8 Chapter: 8
Kaori transitioned from the chilly night of Konoha into the frigid tunnels of the ANBU headquarters. It was common practice among the ANBU to keep their senses sharp when entering the HQ, after all, those posted as sentry might get mischievous and decide to test their reaction speed.
She had learned that fact the hard way, with a kunai sticking out of her butt. With an exhausted sigh, she put on her ANBU mask, the bird porcelain mask depicting a Sparrow.
Despite the uncomfortable conditions of the path, she moved with practiced ease, relying on her memories to navigate through the darkness.
As she closed in on the entrance, the oppressive atmosphere intensified for a brief moment before vanishing altogether. The air, heavy with the metallic tang of blood and bloodlust, served as a warning to any unauthorized personnel as to their faith for daring to breach upon the ANBU's solitude.
They were the hidden guardians of the village, tasked with carrying out covert missions and clandestine activities that must never see the light of day. Staining their hands scarlet with blood to protect Konoha from threats both within and outside its borders.
An ANBU codenamed Fukurō, or Owl flickered near the entrance. Kaori couldn't register his presence until he was standing two merely a meter or two before her,
"Suzume."
Kaori acknowledged the ANBU with a slight nod of her head. He was an old acquaintance from the surveillance corps, her mentor. As for the similarity between their codenames, all bird-based names were reserved for the surveillance corps.
"Fukurō-sensei."
He was a mystery to her, she didn't know his real name or his clan or his rank or his strength or... anything, as a matter of fact. If only she could use the system on him!
{...*SIGH*}
{One-Time Explanation: You can use the 'Observation' to gather information about non-card entities. Simply focus your attention on the entity and activate the Observation feature.}
observe non-card entities as well.}
'Wait, I can!?'
Kaori focused her attention on Fukurō-sensei,
'Observe!'
[Name: Takeo Hyuga]
[Age: 28]
[Chakra: 74,000]
[Physique: 119,000]
[Affinity: Wind(Lv.3) Water(Lv.4)]
[Chakra Control: 85%]
[Skills:
- ###***###INSUFFICIENT STRENGTH###***###]
[Talent:
- Hyuga Bloodline(66%)
- Fast Learner
- Natural Taijutsu Master
- ...]
[Evaluation: An Elite Jonin of the Hyuga Branch Family. Leader of ANBU Surveillance Command 04. A powerhouse of the Hyuga Clan. Can kill you in a heartbeat.]
The stale air of the tunnel whistled past her and Kaori's eyebrows shot up. Sure she had expected Owl to be a powerful ninja, but no more than a Jonin. She could have never imagined the guy was breaching into the ranks of Elite Jonins.
She walked past him, no point in sitting around talking all day, not that they had much to talk about. So, she might as well get a good night's sleep.
She walked deeper into the tunnel, it was not that deep, in fact, the path ahead ended a couple of meters behind the entrance. Another ruse to confuse the enemy with, the real entrance was hidden behind a secret door.
A stone slab, that blended seamlessly into the tunnel wall, but its position was known to all ANBU members. Those who retired due to age, psychological reasons, and the most unlikely, old age, had a seal carved into their minds that guarded the location of the entrance.
No one except the ANBU, save for the Hokage, knew of its existence. This was so that in the most unlikeliest of the scenarios where all the ANBU are wiped out and the Hokage dies as well, the village's darkest secrets remain hidden from the light forever.
There were other mechanisms in place as well but Kaori always found this one very interesting. Preparing for the scenario where the entire ANBU black ops. was wiped out, the Hokage's dead too? Can't that all be summed up with the village being destroyed or something?
With a practiced flick of her wrist, a minuscule seal glowed on her right shoulder, the symbol of the 'Will of fire' and a seal that opened one too many hidden doors. The same symbol appeared on the slab of stone and it hummed before sinking silently into the ground.
Inside, the ANBU headquarters bustled with controlled chaos. Shinobi in black armor and overalls moved with purposeful, silent steps. Some were delivering reports and others preparing for missions, even a couple of injured ones along with the idle bunch that chatted in hushed voices... well it was more of a debriefing before a mission so technically that was work as well.
Kaori glided through the familiar corridors, her casual clothes drew some attention but they simply exchanged a couple of nods and and waves. She bypassed the interrogation rooms, a chilling scream making her pause in her steps only to continue when one of the ANBU sentries tilted her head.
Now it was almost impossible to tell the difference between male and female when one's in an ANBU getup, if you overlook the hair and breastplates that is. But a simple haircut or strap of bandage would fix that problem in no time.
So the only way to distinguish between a Male ANBU and a Female ANBU is to look at their shoulders. It was tradition for a male ANBU to get the tattoo on his left shoulder, while for a female it was right shoulder.
Kaori shook her head, she was getting seriously sidetracked again.
She let out a sigh and walked towards her allocated quarters. The room was small but practical, designed to meet the needs of an ANBU. Their needs were relatively simple and limited to three main factors, sleep, hygiene, and ninja tool storage. All of which had been accounted for while designing the room.
The room had a bed, a bedside drawer, a wardrobe, and a wooden enclosure with a shower faucet for a bath. The common toilets were down the corridor.
'Be a bit more spartan can ya?'
She quickly changed into something a bit more comfortable and settled in for the night, her mind racing with questions,
'How can I kill someone? My past world was been a relatively peaceful one!'
'Would I be able to blend into this new world? Being a Ninja feels kinda' silly, but it's a serious profession here.'
Her head pounded with questions that made little sense and answers that made even less sense. Not to mention she had left a life of prosperity behind in her last world, she was a businesswoman, a small but successful one at that.
Well, no point in crying over spilled milk!
But the question still remained, what was she to do with her new life? Not like she had any loft goal like being the Hokage! That was a gateway to a miserable death, one way or the other.
She had the system with her, she could use 'Subordinate Cards' to create her own significant force, but what for?
'A purpose in life.'
Yes! She lacked a purpose in life!
Once it was wealth, but now there was nothing. Wealth mattered little in the world where power took supremacy.
Women?
That would just be troublesome! Almost all the pretty-looking ones came with their trouble packages.
Mikoto? Married to the Uchiha Clan Head.
Kushina? ...bruh.
Tsunade? Future 'Grandma Punched Susanoo' Hokage.
Pakura? Sacrificial pawn of the hidden sand and an enemy.
Mei 'Melt Your Face' Terumi? Future Mizukage.
The rest of them were too young and thinking about them in this half-real and half-fake state of mind just felt kinda creepy. Maybe the FBI got a dimension-traveling machine?
...Or, maybe she could just focus on surviving?
That seemed appropriate enough! What was Shikamaru's dream again?
Marry a regular girl who isn't too ugly and not too pretty. Have two children, first a girl, then a boy. Retire after the daughter is married and the son becomes successful, and spend the rest of the time playing shōgi or Go. Then die of old age before wife.
'Maybe I should draw inspiration from that.'
...
'Alright! I got a plan!'
Survive the Third Ninja World War, take over the ANBU with the 'Subordinate Cards,' frame Danzo, and get him executed after the Uchiha Massacre. Find a woman from the Nara clan to marry, adopt a child or two, and live life peacefully ever after!
'Perfect'
{*SMACK**FACEPALM*}
'Hmm? Am I wrong?'
{Negative, but the database suggests you are an idiot, and those are the standardized responses.}
'Piss off!'
Fuming with anger, she slumped deeper into her cot, ready to take a long night's sleep when it mattered. She would train again tomorrow and the day after, get used to her body's strength, and use the rest of the card on herself.
Just the thought seems to make the night a long journey, but to achieve her goals, she needs to sleep.
'I am sure the night would pass in a jiffy. After all, what's the worst that could happen?'
*TWEEEEEEEEEEEEETTTTT!!!*
...
..
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