Hello, welcome to the second chapter of Civilian Sensei. I want to thank those of you who read and liked the first chapter. And special thanks to the person who reviewed it. Thank you so much. Now, without further ado, I present to you the second chapter, enjoy
Civilian Sensei: Chapter 02
Hokage Tower
It was past 19:00 and the ninjas and civilians were working diligently to ensure that the inhabitants of the village could continue living prosperous lives when, suddenly, an uneasy feeling filled the halls of the building.
Immediately after, the people working at the entrance could see a beautiful woman passing through the door. Her shoulder-length black hair swayed at the compass of her footsteps as she walked decisively down the halls to the Hokage's office. Some of the staff tried to stop her, but one look at her unique eyes was enough to make them give up on their efforts.
Once in front of the door to his office, she stopped and looked at the Hokage's secretary.
"Good evening," she said politely. "Could you inform Sarutobi that I'm here to see him?"
"He is in a meeting, Ma'am," she said nervously.
"Oh, I know very well who he is meeting with," she said with a grimace. "And I am sure that Saru wouldn't mind the interruption," Braith said.
"O-okay, I w-will tell him" the assistant quickly said as she quickly entered the Hokage's office.
A moment later, she exited the office and said. "He will see you now."
"Thank you," Braith said, entering the room.
Once inside, she observed her surroundings. It was a large, oval room. Behind the Hokage's desk was a large window through which the Hokage could survey the entire village. There was a library, with stacks of different types of books, that go from politics to books of jutsus. A sofa, some portraits and two old men.
The first was a short, tan-skinned man, who appeared to be in his sixties. He had scarce gray hair and a small goatee. He wore the typical Hokage outfit, a haori with a red, full-length kimono that was tied with a white sash and the Hokage hat. He was Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, also known as 'The God of Shinobi' and 'The Professor'. He was looking at her with curious eyes.
The second individual looked like a fragile, old man. He had black, spiky hair with bandages covering his left eye and an X-shaped scar on his chin. He wore a white shirt, with a black robe over the top of it covering from his feet, to just over his right shoulder that concealed his left arm. His name was Shimura Danzō the 'The Shinobi of Darkness', an elder of Konoha and once a member of the council. He looked at her with mistrust in his eye.
"Hello Braith-san," says Hiruzen with a smile. "It has been some time since we last saw each other. What can I do for you?"
"Hello Saru, it really has been a while," she said, returning the smile. "I need to talk to you."
"Hiruzen, we are in the middle of a meeting," Danzō rudely interrupted them. "You should order her to get out."
She looked Danzō in the eyes and said.
"Ah Shimura, I was really hoping that the next time I see you, it would be in your grave," she said taunting. "But what can we do? Evil never dies," she shrugged. "Tell me, are you still brainwashing children and sending them to die while you hide in your bunker, pretending you are the one making the sacrifice?"
He looked into her eyes and, without showing any emotion, replied.
"The Root division was disbanded years ago," she groaned at his words. "But tell me, Braith-san, are you still working in your little shop instead of using all the abilities and resources at your disposal to help the village grow and prosper?" he said mockingly.
She was about to respond when she was interrupted.
"Alright, that is enough!" Hiruzen yelled. "Danzō, despite her capabilities, or your wishes, she isn't and has never been a shinobi, she is a civilian so I technically can't order her to do anything. She has a role in the village, as part of the agreement she made with Hashirama-sama. She fulfilled it to perfection and we should be thankful for that. Anything else she decides to do for the village is of her own free will," Hiruzen sternly said. "And we both know that if she came here to see me, especially if she knows that you were in the room, then she must have something important to tell me," Danzō remains silent at that.
"And Braith-san, please, don't start pointless arguments with him," he said looking at her. "Despite his faults, he is still a member of this village, just as you and me"
"Tch," she said, avoiding Hiruzen's eyes.
"Now, what do you wish to tell me?" he asked her.
She remains silent for a moment, pondering if she should say anything in front of Danzō until finally, she decides to do it.
"This afternoon, I was working in my shop…"
"Your empty shop, you mean?" Danzō interrupted her.
"Danzō!" Hiruzen said, seeing she was about to react to his words. "Don't provoke her," He turned to her and said. "Please continue."
She looked at Danzō for a few more seconds before continuing.
"As I was saying, I was working in my shop when all of sudden a young man came in," she said, starting them. "I know what you two are thinking, it shouldn't be possible for a teenager to find my shop, let alone enter it, but he did. I too was surprised, until I recognized him. He was Uzumaki Naruto," she told them.
"The Jinchuriki?" asked Danzō.
"Yes, it was him," she said.
"Ah, that explains it," Hiruzen realized. "Usually, only people that you have personally invited would be allowed to enter your shop, but him, being the successor of Mito-sama, has the right to do it," he said. "Just like Kushina once was," he remembers sadly.
"Yes, exactly," Braith said. "Anyway, we began to talk and he told me that he failed to pass the exam for early graduation for the second time," she told them.
"Yes, the instructors in the academy informed me," Hiruzen said.
"He still can't do the Bushin no Jutsu?" Asked Danzō.
"Correct. He said that, while he could pass the theoretical and throwing exam, if barely, and can do the Henge and Kawarimi no Jutsu, every time he does the Bushin no Jutsu, his clones look ill or dead."
She was about to continue when she was interrupted.
"Do you see Hiruzen?" Danzō said. "You should have let me train the Jinchuriki. If you had, today he would be a strong weapon for the village," he said, angrily.
"And if I did, we would be in the fifth shinobi war by now, possibly the sixth, and all because of you," Hiruzen responded. "He was just a baby when he became the jailor of the Kyuubi, and he deserved a chance at a normal life, not becoming one of your drones," he said.
'You weak fool,' Danzō thought.
"As entertaining as this is..." Braith interrupted then. "I would like to continue," Seeing that neither said anything, she proceeded. "When Naruto finishes telling me what happened during his exam, a question pops into my head." She then looked at Hiruzen. "What, in the name of heaven, were you thinking when you required him to learn the Bushin to pass the exam?" She asked him.
He looked at her confused, "What do you mean?" he asked, "The Bushin no Jutsu is a requirement that all the students have to know to become ninjas," he said.
All of a sudden Danzō said.
"Of course," understanding what she wanted to say. "Why didn't we think of that?" He wondered out loud.
"What?" Hiruzen asked.
"Really Saru?," Braith said, looking at him like he was an idiot. "Shimura gets it, but you, 'The Professor', don't?"
"If any of you can tell me what I am missing," he said, a little annoyed.
"What I mean is that you can't expect that an Uzumaki, a Jinchuriki Uzumaki, had the necessary chakra control to do that jutsu. He probably has five times as much chakra as you do right now, and the control of an academy student," Braith said. "Why don't you just ask a fish to climb a tree, since you are asking for impossible tasks?" She asked rhetorically.
Hiruzen paused in surprise to blink at her words, before facepalm himself and started muttering. 'I am an idiot,' he thought.
He had all but forgotten that the members of the Uzumaki clan had extraordinary chakra levels and that a jutsu like the Bushin no Jutsu, a jutsu that requires very little chakra, was very, very difficult to perform for them. They would require years of chakra control exercises to be able to use it.
It was just that, it had been more than thirty years since Kushina graduated and he had not remembered that, by the recommendation of Mito-sama, Kushina had been examined, and approved, by Mito herself.
He looked Braith in the eyes and said. "You're right, I didn't think of that," he said. "And while I would like to do something about this situation, unfortunately, I can't," he replied, looking down.
"During the time Kushina took the exam, she was allowed a special examination because Mito-sama spoke on her behalf and the council agreed to her recommendation," Danzō continued. "This time, the council will not do the same for him, even if Hiruzen backs him up. The civilian side hates him and seeing as Uzumaki is still a civilian, their word will carry a lot of weight in this decision," he explained.
Danzō didn't sound particularly troubled by this. After all, if Naruto failed for the third time, Hiruzen would have no choice but to give him to Danzō since they couldn't have the Jinchuriki untrained, and the civilians would be happy thinking that the 'demon' was not walking around in public.
Nonetheless, Braith said. "They may not want Naruto to take a special examination but that doesn't mean that he can't pass the regular exam," the two men looked at her in surprise but understood her intentions. "I will train him, with my help he will easily pass the exam," she finished saying.
The Hokage looked at her with new hope in his eyes. "Are you sure? I thought that, after what happened with Itachi, you wouldn't train more ninjas," he said.
With an emotionless look, she responded. "I thought the same, but I will do it. After all," a sad smile appeared on her face. "It is what Mito would have wanted," she said.
"Yes, she would have," Hiruzen stated.
"But won't the council have problems with this?" Danzō asked, feeling conflicted. On one hand, if Braith trained the Jinchuriki, he would become a formidable ninja. On the other, he will lose any opportunities to get him under his control. After what happened with Itachi, Braith would never allow it.
"The council doesn't dictate what I do or do not do," she said snarling.
"It is true," Hiruzen confirmed. "There are laws that prohibit ninjas and ex-ninjas from training academy students, unless they belong to the same clan or family, but there aren't any laws that prohibit a civilian from helping another civilian," He said. He looked at her and, with an amused smile, he added. "Besides, they are too terrifying of you to do anything backhanded," he said.
She returned the smirk. "They sure are."
"Then it is decided," Danzō said.
"Yes, Braith-san will train Naruto this year and help him pass the exam," Hiruzen said happily.
"Perfect," Braith said smiling. "But you should know a couple of things, Saru," she added.
"What things?" he asked, curious.
"First, I will train him as I see fit. I will give you monthly reports and if you have questions or doubts, I will be happy to discuss them with you. But I will have the final say in it," she said.
Hiruzen frowned at this but nodded.
"Second, I will tell him about his clan, Mito and his parents, and when he graduates I will tell him about the Kyuubi," she said, and before Hiruzen could protest she added. "He has the right to know, Saru. I plan to train him taking advantage of his Uzumaki physiology, and it would be illogical to tell him that he is an Uzumaki but not tell him where he did get it from," she said and then added nervously. "Um, besides, I already promised him that I would."
Hiruzen looked at her for a moment, contemplating her words, before agreeing. "It is true what you said," he said. "But why tell him about the Kyuubi?" he asked. "Would it be better to wait until he is at least a Chūnin?"
"No, he has suffered enough without knowing why. Besides, if something happens on a mission and he uses the power of the Kyuubi, he would have a better chance at controlling it if he knows about it," She responded.
The Hokage thinks for a few seconds before saying. "You would be allowed to tell him about the Kyuubi, his clan, Mito and Kushina but you won't tell him about Minato until he is at least a Jōnin. That knowledge won't help him in his training and it would only put him in danger. He first has to be strong enough to protect himself before he knows who his father was," he decided.
"You think that he will tell someone?" she asked.
"Is not a matter of trust, Braith-san," Danzō intervened. "Is a matter of mistakes. He is a young man who has had a hard life and has very few things to take pride in. The identity of his father is one of those things, and if he knew who he was, he could babble it out for error. That is a mistake that he can't make because it could cost him his life and harm the village," he said.
She looked at him annoyed. "Funny that you talk about trust, taking into account that you do not trust anyone."
"Nevertheless, my words are true., He replied.
She looked at Hiruzen and he nodded at his words.
She scowled at this and said. "Okay, I won't tell him about Minato until he is a Jōnin," she concedes.
"Thank you," Hiruzen said. "Anything else?" He asked.
"One last thing," she said. "I suppose that, once he graduates, he will be joining a Genin team and be put under the care of a Jōnin-sensei."
"Yes, he will," Hiruzen responded to her.
"In that case, please inform his Jōnin-sensei that, if Naruto wishes to, I would keep training him in his free time. He will be my student for as long as he and I want to," she said.
Hiruzen frowned at her for a few moments before saying ."I agree," Hiruzen responded.
"Then I don't have anything more to say." She replied happily.
"Very well, and thank you for taking care of him, Braith-san," he said gratefully. "He has been alone for a long time, and I am pleased to know that he will have you to help him."
"Think nothing of it Saru," she responded. "I should have helped him before this but after what happened with Itachi and Mikoto, I, I just wasn't…" she tried to say.
He raised a hand and interrupted her, "It's ok Braith-san, I understand," he said with a sad smile.
"At least, you don't run away and forget your dutty like Tsunade-hime did," Danzō added.
She looked at him and scowled. "Please Shimura, as if I would ever behave like the little princess did," she responded. "And don't try to compliment me, it makes me feel very uncomfortable," she said, feeling chills.
With a frown on his face, Hiruzen said. "Can you two not speak about Tsunade in that way?"
With a sheepish face, she said. "Sorry Saru, but you know what I think of your student."
"I do, but she is still my student," he replied.
"I know," she said. "Anyway, I suppose that you will be informing the council of all this?" she asked.
"Yes, but don't worry, I will handle it."
"OK, in that case, I will be going. Good night, gentlemen," she said, heading towards the door.
As she was about to exit the room, she stopped in front of the door and, without turning around, she said.
"Shimura, if, by any chance, I encounter ninjas around Naruto pretending to be part of Saru's men, I will cut their heads off, put them in a box and mail them to your office." She said, threatening. "So unless you want to lose men for nothing, I would suggest that you stay away from him," after saying that, she finally left the room.
The two men looked at the door in silence before one of them said, "She really doesn't like me," he concluded.
"Nobody likes you," Hiruzen says, smirking.
He looked at Hiruzen, a little irritated, and asked. "What are you gonna do about the council?"
Hiruzen just looked at him and smiled.
The Next Day.
The Council chambers were a big, oval room located in the same building as the Hokage's office. It was occupied by a couple of tables and chairs where the members of the civilian and the shinobi sides, the Hokage and his advisors, delivered and resolved the problems of the villages.
The shinobi side was composed of the heads or representatives of the major clans of the villages, the Aburame, Akimichi, Hyūga, Inuzuka, Sarutobi and Yamanaka clans. There are also two empty chairs belonging to the Senju and Uchiha clans. The seat of the Uchiha clan had been empty since the massacre committed by a member of the same clan and the seat of the Senju is empty because the head and only member of the clan, Senju Tsunade, hasn't set foot in the village since, at least, twenty years. Even so, as the two clan founders of the village, they kept their respective seats until the surviving members of the respective clans could claim them.
On the civilian side, were sit various important merchants and businessmen of the villages. The head of the civilian council was Haruno Mebuki.
In the center of the room were the seats of the Hokage and his advisors, Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.
"Hokage-sama, what is the reason that this meeting has been called upon?" Asked Hyūga Hiashi, head of the Hyūga clan. He was a stern man with long, black hair and featureless white eyes like all members of his clan. He wore a white robe with a long-sleeved, brown haori.
"Yeah, Hokage-sama, what is going on, has something happened?" Also asked Inuzuka Tsume, the head of the Inuzuka clan. She was a wild and impatient woman with long, spiky, untamed brown hair, vertical slit-like pupils, elongated canine teeth and nails. She also had the clan fang markings on her cheeks as well as markings over her eyes and a dark shade of purple lipstick. She wore the standard Jōnin outfit consisting of a flak jacket and a black suit underneath with the sleeves rolled up and bandages around her legs.
"Nothing of grave importance has happened but there is a matter that needs to be addressed," replied Hiruzen. "Yesterday, the academy student and Jinchuuriki, Uzumaki Naruto, tried and failed to pass the exam for early graduation. It appears that he can't do the Bunshin no Jutsu," he said.
There were various reactions to his words, from bewilderment to jeering to his words.
The civilian side appears to be happy listening to his words, while the shinobi side appears confused.
"Excuse me, while it is sad that he failed the exam, what does that have to do with us?" Asked Hiashi.
"Yeah, he can still attend this year and take the exam with the rest of his classmates," added Akimichi Chōza, the head of the Akimichi clan. He was a tall, plump man with spiky red hair. He also had purple markings on his cheeks, a common trait in the Akimichi clan. He wore a samurai-like outfit which entails a black suit complete with armor that had the word "food" on it. He also wore a rope belt, hand guards, and instead of a forehead protector - a hachimaki tied around his head.
"He shouldn't be allowed to set foot in the academy in the first place," muttered an angry civilian.
Ignoring his words, the Hokage continued. "The problem is not that he failed the exam, the problem is in the exam itself."
Hearing his words, Nara Shikaku, the head of the Nara clan and the Jōnin commander realized what he meant. "Troublesome," he said while palming his forehead.
"What? Do you know something?" Asked Chōza.
"Yes," he responded. "Do you remember that the two of us, along with most of the members of the shinobi council, graduated with Kushina?" he asked.
"Yeah," Chōza said, still confused. "But what does that have to do with this?"
Seeing his confusion, he responded. "While it is true that most of us graduated in the same year as her, do any of you remember seeing her take the exam?" He asked.
Chōza looked at him for a second before closing his eyes, trying to remember. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't.
"Now that you mentioned, no, I can't," he said.
"The reason why you don't remember, the reason nobody here can't, is because she didn't take the same exam as you all," the Hokage said, surprising everyone present.
"If she didn't take the exam, then how did she graduate?" Asked Tsume.
"At the request of Uzumaki Mito-sama, the council voted and approved that she was to be evaluated by Mito-sama herself, with me and my advisors as witnesses to assure a fair examination," he responded, surprising them once more.
"But why would Uzumaki-sama ask that?" Asked Tsume. "It is true that they belong to the same clan, a clan not belonging to Konoha, but Kushina was strong enough to pass the test. While she was no genius like Minato," a few laughs were heard at this. "She did become one of the few S-class ninjas of our generation."
"Due to her very high chakra reserves," Koharu responded. "The members of the Uzumaki clan had very, very high chakra reserves and it was difficult for them to use techniques that require little chakra. The Bunshin no Jutsu, which requires almost nothing of chakra, would be all but impossible for a genin Uzumaki to perform," she concluded.
Silence filled the room upon hearing this. The shinobi side remained thoughtful upon hearing her words. It was true, that Kushina had a large pool of chakra, and while it had its benefits, it also had its disadvantages. Jutsus like the Bunshin would require years, decades even, of chakra control exercises to perform.
The civilian council, on the other hand, was happy to hear this. If they play their cards right, they could get rid of the demon child once and for all.
"Then should Naruto-san retake the test but with the respective modifications?" Asked Chōza.
"Impossible," responded Mebuki. "Uzumaki Naruto had already failed the test and the classes had already begun. It would be unfair to the other students."
"Then what about taking a different test than his peers when they all graduated?" Said the Hyūga clan head. While he had no love for the Jinchuriki, he admitted that he was a necessary evil to maintain the balance between the nations.
"Also impossible," responded Mebuki once more. "With Kushina dead, there is no one capable of administering a special test," she argued, and seeing that he was about to retort, she added. "Besides, he is only half Uzumaki, so he should be capable of passing the normal test. If he can't, it is not because of his blood, but because of his lack of capabilities," she concluded.
Mebuki knew she was sounding like a bitch but she thought it was for the best. She didn't have anything against the boy, she thought his pranks were quite funny, but knew that if he died, the Kyuubi would be released and it could come back and destroy them all.
'It is best if he has a quiet life here, instead of becoming a ninja and risking his life, potentially releasing the beast with his death,' she concluded.
Seeing that a dispute was about to begin, Hiruzen intervened. "There is no need to worry. Someone has offered to train the boy so he could pass the exam," he said.
Every pair of eyes turn to him.
"But Hokage-sama, why would someone offer to do such a thing? And how will they do it? There are laws that prohibit it," said a civilian.
"It is true," agreed Mebuki. "Academy students can only receive external help from shinobis or ex-shinobi from their clan and family and Uzumaki Naruto had neither."
"Correct, but this person is no shinobi or ex-shinobi, but a civilian," he told them.
"But would a civilian be capable of helping him in this instance?" Asked Shikaku.
"Yes, she has trained many shinobis in the past," Hiruzen said, smirking.
"'She'?" said Shukaku, grasping who he was talking about.
"Yes, Braith-san has offered herself to do it, '' Hiruzen revealed.
All the present, except Danzō and Hiruzen himself, widened their eyes at his words, not expecting that. Braith hasn't involved herself in shinobi affairs in years.
"She did?" Asked a civilian, grinding his teeth. He knew that with her involved, there was nothing that he or any of the present could do.
'With her help, that damn demon could pass the test and he would become a ninja,' he thought. 'And there's no law that prohibits a civilian from helping another civilian.'
"Yes, last night she spoke with Danzō and me and told me that she would do it," Hiruzen said.
"Well, in that case, we can be sure that the kid would pass the test," said Tsume, a little relieved. She had always felt sad for the son of her friends but there was nothing that she could do. She once tried to adopt him but she was denied because it could cause an imbalance between the clans' power. Since then, she had tried to stay away from him, not wishing to witness his suffering.
"Yes, he will," said Hiruzen.
"If Braith-san is willing to teach that boy, maybe she will be willing to teach other, more promising students," said a civilian, smirking.
"Yes, for example, the top male and female students, like Sakura" added Mebuki, thinking that her daughter could benefit from this.
"And Uchiha-sama," said another civilian.
Seeing where they were going with this, the Hokage interrupted. "Unfortunately, while other students may benefit from this, she hasn't made any comment about teaching other students and, being she a civilian, I don't have the authority to order her to do it. But you are always welcome to ask her," he said, amused. "Who knows, you may succeed."
The civilian looks ill at the thought of trying to convince her of anything. Braith has always been unruly and the few who have tried to command her paid the consequence.
"Hokage-sama, seriously, who… what is she?" Asked Mebuki, standing up. "We are always seeing her in the village, never aging, always looking like she was in her twenties, never changing except when she is in her other form. My father told me that she had already living here since before he was born. She manages his shop, a shop that has practically zero clients, and even so, she always pays her taxes on time. We did an audit of her business but most of her funds come in the form of 'village services'. We asked you about her but you said that she is a civilian and, therefore, not under your jurisdiction but you are the only one she listens to. We showed you the results of the audit and you said that, yes she did have a role in the village, in accordance with some deal she made with the founders, and is getting paid for it, but that she does it on her own volition, not because it is her job. Oh, and the people that did the audit suffered a loss of 20 percent of their income during the next ten years and we still don't know how that happened. When we told you about that, you said that, while we were the civilian council and, technically, had the power to regulate the civilian side of the village, it was best to just let Braith do her things. Since her shop doesn't affect the business of anyone, you said that we didn't have any reason to bother her. And now, you are saying that she offered herself to help one of the students of the academy, a civilian child and that there is nothing that we can do?! Seriously, can you just tell us who she is?!" she asked, outraged.
"The identity of Braith and her role in the village is classified information only known to the Hokage, his advisors and the Jōnin commander. If any person is found knowing this information, they will be punished with death. The only person that has the right to divulge this information is Braith herself, so if any of you want to know who she is, you will have to just ask her and hope that she answers you," responded Danzō. "Though I doubt she will," he added.
Silent reigns once more in the room. While various people still have doubts, neither side said anything.
Seeing this, the Hokage spoke. "Seeing that all the matters have been discussed, this meeting is adjourned," said Hiruzen, concluding the meeting.
One by one, the members of the council exit the room until only two remain.
"That went better than I expected," said Hiruzen.
"You think that any of them will try to cause trouble over this?" Asked Danzō.
"I hope not, for their sake. Braith has never had much patience or mercy on anybody," said Hiruzen.
Braith's shop.
Naruto was standing in front of the door, nervous. He had spent all night and day waiting for this moment, and now that it was time, he was scared. What if the answers that he seeks are not pleasant? What if it only leaves him with only more questions? What if…
'Stop it!' he thought. 'I won't know anything about it unless I walk through this door and find out' he decided.
Steeling himself he opened the door and entered. The shop looked exactly like it was yesterday, the shelves full of weapons and gear, in the exact same order as yesterday. It was as if the shop didn't have any clients.
Walking to the counter, he sees her, dressed in a similar outfit to yesterday except that today she wears a blue shirt instead of a black and white one. She still had the same silver eyes and a warm stare.
Looking at him, she smiled and said. "Hello Naruto, let's talk."
Hope you like it.