Chapter VI: Katon? Never heard of it
A/N: Yo, people. So, I decided to write another chapter for the MC's training under Sarutobi, to better establish their relationship as student and mentor. It's a pretty short chapter, all things considered, but I've been trying my best to slow down with the pacing a little bit.
I've been getting some critiques on the first few chapters of this fic, and yes- they are pretty messy. I'm thinking about rewriting them in the future, take away all the needless drama and improve on the dialogue. Still, I'm slowly shaking off the rust, getting back to pace with my writing. Hope you enjoy this stuff.
Now, on to answering your reviews.
Alder Hill: I don't plan on imitating Systematic Shinobi, even when I really like some of the guy's jokes. As for Lava Release, I'm working on it- I'm planning to make it a gradual progression, rather than an instant Kekkei-Genkai. About becoming a jinchuriki, well, it depends on how ambitious the MC gets, especially since Sun Wukong is from far, far away. That would be neat, though. About the dialogue with Naruko, I'm glad you've enjoyed it- I'm trying to improve it and make it less cringy than on chp 1-4.
E: That's an interesting idea, actually. I've been giving it some thought, including that haunted castle from a filler. I'll have to actually watch the episode in question, though. The idea with Mei is funny too.
Dreadix: It's a possibility in the future, as evidenced by this chapter. As for Fire and Earth in specific, I found it cool and rolled with it. Hiruzen can use some very cool jutsu from both elements, so the MC might have a lot to learn from him too.
DarkBan: I find it a cool weapon too, especially with the way Hiruzen uses it to kick ass.
JaimonDosFendu: Thx, I've been trying to get the pacing right. Glad you're enjoying it.
Thicc-Chungs: Lol, that's a fun prospective.
Sirleirbag: It's not so much about potential, as it is about teamwork, and Kakashi's own interests really. As established in the first chapters, Hayato prefers going solo, so someone could presume how well he'd perform on the bell test based on that alone. There's also Kakashi's personal interest in having Minato's kid as his Genin.
Kyu9930: That's an interesting idea right there, and maybe one he could incorporate into his fighting style as this story progresses. I'm slowing down on the pacing, so maybe he'll have some free time to seek out Kurenai and her team for a mission, and maybe some free Genjutsu training.
BTW, next chapter I'm having the MC go on a mission for a change- so we'll finally be introducing Team Asuma into this fic. I hope you enjoy it.
That's about it, really. Well, on to the reading.
Chapter VI: Katon? Never heard of it
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own the Gamer Manhwa or any of the series/anime/movies/comics/games/books cited. I just own this satirical and kind of funny fanfic.
"Patience is a virtue, my boy."- Hiruzen Sarutobi, Third Hokage.
[4:00 AM]
GOOD MORNING, GAMER!
During your sleep, your Health and Chakra pools have been replenished. All ailments have been removed and healed!
Obito Uchiha is the world's angriest virgin, and I'm going to call him that to his face before I go all Lord Second on his stupid ass. Seriously, fuck that guy. It's because of him that for the past two weeks, I've been woken up every single day before sunrise by this crazy old man, dragging me off to training.
"You know, you could just come and wake me up the normal way, you senile old fucker!" I curse at the top of my lungs after being woken up for the hundredth time with a bucket of cold water to the face. This time, the motherfucker even put ice cubes in there, to be make it even colder.
"And what fun would that be?" The old man asks back with a smile, still holding the empty bucket in his hands.
"How did you even get in here? I've booby-trapped every single door and window in this house." And those weren't your common, run-of-the-mill traps that any bumblefuck Genin would know how to make— oh no, these two weeks under the old bastard's tutelage had made me learn a lot about traps, if only so I could get a decent night's sleep.
From tripwires linked to paper bombs, to flashbang tags placed by the windows and bear traps hidden under the carpets, my house had been turned into an actual minefield. Yet somehow, Hiruzen managed to get past all of them each morning without a scratch.
"Oh please, I may be getting on my later years, but I still am the Hokage." Hiruzen states smugly, scratching his goatee. "I believe my little grandson, Konohamaru, sets better traps than this..."
"Well, whatever. Let's get this show going, shall we?" I hop off my bed with a lazy yawn, doing the usual morning routine and changing into a black kimono fastened with a white sash, which honestly makes me look like a cheap Bleach knockoff. Huh? Maybe I should get Zabuza's sword as my zanpakutō and change its name to Zangetsu. "So, what's the plan for today, grandfather?"
"You'll see when we get there..." Oh, being secretive aren't we?
The last two weeks have been quite intense, to say the least, even for someone with my freakish levels of stamina. At this point, I believe the only two Genin capable of beating me in an endurance test are Rock Lee, who has been doing Might Guy's absolutely insane workouts every single day for the past two years, and Naruko Uzumaki, who is on a whole other level by herself. Being an Uzumaki and a jinchūriki means she has nearly infinite chakra reserves, while also possessing regenerative abilities superior to mine, due to the Nine-Tails' influence.
This chick has the potential to be an absolute juggernaut, yet Kakashi has eyes only for the Uchiha boy. Whatever, not my problem.
Either way, my own training has been going well. I've started on a new schedule, and, despite being a lazy old pervert, Sarutobi-jiji is still a damn good teacher, truly living up to his reputation as the Professor. In the mornings, we work on my chakra control- with Hiruzen having me spar against his summon while walking on the lake's surface. During this, I take only a few short breaks to rest every now and then.
Once that's done, I spend the afternoons working on different skills, alternating between days. Twice a week, I practice shuriken and kunai throwing techniques on those targets at Training Grounds 3. On the other three days of the week, it mostly depends on whether Neji is available or not: if my favorite sparring partner isn't on a mission with his team, we train together; If, for some reason, he's not free, I train with the old man, working on my shinobi skills- such as stealth, and usage of the Body Flicker. I'd also been working on a new form of the Jūken, the Shōtei (Palm Bottom).
I've been using my weekends to study books and scrolls on Ninjutsu in the Konoha Library, by using a temporary pass loaned to me by the old man. I also do some light practicing- working on my chakra control, for the most part, while also practicing my shurikenjutsu. I've also been taking some time on Saturday to give Naruko some pointers on the exercises she's asked me about.
Now. This all might sound a little bit easy for one who wants to catch up to his lost time, but that's only because the true madness begins when the sun goes down.
When the evening comes, I answer the summons of fitness god Might Guy for a most youthful, 4 hour-long training session. Remember all those favors I owed my cousin? Well he's been holding them over my head, so I can take his place as Lee's "rival", and that includes joining them in doing 10-kilometer runs around the village, hundreds of sit-ups, push-ups and jumping jacks, and that's not including the sparring fights against Rock Lee, on which we're currently tied.
If only because he has his training weights on all the time, thus being too slow to get past my Palms, Revolving Heaven. I've yet to meet Tenten, though, which is a pity since she's just my type- and a complete cutie to boot.
Anyway, although my growth is going a little bit slower compared to the first few days after I became the Gamer, the fruits of this insanity are still very visible on my stat screen. Most important, perhaps, new Skill Trees have been unlocked...
[MENU]
Name: Hayato Hyūga (Kanji: 日向勇人- Hyūga Hayato)
Age: 14/ Rank: Genin/ Sex: Male/ Blood Type: O+/ Ninja ID: KH-038173
Clan: Hyūga.
Chakra: 1980 /1980.
[ATRIBUTES]
-Strength: 10 → 14
-Vitality: 20 → 22
-Dexterity: 15 → 16
-Agility: 14 → 16
-Perception: 13 → 14
-Intelligence: 10 → 12
-Spirit: 20 → 22
[Chakra Affinities]: Fire Release (火遁, Katon)/ Earth Release (土遁, Doton).
[Nature Transformations]: None.
[Kekkei- Genkai]
- {Byakugan}- Kekkei-Genkai- Stage II.
- {Uzumaki Heritage}- Kekkei-Genkai
[Major Shinobi Skills]:
{Taijutsu}- Major Shinobi Skill- Lvl: 25 → 27 (Elite Genin).
- Hyūga Style: Gentle Fist (日向流・柔拳, Hyūga-ryū: Jūken) - Lvl: 27 (Primary).
. Jūkenhō Ōgi: Hakkeshō Kaiten (Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Palms, Revolving Heaven);
. Jūkenhō Ōgi: Shōtei (Gentle Fist Art: Palm Heel Strike);
- Academy Style- Lvl: 15 (Secondary).
- Konoha Style: Strong Fist (剛拳 Gōken)- Lvl: 5 (Secondary)
{Genjutsu} - Major Shinobi Skill- Lvl: 5 (Academy).
{Ninjutsu} - Major Shinobi Skill- Lvl: 5→10 (Genin).
- Ninja Art (忍法 ,Ninpō) - Lvl: 10.
[Rank E]:
. Ninpō: Bunshin no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Clone Technique);
. Ninpō: Henge no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Transformation Technique);
. Ninpō: Kawarimi no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Body Replacement Technique);
[Rank D]:
. Ninpō: Shunshin no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Body Flicker Technique);
-Fire Style (火遁, Katon)- LOCKED.
-Earth Style (土遁, Doton)- LOCKED.
[Minor Shinobi Skills]:
{Bukijutsu}- Minor Shinobi Skill- Lvl: 5 → 10 (Genin).
- Shurikenjutsu (手裏剣術, Shuriken Techniques) - Lvl: 5 → 10 (Primary).
- Bōjutsu (棒術, Staff Techniques) - Lvl: 5.
- Kayakujutsu (火薬術, Explosive Techniques)- Lvl: 5.
{Fuinjutsu}- Minor Shinobi Skill- Lvl: 5 (Academy).
[Rank E]:
. Kaifū no Jutsu (Unsealing Technique).
[Talents]
- Alertness- Talent (Minor Skill)- Lvl: 10→ 14 (Genin).
- Awareness- Talent (Minor Skill)- Lvl: 8 → 10 (Genin).
- Athletics- Talent (Minor Skill)- Lvl: 10→ 16(Genin).
- Deception- Talent (Minor Skill)- Lvl: 2 (Academy).
- Expression- Talent (Minor Skill)- Lvl: 1 (Academy).
- Legerdemain- Talent (Minor Skill)- Lvl: 3→5 (Academy).
- Persuasion- Talent (Minor Skill)- Lvl: 5→10 (Genin).
[Skills]
- Animal Ken- Talent (Minor Skill)- Lvl: 1 (Academy).
- Crafts- Talent (Minor Skill)- Lvl: 1 (Academy).
- Stealth- Talent (Minor Skill)- Lvl: 5→10 (Genin).
- Survival- Talent (Minor Skill)- Lvl: 3 (Academy).
- Tracking- Talent (Minor Skill)- Lvl: 10 (Genin).
[Knowledges]
- Academics- Talent (Minor Skill)- Lvl: 2→10 (Genin).
- Finance- Talent (Minor Skill)- Lvl: 1 (Academy).
- Investigation- Talent (Minor Skill)- Lvl: 8→10 (Genin).
- Medicine- Talent (Minor Skill)- Lvl: 5 (Academy).
- Science- Talent (Minor Skill)- Lvl: 3 (Academy).
Money: 210000 Ryō
Noticed it, haven't you? Turns out, the Game is highly customizable to my whims, though a bit stubborn when it comes to the good stuff. I swear to Kami, I've been trying to put a wallpaper of Tsunade Senju in a swimsuit under my Main Menu for a while now, and all I've met is failure.
That aside, I've made a few changes to it, such as messing with the skill-ranking system to something I could understand- instead of some crazy Skyrim rip-off- expanding on my skills and configuring my techniques to be listed on the Menu too. I'd also managed to unlock a pair of minor shinobi skills in Bukijutsu and very basic Fuinjutsu, through my studying and training under the old man.
And that's about it, really.
"You seem to be distracted today." the old man says calmly, as we slowly make our way through the village towards our usual training grounds. It's still very early in the morning, and the sun hasn't even risen, so there's hardly anyone out on the streets yet - except for patrolling shinobi and a handful of civilian merchants getting ready to open their shops for the day. The latter give us curious looks as we pass, towards me in particular.
Then again, my status as the Hokage's new student is hardly any secret.
"I was thinking about how good Tsunade-hime would look in a skimpy white bikini." Is my chill response. Of course, that is only half the truth, but I couldn't exactly tell the old man that I was seeing numbers on a screen. That would be a one-way ticket to a mental asylum. "I'd be happy to die after seeing that once."
"You're as perverted as Jiraiya. It seems history does repeat itself when it comes to my students." He lets out a sigh at that, clearly remembering his former student's infamous escapades.
"Huh? Then who is my Tsunade?" I snicker back at him.
"Wouldn't that be Naruko? I heard a report that you've been teaching her the same exercises I taught you." Hiruzen replies with an amused smile. "Care to explain me why?"
"I owed her one." I counter with a shrug, taking a long swig from my waterskin as we reach our destination- Training Ground 3. "Besides, she's doing most of the work herself, I only give her some pointers every now and then."
I have my own stuff to do, so I don't exactly have to time to grab the girl by the hand and teach her anything. Besides, I'm not the type of guy who chauvinistically tries to protect women from any type of difficulty or harm – especially when these women are kunoichi. The Game has shown me where that thought process leads to: Sakura Haruno, who stayed behind her male counterparts all her life, and Rin Nohara, who continued being stupidly weak even when being taught by the fucking Yellow Flash. Fuck that shit, people have to stand up on their own two legs.
I also happen to like pretty girls who can fight.
"Oh, so that is your type then? You might be more like Jiraiya than I'd thought..." Fuck, I said that last part out loud, didn't I?
"Should I ask him to teach me how to summon frogs then?" I reply with a snort, referencing the Sannin's famous skill- the one who made him known worldwide as the Toad Sage. "That would be a good idea. I can hide them in your bed, grandfather."
"I surely hope not, your mother would murder us both in the afterlife if you did." He chuckles at that, as if remembering some inside joke. An inside joke that clearly excludes me since I have no idea what the fuck he's talking about. "She was a fiery one, that girl."
"And why is that the case?" I inquire casually as I make some stretches, fishing for some answers. Most of the stuff about my mother was classified information, and I was two when she died, so I don't remember a lot about her. That is, other than that she had red hair, and used to have the temper of a startled tiger.
"Makoto Hyūga used to be one of our finest kunoichi, perhaps another time I can share some of her stories."
"Uzumaki. Mother's maiden name was Makoto Uzumaki." I counter with a glare to the old man. "I won't be childish and accuse you of hiding stuff from me, Sarutobi-jiji. This is a ninja village, and some shit is better off hidden." I state with a long sigh, lowering my gaze a little bit. "Just...please, don't lie to me about my parents, not to my facee."
Past Hayato would have snapped and demanded some answers, screaming at the old Hokage about the injustice of it all- how it wasn't fair to keep me in the dark about my parents like that. But after my memories with the Nine-Tails got the better off me that night with Mizuki, I've been working on keeping my emotions at bay.
Hayato Hyūga ain't no pussy.
"Very well." the Sandaime says solemnly, taking a long drag on his pipe, his expression unreadable. He then lets out a sigh, before ruffling my hair. "I'm sorry I can't tell you everything yet. But if you want to know more, ask Anko Mitarashi, she was an... acquaintance of your mother's, a long time ago."
Anko Mitarashi? As in the psychotic bitch Anko Mitarashi, from the Hidden Leaf's Torture and Interrogation department? I've yet to meet her in person, but the rumors circling around the corps, and the Game's own memories don't paint a positive picture of her. I'd have better chances reasoning with frickin' Manda...
"Where do I find her?"
"I'll set up a meeting, once you've progressed far enough in your training. Now..." the elderly Hokage then invites me to sit down on the grass in a meditative stance, before placing a small artifact before me. It is an ancient-looking silver brazier with the Kanji for fire 火(Hi) carved into its center, whose handles were carved in the shape of two lion's heads. "...are you ready to begin? I want you to-"
"Are you kidding me? I was born ready!" I reply, my enthusiasm now back at full force. Enthusiasm- that's what the Game brought back to my life, and I can't thank it enough for it. "So, will you tell me what the plan is now, ero-sensei?"
"Shut up, you impatient brat!" Hiruzen growls out, giving me a chop to the head, before regaining his composure just as quickly. "As I was saying before you interrupted me so rudely..." I groan at that, much to his amusement. "...I want you to try and fully awaken one of your elemental affinities."
"And if I had a guess, I'd say this little brazier here..." I gesture towards the piece of silverware. "...has something to do with this."
"Indeed. This is a method created by one of my teachers, the First Hokage, many decades ago when I was still but a boy." Sarutobi-jiji explains sagely, as I pay attention to his every word. "You see...Hashirama Senju's chakra was special, in a sense that it was a merger between Water and Earth. These two natures were practically inseparable, and their union was the source of his greatest power, Mokuton."
"But if he wasn't able to split the two natures apart, that means he couldn't use either one of them, right?" The Game is a bit scarce on information about Hashirama Senju, and the history lessons at the Ninja Academy only ever mentioned him using his signature Wood Release, and pretty much nothing else. "Not like he needed anything else; man was a fucking legend."
"That would be the best guess, no? Except..." He lets out a puff of white smoke from his pipe. "...the First Hokage could wield all five basic elements, much like his brother, the Lord Second. Now, how is that possible, Hayato-kun?"
Feeling quite a bit Socratic today, aren't you, grandpa? Very well, I'll indulge you. "Well, there's a reason the guy was known as Shinobi no Kami. He probably found a way around this limitation."
"Indeed. You see, my gullible and impressionable young pupil..." I twitched, doing my best the urge to throw a kunai at the old bastard. Rein in your temper, Hayato. Rein it in. "...despite his vast reserves, the First Hokage was able to develop such a level of mastery over his own chakra, that he eventually became able to master all of the Nature Transformations, even the one opposite to his, Fire."
"You want me to try the same thing, but with my Katon and Doton?" Except I could not use either of them, nor had I any idea what the merging of the two would cause. "You know, you could have gone straight to the point old man. I'm not an imbecile."
"That's not what your attitude says..."
"Screw you." I snarl back at him, before grabbing the brazier in both hands and eying it curiously. Activating my Byakugan, I can see the outlines of a seal placed beneath the 火 engraving. "So, this helped Lord First learn Katon huh? There's a seal in here, though I have no idea what it does."
Then again, my experience with Fuinjutsu has been quite limited since...forever. Aside from learning how to unseal objects from transporting scrolls, there was never much need for me to learn such a complex and seldomly practiced art. Especially since Fuinjutsu specialists are quite rare and far in between, the most prominent in Konoha being Sarutobi-jiji's former student, Jiraiya.
Still, it's something to keep note of. Maybe I should borrow some books on the topic from the library.
"Try pouring in some of your chakra into it, like you're filling up a bowl." the Third Hokage calmly says, before a ferret-masked Anbu drops on her knees by his side with a steaming cup of sweet, jasmine tea in her hands. "Ah, thank you, my dear. You are most kind."
"My pleasure, Hokage-sama." the Anbu replies with a short bow, before vanishing into the shadows once more. Huh...those guys are creepy, for real. Even with my eyes active, I still hadn't seen the woman until she was right there- that's how stealthy these guys can be.
"I'll try and ignore that...now, let me see..." I try doing as he asks, funneling some of my chakra through my fingertips and into the artifact, only to watch as a tiny, ghostly blue embers come to life inside the vat. "Neat."
"These embers are your chakra, in its purest and most condensed form."
"But it's still just that, chakra—it's not real fire." I state back, closely analyzing the embers with my Byakugan I could see how the spiritual energies danced and jumped erratically, as if trying to escape, but the seal placed upon the brazier held them back. "I'm starting to understand how this seal works, and while it's all very interesting, I still don't see the point of this. Shouldn't the leaf exercise be enough?"
"Typically, that would be the case if you only had a single affinity." the Hokage calmly explains while taking a sip of his tea. "As it is now, your two natures- Fire and Earth- are fused together, much like a marriage of sorts." He chuckles at that. "Like Lord First before you, you must now learn how to separate them. It was for this purpose, that this brazier was created – it is a relic from one of your blood, lady Mito Uzumaki."
"You sure do enjoy making your speeches, old man. Sheesh..." I take a long breath, before funneling even more chakra into the seal, the embers within the brazier exploding into life to become a spectral blue flame. Still, it isn't true fire, so it produces neither heat, nor smoke.
[MENU]
Name: Hayato Hyūga (Kanji: 日向勇人- Hyūga Hayato)
Chakra: 1690 /1980.
"Good, now, this part is a little bit complex, but I need you to start kneading this chakra into flame. The hand-seal associated with Fire is..."
"Tiger, I know." I cut him out, forming the hand-seal with both my hands, while focusing on the brazier once more. As expected, nothing happens, and my irritation must have shown on my face, because the Hokage's next words were.
"Patience is a virtue, my boy."
"Shut up, grandpa. Now, let me try this again!"
And so, my training under Sarutobi-jiji continues. The name's Hayato Hyūga, and I am the Gamer. Over, out.
Chapter End.
Omake I: Stinky-chan of the Leaves.
"By the way, the name's Hayato, Hyūga Hayato in case the Byakugan wasn't obvious enough." The older boy states lazily, as they slowly walk up a stone staircase leading towards the Hyūga district. "You can write it with a single Kanji: 颯 (Storm). 'Least that's how I prefer it."
"I should write it with the Kanji for pervert 'ttebayo." Naruko retorts with a snicker, before a question comes to mind. "What's with the sudden introduction?"
"So that we don't become those acquaintances who always chat, but neither knows the other fucker's name." He rebukes with a shrug, before his mouth twists in a teasing grin. "'Sides, if I'll have someone over, least I could do is tell them my name."
"Try anything sketchy, and I'll kick your ass, underling." Naruko threatens, cracking her knuckles as a menacing aura forms around her.
"Just messing with ya, Naruko-chan." He chuckles a bit, before lightly elbowing her in the side.
Rolling her eyes at that, Naruko bites back. "What's with the Naruko-chan? Is that the way you talk to your future Hokage?"
"Sure. Why not? I find it cute. Unless you want me to call you Stinky. Kami, I can smell the algae from here..."
"Well, screw you! You owe me one, so deal with it!" She growls out, reigning in the desire to slap him on the back of his head.
"Stinky-chan's mad at me..."
"Teme..."
This back and forth continues as they make their way through the huge Torii gates that make up the main entrance to the Hyūga clan's compound, until finally coming to a halt before the final portal. Standing guard at the gate are two members of the clan- a man and a woman- both being brown-haired and covering their foreheads with their Konoha headbands. Naruko would never admit it, but there was something about their pale, expressionless eyes that unnerved her a bit- even her classmate, Hinata's.
"Visitor?" the older man calmly inquires, his neutral gaze landing on the two of them while the woman gives her an ugly look. Then again, it's nothing new for Naruko Uzumaki- at this point, she was used to the glares. They were the least of her problems.
"Yup. Blondie here is with me." Hayato replies nonchalantly, with his hands in his pockets in a relaxed posture.
"Very well. Just remember, while the girl's in here, she's your responsibility." The woman says seriously before writing something down on a piece of parchment.
"No problem..." the guardsmen both nod, and step out of the way, allowing them access into the district itself.
"So this is your home huh?" Looking around, the wealth of the Hyūga clan is clearly shown by the way even the smallest houses are well built, with some mansions having large traditional stone gardens and pools where tiny goldfish swim. The streets are made of solid stone bricks, unlike most of the village, which had dirt roads. She could also see statues and small shrines here and there. "I didn't think you were rich from the way you talk."
"Says the prim and proper lady." the red-haired Hyūga replies with a snort, sparing a glance to one of the mansions as they passed by. "I'm not loaded...yet. Maybe one day, a certain Hokage can pay me a good salary..."
"If you're a good underling, I'll consider it."
"Please do, Stinky-chan. I beg of you..." he teases back. That made Naruko twitch. Again, with the Stinky-chan crap, this boy seemed to enjoy pushing her buttons. She hadn't forgotten all the mean stuff he had said the other night. Still, he was being much nicer now, than he was before...
Most of the Hyūga clansmen eye them with curiosity as they pass by, though, as always, are the dirty looks directed at her person. After a few more minutes of walking, they finally arrive at their destination - a small, traditional house on the outer edges of the compound.
"Looks better than my place, that's for sure." Naruko comments with a whistle, as she climbs onto the wooden porch. There's even a small birdcage hanging from one of the rafters, but it's empty. "You live by yourself?"
"Yup. Been living by myself since I turned six. Sometimes I have guests, though." the boy replies with a shrug. He's clearly tired, after a day of training. "Come on in, and don't mind the mess. I'll heat up the bath."
"Heh, thanks!" Naruko gives him a sheepish smile, taking a seat at the table in the living room while checking out the place. Contrary to what he would lead her to believe, everything is well organized and clean.
"Alright, water's good." the red-haired teen states with a lazy yawn, walking back into the room after a few minutes. He stretches out his arms, before continuing. "You clothes smell like sewage, toss then in the laundry basket. I'll lend you some of mine."
"Make sure you wash my underwear properly, subordinate!"
"Ugh...fuck you, that's gross." Seeing the disgust in his face, Naruko smirks at that small victory, before rushing in for a good soak.
'Man, I really needed this...' Uzumaki breathes out a sigh of relief as she steps into the steaming hot tub. After a whole day of picking up trash from a stream, and even falling over a waterfall, that's the best thing in the world. 'It sucks that my shower got busted, I could definitely use something this every day.'
Once she's had enough of a soak, at least getting the garbage stench off her body, Naruko dries herself off with a towel and puts on a white kimono- in the same style as Hayato's.
"Why do you even wear this thing? It's way too loose 'ttebayo!"
"That's the whole point of these clothes." the redhead casually replies, sitting with his eyes closed in a meditative stance, while keeping a bay leaf stuck to his head. The veins in his temples are dilated to the point that they bulge beneath the skin.
"The heck are you doing?" Naruko inquires, sitting on the opposite side of the table.
"Just some light practicing. Wanna try it?" the boy offers, opening his eyes to meet her curious gaze.
Of course, she'd never admit that to her subordinate!
"What do you think? Let's do this!" He explains to her the basics behind the exercise, meant to develop one's chakra control. Once that's done, he hands over a bay leaf, and tells her to try and stick it to her forehead using her own chakra.
Only for the leaf to be completely disintegrated in the blink of an eye.
"Damn...you suck."
"Oh, shut up! Now, let me try it again!"
A/N: And that's about it for this chapter. I hope you've been enjoying this ride so far, I certainly do.
See you soon,
Wildfurion
