Chapter Seven
A week had passed since Indra was asked to join the Anbu, although he made his decision that day, he however decided to keep it to himself. Walking aimlessly on the streets of Konoha, Indra could feel the festive mood permeating the village as today was February 19, the Second Hokage's birthday. Indra couldn't understand why it was a big deal, but he knew why because Mito had told him. 'It wasn't easy to reach your 30th birthday, and Tobirama was turning Fifty two so it was kind of impressive'. To Indra, birthdays were just another day in people's life.
Later that night, Indra was currently sitting around a table with Hashirama, Tobirama, Mito, Tsunade's parents. They all toasted to Tobirama, wishing him a happy birthday before downing a shot of expensive sake while Indra drank pine-apple juice as he hated the taste of alcohol.
After they were done, Hashirama brought Indra outside, "I want to give you something," Hashirama said.
Taking off his necklace, he turned Indra around and placed it around Indra's neck. "I was going to give it to my daughter but you're a better fit for it," Hashirama said.
"What if I leave the village?" Indra asked, stunned. "You've taught me already, you don't need to give me anything else," he added.
Ruffling his hair, Hashirama replied, "It doesn't matter, You're my student and this is my gift to you."
"Thank you," Indra said before leaving. The gesture didn't affect his decision as he had already decided a week ago to stay in the village.
............
Indra was about to enter the Hokage's office after receiving confirmation to enter. Inside the office, he saw three other people including Tobirama in it. With the three of them standing in front of Tobirama's desk, although they all turned around when Indra entered the office.
"It's good to see you again, Indra." A fair-skinned man with short, black hair and a Konoha forehead protector around his forehead said, while a wide smile framed his face.
"It's good to see you again, Kagami," Indra replied. "You too Danzo, Torifu," he added, addressing the other two with both of them nodding in response.
Tobirama dismissed the three of them before addressing Indra, "I guess you're here to give me your decision?" he asked, placing his hands under his chin.
Indra nodded before replying, "Yes, I have decided to remain in Konoha and I'd join the Anbu as sensei suggested. But I have conditions."
"Go on," Tobirama said.
"First, I'd be allowed to leave the village when I want without having to ask for permission," Indra stated. "Do not worry, I would always return, and I won't do anything to harm the village," Indra added, seeing Tobirama was about to interject.
"Secondly, finding my mother is my first priority so the priorities of the village would always come second. And lastly, I only answer to you, and no one else, not even the Anbu commander."
"That is fine with me, but if Konoha is ever dragged into a war, I expect you to fully participate in it," Tobirama said.
Indra placed his right hand underneath his chin, thinking about Tobirama's condition. 'Sensei is here, so none of the other villages would dare attack Konoha, so it's fine if I accept.' He thought before replying.
"That's fine with me too," he said, shaking hands with Tobirama.
Tobirama then led him towards the Anbu headquarter located inside the mountain the Hokage faces were built on. Some of the entrances to the headquarter were inside Konoha, to allow easy access to the village for the operatives, but the majority of them led to the outside of Konoha, with the entrances hidden in different directions around the wall.
"You're going to spend the next two months receiving specialised Anbu training, assassination, information gathering, sabotage, infiltration, that's the general operation of the Anbu. And you'd be receiving kenjutsu training from the commander, while Hashirama taught you kenjutsu, it is nowhere enough for the Anbu that primarily uses a tanto.
While you're very skilled at using a gunbai, it is not suitable for the silent killing the Anbu specialises in. And the weapon is easy to identify, as only two people have used it in the past 50 years, you, and then Madara." Tobirama stated as they walked. "After the training, you will shadow the commander for an extra month to gain mission experience before being allowed to create your own squad if you decide to have or work solo if that' what you prefer. But I reckon you'd choose the latter, seeing how you already prefer doing things alone."
The Hokage was making so many concessions to Indra that he'd never make with another ninja. Although being his elder brother's student had something to do with it, he had come to regard Indra as his family member, earning the same status as Hashirama, Mito, his niece, and grand-niece. And he wants to keep Indra in the village, while his current strength and even larger potential had something to do with it, it's also because he'd grown to care for the boy that came to the village three years ago, dyed in blood and dragging a gunbai behind him.
At first, the boy was just an enigma, something he wanted to figure out. An unknown child with an unknown dojutsu in his right eye, and a Byakugan in his left, while not belonging to the Hyuuga clan, or the Mukai family that split from the Hyuuga clan long ago. The only problem Tobirama had was the boy's obsession with finding his mother, he was worried, just like every other person that had grown to care about him were also worried about what the boy would do if he's unable to find her. Or that the Daimyo had a hand in the slave trade, and crimes happening in his country, so it was likely that the Daimyo was involved in what happened to his village and by extension his mother.
By this point, they had gotten to a building inside the hollowed mountain with the kanji for 'Anbu' on it. Entering the building, Indra saw the Anbu commander standing with a fox porcelain mask, black clothing, a grey flak jacket, with grey coloured metal arm guards and black gloves.
"Indra, your official designation would be 'Fox'," Tobirama said, while the commander passed on the pieces of equipment in his hands to Indra.
"Hawk, I'd leave him in your care," Tobirama said to the Anbu commander as he turned and left.
"Hai, Hokage-sama," Hawk replied.
Hawk led Indra through the hallway, deeper into the facility. "That's the locker room, change into your gear." He said, pointing at a door with the word 'Locker Room' on it
Indra nodded and walked into the room. Locking the door behind him, his right pupil flashed yellow as he activates another ability of his dojutsu. 'Duplication, the technique allows him to duplicate non-living matter within his gaze'. He then duplicated multiple pairs of the gear before shrinking it and then storing it using 'Daikokuten'. He did this with all his outfits because he couldn't be bothered with washing, and with the Anbu gear, if it gets destroyed or bloodied, he won't have to make a request for a new one.
Changing into the gear, he donned the white and black fox mask. He then unlocked the door and stepped out, joining 'hawk' in the hallway. "What's next?" he asked.
"Normally, right about now the new recruit would be learning the rules of the Anbu, but most of them don't apply to you, so I will skip them and just tell you what's important," Hawk said with a mirthful chuckle.
"You only address Anbu operatives with their codenames. Huh!!, interesting. I think that's the only traditional rule that applies to you." Hawk stated. "A normal Anbu operative is expected to carry out their mission no matter what. If they fail, they're to return back to the village without getting caught, or destroy their bodies if they are too injured to return or ever get exposed to enemy forces.
So If you're ever exposed, while you're not expected to destroy your body. You'd be branded a rogue ninja, that's only in the extreme case though, so just act with caution."
Indra just nodded, not bothering to respond. Hawk wasn't able to see his face due to the mask so he couldn't tell what he was thinking or how he felt about being branded a rogue ninja if he's ever exposed on a mission. Although it is a lot better than having to destroy your body. Besides he didn't believe Indra would ever be exposed as he knows how powerful he was.
"You're expected to report here at 5. a.m every day for the next two months for training. I'll be teaching you kenjutsu for the next month, and then the last month would be used to teach you whatever Anbu specific skill you require." Hawk said. "After that, I'd personally evaluate you before I take you on your first mission. Is that understood?" he added.
"Yes," Indra nonchalantly replied.
"Good. Follow me, we are going to start your Kenjutsu training now."
................
Inside the Hokage's office, Hashirama was currently engaged in a conversation about Indra with his brother.
"I didn't think you'd agree to those conditions just so he'd stay in the village," He stated.
"Obviously I didn't want the village to lose such a valuable asset," came the reply from Tobirama.
"Are you sure that's the only reason, Tobirama?!" He asked, laughing loudly at the expense of his brother.
*Cough* *Cough*
Hashirama keeled over in a coughing fit. Tobirama rushed to his side, assisting him in standing back up. "You've gotten worse," he said, noticing the blood n Hashirama's palm. "Have you informed Indra," he asked.
"No, and I don't plan on doing so. The child has a lot to deal with already," Hashirama replied, before heading back to his house to spend whatever time he has left with his wife.
Tobirama sighed before sinking down on his chair, the implications of his brother's declining health weighing heavily on his mind. Getting up from his chair, he walked out of the office into the hallway before speaking out loud. "Summon hawk to my office," he said, before returning to his seat.
"Hai Hokage-sama," A voice resounding in the empty hallway.
A few moments later, the Anbu commander appeared in his office. Looking up from the map that's now spread on the desk, Tobirama invited him over before pointing at different spots around the borders of the Land of Fire. "I want you to send every available Anbu squad to these places," He said. "Increase the surveillance on the other villages, I want to know if they as much as have a discussion about Konoha," he added.
"Hai Hokage-sama"