In Naruto: Reborn With Talent

by Little Merger

A soul was transmigrated into Narutoverse but was refused to be given any sort of insta-OP power, instead, he could choose from three talents. Follow him and his loved ones on their journey to become strong as they pave their own path through the battle-filled world of Naruto. Will they be villains? For some, surely. Will they be heroes? For others, maybe. But anything they do is d

1. 1

A soul was transmigrated into Narutoverse but was refused to be given any sort of insta-OP power, instead, he could choose from three talents. Follow him and his loved ones on their journey to become strong as they pave their own path through the battle-filled world of Naruto. Will they be villains? For some, surely. Will they be heroes? For others, maybe. But anything they do is due to their own desire.

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In Naruto: Reborn With Talent #Chapter 1 - Ch1. Awakening - Read In Naruto: Reborn With Talent Chapter 1 - Ch1. Awakening Online - All Page - NOVEL NEXT

Chapter 1 - Ch1. Awakening

The soul opened its eyes with a long gasp as if wanting to take as much air as possible. It was definitely a painful experience and something not worth repeating.

Its eyes fell on small... hands.

Of course, the soul noted as in an almost broken window nearby, it could see its reflection.

Pale blonde short hair, emerald eyes, pale-skin and... worn-out clothes.

I really did transmigrate, didn't I?

The soul, no. The boy was looking out of the window with an expression filled with mixed feelings. He remembered the talk with the cosmical entity that called itself TUFAP...

He was not allowed to get OP powers. He was only allowed to pick three talents, not even being told how useful said talents will be!

It was the saddest day of his existence...

When he asked if he would be able to choose the world, the answer was.

You already did...

Apparently his inner wish he didn't even know he had... or some other bullshit. He was not amused when he was told he is going to Narutoverse.

When he asked if he could choose a clan?

Random.

When he asked if he could choose the village?

Random. But he could always change in-gam, eh, life.

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When he asked if he will be a ninja or civilian?

Random.

When he asked which timeline?

Random.

He was getting quite irked by that point.

So, he asked one last thing, half-expecting the same generic answer. He asked if he will be even reincarnated during the Shinobi Villages era.

The answer was... yes.

At least some hope sparkled in his mind.

He could absentmindedly hear a loud 'boom' and quickly jumped up on his feet, only to flop back down onto the ground with a killer headache. The memories of this body. 'His' memories flashed through his eyes as he, the new Yotsuba Rei, 'remembered' the memories of the boy he took over. The boy, who died of grief after his parents died a day before.

He remembered where he was. Ame no Kuni.

He also remembered when he was. Kinda. He overheard people talking about Hanzo the Salamander. Start of the second shinobi war. The viciousness of Iwa and Konoha shinobi towards the populace. He also remembered the boy's parents died by the hands of shinobi. His mother was r.a.p.ed by shinobi while his father was tortured.

The previous Rei found their dead bloody bodies on the edge of the forest when he came to look for them. His childish mind broke and as he came home, he died of grief, of all things, due to losing his loved ones.

The new Rei could see more into the situation. The bodies were found near trees with Konoha symbols on the trees. Clearly, Konoha's enemies are trying to raise an uproar and make Amegakure fight against Konoha. He didn't grieve for these people. They might have been the parents of the previous boy residing in this body but that boy was not 'him'. He only found it sad that shinobi didn't mind killing, raping, and stealing through a country that has nothing to do with their war. All because the country was caught in the middle of their conflict and presented a perfect battlefield.

Rei was lucky though. He had a house. Well, as much as a one-room wooden shack can be called a house, anyway. But it was still much more than normal orphans. He still had a roof above his head. And while the crime rate was going up, it was not yet as dire to force the people trying to steal from a kid. He was safe. For now.

He also had enough food for a month or so. He could make do with that.

Thankfully, the memories contained the teachings of how to read and write in Kanji so that was not a problem either. His handwriting was also naturally neat. Unfortunately, his family was a plain non-shinobi poor civilian one.

With a sigh, Rei sat cross-legged on the floor of his shack. He started meditating, focusing inwardly...

And surely enough, his twenty-something years as a normal human without any supernatural energy in his body showed. Not even five minutes later, Rei found and unlocked his chakra. It started as a small spark of warmth in his lower abdomen, something unnatural to him. He slowly coaxed it, led it to open, and spread through his body. It was resistant. It didn't want to leave his abdomen. But... the more he pushed, the easier it got. His will exerted over the energy, the chakra, it was enough to make it course through him. Enough to... make him scowl. It was pathetic. The amount.

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Rei was seven years old. And he had, what he thought was, a civilian amount of chakra. It was not something he could use to defend himself.

With a sigh, he sprawled his limbs on the floor, looking at the ceiling, resisting the urge to groan. He knew kids had it tough in this day and age. He needed more chakra. More power. More... control?

Control!?

His body sprang up, back into a sitting position as he again focused on his energy. He tried to make it circle his body. Slowly, ever so slowly the energy started to flow through it, dragging itself as if it had a viscosity of honey. The energy did not want to comply. But Rei, with a grin, noted his control was impeccable.

He stood up and walked closer to the wall. Putting his foot on it he tried to channel a minuscule amount of chakra on the soles. It quickly slid down.

Rei scowled as he understood the amount was not enough. He again put his foot on the wall and put more chakra into it. He tried to gently part the leg from the wall only to be happy when the sole stuck on the wall. He looked the entire twenty seconds as his sole was glued to it, the fact that he was currently in a supernatural world finally seeping in.

"Well, shit."

Rei cursed at the realization. He was in a very dangerous world without any strength. Why the heck did his 'inner desire' pick this world? He really wondered about it. Really hard and deep!

His mind finally came with a time-worthy conclusion. The only reason why he could have wanted to come to naruto was.

The girls.

There was really no freaking other reason! Either that or TUFAP screwed him over!

Rei had no want for being all-powerful. Wealthy? Maybe. But if he wanted some supernatural power, he would reincarnate as a pure-blood devil in DxD, thinking about b.o.o.b.s. He was sure that somehow could grant him immortality, the ability to convert rocks to gold, and of course, it would also attract females. The women in DxD are weird like that.

So... instead of magic, he is in a world of chakra, knives, and fists. Not a good bargain. Really, Kaguya could create dimensions with chakra but... Kaguya is on the level of a deity.

F.u.c.k, TUFAP did screw me over, didn't he?... Rei cursed inwardly.

Rei noted his chakra reserves were getting dangerously low and stopped his musings as he cut the flow of his chakra to his foot. He lasted two minutes. No, correction.

He had enough chakra to stick ONE of his feet to a wall for two minutes. And even then, it was only thanks to his Supreme Chakra Control trait which enabled him to not waste even an ounce of chakra. His reserves were that low...

This trait basically gave him better chakra control. Nothing else was told to him. No information. No description. Rei didn't even know what 'better' meant exactly. He picked it because, in the list of talents, there were only five things with the adjective Supreme and only two with the adjective Godly. He obviously chose the two godly talents and one supreme.

His Supreme Chakra Control seemed to really be 'supreme' as he felt every single bit of his chakra and instinctively knew he could manipulate it.

Rei wondered... If he could unlock his chakra in five minutes with his control, then how long would a normal child take?

What Rei didn't know was that the children DO NOT unlock their chakra alone. They get a kind of a jumpstart from their teachers. That was the reason why the shinobi academy was a thing. Otherwise, the world would be roamed by civilian shinobi wannabe who unlocked their chakra on their own by fluke. Many civilians tried to meditate and unlock it, yet… Only really talented and determined individuals managed it on their own.

Rei shrugged as he decided not to care about other kids. He was here now. Others didn't matter. He had to think about what he should do from now on. Hmm, he could...

A smile spread through his lips as he remembered what he saw the previous day. Something he was sure the previous 'Rei' deemed unimportant.

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Chapter 2 - Ch2. First companion

Rei stood up. His chakra might be only ten percent full and he might be kinda tired because of that but he could still move. He had to get to his target first!

Rei exited his shack and found himself on a muddy road, soft drizzle falling onto the streets, preventing them from drying up. He saw more worn-out wooden shacks all around, clearly, the area was for the poor. Rei quickly walked along the street, noting an old man with a dog, a young housewife leaning out of one of the windows as she tried to reach her laundry hanging on a branch, kids playing in the mud with a ball. It was poor but quite a nice view of such a war-torn, depressed, rainy country as Ame.

Rei suddenly turned to the left and walked into a side-alley.

The nice view... was completely destroyed. The entire side-alley was strewn with starved shivering forms of homeless people. They eyed Rei with their hopelessness-filled eyes, looking for any valuables on his person. It was only when they saw his torn clothes they disregarded him with a woeful sigh. They realized it was just another homeless orphan. Not worth even talking to, much less steal from.

Rei disregarded these people as well. He could not and would not help them. He came to the middle of the alley when he saw a shivering form of a small six years old girl, lying in the mud clutching her hands closer to her chest, trying to find warmth as the rain fell on her. Her cheeks were sunken and she was thin as a twig but her cautious amber eyes followed him warily as he stepped closer to her.

Rei crouched down in front of her and smiled.

"Hello. I am Rei."

He introduced himself and the girl was observing him for a minute, shivering, curling into herself before she decided to answer.

"Ko-Konan."

The girl whispered in a quiet, unsure voice as she was unsure of Rei's intentions for approaching someone like her. Someone who had nothing to offer. It was quite a sad spectacle. Six years old but already wary and suspicious of others.

"Would you like to come with me?" Rei asked her as he reached his hand towards her in the invitation.

The people around looked at the pair of children and shook their heads. In this god-forsaken land, children had to band together. Shruggingly, they ignored them as this was quite a common occurrence. Just... more violent usually. If it was an older girl, she would be beaten to submission to serve older homeless teenagers. After all, no matter how low they were, even they had their hierarchy.

But the girl was but a child, and her body could not be sold for food or money. No elder kid was interested in making her serve them. At least a.d.u.l.t women could sell themselves willingly to earn money for themselves rather than some opportunistic kid. Boys didn't have it any better though. The strongest were leaders and the weaker ones were underlings. But nobody was interested in dead-weights like the starved shivering girl. Except, other deadweights. That's why the sight of Rei inviting Konan was really nothing out of the ordinary. The others just wrote them off as the next unfortunate corpses they would see a few days later.

Konan was torn. On one hand, her current spot was quite nice. It provided at least some cover from the rain, no matter how muddy it was. She was also close to dumpsters where the other people threw their trash. It provided some food for her. She would loathe to leave it, only to find it already taken later.

In the end, it was the boy's warm eyes that made Konan timidly take his hand. She didn't know what her future with him held but she knew at worst she would finally die. In her mind, it was worth the gamble.

As Konan took Rei's hand, he pulled her up and started slowly, gently dragging her back to his shack. He was no saint to provide the girl shelter for nothing. Konan was... investment.

Even Konan, after her time on the streets, knew nothing in this world is free and if the boy really gave her something, he would want something in return.

Rei took her because he knew exactly what the girl would offer him in return for his kindness.

Herself.

Konan was worth the trouble. She might have been just an underappreciated side-character that died off to further the plot and didn't really have much screen-time but...

She gave Yahiko and Nagato everything she was. No matter their dreams. No matter their methods. She followed.

And when a girl like her is willing to become an S-ranked murderer, a worst-sort of a killer to support a friend in his dream...

Yes, Konan would give herself to Rei. He would make sure of that.

He won't exploit her gratitude. Instead, he will make sure she gets stronger and lived a happy life. But life by his side, nevertheless.

He wanted to secure the loyalty of the only paper-user in the entirety of Elemental Nations. A paper-user who he knew would die for him and adore him if he cared for her. If he showed her she was important. If he made her feel appreciated.

Rei finally pulled Konan into his shack and was amused at the wide-eyed girl.

She didn't think the boy would have a house! She meekly looked at the floor, shuffling her legs nervously.

"What's wrong?" Rei asked her.

"I... I am dirty."

Rei looked over her muddy form and nodded. With some difficulty, he brought a bucket of rainwater to the girl.

"Strip and wash." He took out his father's old cloak and put it near the girl.

The shack only had one room so Konan was plainly visible as she washed with an old sponge and the water from the bucket. Rei could clearly see bruises on her body and could only shake his head with a wince.

Really, what madness gripped me to wish for living in this world... He wistfully thought.

But... he could only soldier on, harden his heart and survive. If it meant making others suffer... so be it.

He also stripped, startling Konan momentarily. Rei's mature mind knew he was acting childish. He should blush, be bashful and yet… he was a child now. Their n.a.k.e.dness didn't bother him at all.

When Konan saw him take another sponge out, she bashfully made a place for him near the bucket. Rei, instead of washing himself, started to wash Konan. The girl looked at him in confusion but then just shrugged it off and started washing him with her sponge, a small smile marring her face. Even she didn't know when she last smiled.

...

As the kids were done washing each other. Rei handed Konan a slice of hard bread and watched as she gulped when her hands clasped it. She looked at Rei, her eyes expectantly asking for permission. Konan started nibbling on the slice only after Rei nodded at her and Rei smiled as he started eating his slice. He could not afford to waste food but Konan looked as if one slice of bread per day was a heavenly meal. Maybe... his provisions would last her half a year if she ate frugally like this. But he was a man from the modern era! He needed his three meals a day!

"Why?" Konan asked Rei timidly as they finished eating, tears of happiness starting to fall from her eyes.

Seeing Rei tilt his head, she asked more in detail as her eyes repeatedly darted from Rei to the ground.

"Why take me in?" Konan looked to the floor and tried to wipe her tears.

"I want you to become mine!" Rei exclaimed. In hindsight, maybe not the best-worded answer.

Konan lived on the streets. She knew... saw what it meant for a girl to belong to a boy. She was always frightened by the screams. But no matter how she tried to close her eyes or cover her ears when night came, many older girls did... things with boys. For money. For food. Or... other reasons.

"Uuuuu." She clutched her head in embarrassment and Rei could only wonder if the steam would start coming from her head.

Konan decided. No one was so kind to her. Her childish mind decided she will give herself to the boy, not even understanding what it meant. She may be mature and saw many things on the streets but she was still a child. In her mind, if she received a slice of bread and a roof over her head, she wouldn't mind... doing that painful-looking thing with Rei!

Rei slowly realized the girl was somehow misunderstanding him. So, when he had his fun due to her embarrassment and actually saw the resolve flick through her eyes, he elaborated.

"Of course as a friend!"

Konan blinked at Rei, her mind stopping short. She slowly nodded, her eyes trying to avoid Rei.

But even if this meant she wouldn't need to do... that with Rei... yet, Konan gained her resolve. It was plainly obvious to Rei. In her eyes, he started to become someone important. He doubted she even realized it yet, but for Rei, that was a start. A start of getting his first loyal S-ranked ninja.

And have no doubts, Konan was more than capable of becoming much stronger than just an S-ranked ninja. Rei decided he would make sure of that...

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Chapter 3 - Ch3. Chakra Strings and Paper Folding

Rei and Konan slept cuddled to each other for additional warmth on the small bed in the shack.

The next morning, Rei stood behind fidgety Konan as she sat cross-legged on the floor.

"Focus." He ordered and Konan instantly closed her eyes, but her body was still fidgeting from the nervousness. Rei sighed and put his hands on her shoulders as he pushed a small amount of his chakra into her abdomen through her shoulders. He could feel Konan sigh in relief as her body shuddered, relishing the feeling.

"Focus." He repeated, a little more sternly and felt her body tense for a second before she relaxed and again started meditating.

He helped her as she found her chakra, helped her guide it. Rei saw that Konan's chakra control is very good even without practicing. Something to be happy about. Especially since she had even less chakra than him. It really drove home the point just what kind of monster Naruto was.

Rei stood and approached the wall while Konan, her eyes still closed, felt the warm chakra in her body, and played with it. It made Rei smile as she saw her slightly curled up lips. Even as a child, Konan wasn't very cheerful. But the more she warmed up to Rei, the more she opened up.

"Konan," Rei softly called her. "come here."

Konan quickly opened her eyes and crawled towards him. Rei thought it was quite cute.

"Put a layer of chakra on the sole of your-"

He saw her uncomprehending gaze and cracked a smile.

"Chakra is the warm thingie in your body, alright?"

Konan gave him a small determined nod.

"Now, put a small layer on the sole of your foot and try to stick it onto the wall."

Konan obediently listened and then tried it. She raised her left foot and put it on the wall. Her face looked focused as she cutely nibbled on her lower lip. Then she tried to yank her feet away from the wall, only for it to be stuck there. It imbalanced her and with a shriek, Konan started flailing her arms in the air.

Rei quickly came behind her and hugged her body from behind, making her regain stability.

"Don't be impatient." He chuckled as he told the blushing girl.

Seeing her nod and her foot leaving the wall, he released her from his hold.

"Practice. Try to find the smallest amount of chakra that can stick you to the wall." Rei told the girl as he sat down, leaning on the wall as he tried to stick slices of paper on his fingers.

"Later." He told the girl who was curiously peering at his fingers and the paper. "When you find the smallest amount of chakra to stick your foot onto the wall."

Konan nodded, and with a renewed vigor, put her all into training.

...

A few days passed. Rei and Konan got even closer to each other but Konan didn't get any more vocal. Rei thought that the Konan from canon that saved Nagato must have spent quite a bit of time with Yahiko already to be that cheerful. The Konan cuddling to him thought... she was fearful, desperate to please, desperate for even the smallest of affection, desperate to be praised, but she outwardly appeared mostly impassive.

Yes, it got better. Around him. But with others?

Yesterday they went to the market and Rei spotted that Konan was always clutching his sleeve and her face always stayed completely stoic. Even as the shopkeeper praised Konan for being well-behaved, she only looked to the floor with a nod but her expression didn't change.

Well, at least they bought more food and some paper.

After Rei saw Konan could stick a paper on each of her fingers, he told her to fold it only with her chakra. He had a lot of fun watching her as she intently gazed at the unmoving slice of paper on her palm in frustration!

Rei also made Konan exercise with him. Not much. They did not have enough food for it to be beneficial but they still decided to get at least some push-ups in.

Their chakra was rising by the day. Rei surmised, it was still not even on the level of an academy student but daily emptying of their reserves until they had around ten percent remaining helped in increasing it.

Funnily enough, Konan's skinny figure also got better. The chakra apparently could make humans last more without food and water. She confessed she felt stronger. Her belly also became somewhat flat instead of dented inwards. Rei was quite surprised at the change. Chakra was really awesome. It would take weeks for a malnourished child to put some weight on but Konan went to bed and rose up a bit better every day. Chakra basically tried to keep the body in the optimal state.

But the disadvantage was that Rei and Konan felt hungrier.

...

Rei watched Konan as she was folding paper in half while nibbling on her lower lip. It still took her a lot of concentration. He instead trained to form chakra strings. As thin as possible.

It was quite challenging but his supreme chakra control was very helpful. He could form them by the nonsensical explanation he found in one fanfic. Draw your chakra from the tenketsu in your finger and make it into a thin thread.

"Whoa." Konan watched with a wide-eyed gaze of awe as a paper started 'flying' above Rei's palm. Rei moved it from the left to the right and chuckled as Konan's eyes intently stared at it.

He put his free hand on the head of the cute girl.

"Don't worry, I will teach you later. For now, focus on folding. Okay?"

Konna bobbed her head up and down but didn't leave to practice. She firmly stood, leaning her head into Rei's hand.

"Okay." He again chuckled. "Sit down.

Konan happily sat in between his legs and leaned her back on his chest while trying to fold the paper as Rei patted her head while his other hand was manipulating two slices of papers on two thin chakra threads. Anything heavier than that was beyond him. For now.

...

Rei started suspecting Konan had a bloodline. That her paper-bullshit is not just a superb chakra control and dedication to paper manipulation.

He gaped when the girl made the slices of paper fly with a giddy giggle. Why was he surprised? Because he did not teach her the chakra threads yet! The girl just wanted them to fly so she imbued them with her chakra and they... flew.

It was bullshit. Really.

Chakra did not work that way! Not for him at least! Hence, he really started suspecting it was a bloodline.

She was living with Rei for a month already. After he allowed her to sit in his lap, Rei quickly found out the girl liked to cuddle and hug. She almost always sat in his lap as she practiced her folding technique, expecting him to pat her head. It was jaw-dropping seeing her just after a week of practice create a paper airplane. But when she started creating some simple flowers after two additional weeks? Rei stopped caring.

Rei used this little head pat addiction of hers to practice his chakra strings while making the folding harder for her. He connected the strings to her paper and moved it around in front of them while Konan tried to fold it while it was moving and away from her hands. She first had to imbue the paper with her chakra but then she could mold it mid-air. It only required focus. That was what Rei tried to train her in since he was not only forbidding her to touch the paper but also do it while it was moving. The cute munchkin was following the paper with her amber gaze, trying to make her chakra fold it.

His chakra strings also tried to make her lose focus as he connected them to her feet, her fingers, and his favorite, the tips of her hair, occasionally gently pulling. It was fun making her hair stand with his strings. It was also incredibly hard as he had to multitask and create many strings to do it. Alas, it was worth it. Rei was always smug when he heard Konan giggle and lose her focus and then pout at him.

But... this month was enough. They needed more food and now that he had chakra strings and Konan could make paper fly, they could... 'borrow' some.

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Chapter 4 - Ch4. Stealing

"Are you sure this..." Konan unsurely and frightfully looked at the target.

Rei and she were standing in a side-alley near the market, clad in black hooded cloaks, and watched a butcher trying to sell meat. Next to him was a stall with fruits. And on the other side were clothes. The quality was as one would expect from a war-torn country but at least it didn't rain today...

"Yes, Konan. Do you think you can help me?" Rei asked her patiently.

The chibi Konan nodded her head in determination.

"Do you remember the plan?"

Another bout of eager nods and Rei cracked a smile.

"Then, here we go."

He gave her a stack of papers. Konan took it and imbued each piece with her chakra, giving each enough to last the distance between her and the stalls.

Nodding at each other, their plan started.

Rei focused. His ten invisible chakra strings stretched towards the stall and connected to various sacks with light things inside. He took a deep breath and signaled Konan to start.

Just as the owner of the stall with clothes turned his back on the butcher, Rei made a few good-looking clothes fall into the mud. The clothes merchant quickly twisted his body around and his eyes landed on the now-muddy pieces of his wares. They coldly shifted to the only man around. The butcher.

As the men loudly shouted at each other, they attracted attention. The fruit stall owner came closer to them, trying to defuse the situation only for his foot to be yanked back by an invisible string as he was coming towards them. The two bickering merchants suddenly found their faces full of mysteriously floating paper, obscuring their vision. They could only hear a loud crashing noise. It was when they finally got the paper from their faces they found... The butcher's stall was toppled over, a lot of meat in the mud. In the middle of it was a disoriented fruit stall owner, still seeing stars while the butcher was glaring at him, seeing red and holding his knife. The clothes stall owner was on the other hand frowning at the butcher, his eyes demanding money for the ruined clothes.

People gaped at what happened and started to come closer. Rei among them. He quickly used his chakra strings to get pouches with money. He targeted those away from him and used his height to his advantage. It is hard to notice someone in a crowd who barely reaches your waist after all.

If someone noticed his pull, he would throw the pouch upwards. The crowd quickly became crazed as the money started spilling from various pouches and Rei had an easier time pickpocketing.

Deciding enough was enough as the people started calming down, he walked towards the alley with a battered-looking sack full of purses. As he was in the alley, Konan sent another flurry of paper into the crowd, straight at their faces. Rei quickly attached chakra strings at unopened sacks of meat and fruit and pulled them to the side alley. He also took two bundles of clothes as theirs were already worn out.

The crowd was still fighting with the paper-storm that mysteriously tried to stay in their faces as the two kids were happily hopping home. Eleven sacks of rightfully stolen loot 'floating' behind them on Rei's chakra strings.

...

Their first operation netted them nice new clothes. Konan quickly took it to herself to pick the best pieces for her Rei. She didn't even know when she started to think about Rei as hers but she knew she liked her friend. She didn't want to steal. But... there was nothing she wouldn't do for Rei. Rei was kind to her. And she promised to become his, right?

Both now sported better clothes.

Konan was astonished at the stacks of Ryo they acquired. Apparently, Rei focused on merchants more and tried to get their purses. Rei stole 50 000 Ryo. That was a lot!

The best part was the meat and fruit though! They ate their fill in celebration of success and Konan finally, for the first time in years, ate until her stomach was full! Not for once did she regret taking Rei's hand. Rei taught her. Filled her belly. And patted her head! He hugged her good night too!

Konan decided she will train hard and protect Rei! Her time on the streets taught her that only the strong survive. She had her reservations but she already stole...

Only the strongest can abuse and kill the weaker. Konan decided she will make sure she is strong enough to not be 'the weaker'. No matter who, she will kill anyone trying to harm Rei!

Slowly, the resolve in the girl and her goals, dreams, and values started shifting. Her mind became set in its path as it approached the mindset of her older counterpart. The counterpart that let a sweet girl like her become an S-ranked killer.

Unknown to Rei, his desire to make the girl into his loyal follower was almost fulfilled. But, not unlike one Hiruzen Sarutobi in the not-so-distant future, he also had no idea that one should not try to manipulate attention-starved children who lived through hell. Not when you are the person who saved them. The results can be... unpredictable. Rei had no idea that his friend was becoming a tad bit too fanatical. Even if she could hide it well behind her mask of stoicism.

In years to come... he will be grateful as well as annoyed at this change. As for Konan, she will always reminisce fondly on this day while serving tea to Rei. As this was the day, her heart finally found her life goal.

Rei suddenly shuddered as a cold chill passed through his spine. His head snapped towards Konan only to find her amber eyes stare at him with a minuscule smile. Relaxing, thinking it was just his imagination, he smiled back at her.

"So, Konan-chan. How much did you steal?" He asked her with a playful smirk as the girl went beet-red.

While Rei was in the crowd, stealing, Konan's small slices of paper were floating in the other part of the crowd, getting to a close proximity with the purses and sharing the chakra in them, imbuing the banknotes with Konan's chakra. She had a lower haul, but she had it nonetheless.

"I got a little over 10 000 Ryo."

Konan meekly offered the stash of banknotes to Rei.

"Keep them." Rei told her, making her bewildered.

"I am more interested in this..." Rei raised an apple with his chakra string. "Can you feel the thread?"

Konan looked at him weirdly but shook her head.

"And now?" Rei put more chakra into it. The string was still invisible though.

He didn't need her to put the answer into words. Her wide eyes were enough. It never came up because his control was always enough to not put so much chakra into them but now that he consciously raised the output, Konan could clearly feel it. Her eyes raised between the apple and Rei's hand, clearly trying and failing to see something her mind was telling her was there.

"You are a chakra sensor." Rei cut the chakra flow and spotted Konan attentively listening to him.

"Well, it is not really that surprising. To be able to imbue the paper with your chakra, you would first have to feel it. So, there." Rei chuckled. "I just never made the connection, you know? Until I saw you maneuver the banknotes through the thick crowd without the need for seeing them, that is. Then and there it hit me. You have this talent too. We will have to refine it, kay?"

Konan nodded enthusiastically.

Rei knew there was no shinobi around. His second talent. Godly Nature Energy Attunement made him able to feel his surroundings much more. He felt only two above civilian levels of chakra in the town. Him and Konan. It was still only the start of the war and barely the first skirmishes started.

He had time, but he needed to make Konan into a capable sensor too.

Unconsciously, Rei started to care for Konan. He slowly started seeing her as more than just a possible loyal follower. Neither of them was aware of it, but they already trusted the other with their lives.

Alas, chakra works in mysterious ways when it comes to maturing. After all, the beloved last Uchiha did have hordes of babies-craving-kids, called fangirls, after the contents of his brooding mini-me every day of the academy!

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Chapter 5 - Ch5. The war intensifies and the first fight

A few months have passed since Rei's and Konan's first thievery. Since then, they repeated it three more times, making sure there is almost a month between them and also did their best to spend some of their money, so they will be seen in the market buying things. Just in case somebody got suspicious.

During these months, Rei's and Konan's chakra skyrocketed. They now could walk on walls for fifty minutes before their chakra depleted. It was all thanks to the food, especially meat that their chakra increased. It also helped with their muscles. While they were still kids, their bodies now were more of flat and toned variety rather than skinny and starved. Both of them started running around the nearby forest to increase their speed and also did various exercises.

Konan was not much of a physical type but she did try to run with Rei. She made it even tougher for herself as she focused on folding two papers in her hands as she ran. They were changing shapes from cranes, to various flowers, to shurikens, kunais, and so on.

Rei wasn't much of a physical type either. That much was obvious from the way both him and Konan were huffing and puffing at the end of the day. But he was getting better. They were getting better.

Rei was not really used to exercise in his last world and was a kinda lazy person. He loved just chilling and playing games or reading novels. But right now, he somehow started to get used to this life.

Wake up, Kiss Konan's cheek, Eat, Practice with Chakra with Konan in his lap, Lunch, Exercises, Dinner, Practice With Chakra with Konan in his lap, Cuddles with Konan, Sleep. Rinse and repeat.

What astonished him was Konan. She didn't have the mentality of an a.d.u.l.t yet she could keep with him just fine. No, she made a visible effort and actually tried to overtake him. When he asked her why she was trying so hard, he got a 'well-duh' stare and was told 'to protect you'. It really ignited his motivation somewhat fiercely.

Rei mostly focused on chakra strings to be able to hurl humans or human-sized boulders with them as if he was using slingers. And while it was quite inaccurate, it was at least something.

Rei also focused more on the stickiness part of Tree-walking. He could now stick and unstick himself whenever he wanted, either with his hands or soles of his feet. This also helped with attaching the things on the end of his chakra strings and making them 'stick'.

Konan was practicing the hardening of her papers and sharpening the edges. It was not really a wind chakra but it always made Rei sweatdrop. These things she called paper were slowly becoming as dangerous as shurikens! Especially since Konan could make up to twenty of them on the fly by now.

Both of them learned how to enhance their bodies with chakra which made them able to exercise for the entirety of the afternoon. Which in turn made them even stronger physically, increasing their chakra and stamina. They were really pulling each other ahead.

All in all, they were no Kakashi or Itachi... but then again, they did not have teachers, technique scrolls, money, nor special food. If there is one thing the villages and clans were good for it was good learning opportunities. Without knowledge of Jutsu creation, chakra theory, or at least some Jutsu, Rei was not about to try creating his own Jutsu. Who knows what could go wrong.

For the resources they had, they did good! Un!

...

Rei and Konan were running through the forest when Rei suddenly stopped. His sensory abilities told him there are three ninjas nearby. Thankfully, they did not feel special or strong. While they were a lot stronger than both Konan and Rei combined, they were heading straight at them so...

Rei stopped Konan with a gesture and they promptly hid in the foliage. They didn't know how to mask their chakra but they could disperse it. Meaning, Konan imbued 30% of her chakra into thirty papers and made them hide all around into the nearby trees and bushes. They knew this could momentarily fool sensors because Rei's senses could be fooled too until he focused more in-depth. As for Konan... she had no chance of finding out unless she spent minutes in the vicinity. Her chakra sensing was kinda a work in progress.

"What are we going to do?" Konan whispered.

"We gotta fight." Rei resignedly told her. "They are heading straight for us. That's no coincidence. They probably have a chakra sensor. But he should not be a particularly strong sensor."

"Surprise attack?" Konan nodded.

"Surprise attack."

And with that Konan pushed fifty percent of her remaining chakra into fifty small, shuriken-like origami, hardening and sharpening them.

From the bushes, they could see three Iwa shinobi land exactly where Rei and Konan stood when Rei sensed them. They were looking around warily.

"Genin Kazubo! Where are the shinobi you told us about?"

A small annoyed man barked.

"I don't know Kilabi-sensei! But I do sense someth-"

That was as far as the sensor-nin got when the man called Kilabi jumped away. Konan's shuriken origami instantly flew straight at the two Genin. They wanted to jump away too but Rei quickly stuck a chakra string on each of their feet and pulled, making them fall onto the ground. The paper-shurikens shredded the poor men.

"Tch. Stupid Genin." Kilabi snarled as his eyes started drifting all over the trees and bushes.

Rei thought he would not find them but it seems he underestimated experienced shinobi a bit. He barely managed to lift a rock with his string to block a kunai heading at Konan. He saw Konan freeze as she saw the men she killed and he did not have time for making her snap back to reality. He had to engage the man.

Knowing well he did not have any chance without cheating he gave a kick to Konan and jumped out of the bush. He did not see her blink, take a deep breath, and nod with determination. Konan stayed hidden.

"Who are you!" Rei exclaimed and he pointed at the Kilabi as if the man just offended him. Kilabi's eyebrows raised into his hairline at the sight.

"A kid? These two idiots died to a f.u.c.k.i.n.g kid?"

He started laughing but Rei could see the man visibly relaxed.

"Well, I am Kilabi, chunin from Iwa. The man who is gonna kill ya~ kid." The man leisurely twirled kunai on his fingers and stared at Rei as if he was his prey.

"Ok." Rei nodded seriously, making the man do a double-take.

"But shinobi-san? Could you tell me why?" Rei asked.

"Why what brat?" Kilabi stopped twirling the kunai.

"Why are you so fine with your comrade's death?" Rei aske curiously.

Kilabi chuckled.

"These two idiots... I wanted to get rid of them eventually anyway. I enjoy having a female in the team more... if you know what I mean."

"Ah! You are just a common pervert!" Rei screamed at him, his finger again pointing in accusation on the man.

The kid was really making Kilabi mad. The respectable chunin he was, decided to get this over with and gut the kid good. There was an entire village. He could perhaps choose a woman to enjoy there afterward. This shitty war had at least some advantages!

He jumped at the kid, seeing his frightened widening eyes, Kilabi's smirk became bigger the closer he got.

Rei knew he couldn't evade Kilabi. The chunin was too fast for him. As he saw Kilabi approach, his eyes widened and he did the only thing he could. He flung himself to the ground.

This momentarily stopped Kolabi as his kunai didn't stab the kid and instead hit the air. He tsked at the lucky evade and he aimed the kunai downwards about to skewer the annoying brat.

Unfortunately, Rei had him at close range, and his chakra strings that could hurl human-sized boulders, yanked Kilabi forward, towards the bushes where Konan was hiding. The man couldn't avoid the ten incredibly sharp slices of paper aiming at his throat as he was mid-air. His head was sent flying before he realized what happened.

Konan quickly scurried towards Rei before Kilabi's body could even hit the ground.

"Are you alright!?" She shrieked as she looked all over him.

"Yes. We were lucky." Rei panted from the fear and killing intent he felt as the chunin jumped him.

"He was fast." He stated a matter of fact.

"Way too fast." Konan nodded and hugged Rei tightly.

"We gotta get better."

"Yes, Rei."

After they calmed down and enjoyed a few more reassuring warm hugs, they searched the bodies and scavenged a few kunais, shurikens, money, and storage scrolls. Kilabi even had two special papers that could gauge chakra nature. He was probably tasked to give them to the two dead genins.

After gathering everything of value, Rei and Konan scrambled away... They wouldn't enjoy being attacked by another shinobi. Rei only thanked the god that their village was so out of hand and the chakra sensors were quite rare.

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Chapter 6 - Ch6. The Third Talent!

Konan played with the pointy metal. This was the first time she had one in hand and it gave her an example of how sharp and hard her paper should be. She was excitedly waving it around while her other hand held a paper-kunai, visibly changing to resemble the normal one.

It was a cute sight since she nibbled her lower lip in concentration.

Rei chuckled and returned to his own musings. He was sitting above the storage scroll.

The scroll was empty and even Konan gawked when Rei just casually hit the trigger to empty it without even seeing a storage scroll previously. He grinned.

His Godly Nature Energy Attunement Talent is giving him sensing ability. For now. He actually CAN feel senjutsu chakra too but never tried to take it in. Too dangerous. Too little chakra in his system to balance it. While yes, he theoretically should have total control over it... but better safe than sorry. But... the talent worked wonders.

As Rei saw the seal, his third and last talent he picked, worked wonders too. His last talent was Godly Sealing Talent.

Rei didn't know what to exactly expect but the second he saw the seal, he somehow instinctively understood how to work with it. He could... maybe copy it but not tweak. He did not have the knowledge. But the storage seal provided an enormous amount of discoveries to him.

He understood some underlying principles by reading the kanji and how they worked! He was SO disappointed too!

To explain simply what he found out...

Rei did not have knowledge of the inner workings of the seal but he could still read the kanji that made the seal.

Space. Withdraw, Intent. Store, Intent.

And some equations alongside it.

Correction. Some nonsensical equation alongside it that held it all together and described the parameters of the space. The trigger was obviously chakra and the space holder was the scroll.

Rei put one and one together. He also brainstormed for any 'possible' theory...

Rei was not sure but his mind played with a theory. Quite idiotic theory. A theory that said that sealing is basically using a Kanji, imbuing it with chakra, and waiting for the 'magical' effect the intent in the chakra provides when it collides with the Kanji. He also noticed that two of the storage scrolls had a different set-up. It was as if they were written by a different...

Oh... Rei opened his mouth into a silent 'O'.

"I see! They use different sealing languages!"

It made sense, kinda. Both scrolls were in Kanji but the way they were written was different. Meaning a different maker and different 'language'.

Where one had 'Space', another had 'Storage' and so on.

But then... why did they function almost the same?

Rei took out a paper and let his instincts lead him.

He wrote on the paper while pouring his chakra into the ink.

He wrote 'Space. Withdraw, Intent. Store, Intent.' and added parameters. Exactly the same from the first scroll. The catch was, he did it in English.

He took a rock and put it on the paper with his English storage seal. He took a distance while pulling Konan with him and with a chakra string activated the storing function.

The rock disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Phew. So it works that way too? Neat! I just discovered my own Sealing language that this world won't be able to decipher!" Rei almost jumped from giddiness as Konan looked at him in confusion.

In the end, she just shrugged, sat down, and returned to her origami kunai.

Rei then used his chakra string to activate the Withdrawal function and imagined the rock. Needless to say, it worked.

The problem though was the parameters...

Rei groaned and promptly facepalmed. Imagine addition and subtraction in kanji. Now, this scroll was a quite standard one and Rei suspected it was a very simple piece of fuinjutsu. So, subtraction and addition didn't even need to be used as it only needed a definition of the created space.

But... what about spatial fuinjutsu? Containment one? Barriers? Heck... Bijuu seals?

The shit hits the fan and the seal is as long as an entire f.u.c.k.i.n.g scroll. Not to say ineffective as heck since this world was a feudal one. They had some electrical appliances and technology but higher mathematics? Pfft. Shinobis were glad when they knew the multiplication table. It just wasn't needed for their job.

Rei knew the shinobi probably developed the sealing arts in a way that mathematics were not needed but unless he saw it... He really doubted it would be efficient though. At least these storage scrolls were definitely not! Rei could make one in English and better equations with one-tenth of the space that was needed for the one in Kanji.

Rei suddenly had a very nasty sinking feeling that Minato Namikaze actually did manage to create a teleportation seal with only addition and subtraction, moreover in kanji... and suddenly he wanted to puke blood.

...

Rei decided to 'widen' their arsenal. He started to experiment. It didn't take a week for him to create a working Exploding tag. If it even can be called that since one of Konan's small slices of paper was enough to hold it with a lot of free space. The point was, Rei could not create much of them and certainly not powerful enough. His best shot was only half as strong as the single explosion tag he found on Kilabi. That stuff really needed much more knowledge on seals and Rei was taping into it head-first without having a book or teacher. It took time.

Nevertheless, even if it was only half of the power of the generic shinobi exploding tag, it was enough to cause injuries. With Konan's ability, it was so worth it!

To create even one tag capable of hurting somebody would cost him 50% of his chakra reserves. He now had the three idiots who attacked them as comparison and he understood that while Konan was on the border of very, very low Gennin, he is a mid-level academy student when it came to reserves. She somehow overtook him while he was busying himself with fuinjutsu!

Sigh, at least my control is much better than even Konan's... He thought.

So far, he was capable of creating one small storage seal and exploding tag.

He then spent the next few days developing a simple stasis seal.

All of his experiments, of course, needed Konan so neither of them made much progress in their own chakra practice but they both knew this could give them the necessary edge to win their fights.

The stasis seal was a very helpful thing but they had to tweak, retweak, and then completely overhaul it so many times, even Konan was a bit fed-up. The point was if they wanted Konan's paper kunais to keep their chakra-sharpened or chakra-hardened state while in the storage seal, they had to put them and the chakra affecting them in stasis until they were released. Otherwise, the chakra would run out in the storage scroll and the paper kunai would just turn into, albeit crumpled, still only a normal paper.

They finally succeeded on the fifth day and a few of Konan's small papers contained a new storage seal tweaked for battle. She could activate it whenever at will since the activation needed only her chakra and the paper was literally soaked in her chakra. What it needed was only her intent to set off the seal.

The seal was a storage one with an inbuilt stasis seal. Inside were contained hardened and sharpened paper shurikens and the trigger had a feature that gave the projectiles a 'push' sending them flying in multiple directions when the seal triggered. Fast. The best part was that the speed and the directions were somewhat adjustable on triggering the seal so it was a really nice surprise weapon.

Rei kept some of these papers with this seal because even he could use it. But Konan? She had already ten stashed away for emergencies and always bugged Rei to create more of them for her.

Rei also made quite a lot of Exploding tags as every day before he went to sleep he was able to create two, almost depleting his chakra.

Konan had seven and he had three. It was not really a question. Konan could remotely activate them whenever she was, as long as she could feel them with her sensory ability. She was born to be a carrier for seals, dammit! Her paper manipulation is golden when in conjecture with a seal master.

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Chapter 7 - Ch7. Chakra Nature

Konan took the chakra paper into her hand.

"You gotta push a small amount of chakra into it."

"Okay, Rei."

Konan did so and the paper was torn into three pieces. One of these pieces was over half of the entire chakra paper big and was promptly shredded to small pieces. Wind.

One of the remaining pieces was completely soaked, signalizing water, while the other turned to dust. Earth.

Konan looked at Rei with an expectant and excited gaze at Rei who released a soft exasperated sigh.

"You have a main wind affinity. A strong one, at that. Well figures, this is probably what helps your bloodline to fold the paper and sharpen it? Mah, just my guess."

Konan nodded attentively.

"Next you have Earth affinity. I would say this is what makes your paper durable and capable of hardening? Maybe, maybe not."

Konan only relocated her gaze to the soaked part. She looked kinda like a puppy. Wide-eyes pleading for an explanation.

"Ah... the last is Water affinity. I must say I dunno... ah! Maybe it helps you keep the shape of your paper in the water? I mean it gets wet alright but I never saw it soaked. It's as if it was made of something unable to absorb water or something. Can you even consciously control that?"

Rei meant that. This was Ame no Kuni. Most of the year, the rain never stopped. Yet, Konan's paper stayed intact even under the rain when they ran through the forest. He always thought it was due to her chakra and looks like he was partially right.

Konan took his words to heart and filled one of her papers with her chakra. She sunk it into a bucket full of water and watched as the paper held its form. Suddenly, she started to get ideas on how to exploit it in battle. She was, after all, in a water-filled country. If she could shoot her shurikens from water... Ehehehe.

After she was done contemplating the best way to murder someone, Konan tried to actually control this attribute of the paper and the paper got soaked. She stared at it... giddy at learning something new about her capabilities and tried to un-soak the paper.

Rei could only stare in surprise as the paper expelled the water, still sunk deep in the bucket, and became yet again a properly flat form. A second later, he saw Konan start folding it into an origami under the water.

I call bullshit... He thought.

Three main elements and all helping in her paper manipulation. Rei knew what this was. It was obvious. No matter how much denial he was in. The girl didn't have a Kekkei Genkai. No. She had yet unregistered Kekkei Tota.

Now... why the hell Jiraya in the canon never noticed?

Because it is bullshit! That's why! Kekkei Tota is rare as f.u.c.k! In the entire world, only Onoki is supposed to have it at the moment and it is very destructive!

Even if you find somebody with three chakra natures it could be called lucky but wouldn't mean that person has Kekkei Tota. Heck, It would not mean that person has Kekkei Genkai! To have Kekkei Genkai, one has to have two chakra natures capable of working in tandem to create a new, special type of chakra, in case of elemental Kekkei Genkai, or a special type of chakra, mostly derived from elemental chakra, that does something... not elemental. And then there are dojutsu.

Anyway, Konan is certainly in the second category as it was proven that her chakra natures indeed DO affect her paper manipulation.

As for why Rei called it bullshit... even he could fold paper with his chakra. He bet even Jiraya could! That was most likely why Jiraya disregarded it as a talent for chakra control when it came to making origami. But he can not make the paper fly, sharpen, harden, cut... etc unless he directly imbued the elemental chakra into it.

Konan can. On instincts alone. Jiraya surely just disregarded her the same as he disregarded Naruto. He saw Rinnegan, a candidate for the prophesied child, and anything else was a moot point for him.

Rei had problems with creating two exploding tags yet Konan is able to divide her chakra and manipulate up to fifty paper shurikens so far. Simultaneously at that. That's multitasking at its finest. If it was not instinctive, there is no way her mind would be able to do it! He called hax!

"Rei?" Konan pulled him out of his reverie. "Your turn." She pointed at the chakra paper in his hand and Rei sighed, wishing for something good. Like... dunno. At least two natures would be nice...

He casually pushed a sliver of his chakra into it. There was really no need to be tense. The result would not change anyway.

What happened next made Konan and Rei widen their eyes.

The paper split into five identical parts.

One was torn to shreds.

One was turned to dust.

One was soaked wet.

One was crumpling with sparks.

One was set on fire.

"Oh... I have all five chakra natures..."

Rei stood there stunned, thinking about how it could happen while Konan was beaming! She was happy her friend had so much potential!

"Congratulations, Rei!" Konan excitedly jumped next to him and took his hands into hers as she expressed her happiness by spontaneously kissing him on the cheek and tightly hugging him.

"Thank you." Rei sincerely told her as his arms sn.a.k.e.d around her small frame and returned the hug.

"Let's play?" Konan innocently asked and Rei didn't want to destroy the atmosphere between them.

"Sure..."

They then proceeded to spend the afternoon together, playing with each other. Either doing dodgeball with kunai, a tag on the ceiling or tug-of-war with a paper, Konan with her paper manipulation and Rei with his chakra strings.

It was only later that night when Rei laid on the bed, Konan snuggled into his side, fast asleep, he thought about his chakra natures.

His mind had a few solutions. His Supreme Chakra Control Talent or his Godly Nature Energy Talent. Or these two talents mixed together. He just had to know because it might be information capable of giving him an idea of how to exploit it further!

A task for another time, perhaps. Rei sighed as he felt very tired. Konan can be incredibly energetic when it comes to playing a tag...

Rei looked at the peaceful sleeping face of the girl and his hand rested on her head as a slight smile appeared on his face.

He closed his eyes and focused on the natural energy around them. Carefully pulling a strand into his own body, dissolving it in his muscles, bones, blood, and organs, feeling them get slightly stronger as his body felt as if it was just pampered and massaged. He then did the same for Konan who melted into him with a satisfied expression because of that.

Afterward, his consciousness was engulfed by the darkness. Night and exhaustion claimed him.

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Chapter 8 - Ch8. Leaving Home

Rei and Konan stood in the woods, both clutching a slip of paper between their palms as they trained their nature transformation.

Konan was trying to cut the paper in half while Rei trained his zap-ability first. But damn was it hard to make the paper wrinkled.

They trained for months on this alone. Rei really had no idea how the twerp of Uchiha learned Chidori in a month... Kakashi had to be a helluva good teacher for that to happen! A pity that was only when he actually wanted to teach something to someone. After all, he was ANBU captain and DID train new recruits. Saying he didn't know how to teach… yeah, sure.

Alas, Rei was in a severe lack of a teacher and had to wing it.

Konan had similar problems but Rei's advice of 'try to make your chakra sharp' helped... somewhat. She could already cut the leaf after three months but now she wanted to learn to control her wind chakra and actually coat the paper in it instead of cutting it. It was still a work in progress.

Rei could actually create lightning chakra. It was no Jutsu, alright. But he could numb, or give a slight jolt to others. He tried. He had a lot of unsuspecting test subjects in the marketplace. It was nothing much so far but this was Ame no Kuni. There was water everywhere so it would prove useful. Especially since he could conduct his lightning chakra through his chakra strings!

Rei mostly focused on his fuinjutsu. After these months, Konan had hundreds of exploding tags on her person and he had a few tens. Same with the storage seals filled with paper shurikens. He had ten while Konan had around a hundred.

Rei was very curious why the seals work even though they have no real chakra sustaining them. Surely the seals should cease their function as the chakra dissipates, right? No way a seal could function years...

He found the answer when he left one storage seal near his bed when he was about to fall asleep and focused on the natural energy to strengthen his and Konan's body. He spotted a very, very minuscule amount of natural energy sustaining the seal. It was so small it seemed like an occasional flicker and even Sage Mode Naruto would have a hard time spotting it even if he was looking straight at it. But it was there. He once again thanked God for his Godly Nature Energy Attunement Talent.

The day after that, he started consciously putting natural energy into his seals the same way he did with his and Konan's body, and... his exploding tags effectiveness improved by a factor of two. They were now slightly stronger than the tag stolen from the Iwa shinobi. Considering Konan had more than a hundred of them...

Thanks to natural energy and being older, both their bodies improved tremendously. They didn't have any taijutsu style but often sparred together.

Rei's body was stronger though. Thanks to his talent, he could take much more senjutsu chakra into his system to passively boost his body over time and it showed. He was faster, stronger, and more durable. It all became a moot point the second Konan started to use her paper.

It really put into perspective just why bloodline clans and clan shinobi are so much more valued in shinobi villages. With the same amount of training and in the same conditions, Konan could trash him because he did not have anything special. No technique. No bloodline.

The strength of his body could get him only so far.

Thankfully he had his talents. He knew exactly how strong fuinjutsu and sage-arts are in later stages. For now, he would endure and become stronger.

"Rei," Konan suddenly called out to him, pulling him out of his thoughts. He looked at her, and instantly spotted her wary look. "check."

His eyes widened. Konan could leave her paper around and use them as a kind of extension of her chakra sensing. The entire town and the woods had pieces of her paper scattered just in case.

'Check' meant she discovered something wrong.

"House." Konan thinned her lips.

Rei quickly started sensing the area through senjutsu and froze.

"F.u.c.k. Ten squads. 30 feels similar to Genin. 15 Chunin. 5 higher."

Rei used the shinobi from Iwa as a measuring scale so he could at least feel amounts of chakra.

"They are slaughtering people." He cursed. This was not how he imagined his afternoon to go.

Thankfully, their supplies were stashed in storage scrolls they had always on themselves.

"Orders?" Konan looked at Rei.

While Rei thought it was cute how she started to act as a subordinate, especially since they both were eight but...

"Activate the exploding tags scattered around the town when a shinobi comes into their vicinity. I will alert you when they get into the forest, we will do the same. We can't outrun them and will have to outsmart them and hide. For now, let's run in the opposite direction of the town."

Rei didn't know if they had a chakra sensor or anyone who could track them but he was not really inclined to find out. Both Konan and Rei started running away.

...

The town was a mess.

Blood, guts, and gore-filled the streets as men, women, and children were being slaughtered left and right by Konoha shinobi.

Why?

Because it was a good place for an outpost. Surrounded by woods so rare in the Ame. Konoha-nin were used to woods. It was their home field. There was no way they would not try to acquire this town. Alas, the people were quite useless for them.

"Hey, Daiki!" A woman screamed at a man nearby who was tearing clothes from a young teenage girl. "No *!" She barked, showing her canines. Clearly an Inuzuka.

The man grumbled but obeyed and instead slit the girl's throat in annoyance. He wanted to say 'f.u.c.k you' to the Inuzuka bitch but she was jonin and he was still a genin...

Misa Inuzuka looked around with a cold gaze. Deep down, she could sympathize with the people but... she had her orders. She could only watch in apathy as her subordinates kill children, women, and the elderly. She was long used to scenes like this.

That's when it happened.

Daiki was approaching her and out of sudden, he... wasn't.

A loud 'boom' resounded through the town as the exploding tag tore Daiki to shreds, sending his torn limbs flying apart as his guts painted the ground red and shitty.

Misa could only curse. This was a trap!

"Regrou-" Before she could give that order, a series of other loud booming sounds resounded all over the village…

...

The Konoha-nin finally met with each other, uncaring about the people who were running away as their orders were to leave nobody alive in the town. If somebody manages to outrun shinobi, no qualms there. Laughable thought. Who would believe it…

Misa and her ninken sat in the corner as she saw three of her jonin-ranked colleagues.

"That's all of us." A man, Aburame, told them, making them astonished.

Four jonin, 9 chunin, and 18 genins. They lost 19 people so far. Misa couldn't help but curse. This mission was swiftly becoming one of those fabled troublesome rank-ups...

"Okay," Misa sighed as she heard the man who had the command. Sazo Hatake.

"We will stay here and secure the place. Misa, you will take five chunin and go scout the forest. Mukuro," He nodded at the Aburame man. "says there is a chakra trail there. Be careful, we have no idea how the exploding tags are hidden from his bugs. Especially since there seems to be no delay between activation and explosion. If you find hostiles, kill them!"

Misa and her five chunin came to the edge of the forest, all feeling uneasy. That's when ninken barked at her, that he found the smell of humans.

The group quietly hopped from tree to tree, keeping some distance between them.

Ikaru, a chunin, was about to spring himself away as his feet impacted the thick branch when...

Are? What?... Were his last thoughts as his mind didn't even manage to register the pain as he was literally slaughtered by a flurry of paper shurikens enhanced by wind chakra.

Misa could only watch in horror as one of her chunin was made into a swiss cheese instantly. She gestured to the group to stop.

"Guys. Careful... I have no idea what this shit is but obviously, we are against a very skilled fuinjutsu master! The explosive tags have no delay and the traps are enhanced with elemental chakra!"

Rei didn't know that his stasis seal was a masterpiece in the eyes of the ninja. No stasis or storage seal was able to hold chakra infused into the weapons, much less if that chakra was elemental one.

The group scattered, getting even more distance between themselves in fear of being caught up in the traps together.

The hopped from tree to tree, following the ninken. Misa could swear she could occasionally see two running figures far away through the trees but as she was about to focus more on them...

Kira, the man in the position next to her was sent flying to high heavens... and fell near bushes

Misa could only curse. Her instincts flared and even if Kira was a slight distraction, surely intentional, she managed to jump backward, just in time to avoid another flurry of futon paper shurikens. She landed on the ground and noted that the branch was completely shredded. She cursed again. A powerful wind user! A groan tore through her throat.

With the corner of her eyes, she could see shaken Rika staring at Kira, her fiance, and wobbly approach his corpse while tears streamed down her face. Misa was about to admonish the girl when she took the charred body of her man into her arms but...

A whirl of papers flew out of the bushes, sticking onto terrified Rika. Misa will never forget the horror-filled eyes as the chunin under her command looked at her pleadingly just a split of second before the papers exploded, torn both her and her already deceased fiance to shreds, leaving only a bloody smear and charred ground behind.

Suddenly, Misa and the two remaining chunin didn't feel like...

Correction. One remaining chunin.

Mika watched as Kaguro fell prey to yet another storm of futon paper shuriken.

Yes, Misa and Muko, the last chunin, really did not feel like following.

"Retreat." Misa ordered in apathy and Muko obeyed with a gulp.

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Chapter 9 - Ch9. Mistake?

Misa entered the house that was chosen as a make-shift command center and found Hatake-taicho sitting behind a table.

The man spotted Misa's distraught expression and suddenly had a sinking feeling.

"Jonin Misa, what's the situation?"

"Hatake-taicho," Misa sadly shook her head. "Kira, Rika, and Ikaru are dead. The forest is packed with explosive tags and traps. All high-quality without delay or any signs before activation. The enemy has a skilled futon user as the weapons were infused with futon chakra. We first..."

She proceeded to explain the entire situation to the slightest of detail.

"Any visuals?"

"No," Misa denied. "Only two running kids but even then it was a fleeting thing from far away. I, however, don't think a kid would be able to-"

"You would be surprised." Sazo interrupted her with narrowed eyes. "Paper shurikens you say... It may be some new Kekkei Genkai. We have to report it." He sighed and dragged his hand through his tired eyes.

"This is a disaster, Misa."

"Yes... Sazo."

The two knew each other as both had a thing for ninken. They just hated to let it be known.

"22 casualties on a mission to take over a civilian town. It couldn't get any wors-"

Just then Konan's explosive tags in the forest, that was the entire reason the town was being taken over, went off. Misa and Sazo had to brace themselves as a hundred explosions rattled the forest and created a small earthquake.

Sazo hurriedly ran to the window and what he saw made him swear worse than a sailor.

The forests around were... burning. The sky was painted orange as the flames quickly spread through the trees, reaching far above the treetops, irreparably destroying the forest.

Sazo could only bitterly watch as the strategic advantage of home-field turned into dust. This mission was an utter... failure.

...

Both Konan and Rei panted from the long run as they saw the forest burn.

"Good. We managed to make the trackers turn around." Rei smiled slightly.

Konan, hearing him, hugged his arm to her chest in relief as her forehead rested on his shoulder. They are alive. For now.

The two kids proceeded to trek through the stony fields away from the edge of the forest. Their direction... unknown.

...

Night fell and both Rei and Konan were shivering under a make-shift roof made of Konan's papers. The air was still shivering though and even huddled together it was very cold.

Rei sighed and took out a paper and started drawing with his chakra-infused ink.

'Warmth'

He then made a few additional numeric parameters and activated the seal. Putting it on himself, he could feel warm again, as if he was under the sun. It was not hot but it was incredibly pleasant.

He swiftly made another seal for Konan who smiled at him for it.

Before he could smile in return, he found Konan's lips pressing into his for the first time in the time they lived together.

Flushed Konan flopped back into the spot next to him and meekly looked to the ground as she fumbled with her fingers. Rei also had red cheeks and he couldn't help but think...

Girls really do mature sooner, don't they?

He scratched his cheek with his left hand and with his right he cupped Konan's cheek, raising her head so her eyes would meet his. As the second their eyes met, Rei pressed his lips onto Konan's cheek.

After a few seconds, he pulled away with a small smile.

"Thank you."

"Thank you too."

They slept, embracing each other, feeling warm and safe.

...

The next few weeks gave Rei a hard lesson. Life without a home, 'on the run' is not easy. Konan could take care of finding, or better said, creating a shelter and he could create nifty runes to provide warmth. Water was abundant in the Ame no Kuni but... he still missed bed. A place he felt safe.

Slightly, during these weeks, the meaning of home shifted in his mind. He no longer associated it with a building or village. He now associated it with Konan.

He could feel at ease and protected when he was with her. The same could be said about Konan. The two kids quickly learned how to fend for themselves in the wild and avoid skirmishes of shinobi. Needless to say, Rei and Konan only stayed out of sight and range.

They were getting more and more daring. Learning by doing. As they came to witness more and more battles, scavenged battlefields for money, seals, and weapons, their chakra senses caught on many shinobi and the way they controlled their chakra. Rei could detect hiding shinobi easily thanks to his natural energy sensing and through that, he managed to 'create' chakra hiding technique. He found out that if he adds a sliver of natural energy on top of his chakra signature, he is basically invisible to chakra sensors as they were unable to sense it.

At the end of the third week, both Konan and Rei were bunking in a small cave, holding hands as Rei still thought about a method for teaching Konan the chakra hiding technique. No matter what, he was sure, the girl would be able to use natural energy for it. It was an external technique and as such, not dangerous. The problem was she could not sense the natural energy. If she could sense it, she could learn how to control it. Not entirely. But masking her chakra would be enough for now.

He was racking his brain about it when suddenly Konan shook him.

"Are you thinking about a new seal?" She asked with excited eyes. Rei quickly found out the girl loved it when he showed her his seals. Anything he showed her, really. By now, Rei knew that Konan was his for life. The girl would never even think about betraying him and it warmed his heart. In only a slightly over a year, he managed to inspire enough loyalty in the girl as Yahiko did after ten years of living with her. Of course, he was smug about it! He just didn't like her tendencies and her way of thinking. She would gladly be left behind if it meant Rei would survive.

That's the main reason why Rei decided to make them stronger, subtler, invisible. He did not want to encounter such a situation. Konan was his and he would be damned if he let anyone take her from him!

"Ah? Seal?"

Konan expectantly bobbed her head up and down.

But... seal. Hm?

Rei thought as he was patting delighted Konan's head. The cute girl became his pillar of support in this dangerous world. He remembered how she alerted him of the shinobi and smiled to himself. He had to focus on sensing. Konan sensed in a limited way unconsciously and could channel it through her papers. It was a very useful thing. Her sens-

Ah!

An idea flashed through Rei's head. Lately, any problem of his had one solution. Seals. So, why not this time too? He only had to make sure Konan was able to sense the natural energy for a bit until she learned how to control it to hide her chakra! He didn't need to make her into Sage or something!

Rei whipped out sealing supplies and furiously started writing.

'Senses' 'Link' 'Time'

He set parameters and the seal that would link his and Konan senses for a few minutes was created.

Rei didn't even think much about it. He was too ignorant to think more in-depth about what linking senses would do to two people or even how exactly would it be accomplished. Even if for a second.

Alas, the path to hell is paved with good intentions.

He gripped one side of the paper, where one end of the link was and smiled at Konan.

"Here. This should help me teach you how to hide your chakra!" Rei excitedly told Konan.

The girl trusted Rei with her very life and much more. She nodded excitedly and with a determination took a hold on the other side of the paper, right on the other end of the link.

The two children instantly froze, their eyes wide as their mouth opened in a soundless scream.

The seal did exactly what it was supposed to do. It... linked.

And their souls... clashed.

Chapter 10 - Ch10. The Consequences of said Mistake

Rei's and Konan's souls clash started to intensify but both children were far too gone. Pain, pleasure, senses. None of that reached their minds that were being overloaded, stretched.

Their chakra flared up, swirling around them, sending blue wisps all around the cave. The two chakras started to get closer, push against each other until... they started to entwine. Strands made of chakra started to merge as if being knitted together.

Once a strand of two chakras was done, it snapped. But wisps of Rei's chakra stayed in Konan's, similarly as some of Konan's stayed in Rei's. And the process started all over again.

Hundreds, thousands of strands were merging and snapping again and again until nobody could determine where Konan starts or where Rei ends. And yet... they were both singular. Both... separated.

On a deeper level, the change was even more insane. Their very souls were clashing against each other. Konan's eight years old small quivering soul and Rei's over twenty years old soul were forcefully pulled together. Merging, exchanging something. Something vital. They were creating a... link.

As Rei's soul tore a chunk of Konan's. Konan's soul absorbed a chunk of Rei's of the same size. In multiple places were these two souls ripping apart the other and absorbing it but not in one moment was one less than the other. They were getting in perfect sync, taking and ripping only as much as was taken and ripped from them.

Konan and Rei could only stare at each other in horror as they felt their entire existence being overhauled. They felt every rip in their soul. They felt every fulfilling absorption of a piece of the other's soul. They felt their chakra change, flare, grow... their reserves were getting lower and lower as the chakra produced in their coils was getting denser and denser the more their souls exchanged matter.

And when they were getting more and more tired, on the verge of chakra exhaustion, the timer ran out and the seal ceased to work. The chakras pulled away from each other. The souls stopped clashing.

The final product was an amalgamation of both souls and chakras and yet. Both Konan and Rei didn't become one entity. They were clearly still two separate beings with their respective bloodlines, skills, personalities, minds... souls.

But their souls were no longer resembling a human. They were a patchwork of two. As was their chakra. Nobody will ever be able to find out where one started and the other ended.

The second the seal ceased its action, both exhausted kids started falling forward. They gently fell into each other's embrace and their foreheads gently met. Rei and Konan started shuddering in euphoria. Their very existence was happy at the touch. Their hearts fluttered and their souls couldn't help but shudder with their bodies as the two patchwork amalgamations connected, no longer fighting but somehow creating one, bigger soul. At least, until the two children again separate...

While Rei and Konan blissfully slept in each other's embrace, their connected soul was unconsciously pressurizing their bodies, connecting their chakra in a similar way as their souls. Suddenly, their chakra coils had a need to widen. They had to contain these two, no, this one connected amount of chakra and had no space! And that is what their bodies and chakra coils did. They started... growing. Slowly, ever so slowly. But... the chakra created was dense, heavy, compressed.

The pressure on their bodies was barely being mitigated as the natural energy flooded their bodies, reinforcing them, soothing them, toughening them while keeping them alive. The destruction and recreation of the cells were faster than normal human eyes could process and both Rei and Konan physically aged by two years. Their bodies looked like ten years olds.

As their minds started to be caressed by the energy, they started to increase in proficiency, processing speed, capacity... they gained something akin to perfect memory and enhanced mind.

But... for all the advantages, Konan and Rei could never separate. They now belonged to each other. This connection... was far more severe than any magical marriage bond could be in a distant world of wizards...

Unknowingly to them, no human being could survive such a clash of souls, chakra, and the flood of natural energy. The Supreme Chakra Control Talent and Godly Natural Energy Attunement Talent barely managed to keep the kids alive... changing them irreversibly.

...

Somewhere near Amegakure:

Hanzo's boss salamander summon suddenly stopped as if struck. Its eyes wide and mouth agape. Only Hanzo recognized the shock of his old friend and got worried as he never saw him in such a state. The summoned animal was visibly shivering as a poisonous cloud was leaving its mouth.

Hanzo decided it was not worth it to keep fighting if his summoned salamander was in such a state. He looked at the three idiots who challenged him and were now bloodied, messy, and barely standing while supporting each other. Sigh, youngsters these days. So rash.

He sneered behind his mask at them, his eyes looking at them in contempt. The two men were alive only because the weak female was an extraordinary medic. Without her, they would be but a smear on the ground or keeling over from the poison in a minute. Exactly like their summoned animals. Heh, salamanders rocks!

Manda and Gamabunta were both barely swaying from side to side, a little away from the battlefield as they had to put a supreme effort to stay on their feet... or belly, in Manda's case.

Katsuyu was already out of it but then again, she was the one without any damage as poison managed to only knock her out. It wouldn't hurt her in any other way.

Tsunade felt despair. She knew exactly how much chakra she had left and it didn't look very promising. Hanzo was much, much stronger than her idiotic teammates thought! He was playing with them! Three on one and he was standing on his salamander looking at their battered form with a raised eyebrow! It was a very painful wake-up call.

But then she felt it and her head snapped to the east. The boundless energy coming from... somewhere. She could only feel it on the corner of her senses. Not fully. But she knew where she felt something like this the last time.

Hashirama-jii... Her mind faltered.

She didn't know it was senjutsu chakra, an amount large enough to topple boss summon, that she was sensing. But this feeling ingrained itself in her soul and will stay in her mind for years to come. Making her unable to forget. Unable to get it out of her mind. Unable to focus on anything else. She was a Senju and Senju had a peculiar body. Connected to nature. Sensitive.

Tsunade was too close to not be affected.

Jiraya's mind was reeling even though his body could not move anymore as Tsunade supported him. He could feel the boundless nature energy. But... He had more important things to think about!

Tsunade! B.o.o.b.s! Squishy! Ehehehehe!

Orochimaru... had only one thought as his eyes darted from side to side with a frown, playing cool despite his blood literally covering his body.

No little boys anywhere... Meeeh.

"I will now withdraw." Hanzo told them regally even though he was mentally rolling his eyes. The trio was happy they stood on their feet. What withdraw! If they will really believe such bullshit and lousy acting... ah, they are Konoha-nin. Of course, they would believe it!

"You fought well, cough, weaklings, cough, younglings." Hanzo's eyebrow twitched as he impassively continued as if it was a rehearsed script in a bored tone. "I will now bestow a title of three ordinar-, ahem, Sannin! Yes. You are from now on Sannin of Konoha! Wear it as proudly as you stood today in front of me and enterta-, ahem, managed to fight me. Un!"

The trio that was barely standing, happily flopped onto the ground, and Hanzo sweatdropped.

I am still here, you know?

He thought awkwardly and then noted the white-haired man was already soundly sleeping while his hand was squeezing a boob of the ticked-off blonde female who was barely restraining herself from punching the idiot to his early grave. The black-haired girlish boy was sighing in disappointment.

At least one smart man!

Hanzo mentally praised but then he saw the wide, disturbing perverse smile on Orochimaru's dreamy face and his long tongue rolling out of his mouth with drool as his eyes glazed over, dreaming about research, boy-toys, and... ugh. Hanzo shuddered.

Whelp... better get the f.u.c.k outta here!

And with that Hanzo turned around, disturbed, and ran! His mind conspiring, tears streaming down his face as he thanked it was raining.

Maybe... Konoha really did know what they were doing. Sending those three against me! I feel scarred for life...

The huge spike of natural energy was forgotten by all but Tsunade who, in that instance, found a new life-goal for herself.

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Chapter 11 - Ch11. New connection

Konan opened her eyes and groggily sat down. She felt Rei's hand in hers, squeezing it gently and her cheeks reddened. She looked at Rei and saw his peacefully sleeping face. His older face. She didn't know what gripped her but her heart fluttered at the sight and she wanted to be with him. She wanted to...

Rei opened his eyes only to see an older form of Konan looking at him with an expectant, gentle, and loving gaze. He also saw a flicker of love in her eyes but wrote it off as his wishful thinking.

"Hello." Konan quietly whispered.

"Good morning, Konan." Rei yawned and rubbed his tired eyes.

It was then that both of them remembered what happened the... ah. How much did they sleep? Hour? Day? Week?

The duo looked at each other awkwardly until Rei shrugged.

"No need to worry about it anymore. It happened."

Konan nodded and quickly pecked his lips, leaving him staring at her, completely flabbergasted.

"I love you, Rei." She told him cheerfully.

Rei didn't even manage to process what he just heard but his heart moved his lips for him.

"I love you too, Konan."

They continued to smile at each other.

"Well, we should probably start training." Rei rubbed the back of his head and redirected his stare to the ground, beet-red.

"Un." Konan agreed as she also couldn't help but look towards her fumbling hands with crimson cheeks.

The duo distracted themselves with running, sparing, and training their chakra natures for the day.

The evening quickly came and both Rei's and Konan's feelings were already calm. They knew what they felt for each other. They also knew they would eventually end with each other. It was inevitable. That was what their minds and hearts were telling them. But neither of them was ready for anything more than a peck on the lips. No matter how explorative they felt. They instead channeled the energy into the training and thankfully it helped.

With a calm mind, Rei remembered why he made the linking seal in the first place.

"It's such a pity the seal didn't help you feel the nature energy."

"Oh?" Konan stopped nibbling on her jerky and gulped down what she had in her mouth. "But... I somehow sense the world differently now."

"What?"

Rei looked at her bewildered and then a theory appeared in his mind. What if...

He started to conduct many tests and told Konan to do many things and tell him how she felt and found out a very staggering result.

Konan had a more diluted version of his Godly Nature Attunement Talent. She could sense nature chakra but then...

"Konan! Quickly look at your chakra control!" Rei giddily jumped up and down.

Konan nodded and a few seconds later... squealed.

"It's almost perfect!" In the excitement, she smashed her lips to Rei's, and the kids kissed for a few moments.

As they separated, Rei gently patted bashful Konan.

"Kissing is ok." He told her in a whisper.

Konan raised her head hopefully, her eyes met his as she chewed on her lower lip.

"But nothing more than that."

Konan nodded profusely in happiness and pecked Rei again.

"Now, will you tell me what exactly changed with your chakra control?"

"!" Konan's face morphed to seriousness.

"I need a lesser amount of chakra for better effect. I can better circle it. I became better at manipulating it. And..."

"And?"

"And I have five times the chakra I had before but my control is even better than it was."

Konan finished unsurely and Rei's eyes widened as he instantly felt his own chakra.

He also had five times the amount of what he had before and his control stayed the same. It was still perfect. A lopsided grin appeared on his face.

"Well, Konan-chan. looks like we are on the level of low-chunin with chakra amount!" Rei exclaimed giddily and Konan instantly hugged his torso in happiness. Rei smiled at her and thought.

Guess that means a somewhat diluted version of his Supreme Chakra Control. Check.

After a few moments of relishing their fast growth by patting Konan's head, Rei took a deep breath.

"Now, the last one."

Rei took the storage scroll he first learned on and gave it to Konan.

Konan had slight problems with reading and Kanji but Rei did his best to teach her during the year they were together. She knew enough. As she saw the seal and read through the kanji on it, Konan blinked at Rei.

"I understand it." She whispered to herself.

Konan tried to imitate Rei and learn how to do exploding tags. Even with Rei's help, she has still been dubbed a Godly Clutz Talent when it came to seals by Rei. It had nothing with her penmanship or knowledge. She had a natural problem or predisposition to f.u.c.k-up infusing her intentions with her chakra. It was something that COULD NOT be taught by anyone to her. Konan already accepted she will never learn anything Fuinjutsu related unless she spends supreme effort, resources, and time. And even then she would need teachers, books... She just gave up and decided to focus on her futon.

But now...

Now she looked at the seal and knew... she knew what she did wrong previously. Her mind as if... clicked and she was able to...

Oh, God! She was able to, she knew how to do seals!

Konan shrieked in happiness and Rei found himself toppled to the ground as Konan rubbed her head on his chest.

"Huh, sealing talent. Check." He mumbled as he tried to regain his breath. "Well, now you will be able to produce your own explosion tags." He quipped and enjoyed the childish pout on Konan's face. Rei pinched her cheek with a heartfelt laugh, making her pout more.

With a long 'Muuuuuu', Konan nibbled her lower lip in embarrassment.

"Wait... you now feel nature energy, right?" Rei asked for a confirmation.

Konan tilted her head in confusion.

"The energy that is not chakra in the air, plants, everywhere, really. Focus on it. Don't take any of it into your body but make her senses perceive it."

Konan nodded and did as Rei told her. She smiled wide when she could feel the world around herself. It was just so... beautiful. She never thought the dull, grey, and rainy world could be so gorgeous. Her hand squeezed Rei's.

"It's beautiful." Konan hugged Rei.

"Yes. I guess it is." He chuckled. "Now. Up to learn how to hide your chakra?"

Konan nodded enthusiastically. Rei started to explain the principles about coating yourself with nature energy, wearing it as clothes around your chakra and Konan was nodding from time to time.

Then her mind started focusing on the energy around her and she tried to manipulate it.

"Muuuu, I can not move it." She complained.

"Haha, just keep trying." Rei encouraged her while making sure to move more nature energy closer to Konan to make it easier for her.

His giddy mind had only one thought and it brought him joy from the future possibilities.

Guess that really meant she had a lesser Nature Talent Attunement Talent!

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Chapter 12 - Ch12. Tree? It's fake! ... Well, figures.

It took Konan three days to learn how to 'move' the nature energy around.

In that time Rei found out their bodies were strengthened quite a bit and could now crack the bark of a tree with his punch. He also managed to coat a kunai in the lightning chakra, making the chakra vibrate at high speed for better sharpness and penetrability.

He now trained with a chokuto he scaven-, ahem, found lying on the ground without an owner. Correction, without an owner who would care.

He could only slash and slash again since he knew nothing about kenjutsu but... slowly, he found out when and where to put more strength and how to handle the sword. Even if it was just waving it around. The second he added lightning chakra, it became a deadly weapon even without any skill with it.

"Rei, Rei!" Konan approached Rei, a question all over her face.

"Hmm?"

"Do you know if I could coat my paper in the nature chakra to make them also invisible to chakra sensors?"

Rei's mind stilled. Possible but...

He instantly held his chokuto in front of him and coated it in his lighting chakra.

"Konan. I am going to do something possibly stupid." Rei smiled brightly at her, making Konan want to smack him.

Rei pulled the raw nature energy and fed it into the raiton chakra without having it go through his body. The lightning instantly grew, the chirping sound was now ferociously reverberating through the woods and the ground under the blade of his chokuto was cracking every time a stray lightning bolt struck it.

The most surprising was the color though. The lightning was pure abyssal black. Not like the one used by 3rd Raikage or Darui. That could be described as light black. This was the blackest of black and Rei had to gulp as he felt the danger from it.

He instantly ceased channeling the nature energy and the lightning simmered back into a controlled blue coating around the blade. He nodded to himself.

"Yes. It is very possible, alright." He told Konan and praised her for the idea with a head pat.

Konna smiled and put a paper on the ground, taking a few steps away from it in case it had a dangerous reaction.

In hindsight, that's what I should have done.

Rei thought with a sweatdrop...

Konan started channeling the raw nature energy into the paper. It was messy and half of her chakra mixed with the nature energy and was absorbed by the ground instead of the paper. But the paper was now simmering with the wind, pulsing with sharpness. It was no longer just a coating of blue futon chakra. It was a translucent wind-like coating that looked extremely sharp.

Konan flung it into the nearby tree and...

Both Rei and Konan were gaping. The paper was so fast it was hard to follow! Moreover, it didn't pierce through the tree as expected. It completely felled it into two pieces on impact and went on, felling ten more trees behind it until the futon chakra dissipated, making the nature energy disperse!

Rei looked at Konan and patted her head with a sigh.

Demolition master, indeed.

Then his eyes fell on the spot where Konan channeled the raw nature chakra mixed with her chakra into the paper.

His jaws dropped again. He yanked Konan towards the place.

Konan was confused. She was full of ideas on how to use her new findings to decimate Rei's enemies. What could be so important he had to interrupt her? She was on the verge of pouting!

But when she saw a small budding sapling slowly growing out of the place the paper was previously on, she tilted her head.

"Mokuton." Rei watched the sapling stop growing when it reached 4 feet because of insufficient chakra. "What did you do?" His head snapped to Konan who nervously fumbled with her fingers.

"I mixed my chakra with the nature energy and wanted futon chakra..." Konan trailed off, not knowing if she did something wrong.

"Of course!" Rei slapped his forehead and started to laugh hysterically.

"You have Wind prevalent with Earth and Water secondary! You just pushed your earth and water natured bits that were still mixed with raw nature energy to the ground while leaving the futon mixed with nature energy in the paper!"

He still chuckled as he explained what just happened and started to mix an entire fifth of his chakra with nature energy and pushed it deep into the ground.

Konan and Rei had to jump away as a tall thick tree quickly rose from the ground. It was not a giant tree that could be found in Konoha but it was still a full-grown tree.

"Oh, well... looks like I gained a 'Kekkei Genkai' too. Even if it is a fake one. Well, figures the Mokuton is not really a Kekkei Genkai of Senju. Instead, it is their attunement to the nature chakra and Hashirama just mixed his elemental chakra with nature chakra. He was supposed to be an incredible sensor, after all." Rei chuckled. "The only Mokuton reproduction is through his cells… yup, it makes sense since his body would get used to channelling it…"

"Rei?" Konan asked, not understanding as he mumbled to himself..

"Listen, Konan. This..."

Rei explained. He explained about Hashirama Senju. The Senju clan. Konoha. And how dangerous it would be to show anyone this ability.

Konan furiously nodded. She had no intention of going to Konoha! Konoha-nin killed her parents! She still held a grudge. That's why when she found out it was Konoha-nin attacking the town, she may or may not have used more exploding tags than she should and made sure lots died! But... Konan was sure Rei noticed. After all, he was creating these tags. She was happy when he decided to say nothing about it. She really loved Rei!

"We will have to train Earth and Water manipulation." Rei sighed. "Thankfully my absolute control means that unless I mean it, no tree will grow no matter how much chakra and nature energy I push into the ground... Really now. I would never know I could do this without a coincidence like this." Rei started chuckling again. It was quite hilarious. He wondered how many Senju actually were able to do Mokuton only to fail at the most basic of things. Intent. They unconsciously didn't believe they could since not once during childhood they unconsciously raised a tree. So, no tree was ever created by them...

Konan never heard of Mokuton so for her creating the tree was nothing extraordinary.

It was a huge mind-opener for Rei if nothing else.

"Well, you Konan will have to train hard to not unconsciously call forth trees." Rei patted her head with a proud smile, making Konan happy. "Your control is pretty much iron-clad but mistakes do happen. We will work on it, kay?" Rei kissed her cheek, determined to train Water and Earth control alongside Konan.

...

A week later, Konan sat cross-legged with a serene smile on her lips and her hands outstretched to the sides, her elbows bent toward the ground and above her palms, a paper floated. On her right one was a paper brown as earth, a clear sight of mastered beginner exercise for Earth nature, and on her left was a paper soaked, dripping cold water onto her palm. For two hours straight, the water didn't stop dripping from the still to the brim soaked paper. A clear sign of beginner level mastery of Water manipulation.

Rei could only sigh as he sullenly watched the soaked paper in-between his palms.

Yes, Yes. I managed only one nature in seven days. F.u.c.k you too.

He thought depressingly. He could not fault Konan though. He knew what his problem was. He might have all natures but Konan was unconsciously using Earth and Water chakra since she learned how to harden her paper or make it not become soaked underwater. From there, it took only slight tweaks to master the first exercises of elemental mastery.

Yet again, the superiority of the elemental Kekkei Genkai holders was thrown into his face. They just could, so they did. They instinctively knew how to do this after using their Kekkei Genkai long enough. No wonder they could reach FAR ahead of the normal ninja. Their minds were geared to master their own element in the quickest time possible. Rei was sure this was not the only time Konan would overtake him in Wind, Earth, or Water. But he knew she had nothing on him in Lightning and most likely Fire too once he started to train it.

Rei, on the other hand, had to do the entire process by ear from start to the end and even then it was possible only due to his exceptional control.

But... If a normal ninja saw him complaining about mastering the first exercise of his element in a week, he would choke on his blood. People train years to do so...

But Rei couldn't help but smile at his observations during these three days as his mind swirled in giddy thoughts.

We now have Mokuton~. The raw nature chakra leads our Earth and Water natured chakra to form the tree. It is the known pinnacle of Earth and Water chakra manipulation and we can do it unconsciously! All we have to do is find out how our chakra does it and BAM! Hehe~...

Oh, Rei was very excited about finally having an elemental Kekkei Genkai Holder advantage, alright!

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Chapter 13 - Ch13. Tsunade Senju, the 'Sannin' 1

Konoha Hospital, Tsunade's office:

Tsunade reminisced with a bottle of sake about her recent time in Konoha, on the verge of a breakdown.

Tsunade returned to Konoha a week ago and a lot of things have happened since then.

First of all, she and her teammates were hailed as heroes for keeping Hanzo at bay during the clash of the Ame and Konoha army, leaving Ame's military in quite the precarious state.

Tsunade could see the proud smug look of Jiraiya as he eyed big-b.r.e.a.s.ted females with apparent l.u.s.t as if he was about to choose which pouch is the right one to stick his kunai into. Tsunade found it gross. And they wonder why she never 'fell' for such a gallant figure!

Tsunade loved Jiraiya... as a friend. But a lover? She would rather commit seppuku.

Oh, she couldn't even remember the number of times Jiraiya asked her to 'scratch' the itch when they were in the field together. Tsunade had her urges too as every self-respecting twenty-plus years old woman but... Jiraiya? Really? Bleh.

Her status as a kunoichi from the Senju clan made her shielded from receiving seduction missions and she was not about to give her v.i.r.g.i.nity to anyone, much less a pervert who sticks himself to every hole he finds on the road.

Unlike the general population of shinobi who are informed that yes, chakra indeed does prevent them from getting a venereal disease, she was one of the best medic-nin in Konoha. She knew better. Chakra was not omnipotent.

But it was her pride. Most of her academy year classmates already lost their purity years ago. Some of them as young as twelve. It was a sad thing but the current reality. Tsunade was pure. She just was not innocent. Not since she plunged a kunai through the throat of a bandit on her first C-rank mission. And she will never regret it. Not for a second.

She had to sigh when she spotted that even Orochimaru's lip was twitching upwards at the praise they received. She was disappointed. She thought him smarter...

To be honest, this was the first really big achievement for her teammates. Jiraiya is good at spying and sealing and Orochimaru at research and Jutsu. Not really something Konoha lacked or something that could bring them fame. This was the first time both orphans of her team were under the limelight since Sarutobi-sensei took them under his care.

Her? Not so much. She was Senju. Always praised, coddled, where she went people treated her like a princess. And it was great! Until she was six. Since then it has become utterly annoying. So, when she came from Suna front after she single-handedly pushed Konoha forces into a victory, and received the praise, Tsunade was apathetic to it. Instead, she remembered all the blood that flowed through her fingers. All the blood of her allies. Those she couldn't save. Sad sight but the current reality indeed.

The exact same thing as she was experiencing now.

What... heroes! What... held Hanzo long enough to win! She was not a stupid idiot! She saw the man completely fine after the fight with them and their summons! He let them go and even gave them a disparaging title for it! Yet, her teammates took it as praise.

Idiots.

They couldn't even notice when they were being mocked...

Tsunade couldn't, no, didn't even want to count how many times she had to use her experimental technique, Creation Rebirth, and how much life force she was forced to use. Tears streamed down her cheeks every time she realized that one fight cost her Fifty years of her life. Fifty years in exchange for saving her teammates and herself from a continuous lethal dose of salamander poison. No matter how she pleaded, her teammates refused to retreat.

Were Jiraya and Orochimaru even worth it? Jiraya took thirty and Orochimaru took at least twelve years from her. Her body was freaking seventy! Only her medical transformation and the vitality of Senju kept her looking the same or her performance from dropping. Nobody even realized...

Sensei was too busy being Hokage.

Orochimaru had his research and wanted recognition. He was already on a mission with her brother.

And Jiraiya... he didn't care. He would soon leave again to Ame in order to train three orphans. The idiot thought he finally found his 'chosen one'.

Oh, why does he have to sound so much like Orochimaru when he starts to talk about finding a 'prophesied' little boy!

Tsunade quietly sobbed into her arms, as the bottle fell onto the ground, spilling the contents.

Unknown to the Sannin, their break up was set in stone in the exact battle they received the title from Hanzo. Their medic was forced to do too much for the team. Too much sacrifice to keep two childish idiots alive. Neither Jiraiya or Orochimaru were yet the fabled incredible Sannin from cannon.

Tsunade just couldn't. Fifty years. She was well aware of what that meant for her. It meant Nawaki was the only one who could restore the Senju clan. She never cared for it. But... This was one blow too many for Tsunade. Orochimaru may be a poison expert but he was completely out of his league when it came to rare Salamander's poison. She only had to use eight years of her life to keep herself alive through the poison thanks to her medical expertise and various drugs in her system.

Forty-two years were squandered through Katsuyu to a white-haired idiot who cared only about f.u.c.k.i.n.g whores and to a research-addicted justu-crazed smug bastard. Not even a single meaningless thank you.

Tsunade was a realist. And the reality was, Hanzo could singlehandedly f.u.c.k up the entirety of Konoha force. Tsunade REALLY doubted even the 'God of Shinobi' Hiruzen Sarutobi would come out of that fight alive. Hanzo was indeed a ninja from the generation of her Grandfather. It showed, alright. He could make a bloody smear out of the Konoha shinobi force and wouldn't even need to approach! His poison was better than anything Suna could ever come up with. It's just, he found it more amusing to play with the pupils of the current 'God of Shinobi'.

They did not fight a war with Iwa in Ame. They were ALLOWED to fight a war with Iwa in Ame. A very distinct difference. Tsunade only hoped Amegakure didn't join the fight... She had enough of meeting Hanzo for one lifetime. She would most likely not survive another...

Tsunade snorted when she realized she was a seventy-years old v.i.r.g.i.n. It actually brought quite the humor into the entire situation.

Her eyes trailed to Nawaki's photo and a charming smile spread through her face.

As long as Nawaki survives... The clan can still go on. I am not needed anymore.

She sadly noted but was happy it was that way. No forced marriage to recreate the Senju clan. No political schemes. No, she was now supposed to live her remaining life in the hospital, helping the village. She chuckled as she remembered THAT discussion with her sensei.

Telling the man she was now physically older than him... Both had to get drunk under the table. Hiruzen because she was apparently his first choice as successor and Tsunade because she just didn't want to have a mental break-down in front of her sensei. Tsunade of course tore him a new one. Spending her life in the hospital... Ha! As if.

Tsunade remembered the spike of... nature energy. Yes, she flipped through the books of her grandfather and was surprised when the Sage Arts, the thing Jiraiya-baka was so enamored with, were a chakra diluted form of raw nature energy. Tsunade deeply desired the war to end so she could use her new privileges as one of the 'Sannin' and retire due to 'old age', hehe, and start looking for the source of that spike.

Her very own adventure! She didn't even know what for! She only knew, her instincts, her heart deeply longed for anything that was produced by that spike of energy. Illogical but... it was the first and truest feeling she held after her love for her brother. It was precious.

Tsunade played with a bottle of sake, her head lying on the table, half-drunk as she did kissy faces at the photo of her cute lil' bro.

Suddenly the door flew wide.

"Tsunade!" Jiraiya shrieked.

"What Jiraiya!" Tsunade screamed in annoyance. He was the very last idiot she wanted to see this fine alcohol-filled evening! "I won't go on a date with you! Now go!"

Jiraya quieted down, his face serious. Tsunade blinked as a really bad feeling sneaked into her heart.

"Tsunade, I am sorry... it's Nawaki. He..."

Tsunade palled to ghost white and didn't even wait for him to finish, she rushed out of the room. Her heart, breaking.

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Chapter 14 - Ch14. Tsunade Senju, the 'Sannin' 2

Tsunade rushed through the hospital, heedless of the shrieking doctors or nurses, her mind focused only on her destination.

The place where her brother was. She burst through the door and stopped in her tracks, her wide eyes wavering. Tears started pouring down as her wobbly steps finally reached the charred remains of her... brother.

She looked at the still body. And the completely intact Necklace of her Grandfather. She could only stare in shock at it, her mind blank.

Orochimaru looked at his completely distraught teammate and couldn't help but to feel bad. It should have been a simple mission. He shouldn't have even been the leader! He was only a casual observer! But... they just had to be ambushed! The stupid Senju boy just had to get out of sight when he was admiring the other boy, ahem, the skill of the other boy in the team, and walk onto an exploding tag!

As he watched what remained of the Senju clan, Orochimaru yet again couldn't help but ponder about his mortality. He knew the kid shouted about his dreams everywhere he went. But... he ended up as a corpse.

Will I have the same fate?

Somehow, that thought frightened him out of his wits.

"Tsunade, I am sorry. It was a trap..."

He stopped himself as he saw Tsunade completely non-responding with a horror-filled expression. She needed time. Orochimaru sadly nodded and left. His disgust for Konoha's higher-ups increased. It was they who sent them there for a 'common reconnaissance'. Even going as far as saying it was a completely safe thing. That they already checked with ANBU and are sending three genins, one Senju, one Uchiha, and one Kurama, and him right under the ambush of five jonin! This could have severely hurt his chances of becoming the Hokage! He sensed something smelly and it was not Jiraiya for once!

...

The funeral was a quick affair.

Tsunade was used to those. She attended a few every year. Her clan was now... only her. A shudder ran through her body. Only her. Only a woman who is utterly unable to recreate it. Only... god. The Senju clan is dead!

A traitorous thought started to fill her mind. She mostly wondered why was Nawaki personally requested for that mission right after she talked with her Sensei about her inability to have children. Why wasn't the last fertile Senju kept inside the village? Why...

But she waved them away. Her sensei would never... Stupid girl, she admonished herself. These days, she completely disregarded the hospital. All she had to do was sign off the dead at the end of the day. The dead that could survive if she could bring herself to look them over. But... she didn't care. She spent her days sitting in front of Nawaki's grave. Pondering... what to do. In the end, it was all meaningless. Her life was meaningless.

Then her eyes brightened as she remembered the energy spike. She promised to Nawaki. She promised him she will look forward and fulfill her own dreams.

With a broken smile and hitched sobs, Tsunade decided. She will find out what caused the spike and she will find out why she was so drawn to it. Nawaki would want her to. To live. To fulfill her dreams. The sadness in her mind cleared and she started to look forward. A new determination filling her.

Tsunade suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder and barely restrained herself from killing whoever dared to touch her.

"Are you fine?"

Tsunade jerked her head toward the voice and found a light-blue haired man.

"Dan..." She murmured, making the man astonished that she remembered him.

What the heck is this annoyance doing here? He is stalking me again? Geez... Trying to approach me when I am at my lowest?

Tsunade frowned. Canon Tsunade would be moved that someone cared. But then again, canon Tsunade was emotionally so down she literally wouldn't mind dying. This Tsunade, however, had a goal. Determination to live.

The man was trying to get closer to her for two years straight! She would understand if he had a crush but... He didn't! As a medic she could see his body reactions! Tsunade really didn't know what the man wanted from her.

"I am fine." She politely smiled, albeit a tad bit too forcedly for her taste.

"Ah... okay." Dan didn't think he would find her like this. Hokage told him to approach Tsunade and make sure she is feeling fine. He fancied himself a somewhat smart man and knew the underlying meaning of these words. If he got closer to her and got the support of the head of the Senju clan, meaning Tsunade, becoming a Hokage would be easier than ever. Hiruzen really wanted to desperately give someone the hat. Dan resisted the urge to chuckle in order to appear compassionate.

"What about..." He tried to start a conversation.

Tsunade stood up, ignoring him, and brushed past him before he could even finish the sentence.

Dan could only look at her leaving back with his cold gaze as a loud colorful curse left his mouth, making the nearby grandmas look at him threateningly while raising their garden hoes.

"Did I approach too abruptly?" He asked himself quietly. "F.u.c.k. The bitch! Two years and she still doesn't give me even a second of her time..." The flowers in his hand were violently thrown onto the ground as he ruffled his hair in annoyance. "If I ever get her I am going to f.u.c.k her silly until she won't be able to think about anything else than me!"

Dan calmed down as he stomped onto the flowers for a few times from the sheer frustration he felt.

"The worst part is that I really do start to like her." He sighed with a bitter grimace as he calmed down. "I would probably desperately fall in love with her with enough time... Hiruzen, you sly fox." Dan muttered and shook his head as he decided to pay his respect to the deceased since he is already at the cemetery.

Tsunade marched on into the Senju Compound and entered the library. Her library. It all now solely belonged to her. She had money. She had knowledge. She had privileges. She lacked only family. They were all dead. Sigh.

Now, if only the war ended and she could leave this hellhole of sad memories and self-imposed bastards who would never give money to save lives.

Oh, she understood that Hiruzen-sensei was not to blame. Even though it was him who always rejected her medic per team proposal. It was the elders who always whispered into his ear. The trusted elders that were Hiruzen-sensei's teammates. The same greedy bastards that would rather people die than their pocket change to suffer. The same people he trusted more than his own pupils!

Tsunade was fed-up. Fed-up with politics. Fed-up with funerals. Fed-up with Konoha. She wanted to leave and she WILL leave. She will find what caused the spike that is filling her mind and she will die happy, taking the Senju clan with her to an early grave. That was the plan.

Nodding to herself, she approached the shelves.

"Now... let me see. Nature energy, nature energy..."

She browsed through the books, looking for anything even remotely helpful for her future endeavors.

"Sigh. If only I didn't take Shizune Kato as my apprentice." She mumbled, not even realizing that Dan was also called Kato.

"Ah, screw it. That girl can form medical chakra as six years old! I can take her with me when I leave and then deposit her back in Konoha after her training is finished." Tsunade ruffled her hair and with 'Un.' her decision was made.

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Chapter 15 - Ch15. Training in Mountains

A year passed since Rei and Konan found their Mokuton ability. They both decided to abuse the shit out of it and spammed trees whenever possible. Whenever they were sure that nobody watched. This also made them evade any and all towns or villages as they entered the Ame mountains and didn't leave them for the entire year!

It was a very quiet area. Nothing important. Nothing really advantageous. The shinobi didn't come here. They encountered one lone Kumo spy but Rei and Konan made the spy meet his maker swiftly.

Surprisingly the loot was quite good!

Most of their time was spent on affinity training though.

As Rei thought, this tree spamming made them unconsciously better at Water and Earth affinity.

They didn't know the exercises for the affinities other than the one with the paper so they trained what they found hard.

Both Konan and Rei could float a boulder while sitting on it for three hours until their chakra depleted. This was what they found hardest when it came to Earth affinity. They had to continuously mold earth chakra and supply the boulder with it to make it float through gravity.

Rei started to seriously suspect that Onoki was not floating himself but the specks of dust on the soles of his feet and in his clothes that pushed him up. Or maybe he just used his rock-hard brain for it? Who knows.

This exercise though... They could not do it with smaller rocks while sitting on them yet. Nor with something bigger and heavier than an a.d.u.l.t human. That would take an enormous amount of chakra from them. They still needed more practice... More perfection.

As for water release... They focused on the feeling of water in the atmosphere.

Both Konan and Rei could even feel the water in the clouds! But pulling it outta them? Meh...

Thankfully in Ame no Kuni water was supplied very frequently. Their first exercise that took them three whole months was all about standing in the rain and making sure the droplets evade them. They simply had to stay dry. Which was a freaking chore when you are walking in a downpour! They had to ALWAYS supply water chakra and coat themself with it. It was like a human-shaped make-shift umbrella or aura around them. It was completely invisible but it worked!

When they were both sure they could stay dry even under a waterfall, they tried something more... challenging.

They tried to pull water out of the surroundings. Easy, right? They were in a country where Water ALWAYS fell from the sky. But...

But no. They tried to pull the water in the surroundings and add it to the clouds! It was a back-breaker but their improved mid-chunin reserves barely managed it! It was more about water chakra control anyway than the amount of their chakra. This made sure there was ALWAYS a downpour in their location. But no worries they had their umbrella no Jutsu!

The downpour was not the result. Only a step. When they finally managed to make a downpour they had to... stop it. Make the rain in their location stop. Keep it in the clouds. Both Rei and Konan felt as if the heavens were pushing onto them during that excercise. The rain WANTED to pour down onto the earth but they held. They held insane amounts of water in the sky. Until... the clouds started to get charged with lightning and instead of downpour, a lightning storm started.

Rei used this for his lightning chakra training as he made sure to try and use his raiton chakra to redirect the lightning strikes where he wanted to. Mostly on the trees Konan was creating. She became incredibly proficient in it.

No wonder though. Konan found a new cheat for herself. Rei was quite fed-up with her Kekkei Tota when he found out. It was yet another bullshit in his opinion!

Konan could change the tree into slices of paper. They didn't even need to be made by mokuton! Just mokuton chakra supplied to a very normal tree and 'bam'. One tree could be changed to thousands of slices of paper. The best part? The chakra used for that was actually minimal if she raised the tree herself via mokuton. Konan now had ALWAYS thousands of papers soaked in her chakra. She just had to grow them from the ground.

Rei vowed he would train hard when he saw it... Fortunately, his Water manipulation was a helluva lot better than Konan's. As for Earth, they were about the same.

Rei always added nature chakra into the water, increasing its volume and density. His chakra nature manipulation was leaps and bounds above Konan. Where she could potentially create a house-sized ball of water in ten minutes. Rei could create an entire lake in five. And then there was his lightning affinity... Hehe. Zap-zzzzap.

Their biggest problem was, they still had no Jutsu so they could not compare what they could do with actual ninjas.

Rei found a few kenjutsu scrolls on the poor Kumo lad and he trained with his chokuto. Konan just shrugged them off and said her futon paper is enough for cutting power.

But they both knew she was kinda behind in her futon. By now it was more effective to maul her enemies with doton-hardened paper than cut them with futon-enhanced paper. The damned paper was hard as steel. If she stacked enough, she could even block her futon-enhanced paper and that was telling something since these could literally fly through three trees and then make a hole through a half of a boulder. Hell, the thickness of that paper shield was not even an inch!

Yes... maybe they really overdid their doton affinity training a little. Considering they were ten while their bodies looked twelve years old.

Konan was actually able to completely soak up an entire lake with her papers and make them still look as if they didn't even have a drop of water on them. The more her water affinity improved the more bullshit that aspect of her Kekkei Tota became.

Rei started to see why it was so rare and people were so amazed by it. Her papers may not have the destructibility of Dust release but the sheer utility? Konan was carrying a lake with her everywhere and it didn't even burden her.

When she learns to change her body into paper like her canon counterpart? She will literally HAVE a lake inside of her body and could potentially also harden it to the levels of her doton-hardened paper shield that blocked the futon shuriken. Rei shuddered at the future prospects.

Rei on the other hand could not carry so much water with him. He compensated. He could pull enough water to create a ball of the size of a small house almost instantly. Most of the time it was enough but he knew it was nowhere near Hoshigaki Kisame or the best Water users.

He also used doton chakra on his clothes to make them harder to penetrate while retaining their flexibility. A trick learned from Konan. But his doton enhanced with nature chakra was much tougher.

His kenjutsu with raiton chakra was getting better and better by the day and he was even able to use a minuscule amount of nature chakra to make his lightning a shimmering greyish black. But nevertheless, it was much more powerful than the blue one. He barely controlled it as his lightning affinity was the least trained so far. A pity that his Supreme Chakra Control talent worked perfectly only for regular chakra. In elemental chakra, it helped a whole lot but it was still far from perfect.

Rei was the proudest of his body strength. He left Konan completely in dust in this department. She was still very powerful in taijutsu but Rei was even more so. The nature chakra he pulled into his body each night enhanced him leaps and bounds, making him faster, stronger, more durable. He was quite sad that Konan was having at most one-third of his enhancement since her body was unable to use the nature chakra to its fullest extent. Alas, she just did not have the godly talent for it.

Rei was shaping up to be quite the swordsman. It would certainly be helpful when he finally starts Senjutsu training...

But slowly, their training time ended and they decided they had enough of the mountains. It was time to leave and get some experience... and loot.

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Chapter 16 - Ch16.Bandits? Really now.

Pa treon - 15 chapters ahead.

If you want to support me or read ahead:

pa /kasicair

--

Rei and Konan were going down the mountains, hand in hand. Rei was leisure while Konan was outright skipping. She didn't really care where they were as long as she was with Rei...

They were almost in the closest village to the mountain and finally reached a road frequented by merchants that want to avoid shinobi skirmishes.

Konan suddenly stopped skipping and was about to raise her free hand, her papers about to burst from her sleeve, but Rei squeezed the hand he held. Konan looked at him questioningly only to find him minutely shaking his head.

Shrugging they continued.

'Suddenly' a band of ten men jumped out of the bushes! They barely scrambled out of them with scratches all around their bodies and barely managed to 'surround' Rei and Konan in a very loose formation. They held... weapons. More like gardening tools really. Their clothes were torn and their expressions distraught as they panted. The men weren't even burly. More like starving. The leader even had to catch his breath for a few seconds before he looked ready to let out a sound again...

How... underwhelming.

Thought Rei as he was deadpanning at the men.

Tsk.

Thought Konan as she rolled her eyes, infusing her paper with futon chakra. Only one gesture from Rei and she was ready to slaughter these nuisances.

"Y-you! Su-surrender a-and we wi-will not har-harm you!"

"Har har, hardly." Rei dryly uttered.

The bandits looked at the twelve years old looking boy as if he was an idiot. He was being threatened by a bunch of scrawn-, ahem, powerful men and was openly mocking them?

"Yo-you should know wha-what's best fo-for you!" The leader shouted.

He was getting more and more uneasy about these two kids by the second. Normal kids would be already pissing themselves but these two looked at him as if he was insane! He chose them as a target because their clothes looked expensive! They looked wealthy! At worst he could probably ask for a ransom from some wealthy merchant who was most likely their father! But...

"Look, man," Rei slowly but purposefully puffed his chokuto into existence, making the men freeze. "we can do this your way, or... we can do it my way."

The 'bandits' froze. They have never seen a ninja in their life. Ninja's were rare! But they did hear about the might of theirs! After all, their country was ravaged by shinobi! The merchants sang the atrocities these, these... things did. Whole towns disappearing... Yes, shinobis were a scary existence for the common folk. Especially during a war.

"I am sorry!" The leader threw himself on his knees, straight into dogeza. "We didn't mean to shinobi-sa, no, shinobi-sama!"

"We didn't mean to!" The rest of the bandits quickly followed.

Rei almost did a double-take. He could only awkwardly look at snickering Konan.

"Look, man. If you wanna play a bandit, at least get the mannerism right, kay? Now, lead us to your village."

Rei rubbed his forehead in exasperation at these idiots while Konan slightly pouted that her paper shurikens won't be used. For now.

Rei and Konan quickly found themselves sitting in the kitchen of the village Elder who was 'coincidentally' the father of the idiot playing a bandit.

The bandit group was ten farmers who thought to make their lives better by stealing. They never thought about the consequences, really. They were currently in seiza as their spouses and parents were berating them while Rei only sat behind the table, his chin supported by his hands as his elbows were on the table. He happily watched, beaming every time one of these idiots was smacked.

Serves them right! Haha.

"What were you thinking, you, you, you!" With every 'you' the wife of the leader delivered a painful swat on his forehead with a roll of paper. The man was growing quite a bruise on his forehead.

"I am sorry dear!" He exclaimed with tears and snot streaming down his cheeks.

The woman looked as if her anger was sated after beating the man but... Rei was a petty person, too petty to let it go.

"You know, if it was any other shinobi you would be all dead." He exclaimed cheerfully, attracting attention as he started to explain his reasoning. "It was obvious they were not bandits but farmers from some village around. This is the only village around though. Hence, your actions could have cost this village its life." He told them with a fake-cheerful eye smile, still beaming at them.

The woman brokenly turned back to her husband, snarl on her face as she gripped the knife in her hand tighter.

Oh shit...

Rei excitedly thought as he used his chakra string to get the knife from the woman, making her turn to him.

"No butchering your husband. You can beat him senseless though." Rei eye smiled.

"With pleasure." She cracked her knuckles as the terrified man let out a manly high-pitched squeal!

Rei just watched in amus.e.m.e.nt as the idiot suffered a beating or two... or ten. After all, he was the mastermind and every man in his little group had a spouse… or mother… or father that wanted to tear him a new one.

Ah, what a fine way to spend an afternoon~! Nothing beats watching some well-deserved justified violence!

Rei grinned from ear to ear.

The village they were in was a very out of hand, peaceful if a bit too poor one. They didn't need the outer world much. They could make enough clothes, grow enough food, and even had some cattle. They were not affected by the war much except that more merchants were passing by their village in recent months. Which was a good thing.

The reason for 'banditry' was that their crops for this year were very, very poor. This happened at least once per decade so it was not a new situation. The men would just need to go to the town and find some work there for a few months in order to buy enough food for their household. Nothing new.

The problem was the war. The towns would not let them get work. They were barely able to function as it was. They could not take new workers. The village would starve. It was an apparent and very distinct possibility for the village and it was looming over their heads, getting closer by the day as their food supplies dwindled. But the villagers knew they indeed do have a way out. But...

The merchants who passed usually had enough money. And they more often than not looked for a companion on a cold night. If men could not make enough money, women could. That was what drove the man to try his hand on banditry. He just didn't want his wife to sell her body in order to ensure their daughter will have enough to eat.

It was clear the villagers were mostly resigned and one of them was rumored to even start offering his three daughters to the merchants for a night. Rei could believe it, the girls did not look happy when he saw them. Gloomy and resigned.

But... this was the reality of this world. And yet, here they were. The villagers sharing their food with him and Konan. He couldn't do anything but shake his head at the kindness of these people.

That's why he was now, in the middle of the night, standing with Konan on the edge of their field. They surprisingly grew potatoes! He and Konan connected their hands and focused on molding chakra.

Apparently one could use chakra without molding. They could grow a tree without molding. But if one adds molding, it becomes a Jutsu. Because molding gives the chakra a kind of a manual direction. It strengthens the effect exponentially and makes chakra possible to affect the world more.

For example, Hashirama had a lot more chakra than Rei and Konan together. But even he would be able to raise at most thirty trees with his chakra supply alone. But when one added molding and made it into Jutsu? He was suddenly able to raise forests and gigantic statues, capable of restraining a bijuu. That is why Jutsus were so revered. The growth of strength rose exponentially while the cost decreased even more. That was what determined the rank of a Jutsu. How much stronger it was comparable to its cost. Of course, higher rank needed higher destructibility.

Also, one can not spit the ocean like Hoshigaki Kisame with water chakra alone. Oh, Rei tried. But... after he produced only an ordinary spit over hundred times he gave up. He could only gather water from his surroundings and affect it with his water chakra. Like he and Konan did with the clouds.

But once one creates the chakra in his throat and MOLD it? It suddenly became possible. Same with fire. Same with earth. Same with any element. It was almost laughable and Rei understood that hand signs were nothing but pre-learned sets of molding. One of the Iwa-nin had a book about it but it made no sense to Rei until he realized that simple single thing about molding. Kids are taught hand signs and how to mold their chakra instinctively according to these signs in the academy. Some are better, some worse. But if one wanted to be shinobi he had to know how to mold his chakra. That's why some people could skip some hand signs. They just could mold the jutsu without them because they were very proficient in it.

That's what Rei and Konan wanted to do. But it was hard. Learning to mold their chakra without a crutch. But they preserved! By now, after an entire half-year of on and off of trying, they could still only instinctively mold chakra according to one hand sign. It was a long run, indeed.

They molded the chakra, slowly, kneaded it, and interwove it into their Jutsu. It took them thirty minutes of continuous molding and focusing but finally, they had what they wanted.

"Mokuton: Gift of Mother Nature." They quietly whispered together.

A small tree rose in front of them and as it reached 4 meters in height it stopped growing. Instantly tendrils of wood burst from the ground around it and started to enwrap the tree in a spiral-like motion, leaving not even a bit of the original tree visible. When they were done, it looked like a weird thick tree with a spiral-like bark.

This tree had enough density and the ability to channel nature energy. It did it in two ways. First, the outer shell strengthened itself with the energy. It would take at least B-ranked jutsu or chakra metal to penetrate the bark. Impossible for the villagers. It was a precaution from having the tree chopped down by some greedy schmuck. It also looked incredibly ordinary and was masked from the senses of a ninja. Unless it was a Senju or Sage in sage mode, both would have to be close, nobody would be able to realize what it was.

The inner tree though, that was a masterpiece they were able to do only thanks to a year of continuous use of Mokuton and learning about it. It gathered nature chakra and dispersed it into the ground, revitalizing it and enriching it. The fields around the tree would grow crops at an insane rate and it will be very healthy too. The harvest could be done once per two months all year long. Even the dreary weather or winter would not impede it. Ah, the wonders of chakra!

"Well. That done..."

Suddenly they heard leaves shuffling from the direction of the forest. They didn't need to be caught using Mokuton! They chose the night to not be, dammit! They quickly turned around and saw...

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Chapter 17 - Ch17. Konan's feelings

"You..." Rei and Konan stopped in their tracks as the small seven years old girl timidly walked out of the woods.

"What are you doing here?" Konan coldly asked, her eyes narrowing.

The girl just looked to the ground as she clenched her old battered plushie to her chest.

"I couldn't sleep so I went on a walk."

Rei raised his eyebrow.

"And do your parents know you 'went on a walk'?"

The girl blushed and shook her head, making Rei chuckle.

He came closer and patted her on the head, neither he nor the girl noticing the murderous glare Konan gave the girl.

"What's your name?" He smiled at the girl.

"Rena."

"Ah, Rena-chan, is it?"

Konan's glare intensified as her eyes narrowed.

"So, Rena-chan, we are helping your village but for the magic to hold, you will have to keep this secret. Can you do that?" Rei squatted in front of the girl and looked directly into her eyes.

"Un." Rena timidly nodded.

"Ah, pinky promise?" Rey reached his pinky to her.

"Pinky promise!" Rena happily hooked her pinky around his.

"It will be our little secret, then."

"Un!"

He stood up and patted her again.

"Good girl."

Rei's body instantly stiffened as he felt the minuscule amount of killing intent from behind him. He slowly turned around and saw Konan with an impassive expression, only her eyebrow slightly twitching as her eyes were dangerously set on the girl.

"Ahahaha!" He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Konan, let's go and take this girl home, shall we?"

Konan finally tore her eyes from the girl and looked at Rei with a pout but nodded.

Later that night, they were in their room as Konan still sulked. Rei approached her and put his hand on her head, ruffling her hair.

"You should know that I intend to have more women. I already told you." He gently told her.

"I know." Konan hugged his torso. "It's just... I won't allow you to take any useless girl!"

"Useless?" Rei tilted his head.

"Un!"

"Ah, now you are just trying to be cute."

Konan blushed and buried her face into his stomach as he laughed.

"If you want another woman, it will be Kunoichi. A strong kunoichi or someone with potential." Konan mumbled.

"May I know why?" Rei asked as he stroked her hair.

"Because I want to be special." Konan ashamedly whispered.

"Special?"

"Yes. I want to be the only civilian girl you took under your care and nurtured from the scratch. I want to be special." Konan said with determination burning in her eyes.

"So, let me get this straight," Rei groaned. "you don't mind I will make a harem as long as you are the only girl who joined it as a civilian? Seriously?"

"It's dumb, I know." Konan bit her lower lip cutely. "But it is my reason."

"You will be always special to me, Konan." Rei told her softly.

"I know. The connection through the seal is iron-clad." Konan nodded. "You don't even know how many times I wanted to have s.e.x with you."

She put her finger to Rei's lips, preventing him from interrupting.

"I can hold myself until we are at least thirteen. Three more years." She said it with such longing and need, Rei almost faltered but his mouth spoke on instinct.

"Fifteen."

Konan pouted but gave a whiny reluctant nod before she continued.

"But I know we won't be able to separate anymore. You gave me something that day. And I was insufficient. That much I know. I stopped seeing other males as something desirable. They are but strangers. Just thought of kissing one of them disgusts me."

"I didn't know, Konan." Rei told her and got a weak smile in return.

"I know you don't feel that way. My soul... it was too small compared to yours. I took what I could take. Those... talents as you called them. And in exchange, I gave you the entirety of what I am. However insufficient it was compared to what I received from your soul." Konan looked to the ground. "I am not complaining. I love it. I love you. I know you love me. That you will always love me. It is kind of freeing, really. Not having to doubt it since we are bound... even beyond death."

Konan softly sighed but then her eyes went hard.

"But if you want another girl, she WILL join us in this bond. She WILL be a strong kunoichi. And due to my pettiness, she WON'T be a civilian. If you want a civilian to join, make her into kunoichi first and then, fine." Konan strongly told him. "But in exchange, you have to agree that you are my master!" She blushed and whispered quietly. "Danna-sama."

Rei rubbed his forehead in frustration.

"Shit. I knew telling you the story about Grayfia Lucifuge was a bad idea..." He mumbled to himself, making Konan snicker.

"FINE." He sighed in exasperation but then chuckled, bemused. "Guess, these are acceptable terms, Konan-chan~."

Rei started patting Konan's head and saw her closing her eyes in delight as she put her head on his lap and enjoyed the care.

"Good girl." He whispered to her, making her shudder.

He sat there for a few minutes, just enjoying Konan's silky hair, thinking about what he just heard. Yes, he had his suspicions. The small changes in their relationship after the mishap with the link seal were a big tell. Especially since both vividly remembered what happened. He never thought it seemed like that to Konan. He knew they were linked. But he didn't know his soul took so much from Konan's. But it made sense. His soul was older and had even these talents. Hers? It had only itself.

The most I could do... is to make her as happy as possible.

He thought as he watched his almost purring girl.

"Why did you let the girl walk away?" Konan suddenly asked, her eyes still closed.

"Yes?"

"The girl. She saw our Mokuton." Konan's ambers softly opened and peered to Rei's emeralds.

"Ah... she is small." He moved his hand dismissively. "Even if she started screaming about people growing trees... Civilians mostly do not know about Senju unless it is in a capital city or some very wealthy and knowledgeable merchant. Even then, nobody would believe her. There is also no proof as the tree would need a Senju or Sage to be in close proximity to verify it. It would take either a very hopeful and determined person or a complete idiot to believe her."

"I see, you basically let her see important information without any danger to us even if she babbled. She is a child... I see. True. Nobody is as delusional as to believe another Mokuton user emerged. Much less two..."

And with that, Konan tackled Rei to the bed, cuddling with him as they both fell asleep.

It will be only years later when the small girl, Rena, finally breaks her promise for the first time. Coincidentally it will be, as Rei put it, a very hopeful and determined person. A very hopeful and determined person who was on the verge of despair as for years she taped in the darkness, having no clue about the spike of nature energy she felt in Ame.

That person will come to the tree, and her determination will grow exponentially as she will break down crying due to receiving the first clue in years. That person will be able to fully feel the overpowering life force permeating from the tree to the ground because that person will be Senju and since she felt the spike of nature energy, her feeling for nature energy started slowly growing. She will feel finally at home, feeling the chakra in that tree. And she will be completely aware of what kind of a powerful Mokuton technique this was as the nature energy will engulf her senses. And as Konan put it, she will be delusional enough to believe two Mokuton users emerged. And Tsunade Senju will be damned to not find them!

Without their knowledge, this small act of kindness toward the village will mark Rei and Konan as a target, no, an obsession for a very determined kunoichi who won't stop at anything to find them. Even if she had to turn the Elemental Nations upside down, rock by rock.

For, the sensitivity of Senju works in both directions. As she could somewhat feel the nature energy. The nature energy could feel her too. While not sentient, it could carry intent. Tsunade was too close to the linking and the intent clearly connected. It made her soul tremble as it felt the connection that was made. Even Tsunade didn't know why, but she wanted it. She craved it. And, unknown to her, a minuscule part of her soul... was already not hers.

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Chapter 18 - Ch18. Offer

Rei and Konan woke up at noon, cuddled together, only to find out that the village is teeming with life. A particularly big caravan arrived in the morning and villagers were helping to unpack the tents, set a camp, and whatnot.

Rei and Konan clothed themselves and went out with the intention to go to the woods to train.

On their way, they were stopped by a man. One of the merchants. He was a burly thuggish looking man a little under 2 meters with shaggy black hair. He ogled Konan's body as if she was a piece of meat.

"Girl, wanna earn something?" He grinned at her.

The worried Village Elder was about to intervene when the man blinked and then froze. The tip of Rei's chokuto was right under his neck, as Rei coldly said.

"Try anything with my girl and your head will fly. Understood?"

The man started quivering. He might be strong but the boy in front of him was fast!

"I asked if we understand each other." Rei asked, his lips curling into a chilling menacing smile as the tip of his chokuto stabbed a little into the man's neck, just enough to draw blood.

The man wanted to fervently nod his head from the sheer fear he was feeling but then he remembered the sharp pointy blade on his neck and gulped. It hurt!

"Ye-yes!" He shrieked.

"Good." Rei smiled sweetly at the man. "And don't forget. This was your only chance. Next time I won't be so lenient."

He took his chokuto away from the man's throat and the man nodded fervently.

"Come on." Rei turned to Konan and gestured to her to follow with a slight gentle smile.

...

Rei and Konan returned to the village in the evening, exhausted from their training. They entered the house of the Village Elder, heading to the room that was given to them for 500 Ryo a day. Their insistence. The man needed it and they didn't plan to stay longer than three days. Tomorrow they will be off.

As they neared the staircase, one of the merchants suddenly approached them.

"Excuse me." He smiled amiably. "May I talk to you for a while?"

Konan looked at Rei who noted with the corner of his eye that the merchant spotted their little exchange but didn't comment. Rei felt something fishy about the man but... he was clearly a civilian.

Shrugging, Rei nodded and continued up the stairs with Konan. The merchant getting the message followed silently behind them.

They entered their room and Konan quickly flopped onto the bed. They were exhausted, not dirty. When one learns to draw water from the atmosphere, creating a bath is easy. Konan was always giddy when they bathed. After all, both Konan and Rei long ago forsake the propriety and started bathing together, going as far as making out during it. They wouldn't have s.e.x until their bodies were physically ready and both were fine with that much intimacy. A bit of touching and kissing though...

Rei, seeing that Konan was already in the world of her own as she hugged her pillow to her chest with a blissful smile and daydreamed, decided to entertain the merchant.

He gestured to a chair in the corner and sat on the edge of his bed.

"So? How can I help you?"

The merchant rubbed the back of his head.

"Ah, I am Karubo Sazaro. Nice to meet you."

"Rei Yotsuba." Rei smiled and nodded.

"Actually, I wanted to ask if it would be possible to hire you to act as my bodyguards. I am actually heading out of the Ame as my business is concluded, you see. I am afraid to meet bandits along the way. I saw you handle Munuro this morning and immediately decided to try..." He laughed awkwardly.

"Hmmm." Rei pondered. The man was going out of Ame. That meant... they may be able to cross the border if they will be checked as his bodyguards.

Sure, they could cross it even without it but it would be much more dangerous if they were caught by either the country they were leaving or the one they were entering. This basically gave Rei a valid and legal reason to do so!

He smiled at the man and decided to ask more.

"I am tempted. But tell me more. How long would you need our service, the pay, you know, the usual." Rei told him casually.

Karubo, seeing Rei basically agreed if the conditions are good enough, decided to be quite generous.

"I offer you 500 Ryo each per day."

Rei raised his eyebrow at that. While not much, alright. But if they accept they would tag along at least half a month and that's without crossing the border as the civilian speed is very slow. That would be 7 500 Ryo for half a month.

500 Ryo per day may seem a little insufficient but it is quite generous in this day and age. Especially since there is no village backing him and Konan.

This would be a classic C-rank mission. Meaning they should get 50 000 Ryo if they were from a shinobi village. Well, not really since Ame is a war-zone but Rei doubted the merchant wanted to walk into a skirmish. Anyway, that amount would be divided between teammates and the village... Let's say, the village takes ten percent... who was he kidding. It would be more...

Anyway, hypothetically ten percent. That is 5 000 off.

Assuming it is a standard jonin, three genin team from Konoha, the jonin would get a lot more than genin. 20 000? 15 000? Maybe. The genin would be left with 10 000 each or less. More likely than not, less.

So, Karubo's offer of 7 500 for each Rei and Konan was fair. Incredibly so. They looked like children but showed skill. Karubo probably didn't want to spend the entire 50 000 Ryo for a proper team and wanted to save some money for himself.

Now, if he wanted Rei and Konan to accompany him further... their paycheck would only get fatter and if they left Ame... that would be considered a win in Rei's books.

"Okay. How long and to where would you need us to tag along?" Rei asked carefully and observed the man's mannerisms. It would not do for him to lead Konan into a trap, after all.

Karubo weakly smiled.

"I am going to Mizu no Kuni... uh, if you prove to be good, I would like you to accompany me there."

Rei froze. This was starting to sound fishy. Mizu no Kuni... fishy indeed.

That would take them to cross multiple borders and at least three months of travel by land to reach a port town and another few days on a boat. The paycheck was also big but most importantly...

"Ah, don't worry! You will be able to leave whenever you want!" The man started nervously waving his arms around.

Rei nodded.

"We can accompany you. But one of these days, you WILL tell me your real reason for approaching us." Rei told the man sharply, making him stiffen.

Karubo could only stiffly nod with a broken smile.

"I promise it is nothing detrimental to you nor your companion but I must know if you have skill first. If you don't, excuse me for my language, then it wouldn't matter."

Rei could feel the seriousness in his voice and accepted the answer.

"Fair enough."

"We are setting out tomorrow at noon."

"We will be there."

And with that Karubo left, leaving Rei alone. Thinking about this encounter. In the end, it is beneficial for him and Konan. If they managed to cross to other lands... Especially one of the Big Five where almost no skirmishes were happening, they could let loose more in their training. Right now they always trained and slelt with one eye open to avoid ambush...

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Chapter 19 - Ch19. Bandits/Mercenaries/Idiots

Konan was not very eager to travel with the caravan. She grumbled that her alone time with Rei was interrupted when Rei was not around. She could see the mocking gazes of other guards who didn't see Rei handle the big thuggish man. They were looking at them as if they were baggage. In the end, Konan didn't care about their opinion but she thought it would be much better for her to travel with Rei alone. Not to say, faster! She didn't understand why Rei accepted the job since they had enough money from stealing. But she did not voice her complaints to Rei. She long ago decided to follow him. She would tell him only when she felt him doing something bad for his health.

Rei, contrary to Konan's beliefs, knew well enough how she felt. He even told her that this would help them legally cross the border but she didn't care. He knew Konan wouldn't mind blowing a few outposts to smithereens in order to cross the border with 'bang'. He could just exasperatedly shrug and cease caring.

...

Konan and Rei sat on Karubo's wagon, holding hands and just relaxing. It was a week since they started their journey with Karubo and so far, only a few bandits popped up that were handled by the other merchant's guards.

But today, just an hour ago, they left the caravan as Karubo was heading towards the Land of River as crossing to Land of Fire was easier through it.

Karubo was humming a song when Konan's hand suddenly tensed. Rei noticed it and instantly knew her papers were disturbed and activated his nature sensing... they were chased by a few people from the caravan. All of which were guards that looked at them mockingly. Rei sighed and nodded wearily at Konan.

He wanted to try his kenjutsu anyway so this was a good thing.

...

Twenty men suddenly jumped out of the foliage. Rei and Konan were watching them in complete disinterest since the men were as obvious as the sun in the sky as they tried to sneak around.

"Karubo! You better leave all your money here!" A blonde man with a katana shouted in a mocking and loud tone.

"Kaito! What is the meaning of this! My fath-, ahem..." Kurabo blushed but continued after clearing his throat. "Why are you doing this!?"

"Eh? Money... isn't it obvious? You made it so easy when you picked two children to protect you!" Kaito laughed while his group of misfits followed and also started laughing.

"Boss!" One man with a crooked nose pointed towards Konan and Rei, making Kaito nod.

"Boy! We can let you leave unharmed. But the girl stays. She is old enough to entertain us!" He condescendingly remarked.

It only proved to make Rei madder and his eyes grew cold.

Rei sighed as his cold eyes didn't leave Kaito and hopped down from the carriage. It was time to play with these guys. His hand held the chokuto as he approached the men.

He stood in front of the wagon, directly opposite Kaito and his goons, prepared for the fight.

"Will it be alright?" Karubo leaned towards Konan and asked quietly. "There are twenty of them!"

"It's fine." She rolled her eyes as her feet excitedly dangled from the wagon.

"See that, boys! The twerp wants to cha-" Kaito taunted but Rei already disappeared from his previous spot.

Rei channeled raiton chakra into his body. Not much but it helped to raise his speed. He appeared in the middle of the twenty thugs, his chokuto at the ready as he swung it in a circular motion, slicing through three of them at once.

The other thugs saw what happened and quickly jumped back warily.

Rei stood in the middle of their encirclement, holding his chokuto leisurely in his hand with a bored expression. Those men were no shinobi. They were mercenaries. But even then...

He sidestepped a sword swipe from the left and twisted his body to the left into a small jump as another sword approached him from the right side. As his feet touched the ground, he jumped up, raising his legs into crouch mid-air as weapons skewered the air where his torso previously was.

His feet dropped onto the bunch of collided weapons and with a spin, two men lost their heads. The other ten men who were holding the weapons, and therefore, in the range of his chokuto quickly let their weapons go and retreated backward, unsheathing their spare knives, katanas, or whatever they had. The weapons fell to the ground but Rei just lazily hopped down the second they were released from the hold of the thugs.

Kaito and four of his best were looking at the remaining ten of their subordinates, cursing that they already lost five to someone they called a child.

"Good. Let me handle this." Kaito sneered and took his katana out, charging at Rei who was looking at him in apathy.

Does the idiot even realize, I am not even using any chakra except the initial raiton dash?

He thought as he saw the man approaching.

Kaito saw Rei frozen in his spot as a winning smile spread through his face. He had the little shit! He will...

Rei coated his sword in raiton chakra and before Kaito could slash at him, he bisected both Kaito and his katana.

"And this is why you never fight against shinobi unless you are a skilled samurai or shinobi yourself." Rei shook his head with a 'tsk. tsk. tsk' noise.

"Shinobi..." The remaining fourteen men looked at their fallen leader and muttered surprised at what just happened.

Rei dashed into the group of four men who were Kaito's best and as he came closer, he swung his chokuto, parrying a slash. His body was still advancing and with a half-turn, it harmlessly passed the sword of his enemy and his chokuto dislodged from the parry, getting inside the guard of the attacker, cleaving through him.

Rei didn't stop. As his sword went through the man, he took out a kunai, twirling it through his fingers until it was high enough and he grabbed it tightly, blocking the sword of another man. Rei pushed his body towards that man, evading yet another slash from the third enemy, and as his body entered the personal space of the man whose sword he was blocking with his kunai, he pushed the sword aside, getting a clear path towards the man's neck with his kunai. The man didn't live long after that.

Rei stabbed the kunai up to the handle to the man's neck and let it go, grabbing the shoulder of the man, spinning his almost lifeless body into a slash, using it as a shield. The man who slashed was bewildered that he just killed a comrade and Rei's chokuto found a quick purchase as it pierced his head through the eye, right over the shoulder of the man he used as a shield.

Rei's other hand sn.a.k.e.d around the neck of the man, grabbing the handle of the kunai still embedded in his neck and ripped it out, letting blood gush like a waterfall, the man who was used as a shield finally died while Rei flung the kunai to the forehead of the last man who was frozen from horror, killing him.

Ten seconds passed since Kaito died and none of his four lieutenants were still standing.

"Konan. Rest is yours." He shrugged, not really interested in fighting common mercenaries.

Konan nodded and ten high-speed, thin paper slices flew right into the chests of the other ten men, killing them.

Karubo could only stare in bewilderment. He was expecting it, alright. He knew the power of shinobi. But to see twenty men felled in under thirty seconds was still something chilling. Especially when done by kids around twelve!

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Chapter 20 - Ch20. Karubo and his proposition

Karubo, Rei, and Konan just exited the Land of Rain and entered the Land of River a day ago.

Rei was at ease. He was out of the Land of Rain! The biggest battlefield in this conflict!

While the Suna battlefield was vast, it was still smaller than the battles in Ame. It has to be noted, Suna was more straightforward as the two armies met and clashed, Suna tried to spread poison while Konoha wanted to rake up the kill count. Tsunade really saved Konoha there as her skills mitigated most of Suna's offensive when she found the antidote.

Hence, Suna was out of the war already and at most did some guerrilla warfare to chase Konoha-nin out of their territory.

Kumo and Konoha... They didn't clash much during this war. Kumo was mostly tied up with Kiri in naval warfare. They did attack Konoha but it was more on the hit and run basis. No really big skirmishes happened.

Rei was incredibly surprised at the amount of military knowledge Kurabo, the utterly 'normal' and 'not-out-of-place' merchant, had. His suspicion of the man only rose. But there they were. The man was willing to part with this knowledge. Both knew that this meant he was meaning well. There was no need to antagonize him over it.

Kiri... they had it best. As the reason for the war was the forceful expansion of territory with force, Kiri as an island didn't have much surrounding land to force under their rule. Therefore, they only fought with Kumo over some islands in the Kaizoku Sea.

And that led Rei to the last battlefield. Ame.

Konoha versus Iwa. The ninja had no regard for civilians and made Ame their spanking boy. They ran rampant over the ENTIRE country while doing various guerrilla attacks, skirmishes in towns, it was a massacre at its finest. The tactic was foregone due to the hate between the two and the clashes were only intensifying. Medics were in short supply, corpses piled up, and most often than not, the civilians paid for it.

The shinobi were way past the point of caring. Especially the Iwa as Iwa-Kiri-Kumo attacked Uzu at the start of the second shinobi war and thousands of theirs died. Konoha redirected their hate to Iwa and showered it upon innocent Ame. Iwa had insufficient forces so they employed brutal tactics to compensate.

The sole reason the country was standing was Amegakure forces and Hanzo that were looming over Iwa and Konoha in Ame like some shinigami, occasionally killing out entire squads. Shinobi of both countries were understaffed. Simple as that. That was the sole reason why Iwa and Konoha did not raze Ame to the ground yet and employed at least some restraint. But Hanzo was far from a benevolent or even caring ruler. Kurabo told Rei that he was being paid for 'providing' a battlefield. He only acted when somebody was acting WAY over the top.

Thankfully, Konoha versus Suna was fought exclusively on Suna territory and for the most part, it was over so the Land of River was quite peaceful. And damn, the Daimyo of the Land of River had to pay a lot of Ryo for that too.

…

It was evening and the party sat around the fire as they cooked a few rabbits.

"Karubo, I think it is time to tell us your 'big secret', don't you agree?" Konan asked impassively as she played with a paper crane. A paper crane that suddenly gained a bluish hue as she said it.

She is way past amused and entered an annoyed mode... Rei mused inwardly.

He was not about to intervene. Karubo should have told them while they were still in Ame but he always had some excuse. Rei just clasped his hands under his chin and listened with a soft innocent smile. Somehow, seeing Konan trying to threaten the man was making her look very s.e.xy to Rei. Plus they were outta Ame. Karubo was no longer needed to vouch for them on the borders. It was time for him to start speaking.

Karubo shifted nervously as his eyes carefully stayed on the paper crane. He saw how these things shredded people into pieces. He was not about to be the next!

"Ah... understand that this is hard for me too... Hiii"

He stopped when from the ground, papers started to swirl around him and stick to his body. In under two seconds, all but his head was covered by Konan's paper.

"Ah... understand," She glared at him. "I had enough... Spill or die."

Karubo gulped as he shook under Konan's killing intent. It was nothing extraordinary but for a civilian? Especially when said civilian recognized he is covered from neck to toes in exploding tags? He started to spill like a broken glass.

"Y-yes! I-I work for Kiri!" He shrieked, making Konan stop.

"Kiri?" Rei joined the conversation.

Karubo started to fervently nod his head.

"I recruit bloodlines and unaffiliated ninjas to join Kiri!"

Rei almost face-faulted. Kiri... recruiting Bloodlines.

"What?" He mumbled, weirded out as it clashed with his knowledge of Kiri.

"Why?" Konan though asked the million Ryo question. Karubo only stumped down as he knew he was not in a position to refuse to answer.

"During the first war, Kiri employed civilian merchants to go through battle-zones. Dangerous work, sure. But it paid well. They were told to recruit Kekkei Genkai Clans or individuals willing to join Kiri. Many of these merchants died by the hand of those they tried to recruit. Hence my hesitation..." He chuckled dryly.

When Konan nodded in calmness and loosened slightly the papers, Karubo released a massive sigh of relief. At the very least, he was not going to die today. He continued the story with his newfound courage.

"The amount of Kekkei Genkai in Kiri doubled during that time. Yuki from Snow country. Hoshigaki from the Kaijuu ocean. Hairan clan from Wind country. Kaguya from the border of the Land of Fang and the Land of Claw. We even managed to get shinobi from as far as Iwa! These merchant recruiters hired by the previous Daimyo rose the shinobi forces of Kiri by ten percent alone! Sure, Kiri had to be careful and screen all of them to discover any spies but in the end? They were stronger for it." He chuckled in good humor.

"Konoha fancies itself heaven for Kekkei Genkai users. Yet, it is Kiri that holds almost twice as many of them as Konoha does. Thirty percent of Kiri forces have some Kekkei Genkai when before this tactic at the start of the first war, not even five percent did and the clans were sparse."

Rei nodded. He somewhat understood where his understanding failed him. Kiri will hate Kekkei Genkai. In the future. But now? They adored and coveted them, it seemed.

It was always suspicious how Kiri, an isolated island nation, had so many of them compared to the other, bigger lands, that they were able to actually have a civil war against them. It was also suspicious that Kekkei Genkai Holders and their forces won the civil war. Realistically, by looking at the numbers, that was utterly impossible! Most of the shinobi since the forming of Shinobi villages were, after all, civilians born. The clans just DID NOT have enough people to win. Even if some non-clan shinobi joined them... most would not. They were paid by the village, after all. Why would they join resistance when it would mean giving up their job, family, etc?

"I joined because of my father." Karubo pulled Rei out of his reverie. "He was the man who was solely responsible for forming the Terumi clan! Haha! He was assigned to Iwa and managed to smuggle a Lava user from there. She was called Rumi." Karubo fondly reminisced. "As they were on their way to Kiri, they passed the Land of Hotsprings and managed to convince a family of three to come with them. They had Boil Release." He shook his head. "My father was one lucky fella, I tell you! Anyway, Rumi fell in love with the boy from the family and they decided to create a clan together. And so, Tero and Rumi created the Terumi clan. It's so cringy!" Karubo laughed boisterously as any nervousness fell from him.

Konan just rolled her eyes with a chuckle at the man as she removed the paper from him and looked at Rei to decide what to do.

Rei didn't have to think much. He only had to make sure, he and Konan would be far, far away from Kiri by the time Obito decided to f.u.c.k things up.

"We will join Kiri." He nodded, making Karubo gleeful.

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Chapter 21 - Ch21. Kiri 1

Pa treon - 19 chapters ahead.

If you want to support me or read ahead:

pa /kasicair

--

The journey to Kiri was peaceful. With Konan and Rei masking their chakra with nature energy, no shinobi saw them as anything but normal children accompanying a merchant. As they entered the Land of Fire, the war-like atmosphere evaporated. The people were cheerful and lively. The streets were full of children playing with a ball... it was a nice sight.

Except, Rei had to hold Konan's arm as he saw her clutching her fist hard seeing it. He knew how hard it was for her as a child. He also knew she had enmity with Konoha for killing her parents. And while she didn't desire revenge, it must have been hard to see children happy and carefree in the Land protected by Konoha when Konoha shinobi were killing and ravaging the country she was born in.

Rei didn't try to console her. This was important for Konan to solve herself. The answers she will form may very well affect her entire life. He would not let her be some Avenger but he was not averse to let her horizon widen. To learn to look at things from different angles.

Konan didn't feel hate for the children or civilians. She only felt disgusted. So much blood flooded Ame, and yet...

It irked her immensely. But the second she felt Rei's arm... She didn't care anymore. She had a new life. She worked hard to have a new life. To become strong. Her priority was Rei. These people could burn or be happy, she had no care for them. But... she decided to become even stronger so the people she loves will be able to live like these children. Carefree and happy. While her enemies will feel like herself during childhood. Painful and miserable. That she promised to herself.

...

Their journey continued towards the Land of Noodle until they arrived in the capital. There, Karubo led both Konan and Rei to an abandoned warehouse.

As they entered, they saw two people with Kiri hitai-ate, lounging on a chair, completely relaxed.

When the men looked at who was approaching, they groaned.

"Karubo-san... kids? Seriously?" A pale man with blue tear marks under his very tired-looking eyes asked the merchant.

"Well... as long as they are useful. Keke." Another man who was twirling kunai on his finger, trying to appear menacing, rolled his eyes while snickering. "You kiddies wanna join Kiri? Heh? Are you of any use?" He condescendingly asked.

"Spar then?" Rei quipped before Karubo could interrupt, shrugging down the coat from his shoulders, coming forward.

"Ooh! Look at him. This one is spunky!"

"Kid, sigh." The tired-looking man turned to his companion. "Don't fight him too seriously. We finally became chunin. The Mizukage won't be thrilled if you beat the shit outta them. They are kids, Kiribaro."

"Ah, shut up, Mizuru. I will be gentle."

The man, still playing with his kunai, stood up and walked leisurely towards Rei with a mocking expression.

Rei could only sigh. These two idiots had as much chakra as the chunin, Kilabi, they killed in Ame. To be honest, Rei had at least five times than them by now. He was already on low-jonin reserves with Konan. But to be underestimated due to his age? He smiled widely.

The tired-looking man, Mizuru, was observing the kids. One was an impassive girl. Very beautiful girl, he offhandedly noted. That one will definitely be a looker in the future. His uncaring eyes looked at the c.o.c.ky boy and slightly widened. That smile. He saw it. On one of the Kiri seven swordsmen right before...

Bam...

Kiribaro found himself thrown into the wall, cracking it as the kid appeared in front of him, his foot raised at the level of Kiribaro's stomach.

"You are just a chunin and you wanna compare notes with me? Seeking death!" Rei shouted condescendingly as he was inwardly fanboying!

Hehehe! Always wanted to play big bad cultivator bully! … He was mentally bouncing up and down.

He wasn't in a warzone anymore and could let loose his more mischievous side!

Konan snickered while covering her mouth with her gloved hand and walked forward.

"My turn." Her expression turned stoic as she impassively said, looking at Mizuru.

Mizuru sweatdropped as he felt the killing intent the girl was releasing straight at him.

"I-I'll pass." He gulped.

"Ah, Muzuru-san. I forgot to tell you. These two are from Ame. They are strong." Karubo sheepishly rubbed the back of his head

Say so sooner, bastard!... Mizuru's eyes twitched at him and Kiribaro groaned, still on the ground.

From there it was smooth sailing. The men started asking questions... name, former village, country, age...

"Say what now?" Kiribaro asked, irritated at what he just heard. He was still holding his stomach as he sat on the chair, his head laid on the table.

"I said we are ten." Rei nonchalantly responded.

"Kid, you loo-"

"Jutsu accident. Made us grow." Rei shrugged.

Mizuru ever so slowly nodded. He was weirded out, alright, but he heard of weirder cases. As he was about to write it down, Rei suddenly added.

"Oh, don't forget to write that we are connected because of it. We can't separate otherwise it would be detrimental to our health."

Konan nodded eagerly and Mizuru only sighed and nodded. He was not about to say no to a kid that could wipe the floor with him.

"Really now..." Kiribaro grumbled.

Then it came to any known diseases, living family, and finally skills.

"Karubo said the girl had some paper Kekkei Genkai..." Kiribaro stated, unsurely looking at Konan.

"No. She does not." Rei quickly attracted the attention and took a paper slice from his pocket, folding it with his chakra.

"It is a chakra control skill. She uses her chakra to fold it into shapes and her futon to make them fly."

Rei was not about to let them know it was Kekkei Genkai, much less Kekkei Tota. Konan knew what she held and that was enough.

Mizuru nodded.

"So, any affinities other than futon?" He didn't miss that little tidbit. Ten years old proficient with futon? The kids in front of him were true monsters. Both of them.

Rei and Konan looked at each other, Konan bit her lip and took a step back, letting Rei deal with it. She knew he didn't want to reveal the full scope of their skills. But she had no idea what she was allowed to reveal.

Mizuru, seeing that little gesture, resisted a groan. He knew that he won't get a full account from the kids now. Alas, he was already used to something akin to this. Did not make it any less annoying though.

Rei sighed as his head swirled with ideas about what to reveal.

"As for me... Raiton, Doton, and Suiton plus kenjutsu... well, somewhat. It's all self-taught." He told them. He was not about to tell them that Konan and he were able to enhance their attacks with nature energy, nor was he about to reveal his sealing arts. He made tens of seals that he would never reveal to someone who he didn't trust. Also, he didn't tell them just how good he was with the Affinities nor that he was starting to train Katon.

Kiribaro almost dropped the doc.u.ments when he heard the kid could do three elements. His jaw dropped.

"Did I hurt my ears when I impacted the wall?" He mumbled, hitting his ears gently.

Rei didn't care and just continued, gesturing at Konan.

"She is good at Futon, Doton, and Suiton. Trained the last ones together. Oh, and her specialty is origami."

Again, Rei didn't tell them she could harden, sharpen, soak up water... Origami. That told them literally nothing of her real skills other than she uses paper. They had absolutely no clue that she could manipulate hundreds of paper slices at once. Plus Konan always had at least a thousand explosive tags made by Rei in a storage scroll on a paper she had always IN her body. She was starting to learn how to change herself into a paper. Plus she also started learning to draw explosive tags. And while her fuinjutsu was looking to be abysmal at best even with the talent, it improved very, very slowly. There was so much Rei didn't tell them.

"O-okay, then..." Mizuru nodded.

"Oi. Are you sure you wanna the report to be like this? You know, you will have to prove it to Mizukage later on!" Kiribaro barked out.

I am sure." Rei smiled, making him groan and bang his head on the table.

"Whatever. Your funeral..." The man grumbled sullenly.

And with that, they were registered as immigrants. The second the Mizukage approved of their immigration they would be taken as people of Land of Water. Sure, they would have a lot of scrutiny and it will take years until they get a promotion but... Rei wanted access to their Water Jutsu. He could bear with a few years of comfort in Shinobi village while fending off any secret-seekers if it meant access to Jutsu library. Plus peace was coming. It would be much more beneficial to spend that time in a village than by themselves.

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Chapter 22 - Ch22. Kiri 2

Rei and Konan arrived in Kirigakure. It was all shrouded in a thick mist on the outer parts, most likely due to seals. The closer to the village they got, the sparser the mist became. As Rei and Konan followed Karubo through the gates, giving their doc.u.ments to the guards, they noted that no mist was inside the village. The air was very humid and the village looked... militaristic. It was a dreary place with gloom in the air.

Surprisingly, the merchants and civilians still bustled through the streets, happily trying to sell their wares. They didn't seem to fear shinobi. A healthy dose of respect could be spotted in their eyes every time a shinobi passed by. It was coexistence. The people here saw the shinobi as their protectors.

Shinobi, on the other hand, were the reason for the gloomy atmosphere. They still attempted to look dangerous and stern-faced but it was obvious their mood was down. The village probably lost in a skirmish, Rei surmised. None of his business though.

The place was exactly as one would expect from a village full of killers. After all, Kiri took the most assassination request out of the great five. This was where hunter-nin and assassins thrived.

...

Rei and Konan stood in the office of the Mizukage, looking at a neat, pale man of forty years old with black hair, brown eyes, and a mustache. He wore the Mizukage Robes and the Hat and watched them impassively.

This was the third Mizukage. Rei and Konan slightly bowed in respect but didn't leave each other's side.

"You say you need to be together..." He trailed off as he out of the bat pointed his problem with them. He would call bullshit but then again... he was a leader of the village and had to keep appearances.

"Mizukage-sama," Rei calmly smiled. "All you need is to have a sensor-nin look at our chakra."

"Ah... yes." Mizukage drawled. "Your chakra..."

He narrowed his eyes. The kids didn't have more than a civilian amount of chakra. Yet, his ninjas in the capital of Noodle were beaten by them.

"We will now loosen our chakra hiding, okay?" Rei asked, making the Mizukage nod slowly.

The Mizukage signaled the ANBU on stand-by and marveled as the chakra of the kids in front of him rose to the levels of low-chunin. He narrowed his eyes.

"You... have more than this, right?"

"Yes." Rei bluntly answered.

"... you won't show how much, will you?" The Mizukage stated.

"No." Rei nodded.

The ANBU in the room were staring at the boy talking so bluntly to the Mizukage but... they saw the Mizukage was serious and was nodding in approval at the boy's answer.

"Would you be inclined in teaching that chakra hiding technique? Say, for money? Maybe, women?"

The Mizukage was amused. The kids in front of him were interesting. Boasting of three chakra natures at the tender age of 10? Monsters. If what they say was true then he just acquired two potential future S-rank shinobi. Even if not! The chakra hiding technique was invaluable! Even he could not feel their chakra! Granted, he was not using his chakra sensing actively but his passive senses should be enough to tell him their general reserves. It was mind-boggling for him.

"No." Rei's smile turned sheepish. "Sorry but that is not possible."

The Mizukage's eyes narrowed further.

"Why not." He threateningly asked.

"Ah... when I tried to teach it to Konan, we ended up connected for life."

The Mizukage frowned. He didn't believe in their so-called 'connection'.

"Agai-"

"Just have a sensor-nin look at us, Mizukage-sama."

The ANBU tensed. Interrupting Mizukage was not a good thing! But Rei saw that the man was too interested in him and Konan to do anything about it.

"Fine. I will look." Mizukage told them somewhat sullenly and activated his senses. He instantly blanched. "What the f.u.c.k." He quietly swore to himself.

What he saw was their chakras merging, intertwining, knitting together, it was as if there were two people sewn together in front of him. It was... disturbing, to say the least. He had no idea what to think of it.

"You... say you can't separate?" He resignedly asked in the end.

"Oh, we can." Rei let Konan's hand go and the Mizukage could see their chakras disconnect. "But not for long."

The Mizukage slowly nodded. He had no idea what was going on so he could not judge if the kid was telling the truth but... Even disconnected their chakra was a patchwork of the two. Honestly, he found the sight quite... distasteful. Not because of its appearance. It looked like their aura was made of two colors to him. Two colors forcefully kneaded together in the most brutal way. He shuddered at the image of that happening to him.

The Mizukage had no idea that what he saw was the result of nature energy forcing the chakras and souls to merge. It was erratic, chaotic even. But it had no bad effects on Konan or Rei. On the contrary, this provided them with a lot of benefits. It just didn't look prettiest in the senses of a chakra sensor. It didn't look like a... human. That was what disturbed the Mizukage most.

"I suppose you will b-,... marry in the future?"

Shit... I almost said breed! ... The Mizukage sweatdropped and was glad he had his hat on so he could cover his face.

He would be a fool to not see the benefits of such a chakra hiding technique. They definitely had to produce offspring if it meant the technique would stay in the village.

"Yes." Konan nodded stoically.

"What are the chances of joining the Clan Creation Act?" The Mizukage carefully probed. He could force them but that would be a fast-track to create nuke-nins. He tried to keep the force out of anything he could. But he would be damned if he didn't try to make a clan out of them! And for a clan they would need more members… The boy would have to get more wifes...

"I..." Rei was stumped at the Mizukage.

The Mizukage smiled knowingly. He couldn't help but mentally scold himself. The boy was just a kid yet he was talking about giving him a harem to produce kids. He almost snorted at himself as he felt stupid.

"Only if the woman is suitable." Konan took the reins, surprising the Mizukage. Thankfully he prevented himself from gaping.

"And the conditions?" He decided to entertain the girl.

"Kunoichi, strong, beautiful, and most importantly, Rei must fall in love with her!"

The Mizukage was about to nod in approval when Rei decided that enough was enough.

"Oi. Stop trying to play a matchmaker for me!" Rei swatted Konan's shoulder with a scowl.

"Mizukage-sama, forget what she just said." Rei turned to the 3rd Mizukage. "I will live here, and if a woman that I like is willing to join us, then why not. But that's only when I am older!" Rei petulantly and very childishly burst out while wildly gesturing.

Rei knew exactly who he would like to have in his 'harem' from Narutoverse. But he wasn't about to woo a girl only because she was a canon character. He decided to first gauge the personality and if he found it likable and they clicked, he would go for it.

The third Mizukage smiled. He could work with that. He was Mizukage and giving a few females a mission to woo the boy when he is older was of no consequence to him. Underhanded... maybe. But if the boy actually does sleep with them then he would have no excuses. It's not like they would be ordered to genjutsu the shit outta him!

Alas, that was still far away in the future.

"Okay, now, you said both of you are proficient in three chakra natures?"

The Mizukage was disbelieving of this fact but when both of them took out three papers, making one wet by just a slight touch, the other crumbled into dust, and then Rei wrinkled the last paper whereas Konan shredded hers...

F.u.c.k... the following years will be indeed a pain!... He resisted the urge to groan as he realized the amount of effort he would have to exert to make these kids feel 'at home' in Kiri.

Three trained affinities at the age of 10. No, three insanely proficient affinities. He knew what the speed which they showed meant. They were already masters at this exercise and most likely had a way to train their chakra natures further. He would actually call bullshit! And thought they were spies except, no idiot would let someone with such a potential do a spywork! And no idiot was ever made a Kage. No matter how the Raikage looked.

Troublesome… He mentally whined.

Mizukage was no fool. The kids either had to create their own clan or join already existing ones. Nobody would teach someone who was not 'family' their every secret.

A plan started forming in his head. A plan he decided to go with. A plan that will inevitably decide much of Rei's future during his stay in Kiri.

"This will be A-class secret from now on." He growled at his ANBU who straightened up.

"You will be provided a middle-class flat, free of charge." There were a lot of empty flats since many died in the war. "Your rank will be genin but you won't have a jonin supervising you. We can't spare anyone for that."

Mizukage was not about to put these two through the genin test. If one of them died, the second would be most likely lost too. No, he would keep them in the village as much as possible, make them loyal, and then make sure they are strong enough before sending them on any mission. As for the instructor… the kids got this far by themselves. He was interested if they could improve further without one.

"Mizukage-sama," Rei nodded. "we would like access to genin and academy student areas in the library then. We will teach ourselves."

"Sure, sure." The Mizukage rubbed his forehead. "You probably do not know kawarimi, henge, nor any regulations and things like that anyway. You will be given half-year to learn it. Then you will be tested on your knowledge of regulations and the basic Jutsu."

Rei nodded.

"That's all. If you have any problems, my secretary can relay it to me."

And with that, they were ushered out of the office.

Alas, Rei didn't care what schemes the old man had. He would go through it at his own pace and if not? There was always defection. Being hunted can not be worse than living in the middle of a war-zone, could it? Especially since he knew what will happen to Kiri in the future.

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Chapter 23 . First Six 'Study' Months in Kiri

Rei and Konan were shown their apartment. It was quite big with two bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, and a toilet. It was obvious that the Mizukage really saw potential in them otherwise they would never get such good accommodation for free. They even received a deed to the flat!

Alas, the most important thing for Rei was not the flat but the slip that would allow him into the library. He could access academy, genin, AND chunin rank material. Yet another show of trust. He was glad about that. This would push them forward quite a lot.

...

The first month in Kiri...

Konan and Rei spent the time looking over Kawarimi and Henge and tweaking it.

The Kawarimi was nice. Just reach with your chakra and swap. Alas, the mass had to be somewhat similar to yours for it to work. That's why logs. God, the shinobi were dunces.

Rei opted to learn Mizu Bunshin and use them for swapping. Especially one with at least five exploding tags on them that would go off during swap. Why destroy nature by chopping logs when you can just gather water into a clone!? One of these days, the Lord of Logs would punish the insolent mortals by making them logged instead of the log!

Using the water clone had many advantages. Not only was he basically quickly transporting water towards his enemy. Water that could be used since he was good at Suiton. But really, these clones do not relay memories and are only one-tenth as strong as the original. Making them go all suicidal by bombing the enemy is a completely valid move! The same goes for playing Shukaku only, instead of sand, using water! All it would need was a horde of Mizu Bunshin surrounding the target and dissolving back into a water source for Rei!

As for henge... he really didn't see the use against anything other than civilians. Oh, he knew why it was mandatory Jutsu. It was a go-to tool for infiltration. There was nothing better than that to fool civilians. And to be honest, during missions, fooling civilians is quite a prevalent activity. Henge had various uses. None of them useful in a battle since an attentive enemy and 'puff', ya dead. But when it came to performing missions?

Bandits come. Henge thirty clones... bandits run.

Need to seduce a man? Kunoichi puts a henge of gorgeous courtesan and done.

Need info from a merchant? Henge into his friend and bam, done.

It was one of the most useful things ninja's ever learned but it was utterly useless in battle. Genjutsu could have lasting effects on the affected. These effects could be discovered. It was much better to just use Henge when dealing with civilians.

Konan also learned kawarimi and henge. Especially Kawarimi since she saw the merit of Rei's idea. She saw a cloning technique for the first time when she opened the bunshin scroll. A day after that, she was already able to form paper clones. Oh... Konan also liked having a blast with her clones. Literally at that.

She even made Rei teach her these seals in English! She didn't know any English other than the words and numbers needed to make the storage seals, stasis seals, and exploding tags but for her, it was enough. She definitely made it into a deadly weapon!

Rei could only bitterly smile. He knew making these three kinds of seals was the limit for Konan. Teaching her just that took an incredible amount of time and these were very elementary seals. She just didn't have the mentality for seals. Except exploding tags. That she could do. She was already devising her own exploding tags.

Konan, in her sadistic streak, mixed clones with the storage seals filled to the brim with her futon paper shurikens. Then made a paper clone made purely out of exploding tags and then whatever mix of the two. Not one of her paper clones lacked at least one exploding tag inside.

The best part? Her paper clones could actually draw seals. Rei used this insight and tweaked Water Clone Technique to be able to do the same. Since then two Konans are drawing exploding tags, storage seals, and stasis scrolls out of real Konan's paper supply, and five Reis who were trying to come up with new more advanced seals. The second bedroom of their flat finally saw some use.

...

The second and third months.

Rei also found a lot of fuinjutsu theory in the library. Nothing extraordinary but enough to push his knowledge forward. But he didn't dare to borrow these books and instead studied them in the corner, trying to be unassuming. He didn't want to tick off anyone that he could make seals. It was a slow process as even if the knowledge was the basics of sealing at most... he was able to find some neat Uzumaki scrolls. This signified that Kiri indeed acquired some scrolls form Uzu.

Rei was mostly interested in Uzumaki battle fuinjutsu but he only got an inkling. He would need a pass to jonin library if he wanted more...

Konan... The more paper clones she made, the more her body became familiar with the prospect of pulling paper together to make a body. She... unlocked her 'logia' powers and became a paper human!

Well, in reality, she just learned how to make her body into paper and how to reverse it. But with the chakra control boost she got by connecting with Rei? With focus, she could do something similar like logia users in One Piece. She, however, had to prevent herself from being hit. But changing the middle of her stomach to paper and make it move 'out' of the strike mid-fight? That was a nasty thing. Or changing herself into a flurry of paper and reforming elsewhere? Or making her torso 'disappear' when she was about to be bisected?

Rei was so annoyed he devised a seal that would prevent her to use it by slightly messing up her chakra control! Nope! No one will pull Crocodile on Rei!

...

The last three months.

Konan's body changing technique stopped being overpowered the second Rei learned how to mold Suiton Chakra into Jutsu. Apparently, her paper can soak up water but it can not soak up water made with Suiton Jutsu unless her water chakra is more concentrated in it. Sucks to be her since Rei was the better one at Suiton from the two.

Rei focused on making his own Suiton Jutsu rather than learning the Jutsu in the library. He learned only a few he found really useful. Konan on the other hand tried to make her futon chakra sharper by molding it in a similar way as some Futon Jutsu did.

Both learned consciously molding chakra for the Monkey hand seal, to make Kirigakure no Jutsu sealless as their nature sensing gave them a clear view inside the mist.

They both also managed to mold their chakra in the way of Dog hand seal. As this one was associated with Water and most Suiton Jutsu needed it. It also helped that their Mokuton practice made it incredibly easy to learn it.

As for the Snake hand seal, they already knew it. It was the only molding of chakra they learned without a hand sign in Ame because it was mostly associated with Earth and Wood. They had tons of Wood creation under their belt and molding their chakra in the way this hand sign did was nothing hard for them.

Konan focused on the Bird hand sign next, for better Futon while Rei started with the Tiger hand sign, which went incredibly well as not only Katon, it was also used for Doton. But it would be months until both of them learn how to do these properly.

Alas, they never learned Jutsu for that reason. They refused to learn hand signs. They knew that once they fix it in their brain that they need hand signs and learn to instinctively mold chakra according to them, it would be hard to unlearn it. No matter how big of a crutch they were. Rei could compare them to a wand for wizards in Potterverse. It was easy to learn them and their bodies got quickly used to them. But it was insanely hard to start molding the chakra consciously on your own once you did get used to them.

It was better to choose the harder route...

Their last week was spent reading various regulations to pass the test. When you are in the library full of Jutsu... you have no time to read these... things.

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Chapter 24 - Ch24. Test

The test was in front of the Council of the village. Apparently, they have those here but it is really only advisory. Alas, the Mizukage deemed it fit to fulfill their desire to see 'kids with three chakra natures' do the test.

The first, written test was easy as their enhanced minds had a hold on the knowledge after reading the books and they passed.

Then they were tasked to show kawarimi and swapped with each other. Konan swapped with Rei first and then Rei did with Konan to end up in their starting position. The council was quite astonished as it was advanced to be able to swap with other humans.

As for clones, they showed Water and Paper clones respectively which instantly caused murmuring and promises of 'training their clan prodigies more'.

And so, at the tender age of eleven, both Konan and Rei earned their genin rank.

The test was not over though. They relocated to the training ground covered by a thin mist. A spar with a jonin was scheduled as the Council and the Mizukage wanted to gauge Rei's and Konan's strength.

The Mizukage picked one of the seven Swordsmen to gauge Rei and Konan. Rei was inwardly cursing the petty man to hell! Konan only looked at her dark bluish nails while giggling. Since Rei complimented it yesterday, she vowed to never use other colors!

"Come at me whenever." A large man, holding Kubikiribocho smirked at them. It was two versus him and the man didn't feel like losing to two kids.

Rei nudged Konan and nodded in the direction of the large man, Maduro, making her pay attention. She raised her eyes to the swordsman and scowled fiercely. She was almost past the date about to get into bed with Rei in her daydream!

Maduro took the monkey position.

"Kirigakure no Jutsu."

He was a typical wielder of Kubikiribocho. Silent assassin of the Mist.

The 3rd Mizukage watched the relaxed figures of Konan and Rei. What made him frown though was not their careless posture. It was the sealless Kirigakure no Jutsu they both employed, making the mist so dense, seeing even an inch was a problem. It was definitely a complete overkill as normal Kirigakure no Jutsu provides at least some limited visibility. But this? Even Hyuuga would be as blind as mole.

He could see the council members asking those with chakra sensing abilities to tell them what's going on but... the Mizukage knew that out of the sensors present, only him and Himeno Yuki were able to 'see' or rather sense what was going on in such thick, chakra-heavy mist.

His plan for being a matchmaker for Rei and one orphan from one extinct clan was becoming even more important in his mind as he saw the mist.

Hmmm, I wonder. How will they fight the master of silent assassination? They surely won't be able to see even an in-...

His mind froze.

F.u.c.k! These kids must be sensors too! Why the f.u.c.k did I not think 'bout that!? Hiding chakra and sensing on the level where they can perceive things in such a mist? Damn... jackpot! Ha, see that Onoki! My village is still bettah!

The 3rd Mizukage wanted to jump from happiness at the realization!

"Mizukage-sama?" Himeno Yuki, the ever-loving cutie, worriedly glanced at him. He was aware she was miffed with him for having the kids fight with Maduro. Sigh, women...

"Ah, Himeno-chi!" He nodded to his childhood friend and his mind reacted the same as ever, he ducked under her punch.

Wow... busty! Maybe I really should retir-... No. Bad boy! Stop ogling her, dammit! You have two prodigies fighting a skilled killer! Focus!

"Are you fi-" A man asked worriedly.

"YES!" The Mizukage straightened.

The Mizukage suddenly went rigid. He felt... tens, hundreds even, of chakra signatures in the mist.

Clones... neat. That might work on someone with less experience.

He praised mentally. But he was still able to sense which ones were real as they had more chakra. Until...

Shit! Did they just lower their chakra signature to be on the level of their clones? Damn... I wouldn't want to face these two when they gain really lethal techniques...

He sweatdropped. He could not differentiate between clones and the originals anymore. He could only differentiate between the clones of Konan and Rei as Konan's clones packed a slightly more chakra.

What he didn't know was that as Rei and Konan mixed into the swirl of the chakra signatures they did not only lower their signature. They completely covered it with nature energy, making it utterly invisible as they retreated. They were no longer in the mist.

In the mist, Maduro focused his hearing as he could hear hundreds of sounds. He was used to seeing white. A thicker mist... that didn't bother him at all!

Oooh, clever! Making clones... I should praise them later. Now, let's KILL these pests one by one. Sigh. I just hope I won't kill the originals… Mizukage would be pissed!

"Did you really think this would stop me? You are naive!" Maduro's voice resounded through the mist.

He swiftly set on killing the clones, one by one.

The Mizukage felt the biggest chakra signature, Maduro on the move. He sensed him approach the closest clones, one of Rei's.

Well, Maduro is too experienced to freak out from being surrounded by clones. But nice tr-...

As the Mizukage felt Maduro's blade approach the head of the clone, a loud 'BOOM' resounded through the clearing, and Maduro's body was flung backward like a ragdoll due to the explosion. Mizukage's and Himeno's jaw dropped.

"This... are they all..." Himeno asked wide-eyed as she looked at the Mizukage.

He knew Maduro was fine, but his body was uncontrollably flying in the direction of another chakra signature. This time it was one of Konan's. The Mizukage could feel Maduro twist in the air and aim a slash at the girl when...

'BOOM'

An even louder boom reverberated through the clearing, making Mizukage wince. The kids were using Maduro's sense of hearing against him. He could sense Maduro's body being yet again flung away as the explosion impacted him…

"I think… that answers it, Himeno-chan." The Mizukage answered as his eye-brow twitch.

F.u.c.k! Since when was this life and death battle! To bring hundreds of exploding tags. Crazy bastards … He inwardly cursed.

In the mist, Maduro was mad! Only his Doton: Rock Body saved him from injuries! He kicked towards the ground mid-flight, sending his body uncontrollably stumbling across the ground. He rolled to his feet and tried to focus his hearing when he heard loud whistling sounds. His eyes widened and he barely managed to duck...

The Mizukage facepalmed as Himeno cheerfully explained what was happening in the dense mist.

"Maduro is... evading. Uh. Evading tens of futon enhanced things looking like shurikens. Ah... he just bought it into the leg... Auch. His arm... Ooooh, that was close to the crotch! He almost lost a chance at daddyhood! Damn, lucky him for having that Rock Body Technique or he would be a swiss cheese without it! ... Eh, finally! He started to block the projectiles with his blade! Dunce, I tell you!"

The Mizukage almost face-faulted. He could only groan in exasperation. Two eleven-years olds were totally wrecking one of the Seven Swordsmen in his own home-field, using his own senses against him.

Maduro was panting. His leg was useless and one of his hands was injured too. His body... looked like one of his training dummies! F.u.c.k.i.n.g cut up! He gained control over his breathing as he killed another clone by kicking it away as it was about to explode. He quickly shielded with his Kubikiribocho.

But the clone of the boy didn't explode. It changed to water, making him confused. He stopped for a moment and instantly cursed himself for that when through the water the clone dissolved to, suddenly a water jet shot at him at insane speeds from the mist behind it! He barely managed to duck but his sword...

"AH! The Kubikiribocho!" Himeno exclaimed suddenly.

"What, Lady Yuki?" One of the clan heads asked impatiently.

"It kinda... broke?" Himeno tilted her head.

The Mizukage's eyebrow was twitching. A strongly pressurized water jet, gathered from the mist itself cleaved through the Kubikiribocho like a knife through butter while someone focused on strengthening the mist, ensuring it won't lose density. Their teamwork was seamless, Mizukage happily noted. That's when his eyes widened.

He could see all chakra signatures stop and start running in the direction of Maduro's injured body.

Maduro was gaping at his swo-, correction, at the HALF of his sword he held in his hand when suddenly he heard sounds of multiple footsteps closing in on him. He quickly...

As the clones were close to Maduro, the Mizukage and Himeno widened their head and quickly started weaving hand seals.

"Suiton: Water Wall!"

"Hyoton: Freezing!"

3rd Mizukage created a Wall of Water and Himeno quickly froze it solid as both could feel all clones explode. Even though the wall, they could still feel the whiplash of the wind as it sailed around its sides, sending their hair flailing from side to side. The shockwaves were hitting the ice wall as it trembled under the pressure while Mizukage and his council had to brace themselves as a small earthquake shook the ground. The mist long ago dispersed due to the wind created by the explosion.

Mad kids...

The Mizukage's mind trailed off as he had to remove a strand of his hair from his face since the wind messed up his hair-do and his face was full of hair that should be on the OTHER side of his head!

He heaved a sigh of relief when he sensed Maduro still alive.

Maduro barely managed to use Doton: Iron Rock Dome. His strongest omnidirectional defensive Jutsu and used Doton: Iron Rock Body to harden his skin to weather the raging concentrated explosions of over a hundred clones.

As the aftereffects ceased, the Mizukage and the council could only see Maduro flop on his knees and slowly fall down face-first into the ground, unconscious.

The gaping audience was interrupted as a bitter-looking Mizukage who didn' know if he should jump from joy or facepalm at one of his strongest jonin being bested by two genins.

"So... did we pass?" Rei's cheerful voice sounded from behind them.

Do you even need to ask, twerp?... The Mizukage thought, completely fed-up.

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Chapter 25 - Ch25. First Mission

The war finally ended. There were still some occasional skirmishes but the full-blown war was finally over.

This increased the influx of escort missions as the number of people trying to profit from the conflict by turning to banditry was high even in the Land of Water. And so, Rei and Konan found themselves on their very first mission.

D-rank, escort to a merchant, heading to the capital of the Land of Water. The ranking was different than when Rei remembered from canon. There were very little 'chore' missions. Most of these were not approved since it was after war and ninja were in low supply, stretched thin.

"Hurry up, hurry up, load it!" A pudgy man hurried Rei and Konan as they entered his warehouse. He was pointing at a pile of goods he wanted to be loaded onto the cart.

Rei looked at the man with a raised eyebrow.

"Hurry! I didn't hire you to lose my time!" The man stomped his foot to the ground.

Rei shook his head in disbelief. The merchant saw it and was about to deliver a proper verbal thrashing to what he perceived as lowly genin when Rei disappeared.

Enhancing his body with raiton chakra, Rei appeared behind the man with a burst of speed, holding a kunai to his throat. The companions of the merchant froze with their eyes bulging out.

"You hired us to protect you from bandits. Not as an errand boy." Rei coldly stated, pressing the kunai deeper to his throat, drawing blood. "I could slit your throat and be done with it. So, you WILL shut up and stop ordering us around."

The merchant quickly understood his position.

This was not Konoha that put civilians first. Clients were important but even Konoha, the 'gentler' of the big five, had fail-safes in case the clients were too unruly. Merchants could be grumpy, mocking, even condescending. Ninja would bear with it. But every ninja had his limit that when reached, he could say f.u.c.k it. For example, no merchant could s.e.x.u.a.lly harass or ask for s.e.x unless it was a part of the mission. After all, merchants were merchants, not nobles.

Unless they were connected with Daimyo which would most likely be a B-rank mission done by jonin or high-rank chunin. But even then the village had a list of willing kunoichi if the man was known for desiring entertainment during the mission. After all, these missions paid a lot more than the standard.

But unless it were these merchants, then it didn't matter even if they completely bombed a D-rank. All it would do was a black mark in their records that nobody would care about. Not even a fine would be administered. D-ranks are for those that can't pay. It shows the low social status and nobody important would pay for one unless that person CEASED to be important and wealthy. Hell, some nobles even pay C-ranks for babysitting, all to show their importance!

"Next time you want to ask something of us, you will ask it nicely. Are we clear?" Rei asked with steel in his voice. He may be young but no two-bit barely above average merchant is going to boss him around! He survived in a war-zone and he didn't do it only to be looked down upon.

It was not that he had something against the menial work. It was the attitude of the merchant that irked Rei.

"Yes." The merchant fearfully admitted as sweat was flowing down his forehead, his legs shaking. Rei's killing intent made the man see himself die numerous times already and it was the worst experience of his life!

Rei put the kunai away from the merchant's throat, making him flop down onto the ground with his eyes shaking and teary. Rei casually walked closer to Konan as she was floating the goods with her paper and put it on the wagons.

They sat on the edge of one wagon, Konan's head leaning onto Rei's shoulder as she sat in his lap, both on guard.

Needless to say, the journey was mostly quiet after the little show in the warehouse.

...

The journey was boring. Rei just created twenty water clones who killed off any bandit in the vicinity. He didn't even need to care if they are guilty or not. The peasants were poor but they were not so poor as to not be able to afford food. The current Daimyo was selfish and greedy but he was not as bad as to make his subjects starve.

...

The capital of the Land of Water was... unexpected. It showed the wealth of the country. This country was in the exact same situation as Ame before the war, just... bigger. The capital was rich while anything else was poor. Both situations were created due to the leaders. While yes, Daimyo of Water would gladly pay for 'recruitment' of new ninja and Kekkei Genkai by hiring merchants and promising a hefty sum for it... that just meant he valued the safety of his country, his safety.

As for the peasants? It was obvious he didn't see the need to care. Only the Capital had electricity. Only the capital had a massive, luxurious looking port. Only the capital had proper marble roads. Only the capital had marble statues. Only the capital had a… Simply put, it was not yet the canon time. It really hammered down the point that this was a 'past' of what Rei remembered from the Naruto series.

Rei was actually quite awkward about all the wealth he was shown. In the years in this world, he got used to living practically in the wilderness. When he came to a city that actually HAD electricity? He could only wryly laugh.

Konan was indifferent. She didn't care either way if the people around her had happy or miserable lives. She looked at Rei's face, smiled, and sprang up, kissing him fully on the lips while licking them, getting his mind away from whatever plagued it. Only when she felt Rei's gentle hand on her head did she pull back and gave a death glare at the gawking merchants they were supposed to protect.

...

The wagons stopped in front of a warehouse for goods. It was different from the one in Kirigakure. This one was bigger and clearly made of expensive wood.

"Could you please help us with unloading it?" The merchant asked politely and Rei looked at him impassively. Flinching, he added quietly. "Please."

Konan nodded and the paper yet again floated the goods to the warehouses, stacking them.

"The confirmation." Rei asked and the merchant nodded, signing off his name on the paper confirming the mission was fulfilled.

Rei and Konan had two days to spend in the capital of Mizu no Kuni. They decided to enjoy them!

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Chapter 26 - Ch26. Easy money

Pa treon - 24 chapters ahead.

If you want to support me or read ahead:

pa /kasicair

--

The next morning, Rei made breakfast for Konan. They both enjoyed it alongside some light morning kissing.

Rei had a plan for his visit to the capital. As a Kiri shinobi, he won't be able to come to this place often. Thankfully, he had Konan and his superb ability with seals!

They left their hitai-ate in their pockets and left the hotel room.

...

"Is this it?" Konan asked, bewildered as she stared at the run-down building on the edge of the capital. Both her and Rei were in a henge of their a.d.u.l.t forms.

"Yes..." Rei trailed off. "Anyway, let's go in."

He reached for the door and they... broke. Sighing in exasperation, Rei just went past the now doorless frame and entered the building.

"W-who a-are yo-you!" An old man suddenly shouted, trying to sound confident but the stutter didn't help it much.

"You are Mikado Biribiri?" Rei asked, trying to sound polite.

"Y-yes!" The man nodded, looking at him in suspicion. "Wh-what d-do y-you wan-want!"

Rei heard the guy was basically Hinata MK. Predecessor but this was really going to be a long talk, wasn't it?

"I came to offer you a business deal."

"Bu-bu-bu-bu-bussi-bussine-"

"Yes." Rei clicked his tongue as Konan snickered behind her palm.

"Bu-bu-bu-bu-"

"I know!" Rei told the man with a groan. "Now, sit!"

He was aware that the man had a brilliantly inventive mind but was utter crap at social skills. It was utterly obvi-obvi-obvious!

"You want to spread your electric bulbs, street light, and electric appliances."

The man nodded, his back straight, and his hands perched on his knees.

"But you lack a stable power source and social skills."

The man nodded again, a little more enthusiastically.

"I can give you... this." Rei took out a seal matrix consisting of two seals. He pointed at one of the seals. "This draws a minuscule amount of nature energy into the seal which produces raiton chakra." He saw the utter look of incomprehension but didn't care and continued. His finger trailed towards the second seal as he continued his explanation. "This raiton chakra is conducted into the second seal, where it is made to power up the seal to create electricity out of it."

Mikado's eyes shone as he somewhat realized how it worked. If this was the truth then his power source problem would be solved! But...

"I-I-I ca-ca-can-can't d-do s-"

"Yes," Rei patiently nodded. "That's why a clone of Konan here will assist you and create these seals for you. A merchant, Karubo will come in a few days to act as 'peoples' person for this little project. I only want fifty percent of profits for me and fifteen for Karubo."

Mikado blinked with his jaws hanging at the proposition.

"Y-yo-you, half!?" He shrieked and for the first time, didn't stutter!

"Yes." Rei calmly replied. "You will receive thirty-five percent and be able to focus on inventing while Karubo does the merchant work for you."

Mikado was conflicted as he gazed into the emerald eyes of the pale blond man. On one hand, his life's work would spread. On another... they asked for more than half of the profits!

"O-Ok." He grimaced but he knew he had no other choice. Kuruzu Inc. made him pauper when they introduced their own power source and appliances. And even if it broke more often than not... they were regarded better even though his never broke. It was all in their talking skills.

Rei signed a contract with the man and left a paper clone of grown-up Konan behind.

The clone had six seals, one in the head, one in heart, and four in limbs, that continuously absorbed nature energy and resupplied its chakra reserves, making it able to sustain itself indefinitely. It could even create more paper clones on its own that could make seals. A perfect factory!

Rei loved that these clones of Konan were like Shadow Clones only without the memory transfer function. He trusted Konan to do her best for his endeavors even if it was only a clone of hers. He wasn't dense. He knew she would kill the entirety of Mizu no Kuni if he asked her. Or at least, she would try to.

As for why he didn't use his own clones? How the heck would he stick seals made of ink onto a water clone!? It was really depressing when he tried...

They left Mikado's house after they agreed the company would be called Biri-Biri... and that Rei's profits would go to his account. Karubo was already convinced to go along with it for fifteen percent so that was not a problem.

...

Rei and Konan spent the rest of their time in the capitol visiting tourist spots, holding hands, trying out restaurants, and enjoying life.

After their frantic survival arc in Ame, this seemed almost like heaven to Konan. She got to eat good food, kiss Rei and he would even piggyback her through the city! She couldn't help but have a barely noticeable smile on her lips the entire time.

For Rei, that smile was very telling. He made sure to kiss her a lot during their date. He knew she loved it and he could also say that her lips were one of his favorite places!

That's why when they came back to their hotel room and Konan attacked him the second the door closed, he didn't protest. Her lips trailed along his neck, chin, and cheeks until they finally reached his lips. Konan didn't stop. She fully leaned on him, deepening her kisses as they reached the bed. Rei ended up sitting on the edge as Konan straddled him, her hands on the back of his head, pushing his lips closer to his. Her tongue started lashing at his lips, trying to find an in.

Rei allowed her entrance and the two made out while Konan tried to make her body melt into his while m.o.a.ning into the kisses as she could feel Rei's hands squeezing her posterior.

It took them five minutes to separate and as they did, Konan's eyes flashed. She wanted more than just kisses! She felt ready. She was ready! Her hand started to reach towards Rei's crotch.

Rei stopped her hand from getting into his pants, holding it tightly. Breaking the tender atmosphere in the room.

Konan pleadingly looked at him. They were eleven but their bodies were thirteen! They had hitai-ate! She wanted to make him feel good!

Rei gave her a harsh look that told her what he thought about it. Their bodies were not yet mature enough. Maybe it was a remnant of his morals from the modern age but... it was still there in his mind. He just could not switch it off and f.u.c.k an eleven years old girl!

But when he saw her sad, longing, and loving gaze, showing hopelessness and need...

Sigh. The nature energy just had to mess up with our hormones when it made our bodies older! ... He cursed. His body wanted it too. It was an almost overpowering urge! Urge to become one. To connect! There was nothing that he wanted more than to have s.e.x with Konan. Oddly enough, it was ONLY Konan that evoked it.

With an exasperated groan, his free hand went to Konan's nether area. He, at least, could give her the satisfaction. Channeling his fine-controlled raiton chakra, he pushed it into her.

Konan curiously watched his hand in expectation. But then her eyes bulged as she felt the chakra. She couldn't hold herself as she shrieked in ecstasy for a full thirty seconds

The raiton chakra stimulated every nerve ending in her nether region, she felt a tingling sensation deep inside herself and it was unbearable. Konan, for the first time in her life, climaxed, wetting the spot under herself.

Her powerless twitching body flopped onto Rei's as her eyes started to droop in exhaustion as she cuddled to him, falling asleep.

Rei looked at her satisfied smile with happiness.

"Sigh. Such a difficult girl..." He licked his wet fingers and his smile widened. "Eh, at least she tastes incredible!" He tenderly kissed her forehead.

"I will have to teach you how to let your carnal desires wash over you and disperse into the nature energy. It will alleviate at least some of this uncontrollable need." He whispered lovingly to sleeping Konan, falling asleep himself.

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Chapter 27 - Ch27. Apprentice 1

Rei and Konan did D and occasional C-ranked missions for two years until they were eligible for promotion to Chunin. During this time, they traveled most of the Land of Waters as the Mizukage tried to keep them outside the village but never allowing them to leave the Land of Water. They were the only duo genin team and sending them could free one team so they were run ragged these years.

Well, they would be if they did not make free time whenever possible on their way back. Their list of dates in various locations was almost as extensive as their mission record. After all, Rei made sure he had enough of his private Konan time to refill his Konan reserves after every mission with Konan!

Since he taught her how to get rid of her desires, she got quite tame. Rei knew it was not a solution, only temporary help. Her desires were still building up. But... only two more years and he would feel okay with it. On the other hand, since he pushed his lightning chakra into Konan, she demanded some 'attention' every other day. Her taste was almost addictive to him. He couldn't but feel wry at that.

Konan quickly put a stop to these feelings though. One day, he woke up with Konan's tongue working its way up and down his morning wood... Rei could only take a firm hold of her messy bed hair and enjoy it. Since then... he also received the tender care of her mouth and silky tongue every other day. Konan seemed to get almost addicted to his c.u.m. She tasted heavenly to him so he surmised that it was the same for her too.

Both knew that what they felt for the other was in no way normal. They loved each other for years, sure. But they were aware that these intense insatiable feelings for the other dated to the mishap with linking and that they only grew stronger by the day.

It got so serious that Rei even started to develop a special seal. Soul affecting seal to bind them together completely. He felt their bond was somewhat incomplete. Open. And that was slowly driving them nuts. They needed some kind of control. And if that pushed them beyond the proverbial line and made them desire the other with their very being? Why not... He was even adding some special benefits!

...

Two years. That was the minimum period for a foreign shinobi to be trusted. Rei felt that the 3rd Mizukage was really pushing for their integration with Kiri. In these two years, he and Konan didn't fail any mission. They had the best record out of all genins... which was a big embarrassment for them since they were solid elite jonin level already. They often sparred with the Seven Swordsmen, more often than not beating them. It brought only increasing depression to the 3rd Mizukage seeing them beating his best. Alternatively, he jumped from sheer joy when Rei or Konan was defeated!

But then again, neither of them actually showed their full skill in these spars. Rei often limited himself to raiton and kenjutsu while going blow for blow, bettering his kenjutsu in these spars and Konan preferred her paper clones and explosive tags while employing more of a hit and run tactic. To be honest, most fights, she was not even on the battlefield, instead, she ate snacks in the treetops as her clones did the work. It was driving Maduro sparse and the current wielder of Kiba... that man hated Konan with passion. Especially since she took a sick pleasure of always canceling his raiton coating on the blades with her futon. Always finding a different way to do it too!

Rei mostly sparred with Samehada and Nuibari wielders.

Samehada wielder. It was some unknown dude with spiky white hair... Rei didn't care enough to remember his name. All the guy had was a large chakra pool, speed, and compliance of Samehada. His skills were good only at waving the chakra-sucker around. But fighting him was really a good exercise for dodging.

Nuibari was... dangerous. Even Rei received a few holes in his body when sparring with the woman wielding that sword. She was insanely skilled and fast with it! No matter the edge he had as someone who was strengthening his body with nature energy for years. No matter that his senses were incredibly developed. The woman always found just the right hole in his defense to put the needle in. It really showed Rei that he was not yet invincible. Rei found a new respect for shinobi by fighting her. She was the prime example that it was not all in pure una.d.u.l.terated power and that precision and skill could kill too. A pity the woman will be killed by her student, Kushimaru...

...

It was the day of their promotion to chunin when the Mizukage called for them.

Rei, expecting another mission, came leisurely into Mizukage's office and with a slight bow, waiting for instructions. By now, the secretary was not even stopping him as his 'team' frequented the office the most. The benefits of being able to fly on a platform made out of Konan's paper, enhanced by Rei's raiton chakra. Their traveling speed was insanely fast. They are able to have two days off after every long-distance mission and be in Kiri three days before their expected return. To this day, Mizukage didn't know how they did it and always grumbled about that feat. Alas, sooner returns meant more missions. Pissing off Mizukage with even sooner returns from them, made for even more missions too. Which made for more free time with Konan outside the village and a bigger paycheck. Rei thought it was a win-win!

"Ah... Rei-kun~!" The Mizukage cheerily shouted, making Rei scowl. "You made chunin, I see!"

Rei's scowl deepened. The man pulled all pretenses with Rei and Konan a year ago. He no longer was that stern serious leader but he was now more of a goofy idiotic and annoying... shit.

Of course, you know I am chunin, you approved of it, baaaka! Who do you think signed the library slip to jonin section right before my eyes!... Rei mentally raged.

"Anyway, I have something special for you, you see..." The Mizukage trailed off. "Call her in!"

Into the room walked a nine-year-old girl with a hitai-ate on her forehead. She was... small. But her eyes were sharp, used to fending for herself. Instantly darting all around the room, checking for ways to run, just in case. Her eyes instantly snapped to Mizukage and she bowed.

"Mizukage-sama."

"Aah... Ringo-chan~! You will be given to Rei-kun, alright~?"

The girl, Ringo, instantly looked at Rei with a conflicted but kinda disappointed gaze. After all, he looked fifteen at most and not that strong either! She was to…! The girl blushed and looked to the ground.

"As a disciple." Rei finished for Mizukage in deadpan, making Ringo blink and nod slowly as her blush deepened for that misunderstanding.

"Of course... as a disciple." The Mizukage repeated with a smile. "How perceptive of you, Rei-kun!"

Rei would forever remember the day he doomed himself and allowed the Mizukage to call him Rei-kun. The twat used it against him in EVERY single instance he could!

Mizukage's jovial mood suddenly disappeared as he deflated.

"That said... Genin Ameyuri." He sternly uttered, making the girl straighten up. "Your affinity for kenjutsu and raiton was duly noted. That's why you are getting the best teacher for raiton and one of the best swordsmen of Kiri. Any questions?"

"I-" The girl at first hesitated but then her eyes flashed in resolve. "I thought the best was the wielder of Kiba!"

Rei couldn't help but smile. The girl had guts to speak like that to Mizukage.

"Ah... spunky one, aren't you?" The Mizukage chuckled. "Maybe, maybe not. Rei-kun is not a dual-wielder, therefore, Kiba is not for him."

The Mizukage knew Rei would steamroll the current wielder of Kiba. He saw it happen quite a lot too. But to actually admit it to a girl whose dream is to be Kiba-wielder? He was not so cruel! It would crush her dreams! That would not do for his plans. Not at all.

Ringo observed Rei. He had long pale blond hair in one massive braid, starting from the back of his head, flowing over his shoulder and lazily laying on his chest, reaching the middle of his abdomen. His eyes were piercing of shiny emerald green color and his face had high cheeks with some aristocratic features. He was pale and lean. Unassuming in his loose white long-sleeved kimono, reaching only a slightly above mid-thigh, and black pants. Ringo would peg him for a noble rather than ninja.

Nothing like the badass muscled swordsmen of Kiri! Ringo also noted his casual posture and annoyed expression as he stood five meters away from her. She then turned to Mizukage.

Where the heck is my muscled piece of a hunk? Is this lanky dude going to be my sensei? But, but, but… no muscles! … Ringo mentally whined.

"Mizukage-sama, are you sure this ma-" She didn't finish it as she felt a powerful swat to the back of her head, sending her face-first to the floor.

"That was not nice, Rei-kun~." The Mizukage halfheartedly rebuked Rei who was now standing straight, a few inches behind Ringo's form sprawled on the ground with one of his hands outstretched in swatting motion and the other behind his back.

"Is that any way to talk to your master, baka-deshi Ringo!? Look how I will beat you to death!" He ignored Mizukage as he scolded Ringo.

Ringo wasn't that new in raiton manipulation. She felt the slight buzzing and then 'Bam!'. She was hit! She sprang to her feet, her eyes sparkling like stars as she looked straight at Rei with admiration in her gaze.

"Yes! Master!" She exclaimed, awe-filling her eyes.

Rei blinked at her. Then blinked at the gawking Mizukage.

"Did I break her?" He pointed at Ringo who was still looking at him like a fangirl.

"Congratulations Rei-kun... you just gained your first admirer. Make me proud!" The Mizukage wiped a mock-tear from the corner of his eye.

"Come with me girl." Rei decided that a swift retreat was in order and left with Ringo.

It was not like in Konoha. He was given an apprentice and that was that. If he didn't want her, he could find someone who did or let her self-study... or provide an accident. She was an orphan and it was a viable opinion. But he could not reject her appointment as his apprentice. But that basically meant, her skill will reflect on him and his resume. It was a nifty way to keep jonins in line and make them pass on at least some of their skills.

As the door closed, Mizukage's expression changed from jovial and goofy to complete seriousness. He clasped his hands in front of his mouth that twitched upward.

"Heh, consider this a test run... Rei...kun."

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Chapter 28 - Ch28. Apprentice 2

Ringo followed her new sensei, Rei, to the training ground 66. The only training ground with a lake in the middle.

She could see a clearing bordering a lake and tilted her head when she saw a gorgeous fifteen-looking girl with neck-long blue hair with an origami rose stuck in them, reading a book, sitting cross-legged on the lake as she held the book in one hand. She was clothed in a pure black long-sleeved kimono with dark-blue roses pattern all over, also reaching only mid-thighs as Rei's. She wore black skirt with the same rose pattern and her hands had black fingerless gloves on them.

The girl raised her head and her amber eyes pierced Ringo as they narrowed, clearly showing her purplish eye-shadow. They observed every nook and cranny of Ringo's body, while the girl's crimson lips set themselves in a frown. Ringo shuddered at the intense scrutiny that gaze held and felt like a prey stalked by a predator.

The girl promptly snapped the book shut with her fingers, making it go puff. Ringo was baffled. She didn't see any storage scroll anywhere!

Konan saw the small skinny redhead and with a sigh, approached Rei.

"Who is the girl." She asked uncaringly.

"Apparently, this is my new apprentice. Ringo, her name." Rei rolled his eyes.

"Oh... so? What are we gonna do with her?" Konan's eye twitched. She valued her alone time with Rei. Having an 'apprentice' was ruining that time. Now she had to find out if Rei was up for some good old-fashioned accident in the field for the girl.

"We will teach her." Rei shrugged, dashing Konan's hopes. "Obviously."

Konan clicked her tongue but nodded nevertheless. Rei decided... she would follow. But the second the girl tried something... Kukuku.

Ringo could only shudder at the look the blue-haired girl gave her. She was not like those naive retards in the academy. She knew the girl was asking if they should off her! A chill passed through her spine at the dismissive uncaring way the girl said it too!

Unconsciously, Ringo moved closer to Rei. He at least wasn't out for her blood.

Rei took out a slice of paper and handed it to shaken Ringo. She looked at him with a questioning gaze.

"Show me how far you are with raiton."

Ringo nodded and focused. The paper slowly started wrinkling. It took her two minutes to get it all wrinkled.

Rei nodded at her, not praising, nor admonishing her.

"Good enough for your age." He said aloofly at her look and shrugged. "You have a natural talent for it and all you need is practice. I didn't see any bad habit in your raiton chakra creation."

Ringo saw Rei take out two swords and throw one to her. She barely managed to catch it, looking at her sensei.

"Okay, show me your kenjutsu."

Ringo didn't need to be told twice. She loved sword-fighting. She ran at her sensei, slashing towards his abdomen but...

Rei saw Ringo's eyes trail to his leg even though the slash was aimed at his stomach. He sighed at the obvious tell and simply stepped back, letting her sword sail harmlessly in front of him and promptly hit her head with the blunt side of his sword.

"There. Dead." He said and removed his sword from her head, waiting for her reaction.

Ringo pouted. But then she raised her sword, rushing at Rei again. Rei smiled at that and sidestepped her swipe. She was determined. He swatted her head as her body was about to pass his, making her face-ground.

"There. Dead." He said in amus.e.m.e.nt but noted that she did not let go of her sword. That was nice. As long as she was alive and held her sword, there was hope for her as a swordsman.

Rei crouched down to the sprawled form of Ringo.

"Your eyes. You are looking where you are going to strike." He told her lazily.

Ringo sat down and mulled over his words. Then she slowly nodded.

Not long after that, they were again standing opposite each other with their swords in their hands. This time though Rei threw his sword at her, handle first. Ringo caught it in her free hand, bewildered.

"Dual-wielding. Your dream is Kiba, isn't it? So you have to start learning." Rei smiled at the girl who beamed at him in happiness.

The girl ran at him, slashing her right sword at his chest. He sidestepped. Ringo's left sword was instantly in his face. He leaned his head to the left, making the blade miss. Rigo didn't wait as her foot was instantly aimed at his stomach. He caught it and threw Ringo away.

"No kicks until you are older and stronger, kid."

Ringo nodded but wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and rushed at him again, heedless of the big bruise on her cheek she gained when she fell on the ground.

His swords were a flurry of swipes but Rei weaved through them with apparent ease. After a few minutes, Ringo started to get tired but more vicious.

Rei quickly dragged his foot back as Ringo's left sword aimed to pierce it, instead, piercing the ground. He had to relocate his other leg more to the right to dodge another slash of Ringo, making the space between his legs wider.

That was when Ringo forcefully slashed the sword piercing the ground upwards, right towards Rei's crotch. She was getting closer, and closer... Her heart jumping at being able to hit!

But then Ringo felt a chill through her spine as Rei appeared behind her, his hand reaching over her shoulder and clasping a slice of paper glimmering in bluish futon chakra, an inch from her throat. She gulped. Ringo was aware where her head would fly if that even nicked her throat. Sweat started to flow down her forehead.

"Konan..." Rei sighed.

"What! She aimed at your crotch! Your crotch belongs to me! She deserves punishment!" The girl, Konan, pouted childishly but her eyes still glared at Ringo. Ringo vowed to never aim at the crotch when sparring with her new sensei. Un... that was a fair trade for keeping her head on her shoulders.

Unknowingly, the respect Ringo held for the blue-haired girl, Konan, rose high. As did the fear she felt towards the impassive girl who was deliberately looking for a reason to take her head off.

Rei only sighed and gave Konan a look. Both him and Konan knew that he could dodge the slash whenever he felt like it as he was strengthening his body for years with nature chakra in preparation for Sage Mode. His body strength and speed were far above the norm!

Even if Ringo's sword hit his crotch… shuddering thought… and he would never let it hit, it wouldn't do much. His body was too strong for that. A non-chakra metal sword wielded by a nine-years old girl without any chakra in it? It wouldn't do anything.

...

Two hours later, Ringo was glad the kenjutsu spar was over. She was drenched in sweat, panting on the ground as she still clutched the two swords.

Ringo felt miserable. Sure, she was very tired. But most of her sweat was due to resisting the killing intent Konan showered her in. Ringo knew Konan was training her with it. At least partially. She really hoped it was not real!

Konan put the girl under enough pressure that she managed to move and get used to it, then, she increased it. Rei decided to train the girl, so she will be trained. Konan wouldn't be satisfied with anything less than jonin-level strength in two years! Not when the girl has so many resources at her disposal! Even as an orphan, just coming to the Kiri Library means better knowledge than what Konan had and she managed. It was only due to Rei but she did learn! Konan decided she would observe the girl very, very closely. She was sure the old coot Mizukage had some plans for Rei and the girl just might figure in them. But plots and schemes aside...

If the girl has Rei to help her and the shinobi library to boot, then she will either learn or be discarded! No waste of time will be tolerated! Not when that time could be used for more meaningful things! Like snogging!

Rei knew the look on Konan's face. He could only wryly chuckle at it.

Just seeing it, he was sure the following years would be rough for Ringo. Konan, as a dutiful 'wife', had no patience for someone wasting the time of her 'Danna-sama'. Especially since Ringo was heavily intruding in their alone time.

Rei could only sigh and pray Ringo would survive it!

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Chapter 29 - Ch29. Nice morning, annoyed Ringo, and schemes of old coot

Rei woke up and saw Konan's sleeping face in front of him. She had a small smile and cutely furrowed brows, most likely from a pleasant dream. He couldn't help himself and his hand quickly landed on her cheek, softly and gently caressing it.

Konan slowly opened her sleepy eyes while her head unconsciously leaned towards Rei's hand. Her smile widened as her vision cleared and the first sight that greeted her was Rei's eyes, intently staring at her face, enamored with it. Konan moved before she could even realize it and suddenly rolled Rei on his back. She sat on his belly, straddling him, letting him see her very n.a.k.e.d and very sensitive body while smiling at him gently. She lowered her upper body, laying her chest on his as her mouth claimed his in a very slow and deliberate kiss.

Rei's hands sn.a.k.e.d around her torso, softly embracing her n.a.k.e.d back. He started to slowly stroke it while making sure to apply raiton chakra to make her feel pleasant tingling in her entire back. He could instantly feel her legs clamping hard on his h.i.p.s as her crotch instinctively pressed harder into his stomach. He could feel Konan's n.i.p.p.l.es hardening, poking his chest.

Konan ended the slow soft kiss and pulled her head slightly away before her head lowered again, towards his ear.

"That was not nice... Now I am all horny." She seductively purred into his ear and started to kiss his neck.

"That makes two of us." Rei returned the favor by releasing a hot breath into her ear that was conveniently close. His left hand raised from her back, taking hold of the nape of her neck as his right hand reached across her back, gripping her hip.

Konan only managed to yelp as she suddenly found herself lying on her back when Rei twisted their bodies. She blinked in momentary confusion at the ceiling. Tilting her head she was about to talk when Rei's lips smashed into hers, his body leaning into her. Konan felt her body loosen, happy from the close proximity. She melted into the kiss and her eyes glazed over in want as her legs that were still around Rei's h.i.p.s, tightly locked behind his back, refusing to let go.

They passionately made out, laying on top of each other and the time lost the meaning for them. Minute, five, ten... they had no idea.

Out of sudden, Rei withdrew from the kiss.

"Sorry, Konan." He kissed her cheek as she stared at him, biting her lower lip. "We have a mission today."

Konan slowly nodded, her greater than massive reluctance apparent. Rei could only smile wryly.

"Eh... Konan, your legs..."

Konan looked at him innocently, but her legs stayed firmly locked around his back, the same as her hands still held his shoulders.

Rei chuckled and stood up, making Konan yelp and tightly clung to him like a koala.

"You difficult girl..." He kissed her forehead, enjoying her pout and her accusing stare. "Well, then, shower first!" He said but Konan could feel his hands squeezing her bum. That instant she knew it would take a long, long time for them to leave the shower.

Her eyes quickly morphed into joy, claiming his lips as he carried her to the bathroom.

...

Annoyed Ringo was leaning on the gate as she sat cross-legged on the ground, the swords that she received from Rei were on her lap. She took great care of them. After all, not even half of the jonin were capable of having a weapon from chakra metal! Even if only as big as kunai, it would cost a fortune! Only the most skilled and successful ninjas could afford one! Or the wealthiest clans...

Yet, Rei-sensei gave her not one but two! It was half a year since she started her apprenticeship and she could never really put her head around where her sensei got the money for two short swords. Even the Mizukage dropped his jaw when she reported it! It really showed how big it was!

She was tasked with reporting anything suspicious about her sensei to the Mizukage. She... wasn't very comfortable with it but she was a kunoichi of Kiri and Mizukage was her boss. She was very aware that her Rei-sensei knew but didn't care. Ringo didn't understand why it was important to have HER of all people spy on Rei-sensei. He could have killed her off in the middle of the village and make it seem like an accident. That much she knew from their training. It made her that much more glad she was given to Rei-sensei. She learned a lot about kenjutsu and raiton!

She started to like her sensei... even his cold teammate was kinda bearable, she guessed.

"Now... if only Rei-sensei and Konan-san showed up." Ringo grumbled under her nose, not noticing the ANBU and gate guards snickering at her, knowing full well...

This was the first official out of the village mission for Ringo and she was excited. Well, before she was forced to wait half an hour for her sensei!

Poor Ringo had no idea that Rei and Konan were pulling their inner Kakashi on her. It would be hours before they showed up.

...

The third Mizukage stood in his office, looking out of the window.

"Sigh, if my clan knew..." A womanly voice resounded from within the office as the shuffling of dressing up could be heard.

"Himeno," Mizukage chuckled as with the corner of his eye he observed his childhood friend sluggishly pulling her clothes back on her body. "your grandfather knows about us..."

"Humph. I know!" She averted her eyes, making him snicker.

They have been sleeping together since they were teenagers. Himeno never married. Always beaten her suitor to an inch of his life to dissolve any arranged marriage. She was to be the next clan head and yet by now there was nobody in the Yuki clan who dared to propose. No matter the benefits.

The Mizukage came closer to Himeno and kissed her on the lips.

"How is our daughter?" He softly asked her, making her wryly smile.

"Still forbidden from any shinobi training. The elders are forcing her to be a civilian. The only civilian in the entire clan..." Himeno shook her head sadly. "Ah, it's not that bad! She clearly has Yuki Kekkei Genkai and is treated like Princess." She elaborated when she saw Mizukage getting angry.

"She is only forbidden to train. They don't want someone with 'impure' blood to be the next leader of the clan." The Mizukage held back a sneer.

"Sigh. It was hard enough when I came back home pregnant, unwilling to tell who the father was." Himeno shook her head. "Only my grandpa supported me."

The Mizukage nodded and continued for her.

"That was the only reason why no repercussions were enforced." He sighed but then bitterly grimaced. "I know. He asked for a hefty price for that too."

"I am planning to retire soon. Unless a war comes, in five to seven years I will be all yours." The Mizukage hugged her and whispered to her ear. "Then, I can stop this politicking and we can make many more daughters together." He kissed her near the ear, making her giggle.

Himeno pushed him away.

"We just had s.e.x." She pouted at him, making him chuckle.

As she looked down, blushing hard, she found a file pushed to the side of the table they just used for their lovemaking. She took it to her hand and started reading. The more she read the higher her eyebrows rose.

"You..." Himeno looked at her lover with wide eyes.

The Mizukage saw the file she was holding and let out an insufferable sigh.

"Yes."

"You want that orphan, Ringo, do what!?" Himeno shrieked.

"Hime..."

"Are you sure?" Himeno quieted down and seriously stared at him. "I doubt Konan will let Ringo sleep with Rei..."

The Mizukage nodded.

"You never know but she is only a trial, anyway. I doubt she would manage it. I am sure Rei knows well what my game is and Konan will never accept Ringo because of that. Because both know..." The Mizukage smiled deviously. "But that will be their undoing, you see. I did account for my retirement into the plan! And I am counting on their cleverness too!"

"Ah... Ringo is a cover." Himeno stated dryly. She knew that smile, it instantly became apparent.

"Read ahead." The Mizukage told her simply and Himeno did.

"You... you... you..." Himeno could only gape as her mind stopped. "You betrothed him!?"

"Hehehe. Your man is a master at manipulation, after all!" He proudly stated with his hands on his h.i.p.s. "As Mizukage, I am legally able to do it! Kukuku!"

"This... the girl is barely four!"

The Mizukage nodded again. "That's why it will work. The girl is four. Too young to predict it. At first glance, I won't have any influence over her situation too. Rei and Konan will never see her as a threat, not when the exact same thing already failed with Ringo. They would think me too smart to go at it in the exact same way only without my own influence. The girl won't even know it was all planned! And then, when they got close to the girl, hehe, I will spring the spiel at them! Either accept the betrothal or let the girl go into CRA where she would be used... well you know."

Himeno could only stare at him. It was a cruel plan. But she knew him. He always acted only after he got his facts straight. The CRA clause for a female was not activated... ever. Yet if this fails the girl will suffer.

"This... you are sure they will take her in, right?"

"I know Rei and Konan are loyal only to each other." The Mizukage waved dismissively. "I am giving them an incentive to be loyal to Kiri. Sure, it will take years but I observed them enough. With my plan? They will take the girl. A girl raised by Kiri. A girl whose inheritance is in Kiri. A girl who will receive her clan properties when she is of age. That will tie them to Kiri indefinitely."

"It can backfire." Himeno hummed.

"I know." The Mizukage sighed. "But Rei is reasonable. Konan would probably make the Kiri go kaboom but Rei... That's why I am doing my best to accommodate them. I would probably want Rei as my successor if he was born in Kiri. You know, I am a very good judge of character. I judged you to be a pervert, after all..." He giggled perversely.

"You!" Himeno swatted his shoulders in good humor with a scowl. The previous topic already forgotten.

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Chapter 30 - Ch30. First mission with apprentice 1

Ringo glared at the approaching forms of her sensei and his teammate.

They still looked like white and black smudge in the distance to her but she recognized they were happily holding hands as they leisurely walked towards the gate. She wanted to strangle them!

Six hours. That's how long it took them to finally decide to show up!

By the end, she was sure she knew every location of every hidden ANBU as she heard them laughing at her! She could only bitterly grimace. Rei was her superior first and sensei second. It was time to stand up and greet him while holding back her bitter tears! Sniff.

Rei held Konan's hand and could feel the soothing sensation of her gentle water chakra coursing through his entire body through his hand, making him feel as if it was devotedly massaged. He returned the favor by sending his water chakra into her body, making her pleasantly shiver and chew on her lower lip. As if she could win in a fight of suiton chakra with him, he snorted. It was so tempting to just spin her and kiss those seductive quivering crimson lips as her amber orbs were narrowed in delight, showing her light-purple eyeshadow. Unfortunately, Ringo was already served double Kakashi for today. It was time to get going.

"Hello, baka-deshi Ringo." Rei joked. At first, he did it to satisfy his pettiness. Wanted to feel like those whimsical wuxia masters who were sending their disciples on brainless adventures to satisfy their pride. But after a while, he stopped, and now it was just a recurring joke.

"Master!" Ringo bowed mockingly, making Rei chuckle and Konan roll her eyes at the girl.

"Well, the mission is simple enough. We are to assassinate a noble in the Land of Marsh."

Ringo looked bewildered at her first mission being something only a jonin would do.

"Don't worry. The mission is more for us than you." Konan joined. "You are here to observe and learn and..." She stopped.

"And to kill my first human in the field." Ringo nodded.

"Geez, they really teach them well in the academy, don't they?" Rei muttered.

Both Konan and him knew the academy curriculum and this was a tradition of sorts. They kill each other during the genin exam... reducing the class to half. But that's only for civilian-born. The clans would never stand it. The clan children usually only show that they are ready to be shinobi and be forced to kill a bound prisoner to blood themselves.

Hence, the first mission served to 'properly' have a first-kill in the field. Against someone who fights back. It was Rei's responsibility to provide such a person. Either on the way to, during, or the way from the mission. Ringo WILL kill someone and they won't return until she does. If she won't be able to kill a man in a month, she will be deemed useless and... Hence, the high mortality rate of the Kiri genin. But then again, Kiri has the best assassins and in a war, they clearly keep up even with their lesser, more trigger happy, military force and stay deeply rooted in the big five.

It is said the losses were almost the same on both Kumo and Kiri during the second war. But that is only statistically. Both lost around fifteen percent of their force while another twenty were out of commission due to injuries. But Kiri had a lot less shinobi than Kumo therefore Kumo lost more. Pre-canon Kiri was strong power, indeed.

Nevertheless, Rei still didn't see a reason to cull Kiri's young genin due to a weak stomach. They were barely ten... Ah, blast it.

"Sigh. Idiotic traditions." Rei shook his head. He could always just report she indeed did kill someone and be done with it. He really didn't understand the hype.

"Let's go."

They left the village. It took them a few hours but when they were sufficiently distanced and checked that nobody followed them, Konan made her paper platform.

"Come on, Ringo." Rei gestured to her to get on it.

Ringo was staring in confusion at it. What could it do? She indeed stepped on it and... she shrieked and shrieked some more when she was yanked at high speed towards their destination.

Twenty minutes passed and Ringo was finally calm, observing the landscape from above as they flew around the clouds. She suddenly saw a glimmering blue mass of water and sandy beaches. They reached the sea. It was mesmerizing for her to watch as the waves crashed into other waves. This tranquil sight... she will never forget.

...

Ringo, Rei, and Konan stood on a paper platform, marshes all around them. Before them, a majestic Japanese castle stood proudly on the only hill, a solid mass of earth, around. It was the depiction of the unconquerable. The marshes would stop any sizable army and the castle was positioned well. It would take a lot of effort for an army to breach it. But...

"Ringo, I want you to tell me, what would you do first in this kind of situation." Rei squatted near the girl, quizzing her.

"Uh... I... infiltrate?" Ringo tilted her head. She knew she was not the smartest tool in the shed but... wasn't that obvious?

"How?" Rei smiled while Konan giggled and Ringo felt her answer was not what he wanted to hear.

"Ah... I need to kill the Lord, yeah?" Seeing Rei nod, Ringo continued sure of herself. "I would pretend to be a courtesan, then! A henge into a beauty, perhaps?"

Rei chuckled. A textbook answer, alright.

Ringo heard his soft amused chuckle and beamed, thinking she was right! Until... her face impacted the softened paper of the platform as Rei swatted the back of her head.

"Wrong baka-deshi! What if the guards won't leave the room and you will have to have s.e.x with him to keep your cover? Your henge would dissolve and the Lord would find himself sticking into a ten years old girl, or in the case of another kunoichi, a different person than he paid for. He will either be amused and continue... Then you just might survive it as he might not call his shinobi guards to deal with you as he will f.u.c.k you, humiliate you, and then when you are sufficiently broken, throw you to his guards." Rei sighed in exasperation and continued.

"Leave honey trap missions to kunoichi who chose that kind of life and are trained for it. You wanna be a combatant, not honey trap, baka-deshi. Back to the situation, OR... he will NOT be amused since he is not a pedophile. Most nobles that we are tasked to assassinate are tyrants. Not all, but most. You do not want to be caught by these people. That's why every honey trap kunoichi can request an implant of a cyanide capsule into her mouth. It is much better death than what she would have to go through otherwise. Anyway, these requests are ONLY made by the Daimyos themselves as if a civilian or other noble could request a Hidden Village to assassinate a noble, the entire system would eventually collapse by Daimyos being assassinated left and right. Any idiot who tries is promptly executed. Anyway, IF the target was not amused, you would be thrown to guards where you would be their toy for a day before your throat is slit. Game over. Try again." He gestured with his hand in 'come on' motion.

Ringo heard the impassive voice of her sensei as he lectured her while pouting as she sat up.

"Then what!" She petulantly crossed her arms, looking to the side. "I dunno. Charge and kill?" She muttered, making Rei laugh.

"Pin-pon. Ringo-chan~. Correct."

Ringo looked at him with wide eyes. Did her sensei just tell her they were going to massacre the entire castle!?

"Remember this Ringo. Every client is asked... specifications when he submits the mission. There is ALWAYS a clause about the preferred approach. Force? They send an assault team, depending on the location, enemy, and the type of the mission. Assassination? They send an assassin or someone from the Seduction Corps depending on time, the personality of the target, and so on. It is NOT an easy process to pick who to send. The mission passes various evaluations before it is delivered to the shinobi. That's why the village takes twenty percent off your paycheck. They check if it is all legit. At least, for missions above B-rank such as this." Rei explained.

Konan continued before Ringo could do more than a nod.

"And even with all the checking, the missions are dangerous. If you suspect that something will go wrong then it most likely WILL go wrong. That's why you always ask about the desired approach by the client. When you can kill everything with a Jutsu, you DO NOT go dancing inside in a weak henge, possibly getting f.u.c.k.i.e.d. We are an assault team so assault is what we do."

Rei took the reins and added his input.

"Some teams only take missions they can steamroll through, like us. If the approach is not to your tastes, you are free to refuse. Only S-rank missions are not rejectable."

"But... nobody asked me if I accept this mission?" Ringo muttered in confusion.

"Ah, they only ask the leader of the team. Even jonin-only teams have one leader who speaks for the entire team in these matters. In this case, it is me, baka-deshi." He cooly eye-smiled at Ringo.

Konan nodded and continued.

"And even then, refusing is not a hard matter. The village has at least five potential teams who could be sent prepared. If they ask you to go, that means somebody refused or you were first in the line. You are in no way special, you see. And if somebody requests specifically YOU for a mission, you are ALWAYS told beforehand. It prevents a lot of backstabbing since more often than not when somebody requests you and you do not know that person personally, it is a trap."

Ringo nodded and silently waited for instructions. She understood Rei-sensei didn't want a battle plan for her but only wanted to make her say something wrong so he could explain. He always did it. Ask questions. Swat her for the wrong answer. And then explain. The lesson stuck. That Ringo could not refute. Even if it hurt her pride!

"Well, Ringo. I choose this mission exactly because it is an entire castle. I wanted to show you what a proper ninjutsu technique could do."

Ringo started to get excited when Rei-sensei said that! His raiton techniques were amazing! And he was going to show her a large-scale technique!? She bounced up and down with sparkling eyes!

"Let's go." Rei chuckled.

Chapter 31 - Ch31. First mission with apprentice 2

"Konan, if you will?" Rei asked Konan.

Ringo's cheerful mood dropped. She wanted to see some of Rei's raiton! Not some paper techniques!

Rei saw Ringo's dimming excitement and smirked. A half-year might have passed but they never showed her their Suiton or Doton. It was time to show the girl.

Konan nodded at Rei and put her hand in front of her chest, her index and middle fingers outstretched, showing her dark-blue nail polish and her perfect nails.

Ringo knew Konan did it to mock her! She always gritted her teeth because her nails were always chipped or cracked from sword practice. It was only when Rei showed her a way to reinforce and protect them with chakra, her nails finally stopped being damaged! Konan laughed for two months straight at her for being dumb and not asking instructors in the academy about it! Ringo was jealous alright! Even the beauties in the Seduction Corps didn't look half as good as Konan! They even invited her there! Well… granted, that didn't go well for them. Konan almost skinned them alive... if not for the Mizukage...

'SWAT'

Rei again swatted Ringo for not paying attention. Ringo's face planted again into the softened paper that Konan prepared under her exactly for this occasion. She pouted and focused on Konan as her sensei wanted.

Konan only watched the young girl with an amused smirk. She noted the girl was looking intently at her hands and shook her head. The hand sign she was 'using' was exactly that. Just a useless gesture without any meaning. She was using it to fool anyone who was looking. Konan knew how to mold her chakra internally without the signs. Two years was enough to learn it and be in complete control. Hence...

"Suiton: Thunder Hail Waterfall."

She pushed her created Suiton chakra and released the hold on her molding to start the Jutsu she held semi-finished until Ringo started paying attention. She was happy for that distraction as it provided her the five minutes she needed to mold her chakra into the massive technique she was about to unleash.

It was easy to create your own Jutsu once you could consciously mold chakra however you wanted. Yes, it still took time to fine-tune it but at least it was possible and manageable. Most ninjas... took years to create a completely new Jutsu when Rei would need a month and even then it would be for fine-tuning. Konan… could do it in two months, much to her dismay. Rei was just better at these academic things. All thanks to the inner knowledge of chakra molding and how exactly the Jutsu were made from that point all the way to the flashy effects. That's why sealless Jutsu were so revered.

Ringo tilted her head as she heard Konan exclaim the name of the technique. Nothing happened. She was about to open her mouth when a droplet of water landed on her nose. She looked up and her eyes instantly widened as she crouched down and curled into a ball, her face snapped towards the ground and her hands covered it protectively while quivering from fear.

It was only then a thick rain fell on the castle and its surroundings. It was so dense, it was more of a waterfall from the sky rather than rain. The water level rose, the marshes became small lakes, sweeping everything in the hailstorm of water. The greenery disappeared under the water in a moment as more and more water unceasingly fell from the sky.

Ringo peeked at her sensei when she didn't feel herself being crushed by the torrent of water and found that a dome of translucent futon chakra was around the still dry paper platform. She saw Konan looking at her mirthfully and her sensei raised an eyebrow at her reaction. Ringo grimaced but relaxed and straightened up.

She marveled at the gorgeous sight as she spun and looked around. She couldn't see the castle anymore. She couldn't see even the surroundings! It was like a thick mist surrounded them! Only, it was made of densely falling water from the sky instead of fog! Ripples were continuously appearing on the futon dome as the water impacted it and flowed down while more water and more fell into the never-ending stream. It was as if Ringo was looking at multiple rivers flowing into each other, battling for superiority all around her! The only thing she could hear was the loud fizzing and cracking sound the water produced as it impacted the dome. Any other sound was quickly absorbed by the waterfall's own symphony.

To be honest, the technique was terrific to Ringo. She was sure that just the initial torent of water was enough to crush a human to death. Such an amount of water falling on somebody at once? Ringo shuddered from the thought.

But here she was. It was a minute and the heavy waterfall of water still fell from the clouds. Ringo heaved a sigh of relief when she saw Konan stop doing the hand sign and the absolute downpour started weakening. It took three more minutes until it stopped completely.

Ringo looked around... at the newly made lake. Trees were crushed as their broken forms barely peeked from the surface. Everything was only clear water all around them. Only the hill and the castle stood proudly but even then water flowed out of the castle's drainage as a violent river, down the hill into the newly-made lake. Ringo's thought about how many people were crushed to death by the technique as she saw the slight reddish color of the water flowing out of the castle.

"Don't worry. Every person in that castle was a mercenary who helped the Lord suppress the locals. The Lord didn't allow them to bring p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.es into the castle. Nobody 'innocent' died." Rei chuckled at Ringo's pondering expression.

"Well." Konan interrupted before Ringo could speak. "That took three-quarters of my chakra." She rolled her shoulders as if mockingly showing how tiring was leveling the surroundings. "Rei, your turn."

Ringo's jaw dropped. "Sensei! you are going to use a technique!?"

"Well, the castle is still standing, after all!" He smiled and ruffled Ringo's hair. Then he pointed up with his index finger. "And this is a combination technique, anyway. I couldn't in good conscience waste all that effort Konan put into it." He grinned as he already started molding his chakra ever since the water started pouring down. He couldn't let that effort and chakra be put to waste, indeed.

Ringo looked up again and froze. The clouds... were completely black. Massive bluish sparks could be seen raging in them, just waiting to be released onto the ground in a flurry of destruction. Ringo suddenly got a very bad premonition about what's to come.

Rei did the exact same hand sign as Konan.

"Raiton: Thunder Hail Waterfall."

It was another downpour as Ringo stared in awe. The downpour of lightning.

The roars of lightning impacting the ground reverberated through the land as the ground trembled from continuous lighting strikes, the thunderous roars completely deafening everything around. In a way, it was worse than its predecessor, the water. Ringo could clearly see the castle being continuously destroyed by the thick lightning beams as they thundered down onto it, destroying towers, walls, the hill itself. The water all around them got agitated as the lightning impacted it, loud crashing waves started to form and swirl around, reaching meters into the sky as they completely bypassed the hill and washed around the castle's wall, getting inside through the damage done by the lightning. Ringo thanked that they were on the paper platform, twenty meters above the land as she was sure these ten meters waves would crush even the Mizu fleet without much resistance. She was sure that the people who won't die of lightning, will drown in the castle as the water was slowly flooding it.

It was ten minutes later that the lightning still danced all around in a furious symphony of destruction, tearing down the landscape and making the newly-formed lake rage under the unceasing thunderstorm. For ten minutes straight, Ringo's world was filled only with deafening thunders as with gritted teeth and her hands on her ears, she dearly wished the painful sound to stop. Finally, it ceased as Rei put his hand down. And the hill and the castle... were no more.

Only a clear glittering lake was left behind. The world regained its serenity.

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Chapter 32 - Ch32. Bingo Book

'This is pathetic.' Ringo thought as she cut down yet another bandit who was leering at her ten years old form.

She could see the l.u.s.t in their eyes. It disgusted her to have these eyes aimed at her. So... she cut and cut and cut trying to make it so there was nothing more in need of cutting down.

This was the 'real' trial. Her first mission.

They were on the way from the mission of her sensei and she was told this C-rank mission was for her alone. She was to massacre a camp full of bandits and save town women held there as pleasure slaves.

She was to be brutal. Show the men fear and the wrongness of their path. They had to despair before finally dying. That's why the screams all around. Ringo was chopping their limbs off instead of outright killing them. It was her mission and killing didn't bother her. Not since she killed the homeless man trying to molest her when she was six. And the kids in the orphanage always wondered why she was 'different'. She was not. She only understood the world much sooner than them.

She evaded an agonizingly slow slash and relieved a thug of his hands at the wrists. She wondered if this is how Rei-sensei feels when sparring with her. This... dull feeling. It sent chills through her spine thinking she could be in the place of the thugs. That there indeed were monsters who would see her effort only as agonizingly slow or... dull. Not worth a mention.

Ringo gained another eye-opener in this mission. She really thought that she had enough of them for this month.

The killing was... easy. Coping with it was surprisingly... easy. Witnessing an entire landscape being reformed with a single Jutsu was not. Coping with that was NOT easy! Seeing what real power means was not easy for Ringo.

But she would cope. She would always cope. She had to.

With another angry battle shout, Ringo charged at yet another bandit, making it as bloody and gruesome as possible. She had a job. Distractions were unneeded. Not now.

...

Rei, Konan, and Ringo stood in front of the Mizukage after their report. He nodded at them.

"You may go. Thank you for the job well done." The Mizukage told them. "Ringo, stay please."

Rei shrugged at Konan and they left.

The Mizukage turned to Ringo with a serious expression.

"Genin Ameyuri." His expression somewhat softened. "So... you saw."

"I-..." Ringo didn't know what to say to the man.

"You saw the might an S-rank shinobi can hold."

Ringo nodded mutely, mulling over the words. Indeed. She saw that might makes right. That was exactly what she saw. That was...

"The power that could level entire villages." The Mizukage gravely stated.

"Yes." Ringo croaked with difficulty. She wanted to be the best raiton user of Kiri. But now... Now she saw what exactly that meant. She couldn't see herself in the place of her sensei. Not yet...

"How do you feel about it?" The Mizukage asked, making Ringo take a shuddering breath.

"I...I am weak." Ringo looked towards the ground sullenly.

"Yes. That you are." Mizukage finally smiled. "You are a bright young woman. Tell me, why do you think I assigned you to Rei?"

Ringo stiffened. Why indeed. Rei was still a chunin. He should not have had an apprentice. No matter if his prowess were S-rank. Certainly not an orphan like her! He was fit for clan children. Those with status!

As she mulled over it, Mizukage threw her a book. She caught it.

"Bingo Book?" Ringo tilted her head. She of course knew what the book was.

"Page 34, and 35." Mizukage told her.

Ringo opened it on page 34. Her eyes widened as she stared at the page without any photo.

Rei of Kiri

Affiliation: Kiri.

Prowess - S-rank.

Bounty - none.

Identity - unknown other than the name.

Power - Kirigakure no Jutsu capable of blinding even Hyuuga. Always fights in dense mist or uses powerful landscape-changing suiton cooperation ninjutsu with Konan of Kiri.

Known Chakra Nature: Raiton, Suiton.

Nickname - Downpour: Rei of Kiri, Konan of Kiri.

Ringo's eyes looked towards Mizukage.

"Yes. Rei's identity is still secret. Not even most jonin of Kiri know that Rei-kun is Rei of Kiri. At least those that don't know him and Konan as more than passing acquaintances don't. I am keeping a tight lid on it, you see. But his reputation is solid among clients. What... you really thought I would assign an important search and destroy mission from a Daimyo to an unproved chunin? Please..." The Mizukage snorted. "Read the next page."

Ringo turned to page 35. Another page without a photo.

Konan of Kiri

Affiliation: Kiri.

Prowess - S-rank.

Bounty - none.

Identity - unknown other than the name.

Power - Kirigakure no Jutsu capable of blinding even Hyuuga. Always fights in dense mist or use powerful landscape-changing suiton cooperation ninjutsu with Rei of Kiri.

Known Chakra Nature: Futon, Suiton.

Nickname - Downpour: Rei of Kiri, Konan of Kiri.

"Nobody knows about Rei's kenjutsu as nobody ever survived him using it in his mist. Nobody knows of Konan's real deadliness, her paper Jutsus as nobody ever saw her using it in the mist. Most actually suspect she is proficient in shurikenjutsu or something. Two and half-years of missions and their real prowess and identity are still mostly hidden. But they are the boogeyman of this generation." The Mizukage shook his head and sighed. "The other countries are starting to notice. The unnatural utterly impossible feats of suiton ninjutsu they still couldn't help but desperately hope is cooperation ninjutsu..."

"It's not a-..." Ringo mumbled out of it, wide-eyed.

"I know." The Mizukage sighed. "I know too well, child."

"And when they used heavy crushing rain that would not fall even in Ame to devastate a rebel outpost in the Land of Wind with a rain of all things... Some people there never saw rain in their entire lives, Ringo." The Mizukage rubbed his forehead. "I sent them on that mission to see if the dry environment somehow hampers their bullshit suiton. But... blast it they actually flooded an entire area in the Land of Wind and created a lake! And diplomatically, it was not a pleasant thing."

"Cautious approach for them means dumping a disgusting amount of mist all around and just cutting through anyone to get to their target without being 'seen'. Seen by anyone left alive, that is. Quite frankly, the only missions I am assigning them are heavy assault ones since they pulled a stunt like that and managed to actually justify it!" The Mizukage chuckled.

"Why are you showing me this, Mizukage-sama?" Ringo respectfully asked as she came closer and put the book on the table.

The Mizukage gently smiled and made a hand gesture.

Ringo could only widen her eyes as four ANBU appeared and rushed out of the room. The Mizukage took a scroll from his table, handing it to Ringo. She read it and went rigid.

"You want me to get pregnant with Rei..." She stated breathlessly but then her talk about missions flashed through her mind. "I refuse, Mizukage-sama."

Ringo bowed and stayed in bow even though her body quivered at the consequences. She only heard a cheerful laugh.

"You are ten, Ringo. This was a plan for later, of course! A plan I discarded. It is not a viable opinion. It would not be right to force you." He told her with a soft expression. Even he was cringing inwardly. He knew to piss off Rei by forcing this mission on Ringo wasn't something he wanted to see during his lifetime. But he could still word it right to make Ringo more loyal! "That's why the scroll is yours. You can burn it or keep it... your choice. I would rather have you learn as much under Rei and when the time comes, claim Kiba to become one of the Seven, child. And most importantly, make Kiri proud."

Ringo's eyes watered. The Mizukage was telling her he would like her to reach her dream. Her. An orphan! She deeply bowed again, this time out of sheer respect.

"Thank you!" She exclaimed as she sniffed.

"Now go, Ringo Ameyuri. Get stronger for Kiri." The Mizukage smiled at her.

The second Ringo left the office, his cheery attitude evaporated. He sighed.

"Nurturing loyal and powerful people is such a hassle!" He whined out loud and got back to his blasted paperwork.

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