31 Chapter 31: getting back.

The boat ride from the Island to the land of hot spring was uneventful. The reason why the three we're returning via the land of hot springs as for Saph. The healing effects of the hot springs would help heal her faster. So they went from village to village. Always staying the night in a hot spring resort. But after passing six villages, Saph noticed that Raven and Anko are actually walking at her pace. After each trip between the villages, she was always exhausted, but they didn't even sweat. So she decided to train as well. She even asked it in one of the villages.

On the female side of the hot spring.

"Ahhh, this is life. Whish, I had this in the village. Saph, what's wrong? You've been quiet all day?"

"Anko, Are we walking at a slow pace back to Konoha?"

"Why, you ask?"

"I've noticed that I'm always exhausted after the day. But you two don't even sweat."

"Bhahaha, if the walks would make us sweat, then we would bad shinobi."

"But I'm slowing you down."

"Saph, yes we are going slower than we normally move at. But that's not a problem."

"But Angel, I don't want to drag you two down. That's why I decided that I will start training as well."

"Saph, You little girl. You only decided this now?"

"yes, Why?"

"Bhahaha, we noticed after the first two villages. So we've been helping you since. Haven't you noticed?"

"Noticed? noticed what? you are helping me?"

"You look so cute when you look confused. Come here, so I can hug you."

"Noo," Saph tried to get away from Anko. Like she could.

"Now, little one. Have you not noticed? the length between the villages has been increasing day by day. And the food you started eating as well. We've been slowly increasing the difficulty. But we're still going slow if you were wondering."

"Have I been training al this time?"

"yes."

"But at this pace, I won't catch up, will I?"

"Telling the truth, no you won't. But that's normal." Saph started to frown.

Anko saw this, "Hey, don't frown. you'll get wrinkles. Listen Saph, If you really want to train you to have two options. One is you train on your own time and we help"

"But if I train at my own pace I would have to stay at the villages don't I?

"Yes, you would. But then there is option two."

"What's that?"

"Well, you become a shinobi like us. you would start out like Raven though."

"But brother Raven is so strong."

"BHAHAHAHA, stop it Saph; You're making me laugh too much. Yes, Raven is strong compared with you. But he is not the strongest of all the genin."

"So I can catch up?"

"Yes you can but you will have to work for it. But also remember. Raven is training as well."

"Byt then I'll never beat him..."

"Oh, you want to beat Raven?"

"No-nono, I didn't ..."

"We can make that happen."

"Wait really?"

Anko starts smiling, " So you do want to beat Raven's ass?"

"Ok, yes, Anko."

Anko hugs her a little harder, "Oh, We are going to have so much fun. Now I really want to see you kick his ass."

"Why do I feel like I did something wrong?"

...

On the way to the village, they met some bandits. Saph was scared when she saw Raven kill the bandit. But Anko stopped Raven from killing the last bandit.

"Why you stop me from killing him, Sensei?"

"He's for Saph."

"What you mean?"

"Yes, Anko what you mean he's mine?"

"Saph, if you really going to be a shinobi, you will have to learn to kill as well. I would normally let you kill after some training. But I would rather have it over with right now. the first kill is always heavy. This way you would have already done it."

Raven wanted to question his Sensei but didn't. In the end, it was Saph's decision. Saph knew she would have to kill someone as a shinobi sooner or later. But she thought it would be when she knew how to fight. But when she took the ninja sword from Raven she remembered what happened to her matron. She grabbed the sword and walked to the bandit. And in one slash she cut his head off without looking back. But she kept walking until a tree. Anko caught her as she fell because she fainted. Raven cleaned up. The next few days were hard for Saph. The nightmares kept her awake and crying. But Anko helped her like she helped Raven after his first kill.

...

On the road, they received a message. It was the blacksmith that Anko arranged for their plan. He is ready to start directly when they arrive at his village, in a day. Both were nervous, hoping their plan would work. Saph had no idea what was going on. But she didn't really care.

...

At the village of Funayama, they didn't go to the Inn. No, they went to the blacksmith. At arriving at the blacksmith, they were awaited by a dwarflike person.

"You, crazy woman. What are you scheming now?"

"What are you accusing me of?"

"You always call me if you have a scheme, Now spill,"

"Adamaya, It's not even my plan this time."

"Really that's strange, but what the hell you always pay so what's the deal."

"Raven explain," then she turns to Saph," You can look Saph, but you can't tell anybody. deal?"

"Yes, Angel."

"BHAHAHA, that she-devil an angel. Don't make me laugh."

Raven used to the antics of his Sensei start talking, "Well, Adamaya. I have an item that I have to give away because it's not mine. but because of its uniqueness, I still want to keep it that's why I need a trusty blacksmith for help."

"Yeah, yeah, I don't care just tell what you want?"

"Ok, I want pure Iron ore dust, some broken pieces of Chakra metal, and the last two basins that can hold this sword." And he took out Kubikiribōchō.

"A sword of the seven swordsmen, Where did you get?"

"Took it from the dead Zabuza, old man," Anko answered.

"You think of copying this sword, that's not possible."

"Maybe, maybe not. You have the materials I mentioned?"

"Yes, yes. I really want to see you try." the blacksmith went to get everything ready. After waiting an hour. The blacksmith was back. He had everything with him. Then Raven asked one more thing from the blacksmith.

"Can you break the sword right in the middle? So I have a top half and a bottom half."

The Blacksmith took the sword and went to his forge. A few seconds he brought the sword back in two pieces. "Now we will see if my idea works." Raven stood before the two basins, he opened his storage seal from a flask. Red liquid started pouring out in the two basins. When they were filled, the smell of blood permitted around the basins. Then Raven took the pure Iron dust and threw it in one of the basins. And as the last thing he did was throw a piece of Kubikiribōchō in each basin. Then they waited. They didn't have to wait long, in each basin, a whirlpool started forming. The level of blood in each basin was also dropping. After a half-hour, the two basins were empty from the blood. But in each of them, there was a Kubikiribōchō. Now as the last test, Raven had to test if the ability was copied well. He took the first sword of the basin. He asked the blacksmith again if he can break a small piece from the top of the sword. The blacksmith just used his hammer. It didn't have to be precise this time. With the tip now broken, he released the last of his stored blood in the basin. He put the tip in it and it started to regrow the sword. "The first sword is still the same." He gave this sword to Anko to hold. Then they did the same with the copy. "Let's see if I'm right." Raven then put in the tip of the second sword. He taught it didn't work but the sword then started regrowing. Raven's idea worked. There are now two Kubikiribōchō in the world. He stored the original in his personal storage, the copy he gave to Anko in another storage scroll. The blacksmith was amazed. Raven then picked the two broken tips from both swords. "Adamaya, can you make a ninja sword with these pieces and the broken pieces of Chakra metal?"

"Of course, I can. You crazy bastard. But it will take some time."

"That's no problem when it's ready. Send a message to Anko. We will come and get it."

"And the spare materials?"

"I think you can find a use for it."

The blacksmith smiled and knew he will see the student from Anko more. The three then left for Konoha.

...