First Steps First
Using kenjutsu against Kamiko was an ever-losing battle. It seemed that no matter how much my skills improved, her taijutsu skills combined with one kunai was enough to keep me from getting even close to victory. The girl was fast, very fast. Not to mention she had great skills with tactics and ninjutsu. A strong kunoichi indeed. And one I very desperately wanted to beat in a close combat sparring match. I growled as the older girl managed to block yet another of my strikes.
"You've gotten a lot better, Akira." Kamiko said, clearly noticing my frustration. "I imagen that you'll be a master within the next three years."
"And yet I can't even get a scratch on you." I complained and jumped back, effectively ending the sparring match. "You're still fast enough to keep up with my Shunshin."
"You just started using it in battle a year ago though, you still have time to improve." She comforted me and handed me a bottle of water. "You've caught up to him in ninjutsu and genjutsu already."
"Genjutsu? That's pushing it." I snorted, knowing fully well that Shisui-nii-san had a stronger Mangekyo than I did. Though I suppose if I managed to steal his eye back from Danzo and transplant that along with the one Itachi was protecting I would surpass him. I was almost his level with my own after all. But it did seem like cheating.
"If Shisui-san was better than you at genjutsu, then I'm seriously glad I never fought him." Kamiko stated, looking slightly pale. "Seriously, I can't even get out of your genjutsus alone."
"Don't worry, I would have gotten you out of his." I smiled jokingly at her.
"Glad I can count on you." Kamiko snorted. "When are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow, it's a high-risk escort mission." I responded with a groan, still having no desire whatsoever to do missions out of ANBU. ANBU missions were much more predictable so to speak. No emotions, no grudges, Jonin missions, however, were much messier. There were personal grudges, vengeance and hatred, all of which was directed to people just as often as hidden villages. While ANBU definitely was the dark side of the Shinobi World, it also provided a safety from emotions and an anonymity which hid you from the personal side of being a ninja. You merely killed and returned and as nobody knew who you were, there was nobody seeking revenge on you.
"Is Tsunade-sama trying to make you a Hokage-candidate?" Kamiko wondered out loud. "While everyone knows that Hokage-sama wants Naruto to be the Hokage, chances are that she'll want to step down before he's ready. Currently Kakashi is the only one fulfilling all criteria: strong reputation, connection to the previous Hokages and enough strength to protect the village."
"While I can manage the first and third condition, I can't just magically get connected to the past Kages." I chuckled at her. "If that was her plan, it would be a horrible one."
"Actually, that's not true." Kamiko said with a thoughtful expression. "Hayato-sensei was on the same team as Yondaime-sama. Which means that our sensei studied under the student of the Sandaime Hokage."
"Now you're really pushing it." I laughed out loud at that comment.
"Yondaime-sama only had his connection to Jiraiya-sama, though. Clearly that part isn't the most important one." Kamiko continued her explanation.
"You're crazy, Kamiko. Just plain crazy."
The next day, I had gotten up bright and early to meet my client at the gate. It felt strange to dress in something other than my ANBU uniform or civil clothes. Instead I wore a black jumpsuit shorts with a purple belt to fasten my weapon pouch to and my normal black shinobi sandals reaching just above my knees. Carefully I pulled the upper part of my hair into twin ponytails, leaving the rest of my hair lose. 'Then I better get going. The Daimyo's son isn't going to escort himself.'
"You must be Kaname-san." I approached the posh-looking guy by the village gates. He was decent looking with his brown hair pulled into a low ponytail, pale skin and aristocratic features. In fact, he looked a bit like a, uglier, rich and civilian version of Itachi. 'A lot uglier.' I added, but kept my expression neutral. "I'm your escort, Nakamaru Akira."
"You don't look any older than me, not to mention that you're a girl." He said condescendingly. "Why would the Hokage send a weak girl to look after me?"
"If it would make you feel better, I can always use a henge to look like a boy." I replied nonchalantly and shrugged my shoulders. "I really don't care what you think of me, the fact is that I'm the kunoichi that Tsunade sent. If you don't find me up to your standards, then feel free to complain to her afterwards. For now, let's get going."
Kaname scowled at me, but followed along as I started walked out of the gate.
"Hokage-sama told me she was sending someone who had been a shinobi for more than a decade of experience. Yet I have never heard of any Nakamaru Akira. You couldn't have been more than six a decade ago." He commented equally as condescendingly as earlier.
"Eight actually." I replied, keeping my voice completely void of emotions. "I already had two years of experience back then. As for you not having heard about me, well… I tend not to leave survivors to tell others about my missions."
The last comment was enough to shut him off. 'Good boy, don't act like you know anything just because your father happens to be the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.' I held back my smirk and continued walking.
Nothing out of the ordinary had happened for more than half of the trip. It all changed however, once we reached the outside of Konoha's territory and entered the civilian area of the Land of Fire, and I quickly sensed that something was wrong.
"Stop." I ordered Kaname and concentrated on sensing potential enemies. I sensed a small team of three, though that was the extend of my chakra sensing abilities. "I know you're there so you might as well come out."
Three shinobis jumped down from the trees. I recognized the leader from Shisui-nii-sans stories from the Third Shinobi War. Kirigakure's Ao, who possessed one Byakugan and was said to use it decently in combat. The other two was clearly of a lower level, barely chunin. 'Nii-san already described Ao's abilities but given the time that has passed since they fought, I imagen he has improved. The other two wouldn't be too troublesome with my skills as long as I don't act rashly.'
"How curious to see nins from Kiri in the Land of Fire." I commented casually, as if I was talking about the weather. "May I ask about your intentions?"
"I'm afraid our intentions will clash, Konoha-nin. We need that man dead." Ao said coldly.
"Ah yes, that will be troublesome. He might be an arrogant prat, but I need him to live long enough for me to get my money." I smiled pleasantly at the older nin. "I believe this means we're at a stalemate. I don't want to kill you and risk Kirigakure attacking Konoha, and I'm sure you have similar thoughts of me. Both of our villages have been suffering lately and a war would hardly help."
"Then we'll just have to make sure no one knows of Kiri's involvement." The female chunin stated coldly and pulled out a kanta.
"Look at you, wanting to dance with someone you have no idea of the skill level off." I chuckled happily at the girl's angry expression. "That could be your death. Running straight in with no assessment of the enemy."
"It's three on one, you don't stand a chance." The male chunin boasted and grabbed his own choice of weapon, a sword.
"I suppose I should do something about that…" I nodded thoughtfully in agreement and unsealed my tanto. Quickly I activated my Sharingan, knowing fully well that while Ao would see the chakra in my eyes, he wouldn't be able to tell what exactly I used it for, especially as my lenses covered the colour and pattern of my eyes. He would merely the special colour my eyes got with the chakra activating the Sharingan. "Then let's dance."
I held my tanto horizontally across my chest while having my other hand flat against the blade.
"I do hope you can keep up, otherwise it'll be rather boring." I smiled sweetly at then and started using the Shunshin quickly making it seem like there was a bunch of clones around me, which in reality was just after-images made because of the speed I used the Shunshin at.
"That jutsu… It can't be!" Ao recognized the technique of his old enemy quickly.
"I told you not to jump in with no knowledge of the enemy's skills." I said and ran forward. I easily knocked the weapons out of the chunins hands, before knocking them out and leaving light wounds all over their arms and legs on the ground. 'Tsunade said to make a reputation, that means that these guys will have to live.' I mentally groaned, knowing that fighting without the intention to kill would make it easier for them to take me out, or Ao at least. With the two chunins out, I turned my attention to Ao.
"I've heard that you are fast, yet you did nothing to save your comrades." I commented as I stood in front of him. "Though I've also heard you're quite intelligent, so I assume you wanted to assess my abilities and step in solely if necessary."
"You're almost as fast as Shunshin no Shisui." He commented, his face not betraying whatever emotions he was feeling. "Your kenjutsu skills are impressive as well. But at your current speed level, you can't beat me."
"Look at you assuming I'm going all out." I bluffed calmly. "Truly fascinating from someone with your experience."
"It's because of that experience I know that you're bluffing. If you had been faster, you would have dealt with me by now. But you know that you're not fast enough to handle me yet." He stated stoically. "Which is why you're now trying to bluff your way out."
"Interesting analysis, and you are correct. However, I can assure you that the ever-awesome Nakamaru Akira can defeat you without using the Shunshin." I smirked arrogantly at him. 'If necessary, I'll use the Mangekyo. Though I'd prefer for him not to know about it if possible.' I decided to avoid using it for as long as possible. From what Shisui-nii-san had told me, he was a tracker specialist and while skilled in fighting, not as good as I was. I knew that with his Byakugan, he could easily see through genjutsus, but I also knew that the more powerful the genjutsu was, the harder it would be to get out without help. I smiled and cast the most powerful genjutsu I could without using my Mangekyo.
"I can see you cast a genjutsu! It's pointless to try against the Byakugan." Ao said and gathered his hands. "Kai!"
Nothing happened. I smirked at him, knowing the me inside of the genjutsu probably did the exact same thing. He would not be able to see us leave, nor would he be able to move his legs as long as he was stuck inside my genjutsu. The strongest genjutsus cast with the Sharingan, required others to push their chakra into the system of the one under the genjutsu to be able to break out. Unless of course, the person under the genjutsu had a Sharingan, in which case they would probably be able to break out.
"It does not matter if you can see it. You'll need the chakra of more than yourself if you want to get out of this one." I told him and turned my attention to Kaname. "We should go before they wake up."
"Oh… Yes ma'am!" he said, suddenly a lot more respectful than earlier.
"Jonin Nakamaru Akira reporting back from escort mission." I kneeled in front of Tsunade.
"Any complications?" the Hokage asked.
"One team from Kiri was sent to assassinate Kaname-san. The team was dealt with and left alive with minor injuries." I reported shortly. "The leader of the team was Ao, the new Mizukage's personal bodyguard. He recognized my use of the Shunshin from his earlier fights with Shisui-nii-san."
"Good, then he might tell the Mizukage about you, which hopefully would get you into the Bingo Book." Tsunade stated with a smirk.
"You're obsessing a lot with getting me famous, Tsunade." I stated with a raised eyebrow. "I'm finding it slightly concerning."
"I'm finding it concerning that you refuse to speak to me with respect." The Hokage shot back.
"I'm not really good with respect." I responded with an innocent smile. Tsunade scoffed at me.
"That's for sure, brat."
"And you say I'm the unrespectful one…"