And so, time continued to pass. Classes started and the first two months were pretty much what I expected they would be like.
Besides training as much as possible with what I could learn and do, as well as continuing my physical training with Guy and Duy, nothing much changed.
In ninja school we only really had basic theory, story, and ideology classes for those two months. Learning what a Ninja should pay attention to on the battlefield, how amazing Konoha and all its clans (except the Uchiha and Senjuu which were conveniently not mentioned) were, and the most important being the teachings regarding obedience to the Hokage and repeating the words of the Will of Fire a few hundred times each class.
Homework? It was a recitation of how amazing the will of fire is and writing down our favorite stories of the heroes of Konoha and all our thoughts on them.
As for back home? I had to spend about two hours every day enduring Hizashi reciting about how incredible the Hyuga is, mentioning heroic tales of our ancestors and how superior the said ancestors were, and finally tales of how the Senjuu and Uchiha clan had to all but beg our clan to graciously accept joining the village and our great importance to it. As for teaching me the Gentle Fist or anything useful, I had yet to understand the spirit of the Hyuga clan and thus was not yet suitable to learn their vaunted techniques.
Honestly, I have seen political propaganda that was less ridiculous than all this crap these adults were pushing down my throat. So much time I could be using to train, wasted in this useless crap.
As for Tsunade, she was getting more and more irritating to get to. The woman seems to have started treating this as a game of sorts, going out of her way to run from me or just appear for a while before she ran and left me to pay for her bill.
Of course, as someone who did not have the money I could only clean dishes and such to pay for her bills whenever she did that. It was supremely irritating, but at least this helped me with developing my new skill.
"I still can't believe you created this, Setsuna." Asuna, one of the students in class and a friend of mine, said as he sat beside me in class.
I just smirked at him as I continued to use a chakra string to control my pencil to answer the test papers. One would be surprised how boring classes can be, especially when it is only ever repetition about indoctrination, so I did what any (physically) child would do in this situation.
Find something to play with.
What I got was to make use of my Byakugan to see my finger tenketsus and use them to create chakra strings. I remember that both the Otsusuki clan on the moon and the Otsusuki clan from space are big on puppetry, so I decided to test if chakra strings are that easy for me and, as it turns out, they were even simpler.
It is all a work in chakra control, or to be more specific it was chakra control for output together with chakra form manipulation. The objective was to create a chakra string as thin as possible while having it still keep the right energy amount to move things. It helped that I could use these strings to play tricks on some of the Uchiha assholes in class.
There were five Uchihas in class and four Hyugas, and while the other Hyugas were annoying and wanted me to join them in talking about the glory of the clan and complained about me making friends with those from the outside, the Uchihas somehow managed to be an even bigger pain in the butt. Sure, Obito was not that bad a kid beside the whole one sided yandere crush he has on Rin since he first saw her, but the other four Uchihas were, well, just plain awful.
They were condescending, liked to flaunt their clan strength at every turn, were petty bullies especially against the few civilians born in class… They were basically what one would expect of a ninja version of Draco Malfoy.
Sure, the other Hyugas were not that different (except for Iroha, he was cool), but they at least were not actively bullish. They at most act like they are better, copying what they see from the clan members. Kids imitate their parents and surroundings, the Hyugas act superior as if they are nobles, the Uchihas act like bullies since they own the village security and many just do whatever they want.
It is not the kid's fault that they are taught bad things, still doesn't justify being bullies though.
Towards them, I did not mind playing small pranks like making them trip while walking or have their aim miss when practicing shurikenjutsu. It was petty, I know, but it was entertaining to see them try to act like they planned those things all along or some other such childish nonsense.
"Hey, can you teach me how to do this?" Asuma asks as he sees me controlling my pen.
It was actually quite amusing that Asuma seems to pay just about as much attention to these lectures as I do, if not less. Good thing I am sitting with him, even if we talk and are caught not paying attention the teacher can't complain as much to me since it would mean he would need to complain about Asuma, meaning talking back against the Hokage's second son.
Heh, making friends in high places is nice. That he was funny was an extra plus.
"Sure, it is not like this is complicated or anything." I said. "You just need to identify your tenketsus and expel chakra from it alone. After that, it is all chakra form manipulation really."
Seeing him look confused I check and see that the teacher was currently writing something on the blackboard… yep another description of the history of Konoha and how incredible the third hokage was back then.
A bit much, but then again they want to make sure the kids have as much loyalty and fanaticism towards Konoha as possible. It would be foolish to teach kids how to be super power assassins if they don't try and make said kids as loyal as they possibly can.
Anyways, since the teacher is not paying attention I catch my pen with my hand and activate my Byakugan.
"Show me the finger you want to use for the thread." Asuma thinks for a bit before presenting me with one of his fingers. I check it and after a short while I press the pointy tip of my pen in a tiny spot. "Concentrate on this point, focus on it. This place is one of your tenketsus so if you try carefully you should be able to start creating the string. Try and use only the energy from this specific place to push out this pen I am holding. Remember, it is only this place."
Asuma closes his eyes and concentrates, he was trying hard but his chakra ended up releasing beyond just that small point.
"This is hard." Asuma said, continuing to try and get it right. I just shrug and answer.
"Yep, but it can be useful. Just imagine, if you could use these strings and suddenly use element change together with the form." He looks confused, so I elaborate. "Just imagine, if you could use these strings and suddenly they become hot by using fire, or cut the enemy by becoming wind-based. This is a potential sealless jutsu just waiting to be used. Even your father would not know it."
Asuma freezes at that as his eyes look starstruck and he then smiles broadly.
"That would be awesome! I will totally do this, thanks!" Asuma says as he then continues to concentrate, taking my pen I was pressing on his finger and keeps it pressing there.
Honestly, I doubt it would be all that or that the Third Hokage wouldn't know something like it, but if this can help Asuma even a little bit to not end up as a shishkebab when facing the likes of Hidan, all the better.
"Shh, be quiet." The student on my other side said, hearing me and Asuma talking and not liking us talking so much and not letting him listen to the teacher. "Some of us are trying to learn."
"Whatever, Pervisu" I say to the kid who glared at me.
"My name is not Pervisu, it is Ebisu!" He said loudly, standing up in anger as he really didn't like me calling him that.
The teacher, hearing the shout, turned and with no hesitation threw the choke in Ebisu's head.
"And you stop shouting. This is a class that is important and…" The teacher stops as he seems to realize how little everyone in class was paying attention.
We may be ninjas in training, but we are only kids and are having basically the same class for the last two months. I personally just want to experience something exciting for once.
The teacher looks at everyone and says tiredly.
"I suppose we could do something different for today."
Everyone's ears perked up at that, attention redoubled at the front.
"Since everyone seems bored, how about we try something different today. We will go into the training field and we will have sparring matches between everyone. A small tournament if you will, with the winner becoming class president."
Murmur spread all over class and someone jumped on top of his desk and shouted.
"Yes, my chance is here! I will win this and be one step closer to becoming hokage!"
The teacher just smiled seeing the kid and said.
"That is the right spirit, but for now how about you not stand on top of your desk and cause a ruckus, Obito."
The future big boss behind the Akatsuki cowered at the glint in the teacher's eyes that promised extra homework. Idiot he might be, suicidal he still isn't.
In the corner of my eyes I noticed the reactions of the rest of class including Guy who was brimming with fighting spirit and Kakashi's utter disinterest. This might be interesting, I didn't really have that many chances up until now to try my hand in actual combat after all.
Getting to the training grounds, the teacher took out a box which was pre prepared and said.
"We will draw lots. Form a line for it and take the balls in here for it." The teacher said and we formed a line. Funnily enough Guy, Asuma, and Obito were fighting to be the first to draw a ball as if it would make some kind of huge difference.
Wanting to be cheeky, and just to annoy the three who were fighting to draw lots, I threw a chakra string at the box and drew out a ball.
All three turned to me and glared, I just waved at them with a smirk causing them to all but growl at me. It was honestly funny how they did that.
After everyone drew lots I was put to face-
"P-Please take care of me." A girl with short black hair and nervous expression said as she got onto the field.
"Sure, let's have a good fight." I said and the girl nodded with some worry still etched onto her face.
The teacher looked between the two of us and said.
"The fight between Kato Shizune and Hyuga Setsuna, start!"
Shizune was the first to move, running towards me with a kunai in hand. I activated my byakugan with no hesitation, observing her chakra in her body as I moved as well. Seeing that she was just using her chakra for regular body enhancement anyone can do, I did not hesitate as I ran at her.
She tried to attack me with her kunai but I avoided to the side and went for a punch at her.
"Phew."
She spit out a small needle at my head, shocking me and making me need to dodge at the last second by throwing my body to the ground. Taking advantage of the position I kicked out at her, sending her railing back but was not satisfied with this.
I stood back up ready to continue when-
"Kato Shizune is unable to continue, the winner is Hyuga Setsuna."
Wait, really?
I look at her and see that she is crouching down and holding onto her stomach in clear pain.
… Did one kick make her unable to continue?
Damn, her physique needs work. Like, a lot of work.
This, however, did not stop me from widening my eyes as I saw her do some hand signs and a green glow appeared in her hands before she pressed it in her own stomach. Is this… I activate my byakugan instantly as I stare intensely at her hands, what her chakra is like, how it is activated, what it does, anything and everything I can manage to see.
This is actual healing jutsu, this is my first time seeing it and I really, really want to learn it. Healing jutsu is, truth be told, the one type of jutsu I desire to learn the most. If for no other reason than because, when the war starts, medic ninjas will be put almost exclusively on the rear guard.
It would be incredibly more likely for me to survive the war if I do not end up in the frontlines in the meat shield division.
I stared transfixed at her as she used her jutsu, not paying any mind to my surroundings before someone touched my shoulder.
"Hey, are you listening? I am talking to you here." An annoying person said, breaking my concentration and making me glare at the guy.
"Fuck off." I said as I deactivated my byakugan as I walked to Shizune.
I didn't bother with the person, instead approaching Shizune who looked at me with a deer in the headlights expression when I got closer.
"Hey, Kato-san, could you use it again?"
"Huh?"
Guess she isn't that fast on the uptake.
"I mean, could you use your healing jutsu again? I want to see it some more."
"This…" She looked troubled by me asking this as she explained. "I was only supposed to use it to heal myself or friends, teacher Tsunade was very specific about it."
I furrow my brows as I hear that. I know that we will be able to take electives by the end of the first semester and one of them is about healing jutsu. I can and will learn it easily enough by then, but this is not something I want to wait on. Not when I can at least start trying to figure it out right now.
Now how to… oh, I know.
"We are both Konoha future ninjas, right?" I ask and she looks doubtful as she nods.
"Yes."
"And we are studying together, we even had a sparring match just now learning from one another, right?"
"Well, yeah." Shizune nods without understanding where I am coming from.
"If so, aren't we naturally friends?"
She looks a bit confused still but hesitatingly nods her head.
"I guess?"
"Then, heal me." I said and, with no hesitation I moved my hand to the kunai she had on hand and used it to cut my palm.
I instantly activate my byakugan as I see Shizune's expression. I also notice with some amusement the teacher's expression as he sees what I am doing, getting distracted from the fight going on.
Shizune doesn't say anything, she is just nervous as she does three hand signs and creates a sphere in her hand that she presses on my hand. Her chakra, I could see that it seems to have changed when she used those hand signs, the spiritual part was mostly removed, leaving just a small amount and the stronger physical energy was pushed out.
The spiritual one seems to be controlling the physical one to not cause harm and instead to help activate my own body's natural healing. It is utterly fascinating, the applications of this are simply astounding.
Unfortunately, she finished healing my palm far too quickly and as she deactivated the technique I saw that the remaining physical energy from the technique combined back with her spiritual power and returned to normal. The excess spiritual energy that would be out of the balance being expelled from her body naturally as to keep the balance.
How fascinating. The body and chakra seems to tend to try and keep the balance as much as it possibly can.
I would have thought more about it, when I felt someone pinching my cheek.
"Ow, ow, ow, stop this." I complain as a pouting Shizune continues pulling my cheeks on both sides.
"What were you thinking? You should not hurt yourself like that." Shizune complained and, on the side, I saw Asuma smirking in my direction.
I would have flipped him off, but I doubt it would have had any actual effect.
"I know, but I was just curious." I said, trying to explain myself.
It didn't work as the girl continued pulling and in the end I had to use my prepared substitution jutsu to escape the girl's deceptively strong hands. Doing a hand sign I changed positions with the thing I had put a seal to replace myself with since a while ago.
This jutsu is not that convenient as it may seem, needing the item to be used to substitute for something of the right size as well as weight as the one using the jutsu, as well as not being more than a certain distance from the caster. Thankfully, I was prepared.
"Eh?" Shizune said in doubt when, instead of continue trying to rip my cheeks from my face, she was doing so to-
"SETSUNA!" An enraged cry sounded as Ebizu was the one to endure my suffering instead.
Such a will of fire, willing to sacrifice for his companions. A true meat shiel… Shinobi of konoha!
Maybe, if I am lucky, we can be in the same team. You would certainly be a very useful man, respect.
Regardless of this little event, the fights continued with both Shizune and Ebizu glaring at me as I continued thinking about that jutsu. The healing technique, if memory serves me right, is the lowest level healing jutsu there is. The equivalent of the basic fireball technique, as in the one that Uchihas before completing the academy can launch.
Still, the chakra when using it was weird. How the spiritual and physical energy separated, and how in the end the energies tended back to equilibrium with the excess spiritual energy being dispelled. That was unlike other elemental jutsus I spied on some ninjas using in the training grounds once in a while. In those cases the chakra changes some aspect of it, becoming more solid, fluid, or moving in specific ways to generate the effect when leaving the body.
But, the healing technique was nothing like that. It was more basic, but also more advanced? Its work is simple in theory, but its basic principle is very different from elemental jutsus. Is this why Yin and Yang release jutsus are considered so special?
And, would it be possible to use that energy that otherwise is dispelled? How about other Yin and Yang jutsus? Are there others that have similar effects? What of the clans that have techniques centered on those jutsus, do the clan tendencies in terms of personality and body have relation with those jutsus?
This is all just so interesting. The applications, what it can create, it is all so unique.
I guess I can understand Orochimaru a little bit now, ninjutsu and chakra have so much potential, so much one can learn, it is all incredible.
My musings and theorizing though, was cut short as it was once more time for me to get into the stage.
I shake my head, trying to focus back on the game and what is in front of me. This time, my enemy is-
"Boring." Kakashi said in front of me, his face disinterested as he stared at me.
Before the match started I turned to the teacher and raised a question.
"Teacher, is there any limit in what we can and can't do for this match?"
The teacher just raised a brow at my question and said.
"Not really. As long as there is no deadly poison or attacks aimed to kill or cripple then it is fine."
"Thanks teacher." I said before turning to Kakashi. "Hope we have a good fight."
"Whatever, I will win anyway." Kakashi said and I felt my eyebrow twitch a bit at the kid. He really is an annoying brat right now, huh.
Feeling like pissing off the kid, I answer.
"Whatever, buck teeth."
This time, it is Kakashi's brows that twitch.
"I don't have that."
I just shrug.
"Maybe you do, maybe you don't. I just know you have something to be ashamed of on your face, if not why would you hide it even during lunch time?"
This time, the other students start talking and I hear others agreeing on buck teeth and some others saying a training exercise that cut his face open or even that his lips are super full and ugly. Even some of the girls in class that were one step away from becoming fangirls of the guy (yes, they were five and already on that evil path) seemed to no longer want to cheer him as much.
Kakashi's eyes hardened as he pulled out the short sword he had behind him and took a stance.
"Hope you like healing jutsu, you will need it."
"Let's see who will need it next, buck teeth." I said as I took a stance.