Chapter 19 Preparation Days
"Are you alright Sensei?" Asked Tsunami, Tazuna's twenty eight year old daughter. Tsunami was a beautiful woman with long straight black hair and fine features. She was quite tall and wore a simple black dress and pink shirt.
The group had arrived at Tazuna's house and set Kakashi up in an extra futon in the entryway to the house.
"No, but I will be in about a week…" Kakashi sighed.
"Sensei, you depend too much on the Sharingan, you need to train more without it. Something else is affecting your chakra as well… Perhaps some mental block?" Said Minato while busily drawing more seals.
"What do you mean Naruto?"
"I mean that, with my sensing skills I can tell that you have some depressive thoughts holding you back from achieving your true potential." Minato scratched his head awkwardly, he knew Kakashi wouldn't take what he had to say too well… "Perhaps a traumatic incident that you keep revisiting… And since chakra is half spiritual energy and your mental state is rather unhealthy… Your chakra production isn't where it should be to properly support your Sharingan eye. Additionally, the Sharingan is heavily affected by negative emotions so it may be drawing more chakra in response to your feelings."
Kakashi looked down and refused to say anything. His hand clenched on the futon covers.
Minato's heart clenched, he knew exactly what Kakashi was thinking of. He also mourned Rin and Obito. Except Kakashi constantly dwelled on the issue and it negatively impacted his health. Minato blamed himself for not being a better teacher. He wished he could have done more for Kakashi and taught him how to properly deal with loss.
But he could be here for Kakashi now. He would be here as Naruto when Kakashi was ready to talk about it.
Minato pretended not to notice Kakashi's reaction and barreled on. "We have about a week before Zabuza recovers from being put in a near death state as, we need to use our time well. Perhaps train a special technique or something. Gato might even send Zabuza with backup as well…"
Kakashi released his hand and sighed, "Yes, you are absolutely correct Naruto… Except I can't even move right now so you will have to oversee your training on your own."
Sasuke and Kiba who had been sitting in the corner quietly both nodded their heads.
"Sensei… I've been thinking. When you mentioned Kiri's graduation exams in the fight with Zabuza… What did you mean?" Sasuke asked.
"Ah. Kiri's graduation exams were very different from ours…"
"Different? How?"
"It's the most inhumanly difficult test imaginable. It is a killing spree between classmates… Students who had been best friends as undergraduates were forced to fight each other to the death."
"Woah. That's sick" Kiba said grimacing.
"Indeed. Ten years ago, the elders of Kirigakure were eventually forced to enact a sweeping reform of their barbaric graduation ritual after a certain incident."
"What incident was that sensei?" Asked Sasuke.
"During the previous year… Without any hesitation, a boy who had not qualified yet as a ninja… Butchered over a hundred members of that year's graduating class.
Kiba and Sasuke gaped.
"Sensei, how did a boy who didn't even qualify as a ninja kill over a hundred graduating ninja?" Naruto asked.
"Well that is why they called Zabuza the Demon of the Mist…" Kakashi replied coolly.
Naruto nodded, "That's fair."
Kakashi then leveled a stern gaze at the three genin. The genin froze in place at the serious look.
"Next time when I give an order, I expect it to be followed. Am I clear? I'll let it go this time since things went well."
The genin frantically nodded their heads, eager to have their lazy easy-going sensei back.
"Well anyways. You will all have to increase your training. All are all capable of tree walking and water walking, correct?"
"Yeah."
"Yes."
"Hn."
"Good. Then the next step will be learning your elemental affinities." Kakashi then dug around in his pack for a bit. He eventually pulled out three slips of paper and handed them to the genin.
"These are chakra sheets, do you all know how they work?"
"Uhh… what do they do sensei?" Asked Kiba.
"These sheets will reveal your elemental affinities when you push your chakra into them. It will be cut if you are wind natured, burn if you are fire, crumble if you are earth, crumple if you are lighting, and become wet if you are water."
"Cool!" Kiba shouted. "Ah do you have an extra sheet for Akamaru?"
"Mm? Oh I should have an extra around here somewhere…" Kakashi replied absently, rummaging through his pack again. He handed a sheet to Akamaru who took it into his mouth and channeled chakra. The tiny sheet crumbled into dirt revealing that Akamaru was earth natured.
"Sweet! Akamaru! Now me!" Kiba focused on his sheet. His sheet crumbled into dirt as well.
Sasuke huffed at seeing Kiba and Akamaru's results. He channeled chakra into his paper was well. His paper crumpled and the top left corner began to burn slightly.
"Hoh. A lighting and fire nature huh? Lightning is rare from the Uchiha clan you know?" Kakashi said.
Sasuke's face took on a pensive expression.
Minato examined his paper, he already had a few ideas on what kind of results he would get. He channeled chakra into the paper. The paper split in half, one half crumpled and the other half burned.
'Huh. Just like my old body.' Thought Minato
'Just like Sensei…' Thought Kakashi.
"Huh, you got all three offensively oriented natures and it seems wind is your main nature…" Kakashi said scratching the side of his chin. "We seem to have quite the spread in this team, no water nature though... But that's fine. Remember that you can still learn jutsu that are not of your nature transformation. They will just be much harder to learn and master. I'll be teaching you each individually just give me a day to rest."
"Sounds fun!" Kiba crowed excitedly with a barking Akamaru.
"It won't be fun for you." A voice suddenly said.
The team turned to the entrance of the room to see a small child dressed in a yellow shirt, black overalls, and a striped hat enter the room. Minato felt bitterness and sorrow as well as a hint of anger pouring off the boy.
"Inari! Where have you been?!" Tazuna asked happily, spreading his arms out for a hug.
"Welcome home, grandpa." The child said, walking over to Tazuna and giving him a hug.
"Inari greet our guests properly! They're esteemed Shinobi who brought your grandfather safely home!" Tsunami scolded while Tazuna patted his head.
Inari looked at the genin critically. He turned to his mother and pointed at them condemningly, "But Mama, they're all gonna die."
"What'd you say you little twerp?!" Kiba yelled.
Inari lowered his head, "No one can beat Gato and his men."
"Why you little brat!" Kiba roared, about to throw hands with a child. Naruto held him back,
"Calm down Kiba! He's just a child!"
Kiba pointed at Inari and declared, "Listen here brat! We're heroes who're here to help your grandpa! Gato? You can't expect us to be afraid of an old rich guy! We're ninja!"
Inari scoffed, "Heroes? You're dumb! There's no such thing!"
"What!?" Kiba roared.
"Calm down! Kiba!" Naruto said again, tugging on Kiba's sleeve.
"If you dont wanna die, go home now." Inari turned away from them and walked to the door at the end of the room.
"Where you off to Inari?" Tazuna asked.
"I'm going to watch the ocean from my room…" he replied before slamming the door behind him.
Tazuna lowered his head to the genin, "Please forgive him…"
Kiba stalked out of the room intent on giving Inari a good talking to.
Naruto and Sasuke shared glances as Kakashi hummed thoughtfully.
Kiba came back a few minutes later looking incredibly disenhearted. He didn't say anything much else for the rest of the night either. In fact Kiba had an uncharacteristically thoughtful look on his face as they turned in for the night.
The next day breakfast was provided by a generous Tsunami. The team ate heartily and then left the house to train. They followed Kakashi, who was on crutches, out into the woods behind Tazuna's house and began their lessons.
"Okay everyone." Kakashi began. "First I will be teaching you a technique to master your nature transformations and then I will teach each of you a jutsu. Once you've mastered the technique, performing the jutsu will become much easier. It can take months to master a single nature transformation. But for now we only need you guys to learn a single jutsu." Kakashi turned to Kiba first and bent down to pick up a lump of mud from the ground. "Kiba, your first exercise is to harden this mud using your chakra until you can't cut scratch it with a kunai. Then I will teach you the rock clone technique. Have Akamaru practice this as well."
"Huh. That's it? Sounds simple!" Kiba said brightly.
"Don't underestimate this exercise Kiba. You may be able to cast the Iwa Bunshin without mastering this exercise but your clones will be brittle and weak. You will also expend more chakra to get the same effects. Take this seriously."
"H-hai Sensei…" Kiba said as he scurried off to practice.
"Now Sasuke, you know the great fireball jutsu so I will begin you on lightning techniques. The exercise for lighting is to create a constant electric current between your fingers like this." Kakashi briefly demonstrated a small spark bouncing between both of his hands. "This exercise is harder the further your hands are apart. I'll be teaching you the electromagnetic murder jutsu later. And just so you know, the exercise for fire is to take a leaf and burn it using chakra only."
Sasuke nodded and grunted, he walked off to experiment on his own.
"And finally Naruto." Kakashi said turning to the boy. He handed him a leaf. "Wind is the leaf cutting exercise, you mold your chakra so that you can split a leaf with it. I'll introduce you to Asuma when we get back, Konoha has very few wind users after all and I don't know many wind jutsu. Truthfully, I'm a bit lost on what I can teach you regarding wind… Unfortunately it's also a good idea to develop your main affinity first before moving onto secondaries."
Naruto looked at the leaf and considered for a bit. He had already completed his wind elemental training when practicing with Shisui. There wasn't much that Kakashi or Asuma could teach him that he didn't know already. Fire and lightning could be mastered easily since he already knew the correct visualization for the natures from his past life.
Truthfully now that they were in Wave, Minato had wanted to visit Uzushio since they were close enough. He could leave a shadow clone with Kakashi and pretend to learn the Rasengan while he visited the ruins of Uzushiogakure.
Mind made up, Naruto looked Kakashi straight in the eye and said, "I want to learn the Rasengan."
Kakashi blinked at him. Once. Then twice. "Excuse me?"
"I want to learn the Rasengan, there were notes on the jutsu in my father's journal but no learning method. You should know it, right?"
Kakshi stared at Naruto and then slowly nodded his head, "I can teach you the Rasengan if you promise to practice leaf cutting in your own time. I wasn't going to teach it to you until much later though…"
Secretly Kakashi was extremely pleased at being asked to teach his Sensei's son one of his Sensei's signature techniques. He coughed awkwardly to hide his giddiness.
Kakashi pulled out a balloon and filled it with water using a tap on the side of Tazuna's house. He held the balloon up and said, "The first step to the Rasengan is rotation, it helps to use water to visualize. You must learn to spin your chakra in multiple directions at once and pop this water balloon."
Minato smiled at the familiar explanation, it was the same explanation he used to teach Jiraiya and Kakashi the Rasengan.
Kakashi then demonstrated the technique briefly, distorting the balloon wildly and popping it, drenching Naruto.
Naruto stared at Kakashi with such a familiar deadpan look, Kakashi felt like his Sensei was about to start scolding him at any second.
Kakashi eye smiled and pulled out a second balloon and filled it, handing over to Naruto.
Naruto nodded at Kakashi and took the balloon and wandered off into the forest to train. Truthfully, he just wanted to get out of Kakashi's line of sight so he could swap with a shadow clone. He wanted to visit Uzushio and it would take a while to travel there.
Minato quickly formed a single shadow clone and slapped a sealing tag on the back of its neck. It was a chakra storage seal that would hold enough chakra in it to maintain the clone for several weeks. Enough to last the clone for quite a while since he could only be gone for a week. Additionally, Minato carried most of his supplies on him at all times in sealing scrolls. He was ready to depart at anytime. But first…
"Inari, was it? What are you doing out here?" Minato asked the empty clearing he was standing in.
Inari stepped out from behind a tree mulishly and kicked the ground at having been found out.
"What are you guys doing training? There's no use. Gato will kill you all." He said.
Minato smiled sadly, he had encountered children like this during the Third Shinobi war. Children who had lost all hope and had given up.
"Well you never know Inari… This training just might be what we need to beat Gato."
"Feh. No one can beat Gato. He's too strong." Inari spat as he turned his back on Naruto and walked away.
Naruto sadly watched him go. Perhaps he could ask Kakashi about a preemptive assasination of Gato and have him send a message with a mission request back to Konoha? He could always visit Uzushio some other time after all… It's not like the ruins would be moving…
Naruto sighed, he took the seal off the clone's neck and dispelled it. He had to think about this more before he made any hasty decisions.
The next day Minato accompanied Tazuna to the bridge. The bridge was nearly complete. Workers swarmed over it busily and the sounds of machinery echoed into the distance.
Minato sat near the railings out of the way of the bridge workers. He had pulled out several seals to study and improve.
Tazuna noticed Naruto was by himself and walked over to him, "All alone today? Where's dog boy and pretty boy?"
"Oh they're training, Tazuna-san."
"Oh, then why aren't you with them?"
"Kakashi-sensei decided we should take shifts protecting you since we all need to train."
"I see."
Tazuna set down the plank he was carrying with a grunt as another worker approached him.
"Tazuna… Can I talk to you?" The man asked.
Tazuna turned and wiped some sweat from his forehead with a towel, "Huh? What's wrong Giichi?"
The other man took off his hard hat and placed it on his hip, "I've been thinking it over… this bridge we're working on… I want off the job…"
"W-wha. Why?! Out of nowhere like this! You of all people!" Tazuna asked gesturing dramatically.
"Tazuna. We go back a long way. I want to help but the risk is too great! Gato might just take out a contract on us if we don't stop! And if you die it won't be this one project! We could lose everything! Please just give it up… This bridge isn't worth it."
Minato could only watch in silence. He could see where this Giichi guy was coming from.
"I can't do that." Tazuna said lowering his head, "This bridge belongs to us all. It's everything we've been working towards for our city. When its finished it will bring trade, commerce, and affluence to us. It will put our poor Land of Waves on the map!"
"But we're talking about lives here!Your life" Giichi shouted, trying to make Tazuna see sense.
Tazuna turned and walked away from him, "It's afternoon now already, isn't it? Let's call it a day. And Giichi… you don't have to come back tomorrow."
Walking through the town of Wave was an experience that reminded Minato of towns he had seen during the war. The town was filled with impoverished looking men with signs that said 'Will do any job' and there were thieves running rampant. There were homeless children sitting by the side of the road and the shops barely had anything to sell. The people had the same hopeless expressions in Wave as with the twins affected by war.
Tazuna entered a small shop to pick up a few things for Tsunami. Minato entered after him and inspected the shelves. There were only one or two limp vegetables for sale. Tazuna seemed used to the disparity though.
Minato felt a man reaching for his pouch. He frowned. Someone that tried to pickpocket a Shinobi wasn't very smart. He turned and pointed at his very obvious headband before the hand got much further. The man gasped and quickly ran off.
Minato turned to Tazuna and asked, "How long has the town been this way?"
Tazuna sighed, "Its been this way since Gato moved in… We've become a city of slackers, cowards, and fools!" Tazuna began leading the way out of the city, "That's why the bridge is so important! It will be an emblem of courage. Maybe the people who've taken the path of least resistance will be willing to walk the road of courage and dignity again. If we could only complete it… I believe that our city and our people can be what they once were again!"
Minato smiled at Tazuna and nodded, "I believe so as well, there's a lot of hope riding on that bridge!"
That night at dinner, Naruto watched in fascination as Kiba and Sasuke hurriedly devoured their food. They ate quickly with barely any regard for manners. Akamaru ate equally as messily, but that was okay since he was a dog. Both boys held up their empty bowls at the same time and said, "More, please!". They glared at each other, sparks flew between their eyes. Suddenly both boys bent over and vomited at the same time.
Minato covered his face with his hand. These kids…
"Don't eat so much if you're going to waste it like that… The food is delicious by the way Tsunami-san."
"Aw, thank you dear." Tsunami said.
Sasuke wiped his mouth, "I wanna eat…"
Kiba looked up with tears in his eyes, "I have to eat if I want to get strong!"
Minato sighed, "You can't just waste food though, the town is strapped as it is…"
Both boys looked down in guilt at their vomit.
After everything had been cleaned up and Tsunami was serving tea, Kiba decided to open his big mouth and ask about the torn picture on the wall.
"Hey, why is this picture torn? It looks like someone was removed on purpose. The brat was staring at it the whole time too."
Tsunami paused from where she was washing the dishes and Tazuna looked down.
"It was a picture of Inari's father." Tsunami said scrubbing away again.
Tazuna leaned forwards, "Once upon a time if you will… Our entire city called him a hero."
Inari stood quietly from the table and walked towards the door at the kitchen entrance.
Tsunami turned and asked, "Inari, where are you going?"
Inari slammed the door behind him harshly.
Tsunami whipped around and yelled at Tazuna, "Father! I've told you time and time again not to mention that in front of my son!"
She quickly left the room and chased after Inari.
Kiba looked rather chastised, he looked down and asked, "Is this what makes Inari act so weird?"
"Sounds like there's a story there…" Kakashi said taking a sip of his tea.
Tazuna sighed, "The man in the picture was not Inari's birth father. But they were as close as any biological father and son could be. Inari used to be such a happy child back then…"
Tazuna started sobbing. Minato and Kakshi made questioning sounds.
"But Inari changed after what happened to his father." Tazuna said. "Our people - especially Inari - were robbed of the very meaning of courage because of Gato."
"What happened? What could he have done to change Inari so much?" Kakashi asked.
Tazuna removed his glasses and wiped his eyes, "Let me start at the beginning and tell you about the man who our entire land called a champion and a hero." He put his glasses back on.
The team listened quietly to his tale. Kiba gasped when he heard about poor Poochie but cheered when he learned the dog was alright. They all applauded Kaiza when they learned how he had saved the city with his brave actions.
"He was just the kind of man this town needs more of!" Tazuna continued. "Kaiza taught Inari 'If something is precious to you, then no matter how hard or painful it gets. You have to protect it with all your strength, even if it costs your life.' After he had saved the city, people started calling Kaiza a champion and a hero. With a father like that Inari could hold his head up high. Until Gato came to town." Tazuna paused for a bit.
"Then something happened… So what exactly happened?" Kakashi asked.
Tazuna shuddered a bit, "In front of the entire city… Gato had Kaiza put to death! Kaiza had his arms cut off and he was beheaded in the city square. Ever since then Inari has changed. And Tsunami and everyone in the city has changed as well."
Sasuke stood abruptly along with Kiba. Both boys looked at each other and nodded.
"What are you two up to now?" Kakashi asked exasperatedly.
"We're going to go train." Said Sasuke.
Kiba fist pumped, "Yeah. Can't let that squirt think he's right. We're gonna prove him wrong!" Akamaru barked excitedly.
Both boys left and then turned in opposite directions in the forest to continue their training.
Minato turned to Kakashi with a grave expression. He crossed his arms and addressed Kakashi seriously, "Kakashi-sensei. I would like to suggest a preemptive assasination of Gato."
Kakashi hummed thoughtfully, "On what grounds Naruto?"
"It's clear that Gato won't stop sending men after Tazuna anytime soon. He could also destroy the bridge once it has been finished in order to maintain his stranglehold on wave. If we assassinate him we can transfer the company into the jurisdiction of Konoha and have the Land of Waves in Konoha's debt for removing such a stain."
"Hmm… you bring up good points. I will have to send another messenger to Konoha to request an ANBU mission though."
"No, Kakashi-sensei I believe we are capable of the Assassination ourselves."
"Why do you say that Naruto? You three aren't ready for this kind of mission yet."
"Kakashi-sensei, I can use a shadow clone to sneak in and out of Gato's base if you think it's not safe. I've also been pranking the ANBU for years, I believe I can do this."
Kakashi leapt to his feet and pointed at Naruto accusingly, "YOU! THAT WAS YOU?!"
Naruto tilted his head and smirked.
Kakashi had a brief but silent conniption before he calmed down enough to look at Naruto again.
"I acknowledge your stealth skills but are you sure your ready for your first kill?"
"I wouldn't have suggested this if I wasn't. Besides, I want to become a hunter nin, remember? "
"Fine. But I'll be coming with you just in case you need help. When do you want to do this?"
"Sensei I don't think I'll need your help. Tazuna needs you more in case Zabuza attacks again. And if it helps ease your mind… Here…" Naruto tossed a kunai at Kakashi.
Kakashi deftly caught the kunai and examined it. His eyes widened the instant he looked at it.
"T-this is!"
"Yeah. I've learned it…"
"Very well… When do you think you will act?"
"I'll scout out Gato's base with shadow clones before I move. I think I'll wait until Zabuza decides to attack Tazuna to kill Gato. You, Sasuke, and Kiba will need to hold him off until I can get back. He should leave once he learns Gato is dead."
"Why not attack before Zabuza has recovered enough then?"
"Haven't you heard of the saying a 'cornered rat bites back'?"
"Fair enough."
"I'll need you to delay Zabuza at the bridge until I get back. He should give up once he learns Gato is dead."
"Mm… Sasuke and Kiba can take on his masked follower… but what about Tazuna?"
"Sensei, here. I'll give you another one of my barrier seals so you can fight without worry."
"Maa… I guess that works. Since when were you so good at fuinjutsu?"
"Ah. Since I moved into my parents' house."
"Ahh. Makes sense."
"W-wait, wait. Are you two serious?" Tazuna spluttered, "You can kill Gato just like that?"
The two ninja turned to the man and just smiled. "We're ninja" they said.