the outside in. Five. Sasuke used to make five. Sekka, the top-ranked student in this class, could make five. ¡°I¡­ I took a Food Pill this morning,¡± Reito explained, seeing the suspicion on his teacher¡¯s face and hearing the murmurs of interest behind him.

    ¡°I see,¡± said Iruka Sensei, his face suddenly reverting to normal. ¡°Well, good work, Reito, go take your seat. Next!¡±

    Reito walked back to his seat, aware of the eyes tracking his movements, including Akio¡¯s, which were searing into him again. When he sat down, Haru said to him, ¡°I figured you were downplaying your abilities yesterday. Modest, huh?¡±

    ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t,¡± Reito insisted. ¡°I¡¯ve never made five before. This morning was the first time I made four, and that was only because I took one of my Food Pills before starting my workout! It must still be in my system.¡±

    Haru looked skeptical.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Reito¡­¡± Haru began uncertainly. ¡°The Food Pills we made yesterday were part of a revision exercise. That recipe is one of the first things we learned from Sakura Sensei. They¡¯re basic-level meal supplements designed for use on missions when food isn¡¯t readily available. They fill you up, keep you healthy, and can help you replenish Chakra to an extent, but they don¡¯t increase it.¡±

    Reito¡¯s insides went cold. He considered whether Haru might be lying, but he couldn¡¯t think of any reason why he would, and he didn¡¯t sense any deception in the boy¡¯s words or expression. If it hadn¡¯t been the Food Pill¡­? He had never even gotten the hang of three clones. How had he made four during training, then five during the test? Something wasn¡¯t right.

    ***

    After entering the cafeteria and seeing the looks he was getting, Reito decided to skip lunch and go outside. Apparently, word was out about his encounter with Mr. Saito. He had a big breakfast that morning, so he wasn¡¯t especially hungry, anyway. Besides, he wanted to check something.

    On his way out of the building, he felt a pang of shame when he passed a couple of boys complaining about a bathroom being out of order. When he reached his old spot by the maple tree, he sat cross-legged on the grass beneath it, closed his eyes, and focused on his breathing. A sense of calm came over him as he monitored his Chakra flow.

    Nothing seemed out of the ordinary as far as he could tell, so he tried molding some Chakra with one hand flat to his belly. The release and co-mingling of his Physical and Spiritual Energy felt normal. Standing up, Reito performed the Clone Jutsu again. Four afterimages appeared.

    Reito frowned in confusion but maintained the Jutsu. It was a full thirty seconds before the clones vanished. What was going on? This kind of overnight improvement would be welcomed by someone else, but for him, it was concerning. He had never been capable of this before. What had changed?

    Did it have something to do with his disappearance and his condition? With a shake of his head, Reito let out a puff of air. Of course it did! What did it mean, though? Had he gone through some sort of training? Wouldn¡¯t that imply that he was conscious during his missing time? But then, why didn¡¯t he remember it, and why wouldn¡¯t he have aged?

    Reito growled and threw up his arms in frustration if only to avoid pulling his hair out. Something odd transpired then. A loud crack rang out, and a branch of the maple tree fell, narrowly missing the boy¡¯s head. Suddenly wondering whether Akio had come looking for him again, he checked his surroundings. There was nobody in the vicinity.

    Confused, Reito picked up the fallen branch to examine it. The broken end didn¡¯t show any sign of rot, and its heartwood wasn¡¯t discolored from being exposed. It was a fresh break. Something had to have put pressure on the joint to make it snap like this, but unless a monstrous squirrel was lurking in the canopy, he couldn¡¯t understand who.

    ¡°Heads up!¡± Haru called.

    Spotting an apple heading for his face at the last second, Reito dropped the branch to catch it. ¡°Err, thanks,¡± he said.

    ¡°Why¡¯d you do that?¡± Haru asked, eyeing the branch as he took a bite out of a second apple.

    ¡°I¡­didn¡¯t,¡± Reito answered, hearing the hollowness in his denial. He hadn¡¯t, had he? No, there was no way.

    ***

    After Haru confirmed that the incident between Reito and Mr. Saito was the talk of the town, they headed to the afternoon session, which was Taijutsu practice outside. Reito was interested to see how the other students fared at hand-to-hand combat, but he wasn¡¯t looking forward to participating. Following his surprising performance on the test, he suspected they would be keen to take him down a peg or two.

    Judging by the looks he received when he arrived, he had been right. Akio grinned while pounding his fist into his palm, which was giving off steam. With exams so close, Reito doubted they would be doing basic exercises today. No, it was far more likely that they would be¡ª

    ¡°Traditional Shinobi Sparring!¡± Iruka Sensei announced, finishing the boy¡¯s thought and garnering a mixture of reactions from the assembled students. ¡°You should be practicing your moves every day, but the best way to get accustomed to using and improving your Taijutsu is by sparring with an opponent. Today, we¡¯ll do winner stays on, or until I order a switch. Remember, no Chakra! Now, let¡¯s have¡­Tora and Toshi up first.¡±

    ¡°Uh oh,¡± said Haru quietly. ¡°Tora¡¯s a pretty good fighter.¡±

    The Inuzuka Clan girl stepped forward at once, but the boy named Toshi did so reluctantly. They faced each other, performed the Seal of Confrontation, and began at Iruka Sensei¡¯s behest. It was over in an instant. Tora delivered a series of vicious blows in quick succession, finishing with a kick launched from ground level that knocked her opponent off his feet.

    Reito was reminded of how Kiba used to move, the way he took quick swipes at his opponent to keep them on the defensive and ducked and weaved low to the ground, but Tora seemed faster and more savage. She was good.

    When Toshi got to his feet, the pair made the Seal of Reconciliation, locking their forefingers to acknowledge that they were still comrades. Tora defeated two more opponents before Iruka Sensei called, ¡°Hanabi!¡± Her gleeful expression tightened as the pale-eyed girl stepped forward.

    ¡°Ooh, Tora¡¯s not happy about that! Hanabi is the best at Taijutsu,¡± Haru explained. ¡°She¡¯s the heir to the Hyuga Clan, you know?¡±

    ¡°What about Hinata?¡± Reito asked, remembering the quiet girl from his former class.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±

    Reito shook his head as if to say, never mind.

    ¡°Begin!¡± Iruka Sensei commanded.

    Tora dashed forward at once, but Hanabi didn¡¯t alter her stance, one hand extended outward, palm open. She darted around, launching jabs and kicks one after the other, but Hanabi either dodged effortlessly or deflected her speedier attacks with palm strikes. Tora growled with frustration as she drew her arm back for a powerful blow.

    That was when Hanabi struck. She stepped into the other girl¡¯s space and sunk her palm into her abdomen, making her tumble over backward. She stood up, clutching her stomach but vying to continue. However, Iruka Sensei interrupted, ¡°Good work, Tora. Next!¡±

    Tora left the field, muttering angrily. The next two opponents were quickly dispatched by Hanabi, who had barely moved from the spot. That was when Iruka Sensei called Sekka¡¯s name.

    ¡°This should be good!¡± Haru exclaimed excitedly, along with several of the spectators.

    Unfortunately, their teacher dismissed Hanabi at this point. ¡°Haru, you¡¯re up!¡± he said.

    Haru¡¯s jaw dropped in horror. ¡°Aww, man!¡± he said under his breath, then stepped up sulkily.

    Reito winced as Sekka defeated Haru in a flash, twisting his arm, sweeping his leg, and flipping him over with ease. She did something similar with her next opponent, who limped away. She moved strangely, in one fluid motion, without any wasted effort. It was like her body was already working on follow-up moves before the first had even landed. Despite the gracefulness of her technique, there was power behind it. Was this a style they taught in Kiri Village?

    Sekka¡¯s third opponent was a bespectacled boy with shaggy white hair. He couldn¡¯t look more disinterested if he tried. When Iruka Sensei had them begin, Sekka moved in quickly and seized the boy¡¯s wrist. However, before she could do anything with it, he cried out and hit the floor in a rather dramatic fashion.

    ¡°Wha-what happened?¡± Reito asked in astonishment.

    ¡°That¡¯s Keita Kimura,¡± Haru sighed, ¡°He does that sometimes. He¡¯s the smartest kid in class, but when it comes to Taijutsu¡­¡±

    ¡°You mean he took a dive?¡±

    ¡°Keita!¡± Iruka Sensei roared. ¡°Take this seriously!¡±

    ¡°Yep, and I don¡¯t blame him with Sekka as his opponent,¡± said Haru, nursing his arm.

    ¡°Yes, Sensei, I do, Sensei. Sekka¡¯s very strong, Sensei,¡± the boy drawled monotonously as he walked off the field, leaving Sekka looking disgusted with him.

    ¡°Right,¡± the teacher said sternly. ¡°Next up¡­Reito.¡±

    Reito gulped. If he hadn¡¯t taken Haru¡¯s warning about the female students seriously before, he was a believer now.

 Episode 17: Chopping and Changing

    Reito stepped out of the line of students to face Sekka, the top student, resigned to the idea that he was about to be dealt a humiliating defeat. She looked him over with disdain.

    ¡°Okay, good job, Sekka, switch with¡­Akio, please,¡± said Iruka Sensei.

    Reito¡¯s eyebrows shot up in surprise. He¡¯d been saved, but he wasn¡¯t sure whether to be more relieved that he wasn¡¯t fighting Sekka or concerned about her replacement, who looked delighted to have been chosen. Still, he had wanted to fight Akio the day before, hadn¡¯t he? Since they weren¡¯t permitted to use Chakra, this might be a good opportunity to get back at the boy.

    Facing each other, Reito and Akio performed the Seal of Confrontation. The red-haired boy was raring to go, his clenched teeth bared.

    ¡°Begin!¡± the teacher instructed.

    Before he knew it, Reito was stumbling sideways, reeling from a knifehand strike to his cheek. Akio was fast! Reito used the momentum to his advantage, rolling forward and spinning around, prepared to react from his crouched position. However, Akio was already close, his arm pulled back for a punch.

    Reito moved his head just in time and darted to his left, but Akio was on him again immediately. There wasn¡¯t even time to get to his feet, so Reito tried sweeping the boy¡¯s legs. Akio somersaulted, bringing a heel down forcefully. Reito braced his crossed forearms to block the impact, which worked but allowed his opponent to bounce into a backflip and launch a new attack.

    Using this brief opening to get to his feet, Reito widened his stance and raised his arms. They exchanged hands at speed, but for every blow he parried, Akio landed another. That was when he noticed Akio laughing.

    The gap in their Taijutsu skills was this big, yet his opponent wasn¡¯t even taking him seriously. Akio was purposely holding back to prolong the fight and take pleasure in knocking him around.

    Frowning indignantly, it occurred to Reito that this meant Akio was underestimating him. He had been on the defensive the whole time. If he switched things up, he might be able to take Akio by surprise. Trying his best to focus despite the pain Akio was inflicting with every calculated body shot, Reito waited for an opening. When the boy laughed again, he saw his chance.

    Reito braced his back leg, swung his left arm upward to deflect Akio¡¯s incoming left hook and force his body to turn inward, then threw his weight behind a retaliatory punch. He¡¯d timed it perfectly, so it was a shock when Akio caught the punch in his open palm and skidded backward a pace from the impact. He had turned on the spot at incredible speed to free up his hand.

    Akio had protected his face, but the more pressing issue was that he now had a tight grip on Reito¡¯s fist. A devilish grin flashed across the boy¡¯s face, and Reito suddenly panicked, remembering their previous encounter. He was going to burn him again. Acting purely on instinct, Reito reflexively pushed out like he had before.

    What happened next seemed to play out in slow motion. Reito watched as Akio¡¯s expression changed to one of alarm, his feet left the floor, and he began to soar across the training field, landing ten feet from the place he had been standing.

    ¡°Reito!¡± Iruka Sensei roared. ¡°Wha-what do you think you¡¯re doing? No Chakra is allowed during sparring, you know that!¡±

    He barely registered the words. No Chakra? He hadn¡¯t used Chakra. He couldn¡¯t use Chakra, not like that. And yet, his arm was still extended following his blocked punch, and his opponent was getting to his feet a considerable distance from him, looking furious.

    ¡°A killer and a cheater!¡± spat Akio, rubbing his chest and adjusting his mussed pompadour.

    ¡°Silence, Akio!¡± the teacher chastised. ¡°Reito, you¡¯re disqualified! Switch with Daishi.¡±

    Reito didn¡¯t dare look at his classmates¡¯ faces as he was dismissed from the field without even performing the Seal of Reconciliation. His cheeks were red with shame and embarrassment, and his mind was racing. Akio had blocked his punch, hadn¡¯t he? Or was it some sort of delayed reaction? No, that was ridiculous. It was clear Reito had done something else, but what exactly? And how?

    Racking his brain for an answer, Reito found himself remembering his previous run-in with the boy. Had something odd occurred then too? Was that why Akio had relinquished his fiery grip, why Haru had thought a Jutsu was responsible? What about the bathroom wall? Sakura had asked what Jutsu he used on it. Then there was the tree¡­.

    Reito stared at his open hand in contemplation. He had done it. He had been the only person around. He had broken the branch off somehow when he threw up his arms. He had pushed it the same way he pushed Akio; he was sure of it now. But how had he done it? What was happening to him?

    ***

    ¡°Hey, wait up,¡± Haru called after Reito when the school day was finally over. ¡°Still want to train together?¡±

    Reito hadn¡¯t spoken since the incident with Akio, and unsurprisingly, no one had spoken to him. ¡°Err, sure, but¡­ After what happened¡­¡± he responded.

    ¡°Come on, it¡¯s pretty obvious you didn¡¯t mean to do¡­whatever it is that you did,¡± said Haru nonchalantly. ¡°Once we learn to use Chakra, it¡¯s hard not to use it when you¡¯re under pressure. We¡¯ve all slipped up at some point. Akio tried using his burning technique on Hanabi last year, the hypocrite! She laid him up, of course. What sort of technique was it that you used, anyway?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Reito said under his breath, scanning his surroundings for eavesdroppers. ¡°I¡¯ve never done anything like that before, at least not before I¡­went missing.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± said Haru. ¡°We should probably figure it out during training, then.¡±

    Reito gave a mirthless laugh, staring at the boy in disbelief. ¡°Are you sure? Aren¡¯t you worried?¡±

    ¡°No more than you must be,¡± Haru shrugged. ¡°It must be weird to wake up with some new Jutsu you don¡¯t understand. Kinda cool¡­but weird.¡±

    ¡°What if it¡¯s dangerous, though? It could be connected to¡­ Do you think I should tell someone?¡±

    Haru looked pensive for a few moments. He, more than anyone, understood the importance of any information that might pertain to Reito¡¯s disappearance. ¡°Let¡¯s figure out what you can do first,¡± he said. ¡°Where should we go? Training Ground Two is closest.¡±

    ¡°No, Six,¡± said Reito, an idea occurring to him.

    ¡°Why there?¡±

    Reito wanted to explain, to tell Haru about his mother¡¯s exam, but he was forbidden to speak of the secret final test that awaited this year¡¯s graduates. ¡°There¡¯s a route I used once. I want to compare how I do now,¡± Reito clarified, and this was true to an extent.

    ¡°Alright. So, what did you think of sparring? How do we compare with your old classmates?¡±

    ¡°About the same, I guess, though there were a couple of surprises. You were right about the girls!¡±

    ¡°Right?¡± said Haru with a smile.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t believe that guy who took the dive against Sekka, though.¡±

    The boys joked about Keita¡¯s tactics. ¡°What about Daishi?¡± Haru asked next.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°Who did he spar with? I don¡¯t remember; I wasn¡¯t paying much attention after¡­¡±

    ¡°Akio,¡± Haru confirmed. ¡°I was hoping you saw because I can¡¯t get a read on his Taijutsu. He¡¯s pretty good at dodging, but I have this feeling he holds back on offense. He lost, but Akio was still mad about what you did, so he was full of openings, and Daishi was moving like he was going to strike a bunch of times but never did.¡±

    ¡°Weird,¡± Reito commented. ¡°I¡¯ll have to look out for that next time.¡±

    ***

    When Reito and Haru arrived at Training Ground Six, they headed right for the tree line.

    ¡°What are we looking for?¡± Haru whispered.

    ¡°This,¡± Reito answered, pointing to an ¡®X¡¯ marked on the trunk of a thick sycamore. ¡°I made this¡­a long time ago. From here, we¡¯re going to race that way at maximum speed, okay?¡±

    Haru blinked in confusion. ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± he asked.

    Reito nodded, ¡°Yep, for fifteen minutes.¡±

    ¡°Fifteen minutes at maximum? You mean, no conservation, just give it all we¡¯ve got? Sorry, Reito, my Chakra will run out before that.¡±

    ¡°Right, so should mine.¡±

    ¡°Oh. So¡­it¡¯s like endurance training?¡±

    Reito nodded in reply. It couldn¡¯t hurt to work on their stamina, but he had another goal in mind. So, after the pair molded Chakra, they took starting positions and then began their race. Haru moved a little better than Reito, but after five minutes or so of trailing him through the thick wood, bouncing from tree to tree so quickly that their arms flailed out behind them, Reito began to gain, then edge ahead.

    Around the ten-minute mark, Reito lost his competitor. It was as he suspected. This was the route he had once used to flee from Amaya Sensei with her red flag. Back then, he had been forced to abandon his escape attempt in favor of hiding. The difference was as plain as day. He hadn¡¯t felt the need to stop this time. He had barely even slowed down.

    Reito kept running until he reached a stream intersecting his path. He came to a stop at the water¡¯s edge, bending over to catch his breath, viewing his reflection in the mirrored surface. He was sweating, and his cheeks were rosy, but his Chakra hadn¡¯t yet been depleted. Whatever he had done during sparring, the shocking number of clones he had produced¡­ These weren¡¯t abilities he possessed five years ago. Something about his Chakra was different. Something about him was different.

    ***

    After a quick rest, Reito headed back the way he came, eventually meeting a tired Haru, and they returned to the clearing together at a considerably slower pace.

    ¡°Man, I¡¯ve got to enlarge my Chakra pool!¡± Haru exclaimed, collapsing onto the grass.

    Reito joined him on the ground and began rubbing his calves, but for reasons he explained on their journey, he didn¡¯t share the sentiment. Apparently, his Chakra pool was more than sufficient these days.

    ¡°So, you look the same, but you¡¯ve got more Chakra and can use some weird Jutsu you didn¡¯t know before?¡±

    ¡°Pretty much,¡± Reito confirmed.

    ¡°Maybe you invented a time-travel Jutsu?¡± Haru proposed with a wide grin.

    Reito chuckled. ¡°If I had gone back in time, wouldn¡¯t I look ten years older now, not five years younger?¡±

    ¡°Alright, bear with me. Maybe you found the Fountain of Youth in the future?¡±

    ¡°So, I find the Fountain of Youth and invent time travel? Wow, I turn out to be a pretty good ninja!¡±

    The two boys laughed heartily at this. Reito couldn¡¯t help thinking of Kazuki. He would have liked Haru. ¡°Can you use any special Jutsu?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Nah, I think I¡¯m destined to fail the Graduation Exam. I¡¯m a failure as a ninja,¡± Haru said.

    ¡°Oi! You¡¯re no failure; you can heal people,¡± Reito insisted. ¡°I was never any good at anything except for Shuriken Jutsu, and I wasn¡¯t even the best at that! If I could pass five years ago, anyone has a shot!¡±

    Haru shrugged. ¡°The academy doesn¡¯t test us on it, but I¡¯m alright at Kenjutsu,¡± he said.

    ¡°Like your mom? Did she teach you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, since I was a toddler, and I¡¯ve kept up my practice since¡­¡± he said solemnly. ¡°But it¡¯s not much use when I can¡¯t afford a katana. Even if I do graduate, I can¡¯t exactly take my kendo shinai on missions!¡±

    ¡°I dunno about that,¡± Reito chuckled, thinking of Amaya Sensei¡¯s amazing Lightning-Style Kenjutsu. ¡°Maybe you can light your shinai on fire during battles?¡±

    Haru laughed loudly, then got to his feet. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s see your technique.¡±

    Reito stood up but wasn¡¯t sure what to do next. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I did it,¡± he admitted.

    ¡°Hmm. What were you thinking when it happened the other times?¡±

    ¡°I was mad, I guess.¡±

    ¡°So, get mad!¡± Haru suggested, looking around the nearby brush. ¡°Here, I¡¯ll help.¡± He picked up a long stick and brandished it like a sword, then started poking Reito with it.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Reito objected.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is it making you mad?¡± Haru mocked. ¡°Make me stop. Use your Jutsu.¡±

    Reito dodged and deflected the jabs and swings of Haru¡¯s stick, which he wielded with expert proficiency, and returned blows when he could, but even after an hour, he wasn¡¯t able to reproduce what he did to Akio. Tired, hungry, and bruised all over, the boys decided to call it a day.

    ***

    The following morning, Reito arrived at Training Ground Three just before dawn. After visiting the memorial and waiting ten minutes, he started to worry his new sparring partner wouldn¡¯t show.

    ¡°Morning,¡± a voice spoke to Reito¡¯s rear.

    Reito lurched in fright, then turned to greet Kakashi Sensei, wondering whether he enjoyed sneaking up on people. ¡°Good morning. I thought I might have got the time wrong.¡±

    ¡°Ah, sorry. I don¡¯t like alarm clocks, and the rooster in the neighbor¡¯s yard was late with its morning crow,¡± said the masked man, ¡°then a black cat crossed my path on the way here, so I had to take the long way around.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± said Reito simply, unsure what to say in response to such blatant lies. Still, he wasn¡¯t going to question the future Hokage.

    ¡°So, shall we begin?¡± Kakashi asked. ¡°I was thinking that I would give myself a handicap. I won¡¯t use any Chakra or my left hand, but you should feel free to fight as you wish.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Reito repeated. ¡°Are you¡­? Are you sure? Is that fair?¡±

    ¡°Ah, perhaps not. Okay, I won¡¯t use my left leg either,¡± said Kakashi, placing his arm behind his back and balancing on one foot.

    Reito looked dumbstruck. That was not what he meant, but he couldn¡¯t tell if the man was being playful or brutally honest. If Kakashi Sensei was on Amaya Sensei¡¯s level, a would-be Genin probably didn¡¯t stand a chance against him, even with half of his limbs not in use. With that in mind, Reito decided he would take any advantage offered. ¡°Okay,¡± he agreed, then began building Chakra.

    After performing the Seal of Confrontation, they began. There was something to be said for having a highly skilled partner. Despite only knowing the standard Konoha-Style Taijutsu taught at the academy¡ªand not being especially good at it¡ªReito felt like he was doing pretty well by employing Chakra to increase his speed and power to their fullest. He had never been able to go all out like this before.

    That said, during the hour they fought, he hadn¡¯t landed a single blow on Kakashi Sensei. The way the man hopped around and parried every one of Reito¡¯s punches or kicks with one hand would have been embarrassing if it weren¡¯t so impressive.

    ¡°Phew, I¡¯m beat,¡± Kakashi sighed after calling a halt to their exercise.

    Reito, who was busy trying to catch his breath, couldn¡¯t help noticing the man hadn¡¯t broken a sweat. ¡°How did you learn to fight, Sensei?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Kakashi considered thoughtfully, a hand on his chin. ¡°Well, like this, I guess. Lots of hard work! That, and I had a crazy rival who liked to impose rules on our workouts. Maybe I¡¯ll try fighting while standing on my hands next time?¡±

    Reito laughed nervously at this, again uncertain whether the man was serious or not.

    ¡°Same time tomorrow?¡±

    ***

    ¡°Well?¡± asked Tsunade impatiently, peeking over her clasped hands.

    ¡°During my session with him, I observed that he appears to have vast Chakra reserves, or at least, far more than his old Ninja Registration Form suggested,¡± Kakashi confirmed, standing in front of the Hokage¡¯s desk to give his report. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have much Taijustu skill to speak of, but we sparred for an hour, and during that time, I pushed him beyond the limit of an ordinary academy student. His Chakra output remained steady throughout despite his tenuous control. I almost had to use both feet!¡±

    ¡°But he didn¡¯t demonstrate this¡­ability of his?¡±

    ¡°No, but after the reports from Sakura, Iruka Sensei, and our tracker, it seems that he¡¯s become aware of it now. Yesterday, he tried unsuccessfully to replicate the ability while training with a classmate.¡±

    ¡°Haru Daigo, huh?¡± said Tsunade, narrowing her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how I feel about that. If that boy were to get hurt after what happened to his mother, I¡¯d never hear the end of it from Saito Kannushi and his followers. It¡¯s bad enough that Reito vandalized the academy.¡±

    ¡°He owned up to that, though, allowing us to keep it quiet. And I don¡¯t believe he¡¯s a danger to the Daigo boy,¡± Kakashi offered. ¡°Reito has experienced trauma. Anyone would have trouble dealing with what he¡¯s going through.¡±

    ¡°True.¡±

    ¡°As for this technique of his, it doesn¡¯t seem particularly offensive in nature,¡± Kakashi said, scratching the back of his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s even correct to describe it as a technique. If I were to hazard a guess, I¡¯d say he¡¯s simply releasing bursts of Chakra.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s premature to say that,¡± Tsunade chided, ¡°but we can conclude now that the condition he was found in¡ªthe immense internal and external damage¡ªwas almost certainly self-inflicted, meaning he has enough Chakra to cause himself and perhaps others serious injury.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. And the Medical Division didn¡¯t find a source to explain it. It would be one thing if he was a Jinch¨±riki or possessed a curse mark or something else¡­¡±

    Tsunade sighed and turned to observe Hokage Rock. ¡°So, what do we do?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll continue working with him for now, but my initial assessment is that Reito is a normal kid. Whatever happened to him, whatever abilities he gained during his disappearance, he isn¡¯t cognizant of it. We¡¯ll just have to wait and see how he develops.¡±

    ¡°Tch! That¡¯s the part I don¡¯t like,¡± Tsunade grumbled, clenching a fist. ¡°We finally achieved some semblance of peace across the ninja world, we finally have the village back to good condition, but I¡¯ve still got to keep the border patrol on high alert in case someone comes looking for the kid.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± said Kakashi conciliatorily, ¡°but it will be easier to monitor him after the upcoming Graduation Exam¡­once our tracker officially takes over.¡±

 Episode 18: Rewards of Hard Work

    Over the next few days, Reito settled into a routine. He trained with Kakashi Sensei in the mornings, then went to school¡ªwhere Akio and the other students were now so wary of him that they kept their distance¡ªand trained with Haru in the afternoons. By the time he got back to the orphanage in the evening, pained and fatigued, he usually went right to bed after dinner. The weekends were used as rest days, where Reito let his body recover and got through all the work Sakura had set him.

    He still hadn¡¯t managed to replicate the ability he used on Akio, but Gradually, he was becoming more accustomed to the changes he was experiencing. Reito had never been any good at controlling his Chakra but now seemed to have enough that it didn¡¯t matter. He was performing better in all Iruka Sensei¡¯s Ninjutsu tests but one and could push himself harder and longer during training.

    He took it a bit easier when facing Haru, focusing more on technique, even though the boy was no slouch, especially when wielding the wooden shinai that he started bringing to their sessions. Against Kakashi Sensei, though, Reito went all out. He was determined to land a blow against the masked man, who was still able to block his Taijutsu just fine despite imposing various crazy handicaps or even reading a book.

    When the day of the Graduation Exam finally arrived, Reito went to school feeling quietly confident.

    Haru felt surer of himself too. ¡°I am nervous for today, but I think I¡¯ve done what I can,¡± he said. ¡°If I still fail after all the training we did, I¡¯ll just have to accept that I¡¯m not cut out for ninja life.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t fail,¡± Reito assured the boy. ¡°You have all the basics down. Plus, I reckon the village needs all the Medical Ninja they can get.¡±

    Haru mumbled in agreement, ¡°Mm. At least I don¡¯t have to worry about the written exam. I know I¡¯ll do okay on that because of all your tips!¡±

    ¡°Well, I have taken the test before,¡± said Reito.

    ¡°It won¡¯t be the same questions, though, will it?¡± Haru asserted. ¡°I usually answer without thinking about why we¡¯re being asked, but thanks to you, I feel like I¡¯ll be able to form the answer to any question in the correct way.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s me who should be thanking you,¡± Reito responded. ¡°I don¡¯t think I would have gotten through the last two weeks without your help. You¡¯ve been a real friend, Haru. Thanks.¡±

    A comfortable silence passed between the two boys as they smiled brightly, reflecting on how far they had come.

    ***

    The morning¡¯s written exam turned out to be very similar to the one Reito previously sat. The only questions he had to spend a bit more time on were the ones that tested their knowledge of first-aid or their decision-making ability when posed with scenarios where teammates were injured during a mission. He was sure he had done well, though.

    After lunch came the Graduation Exam. ¡°We will now start the final exam,¡± Iruka Sensei announced. ¡°When your name is called, proceed to the testing room. The final test will be on¡ª¡±

    ¡°Not transformation, not transformation, not transformation,¡± Reito muttered under his breath, consumed by a strong sense of Deja Vu.

    ¡°¡ªthe Transformation Jutsu.¡±

    Reito¡¯s jaw hit the floor. Iruka Sensei had to be kidding. Of all the techniques he had been practicing, Transformation was the only one that his increased Chakra reserves didn¡¯t make much difference with. He could prolong the Jutsu longer, but the thing the teachers would be looking for was accuracy, and after more than five years, Reito hadn¡¯t resolved his old habit.

    In his training with Haru, his transformations were always a mirror image of the boy instead of a perfect copy. Iruka Sensei had called Reito out on this issue many times. He couldn¡¯t help wondering whether all his efforts had been for naught. Was it planned? Was his teacher ordered by the Hokage to set his worst technique for the exam? Did she want to stop him becoming a ninja, after all? Or was it purely a coincidence?

    ¡°Man, that¡¯s unlucky,¡± Haru commiserated next to him. ¡°You¡¯ll be alright, though, just take the extra time to focus.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Reito gloomily as the first student¡¯s name was called.

    ¡°And maybe try transforming into someone else, someone you can¡¯t see! Maybe you usually mess up because you¡¯re looking at me or Iruka Sensei when you transform into us. If you try from memory, maybe it won¡¯t happen?¡±

    Reito considered this. It seemed like a good idea. ¡°The only problem is, it¡¯ll be harder to recall the details without a visual,¡± he said.

    ¡°Right, but isn¡¯t that the problem, that you¡¯re relying on your eyes too much?¡± Haru reasoned.

    Haru was right. He had to give it a shot. Over the next hour, students returned one by one from the testing room with shiny new Konoha headbands, including Haru, who beamed with joy, and Akio, who swaggered back into the room and smirked nastily at Reito. Only two students had returned emptyhanded, a boy named Toshi and a girl whose name Reito couldn¡¯t recall, who sobbed quietly in her seat.

    When Sekka returned to the room, looking as mean as ever despite the headband clutched tightly in her palm, Daikoku Sensei called from the door, ¡°Reito Tsu.¡±

    Haru gave Reito a supportive pat on the back as he got up from his seat. He followed the large man with a bandana-type headband and a goatee to the testing room, once again, overwhelmed with a feeling of D¨¦j¨¤ vu. Of course, it wasn¡¯t D¨¦j¨¤ vu he was feeling. He really had done all this before, but the stakes were much higher this time.

    Sitting at a table laden with the remaining headbands, just as before, was Iruka Sensei. When Daikoku Sensei joined him, he said as if reading from a script, ¡°Okay, Reito, when you¡¯re ready, please perform the Transformation Jutsu, selecting a human target and holding it for ten seconds. You can select me or someone else with obvious distinguishing features.¡±

    Reito nodded in understanding. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and focused on his Chakra. He amassed enough quickly but took his time with the mental preparations. He couldn¡¯t risk mimicking the man before him. He was going to do as Haru suggested, rely on his memory. He decided to mimic Kakashi Sensei, who he had seen up close so often recently and whose appearance the teachers would be able to evaluate easily.

    After relaxing his mind and refining his Chakra, Reito performed the dog, boar, and ram Hand Seals in sequence and activated the technique. ¡°Transformation (Henge no) Jutsu!¡± he commanded, and a puff of white smoke concealed him from view. When the smoke cleared, he opened his eyes and looked to the teachers for their reactions. They were not what he was expecting.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    Iruka Sensei blanched, while Daikoku Sensei sprang to his feet. Both of their faces were riddled with confusion.

    ¡°What? Did I do the reflecting thing again? Please don¡¯t fail me, Sensei!¡± Reito panicked, looking down at his body. To his surprise, he wasn¡¯t in uniform, not a typical Konoha one, anyway. He was wearing crimson body armor over black clothing, and when he leaned over to inspect it, waist-length black locks tumbled off his shoulders. His skin was a noticeably darker tone than he was expecting, too. He hadn¡¯t transformed into anyone even close to resembling Kakashi Sensei or anyone he knew. So, who was it?

    ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve overcome your old issue, Reito,¡± said Iruka Sensei, breaking the silence.

    Reito didn¡¯t know what to say. He may not have made that mistake, but whoever he had transformed into, it certainly wasn¡¯t who he had envisioned. He had done the technique wrong, but the teachers didn¡¯t know. Should he tell them? Part of him wanted to, even if they might fail him, if only to understand why they had reacted to his appearance the way they did, to find out who it was that he mimicked.

    ¡°Okay, that will do, thank you,¡± said Iruka Sensei with a smile, and Reito released his Jutsu, returning to his considerably shorter self. He picked up a headband from the table and presented it to him.

    ¡°Iruka,¡± said Daikoku Sensei quietly with a note of apprehension.

    ¡°Congratulations, Reito,¡± the man said, ignoring his colleague. ¡°A successful Transformation Jutsu, held for over ten seconds. You pass!¡±

    Reito adopted an uneasy smile as he accepted the headband, happy at his success but noting how Iruka Sensei¡¯s role had been reversed. During the last Graduation Exam, he had been the one who needed convincing to pass him. Now, another teacher seemed to be erring on the side of caution, but Reito had no idea why. ¡°Thank you, Sensei,¡± he said with a bow to the man.

    ***

    After meeting his first big goal, Reito felt a little lighter. Unlike his classmates, he knew there was a final test awaiting them, but there was no real way to prepare for that until the team assignments were announced at Monday¡¯s Genin Orientation. Graduation had been his primary concern, and as Kakashi Sensei often did, he had applied a self-imposed rule. Now that he had met the condition of passing the exam, he could enquire about something that had been on his mind.

    Reito and Haru cut their training session short that afternoon in favor of celebrating graduation. They threw around a few ideas about how to mark the occasions before settling on eating at Ichiraku Ramen, which supposedly had the best food in town. Before they headed home to get ready, Reito announced, ¡°I¡¯ll meet you in the lobby in an hour, I¡¯ve got to swing by the hospital and see Sakura about something.¡±

    ¡°Cool, see you in a bit,¡± Haru responded without question.

    Reito was thankful for that. He did need to see Sakura, but he didn¡¯t want to lie to Haru about what that was. When he arrived at Konoha Hospital, he asked for her at the reception desk, gave his name, and took a seat in the waiting area. She appeared fifteen minutes later, wearing her white lab coat.

    ¡°Hi, Reito. We didn¡¯t have a check-in meeting scheduled for today, did we?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No, but you said I could pop by any time,¡± he replied.

    ¡°Of course,¡± she said brightly. ¡°Is everything okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but now that I¡¯ve graduated, I was hoping you could help me with a couple of things?¡±

    ¡°I can try,¡± she teased with interest. ¡°And congratulations, by the way!¡¯

    ¡°Err, thanks. Well, the first thing,¡± Reito hesitated. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about my sister, about what she got up to while I was¡­away. I know there won¡¯t be much information available, but, if possible, I was hoping to see Reika¡¯s academy records, that sort of thing.¡±

    Sakura looked touched, so much so that Reito had to look away. ¡°I¡¯m sure I can arrange that,¡± she said softly.

    ¡°Cool,¡± said Reito, clearing his throat.

    ¡°Anything else?¡±

    ¡°I was wondering about the investigation into my disappearance,¡± Reito began with a little more confidence. ¡°Specifically, about the place where we were discovered.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Sakura said, looking puzzled.

    ¡°If evidence was found at the scene, would it still be around?¡±

    Sakura raised a hand to her chin. ¡°I¡¯m not the best person to ask, but I expect so. I believe old evidence is sealed by the Intelligence Division and stored in their archives.¡±

    ¡°Well, I would like to know what they have, maybe even get access to it if it¡¯s not needed anymore. Can you look into it for me, or do I need to put in an official request or something?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do. Is there anything in particular that you¡¯re looking for?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Reito confirmed, then went on to explain his intentions.

    ***

    Sakura attended breakfast at the orphanage two days later. She had her usual stock of candies as well as a long, drawstring sack in her possession. After distributing the former among the younger children, she surreptitiously signaled for Reito to leave the room.

    ¡°We had some of the items you enquired about,¡± she said when he found her in the lobby. ¡°The Hokage approved your request.¡±

    ¡°Great. I hope I¡¯m doing the right thing,¡± Reito said as he accepted the heavy sack.

    ¡°It was a nice thought. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be grateful,¡± Sakura assured him. ¡°There are some documents in there for you to look over, too, regarding your sister.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said gratefully.

    ***

    In the privacy of his room, Reito was very happy to learn that Reika had become a Genin. She had pursued her dream, even after what happened to him. He wondered how hard a battle she must have waged with their parents over that. It surely helped that her academy grades were good, better than his, according to the documents Sakura had provided.

    Among them was a copy of Reika¡¯s Ninja Registration Form, which was heavily redacted but included a photo. Reito chuckled at this as tears ran over his cheeks, which hurt from how wide he was smiling. At some point, Reika had cut much of her long hair off, making her look even more like him than she once had. They could have been twins.

    Reito couldn¡¯t see the details of the missions she had completed during her short tenure as a Konoha ninja, but there were a good number of them, including a C-rank one, which was more than he ever achieved. It was sad, though, to think they had both lost their lives¡ªor former life in Reito¡¯s case¡ªaround the same age. It was as if history had repeated itself, especially with them looking so similar.

    Perhaps they were cursed? Should Reito pass the final exam and get his Genin status back as planned, was he doomed to repeat the cycle? Had he survived only to go through some awful experience like he had before? Like Reika must have?

    No, he couldn¡¯t think that way. Reito wiped away his tears and got to his feet, examining the other contents of the sack. The seven shurikens were for him to keep. The two kunai, too, he supposed, pulling the burned tags from them. He was still going to need to stock up, though. As for the other items¡­.

    ***

    That afternoon, Reito knocked on Haru¡¯s door, feeling nervous about what he was about to do. When the orange-haired boy answered, he looked surprised. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re early. Hang on, I¡¯m ready; I just need my shinai,¡± he said, kicking around the clothes on his floor in search of the wooden sword he had been bringing to their training sessions.

    ¡°I was thinking you could do without it today,¡± Reito suggested.

    ¡°You want to work on Ninjutsu today?¡±

    ¡°No, but I got you something you can use,¡± said Reito, revealing the item he had been concealing behind his back. It was a sheathed katana.

    Haru¡¯s mouth dropped in shock. ¡°Reito¡­ How did you afford¡­? I can¡¯t accept¡ª"

    ¡°I only bought the scabbard and strap, and they were secondhand, so they didn¡¯t cost much,¡± Reito interrupted quickly, waving off his thoughtful gesture. ¡°The sword belongs to you, though. It, err, was your mom¡¯s.¡±

    Haru looked stunned. ¡°How did you¡­?¡±

    ¡°I remembered that Amaya Sensei lost it during¡­ So, I asked Sakura to see if the village found it when they investigated, and they did. The Hokage granted me permission to return it to you.¡±

    Haru accepted the weapon, his mouth still agape. He examined the sword hilt more closely and pulled the blade from its sheath, marveling at the shining surface.

    ¡°I know we joked about it before, but you really can¡¯t be taking a wooden sword on missions,¡± Reito jested.

    ¡°It really is mom¡¯s¡­¡± Haru whispered. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see this again. Thank you, Reito.¡±

    ¡°Like I said, it belongs to you,¡± said Reito, feeling uncomfortable. ¡°Wanna go test it?¡±

    Haru didn¡¯t respond right away. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, turning away. ¡°Later. I¡¯m busy now.¡±

    Reito understood. As he left the room, he said considerately, ¡°Cool. Meet me at the training ground around four if you can.¡± He took a breath when Haru¡¯s door closed behind him. Since they wouldn¡¯t be training until later, he decided now was as good a time as any to unload the last of his emotional baggage, so to speak.

    After collecting the drawstring sack from his room, Reito departed for the Torimoto aviary.

 Episode 19: Team Building

    When Reito arrived at the training ground that he had booked for him and Haru, he didn¡¯t get to work right away. He lay down on the grass for at least fifteen minutes, just basking in the Sun¡¯s rays, imagining that the warmth on his skin had a rejuvenating quality. What a day it was turning out to be.

    It hadn¡¯t been an easy conversation with Mr. and Mrs. Torimoto. They were very kind¡ªkinder than Reito felt he deserved¡ªand they didn¡¯t ask any questions about his last mission. They just wanted to know how Reito was doing.

    He couldn¡¯t be totally honest, of course, but assuring them that he was doing okay when Kazuki was gone seemed just as inappropriate, so he wasn¡¯t sure he said the right things, especially after he was introduced to Sora, a three-year-old little sister his best friend never got to meet. When Reito opened the sack Sakura had brought to him and presented them with Kazuki¡¯s bow, Mrs. Torimoto broke down.

    He probably left sooner than he should have, but the way the Torimotos treated him¡ªlike caring parents¡ªwas somehow harder to take than a slap across the face from Mr. Saito. He was glad he visited them, though. He owed them that much, and it had been a cathartic experience, probably for all of them.

    ¡°Hey! What are you lying around for? We¡¯ve got training to do!¡± Haru called out as he approached.

    Reito flipped onto his feet. He was happy to see that Haru looked like his usual smiling self again and that he was sporting his new katana. He also had his shinai in hand. ¡°What did you bring that for?¡±

    ¡°You need something to defend yourself with, don¡¯t you?¡± asked Haru, throwing the wooden sword.

    Reito had one of Yuji¡¯s old kunai in his pocket, but he caught the shinai, deciding it would be a better match for Haru. ¡°Alright, but I¡¯m no swordsman, so go easy on me!¡± he said.

    The boys crossed swords for the next hour¡ªHaru careful to use the back of his blade¡ªin which Reito didn¡¯t land a single strike.

    ¡°Man,¡± Reito said breathlessly, ¡°It¡¯s a shame they don¡¯t teach Kenjutsu at the academy. You¡¯d be top of class!¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡± Haru expelled. ¡°I¡¯m happy they don¡¯t! If everybody learned, I¡¯d probably be average. At least this way, I have my niche, even if swordsmanship isn¡¯t very flashy. Speaking of flashy, let¡¯s have another go at getting your ability to manifest.¡±

    ¡°I dunno. I¡¯m starting to think I imagined the whole thing,¡± Reito derided.

    ¡°I¡¯ve dreamed of Akio getting knocked on his backside plenty of times, so trust me, I know what it looks like when it really happens!¡± said Haru as he sheathed his sword and placed it on the ground. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve had an idea about how to activate it.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I think the problem is we¡¯ve been trying to get you to do what you did before, to hit me like you did Akio. We need to start smaller.¡± Haru walked over to the tree line and retrieved a twig from the brush. He then returned and planted it upright in the ground. ¡°Knock it over,¡± he instructed.

    Reito laughed, ¡°How?¡±

    Haru shrugged and made an ¡°I don¡¯t know¡±-type of noise. ¡°Should be easier than a whole person, though, right?¡± he said.

    Deciding there was truth to this, even if it sounded crazy, Reito relented. He molded some Chakra, then tried thrusting his hand toward the twig. When nothing happened, he looked to Haru, feeling foolish.

    The boy nodded encouragingly, ¡°Concentrate and try again.¡±

    Reito sighed, focused on the twig and his Chakra circulation, and tried a second, third, and fourth time to no avail. ¡°See? It¡¯s not working,¡± he huffed, gesturing defeatedly with his hands.

    ¡°Look!¡± Haru exclaimed, pointing at the twig. ¡°It moved!¡±

    Reito narrowed his eyes dubiously. The twig was leaning very slightly to one side. ¡°You probably just didn¡¯t stick it in far enough.¡±

    ¡°No, it moved when you moved your hand just then, I swear!¡± Haru insisted. ¡°And I think I saw a tiny Chakra flare! Do it again!¡±

    Reito tried again, concentrating and thrusting his hand out hard. The twig didn¡¯t move, not that he was expecting it to.

    ¡°Wait, don¡¯t stop,¡± Haru ordered.

    ¡°Stop what? I already tried, and it didn¡¯t work.¡±

    ¡°No, I think it did work!¡± Haru said, approaching the twig. ¡°See? It¡¯s hard to see in the sunlight, but there¡¯s a Chakra distortion. Just keep trying!¡±

    Reito gave it another try.

    ¡°It¡¯s working!¡± Haru said. ¡°The Chakra¡¯s getting clearer!¡±

    It was true. Reito could see the faint haze of blue around the twig now that it was in Haru¡¯s shadow. It wasn¡¯t moving, though, so what was happening? Reito persisted until the twig was shrouded in Chakra. ¡°Now what?¡± he asked.

    Haru seemed just as confused. ¡°Maybe it only works on people?¡±

    ¡°But I think I snapped that tree branch with it, remember?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t give up. I feel like we¡¯re so close to working this out!¡±

    Reito agreed. He continued to push more and more Chakra at the twig, but it wasn¡¯t budging. He noticed an odd sensation inside him, though. His Chakra was surging as if he were performing a Jutsu, and it was depleting fast. Something was happening, but what? Reito concentrated on his Chakra flow. He could feel it circulating, he could feel its reach, he could feel¡­the twig.

    Focusing on this, Reito reached out with his mind and his hand, closing his fingers into a fist, imagining himself holding the twig and plucking it from the earth. To his astonishment, it began to move. It didn¡¯t fall over as if hit with his Chakra. It floated, raising a foot, then two, then three feet off the ground.

    ¡°Whoa,¡± Haru said in wonder.

    ¡°Is this really happening?¡± Reito asked as the twig began to spin in the air at his urging before shooting upward, following his hand movements. ¡°It¡¯s like I can feel my Chakra from a distance.¡±

    ¡°This is so much cooler than I thought,¡± said Haru. ¡°I figured you were just pushing Chakra at things, but this¡­ This is¡­ I don¡¯t know what this is! Try moving something else!¡±

    Reito released his hold on the twig, and it dropped to the floor. Without thinking too much about it, he felt his churning Chakra extend outward from his body and connect with Haru¡¯s katana. It was harder to move, being heavier and further away, but after a few seconds, it began to shake, then rose off the ground and shot toward the boys.

    When Haru caught it, beaming in awe, Reito wobbled and dropped to his knees. ¡°Reito, you okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Just¡­a little lightheaded,¡± he answered. He realized then how hard he was breathing, how much he was sweating. ¡°I think it uses a lot of Chakra.¡±

    ¡°No kidding! Your shirt is soaked through! I should have noticed. You should have noticed! Are you okay? Should I get someone?¡±

    ¡°No! I¡¯ll be fine, I just need ¡ª a minute,¡± he said, but as he lay there on the grass, trying to catch his breath and cool down his dangerously active Chakra network, he had to wonder whether that was true. Was he going to be fine? What was this strange, Chakra-consuming technique? Where did it come from, and why did he have it? He felt sure that the answers to these questions weren¡¯t going to add up to something good.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Haru stared down at Reito, watching him warily, ¡°As cool as that was, Reito, I don¡¯t think you should be using this Jutsu, at least not until you get the hang of it,¡± he said.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re right.¡±

    ***

    After getting a breakdown of their exam scores, Reito and Haru made their way to Genin orientation. Strictly speaking, their scores didn¡¯t matter that much. They only had to get a pass rate on the general tests. The Graduation Exam was the determining factor in their progression to Genin status, and they had both passed that.

    Reito had done well on his other tests, much better than before. He was still one of the lowest ranked in many areas, although he had improved his Taijutsu score thanks to Kakashi Sensei, but his Ninjutsu scores were drastically different. In terms of overall rankings, he was now placed somewhere around the middle.

    Haru, on the other hand, was ranked seventh from the bottom, but Reito knew that it wasn¡¯t a true reflection of his abilities. The rankings didn¡¯t take his Kenjutsu or Medical Ninjutsu skills into account, which seemed unfair.

    Thankfully, Haru didn¡¯t seem bothered. He was just happy not to be in last place. That, Reito reminded himself, was because he didn¡¯t know what was coming, didn¡¯t know that the teachers used their scores to assign the teams for the secret final exam.

    ¡°Good morning!¡± said Iruka Sensei as they took their seats. ¡°As of today, you are all fully fledged ninjas. However, you are still Genin. For the twenty-four students here who have applied to continue your ninja training, the tough part¡¯s still to come!¡±

    Reito wrestled with one of his flashbacks as the man proceeded. His leg bounced with nervous tension.

    ¡°Today, you¡¯ll be assigned to a three-man squad. From here on, your squad will carry out missions as Genin under the supervision of a Jonin-level ninja.¡±

    Murmurs broke out around the room. ¡°Three-man squads? Did you know?¡± asked Haru.

    Reito nodded guiltily.

    ¡°Man, I feel dumb, I hadn¡¯t even considered that.¡±

    The teacher cleared his throat as he picked up his trusty clipboard, ¡°The groups have been determined based on your teacher¡¯s observations of you at the academy and on your performance in last week¡¯s exams, with the intention of making each team balanced. I¡¯ll now announce the assignments¡­¡±

    ¡°I hope we¡¯re on the same team!¡± Haru whispered.

    ¡°Me too,¡± Reito agreed wholeheartedly. He had ended up grouped with his friends last time, hadn¡¯t he? Maybe his friendship with Haru over the last two and a half weeks would play a part this time as well?

    ¡°Team One will consist of¡­ Akio Hino¡ª¡±

    ¡°Alright, number one!¡± Akio cheered obnoxiously.

    ¡°Quiet, Akio, there¡¯s no order to the names!¡± Iruka Sensei chastised. ¡°Joining Akio on Team One are Keita Kimura and Marin Aburame.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. I see what Sensei meant by balancing the teams,¡± Haru commented. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting mix: brawn, brains, and Marin, who¡¯s a medic and a bit of an all-rounder. I¡¯m probably going to drag down whatever team I¡¯m put on.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± Reito said, remembering that he had thought the same thing of himself the first time he went through this process.

    ¡°Team Three will be Hanabi Hyuga, Tora Inuzuka, and Haru Daigo,¡± Iruka Sensei announced.

    There went Reito¡¯s hopes, and Haru¡¯s too, judging by the boy¡¯s look of disappointment. It suddenly occurred to him that he really hadn¡¯t made any effort to get to know any of the other students in his class. They hadn¡¯t tried to get to know him, either, of course, but the problem was that there was a teamwork-based exercise on the horizon for all of them.

    ¡°Man, how did I end up on a team with two of the strongest people in class?¡± Haru despaired, looking in the direction of a disgruntled Tora.

    ¡°Trust me, it¡¯s a good thing,¡± Reito assured the boy, thinking of what was to come. Haru would have a better chance on the final test teamed with two of the top students, and they were clan kids to boot. ¡°At least neither of us is on Akio¡¯s team!¡±

    Haru stifled a laugh.

    ¡°Team Five,¡± said Iruka Sensei, ¡°Reito Tsu¡ª¡±

    ¡°Here¡¯s you,¡± said Haru.

    ¡°¡ªDaishi Akamine¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, you know Daishi, kinda. He¡¯s good!¡±

    ¡°¡ªand Sekka Shimizu.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Reito¡¯s heart sank. He didn¡¯t know much about Sekka, but he was fairly certain that she hated him. The angry transfer student, the quietest kid in class, and Reito, the most reviled person in the village. How was this team going to work?

    When Iruka Sensei finished with the team assignments, he grinned widely and surveyed the students. ¡°Congratulations again on graduating! I¡¯m very proud of all of you. This afternoon, I¡¯ll introduce you to your Jonin instructors, who will explain the next steps. I suggest you use the break to liaise with your new teammates.¡±

    ***

    Reito intended to do as their teacher advised, to ¡°liaise¡± with his new teammates. He had a lot of catching up to do, after all. He knew next to nothing about Daishi or Sekka, and without more information, he wouldn¡¯t be able to strategize for the final exam. Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t able to find either of them.

    As the students filed out of the room, Sekka walked right past him as he tried to get her attention, and when he turned around to look for Daishi, the boy had vanished. After two laps of the school grounds, he accepted that they didn¡¯t want to be found and headed for the cafeteria, where he joined a very uncomfortable first meeting between Team Three.

    Haru tried several times to strike up a conversation with Hanabi and Tora, but each time it would descend into bickering between the girls, who appeared to have something of a rivalry. Tora would make a cutting remark about being saddled with the ¡°Hyuga princess,¡± and Hanabi would hit back with a passive-aggressive jab about Tora¡¯s demeanor. It would have been a funny exchange to watch had they not been Haru¡¯s new teammates.

    ¡°And if it wasn¡¯t bad enough getting stuck with her highness, I get lumbered with the class dud, too!¡± Tora complained.

    ¡°Don¡¯t call him that!¡± Reito snapped in defense of his friend.

    ¡°Perhaps if your scores were better, you¡¯d be on a different team, and Haru and I would be spared the pleasure of your company,¡± said Hanabi cooly before sipping on some water.

    ¡°Oh, cram it, your majesty!¡± Tora barked. ¡°And who asked you, killer?¡±

    Reito frowned. It had been a while since anyone had repeated Akio¡¯s insult, at least to his face. Hearing it had unknowingly triggered his strange ability, causing the paper cup in his hand to crumple and spill water over the table.

    ¡°Careful, killer,¡± Tora taunted, baring her teeth and raising a sharp-nailed hand in warning, unaware of what Reito had really done to the cup.

    ¡°Come on, Reito, let¡¯s get some air,¡± said Haru, getting to his feet. As they left the cafeteria, he added, ¡°You¡¯ve got to be more careful!¡±

    ¡°Oh, you saw?¡± Reito asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to do it, it just happened.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m saying you need to be careful until you have a handle on that Jutsu. What if it had been a knife or a fork?¡±

    Reito shuddered at the thought.

    ***

    Eight adults joined Iruka Sensei in the classroom after lunch, the Jonin instructors for the new teams. A few looked vaguely familiar, including a girl wearing a white qipao dress with pink trim, and a boy who wore a disturbingly clingy green jumpsuit under his flak jacket. They seemed young for Jonin¡ªaround Sakura¡¯s age¡ªand had unusual hairstyles for ninjas¡ªtwo large buns on the side of the head and a severe bowl haircut, respectively. The boy also had the bushiest eyebrows Reito had ever seen.

    ¡°Okay, Team One will be led by Rock Lee,¡± said Iruka Sensei after a brief explanation.

    ¡°Yes! Number one, for the future number-one rookie team! Let¡¯s go Team One!¡± Lee Sensei called out with bracing fervor, punching the air. Akio got to his feet slowly, looking rather embarrassed. Perhaps he was getting an idea of how he had sounded when he did something similar, albeit with less enthusiasm than his new instructor.

    Team Three was assigned to Tenten Sensei, the girl in white. Reito whispered good luck to Haru, and she happily but quietly led him, Hanabi, and Tora out of the room.

    Four unremarkable-looking Jonins were remaining when the teacher reached Reito¡¯s team: three men and a woman, all in full uniform, though one of the men sported a turtleneck collar that covered his chin and a happuri-style forehead protector.

    ¡°Yamato will be taking charge of Team Five,¡± said Iruka Sensei.

    The man with the head guard stepped forward and smiled politely, then walked toward the door.

    Reito sighed as he got to his feet. ¡°Here we go,¡± he muttered to himself.

    ***

    ¡°I¡¯m still not sure putting those three kids on the same team was a good idea,¡± Tsunade grumbled, leaning back in her chair. ¡°If they pass the exam, each of them could pose a problem for us.¡±

    Kakashi waved off her concern, ¡°We wanted Yamato to keep a closer eye on Reito, anyway, so we might as well put them together and have him watch all three for us! With the rebuilding project finally winding down, he needed an interesting assignment to keep him busy.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell him that, though, did you?¡±

    ¡°Of course not, he might have turned it down!¡± Kakashi said with a hearty laugh at his old friend¡¯s expense.

    ¡°Tch! Reito Tsu¡­ He¡¯s a big enough unknown all by himself. I still can¡¯t get over Iruka¡¯s report about his transformation during his Graduation Exam. There are too few portraits of my grandfather that he could have studied for it to have been intentional.¡±

    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I think he¡¯s a good kid, but transforming into the First Hokage was quite a surprise,¡± Kakashi agreed thoughtfully, ¡°as was the way his ability developed. Who¡¯d have thought it would turn out to be Chakra Projection? Very interesting. I¡¯m a little jealous of Yamato.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not interesting, it¡¯s concerning!¡± Tsunade scolded the man, biting the tip of her thumb. ¡°We have no idea whether he¡¯ll be able to handle that power or why he has it in the first place! Then, to group him with the Kiri Village girl and a member of the Akamine Clan¡­? I don¡¯t like it one bit. If it turns out badly, on your head be it!¡±

    Kakashi smiled behind his mask and nodded. ¡°The Third Hokage did something similar once, you know. He put the Uchiha Clan survivor on the same team as the Nine-Tails¡¯ Jinchuriki, hoping they would bring out the best in each other, and look how that turned out!¡±

    Tsunade huffed but smiled, running a hand over her blonde head. ¡°How that turned out is up for debate. Besides, those two had Sakura.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s true. Maybe that Akamine kid will turn out like her? Isn¡¯t he her top student?¡±

    The Fifth Hokage rolled her eyes. ¡°That just makes him a bigger question mark. No good comes out of that clan.¡±

    ¡°Maybe the girl, then? Perhaps she doesn¡¯t need surveilling anymore?¡±

    ¡°A final-year Kiri Village student transferring just months before the war? Oh no. As long as I¡¯m Hokage, she and her mother will be monitored.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± said Kakashi facetiously, knowing Tsunade had made his argument for him, ¡°it¡¯s probably a good thing that we have Yamato on the job, after all, huh?¡±

 Episode 20: The I in Team

    After leaving the academy, Team Five¡¯s new instructor led them to one of the many rooftop terraces in town.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s our first mission?¡± Sekka asked testily as soon as she, Reito, and Daishi sat down on a bench opposite him.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re getting a little ahead of ourselves,¡± Yamato Sensei answered politely. ¡°First, I would like for us to get to know one another, and then we¡¯ll discuss the next steps of your journey.¡±

    Sekka rolled her eyes, but Reito¡¯s first impression was positive. So far, he seemed like a nice man. He obviously had a starkly different approach to this whole process compared to Amaya Sensei, who had tried to unsettle his old team. But was he being genuine, or was he acting differently because he knew Reito had been through this before?

    ¡°As you heard earlier, my name is Yamato, and I¡¯ve been assigned as Jonin instructor for Team Five. I¡¯m pleased to make your acquaintance. I look forward to working with you,¡± said the man with a pleasant smile.

    He was of average height with short brown hair. His black almond-shaped eyes were his most prominent feature, perhaps because of the way his metallic head guard framed them. They had a piercing quality. ¡°Perhaps we can share our likes and dislikes and a goal of ours?¡± he suggested. ¡°I¡¯ll start. I¡¯m Yamato, I like walnuts, dislike oily foods, and a goal of mine is to study the architecture of the different nations.¡±

    Sekka turned away with an expression of boredom, while Daishi lowered his head into the high collar of his coat, so Reito began hesitantly, ¡°I¡¯m Reito Tsu. I like, err, sweet dangos. I dislike¡­onions! And my goal¡­?¡±

    Reito considered this. He knew the answer, of course, but was it the kind of thing you shared with strangers? Was there something else he could say? No. These weren¡¯t strangers. At least, they weren¡¯t supposed to be. He, Daishi, and Sekka were teammates now. Together, they would be embarking on dangerous missions that required trust and cooperation. That was if they were able to pass Yamato¡¯s Sensei¡¯s test, which would also need them to work together.

    With this in mind, plus the fact that their instructor was giving them this little icebreaker for a reason, Reito decided that total honesty was the best way to go. ¡°My goal is to find out what happened to me and avenge my former teammates,¡± said Reito defiantly, his cheeks reddening but his expression determined.

    Daishi and Sekka both turned in Reito¡¯s direction, looking surprised by this unexpected pronouncement.

    A glimmer of a smile flickered across Yamato¡¯s otherwise controlled face. ¡°Good. Next,¡± he said, looking expectantly in Daishi¡¯s direction.

    When Daishi realized their instructor was looking at him, he lowered his head again before muttering his introduction, ¡°Daishi Akamine. I like yellow. I dislike green.¡±

    Reito couldn¡¯t help adopting a quizzical expression that matched Sekka¡¯s. Not only did Daishi pick colors instead of foods, which was odd but technically not against any rule, but he, the boy with the bright green hair and wearing a dark green coat, disliked green of all colors?

    ¡°I want to be useful to my clan,¡± he concluded tentatively, then looked to Reito before turning away and adding, ¡°In my own way.¡±

    This statement was more interesting. Reito wasn¡¯t sure exactly what it meant, but it made him think of Yuji, who had gone against his family¡¯s wishes by becoming a ninja but always strived to honor their values.

    Yamato Sensei nodded approvingly and turned to Sekka.

    After a pause, she said, ¡°Pass to all three questions.¡±

    Reito bit the inside of his cheek in annoyance.

    ¡°Come now, everyone¡¯s participating,¡± Yamato Sensei coaxed with a chuckle, but the girl didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Well, since we¡¯re getting to know each other, I should tell you that while I like being nice and friendly, I don''t have any problems with ruling by fear.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Sekka responded.

    ¡°It means everyone¡¯s participating,¡± the man responded darkly, his tone deep, his face now grim, and his protuberant dark eyes boring into the girl.

    Sekka leaned back in her chair, looking as freaked out by this as Reito felt. Perhaps the man was more like Amaya Sensei than he thought. ¡°Fine!¡± she conceded. ¡°I like ice cream, alright? And I dislike idiots and weaklings!¡±

    Reito furrowed his brows indignantly when she glanced in his direction but didn¡¯t interrupt.

    ¡°My goal is to become strong enough to¡­¡± Sekka started, then edited herself. ¡°My goal is to become strong.¡±

    ¡°Okay, very good, everyone,¡± said Yamato Sensei. ¡°Now, onto business. There¡¯s good news and bad news.¡±

    Reito sat up straight.

    ¡°The bad news is, you¡¯re not really Genin just yet.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Sekka snapped. ¡°But we graduated, Iruka Sensei told us¡ª¡±

    ¡°Iruka Sensei fibbed,¡± the man interrupted with a smile. ¡°Your real final exam will take place tomorrow.¡±

    Sekka looked furious as she turned to see her teammates¡¯ reactions. Reito averted his eyes and played with his fingers. She noticed this. ¡°You¡¯ve done this before. You knew, didn¡¯t you?¡± she accused.

    Yamato Sensei answered on his behalf, ¡°Reito has been sworn to secrecy by the Hokage regarding the Genin selection process. His experience won¡¯t impact you, and I¡¯m telling you everything you need to know.¡±

    The girl folded her arms tightly across her chest.

    ¡°The good news is, you have a chance to prove yourself!¡± The man continued, ¡°Of the twenty-four graduates who applied to become Genin, a select few will be recommended for Genin status by their Jonin instructor.¡±

    ¡°And the others?¡± Sekka queried.

    ¡°Those not selected will be sent back to the academy or reassigned.¡±

    ¡°What must we do?¡± Daishi asked solemnly.

    ¡°You¡¯ll report to Training Ground Nine tomorrow at zero six hundred hours, where I will reveal and administer your final exam. It will test you on the various skills required of a ninja, so come fully equipped and fully prepared, but do not eat breakfast. I will be providing that.¡±

    As was his way, Reito had been analyzing Yamato Sensei¡¯s words ever since he introduced himself. Other than concealing what sort of test he would be administering, the man had been transparent about the process. Unlike Amaya Sensei, he hadn¡¯t made any attempts to deceive or intimidate them.

    As far as Reito could tell, the man had been open about the instructors having total control, hadn¡¯t provided a set number of passing students or other misleading information, and hadn¡¯t been purposely vague or provocative. Was this just his style, or was he trying to unnerve him? If it was the latter, it was surprisingly effective.

    Reito was worried. It wasn¡¯t like last time. He didn¡¯t have any clues to work with or hunches to go off. Before, he had rallied himself, Kazuki, and Yuji by seeing through Amaya Sensei¡¯s intentions. Now, all he knew for sure was that teamwork would be a major component in deciding the outcome of the exam, but he couldn¡¯t share that with his teammates, not directly, at least.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°I was given this assignment late, so I haven¡¯t had a chance to review your records yet, but I look forward to doing so tonight and seeing how you perform tomorrow. Until then, you¡¯re dismissed,¡± said Yamato Sensei before disappearing without giving Reito a chance to probe him.

    Reito got to his feet, ready to hash things out with his new teammates. However, they were already departing. ¡°Sekka, Daishi, wait,¡± Reito pleaded. ¡°We should strategize for tomorrow. I don¡¯t know you guys very well, so we should talk through our strengths and weaknesses, that sort of thing, and work on some plans.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m expected at home,¡± said Daishi.

    ¡°Is that a joke? You want us to work together after you¡¯ve already proven that you can¡¯t be trusted?¡± said Sekka.

    ¡°I was under orders not to say anything!¡± Reito justified.

    ¡°Right, which means you still are. If you can¡¯t tell us about the exam, what use are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m kinda good at this sorta stuff. Tactics and whatnot. I can help!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need help from you or anyone else! Worry about yourself!¡± said Sekka scathingly before taking off.

    Reito sighed as Sekka scaled the nearby rooftops. ¡°Daishi, what about you?¡± he asked, turning to the boy. He was already gone. ¡°Seriously?¡±

    ***

    Before heading home, Reito swung by Training Ground Nine to scope out the terrain for the exam. Of course, it was pretty much a pointless exercise. All he could do was confirm the location, which was near-identical to the other internal village training spaces, a clearing next to a stream, surrounded by a deep wooded area.

    Without Sekka and Daishi, he couldn¡¯t coordinate attack strategy, account for any tools, skills, or abilities they might have, or plan their movements. Even if he were to score an X on a good assembly spot, they wouldn¡¯t know where to find it. His only real talent was his analytical ability, and he couldn¡¯t use it properly.

    Reito mulled over what little he had learned about Daishi and Sekka over the last few weeks. He had been surprised to see the quiet oddball of a boy ranked in the middle on the intelligence tests. Reito knew him to be very knowledgeable, so it might suggest his scores suffered due to the open-ended questions. They may be opposites in that regard.

    Daishi was top of the Medical Ninjutsu class, but that wasn¡¯t going to be much use unless Yamato Sensei injured them, which was highly unlikely. He could pull off the required academy Ninjutsu and Genjutsu with no problem. He wasn¡¯t good at using weaponry, but he wasn¡¯t bad at Taijutsu. Like Haru pointed out once, though, he often hesitated.

    Sekka, on the other hand, was very good at Taijutsu, and everything else for that matter! Her intelligence scores were average, but in her case, that was probably an accurate reflection of her ability. The only real weakness per se that Reito had observed about Sekka was her personality. Sadly, that could be the very thing to cost him his Genin status.

    As far as he had come recently, was he going to fall at the final hurdle? Frustration getting the better of him, Reito intentionally but absently sent a stone at his feet flying with his odd technique. It ricocheted off a tree with a resounding thwack and hit him in the arm. Yep. Tomorrow was going to be a disaster.

    ***

    After walking around aimlessly for a while, Reito returned home to find Haru in the cafeteria. He didn¡¯t look happy. ¡°Sorry for not saying anything about the final exam, I was under orders,¡± said Reito, taking the seat opposite.

    ¡°I figured. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    ¡°How did it go?¡± he asked,

    ¡°About as good as yours, I expect,¡± Haru commiserated. ¡°Tenten Sensei seems alright, but Tora and Hanabi are like fire and ice. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m going to work with them, even if there was something I could do to help.¡±

    ¡°Just do what you can,¡± Reito said evasively. He couldn¡¯t explicitly tell Haru the test was about teamwork, but it was just good sense to advise it, one ninja to another. ¡°Back them up, keep Tenten Sensei occupied while they are attacking, be aware of their position when you are, that sort of thing, assuming your test works like that.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Wait, are there different types of tests?¡±

    Reito bit his bottom lip.

    ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to say, are you? It probably wouldn¡¯t make a difference, anyway. How did your meeting go?¡±

    Reito shook his head. ¡°No idea,¡± he sighed. ¡°Yamato Sensei didn¡¯t reveal anything I could use, and Sekka and Daishi refused to talk strategy. I¡¯m not liking our chances.¡±

    ¡°Still, with Sekka on your team, maybe you won¡¯t need to do anything?¡±

    Wishing that were the case, Reito laughed mirthlessly. A brilliant solo effort from Sekka wasn¡¯t going to help him on a test of their teamwork. Besides, no academy student would be a match for a Jonin-level ninja. He knew that all too well.

    ***

    Reito didn¡¯t sleep well. When his alarm clock rang at five o¡¯clock, he was tempted to turn it off and go back to sleep. This was the day he had been waiting for, though, so he got up, showered, dressed, and checked over his equipment, then swore loudly. With so much on his mind yesterday, he had completely forgotten to buy new equipment, meaning he only had his seven old shurikens and Yuji¡¯s two Kunai to work with. Not a great start.

    He put them in his pockets and headed down the hall to Haru¡¯s room, hoping his friend hadn¡¯t left yet. He knocked quietly and thanked the heavens when Haru answered the door. ¡°Morning. Don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ve got some spare shurikens?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Got you covered,¡± he said, fully kitted out in a light blue short-sleeved tee, charcoal grey pants, and a black vest that resembled a flak jacket, with his mother¡¯s katana strapped on. He pulled an unopened batch of five shurikens from a drawer and handed them to Reito. ¡°Sorry, I thought I had more, and they¡¯re just the cheap kind, so don¡¯t expect any miracles if you¡¯re thinking of pulling off a trick shot.¡±

    ¡°No, this is great! You¡¯re a lifesaver, Haru, I owe you! I was supposed to stock up yesterday,¡± Reito said, opening the pack of shurikens and adding them into his left pants pocket.

    ¡°You can hold on to them. I¡¯ve got a batch for myself, just in case,¡± he said, patting the beige tool bag on his rear, ¡°but you know I suck at Shuriken Jutsu. I¡¯m better with a kunai if it comes to that, but I¡¯ve got Shihime now.¡±

    Reito blinked in confusion, ¡°Who?¡±

    Haru thumbed to his sword. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you she had a name?¡±

    ¡°Oh, well, nice to meet you¡­ Doesn¡¯t Shihime mean death princess?¡±

    Haru laughed. ¡°Yeah, my mom had a weird sense of humor, but I think it¡¯s kinda cool.¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± Reito agreed, thinking fondly of Amaya Sensei, ¡°and so is your gear, by the way! Good luck today!¡±

    ¡°Thanks! You too!¡±

    ***

    Dawn had barely broken when Reito arrived at Training Ground Nine, where Sekka was waiting. Like Haru, she was fully equipped and wearing new gear. She wore a mesh romper under her indigo wrap skirt and crop top, matching elbow guards, a single tool bag, a thigh holster, and a pair of black fingerless gloves. She looked him over as he approached.

    ¡°Morning,¡± said Reito.

    ¡°Where¡¯s your equipment?¡± Sekka asked, ignoring his greeting.

    ¡°In my pockets,¡± Reito answered, patting his pants, which jingled noisily.

    The girl shook her head and turned away. This was aggravating, but Reito knew she was right to judge him. He had given himself another self-imposed rule: to not spend the bulk of his compensation money until he earned back his Genin status. He was regretting that decision now. Apart from being ill-equipped, the noise of the few shurikens he brought might give away his position.

    ¡°Should we talk strategy before Daishi and Yamato Sensei arrive?¡± Reito suggested.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± a voice mumbled from his rear.

    ¡°Yargh!¡± Reito lurched. He spun around to find Daishi standing behind him, staring off to the horizon. ¡°Where did you come from?¡±

    Daishi looked at Reito for a moment, then, without another word, turned his attention back to the distant clouds, which were just beginning to glow a deep orange.

    ¡°I was just saying to Sekka that we should talk strategy before Yamato Sensei¡ª¡±

    ¡°And I was just about to tell you, no thanks!¡± Sekka interjected. ¡°You guys are on your own.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind working alone,¡± said Daishi.

    Reito wanted to scream at them. ¡°But with a test like this, it might be better if we¡ª¡±

    Sekka growled, ¡°We don¡¯t even know what the test is! Besides, I thought you weren¡¯t allowed to talk about it?¡±

    ¡°Right, but don¡¯t you think¡ª¡±

    ¡°Good morning, Team Five!¡± Yamato Sensei announced brightly, appearing before the three students in a puff of smoke. ¡°I see that we¡¯ve been lucky with the weather, which is handy because we will be conducting a little survival exercise this morning.¡±

    Reito¡¯s muscles tightened. He could tell just from that much that this test wasn¡¯t going to be like Amaya Sensei¡¯s. Any advantage he may still have had was gone now.

    ¡°I will be testing your abilities in various ways. Your task will be to endure my assault, if you can, and wrest one of these from me before nine o¡¯clock,¡± the man explained, pulling something from the pocket of his flak jacket. With a jingling sound, he revealed two small bells, each dangling from a red string.

    All three students reacted physically to this sight. There it was. Two bells. Yamato Sensei had been open and honest up to this point, but here was the twist Reito was waiting for. There was a very good chance that he was playing them. Sadly, Reito¡¯s teammates seemed highly likely to take the bait.

    Predictably, Sekka asked, ¡°Why is there only two?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right, I didn¡¯t explain,¡± the instructor said apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can only pass a maximum of two of you. Of course, if you don¡¯t come at me seriously, there¡¯s also a chance that none of you will pass, so please do give the task your best efforts!¡±

    Sekka narrowed her eyes, while Daishi adjusted his stance. ¡°And what about breakfast?¡± the girl asked with an edge to her voice, eyeing the man¡¯s empty hands. ¡°You said you were providing it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be treating the passing students to a special breakfast after the test,¡± he explained.

    Sekka tutted loudly.

    ¡°Are there any other rules?¡± Reito asked, trying to buy some time to think about how to get through to the pair of them.

    Yamato Sensei put a hand to his chin to consider this. ¡°Hmm, nope! I may decide to hide, I may decide to attack, but no matter what I do, you may employ whatever tactics you see fit to defend yourself and secure a bell within the time limit. Oh, which will end when this sounds.¡±

    The man pulled a red alarm clock from his tool pouch and placed it down on the ground. ¡°Good luck to each of you,¡± he said sincerely, a pleasant smile across his face.

    Sekka and Daishi tensed up. They weren¡¯t even considering that he might be lying about the number of students who could pass.

    ¡°You have just under three hours. You may begin¡­now!¡±

 Episode 21: Divided and Conquered

    ¡°You have just under three hours. You may begin¡­now!¡± announced Yamato Sensei.

    ¡°Sekka, wait!¡± Reito called out uselessly.

    The girl had charged immediately, pulling a kunai from her thigh holster. Sekka skidded through the man¡¯s legs at amazing speed, righted herself in an instant, and sunk her kunai into his back.

    Reito couldn¡¯t believe it. He didn¡¯t believe it. ¡°A substitution!¡± he warned, just before Yamato Sensei disappeared in a puff of white smoke, leaving a block of wood behind, equipped with a crackling Explosive Tag. ¡°Look out!¡±

    Sekka backflipped away from the ensuing blast, while the boys shielded their eyes.

    ¡°We should retreat and discuss our options,¡± Reito advised in a panicky voice.

    ¡°You two can do what you want,¡± Sekka called as she headed for the trees, ¡°but there are only two bells, and one of them is going to be mine!¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Reito. I can¡¯t fail,¡± said Daishi regretfully, but when Reito turned to reason with the boy, he was nowhere to be seen. Could he move as fast as Yamato Sensei?

    Reito was frozen to the spot, staring at the little clock surrounded by splintered wood, watching its second hand ticking away. Compared to last time, he had all the time and Chakra in the world, so why was he just standing here, alone, his mind utterly blank?

    ***

    Yamato quickly made his way to the highest branch of the tallest nearby tree to observe Team Five¡¯s next move. Would they unite, or would they divide? After a short exchange, Sekka took off into the woods, while Daishi¡­ Ah, yes, there it was, the Akamine Clan¡¯s Jutsu. He would have to be on alert for that. Only Reito remained, unmoving, his head low. Feeling defeated, perhaps?

    Yamato felt bad for the boy. Reito had remained true to his word. He hadn¡¯t revealed the point of the final exam, but his attempts to get his teammates to cooperate had failed. The bell test had done its job. At this rate, they would probably fail.

    That wouldn¡¯t be a big disappointment to Yamato, or indeed to Lady Tsunade, but Kakashi wouldn¡¯t be happy with him. He seemed to have an interest in Reito Tsu. Well, that would serve him right. Assigning Yamato this mission at the last minute was obviously an intentional decision on his part, despite assurances to the contrary.

    That much became clear when Yamato reviewed Team Five¡¯s files yesterday. From his surveillance assignment, he knew Reito was a person of interest, but teaming him with two other problem students had not been part of the plan. A Kiri Village defector, and a member of that clan¡­? There must have been another Jonin better suited for the role. Going straight from Root into Anbu, he had never led a Genin team, let alone one in need of a full-time babysitter.

    Okay, Naruto had been a Genin when he was leading Team Kakashi, but there were special circumstances there, and Naruto, Sakura, and Sai were not fresh out of the academy. Far from it. On the unlikely chance that Team Five passed their test, they would need proper training as well as supervision.

    Yamato pouted. Was he really the best man for the job, as Kakashi maintained? Or was he being taken for granted again? He supposed it was better than working on the rebuilding project, endlessly churning out raw material using his Bloodline Limit. Marginally. He was going to have a frank conversation with his old mentor once this was over.

    From the center of the clearing, a sharp noise rang out. Yamato¡¯s brows disappeared behind his head guard. Reito Tsu had slapped himself hard across the face and was finally heading for cover. Evidently, he wasn¡¯t ready to throw in the towel just yet.

    Yamato supposed it was time he got started too. ¡°Wood Style (Mokuton): Wood Clone (Moku Bunshin no) Jutsu,¡± he uttered while performing the tiger, dog, and snake Hand Seals. Two masses of vegetation sprouted from his body. They separated from him, grew to his height, and mimicked his form. The three Yamatos then scattered in different directions.

    ***

    Reito entered the woods with determination. He hadn¡¯t failed yet. There was still a chance that he could bring his new teammates around. He had to find them before Yamato Sensei did. The problem now was that he hadn¡¯t seen which way Daishi went, so his only choice was to try tracking Sekka.

    He continued in the general direction she had headed, looking for telltale signs of her recent presence or spots she might have selected to take cover in. It wasn¡¯t thirty seconds before he found something. Sadly, it wasn¡¯t the kind of thing Reito was looking for.

    The second he landed on the narrow but single usable branch of a large tree, it catapulted him head-first into its trunk. Reito smacked his head, saw stars, and dropped to the ground with a painful thud.

    It was a while before he could move, slowly to ensure nothing was broken. He had been lucky, but he was going to have a nasty bruise come morning. He looked up, trying to discern what happened.

    There was a piece of rope attached to the end of the branch he landed on. It was a trap. While rudimentary, it had been concealed well. Still, he should have realized. On closer inspection, there were signs of other branches being cut from the tree, to limit his landing options.

    Reito got to his feet, rubbing his sore back. He was one thing, but did Sekka really think Yamato Sensei was going to fall for something like that? He returned to the trees, paying more attention to his footing. In doing so, he triggered and avoided two similar traps. His frustration growing, he decided to avoid the trees for now.

    However, when Reito touched down on a wide patch of grass, he found his foothold give way. With the velocity at which he had dropped from his last position, he was waist-deep in mud before he knew it. ¡°What the¡­?¡± he exclaimed, not understanding how the girl could have even made such a trap. ¡°Argh! Sekka!¡±

    ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡± she hissed in reply, much to his surprise, appearing from behind the trunk of the closest tree with a kunai in hand.

    ¡°How did you make this?¡± Reito asked with a note of fascination. It wasn¡¯t something their basic skills could achieve. On reflection, it occurred to him that the previous simple traps may have been part of a strategy. They had convinced him to switch to ground level, where a much better trap awaited him, with Sekka ready to pounce. She might be smarter than he had given her credit for.

    Hearing the compliment in Reito¡¯s voice, Sekka¡¯s face relaxed for a moment before her frown lines returned with a vengeance. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, you ruined it!¡± she said, then turned away.

    ¡°Wait, aren¡¯t you going to help me out?¡± Reito asked.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t escape that on your own, you¡¯re helpless,¡± Sekka derided.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°I can, I was just asking for a hand,¡± Reito said snippily. ¡°We¡¯re teammates!¡±

    Sekka shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t need teammates, especially ones who are going to hold me back. If you get in my way again, I¡¯ll remove you from this contest myself!¡±

    With that, the girl took off, leaving Reito to pull himself out of her mud trap, which took a good five minutes of wiggling. When he finally escaped, he was a mess, and it was the result of friendly fire during a teamwork exercise. He wiped off the bigger clumps of mud, feeling his cheeks burn with mingled anger and embarrassment.

    Why didn¡¯t Sekka understand? This was not a contest! She might be able to deliver on her threat, though, which would ensure they all failed. Maybe he should focus on finding Daishi, after all.

    Reito turned, wondering which direction to begin his search for the boy. Before his mind was made up, however, Yamato Sensei suddenly appeared in the distance. Reito ducked behind a bush, hoping he hadn¡¯t been seen, but a few tense seconds later, a kunai landed near him, affixed with an Explosive Tag.

    The explosion sounded behind him as Reito shot into the tree branches, fleeing the scene. Yamato Sensei was hot on his heels, occasionally throwing more tag-equipped kunais, which forced him to divert. Reito concentrated Chakra to his feet to increase his speed and maneuverability, but he was worried about his heading.

    Thanks to the instructor¡¯s interventions, he was getting further from the clearing now, not closer. Reito needed to shake the man and find cover until he could retrace his steps. Upon spotting a convenient hiding place¡ªa hollow in the base of a tree¡ªhe came to a halt, settling on a plan. He would use the Substitution Jutsu when his pursuer got close enough and slip into the hollow unseen.

    When Reito turned around, however, Yamato Sensei was no longer behind him. Suddenly, without a sound, amidst a swirling flurry of leaves, the man dropped from above and landed spryly on the branch Reito was standing on, his face just inches away, his dark eyes staring into his very soul.

    Reito froze, his breath catching for a second before his limbs responded as instructed, and he began to run. Going for the bells right now was useless. If by some miracle, he was able to wrest one away from the teacher, it probably wouldn¡¯t do him any good without demonstratable assistance from one of his teammates.

    Chancing a glance behind him as he made his escape, Reito saw that Yamato Sensei was pursuing him again. He engaged his Chakra, picking up his pace, but the man easily matched his speed. Moreover, he wasn¡¯t alone now. Two more men were chasing him from tree to tree. Two more Yamato Senseis!

    Reito had to calm himself and think. Was it the Clone Jutsu? No, the copies weren¡¯t mimicking his movements. They were acting independently, moving several paces apart. But how? Wracking his brain, Reito found an answer in something Iruka Sensei had once said. There were other types of cloning techniques, more advanced ones, which allowed the user to create copies with physical form or even sentience.

    That had to be it. If that were the case, though, using such a technique would have taken a lot of Chakra. Maybe now was the time to strike? Even as Reito considered this, two more clones of the instructor appeared on either side of him. Five? No, six. There were six of them. They weren¡¯t attacking, but he was surrounded.

    Reito tried repeatedly to escape the ring of foes that now encircled him, using bursts of speed and acrobatic movements to shake them, but whenever he tried, they moved an equal distance, keeping him trapped at their center. Eventually, he came to a halt, as did his pursuers. He wasn¡¯t sure what to do. He was just wasting Chakra like this.

    The clones appeared to be perfect, so he couldn¡¯t pinpoint which was the real Yamato Sensei by sight, and they weren¡¯t communicating. Maybe they couldn¡¯t speak? Something wasn¡¯t right. Yamato Sensei was a Jonin; he could probably create a lot of standard clones, but to make this many special ones¡­? It didn¡¯t make sense. There had to be a limit.

    Since escape was no longer an option, Reito decided to fight, taking out four of his shurikens and one of his kunai. Perhaps taking out a clone or two, if he could manage it, would help his team in the long run. He knew the teacher would be able to dodge a typical throw with no problem, but he could pull off a pretty good trick shot. He just hoped Haru¡¯s cheap shurikens were up to the task.

    Directing as much Chakra as he could muster to his legs, Reito surged upward with all his might. As he twisted in the air, he saw, as he had hoped, that his opponents had followed. With his first movement, he hurled the kunai at one of the Yamatos, who dodged, and it sunk into a tree trunk as planned. He then threw his four shurikens one after the other, each with a slightly different angle but the same target¡ªthe kunai¡¯s handle.

    His pursuers didn¡¯t react to them because they weren¡¯t in danger from such wild throws, not until each shuriken ricocheted off the kunai¡¯s handle in four different directions. Two went wide, but the other two were going to hit their respective targets.

    However, Reito¡¯s heart sank when they both missed, flying off into the woods. It had been a long shot, but he was so sure those two had been on target, and Yamato Sensei wouldn¡¯t have had time to dodge. Was the man just that good? Or was there some other reason?

    That was when it occurred to Reito. They may not be typical clones, but he didn¡¯t know for sure that they had physical form. He had just assumed. What if the shurikens had passed right through them? Was that why they hadn¡¯t attacked? Was that why they weren¡¯t speaking?

    He had to confirm his theory. If he was right, there was a chance that hitting the real Yamato Sensei would disrupt his technique and make the clones vanish. Either way, the problem was that he needed to land a hit on at least one of them, and that wouldn¡¯t be easy, especially now that the man was aware of his shuriken skills.

    Reito needed to try something the man couldn¡¯t predict. He led the pack away for a while before heading back the way they came. They trailed him from all sides just as before. When he reached the last point of engagement, he dropped down from the canopy, grabbing his used kunai on the way. On reaching the ground, he threw it straight up, along with three more shurikens from his pocket, then immediately started molding Chakra.

    The descending Yamato clones dodged the attacks easily, but once they did, Reito thrust his arms into the air, reaching out with his mind to grab his skyward weapons. He felt his Chakra connect with the kunai and two of the shurikens and mentally yanked them downward.

    It worked. Kind of. The three ninja tools reversed direction and assaulted the clones from behind. They passed right through the incorporeal bodies. Reito concentrated, changing their trajectories and managing to hit two more of the clones. Only the real Yamato Sensei remained. With a mighty effort, Reito crossed his outstretched arms over his chest, adjusting the tools¡¯ path once more to target the sixth man from different angles.

    As he landed, Yamato Sensei dodged the two shurikens, but the kunai sunk into his thigh. No, it passed right through. Reito frowned in confusion as he tried to catch his breath. He didn¡¯t understand it. What kind of crazy Jutsu was this? Were they all clones? Was there a seventh main body hiding somewhere, directing the replications? Wouldn¡¯t he have detected him? Wouldn¡¯t he have noticed¡­?

    All of a sudden, Reito let out a burst of laughter and slapped a hand to his forehead. How could he have been so stupid? There was a reason they hadn¡¯t spoken or, now that he thought about it, made any sound. This wasn¡¯t some advanced Jutsu at all. It was a very basic one, activated through eye contact back when Yamato Sensei surprised him. There were no clones. This was a Genjutsu.

    Reito brought his hands together to make the tiger Hand Seal. He closed his eyes, calmed his heavy breathing, and focused on his Chakra circulation. He successfully ceased the flow to his head, then forcefully resumed it. ¡°Kai!¡± he uttered. Upon opening his eyes, he watched as the Yamato Sensei images, all six of them, began to fade from view.

    After cursing loudly, Reito shook his head. He was really off his game. It hadn¡¯t even been a debilitating Genjutsu that ceased the target¡¯s movements. It was a low-level type that only affected his visual perception. Yamato Sensei had implanted it at point-blank range for goodness¡¯ sake! How much Chakra had he wasted running from imaginary enemies? How much time had he wasted?

    ***

    After locating a few but not all of his used ninja tools, still furious with himself, Reito set about finding his way to the clearing, if only to check the clock. This took some time since he had gone much deeper into the woods than he had realized in his attempt to shake off his illusory instructor and hadn¡¯t brought a compass.

    When he finally reached the clearing, he took cover and watched for signs of the others, trying to ignore his growling stomach. The way he saw it, the only real hope they had of passing this test now was if Yamato Sensei planned to return to the clearing for a final showdown of sorts, to give them some semblance of a chance. He certainly wasn¡¯t going to be able to track the man, not if he didn¡¯t want to be found.

    Thankfully, Reito¡¯s supposition proved correct about ten minutes later. Yamato Sensei appeared at the center of the clearing and checked his clock briefly before folding his arms over his chest. Another ten minutes later, Reito noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. Sekka was emerging from the tree line. He gathered himself and did the same. It was now or never.