Reluctant Cultivator in Konoha

It worked!

Why did it work?

It shouldn’t have worked.

What the fucking fuck?

My mind was awhirl. Sweat drenched my whole body, causing my clothes to stick uncomfortably close to my skin. No strength reached my limbs and my lungs felt devoid of air.

Yet, all of that was ignored.

Chakra flooded my pathways, which isn’t all that strange. I was learning to be a shinobi of Konoha, after all. Our class was taught to use this energy a few months back and every single one of us has succeeded to varying degrees.

But not like this.

It was just a passing fancy. A lark. Nothing should have come of it.

The denser, purer particles of spiritual matter currently flowing through my body proved otherwise.

Was this always possible? How did no one figure this out? Konoha spawned some of the most powerful monsters in the world! Not to mention the Warring States era that preceded its founding. 

The Kages. The Sannin. Shit, the sages who made nature energy their bitch!

None of them? I refuse to believe that.

Still, what I accomplished was undeniable. I actually cultivated chakra and its effects were already showing.

Vision, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. All my senses have been enhanced.

Then the full implications of what I’d done hit me like a Rasengan to the gut. 

“What am I going to do?” I couldn’t help asking out loud in dread.

Chapter 1 - Time-skip no Jutsu!

Tell me if you’ve heard this story before. Some dude dies (doesn’t matter how) and somehow finds himself in a place that’s supposed to be fictional. 

I’ve certainly read my fair share of those. Mostly to pass the time. Never because I actually wanted to experience it.

Yet, here I am.

No, I’m not going into the whole ‘getting squeezed out between my new mother’s thighs’ schlop. I was born, I grew up, and now I’m learning to be a ninja.

Dear god, I still flinch when I think that word.

‘Ninja.’

Before you start reaching for those pitchforks, I’ve got nothing against anime enthusiasts. I watched a few, myself. 

I’m what you would call a ‘filthy casual’ or something. Fanfiction and web novels were as far as my ‘nerd cred’ extended. What can I say? They helped stave off boredom.

But, back to the main point: Inexplicably finding myself in Konoha. 

My status? Civilian. My parents owned a store selling general goods. Nothing exciting.

As for my (ugh!) ninja abilities – until today, I had none. No, seriously, I was painfully average.

Even with my retained mental faculties, I had absolutely zero luck with gaining any kind of advantage expected of someone in my situation. To a certain degree, I understood why a lot of the fics I used to read exaggerated crucial details. If they made the main character’s life too hard, it wouldn’t be fun.

Unfortunately for me, this isn’t fanfiction. This world had actual rules and imposed serious limitations. 

Take chakra, for example. Some stories made sensing and using it sound simple. As a newborn, you had all the time in the world. So, it should be easy to focus on finding your chakra, right?

Wrong!

I spent months trying and all I managed to do was scare my parents into thinking I had severe constipation. This didn’t change until I got into the academy, where chakra use was strictly regulated.

Yeah, who would have thought that teachers wouldn’t want to just hand little kids a live grenade before sending them out to play? Well, when there wasn’t a war going on, that is.

Different times, different rules.

And I’m getting off topic again. Where was I?

Ah! Chakra, yes. So, no, I couldn’t use chakra until I got to the academy. I could, however, start preparing for my inevitable entrance into ‘child soldier university’ in several ways. Namely, exercise and reading.

By now, some of you might be wondering why I would want to be a ninja in the first place. I’m not the main character. There was no clan name or great legacy forcing me down the path of blood and violence.

My family wasn’t rich, but we were fairly well off. I could have gone to regular school (yes, they have those here) and helped out with our store. If I were an actual native of this reality, I might have done just that. 

But I wasn’t. I knew stuff. Stuff that would inevitably find me, even if I didn’t go looking for it.

To my admittedly limited knowledge, Konoha would be attacked twice. Once by Orochimaru and then by that Pain dude. Or was it Pein? Never mind, doesn’t matter.

Why not just leave, you ask? How? How would I do that?

Even forgetting the fact that I had parents who had built a life here, there’s no internet in this world. No convenient transportation systems, either. The most advanced form of widely available mode of mobility is the steamboat.

You know what else is here? Bandits. No, not just bandits. Ninja bandits. The kind who reduce civilian caravans into slurry on the regular.

How do you think hidden villages pay their highly skilled, highly trained cannon fodder who never got any screen time? Escort or guard detail, that’s how.

Living out in the boonies isn’t any better, either. Bandits attack smaller towns and villages too.

Ironically, Konoha is one of the safest places to live in if you were a civilian. Until it isn’t.

So, where does that leave me?

Well, if I can’t count on others to protect me and those I care about, I’ll have to do it myself. Problem was, I turned out to be supremely untalented in all things ninja.

Hear me out before you start calling me a lazy bum, making excuses, and never putting in the work.

I’m not saying that I’m completely hopeless. That would be Naruto (relax, we’ll get to him later). But for all of my perceived advantages and preparations, I was still completely outclassed by some of the kids I got to school with.

A few names are fairly obvious, with Sasuke being right at the top of the list. But Kiba, Shino, and even Hinata were all kicking my ass. 

It’s hard to even describe how fast these named characters were, even as children, or how hard they can hit. The first time I went up against the Hyuga girl, for example, was also the first fight of the Taijutsu class. I don’t know if I was just unlucky or if this was part of some planned match-up. 

Either way, I got the absolute stuffing beaten out of me.

She didn’t even use her eye thing! And her attacks? Dear god, they were indescribable. Those tiny hands packed so much force that a later examination revealed microfactures all over my arms and chest.

How did anyone ever consider this tiny terror weak?

By the end of the day, she did come over to apologize for hurting me and I admit, it yielded some complicated feelings.

On one hand, she didn’t mean to be so rough. On the other, I couldn’t get my head around the fact that this was the same person who showed me a glimpse of how vicious ninjas can be. The two concepts just wouldn’t merge.

In the end, I could only give her a strained smile and tell her there were no hard feelings.

Things didn’t really get much better from there.

Practically all of the clan kids were better than me at fighting. I did better than the other civilians, but that’s not saying much. As for Naruto…

Look, it’s complicated, okay? 

He’s got stamina for days and even though his technique was atrocious, he didn’t need it when facing me. The kid was a pure brawler and while Sasuke had the skills to take him down with no issue, I found the hellion a lot more challenging.

Not because he was better at combat than I was. 

It’s because He. Would. Not. Stay. Down!

When we first fought, I moderated my strikes like I did with the other civilians. That turned out to be a mistake. When the spar finally ended with me as the victor (barely), my fists, knees, and elbows felt like ground meat. 

I’ve only fought him four times in the nearly three years we’ve been at the academy, and I thanked Lady Luck every day for this boon. 

Regarding the rest of the schooling aspects, I was doing quite well! While not exactly a genius, I was raised in a house of academics in my previous life. So, I’ve made use of a few effective methods to make studying more productive. I even shared these methods with my classmates, though, only those who didn’t come from clans.

Those brats already had plenty of advantages. I wasn’t giving them another one.

Did I share it with Naruto? I suppose this is a good spot in this long and winding monologue to talk about him.

Now, we all know his story. Ostracized by people through no fault of his own, the protagonist grows up lonely and isolated. Some self-inserts then enter the picture and all of Naruto’s troubles disappear. 

Hurray!

As with all things related to him, though, it ain’t that simple. 

Contrary to what quite a few what-if stories depict, the villagers weren’t actually cruel to him. They didn’t chase him away, form mobs while chanting “Burn the demon!” or go out of their way to make his life miserable.

No, Naruto was ignored and neglected.

One could argue that this was still bad and I would agree. It also, unfortunately, left my hands tied.

Had I been born an orphan, our team-up would have been swift and legendary. But I wasn’t. Instead, I had parents. Parents who would become targets if I went anywhere near Kurama’s container.

Not just by the other mundane inhabitants of Konoha, either. But by other ninjas, Root…Danzo.

You see my problem?

On top of that, I didn’t have any cheat skills or convenient gifts from ROB to get me out of trouble. I had to make a choice and I chose my family.

This wasn’t to say that absolutely nothing changed for Naruto. At school, I could get away with giving him some assistance. I just had to frame it the right way.

While helping my fellow civilians, I could also toss some advice or useful observation his way. It didn’t always work, but he wasn’t as bad as he was portrayed in the source materials. I also asked questions and clarifications in class as often as I could get away with. If it ended up helping Naruto understand the lessons better, well, that’s not my fault.

At the end of the day, though, I’m severely limited in how much I can change things. Take the Uchiha clan massacre, for example. Given everything I told you about my time here, could I have done anything to prevent it?

Don’t bother, the answer is no. I’m basically a nobody here, with all that entails.

Or, I was.

Which brings us to what happened today. See, I’ve been training to use my chakra for a while now. As it turns out, you really do need the assistance of an experienced teacher to even get started. By exposing us to their chakra, the academy’s instructors acted like car batteries to jumpstart our own sleeping potential.

Not the best analogy, but I’m sticking with it.

Naturally, the clan kids didn’t need such distasteful methods since they had mommy and daddy to help, the pampered little shits.

…

Okay, I may have grown bitter at some point.

Moving on, I considered my chakra awakening the true start of my journey toward power. Alas, it wasn’t that easy. Control came easily enough, but I had such paltry amounts that I may as well not have had any.

Thanks to my meta knowledge, I was able to increase how much chakra I had through some grueling training, but the improvements were miniscule. Half a year later, my capacity was only a little above what someone from my background should possess. Not bad. But not good, either. Especially for what’s coming.

So, there I was, in one of the least-frequented training grounds in Konoha, resting against a tree after busting my ass off for little to no gain. It was a Saturday and I had already spent hours walking up and down its trunk to hone my control and expend my store of chakra. 

Of all the options via fanfiction that I’ve tried, this was really the only one to produce measurable results. That I was able to do it at all while would have been a major accomplishment given my relative youth. But knowing what I did, it also highlighted how badly I stacked against my contemporaries in chakra capacity.

Unfortunately, I’ve simply exhausted all other reasonable possibilities.

And this is where the trouble started.

It began as a stray thought, really. A spark of insight where the similarities between chakra and chi started dancing in my mind. Thinking of chi got me thinking of all the myths and legends about it back on Earth. And following that trail of ruminations somehow brought about memories of fics involving young masters, magical plants growing in random places, and flying swords.

This then got me thinking of absurd possibilities. Ridiculous possibilities. Impossible possibilities…

…Might have gone too far with that last one, but the point is – could it be? Well, why not? I’ve already tried everything else. This is just the proverbial kitchen sink I have yet to throw, so throw, I shall.

Having made up my mind, I then had to consider how I would even start. Do I just…think really hard?

Should I curse at the sky until the heavens strike me down with lightning? 

Fuck it, the KISS methodology, it is.

Closing my eyes, I focused inward to feel out my chakra. Through constant practice, my control now allows me to move the energy through my pathways at the speed I want. What I haven’t tried yet, however, was compressing the stream of jutsu fuel in my body. 

You know, like how those cultivators supposedly get stronger while hiding in their closets.

As I was doing this, the similarities between the concepts governing this reality and those stories I remembered became more difficult to ignore. Chakra and Chi or Qi. Tenketsu and Meridians. Chakra Coil and Dantian. 

I’m sure I got some of those wrong, but that’s not important right now. 

Not when I started noticing tangible developments with this approach. Kicking my mounting disbelief down to the abyss of my consciousness, I started putting in more effort to compress and circulate my chakra all over its pathways.

Finally, after literal hours of me doing this, I felt a shift that was nearly impossible to describe to someone who couldn’t feel chakra. The best way I can put it would be like switching to 4K resolution after watching YouTube at 240p for most of your life.

When I opened my eyes, I knew deep in my soul that my life was never going to be the same ever again. 

-----

It took me far longer than I’d like to admit before I calmed down enough to go home. At that point, night had already fallen, and my folks were worried sick. 

They grounded me for a week.

I would’ve protested, but honestly? The punishment gave me an excuse to hid- I mean, spend more time at home. I had to get a handle on this problem before school started, but I didn’t know where to even begin.

A few tests in my room immediately made a few things clear, however.

My chakra flowed more easily than it ever did. It responded to my wishes like an eager puppy, unaware that its very existence is putting my life in danger. While I did appreciate the difference that its new (density? purity?) quality is making in weaving jutsu, I was more interested in avoiding attention.

Konoha is constantly being monitored. The Yamanaka clan has incredible sensors and don’t even get me started on the ninja working at T&I. That they didn’t immediately track me down after my reckless discovery was a miracle on its own.

Still, I’ll be going back to school tomorrow and I’ll be surrounded by teachers. All of whom are ninja and are bound to notice the changes in my chakra. 

Do I quit the academy? It wouldn’t be strange. Civilian students drop out all the time.

But then my parents would ask questions. The teachers would ask questions. What excuse could I possibly give that wouldn’t lead to more, well, questions? I wasn’t exactly struggling and I practically had to beg before I was allowed to enroll in the first place.

So, what? Just go to class and pretend that nothing happened? Play dumb when the inevitable inquiries start raining down on me?

Lying in bed, I groaned into a pillow.

How did such a stupid test end up trying a noose around my neck? Even now, I still can’t believe that no one else has made this discovery. After thinking about it more, it’s so stupidly obvious!

We were already practicing chakra control. Sage training existed in this world. What? Did no one wonder what would happen if you compress those energies and rapidly circulate them around the body’s local network of pathways?

Then there are the biju, tailed beasts that are basically just masses of chakra given form. That last part shouldn’t be possible without compression. Chakra dissipated when it escaped the body. So, the biju must be drawing in their energy to a fixed point, thus making their chakra denser.

Of course, none of this is confirmed. For all I knew, I could be completely wrong. But they are a good jump-off point to cultivation.

There wasn’t any indication that someone made this connection, though. Not in the anime. Not in any of the fanfiction I used to read. Heck, not even in our academy books and scrolls, and I’ve read practically all of them.

I was trying to get ahead, okay? Sue me.

Without any point of reference, I wasn’t sure how the changes in me would be perceived. Will I be treated as a spy? Will they think that I was replaced by a foreign shinobi? 

By the end, I couldn’t think of a solution, so I went back to school a trembling mess. Naturally, my parents noticed and I gave the excuse that I didn’t get enough sleep. My mother wanted me to stay home for the day, but that would just be putting off the inevitable, so I convinced her I’d be fine.

At the academy, some of my classmates made comments about me looking like a corpse warmed over. I gave them the bird.

Strangely enough, classes started as they usually did. Some of the teachers did ask if I was okay, and I used the same excuse I gave my parents. I was chided for being so irresponsible, but that was about it.

It was during Taijutsu that things took a turn for the worse. In hindsight, I should have expected it. It was always Taijutsu class.

Expecting to get my ass handed to me, as usual, I squared off against Kiba. Cue obligatory taunts and boasting by my opponent, followed by Naruto screaming encouragement and vitriol at the sidelines. 

When Iruka gave the signal to begin, Kiba charged straight at me, fully confident that I wouldn’t be able to deal with his speed. This was certainly the case every time we sparred in the past.

Now, though? He was much slower than usual. Not in the ‘moving through syrup’ way. More like he was just a regular kid with no special training.

As such, he was much easier to follow and counter.

Full disclosure: the prospect of finally winning a fight against one of the clan kids completely pushed my chakra issue out of my mind.

He swiped, I ducked, grabbed the offending limb, twisted my hips and legs, and then threw Kiba out of the ring. From the look on his face, the Inuzuka clearly wasn’t expecting that. It would have been funny if it wasn’t for the deafening silence that followed.

Then I remembered and froze.

Oh, fuck.

“Kenta.”

I was fucked. Utterly and completely fucked.

“Kenta!”

Root was going to find me. Danzo will give me to Orochimaru and I’ll be dissected on a lab table, probably while conscious.

“Shiozaki Kenta!”

Or maybe I’ll be taken to T&I where Ibiki will pull out my fingernails and–

Before I could spiral any further, hands grabbed my shoulders and I blinked. Iruka was there, kneeling in front of me, face full of concern and worry.

“You back with us, Kenta?”

I didn’t trust myself to speak, so I jerkily nodded my head instead.

“What happened?”

The question was simple enough. It should have been easy to answer. But out of nowhere, all the stress, anxiety, frustration, and humiliation that I’ve accumulated over the years hit me all at once.

“I don’t wanna die, sensei.”

The choked sob escaped me before I could stop myself.

Chapter 2

My fingers curled into the fabric of my pants, the echo of Kiba's crash landing still reverberating in the stunned silence of the training field. The other students stared, some wide-eyed, others slack-jawed.

But those were the least of my concerns.

Oh no. Oh no.

Iruka’s eyes were wide in alarm, his mouth open in shock.

Why would you say that? Stupid, stupid, stupid! 

Before the spiral of self-berating thoughts could tighten any further, a loud voice shattered the tension.

"Yeah! Take that, dog breath!" Naruto whooped, pumping both fists into the air with all the subtlety of an exploding tag.

And just like that, the vice clenching my heart loosened its grip.

"What’d you say, you idiot?!" Kiba barked, scrambling upright, his earlier disbelief replaced by the more familiar scowl of bruised pride.

"You heard me! How’d you like the taste of dirt?" Naruto stuck his tongue out for good measure.

The argument flared instantly, the kind of noisy, over-the-top chaos I usually found exhausting. Today, it was a gift from the gods. A perfect distraction.

Iruka sighed, rubbing his temples, "Alright, that’s enough! Naruto, back to your spot. Kiba, get over here."

Naruto stuck out his tongue again as Kiba snarled, but both obeyed with only a few grumbles. Then Iruka turned to me. 

"Kenta, are you alright?"

I swallowed hard. 

"Y-Yeah. Just tired."

Iruka didn’t press. He gave me a long, assessing look, then nodded. 

"We’ll talk later if you want. For now, you and Kiba make the seal of reconciliation.”

Once we did, Iruka told us both to take a seat.

I nodded and made my way to the benches, legs suddenly shaky. My pulse still thudded in my ears, but Naruto and Kiba’s commotion had given me the time I needed. My breathing was gradually evening out.

That... could have gone so much worse.

I just had to hold it together for a little longer.

I sat as still as I could, trying not to draw any more attention.

It didn’t work.

Whispers drifted through the air. I caught snippets: “Did you see that?” “It was so fast!” “Kiba got tossed.”

Someone actually whistled.

I kept my head down and stared at the dirt beneath my feet, doing my best impression of someone too exhausted to care. If I were fortunate, they’d chalk it up to luck. A freak accident. Kiba had overextended. I’d reacted on instinct. Nothing worth talking about by next week.

I hoped.

Naruto’s argument with Kiba had bought me precious seconds. Iruka’s professionalism kept it from escalating. But the classroom jungle operated by its own rules, and kids noticed.

I couldn’t afford to stand out.

Letting out a slow breath, I catalogued what had happened. My movements during that match weren’t anything flashy. If I played it cool, I might be able to pass it off as the result of extra training.

And Naruto... bless that chaotic little menace. The boy could derail an entire funeral with his mouth, and today, that trait had probably saved my skin. Between him and Kiba yelling at each other, most of the attention had been siphoned off me.

I reminded myself to never admit that out loud.

All right. Don’t panic. Stay boring. Fade back into the middle of the pack.

Just a normal civilian kid doing his best.

And maybe getting lucky once in a while.

-----

Dinner that night was curry, Mom’s go-to for cold or stressful days. I didn’t know which she’d had, but my guess was both. The scent hit me the moment I walked through the door: garlic, ginger, and something spicy enough to clear sinuses.

“Welcome home,” she called from the kitchen. “Wash up and set the table, please!”

“Yes, Mom,” I replied, kicking off my sandals and heading straight for the sink.

The table was already half-set, like always. My father’s habit of leaving out the plates and letting me finish the rest was a kind of unspoken ritual. It wasn’t a big thing, but it was consistent and comforting. Like the slight clatter of chopsticks on ceramic. Like the squeak of Mom’s apron as she moved between pots.

When the three of us finally sat down, the silence lasted all of three seconds.

“You look like you went twelve rounds with a wild boar,” Dad said bluntly, peering at me over his glasses. His sharp, dark brown eyes studied my posture like I was a complicated receipt.

“I’m fine,” I said, mechanically scooping rice into my bowl.

“You’re pale,” Mum added, brow creased. “And you’ve barely touched your curry.”

“I just sat down.”

Dad raised an eyebrow. 

“Not denying the pale part, though.”

I sighed and leaned back slightly. 

“We had sparring drills today. I was paired with Inuzuka Kiba.”

Mom clicked her tongue. 

“Those Inuzuka boys. Always so reckless.”

“His dog wasn’t there, was it?” Dad asked immediately. “You’d tell us if you were fighting animals, right?”

I resisted the urge to snort. 

“No, Akamaru’s still too young for that. It was just Kiba. I got lucky.”

Dad and Mom exchanged a glance. Not suspicious, exactly, but knowing. The sort that said they’d heard me pull this kind of excuse before.

Which I have.

“Well,” Mom said, ladling more curry onto my plate even though I hadn’t asked, “luck or not, don’t let him hit your head. We don’t want to test how thick your skull really is.”

“I’m starting to think the academy's harder on civilians,” Dad muttered, stabbing a potato chunk with intent. “They expect you to keep up with all those clan kids. Ridiculous.”

I winced. My first bout with Hinata remains unforgotten by Pops, it seems.

“We knew it wouldn’t be easy,” Mum replied softly. “But he wanted this.”

That earned me a pointed look from both of them. I offered a half-hearted shrug. 

“Still do.”

It wasn’t a lie. Not completely. Dad sighed and leaned back, one hand resting on his still-full bowl. 

“You sure nothing else happened? You’re twitchier than usual.”

That was harder to answer.

“I just pushed myself too hard,” I said eventually, reaching for the water jug. “Didn’t expect to do well. I guess I surprised myself.”

“You don’t have to outdo everyone, sweetheart,” Mum said gently, giving my hand a brief squeeze before pulling her own back. “Just do your best.”

I nodded, chewing slowly, aware of how carefully I was being observed. Mom’s sharp eyes, Dad’s furrowed brow, both tracking me like I was going to burst into flames if left unsupervised.

This wasn’t new.

I wasn’t a prodigy. I was fit, as required by the academy, but not the fittest. But my parents had always supported the whole ninja thing, even if it clearly terrified them. They knew what the academy meant. What being a shinobi meant.

And they still signed the papers. Still made lunches. Still made sure I got home every day to a warm meal and clean clothes.

“You know,” Dad said suddenly, reaching for seconds, “I still think you should’ve taken that aptitude exam for civilian school. You’d do well running the store. Business is going up. We could expand.”

“Masaru,” Mum said with quiet exasperation.

“I’m just saying! Options can’t hurt,” he offered.

“I’ll think about it,” I muttered, forcing a smile.

That seemed to be enough. The conversation shifted to shop talk–new supplier delays, a customer who’d tried to haggle over dried persimmons, a passing mention of next week’s flower festival. I played along, contributing where I could, and feeling grateful for the routine.

By the time dinner wrapped up, I’d managed to finish two bowls and even mustered a laugh when Dad made a pun so bad it earned him a flick to the forehead.

Mom gave me one last once-over as she collected the dishes. 

“Go lie down early tonight, Kenta. You look drained.”

“I will,” I promised, and meant it.

Sort of.

I was going to my room. But sleep wasn’t in the cards yet.

There was too much to process and too many unknowns for me to settle. I needed clarity. And journaling, oddly enough, had become my best tool for that.

Still, for a little while longer, I stayed at the table and listened to the soft domestic sounds of my parents cleaning up.

It helped.

Normalcy helped.

Because I had no idea how long I’d be able to keep it.

-----

Back in my room, I shut the door with a soft click and leaned against it for a moment. The warmth from dinner still lingered in my chest, but it couldn’t hold back the tide of thoughts pressing at the edges of my mind.

Neither did a shower.

Fortunately, I’m not completely out of options.

Dragging my chair to the desk, I reached for the battered notebook I’d hidden under a stack of school scrolls. It was plain, matte black, and filled with handwritten notes, hypotheses, and flow diagrams. All of it written in English.

My chakra journal.

The one I started in my frantic attempt to gain some modicum of control over my spiraling situation.

I flipped to a fresh page, sharpened my pencil, and wrote the date at the top.

-

Entry #9 – Post-Sparring Observations

Subject: Kenta Shiozaki (Self)

Objective: Continued documentation of internal energy manipulation. Observations following unintentional enhanced physical performance during academy sparring.

Overview: Earlier today, during scheduled taijutsu practice, I experienced a notable performance spike. Successfully redirected and counter-threw opponent Kiba Inuzuka. Subjective time perception during the engagement was altered – visual input appeared clearer, and movement tracking was easier.

Hypothesis (Working): Ongoing chakra compression and circulation practice has measurably improved baseline physical capabilities. Likely due to increased chakra density and efficiency in internal pathways.

-

I paused, tapping the pencil against my chin. That was a lot of speculation. I needed more detail.

-

Supporting Data:

Sensory Augmentation:

Visual: Able to perceive minute shifts in opponent posture.

Auditory: Heard Kiba’s foot pivot on packed soil before attack.

Tactile: Noted grip tension in opponent’s arm prior to execution of throw.

Motor Coordination:

Reaction time decreased.

Joint movement felt smoother, more instinctive.

Reduced conscious lag between decision and action.

Possible Factors:

Chakra cycling over the previous two days.

Compressive hold techniques (see Entry #8) prior to chakra exhaustion.

Mental state during spar: high alertness, strong fear stimulus.

-

That last one was important. I scribbled a note to revisit it later.

-

Interpretation: Early signs suggest this form of chakra refinement mirrors certain aspects of xianxia-style cultivation (as depicted in low-accuracy fictional accounts). Dense chakra appears to improve mind-body synchronization.

-

I snorted. Low-accuracy was putting it kindly. Most of the cultivation stuff I’d read focused on shouting at the sky, hoarding magical pills, and jade-like beauties (whatever the hell that meant). Very little attention had been paid to the actual logic behind the power scaling. Then again, most of those stories were meant for spectacle, not scholarship.

Still, there were parallels worth considering.

I turned the page and drew a basic diagram of the human chakra pathway system. Well, my understanding of it. The tenketsu points, the major and minor channels. Overlaying it in pencil, I tried sketching out what I thought might be the equivalent of meridian networks from those old novels. Nothing exact, but the resemblance was enough to make me uneasy.

Were they the same system? Had I just stumbled into a forgotten method of refinement that this world had long since abandoned?

Or had I accidentally forced my chakra into a new configuration entirely?

I underlined that question twice.

-

Risks and Unknowns:

Chakra behaviour under extended compression: no existing models.

Possible long-term side effects: strain on tenketsu? Coil degradation?

Detection risk by sensors or higher-level ninja.

Psychological strain (paranoia levels increasing; see Entry #7).

-

I paused again, setting the pen down and flexing my fingers. Writing helped. It created distance and gave me something to measure, track, and analyse. I wasn’t just panicking over unexplained power jumps, but rather, studying them.

There was a comforting reassurance in that. The kind that came from treating a problem like a puzzle instead of a threat to life and limb.

It didn’t fix anything, but it helped me breathe a little easier.

I picked the pencil back up.

-

Next Steps (Preliminary Plan):

Continue daily cycling, but no new compressions for three days.

Record physical/sensory baselines each morning.

Begin sketching a training regimen adapted for stealth conditioning.

-

The last point came with a bitter edge of irony. Here I was, a supposed ninja-in-training, trying to avoid being noticed for getting better.

But the truth was simple. I didn’t want attention from teachers. I definitely didn’t want Root sniffing around.

My goal was to survive until I was strong enough to protect my parents and anyone else I cared about.

I closed the notebook, slid it back under the scrolls, and sat in silence.

Stillness was good. Stillness was safe.

But my hands wouldn’t stop trembling.

Tomorrow, I’d finish the rest of the analysis.

------

The next morning, I woke early. Too early.

I hadn’t slept much, but my body felt strangely light. The way it does after too much caffeine and too little rest: wired, but not quite functional.

Dragging myself out of bed, I grabbed the notebook again and returned to my desk. My parents wouldn’t be up for at least another hour. That gave me time.

-

Entry #10 – Continued Observation & Baseline Establishment

Physical Status (Morning):

Muscle soreness: Moderate (primarily in legs and shoulders)

Breathing: Normal

Heart rate: Elevated, but likely due to stress

Chakra flow: More responsive, smoother circulation through standard control exercise (leaf sticking test passed in 1.4 seconds, meeting the 10-minute minimum duration)

Mental Status:

Focus: Fractured, intrusive thoughts recurring

Emotional state: Restless, low-grade anxiety with mild detachment

-

I scribbled a note beside it: Begin meditation? Look into actual shinobi mental conditioning techniques.

As I sipped a lukewarm glass of water, I turned my thoughts back to the central question since all of this started. Why had this worked? What mechanism had I accidentally stumbled into?

In fiction, cultivation usually involved something abstract. Intent, willpower, spiritual resonance, whatever handwave the author needed to justify powering up. But there was almost always a structure to it, even if it was nonsensical.

Could I reverse-engineer one that made sense in this world?

I flipped to a clean page.

-

Attribute Comparison: Chakra vs Cultivation Qi

Source

Chakra: Physical + Spiritual energy (dual origin)

Cultivation Qi: Spiritual energy only (usually)

Behavior

Chakra: Malleable, explosive

Cultivation Qi: Stable, internal, growth-focused

Uses

Chakra: Techniques, attacks, augmentation

Cultivation Qi: Self-refinement, long-term gains

Control Method

Chakra: Mental focus, hand seals

Cultivation Qi: Meditation, breathing, spiritual flow

Flow Pattern

Chakra: Circular, jutsu-specific

Cultivation Qi: Looping, ascending tiers

-

I stared at the list for a long time while trying to repress the incredulity rising from my gut. 

Could my breakthrough have come from treating chakra as if it were qi? What if I had simply... forced it to behave differently?

I’d always assumed the mechanics were fixed: Chakra as a force, chakra as fuel. But what if that assumption was wrong? What if chakra was more flexible than even the textbooks said?

I flipped back to my sketch of the chakra pathways and began adding directional arrows. Mapping where the compression might be strongest, where flow met resistance.

Somewhere around the lower stomach, I drew a new circle and labeled it tentatively: "Core Compression Node?"

Not quite a dantian. But not not a dantian either.

I jotted down another note: Develop a chakra map tailored to personal circulation habits. Compare with basic academy flow charts.

A yawn tore itself free from my throat, but I forced myself to keep going.

-

Additional Notes:

Previous tests show chakra strings respond better to denser chakra. Thread techniques (if developed) could become more effective.

Could apply to tool manipulation.

Hypothesis: Denser chakra equals better weapon control?

-

The idea of spinning a storm of shuriken around me like in a goddamn anime boss battle wasn’t as far-fetched as it used to be. Dangerous? Yes. Flashy? Unfortunately. But plausible? If I kept this up, maybe.

Still, for now, I wrote in bold: No experimentation with weapon manipulation until control is more precise.

I didn’t need to accidentally behead myself trying to recreate Kratos’ Blades of Chaos with some ninja wire and overconfidence.

-

Next Steps (Updated):

Daily chakra journaling

Begin control tests (sensory, strength, and dexterity drills)

Avoid combat practice with notable changes for now

Observe chakra flow changes when exhausted vs well-rested

Track chakra quantity over time with basic chakra exercises and low-ranked jutsu

-

The page was half-full when I sat back, rubbing my eyes.

This was going to be my life now: Quiet experimentation. Vigilant secrecy. Meticulous data.

It was almost like being in a lab again.

Except this time, failure didn’t mean a bad grade. It meant exposure. It meant Root. It meant getting dissected by a snake man in a cave.

I closed the notebook.

A quiet knock on the door snapped my head up.

“Kenta, breakfast in ten.”

“Got it, mom, I’ll be right there!”

I slipped the notebook back into its hiding place and rolled my shoulders.

Time to play the civilian student again.

But I’d be back here tomorrow. Same time. Same plan.

-----

The morning started off deceptively normal.

I arrived at the academy just early enough to avoid the main crush of students and settled into my seat like I hadn’t just rewritten a small part of chakra theory in my bedroom the night before. That was the goal, anyway: blend in, be forgettable. Fly so low to the ground, I might as well be a worm.

And for maybe fifteen minutes, it worked.

Then Naruto showed up.

“Yo, Kenta!”

I winced.

“Dude!” He was practically vibrating as he dropped into the seat beside mine. “That throw yesterday? That was awesome! I didn’t think you had it in you!”

“Neither did I,” I muttered.

“You gotta tell me how you did it,” he said, already leaning in like we were co-conspirators in some grand scheme. “Like, was it a secret technique?”

I blinked at him. 

“Naruto, I’m a civilian.”

“So? You still pulled it off. I’ve seen you fight before. You don’t usually win.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“No offense!” he said, waving both hands. “Just, this time you were like BAM! WHAM! And Kiba was all ‘what the hell just happened?’”

I rubbed my temple, a headache starting to form. I’d had contingency plans for dealing with Iruka. For deflecting teacher suspicion. For hiding changes in my chakra flow.

I had not accounted for Naruto’s complete lack of verbal brakes, essentially demanding tips and tricks that he could use.

“I’ll think about it,” I said finally, cutting him off before he could yap any further. “I’m still figuring it out myself.”

That seemed to satisfy him. At least temporarily. He gave me a broad grin. 

“Cool! We can train together sometime, right?”

I gave him a noncommittal noise in response and immediately turned my attention to the front of the classroom. Let him interpret that however he wanted.

The moment class officially began, Iruka entered with his usual clipboard and calm expression. I braced myself for… something. A pointed look. Maybe a subtle comment. But nothing came. He greeted the class, ran through announcements, and moved straight into the day’s first lecture like it was any other morning.

Which almost made it more unsettling.

I tried to focus, but I could feel eyes on me. Not Naruto’s. He’d gone back to doodling something that looked suspiciously like a frog wielding a kunai. No, this was someone else.

I glanced across the room.

Hinata.

She wasn’t staring, exactly. But every so often, her eyes flicked in my direction, thoughtful and quiet. She didn’t seem upset or suspicious. Just... observant.

Which was arguably worse.

I’d gone three years without being particularly remarkable. And in less than 24 hours, I was being watched by both the class loudmouth and the shy genius with a built-in chakra microscope.

Perfect.

Behind me, I heard a quiet sniff.

Kiba.

He was seated two rows back and one aisle over. Arms crossed, jaw tight. His leg bounced beneath the desk like he was restraining the urge to bolt.

He didn’t look angry. Not really. More like... unsettled. Embarrassed, maybe. Confused?

I didn’t blame him.

We’d sparred half a dozen times over the years. He’d never had trouble beating me before. Yesterday was the first time I beat him. It wasn’t even a flashy move. Just a clean and efficient execution borne of muscle memory and instinct.

I didn’t think he’d forget it anytime soon.

When the lecture ended, Iruka assigned us a team drill outside. As the class moved to collect training gear and head for the field, he paused beside my desk.

"You’re partnering with Shino and Ami today," he said quietly.

I blinked. That was... new. I usually ended up with other civilian students.

“I want to see how you handle being in mixed teams,” he added with a small nod.

Yep, there it was.

----

Out on the training field, I kept my head down and listened to Iruka’s instructions as best I could. The drill was simple on paper: retrieve a flagged object from a makeshift base while a defending team tried to stop you. Not life-threatening, but an excellent way to see how students handled movement, teamwork, and improvised strategy.

Shino was his usual unreadable self: calm, silent, and already half-vanishing into the tree line. Ami, on the other hand, looked like she’d just been handed a spoiled ration pack.

“Of all the people,” she muttered, arms crossed.

“Nice to see you too,” I replied dryly.

She rolled her eyes and turned away, muttering something about 'dead weight.'

Great. This’ll go well.

Iruka blew the whistle and our group took off. Shino melted into the foliage, and Ami immediately tried to take charge, issuing clipped instructions and veering off into a direct assault path.

I stayed to the side. Not out of spite. I’d just rather play to my strengths, as it were.

I let her pull aggro, and let Shino do the real scouting. I’d act as the floater. Support, counter, backup, what have you. Something neutral and unthreatening.

We didn’t win. But we didn’t embarrass ourselves either. Shino managed to grab the flag while Ami took a hit to the shoulder and blamed me for not backing her up. I let the complaint slide off me like rain on oiled cloth.

What mattered more was Iruka. 

He was watching us throughout the whole exercise, seemingly without paying particular attention to our group. But my recently enhanced senses still caught him glancing our way more times than I was comfortable with. 

Funnily enough, I didn’t get the impression that he was suspicious, exactly. Rather, it was more watchful and measuring. As if he was trying to piece together a puzzle.

I kept my reactions minimal to the best of my abilities, though, I wasn’t sure how well I did.

By the end of the exercise, Iruka called the class into a loose semi-circle and offered feedback. When he reached our group, he gave all three of us the same neutral praise: "coordinated under pressure," "good adjustment to terrain," "could improve communication."

But when our eyes met, he gave me a small nod. No more. No less.

I returned it for want of a better response.

Back in the classroom, things returned to their usual rhythm. Except now I was paying more attention to everything. Who looked at me. Who didn’t. Who whispered. Who shrugged me off like before.

Naruto was already bouncing back to his usual antics, dragging Chouji into a loud debate about whether a kunai or a shuriken would win in a fight if they had souls. Hinata still glanced over now and then, but never for long. Kiba didn’t say a word.

And Iruka? He kept me in his periphery. Called on me twice during history. Asked me to demonstrate a basic substitution jutsu in the next practical.

It was subtle, but I got the message. 

-----

Weapons training was the final class of the day. It was held on the outdoor range behind the academy proper. Rows of wooden targets at various distances, surrounded by worn grass and the occasional embedded kunai someone had failed to retrieve the day before.

We lined up, each of us with a small basket of practice shuriken. The assignment was straightforward: practice accuracy and form. We’d done this dozens of times. Some kids took it seriously, others less so.

Today, I was focused.

Maybe too focused.

I took a spot near the end of the line, away from the more competitive students. My hands were steady, but my head buzzed with calculations. Breathing, grip, balance, weight distribution. My internal chakra flow hummed. Like it was waiting for something.

Iruka paced behind us, correcting stances, commenting here and there. I watched him out of the corner of my eye, but he hadn’t said anything to me directly yet.

I picked up the first shuriken and let my breathing settle.

Inhale. Exhale. Aim. Release.

It embedded with a solid thunk. Just a bit off-center.

Not bad.

Second throw. Slightly better. Third, better still. I adjusted unconsciously, aligning the slight changes in chakra flow to guide the rotation.

By the fifth throw, I wasn’t even thinking about the weapon itself. Just about timing, intention, and the flow of every motion.

The sixth shuriken left my fingers and cut through the air like a bullet.

It struck the wooden post with a sound like an axe splitting timber. The entire target shuddered.

The silence that followed was instant and complete.

Even Naruto clammed up.

I stared at the shuriken. It had sunk far deeper than anything I’d managed before. Deeper than anyone else in our class, for that matter.

I hadn't used more strength. I hadn’t forced it.

It was the chakra.

Too dense. Too refined. It must’ve leaked onto the weapon and coated it, even if unintentionally. My internal refinement had passed some kind of threshold, maybe a shift in how the energy interacted with physical objects.

Someone muttered a low curse.

I swallowed and stepped back in line, suddenly very aware of my heartbeat.

Iruka walked slowly to the target, hand on his chin. He crouched, examined the shuriken, then stood and looked over his shoulder at me.

His eyes were unreadable.

Then, just a small nod. Barely more than an acknowledgment. And he moved on without a word.

My shoulders slumped in relief.

The rest of the session passed in a blur. I intentionally missed a couple of throws to even out my results. Far too late, I know, but no one said anything. 

----

When class ended, most students scattered quickly, eager to play. I stayed back, taking my time to pack up my tools.

Iruka approached, hands in his vest pockets.

“Good work today,” he said casually.

“Thanks,” I replied, trying to keep my tone even.

He glanced toward the target range. 

"Those were some clean techniques you were showing."

I offered a noncommittal shrug. 

“Been practising.”

“I can tell.”

There was a beat of silence, then he placed a hand on my shoulder.

“You’re doing better. Keep going.”

He said it like he meant it.

I nodded. 

"I will."

He gave me a small smile and walked off.

I stood there for a moment longer, watching the last rays of sunlight stretch over the field.

I wasn’t sure what Iruka suspected. If he knew anything, or if he was just guessing.

But he wasn’t pushing. 

And for the first time since this whole thing started, I felt like maybe I wasn’t completely alone.

That feeling lasted until I walked home and nearly jumped out of my skin when a cat darted across the street.

Still, the smile lingered a little longer than usual.

Tomorrow would come. More drills, more whispers, more chances to slip up.

But I had survived one more day with my secret intact.

Chapter 3

The afternoon sun slanted through the tall windows of Hokage Tower, painting gold bars across polished floors and the framed photographs of heroes long gone. Iruka Umino stood just outside the circular office doors, breathing slowly through his nose.

The doors slid open with a hush of oiled hinges. Wood smoke and fresh parchment greeted him, an oddly comforting blend that always clung to the Third Hokage. Sarutobi Hiruzen sat behind his broad desk, silhouette defined by a nimbus of late‑day light. He was reading a mission report with the slow care of a man who knew haste birthed mistakes. At Iruka’s footfall, the old shinobi glanced up and motioned him forward.

“Iruka‑kun,” Hiruzen said, voice warm but alert. “You asked for a few minutes. I trust the academy hasn’t burned down?”

Iruka managed a faint smile as he stepped onto the rug before the desk. “No, Hokage‑sama. Though Naruto nearly set the sparring mats on fire again.” He lifted the scroll tucked beneath his arm. “This is about a different student.”

Hiruzen set his paperwork aside. Fingers steepled, he watched Iruka the way one might watch a cloud to see if it meant rain. 

“Proceed.”

Iruka unrolled the scroll. Words marched across the page in his neat, utilitarian hand: attendance, grades, health reports, sparring logs. But a single name was circled in red ink: Shiozaki, Kenta. 

“A week ago, during a routine taijutsu rotation, Shiozaki demonstrated a level of control that, frankly, didn’t match anything we’d seen from him before.” Iruka kept his tone measured, professional. “He took Inuzuka Kiba down with a textbook shoulder throw with hardly any effort. It was almost completely contrary to his past performances.”

Hiruzen nodded once, encouraging continuation.

“I assumed it was luck. Children surprise us, after all. But over the week that followed, I noticed smaller changes. His footwork is tighter and his recovery is faster.” Iruka paused. “He also managed to bury a shuriken so deep in a target that it nearly split in half.”

“Natural talent can bloom late,” Hiruzen offered, though curiosity flickered in his dark eyes.

“I considered that.” Iruka set the scroll on the desk and tapped a column boxed in green ink. “I requested our best sensor, Instructor Kayo, to observe him covertly. She sensed nothing abnormal. His chakra flow is described as ‘unusually clean,’ but nothing beyond the norm in terms of size or nature. We found no evidence of external tutoring. He trains in isolated but still public grounds, returns home on time, and maintains his written scores.”

Hiruzen leaned back, exhaling through his pipe. A ribbon of smoke curled toward the ceiling. 

“Yet your instincts disagree.”

“Yes.” Iruka met the older man’s gaze. “Shiozaki’s improvement is controlled and intentional, yet he’s hiding it. In every subsequent spar, he’s held back. I can sense that he means no harm. If anything, he seems frightened of attention.”

“Not uncommon in civilians thrust among clan heirs,” Hiruzen mused.

“True,” Iruka admitted, “but most civilians either flounder or strive openly. Shiozaki is… different. He’s improving under a self‑imposed ceiling.”

Outside, a breeze rattled wind chimes along the veranda. The faint notes filled the thoughtful pause that followed.

At last, Hiruzen rose, hands clasped behind his back as he paced to the wide window overlooking the village. Shadows stretched across tiled roofs; laundry lines fluttered; merchants’ awnings glowed amber in the dying light. 

“What do you believe, Iruka‑kun? Is the boy a danger?”

Iruka’s reply came without hesitation. “No, Hokage‑sama. I believe he’s protecting himself. From what, I don’t know.”

Hiruzen hummed and turned. “Then we’ll watch quietly. Children grow best without heavy hands on their shoulders.”

He returned to the desk, took a clean strip of parchment, and inked three simple words: Shiozaki Kenta – Observe. Sealing wax glimmered as he stamped it with the Sarutobi crest.

Iruka bowed. “I’ll keep my reports discreet.”

“I trust you will.” Hiruzen’s smile was thin but genuine. “And Iruka‑kun, thank you for seeing the child, and not the anomaly.”

The teacher’s chest warmed at the praise. He bowed once more, scroll retrieved, and strode to the door.

Beyond the threshold, the Hokage Tower’s corridor lay quiet. Iruka let out a slow breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.

Kenta POV

Three months of pretending to be average have taught me two things: One, camouflage is exhausting. Keeping your head below the metaphorical grass line means stooping until your spine protests and your pride files a grievance. Two, exhaustion is an excellent cover. Nobody suspects the yawning kid of harbouring secret revolutions.

So here I am at dawn, propped against a frost‑nipped training post, writing in a notebook instead of doing push‑ups like every sensible future shinobi. I’ve already done the push‑ups: two hundred, slow tempo, and chakra dampened to civilian levels. Wouldn’t gain much if you’re using jutsu juice to cheat when exercising.

The real workout is documenting what I didn’t show. For example – Leaf‑Stick Test #17: Baseline control: nine leaf‑sticks for 11s before drop. Compression loop: nine sticks, 24s. Improvement factor = 2.18×. Paranoia level: mild.

Paranoia deserves its own scale because it’s the closest thing I have to a medical diagnosis. High means I’m one hallucinated ANBU away from sprinting into the Forest of Death to live as a hermit.

Moving on, however, my fighting style will be all about maximum damage and minimum spend. The shinobi world loves flashy overdrafts that I simply can’t replicate. At least, not the way I was. Frugal murder’s gonna be a necessity of things keep going as they are. 

With that said, three months of tests, repetition, and theorising has yield interesting results.

For example, while writing in my notebook, I’m also cycling chakra through refined pathways. Efficiency sings under my skin like tuning forks. It’s not multitasking since, quite frankly, that’s a real thing unless you have Queen Administrator in your head. I just got really good at delegating the process to my subconscious. Kind of like how habits are formed.

Like always, I keep track of any sensations that stand out. Right now, my fingers are tingling, my vision sharpens, but my heart rate stays calm. After three rotations, fatigue starts to prickle behind my eyes. Good. I end the session there before idiocy overrides my prudence.

I’m still at the beginning stages of understanding this new aspect of my daily life. To truly master it, I’ll need to collect a lot more data.

During lunch, I’m sitting under a maple tree and civilian kids crowd around while show off flashcards that say Iruka’s Pop Quiz Survival Kit, free of charge. Teaching them mnemonics keeps my helpful cover shiny. It also lets me float questions I’m curious about without sounding nerdy.

“Why do you think nature affinity manifests so young in clan heirs?” I toss out while explaining the hand‑seal sequence for Bunshin.

A bespectacled girl shrugs. 

“Blood,” she says.

Exactly. Blood means genetics, which means there’s a mechanism. Mechanisms can be reverse‑engineered. Or, in the case of enemies, countered. 

I grin, pass her a card, and file the theory away.

This is just one of several ways I’ve started trying to even the playing field between clan kids and civilians. Not because I view the former with any ill will. Despite my numerous losses, I’m perfectly aware that these are still children.

No, what I’m trying to achieve is a shift in perspective. To nudge clanless students toward thinking less about competing and more about innovating. After all, quite a few figures of legend come from similarly humble backgrounds.

Cast the net wide enough and who knows? Maybe one of these munchkins could develop methods that would outshine their peers. Me, included.

Then, anything I do wouldn’t seem so out of the ordinary.

That afternoon’s Taijutsu spar saw me squaring off against Kiba again: fate’s little joke. Unlike last time, I aimed to lose believably. Tightening my footwork, I intentionally widen my stance just enough to invite his sweep. 

As expected, he takes it and I stumble. Kiba capitalizes on my ‘mistake’ and pins me on the ground. Was it too easy? Absolutely. Then again, this is usually how our bouts went, with the last one being the single (and hopefully, last) exception.

From the crowd’s reaction, my loss was meeting their expectations.

Only Hinata’s pale gaze narrows, you saw that feint, didn’t you? I offer a sheepish shrug as if to say, Yeah, I’m hopeless. 

She smiles back, unfazed.

Back at the forgotten practice clearing later that day, I test my chakra‑edge on a senbon instead of a shuriken. It’s got a smaller surface, which requires cheaper coating. The result? A penetration depth into the straw target that’s up 37% compared to the shuriken. The chakra expenditure is down 15%, as well. 

For my next trial, I applied a whisper of electricity affinity along a wire while launching a senbon storm prototype. It failed immediately. All I got were sparks before the edge got disrupted and the senbon tumbled on the ground.

The problem was easily identified. Energy costs, plain and simple. It turns out, affinities amplify chakra expenditure exponentially. As a result, I’m sticking to making pure chakra edges until my reserves have risen to acceptable levels.

Over the course of the next few weeks, I started testing whether my “maximum damage, minimum spend” thesis survives contact with reality. Not combat reality, but the quieter, nastier realm of numbers, muscle fatigue, and the ever‑grinning blond gremlin who insists we’re now training partners.

How? I called it coupon trimming. Why? Cuz I’m a cheapskate in practically every sense of the word.

Shuriken are cheap, but senbon are cheaper. If I want to make any headway in testing my theories, I’ll need smaller cutting surfaces to start with.

To that end, I smuggled a handful of tailor needles from my mother’s sewing box. 

Under the moonlight, I dripped a bead of chakra down each shaft, compressing until the energy layer thinned to invisibility. Then I flicked a needle at a water‑soaked sponge and pinned it to the fence.

Thunk. 

Half the needle disappeared and the sponge split like overripe fruit. Chakra cost per throw: less than half a senbon edge. Damage? Equal if the target has vital organs (most do). 

The Hyūga breathing routine (thank you, Hinata) isn’t about relaxation at all. Turns out, diaphragmatic pulses can recycle chakra waste. A ten‑minute session nets me roughly five percent reserve recovery. Not huge, but free energy is free energy. 

I’ve opted to practice it discreetly under the guise of napping during Iruka’s afternoon lecture.

For anyone wondering why she would teach me something that should’ve been kept in the family, the answer is simple. It’s already well-known by Konoha’s ninja community and beyond. Granted, it’s not commonly used, which is why Hinata brought it up.

Apparently, even in her clan, the routine isn’t all that popular since it takes too much effort for negligible returns. When I asked if she could teach me, Hinata seemed surprised. After a moment of gaping at me, she smiled and agreed. 

Not really sure what that was about. If I were to guess, no one has really asked for her help in anything. Must have been quite refreshing for the normally shy girl.

After class, at a riverbank close to my training grounds, it’s day two of my unofficial sessions helping a certain blond protagonist train. Naruto insists on naming every drill “Super‑Ultra‑Mega Something.” 

I humour him since I’m stuck now with the gremlin.

At some point during the last three months, I forgot that I was supposed to be keeping my distance from the knucklehead. I was so absorbed with my experiments and drowning in paranoia that he just slipped under my guard.

It took two weeks for me to remember this little tidbit and by then, I was in too deep. Distancing myself from him would be downright suspicious at this point.

Oh, and it would also make me feel like a dick. I could justify not getting closer to Naruto when our relationship was practically nonexistent. Now that it’s gone this far, the best I can do is to maintain cordiality.

That’s what brought me here with the grinning ball of energy.

I show him the breathing trick. He tries it once, complains it’s boring, and asks when we were blowing something up. I explain the coupon concept: get stronger for cheaper.

He stares blankly, then brightens. 

“Like finding extra ramen coupons under the bowl lid!”

Exactly, I say. He finally tries again. The ground quakes less than usual. Progress.

We continued until the sun had fully set, at which point, we decided to call it a day.

My night journals now feature a new section: Affinities & Bloodlines – Plausible Mechanisms.

I sketch diagrams that would make my old college physics professor weep: frequency curves annotated with “maybe chakra Higgs field???” Confusing, but I’m getting closer by the day. Understanding how clan cheats work means I could design counters that cost pennies to the dollar that won’t leave me a useless lump of meat right after.

That last part is really why I’m going through all this trouble, in the first place.

I remember enough canon details to know that big, flashy jutsu will be out of my reach for several decades. Even relatively simple ones like the Rasengan would require an absurd amount of chakra. Much more than what I currently have.

If I’m ever going to be useful in a fight within the next ten years, I have to find another way.

Tsunade’s monstrous strength, using brute medical control and an anchored seal, was considered. But it was impossible to learn without an expert coach and bigger reserves. I’d probably end up blowing an arm off or something. 

I wrote “DO NOT TOUCH” in the notebook margins with a double underline.

Going out to find the female Sannin wasn’t in the cards, either, for reasons so obvious I won’t even bother mentioning them. With that said, how was it possible that absolutely no one in this misbegotten village was able to learn her techniques before Sakura came along?

Did she never have genin students in the many years she was active? Both her teammates were able to teach kids. Why couldn’t she?

What about the other medics? Were they that incompetent? Lazy? Uninterested?

These disgruntled thoughts followed me into bed and even in my dreams, I couldn’t stop griping.

The next day, I’m once more surrounded by the eager smiles and bright eyes of fellow civilian students. I would have found the situation grating, but helping my classmates study remains my MVP cover. So, I couldn’t just tell them to buzz off.

Instead, I stage a lunchtime tutoring circle, introduce more mnemonic songs.

Kunio, a shopkeeper’s son with arithmetic terror, thanks me with dried squid strips. I trade them to Choji for intel on the best shortcuts in their clan’s public areas, ostensibly to visit their stores. In reality, I’m trying to build a good mental map of possible escape routes.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, a voice is screaming about “sleazy salesmen”, “moral bankruptcy”, and “capitalist scum” but I completely ignore it. I’m offering valuable goods and services here!

And I plan to offer more.

Case in point… My Wire Geometry 2.0.

The latest prototype uses hexagonal weave: three wires twisted into a single filament, chakra pulsed in rotating phases to shift rigidity on command. I’m in my bedroom-cum-workshop, trying not to get tangled or cut by my own creation.

It’s an integral part of the kind of style I’m envisioning based on my preferences and limitations. Unfortunately, the current ninja wires that exist in the market just aren’t suited to my needs. Hence, why I have to make my own.

Early the next morning, I conducted a field test by suspending two sewing needles and had them turn like orbiting moons around me. Compared to using generic ninja wire, the energy cost is down 12% and control is smoother, as well. The downside is the strain on my fingers. I’ll need to design finger‑ring reels, maybe scavenged from a broken yo-yo.

Yet another thing on my growing list of things to do.

At the three‑week mark of the coupon campaign, my body filed a complaint that came in the form of a persistent tremor in my left calf and chakra exhaustion headaches creeping daily. These issues forced me to take a mandatory rest day.

It’s to be expected, really.

Efficiency is addictive. The more chakra I save, the greedier I get for smaller costs and bigger returns. I could attempt to justify this as being a necessary evil for the sake of my survival, but that would be a lie.

The real reason has to do with agency. For so long, I’ve felt trapped in a Sisyphean cycle ever since I started at the academy. Always working towards a goal that seemed forever out of reach. Being reminded every day of my inadequacies without having the means to retort.

With the discovery of cultivation and everything that it’s allowed me to do over the last few months, I now have answers to my own self-doubts. It doesn’t matter that I couldn’t talk about it in public. 

The approval of anyone not my parents means jack shit to me. 

But my discovery about chakra that then led to other subsequent findings? That was a lifeline. A real, tangible sign that I can do more than survive this world. 

So, yeah. I refuse to feel bad about having something that is flooding my brain with endorphins instead of cortisol, for a change. 

After enjoying a day of rest, I decided to cash in my phase‑two coupons. Time to invest the dividends into compound techniques. Synergies where two economical tricks fuse into something opponents will mistake for high‑tier ninjutsu.

Here’s what I’ve got, so far:

1. Breath‑Battery × Wire Geometry

The Hyūga diaphragm pulses essentially recharge my reserves. The hex‑weave wire then doubles as a conduit. Individually, neither is all that impressive. But what if the pulses drip straight into the wire loop, topping the edge mid‑orbit?

After a few false starts, I finally got a stable result. The needles glow a faint blue, generating a chakra signature so low that even I strain to feel it. Doing this allowed me to extend the runtime by 25% for negligible cost. 

Unfortunately, it also caused the wire to hum like a chorus of cicadas that’s audible within two metres. It might not be Chidori loud, but it’s not exactly stealthy, either. I made a note to investigate a muffling seal.

2. Seal‑Etch Lite™

A few introductory fūinjutsu scrolls spoke of containment glyphs the size of a thumbnail. Following some careful research, I eventually managed to find a way to etch seals onto some shurikens. The seals themselves don’t really do anything other than store a minuscule amount of chakra. But that was fine with me.

The only thing I needed them to do was act as a switch that would automatically coat them in my chakra. I’m not exaggerating when I say that anyone with even a decent amount of the energy would find this roundabout approach completely useless. This might explain it isn’t all that popular among shinobi. 

Again, they prefer flashy Jutsu, remember?

Chakra-enhanced weaponry have been around for ages, as well, to say nothing of chakra-conductive metal. All I really did was make the process instantaneous and marginally more cost-efficient. 

If nothing else, the results speak for themselves: Three targets shorn in half, along with three lines almost a meter deep at the shallowest. The feeling of vindication was almost worth the frantic cover-up that followed. 

Almost.

Production is a pain in the neck, though, so I won’t have a stack of these shuriken anytime soon. They are now a scarce resource for me to guard like a dragon guards its hoard of gold.

3. Affinity Audit with Chakra Cost and Verdict

Fire is ×4. Verdict: too costly.

Wind is roughly ×1.6. Verdict: promising and affordable.

Lightning is ×2. Verdict: effective but loud, unsuitable for stealth.

Earth is ×3. Verdict: slow and counter to speed doctrine.

Water is ×2.5. Verdict: situational at best.

Multiple painstaking tests conducted carefully and under the notice of my parents were needed to gather that data. In the end, wind won. Though it completely defied my expectations. 

Getting an element‑test paper was surprisingly simple. I just asked my parents to get me some and they did, no questions asked. 

I should have found that suspicious, but at the time, my mind was elsewhere.

Specifically, my mind was trying not to explode upon discovering my nature affinity: Fire.

Wut…?

Fire? The element that cost me the most amount of chakra to use? 

…How?

Wind would have made sense. Hell, lightning would have made sense!

But, fire? Is this a joke? Did the paper malfunction? Nope, I tried it again and it turned into ash.

So, yeah. The element that costs the most for me to use would effectively be the easiest for me to learn. Even if I find a fire jutsu meant for combat, I wouldn’t be able to use it without absolutely exhausting myself. 

…

I’ll have to figure this out later because my brain is turning to mush. After hitting this wall, I turned my attention to less stressful pursuits. Like spending time with noisy, pushy, and unruly little rascals.

My god, what’s happened to me?

To be perfectly truthful, my fellow academy students aren’t actually all that annoying. Once I accepted that I’m dealing with children, they’re easy enough to handle. Just prepare a lot of shiny things to distract them with.

The civilian study circle even rebrands me “Note Sensei.” 

Not the most flattering name, but that’s exactly why I like it. “The Professor” might come with a lot of heavy connotations, but who would pay attention to little ‘ol “Note Sensei”?

I also continued my little arrangement with Choji. The chubby boy seems to believe that I’m playing a game with him and I wasn’t about to disabuse him of that notion. This paid off in an unexpected way when I noticed that my weight was down one kilo. It seems my new lifestyle has been burning calories faster than I can replace them. 

After talking to Choji about it, he opted to sell me protein bars at a friend rate. Not only does this help me save money, but it also prevents my parents from worrying unnecessarily.

During lunch, I spend time with Hinata on the academy rooftop. We mostly exchange theories covering a wide range of interests. I asked whether tenketsu can voluntarily narrow to filter chakra. The question clearly caught her off guard, but instead of answering right away, she grew pensive. 

In the end, I didn’t get a definitive response, not that I was expecting one.

My day ended with the hex wire snapping mid‑swing, slicing my knuckle as a result. Cursing to myself, I hurried to treat the wound with a first-aid kit I brought. Luckily, I was in the isolated training ground instead of at home. 

Being grounded once more was not on my bingo card today.

Once the cut had been disinfected and covered, I thought about the implications of this development. First of all, a catastrophic failure mid‑mission is just unacceptable. Second, I’m going to need a source of a stronger alloy. 

I decided to leave the question of where for some other time. Getting home in time for dinner was the priority.

Ahh, the life of a ninja-in-training really is full of excitement.

The next morning hit like a shuriken to the sinuses: grey sky, drizzle, and the knowledge that Instructor Kayo’s quarterly sensor sweep is scheduled for second period. The memo says “routine chakra wellness assessment.” 

Translation: scan the kids for strange signatures and make sure nobody’s incubating a bijū in their appendix.

I arrive early, posture slumped, clutching my stomach as though indigestion is staging a coup. Iruka raises a brow and I murmur something about questionable squid strips. Sympathy unlocked, he waves me to the back corner near the open window.

Kayo enters and begins her silent sweep. One by one she “pings” each student. A gentle pulse, a quick nod, then move on. I shifted into my breathing exercise, lowering my chakra’s surface tension. 

When my turn comes, her gaze pauses for a half‑second longer than others, causing my internal siren to start wailing. I add a small wince, placing a hand to my gut for emphasis. She makes a note on her clipboard while murmuring that it was likely a “mild flux, probable illness” and moves on. 

After she was gone, I breathed a sigh of relief but didn’t relax completely. 

I wasn’t an idiot. Had I been a regular civilian student with exactly the amount of knowledge that someone from my background would have, that little performance would have worked.

But now I knew for sure. 

They already know.

I wasn’t certain how much information they’ve already gathered or for how long I had been under surveillance. Maybe I’ve had eyes on me from the start and I just didn’t notice. 

Aside from the huge blow to my ego, this development also left me confused. Why hadn’t I been taken away yet? What’s the purpose of allowing me so much freedom despite acting so suspicious?

Did I know even less about how this world worked than I initially assumed?

Well, I’m not completely fucked, yet. I’ll have to take steps to make sure that I don’t get to that point. If not for myself, then for those I’ve grown to love in this life.

Interlude 1

Hinata POV

Life has certainly turned around for Hyūga Hinata. While she had, by no means, become a brash young lady, she was no longer the painfully shy waif she had been two years ago. These days, she walked with more poise and confidence, fully cognizant of her abilities and place in life.

And the catalyst for these changes? Why, he was currently being pestered by Uzumaki Naruto to train with him once more after class concluded. 

Shiozaki Kenta is an odd boy. Hinata has known this for nearly three years. 

Their first meeting wasn’t something that she liked to recall. It was the first time her eyes were opened to who she was and what she was capable of. The sensation of her palms impacting his body with more force than she intended to impart still echoed in her memories. 

Learning afterwards how much damage she inflicted still haunts her to this day.

When she went to apologize after he was released from the academy clinic, Hinata was fully prepared for scorn. To her surprise, Kenta merely smiled in a way that conveyed understanding.

He didn’t hate her. There was no fear in those eyes. Only acceptance.

This forgiveness somehow caused Hinata more disquiet. A disquiet that followed her all the way to the Hyūga clan compound. 

Like always, the heiress attempted to suppress her inner turmoil when she met with her father for a private dinner. However, based on Hyūga Hiashi’s probing questions, it was clear that hiding the day’s events was pointless.

Upon reaching the topic of the ill-fated sparring with Kenta, Hinata paused for several heartbeats. The hesitation caught the Hyūga patriarch’s attention and waited patiently for his daughter to speak. When she finally did, it seemed to take a considerable amount of effort on her part.

“Father, may I ask you something?”

The uncertainty in her voice caused Hiashi’s normally stern eyes to soften.

“What is it, Hinata?”

Tiny fists clenched silken cloth as the little girl grappled with a conundrum that she found difficult to put into words. 

Without meeting her father’s eyes, Hinata proceeded to relay what happened in Taijutsu class. She shared her feelings when the bout ended, when she apologized and was forgiven by Kenta, and what it all meant.

After several moments of silence, Hiasha asked, “Why does this trouble you, Hinata? Pain will always be a part of being a ninja of Konoha. Someday, you may be required to do much worse to an enemy who will have no compunctions of taking your life. I have never kept this a secret from you.”

Nodding, Hinata said, “I know, father.”

“Then what is it about your bout that disturbs you so?”

Once more, Hinata floundered in finding the right words to explain the cause of her turmoil. When she finally did, Hiashi’s eyes flashed with comprehension.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone without meaning to,” she said in a small voice. “I don’t want to lose control when I fight.”

For some inexplicable reason, this pronouncement caused her father to show a rare smile of approval. It was brief, but it was there.

“Then the solution is simple,” he said, regarding her with intensity and focus that he had seemingly long since lost. “Become strong and gain mastery over your abilities. Only then can you freely choose when to cause harm and to whom.”

Looking back, Hinata now understands that her father was simply using the occasion as a means of motivating her to train harder. Seeing an opportunity to light a fire in his recalcitrant heiress, the clan head did not even hesitate.

And it worked.

These days, Hinata was on par with her cousin, Neji in combat. However, she only ever showed her true capabilities within clan grounds. At the academy, her performance is significantly more restrained to avoid causing unnecessary injuries.

She has been especially careful when paired with Kenta. Though, Hinata suspected that he no longer required as much consideration as he once did.

By all accounts, his unprecedented performance in the match against Kiba three months ago was a matter of luck. He never managed another easy win since then, even when sparring with other civilians. 

Not for a lack of trying, though. In fact, to someone with her background and experience, the seemingly unremarkable boy was actually putting in a considerable amount of effort in downplaying his abilities. And she wasn’t the only one to notice, either.

Every time Kenta stepped into the ring, Uchiha Sasuke would watch him like a hawk. The same went for Aburame Shino. Even Nara Shikamaru would track the boy’s movements from time to time, though, he was careful to keep his observations unobtrusive.

Iruka-sensei himself was watchful, but he never said a word. So, Hinata took her cues from his silence and so did the others.

Even so, Hinata could not completely suppress her curiosity. In their first two years of studying at the academy, Shiozaki Kenta displayed no dazzling skills for combat. He excelled in academics and had incredible chakra control, but that was the limit of his outstanding qualities as a ninja-in-learning.

This was not to say that he had no other admirable traits, however. 

Helpful, diligent, patient, and supportive. Kenta was all of those and more. He never yelled. Never shouted. Answered questions respectfully and was always willing to assist his fellow civilian classmates when they asked.

He was even willing to indulge Naruto from time to time, a boy who everyone else considered a disruptive element, at best.

Despite seemingly being polar opposites in personality and disposition, the two boys have built a camaraderie seemingly out of nowhere. Not that Hinata could say any different. Her relationship with Kenta had developed in a similar vein, though, with one key difference.

Whereas the blond ball of endless energy has essentially found a playmate, she instead found a source of intellectual stimulation. Their time together was spent in endless discussions about the nature of chakra, the different applications of existing techniques, and even clan politics.

And to think it all started with a question about those endearing flash cards he shared with his fellow civilian students.

Just today, their lunch period involved a fascinating deep-dive into nature affinities. Kenta proposed that chakra capacity plays no role in determining which element a ninja is most compatible with. Instead, he believes that it merely affects how easily they can use said element.

In a rather strange turn of the discussion, the case of rare shinobi who couldn't perform Ninjutsu or Genjutsu was brought up.

Citing the two examples of a departed genin named Might Duy and a student one year ahead of us, Rock Lee, Kenta hypothesized that theirs was a matter of genetic defects. An absence of certain biological markers that caused chakra insensitivity or instability.

Hinata was captivated by his passionate analysis of the subject that few ever talk about. In the end, they both only finished half their packed lunch before the bell rang. Upon realizing this, Kenta was apologetic while wearing a rueful smile that she had grown quite familiar with.

Now, here she was. Watching as one of the few friends she had walked alongside a figure whom the whole of Konoha seemed hellbent on turning into a pariah. The wind carrying their laughter and chatter warmed her heart.

If Kenta could change her path for the better, perhaps he can do the same for another.

Iruka POV

The academy was silent save for the faint creak of timber settling in the rafters. Umino Iruka sat alone in classroom 2‑B, hair tousled in a way only long days could cause with a single paper lantern throwing soft amber over rows of empty desks. Before him lay the thick brown ledger he reserved for students who were marked for closer observation. Tonight every margin, every hastily pencilled reminder, led back to one name: Shiozaki Kenta.

An ordinary name for an ordinary boy. Or, at least, that’s how he started.

Shiozaki arrived small, round‑faced, and hair trimmed so straight Iruka guessed his mother owned a carpenter’s square. His first test scores were solid, his taijutsu was clumsy, and his demeanour was polite to the point of fading into background chatter. Nothing about him seemed ninja material. 

Iruka’s staff notes from that term read like a recipe for the logistics corps, not the battlefield: solid academics, middling combat, no behavioural flags. This was proven pretty much from the get-go with his first Taijutsu class.

The memory still scraped raw, owing mostly to how jarring it was. 

In the practise ring, autumn was settling in and the chill air was frosting the students’ breaths. Hinata bowed shyly, Kenta bounced on nervous feet, and Iruka expected a gentle demonstration. Three heartbeats later Hinata’s palm kissed five of his tenketsu in a blur that drew gasps of alarm from the young spectators. Kenta hit the ground with a crunch that carried to the far benches.

Seven microfractures, the med‑nin said. Far too much for a first‑day spar. Kenta wobbled but smiled, insisting he was fine. The kid was putting on a brave face, he’d thought at the time. Iruka filed the incident under monitor and quietly promised himself to watch the boy.

Just like that, two years slipped by. Kenta’s written scores climbed while his taijutsu inched. He ran laps after class, offered to reorganise supply cupboards, and even tutored other civilian kids in kunai aerodynamics. He never complained or drew attention. Iruka admired the grit and pencilled a note about recommending him for clerk work.

Unfortunately, it seemed Shiozaki had other plans.

That day started like any other. Kenta did seem pale, but his condition improved as the day progressed. Then came the match where he was paired with the clan heir Inuzuka Kiba. Many believed that it was a foregone conclusion. To his shame, Iruka felt the same.

At the whistle Kiba lunged in his usual reckless manner. In response, Kenta pivoted, dropped, and hurled him in a textbook shoulder‑throw. 

The move wasn’t anything earthshaking. It was about as simple as a technique could get. Yet, it still reduced the field to a deafening silence.

Iruka saw the way Kenta’s eyes widened. His body frozen mid‑follow‑through. When Iruka asked if he was alright, the boy whispered, “I don’t wanna die, sensei.” 

Not punished, die. A fear too sharp for playground politics.

A timely disruption prevented Iruka from addressing the ominous statement then and there. By the time order was restored, he’d missed his chance. Shiozaki had clammed up and the chunin knew that it would have been pointless to push.

By the end of that week, Iruka was pulling sparring logs and colour‑coding them on staff corkboards after hours. Kenta never won like that again. But he never again took a beating, either. His victory ratio settled at a forgettable forty‑three percent. A perfect camouflage, or so the student seemed to believe. 

Iruka enlisted a sensor to scan the boy, who then reported no major anomalies. His chakra capacity was still roughly the same as recorded by previous scans. It felt cleaner, supposedly, but that could be due to any number of things.

Even so, if Kenta really was hiding his strength, it had nothing to do with raw reserves.

Following protocols, all of his observations were recorded and handed over to the Hokage. Nothing of what he said in his report was a lie. At least, not directly. But he couldn’t exactly tell his superior about a gut feeling that even he doesn’t completely understand.

It would be like raising an alarm about an oncoming storm even though there wasn’t a cloud in the sky.

So, Iruka chose to be silent. There was no need to cause a fuss that could put a target on his student’s back. The Hokage had already designated Shiozaki as worth observing from afar, anyway. If anything is found, only then would they act.

When class started again, though, the scarred teacher had another reason to take note of Kenta.

Palm‑sized flash‑cards started spreading through the civilian rows. Students then started quoting concepts a year ahead of when they were typically taught: efficiency, minimisation, and chakra budget. When asked about them, Kenta flushed and muttered that they were “just a hobby.” 

A hobby that let low‑chakra children punch above their weight.

Iruka blinked at that. Then blinked again. If the kid was trying to hide his capabilities, he was doing an embarrassingly bad job of it.

This was how the next three months went. The official transcripts list Kenta as comfortably average. Iruka’s private records tell a different story. At this point, there was no denying that there was something special about the boy. The question is why? 

Fear of clan politics? Of predators who devour talent? Or something darker lodged in childhood memories that Iruka couldn’t even imagine?

He ties the ledger shut and slips it into his satchel. Tomorrow he will ask Shiozaki Kenta to stay after class. It was time he gave a teacher’s quiet promise that masks are safer to remove when someone stands guard.

Besides, the numerous half-baked, not to mention failed, attempts at evading attention were becoming quite painful to watch.

Outside, katydids hum beneath the distant clack of patrol sandals. The lantern flames gutter and shadows creep back. And Umino Iruka, steward of far too many futures, hopes one frightened boy chooses to trade silence for trust before the memorial stones claim another name.

Sarutobi Hiruzen – A Glimpse of the Future

Dawn’s first light crept over the Hokage Tower, pooling in thin gold ribbons across the office floorboards. Sarutobi Hiruzen stood by the broad eastern window, pipe cradled between careful fingers, the tobacco inside long since forgotten. At his age one learned to savour stillness the way younger men chased action; to him, these quiet, watchful mornings were the lungs through which Konoha itself seemed to breathe.

Outside, roofs glimmered with dew and promise. The village he had shepherded for decades looked…not new, precisely, but tilting toward newness: training fields doubled in size and bristling with fresh wooden targets, chakra‑lit street‑lamps that bathe more of the village streets in light, and a modest research wing, all pale stone and glass, blooming beside the hospital like an unexpected flower.

All of it, every incremental shift in skyline and heartbeat, traced back to that ‘discovery’ two years prior. 

He let his gaze wander higher, to the ring of mountains crowned by the sculpted faces of leaders past. If those stern stone visages had voices, what would they say of the gamble he had made? He imagined Hashirama’s booming laugh, Tobirama’s flinty silence, Minato’s gentle optimism, and felt, briefly, like a young academy teacher again, bracing beneath the weight of legends.

The memory drifted unbidden: shadowed council chambers, candles guttering in half‑empty sconces, and clan heads arguing until stylised courtesy peeled away to reveal raw nerves. Trust built slowly and progress advanced at a crawl. 

Mission casualty charts now trended downward in neat if stubborn increments. One of the most obvious boons that came with the leap of faith, no doubt.

As for Hiruzen himself? Being one of the first recipients of such wondrous knowledge certainly brought mountains of benefits. Not least of which is his recovered vitality.

There were less visible fruits, too. A prosthetics workshop tucked behind the research annex had fitted three chūnin last winter with jointed iron limbs that moved almost as smoothly as living muscle.

Hiruzen’s shoulders ached of immaterial burdens as he turned from the window. Age, yes, but also the unseen weight of shepherding such change. Tradition was an iron kettle that required careful handling, lest it leads to catastrophic cracks and warps.

The Will of Fire, he reminded himself, was not the kindling or the flame, but the space where the two met. Change must burn bright enough to illuminate, but never so hot as to consume.

A discreet triple rap sounded at the door, heralding arrivals that he had long since noticed through enhanced senses. Very few things escaped the Hokage’s grasp, these days. 

Hiruzen straightened, tugged the brim of his hat into place, and called for entry.

Two masked ANBU glided in first. Wolf and Rabbit, both freshly promoted if the stiffness of their posture was any indication. Between them strode Team Seven, newly returned from what mission dispatch simply labelled “C‑Rank (escalated).”

Kakashi Hatake led the quartet, both eyes uncovered, with the implanted Sharingan now fully under his control. His habitual slouch had straightened into something approaching parade rest. Even his hair looked marginally tamer, as though the gravity of recent days pulled more than just his shoulders upright.

At Kakashi’s left walked Uchiha Sasuke. The boy’s expression remained guarded, but the brittle edge Hiruzen remembered had tempered into something steelier, more deliberate. A fleeting glance toward his teammates spoke of cautious camaraderie, hard‑won and still tender. Most noticeable of all were his clan’s famed eyes. The red orbs framed by three tomoe putting paid to any doubts of his extreme potential.

Beside him all but bounced Uzumaki Naruto, orange jacket frayed at the cuffs, whiskered cheeks smudged with dust, chakra signature dense enough to prickle Hiruzen’s senses from across the room. Yet even Naruto’s exuberance carried a new weight, like a festival lantern reinforced with iron ribs.

Last came Haruno Sakura, stride balanced on the balls of her feet, a medic kit strapped tight against her hip, and pink hair cut short at her neck. Ink smudges stained two fingertips. She offered a brief, respectful bow that still managed to radiate quiet pride.

Hiruzen felt a small swell behind his sternum: part relief, part wonder. They were stronger, yes, but also older in the eyes, as though a single mission had peeled away illusions the academy never could. 

Children step through one doorway, he thought, and soldiers walk out the other side. 

The transformation always hurt to witness, yet he took solace in seeing that none of the four had lost the spark that made them uniquely dangerous to Konoha’s enemies, and invaluable to its future.

He eased into his chair, tamped fresh tobacco without lighting it, and folded weathered hands atop the desk. A smile, muted by decades of diplomacy, tugged at his mouth.

“Welcome home,” he began, voice carrying the rasp of too many battlefield commands and late‑night policy debates. “Kakashi, give me your report on what happened in Wave Country.”

The pipe’s bowl gleamed under morning light; the window behind him framed a village poised between past and tomorrow. As Kakashi opened his mouth to speak, Hiruzen felt certain only of this: whatever came next, be it triumph, tragedy, or some mingling of both, Konoha would face it head on.

Chapter 4

There’s a strange kind of relief in realising that everything you worked so hard to prevent could never have been contained from the start. Not much relief, just a sliver. But I’ll take what I can get. And really, if I had to get confirmation of my worst fears, it was almost a comfort that it came from a relatively kind source.

Still sucked, though.

I already knew Iruka had his suspicions. After the Kiba incident, trying to hide anything from him, or any of the teachers, really, was a fool’s errand. But finding out that all my careful efforts to downplay my abilities only made me more noticeable?

That hurt. Not gonna lie.

Looking back, I have to wonder if I suffered a head injury at some point. Did I really expect Iruka, a loyal Konoha chunin, not to report anything suspicious to the Hokage? God, I’m a dumbass.

So here I am again, sitting on the roof of my house, watching the lights of Konoha blink out one by one like dying fireflies. Wondering if ANBU were already en route to haul me off for a friendly chat at T&I.

Iruka insisted that wouldn’t happen when he came by after I had dinner with my parents. Some part of me believed him. He was a good man who genuinely cared for his students. Honest, too, for a ninja.

He didn’t waste time with preamble when he confronted me, either. Just had me stay behind after class, looked me dead in the eye and asked, “Why do you keep holding yourself back when sparring?”

I wasn’t surprised by the question. Only that he finally said it out loud, after pretending that everything was fine for so long. I’d gotten complacent during those three quiet months. Fooled myself into thinking I had time to come up with a plan. But the walls had been closing in from the start. I just hadn’t noticed.

His next question, though. That one short-circuited my brain.

“What are you afraid of, Kenta?”

So… he knew that, too.

I’d hoped, naively, that I’d at least managed to keep that part hidden. But I guess my defenses were made of wet paper the entire time. Still, instinct made me try one last time.

“Why do you think I’m afraid, sensei?”

Iruka’s expression turned into a mix of fondness and exasperation.

“Because fear is the only thing that explains why someone like you would go out of their way to hide what they can do.”

His voice was gentle, but every word hit like a hammer and he wasn’t done.

“You’ve done everything short of sabotaging your own education to camouflage your true abilities. Not many chunin know as much about chakra theory as you seem to. And instead of capitalizing on it, you chose to uplift your fellow civilians. Yet, you take every opportunity to downplay your contributions or deflect attention when given praise.”

Iruka’s voice never carried a hint of accusation while he spoke, but I felt like a cornered rabbit anyway.

“I’m not the only one who’s noticed, either,” he continued with a wry smile. “The other teachers caught on after the flash cards. Even some of your classmates can see your deliberate underperformance. That’s partly why I’ve decided to talk to you now. You’re doing yourself and everyone else a disservice by refusing to truly participate.”

And that’s when I knew the jig was up, and I realised how badly I’d misjudged everything. I never gave a convincing reason for sandbagging, and the people I thought I was fooling? They were already in the know. 

“Does…does the Hokage know?” I couldn’t help but ask.

Iruka pursed his lips and frowned before saying, “I brought your case to his attention a week after your first victory against Kiba.”

So, the village has known since the start. Just one revelation followed another in rapid fire.

I underestimated them. All of them. These weren’t background characters in a story anymore. They were real people. What did I actually know about them?

Had all those years of fear and paranoia narrowed my vision so much that I couldn’t see anything else? How much had I missed while obsessively trying to survive?

I didn’t even notice I was shaking until Iruka placed a hand on my shoulder. When I looked up, I saw real concern in his eyes. Not suspicion or judgment.

Sincerity.

And I felt shame.

Iruka was one of the few people in the original material you could honestly call kind. Even in fanfiction, he’s almost always portrayed as a decent, compassionate man. And yet, I treated him like a threat. Like he was some all-seeing, all-knowing Eye of Sauron I needed to avoid at all costs.

And still…

“I’m sorry, sensei. But I’m not ready to talk about it. Not yet.”

Iruka frowned, confused more than annoyed. “What do you mean?”

“I mean I can’t talk about it here.” I met his gaze, willing him to understand what I couldn’t say out loud.

It didn’t take long. His eyes widened just slightly, the pieces clicking into place.

“What do you need?”

“A place where no eyes or ears can reach from the outside.”

There weren’t many places in the village that fit that description. He knew it. So did I.

Iruka gave a solemn nod. “I’ll make the arrangements. Tomorrow, if possible.”

As it turns out, it was possible. My stomach twisted at the thought.

There was no master plan here. I’d been deluding myself. I’d never had a chance of keeping my secrets hidden – not from people trained to uncover them. I had no real experience, because we hadn’t been taught those things, yet.

I wasn’t a spy.

Just a scared kid trying to pretend he had control over a game where the rulebook was written in gibberish.

Some of my secrets had already slipped through my fingers. Others would follow.

But despite how bleak everything looked, I still had one option left. One last chance to flip the board before I was crushed beneath it.

I couldn’t play it safe anymore.

If I wanted to survive with my mind, my freedom, and maybe even my life intact, then I’d have to go all in.

Take the risk.

Refuge in audacity.

----

As Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen was used to unusual developments.

War councils that ran until dawn, summons from the daimyo at absurd hours, reports of blood‑red moons or collapsing summoning contracts, the job shaped a man into expecting his next cup of tea to be interrupted by one crisis or another. Yet even with a lifetime of such seasoning, the old shinobi felt a prick of genuine curiosity when Iruka walked into his office well before sunrise with a white‑knuckled boy glued to his side.

Hiruzen registered details the way a hawk marks movement in the tall grass: the faint tremor in Kenta’s fingertips, the sheen of sweat that dulled the boy’s hairline despite the morning chill, the deliberate slowness with which he drew breath, as though each inhale was measured for poisons. The child’s brown eyes, too large for his still‑soft face, flicked everywhere at once before pinning themselves to a neutral spot on the carpet.

That’s a hunted gaze, the Hokage thought.

Even so, beneath the fear lay a tensile thread of resolve, pulled taut rather than frayed. A delicate, dangerous balance. A single misstep, from Kenta or from himself, could turn fear into flight, or worse, into a cornered strike.

“Lord Hokage,” Iruka said, bowing deeply. 

He steadied his hand on Kenta’s shoulder but did not push him. The boy would have to step forward of his own accord.

“Yes, yes. Please, both of you, come in.” 

Hiruzen’s voice was warmth folded over steel. A generation of students had heard comfort there and a generation of enemies had heard their doom. He gestured to the two chairs set opposite his desk.

Kenta hesitated one heartbeat, then crossed the floor like a man walking a bridge made of paper. He perched on the chair’s edge, spine straight and stiff.

Recalling all of the recorded observations regarding the boy, he was expecting nerves and deference. Perhaps a sullen surprise at how his efforts at obfuscation ultimately proved ineffective.

He hadn’t anticipated a pre-adolescent seemingly bracing for war.

Formal greetings dispensed, Hiruzen offered tea. Kenta’s fingers shook as he accepted the cup, but he did not spill a drop. Another point in his favor. He felt fear, yet maintained control. Very interesting.

With the tea served, Hiruzen leaned back into his chair and brought his full attention on his early morning visitors.

“Well, you wanted this meeting. Is there something you wish to discuss?”

“Lord Hokage,” Kenta began, voice raw, “before I say anything of substance, I need your assurance that this conversation will remain unobserved by anyone.”

“Even by my ANBU?” the Hokage asked, though he already anticipated the answer.

Kenta swallowed. “Especially by your ANBU, sir. And by your senior advisors.” A pause. “I–I realise this is an… impertinent demand.”

Iruka’s brow furrowed, but he held his tongue.

Inside, the Hokage weighed the possibilities. He could refuse, assert authority, and watch the boy fracture. He could grant the request, gamble on what secrets a terrified child had thought worth such precautions. The Will of Fire whispered that power used without trust was ash waiting to scatter.

Very slowly, Hiruzen set down his pipe. 

“You have the benefit of my patience, Kenta,” he said. “And my curiosity. What method of assurance do you require?”

“Something,” the boy said, “that seals sight and sound both. Permanently woven, not merely temporary, at least for as long as we speak. If such a thing is possible.”

“It is,” Hiruzen replied. 

The Hokage’s palm met the inlaid kanji panel on his desk; scarlet script blossomed across walls and floor like petals chasing the sun. A soft chime reverberated, then silence. Thick, weighty, a hush that swallowed the world beyond the wooden door.

Kenta’s shoulders sagged, though only slightly. He had gambled and won the first coin of trust.

The boy clasped his hands in his lap, a child’s gesture at odds with the steel of his resolve. Hiruzen’s heart, battle‑scarred as it was, twinged.

“I… appreciate this, Lord Hokage,” Kenta said. “Truly. I’ve spent months afraid that I’d be dragged from my bed in the night. Thrown in a dark cell. A-abducted.” The word came out a whisper, thick with unspent tears. “I don’t want that.”

Iruka flinched. Hiruzen watched the teacher’s hand twitch in helpless sympathy.

“And why,” the Hokage asked gently, “would anyone wish to… abduct you?”

“Because I discovered something,” Kenta replied. “Something dangerous. Not a weapon, exactly, but a means that I’m almost certain hasn’t been found, yet. If the wrong hands shape it, the Elemental Nations might drown in blood. In the right hands, we might lift ourselves into an era our grandparents never dared hope for.”

“Bold words,” Hiruzen said. “But you will forgive an old man if he remains cautious.”

Kenta nodded once. “That’s why I came. I’m willing to prove my worth. To give you and only you a chance to evaluate the results firsthand. But first, I must know my conditions are acceptable.”

“State them,” Hiruzen said.

Kenta inhaled, gathering courage like a diver filling lungs before the plunge.

“First, everything I share remains between us. If you must record, do so in your own hand and keep it under your seal alone.”

A flicker of professional alarm crossed Iruka’s face. Hiruzen schooled his into placid neutrality. 

“Go on.”

“Second, only I decide who learns from me. I will choose each student personally, and I retain the right to refuse anyone.” Kenta’s fingers whitened around the tea cup. “I-I understand how audacious that sounds.”

“It sounds like you value caution,” Hiruzen said. “Continue.”

“Third, you must test the results yourself. Through observation or, if you wish, direct participation. You alone judge whether what I have has any value.”

Hiruzen let the words settle. Three requests, all about control and trust. None about profit or position. A good sign or a clever ruse. He looked into Kenta’s eyes and saw not the calculation of the overly ambitious. They were filled, instead, with dread suppressed by an iron will.

“Very well,” the Hokage said at last. “These terms are severe. But perhaps severity is warranted. I will consider them, but only after I understand the stakes.”

Kenta set his cup aside. Both hands now free, he placed them palms down on his knees. When he spoke, it was of a most unexpected subject.

“The Uchiha massacre happened in one night,” he began softly. “Every single member dead. Man, woman, and child. Shinobi and civilian both.” His voice quivered but did not break. “Yet there were no alarms triggered in neighbouring districts. Public records indicated no large‑scale explosion tags detonated, and there were no evacuations, either.”

Hiruzen’s lungs constricted. Scenes he would rather consign to fire returned: blood pooling in pristine corridors, the sickly sweet scent of decay under midnight frost.

“A clan that had as many active shinobi as the Uchiha could not have been attacked without someone setting off a racket loud enough to shake the village awake,” Kenta continued. “I know what ninja can do, Lord Hokage. Such a battle would have spilled into the rest of Konoha if it happened organically,” the boy’s eyes narrowed, as if recalling a memory. “Except this wasn’t the case. The Uchiha was Konoha’s police force, as well. Yet, every single one was eliminated without raising a fuss. Then the scene was locked down tighter than a vault.” He looked up, eyes wet yet steady. “That level of suppression requires more than one man with a blade, Lord Hokage.”

There was no accusation in Kenta’s tone. He merely stated a fact. A researcher’s findings. Still, guilt pricked him like a senbon thrown from the shadows.

“Your point?” Hiruzen asked, voice gentle.

“My point is this: If a secret that large can be hushed inside Konoha, anything can. Including me.” His throat bobbed. “And people do terrible things to pry open promises they don’t understand.”

Kenta pressed on. “Consider Uzumaki Naruto,” he said. Iruka sucked in a breath, but Kenta plunged forward. “His burden is classified. Yet villagers glare at him wherever he goes and children are warned away as if the boy carries a plague.”

Iruka’s voice cracked. “Kenta–”

“It’s the truth,” the boy said, voice harsh with pain. “As far as I have been able to find out, there was no announcement about his status, not from you or anyone else. Yet, somehow, everyone knows.” He turned to Hiruzen. “My attempts at secrecy were paper-thin, but Naruto’s circumstances might as well be protected by smoke and wishes. If even a highly‑classified secret like that bleeds out, what hope do I have if word spreads about me before safeguards are put in place?”

The Hokage bowed his head for a moment. 

“None of this should have reached your ears,” he murmured.

Kenta laughed, a brittle sound. “Yet it did. And if I noticed, others will. Others with zero compunctions about dragging a knife through my throat.”

Silence swelled, thick and cloying. Hiruzen felt the weight of decades pressing between his shoulder blades. Here sat a trembling boy, bright enough to map holes in official history, brave enough, or desperate enough, to demand terms from the seat of power.

The Will of Fire was the stubborn conviction that the future could be shepherded, not shackled. But to entrust a dangerous discovery to a nine‑year‑old? That was a wager even the most reckless daimyo might balk at.

Still…the old man recalled the first time he saw Minato bring the Rasengan into being, blue glow lighting up a field. He has already seen what someone of Kenta’s potential can do if given the chance.

Even so, he had to ask. Had to be sure. A gamble like this required a prize worth staking the safety of the village.

“You offer no specifics on this discovery?”

Kenta’s clenched jaws and furrowed brows betrayed intense concentration. Not out of frustration, it would seem. Rather, as a byproduct of a mind going over options, choosing and discarding as it went.

Finally huffing a breath of resignation, the deceptively unremarkable boy then proceeded to drop an exploding tag of massive proportions.

“It can potentially revive the First Hokage’s Mokuton.”

Hiruzen felt his eyes widen and his mouth drop by a fraction before he could stop himself. An extraordinary lapse in control for an old soldier and politician like him.

This meeting’s surprises seemed endless. 

Iruka was not faring any better. He gaped at the boy in open astonishment. Whatever they discussed that necessitated this meeting, this topic was apparently not brought up.

“That is an astonishing claim,” the Hokage said after collecting himself. “One that needs elaboration.”

Closing his eyes, Kenta took his time to respond, undoubtedly out of a desire to avoid causing any misunderstandings.

“What I’ve uncovered appears to challenge the very foundations of chakra theory as we currently understand it. I’ve combed through countless scrolls, academic texts, history books, anything I could get my hands on, and I’m confident this knowledge hasn’t been documented before. Somehow, despite how fundamental it is, it’s gone unnoticed or unrecognised until now. Based on the tests I’ve run so far, this phenomenon has the potential to affect every known aspect of chakra: jutsu formulation, physical enhancements, kekkei genkai, elemental affinities, even the way chakra interacts with the body and the environment. This could redefine everything.”

This time, the silence stretched on for nearly a full minute, heavy, thoughtful, and tense. By all rights, such claims should have sounded completely absurd, the sort of grandstanding nonsense expected from a child with an overactive imagination. And yet, Hiruzen couldn’t bring himself to dismiss them so easily. 

He thought back to the development that had sparked this entire situation, in the first place: Kenta’s sudden and suspicious spike in combat proficiency, which the boy had consistently downplayed, and now revealed to have been done out of fear.

Was this groundbreaking discovery the source of that leap in ability? Had he been concealing this the entire time, not out of arrogance, but self-preservation? If so, then how much of what Kenta had just said was truly exaggerated? And more troubling still, how much of it wasn’t?

Hiruzen found himself sighing while contemplating the implications of this conundrum. 

“And how would this ‘potentially’ revive the the bloodline abilities of Lord Hashirama?” he finally asked, stressing the keyword that both parties mutually agreed on.

“By essentially making chakra more potent,” was the immediate answer.

Taking a moment to weigh the implications, the Hokage found himself unable to dismiss the boy’s claim outright. As far as established doctrine went, many traits related to chakra were believed to be innate and fixed from birth. A shinobi could be born with greater chakra reserves, or develop them gradually through rigorous training, experience, and age. But chakra potency?

Hiruzen sifted through decades of accumulated knowledge in his mind, an internal library of scrolls, field reports, and academic papers. He carefully avoided reacting to the memory of Orochimaru’s contributions among them, knowing better than to let old wounds cloud his judgment. 

And yet, despite all that accumulated knowledge, he could not recall a single study, no matter how fringe, that definitively explored or proved the idea of altering chakra’s intrinsic potency.

There had always been speculation, of course. Theories on chakra density, behaviour under stress, interactions with nature energy, and obscure clan-specific manifestations. But they were all just that: speculative frameworks, lacking empirical validation.

And now, here sat a boy, not even a teenager, calmly asserting that he’d discovered what generations of researchers, war veterans, and prodigies had failed to see. A child claiming ownership of an answer that had evaded even those who had dedicated their entire lives to understanding chakra. 

That alone was enough to give Hiruzen pause.

“How did you come across this discovery?” Hiruzen asked at last, altering his approach in the hopes of drawing out more detail from this most unexpected source.

“By complete accident,” Kenta replied, utterly unbothered by the shift in questioning.

The Hokage raised an eyebrow at the casual answer, scepticism clearly etched across his features. In response, Kenta sighed and continued, as if anticipating the doubt.

“I was trying to increase my chakra reserves. You’ve seen my academy records. There should be a note in there about how pitifully low they were.”

That much was true. The records confirmed his statement. Still, Hiruzen found himself paying less attention to the numbers and more to the faint tremor of frustration creeping into the boy’s voice. There was a rawness there, something deeply personal. 

Kenta’s circumstances, while unfortunate, were far from unique. 

Many children from civilian backgrounds entered the academy with subpar chakra reserves. In contrast, those born into clans with long, distinguished bloodlines often enjoyed a natural head start. Larger reserves, stronger elemental affinities, even hereditary techniques. It was an unfairness baked into the very structure of their society.

In rebelling against his own limitations, Kenta mirrored the quiet desperation of countless others who had come before him, but few had ever voiced it so directly.

“Nothing I tried worked,” he muttered bitterly. “Not enough to actually make a difference.”

At that point, Iruka spoke up, tone gentle but firm. “Kenta, chakra capacity naturally increases as you age. You only needed time. Your body would have caught up eventually. There was no need to push yourself so hard.”

Kenta snapped. 

“You weren’t the one getting your ass handed to you every fucking day by kids who won the damn genetic lottery!”

The outburst shattered the calm he had maintained throughout the conversation. His voice rose with each word, no longer tempered by restraint. 

“You saw what I did to Kiba, didn’t you? I’ve always had it in me to do that. To all of them! But I couldn’t. Not because I didn’t train hard enough, not because I was lazy, but because I didn’t win the birthright draw! That’s the only reason they were able to humiliate me. Day after day. Year after year.”

His hands were clenched into fists now, his breath coming fast and uneven. 

“Do you have any idea what that feels like? Watching kids who barely put in the effort pull ahead of you anyway? Always faster. Always stronger. Not because they earned it, but because they were born with it!”

His voice cracked, but he pushed through, teeth grit in barely restrained anger. 

“Even Shikamaru, fucking Shikamaru, could run circles around me, and that’s only if he could be bothered to show up and take it seriously. So yeah, maybe I didn’t want to wait around hoping puberty would magically fix everything. Maybe I wanted to level the playing field now.”

By the time the final words left him, Kenta was breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling with the weight of years of buried resentment finally finding a voice. His composure, so carefully constructed until now, had cracked wide open. And in that moment, Hiruzen understood. 

This was about the kind of pain that came from being told, implicitly and systemically, that no matter how hard you tried, you would always be lesser.

Unfortunately, this was neither the time nor the place to address this sensitive issue.

“So, you only stumbled upon this discovery after exhausting all other viable options?” Hiruzen asked, gently guiding the conversation back on track.

Kenta took a steadying breath, visibly working to rein in his earlier outburst. He gave a single, terse nod.

“Yes,” he said quietly. “It just… occurred to me. And since nothing else had worked, I figured I had nothing to lose. So I went for it.”

Iruka looked visibly alarmed. His eyes widened with disbelief as he leaned forward, tone rising. 

“Kenta, that was reckless! You can’t go around experimenting with untested methods! Not at your age, and especially not when it involves your chakra system! Do you have any idea what could’ve happened?”

“I know!” Kenta shot back, frustration bubbling again. “I know it was stupid. But I was out of options, and it worked! What else was I supposed to do?”

Iruka didn’t budge. “It was still dangerous!”

Kenta’s voice sharpened. “Then tell me what I should have done!”

“Come to me! Come to us! You have teachers, mentors, people who care about your progress. You could’ve asked for help. That’s why we’re here!”

The conversation teetered on the edge of another explosion, emotions flaring too hot, too fast. Before it could unravel any further, Hiruzen raised his voice.

“That’s enough. Both of you.”

The words struck like a stone into a pond, stilling the rising waves. Iruka backed off immediately, jaw tight with concern. Kenta’s shoulders sagged, the fight draining from him as he lowered his gaze.

Hiruzen let the silence settle, then turned his attention fully to Kenta, his expression unreadable but his voice layered with the undeniable authority of his station.

“What’s done is done. There’s no sense arguing over a choice already made. But let me be perfectly clear.” His tone sharpened slightly as he fixed the boy with a steady, uncompromising stare. “You are never to conduct a high-risk experiment like that on your own again. Is that understood?”

Kenta swallowed hard and nodded quickly, the earlier fire in his voice gone, replaced by a sobering awareness of the gravity in the Hokage’s words.

Satisfied, Hiruzen leaned back, his fingers steepled as he returned to silent consideration. He mentally catalogued everything that had been said in the last hour. 

Kenta had not only made an unprecedented discovery, but had done so under the pressure of social disparity and personal inadequacy. The methodology may have been reckless, but the results couldn’t be ignored.

What the boy was proposing, what he had already achieved, could very well alter the village’s understanding of chakra manipulation. The benefits, if real, were staggering. But the risks? Equally so.

It was a gamble. One that demanded a leap of trust.

And yet… the potential payoff was too valuable to dismiss.

He drew one long breath, as if filling lungs with wisdom plucked from ghosts.

“I accept your three conditions,” he said.

Iruka snapped his gaze to the Hokage, shock plain. Kenta froze, disbelief flickering on his young features.

“With a few conditions of my own,” Hiruzen continued. “First, I will keep your secret, but I alone decide if future circumstances force disclosure for the village’s survival. Second, you will choose whom to teach, but I require at least one initial student so I may observe.” He looked to Iruka. “A man you already trust.”

Iruka’s eyes widened. “Me?”

“You,” Hiruzen confirmed. “You who saw potential rather than a threat. And finally, you wish me to judge results personally? I accept. But I will also assign a medical team of my choosing to monitor side effects, and we will take appropriate steps to ensure absolute secrecy.”

Kenta sat very still. Tears trembled at his lashes, not fallen. Hope perched on the rim of his survival instinct like an uncertain bird.

“Do you find these terms satisfactory?” Hiruzen asked.

Kenta nodded, once, twice, then again, faster. He scrubbed his eyes. “Yes. Yes, Lord Hokage.”

“Then we have an agreement.”

Hiruzen folded his hands. 

“You will also, effective immediately, cease underperforming in taijutsu. The academy records will adjust gradually. No sudden leaps startling curious watchers. But you will learn to fight honestly, lest your own discovery outrun your body.”

The boy’s lips twitched. “That’s fair.”

Iruka exhaled so hard his shoulders sagged. Relief diffused through the air like bitter herbs steeping into sweetness.

“And now,” Hiruzen said, “we seal this pact with action. Tomorrow evening you will demonstrate this… new path, shall we say, in a controlled session. Iruka will be present as student and myself as an observer. Agreed?”

“Agreed.”

The old man rose. Age creaked through his knees, but the spark in his gaze belied creak or ache. He dispelled the privacy seal. Sounds seeped in, paper shuffling in the outer offices and distant laughter of early patrol shift changes.

Hiruzen came around the desk, placed a gentle hand upon Kenta’s trembling shoulder. The boy did not flinch, though a shiver raced through him.

“You are not alone in this,” the Hokage said softly. “Konoha protects her own. Let us prove that to each other.”

Kenta’s reply was a whisper. “I will hold you to that, sir.”

Long after Iruka guided Kenta from the office, Hiruzen remained standing at the window, pipe unlit, fingers tapping against the stem. Sunrise had fully broken. Roofs flashed molten gold.

Was this wisdom or weakness, giving a child such autonomy?

Dan–

His mind skipped away from the name. The shadow that always lurked at the edge of policy would not hear of this. Not yet. Perhaps never, if Hiruzen could help it.

He exhaled a humourless chuckle. “Hashirama,” he muttered to the carved faces on the mountain, “you always did trust children to change the world.”

And tomorrow, Hiruzen would watch his gamble begin.

----

I didn’t sleep that night. Not because of nightmares, though I’ve had those often enough, but because my thoughts wouldn’t stop running. Even after walking out of the Hokage’s office alive, I couldn’t settle.

The Hokage had agreed. More than that, he’d listened. And somehow, I had walked away with everything I asked for. That should’ve felt like a victory. But all I could feel was the pit still sitting in my stomach, cold and heavy.

Just yesterday, it felt like everything was falling apart. I got a stay of execution, but there’s no telling how long that would last.

I have no illusion about the permanence of the granted reprieve. Right now, I was standing on the edge of a cliff. One of my own making, no less.

Going to the Hokage was a case of choosing the best of a bad lot. Any other option would have left me vulnerable to any of the numerous dangers that exist in this world. So, regardless of my initial plans of keeping the only advantage I had over potential enemies, that path is forever closed to me.

This grim reality setting in is the cause of my current onset of insomnia. Questions, doubts, and fears just keep swirling inside my head. Chief among them is undoubtedly my biggest gamble.

Bringing back the Mokuton? Anyone else making that claim would have either been laughed out of the Hokage tower or locked in a jail cell.

That’s why I took the approach that I did. Revealing some of what I knew about the Uchiha massacre and Naruto’s furry problem, while couched in more believable terms, was a huge risk. A risk that could have easily backfired, but one I needed to take.

Not only did it provide a plausible (and very real) reason for my fear, but it also forced the Hokage to take me more seriously. 

Can I actually deliver? Funnily enough, I actually think I can. And it was all thanks to my relentless pursuit of meticulous record-keeping. 

See, after a mind-numbing series of tests, I discovered that my ease of using elemental jutsu isn’t all that common. My initial misunderstanding was due to a lack of context that would have been available to me by either learning under a Jonin or becoming a chunin.

Also, I saw five-year-old Uchihas flinging fireballs in the anime snippets that I sporadically saw while doomscrolling. So, excuse me if that skewed my perspective.

The point is, if I hadn’t discovered cultivation, it would’ve taken me years of training to use any element outside my primary affinity, thanks to both my civilian origins and my initially limited chakra reserves. While my low capacity is still a major hurdle, cultivation has given me enough control and density to perform elemental jutsu with a fair degree of proficiency.

So what does this have to do with Mokuton? It all comes down to math:

(Chakra Density + Chakra Capacity + Chakra Control via Cultivation) × (Suiton Affinity + Doton Affinity) = Mokuton Potential

Or

(D + C + Ctrl) × (W + E) = M

Where:

D = Chakra Density

C = Chakra Capacity

Ctrl = Chakra Control (boosted by Cultivation)

W = Water affinity

E = Earth affinity

M = Mokuton (Wood Release) output or potential

Now, does this guarantee that practicing cultivation can actually lead to someone using Mokuton? Absolutely not. However, I’m banking on the possibility that it might not matter in a few years.

After all, whoever I end up teaching has a lot to gain. Exponential chakra efficiency that’s only limited by effort and time? Elemental jutsu training reduced to weeks or months instead of decades? Not to mention the chakra enhancement that’s essentially a watered-down version of Senju Tsunade’s signature achievement.

If used correctly, applications stemming from my version of cultivation could be limitless in number.

But there’s the rub.

What if I was wrong?

What if this thing I found, this method that saved me, cracked someone else open from the inside out?

What if it isn’t actually as valuable as I hope it would be?

What then?

I lay on my bed and stared up at the ceiling. The room was quiet. Too quiet. No footsteps outside. No dripping faucet. Just the sound of my breath and the faint buzz of chakra threading through my system like an old friend refusing to leave my company.

I got up, turned on my desk lamp and sat down at my work station. From a hidden compartment recessed inside the wall, I retrieved a notebook that held everything. Everything real, at least. Not my classwork or copied ninjutsu scrolls, but the true work. 

What did I actually know about cultivation?

From my old world’s fictional stories, it was always dramatic: inner worlds, golden cores, enlightenment under waterfalls, lots of nonsense about ginseng this or pills that. But I had no fancy realms inside me, no spiritual beast whispering cosmic truths. All I had was chakra and an idea. Cycle it, compress it, then push it back through my network, tighter and more refined than before. Rinse and repeat.

That’s all I had done. Over and over.

What I lacked in insight, I made up for in obsession.

I flipped back a few pages to where I had tracked my own progress. Based not on assumptions or theory, but on what I could test, measure, and repeat:

Self-Cycle Metrics (Month 3)

Baseline chakra recovery: increased by approximately 12%. Measured through repeated chakra depletion drills followed by rest intervals; recovery time between sessions has shortened, allowing for quicker repetition of basic exercises.

Control: minimal change (already high before cultivation); practiced surface walking using only toes, then fingers, gradually reducing contact area to test control. Still maintaining precision and adhesion.

Fatigue threshold: expanded by about 20%; recorded through controlled workouts: 100 pushups, 100 sit-ups, kata drills, and three sets of bodyweight circuits. Measured time to full exhaustion and compared week-over-week.

Internal cycling speed: now able to complete a full-body cycle in under 40 seconds, down from nearly 90 seconds during early trials.

Compression tolerance: currently maintaining 13 layered compressions. Early compressions took around five hours total. Now, new layers require up to twenty hours, broken up over several sessions as chakra volume expands.

One thing was clear, it didn’t work like in the stories. I wasn’t gaining higher understanding or following a Dao…

…Could I follow a Dao here? Is it possible? As far as I understood it, a Dao was a path that chi practitioners dedicated their lives to. Unfortunately, the concept had become so diluted in the numerous iteration of the xianxia genre that it’s true significance had always escaped me. I certainly wasn’t going to learn about it here.

Future project, maybe?

But, I’m veering way off course, now. Where was I?

Ah, right.

What I was doing felt more like folding layers, over and over again. Every time my chakra reserves expanded, I compressed them again. Folded them tighter. Smoothed the edges. Pressed everything inward until it felt denser, more responsive. Getting to this point, though, was taking progressively more time than before.

The more my chakra capacity grew, the longer it took to actually compress the energy into another layer. It was like the reverse of a lobster’s molting issue where the more they do it, the harder it gets. Eventually, it becomes impossible to molt, at all.

And that made me wonder: what happens when someone with massive reserves tries this? Would they feel resistance sooner? Would the sheer scale of their chakra make compression more difficult or even impossible?

I didn’t know. But I’d find out, eventually.

I turned to a new page and titled it: Teaching Considerations.

What could I safely pass on? What did I really understand? Not much. But I knew what I’d done. I could teach that.

Breathing synchronisation with chakra flow.

Focus on internal mapping: where chakra moved, where it caught.

Compression cue: tighten without clogging.

Timing: don’t rush the pulse.

I tapped my pencil against the page.

Iruka didn’t need to understand everything. He just needed to try it.

I scribbled out a training schedule. Light first session, maybe two to three hours. I’ll have to keep low expectations. What else?

Record any sensation and emotional reaction through every stage of the lesson. You never know what could be relevant down the line. The Hokage would be present, so I couldn’t afford panic or overreach on the subject’s part.

Not that I thought Iruka would panic.

He was calm, measured, steady in a way I could never be. And he cared, really cared. That alone made him dangerous in the best possible way.

Still, part of me wished I was teaching a stranger. It would be easier, less terrifying, to risk someone I didn’t know.

But this was the path I’ve chosen and I’ll have to live with it.

----

The training room was quiet, cloaked in the same kind of silence that fell over a battlefield moments before combat. Not tense, exactly, just still. Waiting. The air smelled faintly of polished wood and old ink, like the library after a storm. It was larger than Iruka expected, tucked deep beneath the Hokage Tower in a reinforced sublevel that hadn’t been used in years. 

At least, not for anything official.

There were seals etched into the walls, faintly glowing with chakra suppression and sound insulation. Enough to contain a disaster, or at least muffle one. In the far corner stood the Third Hokage himself, arms folded within his robes, his gaze calm and unreadable.

Iruka swallowed as he stepped forward into the centre of the room, Kenta at his side.

The boy looked different today. Not physically, but in the way he carried himself. Focused. Steady. Whatever nervousness he’d shown outside the Hokage’s office was gone, buried under layers of discipline and a kind of weary determination that didn’t belong on someone so young.

Kenta exhaled slowly, then turned to face him. “You ready, Sensei?”

Iruka nodded. “I trust you.”

That earned a faint smile. “Alright. Sit cross-legged with your hands over your knees and palms up.”

Iruka followed the instructions without hesitation. The floor was cool under him. He folded his legs, settled his breathing, and waited.

Kenta knelt opposite him in a similar position, a notebook and pencil in hand. 

“I’m going to walk you through the start. Don’t force anything. If you feel something’s wrong, you stop. Immediately.”

“Understood.”

“Good. First, breathe. Deep through the nose. Slow through the mouth. We’re not meditating, exactly, but you need to focus inward. Not on thoughts. On movement. On sensation. It might be better if you closed your eyes for this too.”

Iruka obeyed. The breaths came slowly. Deliberately. He let his awareness settle into his chest, then his stomach, then further, into the faint current of chakra that pulsed beneath it all.

“Feel your chakra,” Kenta said softly. “Let it move the way it wants to. Don’t push it yet.”

Iruka reached. It wasn’t hard. He was a trained shinobi, after all. 

“Now start cycling it. Gently. Don’t force the pace. Just loop it through your system, up your spine, across your shoulders, down your arms, into your hands. Then reverse.”

He followed. It was like tracing a kata through his own body. The path was familiar, but slower. More deliberate.

“Have you started?” Kenta asked.

The question confused Iruka for a moment until he remembered that the boy wasn’t a sensor-nin. He wouldn’t be able to actually track Iruka’s progress.

“Yes.”

“Excellent. Please provide descriptions of what you’re feeling as we go along. I’m hoping we can use the data to improve future lessons.”

The teacher-turned-student nodded.

“Good,” Kenta murmured. “Now, start compressing your chakra without stopping the cycle.”

Iruka frowned, but didn’t open his eyes. “How?”

“Think of your chakra like water flowing through a series of pipes,” Kenta instructed, voice calm but firm. “Now imagine pressing in on that water from all directions with nothing but your will. You’re guiding the flow, squeezing it evenly as it moves. Keep cycling it while you do. Don’t let the motion stop, even as you compress.”

He visualised it. Drew his chakra inward as it cycled. Held it a little tighter at each pass. Less spread, more tension.

The sensation shifted and he felt an almost gentle pressure. Like trying to squeeze water.

Iruka dutifully described as much.

“There,” Kenta said quietly. “That’s the start.”

Minutes passed. Then an hour.

Iruka kept breathing, kept cycling and compressing, and it was exhausting. Not physically, though. The whole thing simply required a degree of single-minded focus he rarely bothered with, a fine-tuned mental grip that left his head buzzing. Sweat beaded at his temples. His back ached from holding the posture.

Kenta didn’t speak unless needed. When he did, it was only to nudge: “Hold it longer,” or “Let it loosen a bit,” or “Try another pass before you exhale.”

Another hour passed.

By the third hour, Iruka began to feel it. Something changed.

It was small, small enough that it would have escaped his notice if he wasn’t fully focusing inward. If he wasn’t told what to look for. His chakra felt different.

Denser.

He exhaled slowly and opened his eyes.

Kenta was watching him closely. “Well?”

Iruka hesitated, then nodded. “Something shifted. Not much. But it’s there.”

Kenta let out a breath of relief. “That’s good. That’s very good.”

Lord Hiruzen stepped forward at last. His presence had been quiet, almost ghostly.

“Remarkable,” he said softly. “To see such results with no foreign chakra techniques, bloodline considerations, or complex seal matrices involved. I have never in my life seen such a thing.”

Kenta nodded. “That’s all I had.”

The Hokage looked between them. “How long have you been doing this?”

Kenta shrugged. “For a little over three months now, going on four. The process didn’t really change all that much. I just made adjustments as needed.”

Iruka shook out his arms. His muscles were sore from stillness. “How did you know what adjustments to make?”

“Mostly going with what felt right. I started measuring and recording my progress right at the beginning too, so I wasn’t completely groping in the dark.”

Lord Hiruzen stroked his beard. “It flies in the face of everything our Academy teaches about chakra use. Yet here it is.”

Kenta said nothing.

Iruka glanced at him, then added, “This might change everything.”

The Hokage didn’t answer right away. He studied Kenta again, closely this time.

Then he said, quietly, “I wonder how we missed it. All these years. Our scholars, the many brilliant minds that Konoha has produced since its founding. I find it hard to believe that none of them had even conceived of such a thing.”

Kenta frowned. “Maybe they were looking in the wrong direction? From what I’ve been able to gather, ninja tend to focus on the flashier aspects of chakra. Bigger jutsu, more dangerous weapons, faster ways to kill the enemy. This isn’t that. This is just work. Slow and ugly and boring.”

Lord Hokage chuckled. “As most worthwhile things are.”

Iruka stood fully. “What now?”

“Now?” Konoha’s leader raised a bemused eyebrow before turning to the youngest in the room. “That would depend on what our resident expert plans to do next.”

“I want to keep going,” Kenta said without preamble. “With more trials but slowly. Iruka-sensei first, for a few more sessions. Then, we’ll see.”

Hiruzen nodded. “I’ll give you the room when you need it. But no written records. Nothing that can be stolen or copied.”

“Agreed.”

“And if I wish to participate in the next session?”

Kenta blinked. “You’d really try it?”

“I’ve lived long enough to know that learning never stops. And if you’re right…”

He let the sentence hang.

Kenta gave a small nod. “I’ll guide you. If you want.”

Hiruzen offered a warm smile. “Good. Then we proceed. Carefully.”

Iruka looked down at his hands. The chakra felt different in them. He couldn’t explain it, but it responded faster. Truer.

Not much right now.

But it was the seed from which would sprout something of earth-shaking proportions.

----

Hiruzen Sarutobi remained behind after Kenta and Iruka had left. The quiet returned, blanketing the training chamber in that same stillness it had before the session began.

He took a slow walk around the perimeter, fingers trailing lightly across the old sealwork etched into the stone. Chakra suppression, sound insulation, physical reinforcement, and all the little things needed for delicate workings that required absolute privacy. The design hadn’t changed since the war. Back then, this room had hosted interrogation sessions and dangerous jutsu trials. Now, it held the memory of something far more dangerous:

Hope.

Hiruzen exhaled smoke from his pipe and stood still at the center.

He’d seen powerful things before. Jutsu that levelled forests, sealing techniques that froze demons mid-roar. But there was something insidious about this. Something that worked not by force, but by accumulation.

Discipline. Repetition. A grain of rice at a time, until it outweighed a mountain.

That was the true danger of Kenta’s discovery: accessibility. It required only time and the right mindset.

He tapped ash into a long-cold brazier and thought back.

Why hadn’t any of the sages discovered this? Or the monks at Fire Temple? Or the archives of Uzushio before they fell? Even among the most devoted ascetics, chakra was used as a tool, not reshaped as a living discipline.

The likeliest answer, in the end, was the simplest.

Because no one had thought to treat chakra as a resource to cultivate. At least, not in the same way that Kenta does. They enhanced it with quantity and quality, in mind. Directed it for this end or that. But to compress and cycle it for hours upon hours, perhaps even days, weeks, or years? 

Only Kenta.

A boy who has been living in fear of discovery for the past few months. 

He’d seen it in Kenta’s eyes today. That flickering terror, held in check, but ultimately weaponised. The boy carried too much awareness for someone so young. He was playing a game with stakes he didn’t trust anyone else to understand.

And yet he had chosen to share it. Out of seeing no other options, perhaps, but the fact remains.

That alone warranted attention.

“Three months,” Hiruzen muttered, “to surpass his peers. Many of them heirs from Konoha’s most prestigious clans.”

What would a year look like?

Two?

He tapped his fingers against the head of his pipe. Tomorrow, he would test it himself, just as Kenta described.

He wanted to know. To feel it.

Because if this worked, if it scaled, then the shinobi world was about to change. Not through conquest or peace treaties as had been done before, and which often proved fragile. No, it will be a quiet, unseen progress that will wash away the earth from beneath the world’s foundations.

And the only person who truly understood its pace was still a student.

He left the chamber then, with slow, deliberate steps.

Outside, the village lights twinkled like stars scattered at his feet.

-----

Walking back home after my first time teaching cultivation to someone else, my mind was buzzing. By every reasonable metric, it was a resounding success. It proved to the Hokage and Iruka that I wasn’t blowing hot air. More importantly, the session yielded some fantastic data.

The most valuable, at least, to me, was the confirmation of a theory that I really hoped would pan out. Anyone with more chakra than civilians would have a harder time cultivating. Oh sure, the payout would be enormous if they achieve a breakthrough. 

But this would depend entirely on their patience, discipline, and dedication.

I’ve been able to compress my chakra thirteen times in the span of three months. And that was by cultivating for several hours in the morning after I wake up and in the evening before I go to sleep. 

Each layer made using chakra for anything easier and I’m nowhere near my limit.

When I resigned myself to the possibility of sharing my secrets, I was worried that I’d be losing my one advantage over everyone else. Today’s session confirms that this wasn’t the case, at all. Iruka will likely continue cultivating once he got the hang of it. The Hokage, likewise. But neither of them is going to get as much out of it as I would.

After all, they have responsibilities that will take up their time. Neither would be able to allocate the number of hours required to successfully form layers with their chakra for a while.

Maybe I’m wrong about that, just like how I’ve been wrong about a lot of things. But I don’t think so. This time, I’m using hard data to form this conclusion, not assumptions. The Hokage cultivating faster than me would be like the sun revolving around the earth. He simply has too much chakra.

At least, that’s my theory. Tomorrow, I would learn more.

And so what if I have to teach other kids to do what I do? How many will actually have what it takes to get anywhere with cultivation? Iruka spent three hours just to feel a slight shift in his chakra and I was observing him the whole time.

He didn’t find it easy, at all. His chakra capacity isn’t even that large.

There’s also the fact that I’ll be choosing who will be recieving these lessons in the future. Me, no one else. Right at the top of the criteria for receiving this privilege would be a certain degree of loyalty towards yours truly. I’ll make damn sure of that.

Now, all I have to worry about is Danzo and his band of killer sociopaths. Having the Hokage’s attention puts me closer to the war hawk’s sphere of influence, but it also shields me from secret abductions.

Of course, he could always leak my existence to Orochimaru or the other hidden villages. But there’s only so much I can prepare for without driving myself insane. Right now, I have no choice but to trust in Hiruzen’s discretion.

With that said, I think it’s time to enact some of the plans I’ve had to delay due to my need for anonymity. Once I’m done, I’ll be one of the most dangerous motherfuckers in the Elemental Nations.

For the first time since finding myself in this world, I’m actually excited for the future.

Omake - Sasuke (Kind of?)

Uchiha Sasuke doesn’t usually contemplate. Not in the way civilians waste their time overanalyzing friendships, feelings, or the meaning of life. No, he’s got three goals: get stronger, restore the clan, and absolutely obliterate his bastard of a brother. That’s it. Simple. Efficient. Clean.

So naturally, he’s furious that some walking civilian migraine named Shiozaki Kenta has taken up permanent residence in his brain like a squatters' rights parasite.

Used to be, the guy was just background noise. One more bookworm loser destined to be cannon fodder. Nerdy. Weak. Probably cried during group exercises. Then—somehow—he kicked the Inuzuka mutt’s ass. And no, not the actual dog, the boy. Sasuke watched Kiba flail through the air like a freshly punted sack of rice and had to admit—even he didn’t see it coming. And he always sees it coming. That’s kind of his whole thing.

Then the freak went full ninja Houdini and started pretending to suck again.

Didn’t win another match. Didn’t so much as land a hit. Just shuffled around like a wet leaf in the wind and took beatings with the grace of a concussed turtle. But Sasuke saw it. The half-second hesitations. The kicks that “missed” by a conveniently narrow margin. The subtle missteps that even a blind Hyūga could tell were fake.

And it pissed him off.

Watching it was like getting stabbed in the pride. With a spoon. Slowly. Over three months.

Worst part? The dumbass thinks he’s being subtle. Like he’s fooling anyone. Like Sasuke—Sasuke—of all people, wouldn’t notice a power-suppressing civilian troll right under his nose. It’s excruciating. It’s maddening. It’s like watching someone try to hide a bonfire behind a wet paper fan.

Then came today.

Taijutsu class. Sasuke wasn’t even paying attention, because he had better things to do (like mentally sparring with Itachi for the fifty-third time this morning). And then suddenly—bam—Kenta’s squaring off against the Akimichi clan’s junior linebacker and decides to start actually trying again.

Not completely. He’s still sandbagging. Sasuke could see it in the way he pulled a punch, or slipped slightly just before impact. But it wasn’t the usual level of pretending-to-suck. It was more like… pretending-to-almost-suck. A performance upgrade. New patch notes, or something.

Sasuke glanced over at Iruka-sensei, expecting a baffled face. Instead, the chuunin looked about as surprised as someone watching a dog take a shit where it always does. That narrowed Sasuke’s eyes.

Something was going on.

Something fishy.

And he was going to figure out what.

Right after—

“You’re going down, teme!”

—Right after dealing with this orange-suited loudmouth—

“Don’t you dare ignore me, bastard!”

—and his ongoing mission to cause public embarrassment wherever he goes.

Too late. The class was looking now. Sasuke exhaled through his nose and wondered, not for the first time, if anyone would really miss Naruto if he just “accidentally” vanished into a training ground crater.

Fuck my life.

Interlude 2

Sasuke POV

Uchiha Sasuke was not usually prone to idle thought.

Focus was everything to him. Every breath was counted, every movement measured, and every drop of effort was controlled. All in preparation to achieve a single, all-consuming objective: kill Uchiha Itachi. 

The murderer. The betrayer. His brother. 

That singular source of clarity was what kept him grounded amidst the noise of the village, the mediocrity of his classmates, and the suffocating banality of daily training sessions.

He did not tolerate distractions.

Which made the fact that his eyes were once again drifting toward Shiozaki Kenta all the more aggravating for the perpetually stoic boy.

For the first two years of the academy, Sasuke wouldn’t have been able to recall the civilian’s name to save his life. He was forgettable and quiet. Bookish, but not in the smug Hyūga way. He was just… there. Shiozaki was competent in theory, besting even him in many aspects of academics, but average in Taijutsu. He never stood out in a way that’s relevant to being a ninja. Until the day he did.

The matchup had been skewed from the start and everyone knew it. Inuzuka might have been a brawler who relied too much on instinct and toothy aggression, but previous matches featuring these two had always ended the same way. 

Shiozaki gets overwhelmed no matter how perfect his form or how well he understood the technicalities of fighting.

And to be fair to the civilian-born student, he actually does know what he’s doing. He simply didn’t have the speed or power to support this knowledge. But then Kiba hit the ground after being on the receiving end of a perfectly executed shoulder throw.

There was no complicated technique involved. It was simple as a technique could get.

But it didn’t change the result that left Akamaru howling and Iruka-sensei blinking in confusion. Sasuke had frozen in his seat, taken completely off guard before scowling fiercely. He didn’t like surprises. He especially didn’t like being surprised by people he’d mentally filed under non-threat.

As if that wasn’t enough of a shock, the boy then nearly bisected a target with a shuriken the day after. Something even he couldn’t do despite training for years. That his clan was famed for their expertise in thrown weapons only worsened the aggravation.

Since then, Konoha’s last remaining loyal Uchiha had taken to observing Shiozaki just a little bit closer. Unfortunately, this new resolution also turned out to be a major source of annoyance over the past three months. 

Ever since showing up the mutt that one time, his deceptively ordinary classmate seemingly doubled-down on perpetuating this deception.

He slipped during drills that Sasuke had witnessed him performing flawlessly since their first year. He missed targets that he could have hit blindfolded. Worst of all, Shiozaki had apparently decided that it was a fantastic idea to take a dive every time he faced off against him and the other clan heirs. 

Just about the only partners that he would still put in any effort against were Naruto and the other civilians, but in the reverse.

In those cases, downplaying his skills was coming across as Shiozaki trying to teach his opponents. And it was working! The civilians were actually improving in practically every aspect of the academy. It wasn’t a huge jump in ability, but it was still happening.

None of the teachers were commenting on it. His peers from the other clans kept quiet too and Sasuke knew for a fact that some of them had already noticed. The Hyūga girl was even spending a lot of time talking to the current target of his ire on a regular basis.

The one time he overheard their discussions, it involved chakra networks, math, and… groceries? Comprehensible if taken in the right context, but it was oddly expressed, to say the least.

In the end, though, Sasuke concluded that Shiozaki was putting on an act. And not a very good one. 

His eyes constantly tracked movements for threats while smaller, subtler details went ignored. The tension in his stance signalled a constant readiness to either fight or flee, but from what? Or whom?

Then there was the controlled breathing that belonged to someone deliberately suppressing their full capabilities. When facing off against someone, his breath would hitch, but not to counter or deflect. It was to brace.

It wasn’t just his body that betrayed the duplicity, either, but also the timing of his ‘mistakes’. The mechanical stiffness in his missteps was always accompanied by telegraphed actions a fraction of a second too early or too late. Always. Always.

This bears repeating because anyone with even a modicum of the common sense that the Kami gave shinobi would know that patterns give away intent. Shiozaki might as well have marked his forehead with “I’m lying to you” and gotten it over with.

After months of observing him, Sasuke was close to simply branding his classmate as an idiot savant. Then today’s match against Akimichi Chōji happened and the dark-haired boy was forced to re-evaluate his target, once more.

It was infuriating!

Again, it was during Taijutsu class. Again, Shiozaki was paired against another clan kid. Again, he expected the civilian to lose on purpose. 

But when Iruka-sensei called for the match to start, the change was unmistakable, forcing Sasuke and the other students to sit up straighter. Moving faster than ever before, Shiozaki intercepted Akimichi’s strikes with fluid grace. He was focusing on evasion, for the most part, but no one missed the sudden boost in fighting capabilities.

Naturally, Akimichi was caught by surprise, but was able to adapt quickly enough. Or so it seemed. Sasuke wasn’t fooled, though. 

Shiozaki intentionally gave his opponent time to adjust. 

From an outsider’s perspective, this choice would have come off as strange, but not to the Uchiha. It was clear to him that even now, the bastard was still holding back. Oh, he was putting up an admirable performance of seemingly struggling to keep up with Akimichi, but it was there for anyone with eyes to see.

Glancing to the side, Sasuke confirmed his hypothesis with the looks of concentration on the other clan kids. Casting his eyes on their teacher, though, Sasuke was confused at the absence of surprise. As if this development was expected.

In the end, the fight concluded in a draw, with both combatants huffing in exhaustion. Akimichi’s spent condition was genuine. Shiozaki’s was not. What’s more surprising was the look of satisfaction on his face.

He didn’t win, but victory didn’t seem to be his goal for this spar. 

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and turned his gaze toward Iruka, once more. The chuunin looked completely unbothered. There was no twitch of the brow or a searching glance at the anomaly for an explanation. If anything, he looked... amused.

They know. That was Sasuke’s first thought. 

Iruka, for sure, perhaps the other teachers too. How far does this deception go? 

Is the whole Academy involved? 

The council? 

The Hokage?!

That wouldn’t make sense! Regardless of any talents or rare abilities that Shiozaki may posses, there’s no point in investing so much time and effort to keep it a secret. He was training to be a ninja of Konoha, after all. What would be the point of hiding his true potential to the extent of practically stunting his growth?

Surely the Hokage wouldn’t put up with such self-destructive behavior? 

Even ignoring all of the disturbing implications, it still left the question of what was going on. Shiozaki could have ended his spar against Akimichi with ease. Sasuke was certain of it.

How did he get this strong? How much stronger has he gotten? How did it happen so quickly? Why did he decide to reveal some of his capabilities now?

These thoughts were swirling in the Uchiha’s head while scrutinizing the civilian when the subject of his attention turned to meet his gaze. It was only for a fraction of a second. Barely enough time to get anything useful out of the encounter for anyone else. 

Not for Uchiha Sasuke, though.

He saw a raised eyebrow, a slightly upraised corner of the lips, and the mirth behind brown eyes.

All of it combined produced a single question.

Interested?

Annoyed, though he was. Aggravated, irritated, and pissed off, though he was. Konoha’s last loyal Uchiha couldn’t deny the truth, even to himself.

He was interested. He was very interested.

Naruto POV

One day before the Kenta/Choji Taijutsu spar

Uzumaki Naruto hasn’t had the best go at life, so far, and today was no different. Stomping his way through the dirt path behind the Academy, he ruminates on the unfair scolding he was just subjected to. Granted, he did paint a smiley face on the Hokage Monument, but come on!

It was hilarious!

Unfortunately, no one laughed along with him. No one ever laughed along with him. They just glared and told him off or pretended they didn’t see him at all. Same old story.

It wasn’t fair. People only knew him for his pranks. For being loud. For getting chased by ninja all over the village so he can get yelled at. But, how else was he supposed to get anyone to notice him?

He kicked a rock down the path and watched it bounce off a training post.

“Iruka-sensei’s the only one who even tries to understand me,” Naruto muttered. “And Old Man Hokage. That’s it.”

He sighed dramatically and threw himself into the grass beside the post, arms behind his head. “Everyone else either ignores me or acts like I’ve got snot on my face or something.”

But lately… lately it wasn’t just Iruka and the Hokage.

There was Kenta, too.

Naruto squinted up at the clouds and thought about the weird kid with the serious face and is always really good in class.

Kenta didn’t laugh at Naruto’s jokes, but he didn’t groan or roll his eyes either. He didn’t yell when Naruto got too loud or fidgety. He didn’t push Naruto away when he sat beside him at lunch.

He listened.

And when Naruto asked stuff, like why his Transformation Jutsu kept ending with him having a pig tail or a missing nose, Kenta explained it. Not like Iruka-sensei, with rules and diagrams and a pointer stick that he could never understand. He went slow when Naruto asked, never once complaining when he didn’t get the lesson right away. 

Kenta would even use examples that made sense. Like when the broth was too salty or when the ramen noodle was overcooked. 

There were those breathing things Kenta talked about too. What were those, again? Right. “Focus exercises,” he called them. 

Naruto thought they were boring at first: sitting still and breathing a certain way, feeling the air move through his belly and his chest, counting to four and back down again.

But he tried it.

Kenta had said, “Try this before practice. Just five minutes.”

It didn’t take that long. Just two minutes longer than waiting for instant ramen. So Naruto listened.

And weirdly… it helped.

His jutsu didn’t fizzle out as much. His chakra didn’t feel like it was sloshing around like a broken water balloon. His Henge had gotten better. Still not perfect, but better.

And Kenta noticed. He said “Good job” and Naruto knew he meant it.

Hardly anyone had ever said that to him. No one his age, anyway. Iruka-sensei and the Old Man would often praise him when he did something right, but it wasn’t the same. 

The blond then sat up, rubbing the back of his head. 

“Kenta’s my friend,” he said aloud. “And not just because he lets me sit with him at lunch.”

Yeah, that felt right.

There was something different about Kenta, though. Naruto couldn’t say what. Not like he was cooler or stronger or anything like that. Just… different.

He didn’t act like a kid, not all the time. He wasn’t stuck-up or anything, just kind of... twitchy. Like he was always watching, thinking. Naruto didn’t get it, but he felt it, like an itch in his brain.

It’s been months since he started getting these weird vibes, but he never brought it up. What if Kenta got mad? What if he stops talking to him?

Naruto didn’t know what to do. So, he did what he always does when he needed answers.

The door to the Hokage Tower banged open with the force of a small stampede.

“I’m here, Old Man!” Naruto shouted. “I got a question!”

One of the ANBU stationed by the wall twitched. The other didn’t even flinch.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up from a scroll as Naruto burst into the room like a thrown kunai.

“Good morning, Naruto,” the Hokage said with a patient smile. “What can I do for you?”

Naruto didn’t stop moving until he stood right in front of the desk, hands planted on his hips.

“It’s about Kenta.”

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. “Who?”

“Kenta! He’s my new friend.”

“Ah, I see. What about him?”

“Well, he’s weird,” Naruto said. “Not in a bad way! Just, he’s different. He helps me. He’s nice. And smart. But not in a boring way. And he knows all these things about chakra and breathing and stuff, and he never makes fun of me.”

The Hokage leaned forward, steepling his fingers. “That’s good to hear. Kenta sounds like… quite an interesting student.”

“Yeah, and like, we train sometimes. Not for real fights or anything, just when he’s not busy. And he always explains stuff. And he doesn’t get annoyed when I mess up. Not even once!”

Hiruzen nodded. “It sounds like you’ve made a good friend.”

Naruto grinned wide. “Yeah! I mean, I guess. I dunno. It’s not like we hang out all the time, but he lets me tag along sometimes. And he doesn’t chase me off when I do.”

There was a pause. Naruto scratched his cheek.

“But there’s still something weird about him,” he added. “I can’t figure it out. He’s not like the other kids. He’s quiet, but not shy. And sometimes he says stuff that sounds way too grown-up. Like when he told me that ‘rushing strength without foundation is like building a tower on sand.’ What does that even mean?!”

The Hokage chuckled, eyes twinkling.

“Perhaps you should ask him,” Hiruzen said.

Naruto blinked. “Huh?”

“If Kenta seems different, and it bothers you, or just makes you curious, then the best way to understand him is to talk to him. Ask him what he means. Ask him why he says the things he says.”

Naruto tilted his head. “You think he’ll tell me?”

“You said he’s your friend, didn’t you?”

“…Yeah.”

“Then I think he will.”

The boy nodded, slowly at first, then with growing enthusiasm. “Alright! I’ll ask him next time. I’m gonna figure out what makes him so weird!”

Hiruzen smiled, soft and proud. “I’m glad you’ve made a friend, Naruto.”

Naruto beamed. “Me too!”

They chatted for a little while longer about nothing. Naruto asked if he could plant flowers on the Hokage Monument (“Only if you promise not to paint them again”), and the Hokage asked if he was eating enough (“Cup ramen doesn’t count as all four food groups”).

By the time Naruto left, the old man was still smiling.

For all the weight he carried, seeing Naruto with even one more person in his corner made it feel just a little lighter. The fact that it was Shiozaki Kenta only makes this development all the more interesting… and potentially dangerous.

Danzo POV

Shimura Danzo’s office was not a place designed for comfort. It was a bunker, a nerve center of shadows and secrets. And thus, it was brutally utilitarian, reflecting its occupant’s uncompromising pragmatism. 

The air was stale and the quiet had weight. Carefully designed to exude a suffocating pressure that unsettled even seasoned Root operatives who were trained to kill all emotions. The walls were thick stone reinforced with sealwork comparable only to the Hokage Tower in ensuring absolute privacy. 

No scrolls lined the walls in an attempt to project a scholarly bent. No trophies nor honours hung in display as points of pride or accomplishments. This room was not meant for admiration. 

It was meant for silence, for scrutiny, and for ensuring unreserved obedience.

Konoha’s shadow stood with his back straight, one arm tucked inside his robe as always. The other gripped a thin folder between weathered fingers. Age had not dulled him. If anything, it had refined him. Pared him down to the bear minimum of what he needed to fulfill his function and discarded everything else. 

Where others grew soft with time, Danzo had calcified. His gaze was sharper and patience thinner.

Before him, a Root operative knelt in perfect stillness, forehead almost brushing the floor. Waiting like a naked blade, ready to be used at a moment’s notice.

Danzo broke the silence with a question so soft it might have been mistaken for thought. 

“This is all?”

“Yes, Danzo-sama.”

He did not sigh. Shimura Danzo did not waste breath on sighs. Instead, he flicked the folder open, his single uncovered eye scanning the topmost page.

What greeted him was insultingly vague.

Dates, times, participants, and such were there, on the page. But there was nothing of substance. The information was delivered in dull monotone. All nuances removed and not a hint of indirect disclosure could be found.

Such sterile documentation was unnatural and necessary for only one purpose. To deny him intelligence.

The meeting had occurred three days ago, in the early hours of dawn. Hiruzen had activated a privacy seal of the highest calibre. One that not even he could breach. It prevented sound, vision, chakra, and spatial distortion techniques from penetrating. 

In the end, Root gained nothing but dead silence and interference.

An excessive degree of precaution for his old friend.

Danzo’s gaze lingered on a line of redacted text. Even the ink smudges looked deliberate.

“Old fool,” he murmured. “Still capable of covering his tracks.”

He closed the folder and reached for another. This one was thicker and older, but all too ordinary. On it was a civilian registry stamp and a black tag: SHIOZAKI, KENTA.

Shiozaki Kenta, age nine. Born to Masaru and Kaname. Civilian parents with no military service and no political affiliations. Their shop sold ink, parchment, dry goods, and a variety of general supplies. Maintains respectable reputations within the communty. 

But ultimately irrelevant for Danzo’s needs.

Kenta’s Academy performance was neat, clean, and almost entirely unremarkable. Above average in chakra control, but below average in taijutsu. Demonstrated clear grasp of theoretical principles but consistently failed to perform during public demonstrations for his first two years. Multiple instructors noted his reserved yet helpful nature.

And then there were the flags.

Three instructors had independently written variations of the same phrase in their weekly reports: Deliberately holding back.

Danzo’s eye narrowed.

Why would a civilian child hold back? 

He continued reading, following a section that nudged something in the back of his mind.

Recent months showed erratic, though statistically significant, improvements in stamina and coordination. 

It was not enough to raise alarms, but it was enough to draw attention, if one knew where to look.

The next page was a surveillance summary. Not one conducted by Root, but records from Konoha’s regular patrols, instead.

Shiozaki was frequently seen training alone in an unused corner of one of the smaller shinobi fields. Nothing groundbreaking, at first glance. Merely physical drills and meditation for hours at a time.

It shows commendable commitment, if nothing else. Yet, Danzo sensed that there was more. An instinct that was only reinforced when the same isolated field showed signs of significant disturbance. Unfortunately, the cause was never directly observed. 

An oversight that twinged Danzo’s irritation. 

Flipping another page, it showed Shiozaki’s known companions: Hyuga Hinata and Uzumaki Naruto.

Danzo tapped a knuckle on the page, producing a sound like slow, patient drumbeats.

The Hyuga heiress and the Nine-Tails’ vessel. How do these two pieces fit this puzzle?

He turned to the operative still kneeling like a statue. “Any direct observation?”

The reply came without hesitation. “No, Danzo-sama. Our surveillance was compromised. The subject is now too well-guarded.”

Danzo’s brow twitched. “How?”

“Four concealed counter-surveillance ANBU. Possibly more. We nearly lost two assets in the last attempt.”

He closed the folder with a snap.

“It seems the Hokage is no longer as reserved in showing his hand,” Danzo said, almost conversational. “Yet, this approach only serves to enlarge the target on the subject’s back.”

His thoughts churned beneath the surface, calculating angles, motives, and potential gains. Why would Hiruzen deploy such protections for a civilian boy with no bloodline and no legacy?

Danzo stared at the folders for a long time. The operative remained still, waiting, as was custom.

“Leave,” Danzo said.

The Root ninja was gone before the word finished echoing.

Alone again, Danzo took a final look at the boy’s name on the folder.

Shiozaki Kenta.

Whatever secrets he was hiding, Hiruzen is helping him conceal it. Quite actively, as well, it would seem.

And Shimura Danzo had never tolerated secrets kept from him.

He turned and left the office, his footsteps never making a sound even as he passed the threshold.

It was time he spoke to Hiruzen, face to face.

The Hokage’s office was a world apart from Danzo’s subterranean den. Warm sunlight filtered through high windows, catching on the lacquered wood of scroll cases and the faint gleam of ink on paper. Every surface bore the quiet dignity of an era that believed in the nobility of leadership. 

Where the old shadow’s world was built for control, Hiruzen’s exuded presence.

Sitting across from the desk, Danzo’s posture was rigid and his lone eye gave nothing away. One might mistake his silence for respect, but this could not be further from the truth.

Opposite him, Sarutobi Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, pipe in hand, wearing robes slightly rumpled in a seemingly careless manner. His former teammate had always known the value of misleading appearances.

“Danzo,” Hiruzen greeted, exhaling a thin ribbon of smoke. “It’s been some time since you requested a personal audience.”

“Matters occasionally warrant a direct touch,” Danzo replied. “The season brings many changes.”

Hiruzen smiled faintly. “It does. Growth always comes in strange spurts. Sometimes from unexpected corners.”

Danzo tilted his head. “Corners deserve light, lest mold take root.”

They were speaking in riddles, but both men heard the message behind every phrase. Danzo was pressing for information while Hiruzen denied his quest.

“I trust your office continues to… monitor the sprouts?” Danzo asked, voice deliberately vague.

“Of course,” Hiruzen said, “though I’ve found that some things grow better when left unmeasured. Interference, after all, can warp the result.”

“Sometimes it reveals flaws early,” Danzo countered. “Before they spread.”

“Or causes them,” Hiruzen murmured, taking a puff of his pipe.

Danzo’s eye lingered on the scrolls behind Hiruzen’s desk. He did not allow himself to fidget, but he radiated stillness the way a sword did before it cut.

“I’ve heard curious things from the Academy,” he said. “Strange patterns of behaviour. Unexpected shifts in conduct. Some instructors have grown… attentive.”

Hiruzen’s smile didn’t waver. “Our educators are diligent and I have always encouraged curiosity.”

Danzo made a quiet sound. “Curiosity is healthy… when guided early.”

“Guidance is best when it doesn’t crush instinct.”

“A loose rein can lead to ruin.”

“And a heavy hand can break the colt.”

Silence hung between them, not heavy but taut. Hiruzen tapped the side of his pipe against the ceramic ash bowl. The clink echoed faintly.

Danzo leaned forward. “You’ve always believed in allowing potential to unfold naturally. But nature can be… capricious.”

“I’ve also believed,” Hiruzen said calmly, “that some things should be allowed to find their own form. Interference too early may obscure what they could become.”

Danzo’s fingers twitched beneath his robe. “What if it becomes dangerous?”

“Then I deal with it,” Hiruzen said. “As I always have.”

There it was, the steel beneath the smoke. Danzo saw it and noted the shift.

“I am not here to question your judgment,” Danzo said mildly. “Only to ensure that all matters concerning our village’s… future… remain transparent.”

Hiruzen gave a chuckle, though it held no amusement. “And yet you built your foundation on opacity, cloaking your deeds in veils of necessity and sacrifice.”

Danzo inclined his head. “I deal in what others refuse to see. Hopes and beliefs cannot secure us against danger, from without and from within.”

“Both are necessary,” Hiruzen said. “But sometimes belief is what carries us through when all else fails.”

Their eyes met, each challenging the other’s convictions. Posturing played no role in this interaction. Just the long, cold study of two men who had known each other too long and trusted each other too little.

“I’ll be watching,” Danzo said finally.

“I’d expect nothing less,” Hiruzen replied.

Danzo rose without bowing, a gesture that the Hokage had become all too familiar with. The door was opened by the guard stationed outside.

As Danzo exited, satisfaction filled his mind. The specifics still eluded him, but its existence has been confirmed. Now, it was simply a matter of finding a flaw in the formidable shell that surrounds the boy.

One will appear eventually.

Danzo only needed to wait.

Chapter 5

It was the second day of operation Empower Trained Killers with Bullshit Chinese Magic. It was also my second time in the underground room that I had absolutely no idea existed before it was shown to me. 

Then again, a lot of Konoha wasn’t featured in any of the source materials. 

There could be an Umbrella-style Hive facility buried miles beneath the village, for all I knew.

Yeah, I’m not gonna go there. Flesh-eating zombie ninjas are a different level of Nope.

At the moment, I was sitting on the cold stone floor with my legs crossed, trying to ignore how the dim lanterns made everything feel too still. Iruka leaned against the wall a few steps away with his arms folded, staying quiet but alert. 

He had finished his own chakra cycling and compression earlier. Right now, we were both waiting on the only other presence in the room.

The Hokage was opposite me, sitting with his spine straight and a cushion keeping him comfortable. A precaution that I honestly should have thought of. Based on the twinkle in his eyes after noticing my glare at the offending piece of furniture, he found my consternation hilarious.

Smug bastard.

It did come in handy, though, since he had been going for nearly nine hours now. Nine freakin’ hours! 

The old dude really is a monster. Even I could only last five before the strain got to me. These days, I have to break up my sessions to a few each time.

Meanwhile, we have the defacto dictator of Konoha looking serene. As if there was nowhere else he would rather be.

The unfairness of it all burns! It burns, I tells ya!

Internal griping aside, this really puts the future into perspective. The Hokage had gotten the hang of everything an hour in, largely due to having already seen it done once. From there, it was just a matter of making minor adjustments.

Since then, it’s been hours since anyone has said a word. I was keeping quiet because I needed to observe exactly what was happening.

Iruka is staying silent presumably out of respect. Or maybe he’s seething for lasting only three measly hours and now he feels like a soy boy scrub.

It’s one of the two.

Some part of me feels like I should be worried. Then another part of me tells that first part of me to shut the hell up. My first student was right there, leaning against the wall and looking completely unexploded. The Hokage’s not about to make a mistake now that he’s reached this stage.

As if to prove my more boorish aspect right, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally stirred.

His shoulders shifted slightly and released a soft exhale, signaling the loosening of tension. When his eyes opened, it took a second or two for them to focus and regard his surroundings.

“How are you feeling, Lord Hokage?” Iruka asked, stepping closer.

In lieu of responding immediately, Hiruzen flexed his fingers a few times. He also rolled his neck and rotated his shoulders. Iruka and I knew the cause, of course. Sitting still for hours on end can make one mighty stiff (not that way, you perv!).

Once done loosening up, the Hokage stood with slow, practiced ease and the difference was immediate. After meeting my future superior in person, it was obvious that he wasn’t a doddering old man. He held himself with gravitas and confidence.

However, the man before me seemed more at ease. Almost… revitalized. 

Crap, did he break through or something?

“I feel quite well, Iruka,” he said, his voice calm but carried a hint of wonder. “The difference is as you reported. Miniscule, almost difficult to detect. But knowing what to look for has made it easier to gather my chakra and guide it as I wish.”

Huh. So, he didn’t form a layer. That’s a relief. 

I let out a breath I hadn’t realised I was holding and almost winced. Those lessons about masking emotions can’t come fast enough. 

Iruka turned to me with a look of unhindered pride. Don’t look at me like that, dammit! 

“You were right,” the Hokage said, gazing at me with a warm smile. “This method of yours produces tangible results.”

My response was a wry grin.

“They may not be dramatic, but progress is reliable enough.” 

“It’s certainly repeatable,” the Hokage added.

“Three for three, now,” I concurred, though, I couldn’t help a frown from forming.

Ever since discovering cultivation, I mapped out the possible consequences of such a stupidly simple method of getting stronger. Suffice it to say, way too many of them touched on Doomsday scenarios.

“What’s wrong?” Irukua asked.

I hesitated before sighing. It’s not as if either of my companions were blind to the dangers of what I’ll be introducing to this world. 

“It’s too easy,” I explained. “This method basically erases a lot of the barriers that people have to attaining greater strength. You don’t even need to be a ninja, exactly. As long as you can use chakra and have a lot of time on your hands, there’s nothing stopping you from becoming a major threat.”

Neither of the grown men spoke for a moment, but their silence said enough. Both have already considered this.

“We have already taken the necessary steps to ensure secrecy, Kenta,” the Hokage said, breaking the silence. “I agreed to your own demands to that end.”

“I know Lord Hokage and I’m incredibly grateful,” I began, “but we all know it’s not enough. No matter how closely we keep this to our chest, the truth will eventually get out. Whether it’s ten, twenty, or a hundred years from now, it doesn’t matter. Unless we smother this approach in the crib right now, it will slip from our grasp.”

From the way both Iruka and the Hokage nodded, I wasn’t telling them anything new. We live in a world where espionage is a way of life. Heck, in canon, Mizuki almost got his hands on the Forbidden Scroll courtesy of a naive Naruto.

“What do you propose, Kenta?” 

Seeing Iruka cast the old man an incredulous look, it seems I wasn’t the only one surprised by the question. With that said, there have been a few things percolating inside my brain to address exactly this problem. To start with…

“We need to give our ninja an edge,” I said slowly, rummaging from my pile of ideas and trying to organize them. “It’s one thing to know the general principles behind my method, but you both already know how different it is in practice.”

I gave the two men a meaningful look, referring to how much effort they had to put in for minimal gains. 

“If we can prepare future generations to more easily take advantage of this new process, we will always be ahead of the curve over those who would only ever have incomplete information. Control is always going to be the biggest stumbling block to cycling and compressing chakra. A lot of techniques have been lost to time thanks to this problem.”

Tsunade’s strength alone is a testament to the benefits of extreme chakra control. So, why wasn’t the Elemental Nations drowning in ninja that could crush mountains with their fist? Because it’s not that simple.

“I propose we introduce more exercises in the academy that would improve chakra efficiency and manipulation. I’ve already started experimenting with simpler applications. Breathing techniques, chakra cycling drills. Nothing dangerous. Just adaptations of the core concepts.”

The Hokage’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Who have you tested these on?”

“No one officially,” I said hastily, realizing my mistake. “Just some of my classmates. Kids who need help with chakra control. I’ve kept it small, honest!”

Iruka stepped closer, arms dropping to his sides. “And it’s working?”

I nodded, perhaps a little too fast. “They’re improving. Recovering a little faster than normal and they’re not wasting as much chakra as before, either. It’s not cultivation, not really. But they’re safe.”

The Hokage turned away briefly, folding his hands behind his back. “You believe these techniques could be shared without revealing the source?”

“That’s the goal,” I said. “Not everyone needs to cultivate. But everyone could benefit from a better foundation. If we do this carefully, we might develop a training method anyone can use.”

He nodded slowly. “The med-nin who are coming to examine Iruka and myself. They are both bound by secrecy.”

“Okay?” I wasn’t sure why he was telling me this again.

“Perhaps,” he continued, “we could involve them in the refinement process.”

Oh. Oooooh! 

“You want me to work with them to further develop viable techniques for chakra control?”

“Yes. Strictly off the record, of course.”

“No records,” I agreed instantly. “Nothing written, nothing traceable. And we’ll only do it here or another secluded location, too.”

The Hokage gave a short, dry laugh. “You’ve been thinking this through.”

I didn’t respond because, of course I had. It was the only way I could sleep at night.

He glanced back toward me. “Very well. We proceed under the following conditions. All reports will be verbal and controlled. I am to be kept up-to-date on any relevant developments. Should the techniques prove safe, both to perform and to share, we move on to the next steps. Whatever those end up being. If the results reach the final stage, we start choosing students to teach. You select the candidates, but I will oversee the final process.”

After taking a moment to digest everything he said, I nodded. “Agreed.”

His terms were fair. I was already getting a lot of leeway, much more than I could have reasonably expected. My short list was already on-hand, anyway, and I couldn’t think of a reason why the Hokage would reject the names I’ve chosen.

He seemed satisfied with the current arrangement too, so there’s not much more I can do about that. Now, we just need to wait for our mystical health experts to arrive.

About half an hour later, we moved to a side room of the training hall. The two med-nin were already present, checking their instruments and muttering quietly to each other. Introduced as Shirakawa Reina and Murakami Sayo, they were both chunin and had a lot of experience putting ninja back together.

Their movements were crisp and efficient, only sparing me a glance before getting on with the examination.

Iruka sat on the edge of a raised platform while Reina performed another chakra scan. Sayo stood nearby, trying to memorize everything since she couldn’t jot anything down.

Hiruzen sat again, just as calm and steady as earlier, watching the process with clinical detachment.

“Vital signs normal,” Reina murmured. “Chakra pathways stable. No signs of stress or degradation.”

Sayo moved to Hiruzen’s side next. “Initial readings consistent. Slight shift in circulation pattern density. No abnormal flux.”

Iruka exhaled slowly. “So we’re good?”

Reina gave a small nod. “You’re healthy, as far as we can tell. Better than average, actually.”

Sayo looked toward the Hiruzen. “Lord Hokage?”

He gave a short nod. “Good work, both of you. Now, it’s time to discuss something else”

Motioning towards me, he said, “Kenta here has a proposition he would like you to consider.”

The abrupt start of the discussion irked me a little, but I decided to let it go. Developing and refining new techniques is going to take a while, so it’s best to get started as soon as possible.

Clearing my throat, I turned to the two med-nin and said, “I have chakra control exercises that have already shown good results. I would like your help in making them more accessible and easier to practice.”

They turned to each other in surprise before simultaneously sending an inquiring look at the Hokage. He, in turn, smiled in affirmation.

“You already have some data?” I had to give Reina props. She didn’t sound nearly as skeptical as I expected her to.

And as it so happens, I did. Sharing the information I could remember, I added, “I have a more complete record, but it wouldn’t be safe to share them, at this time.”

That did it. After hashing out a few additional details, they agreed to work with me.

Clapping my hands once, I affected a particularly demented grin, “Fantastic! Now then, let’s talk about Senju Tsunade.”

Hours later, the Hokage’s office was bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun, which filtered through the glass windows. The effect cast a fiery illumination on a desk strewn with scrolls and reports. Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in his usual place, settling in comfortably in a chair that felt simultaneously familiar and not. 

While the change wasn’t especially apparent from any reasonable standpoint, it wasn’t trifling, either. It was one thing for one of his trusted subordinates to report palpable results after trying a hitherto untested method. It was quite another for him to feel those results right down to his bones.

And that was no exaggeration.

Hiruzen didn’t bring it up earlier that day for fear of contaminating the data that the three collaborators would eventually gather. However, he suspected that Kenta was severely underestimating just how extensive the effects of this discovery truly are.

Decades of fighting and training has allowed the Hokage to become familiar with his body in ways that younger folks won’t readily understand. As such, the difference in its state and function immediately became apparent by simple comparison. 

The nine hours spent sitting still wasn’t limited to simply cycling and compressing chakra. If that was Hiruzen’s only goal, three would have been enough. The same as Iruka.

No, the extended session was due to his need to examine how the practice was affecting his body. And to his astonishment, it was essentially supercharging everything that chakra already does.

Strengthening his entire skeletal structure, aiding in muscle recovery and delaying the onset of fatigue, Hiruzen could even detect minute changes that were too small for his senses to understand.

And this was on top of its effects on his chakra. Increased efficiency, control, and potency? Those were all there… and perhaps much more.

But again, he chose to stay silent on the matter. ‘The Professor’ he may be, but this was not his area of expertise, not truly.  So, he will allow those who have more experience or talents in conducting research and scientific inquiry to confirm what he already knows.

Right now, he has an academy student with a brilliant mind to speak to. Across from him sat Kenta, hands folded in his lap. His posture was respectful, but his gaze was unwavering.

“That was quite the interesting conversation,” was the Hokage’s opening statement.

Smiling almost bashfully, the boy nodded in response. “Yeah, it sort of got away from us.”

An understatement, if ever there was one. Hiruzen has been privy to a number of intellectual discussions over the years, but rarely have they been so harmoniously spirited and… optimistic. It never ceases to surprise him how often academic dialogues tend to devolve into barbed exchanges and one-upmanship.

To go so long without vehement objections is virtually unheard of.

Then again, Kenta had already done much of the groundwork and the results have been incontrovertible. Even the brief test conducted by the med-nin under his direction was enough to prove the worth of his methods.

“So,” Hiruzen began, steepling his fingers, “you said you wished to speak further about our prodigal princess?”

Tsunade was the reason why the two were meeting once more. As before, the privacy seal ensured no one else will be privy to anything brought up in the office.

Kenta nodded. “Yes. I’d like to speak about getting in contact with her.”

At the Hokage’s wordless prompting, he continued.

“I believe she could be invaluable,” Kenta said. “Her knowledge of chakra control and medical ninjutsu is unmatched. If there’s anyone who might understand the foundational concepts I’m working with, or even help expand on them, it’s her.”

Hiruzen exhaled through his nose, already guessing where this was going. “She’s been away from the village for a long time. Her reasons for leaving are, unfortunately, not easily resolved.”

“I know,” Kenta said quietly. “But this could be different. I’m not asking her to return, just to offer her perspective and insight. Even if she chooses to stay away, her knowledge could still be used to guide us.”

“You’re assuming she’ll even be willing to help.”

“I think there’s a chance, especially if she sees the potential of what we’re trying to bring about.”

Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, giving the request due consideration.

“And how do you propose we reach her?”

Kenta’s voice was firm. “Through secure, in-person delivery. Messenger hawks can be intercepted and any other form of communication could be traced. If we send someone trusted and under your authority, we can present the idea without risking exposure.”

Hiruzen nodded slowly. The boy’s caution, while frustrating at times, had proven its worth. “There are no guarantees that she will agree to anything.”

“Then we lose nothing but time,” Kenta said. “But if she listens, if she helps, it could change everything. And… maybe it will give her a reason to finally return.”

For a moment, the thought lingered in the old man’s mind, bringing up bittersweet memories. Tsunade had always been difficult to predict, but she was a loyal kunoichi beneath her pain. If anything could stir her back into motion, it would be the chance to save lives more effectively.

“I’ll consider it,” Hiruzen said at last. “And I will begin preparations for discreet outreach.”

Kenta nodded, accepting that this was as much as he was likely to get from this meeting.

Their conversation then turned toward logistics. Specifically, they discussed how to phrase the message, who could be trusted to deliver it, and how to manage secrecy without raising suspicion.

It wasn’t a plan yet, but it was a beginning. A quiet beginning, carried on a thread of trust.

Just as Hiruzen was about to turn back to his paperwork, Kenta reached into the inner pocket of his vest and withdrew a folded slip of paper. He held it out without a word.

Hiruzen took it, unfolding the note carefully. His brows lifted as he read the names.

“This is your shortlist?”

Kenta nodded. “The students I want to start training. Not for the actual method, just the exercises derived from it.”

Hiruzen studied the list again, then looked back at Kenta, his gaze sharp. “Why these individuals?”

“They have the most potential,” Kenta said simply. “Not necessarily the strongest now, but the ones who could gain the most from refined chakra work. Their baseline control, capacity, drive, and adaptability make them ideal for this kind of training.”

The Hokage’s expression shifted, equal parts curiosity and contemplation. He set the paper down and tapped a finger on its corner.

“You understand what kind of scrutiny this may invite.”

“I do,” Kenta said. “That’s why I’m telling you first.”

Hiruzen chuckled, the sound low and gravelly. “You really are a troublesome boy, Shiozaki Kenta.”

Kenta didn’t deny it and Hiruzen didn’t expect him to.

He folded the list and placed it in a sealed drawer of his desk.

“Very well,” he said. “Let’s see what comes of this.”

After taijutsu class, I filed out with the others, doing my best to look vaguely winded without drawing attention to myself. My spar with Choji had ended in a draw, just as Iruka and I discussed. This detail needed to be ironed out since I didn’t know what gradual improvement looked like from a ninja’s perspective.

It turns out, I was majorly stupid for restraining myself as much as I did in past matchups. Students suddenly becoming stronger or more competent apparently happened all the time. Both civilians AND clan kids.

Any taijutsu improvements on my part would have gotten the teachers’ notice, but I wouldn’t have been carted to T&I because of it. Short of actual murder, anything that happens in the academy fell under the purview of the school’s administrators and staff. 

After some subtle probing (that definitely didn’t fool Iruka), I also learned that civilian students don’t just get disappeared without causing an uproar. Some orphans do get lost in the system, but he chalked that up to the imperfections of village bureaucracy.

So, yeah. Even if the increased scrutiny by the teachers and my classmates would’ve been less-than-ideal, my jump in combat ability would not have merited worse consequences. 

This revelation only made my annoyance at wasting three months of worrying more pronounced.

On the other hand, he didn’t mention Root. So, it’s a toss-up, at this point.

But why is it relevant to bring this up now? Because I essentially screwed myself over.

What should have been a simple matter of school records reflecting my improvements had become a much bigger issue after my visit to the Hokage’s office. In my paranoia, I built a bear trap around my own foot and now, I have to carefully pry it open.

The result? Having to go through the arduous effort of maintaining the appearance of cumulative progress. 

Too much, too fast, and someone would start asking questions.

Fortunately for me, Choji had been a cooperative opponent. The kid had always been good-natured and too focused on snacks to care that our match hadn’t resolved decisively. After the seal of reconciliation, he was back to munching on the dried squids I got him this morning.

As for me, my limbs were aching, which was another consequence I handn’t anticipated. Pulling my punches before was basically just a matter of finding the right timing to lose. Now, I had to actually stop my attacks from connecting, which involved forcing my muscles in directions they weren’t used to.

It’s only for a little while, I tried to console myself, after a month or two, I can finally let loose. 

As I slung my bag over one shoulder and started toward the stairwell that led to the Academy rooftop, I noticed a figure by the classroom door.

Mizuki.

He was chatting with one of the instructors, smiling and acting friendly, but I didn’t miss his eyes following me. Like the other teachers, it was subtle, but not enough. Not for someone who knew where his true loyalties lay. 

I caught the way his gaze lingered, calculating and measuring. It wasn’t the first time I’d noticed him watching me since the last practical exam, either.

Funny thing about Mizuki, I’d always assumed he was a regular teacher. But in truth, he only ever showed up during formal assessments. Like a proctor more than a sensei. The rest of the time, he floated in and out. Always in the background, always peripheral, but never completely out of sight.

Now, though, he was paying close attention and that was… not ideal. Yet another one of my mistakes coming home to roost.

Orochimaru isn’t likely to take a personal interest in me, yet. I haven’t shown anything that would tempt him in any fashion. I was starting to wear the cloak of a gifted student, yes, but I hadn’t shown anything extraordinary.

Even if I did, he would have to invade Konoha to abduct me. There weren’t any convenient chunin exams taking place any time soon. So, sneaking into the village right now would be nigh impossible for the Snake Sannin. 

At least, that’s what I hoped.

In the end, there’s nothing to be done about it, so I kept walking and pretending not to notice the spy in our midst.

The hallway buzzed behind me. Naruto’s voice echoed down the corridor, hollering about how next time he’d totally win. Somewhere, a couple of civilian students whispered about me, the awe in their words unmistakable.

I ignored them. There were other things on my mind.

Like Sasuke.

Our brief eye contact was a risk, I would readily admit that. A huge one. His pursuit of power eventually led him to abandoning Konoha in canon, but to lay all the blame on him would be a mistake. 

To start with, he was just shown how outclassed he still was through his premature reunion with Itachi. Kakashi also needed to shoulder some of the fault in the Uchiha’s decision to leave. He knew Sasuke’s burning desire for vengeance. Yet, he never took it seriously enough to train his genin in the way they deserved. Then there was the hickey courtesy of Pedomaru that was demonstrably messing with his head.

Or was it simply narrative convenience that events turned out the way they did?

In any case, none of the catalysts to him becoming a missing nin are in play just yet. So, I had time to try and nudge events in a way that would end in my favor.

And that’s really what it came down to, wasn’t it? 

I wasn’t taking steps to keep the kid in Konoha out of some misguided attempt at fixing his problems. Rather, it was a matter of simple practicality.

None of my current allies were aware of how dangerous Danzo really was. With the implanted cells of Hashirama, the numerous Sharingans on his freaky arm, and Shisui’s eye, the old war hawk would have matched Hiruzen at his peak.

To that end, I needed a Sharingan user in my corner that stood a chance at actually countering him. Kakashi could have worked, but he doesn’t have the right body to truly take advantage of his borrowed ocular powers.

Sasuke was the only one I knew of who could both potentially beat Danzo at his own game and is within easy reach. He also came with the added bonus of being susceptible to certain levers of manipulation. Today’s wordless contact was me planting a seed of curiosity. Unless I completely fuck it up, which is a possibility that I’m not taking off the table, I would have a powerful piece to use against Root’s head honcho. 

With any luck, he’d come to me of his own accord.

But that’s for future me to worry about. I had already reached the rooftop and found Hinata seated near the far edge, her lunch unwrapped. She looked peaceful gazing at the sky like that. A far cry from the girl I remembered in the source materials.

I admit, the change worried me in the beginning. But seeing her like this, I couldn’t bring myself to regret whatever influence I might’ve had on her life. 

“Hey,” I said as I approached.

She looked up and gave me a soft nod. “Hi, Kenta.”

I sat down beside her, stretching out my legs and letting the quiet settle between us for a moment. It was comfortable and familiar. I took out my lunch, though my appetite was minimal. The spar had stirred more than just my body. It had also churned the undercurrent of everything I was hiding.

“You went all out today,” she said after a moment. “Against Choji.”

I chuckled. “He hits like a rampaging bull. I couldn’t afford not to.”

She smiled faintly, then grew more thoughtful. “You’re not hiding anymore.”

I glanced at her before chuckling. “No, I guess not.”

“The reason… is it no longer a problem?”

“For now,” I said. “It’s handled, but I still have to be careful.”

She nodded, accepting that without prying.

It was moments like these that truly made me glad I hadn’t pushed her away. Her wordless acceptance and understanding had become a great source of comfort. No wonder Naruto fell in love with her.

We ate in silence for a while. I glanced at the girl sitting beside me from time to time, watching the way she chewed, the way she breathed: slow, steady, and centered. I could see the faint traces of meditation techniques I'd shown her starting to take root.

She would be important for the future I was trying to bring to life. Disciplined, introspective, brave, and so heartbreakingly earnest.

I had been second-guessing my plans for a long time. But here and now, her quiet presence and air of steady resolve had extinguished any lingering doubts in my mind.

“Hinata… how well can you keep a secret?”

Hinata sat cross-legged on the floor of her bedroom, her palms resting lightly on her knees, fingers curled loosely inward. The moonlight filtered in through the rice-paper windows, casting pale shadows on the tatami mats beneath her. Her eyes were closed, not in sleep but in deep concentration. 

Each breath she took was deliberate. Inhale slowly, fill the lungs, exhale through the nose with measured precision. 

She had done this sequence a hundred times tonight alone.

It was a breathing technique. A simple one, on the surface. Yet it was more challenging than anything she had been taught. It demanded complete focus on practically all aspects.

Kenta’s words from earlier echoed in her mind. 

“If you can reduce your chakra usage by a factor of three, I’ll teach you everything.”

At the time, she hadn’t fully understood. But now, sitting in the silence of her room with only her chakra to accompany her, she was beginning to grasp the magnitude of what he meant.

She activated her Byakugan, the veins at her temples rising. In the latticework of her own chakra network, she could see the effects of the breathing drills. Her chakra pulsed, not in its usual erratic rhythm, but with the beginnings of a slow, measured tide.

She had never seen it behave like this before.

Every breath coordinated with the narrowing and expansion of her coils. As she drew air in, her chakra contracted slightly, and with every exhale, it expanded in a more refined wave. It responding almost like a limb. 

And that fascinated her.

She gently released her dōjutsu and sat still, hands shifting to form a half-seal of focus. She recalled Kenta’s instructions. 

“Visualise your chakra like a stream, not a flood. It must move where you guide it, not where it wills.”

The exercises were deceptively simple. Breathe. Observe. Direct. But through repetition, she was learning something that no amount of traditional training had ever taught her. Mastery was about control.

Hinata used to struggle with that.

In the Hyūga clan, control was everything. In posture, speech, and emotion. Before meeting Kenta, she had often failed to meet their impossible expectations. This was no longer the case and now… now she was being offered something different.

Kenta didn’t ask her to meet anyone else’s standard. He gave her a challenge based on her own ability. 

Hinata rose to her feet and walked slowly to the small desk by her window. There, laid out neatly, was the scroll Kenta had given her. They contained notes, exercises, and diagrams that she had never seen anywhere else. 

His handwriting was clean and practical. She traced one line with her finger.

“Precision builds power, but control shapes potential.”

She knew he was right. Already, in the past few hours, her chakra expenditure during basic exercises had lessened. She had tested it earlier, activating her Byakugan during target tracking. The strain had been measurably lower. It wasn’t anything grand, but the change came about faster than it should have.

The stark contrast to everything she had ever been taught about chakra was almost disquieting.

She set the scroll aside and sat again, this time focusing on her internal sensations. She visualised her chakra as clear water running through the channels of her body. It responded to her thoughts. She pressed inward with her will, lightly and carefully, trying to coax it into denser lines.

The process was agonisingly slow.

But there was progress.

She shifted the flow toward her right hand, keeping the pressure even. Her fingers tingled, and a thin sheen of chakra began to glow faintly along the skin of her palm. She held it for three heartbeats before releasing it.

Not perfect. But it was better than yesterday.

Hinata lowered her hands into her lap, a soft breath escaping her lips.

“Just a little more,” she murmured to herself.

Her thoughts drifted, unbidden, to Kenta again. There was something different about him. Everyone felt it, even if they didn’t say so. The way he held himself. The calmness behind his eyes. He was her age, but when he spoke, it felt like someone far older had borrowed his voice.

Nevermind his many defeats in taijutsu class. She already knew the lacklustre performance was merely for show. Besides, it would appear that he is done pretending.

Their discussions never veered into anything personal. He always had fascinating things to say or an observation that intrigued her. With this, however, Kenta laid out something that Hinata didn’t even know she was craving.

He was giving her an invitation, an opportunity to understand the world as he does. She didn’t want to let him down.

But more than that, she wanted to earn her place. She didn’t want to be a shadow trailing behind him. She wanted to stand beside him. To contribute something real and meaningful.

Hinata stood again and faced the centre of her room. She formed the half-seal, activating her Byakugan. Her gaze fell upon her own chakra network and she began the exercises again.

Breathe in. Tighten the current.

Exhale. Guide the flow.

Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

Hours passed in quiet repetition. Sweat gathered on her brow. Her arms trembled from effort.

But she didn’t stop.

She couldn’t. Not yet.

She paused only when the first rays of dawn brushed the shoji panels with gold.

Her breathing was steady. Her chakra pulsed with smoother rhythm. It was beginning to obey her.

Hinata lowered herself to her knees, hands clenched tightly in her lap.

“I’ll do it,” she whispered to the quiet morning. “I’ll grow even stronger. Not for Father. Not for the clan. Not even for Kenta.”

She drew in one last breath, deep and full of resolve.

“I’ll grow stronger for me. So I can walk beside him and see how far I can soar.”

The underground training chamber had become something of a second home. I’ve spent so much time here in the past week that my parents had begun to worry I was working myself to the bone. Convincing them both that I wasn’t pushing myself too hard had been difficult, but I’d ultimately done so by using my own safety as incentive.

It basically came down to bleeding and sweating now instead of later, when I’m in a serious fight.

The room’s cool air, silent walls, and reinforced flooring offered the perfect environment for my experiments. The Hokage had been generous and strategic in providing the space.

Standing at the centre of the circular arena, my gaze swept slowly over the setup. Twelve straw dummies ringed around me, placed equidistantly in a wide circle. Their forms were humanoid in shape but thickly packed and held upright by steel rods to mimic the resistance of muscle and bone. Not the most sophisticated of arrangements, but I could hardly ask for ballistic gel in this place.

This would have to be enough for the final trial of my longest-running project.

I exhaled slowly, closing my eyes.

Breathing was the first step, like always. It’s actually mindboggling how little importance was placed on proper air intake by ninjas before I came along. Even back in my old world, it was a huge part of practically all types of martial arts.

Wait… wasn’t there a guy who used breathing techniques to fight in canon? Something to look up, when I have the time. I can’t be distracted, right now.

Coming back to what I was currently doing, my nerves were settled and my body was set to peak performance. Future tests will involve variances when I’m tired or injured, but I don’t need to worry about those at the moment.

Inhale. Hold. Exhale. Repeat.

This test represented months of work. Months of trial, failure, readjustment, and the occasional injury. The principle was simple: a weapon that could respond to chakra like an extension of one’s own limb, precise enough for control, and powerful enough to penetrate all defences.

Holding out my right arm, I let the the modified shuriken fall from my sleeve. Two matched stars, connected by an intricate loop of my hex wire. They were basic in material and shape, which was intentional. Their only difference from store-bought shuriken was how they were connected and the chakra-activated seals etched onto them. 

The construct was tied to my middle finger, granting control not just through physical tugs, but through chakra.

Had anyone from Earth seen what I was holding, it would have looked like a distressingly pointy yo-yo. I held it at half-length, suspended and still.

This was it. 

I began to cycle my chakra in preparation for the next step, one I’ve refined through endless repetition. My chakra moved through my coils like fluid through pressurised valves. Layered, compressed, and guided. Fuel injection instead of carburetors, essentially.

After releasing a breath, I then directed my chakra into the hex wire, which immediately began to hum. A faint vibration sang through my fingers as the current passed through the weave.

When it reached the twin shuriken, they then began to spin.

At first, the motion was lazy, uneven. But narrowing my focus and tightening my control caused the rotation to stabilize. It began to blur, then vanish entirely behind a disk of motion. The hum grew louder, resonating through the floor.

My breathing slowed to a crawl. So far, everything was going well.

Time for the final step.

I moved my left foot forward and pivoted my waist.

Then, with a twist of my torso and a flick of my wrist, I launched the weapon in one swift rotation. The wire sang as it extended, carrying the spinning mass in a perfect arc.

I couldn’t even begin to describe the sound it made as the spinning star slashed through the air in an astonishingly short amount of time. The closest I could compare it to was the combination of a jet engine and a power saw. The weapon sliced through the dummies in a single pass and I never felt resistance even once. 

As I continued to spin slower, bleeding off the momentum, the wire snapped taut and retracted with a whisper.

I caught the shuriken between my fingers mid-spin to let the motion die.

The whole sequence of events barely lasted a single second and the results left me frozen in disbelief. I knew what I’d set out to accomplish. Seeing the dummies cut in half, steel rods included, was exactly what this technique was meant to do.

But the reality of my situation was finally setting in. 

I’ll have to do that to someone someday. It won’t just be a lifeless facsimile of the human form. They’ll be made of real skin, flesh, blood, and bones. And I honestly didn’t know how to feel about using this technique on them when the time came.

Approaching one of the fallen dummies, I noted that the precision of the cut was eerie. There were no ragged edges or splinters. Just smooth, lethal lines.

I stared for a moment longer, letting the silence settle.

Then I grinned.

Regardless of what I’ll eventually have to use it for, there’s no denying that this was an achievement.

Months of theory, calibration, and failure all led to this. And its inherent deadliness aside, the feeling was glorious.

“It’s finally ready,” I whispered to myself. “My Midareboshi no Mai.”

The Whirling Stars of Chaos.

The name had come to me halfway through the third redesign. It was dramatic, yes, but oh so accurate. In its final form, the weapon will look like a whirlwind of spinning blades. Dancing stars that will be nearly impossible to predict. It’ll be chaos to anyone but me.

“Impressive,” came a voice from behind.

I turned, heart skipping a beat before I caught myself.

The Hokage stood in the doorway, arms folded inside his robes. His expression was one of mild amusement mixed with open curiosity.

“How long have you been watching, Lord Hokage?” I asked.

“Long enough to wonder at your inattentiveness,” Hiruzen replied, stepping into the room. “I wasn’t exactly hiding.”

The response made me chuckle, letting the tension bleed from my shoulders. I was so focused on the test, everything else went unnoticed

The old man’s eyes swept over the cleanly severed remains. “The Whirling Stars of Chaos? Quite the formidable name for a formidable technique.”

I gave what I hoped was a modest shrug, but didn’t deny it. “It seemed fitting. From the initial idea to the final execution, it was always meant to shred Konoha’s enemies to ribbons.”

The Hokage hummed in thought while walking around the outer edge of the circle, inspecting the cuts. “How is it powered?”

“Pure chakra,” Kenta said. “But not just flow. It’s about resonance and spin. The wire conducts vibration and holds tension. The weapon’s design enhances torque. They then reinforce each other through oscillation, thus allowing both to have a cutting edge.”

A frown formed on his face at my explanation, which was to be expected, I suppose. Weapon design can be something of a mixed bag in this universe. From sensible things like swords and kunai to “Burn it with fire!” like Samehada. 

“You engineered all this yourself?” he asked eventually.

I tilted my head in consideration. “I wouldn’t go that far. The shuriken and wires already existed. I just had to repurpose them. I experimented with different bindings and the hex wire itself will need to be overhauled with better materials. The hardest part was learning to control the velocity with precision. Too slow, and it bounces off. Too fast, and the feedback destroys the weapon or injures the user.”

Hiruzen paused beside one of the bisected targets. He ran his fingers along the cut edge. “This is… surgical.”

“I adjusted the edge curvature to match the oscillation frequency,” I explained. “At high spin, the weapon sharpens itself. Like a vibrating scalpel.”

The old man’s brow lifted. “That kind of control isn’t common, even among Jōnin.”

“I’ve had a lot of practice,” I shrugged.

Hiruzen looked at me then, like, really looked. It was super unnerving. 

What the hell was this old man thinking, now? I’ll never really get a handle on him, will I?

“Tell me Kenta,” he began after an uncomfortably long silence, “how easily could someone else use this technique?”

Ah, that’s not good. I went this route because it was easily the best way for me to leverage my pitiful chakra reserves. Getting the most out of every drop while spending the least. If anyone else were to get their hands on its design, theory, and underlying principles, I’d be up shit creek without a paddle.

With that said…

“Close to nil, Lord Hokage.” I don’t even need to lie here. “To start with, this process involves sharpening one’s chakra control to the detriment of everything else. You’d get much more out of your time if you focused on learning jutsu. Not to mention the most basic requirement involves forming several layers of compressed chakra, which immediately makes the idea a non-starter for most ninja.”

Honestly, even if we take med-nin into consideration, the concepts between chakra scalpel and my Dancing Stars were on the opposite ends of the spectrum. The only way one could replicate this technique was to start at civilian baseline chakra capacity, train up via cultivation, understand advanced physics concepts that are still in the early stages here, know how to apply the seal for activation, and then combine all of those together without getting cut to pieces by their own wires.

I explained all of this to the Hokage, who continued to look contemplative. Finally, he nodded in a satisfied manner.

“Good. We don’t want anyone else having access to such an efficient way of killing en masse.”

Oh, so that’s what he was worried about! Yeah, I can see it.

The Midareboshi no Mai that I’m envisioning basically involves turning me into a murder blender. Wading into a group of enemies and then reducing them to chunky salsa. 

…

I, uh, I’ll have to keep track of my mental health. That last image didn’t make me nearly as queasy as it should have.

Interludes 3

Naruto POV

The sun filtered through the clouds like lazy shimmers of light, bathing the training ground in a warm glow. The trees rustled gently in the breeze, and the grass bent with every breath of wind, like it was listening in.

"Are you sure this is working?" Naruto asked, frowning as he tried once again to control his breathing. His stomach rose and fell too fast. "Feels like I'm just breathing a lot."

Kenta didn’t look up. He was seated cross-legged in the centre of the clearing, his posture straight and eyes closed in serene focus. "You're breathing with a goal in mind. There’s a difference," he replied calmly.

Naruto scratched his head. "Still feels like I'm just sitting here not doing anything."

"That's because you're not doing it right yet. Keep at it, Naruto, you’re doing well."

Naruto scowled, puffing his cheeks. Kenta always said that in the most matter-of-fact way, like it wasn’t supposed to be frustrating at all. 

"Tch. Whatever."

The exercise was deceptively simple compared to the one he had been doing until now. Breathe in for a count of four, hold for two, exhale for four, and keep it going. 

But that was just the start. 

While doing that, Naruto also had to push his chakra slowly through its pathways for a single circuit. Up the spine, down the arms, and back into his sternum. If he let his mind wander or pushed too hard, the whole cycle would collapse and he would have to start all over again.

And it collapsed… it collapsed a lot.

Suffice it to say, the amount of concentration this new exercise demanded taxed Naruto’s mind. At least the previous breathing techniques didn’t require constant focus that numbed his brain.

He tried again, closing his eyes and breathing slower. It was just breathing. He had already done something similar before, so he could do this too. He would do this. After all, he promised.

Still… 

Naruto opened his eyes by a fraction and saw Hinata sitting across from him. Her eyes were closed and her posture was relaxed. Her breathing was slow and even. The faintest shimmer of chakra rolled off the skin of her arms and hands too, something that Kenta said Naruto would know how to do, as well…

…Eventually.

Of course she was good at this, Naruto thought. 

He hasn’t really had much to do with Hinata while in the academy, but she wasn’t exactly a stranger. She just didn’t stand out much. They talked before, but mostly in passing. That didn’t stop Naruto from noticing how she’s always near the top of the class, though.

As for Kenta, he still remained a mystery. His talk with Old Man Hokage did prompt the blonde to talk more openly with his friend. But his answers often gave Naruto a headache. In the end, Kenta just told him that he had something called an ‘old soul’, whatever that meant.

What Naruto did understand, though, was his fellow civilian’s improvements in taijutsu. When they first started school, he was average. Then, over the last few weeks, he got a lot better.

These days, Kenta only really loses to Hinata and Sasuke. Other times, it would be a close call or a draw.

Speaking of, this whole thing started because of those two. Earlier that day, they were paired in taijutsu class and Naruto still chuckled at the memory. The smug bastard flat on his back in the middle of the sparring ring, staring up at the sky like he didn’t understand what just happened. 

In comparison, Hinata was barely even winded.

The whole thing was awesome.

He remembered rushing up to Hinata after the class and shouting, "That was amazing! How’d you do it?"

She stared at him in surprise for a moment before glancing around then whispering, “Kenta’s been helping me.”

That was all it took.

He'd found Kenta next and demanded answers.

“Teach me too!”

Kenta raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

"Because I wanna be awesome like you guys! And I’m sick of losing to that bastard!"

Kenta narrowed his eyes at Naruto, who started to fear that he might so no. In the end, though, the nod came and the blonde couldn't be happier. 

"But only if you promise not to give up, no matter what," his friend said, raising a finger to make his point.

“I never give up!” Naruto declared, thumping his chest.

And just like that, they began.

A few days later, Naruto and Kenta squared off in the training field with Hinata off to the side, observing. The spar was slow-paced, more of a dance than a fight. Kenta didn’t press too hard. His strikes were measured, almost lazy.

Naruto focused on his breathing.

Inhale four.

Step back.

Exhale four.

Deflect.

Hold two.

Duck.

His movements were jerky at first. Every time he lost the rhythm, he stumbled, and Kenta would tap him lightly on the shoulder or flick his forehead. Never hard, just enough to tell him he’d slipped.

“Again,” Kenta said.

Naruto wiped his brow and nodded.

They repeated the spar. Then again and again.

Later, when they took a break, Naruto flopped onto the ground and groaned. "I think my arms are gonna fall off."

Kenta smirked. “Not yet. You’re improving, though.”

Naruto grinned in delight. 

“Yeah. For some reason, I’m learning faster this way.”

Nodding, Kenta said, “That’s because you’re a kinesthetic learner.”

That earned a raised eyebrow. “A what?”

“It means you learn better by doing instead of sitting and listening.”

“...You think so?”

Kenta then smirked down at him. “I know so.”

Despite the irritating way his friend said it, Naruto was still glad at the observation. He was even starting to feel his pride ballooning in his chest, before it was quickly punctured.

“But don’t skip the basics. That’s how people get hurt.”

Naruto nodded, swallowing his objection. It was annoying, but he knew Kenta was right.

The next few days blurred together in a steady rhythm. It took a while before they could move on from the breathing part while sparring. But Naruto eventually got good enough at it that Kenta started adding the chakra cycling. 

It was really slow, though, and Kenta would always know when he started speeding up because Hinata was a snitch. Still, he got a little better every day.

When Kenta wasn’t around, Naruto trained with Hinata and the experience couldn’t be more different. Their spars were quieter and more deliberate. Hinata moved faster than she did during taijutsu class. She also hit harder than he expected. 

Apparently, it was good to face different partners who fought in different ways. Something about not getting comfortable with facing the same fighting style over and over? Whatever. It at least kept things interesting.

Outside of that, Naruto worked on the jutsu they were learning at the academy. The previous breathing techniques helped a lot, but the new ones were even better. His Henge was practically perfect now, never mind the Kawarimi. 

Even his clone technique wasn’t a complete disaster anymore. Though, they could be better. Missing an eye or a nose wasn’t exactly passing material.

He still sucked at tests, though.

Two months have passed and the time was well-spent.

Naruto’s breathing was sharper now, more controlled. He could feel the difference, even if he didn’t understand everything about it. Kenta tried to explain it once, but he felt his eyes glaze over halfway through.

He still had a long way to go, but that’s not a problem anymore. Not when he had a clear way forward.

During this time, Hinata started talking a lot more, especially when all three of them were together. She would smile a lot too, and even laughed at his jokes sometimes. Naruto decided she was actually pretty cool.

Kenta was still weird, though. Friendly and helpful, but definitely weird. There were times when he wasn’t around and would turn up hours later. When Naruto asked where he kept disappearing to, Kenta gave the same answer every time.

"I’ll tell you someday."

Naruto would groan, whine, and pout, but he never budged.

Fine. Whatever.

Kenta was still one of the best teachers Naruto had ever had. Only Iruka-sensei could compare.

They started meeting more often, not just for training but for lunch or snacks. Kenta always had some strange dried fruit or bean paste thing that Naruto hated at first. But then he secretly started to like. 

Hinata sometimes brought her own homemade snacks. Naruto would brag about his ramen skills, and Kenta would just roll his eyes.

The training continued and Naruto could now perform a slow kata while keeping his breathing and chakra cycle steady. He still couldn’t do it perfectly, but his stumbles were fewer and farther between. When Kenta told him he was ready to begin cycling chakra faster while moving, Naruto felt proud. 

Really proud. The kind where he didn’t have to pretend.

He sparred with Hinata more often, too. She didn’t hold back, which he appreciated. She didn’t treat him like he was stupid or a waste of her time. They were both trying to get stronger, and they respected each other’s efforts.

During one spar, Naruto asked, “Hey, do you think Kenta’s human?”

Hinata blinked, confused. “What?”

“I mean, he’s always doing all this stuff. Breathing, meditating, disappearing, teaching. Like, all the time.”

Hinata giggled. “He’s human, Naruto-kun. Just very dedicated.”

Naruto scratched his head. “Yeah, I guess.”

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the now-familiar training ground that no else ever seems to use. Seriously, nearly three months they’ve been coming here and Naruto has only ever seen the three of them around.

What gives?

Across from him stood one of his two regular training partners, standing in her clan’s signature fighting stance.

“Ready?” Hinata asked, eyes sharp.

“You bet!” Naruto cracked his knuckles.

They clashed.

This time, Naruto didn’t need to think. The breathing came naturally. The chakra flowed on command. He wasn’t perfect, but he wasn’t tripping over his own feet anymore.

They moved in a blur of motion, exchanging blows. Naruto ducked an oncoming palm, sidestepped to get a clear shot at an undefended side, and retaliated with an elbow. 

Faster than his eyes could track, Hinata deflected the blow, spun, and repositioned before launching another series of swift strikes.

For his part, Naruto focused on keeping his breathing and chakra cycling stable while evading and countering.

Neither of them gained the upper hand, but they grinned the whole time.

This was pretty much the norm for the last three weeks, ever since they were given the all-clear to take their practice bouts up a notch. Both were learning control, but for very different reasons. 

When they finally stopped, both panting, a familiar voice rang out.

“Well, well. Look at you two go.”

Naruto turned, eyes widening.

Kenta was walking toward them, like he’d done many times before. However, there was a difference this time.

He always arrived alone. But now, someone else was with him. 

Naruto pointed, face scrunching up in outrage. “What’s he doing here?!”

Uchiha Sasuke had arrived, wearing that smug smirk of smugness.

Hinata sighed in resignation.

Kenta was rolling on the ground, laughing.

Sasuke POV

The last two months have been strange for Uchiha Sasuke.

A few things were shifting at the Academy, many of which were obvious, but some required sharper eyes to even notice. More adult shinobi were coming and going, for example, with no one really commenting on their presence except for rumors among the students. 

They never stuck around or disturb classes or get involved in any of the school activities. This made their seemingly random appearances even more noteworthy.

Speaking of classes, there were changes there too. More emphasis on chakra theory, control, and basic principles like efficiency. Grounding the need for true mastery over one of the most fundamental tools to a ninja’s arsenal. Something that was already covered in previous years but without nearly the same degree of palpable intensity.

Most jarring of all, however, was the dobe’s unbelievable speed of improvement.

Naruto had always been the brash, annoying, and overbearing loudmouth of the class. Known for failing pretty much everything he did except when setting up a prank. Though, Sasuke will admit, if only in the privacy of his own mind, that some of what the idiot pulled were actually pretty funny. 

These days, that’s not the case anymore.

As far as Sasuke had been able to piece together, everything could be traced back to his first loss against Hyuga Hinata. Back then, he couldn’t understand how it happened. 

In the past, whenever they faced each other in their infrequent matchups, he always maintained a comfortable lead. Then, out of nowhere, she just gets faster and moves like the wind? How?!

She even managed to win without causing him any significant injury. And in the two months since then, she hasn’t lost a single time against anyone. 

At about the same time this was happening, the dobe rapidly got better too. In both taijutsu and ninjutsu. 

He wasn’t demolishing anyone like the Hyuga girl was, but his movements got sharper and more precise. No longer flailing like an idiot, his attacks actually became more threatening.

Sasuke still won every bout against him during sparring, but those victories got harder and harder.

These changes extended to his performance in class, as well. Naruto had already been showing marked improvements with the Henge and Kawarimi, but his clones often left a lot to be desired. As of last week, the first two were practically the same as Sasuke’s own. Now, only Bunshin Jutsu seemed to be giving him trouble.

Contrary to what the pink-haired banshee and her cohorts keep spouting, though, Sasuke wasn’t bothered by this development.

On some level, he felt relief.

It had always been irritating to hear the dobe keep barking without being able to back it up. Always going on and on about becoming Hokage someday without putting in the work to make it happen. 

Too bad he’s still loud, though.

Besides, Sasuke was still better. And it’s going to stay that way, if he had anything to say about it.

More importantly, he knew that most of the credit for Naruto's changes could be attributed to someone else.

Shiozaki Kenta.

He could still remember that momentary eye contact after he drew with Akimichi. The glance hardly lasted a second, but the message was unmistakable.

Naturally, Sasuke elected to completely ignore the unspoken invitation.

Instead, he chose to observe him from a distance. The civilian-born student’s rise on the taijutsu rankings had certainly been impressive. His spars against Naruto and the Hyuga heiress are some of the most interesting, though. 

They didn’t even try to hide their familiarity with each other’s fighting styles. Whenever it was his turn to face off against him, though, Sasuke kept walking away irritated despite his constant victories. He was still holding back, somehow. 

Sure, he was doing it less and less, but the signs of his true strength were there. It created a puzzling pattern, as well.

Easily winning against Naruto, naturally losing against the Hyuga, yet pretending to be less skilled than Sasuke? What exactly was he trying to achieve by doing this?

Not to butter him up, that’s for certain. He never seemed the type to do that.

Worst of all, when he brought this up with Iruka-sensei or any of the other teachers, they would only say that Kenta was trying his best. It was a lie so blatant, Sasuke could feel his eyes twitch every time it was repeated.

But he couldn’t exactly call them out on it. What would that achieve?

At this point, he had to admit the truth. He’d hit a wall.

Something strange was going on. Sasuke could feel it in his gut, but all avenues of learning the truth save for approaching Shiozaki were being actively blocked.

His certainty only solidified when a new chakra control exercise was introduced to the Academy last week. Why? Because it was so unbelievably simple that anyone could do it with hardly any issues. Clan-raised or civilian-born, it didn’t matter. 

It was basically just a breathing technique paired with simple chakra movement practice. Rhythmic, purposeful, and effective. The only real obstacle was the amount of focus it required, but if the Nara slacker could do it, so could everyone else.

Sasuke’s chakra control had been decent, but it got much better after only a few days. The simplicity of the approach unnerved him. Compared to the new method, the leaf-sticking exercise was like using a sharpened rock in place of a kunai.

As for how he knew that Shiozaki was involved, it’s because Sasuke had already seen the exercise in practice. Long before it was added to the academy curriculum, at that. 

Over the course of his investigation into the other boy, he had followed him to an isolated training field with Naruto and Hyuga Hinata more than once. Whenever he did, they appeared to be meditating or sparring really slowly. At the time, he dismissed it as quirkiness. But now? Now, it was the final piece. 

Everything pointed to Shiozaki and it was time to get some answers.

Sasuke waited at a narrow pathway, which his classmate usually took after the trio had parted ways. It hardly ever saw foot traffic, which made it perfect for his planned conversation. Right on time, his target sauntered toward him, looking like he hardly had a care in the world.

To his surprise, the boy only smiled after spotting him blocking the way forward. 

“Ah, Sasuke!” he greeted in an infuriatingly upbeat manner. “Need something?”

Sasuke stared, hands in his pockets, momentarily confused at being confronted by such a sunny disposition. He quickly got over it, though.

“I want answers,” he said.

Kenta hummed in thought, cupping his chin with one hand while the other went to his waist. The very epitome of nonchalant consideration. 

“Are you sure?” he asked after a second.

“I am.”

“Really sure~?” 

The singsong way he spoke was starting to get on Sasuke’s nerves. So much so that his response was spat out between gritted teeth.

“Yes.”

As soon as the answer left his mouth, Shiozaki’s entire demeanour changed. His eyes sharpened, which was then accompanied by a slow, forward tilt of his head. 

“Then are you willing to pay the price for those answers?”

Sasuke stiffened, suddenly anxious about what he would have to give up in this bargain. But then memories of that night flickered in his mind. The blood pooling on the tatami, the silence of the compound, and the once-trusted red eyes burning into his soul. 

His answer was already made for him long ago.

“I would give anything to get stronger.”

Shiozaki’s blinding smile at Sasuke’s answer nearly caused him whiplash. 

“Good!” he said cheerfully, clapping once to emphasize his point. “Then tonight, you’re having dinner at my house.”

Sasuke blinked, sure that he must have misheard. 

“What?”

“You said ‘anything’, right?” The sly tone nearly made Sasuke throw a punch out of reflex. “This is the price.”

The Uchiha heir could only stare in beffudlement. What was happening, right now? Unfortunately, in his stunned state, Shiozaki already walked past him.

“Come along now, Sasuke. We don’t want to keep my folks waiting.”

The Shiozaki home was modest. Tucked into one of the civilian sectors of the village, the house itself was tidy. It felt lived in, with inhabitants that truly claimed the space as their own. 

After walking through the door, his classmate called a greeting and his parents answered. Upon their introduction, Masaru and Kaname welcomed Sasuke with warmth that bordered on unnerving.

Dinner itself stood out due to how abnormally normal it went. He was asked about his experience at school, his hobbies, the things he liked, and that was about it. They didn’t poke or prod him. Nor did they ask invasive questions or make patronising comments.

Just polite, friendly interest.

Sasuke became more and more aware of how... alien it all felt.

After dinner, Shiozaki led him upstairs to his room. For some strange reason, he felt the need to offer his help in cleaning up. An offer that the adults waved away. The whole thing made Sasuke feel unbalanced.

This feeling was made even worse when they finally made it to a room that absolutely defied his expectations. It was more of an office than a bedroom. Scrolls, chakra diagrams, and workshop tools where neatly piled on desks, shelves, and corner tables. There were no posters or no clutter. 

It reminded Sasuke of the workrooms he’d come across back at the Uchiha compound. This only served to confirm his suspicion that he wasn’t dealing with an ordinary boy.

Shiozaki sat on the bed while indicating for Sasuke to take the chair by the largest desk. Once seated, he regarded this strange anomaly that was supposed to be his age, whose small smile almost seemed patiently expectant.

“Do you have something to do with the changes at the Academy?” Sasuke asked, not seeing a point to beating around the bush.

“I can’t answer that,” Shiozaki said.

“Can’t or won’t?”

“Can’t.”

Sasuke should have expected that. If he was right, then Shiozaki was involved with the administration at the highest levels. Being ordered to stay silent would then make sense. 

“Are you the reason for the dobe’s improvements?” 

“You already know the answer to that.”

Sasuke scowled because he did. The trio weren’t exactly hiding their activities. Anyone who bothered to could have learned the same things he did. Before he could speak any further, though, the other boy beat him to it.

“That’s not really what you wanted to ask, though, is it?” The amusement in those brown eyes was starting to make Sasuke’s blood boil. “What do you really want to know?”

Sasuke was silent for a moment, debating whether this was worth pursuing or not. For all he knew, this was all just a waste of time. There were no guarantees that Shiozaki, of all people, could get him what he wanted.

With that said, he could tie the dobe and the Hyuga heir’s massive boost in combat abilities directly to him. Could Sasuke really afford to let this chance go out of pride? Was it worth more than his desire for vengeance and his dream of restoring his clan?

“How did you get strong so fast?” He spoke in a quiet but clear voice. “And can I do it too?”

Shiozaki’s eyes gleamed in triumph. 

“That, Sasuke, is the right question.”

Three months later, Sasuke concluded that Shiozaki was as good as his word.

In such a short period of time, compared to the years spent pushing himself in training, he was finally making great strides. The most surprising aspect of this development was the simplicity of everything involved. 

He had expected secret techniques of some kind. Perhaps a forbidden method of gaining strength.

But this simply was not the case. 

Everything they have been doing involved the application of principles already being taught at the academy. The only difference is Shiozaki’s approach. Or, rather, his insistence on taking control and precision to the extremes.

As a result, Sasuke had seen the Hyuga heiress and the dobe leave small craters on the ground, pulverize logs into dust, and break tree trunks in two when while sparring. 

With breathing, timing, and chakra control, every strike became destructive.

Of course, there was more to it than that. The whole point to using chakra this way had to do with enhancement. Specifically, enhancing their bodies using chakra. Power, speed, endurance, and toughness. All of these can be bolstered with the precise use of the energy.

Sasuke himself had more than doubled his speed since he started. He could dodge faster, strike cleaner, and sustain attacks longer.

Unfortunately, just as he was making progress, the same went for Naruto. This was only to be expect, though. The dobe had a full two months’ head start on him and according to Shiozaki, the gains tend to stack over time. 

In their practice bouts, Sasuke now had to put in real effort to put down the obstinate blonde. The Uchiha’s signature taijutsu style was hardly giving him an edge, anymore.

But it was the girl who surprised Sasuke the most, as she had become an immovable wall. At the academy, he thought that he had her measure. She proved him wrong when they sparred at the isolated training field for the first time. 

Suffice it to say, his insistence that she show him her true strength resulted in an embarrassing beatdown. This was made worse by her being so apologetic while taking him apart with ease. 

The other two idiots nearly laughing themselves sick was just the icing on the cake of humiliation.

These days, sparring with her required both him and Naruto working together, just to keep up. The awe he felt when seeing her fight was only surpassed by finally witnessing Shiozaki cut loose.

It didn’t happen often. In fact, that was also a first for the other two.

But getting a first-hand look at what was essentially a whirlwind made of fists and feet left quite the impression. Especially as it also overwhelmed someone he couldn’t even touch. Sasuke wasn’t pigheaded enough to deny that it was a humbling experience.

When he asked Shiozaki why he kept restraining himself in every taijutsu class, the answer had left him reeling.

“Because I’m not experienced enough to avoid causing lasting injury. Hinata’s the only one our age who can safely keep up with me. Anyone else might get turned into a red smear.”

Sasuke had a hard time sleeping that night, wondering how he could reach the same heights of power. 

Since then, it was only the three of them who trained at close to full strength. Shiozaki only joins to guide and correct any mistakes he sees. He adjusted their posture for optimum air circulation, nudged stances that allowed chakra to flow better, and demonstrated movements with the care of someone building something fragile.

They weren’t the only ones benefiting from these new methods, either. At the academy, the same lessons were being taught, though with a broader mandate.

Following the month-long school break that occurred a week after Sasuke was brought into the group, new programs and classes were added. Two months in and practically every student in their class could perform every academy jutsu almost flawlessly. 

The introduction of advanced chakra classes only added to the accelerating rise in success among their generation. Students who showed the most promise in chakra control could join in, where they will then be taught rudimentary chakra enhancements.

The same chakra enhancements that he and his three training partners have been using for weeks.

Naturally, Sasuke was chosen, along with several others. As a result, going to the academy no longer felt like such a waste of his time.

Of course, all of these activities didn’t stop him from practicing at home. By this point, his Grand Fireball jutsu only needed a quarter of the chakra compared to before. This then quadrupled the number of times he can use it in a fight.

Aside from that, he could now also control several aspects of the technique. He could make it bigger, faster, and hotter as needed. The Grand Fireball could even be detonated at any time, thus giving him more options in combat.

Sasuke was now deadlier than he had ever been and it was all thanks to a weirdo with strangely accommodating parents.

The Shiozaki household had become a familiar place these last few months. Masaru and Kaname have made it a habit to host him, along with the dobe, and the strongest kuniochi-in-training. 

He agreed to go because they never pried. 

He agreed to go because it was difficult to say no to Kaname. 

Most importantly, he agreed to go because they simply included him with no expectations.

When they were all together, it can get noisy, boisterous, and, strangely enough, comforting. Despite his life becoming appreciably better, though, Sasuke never lost sight of the real mission.

Each day brought him closer to revenge and to restoring his clan.

Shiozaki might be a boy who smiled too much and never answered the important questions. But through him, Sasuke’s goals no longer seemed so out of reach.

And for that, he was prepared to let him have his secrets.

Side Story 1

Unintended Ripples

“Honestly, I can’t believe it’s taken Konoha this long to start focusing on better chakra control exercises!”

The outburst was just one of several that have been coming out of Shiozaki Kenta’s mouth since they met of for their first collaboration. He, Shirakawa Reina, and Murakami Sayo are currently in a lab setup away from prying eyes and absolutely smothered with privacy measures to ensure complete concealment.

“As we already told you Shiozaki-san, there have been very few opportunities to focus on such a niche field. There have been too many wars, which cost the lives of too many talented ninjas.”

The tired explanation was also one of several that Reina and Sayo had already given.

“And as I’ve already told you, please call me Kenta. We’re going to be working together a lot from now on and it would feel weird being treated so formally by two grown adults all the time. You would be doing me a favor, Reina-san. That goes for you too, Sayo-san.”

Reina’s fellow medic-nin looked up from the scrolls she’d been studying when her name came up. 

“I don’t mind,” she shrugged and went back to reading. “As long as you call me Sayo, in exchange.”

“Deal,” Shiozaki-san grinned before looking to Reina.

This put her in a bit of a bind. On the one hand, she would like to maintain some barrier of professionalism between them. On the other, at the rate this was going, she would be the only one to do so. This could create friction in a dynamic that started out quite promising.

Sighing, she said, “Very well, Kenta-kun.”

“Excellent!” he exclaimed, beaming. “But coming back to the point, though, I’m not complaining just for the sake of complaining. Just imagine how much we could have already accomplished if Konoha did this sooner. The medical field alone would be flooded with innovations up the wazoo!”

Up the what?

“And then there are the various quality of life improvements that chakra makes possible. Instant first-aid seals, psycho and physio-therapy, lightning-style generators, untraceable long-distance communication, immersive entertainment options like illusion theatres, biomechanical prosthesis that would be indistinguishable from the real thing, all of it possible and more!”

Frustration and dismay seemed to mingle in equal measure as the young boy ranted, but Reina was too preoccupied to really care.

“I’m sorry, what was that you just said?” 

Kenta looked up with a puzzled look.

“Huh?”

“The thing you just said, what was it?”

“Instant first-aid seals?”

“No, the other one.”

“Lightning-style generators?”

“No, the other, other one.”

“For goodness’ sake, Reina! He said a lot of things, which one is tripping you up?” Sayo cut in before the discussion could devolve into a ludicrous cycle.

Sighing in irritation, Reina complied, “About the prosthetics. Are you talking about replacing lost limbs with ones made from artificial materials?”

A look of genuine confusion washed over the boy’s face, as if the rug was pulled from right under him.

“...Yes? This isn’t a new thing, is it?” Then his expression took on an exasperated hue. “Surely, limb-replacement options have been around before I came along? The Elemental Nations couldn’t possibly be this backward?”

Reina was rendered rather speechless by the abject disappointment Kenta was sending her way. Fortunately, Sayo was there to answer his question.

“At this point, artificial limb replacements are still mostly theoretical, Kenta-kun. I’ve heard Suna is making great strides in the field, but how far they’ve come, we don’t know.”

That does beg the question of how it can be done, though. As a highly-trained med-nin of Konoha, Reina was among the privileged few to have access to the notes left behind by Senju Tsunade. Before she knew it, her mind was in a haze of possibilities and dreams.

She then abruptly stood up and left the room, shouting “I’ll be right back!” while going out the door.

The two left behind looked at each other in confusion.

“What was that about?” Kenta asked.

“Who knows?” Sayo shrugged and continued reading. “Reina’s always been something of an airhead.”

In another secret place containing sensitive village secrets, Shirakawa Reina was arguing with the guards about proper procedure, filling out paperwork in triplicate, and getting lectured about barging through the door like a hooligan. 

Hinata’s Marriage Prospects

“Father, I have been invited to have dinner at Shiozaki-san’s house. May I go?”

It was dinnertime at the Hyuga clan compound and Hinata was currently sitting down with her father and little sister, Hanabi. Upon asking her question, Hiashi’s chopsticks paused mid-rise and he gave his daughter an inquiring look.

“Who else will be present at this dinner?”

“Shiozaki-san, Uzamaki-san, Uchiha-san, and Shiozaki-san’s parents.”

“May I come?”

“I’ll ask Hanabi-chan.”

“I see, thank you onee-san.”

A pause and the sound of chewing commenced.

“You spend a lot of time around those boys, right, onee-san?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Which one of them will you marry?”

The sounds of choking came from two distinct sources before Hiashi slammed his hand on the table, making the dishes rattle.

“None of them! None of those miscreants are going to –” One hasty throat clearing and the recollection of quiet dignity later. “That is to say, your sister’s marriage prospects are a serious matter Hanabi. It will require extensive analysis and investigations, as well as prolonged consideration. Extensively prolonged consideration. Possibly long after she turns eighteen.”

That was the longest either girl heard their father talk about anything non-clan related in one go. For her part, Hinata couldn’t help feeling warm. Both at the thought of marriage and for her father’s paternal reaction, try as he might to hide it.

While their relationship has improved over the years, mostly owing to Hinata’s commitment to getting stronger, she would never have expected him to be so protective.

“I see.” 

A pause.

“Then, may I marry one of them?”

Another round of choking sounds occurred. This time necessitating intervention on Hinata’s part while Hiashi was quickly turning blue.

Hanabi simply frowned in bewilderment. Surely marriage to one of the three would mean her onee-sama would be around more often? Why would her father be against that?

Adults are strange, she concluded.

Sakura’s Surprising Realization

Haruno Sakura was not having a good day. In fact, she had not been having many good days for several months now. 

Her position as the top kunoichi of the year has been well and truly usurped by Hinata. Naruto-baka was getting harder to ignore. Worst of all, Sasuke-kun was becoming more difficult to approach due to his sudden and inexplicable closeness with those two.

She couldn’t understand what was happening. It’s like her whole world had been turned upside-down.

Now, here she was in her room, where she was definitely not sulking. Instead, she was trying to come up with more ways to get Sasuke-kun to notice her. But, try as she might, she couldn’t think of anything.

She let her hair grow impractically long because she heard Sasuke-kun liked girls with longer hair. She broke off her friendship with Ino-pig because she was a rival to his affections. Sakura even went on a strict diet to maintain her figure.

What more could she do?

Just then, a knock on her bedroom door sounded before her dad’s genial face appeared. On seeing his daughter lying down and looking despondent, the man smiled and proceeded to sit on the edge of the bed.

“What’s the matter with my little petal?” he asked gently.

“Dad! Don’t call me that!” she whined, though in truth, the term of endearment had always made her feel happy.

“I’m sorry, Sakura-chan. But you haven’t answered my question. Do you want to talk about what’s got your pretty face looking so sullen?”

For a moment, Sakura considered lying or making something up. She had never talked to her dad about boys, before. That had always been mom. 

But lately, all of her advice were things that Sakura was already doing. So, maybe she could benefit from a male’s perspective this time?

“It’s about Sasuke…”

And away she went to explain everything that’s gone wrong recently. Her dad just sat there patiently, listening as she released her woes on willing ears. When she was done, he was quiet for a few heartbeats.

“Have you ever thought about simply befriending him first?” he asked.

“What?” Sakura was genuinely struggling to process what he just said.

Huffing in amusement, he moved to scoop her up and cradled the girl against his chest. Stroking her hair, he explained his point in a loving voice.

“Sweetheart, I have no delusions about you marrying someday. Whoever you end up with should consider themselves lucky to have landed a pretty, smart, and caring girl like you. But that time is still so far off.”

Adjusting his arms so she could see his eyes, brimming with kindness and warmth, he continued.

“If Sasuke is who you truly want, then you need to get to know him first. And the best way to do that is to be his friend. You mentioned that he’s gotten close with another girl in your class. Who was it?”

“Hinata, she’s a princess of the Hyuga clan or something.” 

If her dad noticed the bitterness in her tone, he chose to ignore it.

“What can you tell me about her?”

Sakura thought for a moment before answering.

“Pretty, shy… she’s acts like a lady, I guess?”

“Is that all?”

“She’s strong too, the strongest in our class,” she grudgingly admitted. “Even Sasuke loses to her.”

This time, her dad’s smile became knowing.

“Then there’s your answer, petal.” At her look of incomprehension, he elaborated. “You told me that this boy you like became close to Hinata after she beat him, yes?”

She nodded hesitantly, not really sure where her dad was going with this.

“Then don’t you think the reason for that is obvious?”

Sakura’s eyes widened in understanding. Of course!

Smiling brightly, she gave her father the biggest hug she could manage. Laughing, he returned it enthusiastically.

Hours later, right before falling asleep, a new spark of determination started burning in Haruno Sakura’s chest. No other girl had ever been able to get close to Sasuke until Hinata. And it only happened after he lost to her the first time. 

It all made sense now.

Sasuke likes women who can beat him up. I’ll have to get stronger so he doesn’t look at anyone else.

With this final thought, she drifted off to dreams of a happy marriage.

Meanwhile, the patriarch of the Haruno household slept with a satisfied smile, knowing that he had given his precious daughter such good advice.

Exceeding Expectations

The doldrum hush in the office felt thick enough to ladle, yet the village’s shadowed sentinel, Konoha’s venerable leader, did not so much as twitch. For twenty glacial minutes, aged eyes had stalked those three flimsy pages with the ferocity of a war hound patrolling a single, stubborn footprint. 

Strained ocular orbs crept line-by-line, retreated to the margin, then advanced again, interrogating every swirl of ink as though the kanji might finally admit some treasonous subtext under prolonged duress. 

Holding his breath, the deliverer of the ill-fated documents timed the silence. One heartbeat, two heartbeats, ten heartbeats. Outside, the clang of shop shutters closing marked the end of a perfectly ordinary day that refused to penetrate the storm of focus within. 

On the desk, nothing moved except a single sheet that fluttered when the village head exhaled, as though exhausted on his behalf. And still he remained locked in orbit. 

Page one to two, two to three, then back to one. The Hokage seemed to be battling disbelief so intense it threatened to burn a hole clean through the papers and right down to the Hokage Monument itself.

All of this to say that Iruka was getting somewhat concerned at his leader’s prolonged silence.

Then again, he couldn’t really blame him. While hopes were high, even he had nearly fallen out of his chair upon seeing the condensed report from the academy’s teaching and support staff.

Finally, the Hokage rose from his extended submersion into written texts to pin the chunin with a scrutinizing gaze.

“Is this accurate?” he asked, voice absolutely dripping with incredulity.

“The report went through multiple academy departments to check for discrepancies or errors, Hokage-sama. Everything in those documents passed muster.”

The response was laced with sympathy on Iruka’s part. Had he not seen the results first-hand, he would be highly suspicious, as well. At his reply, the documents were finally dropped on the table and the Hokage leaned back into his chair in a slump.

Several heartbeats of silence followed this before the old ninja spoke once more.

“It seems the multi-vector chakra control approach has exceeded expectations, then.”

Iruka could only nod at that. Months of work went into refining and further developing the methods that Shiozaki Kenta had been teaching select classmates. Upon its introduction, there were certain thresholds that were meant to indicate the successful implementation of the new techniques.

However, no one could have anticipated the students blowing past those predictions, least of all the originator. 

“Give me your personal observations, Iruka.”

“Yes, Hokage-sama,” the younger man obliged. “As expected, the students struggled the most with the guided chakra cycling, structural posture alignment, and sensory feedback looping. Most of the civilians and even a few of the clan kids simply did not have the foundations to effectively apply them at first.

“However, they responded better to the breath regulation drills, usage rate awareness, recovery enhancement techniques, and waste mitigation aspects of the new exercises. In the advanced chakra control class, we are seeing smooth adaptation to micro muscle pulse training, along with the first level of physical chakra enhancement courses.”

“I see. Any indications of negative reactions?”

“None that we have been able to detect, Lord Third. By and large, the R&D team have succeeded in what they set out to do.”

Verbally referring to the small group of three who were responsible for this new development this way was yet another layer in a complex web of protections weaved by Konoha. But with every passing day, even these measures are starting to seem inadequate given the value of the asset.

“And to think we have yet to truly plumb the depths of this discovery,” the Hokage mused to himself. “Speaking of which, how have your own efforts been progressing, Iruka?”

The chunin perked up at this. “Quite well, Hokage-sama. I’ve yet to truly reach the first threshold.” Meaning he hadn’t been able to compress his chakra to form the first layer. “But I’m close. I can feel it.”

In response, Hiruzen gave a good-natured chuckle. “That’s good to hear. You are making more progress than I, I’m afraid. My responsibilities have left me with very little time to practice.”

What the Hokage left out was the difficulty of compressing the chakra of someone with his capacity. 

“And what of the special cases?”

The label given to the trio under Kenta’s direct guidance.

“Head and shoulders over their peers,” Iruka smiled wryly, “as expected. Though, it’s worth noting that, rather than resenting them, most of the other students seemed to have become inspired. Haruno Sakura, for instance, has started showing more diligence in taijutsu. In response, Yamanaka Ino and others have also started putting in more effort.”

The Hokage could only laugh at this, both in mirth and in excitement. This generation will surpass all those that came before. He could feel it in his old bones.

Tsunade’s Conundrum

Sip.

“You’ve made yourself really hard to find, hime.”

Sip.

“We’re not asking you to come back. Just to take a quick look at the scroll.”

Sip.

“I know it won’t change the past, but we’re hoping it would lead to a better future.”

Thump. Clang.

“Tsunade-sama?”

Shizune came over to check on Senju Tsunade, watching the thrown sake cup fall still after being thrown at the wall with concern. But the sannin ignored her in favor of the documents she’d been given.

She couldn’t deny that it was somewhat nostalgic to meet with her former teammate again. However, the subject of his unexpected visit was severely unwelcome. After a quick look at the message he passed on and its content before leaving, though, it was nearly impossible to pull away.

Just a few pages. The details were short, concise, and almost bone dry.

Yet, they contained information that Tsunade would have used to save hundreds, if not thousands in the Great Wars. Why did this have to come about now? Why only after it was too late to make a difference?

Why couldn’t this have been around for… for them?

The acidic thoughts and anguish pushed her to indulge more in the unhealthy habit of alcohol consumption. But even though the taste was never the biggest draw for her, the bitterness finally got too much.

In lieu of giving her follower a verbal answer, she passed her the documents, instead. Shizune was well-versed enough in medical matters to understand what it meant.

Content to simply brood in silence while the younger girl devoured the information, Tsunade couldn’t help but ruminate at Jiraiya’s abrupt departure. No wonder he didn’t feel the need to stick around. He knew what her reactions would likely be, and that comfort of any kind would be the last thing she’d want.

“This is impossible.”

The last Senju was brought out of her thoughts as Shizune expressed her disbelief. Looking over, she saw the young woman staring at the pages with wariness. 

“Apparently, it’s not.” Tsunade huffed.

“But Tsunade-sama, these results have to be a mistake! Chakra control shouldn’t lead to some of the developments listed here.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because… because it’s just chakra control! What does that have to do with –” she checks the papers again “– viable prosthetics, portable energy, or battlefield treatments that don’t require medic-nin?”

Tsunade found herself sighing in disappointment, both at herself and her student. It reflected her neglect at teaching more niche concepts and Shizune’s lack of imagination. Then again, perhaps she was still in shock?

“Do remember what my Creation Rebirth is all about, Shizune.”

“What?” she frowned before understanding dawned on her. “Seals… it’s about seals, isn’t it? But then, how would–unless they–but that would need absolute chakra control, which…” 

She trailed off, eyes wide in comprehension.

“Exactly. Chakra control, or rather, chakra mastery is the foundation.” Tsunade reached for another cup and poured herself some sake. “From there, the possibilities can branch off into different fields. However, there’s one thing you’re missing.”

A look of concentration took over, which stretched for a few seconds. Then a flicker of discernment.

“Chakra capacity would be a bottleneck,” she breathed. “No matter how good their control, these innovations would be quite demanding on that front. Focusing on any of them would leave Konoha’s ninjas useless for anything else.”

Tsunade nodded in satisfaction at the young woman’s deduction. 

“So, what does this mean?” the slug sannin prodded her student.

“It means,” she said, speaking slowly, “that they found a way around the problem. Either that or the village is suddenly filled with chakra monsters. Something I rather doubt.”

“Quite the irritating bit of mystery, isn’t it?”

If pushed, Tsunade would have to confess a burning curiosity as to how this was done. Her teacher wouldn’t lie just to get her to come back. At least, not in such a clumsy manner. So, this left her with the uncomfortable choice of accepting that everything included in his message was the truth.

“Um, Tsunade-sama?” Shizune spoke up hesitantly. “What does this mean for us? Are we going back?”

There was a hint of hopefulness in her tone that twinged Tsunade's guilt. She’s been dragging her follower around since girlhood. Most of the time, she would console herself by teaching Shizune as much as she could – if she wasn’t drinking herself into a stupor, that is.

This then put Tsunade in a conundrum. 

Changes were happening in Konoha. Changes that she herself advocated for. 

But were they enough to tempt her into returning?

“I don’t know, Shizune,” she sighed in despondency. “I just don’t know.”

Chaos Council

In the bowels of the Hokage Tower, within a room intended for important discussions pertaining to Konoha’s future and its various interests, there was chaos. Loud voices overlapping, speakers trying to drown dissenting opinions through volume, and paperwork was scattered on the large table and the floor.

Speaking of which, it was these seemingly innocuous pieces of constructs of tree fibre and ink that was causing the current disorder.

At the center of this maelstrom of cacophony was the Hokage, calmly puffing away at his pipe. Likewise, Hyuga Hiashi was sipping his tea, projecting an abject lack of concern. In this way, the two towering figures shared a commonality that briefly manifested in sympathetic nods toward each other.

“That’s not the point, though, is it?! Why weren’t we consulted about this?”

“You just want to suppress the proliferation of the new methods and maintain clan advantage over civilians!”

“How safe are these new techniques, anyway?”

“The Hokage wouldn’t have implemented them if they were dangerous!”

“That’s not the point!”

On and on it went. About an hour now, by Hiashi’s reckoning. Not that bad, considering how these meetings usually go. So, he was content to simply let the rabble rousers get it out of their systems.

After another thirty minutes or so, the Hokage finally decided to step in. Flaring his presence to get the attendees’ attention, the wizened man placed his pipe on its ceramic holder before addressing the room.

“I understand that you have concerns. However, I will remind everyone here that the Academy is under the auspices of my office. As such, any and all educational reforms and implementations fall under my ultimate jurisdiction.”

A hush fell over the meeting chamber’s occupants, though, many looked ready to respond. This was ever the lot of a village with a leader who allowed certain liberties among his people. 

“Now, I will address the issues brought up in this meeting one at a time,” the Hokage continued. “First, the new chakra control methods introduced have been proven safe through a multitude of tests and over several months. The students themselves are under heavy watch to detect any adverse reactions. In addition, their health is being monitored by experts involved in the creation of these new exercises.

“Second, the clans were not informed so as to establish a true baseline and avoid potential contamination of the data being gathered. At this moment, the Academy is a testbed in preparation for wider adoption of the new methods. Interference by anyone who does not have the prerequisite information and training could result in skewed results.”

He cast a baleful glare among the various clan and civilian leaders. 

“I don’t need to remind you of the consequences should this be the case.”

For his part, Hiashi is not at all troubled by these developments. He has seen first-hand exactly what awaits the new generation of Konoha’s shinobi. Even with the escalating pressures from the elders, the Hyuga clan head has remained firm in denying them access to Hinata. There is nothing in this world that could force him to jeopardize his daughter’s future in such a way.

Though, Hiashi did find it intriguing that the members of the Konoha Council have remained uncharacteristically silent throughout these proceedings. Rather than easing his concerns, he found their change in behavior off-putting.

“Third, the introduction of these exercises is intended to produce higher-quality graduates. As ever, the goal is to ensure the highest degree of safety for any who will enter our shinobi forces. You all know how difficult it is to secure Jonin-sensei for all the students who pass their Academy exams. Building up their base capabilities in this manner would then give the graduates more options for upward mobility, even without a dedicated Chunin, Special-Jonin, or full Jonin to guide them.” 

True enough. Hinata had already demonstrated the benefits of taking chakra control to the extreme in defeating Neji multiple times. Now, it was simply a matter of establishing directions for other students, or indeed, other ninjas, in which to take what they’ve learned. 

“Now, are there any questions?” the Hokage offered.

Naturally, it was the Jonin commander and head of clan Nara who raised his hand first.

“Where are these new techniques coming from, Hokage-sama?” Shikaku asked.

Ah, dammit. 

Hiashi knew that the question was bound to come up, but he didn’t know how the Hokage would address it.

“That,” Lord Third began, “is classified, for the moment.”

Well, that was straightforward of him. The meeting room’s occupants had varying degrees of shock on their faces, as well. Though, none had the combination of consternation and incredulity as Nara Shikaku. 

For the first time, Hiashi became truly cognizant of the privileged position he was in. If even the Jonin Commander couldn’t be told the truth, he would have to double his efforts in plugging any holes under his jurisdiction as Hyuga clan head.

“Understood, Hokage-sama.”

The older man simply nodded in acknowledgement. From there, the discussion turned to preparations regarding these new developments. At some point, the arguments started up again, pertaining to one specific detail or another.

Hiashi participated as well, doing his best to secure the best outcome. Not only for his clan, but more importantly, for his daughters.

Shiozaki Kenta.

More and more the boy inches closer to deep waters. How much should Hiashi assist in keeping the sharks at bay?

Spy Games

Espionage is a simple fact of life for the Elemental Nations.

From the scurilous informants of the Daimyo’s court to the cells of elite agents that every Hidden Village employs. Secrets are a currency that are ever changing hands, bought in coin or blood. The more valuable the materials exchanged, the higher the price… and the higher the danger.

Some secrets are more valuable than others, of course, and those of Konoha are prized above all the rest.

So you can imagine, dear readers, what lengths purveyors and purchasers of such guarded facts and figures would go to obtain juicy morsels from a such a prime cut of meat. New lengths to capture, rebuff, or mislead ne’er-do-wells centered on the village’s main center of learning?

“Why, don’t mind if I do!” these opportunistic parasites would crow with relish.

As for the rival intelligence divisions from across the continent, themselves? Well, even the smallest scraps of clues and hints would be worth their weight in gold, wouldn’t they?

But again, dear readers, how would they go about snagging threads from a tapestry that seemed well-woven? 

Through tiny nibbles and harmless peregrination, of course!

Not even a bastion of military excellence such as Konoha can afford to turn away good trade and wealthy patrons, after all. And who is to say which of them has what business nor their wheres or whys?

Certainly not the intrepid guards at the gates!

A faked document here, a fabricated merchant route there, et voila! 

Ahh! Isn’t the absence of instant surveillance and communication wonderful?

This isn’t to say that Konoha is any less vigilant, however. No, no, no~!

Indeed, the watchful eyes on the walls still see much, and their ears hear more. But neither sight nor sound equates to understanding, dear reader. Not without the proper context. What’s more, the shinobi making up these honorable orders of spy hunters are simply human, in the end.

And humans? Why, they are so very flawed in the end, aren’t they?

To wit, some crumbs do escape and some aphids carrying droplets of data do scurry beneath their notice.

As such, bit by bit, piece by piece, kindling is fed into cinders of suspicion among those with too little trust in their neightbors.

Such a dreary way to live, wouldn’t you agree, dear readers?

What will come of this, you may wonder.

The answer, as ever, lay in human nature.

What one has, another must covet. 

So fans the flames of war.

Drumbeats sound in the distance.

And the cause of it all?

Revelling at the success of plans well-made.

Unknowing of the conflict brewing on the horizon.

Informational

Multi Vector Chakra Control Explained

Here's the breakdown of this chakra control method for anyone interested:

Breath Regulation Drills – Steady, rhythmic breathing for better chakra and bodily control. Also helps with focus and centering.

Intentional Chakra Cycling – Guiding chakra through its full circuit on command, switching speeds and directions to build fine motor control over the network.

Usage Rate Awareness – Constant mental tally of just how chakra is being spent for actions that require it (i.e. Jutsu, enhancements, expulsion, etc.).

Recovery Enhancement Techniques – Breathing exercise for quicker chakra recovery, both while at rest or while moving.

Waste Mitigation – Exact control of chakra usage for jutsu activation or other intended purposes, getting as close to the minimum without causing destabilization.

Structural Posture Alignment – Preventing chakra flow interruptions due to improper postures and aiding in smoother breathing.

Adaptive Combat Stances – Shifting footwork and centre-of-gravity to keep balance even while cycling heavy chakra loads, as well as maintaining momentum without losing focus.

Repetitive Kata Imprinting – Drilling the same micro-adjustments (breath, posture, stance) until they fire off subconsciously, similar to muscle memory.

Micro Muscle Pulse Training – Tiny tighten-and-release cycles in fingers, toes, and jaw that teach precision pressure control at the smallest scale.

Sensory Feedback Looping – Pairing each surge with heartbeat or breath sounds to create an internal metronome, sharpening awareness of flow rhythm.

Honestly, you don't really need to know these things to enjoy the story. They'll hardly be mentioned anyway. Even the students aren't told about all of this. Think of it like playing a video game without knowing all of the technical terms that developers and engineers use. Just assume that every time I bring up "academy chakra control breathing techniques", this is what I mean.

Progression of Chakra-Based Physical Enhancement

Okay, here are the five stages of physical enhancement:

Muscle Group Priming (Future requirement for academy graduation) - Chakra floods only the major muscle groups: legs, back, shoulders, and arms. Grants short, explosive bursts of strength and speed. It could also be sustained, depending on the level of chakra control mastery. Control is coarse in the early stages. It could lead to strains or "chakra burn" in the muscle fibres.

Tendon & Joint Threading (Chuunin) - The chakra flow expands into the tendons, ligaments, and stabiliser muscles around every joint, tightening reflex arcs and letting the body pivot harder without tearing itself apart.

Vital Core Infusion (Special Jonin - Jonin) - The chakra is infused into key organs (heart, lungs, diaphragm, liver) and minor muscles. Breath-hold time lengthens, toxins clear faster, and Stage 1 power can be sustained for longer periods.

Whole Network Synchronisation (theoretical) - All tenketsu will pulse in cadence, sheathing nerves, blood vessels, and even the skin in a uniform current. The user gains near-instinctive reactions and a chakra "buffer" that softens blunt trauma.

Prototype: Fractional-Gate Weave (theoretical) - A bleeding-edge concept in which each of the Eight Gates is micro-pulsed a few percent open in rapid sequence, saturating the entire body while avoiding the catastrophic backlash of full Gate release. Basically watered-down Gate Release.

What do you guys think? I'm still iffy on Stage 4 and 5, to be honest. Any of you got recommendations? Oh, and just FYI, Kenta's group is only at Stage 1 right now. No way are they ready for Stage 2 or higher until they form at least the first layer of compressed chakra. I'm open to suggestions. Give them to me so I can make the adjustments to the next chapter if needed.

Chapter 6

From my spot in the shade, leaning casually against the trunk of a gnarled tree, I watched Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata clash in the training field. The scene was mesmerizing. It isn’t anything particularly flashy or grand. Even so, I felt particularly satisfied with the visible proof of how far they’ve come.

Naruto’s once sloppy movements had become sharper. His usual recklessness tempered by months of drilling in control and precision. Each punch, kick, and block was deliberate in execution instead of the wild swings he used to throw. 

This wasn’t to say that he’s lost that innate ferocity, though. He’s just gotten a lot better at using it. Almost like a predator, in many ways.

Sasuke, never one to be outdone, matched Naruto strike for strike. The kid already had the basics down pat and had dedicated himself to the grind before I entered the picture. It was really just a matter of pointing him in the right direction. The typical Uchiha arrogance was still there, but it’s been chiseled away somewhat, leaving behind pure, ruthless efficiency. 

If Naruto was a predator, then Sasuke had all the hallmarks of a hunter.

And Hinata flowed between them like water. Graceful, precise, and dangerously effective. Never losing balance nor compromising the structure of her posture. The unsheathed blade of the trio, so to speak.

I smiled to myself, internally marvelling at their changes.

Naruto has been especially surprising with how quickly he picked up on my training. It seems the source materials and fanfiction have given me the wrong impression about him. Sure, he got stronger with age, but I thought that was just standard Shonen power-up shenanigans.

As it turns out, I was wrong. 

Sasuke’s been making tremendous progress, as well. Not only in terms of power and skill, but in his personal growth too. While he will likely never be a social butterfly, the brooding avenger was nowhere to be seen, either.

I wasn’t deluded enough to believe that he had given up on seeking revenge. But he’s not letting it consume his world to the extent that he did in canon. Looks like all my hard work at exposure therapy is paying off.

As for Hinata, what can I even say? The girl was an absolute power house. I wouldn’t be surprised if she could take on some of the weaker Chunin, at this rate. 

With that said, the pride I feel at seeing such tremendous improvement did come with a price.

Five months. 

Five relentless, grueling, soul-draining months. 

The Academy had ramped up its demands, tightening the curriculum in response to the new chakra control regimen I'd helped spark. Every spare moment was filled with extra training, consultations with Iruka-sensei, and endless med-nin sessions with Reina and Sayo. 

I was starting to forget what downtime felt like and might just be the busiest ten-year-old in Konoha. 

The thought made me snort softly. 

I hadn't started out intending for any of this. Yet somehow I found myself juggling roles as an unofficial teacher, research consultant, and even some sort of clandestine network node. That last part is particularly galling at how it completely blindsided me.

And it was all so goddamn exhausting.

To make matters worse, the fear of consequences after introducing the concept of cultivation to this world hasn’t disappeared. Heck, it actually amplified.

The techniques developed as off-shoots of the main thing was already drawing attention from virtually every sector of village society after they were added to the Academy’s curriculum. Civilians, clans, merchants, and of course, members of the shinobi forces, themselves.

Somewhere among them would undoubtedly be spies, trying to dig out secrets underneath several layers of defenses. At some point, they will succeed.

With that said, not everything was doom and gloom.

Tsunade had finally been found. The living legend hadn't sent a reply yet, but at least she was no longer an unknown variable. Her expertise would be invaluable, though getting her cooperation will no doubt be challenging. 

In terms of incentives, we’ve only really given her the broadstrokes. Tempting to anyone else, but less so for one of her calibre. This isn’t to say that no progress is being made in the medical field without her. But she certainly would make everything go faster.

And considering where we’ll be finding ourselves in a short few years? The sooner she gets involved, the better.

The second piece of good news involves the chakra control exercises. So far, the response has been beyond my expectations. Students previously struggling even with the basics are steadily improving. Kids who used to waste a ton of chakra with every jutsu performed are now showing much better results in management and focus. 

Even children without clan advantages had taken noticeable strides forward. Watching their progress is now something of a guilty pleasure.

But it was Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata who truly excelled. 

Each training session made it clearer just how far they'd come. Their own individual talents and hard work played a role in their rate of growth, I’m sure. But having the three train together only amplified that growth by several orders of magnitude. 

Sasuke and Naruto were incredibly competitive, and constantly tried to one-up each other. Hinata is just dedicated and had the advantage of her clan’s innate mastery over chakra. Naturally, the two boys refused to be left behind and chased after her too.

Admittedly, I was nervous when they started showing their true skills in class. I never actually told them not to, so that’s on me. 

Surprisingly, far from discouraging my classmates, it fanned the flames of passion among the other students, instead. In hindsight, seeing discernable results from their hard work via the new exercises was obviously going to light a fire under their butts.

Who doesn’t like seeing those XP bars fill up?

Even Sasuke’s fangirls had started getting in on the action. Sakura, Ino, and their ilk were now putting in the work: sweat, dirt, and all. This confused me at first, but one overheard argument cleared up the mystery.

Sakura and Ino were having a heated discussion over who would become strong enough to defeat the object of their affections first, thus winning his undivided attention. I had to use my enhanced speed to get far enough away so I could laugh until my stomach hurt.

The last Uchiha is in for some interesting days, indeed.

As for my own cultivation journey, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, I now have thirty layers of compressed chakra to my name. The secret underground training room really helped out there. It was about this time that I finally got some clarity regarding my paranoia, which was a major source of concern. The answer was fairly obvious, too.

Danger sense.

That’s right! Who would’ve guessed that gaining enhanced senses in so short a time while living in a town chalkful of dangerous killers would set off my fight or flight instincts so severely? Not me, apparently. Sayo and Reina had a good bit of fun ribbing me for missing something so simple.

Do I still feel it? Pretty much and it increases every time I succeed when cultivating. The only difference is that now I’m aware of what’s going on. So, I’m no longer a bundle of nerves. Well, not as much as I was months before.

Unfortunately, there’s also the issue of each new layer offering more and more resistance to compression. The last one took nearly two weeks of five-hour sessions every day, on average.

This could mean a few things, with two being the most likely.

One, I could be hitting a plateau. Not exactly beyond the realms of possibility. This is a completely new branch of whatever bullshit this world has to offer, after all.

Two, it could be a sign that I’m close to a breakthrough. Now, I have absolutely no idea how that was going to work in this reality. As far as I knew, there were no heavens to strike me down if I did. In fact, the process of getting to the next stage might look completely different to what I’m familiar with.

At the very least, it’s bound to be interesting. Though, that might just be the cautious optimist in me speaking.

My chakra capacity had expanded by a large margin, relative to when I started this whole thing. Based on my calculations, I now had eight times more chakra compared to a year ago. Not a lot by most metrics, but plenty for someone of my background.

However, the best part is that the increased reserves allowed me to experiment with jutsu under supervision. 

Iruka, Reina, Sayo, and occasionally even the Hokage himself would watch as I practice elemental techniques. Officially, it was to gauge how much my new method improved chakra efficiency and potency in various jutsu. In truth, I took the chance to stay ahead of the curve. 

Can’t have Sasuke slinging Grand Fireballs while I’m stuck with piddly E-rank scop, after all.

As a result, I’m now the proud owner of five D-rank jutsu, one for each element. It was done under the authority of the Hokage, as well. So, everything’s above board.

Not that he or anyone in the know had anything to complain about. The results speak for themselves. For example, the basic Academy jutsu now demanded so little chakra that the expense might as well not exist. Pennies on the dollar, basically.

Using Kawarimi has become second-nature, allowing me to swap positions with objects as small as shurikens and as big as boulders twice my size without conscious thought. Any time something came close to hitting me, I’d be on the other side of the room. The first few times it happened, even I was caught by surprise. 

I’ve had to put in more work to make sure that I wouldn’t switch randomly when someone tried to tap me on the shoulder.

On that note, there were practical limits in terms of size and weight that I haven’t found a workaround… Yet.

My Henge was indistinguishable from the real thing, now, too. People, animals, objects, it didn't matter. Even the Hokage had to try really hard to tell which chair was which when we asked him to attend a particular experiment we were conducting. Only by testing the weight of both objects did he succeed. I still kept my mass when transformed, after all. 

As for the Clone technique, the outcome was particularly disappointing. I was able to pull it off flawlessly, but it didn’t really have any practical use. I’ve tried everything I could think of and the same went for my two medic-nin collaborators. 

It was, by every definition, an infuriatingly useless skill. One that should be replaced by more practical alternatives as soon as students graduate.

Fortunately, Lord Third agreed when we presented our concerns to him.

Yet another change on top of the growing pile on his desk. The biggest of which were the multi-vector chakra control exercises we'd developed. Months of discussions, countless refinements, and meticulous testing with Reina and Sayo had borne fruit. 

Exercises such as Breath Regulation, Intentional Chakra Cycling, and Usage Rate Awareness were now integral to the academy’s training, drastically elevating even average students.

Advanced methods like Sensory Feedback Looping and Micro Muscle Pulse Training had become much sought-after by clan heirs and talented prodigies in advanced classes. Not that most of the students even knew of those technical terms. As far as they were concerned, they were all just part of the chakra breathing exercises.

I gotta say, though, seeing their swift adoption had me feeling giddy. These methods were my first real contributions to Konoha’s future.

Teaching Iruka and the Hokage cultivation didn’t count since they still have a ways to go in the practice. But ensuring that all Academy graduates have excellent chakra control? That’s where the real money is.

Even at the early stages, I’m already seeing some of my civilian classmates thinking of various ways to take advantage of this new development. The main reason for pushing them toward innovation months prior might no longer matter, but some of their ideas actually sound promising.

Maybe they can realize the list of potential projects that Sayo, Reina, and I came up with. It would certainly be a load off our shoulders.

Only time will tell.

Equally promising were the five stages of chakra-based physical enhancements we'd devised. Right now, only the first two stages had proven viable and safe enough for broader implementation. Muscle Group Priming, as well as Tendon and Joint Threading were simple enough to use with the right training. 

Considering the devastation that my own trio of personal pupils left behind on a daily basis while practicing just the First Stage, I can personally attest to that. 

Previously, you wouldn’t catch anyone short of Chunin doing these kinds of enhancements. They were dangerous. Lose focus for even a moment and you could get crippling injuries. Thanks to the new chakra control methods, this isn’t that big of a problem anymore.

Combined with the early, supervised training and the safer, multi-stage enhancement approach, Konoha’s going to be churning out monsters in a few short years. 

And that’s not even factoring in cultivation. 

Stage Three alone could make our Jonin considerably more dangerous. Controlled testing of Vital Core Infusion showed enhanced breath control, increased resistance to toxins, and notably improved stamina. Only Reina and I have been able to really take things to the edge, though. 

Sayo had to remain on standby to save us in case we blew out a leg or something.

On the flip side, adding Skeletal Reinforcement to the mix took a lot of adjustments. It involved threading controlled pulses of chakra along key bone structures, stimulating gradual enhancements in bone density. Any faster and we risked triggering cellular responses in the worst ways. 

Think bone cancer.

Yeah, it sent shivers down my spine too.

So, while promising, this stage needed further rigorous testing and refinement before widespread adoption.

Stages four and five remained purely theoretical. I wasn’t about to mess with Whole Network Synchronisation without years more tests, development, and more testing. The user would basically be synchronizing all their chakra points in a harmonic pulse, dramatically improving reflexes and creating a protective chakra buffer to mitigate trauma. 

The only person I knew who could pull that off right now would be Tsunade, herself.

And don’t even get me started on the Fractional-Gate Weave. It’s a cutting-edge concept, there’s no doubt about that. Pulsing the Eight Gates open at fractional percentages in rapid sequence, thus allowing the body to experience near-Gate benefits without the catastrophic damage?

Bitchin’, for sho!

But with the obvious exception of the eye-brow duo, I didn’t know anyone insane enough to do this from the word go.

Nope, those two need more time to cook. I knew it. Sayo and Reina knew it. And when presented with the theory, the Hokage knew it too.

Thankfully, the years of dedicated research and experimentation this would require won’t be my responsibility. I didn’t have nearly the right amount of training and experience for that. Hence, why we need the slug princess.

She could run laps around all the researchers and medical experts in the village. I certainly couldn’t compare to her. 

With all that said, the groundwork was laid and we had a clear vision of where all of this is supposed to go. I’m standing at the starting line of a new frontier in chakra theory, pioneering a science that had the potential to redefine shinobi combat entirely. 

It was positively thrilling and terrifying, at the same time!

Enjoyable as they have been though, the five months prior to today have wrung me out. It’s gotten to the point that I find teaching three kids how to more efficiently dismantle their enemies my only moments of relaxation.

Cultivating might involve sitting down for hours, but I’m certainly not chilling when I do it. It’s basically like trying to hold it in when you really, really, REALLY need to do a number two. Anyone who’s done that will know for a fact that it’s as far from a soothing experience as anything can get. Now, imagine being unable to even fidget in the process.

Glancing again at my small posse of precocious pals, I allowed myself a brief moment of genuine contentment. We were far from the finish line. Among us, only I knew the absolute terror that our future holds. But we were making huge strides in making tomorrow a little less bleak.

With a sigh, I pushed off the tree, feeling the tired ache in my bones. Rest would have to wait. My day was far from over and I suddenly need to poop, for some reason.

The meeting was already underway inside the Hokage Tower. Hiruzen sat behind his desk, hands clasped loosely as he listened to the two medic-nin standing before him. Sayo and Reina were mid-report, maintaining brisk professionalism in the process. Scrolls, diagrams, and a few annotated samples of their work had already been spread across the table.

"...based on Tsunade-sama’s notes, I’ve managed to get rudimentary responsiveness from a prosthetic elbow joint," Reina was saying. “No sensory feedback yet, but motor function can now be channelled via controlled chakra pulses along a network of basic chakra string structures.”

Hiruzen nodded, fingers tapping his desk slowly. 

“How has the progress been?” he prompted.

“Encouraging, Hokage-sama,” the black-haired beauty said, blue eyes gleaming with repressed satisfaction. “We’re still in the early stages and much of the design process will likely require multiple revisions, but the results have been extremely promising. Near-perfect chakra control will still be a requirement to qualify for one. A hurdle that I currently see no way of circumventing. But that’s no longer as big of a problem as it was before.”

The glee in the young woman’s voice was muted, but still clear as day to the Hokage, with the unspoken credit coming across in the same way.

He then gestured to Sayo, who proceeded to give her own report.

“The portable first-aid unit is likewise moving apace, Hokage-sama,” she said, the strength of her voice and crispness of her tone belying her short stature. “However, the stabilisation matrix is proving temperamental. I would have reached out to someone from the sealing corps, but even had you given permission, I feel that it wouldn’t be enough. Ideally, we need a proper fūinjutsu specialist, someone who has a deeper understanding of the art and can identify the cause of the structural cascade failure. I was hoping to request access to one.”

Yes, this has been something of a bother for Konoha since the deaths of the Fourth Hokage and Uzumaki Kushina. There was simply no one in the village as well-versed in the sealing arts as the departed masters. Jiraiya comes close, but even his student would admit his short-comings in this particular field.

Still, needs must.

“I will see what can be done about this issue,” Hiruzen said. “Perhaps Jiraiya can recommend someone discreet, if he himself is unable to return.”

The Hokage wouldn’t hold his breath on the former being the case, however. Ironically, Shiozaki Kenta has shown remarkable potential for fūinjutsu. A mind well-suited for analysis, yet flexible enough for lateral thinking. But the boy was already taking on more projects than is proper for one his age.

No, the task of resuscitating Konoha’s sealing primacy will have to fall on another’s head. While the old man was considering this conundrum, Reina continued their report, this time touching on the subject of his rumination. 

“Our work with the special asset has been progressing steadily as well. His approach remains unorthodox, but it’s productive, and insightful. We’ve already brought up our concerns regarding strange remarks that he has made before, but he continues to tackle obstacles from angles that are… unusual, to say the least.”

Sayo allowed a small smile and threw in her thoughts on the matter. 

“He’s a challenge to work with, especially when he gets belligerent regarding the most random of subjects. However, every task he has worked on consistently turns out to be a productive one.”

“Yes, he does tend to inspire that reaction.” Hiruzen’s lips quirked faintly, recalling his first time meeting Kenta.

The civilian-born prodigy truly has changed the game in many ways. Fear and trepidation long since forgotten, the child has become susceptible to manic episodes of jumping from one endeavor to another in fits and bursts. 

In fact, the list of potential enterprises sprouting from his initial efforts has become disconcertingly long, of late. And he has yet to stop. 

By now, Hiruzen is growing concerned that there would be more undertakings in suspension than there will be bodies to undertake them. Then again, it is more than evident that the gifted boy saw this bottleneck coming. Reports from the Academy already paint a rosy picture regarding the upcoming pool of eager minds a few years away from graduation. Suffice it to say, Konoha will not lack abundant human resources to pull from, particularly those from civilian origins.

Past concerns addressed, it was time to deal with those of the future. When he asked if they were ready to move forward with the next phase, both women exchanged a look and nodded in unison. 

“We are ready to begin the controlled dissemination of instructions to non-academy shinobi, Hokage-sama,” Reina confirmed with confidence.

Hiruzen nodded slowly, though his inner thoughts were more serious. The secrecy of their project had been absolute. Rather, as absolute as they could reasonably make it. He issued strict orders forbidding unauthorised trials, unsealed notes, or loose chatter from the extremely small number of trusted personnel who even came close to guarded information. 

Everything had to be routed directly to him, with each point of vulnerability given the highest priority surveillance whenever possible. There were still holes, of course. Even the Hokage could not command other operations to halt for an ongoing experient, no matter how crucial. And the number of capable shinobi who were not out on critical missions was quite limited.

However, despite the long list of concerns, they could not postpone the next stage indefinitely.

With their assent, the Hokage gave a subtle signal to his ANBU guards. Two masked figures step forward from the shadows, appearing soundlessly as if they had always been part of the room. Both wore masks and completely identical gear, as was standard for the group of elite operatives.

“Inu. Tenzo,” Hiruzen addresses them both. 

“Hokage-sama,” both respond in eerily identical tones and cadence.

He gestures subtly for both to stand beside Sayo and Reina. Wordlessly, they obeyed, their movements almost unnaturally smooth and coordinated. As they take their places beside the two medic-nin, respectful nods were exchanged, though their focus remains fixed on the Hokage.

"You already know why you're here. From this moment on, your assignment is to learn everything these two have to teach you. Do not deviate."

“Understood, Hokage-sama,” they said in unison.

The mood in the office shifts, the air suddenly heavier, thick with the quiet significance of this moment. 

Select agents will be taught Kenta's modified techniques under controlled, secretive conditions. All in an effort to create a benchmark for future proliferation of such wondrous discoveries. Even without giving voice to it, all parties in the room understood how much hinged on the success of their performance. 

None of them could afford to fail.

"Before we continue, please explain how this next phase will be conducted."

Hiruzen was somewhat familiar with the overarching goals of what they were trying to achieve, but it still helps to hear the specifics from those more directly involved. In response, Sayo steps forward slightly, her voice measured. 

"We will be applying the foundational methods used at the academy at the outset. Multi-vector chakra control drills, initially. Once that baseline is formed, we will begin Stage One of the modified physical enhancement method."

Reina continues her partner’s explanation without missing a beat. 

"Each shinobi’s response will be assessed, factoring in unique skills, biological variances, individual capabilities, and so on. If their recorded progress is sufficient and stable, we will proceed to refinement and testing for Stage Two. Ultimately, the goal is to finalize a safe progression model to Stage Three that would suit most, if not all Jonin and Special-Jonin, if feasible. Early models have already proven highly beneficial, but it requires extreme chakra mastery to keep up with the necessary adjustments before reaching equilibrium."

Hiruzen’s gaze sharpens. He already read the reports of how risky the third stage can be, with runaway cellular mutation of the bones being the most disturbing. Kenta was particularly adamant that any subjects involved in this phase should already possess a solid grasp of chakra manipulation from the start. 

And the Hokage was not about to disregard his warnings. Not when he has already proven prescient in these matters, early examples of covert efforts, notwithstanding.

"Take as much time as you need,” he firmly instructed. “Do not rush just to meet an arbitrary deadline. Prioritize safety above all else."

"Yes, Hokage-sama," both women reply as one.

“Good.” He leans back slightly, folding his hands together atop the desk. “With that said, you could not have chosen a more fortuitous time to move ahead with your endeavors." 

From within the folds of his robes, Hiruzen retrieves a thick scroll. It was bound and sealed with a personal sigil that all Konoha medic-nin would recognize instantly. He holds it out and Sayo steps forward to receive it, bowing slightly.

"A copy of Tsunade’s feedback," he says. "The original arrived just this morning and has already been thoroughly verified. You’ll find her annotations in the margins, along with addenda concerning cellular thresholds, emergency stabilization responses, and preliminary augmentation compatibility."

Sayo and Reina exchange glances, eyes wide despite their composed expressions. Their excitement is carefully restrained, though the eager light in their eyes betrays their professional facades. Hiruzen gives a short, amused chuckle at their expressions. 

"It seems my trust in your discretion and dedication was well-placed."

Reina recovers first. 

"We are honoured by your confidence, Hokage-sama."

"We will not waste this opportunity," Sayo adds.

He inclines his head in acknowledgement, having a fairly good grasp of their characters, by now. 

"What is your timeline for this phase? And when can we expect Chunin integration trials to begin?"

"We estimate no more than one month for the first part,” Reina answers, glancing down at her folded hands as she does, “barring any unforeseen factors. If Tenzo and Inu reach the preset benchmarks ahead of schedule, we can accelerate and finish sooner."

"Once Stage Two has been stabilized, we hope to initiate the Chunin trials as early as six weeks from now,” Sayo chips in. “Beyond that, broader adoption will require an external review, but we are already preparing a framework for that eventuality."

"And field readiness?"

"At minimum," Reina replies, "this will result in a marked improvement in operational endurance and control.” That massive understatement was quite impressive, as was the deadpan delivery. “If Stage Three proves viable, Konoha’s shinobi will possess unprecedented battlefield versatility."

Hiruzen sits in silence for a long moment, letting their words settle. He studies both women, then shifts his gaze toward the silent ANBU still flanking them. Neither has moved.

"You’ve done well," he finally says. "This may be the most important project Konoha has undertaken in decades."

Both medic-nin lower their heads respectfully, though he then raises one hand in caution. 

"But I must remind you once more. Nothing leaves this tower unless I say so. All reports are to be delivered to me directly. There are to be no unauthorized copies, transcriptions, or oral briefings outside these walls."

Reina and Sayo nod in solemn unison.

"Use the seal I gave you," he adds. "For every report and every draft. We cannot be negligent on this point."

"Yes, Hokage-sama," they both confirm.

Hiruzen then looks to his ANBU. 

"And you will follow their lead exactly. Any deviation beyond your control must be reported and acknowledged immediately."

Inu and Tenzo offer identical nods. Their silence is their affirmation.

He studies all four again, and then with a simple wave of his hand, says, "You are dismissed."

Reina and Sayo bow deeply. Without another word, the four file out of the office with practiced, silent precision.

When the door clicks shut, Hiruzen allows himself a deep sigh.

Alone again, he lets his shoulders ease and leans back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head. He gazes out the window, eyes sweeping across the skyline of Konoha. The light of midmorning glints off the tiled rooftops and stone walls.

A quiet smile touches his lips. 

"So much has changed," he murmurs to himself. 

He reflects briefly on the boy at the center of the quiet but titanic shift. Shiozaki Kenta. A civilian child by birth, but a revolutionary by circumstance.

The venture had been risky. Giving space, trust, and resources to someone so far outside the system. But the dividends were more than worth the gamble.

He then turned his thoughts to the two ANBU he had chosen.

Hatake Kakashi (Inu, when dawning the dog mask) was one of Konoha’s strongest assets. Brilliant, unpredictable, yet stagnant. Years of loss had carved silence and affected detachment into the man who had once been hailed a genius. Hiruzen understood, however.

Too many times in too short a time did one disaster after another shred out the boy’s life to a cruel degree. Now, he is stuck in the past, all the while fooling himself into thinking that he was honoring lost comrades and loved ones by doing so.

If there was a way to reawaken that fire, this may well be it.

And then there was Tenzo, the only known Mokuton user since the First Hokage. A quiet man, calm and capable under pressure, and unfailingly loyal. He is also a former test subject, molded by the cruelty of Orochimaru, before then being subjected to the callous rigidity of Danzo.

Kenta had suggested, tentatively, that his discovery could allow the revival of the nearly lost bloodline ability. Hiruzen didn’t reveal that it already has been, though its normally inexpressive user was nowhere near Hashirama’s equal. It was perhaps the height of irony that his former student had succeeded where everyone else before him had failed, but only partially.

With Tenzo joining his senior in this undertaking, it could be the first step to truly fulfilling Konoha’s callback to its Golden Age. And if it doesn’t? Well, it wouldn’t do to be greedy.

Kenta’s contributions have already paved the way for a better future. Hiruzen can rest easy knowing that the next generation will see the Will of Fire burn bright and strong.

Even should he pass tomorrow, he wil go in peace knowing their momentum is now unstoppable.

Two weeks later

Once again, I found himself in the secret underground training room. This time, I’m sitting in the adjacent chamber where Sayo and Reina had examined the Hokage and Iruka. The same two patients who were the only other occupants of the room.

We were seated around a low, circular table. The lighting is dim, provided by a single overhead lamp casting a focused glow on the stacks of scrolls and documents spread between us. Within those papers are my reports and observations of a rather interesting afternoon.

“What are your thoughts on the results?” the Hokage asks, finally looking up and looking mighty amused.

“It went about as well as we expected,” I said, shrugging as I leaned back. 

Not a lie was told there. The events a few hours prior really did go as the three of us anticipated. Well, hope for, would be more accurate. 

Iruka frowns as he lifts one of the reports, eyes scanning its contents. 

“These don’t really paint a clear picture. There’s a lot of data here, but not enough context.” He looks up at me, brow raised. “Can you give us more details about what actually happened?”

“Sure. Let’s go over it.”

Earlier that day…

“Are you three sure about this?” I asked, glancing between Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke. 

The four of us stood on the far edge of our go-to training ground, the same patch of dirt and grass we’d claimed weeks ago for more serious sparring.

“You bet! We’ve been practicing for this!” Naruto grinned, bouncing on his toes.

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed, as confident and unreadable as ever. 

“We’re ready.”

Hinata didn’t say anything, but her stance was firm. The way she nodded was enough, though I couldn’t help but notice how she’s becoming quite the little Hyuga lady. Calm and collected. Graceful and Poised.

Though, thankfully without the stick up her ass that her other clam members were known for.

I let out an amused huff and gave a resigned smile. My oh my, what exactly were these rascals planning for me? As respectable as their rate of improvement has been, I haven’t exactly been sitting on my laurels, either.

And they knew this.

Then again, it was always a matter of time before they made this request. I was counting on it, in fact. So were the Hokage and Iruka. The timing could’ve been better, though. Having extra contingencies on hand would’ve been nice.

“You know what?” I took my own stance, knowing that I’ll have to be really cautious here. “Fine. But do be careful. I don’t wanna deal with broken bones today.”

What followed would have been way more dramatic if a gust of wind blew after my declaration. But, there was nothing of the sort. Just a few heartbeats’ worth of pause before…

“Begin!”

They sprang into action and hoo boy!, they were not holding back. Hinata would have been a lilac blur to anyone else and her teammates weren’t far behind. 

Coming at me with the Byakugan already in play, the most dangerous girl I knew came at an angle that would position her perfectly for a center mass strike. The glowing palms were cause for concern, but I didn’t let them take up all of my attention.

She could take me down without using them, if I was careless.

The first strike was deflected and so was the second. I had to evade the third because an orange blur suddenly blew past her with a punch already cocked and ready to go. Pivoting to the side, I let Naruto’s fist pass me by, which was swiftly followed by his whole body.

This turned out to be part of their plan as I suddenly found myself dodging nearly two dozen palm strikes in the space of two seconds. At the same time, the knucklehead attacked from the rear with quick, controlled punches.

Footwork became something of a lifeline here since I was now under assault from both sides. That’s when Sasuke started raining shurikens and kunais on my ass. 

Batting them away would have been my first instinct, but I somehow got the feeling that this was exactly what they wanted. So, instead, I angled my body closer to Hinata to partially use her as a meatshield.

Didn’t work, obviously, but it distracted her enough for me to catch Naruto’s elbow strike and used its force to place him between me and the other two. 

At this point, their opening move became clear.

Hinata would draw aggro, Naruto would take advantage of openings she made, and Sasuke was the ranged attacker.

Pressed as I was, a mad grin still formed on my face. 

This was absolutely brilliant teamwork on display. 

With their opening gambit broken, though, they immediately switched tactics. I knew this because a giant fuckoff fireball was fast heading my way. And when I say giant, I mean nearly four times my size.

Jesus, when could Sasuke do that?!

Dodging to the sides was made difficult, as well, with Hinata and Naruto flanking me. I only had enough time to see them wind their arms back before two kunais were rocketing towards me from both sides.

I had to admit being surprised by this maneuvre. But they weren’t the only ones with tricks up their sleeves.

Pulsing chakra down my arm and to my knife hand, I met the Grand Fireball Mk. 4 head-on. Then, with an overhead chop, I slashed through the nature release attack and promptly dashed forward.

My clothes might have been singed, but my body was completely intact. And that’s what matters.

The trio didn’t give me much time to celebrate, though, as I hastily had to dance around three sets of limbs with the occasional edged blades thrown in. This went on for about ten seconds before something caught my attention.

Hinata was matching Naruto and Sasuke’s speeds. 

She could have thrown three times as many hits as the other two in the same amount of time. Were they establishing a rhythm of some kind?

Two seconds later, I got my answer in the form of the most obvious axe kick windup ever courtesy of the Uchiha.

I braced myself either to block or to dodge, but too late, I found out that I wasn’t the target. It was the ground in front of me, which exploded in dirt, shredded grass, and pulverized rocks. Caught flatfooted, I made the mistake of shielding my face. Split-second disorientations like this counted for a lot in shinobi combat, which explains how I got caught in an armbar by Naruto.

He then used his momentum to twist us around, where he lifted me off my feet, before slamming me into the ground. 

Not gonna lie. That hurt like a motherfucker.

“Gotcha!” the blonde crowed in excitement. 

Well, this was just insulting. He really thought it was over?

Before he could blink, the little gremlin found himself holding one of the shurikens that Sasuke threw earlier. I, on the other hand, was now several feet behind him. 

Hinata, ever the discerning sort, already predicted my escape. So, she charged at me with right palm glowing just a bit brighter than I remembered. Expecting her to use Gentle Fist again, I kept my posture loose for evasion.

Which might have contributed to my inadequate resistance of sudden flight syndrome.

I was airborne for just long enough to wonder why this was the case before I hit the ground once. Twice. Three, four, five times. Then I rolled for a few more feet before I finally skidded to a stop.

Blinking at the sky, I momentarily forgot what we were doing. But that’s when it hit me.

Or, rather, that’s when Sasuke dropped from the air to deliver a crushing stomp. It would've caused massive damage had I failed to lift my legs, twisted my torso, and pushed off the ground to flip over and away. Good thing I was really flexible. 

I landed about ten feet away from the trio, where I saw them regroup. Rather than get mad at the rough treatment, I was actually incredibly ecstatic. It’s been a while since I had my ass handed to me so thoroughly. 

“That was fantastic!” I exclaimed with a grin.

They reciprocated in their own ways, with Hinata’s small but pleased smile, Sasuke’s smug smirk, and Naruto’s unrestrained beaming. 

Secret Underground Training Room…

The Hokage and Iruka both looked appreciative when I paused my retelling to get a glass of water. I suppose it really was different to hear the tale directly from someone who was there instead of reading dry reports. 

When I sat back down, Iruka was the first to speak up.

“They’ve grown up,” he said with a wistful tone.

“They have,” the Hokage agreed, likewise seeming nostalgic. “Such brilliant tactics and versatility in attacks.”

“Don’t forget their adaptability,” I chipped in. “They were absolutely relentless. Anyone else would have given me room to breathe, but not those three.”

Both men chuckled, before Iruka said, “And they were right to never let up on you, Kenta. You have a habit of exploiting mistakes to your advantage.”

A raised eyebrow of confusion was my response.

“Reina often complains about your propensity to turn her arguments against her,” he explained, eyes twinkling in mirth.

Oh. Yeah, I do tend to do that.

“Now, now,” the Hokage cut in, “we can’t be here all night. Go on, Kenta. Tell us the rest.”

During Sparring…

I really wanted to know what Hinata did right then and there, but my curiosity could wait. My part-time students had given their all in this fight. They deserve to see how far they still had to go.

You always read or hear about these scenes where characters loosen, shed, or tighten something to show their true power. Me? It was like flipping a switch. 

It’s worth mentioning that Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata were all capable of the First Stage of chakra enhancement. That’s how they’ve managed to hit so hard and fast. I, on the other hand, was capable of reaching the Third Stage.

Simple enough, in theory. In reality, it is as delicate as separating an egg yolk from the white using the cracked shell while standing on top of a moving train.

At the Second Stage, it’s all about faster twists, turns, pivots and pirouettes without absolutely tearing your tendons, ligaments, and joints to confetti. From there, it was a gradual process of supercharging my respiratory and circulatory systems. No need to do bones yet since mine were strong enough to handle what I was about to do.

Lowering my center of gravity, I asked, “Ready for round two?”

Hinata dashed toward me at speed in response, closely followed by Naruto. Sasuke, in contrast, strafed to the side. 

Instead of doing a countercharge, though, I went against their expectations and blasted in the Uchiha’s direction. First Level-capable they may be, but there were worlds of difference in how I applied it compared to them. 

With thirty layers of compressed chakra, I simply got more out of the enhancement than they did. As such, I appeared in front of my quarry before his eyes could fully widen. I then went low, grabbed his ankle, and threw him at Naruto. All in the space of half a second.

Before the consumate prankster could even turn his head, I was already by Hinata’s side. She tried to twist and hit me with her left palm, but before she could even raise it, I grabbed her waist and positioned her in the path of the two-boy collision before jumping away. 

Just as planned, they barrelled right into her, resulting in tangled limbs after they were done rolling on top of one another.

I was kind enough to give them a few moments to recover some sense of dignity before mercifully stepping on whatever’s left.

“Not out of tricks already, are you?”

The glare Naruto and Sasuke sent my way was just hilarious while Hinata’s fierce scowl made her look devastatingly adorable. My thoughts must have shown on my face since the boys growled as one.

And just like that, our dance started all over again. Though, they seemed to have forgone all tactics or strategies since our spar became a free-for-all.

For the first time, I allowed myself to truly get lost in the whirl of movement and battle instinct. Parry, dodge, parry, parry, then counter! Naruto goes sailing over Hinata as she came in to engage alongside Sasuke.

The rest of the fight lasted for several more minutes, wherein all three were sent flying at one point or another. In the end, one was panting heavily on the ground and another was glaring sullenly while on his knees. The remaining contender stood on wobbly legs but was still maintaining her stance.

All-in-all, a good showing. However, I felt there was still some fire left in their eyes. All it needs is a little stoking. So, I figured that it was time to push them a bit more.

Projecting killing intent is still beyond me, so I settled for the next best thing. Flaring my chakra, a sudden weight fell on our section of the training field. Hinata buckled, back bent in surprise and Sasuke was an inch away from faceplanting.

Naruto was less affected since he was already on his back, but he did audibly gasp.

“Is this it?” I drawled, channelling my inner Draco Malfoy. “Is this all you can manage after all this time?” My chakra presence intensified. “Have I wasted the past few months teaching a bunch of quitters who can’t even stand up straight?”

That last question did it, as I knew it would. Insecurities, ahoy! 

Hinata rallied and solidified her stance, the chakra around her hands and arms taking on an almost deep, indigo hue. 

Sasuke clenched his jaws as he fought against the unseen downward force. Eyes flickering red… wait, red?

Well, I’ll be damned.

By the time he was on his feet, his irises turned the color of blood, each sporting a black circle and a single tomoe around the pupils.

As for Naruto? Blue and reddish-orange chakra was shrouding his upright form. His features taking on more and more animalistic qualities as he stood ramrod straight. Instead of going on a rampage, though, he merely pointed at me and shouted like the loudmouth he was.

“Don’t get cocky, you bastard! Uzumaki Naruto never quits! Believe it!”

It took a second for me to notice how much my cheeks were hurting from smiling so wide.

Secret Underground Training Room…

“So, a success then?” The Hokage asked after I was done talking.

“Without a doubt,” I confirmed with relish.

Iruka chuckled before saying, “It’s a good thing Tenzo wasn’t needed, in the end.”

And wasn’t that quite the unexpected twist? Being introduced to Tenzo two weeks into the test program he was involved with certainly wasn’t in my bingo card. 

“At least we now know for sure,” I brought up, looking the Hokage straight in the eyes. “We managed to head the problem off at the pass, Lord Third. Next time, we might not be so lucky. Sasuke unlocking the Sharingan is just a bonus, at this point.”

The old man let out a tired sigh.

“I know, Kenta. But you have to admit that this issue came completely out of the blue. None of us could have predicted how absurdly compatible Naruto is with your methods.”

I hear that. For weeks, I had to stop myself from acting like the proverbial bull in a china shop. Seeing hints of the boy using tiny bits of his tenant’s power whenever we trained together raised my hackles like nothing else.

But the Hokage was committed to a more subtle approach and thank God it was over. 

Spending several days tweaking the three in an effort to provoke the exact response we wanted was tiresome as all get out. I did get a crash-course for ninja manipulation, though, which was neat.

Naruto never showed any signs of losing control, either, and the old man himself could barely detect Kurama’s miniscule manifestation. Those were the only reasons I even went ahead with this test.

Eh, all’s well that ends well, I suppose.

Sasuke’s finally got his bloodline inheritance, which puts him closer to becoming an effective deterrent against Danzo. Hinata actually developed fucking Aard from The Witcher. Well, she’s not calling it that, but it’s fucking Aard! 

Naruto has a meeting with the Hokage and Iruka tomorrow to talk about his passenger, which is another weight off my back. 

Things are lookin’ up.

Though, I can’t help but feel like I’m forgetting something. Something that will likely bite me in the ass someday. 

Gah! I should’ve paid more attention when I was reading this shit. 

Damn my past self for being a Riajuu!

Sidestory 2

Birth of Sasuke the Unbroken

“Have I wasted the past few months teaching a bunch of quitters who can’t even stand up straight?”

Uchiha Sasuke felt like the air itself was pressing down on his shoulders, neck, and skull. Forehead nearly touching the ground, he found it difficult to even stay conscious. He was so tired that thinking was a nearly insurmountable chore.

Even so, his thoughts froze upon hearing Kenta’s question. 

“I’m sorry Uchiha-san. But your family…”

It provoked memories he had tried to bury in the very pits of his mind.

“There’s no need to worry, Hokage-sama. I will rebuild my clan and… I will bring the traitor to justice.”

Sounds, sensations, and suppressed searing rage roared in his chest.

“Sasuke-kun, I’m sorry to hear about what happened……anything I can do just…….no matter what, I’m here for…….”

Hours upon hours. Days upon days. Unable to look away. Unable to forget.

"If you want to kill me, despise me, hate me, and live a loathsome life,"

Red…red, red, red, red, Red, RED!

Then, out of nowhere, like the ringing of a crystal bell.

“You’re always welcome here, Sasuke-kun. Come back anytime. Anytime, at all.”

Move.

“Howd’ya like that, you bastard! Ah, crap, ow!”

Move, damn it.

“My sister and I baked this at home, but we made too much. Would you like some, Sasuke-san? I already gave Kenta-kun and Naruto-kun theirs.”

Push off the ground! Move!

“The only thing I expect from you, Sasuke, is to never quit halfway. You want strength? This is how you get it.” 

GET! UP!

…

…

…

Everything was so clear.

He could see motes of dust, floating in the air. Colors have never looked so rich and vivid. Trees, dirt, grass, everything was just so much… more.

Then there was Kenta. Someone he had once dismissed as no one important. Someone who had since become a mentor.

One of the few people he saw as more than a stranger.

The normally placid face was gone.

Replaced by a smile so wide, it made him look deranged.

Yet, the pride in those eyes shone like the sun.

It was then that he finally understood.

It was then that he finally saw the truth.

I am Uchiha Sasuke, the thought came unbidden, Last, true scion of a fallen clan. Son of a murdered family. Brother of he who betrayed his blood. From this day to my last day, I remain Unbroken. This is my vow. This is my Way.

Birth of Naruto the Dauntless

“Have I wasted the past few months teaching a bunch of quitters who can’t even stand up straight?”

Naruto didn’t know what was going on. One minute he was lying down, out of breath and bruised all over. The next, something was crushing his chest, punching the air out of his lungs.

There was a haze in his mind and vision was starting to dim.

But right now, none of that mattered more than what Kenta just said.

Quit?

“Chiaki! Stay away from that boy!”

​

Kill them all!

A quitter?

“Come back here, you little pest!”

​

You don't belong anywhere!

Him? A quitter?

“That brat is a menace! He would be better off gone.”

​

No one cares about you!

When has he ever been a quitter?

“I’m gonna be Hokage in the future and then you’ll all have to respect me! Believe it!”

​

Who would ever follow you?!

Did Kenta think he was a quitter? 

He's just like everyone else!

Did Kenta think he was a quitter? 

Did he doubt him like everyone else........?

.......Will he leave him too?

NO!

No, Kenta is NOT like everyone else!

He spent hours with Naruto, teaching him stuff that no one's ever bothered to.

Kenta didn't push him away when he was being loud or get angry when he was being annoying.

The goodie two-shoes might not join him in his pranks, but he's never insulted Naruto over them, either.

He was nice when everyone else was mean.

He listened when everyone else just wanted him gone.

He believed. Like Old Man Hokage. Like Iruka-sensei.

And Kenta knew, more than anyone, that Uzumaki Naruto DOES. NOT. QUIT!

So, Naruto fought to get up, raging against whatever invisible force was hell-bent on keeping him on the ground. 

He needed to get up and show his friend that he was worth it. 

That he mattered!

That he WILL be Hokage someday!

When Naruto was finally on his feet, he felt like he could take on the world.

And that's exactly what he declared to his friend with all the grit and determination he could muster.

“Don’t get cocky, you bastard! Uzumaki Naruto never quits! Believe it!”

Birth of Hinata the Unyielding

“Have I wasted the past few months teaching a bunch of quitters who can’t even stand up straight?”

Never in her life had Hinata felt such a presence as what Kenta exuded at that moment. She could feel her heart fighting to keep her conscious. The strength in her legs was pushed to the limits, the limbs protesting her decision to adamantly remain standing. 

Her vision grew blurry, the Byakugan becoming a strain to maintain. Every gulp of air felt inadequate for her straining lungs.

Yet all of those struggles meant nothing in the end compared to the implications of Kenta-kun’s question. No, demand.

Since the day she met him, Hinata’s life had taken a turn.

“Not enough, daughter. Not nearly enough. You need more control and discipline.”

Since the day she met him, so much has changed.

“Well done, Hinata-sama. With your skills and that of Neji’s, the Hyuga’s future is assured.”

Since the day she met him, her eyes were opened to so many things.

“I swear on my life, Neji-niisan. I will free you from your cage.”

Since the day she met him, she had finally gathered the courage to fight for the love and family she had left.

“Nee-sama? Do you think mama loved me?”

“She did, Hanabi. She loved you and I with all her heart. With every breath she drew, she would say it. And from now, I’ll say it in her place.”

There was still so much she needed to do. Still much she yearned to accomplish. If she yielded now, when the stakes were low, would she falter when it mattered most?

Would Kenta have truly wasted his time lifting them up?

Would she never be able to stand beside him?

The thought made her breath hitch. The mere possibility of failing now caused her stomach to churn.

Through Kenta, she has become more than a hollow shell.

Through Kenta, she has found a dream worth chasing.

Through Kenta, she has gained the tools to fight against fate itself.

So, no. 

She will not yield. 

Her muscles, pushed to the brink through battle and pressure, tightened.

She will not falter. 

Her spine, forcibly bent by an unseen force of judgment, straightened.

She will not fail.

Her eyes, still flickering in their effort to see, beheld their target and who looked right back to meet her gaze.

In those unremarkable brown orbs was a promise made and sealed.

She passed the test. Now, the real work can truly begin.

Academy Update: Sakura VS Ino

The significantly expanded taijutsu ring currently featured two among the unlikeliest of candidates to ever need so much space when sparring. However, as with many things that stemmed from the new additions to the Academy curriculum, a few months made all the difference in requiring necessary adjustments.

Case in point, the body of a certain Yamanaka flying through the air for several feet before flipping over, and stopping herself just in time from skidding over the line. 

This is noteworthy for several reasons.

For starters, getting tossed so far would have been an instant loss for the blonde with the old, smaller ring. In fact, this happened quite a few times until it was decided that a bigger space was needed. Otherwise, every match would end in a ring-out. 

As for the feat of strength itself? The responsible party is one Haruno Sakura, who herself was sporting numerous gashes and bruises. 

This bout has only been going on for two minutes and yet both parties have accumulated a truly impressive number of injuries in that timeframe. Something completely unthinkable only a year prior. 

After the quick recovery, Ino darted toward her opponent, displaying much-improved speed compared to her past performances. She avoided a straight right punch heading right for her head by going low and dashing to the other girl’s blindspot, before delivering a devastating chop.

Unfortunately for her, the blow was blocked by a simple lift of a leg. Right forearm, therefore, met right shin.

Such an exchange was nothing new, however. 

Sakura had already seen Ino do this in a previous matchup, which resulted in the civilian’s loss. Her straightforward approach of using her fists and legs was effectively thwarted by her frenemies' preference for counters, holds, and deceptions. 

That the Yamanaka chose to deploy the same attack against the same opponent was her mistake. One that the pink-haired brawler capitalized on quickly by using her chakra-enhanced physique.

Planting both feet firmly on the ground, she squared her shoulders, twisted her waist, and threw a powerful downward punch that hit the blonde squarely in the jaw.

The impact was so strong, it produced a loud crack and caused Yamanaka Ino to spin clockwise like a top before landing in a heap, completely unconscious.

Far from celebrating, however, Sakura sank to one knee while cradling her rib. Several of which she felt crack from an earlier kick.

“...Winner, Sakura.”

The resigned declaration was made by Umino Iruka. The teacher supervising the match and current sufferer of a throbbing migraine. A constant companion these days.

Don’t get him wrong, though. He was glad to see the children under his watch growing in strength. 

But did almost every match have to end with one or both participants in the clinic?

This was the third time today and likely won’t be the last.

Well, at least the med-nin trainees are getting a lot of practice.

Iruka cast a baleful glare at the cause of all of this.

There, on the bench, sat Shiozaki Kenta.

Face covered by his hands, nearly doubled over, and shoulders shaking.

…

…

Iruka made a note to speak to the Hokage later. 

It was time to take the boy’s training up a notch if he found these situations so amusing.

Chapter 7

The morning sun crept over the sculpted stone faces of the Hokage Monument, casting long, gilded fingers across a village that was, in many ways, holding its breath. From the high window of the Hokage Tower, Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the world wake up.

He was an old man, and regardless of the benefits his sporadic cultivation sessions brought, his joints still often reminded him of that fact upon waking. Yet, this morning, the usual ache in his lower back felt distant, a dull murmur rather than the sharp protest of years spent in the service of the shinobi arts. He drew a long, contemplative drag from his pipe, the cherry-wood bowl warm against his palm. The smoke curled into the air, dancing in the shafts of light that cut through the office’s perpetual gloom.

Below, the village was a tapestry of routine. Merchants unrolled their awnings, the rhythmic thwack of wood on wood echoing in the narrow streets. The morning bells chimed, signaling the start of another day. To any outsider, or even to the vast majority of Konoha’s inhabitants, it was just Tuesday. But Hiruzen knew better, especially with the upcoming report he was about to receive, in which he anticipated good news.

He turned from the window as the privacy seals on his door hummed, a soft vibration that vibrated through the floorboards. The morning briefings were about to begin.

The door slid open with a whisper of oiled hinges. Shirakawa Reina and Murakami Sayo entered first, their med-nin pouches clinking softly against their hips. They were followed by two shadows that didn't seem to touch the floor. Even without their masks, Hiruzen would have known them by the weight of their presence. Hatake Kakashi and Tenzo.

Reina and Sayo offered a crisp, synchronized bow. There was a new energy in the two women. Where days before, they looked like harried medics trying to patch up a leaking boat, they now gave off that curious atmosphere of giddiness and dread that often accompanied life-changing developments.

Hiruzen took this as a good sign.

"Hokage-sama," Reina began, stepping forward to lay a series of scrolls on the broad mahogany desk. "The Phase 2 integration trials for the elite subjects have reached their conclusion. We are ready to present the finalized data for the first two stages of the enhancement protocol."

Hiruzen sat, gesturing for them to continue. He watched Sayo as she unrolled a chart detailing chakra resonance patterns. The lines were no longer the chaotic, jagged peaks of a typical high-level shinobi under stress. They were smooth, looping arcs that suggested a terrifying level of internal efficiency.

"Subject Inu and Subject Tenzo have achieved full stability within the parameters of Stage 1 and Stage 2," Sayo reported. Her voice was clinical, but Hiruzen caught the glint of pride in her eyes. "Muscle Group Priming and Tendon Threading have become autonomous for both. They no longer need to consciously direct the chakra to each individual part concurrently for optimum effect. In fact, their systems appear to have adjusted to the refined pathways as the new baseline even after just a few weeks of consistent use."

Hiruzen looked toward Kakashi. The younger man stood with a verticality that was new. The habitual slouch, the air of a man burdened by the ghosts of his past, had been replaced by a terrifying readiness. Even with his Sharingan covered, Kakashi felt like a well-honed blade rather than the jagged kunai he had been.

"Inu," Hiruzen prompted. "Your assessment?"

"It’s the noise, Hokage-sama," Kakashi said, his voice quiet. "I didn't realize how much 'noise' my own chakra was making. Every movement used to feel like a series of small, internal frictions. Now, that’s gone. The drain from the eye is still there, but because the rest of my system is operating with zero waste, the overall fatigue has dropped by nearly forty percent."

While expected, the reality of such an improvement still astonished Hiruzen. Turning to the other test subject for confirmation, Tenzo nodded in agreement.

"The Wood Release manifestations are more responsive, Hokage-sama,” the expressionless man explained. “Because the Tendon Threading provides a more stable anchor for the physical component of the jutsu, I can maintain structures longer with less total output. It feels… grounded. Like the difference between holding a heavy weight with a shaky hand versus setting it on a stone pedestal."

Reina stepped in, her expression turning more serious. "However, regarding Stage 3, we are maintaining Kenta’s original red-line warnings. Even with Tsunade-sama’s notes, the actual application is still highly dependent on individual performance.”

“While Tenzo has shown excellent compatibility, the risk of cellular over-stimulation remains high,” Sayo added with a hint of frustration leaking into her voice. “We’ve seen micro-variations in the metabolic rate that suggest we are touching the ceiling of what is safe without further refinement. As long as that is the case, we cannot move past Stage 2 for most of our active members."

Hiruzen tapped his pipe against the ceramic ash bowl. "Kenta was adamant about the dangers. We will not push for Stage 3 in the general force. But for Stages 1 and 2? You believe they are ready?"

"They are," Reina said firmly. "The benchmarks are stable. The methodologies for instruction have been simplified into a repeatable curriculum."

"Then we proceed," Hiruzen declared. He felt a surge of adrenaline, a sensation he hadn't truly enjoyed in years. "Begin the controlled dissemination to the active-duty Chunin and Jonin ranks. Priority goes to squad leaders and instructors. I want this sharpness to bleed into the entire military structure, but it stays under oath. Use the binding seals for every recipient."

The medical team bowed and retracted, their shadows following them out. Kakashi lingered for a half-second, a silent acknowledgment passing between him and his leader, before he too followed suit.

The office remained silent for only a few minutes before the next visitor arrived. Iruka entered with a stack of papers. 

"Iruka-kun," Hiruzen greeted, his tone softening. "How fares the next generation?"

Iruka sat, his eyes bright. "It’s a different world in the Academy, Hokage-sama. We’re seeing a shift that I don't think any of us truly anticipated when we introduced the control drills to the wider student population. On top of improvements across the board in using chakra, we’ve also begun noticing a startling pattern among the civilian-born students."

This immediately caught Hiruzen’s interest.

“Oh?” 

Iruka laid out several sketches on the desk. They were rough, drawn in hurried charcoal and pencil, but Hiruzen recognized the intent behind them. One showed a simplified sealing array meant to be etched onto a common cooking pot. Another was a diagram of a localized chakra-vibration device for clearing debris.

"The children not born from clans," Iruka explained, "have always lived in the shadow of those they considered their betters. Despite our best efforts, they spent years trying to be 'mini-Uchihas' or 'mini-Hyugas,' burning through their meager reserves trying to produce flashy techniques that never quite matched the scale of their peers. It, unfortunately, bred a culture of inadequacy that proved near-impossible to stamp out."

Hiruzen nodded, knowing full well what the chunin was talking about. Talented children who gave up because they couldn't compete with the 'genetic lottery' of the great lineages, as Kenta once put it.

"But it would appear that Kenta’s 'Note Sensei' philosophy has given them a new perspective," Iruka continued. "Instead of going after the more obvious displays of jutsu, an increasing number are now pursuing more utilitarian paths to using chakra. Because they are being taught that chakra is a finite resource to be managed with surgical precision, they’ve stopped asking 'how big can I make this?' and started asking 'what else can I do with this?'"

Hiruzen traced the lines of a sketch for a "long-distance signal flare" that used minimal chakra to trigger a chemical reaction. "These are embryonic," the Hokage observed.

"Extremely," Iruka agreed. "Most of them won't work yet. The process is rudimentary, and the understanding of seals is still basic. But the desire to innovate is there. They are looking at their civilian backgrounds for inspiration or goals to work towards. Their parents’ shops, the logistics of the village, the needs of the common people, whatever may require new and better ways to accomplish even rudimentary tasks. And they are trying to bridge the gap with chakra."

"Kenta is behind this, you say?" Hiruzen asked.

"He is," Iruka confirmed, "though I don’t believe that he appreciates just how much of an impact he has had on his peers, especially when it comes to the rapid changes in jutsu performance. The clan children are taking notice, too. It’s created something of a virtuous cycle where signs of innovations and improvements in one group fuel the motivations of another."

Hiruzen thought about this new development for several moments, digesting its implications and possible consequences. While there is no doubt that Kenta’s own discovery has significant potential to benefit Konoha, the same could not necessarily be said about anything else that stemmed from it.

Doubly so if these innovations were to fall into the hands of those seeking their downfall. This is why even just the foundational steps to more efficient chakra use are guarded so closely. Caution must be impressed upon those who would follow in Kenta’s footsteps.

Sighing, Hiruzen met Iruka’s eyes and chose his words carefully.

“I am heartened by the initiative shown by the students, Iruka. However, I would ask you and the other teachers to monitor their activities more closely. Young Kenta wasn’t entirely wrong to guard his secrets so closely. Should any of the young minds show the same propensity for major discoveries or revolutionary ways of thinking, inform me right away.”

“Understood, Hokage-sama!” The chunin responded firmly.

Hiruzen nodded in appreciation. “Thank you, Iruka-kun. Speaking of Kenta’s contributions, do you have anything new to report about your efforts?”

At this, the younger man suddenly wore a pleased smile.

"I finished," Iruka said, satisfaction practically overflowing out of his eyes. "Late last night. I successfully compressed and locked my first layer."

The Hokage could not have felt more elated than he did at that moment, if he tried. Finally, true confirmation that someone other than its young progenitor could use the method of cultivating chakra.

"Tell me,” Hiruzen said eagerly. 

Iruka closed his eyes, his breathing slowing. He seemed to search for the right way to describe a sensation that defied standard shinobi terminology.

"It’s not a physical change," Iruka began. "It’s not like my chakra turned into something else. It hasn't become heavier, or faster, or more intense. It’s more like a state of harmonic resonance."

He paused, opening his eyes. "For my entire career, whenever I used chakra, there was a feeling of… distance. A microscopic gap between the moment I decided to act and the moment the energy responded. It was like driving a carriage where the reins were made of slightly elastic rope. You got where you were going, but there was always a bit of slack you had to account for."

"And now?" Hiruzen prompted.

"The slack is gone," Iruka said. "Everything feels more unified. I find that I can maintain the most complex control exercises for much longer without that creeping mental fog that usually sets in. If I may demonstrate?"

At the older man’s prompting, Iruka flared his chakra, and the difference was immediate. Neither the density nor the metaphysical weight of the chunin’s presence changed. Rather, it was as if his chakra was purer in a way that was difficult to define. Akin to raw metal refined by flames.

"The Will of Fire made manifest," Hiruzen said, his voice thick with emotion. 

He looked at Iruka, the younger man who had once been just another instructor, and saw a pioneer.

"Go home, Iruka-kun. Rest. Your first layer is a milestone that will go down in the history of this village. Tomorrow, we will begin the work of deciding how to proceed. For today, you should simply bask in this monumental achievement."

Iruka bowed deeply, gathered his scrolls, and walked out of the office. 

Hiruzen Sarutobi returned to his window. The sun was fully up now, bathing the village in a bright, uncompromising light. He looked at the horizon, toward the training grounds where he knew a certain ten-year-old was likely already awake, probably griping about the inefficiency of one thing or another.

"The future is secure," Hiruzen murmured, a chuckle escaping his lips. "And we are only just beginning to see the first ripple."

He turned back to his desk, picking up a fresh scroll. The day’s paperwork was waiting, but the weight of the Hokage hat no longer felt like a burden. It felt like a privilege.

One that he was eager to bear if only to see what comes next.

Kenta POV

The past few months have been interesting, to say the least. Only one year to go before graduation, and yet, it didn’t seem like it would be anything even close to typical. The most recent batch to pass through the academy’s doors for the last time was proof that Konoha was entering a new era of Shinobi warfare.

I know this because I’ve kept track of a few persons of interest, namely: Rock Lee, Tenten, and Neji.

As the progenitor of the new chakra control techniques that have been disseminated throughout the school, I would have to be brain-dead not to understand the accompanying potential consequences and implications. From everything I’ve observed personally (unobtrusively and from a distance), and from what little I’ve been told whenever I met with my clandestine co-workers, the changes were staggering.

Lee’s inability to use jutsu has been completely overshadowed by his mastery of Stage 2 physical enhancement. The kid’s an absolute monster who even Neji was forced to acknowledge in the ring. 

The Hyuga, in turn, took the basic concepts of the Multi-Vector Chakra Control exercise and just ran with it. He was already a certifiable genius, but the new methods and having a competent training partner in Hinata pushed him right up to the edge of a once-in-a-lifetime prodigy.

Not that such a title carries the same weight these days.

Case in point, Tenten. In the original timeline, she was supposed to be a minor character with middling importance and scarce screen time. In their final exams, she apparently flooded the test range with an absolute deluge of chakra-enhanced weaponry. Thankfully, they were made of normal metals, which mitigated the amount of damage they did.

With that said, I don’t mean to paint the three in the same standout brush as canon, because they certainly aren’t. Not a single one of the students in their class failed. Not one.

This should’ve been statistically improbable. Even with the improved exercises, it wouldn’t do anything for academic performance. They still would have needed to study, and children are infamously recalcitrant readers. So, what gives?

Well, the ‘gives’, it turns out, was me.

Or, rather, my notes. The same notes I passed around to the civilians in my class. 

Busy as I was with other projects, my brief tenure as a flash card dispenser actually slipped my mind. In the intervening time between experiments, training the Uzu-Uchi-Hyu trio, and my own cultivation, shenanigans were afoot in the background. 

Thus, the whole academy got hold of convenient methods for memorization, comprehension, and lateral thinking without my knowledge.

When I asked Iruka about it, the bastard just shrugged and said, “We thought it was your idea to spread it around.”

Like hell, it was! Not that I had anything against others becoming better students, but this introduced variables that went beyond my control. Improving the odds of my civilian-born classmates graduating was one thing. But the whole academy?

Surprisingly, it was Sasuke who talked some sense into me, after I griped about the development for way too long.

“Get over it!” he growled while sparring with Naruto. “So, what if everyone has your notes now? We’re surrounded on all sides, in case you didn’t notice. More graduates mean we’d have more bodies to throw at problems that you and I won’t have to deal with.”

Ignoring the disturbing amounts of pragmatism in his proclamation, the Uchiha did have a point. All this time, I’ve been worried about getting nabbed for what I kept in my noggin. So, why don’t I just make sure we have enough soldiers that could delay or outright stop threats from ever reaching me? 

After all, wasn’t that the point of introducing the foundational chakra control mechanisms in the wider Shinobi forces?

Then Naruto decided to be himself.

“Oi! Why’d have to put it like that?”

“Why do you care?”

“Leaf shinobi aren’t meat shields!”

“Why not? That’s all blockheads like you are good for?”

“You bastard!”

And it devolved from there. Hinata, bless her, just kept on meditating like all was right in the world.

Speaking of my class, it was hardly recognizable from canon. Practically every girl is fighting with the kind of savagery normally associated with apes struggling for dominion in the wilds. That the change was due to a misunderstanding about Sasuke’s preference made it funny, at first, but the phenomenon had somehow become contagious. 

These days, even the lower years were acting like feral cats during their taijutsu class.

I grew concerned enough to look into it with Sayo and Reina, but we couldn’t find any definitive connection between the new techniques and increased aggression. Apparently, being able to more easily access their chakra and apply them to combat made the kids more motivated to really push themselves.

Who would’ve thought? At this rate, Konoha will be producing a generation of ninjas that would treat enemies at comparable levels like chew toys. 

And to think, I haven’t even introduced cultivation to them, yet!

Several weeks back, Iruka finally compressed his first layer. When we conducted tests in the underground chamber, the Hokage declared that he was basically a Jonin in raw physical and spiritual strength. 

Granted, there was more to the rank than just power. Iruka would need more experience and actual skill to fully qualify for a full promotion, but it was still a major achievement.

It was easy for me to take the concept of cultivation for granted when I was the only one who had ever successfully practiced it. Numbers on a sheet could only convey so much, and I didn’t actually understand what it meant for this world until I saw how much it changed someone else.

So, sitting in my room, a week before our final year at the academy, I began plotting out the potential consequences of the path I set us down on. I likely wouldn’t be able to come up with anything that the Hokage or those in his confidence didn’t already know. They would probably even discuss some of the less-classified details with me if I asked.

But I needed to come to grips with the reality of my situation on my own first. 

Amid the balls of discarded paper, reworked hypotheses, and crossed-out lines, I came up with a few scenarios that had a good chance of coming to pass. They were all in the broad strokes, however, as I simply wouldn’t be able to drum up specifics. 

Chief among them was the avalanche of outrage from other hidden villages. I held no illusions about our secrets remaining secret for long. 

Regardless of the considerable effort into operational security being poured into keeping the advances in the academy quiet, the results will start showing up in the real world, sooner or later. You can’t have an entire crop of fresh genin running around demolishing other genin without drawing an ungodly amount of attention.

Soon enough, Kumo, Iwa, Kiri, and Suna will start asking questions. Not to mention Fire Country’s own ruler becoming curious about Konoha’s sudden surge in combat effectiveness. And it’s pretty much widely known that royal courts are full of holes.

At this stage, we’re in a race against time. 

Either our enemies learn of our meteoric rise early and band together to squash us before we become unstoppable. Or our shinobi reach such heights that we become unassailable. Knowing this setting as I do, I’m not banking on the latter.

The second biggest concern is Danzo. As far as I could tell, Hiruzen is keeping the old war hawk in the dark about what’s really going on. He might have access to what’s happening in the academy, but the details about cultivation and what I’ve been working on with the pair of medic-nin are still top-secret. 

Naturally, I wasn’t privy to the truth about this little shadow war, since I’m not even supposed to know about the man’s existence. The only thing that the Hokage has told me whenever I inquired about the subject of safeguarding sensitive information is that we’re still in the clear.

I had to trust his words, for the moment. There simply was no other choice.

Eventually, though, Danzo will want access to cultivation. I wasn’t sure how the change in circumstances for Konoha would impact his obsession with strength, but could I afford to take chances?

For all I knew, he could already be working with Orochimaru. I simply didn’t have enough information to be sure, one way or the other. So, I’ll have to play it safe and keep my absolutely broken discovery well away from him. The problem, though, is how I would even manage that.

Having the Hokage brand cultivation as a forbidden technique clearly won’t keep it out of our enemies’ hands. So, what did that leave me with?

Deciding to set that aside for now, I moved on to my third most pressing issue: Akatsuki. The new techniques introduced in the academy alone had the potential to produce combatants that would body-slam those assholes. If canon characters could beat them in the original story, what more could they achieve with the methods they now had access to? 

I wasn’t even sure how far cultivation could push them once they’re cleared to begin practicing it. Might Guy would probably clear the board on his own. He almost killed Madara, after all. But, again, I wasn’t sure. 

Which neatly brings me to my last major headache: I’m stuck at thirty layers.

No new compression for several months now, and I’m starting to get concerned. To be clear, I could still feel my chakra giving way when I cultivate, so it’s not as if I’m making no progress. But the ever-widening gap between breakthroughs has been stressing me the fuck out. 

Don’t get me wrong. Thirty layers is no joke. By my reckoning, I could probably match some of the Jonin in the village. Not Kakashi, obviously, but there actually are more ninjas of the same rank in Konoha who didn’t get shown on screen. So, by this world’s standards, I’m plenty capable.

However, cultivation was supposed to set me apart. 

It had become my lifeline when all other points of inadequacy had previously doomed me to a life of mediocrity and vulnerability. Does this mean I’ve reached my limit? Is compressing thirty layers of chakra really the best I could do? 

A calmer, wiser part of my brain is telling me that I’m overreacting and that I just needed to be patient. Unfortunately, the other parts are screaming that I’m a failure and that I’ll probably be surpassed by the others once they start down this path. 

For one crazy moment, I actually considered just not teaching anyone else cultivation. Then I thought about how stupid that would be before ruthlessly snuffing it out.

Looking at things logically, if this were a Xianxia story, I probably hit what they’d call a bottleneck. Normally, characters in my position would use pills, 10,000-year-old ginsengs, or some other miraculous bullshit that the plot demanded. I had absolutely none of that. 

Or did I?

Closing the notebook I’ve been writing on, I leaned back to consider this subject. 

Did this world have its own version of miracle plants? Some pieces of fanfiction did feature objects with seemingly supernatural properties, like the one in Takigakure. What was it? Heroic Liquid or something?

Was that canon?

Scrunching up my face in effort, I tried to dig up any information that might have been buried in the back of my mind. But, no matter how hard I tried, not even a morsel could be found. 

I had to groan quietly into my hands, frustrated once more at my inattention to details. 

“For fuck’s sake!” I hissed into the air. “Where’s a sacred peach tree of immortality when you need one?”

Side Story 3

Danzo is Annoyed

Shimura Danzo was not usually one given to outward expressions of extreme emotions. He was the cold of the abyss, the frost in the depths of winter, the withering darkness of the shadows. Yet, several months following the start of the new academy year, he was very tempted to rage. To let the fiery tempest of volcanic wrath erupt from within his bosom.

And it was all thanks to one upstart student: Shiozaki Kenta.

Oh, how that name burned.

Danzo had already marked the boy as someone worth watching, given his frequent interactions with Hiruzen. A most unusual turn of events, given that Shiozaki was neither related to the Hokage by blood nor was he Konoha’s blonde weapon clad in eye-searing orange. His old friend’s zeal in protecting the civilian-born asset only heightened his suspicions.

So, when the new curriculum was introduced nearly two years ago, he knew that Shiozaki had something to do with it. 

Danzo was aware of the confusion among the clans and village officials as to why he never voiced opposition to its implementation. He couldn’t understand why. If these new methods made for deadlier Konoha shinobi, why wouldn’t he welcome them? Perhaps they have simply grown used to Danzo frequently clashing with Hiruzen over policies, forgetting why they did so in the first place.

Over the months that followed, he was proven right not to interfere.

Even though it was still early days, the rate at which the students improved was staggering. And it only got better from there. The faith that the Hokage placed in the new techniques was rewarded a hundredfold.

No example made this clearer than the most recent batch of graduates, wherein every student passed with flying colors. A feat that was previously deemed impossible.

In nearly every respect, Konoha’s ninja academy has produced extremely competent and highly capable genin.

So, with this being the case, why was Danzo in a foul mood? Shouldn’t he, whose biggest concern was village security, be appreciative of such developments? Well, it’s exactly because village security is his biggest concern.

While much of the visible efforts to prevent information leakage were under the Hokage’s authority, a substantial part of it was done in the dark. This is Danzo’s domain and why he was so angry that his piss might just catch on fire.

“Why has this boy not been taught discretion?” he muttered bitterly to himself.

Two years. For nearly two years, Danzo has worked himself to the bone keeping spies and other dangerous elements from getting near the boy. A task that has proven more titanic than even he, with his admittedly paranoid mind, could have conceived.

Ever since he realized the value of what Shiozaki represented, he has redirected Root’s efforts into keeping him safe. Yet, time and again, the little bastard has proven himself a severe security risk.

Muttering about state secrets in public, where anyone could overhear?

Leaving his home unguarded, particularly his room with the most obvious hidden compartment in existence?

Practicing with the Uchiha, Uzumaki, and Hyuga out in the open for the whole world to see?

Spreading notes that have proven immensely effective in not only gaining but retaining information? Ones that Root agents have found useful, thus making them dangerous if they fell into the hands of Konoha’s enemies?

The sheer amount of work involved in hunting down spies, would-be kidnappers, and smugglers (those damnable notes!) had been harrowing. His operatives were dedicated, committed, and highly skilled, and were supposed to be able to perform beyond normal shinobi limits.

And Danzo was working them ragged due to Shiozaki’s near-infinite capacity to commit blunders!

The frustration almost made him want to complain to Hiruzen, but he managed to stamp out the urge in time. If this continued, however, Danzo would need to find some other method aside from indirect intervention. Otherwise, he might just smack the idiot in the head with a manual about operation security. 

The thickest volume he could find.

A knock brought Danzo out of his silent fuming. Signalling entry, a masked Root agent came through and promptly kneeled.

“Lord Danzo,” the agent intoned. “I have an urgent report.”

A sliver of dread crawled up Danzo’s spine. This could not possibly be the case.

“Is it about the subject?”

“No.” Oh, thank the Sage! “At least, not directly.” Fuck!

“Elaborate.”

“He made an off-hand comment that could help the Raikage double the efficiency of his signature jutsus. A Kumo spy overheard and managed to send a message outside the village before we could intercept him. Root operatives gave chase, but have become entangled in a four-way battle involving assets from other hidden villages and rogue elements.”

Shimura Danzo was the cold of the abyss, the frost in the depths of winter, the withering darkness of the shadows. Anyone who says that he broke his desk and started whispering profanities was a filthy liar.

Hiruzen is Having Fun

Konoha’s Hokage couldn’t remember a more eventful time that didn’t involve war or death than the last two years. Sitting in his office, scrolls set to the side, and smoke coiling from his pipe, Hiruzen was enjoying a rare moment of silence to contemplate the numerous happenings of late.

Betting on Kenta’s revolutionary ideas has certainly resulted in much success in both strengthening the village and securing its future. In a rather humorous twist of fate, however, it also came with an unexpected boon.

A boon of which Hiruzen has taken full advantage, both for the good of Konoha and as a delightful diversion.

Over his long career, the aged warrior has worn many faces and been many things. He was a stern teacher, a steadfast leader, and a failure of a father and husband. However, one of his greatest regrets is the path he allowed his old friend to follow.

Many misunderstand the relationship between Hiruzen and Danzo. 

Some believe the Hokage to favor his former teammate. Others see their constant clashes and think them the worst of enemies. Yet, the truth is both and neither.

Beyond anything else, the bond he shares with Konoha’s shadow elder is one of necessity and duality. Embodying the light is The Professor, master of a thousand jutsu. Cloaked in darkness is the founder of Root and the supposed inheritor of the Second Hokage’s will.

Each was meant to play a part in safeguarding the village from threats both without and within. Yet, with every passing year, Danzo began sinking deeper into the worst aspects of his role.

The Uchiha massacre was a tragedy born from circumstances, yes. A whirlwind of suspicions, resentment, and the refusal to compromise on both sides made the clan’s destruction a matter of pitting their worth against that of Konoha’s citizens. 

In the end, the choice was obvious.

Hiruzen would not deny his part in the events that led up to the incident. His belief in maintaining the balance only resulted in bloodshed. Bloodshed in which Danzo’s involvement was undeniable. Unfortunately, punishing the man would have shattered Konoha’s unity. So, the matter was dropped, and the rest of the world moved on. 

With the exception of one budding avenger, of course.

From there, Danzo only grew more severe, demanding harsher measures against the lightest of offenses. Much as he strived to appear an immovable stone to the rest of the world, he could not hide his increasingly erratic behavior from those who knew him best.

So, when Kenta entered the picture, it took no real effort to identify the greatest threat looming over the boy. 

And with almost laughable predictability, Danzo immediately began sniffing after Konoha’s newest prodigy. Hiruzen’s efforts to guard the young Shiozaki were enough to deter many of Root’s more overt acts of gathering information, and the Hokage was bracing for the unseen dagger that he was sure would come.

But it never materialized.

Instead, following the introduction of the new curriculum at the academy, the war hawk changed course practically overnight. Naturally, this drew Hiruzen’s suspicions, which led to an elaborate game of watchers watching the other watchers.

Never could he have imagined what would come of his vigilance.

Shimura Danzo, Shinobi no Yami, architect of the Uchiha’s downfall, and leader of Konoha’s most ruthless organization of cold-blooded killers, was being outplayed by a boy who wasn’t even aware of his existence. It was such a ludicrous notion that Hiruzen initially thought he was being fed misinformation.

Further investigation eventually proved him wrong.

Without even meaning to, Shiozaki Kenta had spent the last two years driving an extremely dangerous individual to the brink of madness through sheer obliviousness. Compounding on the baffling phenomenon is the silent war among his agents that only recently came to his attention. 

His highly skilled, highly trained, highly experienced agents.  

And what could they be fighting about, one may ask?

Why, to be assigned monitoring duty on said dangerous individual, of course.

Indeed, watching Danzo’s seemingly perpetual struggle to clean up after one of the village’s most important assets has become a major source of amusement among Hiruzen’s ANBU. He couldn’t blame them, of course. Not when he himself drew endless mirth from the astonishing spectacle.

It was a case of absurdism overlaid on reality due to the perfect storm of overlapping conditions. Conditions which, somehow, created a precarious state of equilibrium that could prove explosive if disturbed.

The fact of the matter is that Kenta is too valuable to casually remove, too careless to leave alone, and too ignorant to truly appreciate the full effects of his actions. Danzo certainly couldn’t change the situation without personal intervention, either his or Hiruzen’s. It would only make the already volatile concoction into an eruptive one should anyone else be involved.

Not that the Hokage would voluntarily make a move, of course. Shaky as the grounds may be, it was accomplishing something that he had given up on years ago: Light and Dark have not been this united in purpose in decades. 

Of course, it helped that his old friend was extremely good at keeping Kenta safe, even if the boy did keep inviting trouble with his own actions. Hiruzen didn’t even need to make requests before a response team was sent out to deal with a spot of bother in one form or another.

The best part is how it kept Danzo constantly buried in so much work that he hasn’t managed to be an absolute pest over the past two years. An unforeseen blessing that the Sandaime Hokage celebrated with a drink or two, thoroughly confusing his family, who didn’t know why he was in such a good mood.

With the current academy year fast coming to a close, Hiruzen did wonder what changes Kenta’s official entry into the world of shinobi would bring. The solution they eventually came up with to overcome his cultivation troubles, for example, is bound to make waves. 

He could already hear Danzo’s outraged screams in the near future.

Poor bastard, he thought with no small amount of irony.

Basking in the promised delights of tomorrow, Hiruzen Sarutobi closed his eyes and made the most of his short break by daydreaming about bandaged old men frothing at the mouth and pulling their hair out in frustration.

Iruka is Feeling All Right, All Right, All Right!

Umino Iruka was currently one with the universe. Or maybe the floor. It was hard to tell where his back ended and the tatami mats began, and honestly? He didn't want to define labels like that. Labels were so… restrictive, man.

He stared up at the ceiling of his apartment. A single fly was buzzing in circles around the light fixture. To a normal observer, it was an annoyance. To Iruka, witnessing the world through the lens of a freshly locked-in, second layer of compressed chakra, it was a beautiful dance of nature.

"Go, little guy," Iruka whispered, pointing a finger at the ceiling. "Live your truth."

When Kenta had first taught him this whole cultivation thing, Iruka hadn’t known what to expect. Then, he had compressed his first layer, and everything changed. That was cool. Like, he was suddenly nursing a bonfire in his gut.

But this Second Layer? This was a whole new level of vibrations.

Iruka giggled. It bubbled up from his chest, unbidden. He felt heavy, like he was made of warm honey, but his mind was expanding, drifting back through the haze of the last two years at the academy.

Two years, Iruka thought, tracing imaginary patterns in the air. What a wild ride.

Usually, curriculum changes were a headache that involved endless meetings, mountains of paperwork, and a cavalcade of complaining parents. But looking back at it now, through the fuzzy, euphoric kaleidoscope of his chakra-high, it just seemed like pieces of a grand puzzle falling into place.

Boys and girls were all o’ a sudden gung-ho about beating each other into the dirt. Especially the girls. They got meaner. Like rabid monkeys.

Everyone’s been doing really well, though, Iruka was happy to say. Much better than before.

And Kenta, that funny little kid with the eyes of an old, jaded librarian, is at the center of all of it.

He remembered how the students’ performance had skyrocketed after those breathing exercises were introduced. What a strange time that was. Who would have thought that synchronized wheezing would lead to an entire generation suddenly becoming prodigies?

Definitely not him. Iruka prized every child he taught, but many of them were total dummies!

Now? 

"Everyone is... finding their center," Iruka murmured to the empty room. "Even that creepy fellow outside."

…wait. What?

Iruka’s enhanced senses had apparently picked up an unfamiliar, suppressed chakra signature across the street. Odd. Since when could he do that? And who could that be? 

Focusing a bit more, it turned out to be some stranger perched in a tree. 

What a weird place to be hanging about.

I bet he’s cold out there, Iruka thought sadly. Poor guy. Just hanging in a tree.

He briefly considered going to the window and offering whoever it was a juice box, but his legs felt like noodles.

On second thought… second thought? Was it his second thought, though? That can’t be right. Iruka was sure he had more than two thoughts!

Irregardless of the circumcision, there shouldn’t be another ninja this close to his home! Let alone one masquerading as a squirrel. Did this have something to do with the things he was told by the old man with the funny hat this… when was it again?

…heh, such a funny hat.

Like an upside-down pan. Did he use it for cooking?

Iruka chuckled again, closing his eyes. Everyone’s so serious. 

"It’s just edumacation, maaaaan," Iruka slurred slightly, nuzzling into a pillow he didn’t remember reaching for. "We's just... massaging? – melting? – molding? – molding the youth. Painting on the canvas of the future."

The sheer volume of chakra inside him swirled. Like the waters of a deep, calm lake with a giant ladle going around it. Aren’t ladles used for making soup? Iruka could go for some soup.

An errant thought swam through his detached mind, noting how much bigger his chakra reserves felt. So much bigger. But was it? Did his reserves expand? Or did his body shrink? He can’t shrink! How would he teach? 

And why didn’t Kenta say anything about this?

He then thought about the spar scheduled for… for… he can’t seem to remember. They did talk about it, though. Kenta wanted to try something Iruka didn’t like.

Iruka smiled beatifically. That boy’s always up to something strange. Should he do something about it?

Nah, Iruka decided, watching the dust motes sparkle in the moonlight. The kid’s just got a lot of energy. He’s an artist. You can’t stifle that spirit.

"I feel..." Iruka whispered, his eyes sliding shut as the second layer settled into a hum of pure spiritual bliss. "...all right. All right, all right."

He fell asleep fully clothed on the floor, smiling like an idiot. 

Meanwhile, an overworked Root agent sat on a tree branch, freezing in the cold midnight winds, and wondering when his relief would come. The apartment was completely dark, and had been so for hours, so the academy teacher was clearly asleep. He could even hear slurred mumbles! 

Lucky bastard! 

…

…

…

I miss my bed, he thought miserably.

Academy Update 2: Sakura Vs Ino Rematch

She didn’t know how it happened, but over the course of a year and a half, Haruno Sakura had somehow become a faction leader in their class. Indeed, her supporters were currently roaring with glee in the stands, while her counterpart stood a short distance away. Both girls sport grim expressions as they once again face off in glorious combat.

Much like her, Yamanaka Ino had changed in the intervening months.

No longer the scrawny twig of a clan heiress, the blonde was all coiled muscles wrapped in protective bandages. Likewise, Sakura has lost most of her softness, leaving a form built to obliterate her opponents.

Both sized each other up with calm deliberation: A familiar ritual, at this point.

Off to the side, Umino Iruka wore an expression so wooden, he could have been mistaken for a tree. A rather inconvenient disposition, considering he was supposed to referee this little bout. Which, if recent history was any indication, is going to be rather bloody.

Fortunately, the academy’s changes weren’t limited to fledgling shinobi seemingly hell-bent on tearing each other to shreds in every Taijutsu class. Additional safety measures have also been put in place in direct response to the insane rise in the number of injuries.

Chief among them was the presence of a dedicated team of medic-nin, each one a deft hand at fixing broken bones, bruises, and shredded flesh. Admittedly, they only became as good as they are due to their extensive experience in treating the students.

In defiance of all common sense, their presence also resulted in a bizarre race in which the children would risk more severe injuries, which the medic-nin would then have to patch up. This led to a self-sustaining cycle of advancement in combat and triage, at the cost of self-destructive practices.

Reasonable efforts were made to nip this problem in the bud, especially after parents started flooding the academy with complaints. They all failed due to one simple fact: the students themselves refused to back down.

Not when they could see tangible, measurable, and guaranteed improvements after each class. 

The fact of the matter is that the new methods introduced were more effective than anyone could have dreamed of. Making matters worse (or better, depending on one’s perspective), there are now leading figures in each batch that defied expectations.

Case in point, upon Iruka’s signal to start, Haruno Sakura made a small crater on the reinforced surface of the ring in her bid to rush Yamanaka Ino. The teacher made a note to have the stones making up the raised platform replaced with stronger versions. Again.

The heiress met the incoming fist with crossed arms, causing a mild shockwave to balloon from the impact point. Not even pausing for a breath, the pink-haired brawler used the energy of the diverted strike to flip her body in a forward twirl, right leg raised for an axe kick.

Sakura had been practicing this move with her father for weeks, determined to get the timing right when she sparred with her rival, once more. The Haruno patriarch was always happy to indulge his little petal. In fact, he waved her off this morning with tears of joy and an enthusiastic smile. One with fewer teeth, but a smile, nonetheless.

As such, when Ino took the bait with her initial defense, Sakura could already taste victory. 

Her celebration was premature, however, as she wasn’t the only one practicing new moves. Inspired by a discussion she once overheard between Shiozaki Kenta and Hyuga Hinata, two of the most capable fighters in their class, Ino looked into the principles of deflection and redirection. 

For months, she worked herself to the bone developing a new style of fighting. She even enlisted the help of her father, Yamanaka Inoichi, who agreed with an indulgent smile. Months later, the heiress was finally ready to try it on the most acceptable target she could imagine.

Ino had already proven it would work numerous times, with her father celebrating her success when she shared her plans early that day. Inoichi was so proud of her, in fact, that he started thanking and praising the Sage, every Kami in existence, and even every Hokage by name. An odd way to express pride over his daughter’s achievements, but Ino wouldn’t complain.

Not when she saw Sakura wind up for a big attack, giving her the perfect opening. As soon as the leg was within reach, Ino uncrossed her arms and stepped into the strike. Using her right hand, she guided the limb into position by grabbing and pulling the heel. With her left forearm, she pushed behind the knee, thus forcing Sakura straight into the floor at double her original speed.

The resulting explosion threw dust and debris all over the place. Some of the pieces even pinged against the Seal barrier that the Hokage personally installed around the grounds to protect the stands.

Silence filled the sparring grounds for a second before cheers sounded from one side, while groans came from the other.

“...Winner, Ino.”

Without missing a beat, Iruka declared the end of the match so that the medic-nin could rush over and bring Sakura to the infirmary. It was a testament to how common a sight this has become that the other students began chattering even as one of their own was carted off as a bloody pulp.

Even already knowing what he would see, the technically-still-a-chunin glanced over at his most troublesome student. As expected, Kenta was rolling on the ground along with Naruto. Sasuke was doing an admirable job maintaining a stoic facade, though he still couldn’t prevent the flush coming up his neck.

Hinata, ever the most responsible of the quartet, was patting the Uchiha on the back in a commiserating manner. 

Not helping matters was Ino shooting shy, flustered glances at the boy right after displaying strength more apt for an ogre. Yet another familiar ritual that Iruka has utterly failed to stamp out. 

“Ino, get off the ring! Kenta, Naruto! Get off the floor! Someone call the builders to fix the platform!”

The yelling wasn’t actually necessary, but it had been a long few days. Compressing his second layer of chakra over the weekend was supposed to be a victory, and it technically was. Unfortunately, it also made him act like an absolute buffoon for reasons that still escape their understanding.

Making things worse was the number of photos taken by the ANBU of him running around Konoha in just his underwear.

Somehow, he was sure that Kenta was at fault. He didn’t know how. Not yet. But, he was sure of it.

I’ll get him back for this, if it’s the last thing I do, Iruka thought, already planning the most spectacular prank he could imagine. I’ll enlist Naruto’s help if that’s what it takes!

Chapter 8

Kenta POV

This is it. Just one more day to go before I graduate into a full-fledged shinobi of Konohagakure no Sato. It was a long road to get here. Full of ups and downs, but I still did it. And with friends by my side, to boot!

I really am in a shonen story, aren’t I?

Speaking of, I finally figured out how I can get over the little speedbump preventing me from breaking through to the next level of cultivation. And it’s the most cliché solution that I could have ever come up with, given this setting.

See, in my pursuit of ever greater power, I started sparring with Iruka. One day, out of the blue, I decided to try to cultivate while in the ring with the chunin. You know, just as a change of pace. Well, whaddaya know? My compression cycle actually produced better results as compared to just sitting around!

I then asked Iruka to do the same, excitement making my voice squeaky. To my confusion, he reported no appreciable change.

To make matters more puzzling, my 30 layers of compressed chakra would bounce right back after the spar was finished. This then left me with the uncomfortable hypothesis that was later confirmed when I brought it up with the usual crowd in the know.

As it stands, the current theory is that I would need to participate in an intense, prolonged, and life-threatening battle in order to break through to the next level. Yes, I chose to use this terminology because it gave off some major video game vibes.

When the hell did I switch genres?

That was about six months ago. Naturally, I couldn’t exactly put myself in that kind of situation without a heck of a lot of preparation. For starters, the Hokage absolutely forbade even attempting it until I was more settled as a genin. He couched it in protective terms, which made surface sense since I was still a novice ninja, regardless of my capabilities.

Secretly, I thought it was because he didn’t risk their newest Golden Goose.

But, whatever. I wasn’t in any hurry to move forward, especially given how much is still unknown about this version of cultivation. Iruka streaking through Konoha the morning after he compressed his second layer, for example, came completely out of left field.

I had no frame of reference for what happened. Not in my own studies, and certainly not from my memories of the stories I read in my old world.

After I finally managed to collect myself from rolling on the ground and busting my gut in laughter, I set off to understand the cause behind the peculiar effect. I do remember feeling particularly giddy after compressing my first few chakra layers, but nothing close to the… obnoxious behavior, shall we say… that Iruka displayed.

Seriously, leading Konoha’s equivalent of special forces on a merry chase around the village in his undies? This bit alone left Naruto’s most notable accomplishments in public disturbance in the dust.

Fortunately for the academy teacher, the incident concluded quickly enough that it could be kept quiet. Otherwise, Iruka would be inundated with either complaints or requests for an encore, depending on who spoke with him.

Coming back to the point, though, it would seem that his experience in compressing layers vastly differed from mine. Whether it’s due to the difference in our starting chakra reserves, age, experience, nature, or whatever else, we still weren’t sure. And that’s the crux of the matter, isn’t it?

We weren’t sure.

That’s when I realized that we really were going into this blind. My early forays into cultivation were incredibly reckless and unscientific. That much was clear to me now.

I could excuse it for youthful enthusiasm, excitement from the discovery, and the shock of developing an entirely new way of gaining strength. Well, new in this world, anyway. But none of it excused how incautious my methodology was. There was a reason why innovations typically took years to develop on Earth.

Thousands of hours of testing were needed just to ascertain that a particular drug was safe for general consumption, for example. Why would it be any different for cultivation? What, just because those Xianxia novels featured protagonists who jumped into untested techniques with abandon? 

Did I really want to model myself after those assholes? 

I fell for the same trap as so many main characters, and even self-inserts, did: the need to escalate ever on for more power, control, and recognition. I needed to be better than that.

Hence, why I cut back on coming up with new projects and focusing on refining what I was already working on. It was cathartic, in many ways, especially after finally noticing how the academy’s civilian-born students seemed to be developing horizontally. 

That is to say, instead of trying to compete with clan kids for flashy jutsu, many of them became interested in using chakra for other things. Things that had nothing to do with combat. Quality of life improvements, basically.

I wasn’t entirely surprised, of course, having been the one to set them on this course. What caught me off guard was the enthusiasm and the speed of development. Thinking back on it, though, I shouldn’t have been. 

People here did everything in a big and bombastic way. Why would peripheral chakra revolutions be any different?

Speaking of the students, I didn’t really appreciate just how much I changed canon until this moment. I wasn’t blind to how much stronger this current generation was than those that came before, of course. How could I be when I witnessed them almost maul each other on the regular?

Konoha now had more capable combatants than it did in the original story. We also had medic-nin aplenty, owing to their stint in the Thunderdome masquerading as a school. And there were more prospective researchers from our batch and the one before than the village probably has ever had in its history.

For some reason, however, it all felt completely normal to me right until it didn’t. 

Looking around my raised position at the back of the classroom, I could see peers who truly were worthy of being shinobi. Not just in name, but also in capability and mindset. There were no whiny brats, complaining about the most inane things. Instead, there was a quiet buzz about placements, specialties, advancement prospects, new ideas in chakra application, and so on.

Out of nowhere, a sense of warmth filled my chest that took me a minute to understand. It was pride. Pride in how much more prepared these kids were for the real world. In how much more likely they were to return alive from their missions.

A subtle glance at my immediate surroundings only made this sense of pride stronger. Here were the supposed Rookie 9. The featured characters, all of whom were acting significantly more mature than they did in the source materials. 

Naruto and Sasuke were still arguing, as always, but no one was jumping on tables to yell. Shikamaru was still a lazy ass, but he was engaging Shino in a quiet debate about how their respective techniques had been improved and where to take them next, with Choji listening on the side – chips in hand, of course.

The most surprising is Ino, Hinata, and Sakura clustered with a small group of girls. One of whom was Ami, for some reason. Though, to her credit, she did become less annoying after Sakura thrashed her in taijutsu class one too many times. 

From what I could hear, they were talking about which Jonin they would be assigned to. There wasn’t even any fear of failing the exams because, well, why would there be? Everyone passing is pretty much a foregone conclusion at this point.

Their topic of discussion did bring up the memory of a conversation from a week prior.

It was during a regular meeting with Sayo and Reina, where we typically discussed the implementation of the new stuff we were pulling out of our collective butts. Thanks to the duo’s dedication to their chosen projects, my own out-of-context inputs, and regular correspondence from both Jiraiya and Tsunade (that never stopped being shocking, by the way), we were actually making decent headway in most of them.

Near the end, Iruka and the Hokage came in. Apparently, they had something they needed to discuss with me, in particular. When it was just the three of us left in the room, they laid down plans that would directly affect my future. 

Surprisingly, they brought up a similar topic concerning my classmates, as well. Once done explaining their thought process with regards to team assignments and the Jonin leading them, my face was frozen.

I could remember thinking, Is this really happening?

After all, contrary to how my role had grown over the last two years might have made it seem, I was still fully aware that I was an academy student. Not even a graduate yet. This was a lot of faith to put in someone who has yet to receive their headband.

When I expressed my concerns, the Hokage and Iruka exchanged amused glances.

“Outside of the teachers and their parents, could you name anyone else who knows these children as well as you do?” the Hokage had asked, eyes twinkling à la Dumbledore. For a single, insane moment, I felt the urge to throw a shuriken at Hiruzen’s face. I wasn’t even sure why. He wasn’t wearing half-moon spectacles… or any spectacles, for that matter!

And so it was that I was convinced to reluctantly give my opinion that would shape the lives of my classmates. To ease my conscience, if nothing else, I stuck to the facts as much as I could. Gave my observation as to their strengths, capabilities, personalities, and so on. 

I knew how easily my own sentiments could affect the final result if the two were really set on taking my own judgment into consideration. A final result that I will learn about tomorrow, just like everyone else. 

Yet another change from how events went in canon.

As much as it worried me, I knew that it was too late to affect the outcome. So, I settled into my seat, closed my eyes, and cleared my thoughts. This was going to be the last, peaceful day of my time on this world. 

Tomorrow, a life of strife and violence would begin.

When the bell finally rang, Iruka entered the classroom, holding a clipboard. On his heel was Mizuki, who had been looking more and more ragged these days. 

I was honestly tempted several times to just out the bastard, but could never find the opportunity or justification. Outwardly, he acted the part of a loyal Konoha shinobi. He even stopped trying to interfere with Naruto’s education when he began training with Hinata and me. I couldn’t move against him without incontrovertible evidence, such as catching him in the act.

“All right, everyone, listen up,” Iruka announced to the class. “As you already know, tomorrow will be your final exams. Once you pass –” nobody missed his usage of ‘once’ instead of ‘if’ “– you will then be assigned teams and a Jonin sensei.”

Excitement rippled through the mostly silent student body. A twist at the corner of Iruka’s mouth conveyed his mirth.

“You will be here bright and early, and I expect each and every one of you to give it your best. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sensei!” we all intoned.

“Good,” he nodded with a smile. “Dismissed.”

Well, then, I thought wryly, I'd better get ready.

Hinata POV

The Hyuga compound was silent, as it always was, but with one unusual addition. A nervous energy has permeated the grounds, from the servants to the elders, creating a maelstrom of attention centered on one person: Hinata.

She had expected this, of course. 

Ever since her cousin, Neji, graduated from the academy, interest within the clan had grown exponentially. The news of an entire batch passing all exams with flying colors was unusual enough. But to do so with a display of skill unrivalled since Konoha’s founding? Even the most stoic clan member couldn’t help but be intrigued.

And now, it was her turn. Or, rather, her class’s turn.

Hinata had every confidence that all of her peers would be wearing a Hitai-ate by day’s end tomorrow. None of the tests has been all that challenging for several months, mostly owing to her friend’s unusual methods of learning. Add to that the breathing techniques that have effectively upended academy life, and passing is all but guaranteed.

The days when the clan questioned her worth as the heir are long behind her, at this point. How many times had she proven her strength in the compound training grounds, after all? Yet, the academy is a different matter.

Where exactly did she stand among this generation of ninjas-to-be? Her record spoke for itself, but such things have become less set in stone of late.

Students were always trying to compete with each other, civilian-born and clan-born, both. To that end, rankings have all but become pointless markers of ability. Hinata has only maintained her position at the top due to spending more time training and studying than her classmates. But, this isn’t to say that they weren’t working hard, either.

She simply had the advantage of spending so much time around the only person who truly outclassed her.

Kenta, even after years of knowing each other, was still a mystery to Hinata. Even now, sitting on a patio, overlooking a sparring ring where Hanabi put to practice everything she taught her, the Hyuga heiress couldn’t help but wonder about the boy.

He cared nothing for academy rankings, which is unusual enough for someone who put in as much effort as he did. The constant disappearances and his atypical connections with Iruka-sensei, as well as several shinobi who came and went, were a source of deep mystery.

More than that is his strength, which Hinata was beginning to suspect was still hidden beneath layers of pretense. She’d sparred with him several times over the years, and every time she thought she was getting close to seeing the bottom, he would prove her wrong.

“Hinata-sama.”

The greeting interrupted her musings, causing the girl to turn and find Neji standing close by. 

“Nii-san,” she greeted in turn. “Do you need something?”

“I, yes.” The older boy seemed hesitant to speak. Quite unusual considering his straightforward nature.

“Please, sit,” she gestured to her side.

Wordlessly complying, Neji plopped down beside her in a seiza. Hinata was content to wait for him to speak up, so she went back to watching her sister. An evening breeze blew through the grounds, bestowing a pleasant chill. 

“I wished to speak to you about the exams tomorrow,” Neji finally said, piquing her interest. 

“Yes?” she prompted.

“My year’s performance was surprising,” he bluntly put. “Students I initially wrote off as failures became much more capable. I was wondering if it’s the same with your class.”

Turning to her taciturn cousin, Hinata saw a struggle on Neji’s face, even as he continued looking forward. As if he were grappling with the very concept of individuals rising above their perceived station. 

Of course, she already knew what this was about.

You don’t train with someone for years on end without coming away with some idea of their philosophies. Neji has placed much weight on his idea of fate. That, somehow, a force beyond people’s ability to influence dictated their place in life.

Hinata first challenged this notion after her earliest encounter with Kenta. Later, this was challenged again, after underperforming students in his year improved beyond initial expectations. A feat that, once again, could be laid at Kenta’s feet. 

For some reason, Hinata found it amusing that much of what troubles Neji is due to her friend in one way or another.

“Are you asking if I believe my class will be similarly successful in passing every test?”

Neji’s brows furrowed in consternation before nodding. “I am.”

“Then, yes, I believe that.” A small smile was on her lips as Hinata answered. “I won’t say that the academy won’t adapt someday to accommodate the elevated performance of the students. For now, I simply know that the exams won’t pose much difficulty for any of my classmates.”

“I see.”

Far from assuaging his distress, it seems that her answer only caused them to grow. Normally, she wouldn’t pry into business that wasn’t hers. However, it was clear that whatever had unsettled her cousin was no shallow matter. So, borrowing a page from Kenta’s typical strategy of dealing with troublesome issues, she simply went for the throat.

“What’s really troubling you, Neji?” she asked, turning to him directly.

If her candid approach bothered him, there was no overt indication that this was the case. He did keep quiet for some time, however, before finally speaking what’s on his mind.

“Too many people are intent on defying their fate,” he stated. “Everyone is supposed to have their place. But lately, the world has stopped making sense. Neither of my teammates, for example, is from a clan. Yet, our Jonin said that they are beyond comparable clan-born genin from even just a year ago. If your class performs as well as mine did, then this is no longer a quirk of fate. It would be chaos.”

Hinata did her best to keep the surprise from showing on her face. This might just be the longest she’d heard Neji speak. That the subject is one she knew much about, yet can’t reveal, was galling. 

And that was the crux of the matter, wasn’t it? 

Kenta’s involvement in the academy students’ meteoric rise in performance was a secret. Her whole group knew, even if none of them addressed it out loud. She certainly couldn’t justify talking about it now. So, in the end, she settled for the next best thing.

“Is that really such a bad thing?” she offered.

At this, Neji turned toward her, confusion painted on his face. “Hinata-sama?”

“I’m not sure how fate plays into our everyday lives,” she sighed, closing her eyes in concentration. “All I know is that we now have a chance to take our future into our own hands.” Turning to her cousin, Hinata revealed glowing eyes of cyan without the signature veiny protrusions on the side of her head. “Nothing is beyond us now, Neji Nii-san. That’s how I know I’ll keep my promise to you.”

Pale eyes wide in shock, Hyuga Neji later walked back to his room in deep contemplation. He knew that he should feel troubled by what Hinata revealed. Yet, he couldn’t help but feel warm at her reassurance.

Naruto POV

There are days when Naruto has to pinch himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. Most of it happened over the last two years. Finally having friends who wanted to hang out with him. Not messing up in class all the time. 

Best of all, getting even closer to his dream of becoming Hokage!

Not that he ever doubted that last one. But it was nice to see his progress with his own eyes. None of it would’ve been possible if it weren’t for Kenta.

Though Naruto still didn’t fully understand his friend, he grew to accept that he probably never would. At least, not until Kenta himself was ready to talk about whatever he’s still hiding. For now, Naruto had to focus on what’s coming.

Their final exam.

If he were honest with himself, Naruto could admit to being a little nervous. It’s one thing to know in his head that he’d pass. He hadn’t failed anything in a little over a year now. But, he couldn’t completely erase the doubts gnawing at his gut.

Instead of wallowing in self-pity, though, the blonde chose to walk a little faster until the academy’s gates loomed ahead. What he saw brightened his mood significantly.

“Kenta!” he yelled, waving enthusiastically at the boy just ahead of him.

“Naruto,” he greeted, sounding a little tired. “D’you really have to be so loud? It’s real early, dude.”

“Ah, sorry.” Naruto smiled sheepishly at his friend. “I’m just really excited, ya know?”

Kenta chuckled in response, resuming his walk with Naruto at his side.

“I can see why. Ready to finally be a ninja?”

“Born ready, believe it!”

“I believe you, Naruto. I believe you.”

The two chatted about simple things as they entered the academy proper. Classmates milled about, the mix of voices making it hard to hear what anyone was saying. Some part of Naruto felt wistful about the scene.

Five years he spent here. Two of those in isolation. Until the day he went up to the boy next to him, curious how he beat dog breath so easily. Back then, he couldn’t have even imagined that Kenta would help their entire class get as strong as they are. 

After today, their next adventure begins.

Speaking of, entering their classroom led to even more noise as greetings were thrown around. His friends were here. 

Friends. 

Of all the things he’d gained after forming a bond with Kenta, this is what Naruto valued most.

Sasuke POV

Uchiha Sasuke wouldn’t say it out loud, but he was utterly bored. The written exams were a breeze, having already memorized and understood practically all the lessons taught over the years in class. Everything that followed was similarly unchallenging.

Credit to the instructors, they actually did throw a few tricks and attempts at misdirection in the middle of the tests. Likely in anticipation that their whole class would just run over the standard assessments. 

In the end, none of it mattered.

Over the years, the Uchiha scion built a mental list of notable names in his class. If nothing else, Shiozaki Kenta taught him to stop underestimating the people around him. Especially those that come from seemingly humble backgrounds. As such, he knew who among his classmates would perform the best at what subject and to what extent.

From everything he’s heard so far, none of them had any trouble surpassing expectations. 

This really was quite the accomplishment when one stopped to think about it. While he didn’t truly give it much consideration before, Sasuke wasn’t completely oblivious to how things previously worked in the academy. 

Students dropped out or failed all the time. That’s just how it was. 

Now? The teachers really had to push themselves to come up with tests that would, at least, challenge even those at the bottom. None of it worked.

‘Dead Last’ has lost all meaning, indeed.

“Sasuke-kun!” 

Hearing his name called, the boy turned to find Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura skipping over. Despite himself, Sasuke was forced to remember their names. Mostly because of how viscous they became when sparring. A trait that every girl in his class suddenly shared.

Apparently, the reason had something to do with him. Kenta hinted as much, but the bastard refused to elaborate. Sasuke could have found out the reason himself, but every time he thought about it, a chill would crawl up his spine. So, he settled for self-imposed ignorance.

“How did it go?” the blonde asked.

“What are you asking that for? Of course, Sasuke-kun passed!”

“Well, it doesn’t hurt to ask, does it?”

“So, you doubted him, is that it?”

“That’s not what I said!”

And off they went. Suffice it to say, Sasuke didn’t want to deal with this right now. Thankfully, though they tested his patience to the limit at times, he did have… friends to rescue him.

“Having fun?” came Kenta’s unwanted solicitation, sidling up from out of nowhere.

“What are they arguing about this time?” Naruto asked, irritated confusion written on his face.

“I don’t know,” Sasuke replied, making sure to infuse exhaustion in those three words.

“Sakura, Ino, how did you do?” the angel with the white eyes cut in, being the only useful member of their group. As always.

Having successfully distracted the pair, Hinata turned to wink at the boys.

“She’s really good at that, isn’t she?” Kenta commented at his side.

“Duh! What isn’t Hinata good at?” Naruto obnoxiously added.

“I don’t know,” Sasuke posited, “she hasn’t managed to fix you two. You’re still a couple of idiots.”

“What’d you say!” the loudmouth screeched.

“Hey! I resemble that!” Kenta declared, still snickering.

As the small group walked toward the cafeteria for lunch, swapping stories about their exam experience, Sasuke felt centered. He was still a long way away from his intended goal, but he at least had reliable companions at his back.

Vengeance no longer felt as out of reach as before.

Side Story 4

Tsuchikage Troubles

Konoha is up to something. Onoki could feel it in his bones! 

Those damn tree-huggers have become a lot more secretive of late, even more than they were following the Nine-Tails’ attack. Granted, they had a lot fewer shinobi to dedicate to opsec back then, but the point stands. 

Konoha is up to something.

“None of our agents have been able to learn anything noteworthy, Tsuchikage-sama.” This came from one of the Hidden Stone’s elite agents sent out to spy on other villages. “We’ve also lost contact with several teams within Konoha’s borders. Their forces have simply become a lot more active than we anticipated.”

This caused the Tsuchikage to snort in disdain. “I knew it. Leave it to those leaf bastards to stir up trouble.* Whatever they’re hiding, it’s got to be big if they’re going to all this effort. We need to find out what it is.”

“We also need to do it carefully,” one of his advisers cautioned. “Triggering open conflict with Konoha won’t serve our interests at this time.

Onoki snorted in disdain once more. This time, directed at his own people. 

Iwagakure was a place of multi-tier contradictions. The civilians want to maintain the status quo. The shinobi want vengeance against the Hidden Leaf. The advisers are always pussyfooting around. And everyone is demanding that he take action.

To what end, dammit?!

Regardless of his personal struggles with leading a village of hardheaded idiots, the Tsuchikage knew one thing for sure: he couldn’t simply ignore what was happening at Konoha.

Addressing the Jonin once more, he asked, “Well, what have you learned, then? You haven’t just been messing around while you were there, right?”

“Nothing definitive, Tsuchikage-sama,” he replied, completely ignoring the jab at his professionalism. “There have been rumbles about changes to their shinobi academy, but the details are kept under a tight lid. We’ve also come across signs of skirmishes along the border, but the cleanup was too thorough to draw conclusions of any worth.”

Yes, this was certainly troublesome. Konoha ninja have always been good at covering their tracks. The past three wars have shown just how canny they can be in that regard. But for them to leave so few marks as to baffle Iwa’s elite agents? Despite how Onoki prefers to address his subordinates, he knew full well how capable they are.

This entire thing was beginning to paint a gruesome picture in the Tsuchikage’s mind. Too many changes in too short a time. 

Used to be you could count on Konoha to be largely predictable. Nowadays, it’s like they were playing the world’s most elaborate game of Hide-and-Seek, with them doing both the hiding and the seeking.

Not at all that different from what shinobi typically do, from a general perspective, but there were limits – standard practices and norms intended to prevent worst-case scenarios.

Giving up scraps of information to protect the greater whole was among them. After all, letting enemies have an idea of what you were up to was better for their peace of mind than going completely dark.

Yet, Konoha was doing exactly that.

Did something happen that necessitated the increased security measures? The Kyuubi attack and the Uchiha massacre certainly merited the heightened alert conditions that followed.

From Onoki’s perspective, this would actually be the best they could hope for. The alternative is Konoha preparing for war. One that they consider inevitable.

He would really, really, like to avoid that.

“Double the number of agents keeping an eye on Konoha,” he barked at the Jonin. “But take every precaution to not draw attention or provoke a forceful reaction. They’ll likely know that you are around, so do what you can to remain low on their priority list. Focus on the general atmosphere, the civilian consensus, and the mood of their shinobi forces.”

If they can’t gain specifics, then a broader perspective would have to do. No matter how subtle their preparations, Hiruzen wouldn’t be able to completely suppress his citizens’ fears and anxiety, or the lack thereof.

“Do not go near their academy, but see if you can spot new graduates,” Onoki continued. “From what I remember, they should be having their final exams at this time of year. There’s no need to get close to them. A general observation will do for now. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Tsuchikage-sama!”

“Good. You’re dismissed, all of you,” he directed that last bit to his meddlesome advisers.

When he was finally alone in his office, save for his hidden guards, Onoki looked out the window and down at the Hidden Stone village. He ruminated on multiple possibilities and how he could counter them. 

A task he certainly did not relish.

“Damn you, Hiruzen!” he muttered angrily under his breath. “Why did you have to act up now? A few more years, and I could have retired!”

Hopefully, his chosen successor would be ready before the conflict breaks out.

If not, he will have to step into the field once more.

*Yes, we all know he’s being a hypocrite. Let’s move on.

Orochimaru’s Onerous Ordeal

As one of Konoha’s most infamous rogue shinobi who has outwitted the powerful Hidden Village, Orochimaru was used to having more insight into his former home’s activities. It’s only natural, given the number of spies embedded in both their civilian and military structures.

Indeed, possessing more information about the Leaf’s operations is exactly how he has managed to evade their efforts to capture him so far.

Which is why the past few months have become so vexing.

Practically all correspondence from his infiltrators has stopped. The only messages coming through were from inconsequential sources, and even then, they only contained superfluous information. 

Not at all like the detailed reports that he enjoyed from more valuable subordinates. 

Subordinates whose competence should have allowed them to evade Konoha’s usual security efforts. He knew for a fact that Kabuto was skilled enough to pass on intelligence right under the noses of ANBU operators. 

This then begs the question: What has changed?

From past deliveries, the Snake Sannin recalled several mentions of changes occurring in the ninja academy. Severely lacking in details, they did indicate the upcoming introduction of new exercises meant to improve the efficiency of chakra usage. 

At the time, he only gave the information a passing glance for two reasons. The first is disdain, mostly due to how it signalled desperation on the part of Konoha. Efficiency does have its place when using chakra for anything. However, at some point, you get diminishing returns.

Better to focus on increasing the size of one’s chakra pool than waste time eking out insignificant drops of energy that would make no major difference.

In the end, it really wouldn’t make that big of an impact, especially among generational talents, such as his latest subject of interest. The only reason he could think of to focus on teaching techniques meant to boost efficiency at scale was to bolster the weaker ranks made up of fodder.

A task Orochimaru categorically refused to even entertain.

The second reason was much simpler: it was beneath him. He was interested in immortality, learning every jutsu in the world, and continuing his research. In that order. Why would he ever give what effectively amounted to parlor tricks even an ounce of his attention?

Orochimaru told his agents as much, adding that they should focus on details regarding the state of Konoha’s shinobi forces. After all, an invasion required precise planning.

He couldn’t have imagined that shortly after giving said orders, incoming messages would experience a sudden, sharp drop. From then on, instead of the steady stream of reliable intelligence, it had become a trickle.

Then, eight months prior, they stopped altogether.

Such a change in fortunes forced the rogue ninja to look back for things he might have missed. After a few false leads, he honed in on the subject matter he outright disregarded.

His eyes and ears in Konoha itself might have temporarily become inaccessible, but the same could not be said for its surrounding areas. A few holes in the security net could still be found, though, he did find it slightly concerning how much tighter said net had become.

From everything he managed to gather, his old teacher has gotten quite paranoid, indeed. 

That in itself was a source of significant alarm as it ran contrary to everything he knew of Sarutobi Hiruzen. He certainly found no developments among the other Hidden Villages to explain such an increase in alertness, with the possible exception of the civil war in Kirigakure.

Yet, even that minor issue was insufficient to move Konoha in any way.

However, it was the reports of the supposedly magnified capabilities of its shinobi that truly gave Orochimaru a hint as to what caused his informants’ silence. 

Could something as simple as chakra efficiency – a subject he outright considered unworthy of his attention – have truly changed so much in so short a time? Surely not! And yet, what else could it be?

He had already combed through stacks of reports dating back several years, but found nothing else that could provide an alternative explanation. So, with much self-recrimination, the vaunted rogue Sannin had to accept the truth.

The only remaining course of action now is to find out exactly what’s been happening in the Leaf. 

What’s happened to his spies? What are they going to such lengths to hide? What’s fueling the sudden display of ramped-up paranoia?

Beyond all of that, Orochimaru burned to know who was responsible for setting these developments in motion.

If I get my hands on them, dissection would be the least of their worries! 

Knowingly or not, they’ve set back his operations considerably. This could not stand.

Perhaps Danzo would be interested in cooperation? He mused. He was quite dissatisfied with how Sensei ran Konoha, after all. He would make a natural ally.

Satisfied with his initial plans, the Snake Sannin smiled a creepy smile and laughed a creepy laugh. 

Kakashi Kicking Ass

Hatake Kakashi felt free.

Gliding through the dense forest around Konoha’s northern border, the man known as the Copy Ninja had never felt less encumbered. His body moved with lethal grace, chakra responding like an eager puppy, and not wasting an iota of the precious energy.

Despite no longer needing to, the elite Jonin still kept his left eye covered.

No need to give away the advantage of surprise, after all. Far too many already know about his little ocular trick, which gained something of a reputation separate from himself.

Handily keeping pace to the side was Tenzo, a fellow former member of ANBU.

As one of the first to receive the newly developed methods for chakra enhancements and efficiency among the active shinobi forces of Konoha, the last Wood Release user has become even deadlier in battle. While a far cry from the First Hokage’s own combat capabilities, it’s still an essential asset for dispatching enemies and cleaning up areas where combat occurred – such as the one they just left behind.

It would seem that Konoha’s heightened measures against infiltrators and spies have also raised the hackles of the other major Hidden Villages. Kumo has certainly stepped up its game by sending increasingly lethal agents to collect intelligence.

Kakashi would be the first to admit, if only in his own mind, that the Leaf is in something of a bind. In effect, they could no longer abide by the unspoken and unwritten rules when dealing with spies from other major powers, as they did in the past. 

Anything less than utmost secrecy is intolerable due to the sheer potential of their new methods for raising stronger soldiers. The Hokage even said, while under the most powerful privacy seals ever devised, that they’d only scratched the surface. 

His recent run-in with the academy teacher, Umino Iruka, certainly confirmed this assertion.

Someone of the chunin’s rank and known capabilities shouldn’t have needed several ANBU to subdue. Yet, that’s exactly what happened. An exponential increase of strength, speed, and explosive power in just a year, enough to make Kakashi, Tenzo, and three other Jonin-tier shinobi really try just to catch him? 

Granted, they were going for non-lethal measures, and he was evidently baked out of his mind, but still!

Whatever the Hokage was still keeping from everyone, that brief experience was enough to convince Kakashi that it was worth the subterfuge. Especially once it was privately explained to him and Tenzo that Umino was one of three current users of an even more potent method of developing chakra.

The second being the Saindaime, himself.

As for the third? No name was revealed, though Kakashi did notice Tenzo going rigid for a fraction of a heartbeat once the Hokage was done talking. He didn’t press, though. If the last Hatake was meant to know, he would’ve been told.

With that said, it’s undeniable that the rate at which violent clashes against foreign agents has also increased. Just this month alone, Kakashi was sent to kill or capture five separate groups with no discernible affiliation, all of whom were trying to escape with valuable information, specifically about the ninja academy.

The Kumo group was only the latest, and he only knew they were from Kumo due to how distinctive their fighting styles tended to be. Read: Lots of lightning jutsu and swords.

So far, they’ve been successful in keeping the truly pertinent details out of the hands of Konoha’s enemies. But all of them knew that this couldn’t continue forever. Particularly with the assignment waiting for Kakashi and Tenzo back home, taking the duo away from pest-control duty.

It was a long time coming, to be honest. 

Who else would they ask to teach the only other Sharingan user in the Leaf other than him? To the boy’s credit, reports indicate that he is actually doing quite well on his own. From the numerous sparring matches he participated in, both in and out of the academy, Uchiha Sasuke unequivocally lived up to his reputation as a prodigy. 

The girl, Haruno Sakura, seemed to be an outstanding kunoichi, as well: High intelligence, proven combat proficiency, and she’s even noted to have displayed natural leadership qualities. Kakashi expected no difficulties teaching her.

It was the last prospective genin that made him uncomfortable. 

Uzumaki Naruto. The son of his late teacher.

From everything that Kakashi managed to read about the boy, he seemed to be the perfect mix of his parents. The very thought left him feeling queasy, so he focused on other aspects. For example, like the other two, he also performed really well in the exams.

Then again, what does that even prove these days?

Last year’s team placement was something of a mess, due to how the students performed beyond expectations in their graduation tests. Extra personnel had to be pulled from unconventional places just to have enough Jonin-sensei to fill the slots.

This year, the administrators were better able to prepare for the results, but it was still a nightmare for the bureaucrats.

Something that Kakashi and his fellow Jonin found endlessly funny.

Even with the advanced warning, though, special dispensations still had to be made to make sure that no genin team would be left without a teacher. It’s a good problem to have, which also puts many traditionalists on the back foot and unable to prevent the newly-minted ninjas from learning unconventional things.

With so many changes in Konoha, and Kakashi kept so busy both with work and training, the man had actually found himself wallowing in grief less and less. 

The pain was still there, and so were the memories. He suspected that they would never really go away.

But the intermittent reprieves from drowning in the past, as well as finally being free from the constant drain of Obito’s Sharingan, did give him room to breathe. And, as it turned out, this made all the difference in the world.

He can only hope that he’ll be a worthy teacher to three extremely promising students.

Kurama’s Curiosity

The Nine-Tailed Fox has known his host since the day he was born. While the Bijuu didn’t spend every waking moment observing the brat (that would have been intolerable), he had been witness to much of the boy’s tumultuous early life.

Neglected, avoided, disdained, and hated. Experiences that his previous hosts weren’t subjected to, nearly to the same degree.

Yet, much like the mother, the son displayed an unnatural stubbornness.

Many times, Kurama woke to him screaming about becoming Hokage, despite showing no ability to back his claims. For as much as the chakra entity hated his confinement, the two Uzumaki jailors that came before were, at least, competent shinobi.

Then, one day, it all changed.

Gaining strength, proficiency, and control at a rate he’d never shown before, the brat has actually gotten closer to his professed goals. But that wasn’t what really caught Kurama’s attention.

It was, instead, his new acquaintance. While it took time for him to notice, the strange chakra coming from this Shiozaki Kenta could not be hidden forever. It was, for lack of a better word, pure.

Much purer than anything the Nine-Tails had ever encountered.

The closest that he had to compare it to were the accursed Hashirama Senju and, much to his chagrin, the Sage of the Six Paths, himself. Yet, there were some extreme differences, which became more evident the longer he observed his host’s friend. 

Despite how the world preferred to think of them, Bijuu are not mere beasts. Kurama well remembered the initial hopes of their creator upon sharing chakra with the world. Hopes that came crashing down when human nature overcame the Sage’s good intentions.

Since then, the recipients of their father’s gift only wrought death and misery upon the world.

Centuries passed. Nothing changed. Not until now.

To a Bijuu like Kurama, seeing such pure chakra was a mesmerizing experience. It was like bathing under the light of creation, soothing the hatred in his heart. Then, when the brat was no longer within sight of Shiozaki Kenta, the rage and pain returned, once more.

Adding to the Nine-Tails’ confusion and internal conflict, the pure chakra seemed to become more so as time went on.

How was this possible?

He needed to know. 

He must know!

The desire to speak and be heard grew by the day. Until, finally, he got his chance.

With the brat lying on his back, being crushed by such a potent presence that even Kurama felt its power, the Kyuubi pressed against all of his host’s insecurities. Every moment of loneliness, every second of doubt, every instance of humiliation, he pushed them all to the surface.

And, just as success was within his grasp, the container showed his Uzumuaki nature at the most inconvenient moment. He forced Kurama back down, without even knowing that he had done it.

The rage nearly drowned him then, if not for the sudden wave of pure chakra emanating from the Shiozaki boy, even brighter than ever before. Such a showing would have been enough to take the chakra entity’s breath away – if he had the ability to breathe, in the first place – but its effect on Naruto was even more unbelievable.

Somehow, someway, their chakras were reaching out to each other. 

That’s when Kurama finally understood.

Ninshu…

He couldn’t believe it.

For so long, centuries of waiting, there had never been any proof that it could be real. Yet, here it was. Being unknowingly wielded by two children who have yet to see their second decade.

It was only for a moment, true, but it was there.

Ever since that fateful day, Kurama did his best watch his host’s every interaction with the boy, and even their small group. Each time, he saw glimpses of what his creator had spoken of, so long ago.

It was, in all honesty, a wonder to behold.

And soon, the brat would face the wider world.

How much could he change?

What mark would he leave behind?

Despite himself, Kurama was now invested.

When the time comes for us to speak face-to-face, I hope you’re ready… brat.

Chapter 9

Kenta POV

“Do you have everything you need?”

“Yes, Mom!”

“Are you wearing your nice pants?”

“I am, Mom!”

“Don’t forget the flowers for Hinata!”

“Sure, Mo – wait. What flowers?”

“Well, it’s only proper for a young boy to give flowers to a young girl! You know, to congratulate her on her big day?”

“Why aren’t Naruto and Sasuke getting flowers, then?”

“Because they’re boys, silly.”

“Ugh! Fine, whatever. I’m going. Don’t wanna be late.”

“The flowers!”

“Oh, for the love of – here, I’m bringing it. Happy?”

“Very happy.”

“That’s my boy!”

“Wha – Dad?! Don’t tell me you’re in on this?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? She’s a wonderful girl!”

“Oh, isn’t she just?”

“Nope! I’m not listening to this. Bye!”

Thud!

“That boy! At this rate, I won’t get any grandbabies!”

“Patience, honey! Patience. It’s only a matter of time. I was the same with you, remember?”

Girly giggles.

“That’s true. I just can’t wait!”

“It’ll be fine. You’ll see.”

A shiver crept up the spine of a young ninja-in-training, causing him to sprint outright. Perhaps he can escape the foreboding premonition if he runs fast enough?

Of all the ridiculous ideas to crawl into their heads, my parents seriously think that this was a good one? Hinata will obviously end up with Naruto. What on earth gave them the idea that we were in that kind of relationship?

Hmm, how can I nip this in the bud? 

The insane development that morning successfully distracted me from that day’s major event until I reached the academy’s gates. At which point, worry started gnawing at my gut while I considered the changes to canon I have wrought.

Objectively speaking, I haven’t really done anything that should lead to disastrous consequences. 

I mean, Konoha was attacked how many times in the original storyline? How much worse can I really make things?

More importantly, given how successfully the dissemination of the new chakra exercises throughout the larger shinobi forces has been going, there’s no arguing that the village is now in a much stronger position than before. Probably stronger than it was right after the Second Shinobi War.

Definitely not comparable to Konoha’s founding, though. Those days had some actual gods walking on earth.

In any case, I just caught a glimpse of my friends ahead when I noticed a few curious points of interest. One, the Hokage was here. Not exactly the strangest sight, considering that he’s been coming to the academy a few times a year, by now.

No, what caught my attention, even though I did my best not to show my surprise, was the presence of the other members of the council of elders. 

I had absolutely no idea who the other two were, but there was no mistaking the bandaged silhouette that stood behind the Hokage like a mummified shadow: Shumira Danzo was here. 

Here, out in the open, and not skulking in the dark corners of the village.

Welp! That’s it. I’m done for. There was no way he wasn’t here for me.

“Kenta?”

Dazed and not a little bit perturbed, I turned to find none other than Hinata touching my shoulder and looking quite concerned. Forcing a smile, I thoughtlessly handed her the bouquet of flowers that my mother, in her infinite wisdom, demanded I give to the girl.

“Here,” I said, almost mechanically. “For you. I’ll see you inside, yeah?”

My legs moved as if they were weighed down with lead, and I was so preoccupied with thoughts of doom and gloom that I completely missed the stunned look on the girl I just left behind.

Before I knew it, I was sitting in class, surrounded by familiar faces and working to keep my breakfast from spilling out. I remembered nothing of the conversations going on around me, my response to people asking me questions, or the speech that Iruka gave to the class.

I only came out of my stupor when someone slapped the back of my head, causing me to crash face-first into the desk.

“What was that for, you moron?!”

“I thought it would work!”

“That was a bit forceful, Naruto.”

“And now, you broke school property. On our last day!”

“Oh, would you both calm down. We already passed the exams. What are they gonna do? Put us in detention?”

“They can dock our pay, you idiot.”

“Crap, really?”

“Forget that! How is he? You didn’t kill him, did you?”

Someone snorted.

“Really? Him? I could drop the Hokage Monument on Kenta, and he’d probably shrug it off.”

“Wait, what? He’s that strong?”

“Like you wouldn’t believe.”

All right, that’s enough of that. 

Pulling myself from the caved-in plank that used to be my desk, I glared at the likely culprit who caused the damage. Instead of looking guilty, contrite, or any number of more appropriate reactions, the blonde loudmouth just points at my face in glee.

“See? He’s fine!”

Beside him were Sasuke and Sakura. The former looked annoyed, while the latter looked worried. Other than these three and me, the classroom was completely empty.

I blinked upon observing my surroundings. When the hell did everyone clear out? 

Wait, hang on. I looked the three over again because I’m pretty sure that something was wrong here.

“What – no. How – no. When – no.”

“I think I broke him,” Naruto whispered, but he was so loud, he might’ve as well not bothered.

“He’s been broken since before class started,” Sasuke stated bluntly.

“You two are being insensitive,” Sakura admonished, before turning to me, worry filling those green eyes. “Are you all right, Kenta? You’ve been acting out of it today.”

Have I? Wait, that’s not important right now! 

Gah! There are so many things going on, and I am way off-kilter. That’s unacceptable!

So, in typical anime fashion, I slapped my cheeks with both hands a few times. For reasons I can’t explain, it works, and my mind clears up. It did cause the three to flinch back in surprise, though.

Right. First things first.

“I’m guessing the teams have been assigned?” I asked them.

They wordlessly nodded in response.

“And you three are a team?”

“Yes,” Sasuke confirmed, eyes narrowing. “You didn’t catch anything that happened since this morning, did you?”

“Uh…”

“What?” Naruto yelped. “But, he talked and even answered Iruka-sensei, like normal!”

“Did something happen, Kenta?” Sakura asked. “Before class started, I mean.”

“I…” Crap. How do I answer that? 

“Kenta, if there’s a problem, you should tell us,” Sasuke insisted, leaning closer and expressing quite a bit of earnest concern.

“Yeah!” Naruto jumped in. “What is it? Did you get attacked or something?”

“No!” I hastily tried to reassure them, seeing the two so gung-ho. “Nothing of the sort. Look, I just saw something this morning that I wasn’t expecting, and it threw me for a loop. It’s nothing to worry about.”

“That’s bullcrap!” The blonde countered. “Nothing surprises you. I’ve never even caught you in any of my pranks!”

“As stupid as his example is,” Sasuke groaned while rubbing his face, “the idiot’s not wrong. I’ve never seen you act like this, Kenta. We know you have secrets. We’ve even figured out a few and kept them to ourselves. But,” at this, his Sharingan came to life, “you have never outright lied to us, either. Don’t start now.”

Poor Sakura just stared at the three of us, looking extremely lost. 

“All right,” I sighed in defeat. “I’ll tell you what I can, but we’ll have to save it for later. Right now, I need to know a few things because, apparently, I was lost in my own world for the whole morning.”

Neither Naruto nor Sasuke said anything for a few heartbeats, but they eventually looked at each other before nodding at me.

“Thanks,” I said with relief. “So, you already confirmed that you three are a team. What number?”

“Team 7,” Sakura answered immediately. It seemed that becoming a monster of a brawler hadn’t erased certain habits, like being a teacher’s pet.

“Thank you, Sakura,” I acknowledged, causing her to beam. “Next point. Why am I still here? Haven’t I been assigned a team?”

At this, the three shared looks of concern.

“Um,” Naruto spoke up, sounding hesitant, “Iruka-sensei told you to wait here with us. You said yes.”

“Exactly,” Sasuke added. “For a while there, I thought that you were upset. Everyone else got assigned to teams or apprenticeships except you. But, I guess that’s not the case at all.”

I was about to nod in agreement when something he said caught my attention.

“Wait, what apprenticeships?”

The boys sighed in exasperation at the extent of my ignorance. Wow, good looking out, guys! Sakura, the beautiful darling that she was, did deign to respond.

“Iruka-sensei explained it to us before team assignments. Apparently, there were too many graduating students and too few active shinobi who could take on more than one genin. So, apprenticeships were offered. Quite a few of the civilians were taken in by chunin and Jonin who worked in R&D, apparently.”

Wow, that – that explained quite a bit, actually.

I could only cover my face in shame and chuckle helplessly at my own absentmindedness during such a crucial period. “You’re a doll, Sakura,” I said in appreciation.

For some reason, this drew a snort from Naruto and Sasuke, causing me to glance at them in suspicion. The innocent look they tried and failed to adopt fooled absolutely no one. Brow raised, I turned to Sakura for clarification, but she had turned her back, for some reason. I did see the tips of her ears going red, though.

Oh… Oh, hell no!

I’mma just ignore that.

“So, I’m guessing your Jonin-sensei isn’t here yet?”

“Ahem,” Sasuke coughed unconvincingly. “Yes. Everyone else got picked up already. It’s just us now.”

“Ahem,” Naruto tried to do the same. Except his attempt was even less convincing than Sasuke’s, making my brow involuntarily twitch. “Apparently, whoever’s been assigned to us just got back from a mission. So, they’ll be late.”

Sakura said nothing. Back still turned and ears red. The brow twitching increased.

Continuing to ignore the thing that definitely isn’t happening, I instead focused on what Naruto shared.

“You didn’t happen to get their name, did you?”

“Hatake Kakashi,” Sasuke supplied. “Elite Jonin, though, his records have been impossible to access. So, I’m thinking ANBU.”

That got me blinking in surprise, again. What the shit? Since when did Sasuke do research? Before I could voice my thoughts, though, someone else beat me to it.

“Good initiative, Uchiha-san.”

Almost without conscious thought, Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and I exploded into motion. 

Shurikens were hurled in every direction. Two massive fireballs were launched to the front and back of the room. Benches were ripped out of the floor and tossed all over the place in reckless abandon. And my spinning stars were launched in the general direction from which I heard the voice.

It took all of five seconds for us to realize that there were no enemies within our midst. Instead, we had two adult shinobi standing unruffled in the middle of a destroyed classroom.

Huh. They dodged everything. Neat!

For a heartbeat or two, nobody spoke up. Then an unlikely comment came from an even more unlikely source.

“Well, at least, they won’t notice the desk,” Sasuke deadpanned.

It was so ridiculous and out of character that I burst out laughing before I could help myself. Naruto followed, and even Sakura started giggling uncontrollably. Before long, the three of us were on the ruined floor, rolling in mirth.

As for the two new arrivals, they could only stare nonplussed at our state of uncontrolled hysterics.

It took a while, but we finally got our laughter under control. Our brief scuffle did attract staff members, but once the cause of the destruction was explained, the blame fell solely on Kakashi and Tenzo.

Apparently, surprising highly trained, if young, combatants by just appearing out of nowhere and making vaguely creepy remarks was a bad idea. Who knew?

Oh, right. Tenzo’s the other guy in the room. Turns out, he accompanied the masked pervert to meet Team 7, as well as retrieve me. 

That’s how I ended up in the underground training chamber, once more, along with the usual crowd. As the Hokage explained, placing me in a team would have seriously ruined the delicate balance typically maintained when choosing members. Also, unless the Jonin-sensei was Iruka or the Hokage himself, I really wouldn’t get anything out of the arrangement without going through an ungodly amount of juggling. 

No thanks! 

Before leaving with Tenzo, Sasuke and Naruto made me promise that I’d meet with them, along with Hinata. It looks like I’m not getting away without some kind of explanation for my strange behavior.

In any case, once everyone was gathered, my options were laid out in front of me. 

Continuing to do research was one of them, where I would work with Reina and Sayo to develop more techniques and methods for using chakra. Another avenue was an older genin team, with Tenzo as the Jonin-sensei. The third option was to be the sole student of Tenzo, where we would be sent out on missions.

More crucially, if I went with the third option, I would be working with Tenzo (who the Hokage revealed as Yamato), in order to further unlock the secrets of Mokuton. 

Now, there were pros and cons to all three routes. I already had a pretty good working relationship with the two medic-nin, who have themselves become profoundly accomplished in their respective fields. Unfortunately, it would tie me down indoors and make me unable to proceed with my cultivation.

Joining a team with two other genin does come with perks. Namely, I would have others close to my age watching my back. Unfortunately, this leaves me open to potentially meeting dangerous elements: i.e., Kabuto. After all, how many fanfics have I read where Pedomaru’s chief spy was paired with the SI during the chunin exams? The answer is a lot.

Which left me working with Yamato. 

It’s worth pointing out that I don’t strictly have anything against this arrangement. After all, he is one of the most powerful characters in canon, and is known as a stand-up guy. However, doing so would inevitably involve sharing information that has, thus far, been kept strictly confidential.

“There are few I would trust with my life more than Yamato, Kenta-kun,” was the Hokage’s response when I asked him about it.

Well, shit. That complicates things.

Then again, I did say that cultivation could potentially revive Hashirama’s bloodline limit. And here was someone who could already use it, though, not to the same degree. Now, even I’m curious as to how far we could push the envelope if Yamato started compressing his chakra.

So, the third way, it is.

But, before we can get to that, it was time to clear the air with our team. 

Iruka and the Hokage were already in the know. Reina and Sayo weren’t, but they have proven themselves a thousand times over. Tenzo will be my teacher, so I’d only be hurting myself if I kept this tidbit from him. However, there was one more person who needed to know, considering what I have planned for his students.

“Hokage-sama,” Kakashi greeted after coming through the door.

“Ah, Kakashi! Welcome. I heard your first meeting with your students was rather more… bombastic than you planned.”

I had to stop a snort that wanted to violently escape from my nostrils. The Saindaime really is just a cheeky old bugger, wasn’t he?

“Yes, it was, Hokage-sama!” Kakashi’s reply was inappropriately cheerful, as expected. This was the guy who regularly pulled out a porn book in front of kids. “They certainly took me by surprise. An impressive feat for a bunch of genin, if I do say so myself.”

“Indeed,” the Hokage chuckled. “Speaking of your students, they’re the reason why we wanted to speak with you. Or, more specifically, why Kenta-kun, here, wanted to speak with you.”

The masked Jonin then favored me with a glance, his visible eye squinting in that characteristic expression of irritating humor. So, I decided to mess with him first.

“Why’re you wearing your headband like that, Kakashi-san?” I asked with the most sugary-sweet simper I could muster. “Wouldn’t peeping on your neighbors be easier with two eyes?”

A silence so heavy that it should have created a gravitational anomaly fell within the underground room. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, looked at me like I’d grown three extra heads. I must say, Iruka’s ‘What the fuck?’ expression stood out the most, with the Hokage simply blinking at me multiple times.

The two medic-nin covered their mouths so fast, you would have thought their hands teleported. And Yamato? He gave off the distinct impression of wanting to be anywhere but where he was rooted.

Ever the Champ of fucking around, though, Kakashi merely chuckled. “That’s where you’re mistaken, Shiozaki-kun. Covering one eye preserves the clarity of the other’s vision, thereby making peeping much easier!”

I adopted a serious, considering mien while nodding contemplatively. “I understand, Kakashi-san. My thanks for sharing your wisdom.”

“Anytime, my boy! Anytime!”

“What’s going on?” Iruka whispered in incredulity.

By this point, Reina and Sayo’s shoulders were shaking, and the Hokage merely smiled at our byplay. Yamato was still frozen, though. What is with this guy?

“In any case, I do believe you have something else to talk to me about, yes?” Kakashi prompted.

“Ah, right.” Enough messing around, I guess. “I’m about to reveal a village secret that only two other people know about, until now. One is Iruka-sensei, and the other is Lord Third. After I’m done here, you will all be in on the secret, as well.”

The shift in mood was an almost physical thing. All mirth and humor disappeared from the postures of those who don’t yet know about cultivation. They likely already expected that something was afoot, but didn’t have the particulars.

Well, they’re going to get them now.

“The new breathing techniques that have effectively transformed Konoha’s present and future shinobi corps were developed, not as final products in and of themselves, but as preparatory steps.” No one was unprofessional enough to gasp at this point, but Reina and Sayo’s eyes certainly widened with comprehension.

“They are a starting point that would allow our ninjas to more easily adopt what I’ve taken to calling cultivation,” I continued in a serious tone. As silly as the concept of cultivation might have been in my old world, its implications deserved to be taken a lot more seriously here. “In essence, it’s a means of developing your chakra, much like a smith works with iron. The chakra is tempered or compressed, as I prefer to say, into denser and smoother layers. Each layer represents a significant jump, not only in chakra efficiency, but also in potency.”

Looking at the people in the room, I could see minds turning over everything I just said. It didn’t seem like anyone was going to interrupt, either.

“The biggest challenge in cultivation is chakra control. By training the students at the academy, and then later the rest of the active shinobi, how to better control their chakra, they’ll then find it much easier to compress their chakra during cultivation.”

Looking at the Hokage, he smiled my way genially before addressing the others. “I have already begun the process of compressing my chakra,” he said to the astonishment of everyone except Iruka and me. “And I can personally vouch for its absolute potential. Iruka here,” he gestured toward the chunin, “can provide a better account of how big of a difference it can make.”

“It’s true,” Iruka confirmed. “From compressing just two layers of chakra, I estimate my raw combat proficiency to have tripled. Though my most recent breakthrough did come with… um, unforeseen consequences, as everyone here probably knows.”

From the series of blank stares he got, they were certainly aware of the incident he was referring to. I was the sole expression, as it took everything I had to keep from cackling madly. The whole thing was basically a gag episode. How else was I supposed to react?

“That’s good to know, Umino-san,” Kakashi said while coughing into his fist. “But, why did I need to be told? I have my suspicions, but I would appreciate it if the reason was explained fully.”

“Right!” I said, clapping my hands together. “As I said, the breathing exercises were meant to prepare our shinobi for cultivation. However, as you can probably imagine, we simply can’t release this knowledge willy-nilly.”

They all nodded in understanding, though I did hear Sayo whisper, “Willy what?” under her breath.

“I’ve been cultivating for two years now, and the Hokage and Iruka-sensei have been doing it for nearly as long. During that time, I’ve been priming certain members of my class for the next batch to try it.”

“My students being among them,” Kakashi concluded.

“Exactly!” I snapped my fingers at him. “Those three are already fairly strong, but with cultivation, they could get significantly stronger. The same goes for everyone in my class, to be honest. As well as the year ahead of ours, though, not to the same degree.

“The fact of the matter is that it takes a certain amount of preparation to actually succeed in cultivation. And, while many in the academy benefited from the breathing exercises, they don’t all show the same potential for it. My class is an outlier for the simple reason that I was in it.”

I swear I saw Iruka stand up straighter in pride at my simple statement of fact. Gotta represent, I guess.

“Hinata, Sasuke, and Naruto are the cream of the crop. Sakura and Ino are up there with them, as well. The same goes for most of the clan-born students, though Kiba could use more work. Heck, even my classmates who came from civilian backgrounds are more than ready to start doing cultivation.”

To be perfectly honest, a fair few of those kids had massive potential for chakra control and thus, cultivation. Even more than me, and I developed the damn method! How was that fair?

“Your students are next in line to learn cultivation, Kakashi,” the Hokage gravely intoned. “Should they succeed, we will start the slow roll-out of the method to the younger generation. I trust you understand our reasons for caution?”

“Yes, Hokage-sama,” the pale-haired Jonin answered with uncharacteristic gravity.

“I trust that you all understand the value of discretion regarding this matter?” Lord Third asked everyone present.

“Yes, Hokage-sama!” We all answered.

“Good,” he nodded. “Tomorrow, we will reconvene to discuss our steps moving forward. For now, with the exception of Kenta, you are all dismissed.”

I had to raise an eyebrow at being singled out like this. Then again, I can think of only one reason why he asked me stay behind. 

When everyone else had left, the Hokage sat down at a table and gestured for me to do the same. Complying placed me across from Konoha’s de facto dictator.

“You must be wondering why I asked you to remain,” he started.

“Not much of a mystery to it,” I replied. “I was acting pretty weird this morning.”

“Indeed, you were. Did it have something to do with people you saw me with?”

Dammit! Stupid old man, with his accurate guesses!

“Yes,” I answered resignedly.

My response caused the Hokage to lean back and regard me sharply. I would’ve been a nervous wreck, but what’s the point of that? Even as I am, I was no match for this near-Septuagenarian.

“I will not force you to divulge secrets you are unwilling to share, Kenta-kun,” he finally said after a few minutes. “But, if you will indulge me, how much do you know about the village? Truly?”

I stared at those old eyes that have probably seen more battles than years I’ve been alive – in both lives. Where I expected extreme opposites of sternness or warmth, I instead saw sadness. 

“More than is probably healthy for me, Lord Third,” I answered truthfully. 

He nodded in understanding. “Then I can only express my sympathies. No one so young should carry such a burden.”

I shrugged, “It’s kept me alive, so far.”

This caused him to smile. “That it has. That it has.”

We fell into silence then. Not the uncomfortable kind. It was more contemplative than anything else. After a while, something occurred to me that I simply had to ask.

“Lord Third, if I may,” I ventured.

“Proceed, my boy.”

“How did you decide Team 7’s composition?”

“Ah, you’re asking about Haruno Sakura’s incongruous addition, yes?”

“Kind of. I mean, you have to admit, she’s kinda out of place.”

The Hokage propped his elbows on the table, brought his hands together, and placed his chin on his knuckles before answering.

“Did you know that Sakura-chan has been learning Iryo-jutsu for the past year?”

What?

“What?”

“Yes, and based on her records, she’s doing quite well,” he chuckled. “I imagine that she started doing it due to the numerous injuries she’s sustained at the hands of her rival during Taijutsu class. Regardless, the results have been more than satisfactory.”

“Okayyyy.” I drew out the word. “But that doesn’t really answer my question.”

Something about my response seems to have amused him.

“You have accomplished a remarkable thing with your group of friends, Kenta-kun. With your whole class, as a matter of fact. However, the teams need to complement each other, in both strength and weakness. Hinata-chan was too strong. The Yamanaka heiress was already intended for the same team as Shikamaru-kun and Choji-kun. All the other kunoichi in your class were either pre-selected for apprenticeships or were more compatible with others. Hence, why Team 7 has the members that it does.”

By the end of his explanation, the Hokage sounded suitably regal and wise that I almost believed him. That was, until the memory of a hot-headed female brawler, an idiot loudmouth, and a grumpy genius flashed in my head.

“You, uh, you didn’t bring them together because they reminded you of your students, did you?”

…

…

…

“I’m sure I have no idea what you mean.”

Dude.

Side Story 5

Return of the Sannin

Much as she often puts up a tough front for the whole world, Senju Tsunade was not an unshakable mass of rage and spite. She was, in fact, just as susceptible to emotional disturbance as anyone else. Her age, intelligence, and experience simply allow her to hide them better.

This moment, for example, sees the Slug Princess feeling a squirming ball of anxiety lodged in her considerable chest. 

It has been many years since she walked down this road. Much longer since she did so gladly. Yet, circumstances dictate that she must do so, once more.

Tsunade could no longer pretend indifference to the changes that Konoha was undergoing. Could no longer ignore the implications of the volatile situation brewing beneath the veneer of peace veiling the Elemental Nations.

Events were coming to a head, and regardless of her personal feelings, sticking her head in the sand risks a development that she’d long hoped for from her home village: Medical innovation.

In the regular correspondence she was initially forced to put up with, and which she had begun to eagerly anticipate, over the years, the rapid development in her field of expertise was staggering. She had always known that the research currently being conducted by Konoha’s medical division was possible.

It was simply that no one wanted to invest the time and effort required to make them a reality.

Now? Things couldn’t be more different.

Portable seals that could close even severe wounds in seconds. Advanced prosthetics that functioned no different to organic limbs. Surgical techniques of staggering precision using chakra strings.

All concepts that had been no more than dreams as little as three years back, and those were just the tip of the iceberg.

None of them has seen widespread use, as of yet. As can be expected from research and development, time is the biggest stumbling block. Numerous tests need to be done to ensure maximum safety and effectiveness.

The results of which simply could not be conveyed in their entirety through paper.

So, here she was, staring at the looming gate of Konoha with Shizune and Tonton in tow. Judging by the frantic activity of the guards, they have already been spotted. And unlike her worst imaginings, there were no signs of hatred or resentment from those who saw her. Only awe and adoration.

As if she never left at all.

Not long after passing the gate, Tsunade and her companions were directed to a rather peculiar location. It wasn’t the Hokage’s office, as she initially expected. Instead, it was to a door beneath the Hokage Monument, where they were met by a young medic-nin by the name of Shirakawa Reina.

Through the door, they were led down a series of branching corridors that Tsunade noted was explicitly intended to confuse intruders. Once they arrived at their destination, several things became clear to the last Senju.

First, the medical equipment in the room was absolutely state-of-the-art. There were standard laboratory setups, of course, but screens also dominated the walls and corners. Large ones.

The largest was directly to the right, nearly covering an entire partition from floor to ceiling. Standing in front of it was another medic-nin, her old teacher, and a young boy in casual clothing. The latter stood out in her mind for the simple reason that someone so young isn’t typically found in such settings.

Tsunade also noticed that they were watching several things simultaneously, with the giant screen being divided into four rectangular windows.

“Hokage-sama,” their guide announced. “I have brought Senju Tsunade-sama and her companions.”

This prompted the gathered trio to turn around. The medic-nin was pretty in a nondescript sort of way, shorter than average, and had a kind face. Sarutobi Hiruzen’s eyes held nothing but warmth and joy at seeing her, almost glistening as he beamed. This made Tsunade even more anxious and guilt-ridden, which is when her gaze fell on the boy.

Her breath caught as he stared at her with wide, innocent, brown eyes. The close-cropped brown hair, the still-present roundness about the face, and the expressiveness of his surprised reaction – for a brief moment, an image of another boy, long lost and much beloved, was superimposed on this unnamed child.

The emotions roiling in her chest were threatening to boil over when he chose to speak.

“Dear lord, they’re bigger than I imagined!”

…

…

…

That day, a merciless massacre would have occurred, were it not for the intervention of three highly skilled medic-nin, one old man who somehow retained his extraordinary strength, and a pig.

Also, the unknown boy could run really fast.

Jiraiya’s Lament

Being Konoha’s top spymaster comes with a lot of downsides, but it also has its perks. A good example of both is the curious little device he holds in his hands, which was apparently a prototype developed by the village’s budding young genius.

“He really said that?” he spoke to the rectangular tablet of clear, polished crystal inscribed with an intricate system of Seals. Small enough to fit into his hand, but large enough to accommodate characters for efficient communication.

A sigh came through the seemingly inanimate item. “Yes, he did. Containing her reaction took some effort.”

Jiraiya could only chuckle in response, the sound carrying a nostalgic bent. He really wished he were there to see the incident for himself. Being so far away meant that he inevitably missed certain events, such as Tsunade’s return, and the hilarious twist that occurred in the middle of a reunion.

“That would’ve been a sight to see,” he commented wistfully.

“Not at all that different from when you push her buttons,” the aged voice answered with a light rumble of mirth.

“It’s not the same, sensei,” he confessed. “This communicator, as you call it, makes it easier to get in touch. But seeing Tsunade step into Konoha once more with my own eyes? That would’ve been a balm to my heart.”

Commiseration and sympathy laced the Hokage’s words when he next spoke, “I truly wish you were here, as well, my boy. But rest assured. The overhaul of our intelligence division is moving apace. Soon, you won’t need to stay out for such long periods of time.”

That was good news. 

Jiraiya knew that his work was important. Keeping track of threats to Konoha, as well as the moves of other Hidden Villages, helped avert disastrous confrontations multiple times. Yet, necessity didn’t mean preference.

There were a lot of things that the Toad Sannin would have liked to do, but simply couldn’t. Far too many, if he was being honest with himself.

“Speaking of which, sensei, a lot of nosy actors are getting mighty curious about what’s going on over there,” he reported.

“I am aware,” came the tired and annoyed reply.

“A few of them are pretty serious, too.”

“You’re not referring to our usual rivals, are you?” the Hokage urged.

“Nah,” Jiraiya denied. “I’ve been tracking some dangerous folks for a while now. Ever heard of Akatsuki?”

“A mercenary group, aren’t they?” his teacher replied after a brief pause.

“Supposedly, but they’ve been sniffing around Hidden Villages, from what I’ve gathered. They were spotted a few times around Kiri before their civil war started, for example. It’s a stretch, I know, but I can’t shake this feeling that they’re more than they appear.”

“Hmm,” the Hokage hummed. “Then it’s best to keep an eye on them. You’ll have to do most of that, for now, I’m afraid. It will be a few months before we’re ready to send anyone who meets the bare minimum standards.”

“No worries,” he replied. “I can hold out for a while. And if anything happens, I’ll have this nifty little thing. Gotta say, it’s handy.”

The comment elicited an amused chortle from the other side. “One of our young prodigy’s side-projects, as he called it. Immensely complicated and time-consuming to produce. He deems it impractical due to its single-paired nature. I do believe you can see why he is mistaken.”

“Huh. Stupid-smart or smart-stupid?”

“He confuses me at times, as well.”

“Sheesh! Some people are just born different, aren’t they?”

“You know better than anyone that it’s more complicated than that, Jiraiya,” came the admonishment. “He’s worked very hard to get to where he is. Perspective and experience are what he lacks, but I have faith that he will be a splendid shinobi in the future.”

“If you say so, sensei,” he gave in, before something caught his eye. “Oh! I gotta go. Just found the perfect test for the image-taking function of this thing.”

“Jiraiya-kun!” The sharp use of his name gave the Sannin pause. “I do hope you’re not using a treasure of unique value for your perverse activities?”

Considering that he was currently perched on a branch overlooking an open bathhouse, he very much was intending to do that.

“Uh, sorry, sensei! I didn’t get that last part. There might be a malfunction, or something. Later!”

“Jiraiy –” the Hokage tried to speak again, but Jiraiya already ended the call.

“Phew!” he sighed in relief. “That was close. Now, let’s test this baby out.”

Tapping one of the odd little icons on the screen, it brought up an exact duplicate of what it was pointed at. Giggling in anticipation, Jiraiya slowly angled it toward the spot where a paradise of beauties awaited his appreciation.

But, just as a modicum of clearly, unmistakably, undeniably bare flesh entered the periphery of the screen, it went black.

“Eh?”

Characters then began to flash on the screen in vivid red: 

“TERMINAL LOCKDOWN

Unauthorized usage pattern detected: Privacy Breach.

Your credentials have been suspended. Further use of this device is prohibited pending a mandatory review by the Oversight Committee.”

“NANI!!!!”

To make matters worse, it started blaring a wailing sound that alerted his surroundings. In his panic and unfamiliarity with such delicate doohickies, he tried to tap the screen with a little too much force.

It cracked and shattered.

Thus began Jiraiya’s Lament.

Shikamaru’s Troubles

There used to be a time when the Nara heir could proudly claim to uphold the clan’s chief attribute: laziness. To Shikamaru’s shame, however, this is no longer the case. Pulled by the inexorable current of class overachievement, he has become distressingly familiar with what he feared the most: hard work.

Making matters worse is how it raised his mother’s expectations.

Gone were the days when he could just lie down on the sloping ditch of a riverbank, watching the clouds as they floated by. As for why he was in this position, to begin with, it’s fairly simple: he ran out of good excuses.

At the start of the academy, he could comfortably coast by staying in the middle of the pack. He did this for the first two years and was quite happy with it. Then, Shiozaki Kenta happened. 

Out of nowhere, the civilian-born student who didn’t really stand out, except for his incredible grasp of academic theories, suddenly got a lot better at fighting. From there, it was like everything got turned upside down.

It wasn’t only the academy. From Shikamaru’s observations, it was like the whole of Konoha became an overturned anthill. 

And it didn’t take a genius to know who instigated the whole thing. The new chakra training methods and the study materials could be tied to one person. 

So it was that Nara Shikamaru could no longer justify putting in the minimum amount of effort. Otherwise, he’d be Dead Last, and even he wasn’t willing to risk his mother’s wrath by being branded such a label.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to just put in more effort. Not when virtually every single one of his classmates had truly started applying themselves.

Novel ideas and techniques – old and new, clan-made or not – had started popping up. With his clan’s specialty in manipulating shadows being fairly well-known, he could find no reasonable way to escape the trend. 

The consequence? The scene unfolding in front of him.

“There’s some more over there, Shika!” Ino pointed from her position of sitting on the fence.

Wordlessly complying, Shikamaru started ripping out the weeds hidden in a corner of the field they were cleaning up, an expression of dull resignation on his face. He then added them to the pile by the gate, where their Jonin-sensei was standing.

“Hurry up, Shika!” His friend, Choji, called. He, too, was sitting, but on a boulder. “I’m hungry!”

This actually made Shikamaru’s eye twitch. The nerve of some people. He was doing all the work, while his teammates lazed about and complained. That was his schtick, dammit!

Also, Choji was already munching on dried squids, which made his words nearly unintelligible. That his snacks became his favorite due to some arrangement with Shiozaki only made the situation more annoying.

Once the field was finally free of weeds, Sarutobi Asuma checked their (or more specifically, his) work. Nodding in satisfaction, the Jonin called over the owner of the field for confirmation that the job was done.

To celebrate the completion of yet another D-Rank mission, their teacher took them to Yakiniku Q, their favored barbecue restaurant. Naturally, Choji was all up for it. Ino was just glad to be indoors. Shikamaru, on the other hand, was in no mood to celebrate.

What the hell is going on? He lamented I’m supposed to be living a lazy life! But, somehow, I’ve become the reliable member of the team!

“Good job today!” their Jonin-sensei said with sincerity. “You, especially, Shikamaru. That unique shadow jutsu of yours is really something.”

“It is!” Choji agreed with bulging cheeks. “His mom even gave him a gift after graduation!”

Yet another eye twitch at the reminder. The new trenchcoat he was wearing would forever be a reminder of what he lost and his shame for giving in to peer pressure.

“Oh, please!” Ino scoffed. “He was just the best choice today because the mission involved a lot of busywork. So, don’t get a big head, Shika. When the real missions start, I’ll be the star!”

I’m counting on it.

Asuma-sensei just laughed at the girl’s declaration.

“I still can’t believe how good your generation is,” he said with a sad smile. “At this rate, I’ll run out of things to teach you before the year is done!”

“Don’t say that, sensei!” Choji tried to console him.

“Hmph! Of course, you will. We’re the best!” Ino went the opposite direction.

Shikamaru just rolled his eyes, but stilled when he caught himself. He frowned then, feeling something familiar about his mood. After thinking about it for a bit, the Nara slammed his head on the table with force.

“Shika?!”

“Shikamaru?”

“Watch it!”

He ignored all three, and for a very good reason. 

The brooding?

The sour mood?

The sulking silence?

He was acting like freaking Sasuke!

So, there he was. Forehead throbbing, mind crashing, and teammates fussing.

This is Shiozaki Kenta’s fault, he concluded in his mind. I don’t know how, but I will have my vengeance!

It took him until that evening, while in the bath, to realize that being an avenger was also the Uchiha’s thing.

On the other side of the house, while washing dishes, Nara Yoshino heard a peculiar shriek coming from the bath. It was somewhere between the hissing of a goose and the squealing of piglets. 

She found this odd because her son should be the only one in there. 

What is that boy doing in there? Wait… could it be? Has he finally started experimenting?

Then, a more horrifying thought entered her mind.

Is he using that shadow technique to do it?

“Shikamaru, no!” she wailed, as she ran to the bath at full speed. “You should use your hands! Your hands!”

In the end, the entire Nara clan compound heard the shriek. This time, it was even louder and carried shame, for some reason.

Hanabi’s Productive Day

“Hello, Hanabi-chan!” 

“Ah, hello, Kaname-san.”

“Awww, I told you, Hanabi-chan! You can call me mama, if you want!”

“...I do not think that would be proper, Kaname-san.”

“Oh, goodness, you’re so precious! Are you hungry?”

“I have had breakfast.”

Gurgle…

“...Stupid tummy…”

“Hmm, tell you what, Hanabi-chan. I have some cinnamon buns, fresh from the oven!”

“……….okay.”

“Hanabi-chan, where do you get all of those cinnamon buns?”

“Kaname-san gave them to me, onee-sama.”

“You went over to Kenta’s home?”

“Un…”

“...Why?”

“Mrfrfbrbf –”

“Please swallow first before talking, Hanabi-chan.”

Swallows.

“I said I went there to talk to your boyfriend.”

“BOYFRIEND!!!”

“Father, no! It’s a misunderstanding!”

“He gave you flowers, though?”

“FLOWERS!!!”

“It’s not like that! It was a gift, Father.”

“Then, why do you keep it in your –”

“Aren’t you supposed to be doing something, Hanabi-chan?”

“Oh! Yes. Thank you for reminding me, onee-sama.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I will see you later, Father, onee-sama. I will continue searching for the boyfriend.”

“See you later, Hana – wait, no!”

“BOYFRIEND!!!”

Father has been shouting a lot lately. Adults really are strange.

“Well, hello there, Hanabi-chan! What are you doing at our store?”

“I am looking for onee-sama’s boyfriend, Masaru-san.”

“Oh! You mean, Kenta! I think he’s over at the hospital today.”

“...Why? Is he sick?”

“Don’t you worry, Hanabi-chan. Kenta’s just fine.”

“So he and onee-sama will still get married?”

“I hope so, my dear. I hope so.”

“All right. I will go to the hospital, then.”

“Before you go, would you like a banana milkshake?”

“……Banana….milkshake…?”

“Oh, yes! Kenta mentioned that you liked bananas and milk. Is that true?”

“...Un…”

“He whipped up a glass of this one day. Said to offer you some if you ever stop by!”

“Onee-sama’s boyfriend did?”

“He did!”

“...I see. I accept your generosity.”

A few minutes later.

“Here you go, Hanabi-chan!”

“Thank you.”

Slurp…. Slurp……………….. Slurp…………………………………..

“Hwaaaah!”

“Good, right?”

“Un!”

“Would you like another?”

“...I would not wish to impose.”

“Nonsense! I’ll put it in a to-go cup. That boy really does think of the strangest things.”

Onee-sama’s boyfriend is strange?

“Hello, little lady! Can I help you?”

“I am searching for my onee-sama’s boyfriend. Is he here?”

A chorus of ‘Kiyaaaahh!’ ensues.

“So adorable!”

“How romantic!”

“Isn’t that Hyuga Hanabi? Does that mean Huyga Hinata has a boyfriend?”

“Oi! Get back to work!”

A chorus of ‘Yes, Tsunade-sama!’ echoes.

“As for you, brat. What are you doing here?”

“I am not a brat. My name is Hyuga Hanabi, and I am searching for my onee-sama’s boyfriend. His father said he is here.”

“Hoh! And what’s the lucky pup’s name?”

“Shiozaki Kenta.”

Crack!

“Why would you damage that counter?”

“Kenta, eh?”

“Yes?”

“I still owe that boy unintelligible mumbles.”

“...Do you give him milk?”

“Wha…?

“He makes milkshakes. You seem capable of producing copious amounts of milk. Does he get them from you?”

“...”

“Hanabi-chan?”

“Ah, the boyfriend.”

“Boy…friend…? What?”

“I am here to –”

“You little bastard! What have you been telling people?!”

“Ahhhhh! What are you talking about?”

“Have you been spreading lies about my breasts?!”

“Gah! Leave me alone, you crazy old bint! Grrk! That hurt!”

Crash!

“Get back here!”

“Leave me aloooooone!”

…

…

…

“Maybe you can talk to your onee-sama’s boyfriend another time, eh Hanabi-sama?”

“...Un.”

“Hanabi? I heard you were at the hospital today.”

“Yes, Father.”

“I see. Why were you there?”

“...I don’t think I should tell you.”

“I am your father, Hanabi. There is nothing you cannot say to me.”

“I was there to find onee-sama’s boyfriend.”

“Ack!”

“But he got chased by a woman with large breasts.”

“Erk!”

“She might be giving him her milk for his milkshake.”

“Pff!”

“She chased him all over the hospital. Perhaps that is how they make the milkshake? Her breasts were bouncing quite a bit.”

“Gbrblbbrlbblrbrlr…”

“Father?”

“...”

“Are you asleep?”

“...”

“I still have to find onee-sama. Goodnight, Father.”

“...”

“Ah, Hanabi-sama.”

“Hello, Neji-oniisama.”

“How has your day been?”

…

…

…

“It has been a productive day.”

“I see. I’m glad.”

“Father?! What happened?”

“Why is Hinata-sama shouting?”

“I do not know.”

“BOYFRIEND!!!”

“...Why is Hiashi-sama shouting?”

“...Adults are strange.”

*Slurp………….”

Chapter 10

Naruto POV

It was finally here. They were finally doing it!

After months of boring, repetitive D-Rank missions that basically amounted to rented manual labor, they were finally going on a mission outside of Konoha. If things kept going like they did for any longer, Naruto would have gone crazy!

But that doesn’t matter anymore. Team 7 was going on its first-ever C-Rank mission.

It was just escorting a bridge builder back to his home. Nothing that exciting. Hitting the road and escaping the endless donkey work was the real prize.

Naruto said as much to Kenta and Hinata the afternoon prior, during their semi-regular meet-up, along with Sasuke. Having Sakura there felt weird, but they made do. His two friends seemed to be doing well, though the girl kept turning red every time she looked at Kenta or when he talked to her.

When the blonde started blabbering about the mission they were going on, however, the boy sat up straight and had an intense look in his eyes. Kenta then started asking questions, weirding Naruto out. 

In the end, he told Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura to keep an eye out.

“You never know when danger might jump out of trees, bushes, or puddles,” he had said.

Definitely weird.

Still, Naruto put the ominous words out of his mind. There were important things to think about, like whether he could get away with bringing instant ramen for the trip. A few years ago, they were really the only things he could eat, since the stores near him would either toss him out or would charge him insane prices.

After meeting Kenta, his diet began to change a lot. 

The Shiozaki shop treated Naruto just like any other customer. So, he started shopping there for things he needed. They even gave him discounts from time to time.

Kaname-san also lectured him about always eating ramen. He tried to argue that it was the food of the gods, but she countered that this was even more of a reason not to eat it all the time. Well, she used the word “overindulged,” but Kenta explained what it meant afterward.

Naruto’s been over to the Shiozakis for dinner several times, and he was shown other types of food that tasted amazing. Not as great as ramen, but still good. So, he started varying his meals.

If he only brought instant ramen and Sasuke found out, he’d for sure tell on him. Thinking about the problem eventually gave him a headache, so Naruto gave up and went out the door. His destination is a place that’s sure to give him some good options.

“Oh, Naruto-kun!” Masaru-san, Kenta’s dad, greeted him as he walked through the door. “I thought you had an important mission today?”

“I do, Masaru-ojisan!” Naruto exclaimed. “We’re going on a C-Rank mission. It’s gonna be great!”

The older man started laughing. “That’s good! Let me guess. Here for supplies?”

“Yeah! How’d you know?”

“Sasuke-kun was here earlier to do his own shopping,” Masaru-san grinned.

That bastard! Always showing me up!

“Now, Naruto-kun,” his ojisan admonished. Oops! Did he say that out loud? “No, but it's clear on your face. Not everything is a competition. You’re here now, and that’s what matters. So, what do you need?”

“Food, please,” was the reply after some minor grumbling. “All I have is instant ramen.”

A few minutes later, Naruto left the store holding a paper bag full of what Masaru-san called ‘calorie-dense dehydrated meals’ or ‘calorie-mates’, for short. Of course, the idea came from Kenta. Sometimes, he had to wonder from what hole his friend was pulling these things out of.

It didn’t take long for everything to be packed away and placed in storage scrolls. Normally, Naruto would just stuff his things in a bag and go, but Kenta called him out on it.

“Only keep weapons and throwables within easy reach, Naruto,” the boy had told him. “Everything else can be stored in scrolls. Shinobi must never be encumbered, especially when on the open road.”

Half an hour later, the gate was in sight, along with his teammates. Unsurprisingly, Kakashi wasn’t there yet. Their client was, though, and from the looks of him, he was already sloshed.

“About time you got here,” Sakura grumped. “What took you so long?”

“Get off my case, Sakura,” Naruto sniped. “I’m still a few minutes early. Besides, I had to stop for supplies.”

“Supplies, eh?” Sasuke jumped in. “How was Masaru-san today?”

Naruto just gave him a side-eye and kept his mouth shut. This didn’t stop the bastard from smirking at him, though.

“Oh! You shopped at the Shiozaki Mart too?” the kunoichi squeaked. “Their new selections are fantastic! What did you get?”

The girls’ excitement caught both boys off guard, not really understanding the cause. Sure, the shop got bigger over the years, but it wasn’t all that different. 

“Um, just food.” Naruto didn’t know how else to answer.

“You didn’t get their portable heating slabs?” Sakura pressed. “They have water canteens that can hold up to five gallons, you know?”

“They do?”

“I got one.” Sasuke held up a strange-looking water bottle. It had a rectangular shape, with rounded edges. “Should come in handy.”

“What?! Why didn’t Oji-san or Kenta say anything?”

“They don’t like to advertise, you dumbass!” Sasuke rolled his eyes. “You have to actually browse their inventory, which you should have already been doing, anyway. How many times have you been there, exactly?”

Naruto could only harrumph in response. It’s not his fault that he found shopping boring. He’ll definitely check out what the Shiozakis have in stock when they come back, though.

Just then, Kakashi appeared in a cloud of smoke beside his students. The trio has never been able to figure out why he kept doing this. After the first time, they were never taken by surprise again. When they asked, the Jonin would just do that creepy eye-smile of his.

“Good morning, my precious students!” He greeted them with annoying cheer. “Ready to finally see the big, wide world?”

“Yes, sensei!” They all replied as one.

“Excellent! Let me just finalize a few things with our client, and we can be on our way.”

Palpable excitement went through all three genin. They didn’t know what awaited them beyond Konoha’s gates, but they’ve never felt more ready to find out.

Sasuke-POV

After passing through the large gates, Sasuke was immediately on guard. Kenta’s words from the day before kept running through his mind all night. His friend wasn’t the type to say things just for the heck of it…

… Okay, he might do that, but never about anything serious.

He has known the civilian-born prodigy for three years. And in all that time, the Uchiha only grew more certain that there was more to him than meets the eye. The strength, the confidence, and the mysteries surrounding him weren’t signs of an ordinary boy.

For a while, Kenta actually reminded Sasuke of Itachi, but that didn’t last long. The traitor’s actions leading up to that fateful night actually made sense from the perspective of a shinobi. This couldn’t be said of their group’s unofficial mentor.

So, when he cautioned vigilance, it’s for a reason.

Unlike his teammates, Sasuke well remembered the strange circumstances surrounding Kenta’s exclusion from team assignments. The seemingly untouchable boy was shaken that day, and while he promised an explanation, there was never a good time between their overlapping schedules.

Making that day stand out in his memory even more was the glimpse into his true capabilities elicited by Kakashi’s unconventional greeting. The responses from him, Naruto, and Sakura were within expectations.

Kenta, on the other hand, moved much faster than he had ever seen. And those spinning shuriken attached to metal wires? Even with his Sharingan, keeping track of them was nearly impossible.

With his eyes, Sasuke also caught details that the others seemed to have missed. 

Both Kakashi and the ninja he was with did manage to dodge the strange weapons, but only by a hair’s breadth. Sasuke even caught their Jonin-sensei’s eyes widen in what looked like genuine surprise. An expression that he and his teammates have never been able to coax out of the irritating man.

Further exacerbating the oddness of that incident was how Kenta then put away his weapons in a fraction of a second. The Uchiha was willing to bet that the quick concealment was the only reason Naruto didn’t badger their friend about the interesting equipment. To top it all off, he didn’t even seem to notice that he had done it.

Something was definitely strange about Shiozaki Kenta.

As such, seeing him stiffen the way he did upon learning that Team 7 was going on a mission beyond the walls indicated more than simple surprise. Sasuke was willing to bet that Sakura caught it too, given the keen interest she’d somehow developed regarding the deceptively ordinary boy.

This is why, a few hours into their travel, the presence of a puddle in the middle of the road caught his attention. Looking over to his companions, Sasuke noted how Kakashi kept walking at a languid pace at the head of their group. Almost too languid. 

Naruto trotted along, oblivious to his surroundings. Not at all surprising, despite the loudmouth’s vast improvements.

Sakura, on the other hand, had become tense around the shoulders. Following her gaze, it seems she noticed the puddle too.

Choosing to follow their Jonin-sensei’s lack of concern, for now, Sasuke said nothing. This lasted right up until Kakashi was almost upon the suspicious pool of water, where shadows suddenly emerged. In the blink of an eye, claws and chains were drawn, ready to fall upon their outwardly unaware teacher. 

They never got the chance.

Two blurs, one dark and the other orange, blitzed the two attackers with distinctly different strikes. Sasuke preceded his attack with thrown shurikens, which were predictably deflected, then followed them up with a single-sealed Fire Dragon Bullet. Unlike traditional uses of the jutsu, the Uchiha gave it some extra oomph by making it faster and denser.

The result is a jet of flames exceeding the speed of sound, taking out a leg upon impact. Before the target could even register the loss of his limb, Sasuke knocked him unconscious with three heel kicks in quick succession.

Naruto, on the other hand, just overwhelmed his opponent with blows that were too heavy and too fast to avoid cleanly. The result is Kakashi having to grab the idiot’s clenched fist before he punched the unconscious ambusher’s head into a pulp.

“He’s out, Naruto.” Sasuke was delighted to hear a note of surprise in the Jonin’s voice. It seems they finally did something he didn’t expect.

Looking back, he saw Sakura standing in front of their client, a kunai in her left hand and her right poised to make a seal. Probably for an iryojutsu, knowing her. Green eyes scanned their surroundings with typical fierceness, as if challenging hidden enemies to try their luck. She really has become a battle junkie, hasn’t she?

“Well, aren’t we in a dilemma?” Kakashi said in a lazy tone after the two attackers were tied up. 

Sakura had to patch up the one whose leg Sasuke burned off, just enough to make sure he wouldn’t die. They couldn’t get information out of corpses, after all. From the scratched symbols on their headbands, these were missing-nin from Kiri. 

“Care to tell us why we were just ambushed, Tazuna-san?” The Jonin continued, looking at their client. One good thing about the sudden violence: the old man had sobered up and stopped trying to drown himself in liquor.

“I –,” he tried to speak, likely to deny knowing anything about the cause, but Kakashi didn’t let him finish.

“These two wouldn’t have a reason to attack our team, Tazuna-san.” It spoke to how seriously their Jonin-sensei was taking the matter that he dropped any pretense of joviality. “My students are genin who have never been outside the village. And while I do have a reputation, anyone who came after me for my bounty would have needed to be on my level, which these two are not. That leaves you.”

Faced with Kakashi’s “seemingly unassailable logic” (Sasuke could think of about a dozen reasons for the ambush that don’t involve Tazuna), the old man collapsed on himself. He then despondently confessed the truth. About the Land of Waves’ people suffering under Gato, how Tazuna was building a bridge to get them out of his thumb and feared for his life, and lying about the risks involved in this escort mission due to a lack of funds.

“I’m sorry, Tazuna-san, but we’ll have to cancel this mission.” To his credit, the Jonin seemed regretful while delivering the harsh truth. It didn’t make seeing the old man’s face crumple in anguish any easier, though.

“What?!” Of course, this didn’t sit well with their team’s resident moron. “Why’re we cancelling the mission? Just because some bad guys are in the way?”

“No, Naruto.” Sakura took it upon herself to explain. “Falsifying information in mission request documents is a huge violation that comes with hefty fines and potentially even blacklisting.”

“Exactly,” Kakashi nodded at the girl approvingly. “We can’t continue this mission after learning about the misleading parameters.”

“Screw that!” Naruto countered hotly. “We gave our word that we would take him home, and I never go back on my word! That’s my nindo!”

Their Jonin-sensei regarded the blonde with an inscrutable expression, which Sasuke could understand, to an extent. Stubborn to a fault, the idiot simply couldn’t be moved from something if he had made up his mind. 

Only Kenta ever came close, but that boy seemed to have a supernatural power to squeeze critical thinking from even rocks. 

With that said, the thought of giving up and just going home didn’t sit well with Sasuke, either. Before he could voice his support, though, Sakura beat him to it. Her reasoning came off as a bit petty, though.

“I’m with Naruto on this one. There’s no way I’m going back to the village and have Ino mock me for quitting a C-Rank mission halfway.”

Kakashi could only blink at her in incredulity. “Didn’t you just say that this mission violates the rules?”

“That is that, and this is this,” was the snooty response.

“Give it up, sensei.” Sasuke decided that he might as well throw his two-ryo in. “We might as well just finish what we started. Besides,” the Uchiha glanced over at the two prisoners, whom he knew for a fact were awake. “I want to see what else this mission has to offer.”

At this point, the Jonin could only sigh in defeat. 

“Well, Tazuna-san,” he said, looking over at their client’s hopeful face. “You can thank my students for their enthusiasm. We’re taking you home.”

“Thank you!” the old man exclaimed. “I can’t express how thankful I am for your kindness. I’m in your debt!”

“Don’t mention it, old man!”

“On the contrary, spread the word, would you? Make sure to mention that Haruno Sakura is a better kunoichi than Yamanaka Ino!”

While his teammates revelled in the profuse expression of gratitude, Sasuke and Kakashi approached their captives.

“Now, let’s find out what you know, shall we?” 

Huh. So, Kakashi can sound quite menacing if he wants to.

Sakura POV

After becoming part of Team 7, Sakura quickly came to realize just how little she knew about Sasuke and Naruto. It was clear that a pre-established relationship outside of the academy already existed between them, as the two seemed comfortable sniping at each other.

During team training, however, she was left breathless at the chasm between her fighting capabilities and theirs.

When sparring with her, neither Naruto nor Sasuke ever went all out. They didn’t baby her, of course. She had already shown how much punishment she could take in Taijutsu class. However, they quickly showed how much further away they stood when facing each other.

They became smudges against transparent glass that appeared and disappeared seemingly at random.

Connecting blows produced shockwaves, but not once did they inflict grievous injuries on each other. When Kakashi-sensei asked them why their academy records didn’t reflect the true scope of their strength, they simply replied that it was “getting too dangerous.” 

Sakura was confused as to what they meant, but the Jonin simply nodded in understanding. It took her a few days to gather enough courage to ask them to elaborate.

“Kenta noticed that the class was getting really competitive,” Sasuke had explained. “He said that if we revealed just how far along we were, the others would either get discouraged or take their training to the point of self-destruction.”

Something about the explanation caught her attention.

“And you just listened to him?” she asked, careful not to sound dismissive in case their reasoning was actually valid.

Naruto snorted in response. “He’s the reason why we’re as strong as we are. Why wouldn’t we listen to Kenta?”

Sasuke merely nodded in agreement, and that was that.

Witnessing the two boys dismantle the missing-nin in seconds only served to reinforce her feelings of inadequacy. The urge to berate herself for being so blindingly self-assured in the academy reared up, once more.

This couldn’t stand. She refused to be the weak link in her team

Her support for Naruto’s desire to continue the mission in part stemmed from this urge to do better. Though throwing the success of what is likely to be an A-Rank outing in Ino’s face was a nice bonus.

So, on they went, having left their prisoners behind to be picked up at Kakashi-sensei’s reassurance. Watching the Jonin extract information from the two captured prisoners was educational. Finding out that he had a single Sharingan was surprising, as well.

Sakura expected Sasuke to be angry about it, but he only expressed intense curiosity. One that their teacher placated, for the moment, by leaning on the need for infosec. She had to wonder if the self-control was a product of associating with Kenta, as well.

Two days later, the team arrived at a ramshackle pier. Mist reduced visibility by a considerable degree, but on the dock was a single boat. Apparently, their client had made prior arrangements. Upon alighting on the small vessel, they proceeded into the gloom.

Gliding through the water, with only the splashing of the boat disturbing the silence, sent chills up Sakura’s arms. Naruto engaged the boatman in conversation, which revealed nothing they didn’t already know. Once they made it to land, the boatman cautioned Tazuna-san of his intentions for the bridge and Gato’s likely retaliation, before promptly moving away. 

Their team made the rest of the journey on foot, a task made more arduous by the dense mist. It was a nerve-wracking affair, with every snap of a twig or the wind rustling leaves signalling the potential for enemies hiding in wait.

An hour into their march, movement from the bushes to their right caused Naruto to throw a kunai without a second’s hesitation. The thump indicated that he missed, and a white rabbit hopping out of the thicket caused Sakura to release a tense breath. She was the only one to do so.

The critter’s appearance prompted her teammates to enter combat postures, covering both sides of the road. At the same time, Kakashi-sensei raised a fist, signifying a stop. Synapses started firing in Sakura’s brain, adrenaline surged through her body, and she positioned herself beside the client, ready to respond to threats. 

A beat passed. Then two. Then, the sound of a heavy object moving through the air caused several things to happen at once. Sakura grabbed Tazuna by the shoulder, bringing him closer to the ground in a crouch, just as she did. 

Naruto and Sasuke’s hands began flitting through Seals before both swallowed huge lungfuls of air. Just as a spinning object sliced through the surrounding fog, they breathed out. One spat intense waves of flames while the other blew gales of wind. Both combined to create a whirlwind of flames and kinetic blasts that obliterated everything within a hundred meters of where they were facing.

Surely, nothing could have survived that?

Her assumption was quickly proven wrong when the air behind her was disturbed by the sudden presence of another. Only instinct saved her life.

Without thought or command, her body twisted as it had hundreds of times before. A fist cocked back, legs pushed off the ground, and she threw a punch that carried the full weight of her convictions.

It met a metallic surface with a resounding crunch, declaring the fracturing of bones and the tearing of flesh. But it didn’t matter. The strike had done its job by sending the threat flying back and right through several trees.

“Sakura!” she heard two voices call out.

On her feet, Sakura cradled her mangled hand, but her eyes never left the direction where she sent their assailant soaring. She felt terror and panic, yes. But they were overshadowed by satisfaction.

Her first real test had passed, and she neither stumbled nor froze.

Whatever happens from this point on, Sakura has proven that she is no deadweight.

Kakashi-POV

They never should have taken this mission.

Sparing only a single glance at his student’s injury, Kakashi sped past, trusting that her teammates would look after the girl. She never should have needed to use such a desperate maneuver, to begin with.

Kakashi had gotten careless, and it nearly cost Sakura her life.

Time to stop holding back.

Chakra flooded his whole body, coursing through his limbs, his chest, and finally, his eyes. The Sharingan flared to life, and the world gained new heights of clarity. An incongruous feeling of sluggishness also took over, which was another aspect of the ocular jutsu. It allowed for incredible perception and reflexes: these were advantages that he was going to need in the next second.

While many in Konoha have since reached the second stage of the new physical enhancements introduced by Kenta, very few have managed to even dip into the third stage, let alone master it. As one of its progenitors, the Shiozaki boy was one of them. Kakashi was another. 

Muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments were pushed to the limit, allowing the Jonin to reach speeds that would have shocked his previous self. This allowed him to reach his target in the blink of an eye. In that time, the Sharingan allowed him to take in the enemy’s features.

Bandages around the face, short-cropped hair, a headband with the Kiri symbol scratched out, and an impractically large sword. All of this pointed to one Momochi Zabuza, a missing-nin from the Hidden Mist. 

The Demon, himself.

Such information would have been relevant at any other time. One of the things that Kakashi took pride in was his satisfactory rate of completing missions to the letter. Right now, though, this didn’t even register in his thoughts.

Oh, no. Hatake Kakashi was extremely angry.

Before the rogue shinobi had even fully recovered from Sakura’s mandhandling, the Jonin was on him. What followed was a series of Jutsu casting that teachers could have shown to students as examples of what mastery truly looked like.

He opened up with a water bullet, which he knew would either be deflected or dodged. Upon confirmation of the latter, Kakashi sent a lightning bolt in the space his target was moving toward. It wasn’t meant to kill, but to incapacitate him long enough for the Antlion Quagmire Jutsu to swallow his feet.

Even that was just in preparation for the next step.

Once Zabuza was rendered unable to move for a split second, the shortened Hand Seals for Chidori came into play. The deafening chirps of a thousand birds filled the air, and a ball of lethal lightning filled Kakashi’s hand.

The Copy Ninja’s eyes never left their target, gaze boring into the spot he intended to pierce his whole arm through. He really, really needed this man to die.

Just three more steps. Two more steps. One more –

A titanic explosion from the rear disturbed Kakashi’s focus. It only lasted a heartbeat, but for experienced shinobi, this was a lifetime.

The Demon of the Hidden Mist was able to place his sword between him and the oncoming attack just in time. The slab of steel split in half with a shriek of metal, and Kakashi’s momentum would have been enough to reach the body behind it, had Zabuza not pushed himself out of the way.

Allowing himself only a moment to “tsk” at the missed opportunity, the Konoha Jonin rushed back to his students as fast as he could move. Upon arrival, he saw Sakura already healing Tazuna, having apparently returned her injured hand to reasonable functionality.

Sasuke and Naruto, on the other hand, were double-teaming someone wearing the guise of a hunter-nin from Kiri. Whoever it was, they were not doing well.

Cuts, burns, blood, and lacerations covered their form. The mask they wore was partially shattered, as well. His genin, on the other hand, looked no worse for wear. Singed, perhaps, but practically unharmed.

As for the surroundings, it was clear that explosive tags were used. Whether it was meant to distract Kakashi or eliminate Tazuna, it doesn’t really matter. The Jonin missed the perfect chance to eliminate the biggest threat.

Right now, his main concern is protecting his students and the client.

Just as he predicted, additional mist suddenly shrouded the area, cutting off visibility to just a few meters. A major obstacle for anyone else, but with him and Sasuke possessing the Sharingan, it loses much of its potency.

“Sasuke, Naruto, disengage!” he barked. “Protect Sakura and Tazuna. This technique is designed for assassinations.”

The two boys quickly retreated to their teammate, looking winded, but alert. As it turned out, though, he needn’t have bothered.

“Haku, retreat!” a growling voice echoed in the fog. “We’re getting out of here.”

Well, now. That’s interesting. 

Kakashi wasn’t stupid enough to actually trust in the missing-nin’s intentions, though. Deception was just part of the game. When the mist eventually cleared out after a few seconds, with nothing else happening, he finally relaxed.

“Is he gone, sensei?” Sakura asked hesitantly, green eyes still scanning their surroundings.

“Seems so,” he replied mildly. “How’s your hand?”

The girl looked at the extremity, palm, and digits shaking as she tried to make a fist. Eventually, she shook her head.

“Not too bad, considering the circumstances,” she said. “I’ll heal it up completely once we find a safe spot.”

“Can you?” Kakashi asked in surprise. 

She merely smiled in response. “The medical field’s gotten really good over the last two years.”

“That’s great to hear,” he said, meaning it. “What about you, Naruto, Sasuke?”

“We’re fine,” the blonde replied, sounding miffed. “A few more seconds, and we could’ve gotten that jerk. He tried to blow us up!”

“He was good, too,” Sasuke added. “Used a bloodline limit before Naruto decided to be an idiot and use a Jutsu he only started learning.”

“It worked, didn’t it?”

“You nearly got me, too, you moron!”

Seeing the two well enough to argue, Kakashi turned to the client. “How badly are you hurt, Tazuna-san?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

“The girl healed me just fine,” the old man grunted. “It was just bruises. It’s the kids who took the brunt of the explosion.”

“So, you’re good to walk?”

“Yeah, I can walk. Let’s go. Not too far now.”

Kakashi nodded.

“All right, Team 7,” he called. “Time to go. The sooner we get Tazuna-san home, the sooner we can rest.”

“Yes, sensei!”

Trudging through the forest once more, Kakashi turned the fight over in his mind. Zabuza was definitely dangerous, but one that the Jonin could handle. The one masquerading as a hunter-nin, he can comfortably leave to his students.

From a purely tactical point of view, they had the advantage.

So, why couldn’t he shake the feeling that something worse was coming their way?

Side Story 6

Long-Awaited Reunion

So far, Tsunade’s return to Konoha has been marked by… interesting events. 

Her first day back was marred by the careless remark of an adolescent brat. And, while much of her time has been spent immersing herself in the wondrous medical innovations in the works, it also involved the tediousness of being inundated with village politics.

Today’s affair is sadly fueled by both, instead of just the former.

Stepping through the hallway separating the rest of the building from the Hokage’s office, the Senju approached the secretary’s desk. Even for one of the Legendary Sannin, politeness is still expected.

Or, at least, it was supposed to be.

“YOU DID WHAT?!” 

So jarring was it to hear the perennially composed Sandaime shouting at the top of his lungs that the girl manning the desk was understandably startled. For her part, Tsunade quickly cycled through a list of possible reasons why her teacher would be so riled up in the way that he was. 

The singular item that remained left her both irritated and amused.

“I’ll take it from here,” she said reassuringly to the secretary. 

Upon opening the door, Tsunade felt a sardonic smile form on her lips at the familiar sight of a white-haired idiot in the middle of getting scolded for something he did. Knowing him, it was either perverted or stupid. Perhaps even stupidly perverted.

“.... you have any idea what you just cost us, you fool?!” The Hokage was so agitated that he was wildly gesticulating to emphasize his point. “Priceless! That artifact was priceless! I told you to be careful with it, and as soon as you get your filthy mits on one of Konoha’s most valuable treasures, it breaks! How, Jiraiya? How could you be so careless?”

Well, maybe she was wrong. This sounded serious.

“Let me guess. You were trying to capture images of women in the bath, weren’t you?!”

Scratch that. She was right.

Sighing, Tsunade quietly closed the door behind her, though she didn’t make her presence known. At least, not yet.

“How was I supposed to know that it would start blaring out warnings like that?” Her former teammate tried to defend himself. “It kind of defeats the purpose if it starts broadcasting the user’s position as soon as a bit of skin shows on the screen, doesn’t it?”

“Because it was never intended for that purpose!” the Hokage yelled. “Consider its maker, for the love of the Sage! Do you think he would ever create something that perverts can use to violate women’s privacy? Have you forgotten that I sent it to you without his leave?”

So, it’s about another thing that the brat made. Tsunade had long noticed that his influence seemed to have permeated almost every level of Konoha’s operations.

“But sensei –”

“No buts! We are not to speak of this again, do you hear me? Pray that he never finds out the specifics of what befell his device. For I’m telling you, Jiraiya. That boy can be terrifyingly inventive. I can scarcely imagine what he would come up with if he dedicated some time to punishing you for this indiscretion.”

That’s a bit of an exaggeration, though the Slug Princess won’t deny that the brat was the driving force behind some frighteningly advanced concepts. Ones that even she had trouble bringing to life before she left.

From the way Jiraiya suddenly began to sweat and stammer, though, it would appear that there was something she was missing.

“He, uh, he wouldn’t actually go that far, will he?”

Sarutobi Hiruzen’s face darkened considerably. “The boy increased Konoha’s fighting strength by several magnitudes, and did so mostly by accident. What do you think he’ll be capable of if he actually dedicates himself to something?”

Jiraiya audibly gulped. That answers that. Also, Tsunade has gone ignored for long enough.

“So!” she said, striding further into the office. “Are we expecting this fool to hang naked and upside down in the village square by the end of the week?”

“Nothing so droll, Tsunade.” The Hokage rolled his eyes.

“Hime!” The fool in question greeted her. “It’s good to see you back in Konoha. How’s it been?”

“Well enough,” she answered. “Been getting back in the saddle, so to speak.”

“Fantastic!”

“Oh, sit down, both of you.” Their teacher gestured at the chairs in front of his desk. “We might as well hash a few things out. I’m expecting the near-future to be extraordinarily trying.”

Doing as they were told, sitting down suddenly reminded Tsunade of simpler times. It was a bittersweet feeling.

“Now, let’s start with you, Tsunade. What brings you here today?”

“Most of the field kits are ready for limited release,” she said, referring to the sets of medical patches that were developed to treat injuries on-the-fly. “They are as safe as they are going to be, but we’re getting pushback from some council members. Specifically, the civilian council.”

“Jeeze, what’re those old farts complaining about now?” Jiraiya grouched.

“Apparently, it would affect various industries that depend on supplies for pharmaceuticals if the kits are ever widely adopted,” she explained, sarcasm dripping with every word. “No amount of reassurance that it would only be given to teams on critical missions for the moment is enough to assuage their concerns.”

The Toad Sannin tsked in disdain. “Typical merchant bastards.”

The Hokage, on the other hand, was much more circumspect. “On the one hand, I’m glad one of our most crucial projects has come so far. On the other, their objections have long been expected. Proceed with the release. I will handle the councils.”

“Thank you, sensei.” Tsunade couldn’t have imagined saying those sincerely just a year ago, but here she was.

The old man simply smiled a gentle smile and nodded in acknowledgement.

“Your turn, Jiraiya. What’s this about Akatsuki stirring the pot among our neighbors?”

At the prompting, all humor drained from the spymaster’s face.

Tenten Triumphs

“You monsters! You absolute monsters!”

Tenten watched as the man writhed in the dirt, screaming in pain and squirming in agony. He made for a pitiful sight, and she would have felt bad for him if he also wasn’t a notorious bandit preying on innocent village folk.

“Shut the hell up, would you?” she barked. “It’s just a scratch. Keep yapping like you are, and I’ll rip out your tongue!”

Her threat shut him up good. Though, considering that she held a sharp kusarigama near his mouth, it’s not really all that surprising. The scythe’s blade glinted in the sunlight, and the chain rattled menacingly.

“That’s enough, Tenten,” Guy-sensei called from his position. “Bind him and bring him over to join his colleagues.”

“Yes, sensei!”

Doing as she was told, the weapon-mistress saw that her teammates were already standing over the captured prisoners. Men in various states of injury sat around a circle, their backs to their comrades, hands and feet bound.

Once she dropped off her own contribution to the pile, Tenten glanced toward the two individuals in the worst state. Their arms were definitely broken, though she suspected that only one ended up that way on purpose. Their Jonin-sensei only confirmed her deduction as he lectured their most energetic teammate.

“You will spend more time training your control once we return, Lee!” the man told his miniature copy. “The execution of that last kick was sloppy, lacking grace. We only ever inflict as much damage as we intend. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, Guy-sensei!”

Turning away from the duo before they started hugging and crying again, Tenten turned towards Neji. The Hyuga kept a wary eye on their prisoners, particularly the one who had a prominent scar across his lips, nose, and jaw.

“Had any trouble?” she asked as she approached.

The boy favored Tenten a brief glance with those eerie white eyes. “Nothing of the sort. The information we have about this group simply mentions that this one is slippery. I’d rather not have to chase him down.”

“Ah.”

After nearly two years of working together, Tenten had gotten a good sense of the two boys on her team, along with their teacher. Neji had been much more aloof just six months prior, but he had begun to open up a bit more. Lee remained the overly-enthusiastic Taijutsu specialist that he has always been, his zeal reaching new heights after gaining some proficiency with the third stage of physical enhancement.

The so-called Vital Core Infusion and Bone Enhancement stage.

Of the three genin, only he has managed to get so far. Tenten and Neji were still at the Tendon and Joint Threading stage, which Guy-sensei assured them was impressive for their age. As was just proven by the earlier lecture, however, Lee sacrificed control and precision for power. Hence, the need for extra training.

As for their Jonin-sensei, he started off as something of a goofball, but had gotten gradually more serious as time went on. He still acted as silly as his bowl cut denotes, but not as much as he did before.

Then again, considering the type of mission they were currently on, it’s not that surprising.

“Ready to move out, team?” Guy-sensei announced, projecting his voice loudly in all directions.

Tenten had to hold in a sigh. She still didn’t know why they were chosen for this endeavor. Subtlety wasn’t exactly their forte.

It was as they were trudging through the woods in standard escort formation, with their teacher at the front, the two boys on the sides, and her at the rear, that their trap was sprung. A hail of shuriken and kunai started raining down on them from both sides of the treeline. Normally, they would have simply dodged to avoid getting hit, but that wasn’t part of the plan.

As soon as the telltale sound of thrown weapons whistled through the air, Tenten reached into the special pockets woven into her custom-tailored clothes. Chakra then flooded her system, enhancing her reflexes, reducing her reaction time, and firing up her tendons, ligaments, and stabiliser muscles.

The result is an even bigger storm of blades flying through the air, knocking the enemies’ initial attack from the air, with a lot more shredding the surrounding trees. Exactly as intended, the unexpected counterattack surprised enough of the ambushing forces that she actually managed to hit quite a few of them.

Escape was impossible for those who managed to dodge because a trio of whirlwinds swept through them with impeccable timing. Those who weren’t tossed around were swiftly dispatched with well-placed strikes in vital areas.

As for the prisoners who believed, no matter how momentarily, that they were saved – they quickly found ninja wires wrapped around their necks. The thin, razor-sharp cables were just tight enough to function as a warning. One good tug, and they would all be decapitated.

Naturally, the ends of the wires were held in Tenten’s uncompromising grip. Her gaze held a single, unmistakable message: You move, you die.

By the time Lee, Neji, and Guy-sensei were done cleaning up the enemy shinobi, Tenten was standing unruffled in the same spot. With the fate of nearly a dozen men literally at the palm of her hand.

“Sublime work, Tenten!” her teacher praised with uncontained sincerity. “The fire of youth burns brightly within you!”

Her two teammates joined in on showering her with congratulations. Tenten could only blush in pleasure at the effusive gestures. 

Still, it couldn’t be denied.

Today was a triumph for Konoha’s budding Maelstrom of Blades.

Medical Success & Girl Talk

Shirakawa Reina wasn’t sure when it happened, but at some point, during the last two years, she had become the head of Konoha’s new Prosthesis Development Division – the department responsible for creating and testing artificial limbs for replacing extremities lost during battle or accidents. Murakami Sayo, her frequent partner over that period of time, now occupies a similar position at the Field Triage Center, which produces the kits meant to help keep shinobi alive in the field.

Both were directly under Senju Tsunade, herself, who has assumed the position of Konoha’s Medical Innovations and Enhancement Office.

These days, the number of medic-nin has tripled, and they are no longer confined to just the hospital. Many fill double roles of healers and researchers, like the eight subordinates scurrying about the operating room they occupied.

Lying on the bed was a chunin who lost his right arm five years ago, during an ambush. And now, he is about to receive a mechanical replacement.

While far from the first to undergo the same treatment, the major stumbling block that delayed the operation is his inefficient use of chakra. Extreme precision was necessary for fine motor control over the delicate parts of the artificial limb. This is the same for every patient who underwent the procedure.

Before the development of Kenta’s breathing exercises, such an operation would have been impossible. Now? It’s only difficult and time-consuming.

Reina would never complain about that, though. The boy has been incredibly busy since graduating from the academy, what with running missions, helping with research, and of course, his cultivation.

Some days, she still had trouble believing that such a young mind could have come up with a concept so revolutionary. One that the Hokage regularly applied himself in an effort to achieve the same results as Umino Iruka and Kenta.

Naturally, she was curious as to what it could do for her. It took an admitted academy underperformer and turned him into a force of nature. The possibilities are almost impossible to imagine.

The final clicks of the mechanisms attaching the mechanical arm to the patient’s shoulders brought Reina out of her musings on the observation deck. So far, the medical team working on the procedure has been doing quite well. She hasn’t had to intervene in the last three operations.

“It’s done, Reina-sama,” one of the surgeons looked up from the operating floor and reported, much to her hidden embarrassment. She’ll never get used to former colleagues showing her such respect.

“Very good,” she said. “Any issues?”

“None, Reina-sama,” another medic-nin, this one sitting in front of a computer, answered. “The bio-mechanical ligaments are in pristine condition. Artificial nerves are firing up at optimal levels. Lubricants are contained, no leakage.”

“Excellent,” Reina nodded. “Monitor for any signs of rejection. Let me know when the patient is awake.”

With her piece said, she walked out the door of the observation deck and followed the familiar path to her superior’s office. Upon arrival, she knocked on the heavy glass pane, where she then heard Tsunade-sama call her in.

Reina observed the Sannin busy stamping papers and reading documents behind a large desk. Her assistant, Shizune, was on a smaller table to the side, sorting out scrolls and folders. 

Tsunade-sama raised her head when she entered, the focused look on her face replaced by an intrigued expression.

“Shirakawa, good. The operation was a success, I assume?” The woman always spoke in a clipped, professional voice when addressing subordinates.

“Yes, ma’am,” Reina confirmed. “This will be the seventh patient to receive an artificial limb successfully. If all goes well, he should be able to move it as if it were the original in three months, at most.”

“That’s good to hear,” she responded, nodding. “Though, I heard this one took longer than the rest?”

“It was mostly due to the prep work, Tsunade-sama,” the black-haired, blue-eyed beauty explained. “Not everyone takes to the new breathing exercises at the same pace. He had more difficulty than others.”

“Tsk!” Reina had to blink at the uncouth sound that came out of the medical legend’s mouth. “It’s always about that brat.”

“Ma’am?” 

“Hmm? Oh, it’s nothing. Wait, you worked closely with Shiozaki Kenta, didn’t you, Shirakawa?” 

“Yes, ma’am, I did.” Where was she going with this? In the corner of her eye, she saw Shizune perk up from her pile of papers.

“Tell me about him,” she demanded.

Reina blinked for a few moments, making sure that she actually understood what she just heard. Concluding that she did, she was very careful in her response.

“What would you like to know?”

“Was he as much of a pervert with you as he was with me? You’re certainly pretty, and your assets aren’t anything to scoff at, either.”

Mind going blank for several seconds; it took her a few heartbeats to find the words that wouldn’t get her in trouble – a difficult task, considering how Senju Tsunade just referred to her breasts in such a casual manner.

“He has never exhibited deviant behaviors while working with me, ma’am,” Reina gingerly answered. “In fact, I can honestly say that he has maintained professional boundaries, with the exception of how we addressed each other. I believe he found formality to be uncomfortable.”

There! She answered truthfully without casting aspersions on the boy.

“So, it’s just me he’s comfortable ogling,” Tsunade-sama concluded, to Reina’s horror. Thankfully, someone came to the rescue.

“I believe it was more out of surprise than lewd intentions, Tsunade-sama,” Shizune suggested from her table. “Your assets are… out of the norm.”

The reasonable suggestion didn’t seem to convince the Sannin. “So, my breasts are so big that they broke his brain and made him stupid, is that what you’re saying?”

Neither Reina nor Shizune knew how to answer that question.

“Bah,” she snorted. “Whatever. I’m more interested in how he’s constantly coming up with ridiculous innovations. Do you know?” The question was directed at Reina.

“Um…” she started unsurely.

“Yes?” The older woman leaned forward in interest, ironically emphasizing her breasts even more.

“We are not entirely certain, Tsunade-sama. However, we believe that it’s due to Kenta being so… strange.”

“Strange how?” she asked, quirking an elegant brow.

“Well… he often blurts out things that don’t really make sense. Or, if they do, only in hindsight. And when he rants, we’ve caught him making references that are almost… alien? It can be quite unnerving when it happens.”

“Does the Hokage know about this?” the Senju asked sharply.

“Yes, we’ve given him reports about it.”

“What did he say?”

“He said it’s fine.”

“What?!” Tsunade-sama sat up straight in surprise. “Why?!”

“...the Hokage believes that Kenta is simply… a very odd boy.”

A silence fell in the office. One so complete that a gust of wind carrying a leaf passed by.

Hinata’s Worries

Looking around at the devastation she and her team had wrought, Hyuga Hinata is currently experiencing the feeling of detachment from reality. This being the first time she has ever faced enemy shinobi, even if they were missing-nin from Kumohagakure, she finds herself confused.

For so long, she was under the impression that other hidden villages posed a great danger to Konoha. Yet, judging by their performance, this didn’t seem to be the case. She didn’t even contribute all that much to the fight.

In this battle, Shino had shone the brightest.

While Hinata and Ami beat down three enemy nin apiece with direct, brutal takedowns, the Aburame flooded the battlefield with his Kikaichu with blinding speed. As if that weren’t enough to cause chaos among the opposing forces’ ranks, the insects then drained them of their chakra faster than they could blink.

A single pass was enough to render most of their foes immobile, leaving only the strongest in any condition to fight. Even then, they proved no challenge to the Hyuga and her civilian-born teammate. 

Precise jabs to their tenketsu rendered her targets unconscious, while Ami was content to slam her opponents to the hard, compact ground. Repeatedly.

The leader, upon seeing how quickly his subordinates got dispatched, disengaged from Kurenai-sensei and attempted to escape. ‘Attempted’ being the operative word, since he then began to run in circles, dodging imaginary attacks, and at one point, even launched a lightning jutsu at a tree for no apparent reason.

The female Jonin, on the other hand, just watched the man’s increasingly frantic maneuvers that became more and more comical as time went on. After ten minutes of expending considerable energy in pointless evasions, he finally realized that he was caught in a Genjutsu. 

Naturally, he tried to free himself of it, which then activated the trap.

Cycling his own chakra in order to break the illusion, their teacher latched on to his energy and directly targeted his nervous system. At least, that’s what she told her students afterwards. The result is a drooling mess that is now ready for transport.

All of the enemy ninja are still alive. Merely incapacitated.

It was this that gave Hinata a mild case of cognitive dissonance as, by all metrics, her team was severely outnumbered. Should Kurenai-sensei’s suspicions also prove true, then these weren’t missing-nin, at all. Rather, they were elite agents of Kumo.

So, why were they so easily dealt with?

The first thought that sprang to her mind was deception. Surely, they were only pretending to be captured? However, this made no sense given that their team was made up of three genin and one Jonin. From a tactical standpoint, they would be the absolute worst vector for a false defeat, regardless of their end goal.

Her spiral into progressively unlikely explanations was interrupted by a hand landing on her shoulder. Upon looking up, Hinata found herself looking into the kind, red eyes of her sensei.

“Are you all right, Hinata?” she asked.

“Yes, sensei,” was her immediate reply. “I wasn’t hurt.”

The Jonin then tilted her head questioningly. “Then what’s troubling you? The retrieval teams are on their way, and Shino has confirmed that there are no lingering enemies nearby.”

Hinata wasn’t sure how to phrase her thoughts properly in this context. Simply blurting out the truth would make her sound far too arrogant.

“It’s all right,” Kurenai-sensei assured her. “Whatever it is, just tell me. I promise to give you whatever answers I can.”

Feeling a little less anxious, Hinata decided to simply ask.

“Ano, sensei,” she began. “How would you classify these missing-nin? They must be genin, right? With the leader being a chunin or, perhaps, a Special Jonin?”

A smile of understanding dawned on the beautiful woman’s face. “Some of them, yes. But the ones you and Ami finished off were chunin, by my estimation. My opponent was definitely Jonin.”

The girl stared at her teacher in shock. She faced off against multiple chunin? Wait, Ami did the same! She was treating them like training dummies. How was this possible?

“Sometimes I forget how your generation lacks perspective on these matters,” her Jonin-sensei said when she put the question to her out loud. “The truth is, Hinata, that you have grown far beyond what ordinary shinobi could aspire to. Ranks do not necessarily denote strength. Most of the time, it’s about experience and accomplishments. They can come hand-in-hand, but it’s never that simple.”

By this point, Shino and Ami had come closer to hear their teacher’s explanation. It was certainly enlightening.

“The ones we have here, for example,” she continued, “are likely specialized in infiltration and gathering intelligence. Against a genin team from three years ago, they would have been more than enough to accomplish their mission.”

“But that’s not the case anymore?” Ami asked.

“No, not anymore.” Kurenai-sensei shook her head. “Our shinobi forces, which include your class, are now just a smidge beyond what other hidden villages typically have.”

“That’s awesome!” the girl exulted. 

“Not necessarily. Why?” Shino spoke up. “For it is likely that the other hidden villages have already noticed the increase in our strength. As history has shown, strength invites challenge. The foes we faced today are likely meant to test Konoha’s resolve. Particularly as they targeted a team with two clan heirs.”

“I’m afraid he’s right,” Kurenai-sensei confirmed in a bittersweet voice. “That is why I asked you to spare as many of them as you could – a request you more than admirably fulfilled. We need answers that they may have.”

Any feelings of elation building in Hinata’s chest were quickly snuffed out. While she reveled in her strength and that of her friends, it would seem that the world is content on exacting a price in return.

“Is a war coming, sensei?” she asked.

The woman gave each of her students a fiercely protective look. One that conveyed her resolve as both a teacher and a shinobi of Konoha.

“Whatever comes in the future, we will all face it together.”

War Preparations

Once more, the large meeting room in the Hokage tower is occupied by members of Konoha’s most influential figures. There’s the Sandaime himself, of course. Clan heads, council members, and high-ranking shinobi were also in attendance. Unlike previous years, however, the two remaining loyal Sannin have also taken seats.

Tsunade and Jiraiya sat on the Hokage’s sides, making it clear where their allegiance lay. As a result, a certain air of anxiety filled the meeting room.

Anxiety that is only fueled by their main topic of discussion.

“So, it has come to this,” Koharu, a member of the village’s Elder Council, declared. “Are you certain of the course you have chosen, Hokage-sama?”

“The path of shinobi has ever been a perilous one,” the old man replied. “No choice would have yielded safety, not and still enjoy the benefits of what has been wrought. This road presents the least potential for death and destruction when compared to the alternative.”

“Even if it means yielding the initiative?” Shimura Danzo questioned in a cold tone. 

“And you’d rather have us do what?” came Tsunade’s sharp rebuke. “Attack other hidden villages? Start a war we’re nowhere near ready to prosecute?”

“Better than allowing snakes into our home!” The warhawk’s answer carried steel he was more than ready to use.

“If I may, Hokage-sama,” the Hyuga patriarch spoke. At Hiruzen’s nod, he continued. “While I do not entirely agree with Shimura-dono’s perspective, he does bring up a good point. Would our time not be better spent preparing for the inevitable conflict? Inviting foreign shinobi into Konoha seems counterintuitive given our SOP and ROE for the past three years.”

The man’s point was presented logically, but everyone present knew the true cause of his unease. Kumo’s involvement was always going to be a point of contention, but particularly so for the clan of famed dojutsu users.

“Personally, I think Iwa’s going to be the bigger pain in the ass,” Inuzuka Tsume growled. “Did you really have to invite them, Hokage-sama?”

Hiruzen simply chuckled at the question. “Invitations have always been sent to all hidden villages, Tsume. Rejection has been Iwa’s answer, until now.”

“The reason why’s pretty obvious, too.” Nara Shikaku looked more worn out than ever. “I understand the plan’s details as they have been given, Hokage-sama, but couldn’t you have waited another year?”

“If we wait for much longer,” Jiraiya decided to interject, “we would be dealing with invasion forces instead of scouts or skirmishing units. The other hidden villages are getting tired of losing agents. Iwa’s close to mobilizing its shinobi, and Kumo’s not far behind. We’re lucky that Kiri’s still wrapped up in its civil war, but even Suna’s showing signs of aggression due to their Daimyo’s stupidity.”

“Troublesome.”

On the heels of the Jonin Captain’s familiar catchphrase, murmurs and grumblings rippled out. Unfortunately for the dissenters, there really wasn’t a better choice available, short of simply sharing Konoha’s most well-guarded secret. Something that no one was stupid enough to even suggest.

The Aburame clan head spoke up at this point. “Will we approach the chunin exams as a legitimate endeavor, Hokage-sama?”

“We will.” He nodded. “Should any of their genin representatives prove worthy of the rank, I see no reason to refuse them the opportunity to prove it.”

“Like that’s gonna happen,” the Inuzuka matriarch snorted. “Kiba’s team alone would probably wipe the floor with them.”

“My daughter’s team would do much the same,” Hyuga Hiashi suddenly interjected, “and in far less time, at that.”

“The new generation of Ino–Shika–Chō is shaping up to be the best one yet,” Shikaku boasted.

Bizarrely enough, the proud declarations served to completely derail the meeting, with other attendees either crowing about this or that genin, or making their thoughts on the latest batch of academy graduates known to anyone who would listen.

This then served to cut the tension, making for a more relaxed atmosphere.

Reality still waited at the margins, but every step has already been taken to minimize the danger to Konoha. Worrying would serve no one, at this point, least of all the village’s leadership.

Still, the upcoming chunin exam will have more riding on it than simulating warfare and allowing the genin of participating hidden villages to advance in rank. Should the Hokage’s gamble fail, what follows will likely be the most devastating conflict the Elemental Nations have ever seen since the end of the Warring Clans period.

And to think, it’s all thanks to the bumbling efforts of one clueless boy.

On the other side of the village, one Shiozaki Kenta sits in his room, working on yet another project that spawned from his brain worm that simply refuses to shut up. A sneeze from out of nowhere caused snot to cover his notebook, thus ruining several hours’ worth of work.

Kabuto’s Ultimate Struggle

Walking through the hallways of his assigned hospital, Yakushi Kabuto was careful to maintain an air of anonymity. Not that he hadn’t been doing so in the many years since he began operating in Konoha. However, the last few years have necessitated extra caution in even the smallest of actions.

The Hidden Leaf has become a hive of secrecy and paranoia, to the point of absurdity.

Hardly anything escapes the eyes of hidden sentinels that populate its underbelly, many of which have begun to track his movements, specifically. The scrutiny directed at him has even forced the infiltrator to paths that severely curbed his mobility.

Yet, they were necessary to ensure that he couldn’t simply be abducted by Danzo’s overzealous Root agents. The most galling consequence of the surveillance is his inability to send any kind of message to his master. In fact, even the act of gathering intelligence has been barred to him, which would have been supremely impressive if he weren’t the target of such inconvenience.

The only positive development in this entire affair, at least for a spy like him, is his eventual exposure to some of the newer secrets that Konoha is intent on keeping. And what secrets they were.

Anything involving health and medicine has always been a useful tool in the village’s arsenal, even after Senju Tsunade’s extended sabbatical. Recent innovations, however, have blown even her accomplishments and contributions out of the water.

Workable prosthetics, field medical kits that could disinfect and heal even fatal wounds, and the increase in the number of medic-nin have made Konoha’s already formidable military even more effective. But the most ridiculous change would have to be the increased lethality of Leaf shinobi to an astonishing degree.

Kabuto could only watch as Jonin, Special Jonin, and most recently, Chunin have achieved strength far beyond their counterparts in other hidden villages. The most infuriating part is that he could only observe them occasionally, when his presence in the area could be justified.

Making matters worse is how being a genin, a decision that was necessary for his role as a spy, has completely backfired.

The methods that allowed previously weak shinobi to reach new heights are denied to him. He couldn’t even make contact with other agents of Orochimaru. Some of them have already been dealt with, that much he was certain. Those that remained are under similar levels of surveillance as he was.

Mizuki would’ve been the perfect source of information, but last he heard, the man had quietly retired shortly after the previous batch of academy students had graduated. Kabuto may not know the specifics, but he was certain that the chunin wasn’t peacefully fishing in a lake somewhere.

That left him in a dilemma.

He knew of the Snake Sannin’s plans to invade Konoha. Unfortunately, he was prevented from receiving and sending word before the details could be ironed out. Kabuto was sure that his master wouldn’t simply attack the Leaf without adequate intelligence. However, if he doesn’t cancel the invasion outright, nothing short of the four other hidden villages banding together would succeed.

From the rare occasions in which he was able to observe the Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen was no longer a doddering old man, either. The superficial signs of age were still there, but to anyone who knew what to look for, the God of Shinobi appeared to have regained much of his previous power.

How he managed this remains a mystery to Kabuto, but it bodes ill for anyone who has malicious intentions toward Konoha.

Regardless of his views on the matter, the spy couldn’t afford to deny the reality of his situation. He was stuck, and unless something changed soon, he might end up blind if the attack on the Leaf proceeded without his knowledge. 

He couldn’t send a message with so many eyes on him. He couldn’t gather information for the same reason. He couldn’t go where he pleased without risking a confrontation with his minders. A confrontation he no longer felt confident in winning.

For the first time in a very long time, Kabuto felt helpless.

Chapter 11

Naruto POV

Arriving at Tazuna-jiji’s village was depressing. Everywhere Naruto looked, all he saw were dilapidated houses, rotting boats, starving people, and hopeless eyes. The boy didn’t like how it reminded him of how his life used to be.

Things only got worse when they finally got to his home, which was basically just a wooden shack. His daughter, Tsunami-san, greeted them at the door with a relieved smile. Long black hair looking thin, and cheeks hollow. She looked tired and worn down, with eyes that seemed to have forgotten what hope felt like. 

Their entrance revealed a small living space that also functioned as a dining area. Sitting at a table was a small boy wearing a dark-green jumper and a white hat with blue stripes. Inari, they introduced him, and much like his mother’s, his eyes looked dead.

Dining with the small family was awkward because they looked like they couldn’t spare the extra food, but did so, anyway. It didn’t really get better from there.

So, that night, Naruto sat on the roof of the small home, overlooking the tiny village under the light of the moon. It annoyed him how well the gloomy air surrounding the place felt just a bit too familiar, especially with the fog dimming the few sources of light that existed.

“Keeping watch, Naruto?” a voice suddenly spoke up from behind him, causing the boy to whirl around. Finding Kakashi standing there, he was only barely able to cover his mouth to stop the shout that wanted to escape. 

“What are you doing here, Kakashi-sensei?” he asked in a low voice instead.

Before answering, the Jonin sat down beside the spot where Naruto was sitting, gesturing for the blonde to do the same. When he did, the older man simply gazed over the same vista that caught his student’s eyes.

“Similar sights exist all over the Elemental Nations,” he said, and Naruto wasn’t so stupid as to miss what his teacher was talking about. “We do what we can to alleviate suffering, but at the end of the day, shinobi are mercenaries. We’re not caretakers or defenders of the peace.”

A few years ago, Naruto would have jumped up and argued loudly against what he was just told. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time he heard such sentiments. Kakashi had just echoed what Kenta told him months before graduating from the academy.

“The job of shinobi is to take a contract, fulfil the contract, and come home,” he had said. “For all our power, there has never been a ninja that could overcome human nature, Naruto. Not even the Sage could do that. And trying could do more harm than good.”

Back then, Naruto had tried to argue. “That doesn’t mean we should give up on trying to make the world better, though. When I become Hokage, I’ll make it happen!”

The sadness in Kenta’s smile will forever stay with him. “We don’t do that with grand gestures. Change is slow. It happens over a long period of time and requires sustained effort that hardly anyone is capable of sticking with.”

“Well, I’m different!” Naruto had said fiercely. “No matter how long it takes, I’ll do more good than bad, and make this world a better place!”

“And I hope you succeed, Naruto.” 

Coming back to the present, the genin scowled at the misty landscape. “I know that, sensei. I won’t do anything stupid.”

The insufferable man only chuckled in response. “I never said you would. Though I’ve seen the same look in your eyes before, on others. Shinobi, through the years, come across places where the suffering is more real and profound. Then, they get the overwhelming urge to try to fix things. More often than not, they only leave more pain after they’re gone.”

“So, we shouldn’t even try to help these people?” Naruto asked quietly.

“We’re already doing that,” he replied. “The mission parameters – which we’re adhering to despite the fraudulent information, I’ll remind you – include sticking around until the bridge is complete. By just doing the job, we’re ensuring that they can have a better future. That’s the best way to help them.”

A part of Naruto wanted to argue that they should do more, but he couldn’t think of what that would be. And Kenta had already drilled the consequences of being impulsive into his head so many times. He had no intentions of possibly getting his teammates killed.

“Thanks for telling me that, sensei,” he said, smiling up at the masked Jonin.

“It’s my job,” Kakashi replied and got up. “Get some rest, Naruto. We have a long day tomorrow.”

“I will.”

Alone on the roof, Naruto considers his situation and how it affects his nindo. Sticking with the mission lets him keep his word. Doing that will make this a better place. The people living here will have happier lives once the bridge is built.

There’s nothing more he could do beyond that.

With his heart settled, the blonde crept back into the room he shared with Sasuke and fell asleep, unaware of the black eyes that briefly observed him upon conking out.

Sasuke POV

He wasn’t sure if Naruto had been aware of his eavesdropping the night before, but Sasuke wouldn’t bet against their teacher being so inattentive. So, upon waking up and having their assignments set, the Uchiha took the chance to be alone with the Jonin in guarding the bridge.

Naruto and Sakura will be staying behind for the day, practicing the drills their teacher gave them.

Finding a quiet spot that allowed them a good view of the work site without getting in the way, the pair settled in. However, the silence didn’t last long.

“You said you’d explain why you have a Sharingan when we have more privacy,” Sasuke initiated. “There’s no one around who can hear us.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Kakashi sighed. “Not really much to tell, though.” He paused, and the aspiring avenger didn’t interrupt. He’d been patient since finding out about the man’s ocular secret. He can wait a bit longer. “I lost an eye during the last war. Not long after, I also lost a teammate. He was an Uchiha, and had just unlocked his Sharingan shortly before dying. Crushed under a boulder, he asked me to take his remaining eye and use it to replace the one I lost. I did.”

Despite how casually he sounded with his explanation, Sasuke was more familiar with loss than most. Kakashi was an elite shinobi of Konoha, but there were just some things that transcended spoken words or physical tells.

“What was his name?” Sasuke asked.

“...Obito,” his teacher said, unable to fully suppress the hitch in his voice. “His name was Uchiha Obito.”

“Uchiha Obito,” the boy repeated, checking his memory to see if he knew the name. He didn’t. Even so… “I’ll remember,” he promised.

Kakashi only nodded, and they went back to keeping a lookout. While doing so, Sasuke allowed himself a moment of introspection. Had his past self discovered the existence of a Sharingan in the possession of someone without Uchiha blood, the reaction would’ve been far less pleasant.

He was self-aware enough to admit that, if only in his own mind.

After building new bonds with the people in his life, Sasuke found that the discovery only caused a twinge of pain in his chest. With Kakashi sharing how he got the eye, it only served to reinforce that pain with pride and satisfaction.

Yet another Uchiha who transcended their clan’s reputation. A member who cared enough about his teammate that his last thought upon death was helping them regain what they lost. 

Could he do something like that? Sasuke would like to think so. 

Kenta, Hinata, Naruto, and even Sakura. He didn’t know why, but there was a certainty in the boy of their support and loyalty. Maybe it was the amount of time they spent together. Or the strength they’ve already displayed. It could also be the rapid growth that Sasuke continues to experience thanks to their presence.

It could be all of those or none of them.

As he continued to watch over the workers building a bridge for a better future, listening to the thumps of hammers, the scraping of shovels, and the pinging of metal, Konoha’s last loyal Uchiha could only hope that he would be as selfless as Uchiha Obito.

Sakura POV

Standing in front of a lake on her own, Haruno Sakura didn’t know what to do with herself. Well, she did. Kakashi-sensei did give her drills to work on, which she already finished. He and Sasuke were guarding Tazuna-san, and Naruto was off to speak to Inari after they argued at breakfast. 

This left her to her own devices, which wasn’t doing much for her mental health.

Ostensibly speaking, Sakura was doing quite well for her rank and age. While nowhere near as strong as the vaunted Hyuga princess, she was undeniably one of the strongest genin in existence. Her academic performance was the highest in the class (though she suspected that a certain someone was holding back). She was also doing quite well with her iryojutsu studies.

However, there was one area where she felt lacking compared to her teammates: Combat Jutsu.

Naruto and Sasuke displayed marvelous techniques during the ambush, yet all she could do was punch and kick. Granted, her medical skills helped bring everyone back to fighting fit in almost no time, but the feeling of inadequacy still gnawed at her belly.

She was close to reaching the second stage of physical enhancements, but so were the boys. In fact, they seem further along than she was.

The fact of the matter was that there was nothing substantial she could do until they went back to Konoha. However, this didn’t mean that she couldn’t do anything at all. So, taking out her notebook, she began listing down her observations during the mission, her performance, and her goals.

In the meantime, while waiting for the bridge to finish, she would focus on sharpening her skills. 

Becoming faster, more economical with her movements, and better with her timing would yield more results than worrying about her insufficient Jutsu arsenal. There’s also the thought that came to mind due to her initial strike against Momochi Zabuza. 

Hitting his large sword caused dramatic backlash that mangled her hand. She couldn’t afford for that to happen again, especially if she was in the middle of combat. Unfortunately, increasing her regeneration would be a bad idea, as it would increase the chance for something to go horribly wrong on a cellular level.

The answer, then, is to impart an explosive amount of force that wouldn’t necessarily depend on just flesh and bone.

The question of how she would achieve that consumed the kunoichi for the rest of the afternoon.

Third-Person POV

“How is that, Zabuza-sama?” a voice asked after applying some healing ointments.

“I’m fine,” the man, who was covered in even more bandages than before, grunted. “You should be more worried about yourself.”

A performative smile formed on the dainty face. “I am well, Zabuza-sama.”

The obvious lie was met with a loud snort from the missin-nin. “You’re fulla shit, Haku.”

Indeed. Neither of them looked to be in particularly good shape. The Demon of the Hidden Mist was lying on a bed, acting like a mummified weasel. His caretaker was in arguably worse shape, with a swollen cheek, a nearly complete list of injuries that one could sustain on the battlefield, and huge bags under their eyes.

Their moods weren’t helped by the recent departure of their employer, who expressed extreme dissatisfaction in their performance. A sentiment that they didn’t necessarily share, given how powerful the target’s escort ended up being. When they expressed this observation to Gato, however, his smug reply caught them offguard.

“Then it’s lucky that I got you some backup on the way,” he had sneered. “They’ll keep the bodyguard busy while you do the job I paid you to do. Once they get here, I don’t want you wasting any more time, do you hear me?”

His declaration left an ominous feeling in the air, one that even Zabuza couldn’t completely shake. Additional factors rarely worked out well for any mission. Particularly one where the opposition is stronger than they should be.

“What do you think of our so-called reinforcement, Zabuza-sama?” Haku asked while sitting on the chair beside the bed.

“They’re bad news,” he said without preamble.

“How so?” 

“The world’s been strange for a while now, Haku.” It would appear that getting injured has made the normally reticent man chattier than he ought to be. “I should’ve been Hatake Kakashi’s equal, and you should’ve been able to handle those brats, no problem.”

Haku knew that the comment wasn’t meant as a criticism, but it didn’t make its effects any less painful.

“And now, some new assholes appear, offerin’ to help out, just like that? To Gato, of all people?” The injured man shook his head. “Nah, somethin’ ain’t right. I’ve always trusted my gut, and right now, it’s tellin’ me that they’re bad news.”

“Would they not be simply interested in money?” Haku asked.

Zabuza scoffed. “Lemme tell you somethin’, kid. The world’s big, but it ain’t that big. Certain names mean somethin’ to certain people. Ain’t nobody goin’ after Hatake Kakashi who don’t got somethin’ goin’ on too. Whoever these fuckers are that Gato’s saddlin’ us with? I’d bet an arm they got bounties of their own. Big ones too.”

“Should we not cut our losses, then?”

No reply came for several heartbeats. When it did, Zabuza sounded more serious than Haku had ever heard him.

“Not yet,” he declared. “We’ll keep our distance. Let ‘em go after the Leaf fuckers, while we take care of our business. If everythin’ goes well, we get our pay and go.”

“Understood, Zabuza-sama.”

Jiraiya POV

The toad Sannin was very busy these days. As Konoha’s foremost expert on Seals and Sealing techniques, he had the privilege of examining the many wondrous innovations in the art that the village has been producing with ceaseless energy. It was quite an honorable position.

Or, it would be if he were anyone else. To Jiraiya, the intent behind the mountain of work was obvious. Punishment for breaking the kid’s communication device, and to keep him out of trouble. That he really was checking if the Seals being made were safe could be considered a bonus.

Despite his new occupation eating up all the hours of his day, however, he didn’t completely lift his finger off the Elemental Nations’ pulse. Reports from agents who were painstakingly cultivated over the years still arrived at regular intervals.

One such report came in five minutes ago, which then caused him to rush toward the Hokage’s office. He didn’t bother with the door and simply went through the window from the outside. After making sure that there was no one else inside apart from the ANBU, of course.

“Sensei!” he said. “I just got a message from one of my contacts. We’ve got a problem.”

The annoyed look on the Hokage’s face upon his student’s unceremonious entry vanished and was replaced by a more serious expression. Reaching for the creased slip of paper in Jiraiya’s outstretched hand, he then read its content.

Two immortals, on the move. Targets among the Waves.

That was it. That was all it said. And yet, it was more than enough.

“Jiraiya, go.” The Sannin was almost knocked off his feet by the pressure radiating from the old man. “Eliminate anyone who gets in your way. Boar, Pig, go with him.”

Hearing such an order from the revitalized God of Shinobi, there was no hesitation. Three figures blurred from the Hokage Tower and over Konoha’s walls.

Left behind was a Sarutobi Hiruzen who was more certain than ever of his decision to forever free his village from the spectres of war.

Kakashi POV

While he was peripherally aware of the concept, there was no denying the pride swelling within his chest as he watched his student on the ground, panting for breath, and unable to do more than twitch. Pink hair, slick with sweat, was plastered over the girl’s forehead while she struggled for more air.

For all that Kakashi knew Sakura’s strength and determination, experiencing how close she got to actually landing a solid hit on him was gratifying, indeed. And to think, they’ve only been at this for a few days. 

This generation really is full of monsters, he thought.

“Had enough, Sakura-chan?” he teased.

Her answering growl was simultaneously adorable and scary. Kakashi will need to be careful with his ribbing. The kunoichi, much like many who came before her, has a short temper. Considering how hard she can hit now, it might not be wise to continue winding her up too much.

Grunting in effort, the girl pushed herself off the ground until she could stand up straight. Dirt and grass stains covered her clothes, but she didn’t seem to care. Grit and determination shone through her green eyes, making her intentions clear.

Unfortunately, she’ll have to be disappointed.

“You can still stand, good. I won’t have to carry you back, after all.”

“Sensei?” She tilted her head and frowned in confusion.

“Tazuna-san’s crew should be done soon,” Kakashi said. “It’s time to go.”

A conflicted look passed over her face, before staring toward the sun setting over the horizon. She breathed out a resigned sigh before nodding. Together, the two started heading toward their temporary abode.

They arrived just in time to see Sasuke and Naruto trudging into sight with their client in tow. 

“Sakura!” the blonde greeted enthusiastically. “Sensei! Whoa, had a rough day?” he asked, looking over the girl’s ruffled appearance.

“We can talk about it after I’ve had a bath,” she replied, entering the house.

As has been the case for the three days, Kakashi observed the minute changes his students were undergoing. Naruto was still full of energy, hardly ever tiring. Sasuke was as sharp as ever, noticing his teacher’s analysis, but saying nothing about it.

The Uchiha was of particular concern to the Jonin after he decided share the origin of his Sharingan. Well, an abridged version of it, at least. Considering how long he’s been wallowing about past events, it’s a wonder Kakashi had even spoken of the matter as much as he did. Perhaps he really was growing as a person again.

Dinner that night was a lively affair. Naruto argued with Inari, with Sasuke throwing in a few barbs of his own. Sakura was complaining about muscle soreness, which she couldn’t do anything about without negating the benefits of her training.

Tazuna and Tsunami seemed to appreciate the children’s racket, as well. A consequence of living far too long without hope or joy, Kakashi supposed.

He had to wonder how long this would last.

Zabuza and his accomplice were still out there. Them giving up so soon wasn’t likely in the cards. After all, there were ways to get at their target without confronting his team. That’s why they were taking turns guarding Tazuna at the bridge, and his family here at their home.

Kakashi also couldn’t help feeling that something else was heading their way. It was the same during the last war, when ambushes and surprise attacks occurred. He’d learned to trust the feeling really quickly the first few times.

There’s no sense worrying his students, though. Recent years have felt like a second chance. This time, he’ll protect those precious to him.

The following morning, it was his and Sakura’s turn to watch over the bridge-building site. Like always, it started with a simple, but filling breakfast. When they got near their destination, however, Kakashi’s skin tingled right before mist blanketed their surroundings at an unnatural speed. 

He only had enough time to deflect several senbon thrown at Tazuna before a gigantic ball of compressed air shot toward them at an insane speed. Responding accordingly, he formed a single hand seal before stomping on the ground and raising an earth wall several meters thick.

Even then, the move only caused a delay, forcing Kakashi to grab Tazuna and Sakura by the waist before jumping away. 

Before his feet made contact with the ground, though, a figure materialized out of thin air, sword already descending toward the old bridgebuilder. At the same time, a masked figure appeared on Sakura’s side, kunai in hand.

Kakashi knew that he wouldn’t be fast enough to save both Tazuna and his student. He also knew that he didn’t need to.

Twisting out of his grip, Sakura lashed out with a kick while simultaneously deflecting the kunai with the back of her hand. As for her Jonin-sensei, Zabuza was basically made to choose between finishing his overhead chop or dodging the shuriken speeding toward his throat. He went with the latter, thus allowing Kakashi enough time to pull Tazuna out of the way.

Not willing to suffer more surprises, he uncovered his Sharingan, went straight to third-stage physical enhancement, and drove his heel straight into the missing-nin’s sternum with considerable force. This launched him straight into the water, distracting his companion long enough for Sakura to land a solid punch.

Kakashi noted how the masked figure moved with the blow, however, thus reducing the damage and creating distance. This then allowed them to dash toward the lake, but this wasn’t his concern anymore.

No, that honor went to the pair of robed figures slowly walking toward them. 

Black cloth with red clouds, Kakashi observed. Akatsuki has come to visit. There’s no way this is just a coincidence.

Jiraiya had briefed Konoha’s upper leadership about this group and its known members. Mercenaries who were quickly gaining infamy, fighting for ryo, and made up of S-Rank members. Based on their appearance, these two would be Hidan and Kakuzu, who were rumored to be unkillable.

Shit.

“Sakura, take Tazuna-san and regroup with Naruto and Sasuke,” he ordered briskly.

“What about you, sensei?” she asked worriedly.

“I’ll be fine,” he reassured her. “Go now.”

With fear still in her eyes, the girl obeyed and grabbed the old man in an over-the-shoulder carry before quickly escaping. Kakashi never took his eyes off the two approaching figures, though. 

One was a towering figure with unnatural green eyes and red sclera, wearing a mask that obscures his lower face. The other has silver hair, with distinctive purple eyes. Around his neck was a curious amulet typically worn by worshippers of Jashin. And held over his shoulder with one hand was a massive triple-bladed scythe.

Even after regaining his lost edge and the advantages he had gained over the past three years, Kakashi knew that this was going to be a tough fight. Oddly enough, however, rather than preparing for combat, they seem to be arguing.

“... missed! They were right there!” the scythe-wielding loudly complained in a voice that was a disturbing mix of gleefully sadistic and whiny.

“Shut up!” the masked one barked. In contrast to his partner, this one spoke like rocks tumbling down a narrow gorge. “The attack hit. He just blocked it.”

“Same difference! You had the advantage of surprise. That should’ve hit, which means you missed!”

“Your voice is grating on my nerves. If you don’t close your mouth, I’ll sew it shut."

“Why? Can’t handle the truth?”

Kakashi had to review what Jiraiya told them about these two, and couldn’t find any mention of them acting like an old married couple. It could be a ruse, of course, to lower their target’s guard. But they were supposed to be straight combatants. Even if they were predisposed to using tricks, they probably wouldn’t go for something so… lame.

“Whatever,” the one fitting the description of Kakuzu growled before stopping about ten meters away from Kakashi. “Awfully kind of you to stick around after letting the squirt run off. That’ll save us the hassle.”

“Speak for yourself,” snarked the likely Jashin worshipper. “I haven’t done a ritual in days. That pink-haired twig would’ve done nicely as a sacrifice!”

Welp, that made things simple. No matter what happened here today, Kakashi would make sure this Hidan fellow dies.

“The fat fuck didn’t do it for you?” was the sneering comeback.

“You uncultured swine! The value of the sacrifice depends on the quality of the blood. What the hell kind of ritual could I get for using that pig?! I might as well use sewage water!”

So, they already killed Gato. On the one hand, good. Serves him right. On the other, the shipping tycoon would’ve been much easier to deal with.

“Would you shut up already!” Kakuzu roared. “Once we’re done here, you can do as many rituals as you want. Go ham on the whole damn town, for all I care!”

“Tch, whatever,” Hidan rolled his eyes petulantly.

“Finally… Now, just to do this nice and proper,” Kakuzu said, facing Kakashi. “You currently have a bounty of 35 million ryo, with a bonus of up to 20 million for any information about Konoha that we can extract. That means, you represent a hefty sack of money, and I’m here to collect.”

The bounties didn’t really surprise Kakashi; neither his nor the information about his village. However, he didn’t believe for a moment that this was their only objective. Not when they could have come after him any other time, yet only did so when the Uchiha heir and the Jinchuruki of the Kyubi left Konoha’s protective walls for the first time.

Jiraiya hinted that there may be more going on under the surface. Maybe this is actually an opportunity to learn more about the elusive group? 

“That much, huh?” Kakashi stated, projecting a careless attitude. “I’m flattered, though, you don’t expect me to believe that members of Akatsuki are only here for money, do you? You folks have been getting around, lately.”

“Huh,” Hidan muttered. “This one’s smarter than our usual targets. Well-informed, too.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Kakuzu snarled. “Dead men have no need to know about our business. Besides, we’re more than capable of killing multiple birds with just one stone.”

“One of those stones wouldn’t happen to be a certain demon container, would it?” Kakashi asked.

As expected, neither man fell for the bait, but that’s telling all on its own. So, they were after Naruto, after all. Judging that he had squeezed all the info he could get from the conversation, the Jonin activated the trap he had been preparing all along.

From beneath the two, rock spears shot up, positioned so that they would both need to separate. Judging Kakuzu to be the more dangerous of the two, Kakashi rushes him, while sending two clones to harry Hidan.

An explosion rang out from the scythe-wielder’s direction, signalling that he had struck the exploding copy, driving him back toward the bridge. Meanwhile, the real Kakashi engaged his masked opponent up close.

Based on his reaction time and twitchy movements, it would appear that the intel was right. This one was a ninjutsu specialist. 

He wasn’t a slouch, by any means, but Guy would have pummeled him into the ground. And Kakashi? Well, there’s a reason why the Taijutsu specialist considered him his eternal rival. Following the first few exchanges, the Jonin had the man’s measure. After yet another explosion, this one involving an intense, lingering conflagration, Kakuzu found himself slammed into the ground with maximum force.

Spawning another clone, Kakashi had it deliver several more blows while he horizontally pivoted to come up behind his own copy. In that split second, Chidori came to life and, with a twist of his body midair, one of Konoha’s deadliest ninjas punched through his clone, causing it to pop, and into Kakuzu’s heart.

In just five seconds flat, Kakashi had dispatched one of the most dangerous individuals in the Elemental Nations.

At least, that should’ve been the case. 

Defying all common sense, however, Kakuzu grabbed Kakashi’s wrist with one hand, while the other went for his throat. The Jonin managed to prevent the fingers from choking him by gripping the forearm, but this left him wide open for the three scythe blades that just entered his vision.

Fortunately, he had enough room to lean to the side, thus avoiding a decapitation. Kakashi then broke the arm in his grasp and pulled the hand still inside the body that should definitely have become a corpse.

Skipping away to gain some distance was necessary at that point, because by the time he managed to put ten meters between them, Kakuzu had gotten up. Pushing the impossibility of the situation to the back of his mind, for the moment, Kakashi focused on the more pressing fact of having to face both of them at the same time.

“What the hell, Kakuzu?!” The pale-haired sadist yelled. “You let yourself get ganked, just like that?”

“You’re one to talk!” the talking corpse shot back. “He roasted you so bad, you’re practically well done!”

Kakashi observed the same thing. Hidan was half-naked, wearing only pants now. His torso, arms, neck, and face were burned so badly that bone was visible in a few areas. Yet, even with so much damage, he moved like they didn’t matter at all. 

There may be something to their reputations for being undying.

“Ah, it’s only fair, I suppose.” Hidan grinned. “I got him back for it. Just keep him busy.”

What?

The charred man then raised his scythe, ran his finger over one of the blades, and pulled it away to show a red smear. Kakashi then noticed a thin, barely noticeable cut on his neck, proving that he wasn’t able to completely avoid the weapon, after all.

The mad, hysterical laughter that followed was enough to send shivers down Kakashi’s spine.

Side Story 7

Iwa Prepares for the Worst

As Tsuchikage, Onoki has had the displeasure of chairing some of the most annoying meetings in Iwa’s history. The one they’re having now falls under that category. Unfortunately, it also has the temerity of being important.

“We’re really going?” asked Kitsuchi. High-ranking Jonin and father of Kurotsuchi, Onoki’s granddaughter.

“Can you think of another solution outside of outright war?” the Tsuchikage snarked.

They were gathered in a meeting hall, along with Iwa’s division heads, advisors, and other luminaries. Even Han and Roshi showed up, though, not without much grumbling on their part. The prospect of a renewed conflict was simply that serious.

It was the middle of the day, and the noon sun was beating down on the earth from on-high. Fortunately, being so deep under several meters of stone, the insulation made the air pleasantly cool. Always a blessing during high-stress meetings.

“Kitsuchi-dono is merely expressing the same thoughts many in Iwa have, Tsuchikage-sama,” Sen, one of Onoki’s advisors, spoke. Quite ballsy of the normally meek, wrinkled old prune.

“And yet, none of you can give me a different option that will actually make a damned bit of difference!” the Dust Release user barked. “Konoha’s actually opening its gates to other shinobi after three years! Why wouldn’t we take advantage of this?”

“What if it’s a trap, Tsuchikage-sama?”Akatsuchi, Onoki’s frequent guard when leaving the village, asked.

“Then, it’s a pretty shit trap,” he answered gruffly. “Representatives from all hidden villages are going. Not just us, Kumo, Kiri, and Suna. Even Kusa, Ame, and Oto are participating.”

“Hang on,” Han interjected. “Kiri? I thought they’re still in the middle of a civil war?”

“Ha!” Onoki laughed. “Apparently, both sides are sending genin. Can you believe that?”

“Are they courting Konoha to choose a side?” 

“Or not choose a side?”

“It’s unlikely to be the Fourth Mizukage’s intentions.”

“Last I heard, the rebels were becoming more desperate.”

“It doesn’t matter!” the Tsuchikage roared. “The point is that everyone is going. We cannot allow Iwa’s courage and prestige to be stained by a refusal. Once we have people inside, we might also start learning what those tree humpers are hiding. And this won’t be a trap, because Konoha’s not stupid enough to initiate a war with all the hidden villages. Now, are there any reasonable questions or objections?”

“Why can’t we just attack them again?” Roshi asked, sounding genuine. “I mean, we could just team up with the other villages, and when we’re through the gates, bam! We crush ‘em!”

Onoki had to hold back a groan of annoyance. “Because, you poop-flinging buffoon, we still don’t know what they’re up to. If you actually bothered to read the reports, you’d already know this! Signs of increased military effectiveness are already spreading, but we’re not certain what that means. Is it a new weapon? A new genius like the cursed Yellow Flash? For all we know, they could have a younger, fresher version of the damn Sannins! I am not risking my people until I know what I’m dealing with.”

He glared at the Jinchuriki of the Four-Tails and extended that glare to everyone else for good measure. When no one else followed up with another dumbass question, he continued.

“Now, let’s talk about who we’re sending. Kitsuchi.”

“Yes, Tsuchikage-sama?” 

“Is Kurotsuchi ready for this?” Onoki asked, pinning the man with a hard stare and making the Jonin grimace.

“I would rather we not send her,” he began, “but she’ll probably just sneak off if we try to leave her behind. Her skill with Lava Release is coming along nicely. She’s a natural leader and has a decent number of missions under her belt. She’s ready, Tsuchikage-sama.”

“Good,” Onoki grunted. “Now, who else is going?”

They spent several more hours hashing out the details as to which genin was participating, which Jonin would accompany them, and the usual security arrangements. Once they got past this topic, however, Kitsuchi brought something else to their attention.

“What do we do if we discover war preparations, Tsuchikage-sama?”

The question brought Onoki up short. Not because it was unexpected. Only an idiot would have ignored such a possibility. Rather, it was due to the weight of his answer.

“Learn what you can,” he instructed. “Do not get caught. If you find an opening to sabotage their efforts, do so. And if it proves necessary, prepare suicide operatives to take out their leadership to facilitate our escape.”

The silence that enveloped the room was suffocating. War was a contentious topic for those in attendance. Some wanted it. Others would love nothing more than to avoid it. With the prospect coming closer and closer to reality, however, its potential consequences loomed large over the horizon.

Particularly when members of the next generation could be caught in the crossfire.

“That is all,” Onoki declared tiredly. “Dismissed.”

When everyone, save for the Tsuchikage, had left, his diminutive form sagged. The burden of leading Iwa was getting heavier by the day. Reports of dead or missing agents flashed across his closed eyes.

Deaths resulting from failure were the norm for those in their profession. Yet, never has the rate been so high and the cause so hidden.

Whatever you’re hiding, Hiruzen, it had better be worth it. I refuse to believe my men died for a new ramen recipe or something equally stupid.

Raikage’s Rage

“Those fucking tree-humpers!”

Like thunder, this roar reverberated through the cavernous hollow that was Killer Bee’s sanctuary of manly pursuits. Everything made of metal flew through the air and slammed into the stone walls, creating additional cacophony that took several seconds to die down.

By the time the thumps and crashes faded, Kumogakure’s Raikage had stomped to the middle of the chamber.

“What’s this racket, you fool! You gotsta keep calm and stay cool!”

“Will you quit it with the rapping!” came the angry rebuttal. “We’re dealing with a crisis here! None of the spies I sent to Konoha came back, and we’re blind! None of them has ever come back. How do they keep doing this?”

“Nah bro, I ain’t quittin’ nuttin’. Bitches love the beat, it gets their hearts pumpin’!”

“That doesn’t even make any sense!”

“Psshaw, you’s just mad at the Leaf. You keep tryin’, but they keep kicking you in the teeth!”

“Sage, save me from this torment,” the big, muscular, mustachioed beefcake groaned pitifully.

“Raikage-sama,” another voice called.

“What?!” he barked at the pale-haired kunoichi walking towards the brothers.

“We’ve just confirmed that all of the hidden villages are sending representatives and delegations,” she said briskly.

“Wha-, ALL of them?!”

“Yes, Raikage-sama.”

“You gotta stop trippin’ over every little thing, we just gotta be pimpin’ the bling and the sling!”

“The what and the what?!”

“I believe he means that we simply need to outshine the other hidden villages, Raikage-sama,”  the woman with the big boobs explained.

“How, by all that is holy, did you understand that gibberish?”

“Get with the times, I’m spittin’ fine rhymes!”

“Oh, for the love of – at least tell me your students are ready to participate in the chunin exam!”

“Cool it wit da shoutin’, I can hear ya just fine! My kids are stoked to go and are all ready to shine! Bakayaro! Konoyaro!” was the fire-ass reply.

Temporary phase, my hard, corded ass! The Raikage, known as Ay, thought.

“Mabui!” Yes, her name is Mabui. This should’ve been mentioned at some point. 

“Raikage-sama?” The now-named Mabui answered.

“Are the preparations for our departure complete?” the spicy, lightning-flavored bodybuilder asked in a loud voice.

“Everything should be ready by tomorrow, Raikage-sama,” the inappropriately yet appropriately dressed woman of indeterminate age replied.

“Remind me to speak with Yugito later,” the Lariat-throwing logic-hater said with still too much volume. “We might just need her when things go to shit in Konoha. I wouldn’t put it past those root-munchers set a trap.”

“Yes, Raikage-sama,” the [insert innuendo-filled description here] acknowledged.

“Good. And send someone from the Intelligence Department to my office. I’m getting answers from that green hell-hole no matter what!”

“I’ll go there after this, Raikage-sama. Should I also stop by Maintenance to place additional material orders for your desk and door? They’ve run out of the good quality wood, I’m afraid. We might need to make do with the cheaper alternatives until we can get some more.”

A sigh, which sounded like the gust of air expelled by a blacksmith’s forge bellows, came out of the second-fastest man in the Elemental Nations. 

“Yes… and be sure to double the quantity.”

“But you’ll be going to Konoha, Raikage-sama.”

“I’ll probably go through all of them when I get back.”

“Understood, Raikage-sama.”

By this point, the one known as Killer Bee had finished gathering up his scattered weights. Yes, that’s what he was doing while Ay and Mabui were talking. He wasn’t just standing around like an idiot.

“Chillax big bro, we’re all ready to go! Ain’t no one’s gonna top us, with me there and Yugi-tow!”

In response, the Kage who writes legislation with his fists went over to the stacked weights and kicked them over. Being the leader of a hidden village does not preclude one from being a petty older brother.

Misty Woes

“Has this been verified?” asked a woman with long, red-brown hair, blue eyes, and a delicate face.

“Yes, Terumi-sama.” The one who answered was a middle-aged man with a center-peaked hairstyle and an eyepatch. 

Sitting inside a tent, hidden in a small islet and shrouded in thick mist, were the Kiri rebel forces. Scattered throughout the beach of coarse rocks were other such rough accommodations housing the shinobi that was fighting against the oppressive Kiri leadership.

“Ao, we need to be sure,” Terumi Mei, leader of the rebellion, pressed.

“We sent spies to check with multiple sources, ma’am. They all came back saying the same thing.”

“But, why would he leave Kiri at such a crucial time?” the woman wondered aloud, genuinely baffled at this turn of events.

“Perhaps he aims to create an alliance with Konoha against us, like we intend to?” Ao proposed.

“Yagura?” she scoffed. “I might have believed it if this were a few years ago, but the bastard’s shown his true colors, hasn’t he? Why would he seek out the Hidden Leaf for aid?”

“Anything could be going on in that person’s mind,” he conceded. “Regardless, how should we proceed? The man’s absence will create an opening for us to destroy his faction. But, should he ally with Konoha or any of the attending hidden villages, it would be a short-lived victory.”

Mei nodded. “Taking him out en route wouldn’t be feasible, either. We lose far too many of our homegrown advantages, and we simply don’t have the numbers for a brute-force attack.”

“I hate to say it, ma’am, but we might need to play the game of politics for this one.” Ao grimaced, not liking the taste his own words left in his mouth.

“Indeed,” she sighed. “Are we still getting messages from our informants?”

“Nothing definitive,” her aide answered. “Mostly rumors. However, among the most concerning are sightings of Momochi Zabuza near Wave Country.”

“Damn that man,” Mei groaned. “He keeps causing trouble wherever he goes. We might have to put him down ourselves just to spare us the political headache.”

“That will have to wait.” Ao brought her back to reality. “Will Yagura’s intent to attend the chunin exam change our plans, as well?”

A tired breath left Mei’s soft, pouty lips. “It’s unavoidable. We can’t risk him rallying support for his cause, and if I’m not there, neither Konoha nor the other villages might take our side seriously.”

This truly was an unfortunate development. She was counting on the Fourth Mizukage’s established paranoia and insanity to keep him in Kiri. It would have been foolish to completely rely on potential support from the Leaf. There’s that saying about eggs and baskets, after all.

Even if they failed to establish an alliance with Konoha, plans were already in the works to trap Yagura and his faction, thus winning the civil war. It would have been costlier in lives and resources, but it would still be a victory.

Leave it to the monster to ruin plans months in the making on a whim. 

While mulling over her next move, Mei picked up another scroll among the small pile on her desk, which contained messages and intelligence reports. She unrolled it and froze. There, written in clear, legible characters, was a revelation both damning and utterly enraging.

Mei read it once, twice, three times, but neither the content nor the context changed.

She stood abruptly, startling Ao and her other guards. They called for her attention, but she could barely bring herself to care.

If whoever sent the message was telling the truth, then everything just changed. This wasn’t just a simple civil war anymore.

“Ao!” she barked, making the man stand at attention. “Prepare everyone. We’re going to Konoha.”

“Going to – do you mean all of them?” Ao stammered.

“Did I stutter?” Mei shot back. “Yes, all of them!”

“I, uh, I’ll do that, ma’am,” he said. “But, what should I tell them if they ask why?”

She pierced him with a fiery glare. “We’re going to get some fucking answers.”

Recognizing that there was no swaying the woman’s mind, Ao left to do as he was ordered. Meanwhile, the woman in question dismissed her guards, proclaiming that she wanted to be alone.

Picking up the scroll again, she read it through one more time just to make sure that she didn’t make a mistake. It stubbornly refused to yield different information. 

A part of Mei recognized that she was perhaps being impulsive, but she couldn’t afford to take this new development for granted.

“Someone’s been fucking around in the shadows,” she angrily muttered to herself. “If I get my hands on them, they’ll experience first-hand how painful Boil Release can be when applied to the genitals.”

Mokuton Progress Report

On an isolated field, at the very edge of Konoha, a small grove of wooden constructs and trees is arrayed in intricate displays of type, shape, size, and complexity. Impressive for anyone else. Not so much for those who have seen it several times before.

“Not as good as we hoped, but better than nothing.”

This observation was made by the brown-haired boy sitting on the ground by his side, writing in a coded notebook. Yamato still had to marvel at the cipher that came from the young man’s mind. Completely impenetrable, and yet still functioning like an actual language. 

Kenta called it Engrisu, and by his own admission, it was an amalgamation of different tongues and scripts that was then scrambled to near-impossible complexity. For this alone, it was assigned Top-Secret by the Hokage and would only be used by one person to encode some of Konoha’s most sensitive secrets.

One such secret is their current project of further developing the Mokuton. As expected, it was slow going.

Even for the only user of the vaunted Jutsu, it was a complicated affair that was half barely-understood instinct and half endless experimentation. The new breathing exercises did help quite a bit. Better chakra control has allowed him to do bigger and more complex things with Mokuton.

However, they were nowhere near what the First Hokage was known to have done. Worse yet, they were beginning to see diminishing returns. Not that he could say such a discouraging thing to his student.

“We’re much further along than before,” Yamato told Kenta after restoring the landscape to its previous state. “The speed, coverage, and strength of the Jutsu have nearly doubled from when we began. That’s not negligible.”

The former Root shinobi wasn’t lying, either. He and the genin have been on several missions over the past few months, and they have yet to fail a single one. Kenta is a fascinating center of contradictions, combining confidence in skill with anxiety born of inexperience.

Yamato himself has become considerably more effective on the battlefield, whether by capturing infiltrators or eliminating dangers both common and not. Unfortunately for the boy, they have yet to encounter an obstacle that could truly push him to his limits. So, his cultivation remains stagnant.

A situation that is beginning to wear on his young mind.

Hopefully, the upcoming chunin exam will give him the life and death battle he needs to have a breakthrough. If not, they might have to resort to more desperate measures, such as hunting down extremely dangerous individuals. An option that those looking out for the strange boy’s well-being would rather avoid.

“I know,” Kenta conceded to Yamato’s point. “I’ve been spoiled by the long series of miraculously quick R&D successes, I guess. We were bound to smack into a wall that I can’t overcome just by thinking outside the box.”

A smirk worked its way onto Yamato’s face. It’s good that his student is self-aware enough to realize that his many accomplishments were beyond the normal and often defied long-standing expectations. This is why many see Kenta as an oddball, even among his colleagues. 

“Should’ve known it’s not just about Earth and Water Release,” the young prodigy grumbled, almost to himself. “Does it really come down to genetics? What, was Hashirama somehow an alien? No, Tsunade’s normal. Well, except for her – never mind. Maybe a cellular mutation? Was he exposed to some kind of Green Goo? Or radiation? Wait, there’s radiation here, isn’t there? Are there radioactive trees, too?”

Yamato’s student continued in this vein for several minutes, scribbling and scratching on his notebook as he did so. Beyond his obvious intelligence, dedication, and leadership skills, the Mokuton user appreciated this experience the most.

Since taking him on as his genin, Yamato has noticed how much responsibility Kenta routinely shoulders, even without prompting. Many take his scatter-brained antics to be strange and even entertaining. To the Jonin, it shows his commitment to prove himself useful, as well as helping his friends and loved ones.

He works himself to exhaustion because he genuinely cares.

So, to see him so absorbed in just one thing was a relief. In truth, neither Yamato nor the Hokage was in any kind of rush to unlock the secrets of Mokuton. The amount of progress they’ve made in less than a year was more than what Konoha has managed since the Lord Hashirama’s death.

Indeed, the inherent difficulty of the task was exactly why they wanted Kenta to work on it. As contradictory as it might sound to others, to someone with such an active mind, sinking into a single project can be quite restful.

When they finally parted for the day, Yamato made his way to the Hokage Tower. Upon arriving, however, the former ANBU immediately knew that something was wrong. He might no longer wear the mask, but he still knew how the unseen security force worked. Right at that moment, they were more alert than usual.

At the secretary’s gesture, Yamato knocked on the Hokage’s door to announce his presence and entered. When he did, it was to find an agitated Senju Tsunade standing before Konoha’s leader. She barely even spared him a glance.

“If I go now, I can still catch up to them,” she said in a shaking voice. 

“Jiraiya and those I sent with him will be enough,” the Hokage rebuffed. “You are needed here, helping prepare Konoha for the chunin exams.”

“That’s still months away!” she argued. “Those kids need help now!”

“Help is already on the way, Tsunade,” Lord Third said in a stern voice. “We cannot afford to send you too, and leave Konoha vulnerable. Your time is better spent at your post.”

With a huff of anger, the Senju whirled around and walked past Yamato. For his part, the Jonin simply stepped aside and gave the Sannin a short bow. Once she was gone, the Hokage spoke.

“Apologies for the unseemly display, Yamato.” He looked exhausted. “A troublesome development has come up, which should be resolved shortly.”

“I understand, Hokage-sama.” That was all Yamato could say.

“Now, how did your time with Kenta-kun go?” the Sandaime asked.

“As well as expected, Hokage-sama,” he answered. “Progress is stagnating, exactly according to projections. At this rate, my student should have a few more weeks to immerse himself in the tests.”

A satisfied smile formed on the wizened face. “Good. He deserves a break. Rarely have I encountered such a hard-working boy. It almost makes one ashamed of their comparatively sluggish pace.”

“I’ll do my best to keep him occupied, Hokage-sama,” Yamato promised.

“Thank you, Yamato. You’re dismissed.”

“Hai, Hokage-sama.” 

Plans Within Plans

The echoing footsteps of a young woman clad in black robes with red clouds reverberated through the dark, earthen hallways of a cave system carved into the hollows of a mountain that’s perpetually subjected to never-ending rainfall. Her destination was a particular room, in which a man is entombed in a brutal machine intended to provide a semblance of life.

Upon her arrival, the dark-haired kunoichi, her body seemingly composed of shifting sheets of origami paper, stopped before the emaciated subject with eyes containing multiple rings in place of pupils.

“The delegation has left,” she told him with a dull, emotionless voice.

“Thank you, Konan.” Raspy words escaped the dry throat, which was somehow still able to convey deep gratitude.

Long-since used to the deceptively weak state of the speaker, Konan made no comment on it. Instead, she asked the question that has been on her mind for some time now.

“Are you certain about this course, Nagato?” There was no need to elaborate. They both knew exactly what she was referring to.

“You believe we move in haste?” he asked.

“I trust your choices when they’re yours,” she replied, the chill in her voice intensifying. “The plan was proceeding apace. Why do we need to move things up on his word alone?”

The entombed man sighed. “We’ve had to make adjustments before. Despite our reach and influence, the world will turn as it wills. Events at Konoha have begun to move beyond our ability to affect. The Leaf has become unpredictable, and even that despicable leech, Danzo, appears to be in lockstep with Sarutobi Hiruzen. We can no longer afford to take the slow route.”

Konan clenched her fist tight at the reminder of the man responsible for Yahiko’s death. If she had her way, Shimura Danzo would die a slow death. Even so, she couldn’t help but feel that their recent moves were too rushed.

“Would it not have been better to observe a bit more?” she asked. “The timeframe is extremely short. We’ve already spent years working toward our goals. What’s a few months more?”

“A few months might mean the difference between victory and defeat,” a new voice cut in. Turning around, Konan saw a man wearing an orange mask with a spiraling pattern that converged into a single eyehole.

“So you say,” she said.

“So it is,” he insisted.

“It no longer matters,” Nagato intervened. “We’ve had to adapt under more strenuous constraints before. This will be no different. The question, however,” he directed a glare at the newcomer, “is why you felt the need to add new factors into the equation.”

The masked man had the audacity to offer a careless shrug. “To increase our chance of success, why else?”

“Without consulting us?” Konan hissed.

“There was no time,” he responded casually.

“Actions like this make it difficult to trust you, Uchiha Madara,” Nagato reproached, his grating voice heating up. “We are meant to be partners. We are not your lackeys who will simply nod and remain silent whenever you indulge your whimsy.”

“I never intended it as such,” Madara explained in a placating manner. “But, time really was of the essence. You know the plan sometimes requires risks beyond our control.”

“Very little is beyond your control,” Konan accused. 

“You overestimate me, my dear.” The flippant reply nearly caused the girl to snap. “Weakened as I am, my ability to manipulate events is significantly curtailed. You know this.”

“Be that as it may,” Nagato jumped in again. “I expect to be informed the next time you see fit to introduce chaotic elements into a major operation. Otherwise, we might need to make changes to our relationship.”

Both men stared each other down, the air becoming charged with unspoken threats. Anyone hoping that this standoff would come to blows would be disappointed, however. The masked one simply nodded, conceding to the other’s demand.

“One last thing before I go,” Madara said.

“Go on.”

“Hidan and Kakuzu are both dead.” The declaration wasn’t met with either shock or dismay from Nagato and Konan. Members of Akatsuki were always meant to be disposable pawns. However, Madara’s next words carried more significance. “They didn’t go down quietly, and Konoha has suffered grievous losses. It would also appear that we have less time than we believed.”

“How so?” Nagato asked.

“Whatever’s going on in the Leaf, it’s had a massive impact on the Kyubi and its Jinchuruki. We must prepare accordingly.”

Chapter 12

Kakashi POV

Kakashi didn’t have long to ponder the reason for Hidan’s unhinged laughter. A huge gout of flames barrelled toward him, forcing a quick evasion. Somehow, another attack came from a different direction, this time made of lightning.

Fortunately, with his Sharingan, even the second level of physical enhancement was enough to dodge both. Unfortunately, that was when his leg suddenly gave out for no apparent reason.

A more desperate maneuver became necessary then, with the use of Kakashi’s remaining leg and both arms. Still sufficient to completely avoid a third attack of the earth variety, but things have gotten a lot more desperate than before.

From what Kakashi could tell, his leg had sustained a stab wound from out of nowhere. Well, not from out of nowhere. There could only be one explanation for this new complication, and a quick glance in Hidan’s direction confirmed his theory.

The madman’s form had suddenly changed, with his skin taking on a dark and white hue. He also appeared to be standing on a peculiar, circular symbol with lines forming a triangle inside. 

Confirming his theory was the kunai sticking out of the maniac’s leg.

“My ritual is complete!” he proclaimed between fits of laughter. “You’ve been cursed, you bastard! How’d you like the taste of that?”

Hidan kept on yapping, but Kakashi stopped listening. Partly because he couldn’t be bothered with his babbling, and partly because he had to evade yet another attack. This time, it was via several black strings that seemed to have a mind of their own.

They handily sliced through earth, trees, and rocks, which reinforced his caution.

Regardless of the reversal in fortune, however, a Jonin of his calibre is never without options. For starters, his Sharingan allowed him to make multiple observations faster than most shinobi could conceive. 

He already tagged Hidan’s peculiar state and location, for example. Kakashi also identified how Kakuzu has been sending numerous rapid-fire Jutsu of different elements his way. As it turns out, there are three figures shrouded in black wires, with white masks. Kakauzu himself was standing between them, shirtless and showcasing a patchwork torso.

To complete the macabre picture, his arms were in the process of retracting, connected by the same wires that acted like simulated muscle fibres.

So, while his situation wasn’t entirely resolved, he had a good starting point to formulate a counter.

To start with, he went through the Hand Seals of the Healing Palm Jutsu. As he landed, Kakashi tried to apply the healing technique on his leg, but stopped when it utterly failed to take effect. It would seem that as long as the kunai stays buried in Hidan’s leg, Kakashi’s injury will also remain.

Yet another clue to this bizarre fighting style.

All of this occurred in the span of three seconds, which was long enough for Kakuzu to unleash a flurry of elemental attacks, once more.

Instead of simply evading, however, the Leaf Jonin countered with a Jutsu of his own invention.

“Raikiri!”

The move cut through all three attacks, which then left a small window for Kakashi to take action. Briefly going into the third stage of physical enhancement, he flashed toward the figure that launched the Earth-style Jutsu, shredding it with two Lightning-infused kunai in each hand.

While not as good as what he would have gotten with chakra metal, the result was still indisputable. He wasn’t able to do a follow-up, however, due to his right arm going limp.

“What the hell are you doing, Kakuzu?!” Hidan shouted. His own shoulder was bleeding courtesy of a new stab wound. “Finish him off, already!”

Kakuzu responded by launching a combo Jutsu attack of Wind and Fire. This time, Kakashi was unable to completely evade the large, destructive wave of the enhanced flame attack.

By the time he landed further to the side of the battlefield, his nerves and muscles were spasming fiercely. The limp arm was also charred, along with most of his right side. It was only through pure instinct that he was able to keep his Sharingan safe from the conflagration.

I may be in trouble, he thought wryly.

“The little shit’s too fast!” Kakuzu yelled back. “Why don’t you just cut off your own head? I’ll put it back after!”

Crap. That didn’t sound good.

Acting on a hunch, Kakashi deployed another clone with a one-handed Seal and sent it toward Hidan. Not to damage him, though. Instead, the clone launched a gigantic water Jutsu meant to wash the scythe-wielder away and disrupt whatever so-called ritual he was doing. 

The clone popped after deploying the Jutsu, but it had already accomplished its task. Hidan was blasted off his feet by the water pressure, which also scoured the surface he was standing on.

Predicting Kakuzu’s approach, Kakashi scattered several exploding tags in front of him before making a quick retreat. As he did so, he cycled through the Healing Palm Jutsu again, which was slowed by having access to only one hand.

It still worked, though, and he was able to close his leg wound. Not completely, but to the point of functionality.

That was the good news. The bad news involved his shrinking chakra reserves, his charred arm and sides, effectively impairing his ability to fight, and the remaining presence of two extremely dangerous opponents.

So, that’s two more Jutsu-flinging constructs and two immortal enemies against a crippled Leaf Jonin.

“Well,” Kakashi sighed wistfully. “I’ve faced worse odds.”

Getting into a ready stance, once more, he watched as the two Akatsuki members regrouped. It was too much to hope that Hidan had drowned.

“This is a tougher fight than we expected, eh Kakuzu?” The insane redhead had the audacity to cackle. 

“Shut up, Hidan,” Kakuzu growled. “You’re strong, Kakashi. You’ll make a fine addition to my collection.”

“No thanks,” Kakashi quipped. “I’m perfectly happy where I am.”

His irreverent reply caused Hidan to howl in laughter while Kakuzu merely cracked his neck. Ah, banter. On some level, the Jonin did miss the back-and-forth throwing of barbs. That’s only really possible with shinobi who were close to him in skill, and there’s been a shortage of those over the last two years.

Still, it was probably a good idea to put an end to this fight. As strong as his students were, Zabuza remained a dangerous opponent, and he should’ve recovered from his punting by now.

So, he charged straight at the two S-Class mercenaries, intent on finishing them, one way or the other.

Sakura POV

Though worried sick about her teacher facing off against two dangerous-looking enemies, Sakura didn’t look back and ran straight for Tazuna’s home. She didn’t know how long Zabuza and his companion would remain busy for, so she wasn’t taking chances and focused everything she had on speed.

When she came in sight of her destination, however, it was to find a battlefield.

Several dozen armed men were attacking with almost manic rage, showing no signs of self-preservation. They threw themselves at the two stationary figures of Tsuname and Inari, who stood just outside their home.

As for why they weren’t taking shelter in the house, they probably were before someone set it on fire. Now, it was nearly consumed in the blaze, and they couldn’t be evacuated from the premises, being surrounded as they were.

Naruto and Sasuke were blurs, moving around their vulnerable charges, unable to do more than physical attacks. Their civilian VIPs were too close to use Jutsu and, upon Sakura’s inspection, neither shuriken nor kunai seemed to do much against the crazed attackers.

Some of them had injuries that should have been debilitating, with deep cuts, gouged flesh, and even limbs flopping about that were only connected to their bodies by a small amount of skin and muscle. The macabre sight forced Sakura to stop in her tracks as it didn’t make sense to her.

Medical training stressed how the body can still function when pushed to its limits, but this was just insane!

“Sakura!” she heard Sasuke shout. “We’re making an opening! Grab Tsuname and Inari when we do!”

What….?

Before she could respond, a powerful gale of wind blasted through the crowd, tossing enemies into the air. Acting on trust, she threw Tazuna into the sky before rushing toward the man’s daughter and grandson. 

Sakura had no time to consider the amount of blood and viscera she was stepping on, focusing only on the woman and boy. Everything else became a blur. Upon getting to them, the kunoichi placed them over each shoulder before running back the way she came. Even at the speed she moved, however, the gap had already begun to close. Fortunately, she had teammates to clear the way.

Catching a glimpse of orange and black, Sakura didn’t falter and kept on moving. By the time she arrived at her original starting point, Tazuna was still in the process of falling back to earth. Depositing her two passengers on the ground, she jumped to meet their client halfway down to cushion his fall.

By the time her feet met the ground, Sakura was repressing unhelpful thoughts that wanted to rampage in her brain, such as, “How did I do that?” or “Did that just happen?” in favor of more useful ideas. Included in these was considering their options for escape while keeping the three targets safe.

She didn’t have long to think about that, though, as Naruto and Sasuke appeared to grab Inari and Tsuname, respectively.

“We gotta go!” Naruto barked.

They were already moving before Sakura realized the direction they were heading.

“Stop!” she desperately yelled. “Sensei’s fighting dangerous people on the bridge, we can’t go there!”

“Shit!” Sasuke cursed, momentarily breaking through the girl’s panicked mind. “This way!”

At the change in direction, Sakura and Naruto were close on his heels. Unfortunately, it would appear that the mob was the same, and they couldn’t go any faster without risking injury to their passengers.

“How are they keeping up with us?” Even ignoring their various wounded states, none of those chasing them moved like shinobi. She simply refused to believe that mundane muscle could allow them to run so swiftly.

“We think they're on something!” came Naruto’s annoyed voice. “They don’t go down no matter how many times you hit them, and they’re a lot stronger and faster than they look.”

“It’s a Genjutsu,” Sasuke interjected calmly despite their dire situation. “Someone used a technique that’s making them ignore pain and push their bodies to the point of destruction. I saw it in their eyes.”

“We have to slow them down, somehow!” she breathlessly shouted at her teammates.

She didn’t get a verbal response. Instead, a rain of kunai attached to exploding tags was carelessly tossed at their rear. After a few seconds, a series of spectacular explosions signalled potential reprieve from their pursuers. Sakura didn’t even get the chance to feel relief, however, as a shadow suddenly appeared overhead with a distinct sword descending their way.

The kunoichi only had enough time to curse their luck before all hell broke loose.

Kakashi POV

Kakashi was man enough to concede that he may have bitten off more than he could chew. Kakuzu and Hidan were fighting with a lot more coordination than was ideal, with one keeping him busy, while the other kept trying to restore his ritual. 

So far, the Leaf Jonin has been successful in maintaining the status quo. That is to say, he kept interrupting the redhead’s fingerpainting while causing incremental damage to the other undead freak of nature. Unfortunately, if he doesn’t find a way out of this predicament soon, he’s going to be in huge trouble.

As efficient as his use of chakra is, his reserves weren’t limitless. In fact, he was now at about a quarter of what he started with. His Sharingan was still a chakra-hog, no matter how well he’s been managing it, and it’s been in use for an extended period of time. 

Kakashi couldn’t use too many Jutsu anymore, either. All of his chakra is going into maintaining his physical enhancement, which was needed to evade attacks from practically all sides.

Hidan wasn’t just trying to redo his ritual every time he was interrupted, after all. He also retaliated with surprisingly deft attacks that took advantage of unusual angles. Combined with Kakuzu’s endless wire assaults, his minions, and the man’s own strikes from blind spots, Kakashi hadn’t been able to inflict that much damage.

As a result, he was now reduced to waiting for an opportunity to take out one or the other. But his patience was wearing thin.

The explosion he heard in the direction of the town meant that his students were currently being attacked. As much as he wanted to help them, however, this situation wasn’t like the one with Zabuza. Both Kakuzu and Hidan wanted him dead at all costs, and Kakashi had no doubt that they would use his kids as hostages if given the chance.

Just as things were getting really desperate, he finally saw an opening.

Following a close call with a construct and Kakuzu, Kakashi blasted both in opposite directions. The construct went through a tree while its creator slammed into the other surviving wire monstrosity. This created a brief window in which Hidan was left vulnerable while finishing his circle. 

Kakashi immediately capitalized on this to rush at the cultist and decapitate him with one slash of his chakra-enhanced kunai. The head hadn’t even fallen to the ground before it all went wrong.

Rather than go limp, the headless body jerked around with the scythe coming for an overhead, diagonal slash. Kakashi managed to dodge it by a hair’s breadth, but just as he did, blinding pain assaulted his legs.

Looking down revealed wires coming out of the edge of Hidan’s circle. All of which had pierced his limbs before wrapping around them, thus pinning Kakashi in place.

“Ha! We finally got you, you slippery fuck!” The words came from the decapitated head of the ritualist, which was grinning at him from the ground. “Now, you die!”

At the end of his proclamation, the headless body spun the scythe around, swinging the three blades toward Kakashi to pierce his torso. In that same moment, he felt Kakuzu and his two constructs appear behind him, readying their own strikes.

Trapped, exhausted, injured, and alone, Hatake Kakashi knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he had run out of options.

Sasuke POV

When Sasuke threw in his support for the mission’s continuation, he never expected things to devolve so far, so fast. The crazed mob that appears to have been physically boosted in some way to ignore pain and debilitating injuries was bad enough. Now, they had to contend with an honest-to-goodness Jonin-class missing-nin. 

The only reason he was able to deflect the massive blade with his heel was due to his awakened Sharingan. Without it, there was no way he would’ve had the reflexes to actually kick it away. 

Sasuke had already accumulated a lot of debt toward Kenta for making that happen, and all of the training they went through, which made the Uchiha scion much stronger. Now, he’s adding more to the pile since the civilian prodigy’s numerous training scenarios of varying difficulties and unconventional elements were the only reason he and his team are still breathing.

Naruto followed up on Sasuke’s deflection of Zabuza’s blade with a Wind Jutsu that blasted the swordsman toward the treeline, but they all knew the reprieve wouldn’t last long. 

“We have to go to Kakashi-sensei!” Sasuke yelled with some effort. The non-stop running and fighting were pushing even his prodigious capabilities to the limit.

“He’s already in combat!” Sakura reminded with a voice that was shaking with dread. 

“Our chances are better with him!” Naruto shouted, already moving toward their teacher’s last-known location. “If we stay on our own, we’re dead!”

Seeing the idiot not being completely idiotic this time, Sasuke followed suit and, after a brief hesitation, so did Sakura. Along the way, the trio had to deflect senbons thrown at them from the direction ahead, as if trying to herd them toward a different destination.

Fortunately, all three were good enough at deflecting the thrown projectiles, even while carrying passengers. This then forced Zabuza’s masked partner to show themselves and attack directly, whom Naruto intercepted by neatly tossing Inari at Sasuke.

“Keep going!” he yelled before forcing their assailant further into the forest.

Sasuke dearly wanted to stop and support his teammate, but knew that he couldn’t. He would have to trust that Naruto can take care of himself. 

This decision became even more prescient when Zabuza reappeared to take a swing at Tazuna and Sakura. With both his arms occupied, however, Sasuke was forced to use a technique that he had nowhere near enough practice with. It wasn’t even a conscious decision on his part. 

Dashing between the missing-nin and Sakura, the Uchiha’s Sharingan flashed. Through effort and persistence, what was once only a single tomoe had become two. At this moment, however, the fear, focused rage, desperation, and sheer adrenaline caused a third tomoe to sprout. All three began to spin and used Sasuke’s determination to launch a Genjutsu intended to stop Zabuza in his tracks…

… And somehow, it works.

The edge of the impractically huge sword hovered over Sasuke’s head, far too close for comfort. Looking toward the man holding it revealed eyes that looked glazed over. This didn’t last long, though, as they quickly regained their focus before Zabuza jumped back and aggressively shook his head.

Once he was done, the runaway swordsman was breathing erratically before letting out a deep roar of volcanic rage.

“THAT SON OF A BITCH!”

Somehow, Sasuke got the feeling that he wasn’t the target of Zabuza’s newly awakened ire.

Naruto POV

Naruto was beyond done with this day. What started out as a regular morning has become a nightmare of epic proportions. Even now, as he did his best to keep his opponent away from his teammates, the blonde had to actively suppress the sensations of beating down a seemingly tireless horde that knows neither pain nor surrender.

The squelching of flesh, the crunch of bones, and the spray of blood all made for a horrifying experience.

He much preferred this fight, where the enemy made sensible choices, like dodging his attacks, rather than blocking his fists with their faces. You know, like a sane person. The masked assailant even fought like a shinobi instead of some screeching, frothing horror.

“Stand still, you freakin’ squirrel!”

With that said, Naruto was in a bit of a hurry. So, as relieved as he was to be fighting someone normal, delaying any longer could put his friends in danger. Unfortunately, his opponent seemed intent on being uncooperative. 

His attacks did connect several times, which led to one of the masked shinobi’s arms hanging limply by their side. This only made them more cautious, though, and focused more on evasion, along with opportunistic attacks. 

Naruto was faster, without a doubt. But whoever this person was definitely had the upper hand when it came to real battle experience. They wouldn’t have been able to dodge by the skin of their teeth so many times if this weren’t the case.

Finally, they reached a clearing with a narrow river flowing nearby. 

The figure skidded to a stop, looking winded. In his rush to end the fight, Naruto didn’t even consider that this was a trap.

And a trap it was.

Just as the blonde landed on the grassy surface, his opponent went through several Hand Seals. Before Naruto could stop them, he was surrounded by five rectangular panes of icy mirrors. They were positioned at all four corners, and even above him.

Well, that was stupid of me, he thought bitterly. Having already fallen victim to this specific bloodline limit once before, Naruto really should’ve known better.

“I’m sorry,” he heard before the surface of all the mirrors flashed.

Then again, it wasn’t like he was completely helpless. In fact, in preparation for a rematch, Naruto had been working hard on his secret weapon for the last few days. He knew that it still had a few kinks to iron out, as Kenta would say. But for this moment? It’ll do nicely.

From the moment that the panes appeared, he was already going through a long series of Hand Seals. He finished just as the first icy needles shot towards him.

“Secret Technique,” he intoned. “Fūjin no Gaitō (Cloak of the Wind God).”

A burst of air pressure was released, thus shattering the panes of ice trapping Naruto. When the mist and dust cleared up, the blonde stood in the same spot. However, his body was now covered in rapidly swirling gales of wind, forming a protective layer over his form.

In contrast, his opponent was kneeling on the ground, mask blown away. The face that was revealed was the most beautiful Naruto had ever seen, causing his brain to stutter for a second. It rebooted quickly, though.

“Huh,” he said without thinking. “I’ve been fighting a girl. Neat!”

“That’s enough, Haku!” a voice growled from the side. 

Both combatants looked toward the source, only to find a most unusual sight. Zabuza was there, obviously, since he was the one who spoke. What made the scene uncanny was the addition of his teammates, Tazuna-san, Tsunami-san, and Inari, all walking towards them, calm as you please.

“What the frick is going on?” Naruto couldn’t help but ask.

“That’s what I’d like to know,” Sasuke spat before turning to Zabuza. “Your apprentice is alive. Now, tell us about this other Sharingan user.”

Oh, for the love of the Sage! How much more complicated is this mission gonna get?!

Sakura POV

“Now, tell us about this other Sharingan user.”

Sakura was still having trouble understanding what was going on. The man who had been hunting them suddenly stopped, talking about being under some sort of strong Genjutsu. Naruto had apparently completed the secret Jutsu he was working on with Kenta. Worst of all, there was still the matter of the frothing mob chasing them.

“What didn’t you get?” Zabuza growled in irritation. “Someone with the same fucked up eye like yours messed with my head. I wasn’t even supposed to get involved in this shit. We take out the old man from a distance and then scram, that was the plan. Next thing I know, I’m in the woods with you.”

By now, both Naruto and the injured kunoichi he had been fighting had joined the group, with the blonde still giving Zabuza the stink-eye.

“You said eye?” Sasuke asked sharply. “Not eyes?”

“Just the one,” the savage-looking man grunted. “With a lot of orange around it.”

“The heck does that mean?” Naruto yelped. “Like an orange face?”

“Beats me, brat.” Zabuza was already turning to look over the one he called Haku. “All I saw was the eye and orange. After that, I don’t remember anything else.”

“How can you not remember anything else?” Sasuke pressed angrily. “What were you doing before that? Where were you? Who were you with?”

The missing-nin spun around, eyes wild. “I don’t need to tell you shit! And do you really have the time to be asking me twenty questions? Don’t you have a bunch of dogs on your tail?”

He was right, Sakura realized. The sounds of stomping feet and delirious screeches were getting closer every second. From the way Sasuke was gritting his teeth in frustration, he thought the same.

“Wait, are you just going to leave?” Naruto blurted out.

“We got no reason to stick around,” Zabuza barked. “Our employer’s dead, so our paycheck’s down the drain.”

“Let’s make a deal!” More than one set of eyes sent the idiot an incredulous look.

“I don’t make a habit of making deals with brats,” the swordsman grunted.

“Your friend’s hurt,” Naruto pointed out. “Sakura can heal her. In exchange, you help us get rid of the ones chasing us and rescue Kakashi-sensei.”

“Now, hang on a minute!” Tazuna interjected. “This monster wanted me dead not even a minute ago, and now you’re asking him to help?”

“What the old fart said,” Zabuza added, earning a glare from the bridge-builder. “That’s not how things work, kid.”

“He doesn’t have a reason to go after you anymore, Tazuna-san,” her teammate said. “But he does have a reason to go after the one who controlled him. Don’t you?” He directed that last part to the rogue shinobi.

“And what makes you think that?” Zabuza asked with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

“Because if they came after you once, they could do it again.” Naruto was grinning now. “Have Sakura heal your friend, you help us get rid of those chasing us, and we can help Kakashi-sensei. Together, we can figure out who used a Sharingan on you and maybe take them down, too. That way, you won’t have to worry about them anymore.”

Zabuza looked like he was about to refuse, but a quiet voice spoke up first.

“Zabuza-sama, perhaps he has a point.”

“Haku?!” The man looked like he couldn’t believe his own ears.

“I didn’t even realize you were under a Genjutsu,” Haku said in a strained voice. “I thought something was strange when you changed our initial plan, but I kept quiet. If it weren’t for them, who knows what the Sharingan user would have forced you to do? What they could still force you to do.”

“Are you saying I can’t take care of myself, Haku?” Zabuza growled threateningly.

“Are you really willing to take that chance?” Naruto countered from the side. “We have the only two other people who have the Sharingan that can break you out of a Genjutsu if you’re caught in one again, and one of them is in trouble. What, are you gonna spend your whole life sleeping with one eye open knowing what’s out there?”

The whole time Naruto was speaking, Sakura could only marvel at the scene. Who would have thought that the orange-obsessed troublemaker could articulate such sensible arguments? 

“Help us, and we’ll protect you and Haku,” Naruto declared. “I give you my word, and I never go back on my word. Believe it!”

Sakura glanced over at Sasuke for any hint as to whether she should intervene, but the Uchiha was actually smirking in satisfaction. What the hell was going on? Of more concerning note, however, was the increasingly audible sound of a stampede heading their way. If they were going to do something, now would be the time to do it.

“Your word, huh?” Zabuza asked. “You’re seriously willing to shelter two missing-nin from Kiri, boy?”

“I’m Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage of Konoha. Your safety is already guaranteed!”

A part of Sakura wanted to strangle the blonde while calling him an idiot. Another part thought about how far the boy has come since the days at the academy and the sheer potential he has shown, thus far. Looking into those clear, blue eyes and seeing the unshakeable conviction shining through, she thought that maybe his becoming Hokage really wasn’t as far-fetched as she initially believed.

“Heh,” Zabuza snorted. “Fine, kid. You’ve got yourself a deal. You, forehead girl!” Several veins instantly popped all over Sakura’s face at being addressed in such a manner. “Get over here and treat Haku. Your friends and I will take out the trash.”

The pink-haired kunoichi would have loved to give the bastard a piece of her mind, but now wasn’t really the time. She had enough self-control to settle for planning her revenge at a later date.

“I apologize for Zabuza-sama’s harsh conduct,” Haku said in a sincere voice while Sakura healed her. The two of them were left behind, along with Tazuna-san and his family, while her teammates and the brute went to stop their mob of pursuers. 

“You’re not the one who should be apologizing,” Sakura grumbled. “Besides, Naruto’s the one who went overboard with you. He should know better than to treat girls so harshly.”

“Oh, I should probably correct that misunderstanding,” her beautiful patient said. “I’m a boy, not a girl.”

Sakura gave Haku a pointed look, and then the hands running healing energy over Haku’s body, and then back at Haku.

“Are you seriously going to give me that nonsense while I literally have my palms on you?” She couldn’t have injected more sarcasm into her question if she tried.

Naruto POV

Absolutely drenched in blood and gristle, Uzumaki Naruto felt untethered. 

He, Sasuke, and Zabuza were now on the way to help Kakashi, but it was difficult to keep track of how far they’d gone or which path they took. His mind was awash with the memories of tearing through hapless opponents who couldn’t put up a proper fight, and yet needed to be put down.

Permanently.

“We can’t save them and Kakashi-sensei, Naruto.” That’s what Sasuke told him when he argued for his teammate to also unscramble their minds with his Sharingan. “It would take too long and would use too much chakra. By the time we’re done, our teacher could be dead. We need to choose.”

Trapped between two unpleasant options, the blonde could only fall back on the lessons he’d learned over the years. As Zabuza and Sasuke began obliterating their pursuing mob, Naruto heard Kenta’s words echoing in the back of his mind.

“When you’re faced with no good choices, pick the one that leads to the consequences you can live with,” Kenta had said with a solemn voice and a deep sadness in his ageless eyes. “Because, at the end of the day, you’ll have to carry that burden for the rest of your life.”

So, Naruto chose the path that would see his team and teacher safe. Even so, weighing the lives of his enemies against the lives of those he loved was a terrible responsibility. So much so that he could barely bring himself to remember the extermination with crystal clarity.

Instead, it was an amalgamation of sensations, sounds, and brutal impacts.

“Shit.”

The harsh remark drew Naruto out of his haze to see his teammate’s frozen expression. Following the direction of Sasuke’s stare froze the blood in Naruto’s veins and stopped his heart.

Standing in the middle of a clearing was their teacher, but he wasn’t alone. Several figures crowded him, but the scene made very little sense. One of the figures was headless, and two looked like they were made of wriggling snakes. Before the reality of what he was seeing truly registered in his mind, the figures moved.

The headless one pulled a scythe with three blades out of his sensei’s chest, the weapon dripping with blood. The others moved back, as well, causing the squelch of withdrawing black tendrils to echo around the silent forest in a nauseating manner.

“Hey, look at that!” a manic voice shattered the quiet. “The brat actually came to us! Nice!”

Naruto didn’t know who spoke. He didn’t really know much of anything at that point. All of his attention was centered on his teacher’s form falling forward in slow motion. Drumbeats began to resound in his ears, and it took him a moment to realize that it was his own heart.

It was loud and erratic, almost deafening in how it swallowed all other sounds.

Naruto couldn’t remember his chest feeling so tight or painful before. In that timeless moment of eternity, it clicked in his mind that his heart might be reminding him that it was still beating. He certainly couldn’t say the same about Kakashi-sensei.

No.

His teacher’s heartbeat was gone. 

His teacher’s heart was gone. 

His teacher was gone.

The moment those thoughts registered in his mind, the world was drowned in red.

Jiraiya POV

The Toad Sannin knew that he literally couldn’t be moving any faster than he was at that moment. However, Jiraiya still couldn’t shake the terrible feeling that the message he got came far too late. He and the two ANBU who were sent with him had been traveling for nearly an hour. Even at their best speed, covering the distance between Konoha and Wave Country was a monumental task.

And their travel was already being cut in half by mastering the second stage of physical enhancement. A system that was only ever designed to be used in short bursts, instead of continuous, sustained movements.

Jiraiya had to be cognizant of the potential consequences of abusing the reinforcement method like this. Worst-case scenario, their bodies might actually seize by the time they arrive.

Unfortunately, they didn’t have a choice in the matter. If needed, the three of them could provide enough of a distraction for the kids to escape. Even if it costs them their lives, they could not allow Naruto to fall or to be captured.

After a while, they finally reached the water and were traversing the surface on foot when the worst happened.

Sheer malevolence filled the air as a wave of malice originated from their intended direction. Its suffocating weight was beyond description, but there was no mistaking the bloodlust that it carried. Only one being could be causing such a sensation to pierce deep into a man’s soul like this.

Kyuubi no Kitsune. The Nine-Tailed Fox. Unleashed from its prison.

A burst of light bisected the clouds and cleared the fog around their misty surroundings with the undeniable command of a force of nature. This was quickly followed by a huge beam of red and blue that quickly cleared the horizon and reduced a mountain several miles to the West to dust. 

Its form might still be too far to make out, but there was no doubt in Jiraiya’s mind that something had released the bijuu. He didn’t yet know what, but if any of them were to survive this day, holding back was no longer an option.

Telling his companions as much, all three briefly crossed into the third stage of physical enhancement and launched themselves into the sky. There would be no point in playing it safe at this juncture. Right now, the only victory they could hope for was survival.

Hold on, Naruto, Jiraiya desperately thought.

Kenta POV

It took me a while to figure out what Yamato-sensei and the Hokage were trying to do. An embarrassingly long time, in fact. When it finally did register that they were trying to keep me occupied with the Mokuton project so that I stopped running myself ragged, I was furious. 

How dare they?!

Didn’t they know how important it was for me to give Konoha every edge I could? Keeping our shinobi alive in the field for much longer wasn’t nearly enough. We also needed ways to destroy our enemies. 

But, nooooo! I’m stuck working on a stupid bloodline ability that makes no damn sense, even for the whacky rules of this absurd, asinine world! 

Jutsus were supposed to function based on single elements or combinations. Mud is made from combining Water and Earth. Ice from Wind and Water. Lava from Fire and Earth. But the First Hokage’s signature technique simply refuses to yield answers that made a lick of sense!

What the fuck even is life energy?! What do you mean you have to convert chakra into it before you can produce a single piece of wood?! How, dammit, how?!

Make it make sense!

I was so frustrated with my lack of progress that I actually decided to take a fucking walk. That’s how I ended up on the top of the Hokage monument. I didn’t really mean to come here. This is just where my feet took me.

Looking over Konoha from this height, though, I was blown away by how different it is from just two years ago. 

So many new buildings were either already built or were still under construction. New public utilities and amenities were available from the efforts of my more research-centric classmates. It wasn’t difficult to see from this vantage point that I’d already made a huge difference in the village. 

But, would it be enough? Or would Pain just stroll in and reduce the place to rubble? 

One of the most disconcerting things that I learned since I was reborn in this world is how difficult it was to gauge results from just the stories I sporadically read. How do you judge something that was basically ink and paper, or scenes shown through screens?

Those only ever show events that needed to happen as part of the plot. There were no such guardrails in this world. For all I knew, the source materials were just one version of what was supposed to happen, and this one was another version. One that wasn’t meant to go as it did in the original story.

My musings were interrupted by goosepimples suddenly assaulting every inch of my skin. My arms, neck, shoulders, back, and even legs. 

Then, it suddenly became really hard to breathe.

The change was so rapid and so unexpected that it brought me to my knees. As my body was spazzing out, my mind went through possibilities and potential reasons to explain why I lost control of my muscles.

As it turns out, the answer would come both from inside and outside my brain nearly at the same time.

Memories of a blonde loudmouth gaining animalistic features were superimposed on something happening just over the horizon. It was hazy and difficult to make out the actual body. However, there was no mistaking the things waving in the air like massive, floofy pillars.

Nine tails reached toward the sky like the tendrils of an awakening eldritch god. 

The strange thing, however, was its almost fractal nature. I wasn’t actually seeing the physical form of the tails themselves. At least, I didn’t think so. Instead, they seemed like the metaphysical representation of Kurama. 

Did the bijuu actually have some kind of dimensional bleed-through effect? Did they exist in multiple planes of existence at once?

Wait a minute… that’s not important right now!

What the fuck’s happening with Naruto?!

Sasuke POV

In the blink of an eye, the world stopped making sense. One second, Sasuke stood frozen as the bloody form of their teacher collapsed on the ground. The next second, Naruto released an unfathomable amount of bloodlust that nearly flattened their surroundings.

Sasuke’s world shrank to a pinprick at that point, and his eyes focused on the one thing still within his field of vision, Kakashi-sensei. Or, more specifically, his eyes.

Wide, dilated, and desperate, those eyes that always seemed to contain some secret humor that only he ever found funny were looking at him. Still very much alive. Sasuke lost all perspective and simply dashed toward the Jonin’s fallen form. An act that would have cost him his life if a giant sword hadn’t intercepted the figures made of black wires on their way to pierce Sasuke’s body.

Kakashi-sensei felt almost weightless when Sasuke grabbed him, throwing the man over his shoulder, and making a run for it. 

There was still warmth. There was still breath. That meant that there was still a chance.

Giving no thought as to whether or not he could trust Zabuza to protect him while he focused on escaping with his cargo, Sasuke dashed toward their only hope for survival. It was a near thing; just a glimpse of what Naruto had become in the corner of his enhanced vision was enough to almost make the Uchiha stumble.

Focus! He berated himself. Think about that later. Focus on Kakashi-sensei and get him to Sakura!

Blast waves, searing and oppressive, filled the direction to their rear as Sasuke put every ounce of chakra and physical effort toward running as fast as he could. It clearly wasn’t fast enough because he heard a “Move it, kid!” just behind him. 

And move he did.

The added weight of Kakashi-sensei, regardless of whether Sasuke felt it or not, did increase the drag. So, the genin forced more chakra toward his limbs, pushing right into the edge of the third stage – a dangerous proposition, as he could already feel his muscles, tendons, and joints straining.

He couldn’t stop, though. Every second counted. Not only for the minute, almost infinitesimal chance of saving his teacher’s life, but also to help his teammate.

Even if Sasuke didn’t know why Naruto had become what he was or how, it didn’t matter. The blonde idiot was his responsibility. One entrusted to Sasuke by a dear friend. He’d rather die than break that trust.

“Sasuke!”

Sakura’s voice, ringing with fear and hysteria, pierced the air as soon as they burst out of the woods and into the clearing by the river. Thanks to his Sharingan, Sasuke was able to confirm that everyone was still safe, though clearly shaken by the disaster currently occurring not too far away.

“What’s –”

“No time!” Sasuke cut his teammate off before skidding in front of her and placing Kakashi-sensei on the ground as gently as he could without also wasting time. “Heal him, now!”

Credit to the girl, she didn’t even argue and got to work instead. However, the despairing gasp she let out wasn’t encouraging.

“Sakura?”

“I – there’s too much damage!” she stammered, tears already running down her cheeks. “Sasuke, I’ve never – I haven’t learned this yet! His internal organs are shredded, his lungs are torn, his ribs are shattered, and there’s a hole in his heart!”

Her voice became progressively more frantic as she listed Kakashi-sensei’s injuries, making Sasuke’s heart drop even more. Unlike her, Iryojutsu was never something that interested the Uchiha. However, he was well-versed enough in biology to know how bad their teacher’s condition really is.

“I don’t even know how he’s still alive!” she wailed. “There’s too much to keep up with in too many places and I can’t – I can’t, Sasuke, I don’t know how!”

Kneeling across his overwrought teammate, beside the prone body of the injured Jonin, Sasuke reached over to cup her face, forcing green eyes to meet black. “Sakura,” he said in a voice that sounded firmer than he really felt. “I know you’re scared right now. I get it, I really do. But I know you can keep him alive.” He tried to push as much faith into his words and gaze as he could. “You don’t need to heal him completely. Just keep him alive until I can get Naruto, and we can all get out of here. Okay?”

Even Sasuke wasn’t sure he believed what he was saying, but there was no point quibbling about details right then. He can only act in the best way he knew how, and the goal was escape. The genin wasn’t sure how he could pull this off, but it’s not like he was completely devoid of options.

“Okay?” he asked Sakura again, emphasizing the question by cupping her face a little more firmly.

“...Okay,” she whispered eventually. 

Dread and despair were still present in her voice, but she appeared to have regained some of her courage. The flickering green glow around her hands, which Sasuke did his best to ignore, finally became steady, and he could only hope that it meant good things.

“Good.” Sasuke tried for an encouraging smile, but he wasn’t sure he succeeded. He certainly didn’t feel very encouraged, given the circumstances.

“Keep your head, even if everything is going to shit, Sasuke. You’re at your strongest when everyone else is losing their heads.”

The Uchiha was getting fed up with how many times Kenta’s little nuggets of wisdom saved his ass in this mission. At this rate, he might actually have to get him a gift.

Getting up, Sasuke left Sakura to speak with their clients, who looked about as good as he felt, which was to say, not good at all.

 “What’s happening, Uchiha-san?” Tsunami asked while hugging a pale Inari close.

“And where’s the blonde kid?” Tazuna added.

“I’m sorry, but we don’t have a lot of time,” Sasuke replied with what little patience he had left. “Things are getting out of hand.” The tremors, flashing lights, and explosions in the distance emphasized his point better than words could. “You’re safe from Gato and his men now, but staying here is dangerous. I need you to go back home and tell the townspeople to find shelter. Anywhere underground will do – a basement, a cellar, or even a cave. Do you understand?”

“What?!” Tazuna yelped. “I thought you would –”

“Tazuna-san.” The way Sasuke said the old man’s name was sharp enough to cut steel. “We’re dealing with dangers beyond your comprehension. Take your family home, find shelter, and tell your neighbors to do the same.”

“I –”

“We understand, Uchiha-san,” Tsunami cut in before her father could object again. “We will follow your instructions.”

“Tsunami?” Tazuna gawked at his daughter.

“Let’s go, father.” With that, she dragged her son and her father away.

An escort should’ve been arranged in cases like this, but Sasuke neither had the time nor the manpower to make that happen. Besides, any injury they sustained would’ve been seen to by their team medic-nin, already.

Shaking his head in consternation, he then turned to the unusually patient Zabuza and his quiet companion, who were standing by the river, some distance from Sakura and Kakashi-sensei. They seemed to be having a hushed conversation, which was interrupted by his approach.

“Do you have any idea what’s going on?”

“About what, exactly?” the swordsman grunted. “About those two fucks who took out your teacher? About your Jinchuruki teammate? Or about the absolute catastrophe that’s about to happen in this country? You gotta be more specific, kid.”

With time running out, Sasuke latched onto the topic that mattered the most in that moment. “Naruto,” he said. “You say he’s a Jinchuruki? What’s that, and how can we turn him back to normal?”

Zabuza’s eyes sharpened. “Jinchuruki are containers for the bijuu, kid. Chakra beasts of old. In your friend’s case, he seems to be the container of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, the Nine-Tailed Fox.”

Sasuke’s face froze in shock. “The same one that attacked Konoha?”

“The one and only,” Zabuza answered with relish. “Seems like your Fourth Hokage didn’t kill the Kyuubi despite the Leaf’s claims, after all. Instead, it was Sealed…”

“...in Naruto,” Sasuke finished.

“Exactly,” the swordsman nodded.

“Can we get rid of it?” he asked, almost desperately.

“Of the Kyuubi?” Zabuza barked out a laugh. “You’re dreamin’! That’s not how it works. Both the container and the contained are bound, kid. Removing one kills the other. I should know, I tried to kill Kiri’s own Jinchuriki. Well, one of them, at least. That’s what started this whole mess, in the first place.”

Wait, what? What did he mean by that? Before Sasuke could ask, however, he saw Zabuza tense at the same time as he heard Sakura scream.

“What are you doing?!”

Berating himself for letting his teammate out of his sight, Sasuke whipped around and saw a curious sight. Sakura was being gently restrained by a Konoha ANBU while another was covering Kakashi-sensei with odd-looking pieces of paper.

There was also a giant toad squatting between them.

What the hell?

Chapter 13

Jiraiya POV

Jiraiya has seen two Great Ninja Wars. He has been in the mud, waded through oceans of blood and guts, and witnessed some of the worst atrocities that humans can do to each other. But, facing down an enraged Jinchuriki is always going to be at the top of his “Nope!” list.

This wasn’t just any Jinchuriki, though. Oh no.

As weapons of mass destruction, they were typically only unleashed when things were getting really bad, and a final solution was necessary. When this happened, the side unleashing their demon container would pull as many of their shinobi back as they could, since the devastation tends to be indiscriminate.

So, witnessing the precision with which Naruto was unleashing his attacks while standing on a branch of a tall tree is disconcerting, to say the least.

He wasn’t blindly lashing out, like Jinchuriki were typically known to do. Each swipe with his claws was measured. The same went for the single tail jutting out of his rear, which was acting like a whip, an anchor point, and even a fifth limb.

This was how he took out what looked like a wriggling mass of wires just as Jiraiya arrived at the scene. He also saw the Akatsuki duo barely avoiding getting flattened by the sheer pressure of Naruto’s chakra.

What really made the whole scene strange to the Sannin, however, was the boy’s appearance. Instead of the reddish-orange shroud of the Kyuubi, he was cloaked in orange and blue. The searing intensity of the brighter color created what seemed to be the framework of the outline, where orange borders and lines formed the outer shell that sat a few inches off of Naruto’s skin, which included the tail, claws, and ears. 

The cooler color, in contrast, filled in the gap with swirls of living blue flames of different shades. Lighter on the outside and getting progressively darker around Naruto’s chest and head. For some wild reason, the hue reminded Jiraiya of Minato’s eyes and Rasengan.

If he didn’t know any better, the Toad Sage might have assumed that the kid was simply using an incredibly flashy Jutsu. 

Naruto’s movement was so fluid as he went on the attack again, after destroying the wire construct, which only reinforced this impression. Neither of the pair matching the descriptions of Hidan and Kakuzu could do much, seeing as one seemed to be getting his head stitched back to his body, while the other was working with only one arm.

All of this Jiraiya took in between the moment of his arrival and the five seconds afterward, and the scene completely changed his game plan.

Contingencies for a runaway Jinchuriki won’t work for one that seemed to be somewhat in control. Jiraiya knew for sure that the three had already noticed him, as they were only a dozen meters apart when he landed, compared to the hundreds that now separated them. They were just too busy trying to kill each other.

Jumping into the fray at this juncture would be the worst thing he could do, as well. Naruto certainly didn’t know who he was, and any distraction he could cause while facing down two members of Akatsuki could be catastrophic. His best bet was to find an opening that won’t cause Naruto to lose focus, which Hidan or Kakuzu could capitalize on.

It’s just as well since the kid was handling the duo splendidly.

Paying more attention to the figures moving toward the lakeshore, Jiraiya couldn’t see any damage caused by the Kyuubi’s chakra. In fact, there seems to be some form of coordination between the two types of chakra. The orange was inflicting offensive effects, while the blue formed some kind of armor. It’s the only explanation that the Sannin could think of as to why Naruto was free of obvious injuries while his clothes were shredded and almost falling apart at the seams.

Was this due to his Uzumaki heritage? Members of that clan were known for their incredible vitality. That’s why Uzumaki Mito was chosen as the Kyuubi’s first container, to begin with.

Yet, Jiraiya has never heard of this kind of synergy between the host and its prisoner. So, what was going on?

Before he could think on the topic any longer, three new arrivals caught his attention.

“Jiraiya-sama,” Boar said. “Jonin Hatake Kakashi suffered extensive injuries, including lacerations, punctures, and severe trauma to his vital organs, with tears in his lungs and heart. Genin Haruno Sakura kept him alive long enough for the healing kits to do their work. He is now out of danger.”

That caused the Sannin to perk up for two reasons. One, Kakashi should’ve died on the spot with injuries like those. That he didn’t do so speaks of either a miracle or something equally uncanny. From the sounds of it, this Sakura girl was indispensable in pulling off the impossible survival conditions.

“So, the kits work as intended?” he asked.

“Yes, Jiraiya-sama.”

“Good,” Jiraiya grunted before looking at the third member of the new arrivals. “Uchiha Sasuke, why are you here? Shouldn’t you be with your team?”

Six tomoe set against a black and crimson backdrop met his gaze, causing Jiraiya’s heartbeat to slightly speed up. It’s been a while since he saw eyes like these. The last time he did, they belonged to a face that looked eerily close to the boy before him.

“Sakura’s looking after Kakashi-sensei,” Sasuke said. “We have allies protecting them, too. I’m here to bring back Naruto.”

Oh?

“And, how do you intend to do that?” Jiraiya was curious now. “He’s not exactly in his right mind, at the moment. Would you risk yourself for the Kyuubi’s container?”

The reply he got was a derisive scoff. “That idiot hasn’t been in his right mind from the moment I met him. Whatever’s happening to him now, Naruto’s still moving like Naruto.” The spinning of his Sharingan emphasized his point when he added, “I can see it. He’s in control. He’s just really angry, right now.”

Now, Jiraiya was really curious.

“Got any suggestions, kid?”

Uchiha Sasuke looked at him like he was an idiot. “We go down there, we kill those two, and Naruto calms down.” He said the words like they were the most obvious things in the world, which, in hindsight, they actually were.

The deadpan way he spoke, however, caught Jiraiya so off guard that he burst out laughing.

“You got spunk, kid!” he roared. “All right. Boar, Pig, Sasuke, with me. Let’s go kick some ass!”

Just as they leap to action, Jiraiya could’ve sworn he heard the murmured complaint of “I’m not a kid,” from behind. This only increased his amusement and feelings of nostalgia.

Sakura POV

Haruno Sakura’s mind was numb.

Too much has happened in such a short span of time that she was finding it difficult to gather her wits. Thoughts would flit about like hummingbirds or dragonflies, never staying in the same place long enough for her to pin down. All she has been able to do for the last few minutes is kneel on the rough, stony ground where Kakashi-sensei had been lying, staring at his unmoving form with dull eyes, utterly unable to comprehend what was happening.

Her mind, in short, had shut down.

“Haruno-san?” a voice echoed from the distance. “Haruno-san, are you all right?”

The words were spoken with a melodious tone of concern, but their meaning couldn’t quite penetrate the barrier that had suddenly sprouted around Sakura’s mental space.

“Haruno-san?” the voice spoke again.

“Move over, Haku,” a much harsher voice demanded.

Before Sakura knew it, a stinging pain covered the entire right side of her face, and she was suddenly facing an entirely different direction. Confusion came first, but it quickly gave way to indignation when the obvious conclusion pierced through the fog in her head.

Somebody had slapped her. And, given the masked man currently crouching in front of her, the culprit was clear.

“Back with us, girly?” Momochi Zabuza asked with some amusement.

“Did you really have to do that?” she replied, anger and shock making her voice shake.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen the same look you had on others,” he answered nonchalantly. “You can crash out later, when you’ve got no one coming for your ass. Guarding a catatonic meatbag’s harder than a conscious one, too.”

Sakura knew that he had a point, but she could still be resentful about it. Two things can be true at the same time, after all.

Looking around, she saw that they were still in the same clearing by the river as before. Kakashi-sensei had been placed on a litter, which she faintly recalled came from one of the ANBU’s scrolls. Speaking of which…

“Where is everyone?” she asked.

“Who do you mean, Haruno-san?” Haku approached with a small frown.

“Tsunami-san, Sasuke, the – there were ANBU, right?” Sakura was still trying to parse through the most recent events that her mind seemed to have let slip.

“Your boyfriend sent the civvies home,” Zabuza grunted, prompting the girl to blush despite the circumstance. “Then he and your Leaf spooks went to get the Jinchuriki.”

“Jinchuriki?” Sakura asked.

“Yeah, no.” Zabuza got up and started walking toward the river. “I ain’t going over this again. Haku can explain it to you.”

The genin turned to the man’s companion, who wore an apologetic smile. When the truth about Naruto was explained to Sakura, however, she felt herself teetering on the edge of shutting down, once more. 

Naruto? That loudmouthed menace who used to always cause trouble? The one who keeps shouting about becoming Hokage someday? He’s had the Kyuubi sealed inside him this whole time?

No wonder he was treated like a pariah back in Konoha! But then, that doesn’t make any sense! 

How had everyone known that he was the Kyuubi’s Jinchuriki? Something like that would’ve been classified to the highest levels. And why would they isolate him like that?! Naruto is effectively the only reason that Konoha hasn’t been attacked by the legendary chakra beast again. Treating him so badly is just insane!

Sakura decided to clamp down on the ire building in her chest. That won’t help anyone, at the moment, least of all Naruto.

“Thank you, Haku,” she said, getting a warm look in return. “So, I’m guessing Sasuke asked you both to guard me?”

“Pretty much,” Haku confirmed. “After the ANBU pronounced your sensei to no longer be at death’s door, you became unresponsive. He believed that you would be better off staying here, with us to protect you.”

A memory fragment rose behind Sakura’s eyes without prompting, recalling different scrolls being opened, which produced paper Seals that the ANBU then placed all over her teacher’s body. They didn’t even bother undressing him.

Suddenly intrigued, she gave the papers a closer inspection. They contained flowing scripts that she didn’t recognize, and the materials seemed to have been treated with something equally unfamiliar. Where did this come from?

Haku noticed her intense observation. “It would appear that Konoha retains mastery over Sealing techniques. I have never even heard of such a marvelous approach to healing.”

This caught Sakura’s interest. Knees hurting from kneeling for so long, she used her Healing Palm jutsu to restore blood flow and sensation in her limbs before standing. Once upright, she debated on whether or not to reveal her own ignorance of this particular development.

She eventually decided not to do so and instead focused on other matters. 

Glancing over at Zabuza, Sakura couldn’t help but wonder why they were still sticking around. Events have clearly spiralled out of control, beyond their initial agreement. She wouldn’t have blamed them for simply cutting their losses. When she asked Haku this, the answer was obvious, in hindsight.

“We are now entangled in this business beyond escape,” was the response. “The Sharingan user who placed Zabuza-sama in a powerful Genjutsu was one thing. A group composed of potent shinobi coming after Konoha’s Jinchuriki, just as the Leaf was about to host multiple hidden villages after years of complete isolation? We may not yet know the specifics, Haruno-san, but Zabuza-sama and I are now persons of interest. Should we break off from you, our fates would be sealed.”

Sakura understands the subtext, of course. Anyone involved in what’s happening today would become a potential source of valuable information. Even if the pair decided to sell that information to the highest bidder, everyone would still be coming for their heads in the hopes of learning more.

With that said, something about Haku’s explanation caught Sakura’s attention.

“You mentioned something about Konoha’s isolation. What did you mean by that?”

For the first time, Haku’s lovely eyes widened in genuine surprise. That reaction, more than anything, told the Leaf kunoichi that the world has never been as simple as she previously believed.

Kenta POV

Barrelling through Konoha at top speeds probably wasn’t a good idea, but as I hadn’t learned the Shunshin yet (an oversight, now that I think about it), there wasn’t much of a choice. Kurama getting loose right now was an absolute worst-case scenario.

He and Naruto hadn’t built up a bond yet. And while the boy has a stronger support base now than he did before, I wasn’t sure if it was enough to avoid a full transformation.

More importantly, the blonde being cornered to the point of losing control wasn’t supposed to be in the cards! 

Forget Kakashi’s massive improvement since practicing the breathing exercises and physical enhancements, as Yamato had told me. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura had already blown past their canon counterparts a long time ago!

Heck, if I were any judge of this world’s power levels, Sasuke could probably keep Zabuza busy all by himself. Against Haku? My broody buddy could kick that femboy up and down the streets, no problem.

So, what the hell could have pushed Naruto to the point of riding the dragon (or the fox, as is the case here)?

I was mid-jump and halfway toward the Hokage tower when something grabbed me by the shoulders. Only the familiarity of the presence prevented me from retaliating with extreme prejudice and allowed them to carry me the rest of the way.

Appearing suddenly in the Hokage’s office the way we did was a disorienting experience, but I quickly shook it off. Mostly due to the urgent circumstances that brought me here, and partly because of who else was in the office.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was there, of course, but so were his two so-called advisors. Shikamaru’s dad was present, as well, which made sense given his rank. What threw me off was Shimura Danzo sitting on the couch, casual as you please. His presence is as dark a portent as anyone could ask for; whatever they were discussing, it was not encouraging, in the slightest.

Fortunately, I’ve learned my lesson after my freakout during graduation day.

Having a mentor like Yamato was really helpful in reinforcing my mental strength and stability. So, while I was still scared of what the scarred warhawk could do, I wasn’t debilitated by my fear, either.

“Genin Shiozaki Kenta, with urgent information for you, Hokage-sama!” I rarely ever get to act in an official capacity with the Hokage, so the words felt weird. “It concerns an S-Class village secret.”

“I have already reactivated the privacy Seal, Kenta-kun,” the Hokage reassured in a firm voice. “However, if this matter has to do with Uzumaki Naruto’s state as the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, then everyone here is already read up on the matter. We were actually just discussing a recent development involving him and his team.”

Okay, first of all, why would he jump to Naruto, of all people? I had a lot of S-Class secrets floating in my noggin, and he knows that since I sort of, kind of, vaguely confirmed it.

Second of all, I was really hoping that we could speak about this without an audience. How was I supposed to explain that I could see several overlapping, see-through images of a giant, Nine-Tailed Fox over the horizon?

Wait… why would they be discussing Team 7? The question must’ve been obvious on my face, because Hiruzen released a weary sigh.

“I was hoping to spare you the details until they returned,” he explained. “However, it would appear that members of a mercenary group with a growing infamy have targeted Kakashi and his students. We have just sent reinforcements with medical kits, just in case any of them is seriously injured.”

At the mention of ‘mercenary group’, I felt frigid fingers clamp around my heart. The Hokage’s reassurance barely even registered.

No. It was too soon! Why in the world would Akatsuki be moving this early?! We weren’t even in the Chunin Exam Arc yet! This is still the Wave Arc. 

At least, I think it is. 

Though, is it? 

How many Arcs were there between graduating from the academy and the Chunin Exam? Goddammit, this is what I get for being a filthy casual! I’m not familiar enough with this setting to know if I’ve forgotten anything or not. Fanfiction certainly wasn’t a good source for accurate information about canon, what with all the nonsense the authors kept adding.

Some of them made Kurama a foxy mama with big boobs, for God’s sake! I even saw a fic giving Orochimaru the same treatment before I nope’d right outta there!

“Are you all right, Kenta-kun?” The question brought me out of my internal self-recrimination, and I saw all eyes were focused on me.

“Yes, Hokage-sama,” I replied in haste. “However, I believe that there might be a need to send Yamato-sensei to their location.”

Hiruzen wasn’t stupid, and neither was anyone else in attendance. I wasn’t sure how many of them knew about the man’s ability to use the Mokuton, but by singling him out, I knew for a fact that the Hokage would understand.

The way his eyes suddenly became flinty confirmed my thought process. Danzo suddenly perking up also twigged my intuition, and the same went for the Nara patriarch’s frown.

“I see.” Hiruzen laced his fingers thoughtfully. “You have confirmed the need with your own eyes?”

Well, I guess that’s the best he could do, given who else was listening in. “Yes, Hokage-sama.”

“Very well,” he said. “Yamato, go to Wave and do what you must.”

“As you command!” The Jonin disappeared before he even finished speaking.

“Kenta-kun.” I stood straight at the direct address. “Stay home for the duration of your teacher’s absence.”

Crap. I guess I’m under house arrest. 

“Understood, Hokage-sama.”

And with that, I left after bidding everyone else a formal farewell. On my way home, I made sure to use the most public routes with plenty of witnesses. No need to make things easier for anyone who might have suddenly developed an acute interest in me, specifically.

Though, why do I suddenly feel a lot of resentful stares being directed my way?

Looking around yielded no obvious glares from anyone around me. Was it the ANBU? Did I make their lives more difficult, somehow?

Or was it… nah, ROOT is all about having no emotions. Why would they be angry with me?

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

It has come to my attention that far too many people here don’t really understand aspects of the cultivation, so here’s the breakdown.

Cultivation

Compressing the chakra as it is circulated to create multiple layers. Each layer makes the chakra purer and more potent, thus making it easier to use and produces more powerful effects.

Cultivation Practioners

Kenta, Hiruzen, and Iruka are the only practitioners of cultivation, at the moment. This will change in the next Arc, so there WILL be more cultivators soon.

Breathing Exercises

This is NOT cultivation. It’s an exercise derived from the PRINCIPLES of cultivation where chakra efficiency and control are extremely important. To achieve cultivation, practitioners must first learn absolute chakra control. 

Here’s how it works:

Breath Regulation Drills – Steady, rhythmic breathing for better chakra and bodily control. Also helps with focus and centering.

Intentional Chakra Cycling – Guiding chakra through its full circuit on command, switching speeds and directions to build fine motor control over the network.

Usage Rate Awareness – Constant mental tally of just how chakra is being spent for actions that require it (i.e. Jutsu, enhancements, expulsion, etc.).

Recovery Enhancement Techniques – Breathing exercise for quicker chakra recovery, both while at rest or while moving.

Waste Mitigation – Exact control of chakra usage for jutsu activation or other intended purposes, getting as close to the minimum without causing destabilization.

Structural Posture Alignment – Preventing chakra flow interruptions due to improper postures and aiding in smoother breathing.

Adaptive Combat Stances – Shifting footwork and centre-of-gravity to keep balance even while cycling heavy chakra loads, as well as maintaining momentum without losing focus.

Repetitive Kata Imprinting – Drilling the same micro-adjustments (breath, posture, stance) until they fire off subconsciously, similar to muscle memory.

Micro Muscle Pulse Training – Tiny tighten-and-release cycles in fingers, toes, and jaw that teach precision pressure control at the smallest scale.

Sensory Feedback Looping – Pairing each surge with heartbeat or breath sounds to create an internal metronome, sharpening awareness of flow rhythm.

Chakra Physical Enhancements

This is NOT cultivation, either. This is simply a more efficient and structured means of using chakra to enhance the body. The different stages require the breathing exercises to be used correctly as they involve conscious control over chakra to even start learning, at the outset.

Here’s how it works:

Muscle Group Priming (Future requirement for academy graduation) - Chakra floods only the major muscle groups: legs, back, shoulders, and arms. Grants short, explosive bursts of strength and speed. It could also be sustained, depending on the level of chakra control mastery. Control is coarse in the early stages. It could lead to strains or "chakra burn" in the muscle fibres.

Tendon & Joint Threading (Chuunin) - The chakra flow expands into the tendons, ligaments, and stabiliser muscles around every joint, tightening reflex arcs and letting the body pivot harder without tearing itself apart.

Vital Core Infusion and Bone Strengthening (Special Jonin - Jonin) - The chakra is infused into key organs (heart, lungs, diaphragm, liver) and minor muscles. Breath-hold time lengthens, toxins clear faster, and Stage 1 power can be sustained for longer periods. Chakra is also laced into the bones’ hollow structures, filling in the gaps, making them stronger, and strengthening recovery.

Whole Network Synchronisation (theoretical) - All tenketsu will pulse in cadence, sheathing nerves, blood vessels, and even the skin in a uniform current. The user gains near-instinctive reactions and a chakra "buffer" that softens blunt trauma.

Prototype: Fractional-Gate Weave (theoretical) - A bleeding-edge concept in which each of the Eight Gates is micro-pulsed a few percent open in rapid sequence, saturating the entire body while avoiding the catastrophic backlash of full Gate release. Basically watered-down Gate Release.

Side Story 8

Confrontation

“You will not interfere.”

The firm words were spoken as soon as there were only two people left in the room: Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo. Everyone else had already left shortly after Shiozaki Kenta’s report and recommendation. The privacy seal, which has been strengthened even more, was active, as well.

“Why would you believe I would?”

The casual way in which the question was asked nearly caused the venerable old Hokage to snort. An act that would have been unacceptable in public, but less egregious given his current company. Even so, the moment requires a more collected bearing to reflect its seriousness.

“You and yours have begun to act in support of Konoha’s growth, once more, old friend.” And wasn’t that a wonderful turn of events? “But the crisis in Wave requires a deft touch that your finely honed blades would only cut without care.”

Neither needed to speak in obvious terms. Both knew exactly what the other was talking about. They have known each other for so long that verbalising messages can be genuinely considered wasteful. Still, this was not the time to risk miscommunications.

“They cut only what they are meant to cut. Their training has seen to that.”

“Even after having to clean up after a certain loose pair of lips?”

“...”

“I thought so.”

“Why have you allowed such a risk in Konoha’s security, Hiruzen?”

Had the Hokage possessed a weaker constitution, he would have guffawed at the belligerence with which the question was asked. At last, the dance of cats stalking after mice revealed the crow perched upon a branch.

“Why do you think, old friend?”

“You would endanger Konoha so?”

“Do you think I would?”

“...In this instance, no, I don’t.”

“Then, I ask, once more, why do you think I chose this path?”

The wonderful thing about having a peer of the mind, even if not in strength, was the wordless conversation that occurs without context. Both men knew what the other was thinking within this brief discussion alone. Both understood what the other was trying to say, but only one had all the cards.

“Your idealism blinds you once more.”

“On the contrary, Danzo. I have taken a page from your book, this time. Unlike you, however, I understand when it is most effective to use threats to get what I want.”

“Like you once did with Kumo?”

Ah, this again. The incident during the peace negotiation has remained a wedge between the two opposing schools of thought. Once again, Hiruzen will show his counterpart why he was Hokage and Danzo was not.

“My way bought us time – time we have since used to bolster our strength. You know this as well as I. Why else would you put in so much effort for a problem that arguably has a more permanent solution?”

“A solution you would not have allowed.”

“Perhaps, but it’s a solution you never considered pursuing, in truth. Or am I mistaken?” The silence was all Hiruzen needed to hear. “We have been granted a miracle, old friend. Something you recognize, as well. However, unlike your favored approach, I chose a longer view. One that will put an end to the endless bloodshed plaguing our world.”

“That is but a dream, Hiruzen.”

“One that can now come true, Danzo.”

“By what means? Strength of arms?”

“Strength of bonds.”

“You are delusional!”

It would appear that one side is not yet ready to hear the words of the other, if the abrupt exit was of any indication. Now left alone, the Hokage considered his next steps. He really should have thought to send Yamato on his own initiative.

Fortunately, Shiozaki Kenta appeared to save him from his own foolishness, once more.

“Grow well, little sapling. The old growth might yet live longer, but tomorrow belongs to the future.”

Another Glimpse Into the Further Future

Standing upon the peak of the Immortal Mountains, the one known as Telsurya beheld the breathtaking beauty of the misty valleys bathed in light by the rising sun. Towering pillars of natural stone snaked upward, piercing the skies, and were perpetually covered by clouds. Flying beasts, both great and small, swooped and swerved around the sheer sides.

And in the distance, right near the horizon, was the shining monument to power and prestige called Konoha. Even from so far away, the gleaming towers of glass and steel loomed large, with the glowing scripts carved by the ancients upon their surfaces forever stamped in Telsurya’s mind.

It sprawled for hundreds of miles, with its strange marriage of nature and industry making it the center of commerce, innovation, and cultivation for the whole world. 

Forgotten were the words of his peers, who doubted him at every turn. Silenced were the voices in his own heart, eager to snuff out his ambitions. His mere witnessing of such a vista was all the proof he needed that his destiny was greater than those around him.

Telsurya Hannod mor Sushen is chosen by the Heavens to succeed where everyone else had failed. It is his fate to hold the world in the palm of his hands. To rise above the clans, houses, and families whose lineages date back millennia, from the founding of the New Order. Throughout Heaven and Earth, He alone is the Hono–

“Oh, for God’s sake! Not another one!”

A booming voice, brimming with exasperation, nearly caused Telsurya to fall from the precarious position upon which he stood. Had he failed to right himself, it would have meant a steep drop. Fortunately, he managed to do so with the genius application of chakra for strengthening and balance – exactly as the old scroll taught him.

“Let me guess,” said the figure in humble robes who seemingly appeared out of nowhere, “somebody told you that you’ll find the secrets of ultimate, super-duper, greatest-of-all-time cultivation if you climbed all the way up here.”

While he may be a novice to the ways of the world, Telsurya was no fool. Who else but a secret master would be in such a remote place and speak of thoughts not yet spoken?

“Honorable Elder!” The boy knelt, as was his place, and bowed his head in supplication. “This one is called Telsurya Hannod mor Sushen! I humbly request to be your disciple!”

Immediately, Telsurya knew that he had made a mistake. The brown eyes set on the deceptively young face flashed with fury. He did not know what offense he had caused, but Telsurya knew that should the hidden elder want his death, there was preciously little he could do to stop him.

“How old are you, boy?” The question was asked in a dangerously quiet voice.

Telsurya could only gulp nervously as he answered. “This one is 14 years of age, Honorable Elder.”

“Who the hell has been teaching you kids, to talk like that?!” he roared.

Eh?

“I certainly don’t remember anyone speaking like a pretentious Xianxia douchebag when I was last down there!” the elder continued to spew vitriol. “The last three idiots who came up here were talking like that, too! Who is it?! Tell me, boy, or I’ll give you a spanking like you’ve never known!”

Telsurya was extremely confused. Was his speech not to the elder’s liking?

“This one does not know, Honorable Elder!” he wailed. “This one has always spoken like this! Everyone from this Telsurya’s home does!”

“Well, where do you come from?” the elder questioned. “You don’t look like you’re from Konoha. Are you from Kiri? Kumo? Iwa? Well? Answer me!”

“I – I do not, that is – such places – I know of no such places, Honorable Elder!” Telsurya was stammering, not only out of fear and confusion, but also out of frustration. “I only know of Konoha!”

“What the fuck?!” Such foul language! None of the elders Telsurya has ever met would speak in such an uncouth manner! “That’s not – wait, is it because of – don’t move from there!” He barked before disappearing once more.

Shaken and discombobulated, Telsurya did not dare disobey the order. This meeting was not proceeding at all like he imagined it would. Was he tricked somehow? Before he could think about it further, the elder returned.

“Tell me, boy,” he began. “How long’s it been since the Great War of the Plains?”

The what?

“I know not, Honorable Elder.”

“Does the name Uzumaki Naruto mean anything to you?” the man pressed, and this time, Telsurya could only thank his luck that he did know the answer.

“He is the Sage of the Sun, Honorable Elder!” the boy nearly shouted in his eagerness. “The Ancestor of Kurshes the Bold, who then founded the Eternal Sun Sect!”

A series of rapid blinks followed Telsurya's speech, making the elder appear dumbfounded. Surely, that could not be the case?

“What did you just say?”

The question caught Telsurya off guard, once more. He tried to answer, anyway. “He is the Sage of the Sun?”

“Well, that too, but no, we can get back to that later. I mean, the thing about the Sect. Are you saying there are Sects, now?”

The more the elder spoke, the more unsure of the man’s mental faculties Telsurya becomes. To speak of matters that were as much a part of the world as the rocks in the mountains or streams, as if they were not so? Either the elder is extremely old or has become addled from long isolation while cultivating.

“Yes, Honorable Elder,” Telsurya answered slowly. “They are these schools in which cultivators learn to –”

“Don’t talk to me like I’m an idiot!” the elder snapped, making the boy cringe back. “I know what Sects are! I’m wondering how you know about them. Actually, you know what? Just tell me when these so-called Sects started popping up.”

Unsure of what else he could say, Telsurya simply did his best and spoke truthfully. “The oldest Sects are several thousand years old, Honorable Elder.”

For some reason, his words nearly made the pair of brown eyes pop right out of their sockets.

“Well, shit. I might have overslept.”

This time, it was Telsurya who stared agog. To sleep for several millennia, before even the first Sect was founded, this is no elder but an ancient! He had no time to truly process this revelation, for the sharp gaze found him, once more.

“Tell me, kid.” The seriousness in the statement made the aspiring cultivator freeze. “Did you get kicked out of your clan, have your betrothal broken off, or get slapped by a young master at some point?”

All the air in Telsurya’s lungs was knocked out of him. How did he know? All of those events occurred, one after the other. The man would not have been there to witness them, however. He truly must be an Ancient!

“Yes, Venerable Ancient!” he cried out, with his heart near bursting with hope and joy. “Yes, I have been exiled from my clan! My marriage to the beautiful Xu Lien was broken, and my honor has been trampled upon by the son of a rival clan! You truly are my destined teacher!”

“Nope!”

After uttering that single word, the Ancient disappeared and did not return. Telsurya was so shocked, he could not move from where he knelt. To make matters worse, a gust of wind passed by, carrying a single leaf.

…

…

…

“What?”

To the boy’s misfortune, he never received an answer.

Non-Canon Omake - Kenta Prevents the God Emperor’s Birth

“Well, this is awkward.”

I made this most breathtakingly inspired observation upon seeing the full scope of my predicament. I was in a gigantic, and I do mean gigantic, throne room. Surrounded by giants wearing armors of varying spikiness. And right behind me was a bloodied figure in his own red armament, sporting a pair of red wings on his back.

From the looks of things, he appeared in the middle of a fight between transhuman forces – extremely familiar, transhuman forces.

Granted, his only context for the figures currently surrounding him was acquired through watching a truly unhealthy number of lore videos on YouTube, but did that really matter? Suffice it to say, he messed up somewhere along the way.

Kind of expected, really, when messing with [insert unscientific babble about quantum mechanics here]. So, since I really didn’t want to get involved with these people… or this setting, I elected to simply excuse myself.

“Terribly sorry for the interruption,” I announced. “Whatever’s going on here is none of my business. So just ignore me and, you know, carry on with killing each other!”

Having said my piece, I wisely turned to the side where there were fewer of the spiky fellows and started walking. I was just beginning to believe that I could get away without having to fight, when my hopes were dashed by a voice that sounded like marbles thrown in a cement mixer.

“You’re going nowhere, mortal.”

Not willing to give up on a peaceful exit, I started walking faster while saying, “No, it’s okay. No need to waste time on little ‘ol me! Seriously, I saw nothing.”

That’s when my instincts screamed at me that an attack was heading my way, which then forced me to dash to the side. It hit the open door I was heading toward, blocking it with rubble. There goes that route.

“You forget your place, mortal.”

Okay, that’s twice now that he called me mortal. I’m not really the prideful sort, but considering who I was dealing with, I certainly had more claim to godhood than this douchebag. So, after breathing a resigned sigh, I turned to the approaching figure of Horus Lupercal.

Towering nearly three times as tall as the average man and wearing almost cartoonishly bulky armor, the corrupted Primarch was just oozing negative energy. If this were still the Naruto-verse, I’d have compared him to Kurama in his emo phase.

Not really surprising, as by this point, he was supposed to have become the champion of the four space pimples.

In one hand, he carried a huge fuck-off mace. The other wore some wicked-looking claws. He might have looked silly in all of those videos that I watched, but in person, he made for quite the intimidating sight.

“Look,” I started, “I didn’t even want to come here, okay? My presence is the result of a mistake.”

That didn’t really fly with the Primarch with daddy issues, though. “You’ve made a mistake in coming here, indeed. I know not who or what you are, but the gods demand your death, and I shall deliver.”

Really? Why the fuck would they want me dead? I didn’t even want to be here!

You know what? Fuck it, we ball.

And so began the titanic struggle between the deranged champion of chaos and the one who earned the title of Chaos Cryptid…

…Unfortunately, this battle will not be depicted here because the author is feeling lazy. Also, he knows very little about Warhammer 40,000.

Chapter 14

Sasuke POV

He knew it was unreasonable to feel so inadequate in his present circumstance, but he couldn’t fully avoid making comparisons. Rushing toward a battle alongside two ANBU and Jiraiya of the Sannin, Sasuke noted how much sharper their movements were. The difference was obvious to his eyes in how smooth the coordination of each of their limbs was.

A coordination that he found impossible to replicate with conscious thought, leaving him to conclude that this was born out of experience and years of practice. Two things that no dojutsu could ever truly give him.

He already knew this, however. Kenta drilled the lesson into his head during the few matches they sparred, in which Sasuke had yet to win a single one, even with his Sharingan.

So, he pushed the matter to the back of his mind and focused on eking out as much speed from his legs as he could muster. He refused to show weakness in front of senior shinobi, especially since their destination featured such breathtaking devastation.

The idiot’s been holding out on us.

Despite what he told Jiraiya, Sasuke couldn’t help but notice how much rougher Naruto’s movements were. Not slower, as he was considerably faster than he normally was. However, his windups, pivots, and positioning were all much sloppier.

It actually reminded Sasuke of how the blond used to fight back in the early days of the academy: all aggression and instinct.

This allowed his two opponents to easily evade his attacks and make counters of their own. Sasuke saw several of those counters land, but the idiot just ignored them and kept right on swinging. 

With that said, Sasuke didn’t actually lie. Despite the rage, Naruto’s movements were still deliberate. The fighting style he built up after years of sparring with Sasuke, Hinata, and Kenta was still there. It was just heavily diluted due to anger.

Once they got within a hundred feet of the fight going on over the lake, two things happened. One, a Water Jutsu created a tidal wave that washed Naruto right into the unfinished bridge. Two, the quartet was forced to evade the black wires that shot out from below.

Well, to be more specific, the adult ninjas got out of the way while Jiraiya yanked Sasuke to the side. It would seem that, even with the Sharingan, surprise attacks can still work if they come from angles beyond his sight.

“Boar, Pig!” Jiraiya shouted while dodging in midair with some truly dizzying twirls. An impressive feat with an adolescent on his shoulder. “Handle those two. We need to have a word with Naruto.”

The pair of ANBU obeyed without a word and made a beeline toward the enemy shinobi. Meanwhile, with Sasuke still on his shoulder, Jiraiya sped toward where Naruto was beginning to recover.

A protest to be released was on the Uchiha’s lips, but the one carrying him like a sack of rice spoke up first.

“Get his attention, kid!” he said.

Sasuke dearly wanted to curse him out for putting him in such a humiliating predicament, but time was short, and these were desperate circumstances. So, instead of anything more delicate, he used drastic measures.

“Ramen tastes like ass, and orange makes you look like a carrot!” he screamed at the top of his lungs.

Jiraiya suddenly jerked to a stop, causing his shoulder to drive deeper into Sasuke’s stomach, and knocking the air out of the boy’s lungs, before hurriedly jumping away. The reason became clear when the spot they just vacated suddenly had four deep gouges and an enraged roar filled the air.

“You bastard!” Naruto shouted. “Take that back!”

Upon landing, no follow-up attack occurred, and Sasuke was finally set on his feet. A glance at his teammate showed the loudmouth pointing angrily at the Uchiha, along with a familiar glare. His clothes had seen better days, he was still shrouded in the orange and blue chakra cloak, and he looked like he rolled around in a puddle of blood, but...

“Take back what you said, Sasuke! Ramen is the food of the gods!”

Yeah, this was definitely still Naruto.

“This is some serious deja vu,” Jiraiya absentmindedly blurted out, which caught Sasuke’s attention.

“Not the time, you moron,” the Uchiha drawled.

“Then hurry up and take it back!” Naruto demanded.

“Fine,” Sasuke sighed. “Ramen doesn’t taste like ass.”

“Good!” Naruto huffed in satisfaction.

Sasuke smirked. “It tastes like shit.”

Jiraiya POV

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing and hearing. Here was a Jinchuriki arguing with his teammate while using the Kyuubi’s power without losing his mind. It was one of the most ridiculous things he had ever seen, and that’s saying a lot for someone like him. Unfortunately, time was of the essence, and he couldn’t waste more of it satisfying his curiosity.

“Okay, that’s enough,” he interrupted the ranting of the still glowing Naruto. The orange and blue aura surrounding the boy kept flaring every time he raised his voice, which was disturbing. “You two go back to your teacher and teammate. The ANBU and I will handle the rest.”

“What?!” Naruto yowled. “The hell I will! Those assholes killed Kakashi-sensei! I’m not letting them get away!”

“Kakashi-sensei’s fine, Naruto.” The blond gaped at the Uchiha. “Sakura kept him alive long enough for the ANBU to arrive and cover him in weird papers. He’s gonna live.”

Tears of relief immediately started running down Naruto’s cheeks. “Really? You’re serious? He’s gonna be okay?”

Sasuke’s eyes softened. “Yes, he’ll be fine, as I said.”

“Yatta!” Naruto crowed with a fist in the air, and the aura surrounding him dissipated before he glanced at Jiraiya. “What’s up with the old guy?” he asked the Uchiha. 

This caused the boy’s red eyes to widen and for Jiraiya’s brow to twitch. If they had more time, he would have gone through his whole intro schtick, but they didn’t. Fortunately, Sasuke did the introduction for him. Unfortunately, it resulted in a rather unpleasant misunderstanding.

“That’s Jiraiya of the Sannin, Naruto.”

“The pervert?”

“What?!” Jiraiya squawked. “Where do you get off calling me a pervert?”

“Kenta said you peek in women’s baths and always get beat up because of it.” The deadpan response from the whiskered brat made his brow twitch harder.

Sasuke shook his head in amusement before turning to Jiraiya. “Are you sure you don’t need our help? Naruto was handling them fine on his own. It’ll be faster if we take them together.”

“No can do, kid,” Jiraiya immediately shot him down. “Our greatest priority is keeping Naruto out of danger. So, go. Leave this to the adults.”

Naruto grimaced in distaste. “That’s stupid! If we can end them faster by fighting together, then why send us away?”

“Genin Uzumaki Naruto!” Jiraiya’s sharp tone quickly shut the boy up. “The Hokage himself gave me orders to keep you safe, and that’s exactly what I will do. I am ordering you to retreat, do you understand me?”

The petulant glare from those blue eyes was so painful in their familiarity that Jiraiya almost looked away. But he couldn’t relent. Not for this.

“Do you understand me?” the Sannin asked again, this time more firmly and staring the boy down.

“Naruto,” Uchiha Sasuke urged.

Finally, the blond looked away. “Fine.”

“Good,” Jiraiya grunted in satisfaction. “You will wait for us to come get you. If we don’t, then as soon as your medic-nin teammate deems it safe to do so, you will move Jonin Hatake Kakashi to a safer location. Understood?”

“Yessir!” both boys answered.

“Fantastic! Now, off you go.”

The two genin nodded and took off. Jiraiya watched them go for a few more seconds before turning toward the battle between the two Akatsuki members and the ANBU. It didn’t take him long to reach them, where he then decided to simply end the battle as quickly as possible. 

It was just as well. Pushing their bodies as hard as they did to get here as fast as they could is already having severe repercussions. Jiraiya could see Boar and Pig becoming more jittery with their movements, which was a sign of muscle spasms. 

The Sannin himself could already feel his ligaments and joints start to creak, especially after that maneuver to avoid the black wires midair. If the fight went on for much longer, he didn’t know if they would even win.

So saying, he closed his eyes and reached for the state he had been practicing for the last several months. It didn’t take long, relatively speaking. When he opened them again, his pupils resembled those of a frog.

Naruto POV

Despite the overwhelming relief flooding Naruto’s body, the boy’s mind was still jumbled. He remembered the rage that followed despair after seeing Kakashi-sensei fall. After that, it was just flashes of images involving ever-changing scenes and the two bastards responsible for their teacher’s horrible state. 

“You okay, Naruto?” he heard Sasuke ask as the two boys glided through what remained of the forest.

“I’m not sure.” Naruto frowned, knowing that what he said was true, but couldn’t put his finger on how to actually explain what he was feeling. “What happened after the thing with Kakashi-sensei?”

Out of the corner of his eye, the blond saw Sasuke shoot him a confused look. “You don’t remember?”

Dodging a few thick branches, Naruto didn’t answer for a few seconds, letting the familiar sensation of traversal fill him instead. 

“Not all of it,” he finally muttered after reaching a steadier patch of their current path. “Just bits and pieces. Kinda like a dream, ya know?” Concern filled Sasuke’s red eyes, but he didn’t say anything. “Then, next thing I hear is you shouting blasphemy about ramen. I don’t wanna hear that from you again, by the way,” he added while sending a glare his teammate’s way.

The Uchiha simply rolled his eyes. “Whatever. So, you don’t remember anything else about your fight with those two?”

Naruto shook his head and nearly stumbled after realizing that he couldn’t. “Not all of it. I remember wanting to get my hands on them. Tear them apart. But that’s about it. That doesn’t make sense, though, does it?”

“What do you mean?” Sasuke asked.

“They took out Kakashi-sensei,” Naruto elaborated. “Kakashi-sensei is definitely still stronger than us. So, how come I’m still alive?”

Sasuke was silent for a full minute as they continued to hop through the forest. Naruto remembered that they were near the clearing where they left Sakura.

“We can figure it out later,” his teammate eventually said. “For now, let’s just get to Sakura. Come on, let’s speed up.”

The two boys became streaks of color, moving around branches, trunks, vines, and leaves like the wind until they finally reached their destination. Sakura was on her feet, standing beside Haku and over their sensei’s prone form. Zabuza was near the river, staring in the direction of the battle.

Green eyes lit up upon seeing the new arrivals. “Sasuke! Naruto!” Pink hair suddenly filled Naruto’s vision as Sakura tackled the two boys in a hug, accompanied by babbles full of both anger and relief.

“We’re fine, Sakura,” Sasuke grunted in discomfort over her burbling.

“You’re actually kind of choking me,” Naruto gurgled breathlessly.

“Oh!” The girl let go and stepped back before noticing the blond’s state. “Are you okay, Naruto?” she asked, running through a series of hand seals and then passing her palm over his body.

“Yup!” Naruto said carelessly. “My clothes are shredded, but I’m fine. Not even a scratch.”

“You’re right,” Sakura whispered in wonder. “How’s that possible? Anything that can tear your clothes to pieces like this should’ve left some bruises, at least!”

“Dunno,” he shrugged. “I heal fast, I guess.”

Sakura regarded him skeptically before comprehension dawned on her face. “Is it because you’re a –”

“Sakura,” Sasuke interrupted, crimson eyes meeting emerald. “Now’s not the time.”

“Not the time for what?” Naruto asked.

“Later,” Sasuke said. “How’s Kakashi-sensei doing?” he asked their team medic-nin.

The reminder successfully distracted Naruto, causing him to run over to the Jonin lying on the cot. Remembering what Sasuke said about the matter, the blond noted the pieces of paper covering their teacher’s body, all of which contained flowing scripts. He couldn’t make heads or tails of them, however.

Naruto turned back to his teammates, who were walking over at a slower pace. “Do you know what these things do?”

Sakura shook her head wistfully. “I’m afraid not. The ANBU said that they’d heal Kakashi-sensei, but nothing else.”

“It must have something to do with the paper and the Seal,” Haku spoke up for the first time, drawing the trio’s attention. “That is not normal Seal paper, and those are not normal Seals. I’ve never seen anything like them, and we’ve been to many places.”

A sudden snort came out of Naruto. “How much do you wanna bet that Kenta had something to do with this?”

“That’s a sucker’s bet,” Sasuke replied without hesitation.

“What do you mean?” Sakura asked.

Both boys looked at each other. “Uh…”

“Is it a secret?” Haku asked, tilting her head.

The motion caught Sasuke and Naruto’s eyes, making them gulp nervously. Sakura noticed, of course, and was immediately annoyed.

“Oh, right!” She audibly bumped the bottom of her fist on her palm. “You guys should know that Haku’s a –”

“We got incoming, kiddies!” Zabuza’s growl interrupted whatever Sakura was going to say. The swordsman was looking westward.

All four immediately snapped to attention. Sakura and Haku stood on both sides of Kakashi, while Naruto and Sasuke stood in front of them. It didn’t take long for a blur to materialize, showing a tall man in a Konoha Jonin uniform and headband. He also had a perpetually blank face.

“Tenzo-sensei!” the genin of Team 7 greeted. Though they rarely ever interacted with the person assigned to take Kenta in as an apprentice, their first meeting was rather hard to forget.

“Kids,” he nodded toward them before casting his gaze over the pair of missing-nin. “Mind explaining the situation?”

Naruto left that part to Sasuke and Sakura, preferring to look around for his friend. However, it was clear that Kenta hadn’t come. After his teammates were done filling the man in, the blond asked about the missing figure.

“Kenta’s under house arrest,” the Jonin answered as he examined Kakashi-sensei. Contrary to how anyone unfamiliar with the civilian-born prodigy might have reacted, however, the three were not at all surprised

“Sounds about right,” Naruto said.

“That idiot,” Sasuke grunted.

“What did he do now?” Sakura sighed.

Haku observed their reactions with interest. For his part, Naruto couldn’t help but wonder at his friend’s penchant for rather unorthodox troublemaking. Whereas the blond would often get scolded whenever he was caught setting up pranks, Kenta tends to cause issues without ever being aware that he was doing it.

Tenzo-sensei then stood up and regarded the trio seriously. When his eyes landed on Naruto, it was with extra scrutiny. His visual examination was cut short when the ground shook violently. Everyone then turned toward the direction of the bridge, where a huge explosion blasted forth, and a near-infinite number of towering, black lines rose to the heavens in a myriad of patterns.

Having already seen a similar sight, Naruto knew exactly who was responsible for the technique. What he couldn’t fathom was how it nearly dominated the horizon.

Chapter 15 - End of Arc 1

Yamato POV

Seeing Team 7 in good shape despite how dire the situation initially appeared was a relief to Yamato. However, as he glided through the trees toward the site of battle, he had to wonder how this could be the case. 

Kenta seemed extremely concerned when he insisted that Yamato had to go. That could only have meant that he believed the Mokuton would be needed.

His student rarely made such mistakes since they began working together, and in this instance, Yamato did not believe that he had. This meant that something else was going on, which will need to be investigated upon the conclusion of this mission. For now, his focus had to be on arriving, checking on Jiraiya-sama, and providing assistance, if necessary.

The children wanted to go, but he ordered them to stay. They had already faced more danger than was appropriate.

Bringing them to a confrontation that involved two S-Class threats would have been unwise. Not that he wasn’t leery about letting them stay in close proximity to missing-nin either. However, from what Yamato had observed upon his arrival, neither Momochi Zabuza nor his companion appeared hostile.

He would simply have to trust that the arrangement they supposedly came to would hold.

Bursting through the canopy and landing on the beach, the former ANBU was treated to a worrying sight.

Numerous black, barbed cables riddled the landscape to an astonishing degree. It was a forest of razor-sharp blackness, where gaps between the wires ranged from several feet to a few inches. An eerie silence had engulfed the coastline, with the slapping of waves the only source of sound.

If what Sasuke and Naruto told him was true, this should not be the case.

Was the fight already over? Or was this a trap?

Yamato began warily navigating the bristling grove of deadly edges, using the widest gaps to weave his way through the lethal thickets. Experience warned him that the slightest touch would impart an agonizing lesson, indeed.

It was after a few minutes of gingerly negotiating tighter and tighter spaces that he finally made his way to the origins of the hazardous manifestation. There, suspended over the water, was a collection of body parts that appeared to have burst from the inside. And instead of blood spilling out, deadly threads came shooting forth.

He knew this because, upon scanning the immediate surroundings, he spotted the corpses of two ANBU higher up. Both bodies hung still; every inch of them was pierced and punctured.

Looking around some more, Yamato’s eyes landed on a curious spectacle.

It was Jiraiya-sama, dangling in the air with every limb seemingly threaded with the black cables. Fortunately, his vital areas were covered in shaggy, white hair.

“Hey, Yamato!” the man greeted casually, before coughing up blood. “Can you get me down from here? I’m a little tied up.”

Part of Yamato, the human part that remained even after his experience in Root, was tempted to question the propriety of making jokes given the circumstances. However, he simply ignored the urge to do so and approached the injured Sannin carefully. 

After all, while nothing immediately jumped out as suspicious, the likelihood of this being a trap wasn’t zero.

“What happened, Jiraiya-sama?” he asked as he approached.

“Bastard decided to take us down with him after I neutered his buddy,” the older man replied, though there was something strange in his tone. Upon meeting his gaze directly, Yamato saw the unspoken warning. “I couldn’t take him out before he unleashed his jutsu.”

“I see.”

And indeed, he did. 

If it were an immediate issue, the Sannin would be more alarmed. As the only two living people in the immediate vicinity, a verbal message would have been more appropriate. That he continued speaking about the dead perpetrator while also mentioning that he had eliminated the other meant that the danger did not come from the fallen enemies.

Subtler means of communication, like codewords or blinking his eyes in rhythmic patterns, should have been an option, as well. But Jiraiya-sama used none of those.

This meant only one thing: someone was listening. Someone dangerous enough to warrant such roundabout caution.

Reporting this to the Hokage will be a hassle.

Hiruzen POV

“Thank you, Team 7. Get some rest, you’ve earned it. Dismissed.”

“Thank you, Hokage-sama,” Kakashi said, which was echoed by his students in their unique ways.

Sasuke merely bowed before turning. Sakura did likewise, though hers was more composed and more verbal. As expected, Naruto was the most exuberant.

“See ya later, Old Man!”

Hiruzen could only chuckle at the boy’s parting words. Once the door had closed, however, the kindly face transformed to a much stormier visage.

“Yamato,” he called, and the Jonin appeared without preamble, already on one knee.

“Hokage-sama,” he greeted respectfully.

“Rise,” Hiruzen bid, and Yamato got to his feet. “Do you have anything to add?”

“Only what I submitted in my report, Hokage-sama,” was the prompt reply.

It elicited a frustrated sigh from Hiruzen, and he reached for his pipe. After filling it with tobacco and lighting the crushed, dried leaves, he took an invigorating pull before blowing out a puff of smoke.

The sun was hanging midway to the west. Team 7’s report wasn’t overly long, mostly because the Hokage already knew the gist of the matter, and partly because he wanted them to rest. An escort mission never should have been as dangerous as it ended up being.

Nor should it have resulted in so many complications.

Mercenaries that could destroy entire nations on their own, coming after Naruto for unknown reasons. A rogue Sharingan user who managed to place a shinobi of Momochi Zabuza’s reputation in a powerful illusion. Konoha’s sole Jinchuriki managing to not only bring out the Kyuubi’s power, but also retain control over his actions.

Not to mention his two dead ANBU, who would have been more than a match for most of the Elemental Nations’ elite.

The loss was a dagger to the Hokage’s heart. Danger was ever-present in their profession. Yet, the deaths of valued subordinates never cease to hurt. Particularly those who had so much more life to live.

Jiraiya was quite tight-lipped over the whole matter, as well. Even now, he remains in Wave to conduct a more thorough investigation. Hiruzen could only be thankful that the miraculous healing kit developed by the R&D department worked so well. Not only did it save Kakashi’s life, but it also allowed Jiraiya to recover faster than he otherwise would have.

So, instead of coming straight back, he entrusted his initial findings to Yamato. Findings that awakened an inferno in Hiruzen’s chest, threatening to consume him if he wasn’t careful.

Someone is playing dangerous games in the shadows. Whoever they were had targeted children for elimination. It was the most sensible explanation.

“My student was certain of his conclusions?” he asked Yamato.

“As far as I could tell, Hokage-sama,” was the reply.

Jiraiya was clear in his message. Someone had placed Kakuzu under a Genjutsu just before he committed to a suicidal attack. One that created an entire forest of jagged wires that stretched nearly three kilometers from one end to the other.

Powerful as the rogue shinobi might have been, his abilities alone could not account for such a feat.

So, how was it done?

Then there were the lessons learned over the course of this entire ill-fated affair. Kakashi was more than a match for the two S-Class enemies he faced, but trickery and surprise could still overcome even the most skillful ninja.

It was a bitter pill to swallow, yet one that nobody could entirely avoid.

The children performed admirably, and he made sure to give them ample praise. All three have come far, yet their crowning achievement was the addition of two powerful assets to Konoha’s arsenal.

Pure self-interest might be the driving force behind the decision of Kiri's two missing-nin to throw their lot in with the Hidden Leaf. But the yields were still beneficial. The intelligence on the potential cause for the Kyuubi’s rampage twelve years prior alone was worth giving them sanctuary.

Not to mention what Hiruzen was able to put together regarding Yagura’s purported change in attitude and behavior.

Several pieces are falling into place. The only question now is if they can complete the puzzle before the next catastrophe rears its head.

Kenta POV

“Well, shit.”

This was my inestimably brilliant reply once Team 7 was done sharing what happened during their mission to Wave. We were all ensconced in my bedroom, where I was forced to hastily clean up once they showed up at my door. Hinata was present, as well, since she decided to also pay me a visit.

With so many occupants, my room suddenly felt a bit claustrophobic, but I ignored that irrational sensation.

Naruto sat on one end of my bed, while I pressed myself against the headboard, and all three chairs were taken by my remaining visitors. Mom had already been by with a tray of snacks and refreshments, which came in handy since the recently returned genin had a lot to tell.

Their homecoming was the day before, which I only learned about this morning when Yamato came by to say that my incarceration was over. Bit of an exaggeration, really. My stay was comfortable enough, thanks to my doting parents giving me everything I needed.

It also gave me plenty of time to work on projects that had fallen by the wayside, which included better methods for communication. My attempt at a homegrown smartphone was a no-go, simply because of how damn complicated it was to make.

Thousands of lines of script were needed just for the touchscreen feature alone. And in the end, it could only connect to one paired device.

So, yeah. That had to be shelved. It’s promising, for sure, but I needed to figure out how to actually create a networked infrastructure to make it viable. Not the easiest thing in the world. Though I’ve heard that others were already working on expanding existing radio technology, so maybe I just tried to skip several steps? It took a literal century before the telephone even made it to the cellphone.

Look, the point is that I won’t be having magic smartphones for the foreseeable future. I got other things going on, but not that.

Which is a shame since such convenient methods of long-distance communications could have saved us the drama of what happened in Wave. I did not expect Kakuzu and Hidan to show up. I did not expect Zabuza and Haku to defect to Konoha. And I certainly did not expect the existence of Obito to be hinted at so early in the story.

Da fuq, man?!

The bandaged swordsman revealed a lot of things, and I couldn’t help but wonder if any of them actually occurred in canon. I mean, I knew that the Mizukage before Mei Terumi was controlled in some way after reading the rants of fanfiction writers, but Zabuza?

How did that happen?

And why was Obito getting involved? Was this the result of all the changes I made?

“So, your sensei is fully healed now?” Hinata asked earnestly from her seat.

“Yup!” Naruto confirmed while munching on a homemade cookie. I made sure that he used a plate to catch falling crumbs.

“And it was because of special papers?” the Hyuga heiress pressed.

“Why don’t you ask him?” Sasuke cut in, nodding towards me with his chin. He sat with the chair backwards, resting his arms on the backrest. You know, like a total douche.

“Me?” I squawked. “Why would I know anything about that?”

“Don’t you?” Sakura raised a challenging brow in my direction, which made me scowl.

My own propensity for never actually outright lying, as well as Hinata’s inquisitive look, had me cornered. Stupid high-IQ women. I wasn’t willing to concede defeat, though. 

“Do I?” I shot back childishly. I’m twelve, I can get away with that.

“You do,” Naruto and Sasuke said at the same time.

“Kenta?” Hinata prompted, which she then followed up with those large, innocent eyes.

I narrowed my eyes at the trio who only grinned at me, faces looking unbearably smug. When did these kids turn into such little shits?

“Ugh, fine!” I groaned. “Konoha’s R&D teams have been coming up with all kinds of neat doodads, and the emergency medical kit is one of them. I saw a test of it at the hospital, but none of us were allowed to talk about it.”

The smugness from Team 7 intensified at my admittance, and Hinata’s expression was one of open wonder. 

“Wait,” Sakura suddenly spoke up. “Why were you at the hospital? For that matter, why were you involved in the test?”

And just like that, looks of extreme interest were sent my way. Thanks, Sakura! 

Then again, was there a reason I was keeping this a secret? I initially didn’t divulge the scope of my role in Konoha’s increased interest in innovation because of security concerns. However, would that still matter in light of what we had planned for them in the near future?

I gave each of them a considering look before settling on my answer. “I can’t tell you everything,” a round of disappointed noises rang out before I added, “right now! I can’t tell you right now!” That shut them up. “Look, there are things happening in the background that none of you know about, and for very good reasons. One of which is informational security. We couldn’t allow the truth of what we’re really working on to leak, and Konoha’s been going the extra mile to make sure that it wouldn’t.”

Two sets of eyes widened as I said that last part. One was Sakura’s, and the other was Hinata’s. No one missed the change, and curious gazes bounced around.

“Anything you girls wanna share?” I prompted.

After sharing a look, Sakura gestured for Hinata to go first. “Ano, I’m not sure how much I can say,” Hinata started. “However, on our last mission, we were targeted for abduction by several teams of enemy shinobi.” I felt my chest tighten at hearing that. She and I had chatted several times since her team was last sent out, but she never mentioned this. “At least, that’s what Kurenai-sensei told us.”

“How easily did you hand them their asses?” Sasuke asked in an unusually crass manner. Were we rubbing off on him?

Hinata permitted herself a small smile. “Quite easily,” she said, much to her blushing pleasure. It only intensified after we heaped praises on the girl, even as she tried to deflect them. “It wasn’t just me!” she squeaked. “Shino and Ami fought, as well. They actually handled more opponents than I did. Shino’s kikaichu swept through the field and stole several teams’ worth of chakra. And Ami used her opponents as clubs to smash the rest.”

I couldn’t stop the laughter that burst out of me at the image of the purple-haired girl just manhandling other ninja. It’s like that old meme about hitting a motherfucker with another motherfucker!

Naruto joined my unrestrained guffawing, of course, while Sakura and Sasuke stuck to more dignified chuckles.

“What happened next?” the blond eagerly asked once he contained his giggling.

Hinata generously obliged the demand for more details, at which point, she regaled us with how Konoha’s premier Genjutsu mistress essentially toyed with the ambushing teams’ Jonin leader. However, the girl’s voice quickly took on a more somber tone once she got to their teacher’s explanation for the fight.

“So, wait, they wanted to capture you because they noticed that Konoha’s ninjas are getting stronger?” The way Sasuke asked the question made it sound like he found the notion ridiculous.

“That’s to be expected,” I said. “Konoha’s leadership made every effort to conceal our growing strength from the outside world, and this was one of the reasons why.”

“Haku talked about that,” Sakura revealed. “About how Konoha has been isolated for years now.”

“Was it after we took off to help Kakashi-sensei?” Naruto asked.

The pink-haired kunoichi shook her head. “It was after Sasuke left with the ANBU. Haku said that Konoha has been a hot topic for the rest of the Elemental Nations because of how tight the surveillance net around the village had become.”

I winced. “Yeah, sounds about right. To be fair, though, what we’ve achieved over the past three years would have made us a target for immediate destruction by the other hidden villages. They would have banded together to eliminate us, just like they did with Uzushiogakure.”

“Uzu what?” Three guesses who asked that question.

“Uzushiogakure,” I repeated. “It was a hidden village in the land of whirlpools that was destroyed by a coalition of other hidden villages.”

“Why were they destroyed?” Sasuke asked with narrowed eyes.

I shrugged. “Because they were too powerful.”

“The name sounds familiar,” Hinata muttered.

“Yeah,” Sakura agreed. “Where have I heard it before?”

“Not in class, I can tell you that much,” Sasuke added.

Should I? I’m already walking on a knife’s edge with this topic. Going any further could be dangerous. In the end, I decided that now wasn’t the time.

“Look, the point is that Uzushiogakure’s fate is exactly why the Hokage decided to tighten security around Konoha to this degree,” I said, interrupting the burgeoning discussion about a sensitive topic. That I’m doing so by bringing up another sensitive topic is peak irony. “You’ll probably learn the extent of my involvement in this matter pretty soon, so just be patient for a little while longer.”

Naturally, Naruto made a face at being told to wait. Thankfully, the other three had more understanding looks.

After that, the conversation veered off to safer topics with lighter tones. Just as the sun was beginning to set, however, something occurred to me that I simply had to know.

“By the way, are we actually going to meet this Haku girl?”

Sakura’s eyes immediately brightened. “Actually, Haku’s –”

Whatever she wanted to say was cut off by a knock on the door, followed by my mom popping her head in. “I hope you’re all staying for dinner?” she teased, already knowing the answer.

“Oooh! I am! I am!” Naruto was practically jumping on the bed, for which he was thwacked with a pillow thrown by me.

“We will be troubling you tonight, Kaname-san.” This came from both Sasuke and Hinata, which is how they always responded.

“Um…” Sakura was unsure since she’s never been over for dinner.

“You’re more than welcome to stay, Sakura-chan!” my mother gushed.

“The–then I will accept, Shiozaki-san,” she stuttered.

“Now, now, none of that. Call me Kaname, or mama, if you prefer!”

“Ma-mama?!”

“Ignore her,” I told Sakura, who was blushing up a storm.

As we all filed out of my room, I couldn’t help but notice that I never got an answer to my question. Was Haku a girl or not? 

Dammit, I need to know!

Sidestory 9

A Walk in the Dark Side (Please Read the AN for Warnings!)

AN:

Here’s a bonus side story to celebrate the end of the first arc. Also, I just realized that I haven’t really given you guys an idea of just what Kenta can do these days.

Full disclosure, this is going to be a bit dark. It also offers a glimpse into Kenta’s mind regarding the missions he went on with Yamato.

In terms of timeline, this should be shortly before the Wave Arc.

Enjoy!

----

It was too easy.

Dashing toward a faceless enemy, I threw a kunai that was easily dodged with a lazy tilt of the head. This was a mistake.

A quick Kawarimi was all it took to take the place of the kunai, where I then plunged a second blade through my surprised opponent’s spine and straight into their heart. To add insult to injury, the kunai I previously threw, and which I switched places with, had retained its momentum. As a result, it neatly pierced the vulnerable neck, easily parting skin, flesh, and artery.

I didn’t pause to admire my handiwork, though. Or, more accurately, I didn’t give myself the chance to register the deed. One more target eliminated. That was all it was. That was all it would ever be. Giving more thought to the act would give it power over me.

That was something I couldn’t allow until I found a safe, quiet place to process events as needed.

For now, I was a machine.

Retrieving the kunai could be done later, so I left them embedded in the bag of meat and bones in favor of seeking out more bandits to terminate. That’s right. These were just bandits. Nameless bandits who preyed on the weak and the vulnerable, barely worth a single iota of thought.

Kind of like the highwaymen you’d find in those role-playing games. XP bags, at best. Nuisances, at worst.

My next target was already making for the trees. Yet another NPC behavior. Didn’t some enemies in Skyrim do that? Whoever coded the AI of these characters did a good job. Not that it made a difference.

Another thrown kunai. Another dropped meatbag after a swift shift in positioning. Just like the one that came before that. And before that. And before that…

How many does that make it now? Ah, yes. Eight, in this mission. In previous ones? I’m not really sure. Hadn’t kept track. I wasn’t an edgelord who had a record of his total kill count throughout his life, like that one fella with bumps all over his body in that movie with the cats and the flowers.

It didn’t matter anyway. Spilling blood was just a means to an end. A chore, really.

Bandits were pests. Criminals who were branded for death.

On some level, however, I actually was annoyed by this whole thing. After getting over the usual reactions that my body went through following my first kill, the next round barely took much effort. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t complaining about having to take lives, though I do wish that I didn’t have to.

My concern has to do with the quality of the targets we were sent to exterminate.

They sucked!

Every single one has been disappointing thus far. None of them could keep up with either Yamato or me. The former was understandable. My teacher is a damn Jonin. Me, though? I might be stronger than your typical genin, but come on!

I seem to have vastly overestimated the strength of typical grunts in this world. Even during those rare occasions where we encountered missing-nin, I spent more time internally marveling at their abysmal qualities than actually fighting them.

All of this to say that, despite having been sent out to participate in numerous life-or-death encounters, my cultivation has yet to get to the next stage.

From what we could tell, the battles simply didn’t push me hard enough. And how could they? I was literally only using Kawarimi, one of the most basic Ninjutsu available. It wasn’t like with the Yellow Flash, either, where his teleportation was instantaneous.

There was a clear delay of a fraction of a second before I could switch places with the things I threw. And they couldn’t even deal with that?!

You know what? I’m getting too worked up about this.

Where was I?

Right, I was holding the hair of the last target after I sliced hi– ITS, after I sliced its throat. Wait, when did I do that? Oh, right. After I killed the fleeing NPC, another one came running around the corner of a burning row of tents.

Hmm? Oh, would you look at that!

“I think I got the leader, sensei!” I called over to Yamato.

He then appeared from wherever he came from, took a look at the vacant eyes of the NPC in my grasp, and looked me over with a blank face. He’s been doing that a lot lately.

Whatever he was looking for, it would seem that he was satisfied as he gave me an approving nod. “Good work, Genin Shiozaki.”

My spine subconsciously straightened at his praise. Stupid, immature brain. It insists on releasing dopamine at the barest recognition or acknowledgement.

“Thank you, sensei,” I replied, trying not to smile.

There wasn’t really much to smile about in this situation. Not the circumstances, not the location, not the deeds. None at all.

Yamato nodded again. “Let’s clean up so we can return to Konoha.”

“Copy that.” I paired my acknowledgement with tossing the body I was still holding into the burning tents.

There were kunai to retrieve. Not to erase all evidence of exactly what occurred here. That would be stupid.

Standard operating procedure is merely to obscure the finer details. Anyone with half a brain would know that shinobi were sent to eliminate this bandit camp, as well as which hidden village did it. But the specifics can be fudged, and that’s exactly the point.

By the end, no obvious traces of the camp, the bandits, or the battle remained.

And, once again, as we have done about half a dozen times by now, Yamato and I made for Konoha at a leisurely pace.

I did my best not to think about the blood on my hands that I had to wash away. Nor the more than three dozen lives I personally snuffed out in the space of an hour. Nor how easy doing so had become.

I could only afford to think about all of those once I was behind Konoha’s walls.

Chapter 16

Kenta POV

With the Wave Arc seemingly done, despite the curveballs sent Team 7’s way, it was time to look to the future. Normally, this wouldn’t have been an issue. Unfortunately, the world has become a lot more complicated than I could have ever imagined.

“So, let me get this straight.” I was in the Hokage’s office the day after Kakashi’s team came back. With me was Konoha’s supreme leader, along with a small group of trusted figures, sitting in the middle of the room. “Not only did all of the hidden villages accept our invitation for the Chunin exams, including the Iwa and Kumo, but Mist is sending two separate delegations?”

“That’s right,” Hiruzen said with calm serenity.

“And every single one of these delegations comes with heavy-hitters, many of whom come from prestigious clans?”

“Indeed, they do.”

“And Konoha is about to play host to all but one of the current Jinchuriki?”

“Don’t forget that some of the participants will be kids or grandkids of Kages. Somehow, I doubt they’ll be staying on the sidelines when things go to shit.”

“Quite right, Jiraiya. And yes, Kenta-kun, there will be Jinchuriki.”

“Okay… Right… Yeah…”

Suffice it to say, I was floored.

What the hell? Fanfiction tended to have a rather loose interpretation of what went on during the Chunin exams, so Hidden Stone’s attendance isn’t exactly a new concept, but this is my reality now. And it wasn’t entertaining at all!

That’s just the start, too.

All of these major players coming over to my home is just a disaster waiting to happen. And just like that, I understood this meeting’s true purpose.

Looking the Hokage in the eye, I asked for confirmation. “I take it we’re taking the next step with Team 7?”

To my surprise, the old man shook his head. “Not just them, Kenta-kun. With so many unstable elements coming, we will need to expand beyond our initial plans.”

Shit. I knew he was right. Had events proceeded as in canon, keeping our circle small wouldn’t have been an issue.

A few supremely talented rookies were just par for the course. Now, though?

“From what Hinata told me,” I began, “our current stock of Genin is already more than enough for even elite ninja units of other hidden villages. Is an expansion really necessary?”

I’d really rather not rush this. Not only would it make the secret much harder to maintain, but cultivation had also already proven to have certain unexpected side effects. Noting Iruka standing over to the side, my concerns only grew.

Hiruzen sighed at my question. “While the strength of your generation has been proven, as well as many of those within our overall military forces, the difference isn’t nearly enough to guarantee our security against potential enemies. Should the other hidden villages band together, they would outnumber us by a significant margin. We need an ace, Kenta-kun.”

“You won’t be doing all the work,” Tsunade added from her position on the couch. “With the new facilities and the considerable number of new projects, your teaching session won’t stand out as much as it would have before.”

I knew she was right, of course. Revealing the truth about cultivation to the two Sannin at the beginning of this meeting did irk me, but it ultimately made sense. We now had three expert med-nin and a Senjutsu practitioner to help us out. If anything went wrong, it could immediately be addressed.

What’s more, every single person who was now in the know is considerably more experienced at infosec than I was.

Still…

“How many are you thinking of adding, Lord Hokage?”

“In addition to the four you were considering,” he said, referring to Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, and Sakura, “I believe it would be beneficial to teach everyone present, as you have taught Iruka-kun and myself.”

Yeah, I thought he’d say that. From a purely tactical standpoint, it even made the most sense. It would certainly bolster our overall combat and medical capabilities. Tsunade is already a powerhouse, and with Sayo and Reina bolstering her healing, casualties could be reduced by a lot.

I wasn’t sure how cultivation would interact with Sage Mode, but I can’t imagine it hurting Jiraiya’s combat prowess.

Then there were Yamato and Kakashi. Both incredibly potent fighters in their own right.

With cultivation, all of them would become gods among men. On that note, there is one problem.

“Lord Hokage, you do remember that this can take a considerable amount of time, right? The exams are set to begin in two weeks. That’s not nearly enough for anyone stronger than a Genin to gain the benefits of the sessions.”

Our benevolent dictator merely chuckled. “Oh, I haven’t forgotten at all. We are simply laying the groundwork for the future.”

True, but this doesn’t really address our more immediate problems. He must have seen the unspoken question on my face because he continued. “The threats we face in the near-term will need to be handled a different way, Kenta-kun.”

In the face of his cavalier attitude, I was tempted to blurt out everything that we would be facing. Forget the new variables of scary powerful people coming to Konoha for the Chunin exams. There was still Orochimaru to consider, not to mention his spies in our ranks.

Kabuto may not have made an appearance yet, but I had no doubt that the slippery eel is already digging for information in the background.

I could only hope that Konoha’s increased security measures have made his job much harder.

Then again, my presence in this story has already resulted in all kinds of changes that I may very well have butterflied the Konoha Crush Arc away altogether. Wishful thinking? Maybe. But also, bite me!

Withholding a sigh, I spoke again. “I know it’s not my place to ask this, Lord Hokage, but with the full benefits being out of reach for the new participants, I don’t understand why including them right now would be worth it. Iruka-sensei has certainly grown powerful, but he’s a single shinobi. No offense, sensei.”

“None taken,” the scarred teacher snarked.

“If we’re going to expand anyway,” I continued, “wouldn’t it be better to include more Genin to ensure a breakthrough? They can already handle Chunin and Jonin. Despite my hesitation, I won’t deny that they would be an immediate force multiplier if this whole thing turns into a fight.”

“That is assuming combat is inevitable,” Hiruzen countered smoothly. “I do not doubt that there will be tensions, but rest assured, plans are already in place to ensure a peaceful outcome.” He paused before his smile transformed into a sly grin. “Besides, what makes you think that only the young would have an imminent breakthrough?”

My eyes nearly popped out of my head. “Are you saying…?”

The proud, lively twinkle in those aged eyes was all the confirmation I needed.

Huh, we might survive the coming days, after all.

~~~

The next morning finds me leaving home early.

Having never watched the anime or read the manga in full, I wasn’t sure what to expect with the Chunin exams. From the preparations I’ve seen, though, this event appeared to involve practically every rung of society.

Shops, inns, market stalls, and the whole entertainment district came alive with streamers, banners, and lots of other decorations. The streets got a makeover, too, with new signs and even lanterns strung up every which way. People were moving with vigor, and more deliveries were coming and going throughout the village. 

At this point, it’s clear that ninjas weren’t the only ones who had cause to feel excited. Civilians were getting in on the action, too.

I would’ve liked to stroll through the market to sample the new fare, but I had somewhere to go and people to meet. So, with mild regret, I continued toward the Hokage monument. Hopefully, no one’s there yet. It wouldn’t do for the teacher to be late, after all.

When I finally reached the underground chamber set aside for this gathering, a large room that was probably etched to the gills with protective seals, only the Hokage was present.

Greeting him would have been my first instinct, but I froze instead.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was sitting cross-legged on a cushion with his eyes closed, as I have seen dozens of times before. However, unlike past instances, I could clearly see the shroud of chakra coating his body. And the sight nearly stole my breath.

This phenomenon wasn’t new to me. I’d seen similar displays with several people before.

What made this moment different was how dense and heavy it looked. It was like comparing a slightly misty Spring morning to a pre-Winter fog. There was simply no way to mistake one for the other. It was also a humbling experience.

I mean, I already knew that the old man was exponentially stronger than me. And I certainly had no illusions about how my own chakra would stack up against his, no matter how pure and dense it’s gotten. But as the old adage goes, quantity has a quality of its own, and I was in the presence of a hurricane in human form.

Then it all unravelled as the Hokage took a long, deep breath.

Maybe it was because I hadn’t been paying close enough attention whenever we met, but this was definitely not the Hiruzen of just a year ago. There was this inexplicable air of energy around him. I’m sure it’s there, but I can’t seem to place it.

When he finally opened his eyes, for just a moment, I saw a flash of something I couldn’t quite catch. Whatever it was, it nearly made me shit my pants.

By the Sage, what have I unleashed?

“Ah! Good morning, Kenta-kun!”

The greeting snapped me out of my daze, and I tried to return it, but the words wouldn’t come out. Shit, did that momentary flex of power really leave me speechless?

Clearing my throat, I tried again. This time, I was successful. “Good morning, Lord Hokage. Your cultivation’s really coming along nicely, huh?”

My attempt at levity elicited a chuckle from the aged ninja as he got on his feet. “Oh, I’m getting there.” Picking up the cushion, he placed it on one of the cabinets that held others like it. “I had to take this opportunity, busy as I am. There won’t be another free block of time until this evening, I’m afraid.”

I winced in sympathy. “Sorry to hear that, Lord Third.”

He waved a hand airily. “No, no. It’s quite all right. Even with my strict schedule, I’ve still made quite a bit of progress, if I do say so myself.”

Progress. Right. It might have taken him nearly three years to get to this point, but damn if it’s not paying off with interest.

“In any case,” Hiruzen continued, “it would appear that our guests are about to arrive.”

I perked up at that, before taking my place beside him. Should make for a better visual for receiving my prospective learners. The wait wasn’t long, as about a minute later, they started pouring through the door.

First were Tsunade and Jiraiya, followed by Sayo and Reina. Yamato then came after them, with Kakashi and the junior squad making up the rear. When they finally saw me, I could see confusion and surprise in Naruto and Sakura’s wide eyes, but both Sasuke and Hinata didn’t seem all that taken aback.

In fact, they seemed simultaneously amused and exasperated to discover that I was involved in whatever this was.

Naturally, I gave the four of them a cheeky grin. “Waddup, losers!”

“Kenta!” Naruto took the bait, of course, pointing at me with a screech. “What’re you doing here?!”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Sakura gave a tired sigh. Aww, she really has become one of us, hasn’t she? “Either he’ll be joining us for whatever secret training we’ll undergo, or he’s already ahead of us, and will be helping out.”

“Quite right, Sakura-chan!” Kakashi chimed in with his usual devil-may-care attitude.

“What?!” Yes, yes, be more outraged, you annoying brat. “Is that true, Kenta?!”

“Pipe down, you idiot.” For some reason, I found Sasuke’s nonchalance irritating. I’ll have to try harder to break his composure, it seems. Entirely in the name of science, of course. “Kenta’s been ahead of us for years. Now, we’ll probably find out why.”

Hinata merely nodded with a smile sent my way, which I returned with gusto. She really is best girl, isn’t she?

“All right, that’s enough.” Tsunade rolled her eyes at the display. “We’re burning daylight.”

“Weren’t you allotted time for this, hime?” Jiraiya asked her.

The blonde’s reply was scathing. “Unlike you, I’ll still have to put in a few hours once we’re done here. I don’t enjoy being buried in paperwork longer than I have to.”

Hiruzen gave a mirthful chortle at the scene playing out. “Yes, of course. Best we get on with it, Kenta-kun.”

“Fine…” I huffed.

My childish whining was ignored as the old man turned to the kids. “As I’m sure you four have already figured out, you have been chosen for a rather special project. One that holds immense importance for the future and security of Konoha, and will thus require utmost secrecy.” 

At the grand proclamation, postures straightened, chests puffed out, and eyes gleamed with pride and excitement.

“Make no mistake, children. This is both an honor and a burden. Should you wish to proceed, you will need to accept certain precautions to maintain the integrity of this highly protected village asset. Once you’re part of this program, there is no backing out. Do you understand?”

Reactions to Hiruzen’s ominous words were varied. Naruto looked just about ready to agree to anything. Sasuke was in from the get-go. Sakura was unsure, seemingly caught in her own mind, probably weighing the pros and cons.

Then there was precious Hinata, who earnestly raised her hand.

“Yes, Hinata-chan?” the Hokage prompted.

“Ano, Hokage-sama, why are we being given a choice?” she asked nervously. “If we were chosen for such an important project, couldn’t you make this an order?”

Gah! I just wanna squish this cinnamon roll! Sweet and smart. Naruto, you lucky bastard!

Judging by Hiruzen’s warm gaze as he regarded the Hyuga, he shared my opinion. “It’s precisely due to the importance of this project that I’m giving you a choice, my dear. Your willing and active participation is the only way it can succeed.”

“Then, what’re we waiting for?!” Naruto demanded. “We’re all in, old man! And Kenta!” He threw me a challenging glare. “I’ll surpass you in no time! Believe it!”

Rather than contradict him, Sasuke merely grunted while shooting me his own defiant look. Sakura seemed to have finally made up her mind and stood with her team in solidarity. Of course, Hinata was always a given.

Out of all of them, she was the one candidate from my list that I was confident would flourish once taught cultivation.

Seeing their resolve, I could only respond with equal fervor.

“Then let’s get started,” I declared while grinning like a maniac.

~~~

The next week passed by at a frantic pace of juggling responsibilities. Most of my time and attention went to teaching cultivation, but I also couldn’t just abandon the projects I already had going.

I was close to solving many of the things that could help bolster our forces, starting with better weapons and armor. Frankly, I was amazed that no one thought of using Seals to create usable items other than scrolls.

Granted, they did require ink, so it’s logical to use it on paper. But steel engravings were a thing! With a careful application of the chakra ink using etching tools tipped with chakra-conducting metal, I’ve already achieved promising results.

Increasing durability, hardness, sharpness, and flexibility. All of these were apparently possible with extremely precise control over chakra. And I haven’t even begun to look into imbuing these effects from the start of the creation process.

What would happen if we incorporated acid treatments or empowered smithing techniques, for example?

The potential made me positively giddy!

As to how I made this discovery, it came about during a lively discussion with Jiraiya a month ago. He was giving me a deeper outline of the fundamentals of Fūinjutsu when I asked him how the seemingly random squiggles interacted with each other in any kind of structured way.

He explained that understanding the principles of advanced Sealing requires a different mindset compared to regular reading and writing. Almost intuitive and contextual, which can make it difficult to grasp for those whose thinking is too rigid.

Just as Jiraiya was giving me examples of how multiple lines can be read the same way, I noticed a pattern. One that almost didn’t rely on specific syntax, but rather, interpretation.

The idea reminded me of certain pieces of fanfiction based on another IP. And when I brought up the concept with Jiraiya, his eyes became, dare I say it, quite frog-like. From there, things took an interesting turn as we experimented, which eventually yielded results.

It took a few more weeks after that before I could finally say with certainty that my idea was panning out. The Sannin was already confident long before I was, but it just seemed so absurd.

Who knew that treating Seals as Runes would work so well?

Of course, with the Chunin exams and teaching cultivation, Fūinjutsu had to take a backseat. But it’s not like the sessions were taking up all of my time. At the end of the day, my students only really needed my help in the beginning.

Getting a feel for compressing their chakra, tailoring the approach to their individual control and quirks, as well as telling them what to watch out for. All of those were pretty much done by the second day. Not exactly surprising, considering how long they’ve been practicing the chakra control exercises developed for exactly this reason.

By the end of the first session, I could already tell who would get the most from cultivation, at least at the start.

Naruto and Sasuke were extremely miffed that both Sakura and Hinata beat them to forming their first layers. The former was particularly proud of her achievement, even as the heiress was only behind her by less than a minute.

As the two marvelled at their newfound strength and awareness, the boys became ever more competitive. Usually a bad thing since cultivation required serenity and calm to actually progress.

That would have been the case for us lowly mortals.

With shonen protagonists, though? They got their first layers nearly at the same time, and only an hour after the girls.

I wanted to call shenanigans and plot bullshit, but what would’ve been the point?

They succeeded in the thing I was teaching them to do. That they did it with such ease, despite the multitude of advantages they already had, was fine. 

Annoying, but fine. 

Annoyingly fine.

Okay, just annoying.

Naruto was the most surprising to me, though, since his chakra reserves were supposed to be comparable to a Kage. Wasn’t that what Kakashi said in canon? Or was that yet another fanon misconception that was muddying my meta-knowledge?

I’ll have to look into that.

Following their breakthrough, some sparring occurred, supervised by the Hokage. He was also looking for signs of unusual behavior or any kind of side effect. As he shared later that day, the four seemed normal, if incredibly exuberant.

I wasn’t there at the time since they had to go to another room, and I had to remain with the adult learners. Thankfully, just as with Iruka-sensei and Hiruzen, they weren’t making nearly the same amount of progress as their younger counterparts.

With Naruto putting a neat crack on my assumption that chakra quantity directly affects the speed of cultivation, I was left wondering if there were other factors at play.

Oh, God… I was going to have to really start examining my memories of all those Xianxia stories, aren’t I?

Then a more disturbing thought cut through the rest.

Am I turning this world into a generic cultivation story? Will there be jade beauties everywhere? Young masters? Sects? Oh, please, say it ain’t so!

None of these thoughts showed on my face as I continued supervising the remaining learners. Otherwise, they would’ve been baffled at my expression of unadulterated horror.

Chapter 17

AN:

Hey guys! Thanks so much to everyone who purchased a membership. Here's an early chapter to express my gratitude. I'll have another gesture of thanks up soon. Thanks again!

Kenta POV

“Okay, I’m officially lost,” I grumbled as I watched Team 7 plus Hinata’s high-speed spar in an underground testing chamber.

“It really does seem like the larger side effects only apply to older cultivation practitioners,” Reina posited.

“Just say cultivators,” I sighed dispiritedly, knowing that there’s no point in avoiding the label. 

She, Sayo, the two Sannin, along with Kakashi and Yamato, were observing the quartet with me. After a week of lessons, my role was reduced to an overseer and observer instead of a teacher. Cultivation isn’t really that difficult a concept to grasp, after all.

With the start of the Chunin exams only two days away, we needed to make sure that they were in tip-top shape.

So far, aside from an increase in enthusiasm for fighting, there really hasn’t been anything close to what Iruka experienced. If anything, the changes in their behavior closely aligned with what I tracked in myself when I first started.

On that note, the improvements in abilities and performance weren’t nearly as linear as I expected.

Case in point, Sakura can now keep up with Hinata’s speed. She’s not winning, but prior to forming her first layer, the Hyuga would have had the pink-haired Genin eating dirt in seconds. From what we could tell, it basically boiled down to the speed at which they could compress their chakra.

With her lower starting reserves, Sakura was much faster at cultivation than Hinata. The girl now has four layers, the highest of the group. Sasuke has two, and so does Naruto, but the heiress has three.

As a result, the least combat-capable member of Team 7 can now comfortably take on either of her teammates. In turn, the boys can now challenge Hinata without her treating them like a couple of children. Both are examples of visible, measurable, and most importantly, encouraging improvements.

Even so, the Hyuga still stands above the three, despite the distance between them having closed considerably.

The dynamic has made them more competitive, thus creating a cycle of self-sustaining improvements.

At this point, every single one of them now has considerably more explosive power to varying degrees. Their movements are sharper, reactions faster, and their Taijutsu has become more refined. As to how cultivation has affected their bloodlines or special abilities, the tests for those are set to begin this afternoon.

The only reason we even waited this long was to make sure that they weren’t going to go on a rampage or something. After nearly two weeks of isolation and confinement, we can reasonably say that they can be safely released.

Which still begs the question of why.

“Perhaps it has something to do with age, specifically?” Sayo suggested.

“It could be a million other things,” Tsunade huffed, and despite her attitude, I really didn’t have cause to doubt her.

At the end of the day, we didn’t really know all that much about cultivation. It’s too new and barely understood, and I discovered the damn thing.

“So, what should we expect from Lord Third?” I brought up. “Once he crosses that threshold, he’ll be the single most powerful cultivator alive. Can we even stop him if he goes nuts?”

“Relax, kid.” Something about Jiraiya’s nonchalant attitude really grated on me sometimes. “We’ve already taken precautions. Sensei won’t be breaking through out in the open. He’ll be under similar restraints as Jinchuriki candidates.”

“I don’t know what that means.” The old bastard had the audacity to smirk at me.

“Good. We’d have to slap even more seals on you if you did.” He laughed as I rolled my eyes. 

“For now, I think we can safely say that younger practitioners won’t have as adverse a side effect as older ones will,” Yamato pointed out. “Whether that remains true in the long run remains to be seen.”

“This is a new field of study that will likely take decades to be understood,” Reina noted. “And that’s assuming there won’t be any new discoveries along the way.”

Tsunade snorted derisively. “Decades? Try centuries. The brat basically showed us how little we understood chakra and its true potential. No wonder the old man’s so confident in his plan despite the risks.”

“And you’re not, Tsunade-sama?” asked Kakashi, looking uncharacteristically grave.

“You know as well as I do that shinobi can be extremely unreasonable,” the blonde practically growled. “They’ll walk the rockiest, thorniest roads if it means they can satisfy their egos or vengeance or whatever pathetic excuse they can conjure up, screwing over everyone else in the process.”

Throughout the exchange, we kept a watchful eye on the lively matches, with Sayo and Reina dutifully jotting down in notebooks with highly specialized Seals for privacy. Annoying as Jiraiya can be, we’ve really made huge strides in encoding sensitive documents since he came back.

It’s not like I can teach them English. Not only did the Hokage specifically order me not to share my ‘coded language’ with anyone else, but we were also too busy to add yet another major undertaking to our plates.

“Not that I necessarily disagree,” I interjected. “But there’s a chance, right? If the Hokage succeeds, everyone’ll be too busy to fight each other.”

“Like they were too busy when Grandfather shared the Biju with the other villages?” she countered. “How long did it take them to declare war, again?”

Surprisingly, it was Jiraiya who chose to chide her. “You’re being pedantic, hime. There’s a huge difference between what the First did and what sensei is planning on doing. He won’t be handing them weapons but an entirely new school of thought regarding chakra.”

“Besides,” I chose to jump in before Tsunade could find the glaring flaws in the Toad Sage’s argument, “I wasn’t talking about what the Lord Third will give them. I’m talking about how he’s essentially laying a trap that our rivals will have no choice but to walk into.”

All of the adults shot me looks of genuine astonishment, which I found incredibly grating. “I’m not that dense,” I huffed. “When you know what the Hokage ultimately wants, you just need to walk back from there.”

Honestly, even Naruto wouldn’t have any trouble following Hiruzen’s logic. The plan might have a lot of holes, but that was always going to be the case. Moreover, Konoha will have the edge for a few more decades, if only because of the projects that we’ve already got going.

Jiraiya chuckled. “Where was that sharp mind when you first met Tsunade?” The reminder made me groan. “Or that Haku kid?” Another groan. 

“You gave Kurenai and Anko terrible first impressions, too, Kenta-kun.” Oh, Kakashi, you dick!

“Come to think of it,” Yamato thoughtfully decided to add to my suffering, “you seem to have a knack for making inappropriate comments at the worst times, Kenta.”

“None of those were my fault!” I objected vehemently. “Those women shouldn’t have dragged me to the hot spring, and you know damn well that those nobles weren’t supposed to be there!”

“We’re just saying,” the old pervert gleefully teased. “You’ve established a pattern of bumbling through sensitive situations. Did you know that sensei’s been getting letters from the Daimyo about you and his granddaughter?”

I didn’t dignify that with a response, mostly because I was now covering my face in shame. Being Yamato’s apprentice should’ve kept me away from ludicrous nonsense that shonen protagonists often got tangled in. Yet, in the midst of conducting wetwork, I’ve had to wade through awkward developments more than once.

Developments that I’ve done my best to forget, but which the whole world seemed hellbent on always reminding me of.

Case in point, I stupidly asked Haku a few days ago if he was a boy or girl after spending an entire day having my more subtle attempts at finding out consistently foiled. The look of disappointment on his – her – their? – Haku’s unreasonably beautiful face nearly made my heart break in two.

My friends really let me have it afterward, and I had to do a dogeza in apology.

And even after all that? I still didn’t know the answer!

~~~

“Really?!” Naruto’s exclamation echoed through the underground chamber. “We can finally start using Jutsu?! Yatta!”

“You’re being too loud again, Naruto.” The reproach came from Sakura, who had to cover her ears. “Why aren’t you affected by your own voice? You should’ve gotten the same boost in hearing as us!”

“Dunno,” came the guileless answer.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Sasuke snarked. “He’s been shouting everywhere he goes for years and has probably gone deaf already. Either that or he’s got ramen in his ears.”

“You bastard! I can hear just fine, and ramen goes into your mouth, not your ears. Are you stupid?”

“Idiot says what?”

“What?”

“Ha!”

“Gah! Kenta, why’d you have to teach him that?!”

“I have no idea what they’re talking about, Lord Hokage. Their unruly behavior shouldn’t reflect on me.”

“I never thought otherwise for a moment, Kenta-kun.”

We were walking toward a different part of the labyrinthian structure underneath the Hokage Monument, one that has the equipment needed for this upcoming test. Hiruzen went with me to get the other kids from their temporary rooms, where they had to stay for observation.

Since this entire thing was classified as a high-level mission, their absence is easily explained to most. Unfortunately, I knew for a fact that the cover won’t work on everyone.

Danzo is likely already trying to figure out what we’re doing here. I wasn’t sure about other spies like Kabuto, as I still haven’t run into him or anyone else who might be snooping around. Trying to find him isn’t an option, either, since I wasn’t nearly experienced or subtle enough to pull it off without drawing attention.

For the moment, we should be safe, but I didn’t know how long that would last.

When we finally reached the testing chamber, I made a beeline for the monitors set up in one corner. The room was divided into four parts, with the target range at the very back, the medical examination space just before it, and the observation platform to the far right.

The spot I’m occupying with Sayo and Reina displayed the readings we’re getting from special sensors around the target range.

Honestly, with this world’s technological development being so eclectic, I wouldn’t have expected such equipment to be available. And, had I not deliberately steered other civilian academy kids to pursue unique avenues of using chakra, I’m not sure we would have.

Oh, sure, the base technology already existed. Kind of.

Computers, display screens, medical monitoring equipment. Those were already a thing. If somewhat limited in use. The past three years changed that, and our batch’s graduation accelerated that change.

According to Reina, many of the Jonin and Chunin who eventually took in apprentices have been keeping an eye on students who were showing promise in their chosen projects. I guess a lot more was happening in the background than even I was aware.

Most of the gizmos we’re using today only became available in the last few months, and none of them are available to the public yet.

I’ll have to see if I can reconnect with my classmates. If this is what they can do in such a short amount of time, maybe I can hand off some of the ideas I’ve had but simply don’t have the time to explore.

Finding out which one of them was responsible for some of these doodads would be helpful too since, for the life of me, I couldn’t make heads or tails of how they work.

“We’re ready,” Sayo declared after fiddling with a few knobs.

“Great!” I cheered. “Remind me, though. Why isn’t this standard practice for the village, again?”

Reina sighed. “We told you, Kenta. Shinobi are secretive by nature, particularly the clans. Allowing anyone else to learn the truth about one’s Jutsu or abilities is effectively putting your life in their hands.”

“And for the ninja who aren’t in the clans?”

“They weren’t worth the investment,” Tsunade curtly answered from her position at the medical examination area. “Until relatively recently, shinobi from less prestigious backgrounds were used to pad our numbers, more often than not. It’s only because of your discovery that we’re even bothering to set this up now.”

Her words naturally drew Naruto’s ire and the attention of the other three.

“That’s not right!” the whiskered blond yowled at Hiruzen, the old man looking more than a little put out. “How can we treat fellow ninjas of Konoha like that? Aren’t we supposed to be a team or something?!”

“Calm down, Naruto. Tsunade’s exaggerating.” Jiraiya gave his former teammate the stink eye. “We don’t throw our people away for no good reason. But the reality is that there will be times when we need to prioritize. Clans do have certain privileges, but this also comes with bigger responsibilities, which could put them in more danger.”

“The Uchiha were often sent on high-risk, high-priority missions,” Sasuke added his two cents with his arms crossed. “I imagine the same went for the Hyuga,” he said while eyeing Hinata, who nodded in confirmation.

“It’s not just them,” Kakashi pointed out. “Ninjas from civilian backgrounds with extreme potential receive the best training and opportunities to grow, with the expectation that they will frequently be thrown into dangerous situations when the need arises.”

Sakura, who had been listening quietly this whole time, then threw me a suspicious glare. “Did you have to use such a roundabout way just to tell us this?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said while buffing my nails.

None of them bought it, though Jiraiya looked more amused than anything. “Cut the crap, kid. You aren’t that slick.”

“There was no need for such subterfuge, Kenta-kun.” Hiruzen was gentle in his admonishment. “We would have told them eventually.”

I shrugged. “Oh, I know, Lord Third. But considering what’s coming, I’d rather they get the full picture from different points of view. Lady Tsunade might have put it harshly, but she’s not entirely wrong, is she?”

“Gramps?” Naruto prodded.

The Hokage sighed. “We will tell you everything after the tests, Naruto-kun. And I do mean everything.”

Eh, I’ll take it. 

These kids might have already been exposed to some of the more unsavoury aspects of shinobi life, but they were still treading the shallows. Sheltering them by sharing a sanitized version of what’s really about to happen could make them hesitate at the worst possible moment.

Hypocrites that they are, Hiruzen and Kakashi only planned on telling them the bare essentials of the monstrous complexity that will be the upcoming negotiations. 

I had absolutely no doubt that they would be on the front lines, whether it happens during the Chunin exams or afterwards. And everything they’re getting now would need to be paid back with bloody interest.

On a side note, I really underestimated Sakura’s intelligence.

Getting caught by the adults was expected. That’s what I planned for. Either I’m misremembering just how smart she can be, or she’s getting used to my antics. Both cases spell trouble for me.

We eventually got underway, though Sayo and Reina were both clearly annoyed with me. I’ll have to make it up to them later. Fortunately, my mom’s always happy to bake cookies for me.

I’ll bring double what I usually take to work.

Focusing on the present, the three medical experts carefully conducted examinations behind privacy curtains. The results were pretty much as expected: higher bone density, better chakra flow, tougher muscle fibres, the works.

All four of them were already beyond typical Chunin they’d face out in the wilds before they learned cultivation. Now? They’d thrash just about anyone outside of Konoha save for the true monsters roaming this world.

Hmm, that reminds me. I probably need to convince Hiruzen to let Naruto learn his signature Shadow Clone Jutsu. It wouldn’t hurt to stack the deck and give the protagonist every advantage he could get.

The Rasengan would be next. While I’m at it, maybe Kakashi can teach Sasuke Chidori? And with Tsunade here, Sakura could start learning under her much sooner than in canon.

Wait. Is any of that even necessary at this point? Should I even get involved? They’ve been doing pretty well so far. Much better than in the original timeline.

Decisions, decisions.

~~~

“Oh, yeah… we’ve got this in the bag,” I heard Jiraiya say over at the observation platform.

Nobody called him out on the premature declaration. Not even Tsunade, who was staring at the monitoring equipment with stunned disbelief. Even though we’ll likely be refining the metrics after this, the numbers don’t lie.

All four have become absolute monsters.

Sasuke’s Grand Fireball can now melt stone and flies at nearly twice the speed of sound. Even I would have trouble avoiding that. 

Naruto’s wind armor now acts both as an offensive and defensive Jutsu. It grants him a stupid amount of protection, makes him capable of accelerating from zero to practically going over subsonic velocity in a fraction of a second, and the outer layer has overlapping, high-DPS, rotating wind blades.

Before compressing her chakra, Hinata was capable of releasing blasts of high-pressure shockwaves from her hands. They were strong enough to send opponents flying from afar or cause considerable internal damage with physical contact. She didn’t even need to make Hand Seals to do it, which made the unique Jutsu exponentially more effective when combined with her Gentle Fist.

Now? She can release those shockwaves from any part of her body. And, as if the omnidirectional shift wasn’t enough, the girl can inject more chakra into the wall of pressure. This allowed her to crush an all-metal dummy from ten meters away.

As for Sakura?

“You better snatch that girl up now, hime,” Jiraiya had said when the pink-haired Genin obliterated a block of wood that Yamato produced for the test at Hiruzen’s urging. 

Targets of weaker materials simply couldn’t provide an accurate measurement of how much force she could generate, and we certainly didn’t have convenient punching machines à la DBZ. So, we needed something that could give us a better understanding of where Sakura stood.

The block of wood was dense, heavy, and large enough to put even Tsunade’s immense strength to the test. Yamato even made it the size of a house for good measure. 

It was shattered in a single punch to our open-mouthed, slack-jawed stupefaction.

Granted, the medic-in-training had only done it after several seconds of preparation, which would’ve been an eternity in a fight. But that didn’t make the results any less impressive. Blocking such an attack is simply impossible for most.

Forget any Genin she’d face during the Chunin exams. The pint-sized brawler would destroy most Jonin if she managed to land a hit.

And we just got started!

How had cultivation affected their other Jutsu?

How far could they push the physical enhancement techniques?

Did Sasuke and Hinata’s Dojutsu change? They’ve been given explicit instructions not to use them until later this afternoon, so we still don’t know. But the possibilities range from simply becoming more powerful and easier to use, to changing into entirely different versions.

Most importantly, did I see a bit of red and gold in Naruto’s wind shroud?

All of these questions and more chased each other in my mind as the tykes were examined once more. Whatever else we learn today, however, the four looked just about ready to take on the world.

And I can’t even say they’re entirely wrong to feel that way. I’m not entirely sure where I measure up to them anymore.

I let out a sigh, deep and unrestrained. “I’ll have to train even harder now, won’t I?” I grumped to a round of chuckles.

“They’ve been chasing after you for a long time,” the Hokage said. “It would be a shame if they lost their motivation now.”

“You’ll have to continue being my students’ guiding post, Kenta-kun,” Kakashi added. “So, please do your best.”

Well, it’s not like I wasn’t already planning on doing exactly that. Still… 

“I’ll have to speak with my former classmates,” I said. “Offload some of my projects, if any of them are interested. This is gonna be a busy month.”

Chapter 18

AN:

Here’s another early chapter for you guys! I hope you enjoy this one, and I have another way to express my gratitude for supporting me. It’ll come up on Sunday.

Also, I left a few Easter Eggs for fans of the Batman Trilogy, One Piece, and Cyberpunk in this one.

Have fun reading!

---

Well, that is both promising and underwhelming. Looks like extreme psychological trauma was still needed for Sasuke to get his super-extra-mega eye powers.

“Focus on the left card and read from the bottom to the top,” Tsunade instructed the Uchiha in a terse, professional tone. She’s playing the doctor right now, so she’s not nearly as snarky as usual.

He patiently complied, effortlessly rattling off tiny characters he could read from nearly half a kilometer away, even though we’ve been at this for a little over thirty minutes. A harrowing amount of time for anyone constantly using their Dojutsu, but my friend seems to be doing just fine. In fact, he doesn’t seem to be showing much strain, both in his features and from what our equipment could measure.

Was this really all two layers of compressed chakra could give him?

I honestly expected more. Four tomoe instead of three? Maybe turn the crimson color a different hue?

But, nah.

Still three, still red, and still ordinary.

Not that I was complaining about the results. From what we’ve been able to tell so far, Sasuke can effectively use his Sharingan for an indeterminate amount of time. The responses were smoother, the boosts to vision and perception increased, and his body is now significantly more capable of taking advantage of those benefits.

He essentially skipped years of training and experience with this ocular power, and is responding like a more mature Uchiha who has seen a lot more battles.

I was just hoping that he could get the Mangekyo without all the bullshit that came with it. And with the new advancements in medicine and chakra usage, even the downsides of having it could be mitigated or outright removed.

No such luck, though.

“All right,” the blonde said a few minutes later. “We’re done. You’re up, Hyuga-san.”

“Hai,” the girl responded.

“How’re ya feeling?” I asked Sasuke once he rejoined us.

“Fine,” he grunted.

“Any aches or pains?” Sakura prodded.

“Tsunade-sama confirmed that the strain is minimal,” he grunted again.

“Can you see through clothes now?” Naruto curiously put in.

Naturally, his question was the one that finally drew the strongest reaction from the stoic boy. I mean, all three of us gave the hyperactive blond a look, but Sasuke’s was full of judgment.

“You need help,” Sasuke told him.

“Hey!” Naruto protested. “It’s a legalized question!”

“You mean legitimate,” their pink-haired teammate sighed despondently.

“Yeah, that!”

“No, Naruto, I can’t see through clothes.” Unmentioned was Sasuke’s absolute lack of interest, even if he could.

“That’s a shame,” the whiskered idiot mumbled. “You could check if enemies had hidden weapons and such.”

We turned to him again, this time more surprised than judging. That was actually a good point. What does it say about us that our minds immediately went to the gutter?

Sasuke quickly rallied, though. “The Hyuga fulfill that function. Our eyes don’t need to do the same things.”

“Oh, yeah! Good point!”

Speaking of the Hyuga, our attention returned to the examinations just as Tsunade finished attaching sensors on Hinata. At her signal, the Byakugan was activated. This time, there was a physical change.

“Uh, where’s the wriggling worm things on her face?” was Naruto’s blunt question.

“Those were veins, you idiot.” Sasuke might have just added the insult on reflex. Like us, he was mesmerized by what we were seeing.

When the Hyuga’s signature ocular Jutsu was active, it was typically accompanied by pulsating growths on the sides of their heads. As for the eyes themselves, the changes would depend on the person using it. In Hinata’s case, her pale irises and pupils remained the same.

That was not the case now.

Not only did the veins not appear, but the irises were practically glowing opalescent colors while the pupils were pinpricks of intense purple flames.

“What do you –” the Sannin couldn’t finish her question.

Hinata gasped, clasped the sides of her head, and promptly fell forward. Tsunade caught her, of course, but the change was so abrupt that everybody scrambled. Reina and Sayo checked the instruments for errors or issues, Kakashi and Yamato blurred to catch any signs of sabotage, while Team 7 and I rushed toward our friend.

Only the Hokage remained outwardly unperturbed, though I knew better than to think this was actually the case.

“What happened?” Naruto demanded as soon as we got close.

“Quiet,” Tsunade barked while passing a glowing palm over Hinata.

The Slug Princess had the girl in her arms, face up, and was carefully examining her state. Not even the noisy Uzumaki dared to get uppity upon seeing the look of intense concentration on the medic-nin’s face.

Less than a minute later, she breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s fine. The girl just got overwhelmed. We’ll need to take her to the examination room for a closer look, but the change in her Dojutsu seems to have bombarded her with more sensory information than she could handle.”

“Oh, thank the sage!” Sakura exclaimed.

“Phew!” Naruto joined in. “You had us worried, Hinata-chan!”

“She can’t hear you, moron.” Sasuke might play the unworried badass, but even those eyes couldn’t hide his anxiety.

As for me? I did a really great job at hiding my own fears, if I did say so myself.

So what if I was close to throwing up? What does it matter that I wanted to tear my own skin the moment I saw Hinata pass out?

The roaring voices of self-recrimination over being responsible for putting one of the very people I swore to protect in this state went ignored.

They were!

They had to be.

“We’re moving her. You four stay here.”

“Yes, Tsunade-sama!”

… They just had to be.

~~~

“She will be all right.”

Turning to the source of the voice, I saw Hiruzen striding toward me from the entryway. It’s been an hour since Hinata fell unconscious, and after making sure that Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were fine, we were all sent off to do our own thing.

Kakashi took his Genin somewhere, probably to talk to them about the changes they underwent. Yamato asked if I needed company, but I told him no. 

I just needed to be alone.

Not even giving his surroundings a second thought, the Hokage approached me in the center of the underground room. His movements were unhurried, his face serene. I’d like to think my own expression was just as smooth, but it likely wasn’t.

“I know. Tsunade-sama said as much.”

My reply caused the old man to chortle. “You truly are in a bad state if you’re referring to her in such a formal manner.”

“She’s a Senju and a Sannin,” I huffed. “She deserves respect.”

“That never mattered to you before, Kenta-kun.” 

Why did I even try? Hiruzen likely knew me better than even my friends did at this point.

At my silence, he kept going. “You once told me that our greatest critic is often ourselves.”

Oh, he is not using my own words against me. And we were talking about my atrocious brushstrokes and penmanship!

“So, trust me when I say,” he went on, heedless of my non-verbal repudiation of his tactic, “that Hinata-chan’s state was not your fault.”

I could only let out a humourless chuckle. “I’ve been trying to convince myself of that for the past hour, Lord Third. The voices screaming in my head haven’t gotten any quieter.”

“Ah, those.” He hummed in understanding. “Quite the noisy little buggers, aren’t they? ‘You should have done this, you should have done that.’ They make demands that we can never truly fulfill.”

“First-hand experience, I take it?” I asked with a lightness I didn’t feel.

“Over decades and decades,” he said, the weight of his statement evident in his voice.

We both fell silent for a moment, allowing the quiet to almost press down in the enclosed space. The Hokage was content to wait for me, though I didn’t actually feel pressured to speak up. Weirdly, this made me want to talk even more. I just had to find the right words to express what’s in my head.

This was some sort of reverse-psychology nonsense, wasn’t it? Damn sneaky ninja and their sneaky sneakiness.

“I never expected this to be bloodless,” I eventually managed. “Our profession practically guarantees violence. I strove to grow stronger to protect my loved ones. I’m helping my friends get stronger so they have a better chance to survive. I’m not blind to the cost of helping Konoha become more powerful.”

Hiruzen stayed quiet as we both stared straight at the far wall of the chamber. “The tangible progress we’ve made these past three years fills me with pride, Lord Third. But seeing Hinata fall like that… not even the idea of a war with all the other hidden villages made me that scared.

“In my head, I know she’s going to be fine. I may even have theories as to what happened. Yet, try as I might, the memory won’t go away. It plays over and over, along with the undeniable fact that my actions caused her so much pain.” Aching fingers alerted me to the fact that I was clenching my fists too tightly, but I didn’t care. “Making things worse is knowing that I can compartmentalize. I’ve done it after missions where I had to kill. So, why can’t I do it now? Why do I see Hinata when the men and women that I’ve exterminated remain faceless?”

“Because you love her, Kenta-kun.”

Say what?!

I shot the man’s aged, smiling face an incredulous stare. What the hell was this old bastard talking about?

“Tell me,” he went on, not even commenting on my confusion, “what do you think I mean when I speak of the Will of Fire?”

The sharp turn in topic nearly gave me whiplash. Oh, he wasn’t going to give me this feel-good slop, was he? That’s the last thing I need right now. My deadpan stare might have clued him in to my unwillingness to play his game. So, he just kept talking.

“Many people believe it’s propaganda,” Hiruzen said. “In many ways, it is. Every village in every nation uses similar methods to maintain cohesion among the populace. I won’t deny that we’ve relied on it to stoke the flames of loyalty among our shinobi and even our ordinary citizens during times of great trials.”

Huh. Didn’t expect that. Had I passed some sort of secret test or something? Surely, Konoha’s leader wouldn’t be so candid just because I was a little sad?

“Yet, if empty propaganda were all it was,” he went on, “it wouldn’t have survived until today. Our shinobi aren’t stupid, and there have been many powerful figures from civilian backgrounds who would have seen through the deception. Do you know why the Will of Fire still stands?”

I dunno, dude! Narrative convenience? Because the author wanted it? Because it sounds cool? I was not in the headspace to dissect tropes and plot devices right now!

Blurting any of those wouldn’t have been good, so I just shrugged. A shrug can be excused, given my state, right? When Hiruzen finally revealed the answer, though, I could have kicked myself. 

Obvious point is obvious!

“Because our hearts still beat and have yet to go cold,” the wise old archetype explained with expected gravitas. “There is still fire in us, Kenta-kun, to protect those we cherish. Every mission, every battle, and every sacrifice is made by those who are willing to spare the ones we leave behind.”

For goodness sake, did I expect him to blather on about the power of friendship or something? Of course it would be something like this!

“The Will of Fire manifests when a ninja of Konoha chooses to die for their comrades,” Hiruzen continued. “It shows when we fight overwhelming odds, knowing that the chance of survival is zero, and still choosing to go.” 

He looked me in the eyes, and my breath hitched at the sheer conviction reflected in his gaze. And when next he spoke, each word rumbled with the weight of that conviction, even as his voice rose toward a burning crescendo.

“The Will of Fire allows us to dig deep even when everything tells us that there is nothing left to give. Because even if, or especially when, death is guaranteed, it’s the only way for us to pass on peacefully, content in the knowledge that we burned ourselves to cinders for the sake of those we will never see again.”

I could see it. As he spoke, I could see everything he was talking about. Reels of half-remembered scenes flashed through my mind. Hiruzen against Orochimaru. Minato and Kushina. Neji, Guy, Asuma, and finally… Hinata, arms wide as she stood between Naruto and a self-proclaimed god.

“The Will of Fire wards off the cold of an uncaring world, Kenta-kun. For in the life we live, where we can place very little value on those beyond our immediate sphere of influence, it’s even more imperative that we put all that we are into the ones under our care. That’s why little Hinata’s current condition troubles you so, my boy. The Will of Fire burns more strongly in you than I have seen in a very long time. And for that, I am eternally grateful that you are with us.”

Stupid old man.

With his cheesy lines and that warm, sincere gaze.

Stupid indoor rain, making my face wet. If I catch whoever cast this Water Jutsu, I swear I’ll kick them in the balls.

“Thank you, Lord Third.” My voice did NOT hitch, and anyone who says otherwise is a filthy liar. “I’m glad to be here, too.”

 A hand gently, but firmly, squeezed my shoulder before its owner turned around and headed for the door. Just as he stepped over the threshold, though, he turned back once more.

“Be sure to clean up, Kenta-kun. I’m sure Yamato will appreciate not having to rebuild everything. He did put in quite a lot of work to make sure your training area met your needs, after all.”

“Copy that,” I quipped.

With that, the Hokage left. Alone in the chamber, I examined the wreckage of specially made dummies, targets, buildings, and gigantic statues that were supposed to act as stand-ins for summoned creatures.

In my compromised state, I didn’t even notice how many of them were in pieces. Yet, even while mentally disturbed, I still left nothing intact.

Sighing tiredly, I began to reset the field. 

~~~

Sakura POV

– Immediately after Hinata fainted –

“D’you think he’ll be okay?” Naruto asked.

None of them needed him to elaborate. Tsunade-sama had already reassured everyone that Hinata would be fine after some rest. So, her blond teammate could only be referring to one person.

“Yamato said to leave him alone,” Kakashi-sensei explained. “His adorable student apparently likes to deal with issues on his own.”

They were walking toward the temporary accommodations set aside for the duration of the project. It had everything they needed, including rooms, a shared living space, and even a kitchen.

“But –”

“Drop it,” Sasuke cut off Naruto’s objection. “You know as well as I do that Kenta doesn’t like anyone getting involved in his business.”

Predictably, the overly emotional boy didn’t take that well. “We’re his friends, you bastard! He’s always been there for us. We should be there for him now!”

“And the best way to do that is to leave him alone.”

Sakura chose to stay silent while the two argued. Unlike them, she hadn’t known Kenta all that long. They weren’t strangers, and since Team 7 was formed, they’d been spending more time around each other.

However, there was still a lot that she didn’t know about the mercurial genius.

The verbal fight continued until they reached their destination, which was when their teacher finally decided to intervene.

“Enough, you two.” Sasuke and Naruto stopped at Kakashi-sensei’s serious tone. “Leaving out the fact that Yamato is his teacher, and therefore holds the most authority regarding his apprentice, Kenta has to deal with his issues his own way.” After waiting a beat for anyone to contradict him, he continued. “Your friend is bearing more weight on his shoulders than you can imagine. And, unfortunately for you, Naruto, you’re not ready to help him carry it.”

“Of course, I am!” came the indignant rebuttal. “I’m really strong now!”

“Your brain really is made of ramen, isn’t it?” Sasuke grouched as he plopped down on one of the couches. “That’s not what sensei meant.”

Naruto rounded on him. “Then what did he mean?!”

“Ask him.” Sasuke rolled his eyes in response. Eyes that still had the Sharingan activated.

“Fine!” Naruto huffed and went after their team’s Jonin, who went straight for the kitchen.

Shaking her head, Sakura sat down on the couch opposite her teammate. “Are you sure leaving him alone is the right move?” she asked.

Sasuke didn’t answer right away, looking off in the distance instead. “Kenta’s complicated,” he eventually admitted in a low voice. “He offers help even when no one asks for it. You already know that. What you haven’t seen is how much of a dunce he can be when he’s the one who needs help.”

At her inquiring look, he continued. “Have you ever noticed how he sometimes looks like he’s about to keel over? Baggy eyes, haggard face, slouching like he hasn’t slept in days, stuff like that?”

Thinking back, Sakura remembered a few instances like that. When she nodded, Sasuke jerked his head with a grunt. “We’ve asked him about it quite a few times, and he’d always blow us off, saying that it was nothing. Considering the past few weeks, we can now say that he’s utterly full of shit.”

A choking cough nearly escaped the kunoichi’s lips at the rare expletive from the normally taciturn boy.

“This time is no different,” Sasuke went on, pretending not to notice Sakura’s reaction. “Idiot probably thought his blank face hid everything.”

“Didn’t it?” she asked. “To be fair, he actually did a good job smoothing over his features. I only noticed something was wrong because his voice changed and his gait became more wooden.”

Crimson eyes met hers with searing intensity. “That’s exactly how we know there’s a problem. Since starting his apprenticeship under Yamato-sensei, he only switches when he doesn’t want to talk about something.”

Sakura nodded. “I guess seeing Hinata like that really got to him.”

A rare snort came from Sasuke. “Kenta can pretend he doesn’t notice her feelings all he likes, but that girl probably has him wrapped around her finger.”

Oh! An opportunity for gossip!

“Yeah, about that.” She had to be really careful with her phrasing, considering who she’s talking to. “Is he just dense, or is there something else going on there?”

Contrary to her expectation, instead of irritation or offense, Sasuke responded with a quirked brow. “I’m not helping you get one over Hinata.”

“That’s not what I’m after!” she yelped.

“What’s with the shouting?” Naruto asked as he came back from the kitchen with two cups in hand.

“Sakura’s asking for the inside scoop on Kenta,” the traitor tattled. “I told her she and Hinata can deal with the idiot on their own.”

“Not cool, Sakura-chan!” the blond admonished as he placed one of the cups on the table in front of her. “Kaname-san said that this is a battle between two women. You shouldn’t involve us.”

“I’m not!” she screeched. Where did they even get this idea?

Of course, that’s when their teacher decided to join in, as he came back with three steaming cups. “Now, now. It’s important to remember that all is fair in love and war. I wholeheartedly support you, Sakura-chan. Even if your taste is a bit questionable.”

“My taste is perfectly fine, thank you very much!” she couldn’t help but retort.

“You’re going after the village cryptid,” Kakashi-sensei said. “That about sums up your taste in men.”

Sakura gaped at the insinuation. Kenta was certainly not her – well, it’s not like he’s hideous – but she was supposed to go after – not that much recently, yet…

While the girl was stuck in a spiral of pointless thoughts, the other three jumped on the change of topic.

“‘The village cryptid’?” Sasuke asked.

“Blame Tsunade-sama for that one.”

“I thought he was called The Walking Liability?” Naruto added.

“Where’d you hear that?”

“ANBU.”

“Ah.”

“I’m not sure why,” Sasuke began, “but the title weirdly suits him.”

“The Walking Liability?”

“No, the other one.”

“What does it even mean?”

“It means he’s strange, Naruto.” Kakashi sipped from his cup without removing his mask.

“Are you a crepe-stick too, Kakashi-sensei?”

“Cryptid, and no. Why would I be?”

“Drinking tea without taking your mask off is weirder than anything Kenta’s ever done,” was the blond’s flat reply.

And so, the discussions proceeded, with no solutions formed or questions truly answered. Sakura spent a few more minutes stuck in her own head, and when she was done, the kunoichi then piled on Kakashi’s own weirdness.

Chapter 19

AN:

Here's another early chapter for you guys! Enjoy and let me know what you think!

It was the night before the Chunin exams. Everyone had since been sent home to prepare for it. Frankly, I should be doing the same. So, why in the ever-loving hell was I currently sipping tea with mother-fucking Hyuga Hiashi right now?

The blank-faced contender for worst father of the year in another universe was piercing my soul with his pale stare after inviting me to sit down.

Since not even I can truly explain how this happened, it might be helpful to step back a bit.

-Obligatory anime flashback scene-

Watching as Hinata easily gained control over her enhanced Byakugan was breathtaking. I mean, I knew the girl was good, but to go from fainting to pinpointing a specific kunai hidden beyond Konoha’s walls in less than a day? Madness!

There were drawbacks, though.

“Surrounding details are still indistinct?” Tsunade asked.

“Yes, Tsunade-sama.” Hinata seemed really put out as she answered.

“Can you still switch?” the Sannin asked while jotting down on her clipboard.

“Hai.”

So saying, the iridescent eyes were replaced with the regular old freaky, veiny x-ray ones. Well, an improved version of them, anyway.

“Range is unchanged?” was the clipped question.

“Two kilometers, Tsunade-sama.”

“Better fidelity, though?”

“I, um, ye-yes.”

“What is it?”

“I, that’s, um.”

“Ah, never mind, then.”

“What?” Naruto cut in from the side. “What’d she see?”

“For the love of all that’s good and holy, Naruto, shut up!” Sakura immediately interjected, face flushed.

“Hey!”

“Let’s move on,” Tsunade said in a loud voice. “How’s the strain?”

“I can hardly feel any,” Hinata reported, looking relieved that she wouldn’t have to describe what she saw.

Poor girl. I just hoped it wasn’t a pair of wrinkled fogeys. Then again, she was a Hyuga. They’re probably used to accidentally seeing such things.

“For both versions of the Dojutsu?”

“Yes, Tsunade-sama.”

While the blonde was running the girl through additional questions, Sayo and Reina were debating to the side.

“It can’t have been the cells!” Sayo insisted. “There are no signs of –”

“But what else could it be?” Reina shot back. “Her tenketsu remain the same and –”

They’ve been at that since Hinata had recovered enough to test her eyes again. As Tsunade predicted, she was just fine. More than fine, actually, since she woke up feeling refreshed and energized. She then argued that with the Chunin exams so close, there was no more time to waste.

So, after agreeing to additional medical supervision and precautions, the test restarted. The mysteries compounded from there.

In essence, none of us could figure out how the hell Hinata has a second ocular power. No, wait, that doesn’t really paint a clear enough picture of how bat-shit insane this was. Let’s try again.

None of us could figure out how the hell Hinata managed to develop a second ocular power on top of the one she already has, and can apparently switch between the two with ease. More than that, we couldn’t figure out how it works.

It can see farther, but she can only find things that she’d previously seen. Her regular Byakugan was now more powerful in that the images were clearer and she can process the things she sees much faster.

How did that happen? Fuck if I know!

“A remarkable development, wouldn’t you say, Kenta-kun?” asked the merry old man standing beside me without a care in the world.

I shot him a sideways glare. “This doesn’t bother you?”

“Should it?” he responded, affecting mild confusion.

My answer was forced through gritted teeth. “Yes. Her new ability makes no sense, and if it makes no sense, we can’t help her if something goes wrong.”

Hiruzen raised a finger. “It makes no sense, for now.” He then nodded, as if he just solved the issue.

When the fuck did this old man turn into Uncle Iroh?!

“Stop worrying so much, Kenta,” Yamato admonished. “You’re smart enough to know that spiralling over things we can’t control is a waste of time and energy. Focus on the things you can do something about.”

I wanted to shout “I know!” but held off. Blowing off steam in my private training chamber had taken the edge off my worry over Hinata, but it didn’t get rid of my self-loathing completely. Exploding at my teacher would be stupid, too, since he was right.

The urge to break something was still there, though, despite the evidence that the girl was doing well. We had three medically trained, highly professional, incredibly capable badasses in this room. They had absolutely no reason to lie about my friend’s condition.

Still, why can’t I fucking get over it?

“How’s it feel to have the second-best eyes in the village, Sasuke?” I heard Naruto taunt, momentarily pulling me away from my pointless thoughts.

“You’re still a molerat compared to me, you idiot.”

“What’d you say, you bastard?!”

“Can’t we go one day without you two embarrassing me?” Sakura whined.

“He started it!”

“Wha–you literally took the first shot!”

“Your face took the first shot!”

I snorted. Then I giggled. Then I laughed. Uproariously.

For one insane moment, I couldn’t help myself. But to my relief, Hiruzen started chuckling and so did Kakashi. Naruto began whining about something or other, but I couldn’t really hear anymore.

Through the tears blurring my vision, I saw Sayo and Reina stop bickering to shake their heads at the duo’s antics, while Hinata looked over and smiled. When that smile fell on me, I felt something unclench in my chest, and I finally stopped guffawing like a donkey.

In exchange, I gave her a smile of my own, so wide that I felt my cheeks hurt.

She was okay.

She was okay, and that’s all that matters.

Later, the tests were finally done, and the results were collected for analysis. Nothing would be leaving the test site, and with the new Seals covering every inch courtesy of Jiraiya, it would take a miracle for anyone to get inside without permission.

The Hokage probably has several dozen layers of protection that I didn’t know about, as well.

We were being debriefed, and the details were unsurprising. Team 7 could go all out. Hinata didn’t have to hold back, either, and Kurenai was already informed of the girl’s role in showing off during the exam.

All four could still earn the Chunin flak jacket, but it was made clear that a promotion wasn’t the goal. Only a certain bratty blond had any real complaint about it, and mostly because he thought it’d delay his dream of becoming Hokage. That lasted until we reminded him of a tidbit that Tsunade had already highlighted a few days ago.

“Naruto, you do remember that sensei is practicing cultivation, too, right?” Jiraiya asked.

“Yeah?” Naruto responded. “And?”

“And do you remember what Tsunade said about cultivation’s effects?” the Toad Sage prompted.

“That it makes us super strong?” The idiot’s face actually contorted, as if to say ‘Duh!’

“Oh, for–it extends our lifespans, you moron!” Sakura barked. “That means we can live longer, and that goes for Hokage-sama, too!”

There went the lightbulb moment, which would’ve been great if it didn’t also make Naruto realize something else. “Wait a sec!” he yelped before rounding on Hiruzen. “If you live forever, then how’ll I be Hokage?!”

“I can just give you the hat, Naruto.”

“Oh, right. I forgot about that.”

“If we’re done with the sideshow,” Tsunade grumpily cut in, “I’d really like to get this over with.”

With the hyperactive knucklehead placated, the debriefing proceeded. Though everyone was given a clean bill of health, caution was still advised.

It wasn’t until the Hokage asked for any last-minute questions that Hinata raised her hand.

“Ano,” she began, “you said nothing about Kenta-kun, Hokage-sama. Is he not participating?”

Bastard that he was, the wrinkled dick threw me under the rampaging Biju. “Kenta-kun? Would you like to answer Hinata-chan’s question?”

“I’m not entering,” I said bluntly, shooting the grinning old man a glare that promised retribution.

“Why not?!”

I started giving reasons while ticking them off my fingers. “Because I have no team? Because I’m more of a researcher than a field agent? Because I'm basically the expert in cultivation and I have to focus on that? Because I have so many projects going that I literally have to offload some of them to others? Because there’s no point to me becoming a Chunin? Take your pick.”

Naruto then started saying the word “but” a few times, but the others were more contemplative. Sasuke was the quickest to accept my reasons. Sakura came second, where she tilted her head and scrunched her brows before nodding at me.

Hinata, on the other hand, shot me a look of concern, and I wanted to sigh in defeat.

Someday, I will be able to get something past this girl.

In the end, though, even the blond couldn’t come up with an argument to counter all of my listed excuses, so he just went on and on about how I should watch him kick ass. I promised him that I would, of course.

Like I was gonna miss their performances.

As the four kids were sent home, I stayed behind, saying that I had to help with the gathered data. I had to promise that I’d meet with them on the morning of the exam, but I was already planning on doing that.

Finally alone with the adults, minus Reina and Sayo, who were tasked with organizing all of the information we collected, all joviality evaporated. We were standing around a large table, and all of our faces were as serious as the dead.

“Are you sure you want to do this, Kenta-kun?” Hiruzen asked gravely.

“It may be my best opportunity, Lord Third.”

“And it has to be one of them?” Jiraiya gestured at the documents spread over the table.

“You know the requirements.”

“This seems like a huge risk for something that’s not even guaranteed to work.”

“If you can give me a better option, Tsunade-sama, I’d absolutely love to hear it.”

“Ease up on the sarcasm, brat. I’m just pointing out the flaws in your plan.”

“I don’t have a choice. This is the only path forward.”

“Yeah, I still don’t understand your rush, Kenta-kun. You’ve already made it so that your personal intervention is unnecessary if ever a conflict ignites.” Kakashi wasn’t reading his pervy book, so I answered him with the same gravity.

“We need to know if this is the limit, Kakashi-san. Controlled scenarios simply aren’t enough. Konoha can’t rely on a weapon that is of limited use, and this is the best opportunity that we’re gonna get short of sparking a war. All of the necessary elements will be here.”

Throughout the meeting, only Yamato stayed silent, stone-faced and resolved. Of everyone here, only Hiruzen has a better understanding of my motivations.

Speaking of which, the old shinobi finally heaved a deep sigh as he came to a decision. “Very well. I will give out instructions to the appropriate people.”

“Thank you for accommodating my selfishness, Lord Third.” I smiled in gratitude.

“No thanks necessary, Kenta-kun. Simply come back safely.”

“I’ll try.”

When I finally got home, looking forward to just shutting my brain off, my mother met me with so much excitement that she could hardly speak. I flatly turned to my father for answers, who then gave me a piece of paper.

Upon reading it, my body was flooded with dread.

-End of obligatory anime flashback scene-

Okay, even after running my mind through all of that, I still don’t know why I was suddenly invited to the Hyuga compound. Surely Hiashi already knows about Hinata’s participation in the sessions. He would’ve had to sign off on it after getting a personal visit from Hiruzen.

And if this was about her brand-spanking-new eye trick, I still wouldn’t be the person he should speak with.

“I’m sure you’re wondering why I invited you over, Shiozaki-san.” The man finally breaking the silence made me sit up straighter.

“I wouldn’t presume to guess your intentions, Hiashi-sama,” I said with a short, formal bow. “The honor of receiving your esteem is enough for one of such lowly rank as I.”

No eye contact, straight posture, don’t speak unless spoken to, and always maintain a humble countenance. Man, dealing with high-society, hoity-toity types of folk is exhausting!

“You speak well,” Hiashi commented casually. “It’s a mark of excellent parenting. Please pass on my compliments to your mother and father.”

I bowed again. “They will receive your words with great pride, Hiashi-sama.”

Not a lie, though I wasn’t sure which mattered most to my mom: that he was the Hyuga patriarch or that he was Hinata’s dad. She couldn’t seem to decide before she dressed me up in my best traditional clothes and kicked me out of the house.

“The praise is deserved,” he said. “They raised a remarkable son.”

Okay, something was definitely up. Hyuga Hiashi doesn’t meet up with random kids just to flatter them like this. But for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out what he could possibly want!

And what does he mean by ‘remarkable’ anyway? Hardly anyone in Konoha should even know my name. Then again, he is a clan head. So, he might be privy to more information than the average shinobi. He also controls people who can literally see through walls, but would Hiashi risk the Hokage’s displeasure by spying on me?

Dammit, this is why I hate politics!

This whole thing has to have something to do with Hinata. She’s the only connection I have with the clan. Well, there was Hanabi, too, I suppose. But the little chaos gremlin pretty much just goes wherever she wants, leaving mayhem in her wake.

And either way, the dude probably has retainers keeping a constant eye on both of his daughters. So, he should already know what we typically get up to!

“I receive your praise in the spirit in which it was given.” This time, I simply nodded. 

There was such a thing as bowing too many times. In these kinds of meetings, I should only do it again if I’m saying farewell or if I’m asking for forgiveness. Hopefully, I won’t have to do the latter, though I wouldn’t bet on it.

“As well you should,” Hiashi said. “My impression of you is largely informed by what both of my daughters have shared with me.”

A crawling, creeping chill just ran down my spine. What the fuck have those two been saying about me?

“Hinata-sama and Hanabi-sama have been most gracious acquaintances,” I replied neutrally.

“Acquaintances, you say?” The man’s tone sharpened, causing me to go rigid.

Oh, you dickbag! You know full well that I can’t claim to be their friend in such a formal setting without coming off as a grasping, ambitious commoner! Unfortunately, I couldn’t say any of that. Instead, I had to be polite.

“I would not presume closer relations with your children, Hiashi-sama.”

“Would you not?” he challenged.

Right, this wasn’t going in any direction that I expected, and I refused to waste more time trying to wheedle the answer out of him. So, the direct route it is.

“Perhaps it would be best for us to dispense with the formalities, Hiashi-sama?” I suggested, still keeping my tone light.

“Agreed.”

“Why am I here?” I asked bluntly.

“You are here to answer my questions.”

“And those questions are?”

“What are your intentions toward Hinata?”

That stumped me for a good half second before I scowled. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me, boy.” Hiashi was hunching now, looking rather deranged. “What are your intentions? Why do you keep coming up whenever I speak with my daughters? You’re planning something, aren’t you? Admit it!” he finished with a manic gleam in his pale eyes.

What the fuck?!

“Look, I –” 

My denial was cut short by a series of banging noises and rapid footsteps that ultimately culminated in the sliding doors practically flying apart. Framed against the suddenly open space was Hinata herself, looking rather harried.

Hiashi recovered first. “Daughter, I will speak with you later. For now –”

He didn’t get to finish, either. Giving off an air of absolute menace, Hinata daintily stepped into the room, smiling a razor-sharp smile.

“Pardon my interruption, father. However, I do believe Kenta-kun is needed at his home. Don’t worry, I will escort him back personally.”

“What?! I –”

“Furthermore,” the girl completely bulldozed over her father’s objection with a voice so cold that I was surprised it wasn’t snowing, “I will ensure that he is not waylaid. Rest easy, father. Should anyone get in our way, they will be dealt with… no matter who they are.”

The frozen smile was then turned in my direction. “Come, Kenta-kun. Your parents must be worried.”

It didn’t even occur to me to object. My body practically got up on its own and, after bowing to a slack-jawed Hiashi, I followed in Hinata’s wake. As we passed through the entryway, though, she paused and looked back.

“Oh, and father? We will be having a long conversation later. Please wait for my return.”

With those words spoken, we made our quiet way through the Hyuga compound. I didn’t even try to talk. Hinata was clearly in a dangerous mood.

Along the way, I saw holes in the floor, the walls, and the ceiling. Making the scene even more macabre were the bodies dangling on, in, or over those holes. Thankfully, every single one was groaning, but the sight still reinforced my decision to keep my mouth shut.

Whatever was going on in this clan, it’s best if I stay out of it.

Once we were several streets away from the compound, Hinata spoke up. “I’m sorry, Kenta-kun. Father shouldn’t have done that. He was out of line.”

“Is’all gewd,” I squeaked and slurred at the same time, fear having robbed me of coherence. 

“Kenta-kun?” The scary girl had stopped walking (forcing my legs to freeze, in the process) and looked at me with concern. “What’s wrong?”

“Wrong? Nothing! Nothing’s wrong. Everything is a-okay, all the way, José!”

Yeah, I don’t really know what I’m saying anymore, either.

Hinata scrutinized my grinning face before looking down in despondency. “Are you afraid of me, Kenta-kun?”

“Afraid? Of you? Psshaw! Nah, girl, we good! We homies!”

Instead of being reassured, Hinata only sagged even more. “I see,” she whispered. “I guess I will see you tomorrow, Kenta-kun. Good night.”

She started turning, looking devastated, and that’s when my brain finally got unstuck. Well, sort of.

My hand, entirely of its own volition, snapped forward to grab her wrist. She froze. I froze. We both froze. She looked at where my hand was. I looked at where my hand was. Was I just repeating shit, now? Yes, I was. But that’s because I can’t believe what’s happening.

To be more specific, I can’t believe that I might just be in the process of accidentally enacting one of the most cliché romantic scenes ever devised.

I can already hear the generic K-Drama OST blaring in the background as everything moves in slow motion, the frames zoom in and out for no particular reason before the credits roll, and the seasonally popular singer croons ‘Saranghae’ an unnecessary number of times.

And I was afraid that if I let my thoughts move beyond that repetitive loop, I might do something I would regret. Like snatching my hand back, looking embarrassed or alarmed, and possibly hurting Hinata’s feelings that would then lead to a series of misunderstandings, which would ultimatelyleadtoourfriendshipgettingruinedohmygodwhatamIgonnado!

Before either of us could do anything, though, someone wolf-whistled from somewhere. Looking toward the source, I saw a familiar trench coat over mesh underclothes, and a malicious grin.

“Look at you, lover boy! So, it’s not just older ladies you’re into, huh?”

…

…

…

“It’s the meshboob lady,” I blurted.

“I told you not to call me that!”