A Path to a Shinobi's Ambition

Chapter 05: The Lesson Written by: Koizumi Tsukiyo

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                "WHAT DID I DO?! RELEASE ME AT ONCE, DAMMIT!" Ohito shouted, kicking his legs from being tied tightly to the log as he coughs, "Sakura-sensei! You never told me this will happen if we lose!"

                "It shouldn't happen at all actually," Sakura replied, turning to face the grinning Naruto, "But he insisted."

                "WHY ME?! WHY NOT HOSHI THERE!"

                From the questioning look on Hoshi's face, Naruto gave a small shrug, "I just feel like it. Got a problem?"

                "WHAT DO YOU THINK?!"

                "Done something wrong, Ohito?" Kometto asked with a grin once he arrives with Taitan, both soaking wet.

                He glared weakly, "....At least you guys didn't get the bells."

                "So? Neither have you, I believe," Kometto flicks his wet bangs away from his dark black eyes, "Enjoying yourself?"

                "Shut up," Ohito coughed, banging his head against the wood, "Better than being a wet dog like you!"

                He gave a murderously glare, "What did you say?"

                "Who would have thought our number one rookie like you can't even get them when Hoshi had even touched one and he was tied with you!"

                Twitch. "You're definitely getting onto my nerves now."

                "Stop it, you guys," Taitan said evenly, twisting the end of his shirt dry, "There's no time to be arguing now for all four of us had failed. No need to release your anger at each other."

                "We're only Genins after all compare to the Senseis," Hoshi said in agreement, looking around curiously, "I wonder if the girls had any luck?"

                Naruto snorted, looking to the side once seeing the girls standing behind Hoshi, both covered in muddy dirt from head to toe, "Nihihihi! Ikazuchi had done it!"

                "Consider those tricks are from you," Tenko snapped, sitting down heavily beside Kometto while dusting her clothing the best she can as Naryu curled herself beside her.

                "Seems like all of us had our worse times," Taitan said in amusement, watching Junpaku blowing dirt away from her sketchbook she had gotten out. "Ne, Sakura-sensei, do you think the training went a bit too short?"

                "If you said six hours of training is short, I could have put it a bit longer," Sakura said with a smile, seeing their shock faces. "It's noon now."

                "Really?!"

                "The training was fun, as expected," Ikazuchi said, appearing from beside her, ignoring Tenko and Junpaku's hard stare, "Though they still need a lot of work."

                Kama nodded in agreement, crossing his arms with his cleaver back in its position behind him, "Lots more..."

                "But you got to admit, these kids are quite good," Naruto said, munching on his snacks in front of the glaring Genins. "They're going to improve very quickly, you guys just watch."

                Ohito's eyes narrowed, ignoring his grumbling stomach, And hopefully I'll be able to kick your ass...see how you feel.

                "They'll improve, that's what Shinobis do everyday in their daily life," Sakura said, sitting down in front of them, "Until you're finish, Naruto..."

                Naruto paused, giving a smirk as he gulps down the rest of his food slowly, deeply enjoying the taste. The Genins' face scrunched in annoyance as Ohito mentally cried, silently begging for some food with wide emerald eyes. "Done! Go right ahead, Sakura-chan!"

                "As I was watching each member in different groups and analyze them, I'm afraid they're lacking something very important."

                Kometto looked up, "Lacking? Of our skills or jutsu?"

                "Neither," Sakura replied with a sigh, standing back up and walks towards the memorial, a hand on the stone. Naruto frowned, looking away sadly at her action. "The exact thing...the same mistake as these shinobis on the stone had done."

                "I dare you to repeat that!" Ohito shouted angrily, struggling on his bonds.

                Naruto knocked his head with his knuckles to silent him, "She's not disrespecting them, Ohito."

                "She is!" He coughed, indicating the female sensei, "Didn't you hear her?!"

                Hoshi ignored them, "We don't understand, Sakura-sensei..."

                "Estimation," Sakura responded, still not facing them as Ohito stopped in confusion, "That is what you're all lacking of."

                "Estimation?"

                "An example! Kometto, I'm going to use you since you seem to be the strongest in your team," Ikazuchi said with a smile, watching him standing up with a nod, "Imagine I'm your enemy but has threaten you with nothing but giving a killer aura. What will you do?"

                Kometto raised an eyebrow curiously.

                "O-kay, you never experience that before so...how about this? If you can get this bell from me, then I'm going to teach you any advance Jutsu you want. Use your weapons if you like."

                Immediately, Kometto charged, twirling a kunai around his finger to throw. But his eyes widen in shock once Ikazuchi somehow grabbed him by the neck and lifts him up gently in a blink of an eye, a long sword held closely to his throat. Everyone, minus Ohito, jumped from their seats in alarm while Ikazuchi turns and wink at Ohito, "You're not the only one with a sword."

                "This is what you all had been doing," Sakura instructed, watching them, "Not caring or even taking any time to judge your opponent, you just attack openly without thinking of any consequence."

                "Teamwork is part of the training and you all pasted that with flying colors," Ikazuchi added proudly, releasing Kometto while placing his sword back into the hidden scabbard within the side of his pants.

                "No wonder, I was about to ask where you had gotten that out from," Taitan muttered, facing Sakura, "So you're telling us to analyze our enemies before we attack if necessary?"

                She nodded, "That's right."

                "But what does that have to do with those people on the stone?" Ohito asked weakly in a bitter tone.

                "Same as you, they all attack the best they can. Not caring if their opponent are stronger or had the upper advantage. By doing so, I'll say their deaths are quite foolish to begin with."

                Naruto clamped a hand over Ohito's yelling mouth.

                "That's what makes them proud," Tenko said instead in a low tone. "Dieing honorably while on duty."

                "Yes, but only partly," Sakura whispered, running a hand on a peculiar name almost at the end of the list. Though struggling, Ohito stared curiously at the golden ring around her finger, "It's the reason why they fight is what makes them truly proud."

                Everyone stiffens, gazing at the stone in silences once the words drilled into their mind, even Ohito have to stop.

                "They don't care how strong their enemy are or not caring the death that would awaits them at the end," She continued, emerald eyes shadowed within her bangs, "But it's who they're fighting for is what's important to them. They fight to protect others or fight the best they can to not let their enemies harm anyone else."

                Kama's lids lowered, "That is what make them a proud shinobi...each one of them that are in the stone."

                "That's why it must always be important to judge our opponent," Sakura said with a heavy sigh as she stood up, "At least we could know a bit of their weakness or, if lucky, be able to understand their attacks."

                "Safety is always first," Ikazuchi piped in. "This is the second half of your training and none of you pass...well, maybe Junpaku-chan is the only one that past the whole test actually."

                "W-What?" Junpaku blushed in embarrassment under the other's stare, "I didn't do anything."

                "From the beginning when Ikazuchi-kun used the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu to transform into these two here," Sakura said, pointing at the confused Hoshi and Ohito, "You immediately used your abilities to see through the illusion if it's really them."

                "So that's the technique he used," Junpaku mumbled, looking at the smiling Ikazuchi, "I knew the two illusions are both in real bodies, I just don't know how."

                "It's a bit too advance for you, I know," Ikazuchi said with a chuckle, patting her head, "But it's a really good start."

                Tenko frowned, "So the rest of us failed?"

                "Somewhat."

                "You all passed the first half of the test," Kama said unenthusiastically, "It's enough."

                "Sakura-sensei..." Ohito called silently in guilt, "I'm sorry..."

                "I fully understand, Ohito-kun, no need to apologize. Let's all just go home and rest, shall we?" Sakura said, urging everyone to leave, "We'll start our mission by tomorrow morning. Naruto! Release Ohito-kun now!"

                "Why?" He asked her smugly, only to have a fist connected to his head while he cried out in slight pain. With a glare, Sakura sighed in annoyances before cutting the rope herself as Ohito stretches once he was release. Naruto grumbles, holding onto his large bump painfully and follow the group home.

                "I hope the mission will be adventurous!" Taitan said with bright blue eyes, walking along with the others, "Don't you think, Ikazuchi-sensei?"

                He smiled, "I highly doubt it."

                "Eh...?"

                "Ikazuchi," Kama reprimanded, standing beside him, "The way you held your sword earlier, you should had hold it in a different angel to make it seem more...life-threatened."

                "No need, Kama," Ikazuchi said with a shrug, "I already found it too dangerous to Kometto already."

                Kometto looks at him from the corner of his eyes with a funny glare.

                "You're too soft on them, they'll learn more if it's harder."

                "But not too hard that'll surely scare them out of their minds, ne? I found my position quite good, thank you."

                Tenko stared at their backs, "Why are they competing over a simple matter?"

                "Those two always argued over who had the best teaching strategy than the other," Naruto replied in annoyance, "I found it confusing and a waste of time."

                "Ohito-kun?" Sakura called curiously, spotting their missing member still standing by the memorial, "Aren't you coming?"

                "...You guys go ahead, I want to train a bit more," he answered, covering his mouth with a weak cough.

                Hoshi smiled, "I'll stay behind with him, Sakura-sensei."

                "Be careful you two," Sakura said with nod, running up to the group, leaving the boys behind. Ohito coughs, facing around and stare at each of the names that were craved onto the stone.

                "You're not here to train, are you?" Hoshi asked knowingly, standing beside him, "What's wrong?"

                "Had you notice the way Sakura-sensei talk? She seems very serious and sad, as if she had experience it before."

                "You notice it as well?" Hoshi enquired in astonishment, lowering his gaze, "Yes, and the way she kept on feeling the name somewhere on this list, as if she long for that person to be alive."

                "And her ring....doesn't look like a normal ring she would wear for fun."

                "Ohito...it's gold and on her ring finger. It's an engagement ring," Hoshi declared with a frown, "Do you want to know what really happen to her? I know part of the story, if you want to listen."

                "...Tell me."

                "One time when Kurenai-obasan was talking to the other Senseis, I overheard her saying that Sakura-sensei was engaged once."

                "What do you mean 'once'?"

                "There had been a really big battle going on in the past that Kurenai-obasan was knocked unconscious at the very beginning, lucky to be alive. The battle had been too big that only involved a small number of people. And Sakura-sensei was one of them with Naruto-sensei."

                Ohito coughs, listening to the story intensely, giving him a wide interested look for him to continue.

                "It hasn't been a long time, only three years ago actually," Hoshi began, sitting down on the ground as Ohito followed.

                "I remember!" He coughs, "Kakashi-sensei was involved in the fight and it's the day when Iruka-sensei hidden us safely away from the battle."

                Hoshi nodded, "This fight had gone on with many Jounin-level shinobis against one man."

                "One?!"

                "Yep, only one. And get this; even Hokage-sama had trouble fighting this guy!" Hoshi said, exhaling a sigh, "He was from the Uchida's clan, if I remember correctly. Itachi was his first name I think, I forgot. I don't know the rest but once the fight finally ended, everyone had failed and Itachi had vanished out of sight."

                "Just like that? Even under the Hokage-sama's nose?"

                "If a guy like him can slaughter his whole clan without a problem, then I'm sure he could. But the sad thing I heard about Sakura-sensei was that...yes, she survived and Naruto-sensei too, both really wounded."

                "And...?"

                "But her fiancé...and also her teammate as well-"

                "Fiancé?!" Ohito interrupted, giving a weak cough.

                "Why else would she have the ring?" Hoshi looked at him in slight irritation, "Anyway, her fiancé was presumed dead. Kurenai-obasan said he had died protecting her without a care that Itachi could be too strong."

                Ohito eyes widen in shock before lower them sadly, "I see..."

                "And for the past year after that, rumors said Sakura-sensei had snapped," Hoshi said in a low tone, "It had taken a full year for her closets friend to get her back to normal. Right now, she's just improving."

                "Just improving? She seems fine to me!"

                "You want to know the strangest thing that even I found it confusing?" Hoshi inquired, eyeing the particular name on the list of the memorial.

                "...And that is?"

                "Witness had said Sakura-sensei's fiancé is killed...but his body was never found..."

                "Eh?!" More coughing, "What do you mean never found?"

                "It was believe that Itachi had took his body to keep, it does make kind of sense though to why."

                Drowsy emerald eyes stared at him in disbelief, "Sense? I'm leaning more towards him being a sick bastard instead."

                "Ohito, look at this name here," Hoshi said, pointing at the stone, "This is the same name that Sakura-sensei was showing her emotion on and also her fiancé. Once you read his name, you'll immediately know why Itachi had stolen his corpus."

                Ohito followed his instructions, staring at the name as his wearily eyes widen and his jaws drop, "Umm...You're serious?! I never notice this before!"

                "That's because you never took the time to look at it."

                "Uchida Sasuke?!" Heavy coughing, "UCHIDA?!"

                "The last member of the Uchida clan, excluding the one who slaughtered it, is gone...If we don't count Itachi, then the famous advance blood of the Uchida is vanished forever, unable to bring any new members into the clan."

                "Uchida..." Ohito mumbled, before his coughing worsens. "It's the UCHIDA we're talking here..."

                Hoshi raises an eyebrow, wondering if he's really sick or not, "Want to leave now? We're both tired and our first mission will start tomorrow."

                "Umm...Uchida," Ohito repeated once again as they stood and walked slowly away. "Oh! I got a question!"

                "Yes?"

                "You said Jounin-level shinobis are the only ones fighting Itachi, ne?"

                "Some Chunnins also, if they got involved. But as I said earlier, not many are in the fight and Kurenai-obasan wasn't one of them either. She tried to help though and failed."

                "Umm...how is it possible for Sakura-sensei to be alive at the end when she's only a Chunnin? I know you said Sasuke-san had protected her but if Itachi is really strong as you said, shouldn't he be able to kill her quickly with a snap of his finger?"

                "Now that you mention it," Hoshi said, tapping his lips in thoughts, "You're right...I should ask Kurenai-obasan about this later."

                "And Hoshi..."

                "Hm?"

                "You want to know what I believe."

                "What you believe?"

                Ohito stops, looking back at the memorial with a grin, "...I don't believe a single thing you said about Sasuke-san....you know, being dead and all. I'm going to have a great honor seeing Sakura-sensei scratching that name off the stone!"

                "What?" Hoshi blinked a couple time, tilting his head to the side in question.

                "He's from the Uchida Clan, remember?" Ohito's grin widen, though was totally ruin by another cough, "No way could he be killed that easily!"

                "I don't know, Ohito," Hoshi said, biting his bottom lip, "Itachi succeed in killing the whole clan when he's only around our age...or a bit older like about a year or two."

                "WHAT?! You're shitting me!"

                "Why would I lie to you?"

                Ohito swore under his breath before crossing his arms stubbornly, "I don't care! I'm going to let my feelings get the best of me and it's saying that Sasuke-san is still alive! His body is not found, ne? Maybe he had escape?"

                "And never appear forever?"

                Ohito gave him a glare, stomping his foot as he walks away, "Screw this! I'm going home!"

                You're not the only one, Ohito, Hoshi said in his thoughts, watching the angry boy disappearing out of sight while looking back at the stone. The breeze roughens, cooling him as it caresses his hair, ticking his light-brown eyes when it sway past them, Kurenai-obasan had said there is no trace of Sasuke-san. If Itachi really had taken him, then he would at least leave a piece of his corpus behind as a sign. Kurenai-obasan had also said Sakura-sensei went back to normal mostly by herself, believing Sasuke-san is still alive.

                He sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets from his pants and begin to walk with a smile, Though not a lot of people believe in it, but I'm glad you did...lots of people thought she's still completely insane but if you believe in it too, then there's still hope. As well as I, who had also believed her just like you...

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Kage Bunshin no Jutsu: Shadow Clone Skill

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