35 Chapter 35

"Well, I was thinking of getting a custom-made blade using a rare meteorite fragment that I recently acquired." Kazuki shared his thoughts with his uncle, explaining the purpose behind his search for a master craftsman.

"Oh, well, you could ask Tsunade-sama about it. The Senju had various families affiliated with them before their decline, and quite a few of them were weapon-smith clans. Even though they are fully integrated into the village now, they might still have a few master craftsmen among them," Shikaku suggested, drawing from his knowledge of the village's history.

"Uncle, here, take this and store it in the clan treasury. It has about a ton or so of chakra metal ore. It's up to you how you use it. Aunt Yoshino, I am going to meet my team. I'll only be back later at night." Kazuki casually pulled out a large box from the sealing scroll and left to meet his team, as Gai had called for a meeting at the training grounds.

As Kazuki reached Gai, the other two teammates were already waiting. With Kazuki's arrival, Gai led the trio on a light sprint towards the top of Hokage Rock. Confusion marked the faces of the three young Shinobi. If Gai intended to train, there were far more suitable places. Sensing their confusion, Gai quickly explained.

"We are not going to train today." Gai sat down on the top of the Hokage monument, facing the village, gesturing for the trio to join him. Kazuki and Itachi exchanged puzzled glances, wondering why Gai had brought them here. Torune, a bit slower to catch on, was still uncertain about the context.

"Gai-sensei, are you doing alright? Did you take a blow to the head on the recent mission? I can help you examine for injuries," Kazuki offered jokingly, concerned by the unusual deviation from Gai's typical enthusiasm for training.

"We are just going to talk today and not train. Tell me, how are you kids feeling?" Gai asked, his tone softer and more solemn than usual. Itachi and Kazuki quickly grasped the significance of Gai's question, understanding the weight behind his words. Torune, still catching up, answered about his physical condition.

"No, kid, that's not what I wanted to know. I mean, how do you guys feel after killing someone?" Gai asked, maintaining a serious tone. He acknowledged that this recent mission marked the first large-scale conflict for the team, and it's possible that some of them had taken their lives for the first time.

"I know we've only been a team for less than a month, and this might have been your first experience with such matters. So, I just want to know how you really feel about killing. You don't have to answer me according to the Shinobi code; just share what you genuinely feel."

Gai's intention was to gauge the state of the young minds under his guidance. Despite their exceptional abilities, they were, after all, still children. He wanted to create an environment where they felt supported and understood, beyond the formalities of the Shinobi world. The trio exchanged glances, realising the gravity of the discussion and the openness Gai was encouraging.

As Kazuki pondered Gai-sensei's question, he realised that this was indeed the first time he had taken someone's life with his own hands. It was a realisation that hadn't fully settled until Gai-sensei brought up the topic. Deciding to answer honestly, he spoke up.

"Well, Gai-sensei, it was my first time killing someone. Strangely, I don't feel any deep remorse or regret about it. However, it's not like I cherish the feeling of taking someone's life."

Gai listened intently to Kazuki's honest response before turning his attention to the other two students. Itachi, who was seated, hesitated for a moment before sharing his thoughts.

"This wasn't my first time killing someone. My father took me to the battlefield during the Third Shinobi War. Honestly, I don't like killing, but I understand that sometimes, to defend the things we love, we must resort to violence."

Gai's composure shifted to a more sombre tone upon hearing about Itachi's experiences on the battlefield at such a young age. He recognised that, in a Shinobi clan, such early exposure to violence was not uncommon. It was the norm in their world, where the weak often got trampled on. Gai turned to Torune, curious about his perspective.

"I was raised by Root for a year, Sensei, so what do you think? I was barely able to retain my emotions after a year with them. All I know is that I don't regret my choice to join them because my decision helped avoid such a life for little Shino. Honestly, I don't know how one should feel when killing."

Torune, despite being released from Root, still carried the mental scars of his time with the organisation. What he didn't realise was that Kazuki had already rendered the curse seal on his tongue ineffective long ago, a fact even Torune himself remained unaware of.

A brief silence settled over the group, accentuated by the wind that swept through as if echoing the gravity of their conversation. After the prolonged silence, Gai spoke again.

"I almost puked my gut out after completing my first kill. I couldn't sleep for a couple of days after that. Only after carefully contemplating the reason why I had to kill was I able to return to a normal state. However, you kids have much more stable minds than most Shinobi out there. I've seen so many Shinobi who keep killing with a smile on their faces, revelling and cherishing the act. I don't want any of you to turn into such monsters."

Gai shared his experiences and concerns, shedding light on why he had brought up this topic.

"Honestly, even now, I wonder why Hokage-sama assigned me as your Jonin sensei. All three of you are monstrous geniuses, and I am someone who is only proficient in Taijutsu. To be honest, I believe that with enough hard work and dedication, one can excel in Taijutsu, unlike Ninjutsu and Genjutsu."

"Sensei, so why did you agree to take over the team?" Torune was curious to know why Gai had chosen to lead the team, knowing his limitations.

Itachi answered instead, "Because there are more things in a Shinobi's life that one should learn, which at some point in our lives might have more weight than Ninjutsu or Genjutsu."

Kazuki couldn't help but smile, realising the depth of Itachi's words. Although Gai might not be able to teach the trio advanced techniques, there were essential life lessons they could glean from him.

"Yosh, I am someone who never gives up. I am Maito Gai, Konoha's Blue Beast. My name will someday be revered across the whole Shinobi world, and I will make sure to raise all three of you to be the finest Shinobi."

With a burst of energy, Gai jumped up after sensing that the kids had grasped his intent. From the top of Hokage Rock, he declared.

"Well, enough talk! Let's go fifty laps around the village!"

The trio exchanged bland looks when Gai declared fifty laps. "Sensei, didn't you say no training today?" Itachi couldn't help but remind their sensei. However, Gai simply waved it off and urged the trio to follow him through the village, his enthusiasm infectious. The blend of seriousness and Gai's indomitable spirit created a unique atmosphere as they continued their journey through the village.

The next morning, with a week off from Gai-sensei's training, Kazuki found himself teaching little Naruto, Shikamaru, and Choji about the intricate arts of fuinjutsu at his master's place. Shizune, on the other hand, was engrossed in studying Iryo Ninjutsu records personally penned by Kazuki. In the entire village, besides his master, only Shizune had the privilege to access these records. With the Slug Sage now actively participating in the efforts to restore the Senju clan, Shizune had managed to carve out more time for her personal pursuits.

"Naruto, what are you scribbling? Look at Choji; see how neatly his characters are done," Kazuki advised, his demeanour shifting between strict and encouraging.

The little ones, now three years old, felt as though they were being tormented by the seemingly relentless Kazuki.

"Big brother, this is so hard! Why should I learn all these? Can't you just teach me some super strong ninjutsu so that I can send Shikamaru flying the next time we fight?" Naruto complained, looking up at Kazuki with a pout.

Kazuki, hearing Naruto mention a fight, unconsciously turned towards where Shikamaru was sitting, diligently working on a basic fuinjutsu tag. The mention of a fight brought a sense of anticipation to the young Shikamaru.

"Damn that Naruto's mouth; now big brother is going to ask me about the fight," Shikamaru thought to himself, determined to keep his eyes focused on the Fuinjutsu tag he was crafting and avoid drawing attention to himself. The dynamics among the young ninja-in-training promised both challenges and amusement for Kazuki during this unexpected break from their regular routine.

"Shikamaru, care to explain what Naruto is talking about? Why did you guys fight?" Kazuki questioned, squinting his eyes as he noticed Shikamaru trying to conceal himself.

"Ah, that, Kazuki-niisan, we were just sparring, not a fight, I swear," Shikamaru quickly replied, attempting to appear innocent. However, his attempt at a facade was shattered by Naruto's unfiltered words.

"Well, it was a fight, alright! You told me that if you won the fight, then you didn't have to run fifty laps around the training ground in the morning. You even asked me and Choji not to tell big brother Kazuki that you were sleeping instead of running," Naruto blurted out, revealing the entire scenario before being prompted.

"Choji, you were a part of this too?" Kazuki turned his attention to Choji, who was diligently working on his Fuin characters and munching on chips simultaneously.

"Shikamaru promised me that he would buy me a lot of snacks if I deliberately lost and kept my mouth shut about his sleeping," Choji responded, his multitasking skills on full display.

"What, Shikamaru! You cheated! We're going to have a rematch right now!" Little Naruto, fueled by a sense of injustice, flared up and got ready to confront Shikamaru once again.

"Come now, Naruto. Let's not fight, and Shikamaru, should I tell Aunt Yoshino about this?" Kazuki couldn't help but smile, an evil smirk playing on his face.

Shikamaru unconsciously gulped at the mention of his mother. He knew he was in for one hell of a scolding if Yoshino found out about their little escapade.

"Kazuki, stop tormenting the little ones, will you? I don't know why you enjoy doing such silly things." Shizune, who had been observing from the side, came to the defence of the trio.

"Fine, big sister Shizune, I will let them go for your sake. By the way, did Master tell you what time she would be back? I have a matter to discuss with her," Kazuki said, letting the trio's matter slide with Shizune's intervention. It was harmless, and he also needed to talk to Tsunade about the master blacksmith.

"Hmm, Master said that she would be back before lunch. So, she should be back soon," Shizune shared the details she had about their master's return.

After waiting for about half an hour, Tsunade returned with Kakashi diligently following her. The current Hatake was in a much more stable state after Tsunade started helping him with his mental trauma. Like promised, Kazuki had already begun working on a fuin seal to help Kakashi consciously control the use of his Sharingan, resolving his chakra drain issue.

"Ah, kids, you are all here! What a surprise. What made you visit this princess?" Tsunade greeted them with a happy mood, always fond of the little trio.

"Princess Tsunade, big brother Kazuki was bullying us when you were away. He even threatened me with my mother's name." The cunning little Shikamaru seized the opportunity, causing Kazuki's eye to twitch.