Life as Ninjas
Life as a nukenin wasn't so bad.
Zabuza and Haku originally thought, that this childish crybaby can't survive life in the wild in the hopes of leaving her in an orphanage somewhere, but she shockingly could?!
She was also unusually physically strong despite being five years old.
When Zabuza once tested her strength by arm-wrestling, Haku was on the lookout for usage of chakra to be fair, but Mitsuri defeated him effortlessly.
'I-I didn't sense chakra-based kekkei genkai being activated...'
'What the hell girl?!' Zabuza howled. 'I felt like arm-wrestling eight grown men and you're damn skinny!'
'I survived the meanies because I'm strong!' Mitsuri beamed. 'My body's always like this but I need to eat a lot to stay this way, yes?'
'Well don't settle for 'it's enough' in a shitty world like this then! Aim higher! You could be better than you are now as being weak means you'll get worse than a beating from enemies! Prepare for training from hell, Mitsuri!'
'Yes!'
xxx
Konoha...
A sore point for Uchiha Sasuke, formerly Iguro Obanai, was that he was second weakest out of all nine pillars.
That was because of his life that stunted his growth as a Hashira that he compensated with skill and speed.
But now that he has a healthy upbringing, he wanted to be tall and powerful in his own right, manly enough for Mitsuri.
However, tragedy came when his older brother killed their clan that left him in shock, and speechless in grief.
He wondered if this was how those siblings felt, when Muzan massacred their family.
He was pissed with Itachi. Testing his strength? Yeah right!
According to Kaburamaru II, there were TWO killers. Something's fucking going on and he investigated anything he could find, and hid important things. He also found a sword his father made for him in his parents' bedroom. A sword he would have got when he made Genin. He's too small for it right now.
He discovered his clan was planning an effing coup due to severe unfair treatment ever since the Kyuubi Attack, due to Kyuubi's History with Uchiha Madara and the Hokage trying to pacify the clan through politics and smoothening things out, but its the old man and clan against a bunch of Xenophobics who outnumbered them. And Itachi massacring their clan except for him? Something else is here at work.
He built a Funeral Pyre, and burned all bodies he found just to avoid Bloodline Theft, a lesson drilled in him since young after pouring medical solutions on bloodstains to taint samples. and that was how he was found by the Hokage and ANBU. Praying to his family's large bonfire.
'Sasuke-kun, how...are you alright?'
'Like hell I am.' Sasuke grunted. 'I found dead bodies all over...this was the least I could do. Aniki once told me the Nidaime invented a desecrating technique that disrespects the dead by summoning the deceased to fight for the summoner. I won't allow any disrespect to my clan in the future and I'll kill any shithead who knows that technique and tear them a new asshole.'
The Hokage and the ANBU were speechless with his words, and as per Sasuke's wish, he remained in his compound, in his family's home. Naturally, he inherited everything his relatives owned by default, making him filthy rich which the old man ensured for him. Most likely, out of guilt for failing to save his clan from the Xenophobics. He appreciates that much.
He isolated himself, obsessed with his promise. Mitsuri is out there somewhere, and she needs him. Political shit can wait!
xxx
Years went by for the pair. Long years.
In Mitsuri's side, she grew up with Zabuza who's like a father figure for her who accepted her the way she was, unlike her family who found her weird. She also has a good older brother figure in Haku.
But the kids were as different as night and day, even if both kids were pure and kind-hearted.
Mitsuri, was power and ditziness to Haku's brains and skillful precision.
An...er...unusual sword, to needles. Lucky for her Zabuza has a secret ally in Kirigakure in a Swordsmith to make Mitsuri's sword requests!
From crybaby to professional.
Mitsuri would cry and say sorry each time she kills, as she's no longer killing demons. Haku was cool and professional. Business is business.
They DO need money for food, and supplies as well as earning Zabuza's share in rebellion efforts to bring back peace to Kirigakure.
Mitsuri was thus seeing a side of the world she's never seen before, being a ninja.
However, Zabuza and Haku would agree that Mitsuri wasn't suited for their lifestyle. Sure she'll get training and education from them, but as soon as she finds 'her precious person', they'll drop her with said person even if she was an extremely reliable colleague who was a hardworker and eager to please even if fighting saddens her.
And being herself is also a deadly psychological attack by itself on enemies. She was a devastating swordswoman who'd fit in well with the likes of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist.
Just that...her sword style she calls 'Breath of Love', has very silly names its hard to fight her. She was a walking psychological attack that left Zabuza and Haku deadpanned while their enemies were unsure with how to deal with her.
Really, they got rich in an...unusual manner. They send money to Kirigakure through trusted allies. But Zabuza always ensures that his two tools are anonymous to the world and Haku makes sure NOBODY who sees them survives, because Mitsuri was too kind.
...or rather, she beats them so bad, both in body, mind and pride wouldn't they be better off dead?
They're undecided on that notion actually.
They also found Utakata, a Jinchuuriki jounin and a secret ally, the only one who can help Mitsuri who was in fact, Konoha's runaway Jinchuuriki, real name: Uzumaki Naruko.
'Noooo! I don't want that name, I wanna stay Mitsuriiii!' Mitsuri whined, comically(and weakly) bangs her fists on Zabuza's chest.
'...you're seriously traveling with her?' Utakata sweatdropped.
'She a Jounin-Class Fighter, a young genius, but a different genius from Haku's.' said Zabuza flatly, in a manner of, 'I'm so done'. 'My only issue is training of a Jinchuuriki. I have no idea how to train one.'
Utakata reluctantly obliged as an untrained Jinchuuriki is seriously asking for trouble...and Mitsuri being Mitsuri, got along well with her beast, Kurama. Not even the cynical fox can win against her personality. But Utakata never suffered the Jinchuuriki Mistreatment he heard of, as Mitsuri had so Utakata felt sorry for her. She cried about her 'unfair childhood' and was upset when she found out why! She felt both she and Kurama had lousy luck and never blamed Kurama for her situation when she got his side of the story.
Thus Zabuza, Utakata and Haku were shocked with her parentage.
She was an extremely high-profile person all along!
Zabuza's next stop? Hunt all fuinjutsu he can get his hands on.
xxx
For Sasuke...
He was known as a strict individual strict on even himself with 'ridiculous standards' for himself and others. He can also be pretty petty and spiteful. For all his good looks, his personality sucks with a wicked tongue to match, unless you earn his respect, that is, and it has to be justified. Its to the point that his only 'friend', was his pet snake since childhood whom he shared a close bond with, and raised as a Nin Animal Partner and is mostly by himself. And he knows when he is watched, that he flings kunai at whoever does, and booby-trapped his entire estate that only activates if humans tread through, not people setting it off from afar.
This however, made him ridiculously powerful at a young age, a different brand of genius compared to his brother. He was a prodigious swordsman whose only weakness was his young body, something he was annoyed with.
He graduated the Academy at the same age as his brother, at nearly seven years old. At age ten was he allowed to enter Chuunin Exams. Then at age 12, became Jounin. He got an invite to ANBU, but turned it down. When he teams up with others, he publicly calls himself Iguro Obanai to clients and outsiders, to the point that was his name in Bingo Books when people soon wanted him dead. At least in Konoha, he was Uchiha Sasuke.
When once asked why he uses an alias, he simply said, 'Personal reasons. If you change my public name behind my back, I got many ways to skin and quarter your ass, and piss on your corpse.'
At a young age, he was known for his power and skill, borne from his own insane standards for himself.
High chakra capacity, refined control, mastered his Sharingan, memorized all books with said eyes, an insanely fast and skilled swordsman, and mastered jutsu he invented himself, just for the sake of being unpredictable and knows how to fix himself, being a competent medic. He was accomplished at a young age, having a history of difficult missions. Front-liner aside, if he wasn't taking missions, he works as a medic in the hospital...in the Rehab Department, being a spartan trainer many injured recovering shinobi and ill civilians lovingly called 'asshole trainer'. But one cannot deny his skill and strictness that they could function well again or close to it, depending on one's case.
He is also capable of poisons and drugs that he can rehabilitate worse cases of Drug Addiction. He was nastier to these types of patients
His moniker in hospital? Dr. Jerk! He even rolled along with it and put that as his name plate in his office!
Reason he pursued power?
To be strong enough to look for Mitsuri.
But he couldn't find her ANYWHERE and he was getting upset each failure. "Or maybe I'll meet her at a certain time and age like last time, perhaps?"
He couldn't bear the thought, not when Mitsuri loved him all this time while he pined for her in secret?!
'Sasuke-kun, I'm seriously worried about you.' the aged Hokage told him in exasperation. 'You've led a lonely life for many years in isolation but with a goal and resolve. Surely you have friends somewhere?'
'Tch, I have no time to waste on a bunch of idiots.' Sasuke sneered. 'These shitheads think being a ninja is flashy jutsus and being famous when we are meant to do our damn-ass jobs with professionalism, and unseen in the shadows. And the Academy disappoints me. What the hell are they teaching Genin-to-bes these days? These bunch of children will die on their first outside mission due to failures of their instructors. This is me being nice, that I ask of you to fix the school for the next generation as kids my age are oh-so-dead due to gross incompetency in education and discipline unless they miraculously graduate the Genin Test.'
'That's harsh!' the Hokage squawked. 'A-anyways, since you're saying that much, why not become a Jounin-sensei?' he suggested.
'I'll consider it if I like some brats who take the job seriously. I will not take in brats with delusions of grandeur.' Sasuke did both an eyeroll and armfold.
'Er have you forgotten you're the same age as them, thus you're a brat too?' the Hokage deadpanned, making the young Jounin sputter.
'Oi!'
The old man laughed at that.
'Well, if you're interested, you know the necessary paperwork, Sasuke-kun.' the Hokage smiled. 'Hopefully you'll mellow out somehow.'
Sasuke nodded and turned his back...but!
'But I am looking for someone.'
'Eh? Who is it?'
'...someone precious to me but is lost. I pursued Jounin simply to get around for that person.' and he was gone.
'...who the hell raised that kid and stuffed a pack of porcupines up his ass?' one of his invisible ANBU guards wondered.
'Need I remind you that he lived alone for years after seeing a Therapist?' said another. 'He refused any guardian and prefers to be alone and who knows why.'
'That boy really concerns me.' the Hokage muttered, resting his chin on his aged fingers. 'He keeps taking missions that takes days to complete and its often solo missions. Sure he succeeds, but he prefers handling things by himself.'
And so, Sasuke observed the graduating batch, while getting their files.
Some facts, inaccurate. Grossly so!
He had Kaburamaru send a report to the Hokage that reeks of his ire beneath his formal report language.
But he DID find student potentials, and reserved them.
He wondered how well will he do, as a Cultivator?
xxx
And so...
'Ohh? Interested in being a sensei?' Sarutobi Asuma asked as ten Jounins who signed up gathered in the Hokage's Office and surprised to see him there. Unlike most Jounin, he wore a tailor-made uniform akin to his old Hashira uniform and haori, minus the scarf as he no longer has to hide his face that didn't have the disfigured Kuchisake-Onna face he once had. And instead of standard blue shoes, he wears jikutabi and customized sandals.
'I see sleeping potential caused by incompetence in upbringing and it pisses me off.' said Sasuke coldly. 'I see salvageable ones, to say the least, but I can only have three. But I will not let them take Chuunin Exams in at least, four years' tops. Whoever wrote the fucking Academy Curriculum after I left should be tossed in a pool of starving piranhas with a sack of excrement dumped on them to sweeten the deal.' he sneered in disdainful contempt. The nearby Jounin scooted away from their youngest who oozed such negative vibes. Is he really 12 years old?!
'Now now Sasuke-kun, that's like, half of the Village Council...' the Hokage twitched with a strained smile. That includes HIM as he approved of those proposals...but how could he have known that things got THAT bad?!
'Like fuck I care. Who let them handle military affairs as the Academy is basically Military Boot Camp and this village's producer of protectors? Did they learn from someone high in weed and LSD?'
'Oooh, buuuurn...' Shiranui Genma chuckled, but he felt sorry for those on the end of the genius' sharp tongue.
'Well, I hope the famous Dr. Jerk can back up his claims.' said Mitarashi Anko with a snicker. 'But should I pity the poor sods you get?'
'You should. You really should.'
'Now then, submit your forms, and come see me again at 6 pm.' said the Hokage. 'Then tomorrow, you may talk to their parents in what they have to expect from their child's education from their sensei. But before you go, draw lots.' he took out a box. 'As you know, there are six normal teams, and three specialized teams. Then we will see if you can have the students you wish to teach based on your card.'
"Aw hell, I didn't know this." Sasuke thought with a twitch.
Its a gamble now...and when he got his card, he got a Frontal Assault card. "...fuck me sideways." he twitched.
'Specialize Jounins, step forward.' Sasuke, Asuma and Hatake Kakashi stepped forward. 'Kakashi, your pick on your Tracking team?'
'Jounin Hatake Kakashi of the Tracking Team,' Kakashi saluded with a left handed one-hand seal, 'Will formally take in Hyuuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino under my care, to train as Trackers.' he said. 'Hinata's sight can see all, Kiba can smell danger and anything hidden, and Shino can plant dangerous bugs to lead us to our desired destination, though their combat skills could use some work.'
'Sasuke-kun.'
'Jounin Uchiha Sasuke of the Assault Team, will formally take in Shinazugawa Genya, Tokito Muichirou, and Kamado Tanjiro under my care to train as an Assault Team.' said Sasuke. 'I want Genya due to his diligence and as a blank slate of paper with a hardworking spirit, I can paint a picture of power in the brat. Tanjiro's fire-based techniques will be the widespread assault to our Front Assault. And Tokito Muichirou who aspires to be a swordsman like myself, will handle in-between.'
In the past few years, he was surprised to see Muichirou's and Tanjiro's name, and Sanemi's little brother among the Academy Roster. But alas, for his flashy outfit, the spacey pillar did not recognize him. Is his head still...misty? As far as he knew it's just him, the kid and Muichirou here in Konoha. The Kochou Sisters were as wealthy as ever and lived in Tanzaku Gai as Merchants, but he knew they trained too. Rengoku works as a Freelance Bounty Hunter who deliberately hunted him down just to confirm he is who he says he is, and is happy to see him again. He said he found Gyomei in Tea Country, working as a farmer and no longer blind. But his skills didn't dull none and Rengoku taught Gyomei about chakra and things he knew Gyomei will bother to learn and eschew all else. Rengoku wasn't a fan of ninjutsu either, only bothering to learn what's needed to live.
Kanae who died first is sixteen years old. Rengoku fourteen. The rest of them? Twelve! Born in months that those who died first on that fated day, are born first and those who died last are youngest.
That's fine.
'At any rate, I'll check to see if our enemies reincarnated too and I'll do what I have to do.' said Rengoku. 'What does Muzan look like?'
Iguro showed him a Henge of Muzan that he had seen before he changed form. So Rengoku's NOT taking chances as out of all of them, he has the most freedom.
Iguro could agree, telling him of the high price of victory.
For now, he'll settle with what he'll get.
And so...
The only places he visited, was Tanjiro's and Muichirou's house.
Tanjiro's family this time, were Blacksmiths, not Coal Burners. He was happy to see a familiar face, but was sad that Nezuko wasn't reborn with their family and they don't know her at all to his lamentation. But he did work hard to earn back his sword skills. Just that, having chakra is a foreign concept to him so he was experimenting...
Muichirou's father, Yuichirou was a single father after his wife died and Muichirou was their only son. Funny part? Yuichirou and Muichirou were once twins. That, is awkward...
Genya who lived alone recognized him, sadly told him that his past repeated here, only, no Sanemi to save him and his siblings from an abusive father and their mother died from abuse while he and his siblings ran away from home. He met Rengoku who pinpointed him to the Kochou Sisters. And Genya went to become a Konoha ninja out of all of them.
So yes, his team's...interesting.