Hi. Sorry I took so long, guys, it was a rather unpleasant week, all told. Just a bit tired right now, but I whooped up a double length for you guys, with a bit of extra special lore presentation at the end.
Shoutout to Tjuparulla and nNm71, had some great discussions and had fun answering some real fuckin' questions over there. Shoutout to Tony McNucklz, always with the insightful reviews and I love 'em!
Enjoy!
Part Six
Pain and Gain - Part 3
Relevant Interlude: Hana Hagane
April 15
Hana finished her morning ablutions and preparations, checking for any flaws in her mirror one last time. Her raven hair was in satisfactory condition, the wavy bob framing her angular features to her standards. Her stylized ANBU-derived forest green suit was draped by an open Chūnin flak jacket instead of her preferred ANBU armor, but she made it work. The ankle bandages were properly wrapped on her ankles. Rather than shinobi sandals like most, she chose to wear light boots in order to cover her 'reason' for retirement.
She had a prosthetic foot.
She could see her eyes churning with the memory of her last ANBU mission. A routine reconnoiter mission around the border of the Land of Fire and Land of Hot Springs, where there were rumblings of some sort of cult. It had turned into a complete nightmare, as it turned out that the 'Cult' was actually a menagerie of some of the former shinobi of what was once Yūgakure, who'd started a cult that gave them power derived from suffering. They'd taken an entire town, tortured the innocent people in it to please their so-called god, and rooted the ANBU out, forcing them into a combat situation. Hana had been forced to take on the leader, Hidan, alongside Koto Inuzuka.
She did not consider it a victory.
Yes, the cult was repressed. Yes, the cult was scattered, most of its believers captured or killed. Yes, the town had been saved, even when there was practically nothing left to save. But Hidan had cost her the life of Koto on her watch, as well as her leg with that strange technique. After he'd somehow assimilated her blood and initiated his technique, she shot out a high-pressure jet of water, severing his leg and disrupting the seal at his feet, but not before mangling her own leg as a result. Half of the squadron had died to them, and Hidan had somehow escaped, making it into the bingo books as former Yūgakure's first S-Rank shinobi.
He'd never been seen since.
And so, according to her records, the injury effectively ended her career as ANBU, having been deemed physically unable to fully maintain the standard that resulted in her turnout of 47 C-Ranks, 54 B-Ranks, 39 A-Ranks, and 4 S-Rank missions. She voluntarily demoted to Chūnin, taking less risky missions to earn her keep, but she was not beyond kicking the asses of bandits every now and then. Then, on eventual advice of Maki Hyūga, she retired from active duty, deciding to pass a modicum of her hard-earned skills on to the next generation. She could not be a Chūnin-sensei, therefore the logical decision was to become an Academy sensei instead. Not only would her presence raise the standards of each class she taught and the standards of each teacher, it would also serve as an unexpected deterrence to any infiltrators in case the worst happened. There was one particular class year with particularly important children - clan heirs, the last Uchiha, and the Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi no Yoko - and while she would not teach them, her presence served as an assurance and deterrent.
Everyone knew she was ANBU because ANBU allowed everyone to know.
What they did not know was that she was not retired.
The investigation into Tōji Mizuki bore fruit, having been looked into by a detachment of ROOT, and through Operative Yin, Danzo's Black Ops org uncovered a chance encounter between him and S-Class rogue ninja, Orochimaru. Tōji had been seduced by the man's power and came to the point of not only becoming a low-level contact for him, but he also betrayed his teammates in that fateful mission.
SOP would have determined his death from that moment, but Danzo, and thus Hiruzen, had different plans. He was only of a low level - and, perhaps because Orochimaru knew they knew, it remained so - but he was a potential key element to unraveling the path to the rogue ninja's end. Therefore, his psych evaluations came clear. Therefore, Hana was retired and eventually assigned to the Academy.
Outside of his poorly hidden hatred of Uzumaki Naruto, Tōji was an exemplary teacher, drawing from years of field experience to paint a more comprehensive picture of the life of a shinobi, and supplementing Iruka's lectures with fun diversions and tips. He masterfully presented a lighthearted, jocular nature to his students and colleagues, hiding the pain like everyone else, and hiding his disdain for them, not only for their perceived weaknesses, but for allowing the Jinchūriki to come as far as he had in his education (which, worryingly, was not that far, something she'd ensured to report). Despite that he disliked his colleagues and job, he maintained his role well, forcing patience on himself, waiting for an opening that would allow him to eventually execute his ultimate plan.
The Scroll of Seals. A droll motivation for a droll ninja.
All in all, Tōji had the makings of a traitor that would definitely be put down at some point in the next 24 months, once that connection became irrelevant and he actually moved for the Scroll.
It was routine. Almost boring, even - apprehending Mizuki would present no challenge, even with her leg.
And then Minato Yakushi came in.
The boy was a walking pile of perplexing contrasts. Nothing, absolutely nothing in her opinion suggested he was a spy, potential traitor, or emotionally imbalanced as any child would be. There were files on him since the day of his birth - born and raised in the Konoha Orphanage (which the matron of said orphanage, herself a former shinobi, attested to with a fond smile), started in the General Education at the age of four and moved on to the Shinobi Academy when he was eight. On the contrary, he stood out far more than any would like to, as an orphan that was well provided for, nothing in his past suggested that he would have any sort of reason to hate Konoha or betray it, and he was completely stable. As if he was an adult and had found his footing in the world.
"Why train like this?" Hana asked him once, around the first month after he'd re-unlocked his chakra. "Why are you so determined now?"
He seemed surprised at the question, and genuinely had to think about it for a second. "Don't I have to?" he asked, eventually. "Doesn't everyone?"
"Not everyone," she shook her head. "There are still contingencies in place for if people cannot pass the Academy Exam."
He nodded, rolling that thought over in his head. "I see. And how long does it take before those contingencies assimilate the failed student into a normal life?"
"It depends on them."
"So, years?"
She thought over her answer, but she gave nothing away on her face. "Perhaps."
"So I'll keep at it. It's easier to set goals as a shinobi."
Hana decided not to tell him that it was easier than he thought it was to be integrated into the civilian life; that not all shinobi saw their paths in the battlefield. She did not, however; she did not want to spoil what she saw in him. "And what is your goal?"
"To be better. Everyone serves Konoha in their own ways, but only shinobi truly determine its tone, its atmosphere, its operational capacity. I just don't want to be swept away in the flow of the river. I want to help."
"What kind of job would you take, to that end?"
"Chūnin-sensei, Jōnin-sensei preferably. But not to any specific team."
"Why?"
He looked at her. "I figured out Tree Walking from nothing. It's not so extraordinarily difficult to execute - only requires training and commitment. Why weren't we taught this?"
"It's not in your syllabus."
"Why? Is it not an essential movement skill, for a shinobi? The higher our chakra control, the better the foundation we have when we set out to be ninja, when we go out on missions that could determine the fate of our clients, our team, even our village. So why?"
She decided to present a 'vulnerable' front to him and let herself sigh. "You have a point, though not everyone finds chakra control as easy to improve as you do -"
"Hence -" he interrupted, "and I apologize for speaking over you, Sensei - but hence, Item Concentration." He picked up his kunai, balancing it almost perfectly still on a finger with nothing but his palm and a precise application of chakra. Hana almost blinked, analyzing that application while keeping her eye on him. She could think of at least five ways to use the kunai or any other item from that position to kill an opponent - so, something for her to practise later.
She might even find benefits relevant to her ultimate technique, one that only one shinobi had ever mastered.
They called him Mū, The Null Man.
"From what I can see, it builds a good foundation for Tree Walking, especially if I try it around my legs and feet. It forces me to use more chakra to keep the item balanced or stuck to me, which builds the strength of my tenketsu and chakra coils. I admit, going to Tree Walking from there is a significant step, but it's better t-than nothing!" He gestured helplessly. "What are we learning? Why so little?"
"Because you're not ready," she said firmly. "None of you are. I understand your protests, but yours is not to fight. Not yet. There's no war." She paused. "You should be happy. You're being given a childhood."
He considered it. "You have a point," he admitted, much to her surprise. Her eyes turned to him - a conflicted expression marred his features. The boy knew nothing of war, but it seemed he knew enough. "Yeah. You have a point. We will, someday. It's inevitable, but hopefully it won't be anytime soon."
"Hopefully." She nodded. "Go make some friends."
"I have friends."
"Rock Lee does not count for a plural figure, Yakushi."
"He's loud enough to," the boy muttered, and her lip twitched in amusement.
"Make more friends, Yakushi. You may be training to become one of us, but you're human all the same. No matter how much you lie to yourself." He had that chance. He had the chance not to believe in that lie. He could become powerful, and he could care, too.
He needed something to care about, otherwise he'd collapse under the weight of the pressure he'd put on himself. Like Orochimaru. Like her. Like so many others in her line of work.
"Sure. Can I just, can I ask for one thing in return?"
This brat. Her eyes flickered towards his. "Which would be?"
"I understand why you think we're not ready," he nodded. "I get it. But I want to be better. Graduation only means I have the potential to be a ninja. I would like to work, and work, and work, that I not only have the potential, but I will be ready to live up to it." His eyes glimmered in determination. "Everything I've read about our history points to one thing - this world is cyclical. It is mired in relentless, endless conflict. At this point, it's simply irrelevant who starts it, the result is always the same. Someone is killed, begetting hatred in those left behind, who express that hate through murder, who will murder elsewhere, begetting hatred in those left behind, who start the cycle again. Every single time. And that we have had three major wars in less than eighty years alone, to say nothing of the countless minor conflicts we know of and don't know of... is it right to live like this?"
Her eyes widened. This boy... I cannot say he is a genius, but he certainly thinks like one. Handling him... if he's not a spy, and simply has a different way of thinking, then he must be handled with the utmost care.
She seemed suddenly relieved that he was so receptive of the idea of making friends, and she understood that she had to help foster his loyalty to Konoha - to get him to see the village as his home, and a haven for himself and his friends. To that end, all she had to do was give him what he wanted.
He didn't want power. He wanted to be better.
He had no childish insecurities, no apparent need for companionship (though he gladly participated, sometimes when prompted, sometimes without being prompted - he was becoming closer with Lee every day, despite that he found the other boy an odd duck), nothing but the almost single-minded focus on becoming better. Not stronger - that was a byproduct in his eyes - better.
He was driven to understand his chakra, how it worked, why it worked the way it did, to assimilate the way he used it to be so natural that he wouldn't need hand seals to execute his jutsu.
Some would say that the last shinobi with this kind of obsession was Orochimaru, but they would be wrong. Everything Orochimaru did stemmed from his fear of death. He yearned to master all techniques because they would give him every pathway possible to survive. He yearned for, if the rumors were correct, the Sharingan, because the eyes would give him the power he'd need to survive. He experimented on children with Mokuton, completely unauthorized, because he wanted to find a way to assimilate the cells of Hashirama Senju within his body in order to inherit his longevity.
The deaths of his parents had haunted him far more than Konoha had anticipated, and no one, not even the Third Hokage himself, had anticipated his treachery - and the Hokage had foolishly let him go. It was an act that would've cost him his tenure as Hokage if not for his long service and the fact that there were no ready successors - and the ones that were committed seppuku, betrayed the village, did not want the job, were not even remotely ready for the job, had health issues that made it impossible to keep the job for any notable amount of time (and betrayed the village anyway), or died.
It was impossible to exploit that weakness, simply because he was that strong, and where he was not, he was that good at retreating.
That was Orochimaru.
Yakushi was different.
He was not a prodigy, not even close, but he was smart and driven. Why his gates closed was still a mystery to her and Maki, but that incident seemed to have lit a fire under him. He was finally beginning to show the drive in him everyone had seen in him over a year ago that gave clan children a run for their money, only this time, he was even smarter about it. His focus, unlike so many children, was on finding ways to improve his chakra control in order to harness its abilities to the fullest with the little he had. Instead of thinking about various new 'cool' techniques they could assimilate into their repertoire, his mindset was on draining every drop of quality he could think of from what he already knew and using that to find new paths to improvement.
Others wanted the width of an ocean and would consequently have only the depth of a puddle. Minato focused on having the depth of a river, a dam, a lake, an ocean, regardless of his width. Because he understood that the deeper his level of skill, the better a shinobi he would be. Others always thought a wider level of skill would make them better shinobi, and they were always wrong.
Like Orochimaru. S-Rank he may be, but there was a reason he ran away from Hiruzen Sarutobi instead of killing him on the spot.
How many his age could think of something like that?
No, Minato Yakushi had potential. Far too much potential to leave alone like that.
They said the likes of Neji Hyūga and Sasuke Uchiha were prodigies. In her opinion (and that of many other shinobi of her level) they were talented, but they did not live up to that hype.
Uchiha Itachi was a prodigy. Hatake Kakashi and Sakumo were both prodigies. Maito Gai was a prodigy - at least, in Taijutsu. Namikaze Minato was a prodigy. Orochimaru was a prodigy. Sarutobi Hiruzen, Senju Hashirama and Tobirama, Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Kagami and Izuna, Nara Shikatsu, Senju Tsunade, those people were prodigies.
The pair did not have the level of hype the rest had at their age. They were talented, but utterly uncreative, burdened by their mental weaknesses to the point of a denigration to their own skills. Tenten, if she worked on truly mastering her talent, could be a bigger prodigy than the both of them as they were and would be in the future.
Were Konoha's therapeutic measures so lacking for civilians of their age, or was it simply that they were indeed that bullheaded?
If, perhaps, they could take Yakushi's approach to work and how they thought on that work, then they would definitely become real prodigies in her eyes.
"You want peace?" she asked him.
"Is it possible?"
"No."
"Then I want to help Konoha become even more of a deterrent. To that end, I must become a better ninja. To that end, everyone here can become a better ninja. Maybe someday, I can have the experience to figure it out to show the rest of us how. But for me to do that..." He raised a fist at nothing, channeling visible chakra to it. "...I have to figure out what I'm doing and how to do it better. So, I just have to train, harder and harder, and become a better ninja."
"A good ambition," she nodded. "See that it does not overcome you. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Sensei." His agreement was genuine, with no hints of nervousness.
"Do you understand that there may be an eventual possibility that some would like to keep your ambitions in check, or even hinder it outright?"
"Yes. No one man should have unlimited power. Hokage-sama does not, and neither does our Daimyo. Neither should I."
"And for those who may try to hinder you?"
"I don't know. Maybe I should try to figure out why they have that interest, and what I can say to them to convince them otherwise, or see where and why I'm wrong and what mistake I'm making."
"Why do you see yourself making mistakes? A goal like yours doesn't call for room for mistakes."
Minato gave her a raised eyebrow. "Because I'm not stupid enough to think I can't make mistakes. Everyone does. That includes me." He shrugged. "All that we really can do is figure out what they are and try to not make them again. That's life, right?"
"And if you become crippled?"
He blinked; it seemed he'd never entertained that possibility. In all fairness, no one really did until it happened to them. "I don't know. Maybe I'll just become an Academy sensei. I'll see."
"I see."
Of all the students in his year, he had among the more interesting expression of his three Chakra Classifications. His Chakra Affinity remained unknown, and thus untrained until he began his work on it. His Yin-Yang Ratio was becoming increasingly well-balanced for his age, the strength of his body intertwining well with the strength of his mind, his creativity, talent for connecting dots and unconventional thinking.
His Chakra Quality - the depth and potency of his reserves - was his weakest point, most likely hovering between the highest level an average Academy student could achieve - D-Class - and a low Genin level, C-Class, Low.
But, as affinities could be added and improved on, as could the Yin-Yang Ratio could be adjusted, his Chakra Quality, too, could undergo even more improvement than it already had. He'd made massive strides over the past three and a half months, and so if anyone could reach higher levels, it would be him. Perhaps he could reach her and surpass her someday, and faster than she could estimate of him.
The only question was whether or not he could be trusted to be allowed to, and what level he could reach.
She watched as he laughed with genuine, full joy as he replicated the exercises she had shown him successfully, finally severing a seal properly as he used Kawarimi and chained it with Henge - a Henge of her - with greater rapidity than most, if not all Academy level students. Rock Lee and Tenten applauded him, and they shared a moment of camaraderie before going back to their warmups.
It was well-executed, but too slow, too methodical. He would need to be used to the way repetition of the technique and chaining one technique with another would strain his tenketsu, which meant that she would have to take a more active hand in his training for the week. She was beginning to see what his vision would be for the Final Exam, based on his determination to master the Academy Three.
She was interested. It would be a good achievement for a boy of his level.
Hana was finally beginning to be inclined to trust him. Somewhat. But she would have no problem with taking appropriate measures if he disappointed the modicum of trust she would show him.
Her Kage Bunshin dispelled, and she assimilated its memories. She then turned her attention to the ANBU watching her from 15 meters away, though she had another clone watching the rogue Chuunin.
She made signals that he would see from that distance. - clone dispelled - one clone watching - nothing unusual - target moved from home - destination Academy - no contact with Purple Snake - no contact with Snake associates - no dead drops detected - will inform Dragon of any change in circumstance today -
- acknowledged - The ANBU signalled back, and Shunshinned away.
Hana executed hand seals of her own. Snake. Horse. Hare. Dog.
Hana's chakra rippled outwards, a shroud of ocean-blue chakra covering her obscure body that, too, faded into obscurity, deflecting the sunlight around her body using the moisture in the air. No one would see her, even when she was in front of them - except the Hyuuga, Uchiha, and perhaps the Aburame and Inuzuka.
The jutsu had eight hand seals, and she was on a decent clip in going towards mastering it.
When she truly mastered it, not even they would see her, and she would truly be invisible.
[Mujin Meisai.]
She was gone.
April 14.
Konoha.
Tiger-Boar-Ox-Dog -
[Kawarimi no Jutsu!]
"Faster."
Tiger-Boar-Ox-Dog -!
[Kawarimi no Jutsu!]
"Again."
Tiger-Boar-Ox-Dog -
[Kawarimi no Jutsu!]
"Again!"
Tiger-Boar-Ox-Dog -
[Kawarimi no Jutsu!]
"Better than last week. How much remaining?"
"Three-quarters, I think." I'd done it seven times so far.
A pause, a probe of her chakra, warmer than the first day. "Good. Your senses are improving quickly. Underestimating your reserve size is good practise. Now! Use all the seals."
Tiger-Boar-Ox-Dog-Snake -
[Kawarimi no Jutsu!]
"Again."
Tiger-Boar-Ox-Dog-Snake -
[Kawarimi no Jutsu!]
"Again."
Tiger-Boar-Ox-Dog-Snake -
[Kawarimi no Jutsu!]
"How much chakra?"
"Hm. I'd say about two-thirds."
"Closer to a half or three-quarters?"
"The latter."
"Improve. For the rest of the week, every single time we're here, every second you can spare, I want you to study the Snake seal and the Monkey seal. I want you to imitate its effects exactly in two weeks from today, and have it combat-ready within two months."
"Understood, Hagane-sensei!"
"Now, two Bunshin. Project in front. One seal."
"Got it!"
Tiger.
"Bunshin no Jutsu!"
"Focus. One seal. Project left. Again."
Tiger.
[Bunshin no Jutsu!]
"That one lacks substance, Yakushi. Not enough heat. Dismiss. Again. One seal. Project left and right."
Tiger.
[Bunshin no Jutsu!]
"Improve. Maintain your concentration. Do not dismiss. Again. One seal. Two clones. Front and back summon."
Tiger.
[Bunshin no Jutsu!]
"Dismiss. Again. Front."
Tiger.
[Bunshin no Jutsu!]
"Dismiss. Four clones, four sides."
Tiger.
[Bunshin no Jutsu!]
"Dismiss. Again. Four sides."
Tiger.
[Bunshin no Jutsu!]
"Left does not have substance. Dismiss. Four again, four sides."
Tiger.
[Bunshin no Jutsu!]
"Dismiss."
I dispersed the clones with a somewhat relieved sigh. I wasn't really tired, but I was feeling a weird kind of burn in my body, similar but completely unrelated to my muscles. Probably my chakra coils, maybe my tenketsu. I've never used my chakra to execute techniques in such quick succession before. It's good training.
"Remaining?"
"Half, likely less."
"Good. Save it for your evening studies. Warm down, sit, meditate, regain what you can. Thirty minutes."
"Understood, Hagane-sensei."
"I'll be back."
I almost snorted. All she needed was a pair of sunglasses and an Austrian accent. Sure, she'd come off as more of a Nilin that somehow inexplicably crossed universes and became a Terminator, but when I thought about it, she'd definitely make a decent Skynet Weapon.
With a quiet Shunshin, she was gone.
Hana Hagane was a slave driver and I was loving it.
... Maybe I was starting to become as nuts as everyone in this world was.
But sure, she had a point and it was good that she was pushing me. After all, I had a lot of things to work on. She did ask what I wanted, and while I did say it in a bit of anger, I had a set goal for the Academy Graduation Exam and only seven months to accomplish it. Through the both of us, I would do it and by God I would pull the fuck through by hook or by crook.
My goal? I wanted to cut all the seals from all the Academy three by the beginning of November.
The initial problem I came across was that, well, in order to do that, I had to master every handseal. That kind of shit, if Hana was right, took years - about three, minimum, excluding mission time - less if you were a prodigy (I was not, and while she knew I was good, she also knew better than thinking I was).
Therefore, to do it in a year was impossible.
I had about six years before Akatsuki would start moving more actively. My long-term goal was not only to try my hardest to reach something close to S-Rank in that time, but to also give the Rookie Twelve the keys to reaching those levels themselves, especially Naruto and Sasuke.
The way they trained in canon, it...
It was a fucking waste and it pissed me off. More so now that I was beginning to see how quickly the fruits of my training were showing, and in consideration of how, after three years, Naruto took a few months to go from Chuunin level to outright A/S-Rank through Shadow Clone training.
I would fix that, because the Shinobi world would not be saved by one or two people helped by a dead Sage. I was not about to rely on that Deus ex Machina bullshit.
So, I had to focus on my short term goals, build my foundation, and go from there.
Seal Severance was one such key, and a very difficult one.
Hana-sensei, was kind and did point out another method of Seal Severance that was, in fact, available for my usage and would make my goal much easier to accomplish:
Repetition.
It wouldn't help me dismiss the need for using the seals on any other jutsu that I hadn't quite mastered yet, but it would help me understand how my chakra moved when I specifically chained those seals for the jutsu, and with that understanding, I could simulate its movements, facilitating my mastery of it. With that, I could use them seallessly.
It reminded me of a conversation a version of Naruto had with a version of Madara Uchiha.
"Those methods were made in mind to create good ninjas faster, to supply the war effort," he once said. "My method makes better ones, but it also takes time and patience. They're both equally valid, and for different reasons."
(That was a paraphrase, of course. It had been quite some time since I'd read Kagaseo's Echoes.)
I had to find the balance between quality training and quantity-like training. To use the method of mastery to accelerate my development, while using the method of accelerated development to better my develop my mastery.
It would be a damn woozy, and with that, I would give that old fart a practical final he'd never forget.
Since my 'failed' Aptitude Test, Hagane had gone even harder on me, taking a more active role in my 'Detention Training' sessions, actually overseeing my training herself instead of letting Lee and I have at it. We did still do that, of course, but she also wanted me to execute each jutsu a minimum of fifteen times a day during class, and an additional ten times during my 'Detention Training'. With each day, I would practise 'sealing' Monkey, Ram or Snake, obviously not chaining them, no matter the environment I was.
Class theory? "Do it."
Class practicals? "Do it."
Running? "Do it."
Relaxing at home? "Do it. Do not do it on Sundays after your hour."
Taijutsu? "You're not that good yet." (I wasn't sure whether to be semi-grateful or offended, but I decided to go with the latter. One 'Fuck-you and eight weeks of detention arrangement' later, all parties were satisfied.)
Market? "I personally don't care, but if you're feeling suicidal, go for it." (Yeah, so obviously I did not. But that was a good thing to have in mind.)
My chakra control was at a level I was beginning to feel was satisfactory enough to begin really working on severing the seals I already had on a permanent level.
As of two days ago, due to anger-driven exercise, I could finally walk up and down a tree, perfectly horizontally.
It was still massively, ridiculously strenuous an exercise and I could only keep it up for a minute and a half with fast walking, and hanging upside-down on a branch was a bit less problematic, but it was still an achievement I'd made.
So I was making very good progress with Monkey and Snake. Ram, I'd already basically mastered, it required me to pay a lot of attention to my chakra. Monkey asked the same thing of me, and by extension all of them did, but I had to feel out how my chakra reacted when I initiated either seal and thus imitate it with my will alone. I had to get specific, concentrate, burst open and mix.
I was making decent progress, but it wasn't perfect yet. Snake was easier, but it wasn't perfect - which was why Hana wanted me to keep repeating the jutsu. The more I did it, the more instinctive it would become for me to suppress my need to use handseals for either one.
It was all good. At the rate I was going, I'd definitely get it done by the end of the month.
End of April.
The atmosphere in class was a bit different.
It brimmed with nervous tension, helped by Hana's even more foreboding (than usual) air. Umino Iruka's peppy stance did help it out a little - at least, as little as trying to stop a flood with water. An unknown Hyuuga had inspected all of us thoroughly from his corner of the classroom, making sure we did not go against our instructions of bringing nothing but the clothes on our backs to the classroom.
Our desks had none of our writing equipment. Instead, they had supplied pencils, rulers and erasers, all lying next to fairly thick sheafs of paper that were turned upside down. No one dared touch them after Hana's stern instruction not to.
"Hello, everyone," Iruka Umino greeted us. "My name is Umino Iruka. You are all familiar with your Sensei, Hagane Hana, and with us today is Hyuuga Tomino. Today is the day for the First Exam, which will not only test how far your skill as a shinobi has come along, but additionally determine your standing as a student in an official capacity and the outcome of your efforts at the end of the year. Unlike the Aptitude Tests, the Exams will test your every skill as shinobi in a theoretical setting, as well as a practical setting. This exam will have four phases over today. You will be undergoing multiple various written tests, Taijutsu tests against your Chuunin-sensei," Hana did not show any apparent acknowledgement, "and Ninjutsu and Chakra tests."
He nodded in satisfaction at the fact that everyone hung on to his words with somewhat rapt interest. "Do your best, and your future will be looking even better. Now, we will begin with the theory tests. You have two and a half hours to answer all the questions in the papers on your desk. You may turn the paper over, but please do not open it.."
We all did that. There was a mini-form of sorts, with spaces left for us to write our names, ages, and dates of birth.
"Please write down your names, ages and dates of birth down," Iruka instructed.
We did just that.
After waiting to see that everyone was truly finished - Hyuuga Tomino confirmed thus with a nod - Iruka bade us to begin.
The writing tests were a bit harder than the ones in the Aptitude tests - perhaps because in most of them, we were required to explain our lines of thinking - but they weren't too difficult. I finished in two hours and ten, according to the clock on the wall, and since we were not allowed to turn our papers in - they would be collected by Hana-sensei - I used the rest of the time to double-check my answers.
It was a bit nostalgic, all told.
We moved on to our Taijutsu tests. After fifteen minutes of classwide warm-ups, each of us would have one minute and a half to go in a taijutsu battle against Hana-sensei inside a ring. With 33 of us in the class, the test would take about 83 minutes - fifty for each student, with a minute of breaks and analysis for Hana and Tomino. Chakra streaming was allowed - none of us would beat her, anyway - and they assigned extra points based on tactical acumen, reflexes, strength, and the number of openings we left (the less we showed, the more points).
Being the last to go due to the alphabetic order, I had plenty of time to watch the fights closely, analyzing the way everyone fought, and paying attention to Hana's own style herself.
It was very difficult to tell with her. She was really fast, but it was also incredibly obvious to me that she was holding back drastically. Some openings would arrive and her opponent would take them, only to find that it was a trick to get them to overextend themselves and find her on the attack. She didn't hit all that hard, either, and always used a single hand, a finger, or her open palm, or both hands at random. Every time, it was a simple double-finger poke or a slap, except it hurt, if everyone's reactions were anything to go by. The only one that gave her a modicum of a challenge was Neji, and even when she allowed him to outright use Jūken, he was simply too far below her class, his deadly palms diverted by simple timing and unexpected sidesteps that put him in awkward positions, and she ended that fight by sweeping him off his feet with one finger and poking him on the throat.
Honestly, it kind of had the same vibe as when Kakashi initially bell-tested his Genin, fighting Naruto and Sakura while reading his porn. She wasn't as contemptuous - the point was to test and teach them, not to beat or humiliate them - but she did it with the same ease.
Then my turn came.
We both raised our right hands in a half-Ram - The Seal of Confrontation.
"Go ahead," she invited. I settled into the Academy stance, wanting to wait and analyze for openings, and invite an attack that I could counter it. I saw every opening on her - her right arm was a bit off; her legs were straightened, and her weight was on her heels. She was so open that anyone would've jumped for any of them immediately, but I wasn't so simple to trick (but I was). I relaxed my stance enough to give her the full upper body 'really?' question, complete with my arms out in disbelief.
There was a small hint of a smile on her as I tightened up again, waited for another two seconds, and went on the attack. I walked calmly, knowing very well the pointlessness of trying to attack her with killing intent, and feinted a punch at a torso and followed up with a short, sharp jab at her shoulder - obviously blocked. I kicked out, 'trying' to 'unbalance' her, and she shifted her foot back without taking her eyes off mine. Coating my muscles with some chakra, I struck out harder and faster, intending to minimize the contact time in case she'd use it to counter me (which she could, but she chose to go at my speed), and deflected an idle slap to the left side of my face, and ducked next to her left jab/poke attack.
I saw her body shift a little, and my eyes widened. Any kind of kick or knee at this range from her would end me - and thus, I channeled more chakra through my body, intending to step to my left.
The world blurred a little and I felt a small rush of air to my left, and I realized I'd displaced myself almost exactly where I intended. She hadn't kicked out at all, and had followed my movement pretty easily.
"Careful, Yakushi," she told me, her eyes glancing down. I followed her line of sight and almost did a double take, but I forced myself to keep my eyes on her. I'd almost eliminated myself - my left foot was straddling the edge of the ring. Fuck, that was close.
I was reasonably certain I heard some odd sound somewhere - my mind classed it as laughter - and I ignored it. I blurred in again, leading with my elbow, stopped short, and threw out a punch. She deflected it, forcing me to chop at her, and she deflected that too, leaving my entire torso open. I grunted as her hand blurred and my ears rang when she slapped me. I made to grab her hand, but she withdrew, and I followed up. I made to punch, and the moment her arm met mine, I latched on with my chakra, grounding myself with a simplistic application of Tree Walking at the same time, and pulled back.
Except she didn't move.
My eyes widened in shock; her eyes glinted with interest and she slapped me again. I lashed out, a blow deflected once more, and missed another low snap-kick. I wasn't sure how long our exchanges lasted, but she ended it by using another slap as an opening to place her fingers on my throat before I could react. Knowing she'd have crushed my windpipe with that, I surrendered, we bowed, and exchanged a Seal of Reconciliation.
"Thank you," I said. I had a lot I wanted to think about.
"Good work. Practice, Yakushi," she told me. "Keep working."
The Ninjutsu and Chakra tests were both easy. I not only aced the Academy Three, cutting every seal I could from each that let me ace them, but I also displayed skill in Leaf Concentration and showed off Item Concentration by dangling a kunai by its ring off my heel. All told, it was a good time, and that old fart wasn't there. The judges were much more impressed, this time.
A day later, we got our results, courtesy of Hana-sensei. I had a 93% pass on Theory, only really messing up four questions. My taijutsu was rated as 85% on the basis that I not only held for the whole minute and a half, but that I had good reading of body language (but Hana let me see that she was going to kick me, I knew), good physical strength and hitting power, and apparently, apparently to Hana's surprise, actually reverse-engineered an element of a taijutsu style they would recommend to me at a later point. I was still too slow (which was kind of a given), too indecisive (the problem was that I knew I couldn't beat Hana fucking Hagane of all people and that kind of disturbed my flow in that fight), and my attempt at a high-speed evasive movement was demerited because I couldn't entirely follow my own movement, so they recommended I train more and, once I was Genin, find a solution to that. If I mastered it, they said, I would become an asset in combat, ambush and assassination situations.
My Bukijutsu? 100%, with no special remarks. Meh. I wanted to do that deflection thing Itachi did, but according to Tenten, I 'wasn't there yet', as 'neither was she'.
(That was fairly bullshit and fairly true. She did pull it off, but she hadn't quite gotten a bullseye the one time she tried it - something told me it was a technique she was practicing somewhere while I wasn't looking.)
My Ninjutsu/Chakra? 100%. Obviously. Not only did I execute each jutsu perfectly, I also produced far less smoke than almost everyone in the class, which showed that I had very good chakra control and focus, and clearly practiced cutting a hand seal or two at each jutsu, which made it much more efficient - a practice, they said, that would help me immensely during my career if I passed. My Item Concentration was lauded for both my show of creativity by taking Leaf Concentration to another level, and my show of chakra control by easily channeling my chakra to one of the most difficult places in the human body. They encouraged me to keep training hard, and that if I did, my pass would be guaranteed.
As a result, I moved up to Position Seven from Position Fifteen, the ones above me being Jin Yuki (he had the same marks as I did but an 89% in Taijutsu, so close), Tajima Giyu, Aburame Tenchi, Tenten, and Hyūga Neji.
Habadaba hated that. I pretty much leapfrogged his Position 9 ass almost effortlessly and didn't even give him a moment of my time.
Anyway, I would have to step things up.
27 August.
The old fart failed me on the May and June Aptitude Tests, citing me as 'still too slow on seals' and 'imperfect sealless molding' on both months respectively.
Yeah, that fucker. I was honestly lucky he wasn't my judge during the First Exam, and with all luck, he wouldn't be on the Second.
After failing both her Bukijutsu and Ninjutsu in May because of the selfsame old fuck, a fuming Tenten joined Lee and I every morning and half the afternoon (it turned out she wanted to appeal to the headmaster, but he was the headmaster. Oh, the horror). She focused on improving her Bukijutsu, beginning to use some ridiculously advanced techniques like Kunai/Shuriken deflection and String/Wire manipulation (she couldn't afford to buy ninja wire, so she settled for thick coils of string she made herself), becoming insanely better day by day at it. I also showed her Tree Walking, and while she took far longer than I did to somewhat get it down (as of July from May, she still had to run up and down the tree, while as of near the end of June, I was walking as easily as Kakashi and had to figure out other ways since jumping to Water Walking was not only hasty (I had mastered Tree Walking but I wanted to Master it, so I could do it in my sleep), it would also be hella suspicious, she was making progress. It had good effects on her body, besides - she was getting much stronger physically, and her chakra reserves were also shooting up.
Lee was also getting really, really fast, not that much faster than I was but he had a natural inclination to speed training that I only had to a lesser extent. We weren't allowed to use any form of weight training, but we made do with running while someone else piggyback rode us. Once I was used to it, I started working on enhancing my seal speed while running or riding, simply using Chakra Adhesion to keep Lee and Tenten on my back, or myself on their backs. It was awesome, and our benefits were really showing.
I also figured out Snake and Monkey both by around 17 June, using the rest of the month to focus almost solely on making it combat applicable. I also finally managed to make a completely sealless Bunshin and Henge, but Boar and Ox were fucking me up on Kawarimi. I was getting it, though, if Hana's words were anything to go by, and by the end of September, I'd finally have something down of it.
Hana had promised a new training routine for me if I passed the Second Exam, so I would have a lot riding on passing it.
I would pass it, no matter the circumstance. I'd trained hard. I did a lot. I was ready.
I walked into my classroom/exam room with a ready, confident look...
"... Fuck."
... The old fuck was waiting there for the entire class.
Author's notes:
Yeah, I decided to skip down to the Second Exam. I kept you waiting, anyway - but I'll be updating with shorter chapters after this, so we should be back to a normal clip soon. Hopefully. Next one should be up tomorrow or aftermorrow.
So, in regard to my take on Naruto lore, the Chakra Quality, the Yin-Yang Balance and all that, I'm going to give you an idea of how a few notable Konoha shinobi (and other versions of said shinobi) are balanced out. You can probably use this system to extrapolate for yourself how others look, but you can ask me if you want my opinion and we'll debate. I'll also do the same for characters from other villages in some later chapter(s). We can also debate on how I view these.
Please. I love debating.
Chakra Quality, as thought by Hana's internal narrator, is exactly that - the quality of someone's chakra; determined by the amount of reserves they have (which, while it doesn't have any hard numbers, can be determined by how much they can use their strongest techniques before succumbing to chakra exhaustion) 'multiplied' by the potency of their chakra (how easy it is for them to fold their chakra and thus how much pressure/killing intent they can emanate as well as how difficult/easy it would be for them to execute extremely chakra-intensive techniques, A-Rank, S-Rank and above). It ranks from F-Rank (inanimate objects) all the way to SS-Rank (Kage+ level). If a character goes beyond that rank, they are either pure bullshit, Ōtsutsuki, have met gods, or are the rational conclusion to years of training on the level they are capable of.
If a character's chakra quality is determined to be S, S+ SS, SS+, ! or beyond and yours isn't, fucking run.
They'll probably let you escape.
Minato Yakushi (Current)
YY Ratio: 67:33
Chakra Quality: C-Rank-
Official Rank: D-
Affinity: Unknown
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Combat Specialty: Training, leave him alone
Minato Yakushi (Prime)
YY Ratio: SPOILERS!
Chakra Quality: SPOILERS!
Official Rank: SPOILERS!
Affinity: SPOILERS!
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Combat Specialty: Assassination
Hana Hagane
YY Ratio: 71:29
Chakra Quality: A-Rank+
Official Rank: B (Actually A)
Affinity: Water, Wind
Alignment: True Neutral
Combat Specialty: Assassination, Support
Mizuki Tōji
YY Ratio: 29:71
Chakra Quality: B-Rank-
Official Rank: B-
Affinity: Fire
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Combat Specialty: Support, Assassination
Naruto Uzumaki (Current)
YY Ratio: 59:41 (Utter lack of control makes it appear to be 39:61)
Chakra Quality: B-Rank (Only due to chakra potency due to Jinchuriki/Asura reincarnate status)
Official Rank: E
Affinity: Wind, Earth
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Combat Specialty: Pranks
Naruto Uzumaki (Canon Prime, and by Prime I mean 4th Shinobi War, not that Boruto bulls**t)
YY Ratio: 50:50
Chakra Quality: SS-Rank+
Official Rank: A (Actually S+)
Affinity: Wind, Earth, Fire, Water, Lightning, Sand, Volcano, Steam, Acid, Powder, Ink
Alignment: Lawful Good
Combat Specialty: Frontline, Support, Ace, Medic (unofficial)
Naruto Uzumaki (Project Demon Prime)
YY Ratio: 50:50
Chakra Quality: SS-Rank+
Official Rank: SS+
Alignment: Wind, Earth
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Combat Specialty: Ace, Frontline, Assassination, Support, Medic, Pranks
Naruto Uzumaki (Echoes Warlord Prime) (Do read the shit out of Echoes, it's available on FFnet, written by Kagaseo, lovely stuff, it's a Naruto multiversal adventure, with all the epicness that entails)
YY Ratio: 50:50 (Hyper-Adjustable)
Chakra Quality: !+ (Naruto at his absolute combat prime via abuse of Shadow Clone Training that has gone on for over a decade, far stronger than Boruto version, as he damn well should be)
Official Rank: ! minimum
Affinity: Possibly All
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Combat Specialty: EVERYTHING (He is BULLSHIT and what Prime Naruto should be, power-wise (but yes, he does have devastating weaknesses, they're just very difficult to exploit but the payoff is massive)
Naruto Uzumaki (Echoes August Star Prime)
YY Ratio: ?
Chakra Quality: ! (Literally unnatural chakra, 100% unable to use Sage Mode because nature does not know/does not want to know he exists)
Official Rank: SS-Rank (Beat Hanzo of Amegakure and Yagura Karatachi in one battle, permakilled a Bijū, stole the literal power of a literal God twice)
Affinity: Fire, Spacetime
Alignment: Lawful Evil/Chaotic Neutral
Combat Specialty: Frontline
Madara Uchiha (Echoes (Depends))
YY Ratio: Depends, hyper-adjustable due to Sharingan/Rinnegan/Sharinnegan
Chakra Quality: Depends, but SS-Rank+ most of the time
Official Rank: Oof, that's a complicated one but it depends
Affinity: Usually Fire
Alignment: Depends, usually Chaotic Neutral
Combat Specialty: Frontline
Naruto Uzumaki (TTRT Current)
YY Ratio: 50:50
Chakra Quality: ! (Literal Perfect Sage, Presence Is Awesome Bullshit)
Official Rank: S (Actually SS minimum)
Affinity: Wind, Earth, can imitate Fire, Lightning, Water
Alignment: Chaotic
Combat Specialty: Ace, Frontline, Support, Assassination
Ghost (YAWALEH and TTRT)
YY Ratio: 75:25
Chakra Quality: You're fucked
Official Rank: S+ (Actually, you're VERY fucked)
Affinity: Wind, Spacetime, Fire
Neutral: Chaotic
Combat Specialty: Assassination, Frontline, Ace, Support, Kinky Sex Time, etc., etc.
Sasuke Uchiha (Current)
YY Ratio: 60:40 (Not adjustable, Sharingan repressed)
Chakra Quality: C-Rank (Only due to chakra potency due to Uchiha/Indra reincarnation status)
Official Rank: D
Affinity: Lightning, Fire
Alignment: True Neutral
Combat Specialty: Brooding
Sasuke Uchiha (Prime)
YY Ratio: 57:43 (Hyper-adjustable due to Sharingan)
Chakra Quality: S-Rank-
Official Rank: S, S+
Affinity: Lightning, Fire, Wind, Earth, Water
Alignment: Moron
Combat Specialty: Assassination, Frontline, Support
Jiraiya
YY Ratio: 52:48 (Hence imperfect Sage Mode)
Chakra Quality: S-Rank
Official Rank: S
Affinity: Fire, Earth, Wind
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Combat Specialty: Frontline, Assassination, Ace, Ace with Sannin
Tsunade
YY Ratio: 70:30
Chakra Quality: S-Rank, S+ with Yin Seal released
Official Rank: S
Affinity: Earth
Alignment: Neutral Good
Combat Specialty: Medic, Frontline, Support, Ace with Sannin
Orochimaru
YY Ratio: 65:35 (Constant body switching results in completely being unable to properly use Senjutsu)
Chakra Quality: S-Rank+
Official Rank: S
Affinity: Earth, Fire, Wind, weak Water and Lightning
Alignment: Chaotic Evil/Chaotic Neutral
Combat Specialty: Assassination, Medic, Ace with Sannin
Hiruzen Sarutobi (Current)
YY Ratio: 76:24 (Age)
Chakra Quality: S-Rank+
Official Rank: S-
Affinity: All five
Alignment: True Neutral
Combat Specialty: Frontline, Support
Prime Hiruzen Sarutobi
YY Ratio: 51:49
Chakra Quality: S-Rank+
Official Rank: SS
Affinity: All five
Alignment: True Neutral
Combat Specialty: Frontline, Support, Assassination, Ace
Hashirama Senju
YY Ratio: 50:50
Chakra Quality: ! (Apparently created the forests in the Land of Fire, which is some bulls**t, also tamed the Bijū and gave them away like Easter Eggs)
Official Rank: SS+
Affinity: Wood, Earth, Water, Fire
Alignment: Lawful Good
Combat Specialty: Ace, Frontline, Support
Madara Uchiha
YY Ratio: 50:50 (Hyper-adjustable due to Sharingan)
Chakra Quality: ! (The man can literally summon meteors with zero trouble, what do you want me to say?)
Official Rank: SS+
Affinity: Fire, Earth, Wind
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Combat Specialty: Ace, Frontline
Tobirama Senju
YY Ratio: 54:46
Chakra Quality: SS-Rank+
Official Rank: SS
Affinity: Water, Wind
Alignment: True Neutral
Combat Specialty: Assassination, Frontline
Itachi Uchiha
YY Ratio: 65-35 (Hyper-adjustable due to Sharingan)
Chakra Quality: A-Rank+ (due to chakra-enhanced granulomatosis with polyangitis (disease of the name was not given in canon, but this is what I guess it would be)), S-Rank+ as Edo Tensei
Official Rank: S
Affinity: Fire
Alignment: True Neutral/Lawful Evil
Combat Specialty: Assassination
Kakashi Hatake
YY Ratio: 56-44 (Hyper-adjustable due to Sharingan)
Chakra Quality: A-Rank- due to Sharingan drain, can be counteracted by excessive training
Official Rank: A+
Affinity: Lightning, Water, Earth, Fire
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral?
Combat Specialty: Assassination, Frontline
Minato Namikaze
YY Ratio: 51:49
Chakra Quality: SS-Rank+, almost !
Official Rank: SS
Affinity: Lightning, Wind, Fire
Alignment: Lawful Good
Combat Specialty: Ace, Frontline, Assassination
Kushina Uzumaki
YY Ratio: 40:60
Chakra Quality: S-Rank
Official Rank: S-
Affinity: Fire, Wind, Water
Chaotic? Good
Combat Specialty: Support
Asuma Sarutobi
YY Ratio: 65:35
Chakra Quality: A-Rank
Official Rank: A
Affinity: Wind, Fire
Alignment: Neutral Good
Combat Specialty: Support, Frontline
Might Guy
YY Ratio: 31:69
Chakra Quality: A-Rank
Official Rank: A+
Affinity: Fire
Alignment: THE SPRINGTIME OF YOUTH!
Combat Specialty: Frontline
Hiashi Hyuuga
YY Ratio: 52:48
Chakra Quality: A-Rank+
Official Rank: A+
Affinity: Fire? Earth? Lightning?
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Combat Specialty: Support, Frontline
