I regretted pissing off Biwa-sensei to the extent that I did. It wasn't the hell week that followed—that was something I was more than ready to be subjected to (though Iwao and Daigo didn't exactly agree, which put me squarely on their shit list too). It wasn't his passive aggressiveness either. No, it was because he knew how to hit me where it really hurt.
Seven days. A full week. Twelve hour days, where he monopolized all of our time, running both our minds and bodies ragged. Giving me exactly zero hours, zero minutes and zero seconds to play with my new toys.
That's right. He kept me too occupied to visit the archives, and the juicy B-Rank library inside. I was going insane, and he knew it. The asshole.
But he couldn't keep me away forever. Well, he could, but he had shit to do besides babysitting us all day every single day. He was still on the S-Rank roster, and he was eventually called out of the village on an emergency.
Though I was more than a little worried about what could warrant something that extreme, I was grateful that it earned me a little time off. And by time off, I mean time to grind what I actually wanted to, instead of boring stuff like conditioning, codes, sensory deprivation and frustrating shit like that where there was no set "good enough," only "better than before."
Finally, finally, I entered the archives, stripping and submitting myself to the appraisal of the Red Ogre on duty. Though the scroll I carried alongside my Merits and identification drew some attention, I was eventually given a satisfied nod. I shrugged on the scratchy robe and uwabaki, paying the toll to step into the C-rank library.
I had only ever been twice: that first visit with Biwa-sensei when I purchased the Doton: Iwa Bunshin no Jutsu and the Doton: Shunkan Iaku no Jutsu, and the second one I took by myself, where I learned Doton: Iwadeppō no Jutsu. This library hadn't yet lost its majesty, to me, and there was plenty more left to discover within it. But I was here for something more.
Straight back at the opposite end of the library was another door, unlabeled, indistinguishable in nature. No one stopped me from walking through it, but I met resistance on the other side. There was another waiting room, and another Red Ogre occupying it.
"Turn back," they said, their voice soft but full of threat. To punctuate the message, I felt the barest stirrings of killing intent. "Genin do not have access to what lies through these doors."
My mouth felt dry, more so from anticipation rather than intimidation.
"I do," I proclaimed, slowly reaching into my pocket so as not to alarm them. I withdrew my identification and the scroll Biwa-sensei had reluctantly given me the day after our dinner. There were no ordinary words written on it, just symbols that I had no hope in deciphering. I imagined it must be one of the highest clearance level ciphers.
The Ogre undid the band, examining the Tsuchikage's personal seal at the bottom for over half a minute before even attempting to read the message. Time passed, and I resisted the urge to fidget uncomfortably. Finally, the guard nodded, accepting the toll I offered and letting me pass with only a muttered word.
"Strange."
Yeah, I supposed it was. I clamped down on my giddiness as they opened the door and I stepped through.
It looked much the same as the C-rank library; it was only my imagination that the booklets seemed to glow with a hidden power. The entire room was much smaller than the last, which was to be expected, but it was still expansive. I planned on spending the entire day here, just perusing what was available. But I already knew what my first purchases were going to be.
I made a beeline to the attendant in the center of the room, who turned to me with a tilt of their head. Before I uttered a word of my request, I handed them the scroll to preempt any complications.
"Doton: Keijūgan no Jutsu (Earth Release: Lightened Boulder Technique) and Doton: Kajūgan no Jutsu (Earth Release: Weighted Boulder Technique)," I requested, trying to keep the eagerness out of my voice.
"Section twenty, row four," the monotone voice answered, and I all but pranced towards the sign posted at the side of the bookcase.
The jutsu were pretty self-explanatory, so there wasn't much text. I did find interesting all the proposed uses for each of them beyond the obvious, but I already had plenty ideas of my own. I didn't need any additional inspiration.
Something I found even more interesting was their origins, which were detailed in the back of the booklet. The two jutsu were developed in Iwa, which made them fairly new developments. And there was a specific person credited with their invention.
Lord Mu. Seriously, what was it with Nidaime Kage inventing broken jutsu? It was no wonder it became one of the Sandaime's favorites.
However, there was a complication, and it was a big one.
Placing the booklets back where I found them, I walked quickly back to the attendant.
"Ano, I have a question," I began. "I was told that B-Rank jutsu from this library cost six Merits a piece. There is a different cost printed at the tops of each, saying that they cost twelve. Is that correct?"
Please tell me I'm misunderstanding.
"Yes, that is correct," they said, voice blank, and my heart plummeted. "Unlike those featured in the C-rank library, jutsu in this room are variable in cost. The number six is given for simplicity, as that is typically the minimum cost of any jutsu featured here. Most jutsu do cost that amount; it is only a small percentage that are more expensive."
Fuck. God fucking damnit. That really put a damper on things. I thought I'd be walking out of here with a couple jutsu under my belt. But while the Tsuchikage's gift was significant, it wouldn't even net me one of the two jutsu I wanted alone.
Oh, make no mistake. I'd still be getting one of them. I earned two B-Rank Merits from the dissection of Sasori's puppet first of all, which after the toll put me at eleven. Then, I could break down the A-Rank Merit I earned from our disastrous first C-Rank.
Presenting the Ogre with it, I asked, "how many B-Ranks can I convert this into?"
"Six," they answered, and I barely kept myself from snarling. That meant I only had seventeen total. If I bought one of the gravity duo (which I had my heart set on), that only left me with five to play with. It would be a while before I could get the other, even if I was able to devote all my time into developing B-Rank jutsu.
"Let's do it, then," I decided with a sigh, because if I didn't break it down I would still be one short from getting any at all. But would I settle for leaving with only one jutsu?
"You said typically," I recalled, referencing the attendant's description of jutsu prices. "Are you saying there are jutsu here that cost less than six?"
They nodded.
"Section thirty-eight is a discount shelf," they revealed. "Its contents rotate weekly, and consist of jutsu in this library with low usage rates here in Iwagakure. It is to encourage a more diverse skill set amongst our ranks."
Which meant they were probably shit. But they also represented my only chance at getting another jutsu immediately, since everything off of it cost six Merits minimum. It would probably be smarter to save them all but…ugh. Either of the gravity duo would open a lot of doors for me, but I really wanted something to synergize with it.
It wouldn't hurt to look, at least. I was already planning on spending most of the day here, just shopping around to see what would one day be available. Might as well start at the discount rack; it's what I did when shopping for anything else anyway.
As I began to inspect the selection, I realized why their usage rate was so low. It wasn't that all of them—or even most of them—were useless. It was that so many of them required prerequisite skills. You couldn't just choose one of these jutsu and expect to be able to pick up what was on it.
Non-affinity elemental techniques were out, including a nasty Suiton counter technique that made me sigh in longing. But no, I wouldn't be able to rationalize that to the Tsuchikage. So too were any taijutsu, genjutsu, or any bukijutsu, except for one that held my attention for longer than a brief second. It was a ninja wire jutsu originating from Suna, which allowed for extremely precise control and mobility. But the big draw was that it allowed the user to weave intent into the wires, allowing them to move with a limited degree of autonomy. Clones so far represented my only foray into the world of intent, so learning another means to incorporate it could be valuable.
The technique was something that, at a glance, I shouldn't be able to use at all. Both because I didn't overtly use ninja wire, and because my external chakra control was so ass. Both observations could be countered by pointing out my bandages were woven around a wire core.
Most significantly, my red bandages. They were saturated in fūinjutsu ink, and then further dyed red so enemies might assume it was a stylistic choice, rather than something functional. Attuned fūinjutsu ink, as far as my stupid brain was concerned, was an extension of my canals, so anything touching it could be reached by my chakra no matter how far away from my body it truly was.
This jutsu wouldn't be something I used offensively, as it was intended. But I could see it as a means to circumvent two of what were currently my greatest shortcomings; my external chakra control and my range. It could be useful beyond that as well; if I wove ninja wire into scrolls, I might be able to make works of fūinjutsu capable of moving on their own. At least, that seemed possible in my head, though those movements would likely have to be scripted and written into the fūinjutsu itself.
Yeah. Ninpo: Seikatsu no Harigane no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Living Wire Technique) had potential. I just also had to learn its C-Rank prerequisite, Ninpo: Baku Harigane no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Wire Binding Technique) from the library before this as well, which I could pick up on my way back with no issue. I have the Merits needed for that one on me.
I realized I was talking myself into it and closed the booklet. This wasn't something I should decide hastily. For all I knew, there could be an even better jutsu around here, one that was more worth it for me to save for. I got here the moment the archives opened, so I had plenty of time.
Other people seemed to have the same idea as me. Going to the archives wasn't some light affair—you didn't do it on a whim. So, chances are, you'd find them all but deserted. However, the door was (gently) swinging open more frequently than I was expecting, and soon I was one of seven people perusing the shelves, with a couple extra going straight for what they wanted and leaving.
I politely averted my gaze from them, because minding your business in sensitive situations like these was always a good idea for a shinobi. Especially when jutsu were concerned. However, that consideration wasn't returned. I'm sure they were all wondering why the fuck a vestless child was here in the B-Rank library. However, they were all smart enough to realize that it couldn't be a mistake, and didn't attempt to engage me in conversation.
All of them, that is, until about an hour into my visit.
"What the—Chibi?"
I looked up at the familiar address, eyebrow twitching as I saw Team Oe before me, stock still. Hanabi was gaping like a fish, Aki's eyes were narrowed, and Tsuga…well, they seemed unaffected as usual, though it was difficult to tell under the mask. Their sensei seemed taken aback to see me, too.
"Kami, Hanabi, have some decorum," I chastised, the audacity of me saying that short-circuiting her brain even further. She was, to my amusement, turning blue from a lack of oxygen. "This is a library."
I cocked my head at them. Noting the vests they all wore.
"I wasn't aware you'd been promoted," I mused. "I suppose congratulations are in order."
"Probably because it just happened last night, Imai-san," Oe revealed, past his shock and into amusement.
"That's fun for you."
Aki pursed his lips and I revised.
"Ah. Sensing that was poor word choice."
The events that led to promotions could rarely be considered fun. In fact, they were usually traumatic. Kazuhiro's was a prime example; he was promoted to chunin after his entire squad was brutalized, and he only became a jonin after undergoing an experimental surgery that nearly put him in an early grave.
The chunin exams would change things, kind of. But in this era, in Iwagakure at least, you only really made chunin when you surpassed expectations. And Iwa had high expectations for even its genin, so that was a lot easier said than done. If you were placed in a situation where you should have, by all rights, failed, but didn't—that was when you made chunin.
"You did not get promoted before I did," Hanabi exploded, drawing looks although no one reprimanded her. Looking closely, I could see nets of fresh, pink scars creeping down her neck, under the collar of her new flak jacket towards her chest. They were from blades, I could tell. Her biggest weakness. I realized I was staring and cut it out.
"Oh, I'm not a chunin, yet," I assured her. "I just got in because, well. I earned it."
"Kami, what could you possibly have done to earn this?" She asked, pleadingly.
"Made an ass out of Konoha and got a bounty," I said, nonchalantly, turning my attention back to the shelves. God, water jutsu. One day. "A hundred thou. Think I scared the shit out of them."
"They put a hundred thousand on a Genin?" Oe asked in amusement. Guess they must have been out of the village for a while. Not surprising, given the team's profession.
"So that is you," an unfamiliar voice chimed in. "I half assumed, from your presence here."
I looked up to see another chunin, standing slightly hunched with his hands in his pockets. He had dirty blond hair, which was unusual, and green eyes which clashed with his outfit—the standard Iwa chunin uniform. His hitai-ate hung loose around his neck, like Hinata's in the anime, and he had a small but dark mole under his left eye.
"The boys and I wondered what kinda person you were. It's impressive enough that you earned the attention of Tsuchibokori no Biwa, but he's an Iwa shinobi. It makes sense. But for you to run across Hanzo the Salamander and not only survive, but impress him enough for him to name you? That's something else entirely. Kukkyō no Kasaiki."
I pursed my lips, bullshit sensor going off. This guy was giving me weird vibes. Not necessarily malicious. Just weird.
"I didn't pick the name," I said with a helpless shrug to team Oe.
"We're all dying to know what you did to earn it," the chunin noted. The question was implied of course, since he couldn't ask outright. It was bad form, especially when the circumstances could very well be classified.
"You'd have to ask Hanzo himself," I said, not feeling inclined to get into it with a gossip monger.
Predictably, he didn't press.
"My name is Okuzoe Kouna. I'm sure you've received input from people far more knowledgeable than I, but I'd be happy to act as your sounding board if you'd like. Now that you have access to this library, and can see what it has to offer. How many Merits do you have to work with?"
It was one thing to shut down conversation, and another to be flat out rude in the face of politeness. I didn't want to be seen as a complete asshole, especially since this dude's impression of me would surely be spread through the middle and upper ranks like wildfire. Biwa-sensei's presence had kept me segregated from the general shinobi populous so far, so the only people who had any extended contact with me outside of my family and team were those in my academy class. And though they were surely vocal in their dislike of me, their words would rightly be likened to the yaps of a small dog. Not worth paying attention to by anyone who was somebody.
"Seventeen to work with," I said neutrally.
"Seventeen?" Hanabi spluttered, affronted. "We only got eight for our promotion bonus!"
I shrugged. "The lion's share is a bonus from the Tsuchikage. Some of it is from developments I submitted to R&D. The rest is from breaking down an A-Rank I had lying around."
There were several things wrong with that statement, I was well aware. I brushed past it as if it was perfectly ordinary.
"I already have plans for the majority. Either the Keijūgan or the Kajūgan. I had hoped to get both today, but I was misled in regards to the cost of each. I will likely save the remaining Merits."
Keeping that to myself would be pointless. He would have just listened in when I finally made my order to the Ogre attendant, and it would have been a waste of time to try and wait him out.
There was a glint of humor in Kouna's eye that I didn't like.
"One of those two, huh?" he said. "You're certainly not alone in coveting them. Which is why I'll give you a fair warning. There's a certain connotation around people who choose to learn them, these days."
"A connotation?" I repeated, eyes narrowed.
"Well, since the Tsuchikage popularized the two jutsu, its usage among the ranks has become…oversaturated. Our unit commanders have made some remarks about them too, and the people who seek them out merely for the prestige. Though their usefulness is undebatable, they are extremely technical jutsu. Few that learn them can use them to their full potential, and the people up top began to take notice when a substantial percentage of the chunin population wasted their promotion bonuses on a weapon they were ill-equipped to wield. That's why the price was raised. "
Well, that pissed me off. Both the insinuation and the largely-deserved reason for it. I didn't let my voice reflect that, however.
"Then it's a shame idiots ruined a good thing for the rest of us," I said, neutrally. "They clearly don't understand the justus' true value. I suppose it will fall on me to educate them."
If I let a couple sneers sway me from my growth, I wouldn't be a shinobi.
"I'm sure," he said in a way that prickled my skin. He was definitely going to lambast me for this to his friends later. How obnoxious.
"Well, I won't waste any more of your time," Kouna continued. "I'll be in the Katon section—that's my affinity. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." Then, he nodded respectfully to Oe, and less formally to the members of his team. "Welcome to chunin. I look forward to working with you, if the opportunity arises."
He walked away, and Tsuga and Aki shared looks. Hanabi was far less reserved.
"Well, that was weird," she said bluntly, though she subvocalized the words so he wouldn't hear. I just shrugged.
"It was a decent attempt. Probably would have worked on most people. Just not me."
Despite my appearance, I wasn't a child, and Kouna wasn't good enough to fool me. He was just a run-of-the-mill chunin, who engaged in chunin-level mind games. His end goal was to use me to elevate his own status, and his first baby step was to establish himself as an authority. It didn't matter what in; if he played his cards right, he could translate that image into other areas. I didn't hold the attempt against him because, at the end of the day, we were ninja. This is what we did. He was just shooting his shot.
"But Hanzo the Salamander? Really?" she pressed.
"You can look up my Bingo Book entry on your own time," I nipped that conversation in the bud. I didn't feel like whispering stories in the library like a schoolgirl. "What are you three looking for, here?"
"Man, I don't even know," Hanabi said, pursing her lips. "Until just now, no one even told me that some jutsu cost more than six Merits. But I already paid the toll; seems like a waste not to get anything."
"Sunk cost fallacy," I pointed out, and she scoffed, knowing I was right. "It's still important to know what's available. That's why I'm still here."
"I was considering the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu," Aki said offhandedly, and my gaze snapped to his.
"What?" I asked, flabbergasted. "The Shadow Clone technique is here?"
"Well, yes," he said, appearing confused at my shock. "It's a standard B-Rank. Having the ability to use a clone preloaded with a jutsu or two could be a great asset. The immediate chakra cost is of little concern in our line of work."
That explanation sounded weird to me, so without explaining myself I about-faced and marched back to the attendant.
"Kage Bunshin?" I asked, and they pointed at section five. I found it quickly, barely acknowledging Aki and Hanabi as they followed. Tsuga split off to look for their own jutsu, Oe following to offer advice. Of course, Aki was after the same quarry, and I assumed Hanabi was just curious about why I was so taken aback.
The first thing I saw when I opened it up was the cost. The Kage Bunshin could be redeemed for only six Merits, the minimum! Already, I found that incredibly strange, given how useful it was shown to be in canon.
Then I noticed the second discrepancy, and it was much less subjective. Though they weren't listed on these booklets, a relevant detail that was displayed for each detail was the number of hand seals required. As trivial as it sounded, that could truly impact how viable the technique was in the field. In the anime, the Kage Bunshin was a single, modified hand seal. This one required twelve seals in its base form. Assumedly, some of those could be edited out and merged with practice, but eleven of them? Absolutely not.
Scanning the text, I quickly found the third, which was that…this wasn't the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. Not the one I knew of, anyway. There was no mention about retaining and passing on information, nothing about the clones being able to make decisions and move based on independent thought. It was just a regular, mindless clone, which acted solely on the intent woven into it.
The only draws—and make no mistake, they certainly were draws—were that they could be created without generating or manipulating an element to act as its body (so they left no trace on the environment) and that they did, kinda, have the ability to use some jutsu. However, like Aki said, those jutsu had to be preloaded, their hand seals incorporated into the casting of the Shadow Clone itself.
It was indisputably a good jutsu; I could easily see why Aki in particular wanted it. But was it broken? No, not even close.
Flipping the pages of the booklet, I began to look at the usage charts in the back, which sometimes detailed the jutsu's place of origin, or in what nations it was most commonly favored. If this information was to be believed, the Kage Bunshin was used…everywhere. No credit was given to Konoha or the Nidaime Hokage; in fact, it seemed as if this technique had seen widespread popularity since long before the Hidden Village system came to be.
"Boo. This is lame," I decided, thoroughly disappointed as I passed the booklet to Aki. What was going on here? Did Naruto's Kage Bunshin even exist here? I had already realized it didn't seem to follow the rules of chakra that I'd spent my decade in this life learning about. I wouldn't be terribly shocked if it was just a narrative device.
"Were you expecting something else?" Aki asked.
"Eh, I have a distant memory of someone using this jutsu," I allowed. "Guess I misunderstood exactly what it did."
I looked back at Hanabi, who was leaning against a bookshelf like a vagrant, looking entirely out of place. It was at times like these that I had to remind myself that she was actually quite intelligent.
"Can I help you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. She was staring at me rather intently.
"Are you really going to get the Keijūgan or the Kajūgan?" She asked me. "Or did you just say that to shut him up?"
"No, that's my plan," I said. "I would have to find something insanely broken in this library for me to consider anything else. Why?"
"Because he's kinda right, you know?" she responded. "I've heard people—my sister included—talk about them. About the people who seek them out. Unless you're a jonin, people are going to think less of you for buying them. Besides, don't you want something that will make you stand out more? Something, I don't know…more immediately useful?"
I flexed my jaw in irritation.
"Wow. I'm disappointed in you, Hanabi. Since when have you cared about public opinion?"
"I mean, I don't, but—"
"Those no-skill idiots who wasted their Merits on jutsu they couldn't use properly didn't understand what those techniques are capable of," I cut her off. "And clearly, from that stupid ass comment, neither do you. So I'll thank you to keep your opinions to yourself."
It spoke to Hanabi's maturity, well disguised as it was, that she didn't try to bluster. She was being a hypocrite, and though it always sucked to be called out as one, she took my criticism on the chin.
"Wow. You're right!" She said in something akin to amazement, turning towards her teammate. "Aki, next time I say bitch shit like that again, sock me in the jaw."
"You got it," he deadpanned, shooting her a side eye over his booklet. "You know, there's no need to overcompensate after what happened. You made a mistake, but you redeemed yourself when it really mattered. As annoying as she often is, Ichikawa Hanabi was promoted to chunin. She was the one given that vest. Don't let someone else wear it."
He snapped the booklet closed, slid it back on the shelf and walked away, shoulders hunched and hands in his pockets. Hanabi sighed in irritation.
"I hate when he reminds me why he was chosen to be squad leader," she complained, but there was something in her eyes. A tear? No, it must be my imagination. Side note; I should organize some play dates between Aki and Iwao.
"You want to talk about it?" I offered, but she shook her head.
"Nah. I've been waiting for this for a long time. This is a no depressing shit zone. I just want to nerd out over jutsu."
I smirked. "I think that can totally be arranged. Wanna head over to the Raiton section?"
"Nah. Non-aligned," she said. "I need something that can't be countered so easily."
- - - { ワナビー } - - -
Running into Team Oe was great. Running into Hanabi was great. Most people who made it far as shinobi took things too seriously. We were weirdos in that we actually had fun learning jutsu. Plus, we both had very vivid imaginations—a huge boon that so many lacked.
It was strange; it hadn't been too long since we'd last seen each other. Less than a month, in fact. But we'd both changed a lot in that time. Whatever Team Oe had gone through seemed to have tempered some of her abrasiveness, and made her more introspective. Meanwhile, my moment of self-discovery in Fugatoro, followed by my fight with Minato…I think she could easily sense a change in me as well.
The result was that our dynamic was less clashy and more…playful. Being ourselves didn't feel like as much of a competition. I caught Oe shooting us little glances from behind shelves, a relieved smile on his face, but I pretended not to notice.
Still, my attention was drawn back to her healing wounds more than once, especially when she bent down to pick up booklets from the bottom shelf and her clothing shifted. What kind of kenjutsu specialist was capable of doing that? No—what kind of kenjutsu specialist was capable of doing that to Hanabi?
"I know the scars give you a good excuse, but could you not stare down my shirt? Kami, and you say I don't have decorum."
I tamped down on my mortification.
"I'm just worried about you, dipshit."
She snorted. "Well, stop it. I told you—"
"No depressing shit, I know." I shook my head, my voice incredibly low as I covered my mouth with my hand, pretending to be lost in thought rather than overtly warding off lip readers. "I don't like the current system of promotions. You shouldn't have to wait until something terrible happens to be promoted. It seems incredibly damaging."
Hanabi shrugged, a slightly glazed look in her eye. "It's how we prove ourselves. It's why Iwa has a reputation—our chunin are regarded as some of the strongest in the Elemental Nations. It's worked for us so far."
"It's unsustainable," I countered. "It's inefficient, it encourages recklessness in the field. The saying what doesn't kill you makes you stronger isn't universally true. Chakra can mend our bodies, but our minds are a different story."
This was what something that I was hoping my Observe seals would fix. But, so far, I'd heard nothing about how the powers that be were planning on utilizing that knowledge. Maybe it was too early. Maybe we needed more time.
Hanabi didn't seem to have any response to that, moving to the next booklet in silence. I had ruined the mood, but Hanabi was resilient. She bounced back quickly.
We eventually settled on getting her Ninpo: Nise Kaze no Bakudan no Jutsu (Ninja Art: False Wind Bomb) which was one of the nastier and more unique bullet techniques I'd ever come across. I couldn't tell exactly how it worked from the booklet (which was by design), but it created a concussive blast that could be detonated at the wielder's whim. Hence the name—those on its receiving end often mistook it for a wind-natured jutsu due to its invisibility (the booklet also recommended ending the hand seal chain with a false, unpowered, tori seal to further the illusion). The enemy might either counter with a fire jutsu or sense its path and dodge. Either of those moves could be the last mistake they ever made.
The blast itself might not kill you. However, whatever Hanabi did next surely would.
"I just need something to patch my weaknesses," she had said. "My mid to long range ability isn't cutting it."
"I get that," I commiserated. "I have a couple of ranged C-ranks, but they're easily counterable. All my best stuff is either slow or requires me to get up close. To set up, if not activate. I've put a lot of effort into upping my mobility, and that's compensated so far."
"One day, it won't," Hanabi warned me, seriously. "I learned that the hard way. Trust me. Your seals are badass, but if you can't get them where they need to be, they're useless. And there are enemies out there that won't give you the freedom to place them personally. I don't want to have to tell you I told you so. If you'll even be alive to hear me."
Those words, and more so the tone in which she said them, stuck with me. Which is why, when she left to order her jutsu from the attendant, I semi-reluctantly trudged back to the discount section to memorize the code on a certain booklet's spine.
"I would like to make my selection," I declared to the Ogre. "Code 69159481—Ninpo: Seikatsu no Harigane no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Living Wire Technique). Then…82070457—Doton: Keijūgan no Jutsu (Earth Style: Lightened Boulder Technique)."
I could have gone with either of the gravity duo, but I could think of more synergies between Seikatsu no Harigane and the Keijūgan.
"Due to your arrangement with the Tsuchikage, I cannot simply release these scrolls to you as I normally would," they said, which I already knew.
"I'm supposed to submit a report to the Tsuchikage," I stated. "Should I leave to do that and return at a later date?"
"No," was their reply, and they presented me with paper and a writing implement. Surprised, I began formulating my explanations. Not knowing what was expected of me, I was both wordy and thorough; though I wrote small, each jutsu filled up an entire page.
When I finished, I barely—just barely—felt the attendant release a series of chakra pulses. It must have been a summons, because a blink later, another masked Ogre appeared. The attendant scrawled out a quick note, rolled it up and presented it to the messenger.
"Give your report to them, along with the Tsuchikage's referral," they said to me, and I hastily complied, offering the Ogre both scrolls.
"Follow the instructions written," the attendant said to their compatriot, who dipped their head in acceptance and flickered away. Not knowing what else to do, I stayed motionless, leaning against the counter. The attendant turned away, disinterested in me for the time being, and I knew better than to try and engage them in conversation.
I wasn't expecting a quick result—Actually, I assumed going into this that it would take days or even weeks for the Tsuchikage to get around to processing my request. If I knew the process would be expedited to this extent, I wouldn't have wasted as much time leisurely window shopping. I hoped I could pick these techniques up fast, otherwise my Merits might truly be wasted. Sure, I got ninjutsu down quickly, but these were B-ranks.
Hyperaware of each second that passed, I stood stonily, only moving to wave goodbye and offer a quick explanation to Team Oe, who wasn't restricted like me (Aki did settle on the Kage Bunshin, while Tsuga chose a medical ninjutsu that I knew happened to be a pre-pre-precursor to the poison mist jutsu Shizune used—that alone told me that they were just as scarred from the experience as Hanabi).
Finally, finally, just under an hour later, the Ogre returned. Well, whether it was the same Ogre or another with a similar build, I couldn't tell for sure. Whichever the case may be, they placed my referral back on the counter and offered the attendant a mere nod before vanishing again.
Wordlessly, the attendant got up from their chair and left, returning with my two prized possessions.
"Sixteen Merits," they rang me up, and I quickly upturned the contents of my pouch onto the counter, parsing out the C's from the B's and sweeping what wasn't needed back into the pouch. It hurt me physically to part with so much of my reserves, but it had to be done. Besides, I was expecting a sizable payout again soon from R&D. My Observe seals were still in the fine tuning stage, but they were getting close to something revolutionary. I was expecting more B-Rank Merits as a reward, possibly even A-ranks.
Satisfied, the attendant took my payment and finally offered up the two jutsu scrolls, which I slid into my pocket along with my letter.
Despite my sudden stress, and my lingering misgivings over the impulse purchase, a wide smile crept over my face. I would have to make one more stop in the C-Rank library to pick up Baku Harigane no Jutsu no Jutsu, the precursor to the Seikatsu no Harigane no Jutsu, but then came the fun part.
I couldn't wait.
- - - { ワナビー } - - -
AN: Hey, y'all! An almost on time chapter! Not any action, so I'm sorry if it seems a little boring to some of you, but this kind of thing is what brought me into the Naruto fandom to begin with. Kishimoto created a magic system with so much potential, and I'm having a blast playing in the sandbox. Which is why I was able to write this chapter in only a couple sessions. I didn't really have to take a break to think anything through; every opportunity I had to write, I just wrote. Exactly what I need right now, tbh.
Can't wait to show you what Kasaiki can do with these new jutsu. It's going to be epic.
I posted my second update to my other story, Across the Totem-Verse, on archive (username Poncho_o). Y'all should check it out!
I don't have a Ptrn. If you've gotten just five bucks of enjoyment out of this story, please consider buying my original work on amazon (information in my bio). Between the two sites this fic is posted on, I have over 2600 readers. If even half of you choose to support me in this fashion, I would have considerable bargaining power when it comes to getting future books published. More publishing deals means I can quit my day job, which translates into more time for fanfiction. It's a one time thing, and you even get more of my writing out of it.