Chapter 1-44
The original would not like that, I reckoned, as I gazed at Hifumi. After the touchy-feely part was done with, I did my level best not to stare too much.
Her hair was now fully grayed, wrinkles now more pronounced, and the limp was ever-present.
I couldn't help but note how my old caretaker had seemed to have aged more than she should have given the few years I had been gone.
People grow old and died!
I forcefully reminded myself of a simple rule. There was no point in getting worked up over a fundamental law of nature.
Still, it was a bit of a shock to the system that her big and genuine smile only softened so much.
"Come in, come in," she said and almost giddily steered me inside.
Remaining quiet, I just smiled and followed her, secretly glad that I henge'd my ANBU getup into some normal clothing. This early, after breakfast, the kids should do their various lessons, but I didn't want to risk it and cause a scene with some random tyke wandering the halls. I was considerate like that.
Anyway.
I followed Hifumi toward the mess hall, if I remembered correctly, and sure enough, through the open doorway, I heard a faint clinking of dishware and cutlery, and then saw an unfamiliar caretaker at the sink.
Seemingly unbothered with the audience, Hifumi went to the nearest table and motioned for me to take a seat, too.
I wordlessly deposited the box of her favorite dango sticks in front of her, which she thanked me for with another broad smile and a grateful nod, and sat down opposite her.
"Look at you, all grown up," she said, and I detected genuine pride in her voice. I answered with a smile, just to hide the wince.
"How has it been around here?" I asked instead, intent on steering the conversation away from my questionable self.
"Loud, hectic," Hifumi began with a laugh as if it was hilarious that I thought it could have been anything else. "But a joy all the same."
"That's good," I mumbled with a sigh, relieved that she was happy.
"So, was your mission a success?" she asked good-naturedly, but oblivious.
"Mostly," I answered with a shrug. Until it wasn't, remained obviously unsaid.
"I'm a bit of a teacher now," I continued with more enthusiasm since it was partially the reason I was here.
"At the academy?" Hifumi perked up, clearly not expecting this course of action by me.
"More like a remedial teacher for some of the Genin to prepare for the exam," I answered. Why and how that came to be, I glossed over in favor of getting to the point.
"I have nine kids in desperate need of a wake-up call," I continued.
"And I thought about sending those with the needed requirements control-wise to you for some lessons," I said and watched Hifumi's eyes widen. To keep an initial negative reaction at bay, given the responsibilities and the workload every student was going to bring with them, I hurriedly plowed on.
"In exchange, they would help around here in any way or form you see fit. Groceries, gardening, playing with the kids, they would do as you say."
"Oh, dear," Hifumi said, biting her lip, and clearly unsure of the sudden proposition.
"They are good kids, pampered clan kids, but still alright," I revealed with a shrug. "It isn't the reason I'm asking this."
I turned serious, almost pensive.
"Things have been going too smoothly for too long," I said and absently scratched my forehead. "I have this uneasy feeling that something is on the horizon."
"Has this to do with your time in Kiri?" Hifumi asked quietly, perhaps sensing that things hadn't been as swimmingly as I had made it out to be.
"Among others," I answered tiredly. "Let's just say that I'm not the only one that's uneasy."
"So…?"
I sighed and tried again.
"The absolute fundamentals, chakra-based first aid, stuff they can learn within a month," I said, and again I shrugged. "Like I said, the ones I have in mind aren't stupid."
"What about their senseis?" Hifumi asked warningly, and I sensed a winning battle.
"On board," I answered without hesitation.
"They will be on their best behavior around the children and no arguments," the old lady warned, and despite the words, her tone suggested weary acceptants.
"You can bet on that!"
After some chitchat that somehow ended with Hifumi blushing and clapping giddily at the news that I was moving in with Hana, I sadly had to decline tea and treats in favor of going to work.
At least that's what I told Hifumi.
Waving goodbye as I rounded a corner, I popped out of existence the second I was out of sight.
The slight widening of eyes of my twin was the sign that he, too, got the memo from our recently departed brother.
"Original will be pleased," he said, mirroring my own thoughts.
"All the more reason we master this fully," I answered and concentrated.
'Temporary Paralysis Technique!'
I projected my chakra at my twin and watched.
His eyes widened, and then a fraction of a second later, he nodded. Despite the lackluster results, the shadow clone looked satisfied.
Unsurprisingly.
It was one of the most basic jutsu, and only true mastery made it viable, inexperience even made it a liability. And, yet, I found it to be endlessly fascinating.
The execution of the technique was heavily borrowed from Genjutus, but it was considered a Ninjutsu. It's said that a target or targets would be physically immobilised, as though they've been tied down with invisible steel ropes.
But that wasn't true. It was a mental attack, which would be another point in favor of Genjutsu.
Long, long ago, Hifumi had once explained the sensing of a regular shinobi as simply picking up the ill intention of an enemy. A sixth sense that made the hairs stand up.
I was fairly certain it was simply the unintentional and mostly unwitting use of the jutsu. The desire to attack was accidentally projected via chakra, and picked up by the victim.
Why did I know all this?
Mastery had made it a tool for ANBU like me and a toy for guys like Zabuza. You could literally scare someone stiff simply with your intentions. Just a heartbeat or two, but that was more than enough for a professional to do their deed.
Why was this jutsu so interesting?
It was a gateway for a skill.
The conscious projection of killing intent. It was the Temporary Paralysis Technique dialed up to eleven.
It sounded simple, just project absolutely murderous and true intent on your victim. Perhaps it was for the likes of Orochimaru and Zabuza, but for me it thankfully wasn't.
What could I do to beef up my presence?
Could I project the crude visualisation of a gruesome genjutsu and disguise it as my killing intent? Scare someone shitless at the drop of a head with no overt genjutsu, without the express desire for the death of my opposite?
Fantasy for honest malice?
Let's find out.
This was the good kind of boring, I reckoned.
I could live with that, at least for the time being.
We were the shadows of Konoha, the silent protectors. It's what I would say if I was trying to be dramatic.
In truth, we were a glorified police force that patrolled the village without being seen. That's what we were, and why this was also meant as an exercise for ANBU rookies.
It was fairly relaxing, but slacking off was still a big no-no.
In hindsight, police was perhaps the wrong classification, I thought, as I hid with my three-man squad in the shadow of an apartment block.
Shinobi rarely steered up trouble because they knew we were there, and more often than not, other nearby shinobi could handle the situation. Same went for civilians.
If we truly had to step in, there would be serious consequences for the offender. Everybody knew that, and that made things thankfully quite uneventful for us.
What we did was keep an eye out for unsavory foreigners, spies, saboteurs and so on.
Unlikely, but that's what Iwa had thought as well when I had sat through their exam.
Or the Hyuuga for that matter. The fucking idiots!
"Well!" I perked up from my musings when my squad leader turned around. "Ten o'clock. Another good day at the office!" The guy cheered with faux enthusiasm, which I appreciated at least for the effort.
"Same time, same place tomorrow," he ordered while giving me a thumbs up, which was probably meant to ruffle my feathers in a good-naturedly manner. "Good job, newbie." Case in point.
I took it in stride. I honestly didn't even mind it.
I had genin to motivate.
Serious-question-time, guys!
After some comments, I'm toying with the idea of a Pa tr e on-page.
Are there people willing to support me?
People, as in adults, who don't mind the occasional buck or two with reasonable expectations toward an idiot like me.
Currently, I'm just writing to get ideas out of my head. Such an endeavor would change this to a degree.
As an absolute beginner author with English as my second language, I could offer (as of now):
chapters early
a rigorous exchange between writer and reader (genuine input, ideas, corrections, improvements, etc.)
the posting/adding of omakes with the respective credit
a million and a half plot-bunnies, that I would like to explore with you