I do not own Naruto.
Talk now – normal talk
What now – normal thoughts
Speak – biju, higher being talk
Listen – biju, higher being thoughts
Chapter 16 : Year three part III
"And break." Naruto smiled seeing the end result of the spar and went to a nearby tree picking up two water bottles and returning to his sparring partner.
Yakumo was panting on the ground trying to catch her breath; the two had met for an hour of intensive training, the end result of which was Yakumo completely winded while Naruto still looked fresh.
"I still can't get over that." She took one of the bottles offered to her and quickly unscrewed the lid drinking the water with gusto.
"Meh." He shrugged his shoulders. "I just have a lot more stamina than most people" he winked at her, "but you have been making progress."
Yakumo shook her head; to her it still felt that she was standing still. "It still doesn't feel like much."
Naruto chuckled scratching the back of his head. "Well, you shouldn't compare yourself against someone like me; I think I got buckets of stamina or something."
She snorted looking up with a small playful smile. "More like lakes of it."
"Heh" he rubbed the back of his head again, "yeah, hey you have been making progress if you compare your earlier spars against Chouji."
Yakumo nodded.
Given her clan's genjutsu specialization the members chose to avoid direct combat to a large degree, they did have their own taijutsu style in which they mixed their genjutsus. The problem was that from what she had seen it wasn't as solid as other styles, worst for her was that most of the information regarding the style had been lost in the fire that claimed the clan compound.
Her uncle had specialized in long ranged combat, or in his own words he had been a much more pure master of the clan arts, while he had some skill in hand to hand combat it wasn't as great as other clan members, what little he knew of their clan style he had started to train her as much as he could.
Said teachings she soon found turned out to be inferior to what she had learned from her blond friend, the style involved creating false openings to tempt the enemy and striking them down when they tried taking advantage of those false openings. What fascinated her was when she had realized that her blond friend wasn't using the style he was teaching, no he used another style entirely, one just as effective as the one she was learning.
She didn't know if her friend's parents hadn't been perhaps some sort of taijutsu prodigies or from a clan that specialized in that art, she couldn't explain how else he was able to create something so complex so easily. Yakumo put the thought aside; it was something more to think about in the future.
Naruto got back into his fighting stance. "So ready for another round?"
She groaned. "Not yet, I still need more time to recover." I'll add stamina freak to the family trait.
Ah, another day another small fortune gained. He sipped more of his morning coffee, one that actually tasted like coffe, rather then the what passed for the drink in the lower end bars around the country. A luxury not everyone can aford, then again not every is me. "What of the meat matter?"
"Yeah boss" the man nodded showing of his blackend teeth "it happened like you said, we got the dumb fuck drunk after he finished his missions then gutted him like a pig" the man laughed with amusment "couldnt even put up a good fight, the boys barely got a few scratches from em."
He smiled sipping more of his coffe. "The body?"
"With the fishes."
Perfect, more where that came from. "No one's going to give two shits about a missing nin dissapearing."
"Heck yeah boss, the fishes been eating good for a while because of us."
"Good, you know the schedule, stick to it."
"You got it boss."
He watched as the man left through another door, he couldn't very well be seen with those kind of people in public. Time for a more important matter.
He looked over the table, the food displayed was to both help impress his guest and to satisfi his own hunger, it looked good enough in any case, rice cooked in a salmon and soy stock and served topped with salmon caviar, duck pieces coated in starch and stewed with mushrooms and vegetables in a soy-dashi broth.
The man who entered the room was tall with black silk kimono, he had an oval shape face with shoulder lenght dark hair with a grey streak in it, his moustache had white streaks as well. "Well met Gato-san."
"Indeed, Misao Sugawara-san." He gestured to the table. "Please sit and help yourself."
The man smiled at him. "You are far too generous, Gato-san."
He waited after they had both tasted several dishes, luckly for him his guest began the conversation.
"I believe that both parties are pleased with our current arrangement."
Oh, yes, very pleased. He nodded to the man.
"He has been calling in a few favours to aid in your own endevours."
Excellent.
"Now, because things have been going so well, my client does have a request of sorts." He promtly he pulled out a small scroll delivering it to him.
"Oh?" he raised his eyebrows looking over the list. "Two blue eyed blond women, twenties to early thirties, 1,70m, 40 – 60 kg, one purple haired man, twenties, 1,60 – 1,70 metres."
The man sipped his drink looking at him. "It's something for the future far future, though it bears consideration."
"Yes, I will certanly keep that in mind." Heh, having favor with some of the influencial people in the Land of Fire maybe expensive, having influence with the future ruler of the land? Now that's priceless.
The meeting ended after they discuted more details of their business, after which the man left. With the first part of his business accomplished he focused on the other part of his workload. Still nothing new on Wave, Benisu island is a nigthmare, far to missing nin popping up all over the place, I couldn't hold it without my own army. His attention was drawn to a new report on his desk. Hm? This new religion is gaining ground eh? A small donation wont hurt, after all I am a man with an image to uphold.
She awoke with a gasp and rose from the bed, sweat covered her small body, her nighttime cloths clung tightly to her body, by instinct now she used her bloodline and searched the area around herself, turning her head to make sure every inch was searched and double checked.
Letting out a relieved breath she collapsed back onto her bed hugging her blanket, the nightmare had in essence been the same as the last ones. This time she had heard the footsteps outside the room as they closed in on her, she heard the wood creaking from the weight pressed onto them, she couldnt move nor could she speak, she simply sat there praying that no one would enter the her room.
The praying never helped, the door opened as it always did, the person stepped inside, darkness ozzed from that person, with only a thin outline showing that there was indeed a person there. Again a hand came out and covered her mouth while the other one restrained her, a quick move and she was tossed into a sack, she heard the thing threaten her that if she talked her throat would be slit.
This time her mother came to her rescue, she heard her voice, warm and comforting as always, telling her everything would be well. The voice died a moment later, and she knew her mother was dead again. At the end things had changed if only slightly, her dream ended with her kidnapper throwing her into a fire, a hundred dark hands reaching out from the flames to grab hold of her and to pull her inside. She almost took comfort in it, at least she would be reunited with her mother, almost the voice she heard hadnt belonged to her mother nor did the red outline that formed in the fire.
She looked at the ceiling blinking and banishing what sleep she still felt, the nightmares had only gotten worse after her mother's passing, her father had told her not to pay them any heed as they weren't real, she would be able to eventualy overcome them.
Gracefuly she got out of her bed, in a few steps she reached the closet and removed a white grey robe, dressing with it, she let out a breath, before exiting her room. The cold night wind came as a pleasant greeting when she entered the hallway, quietly she began making her way towards the garden. She stopped for a moment near her little sister's room before deciding not to go inside, she had visited her sister before, this time she would let her rest uninterrupted.
A moment later she was outside walking towards her usual nightly spot in the garden, as much as she loved the place where she had spent time with her mother in the garden, it was far to difficult to go near now.
She looked around the area at the guards, they where relentless, wheter wind, sun, or snow, the guards would be there. After her kidnapping incident her father had steped up security, she didnt know what punishment the old guards had received, a part of her didnt care either, not after what happened.
Now years later the guards where still there, more alert then ever, even with the incident behind and assurances from the village, her father stil insisted on more guards for their compound.
Reaching her spot, she took a seat on the ground staring up at night sky, in the morning she would feel weaker as she always did after nights like these, which in turn would impact on her perfermonce during training that would lead to her failing even worse then she usually did, as the tears came from her eyes she lowered her head trying to cling to the few good memories she still had.
He tossed the fish bones away into the fire, wiping his mouth with his right arm, the orange sky bathed everything in its light.
Wtih a slow move the man ran a finger down his tools before packing them, he could feel the numerous dents on them, made by his own hands from working with the tools. Memories of the times he had worked with them since as a small boy came back pouring back, memories of smoothening the impurities from the wood, of sawing just the right amount by instinct alone.
He could still see his father and brothers faces when they whent out on the sea, the men in his family had always felt the call of the sea. He fondly remembered how the water splashed on his face the first time he had seen the sea, the strong taste of sea salt felt like something he had been missing his entiere life, like an old friend he hadn't known he had lost and had met again.
The only reasons he hadn't been with his father and brothers on the boat since he could walk had been because of being sickly the first few years of his life, during those years while the rest whent out onto the sea he had learned about being a carpenter from his uncle.
It could have been a good life had he chosen to continue working as a carpenter, however deep down he still felt the call of the sea as well, eventualy he had joined his father and brothers on their fishing expeditions.
Those simpler times always brought a smile to his face, the first trip he had on the sea where engraved into his very being, the storm had unexpected that day, he could still the the water splashing against boat, sparying him from head to toe, the taste of salt overwheliming his senses and the wind furiously beating agaisnt the sails. Even with the storms and loses, when the sea finaly claimed one of their one, his family had continued to sail and fish. The stories his father told him about how for generations their family line had this tradition, he was told about how his own grandmother had perieshed out on the sea during a strong storm, the woman had gone out with a smile on her lips.
During the storms the family worked more like a machine then anything human, they were a well oiled cog, covering for each other, it was one of the foundations he had been raised upon, that people should work together and help each other.
And now look what has happened.
He looked back and smiled and the man approuching him, the man had a scowl on his old face. "Hello Miyasaki–san."
"I'm still hopping to talk you out of this idea my boy, I pray something's finally connected in that head of yours."
He shook his head. "We both know thats not going to happen old man."
The man spat to his right side. "Its a foul hardy idea boy, sailing on the little boat across the sea?"
"Is it? my father and grandmother before him did as well, sailing out to the sea to fish in new spots, even delivering merchandise to he islands nearby. I can still remember the story about grandmother reaching Tea country with her boat."
"Those are stories and the sea is a fickle mistress, you could make an honest living being a carpenter my boy, nothing wrong with that, you got skill at it."
"I know, uncle, but I can't stay here, not anymore."
The man spat to his side as his scowl deepened. "It's the damn sea, it's what got your father, all of that family line was touched in the head, it lead your mother into an early grave."
"Uncle please, it isnt about that and you know it."
The man's expression softened looking back towards the village for a moment. "Things can change, the madness could still be stopped."
"Can it? No one is doing anything about, they are actively participating in it nowaways! You remember the stories about the neighbering village, what Furuta-san did? He killed his own wife! Just because he thought she had suspicious ancestry! A marriage of fifteen years and he threw it into the fires without hesitation!"
"It will end, eventually."
"Yes, and what will be left? Only ashes and dust, this country of mine, I cant see myself living here anymore uncle, this isnt the kind of place I want my children to grow up in. You remember how we worked together when father was alive, its what we did, we worked together and helped each other out, its what my family believes in. How can I live in a country that is advocating mass murder? That is going against everything I believe in?"
They both quited down and looked out at the sea.
"I want you to keep the tools."
"Uncle I..."
"No shush, my boy, considering this a parting gift, I still have my own tools so I dont need them. Keep them you never know when they can come in handy, the sea may call to you my boy, but she is a thickle mistress the earth will always embrace you in its arms without a song or call."
"Maybe" he smiled and laughed "I still like the song though."
"Aye" the man nodded before giving him a resigned smile "like all the members of your part of the family, your a bit touched in the head as well."
"Good bye, uncle."
"Good bye, Kaiza."
One last time he pushed his boat out, and left for the wide open sea, he didnt look back, behind him he was living the last of his family, his country and his shame.
Katsue bit her lip looking over the students over, she maintained a calm, neutral appearance, in the inside a storm was raging, she had informed the principle about what she believed her collogue was doing in class and the man had promised to bring down the hammer, so far three days had passed in which he had investigated the issue on his own, she knew that he had looked over the assessments for the students on his own to verify their growth rate and perhaps something more.
I wonder, did he bring Maito-san in on the situation? Someone who has such skills with taijutsu would certainly be able to spot an oddity with the students. Though would he risk it? If Maito-san is loyal to him there wouldn't be that much for a risk, if however he is more loyal to the Hokage it could spell disaster for him. I'm still not sure if Nakatani-san went to the Hokage about the matter, it would be a black mark on his file if it got out, certainly something the Hokage could use in forcing Nakatani-san retirement, if he wants to promote Umino to the head position.
Who would he call in? The Police force or just regular shinobi? The academy staff could certainly be of use if that's the case, if Hirai isn't rusty she could take him down by herself, even headmaster could probably defeat the man.
Well, I'll thing about it more later, he doesn't look like he's going to make a move today.
Hirai smiled to himself looking at the gathered students. "Now, we move onto the spars, today we will…."
A new voice drew their attention. "Have a change in your usual schedule."
Both teachers snapped towards the voice. "Headmaster-san!"
The man nodded at them looking over the students. "Good day Miwa-san, Hirai-san."
Hirai smiled. "To what do we owe such a pleasure sir?"
"Oh, its nothing, I just want to see something with my own two eyes."
Hirai gave a nervous smile. "Sir?"
"It's the difference between two teaching styles; I want to see the final result."
"Oh? I'm not sure I follow sir."
His eyes narrowed towards the teacher. "I think you do, now I have a list of the students you have been working with, and one that Katsue san has been working with it. Well I just want to see a small fight between members of the two groups."
"I…" he nodded "of course sir."
She nodded as well looking towards the man. "If you believe it is the best course of action Nakatani-san." What is he playing at?
The headmaster smiled looking back to the students. "Excellent, now for Hirai's group, Yatsuhiro Okuma, and for Miwa-san group…."
Tenten felt her jaw tighten, she knew her name would come up next; she would have to fight Okuma and beat him down with his expulsion from the program following his defeat. It didn't matter to her; he had brought it unto himself, now she would just help push things to their natural conclusion. She took a breath and moved a step forward.
"Taichi Kamiya."
Tenten froze after placing her first step. What? Her thoughts her echoed by others in her class, even Tai and Yatsujiro had looks of shock on their face. She turned her head towards said chose person.
Tai sputtered looking surprised. "What?"
The headmaster pinned the boy with his eyes. "Yes, my boy, step forward, you will fight in the match."
Tai smiled and took a step. "Yes, sir, but…um…shouldn't someone else fight instead of me, I mean there are stronger students here."
The headmaster waved a hand in the air. "Nonsense my boy, I've looked over your file, and I believe you posses the Will of Fire, I have faith in you my boy, you can win this fight."
Tai smiled feeling his confidence sour. "Yes sir! Thank you sir!"
Well, this certainly changes things; he's definitely managed to bolster Tai's morale, though why did he choose him over me? Skill wise I now I'm better, Tai has never won a fight against me, so why chose him? Going by his words it's possible that he values his attitude over mine, or perhaps he is trying to prove something with choosing Tai over me, to who exactly is still up in the air though.
With both boys in the sparing circle Okuma looked between them. "Shake hands."
Tai reached his hand to do the mark sign when Yatsuhiro turned his back and put some distance between the two of them. Tai just looked at Yatsuhiro confused when he turned his back. "Huh?"
Yatsuhiro smile had a bloodthirsty edge to it. "I'll demolish you, so don't think badly of me."
Tai closed his fists looking at his opponent. Bastard!
"Fight!"
Tai barely had time to react, pushing himself down with his legs avoiding Yatsuhiro's punch that sliced through his hair. He leaped such a large distance and that punch that is…
Tenten raised an eyebrow looking at the scene. So he copied my move? Her eyes narrowed watching the fight. Tai don't let your guard down the next one is coming.
Tai jumped out of the way as Yatsuhiro smashed his foot into the ground where he had previously been. He quickly got back up and retaliated with a kick to Yatsuhiro's left arm; he took some joy into seeing his opponent flinch at the blow before smiling. That hit usually hurt the others, doesn't he feel it?
Yatsuhiro steadied his breathing. Images of how easily Tenten had beaten him, he had sent punch after punch however she easily avoided them and then knocked him out.
He remembered about how his parents had died on a mission, how he promised at their graves that he would become a strong shinobi like them. He talked with his teacher when he regained consciousness and he told him about another way to gain strength. They had wanted him to be the rookie of the year something neither had managed during their own stay at the academy.
So that's why no matter what I wont lose anymore and I'll cut down anyone who stands in my way.
He breathed in again before he let lose a storm of strikes on Tai who held his guard up at as Yatsuhiro wailed on him.
Ugh, his punches are strong but…. With a swift move Tai grabbed Yatsuhiro by his head and hit him with a knee strike to the stomach.
Hirai grit his teeth looking as Yatsuhiro was unable to withstand it. Shakes of those hands and retreat!
Tenten smiled. Good Tai, very good, that knee strike helped to stop his blows.
Tsk, so what he lasted a bit against the Hyuuga and is friend with her I shouldn't be surprised. No matter I'll win. Yatsuhiro threw a low kick that hit Tai in his lower right thigh as he advanced to finish him off with a punch. There's nothing to worry about. Rather then flinching back Tai smiled and retaliated with a punch to Yatsuhiro's jaw that sent him stumbling back. What was that? That punch felt like getting hit by sensei!
"Heh, I don't exactly have the best style around nor can I use any flashy moves like other people, and I constantly lose to Tenten. I have however learned to use basics really well, if the others do one set of exercises I'll do three! That definitely includes punching and kicking."
Hirai grit his teeth seeing the scene in front of him. Damn it! Come on Yatsuhiro win this, I gave you those steroids, I gave you private training, you have to be able to take him down. Bring out your real strength already.
Yatsuhiro changed his stance looking at his opponent.
Tenten's eyes widened. Did Hirai–sensei teach him that? Tai be careful!
Yatsuhiro attacked with a jab that Tai managed to block with his left hand. Ah… is this the power of a jab? Yatsuhiro threw a right punch and Tai moved his head in time to avoid it only to see Yatsuhiro smile. What? He saw a quick movement before Yatsuhiro's right fist smash into his face. Katsue leapt and stopped Yatsuhiro as Tai fell to his knees.
"No!" Tai jumped back to his feet and shock his head.
Yatsuhiro blinked at him. "What?"
"Wow, that was bad! Heh good thing Tenten hits harder then that. I'm lucky I didn't get hit with the full force of that thing or I'd be out cold. One good thing about sparing with someone who's stronger then you is that you get really good at dodging and learning to take a strong blow." I still don't know what that was, he used the backward motion of his fist to attack, guess I'll ask about it after I kick his ass.
Tenten shook her head thinking about the blow. The punch with a backward motion of the fist, is just what the name implies, the thing about it is that it's mostly used by people with thick frames and strong arms. For someone with relatively thin arms to use it, the initial condition is to prove their have the strength for it. That punch just now practically didn't have any swing unless your arms are thicker it will turn into a simple slap. Never the less, he had the power to bring the boy down, which means, she narrowed her eyes taking in the boy's physic with a new eye, steroids?
Yatsuhiro gritted his teeth. Whatever it is I'll do it!
Hirai straightened his posture. Come on Yatsuhiro, you can do it. We are ninja; we use whatever it takes to win! The Akamichi use their own drugs, why could anyone else as well?
No problem. Tai hit Yatsuhiro with a kick to his right arm that he blocked before blocking one to his left arm as Tai rapidly switches legs.
Shit he is fast.
"Yeah, kick his ass Tai!" Sora cheered.
Another round of Tai attacking using his legs followed with both Yatsuhiro's arms being badly bruised.
Tai launched another kick towards Yatsuhiro's right side his eyes widen when Yatsuhiro moved mid swing and through a right punch striking him in the face while his own legs hit him in the ribs.
Tai jumped back with his free leg. Damn that hurt.
Yamato looked on worried. "He got him again."
Sora smiled. "No worries he's not done yet."
"You really think you can stop my arms that easily?" He charged and through another punch that Tai stopped using his left arm again and was sent stumbling towards the edge or the ring.
"It's not over!" He got up after a moment of the ground and allows Yatsuhiro to come closer before striking out with a left kick that smashed into Yatsuhiro's ribs.
"You?!" Yatsuhiro grabbed Tai's leg.
Hirai felt like smiling seeing the move. From that posture any attack will penetrate unconditionally!
Yatsuhiro threw a left punch towards Tai's face who stopped the blow with his left hand and grabbed onto it then using what little strength he had in his free leg pushing himself forward and launched a punch that crashed into Yatsuhiro's face.
Yatsuhiro let go of Tai's leg as he stumbled back, as soon as Tai' feet touched the ground and felt his stable position Tai threw a high kick that hit Yatsuhiro's left lower hand opening his guard, he followed thorough with another set of kicks to Yatsuhiro's upper arms who's color changed to purple.
Yatsuhiro threw a right punch that hit Tai in the face after landing his last kick and he stumbled back.
"Oh no." Koushiro whispered.
"Tai!" Sora tightened her fists looking at the scene.
Tai just smiled at him. "Heh, that all you got?"
"What?!"
Tenten nodded at the display. Those punches are useless now; Tai's kicks got rid of them already.
Yatsuhiro grit his teeth looking at his opponent. Even though I threw everything away and trained so hard these last few months, even though I believed I could take on those two. Just what is this difference?
Tenten smiled. "It's starting."
Yatsuhiro ran and tried tackling Tai to the ground; he brought his head near Tai's stomach and grabbed his left leg. I've got him. He felt one of Tai's arms wrap around his head and another grabbing his right side. What?
"I have no problem abandoning my position like this, here it is." Raising himself using his arms and Yatsuhiro's body he smashed his free leg into Yatsuhiro's stomach.
Guh. Yatsuhiro felt the air leaving his lungs and his arms going slack.
Feeling his legs free Tai let go of Yatsuhiro and landed on the ground. Another one then. He hit Yatsuhiro in the jaw with another strong kick brining him down.
Tenten felt a proud smile forming on her lips. Good job Tai. "Its over."
Both Katsue and Hirai ran to check on Yatsuhiro, Katsue placed a hand on the boy's shoulder seeing him trying to get up again. "Take it easy you're still injured, just lay down."
Yatsuhiro tried to get again; he looked towards his opponent with half open eyes. "Guh I don't understand, who are you stronger? I walked the shortest path, so why can't it win"? His eyes closed as he lost consciousness.
Looking at Yatsuhiro on the ground, Magohachi Nakatani shook his head. It's not the training environment or physical ability that made the difference between victory and defeat. It was the difference in mental disposition. Both of them lost against stronger opponents. However one is someone who also had his heart broken by the defeat, and the other is someone who let the defeat nourish his heart. Its simple to make a person strong with steroids but if you rely on that easy method, your mental growth stops.
It's simple to make a person strong with scientific training or steroids, but if you rely on those easy methods your mental growth stops. Well if you polish a pebble it'll begin to shine on its own way. But it won't match the brilliance of a diamond. The most important thing in a fight isn't power or technique, the most important thing in a fight is guts.
The headmaster looked towards the gathered students bringing forth his full presence. "Do you think that others took the easy way out when they were confronted with obstacles? Do you think the people that were in the same generation as the Yondaime Hokage weren't intimidated by him?" He shook his head. "Foolish to make such horrible decisions, even when faced with what may look insurmountable odds." The image of a young red head flashed through his mind. "You must continue to fight and not surrender, let the prodigies stay prodigies, do not compare yourself to them" an imagine of a man with dark hair, a black suit and youthful appearance appeared in his mind, "what is important is that you are stronger then the person you were yesterday." He looked towards the two teachers. "Let's clean this mess up."
The atmoshpere in the tavern was like that of every night, the smell of food and liquer hanged in the air while the noise of conversations filled the rest.
It was near the window of the tavern that four men stood around a wood table, each with a drink in front of them.
Kanko took another sip of his drink and returned his eyes to table, away from the plump behind of one of the serving girls. "Tsk, you see how annoying Hiroki has gotten since joing that damn cult?"
Toshiaki, the youngest member at the table looked at Kanko blinking. "You mean those church people?" He had seen them around the area talking to people.
Kanko slammed his mug on the table. "Ain't a damn church! they dont have one!" he prepared to sit on the floor before he reconsidered the gesture, he still scowled and wiped his mouth with one had. "Just a bunch a nut jobs thinking they got a god listening to em."
Taroemon waved the man off. "Meh, I couldn't give a rats ass about them, they only got a few people to join them when they where here."
Kanko nodded his head. "Yeah, but those they got are annoying as hogs during matting season, always trying to get onto people to fuck em."
"Meh." Taroemon waved a hand dismissively "I say they'll be gone quick enough, just ignore that lot."
"That isn't what I heard."
The three men turned their attention to the last person at the table who had kept quiet for the last part of their conversation.
"Oh?" Taroemon took another sip of his drink. "What'cha heard?"
Yoshitoshi Kase leaned towards them and spoke in a hushed voice. "I got this from my brother-in-law; he was up in the big city and he said he saw them there as well, even more according to him, these guys are in the capital as well. If they got there and haven't been kicked out yet, chances are there here to stay for a long time."
Kanko spat to side this time knowing of the consequence. "Well shit."
"Bah, just ignore em, I'm sure they'll leave once people ignore em long enough."
Toshiaki took another sip from his drink for courage before speaking. "That such a bad thing though, having them around and stuff?"
"The fuck would we need them for anyway?" Kanko glared at the boy.
"Well….they have their church and stuff….and their religion has a structure and stuff…"
"So what" Kanko eyed the boy with distaste "you attracted to new shiny things or something?"
Yoshitoshi shrugged turning his gaze onto one of the attendants. "I'll stick to the old gods, they worked until now, they've been since before us, chances they'll be here long after."
"Have they though?" Toshiaki asked feeling his face redden.
"What?" Yoshitoshi turned his head back towards the table.
"Been working? Their god is said to actually show his power and stuff, that he's real and all…"
"Bah" Kanko threw his arms into the air exasperated. "You've never seen shinobi, those guys can do some crazy stuff as well, wouldn't be surprised if some shinobi where behind the whole thing. Probably a couple of em running the show, using their what'cha ma call it, energy thing, to make them miracles for the cult."
The boy blink and owlish look on his face. "They could do that?"
Taroemon picked up the conversation. "Yeah, walk and walls with no problem, and even breath fire."
The boy's expression became downcast as he dropped his gaze into his drink. "You don't have to lie about that kind of stuff."
Yoshitoshi patted the boy on the back. "He isn't lying, I saw them back when I was a strapping young lad, with a woody every morning, heh," the others joined in laughing before they quitted down "had some trouble back then with a few bandits around these parts, we went to the big man in charge in these parts first. It went as expected, a few of the militia boys came here and got their asses kicked before a person saw sent to the shinobi village in the Land of Fire. A few days later a group of them showed and cleaned everything up." He shook his head. "Strange thing was they came and went before the man ever returned, crazy bastards apparently ran the entire way here and beat a horse on foot."
"Now, that I can't believe." Toshiaki shook his head. "What kind of person can outrun a horse? Much less to be a lot of them."
Taroemon placed his mug on the table looking at the young man. "It's the truth, you ain't got to believe it, just be careful when you see people wearing a headband with some different symbols on it, a couple of em tie around their legs and arms and..."
"Then it isn't a headband then." Toshiaki added.
"Yeah it is!"
"If they tie around their arm, it's an armband; if it's around the leg then it's a leg band."
Taroemon shook his head. "That doesn't matter; most of them tie it around their head."
"Well alright, but how come there aren't more of em around, they could help deal with some of the predators we got around these parts."
"Bah, we don't need em for everything."
"Damn true." Yoshitoshi toasted with Kanko over the topic.
Taroemon nodded adding his own mug to the toast. "That and the fact that our own country doesn't have a ninja village, so we have to go to other countries and hire them from there."
Toshiaki added his own mug to the toast and took a sip from it with the others. "All right, but how come we don't have one?"
Yoshitoshi smiled at the young man. "In case you didn't notice our country isn't the richest place around, he don't have a lot of natural goods, if you strip away the trade all that would be left are a few places to grow food and feed some animals, we do fishing but the Land of Fire has access to the seas just like we do. Its why we were ignored back when the other big countries popped up, we weren't that important, they would need to use to many men to keep the place then it would be worth. Over time the other islands around of us found out that they have unique materials to trade, add some of those strange trade ships that popped up from time to time here from the other continent and our country was starting to look like a real good prize so of course the big boys wanted a piece of us. Heh, poor bastards," he chuckled humorlessly "by the time they noticed us, they couldn't touch us anymore, if one made a move the others would jump them, trying to take the country over by replacing the big man on top, got the new guys executed with style, poor guy" he shook his head again "what Kiri did to him. They strung him up in the capital alongside the team that helped to put him in power, poor bastards."
Toshiaki grimaced. "That bad?"
Taroemon took a long sip from his drink before bringing it down. "What does strung up mean to you? Some of em, got poles shoved through em, while alive, and the story goes they got skinned alive first; a few looked like someone shaved their skin off." All the men at the table shivered thinking about the possible event. "Real horror stories alright, in the end the big three near us decided to let our little place in peace."
Toshiaki looked at the three confused. "That's good though, isn't it?"
Yoshitoshi made a quick sign to have their drinks refilled. "Yeah, but see, we got a reputation now, because three of the big five keep an eye on us, a lot of rogue ninja don't come here, or if they do its only in passing, and none of them would ever agree to help open up a new hidden village here. Knowing the competition they would have to be desperate to try it, so we don't have anyone to train any people we could get. In the end we got our normal army and navy, and when the times comes he hire from one of the big three, or from some of the smaller ones."
Toshiaki felt like he had a revelation, he didn't know if it was from the alcohol or his own mind but at this point it didn't matter. "So it means that if we could establish our own hidden village, we could give everyone bloody noses!"
"Hmmm" Kanko slammed his mug down after taking another sip from it "why are we still talking about them damn shinobi?"
"Uh" Yoshitoshi looked up from his drink "what were we talking about?"
"I asked what's wrong with the new church."
Taroemon shook his head. "Plenty is wrong with em."
"It's a cult." Kanko took another quick sip of his drink.
"They talk about repenting for your sins, about working together and…"
Kanko raised his voice. "What sins do I have?" his eyes narrowed. "Are you accusing me of something?"
"No" Toshiaki shook his head with fervor "I …. Just, you know…."
"Calm down, Kanko" Yoshitoshi placed a hand on the man's shoulder and smiled at him. "Looks like you had one to many today."
Kanko he nodded. "Yeah, maybe I have, reckon its best time to head on back. Good night, be seeing you lot later then."
When he stepped outside the tavern Kanko took a deep breath of clean air, nighttime was fast approaching, he began making his way down street, slowly he entered a side passage, he fumbled for a moment before finding the key in his pants pocket and entering the building.
He only took a few steps inside before he saw a person coming out of the shadows, even with the robes one could still make out the strong arms under them.
He nodded to the man in greeting who returned the gesture. "I believe we can save, Toshiaki Muraoka, sadly Yoshitoshi Kase and Taroemon Soga are lost to us, brother Hiroki."
The man let out a sigh and shook his head. "Only for the moment, a shame that they cannot see the light, yet we can still pray for them, and hope that they shall reconsider their ways."
"Aye, brother." He had seen the light and would ensure others would as well.
Naruto was laughing as hard he could, honestly it wasn't his fault his teachers had such poor skills. He wiped the tears from his eyes looking at the upside down Mizuki, the man's right foot was still caught by the wire he had used for the trap, the man was trying his hardest to get free. A similar scene was occurring with the other teacher, Umino Iruka; the difference was that both the man's feet were caught in the wire. It had been a more difficult task to prepare the traps, hooking the ninja wire to the walls and making sure it could handle their weight had been fun tasks for him. Maybe I can still find some fun in pranks after all.
Chouji leaned near to him from his right side. "Did you really have to do that?"
He looked surprised while answering. "You think I did that?"
Yakumo looked amused and leaned closer to him from his left side. "You didn't?"
He shrugged. "Who knows?"
Yakumo shook her head but couldn't keep the smile of her face. "Disruption of the class aside, it does point out some glaring problems with out teacher's skills."
He smiled nodding to the girl. "I know, right Yaku-chan?"
Chouji looked confused at the two. "Huh?"
"I mean, those two" she motioned to the two trapped men "are supposed to chunin and yet here they are falling for such easy traps."
"Oy!" he looked indignant at her "I'm sure whoever made those; I'm not saying it was me or anything, would be offended by them being called easy."
She gave him a deadpan expression as a response. "Is simple a better word?"
He nodded. "A tad better, besides as our dear sensei just showed you should never underestimate even a simple looking trap."
"Yeah, that's true;" Chouji nodded his head "I remember someone from my clan was talking about losing his teammate to some elaborate trap, he studied up on the matter really hard after that. My dad has him teaching the younger generation about traps nowadays."
Yakumo looked back at the two trapped men. "Do you think our dear senseis will cover traps this year?"
"After this display?" Chouji shrugged. "Possibly."
"Not my fault they ignored this stuff, it's a rather, um what's the word… not looked at? Not studied?"
"Overlooked?" Yakumo supplied.
"Yeah that's it!" He nodded enthusiastically. "It's an overlooked art, heck the good thing about it is that even non clan shinobi can get good at it."
Yakumo nodded. "True, it does take time to set things up though, time a shinobi will not always have."
"Maybe, a good trap user could scrounge something up in no time flat, and heck any delaying action can help right?"
"I'll admit as much." She replied.
"Hey" Chouji's voice drew their attention "I think Mizuki sensei is about to get out of it."
"Heh, I win a snack!" he smiled.
"What?"
Yakumo sighed seeing Chouji's confused expression. "I bet with Naruto that if our teachers got caught in a trap of sorts, Umino-san would be the first to get out of it" she sent a quick glare at said man. "I lost the bet."
"Heh, I didn't think much of any of them, so I just went with the other guy."
While three talked amongst themselves aware that other children could be listening in on their conversation, they didn't know just how attentively a small purple haired girl was listening to them. She was fascinated with the so called simple trap used to incapacitate her teachers, she felt hope blossom inside her heart when she heard how even civilian children could become great shinobi by mastering the art of trap making.
If this is something simple then what else can be done with it?
"A medic confirmed it as well, you have been giving your students steroids, Hirai how do you explain your actions."
The atmosphere in the headmaster's office was thick with tension, after sending both injured students to the infirmary Katsue had been left in charge of the class while the two men retreated to the headmaster's office.
Hirai felt like squirming under his old teacher's gaze, he felt like he should apologies for his actions, never the less the held onto his belief. "We're ninjas, we're supposed to cheat, nothing's below us, we do what we have to win and that's that."
The headmaster raised an eyebrow in response. "I see, it is fascinating that even with your methods the children still lost, your prized student lost as well."
"I…." he shook his head "wasn't expecting that from him, I was sure he would win, I thought that the only person he would lose would be against was the Sanada girl."
"And yet he did not lose against her, he lost against someone else, a person who is not viewed as a prodigy or ace student."
"No, he didn't." He let out a resigned breath.
"Do you see what you did wrong?"
"The only think I did wrong is that I got caught. I do no regret giving them the drugs; it helped the children progress in leaps and bounds! It could help them stay alive out on the field! Every advantage helps!"
The headmaster pulled a file from a desk drawer and placed it in front of his subordinate. "In this file is a report about the use of steroids on children so young, during the second shinobi war to help rush out more capable troops a small study was conducted. Yes" he nodded towards the man "steroids were given to the children to better prepare them as you think, the results in the short term were agreeable with your current train of thought." He continued when he was the beginning of a smile on the man's face. "In the long term it destroyed the people involved in the study, a number of health problems plagued those involved. If you had studied more on the matter this wouldn't have happened, if you had come to me with the idea we could have discussed it."
"Sensei I…you helped us when…"
"Silence boy!" He slapped a hand on his desk. "I helped the others and you when he came to me with the drug money you and the others stole during that mission. I killed the man when he came to me seeking advice because he wanted confess everything to the authorities. I did it because I knew it would do more harm then good if he came forward, careers would have been ruined and Konoha's image tarnished. I won't help you here, you've gone against what I stand for, what this place is supposed to mean." He stopped and took a breath before leveling a hard gaze at the man in front of him. "You will no longer be a teacher at the academy; I hope your skills aren't rusty because you will be joining Anbu."
"What?"
"Yes, I keep in touch with other students of mine, even those from your old group, they will help you in joining Anbu and it is there that you will seek penance for what you have done."
Hirai nodded his again, he knew there wasn't anything else to say, he would at least get out with life. "Very well sensei."
"Do you think it was the prodigies that held the line at the Blood Gulch? Do you think they were there when Iwa was raining down death on our heads? No boy, we" he motioned his hand to the pictures behind him "simple shinobi held the bloody line; we kept the enemy at bay not your prodigies. I didn't want you to try and make them prodigies I wanted you to make them good shinobi."
"What is this? Why would people even make a hole there?" Naruto rubbed his chin, looking at the object in front of him, a large grey stone with a small hole in it near the trunk of a tree. The three friends had a met up in a forested area in Konoha to train, during the break from their training Naruto had stumbled upon the stone while wondering around the place.
"I don't know" Yakumo shrugged her shoulders looking at the rock with a raised eyebrow "there must have been a reason for it."
Chouji coughed to get their attention. "I think it's a sacred stone."
Naruto blinked looking at Chouji; carefully he stuck a finger in his right ear and wiggled it then removed the finger, he blinked owlishly. "Can you repeat that?"
Yakumo looked wide eyed at Chouji; she had heard very few things about such things, in her mind the former rock might be an old shrine.
"Yeah" Chouji nodded "I think it's a sacred stone."
Naruto rolled his eyes. "A sacred stone, really a stone is somehow sacred?"
Chouji shrugged. "I saw a few on a trip with my dad, he didn't say a lot about them, just that they had been there for a long time."
"Huh" he rubbed his chin "well I'm bored enough, you guys want to check the library about these stones?"
Yakumo nodded. "Well, our training is almost done, the rest we can do later, we could investigate this matter while taking a break to recover our strengh."
Chouji opened another bag of chips. "If you guys want, I agree."
The trip to the library had been slow and uneventful, while Naruto had a faster pace he had to slow down to match his companions slower speed, with their recent training his friends stamina had taken a hit and their pace had suffered because of it.
He wasn't sure whatever it was time he had spent at the library before or if time had healed the wounds; however the librarian, Hoshi Yoshimura, hadn't seemed bothered by his presence this time around.
He cast a quick look behind him. Maybe it's just because Chouji and Yakumo are here as well.
The conversation regarding the books had gone smoothly enough.
"Ah yes" the woman smiled "we have some books on those things."
She actually knows about these things? He kept the surprise in his voice. "You know about them?"
The woman nodded and smiled. "It's from a time long ago, no written records are left from that time, the stone are from that particular era, back then they were considered sacred and people came to sacrifice silver, blood, red ribbons and coins to them, asking for welfare and prosperity." She scratched her chin thinking on the matter. "It's theorized that the little holes in them; were probably used to place the sacrifice in. The meaning and function of the holes is however still disputed; according to some treaties they may have had a calendar function."
The smile came to his face naturally as did the words. "That's cool."
Chouji stopped in between chips. "Yeah, I never knew they had that kind of history."
Yakumo nodded. "Interesting."
The librarian looked pleased with their responses judging by the smile that appeared on her face.
A lost era huh? I wonder what Yukimura and Sayaka know about that time. "Is there anything else about them?"
The woman's brows furrowed and her face took a downcast expression, she shook her head. "Other then a few treaties that have parts dedicated to them, no, they are tied to the treaties about travelling forests."
Travelling? Now this I have to hear about. He used his best curious expression and fixed his gaze on the woman's eyes, he noticed the interests in his friend's eye as well. "What are those?"
Hoshi cleared her throat and started in a lecture tone raising a slim finger. "The old stories tell that when people are mean, greedy and cruel in some place, the forests will leave that place."
What the? "Really?" he asked sheepishly, Yakumo looked unconvinced while Chouji seemed to accept her words as the truth.
"Yes" she nodded her head seeming pleased with gaining their attention "the Land of Fire reportedly has such forests; a few researchers stated that the forests around Konoha are travelling forests as well."
Yakumo thankfully stated what he wanted to ask. "I heard that the first Hokage was rumored to have created them."
The woman coughed, embarrassed. "Well, that's a more popular version."
Yes, as it makes the first Hokage sound stronger, can't say that I'm surprised by this, it helps to make his legend far lager. "Is the Land of Fire the only place with such forests?"
"No" she shook her head "some old stories tell how the Land of Stone was abandoned by its forests, the Land of Forests as well, the name is a give away, stories had it that the Land of Forests is the place where many travelling forests settled in. It's also why the Land of Stones has an enmity with the Land of Forests; their own stories tell how the people from the Land of Forests stole their forests with magic, out of jealousy because of their beauty, after destroying their own forests."
That's one way to explain old enmities. "Do you have a lot of books about this kind of stuff?"
"The library does have a few books, though some are restricted given you age, and you won't be able to take the rest home with you."
"No problem; we can use the study halls here, reading about this stuff sound cool." he looked back to his two friends. "Right guys?"
Yakumo nodded. "It has a small interest, and we can use our break for it."
"Sure why not, it sounds neat."
He turned back to the woman. "There you go mam."
"Alright then, why don't you three take a seat while I look some of the books up."
"Heh, we bagged another one pal!" Taido slapped his friend on the back smiling.
"They will join us." Eiji's tone made it clear that is wasn't a question.
"Yep" Taido nodded while smiling "with that we have another strong point in the country."
Eiji cast a quick look the map near him making more calculations. "An, important one, with it's vicinity to the Land of Sea."
"I also heard an interesting scoop."
"Oh?" He returned his gaze back to his friend.
"Its about the Ohara family, see, they're still a tad upset about the loss of land they suffered a couple of years back, with a few promises and some land after you get the title, they could possible join us as well."
"Hmm…" he scratched his chin thinking about the matter "I haven't heard much about them in the capital."
"Yeah, there's a reason for it, see, a couple years ago the head of the family died of a stroke, now the thing is that he didn't have any children, however he did have other family, a brother, two sisters, and three cousins. Usually the main title and land would have gone to the older sister or if you made a large enough dispute about it, maybe the younger brother. Once it was her's the new lord could have divided the lands amongst the family or kept it for herself, that doesn't matter that much."
He raised an eyebrow trying to see the invisible strings in the story. "Why bring it up then?"
"Shush, now, this is the interesting part, one of the neighboring lords really wanted a chunk of that land, and he was good friends with the wife of the daimyo. So while the old man's family was talking about who gets the pie and how to carve it up, the neighbor swooped in grabbed the pie and showed everyone the middle finger while doing it. The wife convinced her husband to put some pressure on the Ohara family to see things their way, now that was bad enough, but the excuse used was that the guy had purer blood in his veins, claiming that he was more related to the old lord's bloodline then the rest of the family. Heh, complete bullshit, however with the daimyo backing him, he got his way and gained a good chunk of land. The families been wanting revenge on the guy ever since, they've been in a state of cold war for the past years."
"Is that why I haven't heard that much about the two families?"
"Yep, they keep each other in check for the most part, I have to give the guy credit for what he pulled off, and how he's been maintaining it every since, keeping the family in check couldn't have been easy."
"Hmm, why should I side with this person? The man doesn't sound bad; he pulled himself up by his own boot strings, reached a position that was perhaps beyond his believed status." He narrowed his eyes. "What else is there about him?"
"I knew you'd say that, the guy is actually a swindler, it's how he got his position in the first place. He's a bag filled with hot air, an incredibly expensive and ornate bag. Worse is, he's hungry, really hungry, so much that if you trust him and give him some power, he'll try and gobble as much land as he can. He will slash your throat if he thinks he gain something, on the political side, he doesn't have all that much power or a strong base. The reasons no one's tried to make a move on him and that he still has the land is because the daimyo wants to honor the promise that he made to his dead wife, which involves letting the man keep the land. Once the daimyo dies though…"
"I see, very well then, I will take this into consideration and analyze how this can fit into the plan."
"Great then!" He moved towards his bag and pulled out a bottle of liquor, he cast another glance around the room. "I got ask no Azuka?"
"No" he recovered two glasses from a shelf "she is with our friends."
"The new ones?"
"Yes." Eiji nodded.
Carefully he poured making sure not to waste any of precious liquid. "How are things coming along with them?"
"As can be expected, there haven't been any road bumps."
"So all going according to plan?"
"Yes."
"Great, looking forward to seeing them in action, huh." Taido put a hand over his mouth as he started laughing.
"Why are laughing?"
"Just picture it, what will they have on their head bands? The symbol of a cup of hot tea?"
Eiji slapped himself. "You're an idiot."
"Ah see, you have to laugh from time to time man. Besides I am right, aren't I?"
"Uh," he couldn't stop the smile forming on his face "yes. How would that even look?"
The librarian took her time with bringing them the books, the surprise that she brought a large stack, had in Naruto's mind made up for the latter waiting, the three decide to each go through a pile and read what caught their eye.
"So what did you guys read about?"
Yakumo went first. "I read about a place called the Grotto of Dreams, stories told of a cave deep in the ground where once the goddess Lliira, the Lady of Joy, slept for a time, and dreamt. It was written that the stones of the grotto still recalled the power of Lliira's dreams, and that anyone who found the cave and entered would know the joy of his or her greatest dream."
"Her dream or yours?" What do gods dream I wonder?
She didn't think much about the question. "You would experience yours; just imagine it, your greatest dream."
Ah, your clan returned.
Chouji nodded. "That sounds great."
Great for some perhaps. "Did the books say where it was located?"
Yakumo shook her head sadly. "No, it was lost; some mountains were mentioned however no one knows exactly which mountains these are supposed to be. A few scholars think that the mountains in the Land of Earth may actually be the ones referenced. Others believed it was even farther away near the Land of Iron."
Seeing his friend's expression Chouji started talking. "I read about a place called Kurys that was a dream land, a meadow belonging to the dead, which could be visited by some people in their sleep. Visitors were said that they could bring back miraculous seeds of luck and good fortune, sometimes pursued by the dead, inexperienced souls could end bringing back fever and sickness instead"
Yakumo nodded. "That sounds like an interesting place."
"Yeah, a land of dreams sounds cool." Did Yukimura eat the place?
He cleared his throat before starting his part. "I read about a few places, the first was the city of Tel-Valah, which was guarded by twin headlands of crystals that rise from the sea and meet in a resplendent arch. The books stated that in the Land of Tel-Valah there was neither time nor space, neither suffering nor death. The land was filled with green groves and pastures, each with bright and fragrant flowers, blue and musical streams, clear and cool fountains, and stately and gorgeous the temples, castles, and cities of Tel-Valah. Stories told that there was no bound to land, for beyond each vista of beauty rose another more beautiful. Over the countryside and amidst the splendor of cities the happy fold moved at will, of whom were gifted with unmarred grace and unalloyed happiness." Seeing their entrapped expressions he continued.
"The City of a Thousand Wonders, The Magask, wherein was said that resided all those mysteries that mankind has striven in vain to fathom. The spires of its temples reached into the sky, so that no man might behold their peaks; far back beyond the horizon stretched the grim, gray walls, over which one might spy only a few roofs, weird and ominous, yet adorned with rich friezes and alluring sculptures. People would yearn to enter the city and behold its great wonders. However it was a trap, a warning was left for the people who wished to go there. Into Magask, the City of a Thousand Wonders, many have passed but none returned. Therein walk only daemons and mad things that are no longer men, and the streets are white with the unburied bones of those who have looked upon the god, that reigns over the city."
Chouji looked horrified at him. "That sounds horrible."
Yakumo nodded before her eyes narrowed looking at him. "It does, however I didn't know you knew such big words."
He smiled and showed her his tongue. "They where in the book."
Yakumo nodded again looking at her friend, the wheels in her head turning. "I suppose they where."
"Stop, I've noticed recently that you've deviated from the clan style."
"Yes." Yakumo nodded her head looking at her uncle, the man looked as stern as he always did, his posture was straight and his eyes seemed to judge her every move.
"This change is" he seemed to weigh his option before continuing "…acceptable, my question, is about the nature of these changes, where they born from you or" his eye's narrowed at her "someone else?"
So, he's finally decided to ask about the issue, I've expecting this for a while, lets see what else I can learn from his reactions. "I've learned it from someone else."
"Who's been teaching you?" his entire posture became sterner "What have they asked for in return?"
Yakumo shook her head. "He hasn't asked for anything, the person whose been teaching me is my friend, Naruto." The reaction had been what she expected and more, far too much for her to understand all of it. There was anger, rage, and something else in his eyes, she realized it was fear, she couldn't her finger on why it was exactly, but she would find out soon enough. An instant passed and she her uncle's hand twitch, she could almost feel it smacking against her face, air flooded her lungs as she prepared for the blow.
"Has he now?"
The breath escaped her, her uncle had restrained himself as she expected, he was one to rarely lose his temper in such a way. "Yes." She nodded again, she couldn't quit pin his tone.
"And how does he know such things, has been someone been teaching him in secret?"
"Not from what he's told me."
"Then how?" The man's eyes narrowed again.
"He told me how he's been at the academy for a few years now, time in which he's had to learn to survive there, he was a smaller child then the rest of his peers so he found a way to if not fight then survive against them, given his nature." a spark of something in his eyes. "I'm not surprised."
"Nature?" The man's asked.
"Yes" she nodded her head. "I believe there's something about his family, they did something that has left a mark on him and it's why everyone treats him so differently."
"You've thought about the matter haven't you; tell me to what conclusions you have reached?"
"The way people look at him, the teachers, civilians and even some of the shinobi, it isn't natural, there's something else causing it. I thought that perhaps it was because of his family, however the Uzumaki clan were great allies of Konoha, one of the greatest regrets of the village is Uzu's fall during the second war, the Hokage is said to have taken to the field when word reached of the attack on Uzu. It can't possibly be that, they can't hate him for being one; maybe the people would feel guilt and see him as a constant reminder of their loss."
Another spark of something in the man's eyes, she was on the right track. "The problem with that is that it happened a long time ago, most of the people who lived in that period are either old or dead, so it can't be that. I think its something more recent" another spark, so she getting warmer, "it has to be something tied to his parents, perhaps they were shinobi that were held in high esteem, mostly likely they would gained their fame during the third great shinobi war. One of if not both of the parents must have been well known in the village when they were alive, but something happened to sour things, they either turned traitor or failed an important mission."
"It's why now the people look at him in such a way, they are reminded of what could have been, I've seen him fight, I thing he has more stamina then our teachers, and he's a lot more skilled when it comes to taijutsu. I believe that a parent of his was a high ranking shinobi, maybe even S class that became a hero during the war, and that after their fall the Hokage decided to give him a new family name to make sure that he could have a semblance of a normal life, one without the burdens of his parent's actions."
"So this is your conclusion? Very interesting my dear."
She pushed the matter. "It's the truth isn't it?"
The man shook his head disappointed. "You would not ask if you knew it to be certain."
"I want to confirm it."
"What has he told you about the issue?"
"He doesn't know and doesn't think too much on matter."
"But he is aware of it?"
"Yes, though he looks to ignore it for the most part."
"I see."
"Aren't I correct?"
"You've done well in your investigation my dear, truly well thought out, as expected of you."
She smiled even fearing what came next.
"You are wrong about the conclusion you've reached however."
"What? But, he has skill in taijutsu and stamina; those must have been inherited from a parent!"
"Keep your emotions in check Yakumo! Think clearly on the matter."
"I've seen how even the librarian looked at him when we visited the place. Was one of his parents a potential Hokage candidate?"
"Now you are just over reaching, I commend you for your work thus far, wrong as it may be, I will not stop you if you wish to further investigate the matter you've come quite far on your own, however it must be done in secret, more so then until now. There is a secret behind the treat of the boy, one that may cost us everything if not handled properly, do you understand?"
"Yes, uncle."
"No, you don't, not yet, but you will in time. Now as to his training, you are to come to me with whatever he teaches you from now, I will decide whether you continue to study those lessons."
He must want to judge them first and then see how to best implement them in my training, I am the future of the clan and the teachings I pass down will be vital to the restoration of the clan, of course he'd want only the best. "Yes, uncle."
"As I knew you would, now let us will finish our lesson."
-the description of Tel-Valah is from a H.P. Lovecraft story, its Sona-Nyl
-the description of the city is The Thalarion
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