Chapter III: mysterious visitor
5 Years Later
Rook walked pass the gates of the village with relief, that had been a long mission. There were a lot of good fights and he had gotten some practice in but it had been drawn out longer than needed he thought. At least were back for awhile he thought as he reached the food center of the village. He grabbed the noon meal and headed for the training field. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a brown cloak. There was nothing overly suspicious about the person but something was off about him. He decided to follow him just to be on the safe side. The longer he followed him though the more his suspicions grew the man was in his 30's to 40's too young to be stooped over with a hunched back.
His arms were strong and muscular the type that only people who trained daily had. But most of all rook was sure the man had spotted rook following him because his eyes were as sharp as only a ninja's could be. As the man walked rook noticed they were headed farther and farther away from the town. Soon they would be into the west perimeter of the town and at a point where it was least guarded. Suspecting a trap but followed anyway knowing he could handle anything he boldly continued not even trying to hide his presence anymore.
When they reached the town border and the stranger had a clear shot away from the town rook stopped, and jumped in front of him cutting him off and said "ok we both know I can't let you leave until you tell me who you are and what you are doing here" as he brought his kunai to a neutral position. The man stood still for several minutes just as rook stepped forward the man looked up and his eyes had changed.
Once normal looking eye's now had a red ring around them and his chakra felt much more concentrated and dense. He lunged forward bringing the palm of his hand to bear on rooks jaw line, rook ducked and countered with an uppercut hoping to connect his fist with the mans throat, the man blocked with his free hand while using the hand rook had ducked to turn and backhand rook in the face knocking him not only off balance but all the way into a storage shed across the street. Rook shakily got to his feet starring at the man in font of him with a mixed expression of awe and excitement.
This was just the sort of fight he loved. Being completely out muscled and out of his league was the only fight worthwhile. It pushed him to his limits, but unlike others rook didn't mind losing, and just by looking at this man, who was a far cry from the hunched backed elderly looking fellow from before. He knew he had no chance of winning the chakra coming from him wasn't normal or bijuu it was completely different from anything he had felt before. Even so he launched himself at the figure standing there, he knew shadow clones would be pointless and a waste of chakra and tai-jutsu would be a suicide wish with his increased physical ability's so he broke out his next go to jutsu. "water style: water dragon jutsu" rook called as he finished the hand signs and a dragon formed from the water of the nearby river that ran through the village. The man laughed as he was hit by the dragon head on and simply walked right through it as if it were a gentle breeze.
Rook sprang back and switched to a fire and wind style he had been developing lately. By holding his left arm out with flames in his hand and forcing a jet stream of air out of his right hand it created a powerful flamethrower effect engulfing the stranger and the entire building behind him. Rooks goal was to incinerate the man but if that failed (as he suspected it would) the burning building would be guaranteed to bring jonin here to clean up the mess if he failed, but like hell he was going down without a fight. as the flames begin to die down he saw the shadowy figure of the man walking straight through the lingering smoke strips of fire running across his skin but not burning anything more than the hair on his forearm his shirt and cloak had been shredded and fire still danced across the ripped fabric of his pants.
As rook began channeling all his chakra into one final blast that was going kill at least one of them the man held up his hand and laughed saying "that's enough, I just wanted to test you boy I felt your power before you entered the city and was curious to see how things would play out". Rook stared at him in disbelief he regained enough composer to ask "what was your purpose in the leaf, it couldn't have been me".
"you are correct I was just passing through the land of fire and this village specifically when I felt your presence, but lets take this somewhere where I won't be arrested ok kid, I'm in the mood for some tea is there anywhere around here you could show me while we talk"? "fine but I expect answers ok". The man pulled a spare outfit out of his Carry bag and changed. after which they crossed the village to a hole in the wall tea shop who's owners son was already making a name for himself as an expert cook at the age of ten especially in the art of ramen. When they were served there tea and had seated rook looked at the mysterious man expectantly. The man smiled and started by saying "hmm where should I begin, I know ill start by explaining the history of the Five Sages".
The mystery man studied the boy who had introduced himself as rook from over the edge of his cup as he took a long sip. The boy has much more chakra than even the hokage may realize he thought to himself. I sense something even deeper inside him, and that is the reason why his chakra is so large because it has to keep this…thing (there is no other way to describe it he thought) in check it felt vaguely similar to that of a tailed beast but less sentient and more primal but still cognitive like a wolf compared to a fox less brain but more brawn.
Although it felt as though it had roughly the same amount of chakra as the leafs nine tails there was something about it that made it feel more powerful maybe the denseness of the chakra or something else no one had encountered but either way, whatever it is, is strong but dormant he could at least tell that much. He had felt the fox in the first hokage's wife and could feel it biting against the seal trying to get out but this was asleep which was probably why no one had noticed it this long.
"well are you going to explain everything or just sit there and stare me down" said rook looking moderately impatient. The man chuckled to himself. "fine fine, so I assume you've heard the story of the sage of the six paths" he took another sip of tea as rook nodded that he had. "good then I don't have to explain basics. Well little is known about that time in history but there are a few…beings who do remember the history that wasn't public knowledge.
In each land there are a group of sentient animals who study and teach those who they have deemed worthy one of the six paths of the sage. The original sage of the six paths is the only one who was ever able to master all of these paths over his lifetime and that was because of his rinningan. Only 5 sages are currently alive, the snake sages have refused to teach anyone the path of shadows and stealth for over 20 years now.
As for the others there is the land of winds path of freedom taught to humans by the hawks who reside in that land, there features include limited flying techniques vision jutsu that enables them to see farther than even the byakugan, though not through anything or behind them making them specialize in scouting.
next is my path which claims the land of stone as its home and is the path of power taught by the dragons in the mountains east of the village hidden in the stones who's defining attributes revolve around the art of combat in all of its forms the downside being that the person lacks in almost everything else and everyone fears your existence.
Third would be the land of lightning who's path is that of courage taught by the monkeys who lay claim to the forests around the village hidden in the clouds and there defining characteristics include unpredictable and inconsistent fighting styles which combined with their extraordinary agility make catching them or hitting them next to impossible, along the lines of drunken boxing if that helps put it into perspective.
Fourth would be the land of water focusing on the path of knowledge meaning there attributes are based on shear amount of techniques and they are also know for their sages to have the most chakra and to be honest their current sage has almost half again your current chakra.
And finally the fifth path calls the land of fire its home located at mount myoboku, approximately one month's journey from here which study's the path of wisdom as taught by the Toad sage's and attributes include a type of tai jutsu known as frog kumite, possibly the most effective sage tai jutsu. As well as a knack for always seeing the right path to choose at the right time. Im not sure if it is a luck factor of if it is actually related to their path but it is effective none the less.
As for the path of shadow and stealth. No one is quite sure where the snakes reside I assume that's part of their path though and for those who master it, they will be formidable indeed. Though they usually tend to be assassins and spy's, some have been notably courageous and honorable in the past, it all depends on the person being taught not what they are taught.
Well now that you've heard my story, I would like to pose the query of whether or not you would train to take my place as dragon sage eventually, though immediate training would not be possible as you have duties here and I elsewhere, I can start the basics with you". Rook sat pondering for a minute then raised his eyes to the man who had not even given his name yet and asked "why me, and more importantly why now".
The man shook his head and gave a rueful smile "to answer the first its because in you I see what my master wanted me to be, what a dragon sage is supposed to be. A man who's only goal is the next battle who never turns down a challenge a man who never backs down from anything he believes is right and stands his ground even if he knows he cant win. I was a disappointment in those regards as I showed promise when he first found me I was hot headed and looking for fights.
But I was young in my teens, even younger than yourself and my master was old nearing his end and desperate for a student and therein lies his mistake. He misunderstood youthful passion for bloodlust and overlooked my true nature, where in reality my specialty resides in medicine.
I am a medical ninja at heart and have spent my life balancing fighting and the way of war with that of reverence for all life and a desire to avoid conflict and keeping a passive nature. So I am attempting to rectify my masters mistake by finding a pupil at a younger age with the right characteristics and the actual ability to pass the training.
Because bear in mind you can die very easily while training with the masters of this sage path. And as I said it would be training in the basics for now until your more experienced and have come to find yourself and your place in the village. Ill give you some time to think, if your interested meet me at the base of the eastern foothills in 2 days and ill begin the basics with you".
With that the man placed the payment for his tea on the table and got up to leave when rook grabbed his sleeve "what is your name"? the man pulled free and took two steps then without turning around said "shiro namikaze" and with that he left. Namikaze…huh why did that sound familiar to Rook, oh well it didn't matter he thought to himself as he prepared to leave as well. He would learn what he could from the man and see where it took him whether or not he became this dragon sage or whatever only time would tell. But he had to admit the man was much stronger than him and that alone was enough to pique his interest. two days would go by faster if he trained so rook headed to the training field completely oblivious that someone was tailing his every move from the shadows.