CHAPTER 8

Chapter Summary: Suzuki Hiroshi gets started on kenjutsu training and tries Wind Release Ninjutsu. He plans to move to the Vault. He temporarily gets sent to the front lines to help with the war but before that, he begs for the Body Flicker. A situation occurs with Team Taida.

The days become weeks and the weeks become months.

Every night, after training with Team Minato and doing my own research on jutsu, I go into the Vault of Scrolls to train my kenjutsu.

I was able to finally get a layout of the Vault of Scrolls and I started to get familiar with it. I knew there was the makeshift laboratory that one of the hallways led to and the second-floor main library. One of the other hallways actually led to a training area. It was fully furnished with wooden posts, training weights that can be lifted, something close to a treadmill, and even puppets that could spar with you and repair themselves when damaged. It was the perfect training grounds.

Tsurutatsu got me started on the basic katas of the 'Flowing Torrent' style and it was quite hard. I complained to Tsurutatsu about how it hurt when doing some of the stances. He just laughed me off and consoled me.

"That's because you're not used to it yet. Remember, the Flowing Torrent emphasizes speed and flexibility, both of which you are still developing. Don't complain."

I knew that already, of course. It just hurt me, that's all.

I redid my katas and just sulked inwardly.

"What are you reading, now? I thought I told you to relax a little.", Tsurutatsu reminded me.

"It's just a Wind Release Jutsu. I'm studying it."

Tsurutatsu cautioned me. "You haven't even mastered your water nature affinity yet and you're already trying out another. Tsk tsk tsk."

I was quick to defend myself. "I just want to know at least one jutsu that isn't water release! What if I stumble upon an enemy who could stand against water? I need something else in case of emergency, that's all.", I didn't realize I was starting to pout.

Tsurutatsu laughed. "Okay, stop being a baby. Fine. You can also work on that but I doubt you could do it as easily as water."

After reading the scroll, I took out a leaf that I brought with me. I focused hard on converting my chakra into wind natured chakra. And nothing happened.

I honestly thought it would be easy considering that I had perfect chakra control. And, apparently that showed on my face.

"I told you it wouldn't be as easy as you did with water. Your perfect chakra control can't answer everything for you. Consider mastering your wind nature as a long-term project because you'll need to work very hard on that.", Tsurutatsu told me.

"But I need at least one Wind Release Technique, though. As soon as possible at that.", I was distressed.

Tsurutatsu reminded me. "Do remember that you could still use ninjutsus of other natures; but you'll be burning through a lot of chakra if you want it to work properly because you still can't convert your chakra into the desired chakra nature."

I huffed and just sighed. "Fine."

I proceeded to try out the Wind Release jutsu I was studying from before.

At some point, I went to the unexplored room that the last hallway led to. I was a bit disappointed to see there was nothing.

"A lot of the previous Keepers wanted to use this room. But, they just couldn't make something out of it. Anyhow, you're free to use it as you see fit as you are the current Keeper. You could modify it as you could. Maybe make a study out of it or a bedroom for you to sleep in. If what you said about the war becoming fierce soon, you may need to have a place that you're comfortable with knowing that camps are very unhygienic."

I pondered on it for a while and agreed with Tsurutatsu. He's right about the camp being unhygienic but the main reason I thought it good to have a separate safe space was because of Shimura Danzo. I didn't really check to not be suspicious but only Kami knows what he had done to my place when I wasn't there.

I really need a place to feel safe in. It's kind of hard to always be on guard.

I immediately shopped for things the things I needed to make the Vault homey. I had to haggle for some of the things I bought which only brought me ire to the shop owners. I'm actually very bad at haggling. That's very unfortunate.

At least they gave me little discounts. And a 'Never come back here, again!' from a few of those stores. What lovely people.

While all this happened, I sensed someone following me. Is it Danzo? Shit.

I placed everything I recently bought into my apartment. I would have loved to place them into my Vault immediately but it would seem too suspicious if I went on a shopping spree and then the items disappeared.

I decorated the room until it became comfortable enough to live in. The room had an irregular shape so I just made do with what I could. The bed was in the innermost area and close to it was my dressing area where my clothes and weapons were stored. Near the door to the room was a mini study where there was an empty shelf and a table and chair were. In the middle of the mini study area and the bedroom-proper was the shower area. I was going to have a problem with how to procure clean water and how to dispose of the used one when I remembered I was a fuinjutsu practitioner. I just collected water through a storage scroll when I was outside and I retrofitted the shower with a seal that drained the water from the floor which stores it into a storage scroll. I'd just have to throw the water away when I was outside once again.

HOKAGE's OFFICE

"I'm sorry to have cut your training but, you are sorely needed in our frontlines against Iwa.", the Hokage said somberly with an apologetic look.

With the tensions rising in the air within the village, I saw this coming at some point. "Not to worry, Hokage-sama. I was prepared to be sent anytime. I honestly thought my deployment was already quite delayed."

"That's good to hear. Can you leave immediately? We have a team ready to go in 20 minutes. Your presence there isn't urgently needed yet so you could still leave with the next team in 3 hours.", the Hokage said, although he still looked very reluctant in sending me to the frontlines. Wow. Not as to raise myself but he must think I'm quite the asset if he wants to keep me in the village as much as possible.

"Can I leave with the next team, Hokage-sama? I'd need to get my gear ready and say my goodbyes."

At my request, he smiled. "Of course, Hiro-kun. You can meet with the next team at the gates 3 hours from now."

I bowed and said my thanks. I walked out and prepared for the trip.

With the power of storage scrolls, I packed a lot of weapons and ration bars. Anything that wasn't urgently needed was in the Vault.

Before I left the apartment, I slapped on some recently created and improved security seals all around the place. I really don't have anything else of importance in the apartment but I could at least play the part of a shinobi trying to keep his secrets.

I went to Training Grounds 3 to say my goodbyes to Team Minato. When I told them of the situation, they were not very happy. Well, most of them.

"Really?! You won't be here for a while?!", Obito exclaimed rather excitedly.

Rin seemed finished with his attitude. "Obito! Don't look so happy! He's going to the frontlines where he might die!" Wow. Thanks for the reminder, Rin-chan.

Obito was rattled as he forgot about the current situation. "Oh, sorry about that. I wasn't thinking very clearly."

Kakashi snorted and went on to infuriate Obito. "As if you could think clearly."

Obito and Kakashi went into an argument while Rin-chan came to me. "Hiro-kun, be careful out there, okay?

Minato-sensei put a hand on my shoulder. "Rin-chan is right. Don't do reckless things."

I nodded. I didn't know what came to me but I hugged them one by one, including the bickering boys. Rin-chan and Minato-sensei hugged me back while Kakashi just stood as I hugged him. Obito awkwardly patted my back but he must have felt something was off with me today so he hugged me fully after a moment.

I then turned to Minato-sensei and asked to learn the [Body Flicker Jutsu]. He appeared surprised at me asking about it but he relented and taught me. I spent my last hours before my deployment by learning the technique.

By the time I was about to go to the gates, I would say I was already getting the hang of it.

I waved my final goodbyes to Team Minato as I started to flicker to the gates.

When I arrived at the gates, a team was already there. The team consisted of ten people: 1 team leader, 2 medics, and 7 combatants. Judging through my senses, all of them were at least mid-chunin. I was probably the only genin rank here.

The team leader gave us a run-through of the warfront with Iwa. Apparently, Iwa's forces have started going for our forward camps after the last minor skirmish with Konoha left them with a lot of damage. Shinobi are being sent to reinforce the front and quickly recreate the destroyed forward camps. We were only to stay there for the time that the forward camps are reestablished and stabilized.

And with the end of that, we left the village.

Leaving the village, I thought back to my rather excessive show of affection to Team Minato. I hugged them because I was scared. I was going to where deaths happened. I could die. There was a possibility that I would leave this world without even changing anything major.

I was scared, yes. But I was more determined than ever.

I was scared but I knew I'd return.

The border outpost that we arrived at was already very hectic. There were a lot of wounded in the tents dedicated for medics. The shinobi that were able to move hurriedly walked through the place to get things done. We headed to the tent of the Commander of the Front and I was surprised to see it was Uchiha Fugaku. My team leader reported our arrival and we were immediately given orders to be useful around the camp while on standby. We were given a bed to sleep on when we weren't working.

After settling in, I immediately proceeded to ask a team if they needed an extra head. The team leader, a man named Yamanaka Tano, game me the clear to join them and I was on my merry way to secure a forward camp.

I ducked as an Iwa shinobi tried to blow me up. I retaliated with throwing an explosive kunai which hit him directly on the torso. He probably won't be walking away from that.

I went on to help my other teammates.

We were travelling to a forward camp when Iwa shinobi ambushed us. These Iwa shinobi were capable of Explosion Release and I must say, I do not enjoy them.

Another Iwa shinobi was onto me when I willed the leaves on a tree to sharpen and hit him at full force. The leaves obeyed and rained down the Iwa-nin that didn't dodge in time and sustained injuries. He wasn't dead yet so I threw an explosive kunai at him. He was blown back and didn't stand back up. They should have a taste of their own medicine.

We were able to dispatch all the ambushing Iwa-nin without any casualties. I offered to heal the minor wounds which earned me nods of appreciation. They must have thought I'm some runt because of how my height and age. Joke's on them, though.

A few days passed by, the team became familiar with me and my talents and thought I was quite capable as a kid. They now joked with me as I had the wit and sarcasm that they thought was endearing and entertaining.

We were able to safely scout out the vicinity of the forward camp we were planning on securing and launched an ambush on the unknowing Iwa-shinobi. They were torturing some few Konoha-nin when they alerted us that a certain forward camp held about five four-man-cell teams of our own. We hastily went back after securing the camp and reported to Uchiha Fugaku.

The Commander of the Front didn't look like he was surprised at what we reported.

"We were informed of the disappearance of several teams when they failed to check-in yesterday. One of those teams was an infiltration unit that went behind enemy lines. They might have vital information so we'll need a team to save them. We'll need a new team to do this as soon as possible.", Uchiha Fugaku said.

Tano-taichou thought it best to mention me for the team. Shit. "May I recommend this guy beside me, then? His name is Suzuki Hiroshi. He's an aspiring Ninjutsu Specialist. He has good stealth, ninjutsu that he uses to support any combatant, a rather talented sensor being able to sense at about 500 meters with accuracy, and he's capable of medical ninjutsu although it's mostly first aid treatment. As much as I want him on our team, his talents are honestly too wasted in just recapturing forward camps. He'll be a real asset out there."

I looked resolute in front of Uchiha Fugaku but on the inside I was reprimanding myself. Why'd I have to be so competent?! I just wanted to get along with people so I may have shown off a little.

Uchiha Fugaku thought for a while and nodded. "Suzuki Hiroshi? I heard rumors back at the village that you had potential to be as powerful as Senju Tobirama. You'll do then."

Shit.

"An hour or two from now, you'll be called back for the mission. Make sure to rest as much as possible and make sure you eat some good food. You'll be having a rough time in this one."

I walked back to my barracks with an ashen expression.

Shit.

Having filled my belly and rested my legs, I was called back to the Commander's tent where we were officially briefed.

The team leader of the mission was a Nara. The members consisted of an Inuzuka, Hyuga, and Uchiha. Wow they really brought in big guns. Nara for strategy, Inuzuka and Hyuga for tracking, Uchiha for main combatant, and an unofficial Senju that was capable as support.

We were told that the forward camp holding our rescue targets were one of the less strategic ones so it wasn't priority and would probably be discarded after recapturing it. Meaning, we were going in alone and maybe without the chance of being sent back-up. We all still agreed, though. I didn't want to go but they'd have my head if I refused.

An introduction was in order as we were going to work with each other for a while.

"I am Nara Kenichi and I will be leading this mission. Can you guys introduce yourselves with your specialties and capabilities so we won't be scrambling later on.", the team leader lazily said.

The Inuzuka started off, "I am Inuzuka Namie and my ninken partner Namimaru and we're tracking specialists. We're good at Inuzuka clan techniques, so we also work as frontline combatants.", her ninken barked at her introduction.

"Hyuga Susumu, scouting specialty. I am adept at my clan's Gentle Fist techniques. My Byakugan can also see up to 400 meters."

"Uchiha Katsu, kenjutsu specialty. I am also good at fire release ninjutsu and my clan's taijutsu style."

"I am Suzuki Hiroshi. I'm a ninjutsu specialist, I guess. My ninjutsu repertoire are mostly water release ninjutsu and a one wind release ninjutsu. I am capable of sensing up to 500 meters accurately. I am also able to do medical ninjutsu but mostly for first-aid."

The team leader clapped his hands together. "Good then. We'll talk more detail about our capabilities later. Let's get a move on for now before the trail goes cold."

We moved out of the camp and to the direction of where our rescue targets were.

It only took us a day to track the forward camp of interest. The problem was there were many guarding it.

"How many do you sense, Hiroshi-kun?", Nara-taichou asked.

While I closed my eyes, I started counting the enemies out. "Around twenty-five chakra signatures are within the camp. While five chakra signatures at low-chunin level are scouting around the are a little away from the camp. Hyuga-san, please confirm."

Hyuga Susumu's veins on his temples bulged, "Suzuki-san is correct. I see at least ten Iwa-shinobi outside the main tent, scattered within the camp while inside the main tent are ten of our own and two Iwa-nin guarding them."

"Their strengths?", Uchiha Katsu asked.

"Hmmm… the ten outside the main tent seem low to mid-chunin while the two inside the tent are high-chunin to low jonin.", I was slightly surprised as I sensed someone I knew.

Nara-taichou didn't let this pass "What happened? What is it?"

"Oh sorry. I just sensed someone familiar among the prisoners."

"Family?"

"Oh, no. He was going to be my Jonin-sensei but I chose to be relegated to the Genin Corps."

Inuzuka Namie reassured me. "We'll save them. We take care of our pack."

I just nodded. Nara Taida may not have been an integral part of my life, he still helped me reach to where I am. I'll save him and the rest of his team. If not as thanks to him then in order to spite the Hyuga and shrieking banshee. I was just evil like that.

Nara-taichou took in all the information presented to him. He thought for a moment and told us of the plan.

We chose to enact the plan at dawn. Any person was more worn out early in the morning and it was bright enough to be able to rely on our sight.

We each took an Iwa-nin that was standing guard. I pulled out a mist just enough to obscure my target's view. He was startled by the sudden appearance of a mist but still readied his body for any attack. I manipulated some leaves towards his sides, the rustling making him look at the side where the leaves were louder. I used it as an opportunity to strike. I willed the leaves on the other side to sharpen and rush towards a leg of the Iwa-nin. He yelped as a majority of the Sharp Leaves nicked his whole leg while a few severed his tendons. He responded by looking to the side where he was attacked so I used it as an opportunity to attack his other side. Meanwhile, I stealthily moved towards his back. The Sharp Leaves hit him in scattered areas of his side. I took out the sword that Tsurutatsu gave me as a gift for mastering the basics of Flowing Torrent. Swiftly, I ran and pushed the tip of my sword to the back of the Iwa-nin's neck which then came out of his throat. He died without being allowed to say a word.

I'm done with mine. I hope the others are too.

A/N: You're probably used to this already.