The following day, I had the day off of training to work on the other project I had an actual client for.

On a good day, my father could hammer out maybe three high-end Tanto.

And that's when he doesn't have me running an experiment in metallurgy in his forge.

"I ain't so sure about this Isshi!" My Dad exclaimed, even as he helped me turn the crank that pushed more and more air into the forge, cranking the temperature higher and higher.

"Tamahagane sucks dad, there's too much impurities left over because it doesn't become completely liquid. If we can get this batch completely melted, you'll have the highest quality steel in town for months." I countered, also turning the crank.

"If we burn down the forge doing this, your mother will kill us!" Yoroi finally spoke before stepping away from the crank to pull out the massive crucible, checking inside carefully, muscles bulging as he strained with the weight.

"We're Good Isshi! Completely Liquid!"

"The moulds, Papa!" I shouted back, earning a nod as Papa tilted over the crucible, pouring the molten steel into Ingot Moulds made of clay.

Now was the waiting game. Wait for it to cool enough to touch, then we'd clean the ash off of it, and we'd see if we got the desired result.

Crucible steel. A mixture of pig iron, iron, and a mixture of fluxes, in our case, a mix of sand and ash.

The real star of the show was what I had fueled the furnace with.

Coke. Coke is a type of coal produced from burning coal in the absence of oxygen, very similar to how charcoal is produced. So, this morning, I found my way to the charcoal burners guild of Konoha.

Whilst I was there, I found an eccentric gentleman by the name of Koshi, a pyromaniac who had converted his section of the charcoal burning area into a beehive oven. Instead of our usual order of charcoal for the forge, I picked up the equivalent in Koshi's special 'Devil's Droppings' as his coworkers called them.

Actually bumped into Old Man Higurashi on the way out, who gave me a conspiratorial wink as he went in to get his own fuel for the day's forging. So it looks like I'm not the first person to think of this.

Still, as I sat there on the back porch of the forge, leaning against my dad as we both panted in light exertion, I enjoyed the moment, even as my dad ruffled my hair with his ash covered hand.

"That was what, 80, 90 pounds we put in there?" Pa asked, and I nodded.

"95 pounds of raw material. Give or take a pound or two for the flux and whatever impurities you skimmed off."

"About six pounds of slag, could shift it to T , they like making their needles out of it." Pa spoke absentmindedly, and I shivered at the thought.

"Wouldn't that make the needles break easier?"

"I think that's the point, son. How're the ingots looking?"

I hopped up and looked over at the moulds, which were no longer smoking, and none of them were glowing.

I held my hands over them and they weren't burning hot, so I called Pa over and he took a hammer to the moulds, breaking them away from the ingots. A quick spritz with the garden hose and the fruits of our labor were revealed.

Eighteen 5 pound ingots all with the pattern markings of crucible steel showing.

I let a grin grow on my face as my Dad patted me on the back, a smile on his own face that turned mischievous.

"Alright, Isshi. Grab one of those and get your big-boy pants on. It's time you learned what real blacksmithing is."

Oh dear.

I don't like that grin.

—

Whilst I had grown up with and had been a follower of ZNA Productions, I had never once tried to make any of the weapons that he had put out on the internet, but the process always seemed interesting.

The reality is: Blacksmithing…is hard fucking work.

Heat the metal, hit the metal with an eight pound hammer.

Heat it again, hit it again, heat it, cut half of it off on a hot-cut tool.

Rinse and repeat until your arm falls off.

The one thing I will thank Kaguya Otsutsuki for is chakra, because without it I wouldn't have managed to keep up with Dad's pace. Whilst I worked on the Tanto, my dad had taken the other half of the Ingot and was working on something he said was for me.

I eventually made it to the polishing process.

Wet the stone with oil, push. Lift whilst maintaining blade angle, repeat, then flip and repeat process on other side until shaving sharp.

Shaving sharp according to my dad being we gotta drop a hair on top of it and have it split from gravity alone.

God as my witness, I'm inventing belt grinders.

Eventually, as the afternoon was becoming evening, I finished. I had decided to make it a full tang blade, fit it with white birch handle scales and a matching sheath.

"The Uchiha District is a little further out than most of the clan districts. They're technically our neighbors, but they're still further into the Old Village. Just follow their sigils, and you'll reach their compound. They'll know you're coming." Pa spoke, giving me another mischievous smile.

I rolled my eyes before heading out. Jogging through the market district and the evening crowds heading home from work or getting dinner. I kept going, darting around people and chirping out polite apologies if I bumped into anyone.

I gave a quick wave to Mom and Auntie Biwako as I passed the Sarutobi compound and kept going down the path to the Uchiha District.

The Uchiha District was a miniature village within the village, supposedly home to the best red bean paste in the Leaf, according to Old Man Yoroi, whom I learned was actually in his late sixties earlier this month. Man looks remarkably good for his age, but I guess chakra does that.

Wait, Grunkle Sarutobi is only in his mid-50s.

Man being Hokage must suck.

Anyways. I eventually made it to the gates of the Uchiha Compound, where I was met by none other than Old Man Yoroi.

"That you, Isshi-Chan? Our order isn't set until next week." He called as he approached with a smile.

"I got the young Lord's commission done. I'm here to deliver it." I spoke with a smile, holding up the sheathed blade in plain view. I'm guessing there were maybe two or three sentries there in addition to Yoroi, but I couldn't see them. Or maybe I was just paranoid.

"Well alright then." Yoroi spoke, waving me through and falling into step ahead of me. "I'll walk you up to the Big House. The other sentries will let Lord Fugaku we're coming up."

We walked through the compound at a bit of a brisk place, but the Uchiha district was bustling with activity. Kids running around, families spending time visiting kin. Couple of food stalls. It was nice. People just living life, recovering from the Nine-Tails.

We went up a small hill and approached a large house, traditionally built, and with lights filling the inside. As we approached, the front door slid open to reveal an adult man with dark hair and a squared jaw. He had a stern look about him, and he locked eyes with me as he crossed his arms.

"You the little pyromaniac who's making my job harder?" He asked, and I let out a laugh.

"Fair warning, Sir. It's only gonna get worse." I declared shamelessly, grin nearly splitting my face.

"…At least you're honest about it. Come on inside, Powderburn. Let's see if your blacksmithing is better than your pyrotechnics." Fugaku deadpanned before walking inside.

I took off my shoes and entered the home and putting on my etiquette face. Hopefully I would be able to get this done and be home fast enough for my birthday dinner. Mom was making Kakiage.

I was guided to a sitting room where the rest of the Uchiha main family was already waiting.

"Welcome to our home, Sekitangara-chan." Mikoto chirped from her position on the medium sized sofa, now holding a very much awake baby Sasuke Uchiha who was staring at just about everything. Adorable little dude.

Itachi was also seated, and actually seemed interested in the sheathed package I held in my hands.

"Thank you all for allowing me into your home." I spoke, giving a polite bow.

"Well C'mon, Powderburn. You had two of my men on fire watch this morning over this thing. Let's see it." Fugaku took a seat next to his wife, trying to keep a straight face as baby Sasuke immediately started grabbing at his face and hair. Hard to be intimidating with an infant, Chief.

Still, I carefully unsheathed the Tanto and displayed the patterns in the metal.

"Now, before you roll your eyes, notice how the patterns aren't typical of your traditional folding method of forging. That's because this isn't tamahagane." I spoke, "these patterns are formed during the metallurgical process, not the forging as they would be during your standard production of a Tanto or Katana. Fold-forging, while impressive and doing it well shows a mastery of your craft, is a stopgap measure."

"Tamahagane steel is made from iron sand being smelted to a semi-liquid state and the result is a misshapen chunk of which the best portions for making blades come from the edges which hold a silver color better. Unfortunately because the iron sand isn't completely liquid, impurities in the mixture are still trapped inside. Necessitating the folding method to reinforce a softer steel. This blade is made of a crucible steel. A more pure steel that is harder, holds a better edge, and has enough rigidity in the spine to take enough impacts that it should last until your grandkids have grandkids."

I finished my spiel in front of Itachi, holding out the sheathed blade to him. As he curled his fist around the sheathe I held firm.

"This is supposed to be mine, is it not?" Itachi asked, and I nodded.

"Yes that was never in any doubt. Just a word of warning. If we ever train together, spar, whatever, and you cut me with a blade that I made…my friend, clan techniques, fancy eyes, I don't care. I'm going to shove that knife up your ass sideways."

"Snrk-" I heard someone stifle a laugh, but both Fugaku and Mikoto had poker faces that could take anyone's wallet. Itachi, to his credit, also held a bit of a stone face, but I could see a teeny bit of trepidation.

"That seems…unpleasant."

"Why yes, yes it does. I do hope this blade serves you well, Uchiha-sama." I spoke, releasing the Tanto with a bow.

"How goes your training with your grandfather, Sekitangara-chan?" Mikoto asked as Itachi gave a quiet 'thank you'.

"Well enough, Lady Uchiha. I'm confident enough in the Academy Three and Pop Pop's been having me work on my sensing and chakra control. Auntie Biwako wants to teach me medical ninjutsu. I don't think she's going to give me a choice." I gave a sheepish chuckle at the end, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Are you going to be participating in the early graduation exams next month?" Fugaku chimed in, leaning forward with his hands steepled, I gave a shrug.

"Politics being what they are, I'm not sure, Sir. Pop Pop gave me 50/50 odds of even getting into the campus."

"I would not mind training with you from time to time, Sekitangara-san." Itachi spoke, a small hopeful smile on his face. I gave a small grin of my own.

"I might just take you up on that offer, Itachi-san. Just not today, I gotta start heading home before it's completely dark. Don't want to be late to my own birthday dinner do I?" I have a polite bow and Fugaku rose to escort me out.

"You believe you can fight on even ground with my son?" He asked, and I shrugged.

"Your boy is smart, and you've trained him well enough that he's likely going to blow through the exam with ease." I spoke as we approached the front door. "But Pop Pop's been training me with Stone's wartime curriculum."

Oh that got a reaction. Fugaku's head snapped towards my grinning face.

"That could've killed you." He stated, and I shrugged.

"Sure felt like it from time to time. But I'm strong enough now to keep up with a full grown man in a blacksmithing forge all day and hardly feel winded. For a six year old, I'd say the results speak for themselves."

"There is a good reason why our curriculum is at it is, Sekitangara-san. We haven't lost a child in the Academy for thirty years." Fugaku spoke, and I cut in.

"I would've been perfectly fine being just another classmate to your son in the Academy, but unfortunately Tobirama Senju was a petty asshole." I snapped with a huff. "I knew what I was getting into."

I let out a heavy sigh as we stood in front of the main entrance to the Uchiha family home.

"Thank you, for allowing me into your home, and for bearing with my personality. I know I can be…abrasive." I spoke with a bow, earning a small wave of the Uchiha Clan Head's hand.

"Your mother was a spitfire in her merchant days, Lady Shion was a willful woman, and a proud Jonin. You're more like them than you know, have a good evening, Sekitangara-kun, and happy birthday." The Uchiha Clan Head gave a small smile and quickly ruffled my hair before I could react.

He nudged me out the front door and let out a parting shot.

"Keep those experiments of yours contained, Powderburn, or I'm gonna laugh at you while I slap on the cuffs!"

—

"Happy Birthday Isshi!" Is what greeted me when I made it back to the Sarutobi compound, my mother immediately scooping me up into a hug that squeezed at my bones that I returned happily.

Asuma, Hiruzen, and Pop Pop surprisingly were all in a section near an open window, Hiruzen and Pop Pop with lit pipes and Asuma with a cigarette turned upward from his grin.

Pa, Nanako, Auntie Biwako and Old Man Yoroi were gathered around the dinner table, when Yoroi saw my gaze he hefted a bag that was still steaming with a grin.

Considering the closest thing to a friend I had my age was Itachi, the celebration was a bit of a small one. It was nice though, the food was good, and I think I developed an addiction to Uchiha brand red bean buns.

As the night petered off, the time came for gifts.

Mom was first, presenting me with a copy of 'The Utterly Gutsy Shinobi' by the Gallant Jiraya.

"I know, Isshi. Lord Jiraya is known for the other books he writes." Ma spoke, directing a glare at Hiruzen who simply chuckled with a shrug, "but you need more lighthearted reading than all those chemistry and history books, Isshi. And I saw it on that list of yours. So here you go, honey. I hope you enjoy it." She was right, I had intended to get my hands on a copy at some point, but it was a pleasant surprise that I met with a grin and a hug.

Nanako was next, presenting me with a set of senbon needles, a book of toxic plants native to Konoha, and a wink. It figures an ANBU would give a six year old a set of potentially deadly weapons.

Asuma was next, giving me an engraved lighter with the symbol of Konoha on one side, and of Iwa on the other.

"My lighter's saved my life more times than I could count, just…hold off on the tobacco. I don't think I'd survive either of our mothers." He spoke, giving me a ruffle on my head before moving on.

Why is everyone ruffling my head today! It's getting irritating! No no Auntie don't you dare gah!

One more ruffle of my Sarutobi brand midnight black hair via a grinning Biwako that finally broke my patience enough to put a pout on my face that was quickly filled by a red bean bun being shoved into it also via a grinning Biwako Sarutobi.

A blur of motion and I felt a long and heavy-ish scarf get wrapped around my shoulders.

"You may not carry the name, but every Sarutobi is gifted a scarf when they start their training. Your mother and I wove some extra wire mesh into it, to help protect your throat." Auntie spoke, adjusting it to where it sat coiled around my shoulders like a serpent, my mom nodding in approval from her position next to my dad.

"Thank you, Auntie." I spoke, earning a soft smile from the elder woman, who then shifted so that her husband the Hokage could approach.

The Hokage, with a smirk on his face, handed me a small wallet. It was themed like a lucky cat, with small pointy ears sticking out the top.

"A boy needs a wallet." He stated simply, smirk never leaving his face.

I still have the damn thing. Couldn't ever manage to get rid of it. Thing haunts me to this day.

Finally, my dad, Sekitangara Yoroi, walked up with a blade in a brown leather sheathe.

"I managed to save one of your original drawings before fire took the apartment." He spoke, grinning widely as he handed the knife over to me. "That blade design caught my eye, and I squirreled it away. When we got that metal done today, I knew I had to make it. That there's a huge chunk of steel, bud, if that's what you had in mind for a knife, I don't think the world is ready for what you would call a sword."

I really couldn't form words. I could already tell by the weight what blade this was. I drew it out of its sheathe and held the blade to the light.

Thirteen inches and three pounds of crucible steel. A clipped point and a broad blade with white birch scales fit to a full tang with brass pins.

The spine of the knife was a quarter of an inch thick, tapering down to a razor's edge that I know my father wouldn't have handed to me if it didn't split hair. The handguard was brass, and overall, the knife was huge in my six year old hands, but it was perfect.

The Bowie. The short sword of the Wild West. Cracking Sternums since 1830.

"It's perfect, Dad." I spoke, smiling wildly, sheathing the blade and throwing my arms around my dad in a bone-crushing hug.

My Dad may not be a ninja.

He won't fight any battles or face off against demons.

But he's a damn good Blacksmith.

—

Time went quickly, Auntie Biwako joined our training and began my introduction into Shinobi medicine.

Triage, first aid, identifying toxins and naturalist medicines.

I knew a decent bit from taking field medicine and trauma response courses in my previous life, but chakra changes the game.

People here are sturdy. Wounds that would normally require stitches capable of healing on their own with just bandages if the injured party isn't suffering from chakra exhaustion.

On that note: Chakra Exhaustion. It's terrifying. And why learning chakra control is so important.

Adrenaline dulls your pain reception and kicks you full of energy to keep fighting until you don't need to anymore.

It also dulls your perception of your chakra levels, so in the midst of combat if you're not careful you can pull off a massive move, only for your heart to stop seconds later.

Chakra control and good judgement. Knowing when and where to break out the big guns and when to rely on the only two friends you'll have no matter what.

Lefty and Righty.

Biwako was actually a more strict teacher than Pop Pop, and the scarf I now wore religiously became a garrote. Every time I made a bad call, or my focus drifted, I got a hard yank that reminded me of a triangle choke.

"There's a reason Stone stopped targeting med-nin, Isshin. If they know how to put someone back together, they damn well know how to pull someone apart." Pop Pop spoke as I slowly made my way up a tree.

Tree-walking, or cliff-walking, a genin level chakra control exercise that, with my currently smaller than average chakra reserves, I was excelling at.

"Focus, Isshin! I want you up that tree before we head to the Academy!" Biwako shouted and I instantly started making my way up faster, eventually breaking into a run.

I had a simple training getup on, with the Sarutobi Long Scarf wrapped around my shoulders, a black long sleeve shirt, a dark brown leather belt that held the Bowie around my right hip. Said Bowie reached almost to my knee, but a secondary strap kept it secured to my thigh. On my opposite thigh was my tool pouch. Shuriken, Kunai, and ninja wire all a twitch away. On the back of my left hip was the beginnings of a first aid pouch. Currently filled with bandages and simple ointments. Finalizing the look with Shinobi sandals, I was set to be a proper ninja yet.

I hopped down from branch to branch until I hit the grass of the forest floor with a soft 'thump'.

"You still need to work on your silent landings, Isshin." Biwako started, before shaking her head and gesturing over her shoulder. "Come, we got to get to the Academy before they bar the gates. It may be best if you stay here, Ryunosuke. The First Lady of the Leaf bringing her student may sway the judges enough to allay any questions until it's too late for them to protest."

Pop Pop simply let out a laugh as he pulled out his pipe.

"I was about to suggest the same thing, Biwako. Go on you two, I will await the news here."

And with that, we were off. Burning through the woods with near reckless abandon. Soon enough, we found ourselves in front of the Academy building.

"I don't see that hunchbacked fuck waiting for us, so you should be able to at least take the exam. Even if your early graduation gets denied, this will be a good measure of your strength." Biwako spoke, walking through the gates and ignoring the whispers that immediately started as students and staff recognized her.

"The First Lady?"

"Who's that boy?"

"Are they here for the exams?"

We quickly weaved our way through the campus until we reached the exam area. Most of the other early graduation examinees were eight, maybe nine, oldest one I could guess was 10. The only other six year old I could see was Itachi, whom I fell in line next to with a friendly grin whilst Auntie browbeat the proctor into letting me in.

"Howdy 'Tachi. How's your arm?"

"Completely healed. Your ribs?"

"Patched up the next day, rematch after this?"

"Depending on the results, certainly."

Our quick banter was quickly silenced by the Proctor of the exams, a silver haired chunin who never introduced himself, but Mizuki was likely still either in an upper year, or barely a genin at this point.

"Alright you brats listen up! You're all here because someone higher up thinks you'll be of better use in the field than here in class. It's my job to see if they're just full of hot air, and to see if you're gonna be buried by the end of the year." The proctor yelled out, shutting up the little bit of whispers still occurring.

"I am Chunin Oniwa, and I will be proctoring these exams. Over the next few hours, you will be taking written, as well as physical evaluations. By the end of today, some of you will be genin, others will be going back to class tomorrow. I wish you all the worst of luck. We will begin shortly."

The written portion…was a joke.

Maybe because it was intended for twelve year olds and I have a damned degree, but the written exam covered a general spectrum from Shinobi history, to math, to even projectile physics.

Makes sense with one of the main sets of Shinobi tools being thrown implements, still I burned through the written exam in about an hour and a half, and that was purely due to it being a hundred and sixty questions. I saw some of the other kids getting stumped, some got caught trying to cheat, others walked out.

Once everyone was finished we were spirited away via shunshin to several different training grounds. I was lucky, the training ground I arrived at was a near-barren meadow with only a few trees strewn about and what I presumed to be my opponent was an Eleven year old with a mop of silver hair in a bandanna and a cocky grin on his face.

Oh HI, CHIBIZUKI!

"The next portion of this exam is the Taijutsu examination. For this bout, the use of weapons or ninjutsu is forbidden. You both will be evaluated based upon your performance in this spar, not upon who is the victor." The chunin instructor seemed almost bored as he oversaw the two of us approaching one another.

We both briefly made the seal of confrontation, then got into our prospective stances.

Mizuki was using a stock standard Academy Taijutsu form, if maybe slightly advanced. A well balanced form designed to work well within multiple situations.

The Stone-Fist Taijutsu form that Pop Pop had been drilling into me for the last Four Months held a shocking similarity to one of my previous life.

Muay Thai. Utilizing the fists, elbows, feet, knees, and shins as devastating striking tools for lethal results. The Stone-Fist style emphasized reinforcing your body with chakra whilst you strike or defend to prevent damage to your own limbs.

"HAJIME!"

And we were off. Mizuki rushing forward with a snap kick aimed right at my face.

That was foiled by a chunk of dirt and grass that I kicked into his face the moment I saw him move.

You see, one thing Pop Pop, and my father from my previous life had very much in common.

They both taught me how to fight mean.

In a combat situation, technique, honor, pride. They mean jack shit.

Speed and Violence of Action. Be the asshole willing to do whatever horrible low down dirty trick in the book to neutralize the threat.

Ideally, this would be me a kilometer away in a bush with a rifle in hand.

Here, it was me rushing forward and driving my knee into Mizuki's groin with as much force as my six-year old body could muster.

I took a punch to the face that staggered me back a step or two before I growled and rushed back in.

"You dirty brat!" Mizuki snarled even as his voice hitched from the foul blow. He was trying to get his legs to stop shaking even as I swung a kick to his head that he had to lean back to avoid.

"If you're not cheating you're not trying, frosty!" I snapped back, continuing my assault. I slammed my shin into his thigh hard enough that it buckled his leg and he went to the ground.

I dodged his first kick that actually was close enough to cut my cheek with the speed of it, but the second hit me square in the chest and sent me onto my own ass.

Credit to Mizuki. He's taking my fighting like an asshole like a champ, and is an energizer bunny as far as recovery goes, because even before I can get up he's leaping to marry his own knee with my skull.

I rolled forward under his arc of travel, and I saw him land hard directly on the knee of the leg I had buckled earlier, the pain hits him and he flinches for a split second.

The deal is, I'm behind him.

Rule number one of Taijutsu.

Never let your enemy get behind you.

While I was tempted to TYoD him, I instead leapt on his back like a demonic spider monkey.

Enma would be proud.

"I'm going to take you into deep waters." I whispered, and got to work.

I got my right arm around his throat, well his chin really, but I didn't need to fully get his throat for what I intended. I locked my hands together, levered my left forearm on his back, and pulled.

The fulcrum choke. A cast iron bitch of a move to be victim to, especially when you have fifty pounds of pissed off reincarnate levered against your own spine. The pressure kept his mouth shut, and unable to bite, as well as cut off the blood flow to his brain. In addition, with the angle and his head trapped in my arm, it likely felt as if I was trying to pull his head off of his neck.

I felt elbows slam into my sides and my back impact a tree, but I held fast, gritting my teeth as the seconds ticked by.

"ENOUGH!" The proctor shouted, and I let go, jumping back to put some distance between me and the future traitor.

"Make the seal of reconciliation." He ordered, and we did so. Mizuki was glaring daggers at me, but most of my face was covered by my scarf, so he couldn't see the wicked grin I was sporting underneath.

I just beat someone who was very likely at least genin level at six years old, with my hands.

Fuck yea. Love you Pop Pop.

—

The Transformation, Illusory Clones, and Replacement Techniques.

More colloquially known as the Academy three, they are the basic tools of the genin that have utility that is endless in application if used cleverly.

Transformation, even if a simple illusion, akin to glamour to those who don't have a giant fox in their gut, is still infinitely useful for infiltrating civilian locations and, when refined with chakra suppression techniques, can be used to go into deep cover missions behind enemy lines with said enemies none the wiser.

The Illusory Clone technique while a lie, allows one to display clones of themselves that can act independently, to throw off a tail, or give off the illusion of having more numbers than in reality, or to make a show of overwhelming force to an enemy that doesn't know if the clones are real or not. Especially if at night, where the lack of shadows is even harder to detect.

And finally the replacement technique, my favorite of the bunch. Whilst the most chakra intensive of the techniques, it's likely the most used overall. Projecting the image of being hit whilst switching places with an inanimate object, or even a living one if you're skilled enough, drops an enemy's guard, and allows one to strike. Or get the hell away.

Transformation and Bunshin are a cake walk for me. There were three examiners for this section, Chunin Oniwa, the bored Taijutsu Instructor, and a woman whom I didn't expect to see here, Haruno Mebuki.

She was younger, and in standard Chunin attire, but lacking a forehead protector.

Didn't you just have a baby, Woman?

Shouldn't you still be on maternity leave?

Bah! No matter, focus on the test. I did the transformation first, turning into Asuma and irritatedly flicking a lighter that wouldn't spark. Then bringing up an illusory clone of myself flicking my gifted lighter to light his cigarette before dispelling both techniques.

"Kawarimi now, Sekitangara-kun." Haruno spoke, and I decided to show off a bit.

Whilst I had gotten the first two techniques down to a single hand seal that I could hide fairly easily, Kawarimi I needed more of the chakra efficiency that the hand seals give you in order to not get sapped of what chakra I had. Not an uncommon issue for genin to have, and considering Sakura got top female of the year and she still needed a bunch of hand seals for Kawarimi in the chunin exams, this shouldn't affect me to much.

I've also been practicing this trick for like three weeks.

I took out a Ryo coin and flicked it over my shoulder at the same time forming the first hand seal.

Ram-Boar-Ox-Dog-Snake POOF!

Suddenly I'm back flipping through the air rapidly and the coin is on the ground where I was once standing.

Once again landing with a soft 'thump' I ignore the temptation to huff and show how tiring that trick really was.

My reserves are still middling at best, and whilst I had decent control, the action of the day had me dipping into them more than I'd like to admit.

Still. I had a good feeling.

Up until the door opened and that one-eyed hunchback fuck walked in.

Danzo Fucking Shimura.

"Fail."

"Hijo de puta madre!"