This took a while, but hey, better late than abandoned.
You know the drill by now, tense inconsistency and grammatical errors.
Well, here's the chapter in all its glory.
Another three months went by fast in this new world of mine. My routine not really chaotic, the time went by like a blur to me.
I didn't really have much to my list aside from physical conditioning, chakra studies and developing better chakra control methods, and jutsu refinement. The curriculum at the academy had changed so we now had to perform three jutsu to graduate.
Teachers had seen it fit to give us the scrolls earlier instead of two years into the academy. I had hypothesised that shortage of shinobi was what had driven this decision. Most probably, the aim was to allow as many students to graduate without the neglect of quality.
They had also doubled down on the propaganda topics and stories, and physical training — more taijutsu and pain tolerance. Yeah, it was hardcore at the academy but I felt a proper military camp would have brought better results.
It wasn't a secret that discipline was neglected at the academy.
Say what you would about this village, but they had never been one to completely disregard the importance of a proper childhood. But, unfortunately there was always a price for everything. And in Konoha's case; a bunch of traitorous bastards.
I had it on good word that Kumo was a full blown military base posing as a village. Not one traitor from that side.
"Ha~"
A calming breath left my lips.
I drew out of my thoughts and focused on what I was doing.
Deep in my home's basement — it had seemed that I underestimated my parents' preparations for my shinobi career — I had found that a secret training ground had been built. It was small, but had some real quality equipment.
I was currently in this room, trying my hand on a new theory. Well, it had actually been a few hours but so far I hadn't managed success.
"Okay, one more time."
I threw six senbon needles at the stationary target…with magnificent grace if I might add. The senbons hit deep the target, the infusion of chakra improving the fatality of the attack.
[Ninja Art: Shredding Senbons]
It was a single hand seal jutsu that bloomed the chakra infused senbons and made them perform a half rotation while embedded — a creation of yours truly.
I pulled back my hands, managing to misbalance the target a bit.
"Damn it!"
It was the chakra strings that gave me trouble. I couldn't seem to get them to be as hard and resilient as ninja wire within a span of a dozen milliseconds.
Jutsu development, you'd think it would be easy after stealing a couple jutsu around the village.
Frustrated, I ran through a couple of hand seals before my chest expanded something abnormal.
[Wind Release: Million Scythes]
Half the room turned deadly, invisible wind blades rushed for the source of my frustration. The humanoid dummy stood no chance against my reinforced B-rank wind jutsu. So powerful were the wind blades that I found some of my chakra infused senbons severed on the floor.
I let out a sigh.
"Why do I keep making work for my self?"
I treasured this room so I didn't let the house hands inside it — not that they even knew about it. This meant all the mess here I had to clean myself.
Shredded rub and wood everywhere. It took me the better part of an hour to be done with the whole thing. The mess I entered into a sealing scroll which I emptied out all over the village. I didn't want snoopy shinobi getting suspicious.
I went to the storage room near the training room's entrance and unsealed new sets of items. Preparations for the next time I plan to visit.
I mean, I didn't plan on my life revolving around ninja business.
I went up the upstairs, traps and illusions reengaging to keep from trespassers. I was certain that the traps were anything great for a chunin, maybe even some genin. But, it wasn't as if the place was that important, that's why I never used incredibly destructive jutsu in it.
Speeding up my chakra recovery, I was near full when I reached the dining room. Surprisingly, stamina wasn't related to chakra reserves. While it was true that using up the latter affected the former, the recovery of chakra wasn't equal to the recovery of stamina.
Ha, this made me respect those damned Uzumaki bastards even more. Fucking mutants, all of them. Seriously though, would you expect anything less from descendants of an extraterrestrial princess?
"Kimura-sama, I hadn't known you were home?"
Aya rushed to me in slight panic. Understandable, given the unsightly state of my appearance. Hell, she probably thought I was ruffled up by a bunch of bullies.
I shook my head.
"I decided to skip the academy today. I needed to get in a few hours in my physical training thus my early return." I smiled, an innocent smile, "How have you been, Aya-san?"
The woman shook her head disbelievingly. I knew that, like many civilians, she had a poor outlook on shinobi. It wasn't their profession in general but the dangers they were exposed to.
Aya worried I would get myself killed if I became one. I wouldn't even be surprised if the woman prayed to Kami to fail me in my graduation.
Being different from who I initially was, that kind of consideration brought a warm feeling to my heart. It wasn't everyday that you found someone who genuinely cared about you, after all.
"Fine, I had a few reports from the stores come in. Supplies in high demand are dwindling fast."
Ah, the village rebuilding was still going on.
"I have already taken care of that, things should be good in a week or so."
"What about the thefts?"
I shrugged, it wasn't like I would run out of money soon.
"Right now, there are still minor and predictable. I will do something if they start getting bold." I smiled again, but this time it came out tired and sad, "People are still struggling and many of them aren't old enough to get work."
Aya returned a smile that bordered between proud and sad.
"You are a beautiful heart, Kimura-sama." She hugged me, "If only you weren't forced to grow this fast."
It was a nice hug, until it got too cuddly for my liking.
"Okay that's enough, I'm not interested in becoming your snuggle bear again!"
Getting out of her clutches was a chore, especially since I was tired. The woman had no sense of personal space.
"…ow, don't be shy, Sosuke-kun. You deserve to feel like a proper child too."
"Jesus Chri— get off me, woman!"
This should have been a glorious experience for me. Getting pushed against sizeable tits belonging to a beautiful woman. Except, it wasn't. It was just embarrassing, like how you used to feel when your mom scrubbed you while you were little.
I was practically turning red from the humiliation.
One needed to understand that despite my mentality and maturity, there was still a part of me that was still, in fact, a seven year old. So, I pretty much had double standards on things.
I'm usually able to suppress my child self in most cases, but in some cases…
"I'm not a child!"
I ran up to my room, my cheeks puffed and face red. The feeling just intensified when I finally realised what I had done and was still doing…
— I'll show her…
Emotional situations made me slip up.
"I'll be sure to call you when lunch is ready~"
I seriously dreaded my upcoming second experience at puberty. Man, I just knew it was going to be a nightmare.
"Okay class, settle down." The forgettable teacher came in through the door, a mirthful smile on his face.
It was still morning, and I had less than enough sleep the night prior. It took me another month to finally call quits on experiment no: 47254, or as I had liked calling it; Experiment: Get Over Here.
I sigh disappointedly, I had really wanted success on that technique.
— I wonder if Naruto is able to manifest those Adamantine Sealing Chains?
Kushina was able to restrain the Kyuubi with those things and I was pretty sure that she had moderate control over them. I know they were kind of fleshed out in the series, but I think they had incredible potential.
I mean, imagine what a person can do with a body capable of producing glowie chains. My dream might not be a lost course after all.
"I have a special announcement today."
Those words caught my attention, causing me to actually look at the brown hair chunin. The class was silent, and I could hear expectant breathing from the kids.
"The academy had decided to allow two of your classmates to skip ahead."
— Oh boy!
"Due to their exceptional intelligence, and brilliant performance in taijutsu it had been decided that they will be put together with this year's graduating class in the next three months."
Liked I said, the past months were a blur. I hadn't tried to hide my intelligence nor improvements. To be honest, the academic part of the curriculum had always been a bit easy. But, with the addition of a photographic memory…well, let's just say there was a reason behind Itachi's intelligence.
I didn't need to look around the class to know that the kids were looking at me and the scion of the great clan.
"Uchiha Itachi and Kimura Sosuke, please go to the headmaster's office for further information."
Was I happy? Well, this was the first deviation in what was considered canon, so of course I was. This also gave me the opportunity to test my strength against actual upper class-men.
Ninjutsu wise, I was probably a monster. Especially if one focused on my wind release repertoire.
As for taijutsu? I had done what I could from stolen forms and grafted them together into something that fit my wind style fighting. But still, I didn't know how strong it was.
— I just need to further build my stamina and my speed.
Strength and agility could be altered through the use of chakra so I didn't much care for them.
I stood up from my chair, making sure to make as little sound as possible. Itachi was already out the door.
He had become withdrawn, always keeping to himself. It was…sad. To be so young and yet so burdened.
I shook my head, internally of course. From an outside view, he and I were probably the same.
Reaching were the teacher was standing, I turned to face the quiet class and bowed slightly.
"It had been fun getting to know everyone." I also turned to the teacher I still didn't know, "Thank you for having me in your care too, sensei."
The man's eyes crinkled and he nodded with a smile.
I made out the door and found that the Uchiha scion was waiting for me. Ah, the disadvantage of keeping my sensory ability disabled.
"Itachi?"
The boy's face had become a mask. I had thought that it was Danzo's training that made him what he was in canon.
"You changed, Sosuke."
I smiled, one of those genuine smiles of mine.
"I see you've taken to heart my request."
The 'Kimura-san' business was annoying and uncomfortable, especially coming from a child. I actually liked my new name, and enjoyed being called by it.
Itachi frowned a little.
"You're deflecting the question, Sosuke."
I raised a brow at that.
"I thought you were more making an observation than questioning me, Itachi. You really should work on your phrasing."
I gestured at him to walk with me. He obliged, of course. Itachi had never been the rude type, even his rejections were delivered with kindness and respect.
"You stopped hiding your strength too."
"Like I said, I never really truly hid my strength. I merely didn't have it at first."
His scrutiny never wavered, in fact it felt like his curiosity just increased. Understandable, if what I said was actually true — which it was — my growth would appear monstrous, even to a genius like Itachi.
"You still haven't answered my earlier question."
"I lost my parents and was nearly killed during the Kyuubi attack, Itachi. Isn't it understandable for me to change after all that?"
I kept my voice level.
We took a corner and started walking up a set of stairs.
"And your sudden boost in chakra reserves?"
I laugh at that. It would have sounded amused if my vocals had developed.
"You forget that you didn't have your Sharingan before the attack, Itachi. I can't say you were actually able to gauge my reserves then."
The boy stopped, wide eyed.
"Come now, Itachi. You didn't think I wouldn't notice your nearly matured Sharingan when you managed to gauge my reserves, did you?"
It was also poor of him to talk about my chakra boost like this as it would had made anyone who was aware of the famed Sharingan about his acquisition/ awakening of it.
Ah, wisdom. Intelligence alone couldn't compensate for it.
A bit cautious now, the boy walked alongside me. I noticed that even with his mental state spooked, his chakra control never wavered.
Unfortunately, his and my conversation ended there. The rest of the way we walked in silence. Yeah, I don't see me and the young Uchiha becoming friends anytime soon.
Still, I didn't dislike his company so I decided on a favour later in the years.
— No fatal disease for you, Itachi.
The headmaster's office came into view, I decided to refocus.
The Saint: I tried to shape Sosuke's mentality a bit and also show his relationship with Aya. It's a weird relationship but one I find wholesome at the same time.
I also gave hints to abilities other characters will be able to display in the future. And yes, Itachi won't be dying any time soon in this story, especially not by his brother's hand. Sasuke will be his on person and will determine his own destiny. I drew inspiration for this from the Naruto: Paradox fanfic.
I also made it so even with his genius, Itachi still behaves childish sometimes.
Remember to review. I feed off that.
Next chapter will probably be a power demonstration.
Bye bye.
