Two hours later, Akio knelt alone in front of the Hokage.
"Did your team's mission go well?"
"Yes, Lord Hokage," the black-haired jonin said. A private audience had been requested after returning to the village. He rose up and looked at the old man. "Though I thought it wise to speak to you first before I turn it in. The mission did not go as expected."
"What happened?" The Hokage asked bluntly.
Akio decided to get right to the point. "An S-rank whisper cat interfered with my students' hunt. I did not know its rank at first. It was not aggressive and did not show its full abilities. The cat was able to speak to Kioshi and it made a deal with him. The cat then gave him its blood."
The Hokage's eyes widened.
Akio continued. "The blood is brighter than any I've seen, even brighter than Elder Colege's. Kioshi is currently holding the blood in his dimensional realm."
The Hokage was silent for a long moment, then spoke. "Your team has obtained S-rank whisper blood?" Not quite believing it.
"Yes sir," Akio confirmed.
"If it wasn't Elder Colege, then who was it?" The Hokage asked. "He is the only known whisper of such rank."
"It was the clan heir," Akio said. "Shaed, I believe. Kioshi told me his name."
"The cat looked young?"
Akio nodded. "It's one of the reasons the rank came as such a surprise."
The Hokage rubbed his chin in worry. "We know very little about Shaed. Few have ever seen him. To think that he is S-rank…The whisper clan hold's more power than we realize."
Akio nodded. The whisper clan wasn't their enemy, but they weren't obeying subjects either. They liked to keep to themselves. Them having such power wasn't a good thing.
"What was the clan heir doing in Soru-ku?" The Hokage asked. "Do you think Shaed was specifically there for Kioshi? What deal did he make with the boy!?"
Akio grimaced at the harsh tone. "Nothing that binds the boy's service to the clan, I assure you. The cat simply wanted to know about Kioshi's past."
The Hokage relaxed a bit. "Why would he want to know that?"
Akio shrugged. "I don't know. But I don't think Kioshi was forced into doing anything. I think he sees the cat as a friend."
"How so?"
"When Kioshi spoke to it, his expressions were troubled, but he would also smile at times. They seemed to leave on good terms. Kioshi also showed no fear, even when the cat's rank was revealed."
"So Shaed's purpose was to befriend Kioshi, more than getting actual information," the Hokage nodded thoughtfully.
"Most likely," Akio agreed. "Kioshi said the cat didn't mention his Dojustu, so it wasn't to obtain information in that regard. He must see Kioshi as an ally for the future. I don't see another explanation for why the creature would give away his blood so easily."
The Hokage continued to think. "And you think Kioshi is being truthful in this matter?"
Akio nodded. "He has never lied to me, not that I have been able to detect. Though he does omit things at times."
The Hokage nodded. This had been his experience as well. "As long as the cat did not seem to have sinister intentions, I will let this rest for now," he decided. "But we should be on the lookout for any more other interactions. I will have one of the Anbu collect the S-rank blood. Fill in a mission statement at the desk. The children will receive proper payment."
Akio nodded, feeling a bit jealous now. It was times like this that he wished jonin senseis received mission payments and not standard salaries. His students were going to be rich.
"There is something else I wish to discuss my lord," he said hesitantly. "If you have time."
The Hokage nodded, gesturing for him to continue.
"Kioshi has expressed a desire to become a medical ninja," Akio stated. "He has read all the academy and genin textbooks and seems very passionate. I want to enroll him in evening classes at the hospital."
The Hokage nodded. "I assume that Kioshi wants to be a field medic, not a stationed one?" Stationed medics were not trained for combat. They focused solely on healing. Field medics, however, used their medical experience in an outside field.
Akio nodded. "Yes, Kioshi wants to stay in the military. He feels this skill will be a great asset to the team."
The Hokage agreed. Field medics saved many lives. The downside was the time and money it took to be one. Kioshi, however, was a genius. It would be interesting to see how he excelled in the area. "You can proceed with this action," the Hokage said. "Is that all you wish to discuss?"
Akio nodded.
"Then you are dismissed."
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A week later, Kioshi was ecstatic to learn he could start medical training. It was something he'd asked for some time, but Akio had always delayed the action.
Medical training was paid for much the same way as genin training was. It was loan-based. The money a student received from healing patients would be taxed just like completed missions. This tax, however, was usually not enough to cover an instructor's salary.
More instructors resulted in more dept. It was only once a student moved higher in rank, becoming independent and completing higher-ranked tasks, that the dept would stop accumulating, and the student would start to be able to pay it off.
The ninja academy was the most expensive school to attend in the fire nation. It gave you the best instruction and an A-rank sensei once you graduated.
Those with less money or skill went to ninja schools around the land of fire. These were located in cities, and the students that graduated from them were put in large ninja corps's. This path gained you less fame and fortune, but it carried less risk.
Those that couldn't pay their debt went to debtors' prison. Akio explained this to him before Kioshi became a genin. He warned of it again as he signed up for medical classes. Learning two fields at once put him in twice as deep.
Kioshi didn't care though. He wanted the knowledge. The five fields of ninja service were military, healing, torture and interrogation, Anbu, and espionage. Healing and combat both interested Kioshi equally. He couldn't decide between the two.
Besides, field medics had a higher chance of being paid more. Ninjas skilled in more than one field were more versatile, useful, and adaptable to certain situations. This made them more valuable.
He'd also just completed an S-rank mission, which gave him more than enough to pay for instructors at the moment. It was crazy how much 200 ml of Shaed's blood was worth.
Twenty-seven D-ranks and one S-rank. Kioshi couldn't help shaking his head. It had to be the most bizarre mission record in history, except for Itachi's of course. Emi had already completed multiple C-ranks and a B-rank, but he and Itachi had zero letters to bridge the gap.
Random ninja had started to come up to him and ask questions. Mission records were public, pinned up on a bulletin board in the mission hall. Clients liked to see a ninja's abilities and history before they hired them.
The bulletin board was a value and trust platform. The cleaner, higher, and longer the record, the more a client would be willing to pay for service. It also acted as a boasting and shame platform within the military community. Having public records, pushed ninjas to do better.
It was frustrating that the Hokage hadn't warned him of this. A military career was terrible for anonymity. Why had the old man signed him up for it? Kioshi was good at combat, but wouldn't it be better for him to stay under the radar…enrolling in something like Anbu? It was becoming difficult to hide his Dojustu. Did the Hokage want him exposed?
Word had spread, and now he got looks everywhere he went. To see someone so young wearing a ninja headband, let alone someone who had completed an S-rank was a novelty. Genin and academy students practically hounded him.
Not everything was explained in mission statements. His recent mission statement explained that Kioshi had persuaded a S-rank whisper cat to give its blood, but it didn't say how. "How did you do it?" Was the main line of questioning, and it was getting annoying.
The last thing he needed was for people to wonder why an S-rank cat found his past so interesting. Genin and academy students were already trying to find out things about him.
It was best to keep his origin secret. People might become suspicious or angry if they found out he was from rock country. It was also something that the Hokage did not want the Tsuchikage to know. His past also wasn't discussed for emotional and private reasons. He kept his answers simple and said that all questions could be answered by the Hokage.
Most left after this.
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Months passed and eventually, things calmed down. Kioshi stayed a recognizable figure, but the talk about him dropped once new information could not be obtained.
Every morning Team 2 would train or do D-ranks together, and in the evenings, Kioshi would train at the hospital. While he improved in medical ninjutsu, Itachi would train alone or with Shisui, and Emi would train with Koru.
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More months passed and the team's skills grew. They started doing C-ranks instead of D-Ranks, and all of them were completed flawlessly. Itachi and Kioshi had a perfect record.
When they weren't on missions, the two boys would often spend afternoons together, wandering the village and playing with Sasuke.
Sasuke was three years old now and was infatuated with his older brother. Many hours were spent with the toddler, going out to eat, or playing in the forest.
At first, Sasuke hated it when Kioshi accompanied them, wanting to be the center of Itachi's attention. But as time went on, the boy realized that Itachi ended outings much later when Kioshi was around. Now Sasuke loved him.
Kioshi was also the only one who could convince Itachi to play ninja games. Sasuke would often pair up with his older brother to try to hunt Kioshi down, or vice versa, Itachi guiding and telling his little brother what to do.
Kioshi let Sasuke "capture" or "kill," him when found, but when Kioshi was the hunter, the game almost always ended in a tickle match, Sasuke laughing and screaming on the ground for mercy.
Itachi gave little physical aid, but he would smile at Sasuke's and Kioshi's antics and showed pride when Sasuke learned from his instruction.
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Kioshi was now 8 years old and was becoming strong and formidable. Emi and Itachi were also very skilled. After they completed their third B-rank mission with ease, Akio decided it was time to enter them into a Chunin Exam.
Chunin Exams tested whether genin were ready to rise in military rank. They happened every six months and were performed internationally, each of the five main villages taking turns on being the host.
The next exam was going to be in Suna, the capital village in the land of wind. Akio said that this would be the best place for them to attend.
Since Kioshi, Itachi, and Emi all had bloodline limits, it would be dangerous for them to travel in unallied territories, even if there were treaties and protections in place. Suna was the only village of the five host nations that had an alliance with Konoha. Taking the exams there would provide security as well as the prestige that came with passing a foreign exam.
It was a common belief that ninjas taking a native exam had an advantage. They knew the land, and their village had control over the trials and rules. If a ninja wanted more respect and fame, they would apply elsewhere. Fame brought more money. It was one of the main reasons why Chunin Exams were public.
Chunin Exams were a ninja's chance to show off to clients, especially international traders. International traders paid handsomely for protection, and due to the difficulties of coordinating guard exchanges at each border, they were allowed to hire round trip.
This sparked great competition among villages. If you caught an international trader's attention, it meant you could earn money outside your country. This was good for spying as well as your nation's economy.
Chunins were the preferred escorts. Being B-rank, they were competent, but not overwhelmingly expensive. Traders would come to exams personally or send scouts to determine the best ninja's to hire.
For this reason, Akio made sure that they were prepared. Every mission they got would earn money and further their career. Since income was taxed, this was also important to the Hokage.
The exam was in two months. Akio spent that time training them in desert survival, and how to defend against common Suna techniques. Even though it was prestigious to take a foreign exam, most didn't. Boarding temporarily in another country was expensive, and the travel time was significant. Most ninjas competing would be native.
Akio taught them about puppets, wind, desert plains, and creatures found therein. Kioshi listened and learned attentively, excited to go and experience a new land. Despite the harsh environment, the land of wind would be full of new scenes and culture. It would be like going on a business vacation, except this business could kill.
The Chunin Exams were designed to test ninjas' limits. Depending on the host, they could be gruesome and deadly.
Currently, Kioshi had only learned medical techniques to accelerate natural healing and cleanse people's bodies. He was extremely good at this, frightening so, but this wouldn't fix everything. They would need to be careful.
Thankfully, the Hokage said that they were free to forfeit any trial they were not comfortable with. This would mean failure, but it was better than dying or getting permanently maimed.
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A week before the exam, 3 Konoha teams headed out of the village towards Suna. On average, only 1 or 2 teams from a single place would compete, but since this exam was in allied territory, Konoha senseis took the chance.
They traveled through the forest quickly, the landscape tunneling around like an intense video game. To reach Suna on time, they needed to keep a fast pace. They balanced time with endurance.
Kioshi's chakra levels had grown exponentially since becoming a genin. With body enhancement, Kioshi was extremely quick. His chakra level also meant that he could travel at highway speed for long periods.
The elemental countries were large. Climates shifted as you moved between them. Each day the air grew dryer and hotter.
When they reached the borders of the land of wind, they were stopped by a patrol. Suna ninjas took their Chunin Exam applications. As long as they looked the part, this was their ticket into the country.
Two Suna ninjas approved the papers and took up the duty of escort. There was no tolerance for fighting or sabotaging teams outside of the trials. It was the host's job was to make sure this happened. Violaters would pay heavy fines, or be killed. The signed applications were proof that the genin and their sensie's understood and agreed to these terms.
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When they reached Suna, the village was full of action and life. The Chunin Exams brought business and wealth to the location. Citizens flocked from all corners to sell, buy, gamble, or be entertained.
Akio booked a room for them at one of Suna's inns. This consisted of a private room with four beds, a bathroom, and a complimentary breakfast downstairs. Suna was the poorest out of major the villages, so their domed room wasn't extravagant, but it fit their needs. They left their packs by their beds, and then went out to explore. The exam would start in the morning. They had the entire afternoon and evening to get settled and experience the new environment.
Suna's rules were that foreign teams had to stay together. This made it easier for Suna Anbu to track their movements. This was for everyone's protection. If the host allowed an incident to occur during the exams, trust would be lost and fewer people would attend their village for it in the future. Applicants were at the highest risk of being sabotaged or getting into a fight.
Team 2 decided to try one of the native restaurants for dinner. It was advertising cooked lizards and scorpions. It didn't look that appetizing, but Akio seemed excited about it, so the team followed.
Entering the noisy room, they made their way to one of the empty tables. People's eyes turned briefly on their arrival and did a double-take when they saw their headbands. Some started to whisper to one another, while others asked questions outright.
"Hey, you guys entering the exams?"
Akio smiled and nodded at the man, gesturing for his team to sit at the table.
"Aren't those boys a little young?" asked a skeptical mother.
"Are they even ninjas?" asked a third.
Akio had warned Kioshi and Itachi that they might get some scrutiny because of their age. It wasn't anything new. Clients were also skeptical until they saw their records.
Akio smiled and took this in stride. "My boys are special. If you are wise, you'll place money on them."
Some took this statement seriously, while others shook their head at the man's pride.
Kioshi leaned forward. "Uh, sensei are you placing money on us?"
Akio smirked slyly. "Of course. Why wouldn't I?"
Kioshi blinked. "I just never figured you were the gambling type."
Emi snorted. "I'm not surprised."
"Hey, and man has to have hobbies!" Akio said, mockingly affronted, placing a hand over his heart. "Besides…" Akio leaned in closer and whispered. "I don't think it's a gamble."
Kioshi frowned. "While I appreciate the confidence sensei, not all obstacles can be predicted. Don't blame me if you find yourself lacking a wallet."
"Yes, haven't you always told us to be wary, despite advantages," Itachi smirked.
Akio frowned, putting an elbow on the table and resting his chin on his palm in exaggerated thought. After thinking for a minute, he threw up his hands. "Alright, you got me. It is a gamble. But I believe it's a good one." His eyes narrowed. "You are going to try your best aren't you?"
Kioshi smiled. "Of course sensei."
