Prep 1.6
[Konoha, The Land of Fire]
[January 4, 2 bNb]
Six grueling months have passed since the reveal of my affinities with only three months left until graduation. Through daily training, I was able to master Academy Three and Body Flicker Jutsu.
In the realm of elemental jutsu, I was able to learn both the Water-Style: Hidden Mist Jutsu, taught to me by my father after he found out that I learned the basic jutsu required by all Konoha shinobi, and Water-Style: Syrup Trap Jutsu, stolen by Shisui archives of the Uchiha clan.
The former is a D-Rank jutsu which allows the user to manipulate water to create a dense mist around them while the second allows the user to spit out water-natured chakra in the form of a sticky liquid to trap their opponent(s) in place. With my attunement to sensing and my now 50-meter sensing radius, these jutsu make for a deadly combination.
This rounds up to an average pace of about one jutsu per month. However, it should be noted that the Academy Three only took me a month to learn (not master, learn) despite being three jutsu. The other 5 months were spent learning and mastering my other three techniques.
Additionally, I am in the process of learning the Lightning-Style: Electromagnetic Murder Jutsu which allows the user to create a wave of energy from their hands. However, my progress with this jutsu began only a week ago.
My kenjutsu training continued steadily, with my father taking over my instruction in the Leaf-Style Kenjutsu. When he was here at least, as I only get to see him around once or twice a month now (If I'm lucky).
Training with Iruka (now 7 years old) continues as normal even though I am now better than him at every shinobi discipline. I try my hardest to get him and his parents to train as much as my father, Shisui, or I do but that requires a certain level of drive that they sadly lack.
Despite this, he has managed to form a friendship with a 10-year-old Anko and a 6-year-old Yugao Uzuki, despite not being in the same year of the academy. Sadly, I haven't yet met them due to all my time being spent at the Uchiha compound.
I could have progressed much more, but I also dedicated a significant amount of time to the Rasengan, reaching the third stage just yesterday. Shisui on the other hand, deserves his prodigy title. The little genius was able to complete the third stage a month before I even-
My reflection of the last 6 months was interrupted by a happy, childish squeal. "I did it!" screamed Shisui as he rushed over to me, holding out a single palm. "Let's see it,' I say, paying close attention to the palm even as I focus all my sensing ability on his body in the hopes of catching an insight.
As I stare at his open hand, a bright blue orb begins to form, spinning rapidly. Unlike his previous attempts, this one doesn't destabilize although there is an evident look of concentration on his face. "If anyone could do it in 6 months, it would be you, Shisui."
I was proud of my friend, he had really put his all into learning this jutsu, only picking up a single other fire-style technique and a tanto-based kenjutsu style over the entire 6-month period.
He responds, "I couldn't have done it witho…oh no," and immediately rushes over to the nearest training post. The jutsu grinds straight through the post, sending him off balance causing his leading arm to hit the ground. The result? A massive crater within his backyard.
As I help him up, he looks at me and I look at him, then we both start laughing. I managed to get a single word out, "Incredible."
"Incredible indeed," responds Shisui. "With a jutsu like this, we will not only survive the war but thrive in it."
I take a moment to think before deciding to go with my thoughts. "And to think, the jutsu is incomplete." I take a pause to chuckle at his confused expression before I continue, "It might be the pinnacle of shape transformation but, imagine it as the pinnacle of both shape and chakra nature transformation."
"No way," responds Shisui as his face lights up and he rushes back into the woods on a quest to complete the Rasengan. I, on the other hand, resumed my practice of the lightning-style technique all the while pondering on just what effect an electric Rasengan would have.
[Shishigami Residence]
[February 3, 2 bNb]
I wake up at 5 am to complete my morning workout, as I always do. After going to the bathroom and getting cleaned up, I head towards the backyard before I am suddenly yanked back into the house by someone who is clearly stronger than me.
By their chakra, I can tell it's my father, which is why I allowed it to happen. "Oh no my little shinobi, no training for you today."
"What? Why? You know I need to train; I need to get stronger."
He then releases my garments before sighing, "Ichiro, you need to rest. Do you even know what day it is?"
I stop to think for a second. "Of course, a shinobi always knows the date, it's February 3rd, Konoha year 48."
He then pulls a box from behind him and responds with a smile, "Exactly, happy birthday my son. You make me the proudest father in the world."
I begin to tear up as I realize that I have been so engrossed in my training that I forgot my own birthday. "Thank you, dad." I then take the box and open it. It contained two silver earrings.
"They belonged to your grandfather from the Land of Lightning. Apparently, the men in your mother's family wore them as a rite of passage. She intended to give them to you when you became a genin but…"
He pauses to release a sigh.
"You're not a genin yet but life is so uncertain, I just had to. I know you intend to take the test and I know you've been learning more than what I taught you. That Uchiha friend of yours is a nice boy. I'll always trust you to do the right thing, so if you're serious about the test then go ahead."
"I, I don't know what to say."
"Say nothing, son, I'm here for you. Now, go back to bed," he says, closing off our session with a hug.
[Konoha Shinobi Academy]
[February 3, 2 bNb]
That very same day, I was once again matched up with Shisui in class. "Don't think I'll go easy on you because it's your birthday, Ichiro." He then forms the first half of the seal of confrontation.
I inch closer, forming the other half. "I wouldn't dream of it, haha."
"BEGIN!"
We both immediately spring forward, forearms crashing together in a contest of strength. Our environment is filled with 'oohs' and 'aahs' as we are so far ahead of our classmates that our fights have become spectacles to them. With our forearms locked, I spring my knee up toward his stomach as he uses his unoccupied hand to grab it while lashing out with a leg sweep to take my remaining leg out.
I immediately jump over his leg, simultaneously releasing my forearm and right leg. As I head back to ground level, I position my arm in a way that would allow me to deliver a gravity-assisted elbow to his head, but he immediately drops both hands to the floor, sending a foot up to intercept my fall.
I grab the offending foot, and in a crazy feat of upper body strength and sheer flexibility, Shisui twists his upside-down body around in an attempt to deliver a punch to my head. I am forced to let him go as he rights himself. We once again charge into a flurry of kicks, punches, feints, blocks and deflections.
Our dance continues until I deliver a powerful kick to his front leg, throwing his body off balance. I immediately move to capitalize on this, failing to realize my opponent using the momentum of his fall to swing a hand from behind him, landing a critical blow on my head. I grunt in pain as we both take a second's respite before continuing.
Another opportunity arises for me when Shisui, in an almost perfect replication of what I did in our very first fight, allows me to deliver a powerful blow to his solar plexus. He is unable to plant himself and ends up landing just outside the ring.
A statement of "Winner, Ichiro Shishigami! Ichiro moves to the top of the class rankings" is heard from Instructor Matsu as I move to help Shisui up, making the seal of reconciliation. "I thought you had me with that overhead punch, it hurt like crazy."
"Sure, Ichiro, tell that to my leg." I give him a smile, not replying before we both head back to the classroom, bruised and battered from our fight.
"Hey, Shisui, would you like to come to dinner with my family tonight, we're going to some barbeque place supposedly owned by the Akimichi clan."
"Sure, I'll just head to your place after school so we can all arrive together."
My house is a buzz of activity that afternoon with myself, my father, aunt, uncle, Iruka, and Shisui. On our way out, we spot two young girls, around 7-9 years old heading toward our house. They both had long, purple hair.
Seeing them, Iruka's face perks up. "Anko, Yugao, you made it."
"Of course, we made it, idiot, you invited us!", Anko exclaimed with Yugao nodding in agreement, although looking a bit embarrassed at her friend's choice of words.
"Well, I guess I should get on with the introductions then, Ichiro, Shisui, Uncle Aoto, meet my friends/classmates, Anko Mitirashi and Yugao Uzuki. You guys have already met my parents so there's not much to be said there."
A perfectly harmonized "Nice to meet you," comes from our trio of my father, Shisui, and I. I take a moment to examine both girls, they seem to look like tiny versions of their anime counterparts but, are real. I can tell Yugao is graceful by the way she carries herself, but Anko does not seem to mind her manners at all.
In a mockery of our greeting, Anko bellows, "NICE TO MEET YOU TOO!" It ends up earning her a chuckle from each of us. Yugao gives a regular greeting however, saying, "I am really happy to have dinner with you all, please take care of me!"
With our greetings exchanged and tensions broken, we march on to the restaurant. The place is fancy, completely unlike what I had expected before. It's in one of the nicer districts of the village and the building is finished in a bright shade of red, complimented by golden accents.
The words 'Yakiniku Q' are plastered on the side of the building. As we enter and take our seats, I decide that it's time to inform the rest of my family of Shisui and I's decision.
I look over to Shisui and give him a nod, he gives a slight nod back before I turn to the rest of my family and say, "We're taking the graduation test in 7 weeks."
Immediately the responses start flowing in. "Are you sure my nephew?", asked Iruka's mother. "No way! You guys are crazy!", exclaimed Iruka. My uncle just laughs, likely having suspected it as my father did, they are both chunin after all, not much can get by them.
Yugao continues with a smile, "Good luck, you kids must be very strong."
One response sticks out among the rest, though. It's Anko's; she looks at both of us with a grim face before the words come, "You idiots are going to die out there."
The mood immediately drops but she continues, "You think this is a game? The Land of Fire is at WAR, what difference do you think two kids will make? How old are you kids…5...6? ha, the battlefields are covered with the blood of kids like you, kids who thought themselves to be special. Covered with the blood of people who I thought would never die. My parents, my older brothers. Sure, you might be at the top of your class, but out there? You will be the bottom of the barrel, don't be foolish."
Before anyone can respond I immediately shoot up from my spot in the corner of the booth and as loud as I can, "So what if we are at war? Do you want us to sit idly by while others throw their lives away for us?" I decided to take a piece of knowledge from Kakashi and Minato,
"I don't care if I was 3, my choice would remain the same! I know the academy has nothing left to teach me so I will give my all to my village! I can't allow my fellow countrymen to die for me while I enjoy the comforts of the village!"
"Such is the way of the Will of Fire Anko! Those who break the rules are sum, but those who abandon their teammates are worse than scum. The entire village is my team, and my mission is to protect those who can't protect themselves!"
Anko, with tears in her eyes just says, "I don't want anyone else to die."
Shisui gives her a smile and a tap on the shoulder, "Don't worry, Anko, we'll live."
At this point, the entire restaurant that was staring at us erupted into claps and cheers from my speech. A single patron cuts through the cheering with a statement.
"Those kids, those kids are going places."
"Let's carry on with our dinner, shall we?", says my father, smiling at our group.
