Chapter 10 - Control Your Chakra!
Deception is a two edged sword, it can help a ninja but it can harm him too - Hashirami Senju, First Hokage
The timely departure of the ninja saved them from facing Zabuza, The Demon of the Mist. He and Haku immediately made their way to Tazuna's house after leaving Gato's office. Finding it empty, Zabuza leveled the structure with three well placed strikes with his great sword. Finding any trace of the Konoha ninja was impossible with the head start they had. The only choice was a waiting game and well placed coins in the hands of the greedier inhabitants of the Land of Waves. Some word would come, and then they would deal with Tazuna, his family, and those Kohoha guarding the bridge builder.
The Land of Waves isn't much of a land to the eye except to those seafaring people who daily strive to make a living off the sea and the lifeforms found among the mangroves. A few shanty villages dot the coastlines where vast mangrove swamps give way to rivers that flow from inland springs. Along the edge of one of these rivers is a great and ancient forest dotted with expanses of open meadows known to grow some potent medicinal herbs. It was to this region the Konoha ninja and their charges escaped.
Traveling to the remote section of the Land of Waves would normally have been easy by way of the river, however it was also likely watched and their movements easily relayed if they had chosen that route. Instead they used the less traveled inland path, much slower but more secure. They avoided the typical travel stops afforded by the occasional trading outposts, staying well clear of any population centers. Kakashi used a summoning scroll to retrieve a message hawk to send a report back to Konoha of the change in the nature of their mission and their movement inland . He was sure the 4th Hokage would be angry at Tazuna's deception but also understanding of the team decision to continue. Arriving at the outskirts of a village on the edge of the great forest, Kakashi left the Genin to guard Tazuna and his family while he disguised himself with a transformation technique to procure a secluded
cabin for their hideout.
The village wasn't much to look at, only a small collection of buildings and a logging camp and flume operation that sent large logs down the river in raft flotillas. It was fortunate the village was also a waypoint for medicinal herb collection so there was a cabin rental business as well. The middle-aged woman behind the counter had deep red hair, much like Kushina's.
She greeted Kakashi with a guarded smile.
"Hello, my name is Kinsuya. How may I help you? Are you seeking a cabin rental?"
"Hello... yes, I'm looking for a secluded cabin where I can hike from to find some medicinal herbs.
I'd prefer someplace away from the logging operation if possible." Kakashi said to the woman.
His transformation had been into an older gentleman he knew from Konoha, someone not likely to have been seen in the Land of Waves.
"I have just the thing, a cabin nestled between the mangrove swamp and the forest. There are plenty of
medicinal herbs to be found within a half days walk from it. It is located here.." Kinsuya pointed to location on a map on the counter. "Just follow this map and you won't have any trouble finding it."
A price was settled on and money exchanged in payment. Kakashi then made his way back to rejoin the others. It took perhaps two hours to reach the area of the cabin following the map. The cabin wasn't spacious, but it was secure. Overgrowth at the edge of a hillock kept the cabin from being seen until right on top of it. Hidden in the hillock between a large forest and swampy lowlands it afforded protection to the ninja and Tazuna's family.
"Now that we've got a place to stay I think it's time you three should get in some training."
Kakashi said speaking directly to Naruto, Sasuke, & Hinata.
"All right! What are we gonna learn Kakashi Sensai!?" Naruto said with his normal exuberant tone.
"You're going to learn to climb trees." Kakashi said.
"Climb trees? Why?" Naruto spat out discouraged.
"Now, now Naruto... none of that complaining of yours! Yes.. you are going to learn to climb trees... using chakra. This training will help you control your chakra better." Kakashi explained. "I will demonstrate for you. First you need to concentrate your chakra in your feet, then expending a set amount you will climb up the tree only using your feet."
Kakashi proceeded to miraculously walk up the side of the tree as if he was stuck to it like glue. He walked so he was standing upside down on a large branch 20 feet off the ground.
"Whoaaa!" All three Genin looked on impressed with the feat just displayed by their sensai.
"Each of you pick a tree, then channeling your chakra into your feet try to climb as high as you can into the trees. Use your kunai to mark your highest point of progress." Kakashi instructed.
Immediately all three Genin began their tree climbing training. Both Sasuke and Naruto attempted to run up their respective trees. Sasuke managed a respectible 6 feet before his feet lost their grip and he back flipped off the tree and landed on his feet. Naruto didn't fare nearly as well. He managed only 4 feet before he fell backwards landing on his head. Hinata was far more proficient at chakra control than the others. She managed a good 12 feet before flipping gracefully off the tree and landing without a sound on the ground. On her second attempt she made it some 20 feet before once again flipping and landing on the ground without effort. Naruto and Sasuke looked on in awe, dumbstruck by the ease at which Hinata advanced while neither of them had yet managed half the height.
"How are you doing that Hinata!?" Naruto walked over to her intent on finding whether she knew something neither he nor Sasuke knew.
"Umm... well chakra control is something my family trains us in as children. In order to use our special family jutsu we must be very proficient in chakra control. I'm not nearly as good as my younger sister or my cousin Neji." Hinata said, happy to help the person she admired in her heart.
"Can you give me any pointers then? I've got to keep up with Sasuke you know!" Naruto begged.
"Well, take more time concentrating your chakra in your feet before you start. Then keep using the same amount of chakra through your feet. It takes some practice to feel your chakra, just give it some time. " Hinata explained the technique as best she understood it.
"Thanks a lot Hinata!" Naruto said, leaving Hinata a little embarrassed. Naruto passed Sasuke on his way back to the tree he was using for the climbing practice.
"So what did she say? You were asking her about how she was able to climb so quickly weren't you? "
Sasuke asked hoping Naruto would tell him the secret.
"Ah... she just said it takes practice.. that's all!" Naruto snickered as he spoke leaving Sasuke doubtful
whether Naruto would share what he had learned from Hinata. And sure enough, on Naruto's next attempt he more than doubled his last climbing attempt and within a few minutes of resuming training he was reaching heights near those of Sasuke's.
Meanwhile Hinata looked on and saw Naruto's improvement which spurred her on to actually reaching the highest branch of her tree which afforded her a view of the cabin a short distance away.
"Good work Hinata!" Kakashi called to her from a nearby branch where he was propped up reading a book called Make-out Tactics. He too had spied the cabin and was keeping a keen eye out for any close activity.
"Work on your technique for another 20 minutes then take a break until tomorrow. Practice until it becomes second nature to build up and maintain the chakra in your feet. Building chakra control in different parts of your body is something you will carry with you as you learn new jutsu in your lives as Ninja. Once you have mastered the tree climbing technique we will work on other techniques." Kakashi finished his instructions to them and then leapt from the tree making a quiet landing on the forest floor below.
The following morning after breakfast the three Genin went back to their tree climbing training. Hinata's technique was flawless by mid morning and she took a break to watch the boys continue. Sasuke and Naruto drove one another in competition to see who could go higher. Sasuke was still out-pacing Naruto in the height department but Naruto had become quite proficient at landing without making any noise. By lunch time Naruto and Sasuke were both reaching the tops of their trees and taking in the view from 60 feet off the ground.
"Look at that!" Naruto pointed to the far distance where a flotilla of logs was being polled by a crew down the river.
"Hn" replied Sasuke, less enamored by the labors of others.
"No not the logs, the person crossing the river without a boat!" Naruto continued to point.
Sasuke looked toward the river and indeed there was someone walking across the river like it was solid ground. He could just make out the persons hair even with his keen Uchiha eyesight. It was bright red, much like the hair of Kushina, Naruto's mother and wife of the Hokage.
"I can't tell who it is... but they've got the same hair color as Kushina." Sasuke remarked to Naruto.
"I noticed! My mom said it's a trait of the Uzumaki clan but there's not many of my clan left.
I wonder if they are a relative."
Naruto pondered his own statement. His mother had told him how the Uzumaki clan had been systematically targeted by other villages because of their Fuinjutsu. Those not killed fled to other countries to escape. His own mother had been brought to Konoha for her own safety and to serve Konoha as its next Jinchuriki. He would have to try to meet this person and find out if indeed it was another Uzumaki.
Both of them jumped out of their respective trees and joining Hinata they made their way back to the cabin. All Naruto could talk about was the person crossing the river. Hinata was intrigued by Naruto's telling them about the Uzumaki history of being hunted down. When they returned to Konoha she would discuss this with her father, surely he would know more and maybe even some information she could give Naruto!
Arriving at the cabin the Genin reported their sighting as well as progress with the tree climbing technique to Kakashi. He set Hinata at guard to be watchful for the approach of anyone and grilled Naruto and Sasuke on exactly what they saw.
"It was amazing, whoever they were they walked across the river like it was just a path!" Naruto said.
"Is that something we can learn sensai?"
"In due time Naruto, for now I am more concerned with the identity of the person you saw. Using a technique like water walking is a ninja only ability and requires very precise chakra control. We need to be on our guard." Kakashi told the two boys.
"What if it's a Uzumaki like me sensai? Their hair color was like my mother's. But she said there were few of my clan left." Naruto responded.
"She's right. When I was young there were rumors that more Uzumaki survived and the 3rd Hokage sent out several ninja to find them. But whether because the rumors were false or because they were adept at concealing their identities, none were found. Since that time the only Uzumaki in Konoha has been your mother. Don't get your hopes up, and in fact you need to be on guard Naruto. The Fuinjutsu of your clan was feared almost as much as the Sharingan of Sasuke's clan. It was said the Uzumaki could bind the abilities of any ninja for life, so they could never call upon their chakra again."
Kakashi's words were chilling to Sasuke, a clan nearly as powerful as his once was? Was it possible? How could a sealing jutsu compare to the Sharingan! He dismissed the thought immediately as mere fable.
"Sensai! Someone's coming towards the cabin!" Hinata dashed into the doorway while still looking off in the direction of the river.