By the third week of my probationary period I was slated to meet the Otokage for the first time.

We three, after having completed our daily D-rank, were picked up by Sensei with a salute and a quick march down the main dirt road. Well, Sensei and I marched. Dosu slouched and Zaku strolled with his hands behind his head. Dosu was the first to break the silence.

"It's a little lively today, isn't it?"

"I guess, yea. Don't really know why though."

"Today is a bi-annual review and a payday. Everyone is active and prepared to show off their best side to Otokage-sama."

He chuckled. I did a double take. He, Sensei-hardass, chuckled.

"Who knows, maybe you all shall receive your long awaited C-rank after this? If you impress him, of course."

I skipped a step but corrected myself before toppling over. Should I even ask? ...yeah... I should be on the same page as everyone else.

"Sensei... if you don't mind, what is a c-rank?"

It's probably an awkward and overly basic question... but... well at least it was an organic topic.

"The International Standardized Mission Ranking System is a table that presents an easy way to visualize both the risk and sensitivity of a mission. All D-ranks take place in the village or very close by, you should be familiar with them."

Dosu hummed in agreement. I'm sure bored of cleaning blood and delivering stuff too.

"In a logical vein, C-ranks tend to take place outside the village. They involve greater risk, of course. Following this line of reasoning, B-ranks are less dangerous than A-ranks. The only frequent exception to this rule is S-rank, as they are missions of greater political import being automatically highly classified. Even to your most trusted comrades. Ah, we have arrived."

I had wanted to ask what kind of missions he had been on before, but that was a pretty dismissive statement. The line was a bit on the long side, the building itself was pretty large with the queue trailing outside the office around a half meter. Hopefully these review things go quickly.

"Argh! Lines! I hate paperwork stuff Sensei, ya know? Can I just come back later or whatever?"

Zaku wasn't immediately cowed by Sensei's baleful glare, to his credit at least. Several tense seconds followed, and then Sensei suddenly cracked his knuckles. This, of course, had the effect of causing Zaku to fall over onto his back with a shrill yelp. I couldn't suppress my giggle at that.

"Ah, Zaku, you should be more coordinated. Perhaps we should have you start doing yoga?"

Sensei puts his hand under his chin, but any thoughtfulness is betrayed by his smirk.

"Zaku is quite silly. Who would have thought that only the cra-"

"As if!"

"Of Sensei's knuckles would make him wet himself."

Dosu is shaking with laughter, I chime in.

"It's just another #zakuthings moment guys, they happen every hour on the hour. Nothing to get too worked up over."

"Hashu taggu- whaa?"

"No, I get it, it means he acts like a dumb monkey on demand. Now dance! Dance for us monkey!"

Dosu started to drag Zaku, who was kicking up an absolute fuss around by his arms in a mock dance. All the other ninja were giving us queer glances, but didn't break rank. Probably didn't want to lose their place or whatever. Sensei had a fond look on his face that quickly cooled down upon catching my line of sight.

"Kin, would you round them up? They are making a scene."

I didn't even have to say anything. I began a slow small set of hand seals. Monkey. Boar. Rabbit. Snake.

"Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique!"

Actually saying the name really did help with the launching of the technique despite it feeling like an attack from a superhero comic. It also let Sensei and the other ninja know they weren't really in any danger. This Genjutsu is pretty basic as it simply attacks the amygdala and central nervous systems. Apparently attacking, or really activating, the amygdala causes the person's fight and flight response to blare at them, releasing cortisol and adrenaline.

If I were to be even more specific, this Genjutsu is a type-D or something. Meaning that its effects and are both targeted and uncontrollable. One would think that would be an issue of safety, and that person would be correct. That's why the technique also targets the nervous system; even going so far as blocking most motor controls.

The Genjutsu vision itself was just bringing up traumatic experiences, whether imagined or from actual memory, to slam into the target like a sledgehammer. But it is like a dream, the experience quickly fading after being dispelled due to the experience being entirely imagined. But if the enemy is distracted and doesn't notice...

They jump back from each other. Zaku is wide eyed and shaking. Dosu is trying to bring his hands together for a hand seal in order to disrupt the Chakra flow feeding the Genjutsu but couldn't even twitch his fingers. I bring them back to reality, a quick Snake hand seal sending another Chakra probe to their brain. Cancelling Genjutsu like that doesn't really work unless you yourself cast the illusion. But still, it was a handy little trick in this case.

"I can see you both need more practice with Genjutsu."

Sensei was beside me and had his hand on my shoulder before I could blink. I whipped my head to him, startled. His head was just level with mine and he had a lopsided smirk plastered on his face. He kinda looks handsome like this... I blush.

"Would that not be fun, Kin?"

"Of- of course, Sensei. I'd be happy to help."

I give him a weak smile, not quite over the sudden appearance just over my shoulder. Damn teenage hormones, not this shit all over again. It was terrible the last time!

-xxx-

It took a little over an hour for the procession to proceed. There were more people behind us, and the sun was already getting low when we got in line. I wonder how many people are ninjas in this village? In the world? Thousands, hundreds of thousands?

Millions?

Well, that might be exgatteration but the point stands, lots of people are killing each other based simply on a mutual understanding of it's in the job description. I won't say that kind of thing couldn't or didn't happen in my old world but it's a bit more candid here. Zaku has the word "death" painstakingly sewn onto every single one of his shirts for a reason, ya know.

"Kin, fill out your form properly please."

"Huh? What? Oh yea sorry..."

I scribble out the half of my old name. I write out 'Tsuchi Kin' carefully but quickly and hand back the report Sensei had us sign. I need to stop being so absent minde-

'Ugh.'

I straighten to get a proper look at the leader. White skin, creepy yellow snake eyes, and smooth dark hair sits across a desk with a few rather high stacks of paper to the side.

"Otokage-sama, Suzuki Kusei, Kinuta Dosu, Abumi Zaku, and Tsuchi Kin reporting progress and development. I have labelled and collated individual improvements into this folder for your personal perusal."

Sensei bows and places a thick manila folder on the desk.

"As well, I am prepared to give the full oral progress report of these genin.

"Go on, dear Suzuki-kun."

"I will begin with Abumi-san. He has, after the surgery, increased his Chakra stores by leaps and bounds. He has gotten his hand seal timing down by two seconds on most of his Ninjutsu, and I have been drilling him and the others in tree walking. He has the best Chakra control it seems."

Sensei cleared his throat.

"As for Tsuchi-san: she had a bit of an accident apparently earlier this month. It has caused havoc on her progress, but she is not trailing too far behind. Her repertoire is quickly expanding, and while being the weakest at the tree climbing exercise has shown steady progress. I recommend waiting until the end of the month to see if she can still be deployed, but there hasn't been any major trouble due to her current condition."

"I see. I see. And as for your most promising pupil?"

Sensei definitely didn't smile. But his lips did crinkle at the corners.

"Kinuta-san is doing as expected. No more, no less. He is of course the strongest physically, and the fastest to boot. I hope to see how he develops his Taijutsu style; it is rather nasty."

The Otokage took a moment, folding his hands on his desk. He eventually broke the stretched out silence with a question for me out of everyone else.

"Genjutsu are rather tricky, are they not Kin?"

He cocks his head, it's a clear invitation to respond. Well, more like pulling my teeth, but the point stands.

"Yes, they are. But the flexibility suits me."

"Oh, do elaborate. I know how exactly how flexible illusions can be. What makes yours special?"

"If I can manage to think of creative ways to apply it and show distracting enough stimuli it could become rather effective, especially in conjunction with my team."

"Oh? Just a mere distraction? I'm sure you can do better than that."

"Well..."

Custom Illusions can be really hard, and he won't be impressed by the rote ones. Maybe... if I bluff he won't need to do anything more.

"May I demonstrate?"

"Yes, of course. Give me your best shot."

'Damn!'

I set my hands in a Snake seal and close my eyes. I flare my Chakra. I focus on the feeling of it's languid and easy flow through my organs and skin. I open my eyes stare into the snake eyes in front of me. I send a probe and it connects.

He starts to chuckle. "Oh my, I appear to have been caught!" A tense few seconds before he says, "go on."

I start to shake and want to vomit. I have to stay strong but he is radiating a tense atmosphere, which I can clearly feel through the connection. I close my eyes and focus on Calm. Not any particular place or gentle sound, the concept of Calm. Stillness, and tranquility, are my entire being.

I send the feeling through the probe. I know he is feeling more relaxed, as I can feel a brief impression of his mental state through this raw connection.

"Hm, you'd be useful at a Hot Water Country Spa and Resort at least."

I can't take that lying down. I send a flash of raw Chakra directly to the tenkentsu near his eyes and ears. I send him the smell of a rotting corpse I found on the roadside the other day. I send him the disorientation of a small earthquake and try to focus on that and ramp it up. I stab his hand with a mental knife that is burning once, twice, three times-

"Release."

The probe releases and I shake myself, a sudden lack of prioperception as I am no longer connected. I open my eyes.

He picks up the folder.

"Thank you very much Kisei-sensei. I know teaching wasn't the first thing you wanted to do but you should only have to put up with it for now."

"Please, collect your checks. Thank you for your service to your village. Oh! Suzuki-kun, would you and your team round up some extras out East? They've been getting too rowdy lately, and I need to round up some new test subjects for a side project of mine. I'm sure your squad will be able to handle it."

He waves us off in a casual manner. We all bow and exit.

"Hm. I suppose it's not so surprising her personality changed so drastically after the procedure. Though her face is a total blank now comparatively even after I casually insulted her best point. You're an interesting little lab rat at least, Kin."

He opens up the folder to find the notes from the first weeks of my new life.

"And some interesting new ideas about weaponry, as well."

-xxx-

"You are all dismissed for the day. We have a small C-rank planned for the next few days, so come prepared for cliff-diving, camping in a forest, and the kidnapping of some undesirables to the East."

That sounds fun.

Well, it is fun to learn how to become a superhero. But...

"Isn't it kind of immoral to kidnap people?"

I should have expected a slap from Sensei at worst. Instead, he roundhouse kicked me!

"If your commander tells you to gut yourself, you do it Kin. You do not have to like it, you just have to get it over with. You need to grow up."

He kicks me one more time for good measure. Guess that's my cue...

"I do not believe in murder."

That's my line not yours!

"But being a Ninja, either Shinobi or Kunoichi, means that murder is simply the job description. Do you know why I still chose to be a Ninja, despite my own moral compulsions?"

I pick myself up.

"I, well, I couldn't really begin to say... Though, it also brings up another point... Otokage-sama said that you didn't want to be a Sensei and yet here you are..."

Even as I trail off Sensei levels me with a stare that isn't hard nor soft, just an... expectation... that what he says will be understood as important.

"I will insist that you learn how to kill on this next mission. And as for being a Sensei..."

He narrows his eyes.

"It is like being a star chef and being told that you have to be a shepherd instead... like being shepherd to especially annoying and stupid sheep. That I want to kill but I am barely allowed not to."

Zaku snickers despite the seriousness conveyed by our actually deranged teacher.

"Looks like I live another day, right? Sheesh Sensei is over dramatic." Zaku has his usual superior smirk plastered over his face. Little does he know it makes him look like a constipated frog, but we humor him.

Sensei straightens up.

"You are lucky you know. I remember Rice Country when Konoha was going at it during the last war."

We keep start to walk our separate ways though we're all surprised by Dosu's quiet far away voice.

"I will kill every last one of those Konoha nin for what they did."

Or maybe just Zaku and I were surprised, we both stopped to stare at the two who exchange a brief glance.

"We have had a rough time of it, yes. Thankfully, Otokage-sama is strong and intelligent. As long as we show our unwavering commitment to our cause, the Leaf will burn. We will convene tomorrow morning at the training ground before heading out, be sure to arrive before sunrise not during and to pack for at least two weeks. I will provide rations."

-xxx-

I close my door behind me and a subdued atmosphere overtakes the room. 'If not tomorrow, soon I'll be killing someone or be killed by them... maybe Sensei will do the deed himself. It feels like once I pass one test there's an even more difficult one right after.'

"..."

"..."

I flop onto my bed. I don't want to pack for the Field Trip of Death.

"..."

"...But Sensei would probably gut me for wasting everyone's time."

'Not like I can escape.'

I pick myself up and begin to look for things I would want in the woods. Canteen, matches, no sleeping bag... the mat and blanket will do. Kin doesn't have anything (other than rope) that would be useful for "cliff-diving".

I place some of those kunai knives, my senbon, and my new weapon on top of the objects already organized in my bag. Since I don't need to bring food... might as well bring my "light" reading.

I spy out to the velvet night sky, the Milkyway in all its glory strewn like a million dazzling crystals. Of course, they are a burning inferno reaching in the ballpark park of six thousand degrees and three billion degrees Celcius...

"It's well past dark."

I should go to sleep. I can't afford to be late.

-xxx-

My alarm blares at 03:45.

-xxx-

A/N: Next time! C-rank!?

Sorry to everyone expecting this chapter to come out yesterday, my only excuse is work has been kicking me in the teeth lately. I don't think with the new year I will be able to continue with the two week format, and will instead now be switching over to a monthly update. Next chapter will be posted on February First.

Thank you for every comment/view/follow/fave, from the bottom of my heart.