The Day After Tsunade Returned

Guy, as it turned out, was as nuts as he acted. He ran five, FIVE, laps around the village each morning at top speed. Mika managed to get about three laps in before he had to go a tad slower, but he managed to complete the laps in time to see Guy beaming at him.

"Very good, my powerful new friend!" His teeth actually tinged at Mika, a real freaking sound.

"Thank you, Guy." Mika finally allowed his breath to return. "I have always had some issues with stamina, so this really will help."

The man nodded. "I agree... now, show me your combat style. I won't beat you bloody like Yugao, but I will not go easy. I spoke to her, you are of Jonin skill in all places, only experience keeps you short of true Jonin power. It is my goal to give you that edge while I can. Fighting Lee will be something that should help you, as will fighting Neji or Tenten. Neji said you were training with him, I should mention. He was quite interested in you gaining more skill."

"I trained Hinata, she overcame him despite being labeled too weak and shameful... and he a prodigy."

Guy's eyes widened. "I almost forgot about that, she will be missed that girl. I admired her growth, she helped Neji grow by literally beating the arrogance out of him." There was an edge of malice to the man's voice. "I care for my students, dearly and deeply, but it was not something I enjoyed about Neji..." He shook his head. "Now, onto your combat. Face me!" Mika sighed, falling into a low stance, light on his feet. Guy smiled. "Ahh, a medical stance, something I enjoy fighting. It is a perfect counter to my style, all evasion and dodging, but Yugao said you added other aspects? Some of the Academy Style, but also the Gentle Fist?"

Mika shook his head. "Maybe subconsciously, I fought Hinata dozens of time. I learned a lot that way. Some of Yugao's style, what I presume is ANBU based tactics, bled through. I know the Gentle Fist though, It is complex as all hell, but the basics I can do in practice due to Hinata." And then Mika moved, with speed that Guy actually beamed at once more.

"Excellent!" He launched a fast foot at Mika, who bent back, allowing it to fly over him where he socked the man's inner thigh and calf with chakra laden blows that actually ah Guy cringing. "I thought you said no Gentle Fist was intentional?"

"You gave me the idea," Mika started, grabbing the man's leg and using it as leverage to send an easily blocked kick to the man's face. " I learn as I go and I pick things up very fast."

"So I see! Now, onward! I need to see more!" And the man did, for over an hour they fought.

Mika ended up almost as bruised as when he fought Yugao, only his face was sparred. He kicked, dodged, punched, jabbed and more. Guy took it all, the tanky fucker he was, and soon Mika was on his knees having faced a real Jonin in combat.

"That... really... hurt."

Guy laughed more, an irritating but also heart warming sound. " You are a skilled ninja, Yugao is right, but you rely far too much on counters and defensive tactics. You need far more straight combat, more offense. That alone will put you at full Jonin, I assure you. Now, let me see what you can do with a blade as well, Yugao mentioned you were considerably more skilled when using it in conjunction with your full skills."

:::

Guy was not sure what he expected when Mika took out his blade. The boy was an excellent ninja, on par with the raw potential of even Kakashi or himself or even Itachi. He just had the intelligence, drive and skill that few could manage. At Fourteen the boy was a jonin, far superior to even a prodigy like Neji with just a year of mostly self training. If Neji was five and a Gated and weightless Lee was a nine, Mika was a seven point five. He could crush Guy's entire team should Lee not use the Gates, at least in Taijutsu alone. He was that good, his tactics and intelligence made him too skilled to not take his admittedly obtuse team on.

However, when Mika moved, energized by a second wind, moving with such speed that Guy had to actually focus, he knew he was wrong. Mika was, easily, as dangerous as Lee was without his weights or even with the first three gates active, only in an entirely different way. Grace and skill, the boy practically danced as he slashed and jabbed at Guy.

Mika actually managed to cut Guy after a solid ten seconds of trying, after twisting around Guy's "DYNAMIC ENTRY!" And slashing Guy's back with a painful slice that.

Guy stopped then, eyes wide. "I was going as fast as Lee weightless... and you managed to get me, he is as fast as most upper jonin, and you managed to... kid, you are damn good. I can see why Yugao is so proud! Now... let's get you started on some katas, the basics. I will spend the next two weeks with you, that is how long I am allowed off for Lee's surgery. After that... well, you will be able to adapt from there. Sound fair?"

Bowing, the boy nodded. "I am more than content with that... thank you. It is nice to see someone that trains as hard as I do!" And he smiled, a radiant expression of pure pleasure that left Guy warm and happy inside.

And like that, Guy felt a friendship form between him and the boy.

'Yugao was right, he will make a fantastic part time ANBU... I will make my recommendation as soon as we are done.' Looking up, knowing Tsunade was watching via the Third's orb, he nodded, giving his signal for his agreement in Mika to be placed in ANBU. 'He is the only one of his year that has that edge... I just hope it won't destroy him like it nearly did Kakashi.'

""'

In the Hokage's Office

"I can see what you meant, Yugao, he really has the potential to enter ANBU. He has the killer instinct, he has the skill and he is driven. I won't made him full time, I cannot afford it, he has made too much of a name for himself at this point. Even I heard of him when I was on the run." Tsunade started, looking at Yugao. "I agree with your assessment, and Guy's, he is a Jonin level fighter. He just needs experience, something ANBU can provide... we lost forty ANBU agents during the Invasion. We need to rebuild..."

Yugao bowed low. "I ask to take him on as my full apprentice in ANBU, should he pass the entrance exam. I need to pass on Hayate's kenjutsu style... an honestly, I have never seen anyone learn so fast. He picks all I have to learn so fast. In six months, he will likely be my equal in many ways. In two he will be yours, of that I am sure."

Tsunade sighed. "You are likely right, should he survive... now... I will allow you to give him the good news. Oh and for his entrance exam... he was asked for, personally by the Land of Rivers... go and get him. He leaves immediately, tell Guy I am sorry but this needs to happen, now. The situation is dire, incredibly so."

"Hai, M'lady!" And Yugao was gone, returning five minutes later with Mika in tow.

Tsunade eye balled the boy, his tiny frame oozing not the raw chakra presence of Naruto or herself, but the cool patience's of Orochimaru. She knew that he would be more like him than any of the other Sanin and as such, he needed to be tested. "Mika... I have a mission for you, one of imperative purpose. Have you heard of the mines int eh Land of Rivers?"

Mika nodded. "Of course, they provide much of the gold that makes the Land of Rivers so wealthy."

"Good, you are well educated... now... it has been reported that a powerful figure named Raiga, a member of the Seven Swordsman, has taken them over and is burying people alive in twisted ceremonies. I would normally send Kakashi or Guy or Yugao after this monster, the benefits of making allies with the Land of Rivers... it could undo a massive amount of the damage Orochimaru caused. The gold they agreed to send us..."

"Why me?" He asked, not afraid but collected. "Raiga is powerful, an A rank ninja bearing the Kiba blades. I've read on him, more so after Kakashi fought Zabuza and I nearly died at Kisame's hands."

She sighed. "You were asked for, by name actually. The Pale medic, a skillful ninja healer famed from your time in Wave... I cannot afford to send anyone else. You are a skillful kenjutsu user, enough that I am not worried about you losing. Yugao describes your overall skills just scratching A rank, you need experience. I just watched you spar with Guy, and I am pretty sure she is right on the money. The entire sparring match was a test, one Yugao set up so I could see your skills.

However, there is more... if you do this... I will consider allowing you to become a part time ANBU member, under Yugao's personal tutelage. This will grant you the experience that you so desperately need to achieve the true potential you are lacking at this time. So... are you in?"

The boy frowned, then paused... and finally, he smiled. "Yes, M'lady. When do I leave?"

"Now, right now. Go, and do not get killed."

And so the boy bolted, leaving the village and rushing towards his destiny... or death. She just, hoped it was the former and not the latter.

Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.

This was a joy to write.

Love, your Ninja Overlord,

Mika.