Waking up in a shitty camp hospital sucks ass, most of these places were full of injured people and that doesn't exactly promote the best smells.

Sitting up in the makeshift bed they had I relayed the events that got me here.

'I'm too weak'

Even though the boot leg fire bending actually worked(plagiarism for the win!), my taijustu and over physical capabilities were too weak to properly fight that chunin.

He was only some fodder Iwa chunin too, how the fuck am I going to survive actual conflicts where fucking A ranks are throwing out jutsu left and right. Answer is I'm not.

"Oii, I know that look"

Riichi was looking down at me with his usual laidback smile.

"Calm down Kame, you did pretty well against a chunin who specialized in taijutsu; don't get all pessimistic mode yet"

Looking at him and his stupid smile, we both knew the reality that even if I did well, I was no where near ready to survive the encounters this camp especially faces.

"Yeah yeah I know" I said while sighing. Optimism doesn't hurt to have.

"What happened while I was passed out"

Riichi Scratched his head "uhh, so we beat those guys, they looked to be a scout squad from Iwa by the way, then we got to this camp" now he sighed "so the camp leader has received orders to eliminate any nearby camps after we receive some supplies in like two weeks"

'E rank luck huh'


Later


After getting out of that shitty hospital I got to my quarters which was just a shitty bunker made with some earth style that you had to share with three people. Then again it it war so I can't really complain.

Walking in I saw Matsuo sitting on his "bed" reading some book. He perked up when he saw me enter.

"You're alive" he said while giving me a grin

"No shit" I replied as I began unsealing my equipment

"You fully healed up now" he questioned

Yeah, unfortunately my injuries weren't too bad" I responded

At that he actually sat up and looked at me saying "unfortunately?"

"Did you hear the news" I said without looking up

Then his face fell. Matsuo was a smart guy he knew that surviving what was going to be our future wasn't going to be easy.

"Whatever happened to optimism" he said with a shaky grin

Looking at him, we both knew that our chances were slim it but moping around wouldn't do shit.

"Yeah you're right I replied with a hollow smile.

'I need to get stronger"


3 Days Later


I never really think about it but I'm really only ten(technically 25 or 15 but that's semantics). So why is it that as a ten year old I'm out in the woods practicing fire bending to kill people. I'm like a black Zuko without the scar.

Launching another stream of fire at the tree, not enough to burn but only singe it. I dropped down to the ground to rest. This trading was to polish my bastardized style of whatever I remembered of firebending combined with Konoha taijutsu as well as training my control over my chakra and by extension flames.

This is the best I can do given that we'll be in combat in about a week. I'm not a genius who can think of ideas and techniques rapidly, I'm smart but I can only do so much.

Looking over I saw my training partner still at it. Matsuo wasn't a physical fighter. His taijutsu was mediocre and his ninjutsu while better lacked any speciality to make it effective in combat. Genjutsu was an art form that required talent to really choose it as a specialty, something that he unfortunately lacked.

We spent a little time brainstorming until an idea sprang to me, barrier ninjutsu was mainly thought of as a defensive art where you must sit still and focus all attention on the barrier and while there where techniques like that, there were many that were not and actually combat effective. I'd looked into it a bit but it didn't suit my style of fighting so I dropped it after learning the basics.

After I taught those to Matsuo he took to it fairly well, he was no genius but we definitely found his specialty. He asked around camp as well and found several people who taught him more advanced ones, so he had plenty to train with.

Seeing him finally taking a break as well, I walked over sat by him. "What you working on" I asked out of curiosity but also knowing his techniques gives us the chance to sync up.

He looked up and after regaining his breath responded "barrier skin, it's like a defensive and offensive boost but it takes a lot of concentration"

"Still if you get that down, it'll be great" that technique sounds amazing, I'm almost jealous, but everyone has their own skills.

He looked at me for a second before nodding with a slight smile on his face. Doing what was quickly becoming our ritual, he stuck his fist out towards me.

I looked at him and stuck out too. As our fists met one thought was blaring in my mind.

'We must survive'


AN: Hope y'all enjoyed the chapter, kinda short but it's the last one before Kame and crew actually encounter the war it self. Struggling a bit on that due to me having to revise where certain scenes were in the story but I think I have it all figured out. Don't know when the next chapter will be coming cause I just randomly get bursts of inspiration but it won't take too long.