I run away from the academy to Ichiraku Ramen... Funny thing that it didn't even come to my mind to visit this legendary place. It was when Choza heard that I hadn't eaten ramen before in my life, he had such a horrified face that we(Me,Shikaku and Inoichi) had to go to Ichiraku Ramen. Turns out that the place sells really really good Ramen. Not coming here is something that I deeply regret. Shikaku catches up to me after sometime looking a little tired (that's what happens when I jog). We reached the ramen place in a minute. Choza was already sitting on the table slurping miso ramen. There were about 4 empty bowls next to him...
Me and Shikaku sit down next to Choza. I spot Teuchi(who is about 14 at this time) and call him," Oi Teuchi! Come get us some ramen. I want 2 cups of miso ramen,one pork ramen and also get the usual for Shikaku"
Teuchi turns back from the customer he was serving and spots us. He then calls out," Bringing your order. Wait for some minutes Minato!"
Shikaku grumbles," Do you have to give my order without my permission everytime?"
"Do you have to give the same order everytime?" I say with a cheer in my voice. In response, Shikaku slams his head down to the table. Funny thing how we became friends, I genuinely didn't think that Naruto fanfics would help me with anything but apparently challenging a Nara to a game of Shogi constantly is a good way to become their friend. I did it first to measure my intelligence with that of a Nara even if Shikaku's a child. I was pretty confident (note: overconfident) that I would beat Shikaku.. Spoilers: I lost.. horribly.
I was incredibly frustrated that day.. even pelted some shady looking Shopkeepers with water balloons that day. Of course z I checked whether they were actually shady or not. Turns out that looking shady isn't a crime but still I did find some shits who increased their prices way too much because they had some good relationships with some high level Shinobi. Thank God for human selfishness, this way I can always find some stress relief. Anyways, I was frustrated and therefore went to challenge Shikaku again and again and got crushed again and again but I was visibly improving. I hadn't given it much thought before but my intelligence seems to have increased quite a bit after being born here. Is it because of Chakra helping my body or because I am a developing child? Maybe a combination of both?
So, I went to challenge Shikaku again and again until one day I won. Shikaku and I both were dumbfounded but then some of the students in the library started clapping and then everybody (including the teachers) started clapping. We both had no idea that we had quite a following of our matches. That was the start of our friendship. Choza is just a delight to be around. My relationship with Inoichi is of friendly classmate not actual friends. This is because of several reasons: 1. I am scared of Yamankas and don't really want to be around them(I would mostly likely have visited Inoichi's home if he was my friend). I really don't want any Yamanaka near my mind. That would be fucking disastrous.
2. Inoichi is a loner. The only people he actually talks with are Choza(who wouldn't talk with Choza) and Shikaku(cause they have been raised together)
So it is mix of me not putting the effort and Inoichi being a loner. But still Shikaku and Choza have been good friends. Shikaku is almost like me well except my extreme diligence and meta knowledge. Well, while my diligence was a result of grief and adult determination at first, it has long since became a habit. Shikaku is like that due to the unnatural intelligence of Naras. Now many have asked this question: Why haven't we seen a S-class Nara if that is the case? Well the simple answer is that becoming a S-class requires extreme diligence, natural talent at some ninja art and several life changing battles.
Naras are very useful in Intelligence gathering so are very rarely sent to the actual field. Secondly, Naras are inherently lazy. It's not because they don't care or anything like that, it's because their body often can't keep up with them. They may be natural born geniuses but they have to mostly compensate with a weaker than normal body. They aren't exactly weak but most Nara remain painfully average in anything other than their clan Jutsu. That is the reason why Shikaku's dad is the head of Intelligence department. Also because a Nara is very difficult to motivate. Yes,they would find out quicker solutions to deal with the problems but that is the exact reason why a Nara mostly isn't a conventionally powerful ninja.
But Shikaku has been quite the opposite of typical Nara laziness since he lost the match with me the first time. From then it has been an on-off series of Shogi matches. We both devise strategies to deal with each other quickly. My strategic skill has improved quite a lot. It's like a fire has been lit under his ass. Shikaku while still lazy at normal occasions does his best during our classes. I don't know what shit went through in canon to lower the academy standards that much but we had to be highly proficient in hitting moving objects to actually pass the first year of academy. Also 20% of the students dropped due to the hardcore taijutsu lessons. While I still comfortably beat all other academy students (not just in my batch) in taijutsu skill. It's because I have been practicing Taijutsu for 3 years straight for more than 8 hours everyday... If the little shits even come close to beating me, I will most likely commit suicide.
Ah.. this brings unpleasant memories. I showed Sensei how advanced I was in chakra control because it's the right thing to do.. The Naruto fictions that show the MC hide his skill from a bunch of experienced ninja live in a world that bends over backwards for them. I say fuck them. You don't hide your skill level from your seniors in a fucking Ninja village. It's a recipe to prolonged torture and death cause a child (especially one as good as that) WON'T ever hide their skill because children we want praise. Hell I am an adult(mentally) and the half the reason was of that dramatic skill reveal was to get satisfy my own ego. Well the other half was because I wanted to see Sensei getting dumbfounded.. Apparently I am a prankster and I like pranks.. A LOT but I don't really have that spark for proper pranks but worry not for I have Shikaku for that...
Ahem* Anyways, Fugaku the arrogant kid he is(he's physically 10 but honestly the maturity of brain here is a lot more fast. He's practically a teenager) challenged me to a duel. I tried to defuse the incredibly shitty situation but then Hiashi joined him. Now I know Hiashi only did it cause of societal pressure cause Hyugas like to compete with Uchihas and if he hadn't stood up then, he would have mocked a lot. Kids who are Hiashi's age even in this clusterfuck of a world(well except kids from clans geared towards intelligence like Nara and Yamanaka) don't have complex objectives. They mostly function on Peer pressure, their whims and desires. So Hiashi joined in on the mess and as I was trying to defuse the situation, Uchiha Fucking Fugaku, the arrogant shit called me a disgrace to my parents. Now before that day, I had no idea that those words trigger me on an instinctual level. I then tried to get my temper in control but no, the universe had to fuck me over. Hiashi started imitating Fugaku as he didn't want to be any less than Fugaku.
After that, I went a little still trying to not let my boiling anger show...then the Fucker "Fugaku", that little shit smirked and started chanting "Disgrace! Disgrace!". I had enough of shit the brats were pulling and told them both to come to the training ground. Admittedly I went a little ahem rough on the kids. I humiliated them thoroughly by dodging each and every attack of theirs and telling them the mistakes in the forms while disabling them limb by limb.. I may or may not have broken a few bones of Fugaku.. I didn't do so for Hiashi as I knew that while he was at fault, he didn't deserve that... Well when I cooled down after beating the shit out of those two, I was horrified that I humiliated Hiashi so much. He was just a dumb kid... I apologized to him profusely (I didn't really feel much for Fugaku). Thank God, the clans didn't take any offence on behalf of the kids. I would have been fucked otherwise.
Anyways, Fugaku was apparently the strongest Taijutsu master of our generation (academy kids) so beating him cemented my name as a prodigy much more.. Honestly I didn't do that shit for the fame but it was a welcome benefit.. I need the fame of being a prodigy to get an apprenticeship from the future Sannin. I would honestly prefer Jiraiya as my teacher or if he isn't chosen, Orochimaru. Both have specialised in seals and that's what I need as my special edge. I am not really horrified by Orochimaru as he is still the caring anti social teammate who is researching Immortality for his loved ones not the pedo evil scientist from Canon..
Also, Sensei has filed the request for me to be allowed to be taught better taijutsu as I have apparently hit the limit of the academy version. While I don't believe I will get any personal teacher, I do believe that I will be allowed this time. Also... Rasengan aka Murderball... Progress is incredibly slow on that front. See I would also like to clarify that while I said that Shinobi experimenting on Chakra die horrible deaths, it's different for me. Why? Because I am some kind of plot armor.Pft.. As if I will believe in that kind of shit. It would just lead to an existential crisis for me which I certainly don't want to have.. No, it's because I KNOW how to make Rasengan. I know the steps and am not experimenting with shit but trying to recreate a technique. Anyone watching me would only think that I invented a new chakra control method if they notice instead of me trying to make a new technique.
OG!Minato took three years under Jiraiya's apprenticeship to make rasengan, so let me tell all that think it is easy, it is tough shit fuckers. Naruto only learned it so fast because he was a kinesthetic genius and he had fucking HUGE reserves. While I have been practicing chakra control like a drowning man wanting air, chakra can only grow at so much speed. I already have a chakra reserve suitable on an experienced chunnin. I would most likely have a high end Jonin's reserves by the time I exit the academy but the thing is that Rasengan has an incredible chakra management. Why do you think only Jiraiya and Naruto were able to use the Jutsu when so many others could have used it? Because it's NOT chakra efficient. I don't think a genius like Sasuke who managed to make so many new techniques from a fucking chidori would not use rasengan in his insane quest for revenge. The guy shat on every relationship he had. Do you think he avoided using the murderball because he had a desire for friendship with Naruto? Pftt.. No! It is because Rasengan is VERY and I mean Very chakra intensive.
Even OG!Minato was seen using Rasengan very sparingly. Jiraiya is a fucking S class trained by the Third Hokage. Of course, he would have those reserves. So you see the problem I have is with the second step of Rasengan. I don't have enough reserves for it to be happen without exhausting more than a quarter of my chakra. While Rasengan is the PEAK of chakra control, it is also fucking exhausting. I am NOT proceeding with the third step before I can reduce the consumption of just performing the second step below 5%.
Also I finally get why Hiashi and Hizashi's relationship would have gone so toxic. Yeah the caged Bird seal was a reason but not enough for the toxicity between them inspite of their love for each other. Hiashi is the second best in taijutsu after me in our batch and an almost match for the shit Fugaku(note that Uchiha while talented in Taijutsu have their main speciality as ninjustu). He is fucking talented and would have been the best taijutsu expert of our gen had I not been here while Hizashi is just ...good.. Yeah he is good but he doesn't possess the sheer talent of Hiashi.. This would most definitely have led to the rise of a big inferiority complex in the future. Apparently one good thing I accidentally did was fix Hiashi's slowly growing cockiness that was becoming a wall between the two otherwise inseparable brothers.
His beatdown at my hands made him more determined to actually get better at Taijutsu while also made him see that his brother was his brother and that he shouldn't even subtly discriminate against him. While I won't take the credit of doing this as what I did with Hiashi was malicious, I do feel a little happy at not letting those two's relationship be damaged.
Also on the matter of the Hyuga seal, I was feeling a little confused as to why the main house exists if the only reason the seal existed was to prevent bloodline theft.. Actually, the main house consists because: (a) Old people (especially people as egoistic as the Hyuga) don't want a seal on their head. As old retired Hyugas mostly have deteriorated their Byakugan through intense use in the field, their seals are removed are they become elders of the main house or whatever position there is. The only exception to this fact is the clan heirs(yes there is a succession line but it only has 3-4 people in it. Hizashi wasn't included as he was a twin and most people wanted to have their kids be in the succession line) and Hyugas who have lost their Byakugan. The clan heirs are included in the list because the responsibility of managing the seal falls on the head of Main house head and the heir/s. The branch house can't use the seal as the possibility that some coward would prefer to give his eyes rather than die entered the minds of people. The only people who can use the seal are the clan head and the current heir. The duty isn't entrusted upon the elders because even the old fucks know that old fucks shouldn't be trusted with this.
This was the whole Hyuga affair. The Hinata kidnapping shit only occured because while Hyugas are excellent sensors, there are many many techniques to blind them. This is also the reason why Hyugas are only close combat fighters. They are entirely too dependent on the Byakugan.. it's an internal thing.. As there exist justu that can and WILL blind them in a war, they only do close combat. Hyugas are one of the only Shinobi only clan as living as a civilian with an active Byakugan isn't possible.
Kumo wanted a breeding mare and was ready to go on a war with Konoha. Why? Because there are almost no sensor specialist Shinobi in Kumo and this is a huge disadvantage for them. Also, the opportunity to kidnap a direct lineage Hyuga without the caged Bird seal isn't an opportunity that comes to you easily if ever...
I was taken out of my contemplation by Shikaku.
"Minato! You are zoning out..again" Also, it seems the speed of my thoughts have increased. It's not like I see everything in slow motion. It's just that my reaction time right now is insane. While I know it isn't even at a Chunin's level, my thought process is fucking fast when compared to a baseline human from my previous world. My thought speed has increased after playing so much with a strategic genius like Shikaku and doing so many chakra control exercises in the previous year.
Oh.. Choza is saying something,"So I made a BIG plan today! My mom tries to control my 'diet' ugh.. So I thought that when I grow up I will ban all girls from restaurants. It will be my life's goal. What do ya two think?" Never change Choza never change Choza. Choza is just a bundle of positiveness and really shows how fucking unnatural me and Shikaku are..
"It's a brilliant plan Choza. We will help in it, won't we Shikaku?... Shikaku!!" "Okay fine fine! I'll help as well."
These small moments are what I would remember in the hell that is War..
A/n: I was unmotivated as fuck today. Don't even know why. I started writing this chapter in the morning and finished only right now. I was active on Discord for 7 fucking hours. Do tell me if the chapter comes off as a little off.. I will resume my normal speed tomorrow. This chapter took a lot out of me.
I gave the reason for Hyuga dickery here. Minato's thoughts on the last year's shenanigans were given and we also saw the start of a lifelong friendship. Hiashi and Hizashi's relationship won't end as the toxic mess that was canon. The butterflies have finally started showing their effects. Anyways that's all for the chapter.
Goodbye and Stay tuned for the next chapter.
