"Talking"
"Thinking"
'Jutsu'
"Tailed Beast Talking"
"Tailed Beast Thinking"
Chapter 9: First Mission, First Kill
The Third Hokage was sitting at his desk, with the Elders standing in front of him. He inwardly sighed, as he had literally just finished his paperwork and he was just about to leave and attend his newest Genin's birthday party. But as he was about to leave, his former teammates, Koharu and Homura, had entered. "May I ask what this is about?" Hiruzen asked.
"Hiruzen. We've heard that you've allowed the Fourth Hokage's son become a Genin. Is this true?" Koharu asked.
"Yes. By way of the 'None Grad Exam'. Bryon passed everything required of him with flying colors. He deserves to be a Genin." He answered.
"Surely you're mistaken, Hiruzen. No one has ever passed that exam. Yourself included." Said Homura, surprised at the news. Yet, not believing it to be true.
"Are you saying that I was somehow tricked by a six-year old?" Asked the Hokage.
"Uh, no. Of course not. That's not what I meant..."
"I know what you meant. And I assure you. Bryon passed. I graded his performance in all aspects myself. And he's done far better than anyone before and after myself in this exam. Now, if you'll excuse me... I must be going." Said Hiruzen, as he stood up and grabbed his Kage's hat.
After escorting his company out of his office, and headed down the stairs. Just as he left the Hokage tower, a messenger appeared with an urgent report. After reading the scroll he was given, Hiruzen wore a solemn look on his face as he continued on his way.
-Hyuga Compound-
The party had started dying down, as a number of guests have left. Those who remained were Hikari and Hiashi Hyuga, and Kakashi. And now quietly watching Bryon go through his Bo-staff Katas, with a few modifications to some of the movements. It was during this show, that the Third Hokage had shown up. He saw the few changed Bryon made to the katas, but it seemed to fit his way of fighting with a scythe. Hiruzen couldn't help but feel some pride as he watched the young Genin show off.
It didn't take long before Bryon finished his little show, and received an applause that made him blush in embarrassment. "I see you're getting the hang of your new weapon quite quickly, Bryon. That's good." Said the Hokage, getting everyone's attention.
"Huh? Oh! Hello, Lord Hokage!" Bryon greeted. "And thank you. Thank you for telling Lady Hikari and Lord Hiashi about getting me a scythe. I love it!"
"Hmhm. I see. You're welcome." Replied the Hokage, with a slight smile
Bryon sensed that something was wrong, and he could see it on the faces of some of the surrounding adults. Including Lord Hiashi and Lady Hikari. "Lord Hokage?" Bryon asked, gaining Hiruzen's attention. "Did something happen? You look sad about something?"
"Hmhm. I doubt you can help. But, some of our shinobi have died in another ambush from the enemy. It's getting increasingly difficult to find them." He answered, not entirely sure why he bothered doing so. But he didn't see the harm in answering either.
"Wouldn't sensors be able to help? And what about the Hyuga Clan? The have the Byakugan, don't they?" Bryon asked.
"It's not that simple, Bryon." Said Hikari, getting Bryon and the Hokage's attention. "There aren't many sensors in the village. Your father was one of the few we had. And only a few of the Yamanaka Clan are sensors, but most, if not all, are stationed in the village." Hikari explained.
"Ok. But dad said I'm a stronger sensor than he ever was. I can sense others from miles away. Wouldn't that help? Even a little?" Bryon argued.
"He has a valid point. I've often heard Minato state how proud he was of his son's progress. But even more so, with Bryon's sensing ability. In fact, he actually told me that Bryon was a stronger sensor. But he's still young, and sending him to the battle field could kill him." Hiruzen thought. *Sigh*
"Huh? Lord Hokage?" Bryon asked.
"While you do have a point Bryon, I don't think it would be wise to send you to the battlefield. No matter how helpful you may be."
"Then why bother making me a Genin if you won't let me help our village?! Mom and dad gave their life for the village, and I trained hard to be a ninja so that I can be like them. My sensing can help me. I don't even have to fight, I can just sense them out and tell my teammates where the enemy is. Even if it's something small, I want to help! And besides, there are jutsu that help people sense others. If people can learn them, then it would just help us be able to fight back and live. They don't even have to be specialists at it. Not like with medical Ninjutsu, that's really hard to learn. Sensing jutsu are a lot easier to least, right?"
Everyone was speechless. Here was the Hokage, stating that in good conscious wouldn't send Bryon into a warzone. But Bryon was arguing every point that could be used against him, with valid points of his own. "Apparently, Mikoto taught him a little too well. For him to use Lady Tsunade's Medical Ninjutsu idea, and argue it against Sensory Ninjutsu, and use it in his favor. He might win this argument, but if he does, then he'll be in a lot of danger." Hikari thought, worried for Bryon's safety.
*Sigh* "It sounds like you're suggesting a Sensory Division. But, it still isn't that simple. It would still take time for our shinobi to learn the Ninjutsu. Time our enemies won't allow us to have." Hiruzen countered.
"Then start with a small group of ninja that has the jutsu, or abilities already. Team them up with some powerful Ninjutsu, Genjutsu or Taijutsu ninja, who can make time for others to learn. Even if it's just a minute extra, it gives us more time to train. Right? I'll even be a part of it, if it's alright. I want to help in any way I can." Bryon argued, with a fiercely determined look in his eye.
"Incredible. It's almost like I can literally see Bryon's Will of Fire. It's like it's as strong as his parent's combined will." Were the thoughts of Hikari, Hiashi, Kakashi and Hiruzen.
"It's a sound idea. However, you lack the experience. That lack of experience, can get you killed. And I don't want to risk that. Minato and Kushina wouldn't risk that." Said Hiruzen.
"Then let me get the experience. It will help me get stronger, right?" Bryon asked.
"Heh. Adopted you may be, but you're every bit Minato and Kushina's son. I'll take what you've said into account. Until then, just be patient." Hiruzen said. His tone of voice left no room for argument. But Bryon just nodded. "Bryon has many valid points. I remember, back during the First Great Ninja War, that my sensei was a sensory type ninja. Although he sacrificed himself, he still managed to save many lives. And there is still the Hyuga Clan. Perhaps using a few more of them to help against the enemy's ambushes, giving us the time we need to train more sensory ninja. This is going to be quite the headache to come."
-One week later-
The Third Hokage called a meeting. Over the past week, Hiruzen had started coming up was possible strategies and formations to use against the enemy's ambush attacks. Next to him were his former teammates, and two of the three elders. And before him sat the Clan Heads and a few of the village's top shinobi. Including, but not limited to, the Legendary Sannin, Kakashi, Guy, Asuma and other Jounin that could be present.
"Now, let this meeting commence." Said the Third, making sure he had everyone's attention before moving on. "For over the past couple of months, the enemy has stepped up their game. Sticking primarily ambush and other Guerrilla warfare tactics. And I may have just finished formulating a plan to counter these tactics. Although, I can't take all the credit."
"What kind of plan?" Kakashi asked.
Hiruzen took a moment before answering. "We need to create a special unit within the Sensory Division, committed to the sole purpose of sniffing out the enemy's position." He answered, surprising most of those present.
"So, he's taking Bryon's suggestion seriously. It's a good idea, but a lot of thought must be put into this if it is to succeed." Hiashi thought.
"But, Lord Hokage. We lack the number of sensor type ninja in this village." Said Koharu.
"I'm aware of that. Which is why we must train a number of our shinobi to learn Sensory Ninjutsu. And although it'll take some time, we'll have to combine our current sensors with some of our more elite shinobi." Hiruzen replied.
"So, it'll be the sensor's job to sense them out while our heavy-hitters deal out the final blow. Is that it?" Kakashi asked.
"Then what if the enemy's happen to have sensors as well? What then?" Asuma asked.
"Our sensors all have the ability to suppress their chakra, that is the best they can do to against enemy sensors. Of course, that goes the same for them as well. It's a risk we must be willing to take. By using the aforementioned tactic, it will help us buy some time to arm some of our ninja with Sensory Ninjutsu. However, there is fortunate and unfortunate news. We happen to have one ninja in our ranks that happens to be an even more powerful sensor than Minato. Our very own Fourth Hokage." Said Hiruzen, shocking most with the news. This time it was Hiashi and Kakashi who weren't surprised.
"And who, pray tell, would that be?" Homura asked, disbelievingly.
*Sigh* "That's the unfortunate part, I'm afraid. He just so happens to be Minato and Kushina's adopted son. Bryon Kaiser." Hiruzen answered, earning shocked and confused looks.
"Kaiser? What happened to Namikaze?" Kakashi asked, hearing this news for the first time.
"Bryon had requested to take on his biological last name. When asked why, he simply told me that it was a sort of feeling he had about that name. But, he still loves Minato and Kushina very much. Of that much, I am certain." Hiruzen explained, before getting back on topic. "Another unfortunate fact is... that Bryon lacks any experience to enter the battlefield. So before he can take part, he needs to gain experience..."
"Hold on! You're not implying that we send Bryon out into a warzone, are you?! That's insane! Bryon will be an easier target for any assassins that will be sure to go after him!" Kakashi argued.
"Not necessarily. With Bryon having mission, he'll be moving around and difficult to pinpoint."
"That may be, but it's not wise to send him out there!"
"He won't ever be out there without a trustworthy and powerful Jounin. And until he has enough experience, to the point where I'm confident that he won't tense up or hesitate in battle, he will be placed under your care. Understood, Kakashi?" Said Hiruzen, surprising Kakashi.
"What do you mean?" Kakashi asked.
"I need you to guide him on several C Rank missions. Missions that will likely result in combat. It may not be favorable to anyone here, but he is still by far our best sensory type ninja. He could prove to be invaluable to us. This may hurt us in the short run, but could bring victory in the long run. And it could also bring this war that much closer to an end. Best case scenario anyway." Hiruzen answered, his tone telling Kakashi that this needed to be done.
Kakashi wanted to argue, but the only thing he could think of was that Bryon was too young. But he'd be a hypocrite, since he was a Chunin and was also on a warzone's battlefield. *Sigh* "Very well. I'll do my best."
"Hm. Good. As for the name of the specific unit that'll take on the enemy's ambush units. We'll call it the Anti-Ambush Squadron. Or the AAS. I've already begun preparations for establishing this unit, as well as making some of them combat ready. Now aside from Kakashi, you're all dismissed." The Hokage ordered, standing to make his way to his office.
Kakashi followed suit, following the elder Hokage to his office. Hiruzen sat down at his desk while Kakashi closed the door behind him. Kakashi then went to stand before the Hokage's desk to await his orders. "So, what are my orders?"
"You will take Bryon and team up with another rookie squad to the village of Bassai. Apparently some bandits have been causing a ruckus there. While the mission itself is important, you must make sure Bryon remains safe while simultaneously allowing him a chance to gain experience. Both in combat against adults, as well as taking a life. If the chance for such happens to arise. *Sigh* Just make sure that if the latter happens, he'll have someone to talk this out with." Hiruzen explained.
"Oh boy. This is going to be a bit problematic. But, I'll be sure to do my best." Kakashi thought. "Understood, Lord Hokage." He said, before bowing and then leaving. "Teaming up with another rookie squad huh? That means everyone will be quite green. This war really forces these kids to grow up quick. It's the only reason why rookies would be sent on a C Ranked mission so soon after graduating... Heh. I wonder how many times that very thought has come across my mind so far." Kakashi thought, as he exited the Hokage's tower.
-Hyuga Compound-
Even though it's been a week since Bryon became a Genin, he hasn't done any missions. Although he wanted to, the Hokage told him to wait a little while and train. The next day, Jiraiya brought Bryon a scroll about Genjutsu. The scroll also contained a few Genjutsu that Bryon could learn. When Bryon asked Jiraiya if he could teach him how to use Genjutsu, Jiriaya informed him that he couldn't because he wasn't the type that could use them. Bryon received a similar response from Hiashi and Hikari Hyuga. But Hikari did help him understand the concept of using and disrupting Genjutsu.
Turns out, Bryon actually like the idea of using Genjutsu. Being able to control what another person sees and such. And unlike Ninjutsu, Genjutsu doesn't require as much chakra. And although the higher ranked Genjutsu still required a bit more chakra, it was still minor compared to Ninjutsu of similar rank.
Now, Bryon had completed the Genjutsu scroll he was given. Which really astounded Hikari, Hiashi and Jiraiya. And Jiraiya couldn't help but remark, under his breath, that Bryon's talent seemed too ridiculous to be true.
Currently, Bryon was meditating by the side of the Hyuga Clan's dojo. While he could normally enter into a trance like state, but he was currently having a hard time doing so. His thought process kept going back to his baby brother Naruto.
-Flashback-
It was back during Bryon's first stay, after the assassination attempt, at the Sarutobi Compound. He had just shot up after awakening from another nightmare of the Nine-tails attack. The only difference, was that Naruto hadn't survived because he couldn't connect with the 'Rasengan' in time. The scene changed to the entire village burning in horrible blaze of fire. Said scene forced Bryon awake. Worried that this might not have been a dream, Bryon got out of bed and headed straight for Naruto's room.
Opening the door, Bryon walked in and to the crib. There he saw his baby brother. Alive and breathing. Bryon sighed a breath of relief, before carefully picking Naruto up and holding him close and sitting down on a rocking chair near the crib. Bryon just sat there, holding his brother close. He let a few tears fall, happy that it all was just a nightmare.
-Flashback End-
This had actually happened a number of times. Even when he wasn't staying at the Sarutobi Compound, Bryon would at least get up and sense for his brother's chakra. Which might as well have been a beacon, since the other half of the Nine-tails was within Naruto. *Sigh* "I can't seem to concentrate for some reason." Said Bryon, as he stood up. He was about to head toward the door before Hikari came in, holding little Hinata in her arms.
"Oh, Bryon. Kakashi is here to see you. He says you have a mission." She said. He news brought a smile to Bryon's face.
"Really!?" He asked, receiving a nod from Hikari. "Finally!" He said, as he followed Hikari out to the living room where Kakashi was waiting.
Noticing their arrival, Kakashi turned toward them. "Hey Bryon. We have a mission. You ready?" Kakashi asked, with an eye smile.
"Yeah! Just let me get my stuff." Bryon replied, rushing up the nearby stairs toward his room.
It didn't take long for Bryon to come back with his backpack and what looked like an empty weapons holster, made of leather, on his back that went up and over his right shoulder. Everyone present in the room saw the empty holster, but it Kakashi who asked. "Um. Bryon. Why are you wearing an empty holster on your back? And where is your scythe?"
"Well, because my scythe is bigger than me, I thought it would be hard to move around the way I want to. So I put a storage seal on my holster and sealed it in there. That way, whenever I need it, I just need to reach back and unseal it." Bryon answered.
"I see. That's pretty clever." Said Kakashi. "He's right. With that much difference between himself and his scythe, it would've made moving around difficult for him. But still, is he even ready for a real life and death battle." Kakashi asked himself.
"Hey Kakashi." Said Bryon, causing Kakashi to come back to reality. "What kind of mission are we going on?" He asked.
"Oh. We're going to a village about a half day's journey from here. We're just going there to take down some bandits." Kakashi answered.
"But that's a C-Rank mission! Isn't that too dangerous for Bryon!? He doesn't have any mission experience!" Said Hikari, worriedly.
"That's why Lord Hokage is sending Bryon on this mission. To give him experience. Especially since his skills may help in the war." Said Hiashi.
Hikari's head whipped around so fast, it surprised everyone when it didn't fly off. "What!? You better not be telling my what I think you're telling me!" Hikari yelled, upsetting Hinata.
"Uh, well. We'll be going now... Come on, Bryon." Said Kakashi, nervously. Not waiting for Bryon, Kakashi simply grabbed said boy and headed out as quickly as he could. He was quickly out of the compound by the time he heard Hikari yelling about getting back in there. " Poor Lord Hiashi. I'm glad I'm not him right now. Oh well, we have a mission to get to." Kakashi thought, as he continued on.
-Back inside-
Nariko had gone ahead and taken Hinata, and headed up to her bedroom so as to calm her down. Meanwhile, Hiashi was receiving an earful from his wife. Once he was given a chance, Hiashi explained what had been talked about in the meeting he went to. He had hoped that she would understand, but it wasn't meant to be. "Are you kidding me!? His putting that kind of pressure on a child, simply because he's a powerful sensor! What is he thinking!? It's not right!" Hikari yelled.
*Sigh* "Right or not. The decision has been made, and there is nothing we can do about it. At least Bryon is being given the chance to gain the experience necessary to survive. Why not try and give Bryon this chance as well? He has been training hard for this after all."
Hikari took a moment to think about what her husband had said. *Sigh* "I still don't like it. And did you even argue that he was just a child?" She asked.
"Kakashi had done so. He even argued about the possible assassins that will come after Bryon. But with being on mission and constantly moving will make it quite difficult for them to even find him." Hiashi replied.
'Ugh. I've forgotten about them. They haven't sent any since the first time Bryon was with the Yamanaka Clan. *Sigh* I'm going out to have a little chat with Lord Hokage." She said, as she stood up and headed toward the front door.
"Hikari, wait. It's meaningless to convince Lord Hokage otherwise."
"I know. You can come with me if you want. Besides, I made up my mind about something as well." She said, not missing a step.
Knowing he couldn't stop her when she's like this, he quickly told one of the servants that they were headed out and quickly followed after his wife.
-With Kakashi-
In the meanwhile, Kakashi and Bryon had just made it to the Main Gate. There they saw who they were going to team-up with. "Hey, Kakashi. Late again I see." Said the Jounin in charge.
"Ah, Ichiro. I see it's your squad that we're teaming up with. And if I'm not mistaken, then you've taken on the Rookie of the Year. Right?" Kakashi replied, with an eye smile.
"Haha! Yea, she's a real tough one all right. Takes her training seriously too." Ichiro laughed.
"Huh? Hey, you're Lord Hokage's son. Aren't you?" Bryon asked.
Ichiro looked down toward Bryon, and immediately recognized him. "And you're the one that put one of our former servants into the hospital a while back. It's nice to meet you, I'm Ichiro Sarutobi. Lord Third's first born and Asuma's big brother." Said Ichiro, introducing himself. The resemblance between him and Asuma was almost uncanny. Like Asuma, he was a well built and muscular man. But since he's older, he was still quite bigger. He also had a mustache that went down the side of his mouth into a goatee.
"And I'm Bryon Kaiser. Nice to finally meet you." Bryon replied. Bryon had seen the man on occasion, but had never officially met the man.
"Bryon!? Are you going on this mission with us?" Hitomi asked.
"Hi, Hitomi. Yea, I'm going too. It'll be my first mission." Bryon replied, excitedly.
"What, we've been doing D-Ranks to get our teamwork together and just now got a C-Rank. How come you get one right off the bat?" Said one of her teammates, complaining about this. The boy had brown hair that framed his face, with a few short bangs that hung down between his eyes as they protruded form his bandanna like headband.
"Now, Izumo. There's no need for that kind of talk. If I remember correctly, you saw this kid take on Hitomi didn't you? I'm sure he's continued his training since then."
"Yea, but still. He hasn't done any D-Ranks. And they're so boring." Said the other boy on the team, aiding Izumo in the argument. This boy had spiky black hair, had square bandages on his cheeks on his chin and he also had two blades on his back. Each blade had a large metal loops.
"Doesn't matter. The kid doesn't exactly have a sensei from what I've heard. So, you'll just have to deal with it Kotetsu. Anyway, we should get going." Ichiro ordered. And with that, the two teams were on their way to the distressed village. Luckily they all had learned the Tree Climbing Technique, which made traveling a lot easier. They had left the village at about 8:30 that morning, and now it was about 2:30 that after noon. They were about five minutes from their destination.
"All right. We should walk from here. We're not due to meet with the town mayor until 3, and it's only 2:30. It'll take about 15 to 20 minutes get there from here, so we'll still make it there with time to spar." Ichiro ordered, as he jump down from the trees.
"But sensei, even if we make it there on time. Why are walking, when we can just get there sooner?" Hitomi asked, as she and the others jumped down.
"Well, this way we might be able to run into some bandits. And then we can take some of them out." Ichiro explained.
"Umm, Ichiro." Said Bryon, getting everyone's attention. "I think there are some bandits just down the road."
"And how would you know that?" Kotetsu asked, skeptically.
"Because, he's a sensory type ninja. He can sense people from miles away." Hitomi answered, proudly. "Good thing too. I'm sure Ichiro-sensei and Kakashi-sensei would sense them coming, but not until we were almost right by them. But Bryon can sense anyone from far away, so we have plenty of time to prepare ourselves." Hitomi thought.
"That's a great advantage Bryon has. To sense the presence of other long before meeting them. But I wonder... how effective is he with his own abilities." Kakashi asked himself. "Bryon. How far away are they? How many are they? And are they moving around?" Kakashi asked.
"Umm." Bryon began, as he closed his eyes to concentrate. Without opening them, Bryon began answering. "No. They're not moving, except for a few feet here and there. I don't think they are even on the road though. There is... twelve of them. But I'm not sure how far away they are. How far are we from the village?" Bryon asked, after his answer.
"About a 3/4 to a mile. Why?" Kakashi asked in return.
"Ok, then they're about 1/4 to 1/2 a mile away." Bryon answered.
"I see. Then we should get going. We'll use a 'Transformation Jutsu' to disguise ourselves, before we engage the bandits. That way we can catch them off guard when we take them out. Understood?" Ichiro ordered.
"Yes, sensei/Ichiro." The Genin replied.
"But one last question. Bryon, are any of them ninja trained?" Ichiro asked. He didn't want to risk putting his student in over their heads, unnecessarily.
"No. They all have low chakra levels." Bryon replied, quickly.
"Impressive. He can easily tell how many there are, tell how much they're moving around and figure out how high their chakra levels are. He might just need a little practice in telling how far away the enemy is, and then he'll be an incredible help. But... just how battle ready is he?" Kakashi asked himself, as he summed up Bryon's sensing abilities.
-Hokage Tower (Hours earlier)-
Hikari and Hiashi were now inside the Hokage's office, sitting in front of said Hokage's desk. "I'm sure I know what this is about. But just to be sure, I'll ask anyway. What brings you here, Lady Hikari?" The Third Hokage asked.
Taking a deep breath, Hikari answered. "Do you really think it's wise to send Bryon out on a C-Rank missions, just so he can gain experience, and then to out to war? He's just a child after all. He should be placed on a squad and be given D Ranks and then building up to C Ranks."
*Sigh* "I understand your concern, Lady Hikari. But, Bryon is an incredible sensor. A far as being on a squad goes. The more experienced Genin teams won't think much of Bryon, and simply consider him dead weight. And as for the rookie Genin, he may be considered the same. Besides, all teams are currently full. But, he's with Kakashi, therefore he will be well looked after." Hiruzen answered, trying to ensure Hikari of Bryon's safety.
"But Kakashi himself is still quite young. Surly you can't expect Kakashi to protect Bryon at all time. Especially in a warzone."
"No, I don't. Once Bryon is ready, as approved by myself, he will be placed in the new Anti-Ambush Squadron within the Sensory Division. His mission will be to sense out the enemy. Only when he's older will he participate in battle. It'll be too dangerous for him until then." Said Hiruzen.
"You don't honestly think that Bryon will just standby and wait?! There's no way! Bryon's not the type! He proved that during the Nine-tails attack, when he was spending the night at your home! Yet he still snuck out and ran home! And then ended up witnessing his own parent's death! And another thing! He's a child! And children don't sit still!" Hikari argued, using her knowledge of Bryon.
Hiruzen took a couple moments to let her words sink in. He couldn't really come up with an argument that would calm her down any. So instead, he decided to ask her a question. "And what do you propose? I'm sure Bryon won't just sit still here in the village either. Considering it was originally his idea in the first place. Just not with as much thought. Do you honestly think he'll just stay in the village, when his fellow shinobi are dying? His Will of Fire is strong. You saw it just like I did. So, I'll ask again. What do you propose?"
Hikari put a lot of thought into it. The Hokage was right about what he said about Bryon. *Sigh* "I propose that you assign someone to watch over Bryon in the warzone. Make that their primary mission. And while Bryon is here in the village, uninjured, make sure he goes through intensive training until he can properly look after himself."
"I'm afraid I can only grant one of those requests. I can assign Bryon some intensive training, to help him get stronger. But I can't assign someone to constantly protect him. They'll likely take the lives of their more experienced comrades into account before taking Bryon's life into account..." Said Hiruzen, before being interrupted.
"And what if I volunteered for that position? I'd be willing to protect him, no matter what." Said Hikari, shocking both Hiruzen and Hiashi.
"And what of little Hinata? Would you really put Bryon's life above your own daughter's chance to have a mother?" Hiruzen asked, stumping Hikari for a moment.
"I... *sigh* In all honesty, I consider Bryon to be like family. I mean, he doesn't have any family left. His clan, besides himself, is gone. Minato and Kushina have died, and he only has his little brother. With whom he is only allowed extremely limited contact with. And Naruto will grow up not knowing that he even has a brother. Hinata will need me in the future, yes. But even without me, she'll still have a family. A clan. If Bryon dies, then Naruto will have no family anymore. If anything, I'm putting Bryon's life with Hinata's. So, yes. I'm willing to make that sacrifice." She said, determined to stand by her word.
"Hikari. Are you sure about this? Hinata will need you. As a mother, there are certain things only you can help her with." Said Hiashi.
*Sigh* "I know. And yes, I'm sure. Beside... Bryon won't let me just keel over either. He's gotten so strong, so fast. With some more difficult training, he'll be able to watch my back effectively enough to where I'll still get to be here for Hinata. I have complete faith in Bryon. Share that faith with me. Ok, Hiashi?"
Hiashi was stunned. He never thought his wife would risk so much on a child. No matter how gifted said child was. He wanted to argue, but the look in Hikari's eyes showed that she couldn't be swayed from her decision. *SIGH* "Very well. But, you'll have to go through some rigorous training yourself. You haven't been a shinobi in years." Said Hiashi, with a great deal of reluctance.
*Sigh* "Very well. I'll give you about three months to get battle ready. But please, don't forsake the lives of your other comrades for Bryon's." Said the Hokage.
"I won't." Hikari replied, before bowing as she left the office.
-Teams Ichiro and Kakashi-
Ichiro, Kakashi and Hitomi had transformed themselves into ordinary travelers. Kakashi had transformed himself to like the way he did when he was about Bryon's age. Hitomi transformed herself into her mother. And Bryon and the others simply removed their headbands, since they were still children. They simply walked down the road, looking like a typical family.
They had just walked 1/4 mile when Bryon spoke. "They're just up ahead. I guess another hundred meters or so." Said Bryon, in a whispered tone.
"I see." Said Kakashi, keeping his tone down as well.
"Should I take them down with a Genjutsu, Kakashi?" Bryon asked.
Kakashi was surprised by the question. "You can use Genjutsu?" Kakashi asked.
"Yea. I know three. They are all low ranking, but they should work on these guys. Since they can't use any chakra." Bryon answered.
"Alright. Go ahead and do that. So long as it doesn't take too much of your chakra." Said Kakashi, just loud enough for the others to hear. "Interesting, I didn't know he could already use Genjutsu. Let's see how well his Genjutsu is. And his sensing wasn't too far off, but he still needs a little work on that." Kakashi thought, as he continued his evaluation on Bryon's skills.
"Hold up, you guys!" Said a rather large man, who had emerged from the trees. He held a three-foot long and four inch wide sword, on top of his right shoulder. His presence brought the group to a halt, bringing a smile to the man's face. "Judging by the looks of you, you're a family out on vacation. Unfortunately for you, you have to pay a toll to bet by here. It's, sort of a law around here."
"Sorry sir, we're not on vacation. We're here to find a new home and possibly some work. And I've never heard of a law that requires a toll to by paid around here. And, no offense, but you look more like a bandit than a honest working man." Said Ichiro.
"Hahahaha! You got me. But you might want to pay anyway, assuming you don't want your kids to die." The man replied, which signaled all the others to come out of hiding and surround the Leaf Ninja.
Ichiro, Kakashi and the others looked around them, to see that there was indeed twelve bandits here. "Looks like Bryon was right on the money about how many people were here. Good." Kakashi thought. He then made eye contact with Bryon, who nodded. "Jump!" Kakashi ordered, just before jumping into the air. He was quickly followed by the others. And they released the 'Transformation Jutsu'. The action confused many of the bandits, with only the leader of the small gang figured it out.
"Watch out! They're shinobi!" He yelled, warning his allies.
"Too late!" Bryon yelled, as he mad his hand-signs. 'Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram'. "Genjutsu: Fire Jutsu!" Bryon called, casting his Genjutsu. He caught all of them in the illusion, causing them to believe that he had released a giant ball of fire at them.
Seeing the massive ball of fire, they all screamed as they couldn't move as it was coming in too fast. As they screamed, the Leaf Ninja quickly knocked them all out and proceeded to tie them all up. "Good job, Bryon. Excellent timing." Kakashi praised.
"Yea, good job! That was awesome!" Hitomi said, practically yelling as she hugged Bryon. Izumo and Kotetsu just smiled in agreement.
"Yes, it was pretty good. I wasn't expecting a brand new Genin to cast a Genjutsu so efficiently, especially from someone so young." Ichiro complimented. "But next time, Bryon. Don't announce that it's a Genjutsu. Especially, if you're up against a ninja."
"Oh, ok. I'll remember that, Ichiro." Bryon replied, scratching his head sheepishly.
"Good. We'll now head to Bassai and meet with the mayor. We'll inform him what happened here, after we get the info about the remaining bandits." Ichiro ordered, as he started to head down the road. He was then shortly followed by the others.
About twenty minutes, they entered to village of Bassai. As they walked through the village, people would point, stare and even sometimes whisper amongst themselves. The looks on their faces however, showed much relief. They soon came to Bassai's Town Hall. They entered the building swiftly, and checked in with the Mayor's secretary. She then quickly ushered them into the Mayor's office.
The Mayor and another man looked up as the door opened. The Mayor was a bit elderly, but not too old. In his fifties, most likely. And the man was balding. The man next to him was a well built man, and looked to by in his early to mid-thirties. He had a full head of brown hair, and long sideburns that went down to the corners of his jaw. "Who do you think... OH! I see you're from the Leaf Village. I apologize, I didn't realize you'd be here today." Said the Mayor.
"It's alright. I'm Ichiro, and these are my students. Hitomi, Izumo and Kotetsu." Ichiro introduced, each of them bowing as their names were called.
"And I'm Kakashi. This is my charge, Bryon." Said Kakashi, as he and Bryon followed suit.
"Tch. A single adult, a teenager and the rest are children? The Leaf Village seems quite full of themselves, to send children to take on a group of blood thirsty bandits." Said the man, with the sideburns.
"Be quiet, Kouichi! You forget, the Hidden Leaf is in the midst of a Great War. We can consider ourselves lucky to receive any help at all. Now, hold your tongue!" The Mayor ordered, sternly.
"Y...yes sir. I'm sorry." He said, apologizing to the ninja.
"It's all right. Kakashi and I are both Jounin. Hitomi happens to be our top rookie, while Bryon happens to be on par with her." Said Ichiro, paying the insult no mind. His words surprised the Mayor and Kouichi.
"The girl is the top rookie? And that small boy is of the same level?" The Mayor asked.
"Yes. Bryon is the son of a very respectable shinobi. Now, I believe we should get on with why we're here. What can you tell us about the bandits, and their possible whereabouts?" Kakashi asked.
"Ah, yes. The bandits started attacking our village about three months ago. They would force themselves inside the village and start taking hostages and demanding ransoms. Those who didn't, or couldn't, pay had to watch their friends or family be killed in front of them. About a month ago, they all but took complete control of the town. Everyone who passes through are being robbed. It's making income within our town difficult." The Mayor explained.
"There are even rumors that they are taking positions on the roads headed toward Bassai. Supposedly, they're asking for payment to pass through." Said Kouichi, adding his own info into the mix.
"Those aren't rumors." Said Ichiro, causing them to become slightly confused. Seeing the confusion, Ichiro continued. "We purposefully ran into a group of them on the way here. We dealt with them quite easily, considering they weren't expecting ninja."
"I...I see. Guess that would be expected from two Jounin." Said Kouichi.
"Actually, that was Bryon. All it took was a simple Genjutsu." Said Kakashi, shocking Kouichi. The Mayor at this point stopped being surprised. "Now, any theories on where their main base is located?" Kakashi asked.
*Sigh* "Unfortunately, no. I haven't heard anything of their whereabouts." Said the Mayor, depressed that he couldn't help them any.
"Well, I've heard that people have seen them head off in the East." Said Kouichi, surprising the Mayor.
"You have?" The Mayor asked.
"Yes sir."
"Um. The sun rises in the East, right?" Bryon asked, from his position by the window.
"That's right. Why do you ask, Bryon?" Ichiro asked.
"Well that would mean that the shadows point to the West. But they're pointing East. That the direction I'm sensing a large group of Chakra from." Bryon answered.
"Are you sure? How far out are they?" Kakashi asked.
"Yes, I'm sure. I keep sensing chakras coming in and out of my range. So, they're about 2 1/2 miles away from here."
"2 1/2 miles? You can sense people from that far?" Kotetsu asked, surprised. He and Izumo were both surprised by that.
"Of course! I told you guys already. Bryon can sense people from miles away." Hitomi answered, with a smile.
"Alright, that's enough. We don't have time to question or praise each other's abilities. We have a mission to take care of." Said Ichiro, as he started to issue out his orders. "First off. Bryon, how many can you sense?" Ichiro asked.
"About twenty-five to thirty. It's hard for me to know for sure, with them moving in and out all the time." Bryon answered.
"I see. Good work, Bryon. Now, line up with the others. And I'll give everyone their orders." Said Ichiro. Bryon complied and stood right next to Hitomi. "Alright. I think it would be best if Kakashi and I took care of the main base. You three... uh sorry. You four will go see to the other road leading into the town and take down any bandits there. We'll meet back here when we're done. Understood?"
"Yes sir!" The Genin replied.
"Good. Hitomi, you're in charge. Now, go!" Ichiro ordered.
"Right, sensei!" Hitomi replied, leading her teammates out of the Mayor's office.
-Five minutes later-
Hitomi and the others made it to the other side of the village, where the other road leading to Bassai was. "Alright. Bryon, can you sense anyone?" Hitomi asked.
"Yea. Another group of twelve. Same as before, no ninja. Just waiting on the side of the road." Bryon answered.
"So, the same distance too then. Alright, let's get going." She ordered, heading down the road. Her teammates quickly following.
"Are we going to deal with this the same way as last time?" Izumo asked, wondering if they're actually going to see come combat during this mission.
"No. That would be boring. I want to fight this time. Besides, we can't get any experience if we let Bryon do all the work. Great job on that Genjutsu earlier, by they way." Said Hitomi. However, as she complimented Bryon, she saw that he wasn't paying attention. "Hey, Bryon!" She called, finally getting his attention.
"Huh? What is it?" Bryon asked.
"That's what I was going to ask you. You seem distracted, how come?" She asked.
"Hmm. I don't know how to say it." Bryon replied.
"Then just come out with it already." Said Kotetsu.
*Sigh* "It's that Kouichi guy. I get the feeling he lied to us." Said Bryon.
"You're kidding? Why would he lie to us? He tried to help us to find out all we needed to know about these bandits." Said Izumo.
"I hate to say it, but Izumo's right." Said Hitomi. "Why would you think he was lying to us?" Hitomi asked.
"I'm not sure. It has something to do with his chakra. It's higher than any of the civilians, even the other guys that are like his size don't have that much chakra." Said Bryon, surprising the others. "It's not a lot higher, but it's still higher than normal people. Also, when he was talking about the rumor and the direction of the bandit's camp. His chakra acted funny."
"Funny? What do you mean?" Hitomi asked.
"I'm not sure. But I think it meant that he was lying. His chakra also acted weird when I pointed out about the location of the bandits. I think he got nervous, because I found it out so soon. He might have wanted to help the bandits escape by warning them somehow." Bryon explained.
"Are you sure about this, Bryon? I mean, are you absolutely sure?" Hitomi asked, worriedly.
"Yes. I'm su... What's this?!" Bryon asked, coming to a sudden stop and turning toward the town.
"Bryon, what's wrong?!" Hitomi asked, coming to a stop as well.
Turning, Bryon replied. "You guys take care of the bandits on this road! I'll head back and take care of Kouichi! I...I think he just killed the Mayor!" He yelled, jumping up into the trees and headed toward Bassai.
"What do we do, Hitomi?" Kotetsu asked.
"Yea, he could use some backup." Said Izumo.
Hitomi was quiet. She wasn't sure what to do. They had orders to take care of the bandits on the road, but they didn't have orders about this kind of situation. She took a moment to think about it. It was difficult, but she came to a decision. *Sigh* "We follow our orders as quickly and as carefully as possible. I doubt it'll take long for Ichiro-sensei and Kakashi-sensei to finish at the camp. They'll probably be back to town before we will. Also, they might've already figured out what Bryon did. They're not Jounin for nothing. Now, let's go." She explained, deciding to continue with her orders.
She and her original teammates went of in search of the roadside bandits.
-Bassai-
As the ninja were headed out to their assigned tasks, Kouichi had dragged the Mayor at knife point. He had demanded a ransom from the towns people, who were shocked by his actions. When he believed that they were taking too long to decide, he slit the Mayor's throat. This action caused screams to echo throughout the town, while Kouichi immediately went to grab another hostage. This time it was a little girl, who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Kouichi then made the same demands. The villagers complied, and immediately began to gather the money he demanded. By the time they did, Bryon had arrived. He hid within an alleyway, and waited for his chance to strike. Bryon didn't want to risk anything when the an had a hostage. He didn't want the little girl to get hurt. It didn't take long for his chance to come, as Kouichi had cautiously reached for the small chest of money while inadvertently putting his body between Bryon and his hostage.
Bryon quickly tossed a kunai that struck true to his target. "Arrgh! What the he... Umph!" Kouichi yelled, before receiving a kick to the face. As Kouichi flew back, he let go of his hostage. The little girl then immediately ran toward her parents, in tears. The civilians quickly evacuated the street, so as not to get caught in the crossfire.
"That was low! Taking a little girl hostage like that!" Bryon yelled, holding his hand by his kunai holster.
"Ugh. Like you're one to talk! You're just a little brat!" Kouichi yelled, pulling out the kunai from his right shoulder. "Damn! I wasn't expecting them to be back this soon!" He thought as he looked around, searching for the others. "Hmm. I may still have a chance. It looks like this kid is alone. Good. I'll just kill him, take my money and run."
"Doesn't matter what you do! You won't get away with this!" Bryon yelled.
"And who's going to stop me!? You!?" Kouichi yelled, as he charged Bryon with the same kunai he just pulled out. Bryon quickly pulled out his own kunai, from his holster, and clashed his against Kouichi's. Which proved to be a mistake, since Kouichi was taller and stronger as well. As Kouichi pressed down, Bryon sidestepped, causing the man to lose balance. Kouichi quickly caught himself and dodged a left roundhouse kick from Bryon. As he dodged he spun around and landed a kick of his own against Bryon's chest, sending the boy down the street.
As Bryon was sent down the street, he eventually rolled himself to a stop and stood up. Once he did, he almost immediately had to deflect the incoming kunai that flew right at him. "Tsk. Jerk!" Bryon thought, angrily. Bryon then took his turn at charging toward his opponent. As he got close enough, Bryon jumped toward Kouichi and threw a punch. Said punch was easily blocked by the man. But he was so confident, that he caught Bryon's fist inches from his face.
Bryon gave an unintentional smirk, as he sent the man flying down the street. Kouichi rolled to a stop, with his head rattling. "What the hell was that!? He didn't even touch me!" He thought, shocked at an attack that should be impossible to do.
"Wondering how I did that, right?" Bryon asked, knowing that his attack unique to him.
The question surprised Kouichi. "I see. He actually can hit people with out actually hitting them. But how? I've never heard of something like that even being possible, even for ninja." Kouichi thought, as he stood up. "I don't know what game you're playing at, but it's obvious to have to get close to your opponent. In other words, I've got you beat." Kouichi snarled, as he started hand-signs. "Fire Style: Flame Hound Jutsu!" Kouichi called, spewing out fire.
The fire came out in the shape of a medium sized dog, and it was charging in fast. Bryon started his own hand-signs when he was Kouichi start his. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Bryon called, firing off his own jutsu about the size of Kouichi in diameter. Bryon had hoped that his own jutsu would over power Kouichi's, but that never happened. Instead the fire hound out maneuvered the ball of fire, and continued it's charge toward Bryon. Bryon then jumped in order to avoid the fire hound, but the jutsu still managed to hit his left leg to burn him and his pants. Kouichi's jutsu didn't end there, it quickly turned around and jumped after Bryon. Eventually striking him head on.
Meanwhile, Kouichi jumped out of the way and quickly rolled to his feet. As he stood up, he saw that his jutsu had taken out the young boy in mid-air. "Heh. Got ya'." Kouichi said, before a shooting pain hit the back of his left shoulder. "Aaaah!" He screamed, as he went down to one knee.
"Got who? I used a 'Substitution Jutsu'." Said Bryon, coming from another alley way. Bryon looked around the street, and noticed that something was off. "The Mayor's body is gone. But the blood is still there. Wait! Kakashi? Why are there two... A type of 'Clone Jutsu'? Must be." Bryon thought, as he refocused his attention on Kouichi.
-Hitomi's group-
Hitomi and her group managed to easily neutralize the bandits by ambushing them from behind. With the bandits spread out the way they were, Hitomi and the others were able to drop down behind them and knock them out. The managed to take out six of the bandits, before the rest got together standing back to back in a circle. Hitomi and her teammates hid in the trees, and quickly thought of a way to separate them. Hitomi threw a kunai with a paper-bomb into the middle of the group. Realizing what it was, the group of bandits quickly separated. But they realized too late that it was a dud, as they were all quickly knocked unconscious in the same way.
After the bandits were stripped of any hidden weapons, they were tied up. "Alright. I guess we should go backup Bryon. Right, Hitomi?" Kotetsu asked.
"Yea. Let's hurry." Said Hitomi.
"Right." Izumo and Kotetsu replied. They then followed Hitomi back to the village of Bassai.
-Bryon v.s. Kouichi-
Bryon kept making attempts at getting close to Kouichi, but Kouichi wasn't letting that happen. Things were actually made harder for Bryon, since he was grazed by Kouichi's fire jutsu. So, moving around was a bit more difficult. Kouichi decided to take advantage of this, and fired off another "Fire Style: Flame Hound Jutsu!". Bryon wasn't having it this time. He pulled out a kunai and threw it at the fiery hound. Kouichi failed to see the paper-bomb attached to it, so he was surprised when his jutsu was suddenly engulfed in an explosion.
-Kakashi's clone-
As the fight was going on, Kakashi's Shadow-Clone was on the sidelines. He was evaluating Bryon's current skill level in actual combat. "Smart. Bryon realized that Kouichi's jutsu is faster than his own jutsu, as well as himself. So instead of wasting his chakra on more jutsu, he just uses a paper-bomb to neutralize the jutsu. It was a risk, but it worked. So, what are you going to do now? You're injured, and have numerous other disadvantages against your opponent." Kakashi's clone thought, as he continued his evaluation.
-Ichiro and Kakashi-
Ichiro and Kakashi hardly required a plan of attack for the camp. They wasn't even much trouble. Even though it turned out that the leader of the bandits was a Rogue-ninja from the Hidden Valley Village. He didn't stand a chance against either one of the Jounin, and was quickly killed by Ichiro. By the end of it, the camp was practically burned to the ground. Small fires and rags, from the tents, were all that was left.
"Well with a rogue-ninja here, it turns this mission into a B-Ranked mission." Said Ichiro, a little uneasy about the situation.
Kakashi saw the look on Ichiro's face, so he decided to call him on it. "You think there might be other ninja among these bandits?" Kakashi asked.
"Yea. And I think that Kouichi guy might be a spy for these bandits. You saw the slight facial expressions he made when we mentioned running into the bandits already, as well as when Bryon mentioned to location of these guys. That's why you made that Shadow-Clone, right?"
"Yea. But, my clone won't act unless he can make a move without risking anyone's safety and can take him out without being dispersed." Kakashi answered.
"Alright, fair enough. Let's get back to Bassai." Ichiro ordered, as he and Kakashi leapt into the trees.
-Bryon v.s. Kouichi-
As Bryon and Kouichi continued their battle, some of the buildings started taking considerable damage. But luckily none of the civilians have gotten in the way. Kouichi had made some attempts to go and retrieve a hostage, but Bryon kept cutting him off with a kunai or shuriken.
Currently, Bryon and Kouichi were staring off at one another. Kouichi had used his 'Fire Style: Flame Hound Jutsu' about more times, and each time Bryon countered with either a paper-bomb or escaped using a 'Substitution Jutsu'. So right now, Kouichi was running low on chakra. Bryon was still good on chakra, but couldn't move as well as he'd like to. Not with the burn on his leg.
As they were on one knee, Bryon was pulled into his mindscape. "You're having a tough time. Why don't you use my chakra?" Asked the Nine-tails.
"No! I don't want to use your power. No matter how much I might need it. Besides, I just need get close and I'll have him. He won't be able to defend against my attacks."
"That maybe, but you won't be able to get close with that leg of yours. His chakra may be lower than yours at the moment, but he still has many physical advantages that you lack. Using my chakra, his advantages will mean nothing."
"I don't care! I'm not using your chakra, no matter what you say! I refuse to be a target for that masked man until I get stronger! If I use your chakra, there's no way it will be kept secret! And for me to get stronger, I have to rely on my own power! After this is done, you can heal my wound. But that's it! That is the only slack I'm letting you go with in our deal!"
"Or I could just let you die, and I'll reemerge within a number of years!"
"AND FALL UNDER THAT MAN'S GENJUTSU ALL OVER AGAIN, AND BE CONTROLLED LIKE A TOY!" Bryon yelled.
"DON'T GET SMART WITH ME, YOU BRAT!" The Nine-tails yelled back.
"WELL TOO BAD! IT'S BETTER THAN BEING DUMB! BESIDES YOU KNOW THAT I'M RIGHT!"
The Nine-tails remained silent. He knew that the boy had a point, but he didn't want to risk the boy's life since he would die as well. "Very well. But don't say I didn't warn you." Said the giant fox.
Bryon came out of his mindscape, and looked up at Kouichi. "I'll show you, Nine-tails." Bryon thought, focusing his chakra to his feet. With his feet loaded with chakra, Bryon charged forward. He went through a couple hand-signs, creating numerous clones.
"Crap! Which one is the real one!?" Kouichi thought, as he tried to figure out which of the six copies is the real one. And what was worse, was that the kid was closing in fast. Before it was too late, he just barely realized that this kid could deal him a blow without touching him. So, he jumped up into the air. Seeing this, the clones stopped and looked up at the man. As Kouichi looked down, he saw the clones smirk before they dispersed. "What the..." He said, as he suddenly saw a new shadow appear on the ground.
As he watched the shadow, he quickly noticed that it was quickly getting larger. Realizing what that meant, he turned around and saw Bryon coming down with an ax-kick. Kouichi dodged it by a small margin, only to be sent plummeting to the ground anyway. Kouichi hit the ground with a crash, kicking up a cloud of dirt.
Bryon landed shortly after, careful not to land on his burned leg. *Huff...Huff...Pant* "Gotcha!" Bryon said, on one knee.
-Meanwhile, with Kakashi and Ichiro-
They arrived at about the time Bryon created his clones. Kakashi's Shadow-Clone dispersed shortly after their arrival, giving Kakashi the information he was missing upon arriving.
"What's going on Kakashi? Why is Bryon fighting Kouichi?" Ichiro asked.
"It seems Kouichi figured that he was going to be caught, and tried one last attempt at getting rich. So he took the Mayor hostage, and eventually killed him. Unfortunately, my clone couldn't do anything since the Mayor kept struggling. So, any interference from my clone would've killed him anyway. Kouichi eventually killed the Mayor and quickly took another hostage. My clone then sensed Bryon's presence nearby, and decided to see how Bryon would handle a hostage situation. Happy to say, he handled it well. Considering he had a much better opportunity and a better angle. Kouichi had taken a little girl, and Bryon saved her. Since then, they've been fighting. Kouichi's been keeping his distance and using Ninjutsu, but Bryon's been holding his own." Kakashi explained.
"But why did your clone let Bryon fight by himself? Your clone could've easily beaten Kouichi by taking advantage of his battle with Bryon. So, why?" Ichiro asked.
"Orders, by Lord Hokage. He wants Bryon to gain experience in combat. He believes that Bryon has the potential to help the new AAS unit within the Sensory Division. But before Bryon can be a part of that unit, he needs combat experience." Kakashi answered, just as Bryon landing his ax-kick.
"What the hell is the 'AAS'?" Ichiro asked.
"The Anti-Ambush Squadron. It will consist of sensory type ninja as well as a couple of heavy-hitters. The purpose of this unit is to locate and whip out the enemy's ambush units."
"And he's willing to put a child right into this new unit? Is he crazy?"
"I'm just following orders. And they are to ensure that Bryon receives combat experience, and his safety until he gets that experience. I don't like it. But I'd rather do this to make sure he lives, than not do this and let him die." Kakashi answered.
-Meanwhile, with Hitomi-
Hitomi, Kotetsu and Izumo arrived when Bryon was down on his knee across from a kneeling Kouichi. They, coincidentally, showed up at the same time as Ichiro and Kakashi. And were on the roof across from them. *Sigh* "It looks like Bryon is alright. That's good." Said Hitomi, relieved at Bryon's safety. "I'm glad he's ok. Ayame would never let me hear the end of it if he got hurt and I could prevent it. Sheesh! She just hast to have a massive crush on him. *Sigh* Still, he's a family friend. And I'd help him anyway." Hitomi thought.
Bryon soon connected with an ax-kick on Kouichi, that caused Kouichi to plummet to the ground. "Ouch. I'd hate to get hit like that by they kid." Said Izumo.
"Yeah, no kidding. The kid has some amazing skill." Kotetsu replied.
"Well, he did hold his own against my during his test fro a reason. I didn't go easy on him, by the way. He didn't want that." Said Hitomi, shocking them.
"You're kidding? Everyone thought you were. Why didn't you?" Kotetsu asked.
"Because he asked me not to. That's why." Hitomi answered, in a matter-of-fact tone. At this point, Kouichi began to stand up. "Crap. I should help Bryon out, just in case."
-Bryon v.s. Kouichi-
"N...No way. How can you get up after that?" Bryon asked, as Kouichi stumbled up to his feet.
"You...You think that a little BRAT like you can beat me!" Kouichi growled, as he finally managed to stand up straight. *Huff* "I can't believe this brat! He'll die for this!" Kouichi thought. "Hmm."
"Hey, Bryon. Need a hand? Don't answer that, of course you do." Said Hitomi, as she stood behind Bryon.
"I'm fine. But careful, this guy is tough."
"Yea, I know. I saw that last hit you landed. But he's lost now."
"How dare you brats think you can beat me! I'll kill you!" Kouichi yelled, pulling out a hidden kunai as he charged toward the two kids.
-Ichiro and Kakashi-
Ichiro was about to go down an interfere, when Kakashi grabbed his arm. Ichiro looked back to question Kakashi, only to have Kakashi beat him to it. "Remember, Bryon needs the experience. If things get too bad, we'll intervene." Said Kakashi.
Ichiro just grunted. But he understood that he was just following orders.
-Kouichi v.s. Bryon and Hitomi-
Bryon charged Kouichi as well. But as Bryon got closer, Kouichi jumped over him and continued his charge toward Hitomi. "I'll take out the bitch first, since she's uninjured. Then I'll make my way out of here before the Jounin come back." Kouichi thought, as he landed and continued his charge.
The act caught Hitomi off guard, and she was going to pull out a kunai to defend herself. But she froze as she saw the look in the man's eyes. The look was so intense. Cold. That she just couldn't move.
Kouichi saw this, and smirked. He had her, no problem.
-Izumo and Kotetsu-
"What's wrong with Hitomi?" Izumo asked.
"I don't know. That's not like her at all." Kotetsu replied.
-Ichiro and Kakashi-
"Kakashiiii! Let go!" Ichiro growled, as Kakashi still had a hand on his arm.
"You're forgetting about Bryon. Watch."
-Bryon-
"Crap! I can't catch him! What do I do!?...MY SCYTHE!" Bryon thought, frantically. As fast as he could, he reached his right hand behind his back and unsealed his scythe form it's seal. Once it appeared, he grasped it a brought it out in front of him and threw it as hard as he could. The action surprised everyone that could see him do this.
The scythe flew at a 45* angle, rotating as it did. Kouichi was unaware of it all. As he got within striking distance of the frozen Hitomi, he started falling to his left. Feeling a sharp pain in his neck as his vision went black. The scythe had penetrated the upper-right side, and came out the lower-left side only to re-enter his left shoulder.
The sudden moment shocked Hitomi out of her frozen state, causing her to watch the man to fall to the ground. It wasn't until after he hit the ground lifeless, that Hitomi realized that there was a scythe sticking through the man's neck. Shortly after, she noticed the blood flowing from the scythe's point of entry to the ground, where it pooled into a puddle.
-Izumo and Kotetsu-
"Di...did he just kill him?" Kotetsu asked, shocked.
"I...I think he did." Izumo answered, just as shocked as Kotetsu.
-Ichiro and Kakashi-
"See. I told you Bryon could handle this. Hitomi is safe."
"Screw you, Kakashi! Unlike you, I'm not willing to sacrifice my student's lives like this! What if he froze because he didn't know what to do!? Huh!?" Ichiro asked, furious at what had happened.
"But he didn't freeze, did he? He did what he had to do. And that was to save the life of his comrade. Who also happens to be your student, and his friend's sister." Kakashi countered.
Ichiro pulled his arm out of Kakashi's and violently. "You're right about one thing! She is my student! And you should never have put her in danger like that. If we weren't here, it would be different. But we were!" Ichiro argued, before jumping down toward his female student.
Kakashi did the same, except he went toward a frozen Bryon.
-Bryon-
Bryon was shocked as his scythe his Kouichi's neck. He knew the body well enough to know that the neck area was fatal. But knowing that, seemed like nothing compared to feeling the man's chakra disappear. Chakra was the life's essence of Shinobi and civilian alike. He remembered how his parent's chakra vanished during their last moments. But this felt so much different. Because the man's chakra vanished by his own weapon, thrown by his own two hands.
"Bryon. Are you alright?" Kakashi asked, not receiving a response. He asked again, and still received nothing. So Kakashi placed his hand on Bryon's shoulder, only to have the boy flinch away. Kakashi then grabbed both Bryon's shoulders, and forced the struggling boy to look him in the eye. Unfortunately, Bryon wouldn't cooperate. So Kakashi let go of them with his left hand, so he could uncover his Sharingan. Once he did, her grabbed Bryon's shoulder again and placed him under a hypnotic Genjutsu. After about thirty seconds, Bryon finally went limp.
*Sigh* "There. I'm sorry, Bryon. But this was for your own good." Said Kakashi, as he pulled his headband down to cover his Sharingan.
Meanwhile with Hitomi, Ichiro and his other two students landed beside her. When Ichiro placed his hands on Hitomi's shoulder, it shocked her back from her trance. But the look in her eyes showed horror. Ichiro could hardly blame her, since she saw the man die right before her eyes. "Hitomi, it's alright. Are you aware of what happened?" Ichiro asked, knowing the answer already. Hitomi just nodded numbly, still in shock about what had happened.
"H...He k...killed him. D...didn't he?" Hitomi asked.
Ichiro took a moment to understand what she meant, but he quickly answered her. "Yes. He did. But he did it to save you. Kouichi was going to kill you. Remember that, ok? Bryon killed Kouichi... to save your life. Understand?" Ichiro explained, wanting her to understand.
Suddenly, Hitomi saw Bryon go limp. "What did you do!?" Hitomi yelled, struggling out of her sensei's grip. Once out, she ran toward Bryon and Kakashi getting between them in an attempt to protect Bryon. "What did you do to him!?" She yelled, again.
"Calm down. I just put him to sleep, so he could have time to calm down." Kakashi answered, confusing Hitomi.
Fortunately, Ichiro was there to clarify. "You see, Hitomi. This was the first time Bryon has ended a life with his own hands. He's in shock. And therefore, he was having difficulty coming to terms with it. After this, Bryon is going to need help accepting what he did."
"Actually, I've already taken a step toward that. I placed a Genjutsu on him, basically allowing me to talk to him in his mind. But he needs to be asleep for it to be effective." Said Kakashi.
"So...He'll be ok?" Hitomi asked, hopefully.
"Physically, yes. Mentally, we'll have to wait and see." Ichiro answered.
"C'mon. We need to head back to the village and report to Lord Hokage that the mission was a success." Said Kakashi, as he went to pick up Bryon off the ground. Luckily, Hitomi didn't try to stop him.
"Right. We'll take care of the debriefing with the townspeople. You go ahead and start taking Bryon back to the Leaf." Ichiro said, as Kakashi got Bryon on his back.
As Kakashi went ahead and took Bryon back to the village, Ichiro and his team debriefed the townspeople. Letting their local authorities where to locate the beaten and bound bandits. Also ensuring that among the ones at the camp, most of the bandits were killed. Once Ichiro's team received the payment for the mission, they left via the trees.
As they made their way back, Hitomi's mind kept wandering to her sister's crush.
-The Leaf Village-
Ichiro didn't come back into the village until 10:25 p.m. It was late, so Ichiro sent them home. While he would speak with Lord Hokage, his father, when he got home. Shortly after separating, Ichiro made it through the front door of the Sarutobi Clan's main building. Upon entering, he found his father in front of the fireplace within the living room. "Evening, father." Ichiro greeted.
Hiruzen turned around, surprised to see his eldest son. "Ichiro. I'm surprised you're back so soon. I wasn't expecting you so soon. How was the mission?" Hiruzen asked.
*Sigh* "I should've known that Kakashi wouldn't show up." Ichiro mumbled. "It could've gone better." Ichiro answered.
"A failure then?"
"No. It was a success."
"Oh? Then what happened?" Hiruzen asked, gesturing to the chair in front of him.
Taking a seat, Ichiro answered. "The bandits were taken out successfully, however there were two ninja among them. One was the leader at their camp. The other was a spy in the Mayor's office." Ichiro began, as he started to explain all the details of the mission to his father. He left nothing out. Even the part where Kakashi risked Hitomi's life for Bryon's 'experience'.
The Third Hokage was not happy when he heard that. Yes, he ordered Kakashi to ensure that Bryon gains experience. But not at the cost of another ninja's life. "I see. I'll speak with Kakashi first thing tomorrow morning. I'll see to it that this doesn't happen again." Said Hiruzen, his face showing his son that he was serious.
"Thank you. I'll be going to bed now. Good night, father."
"Good night, Ichiro."
-Meanwhile-
Hitomi entered her family's house. She opened and closed the door silently, so as not to wake her family up. "Hitomi? Is that you?" Her father asked, from up the stairs.
Surprised that he was still up, Hitomi hesitated in her answer. "Y...yes. It's me."
Teuchi came down the stairs, and turned the living room light on. His eyes quickly adjusted, and when he did he set his eyes on his eldest daughter. When he did, he saw that she was pale. "Honey, what's wrong?" Teuchi asked, as he walked toward his daughter.
Hitomi ran into her father's arms, and let out all the tears she's been holding in.
"Shhh. It's ok. It's ok. I'm here. I'm here." Said Teuchi, stroking Hitomi's hair with his hand as he tried to calm her down. It took some time for Hitomi to finally calm down enough to talk. And when she did, she told her father what happened. How she froze because of the look in Kouichi's eyes, how Bryon had killed the man because she did and how she was worried about Bryon because he took a life.
Teuchi understood where his daughter was coming from, and was truly thankful that Bryon had saved his daughter's life. He knew that the life of a ninja was rough. But he also knew that his daughter hasn't seen anything yet. "I see. *Sigh* I'm glad your mission was a success, but I'm even happier that you made it back alive. And I have Bryon to thank for that. But Hitomi... Understand that you can't freeze like that. Next time you could die, and that would hurt us more than anything. Bryon, or anyone else, won't always be able to save you." Teuchi began, telling his daughter what she needs to know to survive.
"You and Bryon were even during your match. But Bryon has proven to be stronger than you." He said, causing Hitomi to look up at him in confusion. "That man, Kouichi. He gave you the same look he had already given Bryon. Yet Bryon fought back against that man. He didn't freeze, because he'd be dead if he did." He explained, seeing his daughter's confusion vanish from her eyes. "Now, that doesn't mean you're weak. It just means Bryon is stronger. He saw his parents die, right in front of him. He looked the Nine-tails right in the face, which is the same as looking death in the face."
"And that look, is a thousand times scarier than the look that man could've ever given you. That's why Bryon could fight without freezing. However despite all of that, Bryon wasn't prepared for actually taking a life."
"Why not?" Hitomi asked.
"Because. Seeing a life taken right in front of your, is a whole different world than actually taking a life. And it's worse for Bryon, because he's a sensor. He didn't just see the man drop to the ground dead, he felt the man's chakra completely vanish. I'm sure it hit him a lot harder, than it would most." Teuchi answered.
"Oh, god. H...he'll be ok, won't he?" She asked.
"He will be. He's a very, very strong kid. He'll come to terms with what happened, especially when he realizes that he saved your life. And I'll always be grateful to him for that. He's a great kid, and he'll be one hell of a ninja one day." He answered, bringing a smile to Hitomi's face.
"Yea. You're right, dad." Said Hitomi, as she hugged her father. Suddenly all the day's events finally caught up to her, as she finally fell asleep.
Realizing she had fallen asleep, Teuchi picked her up and took her to her room, turning off the light on his way up. He then went inside her room and tucked her into her bed. Kissing her forehead goodnight, Teuchi said. "Goodnight, my little angel."
And that's chapter 9! Took me a little while, but I also put a lot of work into it. Next chapter will have an intro to some other OCs, that are relevant to the Main OC. It'll be their first appearance, and the only one until later in the story. Please review, and let me know what you think.
