In the countryside of the Land of Fire, Tsunade, the legendary medical ninja and descendant of the First Hokage, sat across from her apprentices Shizune Kato and Rin Nohara at a small inn. The aroma of freshly cooked meals wafted through the air as they enjoyed their meal. Tsunade ate a steak cooked medium rare, or what the chef interpreted as medium rare. Shizune ordered a bowl of brown rice and chicken, one of her favorite dishes. And Rin was dining on a bowl of pork and beans.
Tsunade studied Rin intently, impressed by the girl's natural talent and dedication to the medical arts. "Rin," she said, breaking the comfortable silence. "What drove you to pursue medical ninjutsu? It's a demanding path, and not many have the fortitude to master it, especially at a young age."
Rin paused, her spoon hovering above her bowl as she collected her thoughts. "During the War, I witnessed firsthand the devastating consequences of combat," she began, her voice laced with a somber tone. "I saw comrades fall, their lives slipping away before my eyes, and I felt utterly helpless."
She clenched her fists, the memory still vivid in her mind. "That day, when Kakashi and Obito saved me from those Stone ninjas, I realized the true value of having skilled medical professionals on the battlefield. If I had known how to treat their injuries, maybe..." Rin trailed off, her gaze distant.
Tsunade nodded in understanding, her expression softening. "The desire to protect those precious to you is a powerful motivator," she said, recalling her own reasons for pursuing the medical arts. Shizune thought about it, she wanted to make sure no one would die like Uncle had.
Rin met Tsunade's gaze, her eyes burning with determination. "I never want to feel that helplessness again. By mastering medical ninjutsu, I can save lives and ensure that no comrade has to suffer needlessly. That's why I asked you to take me as your student, Lady Tsunade. I want to become a skilled medic, one who can make a difference on the battlefield and beyond."
Tsunade saw the same determination in Rin as she once had. Tsunade sighed, "So far I've only been teaching you medical ninjutsu, which you've already surpassed my expectations. However, starting now I'll teach you how to increase your strength a thousand fold." Tsunade took her knife, her hand glowing with chakra, and cleaved her steak in half, cutting through the bone. "Sometimes in order to heal, one must also learn to bear pain and dish it back to the enemy. There's a technique I know that enhances my strength, I'm going to teach you it."
Rin's eyes widened with anticipation as Tsunade mentioned enhancing her strength. She leaned forward, eager to learn the secrets of the legendary Sannin's prowess.
"Tsunade-Sensei, I'm ready to take my training to the next level," Rin said, her voice brimming with determination. "I want to be able to protect my comrades on the battlefield, not just heal them."
Tsunade nodded approvingly, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Good. A true medic-nin must possess more than just medical expertise. You must also have the physical strength to defend yourself and your patients in the heat of battle."
She pushed her plate aside and stood up, beckoning Rin to follow her outside. "Shizune, you don't have to learn this if you don't want to." Tsunade said to her other student.
Shizune set her bowl aside, "If I don't learn everything you know then I won't be able to catch up to Rin and surpass her." She was determined to never be outpaced by Rin, she saw her as her rival. Rin never believed in having a rival but she would play the part to push Shizune further then she thought possible.
Rin smiled to Shizune, "Let's both do our best, Shizune." Her laughter was so infectious that both Shizune and Tsunade wanted to join in.
The three stepped out of the inn and traveled into the forest, where a couple boulders rested within the confines of the canopy.
"The key to enhancing your strength lies in chakra control," Tsunade explained, her tone shifting to that of a seasoned instructor. "By mastering the release of chakra at precise moments, you can amplify the force behind your strikes, shattering even the toughest of defenses."
Tsunade demonstrated, her fist colliding with a nearby boulder. The rock splintered under the impact, shards flying in every direction. Rin's jaw dropped in awe, her eyes wide with amazement.
"Now, let me show you the basics," Tsunade said, motioning for Rin and Shizune to stand beside her. "Focus your chakra into your fists, but don't release it yet. Feel the energy coursing through your body, waiting to be unleashed."
Rin nodded, her brow furrowed in concentration as she followed Tsunade's instructions. She could feel the chakra building within her, a palpable force waiting to be unleashed.
"Good," Tsunade praised. "Now, strike this boulder, and at the moment of impact, release your chakra in a controlled burst."
Rin took a deep breath, steeling her resolve. She drew back her fist and struck the boulder with all her might, channeling her chakra at the precise moment of contact. The boulder cracked under the force, a web of fissures spreading across its surface. Rin was saddened she didn't break the boulder as Tsunade did.
Shizune was less successful, a couple cracks within the boulder, but nowhere near Tsunade or Rin's boulders.
Tsunade smiled proudly. "Excellent work, girls. With practice and dedication, you'll soon master this technique, becoming a formidable force on the battlefield."
Rin returned the smile, her eyes burning with newfound determination. She was one step closer to achieving her goal of protecting her comrades, and with Tsunade's guidance, she knew she could conquer any obstacle that stood in her way.
Shizune had a faint smile, not sure if she'd ever be on Rin's level. But the smile received made her feel like she could do anything. Maybe if Rin was her rival then she'd become a great ninja.
The thick canopy of leaves rustled overhead as Obito tore through the forest, leaping from branch to branch with practiced ease. His muscles strained with each powerful bound, propelling him forward at breakneck speed. The crisp afternoon air whipped across his face, invigorating him with each breath.
Obito's mind raced as swiftly as his movements, mentally reviewing the details of his mission. It was a simple task, really – deliver an economic report to the Fire Daimyo's palace.
"Why'd I have to have a boring mission, huh?" Obito muttered, a wry frown tugging at his lips. "I bet Minato-Sensei doesn't think I'm ready."
He couldn't help but feel a twinge of frustration at the prospect of being assigned mail duty. He wanted to prove himself that he was no longer the goofy, screw-up kid from his genin days. That was evident by his Mangekyou.
But that alone wasn't enough, Obito started learning kenjutsu. It wasn't really out of need but want. He had seen what Kakashi could accomplish with a sword and Obito wanted to be that pillar Kakashi was.
Before he left for his mission, he returned to Kakashi's grave and asked if it would be okay if he borrowed the white chakra saber. His response was the same as it always had been, silence. But he couldn't help but imagine his response, "Yes! Now hurry up or you'll be late for the mission!"
Obito knew no one else would take up Kakashi's sword, he had no family to speak of. And Obito felt that it would be perfect to at least avenge Kakashi by using the Saber to cut down any enemies of the Leaf. It would be like Kakashi was with him everywhere.
"I'll do you proud, Kakashi."
As Obito was caught up in his thoughts he felt uneasy, like something was oh so wrong. Suddenly, a flicker of movement in the periphery of his vision caught Obito's attention. He tensed, instantly alert, and his hand instinctively reached for the hilt of the saber strapped across his back.
In a blur of motion, several figures emerged from the shadows of the trees, surrounding Obito on all sides. They wore distinctive masks, concealing their identities, but the distinctive Mist symbol etched onto the masks gave away their allegiance – Shinobi from the Hidden Mist Village.
"Well, well," a gruff voice taunted from behind one of the masks. "Looks like we've stumbled upon a little Leaf runt." The man had swords that were pretty close to looking like hook swords but not having the curves for it.
Obito's eyes narrowed, his Sharingan flickering to life as he assessed the situation. His grip tightened on the saber's hilt, ready to defend himself if necessary. Which was very likely.
"I don't know what you want," Obito said, his voice firm and unwavering, "But I won't let you stop me from completing my mission."
The masked figures chuckled in unison, their laughter echoing menacingly through the forest. "Your mission is the least of your worries, boy," the gruff voice sneered.
One of the Mist Shinobi, a man of short stature, stepped forward, kunai in hand. "We've been informed that someone from the Leaf was carrying something rather important. Our orders are to retrieve the package you're carrying but we won't hesitate to take you down." His voice was higher pitched than normal, but still deep enough to tell you he was intimidating.
Obito's jaw clenched, his Sharingan spinning wildly. The accounting report was held within his flak jacket, and there was no way that he was going to let his first mission as Jounin fail. "What do you want with some measley accounting reports?"
"You're just a boy, you wouldn't understand how important accounting records could be. They shed light on everything a village has done or will do, even if not directly." Another Mist Shinobi replied, feminine in nature, drawing a katana from its sheath. "Just come quietly, and we won't have to spill any blood." There was a soft chuckle, "Well, only a little."
With a sudden burst of movement, the four Mist Shinobi charged at Obito from all sides, their weapons poised to strike. Obito quickly unsheathed his own weapon, the unfamiliar weight of the blade felt comfortable in his hands.
Steel clashed against steel as Obito parried the initial flurry of attacks, his Sharingan aiding him in predicting and countering their movements. He weaved and dodged, his agility enhanced from that day... He tried not to think about it.
"You'll have to do better than that!" Obito taunted, his voice laced with confidence.
The Mist Shinobi pressed their assault, their attacks becoming more coordinated and precise. One of them unleashed a barrage of water jutsu, forcing Obito to leap and maneuver through the onslaught of liquid projectiles.
Obito was too preoccupied with the water bullet that he hadn't noticed one of the mist Shinobi was ready to slice him to pieces. The dual wielding swordsman cut straight through Obito's back with his lightning enhanced swords.
Yet there was no blood, no friction, no wear and tear, no anything. The Shinobi's momentum hadn't stopped and so he was hit with several water pellets from his ally. Blood was drawn but he wasn't injured badly. He turned back to the Leaf brat, noticing that he was unharmed and safely on a nearby tree.
Obito's eyes were burning, his right eye was tinging with pain. He realized that meant his Mangekyou were on subconsciously. Even though that meant he could possibly suffer from blindness, power in the moment was more important than his future, a blind future.
Obito glared at the mist who'd fired the water bullets. A distortion around the woman, like the world was inverting around her and then... The crunch of bone and the squish of flesh. Where the woman had been. Only her lower body and wrists had remained. The bloody mess seemed to shake all but the lightning swordsman. Obito had seen it all, but he was crying blood and feeling more pain than before. "Aggh!" He wiped the blood from his left eye.
The leader of the group turned to Obito, "Who are you?!" There wasn't fear in his voice, just curiosity. "No ordinary kid could do that."
Obito raised the saber in front of him, "The name's Obito Uchiha, student of the yellow flash!" He proclaimed.
Upon hearing the name the leader backed off, "Were leaving. No sense losing another man to Namikaze's student. It's time we abort."
Obito could see the intensity of the man's chakra shift, he was lying. The leader turned to the other man, nodding to him. "Zabuza, you know what to do." One of them a man Obito had thought, but upon closer inspection it was a boy roughly his age. The boy performed several hand signs then said aloud, "Secret jutsu: Hidden Mist jutsu!"
A large and thick fog erupted around them, so thick sound and sight were useless. Obito activated his right eye's jutsu, becoming a ghost in a sense. A flicker of light appeared from Obito's peripheral, "The lightning swords." A kunai went through Obito's chest and landed in the tree behind him, it was a test not intended to kill.
The next thing Obito knew was the lightning swordsman flew forward swinging one blade, Obito dodged by ducking, a little bit of his hair following with the sword and cutting straight through the tree branch. The second sword swung down, going through Obito as he activated his Kamui.
Obito moved slightly and stabbed through the man's left arm with a bright white light, severing muscle and bone. The twin sword dropped to the forest floor with the severed arm.
The man struggled using only one arm to get one hit on Obito but the boy just passed through the sword and into the tree, disappearing from view.
From Obito's perspective he fell through the tree but couldn't see. He felt like he was drowning yet he could still breathe but the air was colder, almost more natural. He moved slightly to see he was at the forest floor with the fog having been dispelled. Obito noticed a severed arm and sword laying on the ground. He crouched down and grabbed the sword that conducted lightning. He noticed that the mist ninja hadn't noticed him. Obito moved to position himself so he could skewer the Shinobi healing the leader. With the assistance of his Sharingan he threw it at the perfect trajectory to hit the second woman. The sword stabbed through the woman's back and out the other side, hitting the leader in his good shoulder.
The boy turned to Obito, a red aura forming around him. He was ready to dart at Obito and kill him.
"Zabuza, that's enough..." The leader said with ragged breathing. "This kid is no ordinary Leaf runt. He's in a tier of his own and you wouldn't do much to him. It's best we cut our losses and retreat. A mission failure is preferable to losing the village's history."
The boy looked between his sensei and Obito, finally deciding to listen to his sensei. He jumped up to his sensei and retrieved the swords from him. Feeling the weight of the swords he cut his sensei's head clean off. Following up by slicing the head into a red mist, splattering his clothes and mask.
Obito was horrified, he'd never imagined doing that to an ally. "Hold up, wait a second. He was your comrade, you can't kill them!" He shouted up at the boy named Zabuza.
Zabuza ignored Obito's comment and turned to him, the swords swirling with electricity. "My sensei was right but know that we'll meet again, Obito Uchiha." He threw his mask off to reveal his skin was darker, his teeth sharp, his eyes filled with rage. "My name is Zabuza Momoichi, and I'll have my revenge on you one day. Don't die until then, Obito Uchiha." Zabuza jumped away, taking nothing but the two blades with him.
Obito's spine tingled as Zabuza said his name, like a predator saying its name toward prey. He was confused at the whole ordeal, he thought Zabuza was a freak to have done something so heartless and cruel to his Sensei. But after Zabuza had gotten a little bit away he deactivated his Mangekyou, wincing in pain as he did so. The Mangekyou hurt more than he thought but he still had his sight so he was content with that.
Obito then remembered his mission, "Oh right, this was all because of accounting. Stupid math getting people killed." He hurried along through the forest at a moderate speed.
As the trees thinned, the towering spires of the Fire Daimyo's palace came into view, their crimson rooftops gleaming in the morning sun. Obito's pace quickened, his sandals barely touching the ground as he closed the remaining distance.
With a final, graceful leap, he landed at the palace gates, straightening his vest and smoothing his raven locks. A pair of guards eyed him warily, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords.
"State your business," one of them barked, his tone gruff.
Obito met their gaze evenly, his single exposed eye brimming with confidence. "I'm Obito Uchiha, Jounin of the Hidden Leaf Village," he announced, producing the sealed scroll containing the report. "I have an important delivery for the Fire Daimyo from the Fourth Hokage." He smiled brightly as he handed it to them. The guards eyed him up and down, seeing he had bloodstains on his clothes and reeked of death.
One of the guards tried not to smell as he took the scroll, "Thank you, Jounin Obito, we'll give it to the Daimyo immediately." They waited for Obito to leave after that which he hadn't taken into consideration that he was meant to return home immediately. The other guard cleared his throat and told the boy, "You understand you're meant to leave, right?"
Obito snapped his fingers, "Oh yeah." He then ran off, he'd be lucky if he returned to the village before nightfall.
By the time Obito returned to the village it was very late at night, the village was illuminated by sparse Street lamps, lanterns, and light leaking out of homes. It was beautiful in a sense that nowhere else could you find a place like it. Obito wandered a bit, taking in the silence as if he was accustomed to it.
A man appeared next to Obito as he walked, not catching the boy's attention though he knew he was already there. "So, how'd your mission go?" The curious and warm tone from his sensei was endearing.
Obito cocked his head back, "It wasn't as boring as I thought. I fought a squadron of Mist Shinobi." His mind winced in pain remembering the usage of his Mangekyou. He looked down, saddened, "I was forced to use my Mangekyou."
Minato was shocked, "The Mist here in the Land of Fire?! What happened?"
Obito did a little shrug, "They wanted the scroll, to get information or something, I dunno. They didn't say much. Except the sole survivor, Zabuza Momoichi. He vowed vengeance against me. What a weirdo."
Minato was concerned about why the Mist Shinobi would have traveled so far just for an economics report. Was there more to this than either of them knew? Perhaps, but Minato had one more question. "What type of weapons did they have?"
Obito was curious why weapons mattered, "One had a katana, one about my age had a kunai, the third was a ninjutsu specialist, and the fourth had two swords. But why's that important, Sensei?"
Minato's face scrunched up, he looked like he was angry but not toward Obito. "Were the two swords conducting lightning?"
Obito was taken back by his sensei's sudden change. "Y-Yeah. But I thought that was normal for swordsmen to do."
"Obito, you just fought the wielder of the twin Kiba Thunder swords, a member of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. Legendary Shinobi in their own right, and you defeated one. That will put you on Mist's radar and possibly the bingo book." A smile returned to Minato's face, "I can't believe my student defeated one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist." He ruffled Obito's hair, getting a laugh out of the boy.
The two walked on into the night, sharing a laugh. They would worry about the Mist at a later date, for now he'd treat his student to a celebratory dinner for completing his first mission as Jounin.
A black and white creature watched the Fourth and his student from afar, monitoring them for its master. Sticking halfway through the ground.
"His interest in that boy is almost an obsession..." The black half said to no one particular.
"The boy is promising," the white half replied. "With time he will turn the boy and he'll be a valuable asset."
The black half grunted, "Can't be more valuable than the Uzumaki in Rain. He would have been far better than a no name brat..." It retreated into the ground leaving no trace of its existence.