,, Dog-Boar-Ram. Transformation Jutsu." I felt like my very cells were changing, their size, appearance, structure. Chakra is really a phenomenal concept that unlocks many doors like a transformation technique that seemed quite successful if I may say so myself. I looked just like Mikoto , the height, the shape of the face and the body, I think I even guessed the shade of her complexion perfectly. I turned around a couple of times in the bathroom to see if I had missed something by any chance, since it was only my third attempt.
The first one was obvious was a failure as I looked like a horribly botched case of plastic surgery, giving myself a heart attack from my own reflection, And probably a nightmare sometime soon. The second one was much better but there were mistakes I made and the most prominent was my hair which at that moment was quite long like my clothes remained the same midnight blue with black ninja trainers. "It seems that three is my lucky number." I had now officially mastered all three E rank techniques, within five days which I considered to be excellent progress, so I could set about my next mission, Shadow Clone Jutsu.
Since Tenzo helped me a week ago with the leaf technique, during the day I would practice my chakra control along with hand seals and at night I would practice my astral projection and take notes in my notebook in Russian, which my mom taught me. This way I could ensure that no one would find out my secrets no matter how hard they tried to decode them because let me tell you, Russian grammar is a horror. Especially for someone like me who is terribly bad at grammar, I literally triple check texts to make sure I haven't made any mistakes, and there are usually plenty of them.
That's why I checked three times whether I wrote the instructions for the Shadow Clone correctly, because just one mistake can and I can seriously injure myself. And how I came to the technique that is in the forbidden scroll, and that's where my practice of astral projection comes in, when I was trying out how things work when I move between people.
I walked all over Konoha and not a single civilian or ninja saw or felt me, which was automatically incredibly fascinating to me, but since this body is neither physical nor has chakra, it is impossible to notice me. So a couple of nights ago while I was exploring the Kage tower as well as every hidden and well protected room in the area, I came across a room where a scroll was kept that contained the jutsu that Naruto later made his main, next to the rasengan of course. Along the way, I didn't come across any dangers that I should watch out for, except for the time and position I leave the body. The good thing was that after my astral walk, my body would be rested with only a few hours of sleep, which is a big plus, because I can optimize my time spent studying and gathering information.
I also found a blind spot in my house where nothing could be seen from either the outside or the inside, so that's where I would write my notes at night as well as any information I could find. Like the tree walking instructions or the temporarily paralysis technique, which I planned to try today so I could better see how big my chakra reservoir is. As far as I can tell the techniques from the academy consume very little chakra, and since even civilian born ninjas can overcome them even though they don't have the advantage of genetically innate larger reservoirs. Since Naruto and Sasuke managed to last a whole day of tree walking training until dark when their chakra was used up, my estimate is that if I can last at least six hours I can try to make one shadow clone.
I decisively came out of the bathroom with my already prepared training equipment, which included shurikens, kunai, senbo needles, a basic first aid kit made up of a couple of rolls of bandages, ointment for bruises and disinfection as well as some cotton wool. But like almost every morning, the first run around Konoha, a twenty laps, then a couple of them in the forest, then on to the field for training number three. I started practicing this since I was able to use my chakra, and since the days were getting hotter I planned to incorporate swimming soon, if I didn't die of heatstroke first.
I put my ninja sandals on as well as the rest of my gear on my knees, elbows, ninja gloves and braided my bangs that ended up at my chin so they wouldn't get in the way during training since it wasn't long enough to tie it into a ponytail or anything else.
As I ran my fifteenth or sixteenth lap I started to realize that I wasn't as tired as I was during the first couple of days, so my goal for today was also to last an extra five laps.
Somewhere around noon I was on my last lap as planned, satisfied with my return to form because after meeting the Kiri ninjas and the aggressive "testing" with Genma, my body was asking for some time to recover, which in my opinion there was too much time. ,, THE POWER OF YOUTH!" A loud scream from behind almost pierced my eardrums, as the smoke rose behind me and got closer every second. ,, Good day, my fellow kunoichi-san. Isn't this day just the most youthfull to run!" Gai yelled as he tried to run at my speed next to me with his signature toothy grin and green jumpsuit and orange weights.
,, I have to agree with you shinobi-san. It's a beautiful day, but a little too warm for my taste." I smiled back at him with a slight smile focusing on my pace and trying to ignore the ringing in my ears that came from Gai yelling. ,, The spring of youth is truly blooming within you kunoichi-san. My name is the Maito Gai known as the Green Beast of Prey." Yep this is definitely Gai in his full "youthful" version with strong lungs for a twenty people, a specialist in taijutsu and the son of an eternal genin. Although he could certainly work on the scream, If it's a little louder I might become permanently deaf, which would not be desirable for me because I adore music and would not give it up for the life of me.
"Nice to meet you Gai-san, call me Maxi." she replied with a big positive smile not showing that I wasn't bothered by the noise in his tone. Gai seemed like he remembered something urgent or important as he his smile disappeared for a second, scanning me in disbelief and then he asked me this time in an uncertain tone.. ,, You are the new kunoichi who beat Genma with just a stick." , Oh-oh, trouble in sight., I thought as my expression seemed to say all that needed to be said and Gai started laughing again with more energy and sparkles in his eyes throwing his arm over my shoulder in a brotherly hug shouting . ,, That is admirable Maxi-san. For someone who has never fought a jonin and has no chakra to manage to emerge victorious in such a youthful manner with only a staff. It inspires me to step up my training and so I'll do three thousand laps around Konoha on my hands." And so he ran off at lightning speed on his now arms as he left me stunned.
, How Gai managed to hear about it ,and from whom did he hear about it., Then I realized that if Gai heard about it then every shinobi and kunoichi of higher level than chunin already knew about me and my outbursts during my testing guess who exactly broke the news, "Yo, Maxi-san."
At that moment, I used everything in me not to jump into the air like a frightened cat, but to turn slowly towards the source from which that very familiar voice came. Kakashi was standing leaning against the Konoha's wall a few steps away from me following me with his fake ravenous smile as he looked at his book which was another one of his favorite prevent series . ,, Yo, Kakashi-chan." I was sure his eye twitched as I said his name with that extension and it was priceless. Kakashi's look of fake happiness disappeared and his technically depressed look returned with a drooping eyebrow that said, Are you serious.,
Since he was kind enough in our first and last chakra class to show me the leaf technique just once and literally give me the definition from a book and then the next moment disappear from the field along with Genma with his body flicker technique, I decided to teasing him a bit. He seems to have tried to ignore it when I just kept smiling like a fool.. ,, How is the Leaf technique going, you haven't shown up at the Kage tower reception for almost three weeks." Inwardly I was celebrating that my little adopted brother Tenzo kept his promise and decided not to tell Kakashi that I had mastered technique and let me work on my own and see how capable I really am.
"Actually I mastered it a week ago along with the academic three techniques." I said in a singsong voice as Kakashi looked me straight in the eye this time with surprise packing the book back into his pocket. He seemed to be checking my chakra to see if I was lying at all. And pride grew in my chest because I mastered the jutsus by myself even though they were of the lowest level, I did it myself, "Hmm, it's not bad." This was a big praise since Kakashi almost never give compliments. "Follow me." He said in a monotone tone as he headed in the direction of training ground number three looking less irritated as he read his book that had been taken out again and I followed him side by side which seemed to surprise him for a moment but he decided to ignore it.
It felt like we weren't rushing anywhere, which was fine with me. I liked to look around the countryside whenever I could, although it wasn't very often because I was always either training my chakra control or writing or practicing my astral projection. Walking like that, we ran into a bookstore that had a black board written in front of its entrance, "New books has arrived." To which Kakashi seemed to pick up interest and entered the store, probably hoping that a new issue of the Icha Icha series had arrived. I literally went behind him to the bookstore above whose cash register stood the best-selling books of the month and in the second place was my slightly modified version of the lion king.
The only one that was above my book was apparently some romantic novel, which had the number eight, which I believed that is the eighth book in the series. While I was looking at the list hoping to find something interesting to read, the owner of the shop, an older woman with curly gray hair and wearing a light blue kimono, seemed to recognize ,e from my book promotions in front of her and the other bookstore owners in Konoha , waving me over. I decided it wasn't polite to ignore her, so I said hi, not wanting her to take my next book.
,, Oh dear, before I forget if you could sign one copy for my granddaughter Yuki. She fell in love with your book the first time she read the first few pages and has been asking for days when the next one is coming out." It was a bit unusual for someone to ask me for an autograph, but I was glad that there were people who appreciate my favorite stories from my dimension. I took the pen that the lady was giving me along with a copy of the book and I signed my stage name, which is on the book, Aria Tanaka, with a little thank you note. "You wrote that book."
Asked Kakashi who was standing next to me at that moment as I was finishing the message for Yuki. I just looked at him from the side for a second and returned the signed book back to the owner, who was smiling sweetly full of joy at having received what seemed to be a wonderful gift for her granddaughter, and then turned my head to Kakashi, who was still patiently looking at me and waiting for an answer. "Yes, writing is one of my talents." I answered honestly, not wanting to make a big scene in front of my wonderful grandmother.
I knew that Kakashi would not mock my work, but he was at a stage where he believed that ninjas must focus on missions and training even if he was no longer in his "live by the rules" phase. Kakashi then noticed a copy of my book standing in the window and handed it to the owner to pay for it along with another one of his books. "Fortunately, Hatake-san this is our last copy. Looks like I'll have to order them again." This was surprising to me, not believing that I had heard correctly. She ordered more than once of my books, which would mean that she sold about forty books in just one week.
I knew that The Lion King was a classic, but I didn't know that it would gain so much popularity, at this rate, the whole of Konoha will have at least one copy in their households. As I listened in awe to she asking me questions about when and what my next book would be, I decided to drop a little promotional hint since the first book was a success. ,, The only thing I can tell you is that there will be a sequel and it's called Simba's Pride." To which Grandma could have sworn she squealed with excitement as she jotted down the name of my future book on one of her papers.
After Kakashi paid and we were on our way again, towards the training ground but this time Kakashi started chatting,, I found Yamato reading this book before training and he seemed quite engrossed in it." This was obviously not a comment on how interesting my story is, but a topic about Tenzo, who I assume broke the rules to visit me and plans to do so again in a couple of days to visit me for dinner. ,, Say what you have to say Kakashi-chan. I don't like it when people dance around the bush." Kakashi knew I wasn't that naive, and as much as I saw Tenzo as my little brother and as much as I was glad to see him getting a book, I didn't like being tricked by someone with a false story.
Kakashi I still didn't like what I called him, but until he told me to stop in a polite way, I didn't think to stop. I understood that he went through a lot, that he doesn't like conversations and social contacts, but he had to understand that he cannot isolate himself forever and communicate with his eyebrow for the rest of his life. "What are your intentions with the Uchiha and Yamato?" And now, the cat is out of the bag.
But this time something was different in his attitude than the previous times. It wasn't a subtle feeling like someone was questioning me, but when someone genuinely cares for someone. To believe because Itachi and Tenzo are the youngest in his team and mostly children so he makes sure they are not emotionally manipulated, when I am not a physical threat. Although there was something else behind all that, but I couldn't determine exactly what because the idiot didn't look me directly in the eyes, and if I pushed it, I would definitely fail because it would look like I wanted to peek under his mask. I waited until we got to the training ground and only then did I speak.
"Do you know that when Yamato came to me that evening and introduced himself, I knew he had given me a fake name? Or is it that when I first met Mikoto with Itachi, the boy was using intense solider pills for the sent, overdosed on supplements and started training again when he should have been resting?" Kakashi looked at me worried because he was still incapacitated during that time, that he was unable to move at the time and he probably wasn't aware of what was happening with the kids, especially Itachi. He knew that the little ones were trying not to be a burden and were trying to give what was asked of them, but it was certainly strange that I, an untrained kunoichi, saw those things so easily through them when he himself could not understand them in some moments. He seemed somehow disappointed in himself that he did not see that Tenzo needed a shoulder to cry on and emotional understanding like Itachi.
,, I care for them, Kakashi. For god's sake they are only children and they are already forced to grow up as soon as possible. No matter how strong, smart, intelligent they are, they are still children who literally met a shinigami almost three weeks ago. They are expected to control their emotions 24/7 , when they are at an age when emotions are more intense and impossible to control. And not to mention that Yamato can't even use his real name in public, and I guess he rarely goes outside the ambu, so he's more or less isolated because according to everything the other countries want him either dead or for their worse plans." Only when I paused I realized how upset I was by the very thought of all this, when I was literally out of breath. "I worry about them, but it's their decision and I still worry about it." Kakashi was also looking at the ground thoughtfully like my words hit him on a couple of awkward spots, or facts he's trying to suppress like the rest of this mini soldier making system. Although here in most situations the rule is kill or be killed, so the earlier they learn to fight and kill, the safer they are.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure they get home alive and in one piece." Kakashi said with his now relaxed tone, as if he'd finally let his guard down around me to some extent. I wasn't expecting something like this from him and it kind of too suspicious. At the sometime this was nice of him. He wasn't this much relaxed around me the last time we saw each other, despite his offer to help with my chakra, he was still with a ,, sudden move, cut off your head attitude, despite his medical condition. My guess was that he had access information that my anbu observers would have collected or he himself was watching me at some point, which made me shudder at the very thought and analyzed them. It's possible he did it to my house while I wasn't there, so I have to throw myself into studying fuinjutsu so I can afford myself some privacy and security.
,, If you could show me the academic three techniques and then continue from there. " Kakashi said this time in his standard monotone voice, bringing you back to the very reason why we are on the training ground. Not within a few minutes I was demonstrating the techniques as well as the combination I had been practicing in the meantime even though only two had been mastered at the time. Before chakra smoke from the clone technique disappear, I used the transformation technique on the nearest branch and then the replacement technique between me and the branch. As soon as the smoke cleared, Kakashi examined my four clones and then shot my replacement clone with a shuriken dispersed into smaller smoke as the branch transformation disappeared on its own. Kakashi then looked at me as I sat in the top of the nearest tree waiting for his assessment of my skill which I had mastered in no time.. ,, Not bad, you learn fast."
To which I smiled proudly and jumped down to him while she took something out of his purse. On the ground in front of me he placed a piece of pepper which I suspected was chakra paper, for determining one's affinity. As far as I understand based on my affinity for one of the five elemental chakra transformations the paper will tear if it's wind, get soaked if it's water, catch fire and turn to ash if it's fire, crumble and fall apart if it's earth and wrinkle then it's lightning. I also remember that there is mention of yin and yang release, better known as light and darkness, which have their own separate applications, and that the white chakra was also mentioned somewhere.
"You know what this is, don't you?" to which I just nodded my head looking at the piece of paper on the ground, while he showed me with his hand gesture to do the test myself and moved a few steps away from me and the paper. At the moment I didn't have any preference for some element, but I wouldn't care if I was, say, a water affinity in the land of fire where most of them are faire, lightning or wind. Putting my hand on the paper and channeling my chakra into my hand, I got ready to see what fate has in store for me. At that moment when the paper absorbed my chakra it tore itself in half and both halves were damp with water, which meant I had equal affinities for the two elements water and wind.
"Wind and water, an interesting combination." commented Kakashi, looking at the paper that was slowly disintegrating from being soaked in water, while I was cursing myself and my luck. The biggest irony in all of this was that we were in the land of fire and I had a water affinity, so unless Kakashi had copied a few water jutsus by now or some other unlucky person like me with a water affinity, this information was useless. Thank heavens I have a secondary affinity for wind so I can also have some elemental based ninjutsu and if the statistics in the books were correct about twenty percent of the nation had this affinity which meant it would probably be easier for me to find someone to help me.
I can't rely on Kakashi because I never know when the ambu missions are, for how long, and the chances are huge that he will come back in as bad, if not worse, condition than last time. But first a more important question. "Kakashi-san can you tell me what my chakra reserves are?" I asked him as he sat under a tree pulling out one of his new books miraculously it was The Lion King. It took him a few seconds to tear his eyes away from book and then looked at me for a few seconds and answered with a smile, "The same amount as an adult jonin." he answered me in his sullen monotone voice and then went back to the book without saying anything more to me.
I didn't need to anyway because it was enough for me to know that I could safely try Shadow Clone later and not have to worry about my chakra reserves for the next couple of hours while I practiced my Tree Walking. But instead of splashing into a tree as recommended and as they did in the anime, I decided to spare my butt and legs and the rest of my body bruises from the fall, so I acted smarter.
I laid down at the base of the tree with my feet on its trunk and began to focus a small amount of chakra to begin with and then gradually increased it, not wanting the tree to explode under my feet. When I felt a tighter grip under my ninja sandals I tried to lift my weight slowly onto my feet on the tree. Feeling my feet slide down, I increased my chakra flow and they were stuck in place like glue even as I stood with my full weight on the tree trunk. I slowly began to loosen the strength in one leg, separating it from the tree, taking a step forward and returning the same amount of chakra the moment it touched the tree. So step by step, slowly but surely I climbed almost to the top of the tree and then sat down on the nearest branch, wanting to see how far I had climbed.
The branch was about fifteen meters high, which I think was good for a first attempt, considering that I didn't fall to the ground like an apple. All happy and satisfied, I continued to climb down, then up a couple of times until I could freely move around the tree without worrying about falling. For the next step, I took to jumping from branch to branch between the trees, which turned out to be a lot easier than I thought, probably because I first practiced the normal swing. A couple of times I came close to falling from very high treetops but nothing that would stop me from continuing until I could relax and hang from the branch upside down knowing that I had good control over the whole process.
In my estimation it took me a couple of hours to master this technique, but not everyone can have Sakura's chakra control so I should be satisfied that I managed to do this at all in a day. When I jumped from the tree back to the ground, there was no sign of Kakashi, and in his place I found several scrolls, one of which was with water techniques and the other with the basics of fuinjutsu.