CHAPTER 3

Chapter Summary: Suzuki Hiroshi gets a new teacher. He acquaints himself with Team Minato and develops a potential rivalry with Hatake Kakashi and Uchiha Obito. The team is informed of Hiroshi's talents. They train their asses off with chakra control exercises.

I wanted them to have a good first impression of me. That was the first thing I thought of when I walked out of the Hokage's Office that day. And I just knew how to do that.

I looked at my newly-bought mirror some days ago while I was shopping for my new clothes. Yes! I have new clothes. And what I saw satisfied me.

I was wearing something similar to Naruto's outfit in 'The Last: Naruto the Movie' – a black jacket with an azure blue zipper, four buttons around the collar and the bottom. The sleeves of the jacket are unfolded, unlike Naruto's. I'm also wearing fingerless gloves. For my lower body, I wore black ANBU pants and black sandals. My pouch and weapons holster were placed on waist and another weapon holster was tied at my right thigh.

My short but slightly shaggy black hair looked especially tamed because of my forehead protector. My eyes, which was dark-red in color, seemed to have flames, clearly showing determination to impress the teacher.

I look awesome.

With one final look at my whole, I went out of the apartment.

After arriving at Training Ground 3, I saw that no one was still there. Is he going to be late or something?

I just decided to make proper use of my time by practicing my throwing skills when I sensed someone suddenly appear and throw a kunai at me.

Even before the kunai could hit me, I moved my body with minimal movements – just enough for the kunai to pass by me. I saw the kunai hit the wooden post but was distracted by the kunai.

It was a three-pronged kunai that was very familiar to me because of my past life's memories.

Shit. Will Minato be the one to teach me?! Or is he here to just attack me?!

With the knowledge of how powerful my aggressor is, I unconsciously expanded the range of my sensing. I sensed someone with Jonin-level chakra reserves on a tree about 26 meters away from me to my right. I aimed at the place and threw a kunai at him.

His chakra rippled a little, suggesting that he was shocked. I didn't have the time to think why he reacted as he did when I sensed three more people with chakra levels varying from mid-genin to low-chunin approach me at high-genin speed. I immediately casted my modified [Water Release: Hidden Mist Jutsu], which works properly now, and hastily created four [Water Release: Mist Clones] in an attempt to distract them.

My version of the Hidden Mist Jutsu was quite special. Due to my abnormally high affinity to water chakra, I was able to naturally dominate any mist and with a little tweaking on my part (courtesy to the book Hokage-sama gave me on Hand Signs and Jutsu Creation), I was able to move the mist as I see fit and obscure any kind of sensing technique that the enemy might be capable of. I made it to be too deadly.

"Ahhh! What is this?! Who are you?!", I heard a boy, which I bet was Uchiha Obito, exclaimed as I sensed him engaging a Mist Clone of mine. It wasn't even a battle since my clone just kept evading.

"Obito-kun, shut up! He might find you-! Ackk! Who are you?!", a girl, who I'm sure is Nohara Rin, was going to warn Obito when another clone of mine engaged her in battle.

"Idiots! It's a clone. Just hit it once and it's gone.", another boy, Hatake Kakashi, silently battled another clone and finished the fight in just a few seconds, said.

Something heavy weighed on my heart as I heard their voices. The supposed future is too cruel for these people. I threw away my thoughts on the matter before I could form another idea about it. Those thoughts are useless. I'll be changing it, anyway. No need to dwell on it.

A man's voice then sounded out around us, "Okay okay. You can lift the mist now. I now know your capabilities. And I must say, this is one powerful mist. I'm having a hard time sensing in it." Namikaze Minato didn't even need engage my clone in battle as he just threw a kunai at it.

Hearing him say those words, I beamed with pride for a moment. I then proceeded to cancel the technique.

As the mist disappeared, I saw Obito sitting down on the ground while Rin immediately ran to him to check for injuries. Kakashi was crossing his arms while lazily standing. Minato approached me with a gentle smile.

"I am Namikaze Minato. I was assigned by the Hokage to teach you.", Minato said.

I was ecstatic at having the Namikaze Minato as my teacher. "Thank you for taking the time to teach me." I bowed as I thanked him.

"Before we start, I wanted to ask first. How did you know I was on the tree?"

Oh shit. So that's why I felt his chakra ripple. I didn't tell anyone about my sensing yet.

I answered his question meekly, "Oh. I sensed you there."

Minato seemed enlightened. "I see. So you're a sensor as well. Then you have just got the perfect teacher. I'm pretty good at sensing myself so I'm sure I could help you in training it."

Minato turned to his three other students. "Team, gather around.", they complied and sat down on the ground in front of me. Satisfied with his team's behavior, Minato turned to me again. "Can you introduce yourself, please?"

I nodded and complied with a confident face. "I am Suzuki Hiroshi. I like training, reading, studying, and planning for the future. I hate arrogant people, dishonest people, and backstabbers. My hobbies are the same as my likes. My dream is to be an S-rank shinobi and to create a lot of jutsu.", I introduced myself as honestly as possible.

Minato seemed to be satisfied with my introduction. He turned to his students that had varying reactions.

Kakashi was scowling at me.

Obito was staring at me with shock.

And Rin was smiling at me.

Minato then said, "Hiroshi-kun here will be joining our team during our training and sparring sessions. The Hokage noted that he had an abnormally high affinity to water chakra."

Obito raised his hand and asked, "So what if he has a high affinity or something to water?"

I answered the question, "That means I'm possibly an asset and is worthwhile to be trained by an Elite Jonin. I'm not so sure about this but they said my affinity to water may be comparable to the Second Hokage's so I'm guessing they're hoping that I could carry on his techniques and whatnot. Am I right, Minato-san? If not, I apologize I assumed as much.", I was slightly panicking at what I said in the end when Minato reassured me.

"It is exactly as you say. Some of the Second Hokage's techniques in Water Release needed very high affinity to water chakra so until now, only he could use them. The higher-ups were hoping you would be able to use them. With the war right now, our shinobi could use some positive news and the revival of the techniques used by the previous Hokage would raise morale and strike fear in our enemies all the while raising another exceptional shinobi."

"That's a lot of expectations suddenly on my shoulders.", I absentmindedly said.

Minato panicked and scrambled at what to say.

Seeing this, I smiled and just accepted my fate. "Regardless of the burden, I will still do my best not to disappoint Konoha. I shall train to my utmost capabilities and push through my limits. Please take care of me and I apologize in advance if I were to trouble you in the future.", I bowed at the end of my words.

Minato seemed ecstatic at my display, "I never thought I would get another polite student other than Rin.", 'He seemed to be very troubled by Kakashi and Obito.', I thought. Meanwhile, he continued on with his thoughts, "I also hope you be patient with me, Hiroshi-kun."

After that, Rin spoke up. "I'm glad you're doing alright, Hiro-kun."

"I am also happy to see you again, Rin-san."

"Really? You seemed to ignore everyone before. I thought you just hated everyone.", Rin said as she was seemingly thinking back to our days at the academy.

Obito was quick to agree with Rin, "Yeah! You were always in the corner. I even invited you to lunch once but you just ignored me."

"I hated the academy."

"Why would you hate the academy? I thought it was alright and I learned a lot.", Rin asked.

"If so, you didn't see clearly." At my words, they seemed confused. I sighed and explained, "The teachers discriminated, rather harshly at that, between clan children and civilian ones. During our first year, I asked all teachers for tips on how to condition my body safely and properly but they just turned me away. But when a student belonging to a clan asked for the same because their usual clan training didn't work too well on them, they were all so helpful and detailed that it just disgusted me."

By the end of my words, Obito and Rin were stunned at what I said. Kakashi only raised his eyebrows. Minato was trying to control his reaction but there was a hint of anger on his face.

I continued with my rant, "I didn't do too well and ignored everyone because I wanted exactly that to tell on my files at the Academy. When I become an S-rank shinobi, people would probably be wondering how I grew strong and they'll be checking my Academy files. It'll make people know that I was disregarded at the Academy because I was an orphaned civilian and only when I was provided with a proper teacher coupled with a lot of my hard work did I become good enough to stand above most shinobi. I'll spit at the Academy teachers during our time with my achievements and I'll make sure they drown in guilt and regret-", I stopped when they seemed disturbed at what I have been telling them. I might have gone overboard.

I immediately bowed and apologized, "I'm sorry! I talked too much that I excessively voiced out my grudges to you when it was very unnecessary. I am very sorry!"

Minato coughed, "That's quite alright, Hiroshi-kun. But I should say, you must carry grudges for a long time. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not."

I understood his words and I reassured him, "Oh. I believe I could carry grudges to my grave, Minato-san. But please, don't worry. I tend to focus my negative feelings, including grudges, towards self-improvement. I make sure they do not consume me. I even have a life-guiding principle – 'Emotion, yet peace.' And I have been faithfully following it."

Minato's concerns seemed to have been abated by what I said, "Emotion yet peace, huh? That's good. Oh, and please just call me Minato-sensei, Hiroshi-kun.", he then smiled at me again.

With that, the introductions were complete.

I think I was impressive enough.

For the rest of the day, we trained our butts off.

"Chakra control is essential to us shinobi. It determines whether your jutsu would be successful. It also allows you to adjust the strength of your jutsu according to the ever-changing tides of battle. Having excellent chakra control means efficiently regulating chakra consumption and ensuring you will still be combat-capable in long, drawn-out battles.", Minato-sensei lectured.

We were going to learn chakra control.

I was still of the belief that I had perfect chakra control. But, I guess this time, I could actually have someone else confirm it for me.

"I'm sure you have experienced some form of chakra control exercise.", Minato-sensei said.

"Yes. We tried out the Leaf Concentration Exercise back at the academy.", Rin confirmed for Minato-sensei.

Minato-sensei nodded. "This time, I want to teach you a much more advanced exercise. The Tree Climbing Exercise." He then proceeded to demonstrate – he sticked hos feet to a tree and then walked up it. "You focus chakra into your feet. However, the chakra must be just enough to stick to the tree. Too much and you blow the tree up, too less and you risk falling to the ground. You can go to your respective trees now and start."

We all started walking towards a tree while Kakashi just stays in place. Obito saw this and saw it right to complain.

"Hey, Bakashi. Why are you just standing there?"

Kakashi replied, "I already know how to do it, idiot. I learned it a long time ago."

"That's unfair! How could you know it already?!"

"You should have graduated early then."

Obito was infuriated at Kakashi mentioning graduating early. Obito stomped to his tree while mumbling.

"Just you wait. I'll learn this very fast. I can't be Hokage if I won't."

I walked to my tree and sat down on the ground. I observed the tree I chose and noticed how the bark of the tree had varying depth throughout it. I see; I'll need to adjust the chakra as I move up the tree. I think it's doable though. I just need to be mindful of the changes.

I closed my eyes, felt for my chakra, and manipulated it to travel down to my feet. I tried sticking a foot on the tree. I sensed the chakra the chakra in my foot make contact with the bark of the tree. I felt that the chakra wasn't enough so I pumped some more however, the added chakra was too much so I dialed it down a bit. Once I got the amount to just about right, I opened my eyes and tried lifting my other foot. Thankfully, my foot stayed stuck to the tree. I repeated the process with my other foot. In no time, I could almost effortlessly walk up and down the tree.

This is amazing! I could walk on trees!

I was smiling with my eyes wide when I sensed Minato-sensei approach me and my tree. He looked at me with astonishment, probably because I was able to do the Tree Climbing Exercise so soon.

He asked with surprise, "How-? How did you do it so fast?!"

My excitement was visible in my voice, "I don't know. I just tried feeling for my chakra when my foot was on the tree but I had to adjust the chakra a few times and then it was finally just right and enough. Then my foot stuck to the tree and I did it with my other foot and I got used to it."

"Oh Kami. To do the tree climbing in one go… It seems you also have perfect control over your chakra. You could try being a medic-nin as well. Hmmm… Could you stop for a while then climb again? Just to be sure that you had it right with no problem."

I climbed down and completely got off the tree. I went away the tree for a bit then started a running approach. I ran up to the top of the tree then stopped. I turned to look at Minato-sensei and he nodded.

"Okay. Get down now. Let's have you started with Water Walking.", Minato-sensei stated.

We went back to the center of the training grounds. Kakashi noticed us and wondered why we I was there. What Minato-sensei told him also shook him quite a bit. He easily got over it though but judging from his wary stares, he's probably thinking how threatening I've suddenly become.

Minato-sensei and I continued on to the edge of Training Grounds 3 where there was water from a small river.

"The Water Walking is essentially just the same as Tree Climbing but it's much harder. Can you surmise why?", Minato-sensei asked expecting an answer from me.

"Water flows and is ever-changing due to its state. I would need to constantly adjust the chakra in my feet to match that of the continuously changing shape of the water.", I uttered while I was dazed in my own thinking.

It seems to be hard when thinking about the theory behind its inner workings. I should still be able to still do it, though. I'm confident at my apparently perfect chakra control.

Minato-sensei nodded with satisfaction upon hearing my speculations. He then motioned to the water while looking at me, inviting me to try out the exercise.

I first tested out the waters, pun intended, by trying to stick my foot on the water. It failed though. I thought about it for a moment and what I actually needed with water wasn't exactly sticking but making sure I don't fall. Since this time the medium I'm trying to stick on is in the way of the direction of the fall, I'd just need to repel myself instead of outright sticking. To do this, I put in a little more chakra and I got my foot to 'repel' with minimal force, allowing me to stand on water.

The problem didn't stop there however. Since the water's shape was changing constantly, I'd need to make minor adjustments to the chakra every microsecond.

It needs some getting used to. But there's fun in doing this, I guess.

After getting used to it with one foot, I tried putting my other foot in the water. It worked and I just awkwardly stood in place on the water for a while to get a feel of what I need to get used to.

A few minutes later, I started walking in an unstable and wobbly manner. I walked around and just really realized how challenging it Water Walking was as I slipped a few times and almost feel in the water. I didn't though.

Subsequently, about 30 minutes in, I grew bold and walked faster. It appeared fine so I began to run. My running started out unsure as I hesitated a few times after feeling that I was going to slip. When I let go of my worries, I ran the best that I could on the water. It was a refreshing feeling once again. Being able to look ahead the river while standing on said river gave my life a new enjoyment.

I turned back to Minato-sensei who just sighed dejectedly seeing that I was also able to Water Walk on the same day I learned to Tree Climb.

He gestured for me to come back to land as I strayed away from the edge of the river during my impromptu marathon on water.

We once again went back to the center of the training grounds with Rin, who finished Tree Climbing just then, and Kakashi already there. Rin was also understandably stunned at my newfound ability to Tree Climb and Water Walk granted by my perfect chakra control. It was evident that she was happy, albeit slightly envious, for me as she smiled and congratulated me.

Later on, Obito comes to where we were and was told that I had learnt Tree Climbing and Water Walking. He threw a fit about how unfair the world was. Then, he went back to learning Tree Climbing after declaring that he will become Hokage.

It was a productive day.

A/N: Hehehe. Hey, guys. You should probably go to the next chapter immediately as this note is useless.