Kioshi spent almost every day after that training with Itachi. In the mornings he would study stealth and healing, and in the afternoon he would train his sword skills against the boy.
They both improved a lot with the training arrangement. Both boys were getting faster and stronger and were experimenting with more complex attacks.
It soon became obvious that Kioshi was better at Kenjutsu. He won every fight. Due to this, Itachi began to use projectiles and jutsus to balance the playing field. Long-range was Kioshi's weakness. Without portals, he only knew how to attack things directly. Projectiles were coated in dulling chakra, and the density of the fire jutsus was lessened to make them only sting.
Still, getting hit by them made Kioshi determined to get some long-range moves of his own. Itachi had lent him a few weapons and had given him some pointers for throwing stars and knives. Kioshi was steadily progressing. Now he needed to learn chakra techniques.
This was why Kioshi was currently sitting in his room with a number of textbooks and scrolls laid out around him. Most jutsu's required seals to perform. These could be either hand seals or written seals. Written seals were designs created with chakra ink, blood, or indents. Hand seals were specific hand motions made in certain sequences.
Both had their strengths and weaknesses. Hand seals were easier to make in battle as they could be made in the air in front of you as you moved. Written seals generally took more time and were permanent.
Because of this, hand seals were usually made in battle and written seals were usually made before battle. Written seals were good for traps or instant activation, and hand seals were better at being versatile and limitless.
Seals basically autopiloted a jutsu. Most seals were incomplete, which meant that a ninja usually had to do something along with it to make it work. But if you did know a complete seal and created it correctly, then the seal would take your chakra and perform an entire jutsu on its own.
Different hand signs or line markings autopiloted different parts of a jutsu. Some would control the chakra type, some would control the chakra nature, and some would control the shape, speed, or movement of a jutsu.
No one knew why certain shapes controlled certain things. It was one of the greatest mysteries. It was assumed that a seal's shape somehow instructed mental chakra. This in turn would shape spiritual chakra, which in turn would shape physical chakra. This resulted in the creation of all jutsu.
To understand seals you had to spend hours upon hours of study and memorization to start to understand the correlations and patterns between the shapes or signs. This was the only way you had a chance at creating new seals.
Seals were heavily guarded, especially unique seals. Every seal was a new piece to the puzzle that held new knowledge that could be implemented into existing seals.
This was one of the reasons why the Sharingan Dojutsu was so feared. One of the Sharingan's abilities was to slow down the perception of time. It could slow down time enough that its user could study an opponent's hand or written seals when used in battle. If the Sharingan user understood seals, this meant they could know exactly what to expect. If the Sharingan user had a photographic memory, this meant that the user could steal unique seals for themselves or their village.
Seals were an aid. They were teachers, and dangerous in an enemy's hand. Ninjas trained to use fewer hand signs or brush strokes gradually throughout their ninja career to improve speed and secrecy. All jutsus could be made manually if you had the knowledge and skill.
Right now Kioshi was learning to perform the Clone Jutsu. This academy technique was a genjutsu, not a ninjutsu like the Shadow Clone Jutsu. It created the illusion of clones, not physical ones.
The academy transformation technique was the same. Turning yourself into another person was just an illusion you cast on yourself and your enemy.
It was important to cast the illusion on yourself as well as your opponent when first starting out. This was so you could see if you were doing it right.
After some persuasion, Akio accepted the task of being the victim of Kioshi's genjutsu. The boy would cast it on the man and the man would tell him if it was working.
Genjutsu required only mental and spiritual chakra. It also had a seal. Because of this, the two techniques were easy to learn and Kioshi quickly mastered them.
Moving on, Kioshi was frustrated to find that the academy didn't teach any ninjutsu. Genjutsu could be performed from a distance, but it could only be used to deceive an enemy. It didn't cause physical damage.
Because of this, Kioshi decided he would practice written seals.
His father had taught him many seals back on the farm. They never got to the point of actually using them, but Kioshi had spent more than a hundred hours studying, drawing, and memorizing.
Seeing how much seals were valued and guarded in the ninja world made Kioshi very grateful for the knowledge. The scrolls were in rock country. He couldn't retrieve them. Even if it was safe to go back, he didn't know where his house was. The knowledge would have been lost.
Thankfully, the only thing to learn now was how to engrave. Most of the seals he knew were designed to be put on a sword.
Sword seals shouldn't be too hard. Kioshi knew that all you need was an indent. Those indents needed to be perfect and smooth, but it didn't get more technical than that. All he needed was the right tools and practice.
00000000
The next morning Kioshi walked around the village until he found a small shop that read "Joe's Custom Engraving". The shop had high windows, so Kioshi couldn't see inside. He shrugged and went and opened the door, the bell above it ringing.
The room was empty. The only thing in it was a service counter. Behind the service counter was an open door that lead to a back room. There was a civilian-level aura in that area, so Kioshi assumed that was where the owner was.
The owner came out after a moment and looked around in expectation, having heard the bell. It took the man a minute to shift his gaze downward to where Kioshi stood.
The man looked at him, then looked around the shop again as if searching for someone else. Kioshi figured the man was searching for his guardian. To the man, Kioshi looked like a normal five-year-old.
"Hello young man," the man said after a moment, confused but kind. "Is there something I can do for you?"
"Is this where you engrave things into metal?" Kioshi asked.
The man tilted his head. "It is. I can also engrave things into other materials. Why do you ask?"
Kioshi pointed to the sword strapped to his back. "I want to carve some designs into my sword, and I was hoping to get some tools to do it. Do you have any for sale, or do you know where I can get some?"
The man smiled at that, putting his hands on his hips. "So you're a young artist, are you?"
Kioshi nodded, keeping his face blank. The man probably thought he just wanted to make his sword look fancy.
"Well," the man said ponderously. "I ordered all my tools in from outside of Konoha. Engraving is not a huge trade you know. I could probably give you some of my spare tools if you have money to pay for them."
"I have money," Kioshi said confidently. He hadn't spent any of his allowance from the Hokage except at an ice cream shop that he was addicted to. He had a good amount saved up.
The man nodded and went to the backroom. A little while later he came out with an arm full of tools. Coming out around the counter, he then laid them out on the floor so the small boy could see.
The engraving blades were electric, having cords with plugs coming out of their handles. They were perfect. Kioshi had an outlet in his room. The boy knew that he was going about engraving in a civilian way, but he didn't care. What worked, worked right? Maybe sometime in the future, he could learn how ninjas did it.
"Are you sure your parents will be okay with this?" the man suddenly asked, as Kioshi examined the tools. The man seemed to realize only then that he was offering a child sharp electric blades.
"Yeah," Kioshi said simply, quickly getting off the subject. "Can I have one of each size?" Seals had thin lines and thick lines within them. He would need multiple-sized blades.
The man scratched his head at the request. "How much money do you have?" he asked.
Kioshi told him the full amount.
The man nodded ponderously. "That should probably cover it. These blades are used, so I can sell you them for that." He smiled. "It's the least I can do for a fellow artist."
Kioshi smiled back, showing his thanks.
Another thought occurred to him, and Kioshi scratched the back of his neck. "Um, you wouldn't happen to know of a place where I can get some pieces of scrap metal, would you? I want something to practice on."
Kioshi did not want to ruin his new sword. Seals engraved in metal were not easy to erase. He would need to practice long and hard before he tried anything on his ninjato.
The man smiled at the request. "I have a pile in the back. I'll put some in with your order." He went and got the metal scrapes and then rolled it up with a set of seven engravers into a paper package. He then gave the package to the boy.
Kioshi gave the man his money in response. The man looked surprised that Kioshi didn't need to set down the package to do so. Kioshi's physical muscles were very strong for a civilian child. He could carry the twenty-pound package under one arm without chakra.
Smiling, and waving goodbye, Kioshi walked out the door. He couldn't wait to get started.
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Not far away, at the same time, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at his desk in the Hokage's office, patiently listening to his friend's complaints. Danzo was in constant worry about Kioshi's situation. The man was uptight about things that affected Konoha's security.
Hiruzen was grateful for his advisor's concern and strategic opinions, but at times the Hokage thought the man was a bit harsh and cynical. This was one of those times.
"That boy is spending too much time with the Uchiha heir!" Danzo shouted. "You must interfere!"
The Hokage sighed, having heard this before. Danzo had come in three weeks ago when the man heard that Kioshi and Itachi were meeting together. "Itachi is a good kid," the Hokage said, not changing his opinion on the matter. "I think it is beneficial for both of the boys to have someone their own age to be with. I do not see why this troubles you."
"The Uchiha's can not be trusted!" Danzo shouted. "The Uchiha heir might be fine for the moment, but what about the future?! How much control will the Uchiha's have over the boy then? What lies has the boy already been told?"
"The Uchiha's are just as much of a part of this village as any other clan," Hiruzen said sternly. "They should be respected. There is no proof that they had anything to do with the attack. Yes, there are tensions between the clan and village, but a lot of those tensions come from you constantly seeing the Uchiha's as an enemy! We need to let go of the past and live for the future."
"We should learn from the past," the advisor growled angrily, then shook his head and sighed at the Hokages hard gaze. Straitening, Danzo realized that the Hokage's opinion could not be swayed, so the advisor moved to a different topic. "The boy has still not revealed his Dojustu. How long are you going to let this continue?"
"I do not want to push the boy until he is ready," the Hokage sighed. Sometimes he swore Danzo never listened. "Kioshi does not seem to want to cause harm to the village, and the council agreed that it was best to keep his Dojutsu hidden for a time."
"I do not mean expose his Dojutsu to the public," Danzo growled irritably. "I mean simply get the boy to show us what it can do. Privately. We need this information to properly prepare Konoha. The boy might seem innocent, but he is dangerous! His known skills are already formidable! We know little about him!"
The Hokage pondered the words. The man had a point. Danzo calmed, seeming to realize that he was actually taking his words seriously and let him think. An idea formed in the Hokage's mind, something that might let the Hokage and Danzo get their way in some aspects.
"Very well," The Hokage said. "I will convince the boy to show us his Dojutsu under one condition."
Danzo lifted his chin.
"If the boy becomes a Ninja of Konoha," the Hokage said. "I want him to be put on a team with Itachi."
"What!" Danzo exploded.
The Hokage continued before Danzo could say more. "If we want Kioshi to stay alive long enough to form a clan, then he will need to have good teammates. That, or he will need to stay in Konoha. Kioshi's abilities are too good to waste. Itachi is the best student at the academy. His skills are far above any of the others in the graduating class. Kioshi and Itachi have already formed a good relationship and will work well together. You always say to use our ninjas' skills to their fullest. If Kioshi were to skip the academy and get on a genin team with Itachi right after graduation, we would have a very formidable team in just a few months."
Danzo was silent for a long moment.
The Hokage hoped the man would see the logic. Forming genin teams was between himself, jonin sensei, and academy instructors, but Hiruzen didn't want to become Danzo's enemy. They both knew that Kioshi was qualified to become a genin. Akio had reported that the boy had mastered all the academy's jutsu's and could read and write. Give him a few books on geography and history and he'd be set. Graduating would just be a formality.
It was frightening how fast Kioshi learned. The clone and transformation jutsus required high levels of observation and imagination to perfect. Students spent months, if not years, studying and memorizing body details to do it properly. Kioshi, however, created convincing illusions almost effortlessly.
This was more proof that the boy was extremely skilled in imagery and transference. His first clue was the boy's drawings that the healers at the border had sent. They were ones of a skilled artist. It was astounding and rare for someone so young.
The boy needed to be protected.
Despite this, Danzo still wasn't convinced, so the Hokage added an incentive. "If you support teaming Itachi and Kioshi together, you can be the first to witness Kioshi's Dojutsu. I promise I will get the boy to demonstrate it."
That finally broke his friend's stubbornness and Danzo sighed. "Very well."
The bandaged man then walked out of the room.
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Two days later Kioshi sat in his bedroom, staring at his ninjato in anticipation. For the past two days, the boy had spent hours practicing engraving. He had finally mastered it to a point that his lines were smooth and sharp. Kioshi could already make perfect seals on paper. Now he could transfer that knowledge onto metal.
Sword seals were long in shape and were designed to rap and curl around a blade. They could be warped and stretched in certain areas so that they could fit many types of blades. Kioshi would have to use this knowledge, as his sword was shorter than a katana. Katana outline pictures were what he usually drew on.
Sword seals had two sides, most being mirror images of each other. The trick was making sure these images matched up perfectly along each edge. Kioshi hoped the seals worked. He'd never actually tried one, and there were so many things that had to be perfect.
Kioshi also had to think carefully about which seal he wanted to put on his ninjato. You could only put one seal on a sword. Crossing different seals made things malfunction and explode.
Kioshi decided to put on a lightning bolt seal. This seal would basically transform his chakra into lightning which would bolt out from the tip of his sword in a powerful beam. It was a long-range technique, which was something he needed. It also honored his father in a way. A lightning bolt was the last thing his father had created to protect him.
A knock at his bedroom door drew Kioshi out of his thoughts. "Yes?" he answered.
Akio opened the door. "Kioshi, the Hokage would like to speak to you. He is waiting downstairs."
Kioshi blinked, focusing on the aura of the old man. How had he not noticed it? This project was taking most of his attention.
Looking at Akio, Kioshi saw that the man had turned his eyes from him and was studying the sword in Kioshi's lap. Kioshi quickly set it aside. The man knew he was doing something with engraving, the constant grinding was a dead giveaway, but the man didn't know the purpose. When asked about it, Kioshi had just said that he was learning the art. Now though, due to the narrowed eyes, the man probably suspected something more. Seals and swords were likely seen together often in the ninja world.
Luckily, the Hokage was waiting, so the man didn't ask about it. Kioshi passed him and went downstairs.
"Hello Kioshi," Hokage said when he came into the living room "How are you doing today?"
"Okay sir," Kioshi answered respectfully.
"Good," the old man said. "Could I sit down and talk to you for a minute?
Kioshi shrugged.
The Hokage sat on the couch and Kioshi climbed up and sat on the other end, his feet dangling off the floor. Akio remained standing by the stairs and leaned his back against the railing, listening in.
"How have you been enjoying your stay in Konoha so far?" the Hokage asked.
Kioshi gave a small smile. "It's been nice. Thank you for the new sword. I really appreciate it."
The Hokage nodded good-naturedly. "It was my pleasure. Akio told me that you are quite skilled with it. Do you want to be a ninja someday?" The tone was casual, but the sharp intensity in the old man's eyes told him that the question was serious.
Kioshi blinked. He knew he would probably get asked this eventually. "I don't know, maybe," he shrugged. It was the truth. He really didn't know if he wanted to become a ninja, at least not a serving one. He definitely wanted to study and learn new techniques, but a serving ninja had responsibilities and needed to obey orders.
The Hokage frowned a little at the lack of enthusiasm. "Do you like ninjas?" he asked. The boy had shown no hostility towards Akio or any other person as far as he was aware, but maybe the child still had some lingering resentment for what ninjas did to his parents.
"I'm grateful for ninjas," Kioshi said. Kioshi didn't hold the same views as his father. Not all ninjas were cruel and bloodthirsty. The ones in Konoha had saved his life and treated him with kindness.
Ninjas enforced the law. Some ninjas might be corrupt, and some might have corrupt leaders, but citizens needed their life, liberty, and property protected. There were people out there that would take it otherwise. The role was important.
The Hokage seemed to know what he was thinking. "Ninjas of Konoha strive to help and protect others. It is the will of fire. Would you like to help protect people, Kioshi?"
Kioshi nodded hesitantly.
The Hokage smiled. "Being a ninja is not easy," the old man said. "Sometimes you will be asked to do difficult things. But I think that you would be good at it. Would you like to try it out?"
Kioshi blinked. So soon? The Hokage's eager tone gave the impression that this was not some distant thing.
"Could I stop being one if I wanted to?" Kioshi asked. He remembered that some ninjas in the TV show were declared criminals simply for leaving their village. If life as a ninja became boring, morally challenging, or strenuous, he wanted a way out.
The Hokage nodded. "Ninjas in Konoha are allowed to retire when they wish. The only exception is that you are not allowed to do so in the middle of a battle or mission. Retired ninjas are also not allowed to share techniques or knowledge that they learn from service without permission."
Kioshi nodded. That was reasonable. "I guess I can try it out," he said.
The Hokage smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. I would like to put you on a genin team in a few months. Most children need to graduate from the academy to do this, but Akio said that you can already read and do basic jutsus. Your skills are good enough to graduate. Akio will help you study for the written exam. There is only one other thing that I would like you to do."
"What?" Kioshi asked, curious.
"To be put on a team I need to know all of your abilities," the old man said. "This is so I can pick the right team members for you. I need you to show me your Dojutsu."
Silence.
Kioshi looked down, troubled.
"I would like for you to show me and a few other people what it can do." The Hokage clarified. "This is so we can know where and how to use you. Could you do that?"
Kioshi continued to think. The Hokage had been patient with him. Honestly, he was surprised he hadn't been ordered to do something like this sooner. Based on the gifts, Anbu guards, and ninja guardian he had received, Dojutsu's seemed to be valued in Konoha. Was it smart to refuse the request? Konoha had faults, but out of all the major villages, it seemed the most ethical. Konoha was also strong enough to protect him. Kioshi needed strong allies if he wanted to survive. Resisting the Hokage would not contribute to this. "I guess so," he finally said. He couldn't hide forever.
"Thank you Kioshi", the Hokage said in relief. "This is a big help. I would like you to do a demonstration tomorrow. There I would like to see your full skills as a ninja. Does that sound good?"
Kioshi nodded.
"Is there anything you need me to bring to help you demonstrate your skills?" the Hokage asked.
Kioshi shook his head. If he wanted to show his portals absorption powers, he could just take out something from his golden realm and then put it back in. And the Hokage already knew that he practiced kenjutsu. He would bring an opponent if he wanted something more than sword forms.
The Hokage nodded and got up. "Okay, I will see you tomorrow. I look forward to it."
