2 Crimson Earth
Renji was born with blood-red hair to match the blood that he was covered in. He was born crying out loud.
Entirely, 1 year earlier, than Uzumaki Kushina
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Renji was 2 when, he, was adopted as the new personal guard of the daughter of Venerable Uzukage, who was just 1 at that time. Kazuki Uzumaki was the name of the Lord Uzukage as he had deemed this so, for Renji was the son of Aashai Samiko, a very fine, loyal servant.
Renji was born to a lowly servant, a very fine personal guard of the wife of Lord Uzukage, it was the wish of Samiko, for her son or daughter to take her place, if she ever dies, due to any reason.
He was to be the personal guard of Lord Uzukage's wife, but given his very young age, it was only right, that he was to be the guard of their newly born daughter.
But both of his employers were very good to him, given how the boy's mother, gave everything, just for the royal family, they wished for the child to never fear them. Uzumakis were rather free with their love. They loved many, with large hearts and larger smiles. They simply had a habit of having too much love, is all.
Renji was all but raised by his fellow servants.
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He grows rather quickly.
By the time he's three, he already knows how to act his part, how to serve the Uzumaki Head family.
Renji was curious. Smart. Perceptive. He read books as quickly as some Uzumaki devoured food.
He always had his servant duties. But when he had the free time, he would sneak in a book or a few pages to look over.
Uzushio was a fascinating society, rich with a ripe history.
Every inch of the island was rife with life and seal-work. From the lighthouse to the shore, to the market, to the library, to the main bridge that crosses the river that cuts through Uzushiogakure. To the books, to the teacups, to the stoves, to the refrigerators.
Every single thing was powered by fuinjutsu—a collection of decades worth of work from Uzumaki clan members.
…Black ink and red hair. That was the legacy of this island….
He was fascinated and wished to be the strongest seal master ever...
When Kushina wanted to play, Renji played with her.
He was the closest person her age, that worked around her home. Despite him being there to serve her, she always dragged him off to be her play-date, rather forcefully most of the times.
Lord Uzukage, and his wife, just smile looking at that...after all, they are just kids...
She was particularly fond of running around the markets. Despite the fact that most servants tried to keep her inside the Head family compound, she always managed to find a way to slip out to the lively streets, alongside him...
"I wanna see the world!" she'd exclaim.
And, really, it was a lost cause to keep someone like Kushina Uzumaki cooped up for her protection
Nothing would make sense, to Renji. He never understood, why his lord is just so…fond of Renji. Why, despite Renji being a servant, he is given privileges the other servants do not get. Why he is given full access to the Uzumaki library. Why he is sent to the shinobi academy of Uzushiogakure, without having to pay a dime.
Renji knows that despite these things, he can never call Lord Uzukage his father, or His Lady his mother or Kushina his sister.
He hated it...For he was not their son, despite them always looking at him like son, and telling him to call them mother and father...he never forgot, he was nothing but merely a lowly servant, that is there to serve and protect Lady Kushina from any and all harm.
No one knows when it started, but, Kushina, started calling Renji...nii-san, he always corrected her, while her mother encourages her...he didn't know what to do with these two women.
Kushina asked Renji to call her by her name, instead of calling her Lady, but he refused, he always called them, His Lord, His Lady, and Lady Kushina.
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"I wanna be a ninja! I wanna be strong! I wanna see the world!", The girl spread her arms to the clear blue sky.
"But don't you like it here, at home?" He gestures out to space—the people, the markets, and sea.
He knows he can't convince her to stay. Kushina loves adventure. She is a person that can't be contained, like a blazing flame.
"Everything's the same, dattebane! Nothin's new or different 'bout this place! When I'm a ninja, I can go out and see everything!"
"Being a ninja is dangerous…Are you sure you can handle it, Lady Kushina?"
An indignant splutter. "Of course I can! Are you doubtin' me, dattebane?! 'Cuz I'll show you…!"
He patted her head, and immediately her temper went away in thin air, "Hai...Hai, Let's go Home, Shall we?"
A Huff. She crosses her arms. Silence. Kushina droops gloomily.
"Don't you worry, Lady Kushina. You'll be a great ninja"
"R-Really…? Ya think so?" Her gaze brightens, voice full of hope.
He smiles at her, soft and fond. "I know so. Don't give up. You'll get to see other places and be a splendid kunoichi."
The girl ducks her head, face flushed. She wears a shy smile on her face. "Th-Thanks, Renji-nii."
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Renji knows that he will forever be Kushina's servant. Her protector. He was the older of the two, after all, so isn't that the duty of his, to protect her, as her older brother
Just Like that, he was 6 this year, and Kushina was 5
"Renji-nii!" the little girl chimed, tugging at the sleeve of his simple servant's yukata.
"Yes? What do you need, Lady Kushina?"
The nearly five-year-old girl pouted up at him. "I keep telling ya, to just call me Kushina, dattebane!"
The boy gently detaches her hand from his sleeve, they had this conversation before, many times as well, and he isn't looking forward to the conversation again, so he looked at her apologetically. "It's something I have to do. Forgive me, Lady Kushina."
The girl puffed her chubby cheeks, peeved. But then she heaved a great sigh. "Okay, okay…But, um, can ya help me with my Kanji, dattebane? Pleeeaase?"
The slightly older boy gave a chuckle, at the sight of the princess of Uzushiogakure giving him puppy-dog eyes, hands clasped in front of her. She looked like an angel, completely at odds with her real nature of a mischievous troublemaker.
"Of course."
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There was a rumor going around in the village, apparently, Lord Uzukage has a servant, he's an absolute genius. A pure Fuinjutsu Talent, never seen before, not even first Uzukage, was as talented as the boy.
What none get is, the boy was not just talented in fuinjutsu, he was an absolute god given talent, that should never be born in the face of this earth
He is always the first in his class. For, he carries the high expectations, of his lord and his lady, as well as lady Kushina's
His mother, father, and sister...His family
He was to be graduated from the ninja academy in just 1 year...a record never been seen before in the entire elemental nation.... and this was an academy, where kids, were taught the basics of fuinjutsu, alongside, basic calligraphy, even the most talented ones shouldn't be able to graduate in 12 months...but he did...he did it in just 12 months
Truly a god given Talent...
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"Why are you in such high classes, Renji-nii?" Kushina asks him one day.
The servant boy pauses. He's not sure what to tell her.
"Because the classes are too easy for me, Lady Kushina," he says honestly, voice careful. Hoping to not get a negative reaction from her.
Because if there's one thing he knows about Kushina Uzumaki, is that her reactions are always grand. And her temper is one to be wary of.
"Do you get to be a ninja faster, dattebane?" the girl asks, head tilted to the side, blood-red hair spilling down her shoulders.
"Yes. I can be a ninja so that I can protect you, and the rest of the village," he responds.
"Oh. Okay," the little red-haired princess says. Thankfully, no negative emotions in sight. "You're gonna make a great ninja, aren't ya, Renji-nii?"
"I'll try," the boy states.
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The realization comes soon after.
He was, in fact, being made a ninja early to protect Kushina. It's the only thing that makes logical sense.
He still went wherever Kushina went, following her. Still, sit with her during her lessons. Still, played with her. Still, tried to keep her out of trouble.
Everyone knows, when he graduates at seven years old, that he will be known as Uzushio's prodigy. He is their youngest graduate. And most probably the youngest Graduate in the entire Elemental nation, for he completed the academy in record-breaking time, of just 12 months.
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But he wonders if they let him, because of the looming threat of the Second Shinobi World War.
Renji knows that he is now a ninja, when given a shiny hitai-ate, a whirlpool swirl engraved into the metal plate. Renji knows and understands that he is now technically an adult, with this headband—someone ready to be a killer.
However, he became a killer a long time ago. When he was born, he killed Sumiko Aashai, his mother. Renji was born with blood-red hair to match the blood that he was covered in.
Renji knows that being a ninja is an honor. He bears the congratulations with polite bows and silence.
Renji knows what Genin ninja do. Run low-ranked missions around the village. Errands. Messenger duty.
Renji knows and accepts this, unlike the other newly minted Genin. He doesn't complain, and he does everything quickly and efficiently.
He's fast....The fastest...The quickest messenger runner Uzushio probably has. Renji was born kicking his legs furiously.
They gave him, the chakra paper, he had the earth affinity...
He skills in popping earth jutsus were great, he probably had the best defense in his generation or the generation above...
Lord Uzukage was determined, to turn Renji Into a defense specialist...he definitely has the godly talents in defending and countering...
But he has the same amount of talent in Fuinjutsu...His future was the headache of Lord Second Uzukage...
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The Elemental Nations are at war. Konohagakure has declared war against Sunagakure and Amegakure.
Subsequently, Suna has declared war on Konoha. Ame has declared war on Konoha. And then Iwa has declared war on Konoha, as well.
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Nothing much changes in Uzushio. Nothing concrete or visible, at least.
People are a bit more nervous. Ninjas do more patrols. They buzz and whisper to one another.
There's an accelerated program at the shinobi academy. There are whispers of more children being advanced and graduating early, Just like him. Though it was not as early as it was him
There is no outward indication of something being wrong, though. Whirlpool is still untouched by the other Elemental Nations. Nothing's really managed to phase it.
At least, not yet.
If he didn't live in a village like Whirlpool, then he'd have been doing D-Ranks like digging trenches and graves, or checking stockpiles.
So far, he's only had to do things like sharpening weapons, helping the blacksmiths, helping replenish explosive tags and storage seals, running messages across the village, and the like. These are the breadcrumbs, however, that hint at what the war is doing to the Elemental Nations.
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"So…How's bein' a ninja, dattebane?" Kushina asks him excitedly, pretending that she's studying, book propped up to hide her face.
It's a rather childish maneuver, and not very inconspicuous. It makes Renji smile. There aren't many things to smile about, as of recently.
"Eh," he makes a 'so-so' gesture. "It's mostly training and doing easy missions. Things won't start picking up, until the Chunin Exams, I think."
Honestly, having Kushina watch-duty has probably been the most exciting thing in his Genin career, so far. The girl can pull some genuinely baffling pranks.
The girl pouts at him, disappointed. "That sounds boring, dattebane!" At least he knew what he was getting himself into. It's only fair he warns his naïve half-sister.
He shrugs. "I'm sorry, Lady Kushina, but that's how things are. I've only just graduated, and Genin is the lowest rank. These things take time."
The six-year-old Kushina sighs gustily, causing her bangs to flutter. "I guess."
"If something interesting happens, though…I'll tell you," he says.
"Promise?" she asks, visibly perking up, a glimmer in her eye.
"Promise."
He hopes he won't have to keep that promise, even though it seems like an easy one to keep.
Why?
Because 'interesting' things in a ninja's life usually deal with death.
[Just to mind you, I am not Writing Ryo the illusionist, this book won't be a dark Tragic book, there will be a lot of fighting...romance fun, it definitely is not tragic dark novel]
