"Hmmm, this will be detrimental to my plans… I might need to get rid of him."
Year 6, 287
He could hear everything, from the sizzling of the saucepan to the chirping of the birds outside, training really had boosted his senses.
CHEW!
He sometimes wished he was back in his original world so that he would get to eat food with taste, but ever since he had started training with Madara, he had put on a strict nutritional diet. The diet was good for the body, and he did notice that his body was fit – in terms of how fit a 6-year-old could be – but the taste was incredibly bland.
Looking at the clock, he could see the time was currently;
6:48
Madara had requested – which meant ordered – for him to arrive at the entrance of the Hokage tower at precisely 7, o clock.
So that meant 11, now 10 minutes till he had to go, considering it would take him 1 minute to reach there with chakra.
CHEW!
So, that meant around 9 minutes of paradise and bliss, before he could get his 1st C-Rank Mission.
Now, 8 minutes.
~ Entrance of Hokage Tower ~
"Your late."
"Only by 10 seconds…"
Madara frowned, Rue's personality would do a significant shift in the morning, and while it was normal for a person to be less likely to speak, or more inclined to stop conversations due to them being tired. He was certain that was not it.
Rue's whole tone would shift when talking in the morning, it led him to believe Rue had made a mask, which was scar considering the kid was only 6 years old.
"I'll let it go today. Since it's our first real mission today, we're going to be taking it from Hashirama."
Rue could see that Madara found D-Rank missions distasteful. But even he understood the importance behind them.
Trade.
A very important aspect of life in general. Currently, Konoha had the highest count of civilians, which meant that generally, traders preferred Konoha over other nations, such as Sunagakure.
Hashirama did a very smart strategical move when he made up the ideology of the Will of Fire. Whilst, there was no doubt that he believed in the Will of Fire, there was a secondary reason that he decided to make the Will of Fire, the central ideology of Konohagakure.
First, the obvious, was so there would be a smaller number of traitors in the Village. And the second, less obvious reason, was that every time there would be a war or political problem. The civilians would stick with Konoha.
The D-Rank missions reinforced the Will of Fire by presenting ninja as human beings who helped around the village. This would also – if needed – boost the reputation of a Jounin, by reminding the civilian population of their endeavors whilst performing D-Ranks.
Hashirama Senju really was a prodigy in every way.
~ Hokage's Office ~
"So, Jounin-Uchiha and Genin-Ryuzaki, you are here for a C-Rank."
"Yes, Hokage-sama." Even Madara knew when the protocol was being performed.
"And have you performed the mandatory 30 D-Rank missions required to request a C-Rank?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
"Do you believe Genin-Ryuzaki is fit to perform a C-Rank mission?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama, I have spent the following 30 days briefing him on anything that he might have missed due to the small amount of time he spent at the academy."
"Then, I see Jounin-Uchiha and Genin-Ryuzaki are able to perform a C-Rank Mission."
Immediately, Hashirama's face turned from a serious to a joyful one. It seemed that now that the protocol was over, any tension from before had been washed away.
"So, I currently have 3 C-Rank missions with me; Bandit extermination, Investigation, and another mission in which you would have to guard a civilian. Which one will you pick?"
"We'll take two, the Bandit and guard one."
"Hmmm, you would need 60 D-Rank missions to accept two C-Rank missions, so I'm sorry but you can only take one."
'So, this was his plan' Rue thought in understanding, 'I guess it is fairly ingenious, it'll save time for sure.'
Madara smirked, "Yes, but we've actually completed 60 D-Rank missions, so we'll take the two C-Rank missions."
"…"
Hashirama skimmed through a file that seemed to have appeared in his hands.
'There are most likely ANBU in the roof.'
"It seems you have, well there you go." Said the Hokage whilst handing the Uchiha two seemingly identical folders.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama." Madara bowed, which prompted Rue to bow as well.
"You'll meet the civilian you have to guard at the gates, I'm guessing that you will handle the Bandit extermination on your way back. Good luck Jounin-Uchiha and Genin-Ryuzaki."
~ Konohagakure Gates ~
"You stay with the client and entertain any questions he has whilst I file the paperwork with the guards."
Said the Uchiha before he went to the guard post next to the entrance of the gates.
"So, what's your name boy?" asked the gruff-female voice.
Turning around, he could see that the client was a woman in her 30s wearing robes, not quite at the level of royalty, but more at the level of a rich civilian. It was obvious that she was not a merchant, but her husband could be a rich merchant.
He could just ignore her, but his job was to entertain her.
"Rue Ryuzaki, and you are?"
"Akari Sato." Her posture screamed that she expected him to know about her, and he did. Fuji Sato, a merchant very proficient in trading, he had investments in most of the businesses in Konoha, it made sense now why she held herself like royalty, she practically was, but…
"Ahh… Akari Sato, I didn't know Fuji Sato had a wife named Akari Sato."
"Oh well I'm his sister-in-law, the sister of Kou'na Sato" She blushed.
"I see… So then, what's your real last name?"
"It's Sato!"
"Of course, Of course."
Akari was pissed, she was hoping that going to this village would boost her self-esteem. She sometimes would go to random civilian villages, pay them money, they would be so desperate for any income that they would spend the rest of the travel paying her compliments and such.
But she was unlucky, the opposite of her sister. Her sister was most likely sitting in a 5 – star motel, with her husband ordering around servants. Whilst, she was stuck with a bratty 6-year-old – seriously, how did a child even become a ninja – and the Uchiha clan head.
Whilst, normally it would make her happy to be a client of such a prestigious man, but not today, as the man was completely ignoring her, if she wanted to talk with someone, it would have to be with the 6-year-old.
What grated on her nerves, even more, was that the 6-year-old spoke as if he was older than her, and if she hadn't seen his appearance, she would have thought that he was around the age of 30 with the way he spoke.
'Seriously, Ninjas!'
"So, Akari-san, what business do you have in Kusagakure?"
"If you must know, I'm going to start trading there." She huffed. Fuji Sato, her brother-in-law – only in name – hadn't started trade at Kusagakure yet. She was going to use the hefty sum he had given her and use it to start trade in Kusagakure.
It wasn't just on a whim either. Whilst, yes, she would go to random villages so that she could get her monthly dose of compliments, she wasn't an idiot. Just really, unlucky, with her sister inheriting all of her father's money, and her sister also marrying a rich merchant.
However, from today she was done, done with accepting money from her sister, done with living in her sister's shadow. She was going to start a business in Kusagakure, and she was going to prosper.
Kusagakure was what you would call a road, a road for ninja, the hidden village was not powerful in terms of politics, or manpower. But, to get to Konohagakure, people from Sunagakure, Iwagakure, Amegakure, and Takigakure would have to go through Kusagakure to get there. She was sure her investment to trade there would be worth it.
She grit her teeth at the annoying question, "If you must know, I'm going to start trade there."
The boy raised his eyebrows.
'Di-did he not believe in her…?'
Then he smiled, "You'll most likely become very popular and successful."
'I-is he – 'She stopped and reviewed his tone in her head.
Akira Sato was a perceptive person, so when the civilians she traveled with complimented her, she could tell they were lying, which lowered her self-esteem even more.
But this boy, this boy wasn't, he was telling the truth, he genuinely believed in her.
She smiled, "You know, kid. You're not that bad."
~ Kusagakure Gates ~
"Bye, Akari-san"
"Goodbye, kid."
He and Madara turned around and started walking.
"So, where to next?"
"A town near Takigakure, pick up the pace."
The travel to Kusagakure had taken more than half a day, it was enjoyable. After Rue had complimented the woman, she became less snooty and more friendly. He did genuinely believe that she would get good business. Yes, she would probably be risking her life, as Kusagakure was the main ground in which all 3 wars took place, but if she survived that, then he was sure she would do good.
The woman was smart, she was just too dense to realize peace didn't exist, and war could happen any day.
Now, he and Madara needed to go to a town near Takigakure, so that they could complete their bandit extermination mission.
"Can't we rest first?"
"Hmm… Fine."
They stopped, in this open field in the middle of a jungle, the trees here were natural, not generated by the wood-style jutsu of Hashirama Senju, so it was harder to travel.
"I'll set up the tents, and you make the campfire, and find food."
He nodded and got to work.
Having Madara as a sensei, was very favorable, other than the fact that there was a high possibility that Madara would defect and use the Nine-Tails to attack Konoha, and then get branded as a traitor, and then he would be put under scrutiny, and lose all respect of everyone.
'Yeah, there are a lot of downsides of having Madara as a sensei.'
Well, other than those downsides, Madara as a sensei was very favorable, because unlike Kakashi to Team 7, Madara did help a lot.
He performed the jutsu to make a campfire and then started cooking the meat from the rabbit he had killed.
"Sleep, I'll take the first shift and then wake you up when it's your turn."
"Ok, sensei."
Madara smiled.
Year 6, 289
"Did you have a good find?"
"Nah, what about you guys?"
"Some Ryo, but not much."
The bandits chatted, whilst Rue and Madara stayed hidden in the Branches. Rue couldn't be bothered to wait anymore, so he signaled to Madara if he could take out the 3 bandits.
Madara signaled back;
Yes
Should I use kunai?
Are you confident you can kill all of them with 3?
Yes.
Ok.
He took 3 kunai out from his kunai holster and held them all in one hand, he was naturally proficient in Kunai, he could credit that to his eidetic memory, every time he made a mistake, he wouldn't make it twice.
THUNK!
THUNK!
THUNK!
Dead. Easy, as that. He looked down at the dead body, he was sure that if he was actually a 6-year-old kid, he might have cried, or even had a mental breakdown, but he had grown used to a sight of a dead body when he sometimes messed up a surgery in his past life, and his eidetic memory ensured he wouldn't forget it, so even though, he felt some guilt, it was so small, he couldn't even call it an emotion.
"Come, we have to go back to Konoha."
"Yes…"
Madara frowned.
"Hmm… Interesting, he could be used…"
- Squadasoke12
AN1: Sorry for the long update, I just started reading fanfictions from one of the people who favorited my story and fell down a rabbit hole of good fanfiction, however, I'm fairly certain, I've got a good idea of what I want to do now.
AN2: I know the MC may come across as edgy, but this is not really a dark fanfiction, however it would be stupid for somebody in this world to have a moral compass, for example, let's say you want to save Asuma from Hidan, that's well and fine, but Asuma has probably killed as many people as Hidan, the only difference is they both are in different factions.
AN3: Please tell me any criticism you have, though if you do, also try to tell me how to improve because even if I'm confident in my writing, I'm nowhere near an actually good writer.
AN3: I'm currently focused on the story "The Sociopathy of Sasuke Uchiha" which might explain why my story became a little bit edgier, but the writing style in that story is so good, I can't help but mirror it, for example I copied the sound effects from there.
AN4: I think I've depicted Madara's character, kind of the way I want to.
AN5: Try to guess, who is the person that has the lines in the start and ending of the story, It's really obvious, I'm not really hiding it, lol.