Impervious
New Venture
I woke up earlier than I usually do since I have a huge day planned out for Zakaru and myself, so I got up slowly while stretching out my back and I gave him a small shake.
" Mhmm." Zakaru moans, as he turns over in the bed and moves closer to the snoring Tsuma. So un-lady like to make sounds reminiscent to a wild boar.
" Get up kid." I instruct in a low tone as I now shake him with both hands a both roughly, jolting open his eyes and I instantly cup his mouth so he doesn't let out a peep. Just a natural reaction I suppose.
I remove my hand from his mouth and he says, " Alright, my stuff should already be sealed away in your guitar. Let's go." I nod to him as I walk across the room to strap on my guitar and we both leave, but I take one last look at the room. I do hope Tsuma and Kimimaro find their place here and I took the liberty to leave them a note I wrote a couple nights before.
Dear Tsuma and Kimimaro,
I'd like to thank you for all the hard work and fun we've had in the past, and I should return in a year or so. Hard to tell, but I won't be communicating with you two at all unfortunately.
Things may change as I am hunting down a few select people besides helping out Zakaru; so if you do encounter me in the field, act as if you don't know me unless I say otherwise. It's for the best until I return given how dangerous the shinobi world is.
Try not to torture Kimimaro too much and work on perfecting you're jutsus Tsuma as well as challenging more gods. I'm counting on you both.
-Yushin Jourou
Zakaru and I quickly made our way silently out of the building and I used a quick transportation technique to put us outside Konoha's gates. If we simply tried to leave at the crack of dawn it may cause unnecessary suspicion from guards who are already on high alert due to no Hokage.
I start to head south and Zakaru asks me, " Where are going exactly?"
" Tea Country, then I plan to go to River Country to meet up with a couple of informants I have that keep me posted on specific topics, and with any luck they may know a bit of what happened to your village, and maybe who did it." I explain as I keep a quick trot just to distance us from the village.
" Ok, but all I remember is they had spider tattoos, if that helps." Zakaru adds in and I reply, " Doesn't ring any bells. Hopefully one of my people may know something."
We walk for hours at a relatively fast pace until we reach the southern border of Fire Country and I decide it's time for a break. The sun is finally out beating down on us and I spot some shade under a large tree a little of the trail.
I walk to the tree and I take a seat under it after I swing my guitar onto my lap and I begin to go over a few basic walks and Zakaru takes a sip of his canteen.
" So Yushin, or should I just call you sensei now?"
" Sensei is fine."
" Ok, sensei. I have a question."
" Go ahead."
" All you've taught me so far is chakra control, so when are we going to move on to actual jutsu so I can defend myself?" Zakaru asks with a look of anticipation and angst.
I sigh and reply while continuing to pluck notes, " I have to start from scratch with you. You were a civilian with no combat experience or history using chakra, so I have to start at square one with you for you to become a proper shinobi, and with you starting at this age could take years…but there alternatives." As I end with an ominous note.
" What are you talking about?"
" Well, I could train you to be a shinobi…or I could train you how to murder people."
" Wait…isn't that the same thing?"
" No, but they are similar. I will cut out certain things necessary to become a shinobi and teach you how to kill another human being. It will take a bit of time nonetheless, but 8 months to 8 years is a considerable difference. I warn you though, the training is much more rigorous."
" I'll do whatever it takes to restore my villages and families honor!" Zakaru shouts with a little hop of excitement, and as he comes down I take my foot out and I trip him, making him land right on his face.
Zakaru scrambles to his feet and asks angrily, " What was that?"
" Always expect the unexpected, and always be prepared. This is the training you wanted, so be ready. This is you're last chance to turn back. Are you sure you want this?" I warn and he gives me a stern nod back.
" Good, now let's start you're training." I announce as I flip over my guitar and unseal a small scroll that I unravel and unseal a table with a Shogi set on it.
" Shogi?" Zakaru says a bit confused and I nod.
" It's a mind exercise to make you think outside the box. Once you have beaten me in one game we can move onto the next part of your training."
" One time? That shouldn't be too hard."
" I have played this game for almost all my life, so I would think your strategy out carefully. I haven't lost a game in 30 years." I reply with a small smirk. When you have as much practice as I have had, you know just about every trick in the book. Hell, I probably helped invent the book with how old I am.
We both settle down and we play for about an hour, and I can see the frustration slowly seeping into Zakaru as he continues to make hardly any progress. He is trying new strategies, but I he is being to predictable and I can anticipate his next attack.
" I win again." I announce as I take the last of his pieces and he crosses his arms in despair.
" This isn't fair sensei. I've only played this game a few times before and you probably invented the damn game."
" Life isn't fair Zakaru. Now, the game score is 17-0, so would you like to continue or take a break and get back to traveling?"
" As long as I don't have to look at that board any longer I'll be fine." Zakaru responds and I smile and reply, " Then traveling it is."
We finally make our way into Tea Country and the merchant town I'm searching for isn't too far off from where I'm. Probably another hour until I can meet up with Jinpachi. Jinpachi my informant on people and groups of interest, and about 9 years ago I gave him a list of names to be on the lookout for. The town usually sees a lot of traffic from bandits, merchants and shinobi alike. It's one big melting pot and a gold mine for information.
We reach the entrance of the town and Zakaru asks, " Can we get something to eat? It's past noon and we haven't ate a thing yet."
" No problem. Here is some cash. I'll meet up with you later around… that motel." I say as I point to the first motel I see and I hand Zakaru a wad of ryo. As we part ways I walk down to the blacksmith, which Jinpachi runs and I meet an older fellow that says, " Welcome to my store how may I help you!"
" Cut the act Jinpachi, it's Yushin." I bluntly say and he seems to analyze me for a bit, and he seems to recognize me after a little study.
" My Yushin, you haven't aged a bit! What's your secret?"
" Skin crème. Now, I want to know what's been going on. Do you have any information for me, and anything about a gang with spider tattoos?"
The 60-year-old man digs around in his pockets until he scavenges a little notebook, which he flips open and starts to read. " Well… I do have a bit of info here, but not much, and nothing about a gang with spider tattoos. Most popular is the word of this group named the Akatsuki that are a band of dangerous criminals. Oh! I do have one name I just marked recently in here."
" Who is it?"
" Well, it was marked about a month ago when he came to my shop and bought some wares and he wore those Akatsuki robes."
" Just tell me the name." I say as I'm starting to get impatient.
" Ahh, his name was Kakuzu I do believe."
Looks like my former student is alive still after all this time, and has managed to avoid me all these years. We did part ways on mutual terms, but there was a bit of tension between us, especially when he stole the secret jutsu of the Village Hidden in The Waterfall. My former apprentice is probably greedy as ever since money was one of the few things he cared about, and probably joined to akatsuki thinking of profits.
" Any idea where he went?"
" Well… I did ask him and he just said nothing until I bugged him enough where he said the Hidden Rain."
" Thank you, now here's some money for your trouble." I say as I give him a decent amount of money that should help him out, and I walk away from the outdoor shop. I finally have a lead on Kakuzu, and I can't let it slip away.
I walk down to the motel where I see Zakaru eating some kind of meat on a stick and I immediately grab him and lift him up and I begin to run and jump over trees and buildings at lightning fast speed.
" Hey! Can I get an explanation?" Zakaru shouts as he fidgets while being carried fireman style.
" I have a personal venture to explore. I couldn't find anything on that gang, but I did find something I've been looking for. I found my apprentice."
" Isn't Tsuma your apprentice?"
" Yes, but I'm not talking about her. I'm talking about my first apprentice ever, about 77 years ago is when I last taught him. His name is Kakuzu, and I will finish what I started with him."
