Chapter 8 : Vision of future
After the long day at the academy, I began my usual walk back to the orphanage. The sun was setting, casting a warm orange hue over the village of Konoha. The familiar sights and sounds of the bustling village filled the air as I made my way through the crowded streets.
As I walked, lost in my thoughts, I suddenly felt a presence nearby. Turning my head, I was met with an unexpected sight. Standing a few feet away from me was Kakashi Hatake, the prodigy who had graduated from the academy today.
He had gained quite a reputation for his cold, unreadable demeanour since his father's suicide and had become the talk of the village today.
I couldn't help but feel surprised at seeing him. Kakashi was not someone I had expected to encounter on my way home. Remembering the skills he showed, I am sure that it will take more than a year for me to achieve the same. That is me being optimistic about the goal.
I gave the first greeting, "Hi, Kakashi" and also gave him a nod. To my surprise, he returned the gesture with a nod of his own.
It was a small thing, but is significant coming from a loner like Kakashi. For a moment, we stood there in silence, neither of us knowing quite what to say.
HOOT
HOOT
Fuck, this is awkward, especially with the Owls. I broke the awkward silence filled with Owl's cries.
Just as I was about to speak, Kakashi beat me to it with a question that caught me off guard. "Why haven't you tried to graduate from the academy, Kyudo?" His voice was calm and measured, giving away nothing of his true thoughts.
I blinked in surprise at the directness of his question. Graduating from the academy was the dream of every young ninja in Konoha. It was a rite of passage, a symbol of one's readiness to become a true shinobi. Yet here was Kakashi, asking me why I hadn't pursued that path.
I chuckled nervously, trying to brush off his question with a joke. "Well, Kakashi, it's simple. I'd get crushed to paste in a no-holds-barred spar against any of the other students." It was the truth, even if it stung my pride to admit it. My skills were nowhere near the level of my peers, and I knew it.
Kakashi didn't react with amusement or scorn. Instead, he shook his head, his silver hair waving with his masked face. "That's not the point, Kyudo. Strength is relative, and there's more to being a ninja than just combat prowess."
I raised an eyebrow, genuinely curious about his words. "What do you mean?"
Kakashi leaned against a nearby wall, his posture relaxed. "I've heard about your apprenticeship at the hospital. The major clans received the news the day you were accepted, of which the Hatake clan is one." He paused for a moment; his gaze fixed on me. "It's unexpected that you didn't apply for graduation to become a full-fledged ninja. You have a rare opportunity, Kyudo."
I was taken aback by his knowledge of my situation. How did he know about my apprenticeship? Sure, I can graduate directly and become full full-fledged Med- nin, but another question stuck in my mind: why was he so interested in my choices?
Kakashi continued, his tone thoughtful. "You have the potential to become a valuable asset to the village, not as a combat ninja. It's fine, but you can be a medical ninja. There's a shortage of skilled healers, and your training at the hospital could fast-track you to fill a role like Tsunade-sama."
Tsunade. The legendary medical ninja and S rank Kunoichi. The idea of me filling her footsteps was hilarious to me.
I had admired her after being reborn in this world. She is the medical ninja who could mend wounds, save a thousand lives in a minute, and push the progress of the world's medical level by herself.
I had never considered myself capable of reaching such heights.
It's true.
You can never understand her accomplishments unless you have a doctorate in modern world and die to get reborn in this world.
Still, for the current village leaders, being capable of even treating someone at 6 is a sign of another prodigy-level talent like Kakashi.
Unlike masked Kakashi, mine is a 0-risk talent that is useful in saving the shinobi forces.
I realized that there was more to Kakashi than met the eye. After all, he is the Hatake heir. In the Canon, he will sit in the position of Hokage, commanding the most powerful village in the world.
Guy and Kurenai's cheerful and warm greetings caught us off guard, abruptly interrupting the conversation between Kakashi and me.
""Kakashi, Kyudo.""
The first meeting between Guy and Kurenai had been a rather amusing tale. It happened on a day when I hadn't shown up for our usual sparring session. Concerned for my well-being, Guy and Duy had set out to find me. To their surprise, they discovered me engaged in a lively sparring match with Kurenai.
The moment Duy and Guy laid eyes on us, their enthusiastic shouts of "Youth!" filled the air.
Kurenai, who had been surprised by their sudden burst of eagerness, looked utterly horrified as Guy and Duy rushed forward.
Guy wasted no time in dragging Kurenai into the impromptu sparring circle, determined to spread his philosophy of youthful passion.
"NO,"
"Youth"
BAM
"….HAHAAAA."
My sudden outburst of laughter interrupted Kakashi's usual teasing of Guy, prompting him to turn towards me with a curious expression in his eyes as he questioned the source of my amusement.
"What's funny?"
Still chuckling, I explained, "It's just amusing, Kakashi. Guy has this uncanny ability to break through even your cold phase."
Guy's unrelenting zest for life and his unapologetic approach to everything he did had a way of bringing out genuine reactions in people.
Kakashi, ever the master of understatement, responded with a simple, "He has a unique talent for that."
I can see that Kakashi acknowledges Guy to some extent.
Perhaps, it is because Sakumo acknowledged Guy to one day surpass Kakashi once. I even confirmed it happened with Guy and Duy about an encounter with the Hatake pair. Though it was a pity it happened before I became close to them.
After all, it is a scene that I saw in anime. I wanted to watch it happen in real life. It's just a personal curiosity of mine to see how it feels in reality.
With that in mind, I proposed a rather good idea, to satisfy the curiosity that arose today, "How about a spar, guys? Me, Guy and Kurenai versus Kakashi, three against one. Let's see just how big the gap is between our levels."
"Yosh!" Guy exclaimed, his teeth flashing in a grin. "This is the spirit of youth, my friends! Let us show Kakashi the power of teamwork and determination!"
Despite her calm nature, Kurenai couldn't resist being caught up in Guy's excitement.
She gave a nod to Guy and swiftly started forming the hand seals, readying her genjutsu without allowing Kakashi any time to prepare.
I took cover behind Guy and said, "Remember, Guy, don't go too overboard. We want to spar with Kakashi, not flatten him completely."
Guy chuckled heartily, his bushy eyebrows dancing with with laugh. "Of course, Kyudo! We shall show Kakashi our youth, Yosh!"
Kakashi, still wearing his signature mask and looking every bit the scarecrow, simply tilted his head to the side. His one visible eye focused on Guy, a silent acceptance of our challenge. Frankly speaking, Guy's Taijutsu is the only one that can challenge him. Me and Kurenai are, at best, a distraction for him.
With a nod from Kakashi, the spar begun.
WHOOSH
Guy surged forward like an arrow, his fists and feet a blur of motion like a whirlwind. He executed his taijutsu with precision, each strike aimed at Kakashi intending to overwhelm him with his strength.
I can say from experience, that there is a reason that Guy's taijutsu style is called Strong Fist. Every fist and kick has full strength behind them. Meaning as long as Guy's body is strong enough to crush a boulder, then every punch will have the same power as the strongest punch a person can make. This is the Strong fist style.
WHOOSH
BANG
CLANG
I watched attentively as Kakashi blocked some punches with the dull edge of his blade and dodged some kicks easily. I watched as Guy gave a clean hit to Kakashi's stomach.
BAM
Stepping in at a moment's notice to use the opportunity, I kicked Kakashi from the back into Guy's approaching punch.
BAM
As the next punch approached, Kakashi swung his tanto at Guy. Seeing this, I threw my kunai to cover Guy.
CLANG
While Kakashi was forced to parry my kunai, Guy went wild with his punches, with a smile at me.
I felt a smile come to my face. Perhaps because of our practice together, we were in sync. I could tell when Guy was going to kick, having seen the same twitch of an eyebrow whenever he put me on the ground.
It was clear were pushing Kakashi to his limits. However, Kakashi is a genin for a reason. In a wide swing, he forced us to back off.
With the space he got, he weaved the signs for Body Flicker Jutsu. I cursed out shit, "Guy, stop him. Otherwise, we are---"
Before I could finish my words, Kakashi was in front of me, and in a second he kneed me in the stomach.
BAM
I could feel the lunch in my mouth. As my stomach protested at the cruelty it suffered, I heard Kakashi's voice, "Paralysis Genjutsu."
Fuck, Guy is weak to them, because of his loose chakra. As expected, Guy was stuck in his kicking position. Luckily, I heard Kurenai's voice, "And don't forget me, Kakashi. I am not just for show. Genjutsu: Snake Strangulation."
I lit my hand in Chakra and convinced my body to heal the punched stomach, at least till it allowed movement. There is a reason Combat Med-nin is called the undead of the battlefield.
Even if you stab them, burn them or fuck them. They will heal themselves to poke back at the right opportunity.
Just like now, I saw Kakashi dispel the Genjutsu and ran towards Kurenai, who was doing the same to Guy.
I called out, "Hey! Kakashi," I didn't want to harm him, so I gave a warning while throwing the Kunai.
WHOOSH.
In a single 360-degree turn, he parried them all away and went for Guy and Kurenai.
Guy, freed from the Genjutsu, kicked out with all his strength. But Kakashi slid right under the kick and went for Kurenai.
To my shock, He slashed at the space beside Kurenai. Realizing the answer, I saw Kurenai going for a Kunai stab.
Genjutsu is awesome.
But Kakashi's masked nose twitched as if smelling something, and somersaulted out of the way.
I couldn't help but toss a comment Kakashi's way. "Kakashi, you're dodging better than a cat on a hot tin roof!"
Kakashi responded with a smirk, his masked face betraying no emotion. "You can do better than that."
With the grace of a dancer, Kakashi slipped through Guy's attacks and seamlessly countered with a strike of his own.
Guy, in response to Kakashi's kunai stab, launched into another series of strikes.
"Kakashi, my eternal rival, prepare yourself for my ultimate technique—the Dynamic combo!"
Kurenai, her illusions distracting Kakashi, added with a sly grin, "Look Kakashi, there is a snake on your head."
I pitched with the Pain stimulation Genjutsu, which I learnt at the hospital. Of course, I kept the pain at a distracting level. Now, now, I don't want to torture him.
Overall, our teamwork against Kakashi was impressive, but Kakashi is Kakashi.
In a single breath, he dispelled Kurenai's illusions with ease and just endured my pain in Genjutsu and exchanged fists with Guy.
All simultaneously.
Seriously! he is still 5 years old.
Wait a minute, I am also a 5-year-old. Kurenai and Guy are 6 years old. Fuck, I already lost some of my common sense. Fuck your weird world, Kishimoto.
------------Post spar--------
Kurenai, her Sharingan-like eyes locked on Kakashi, couldn't resist saying while nursing her bruises, "Kakashi, do you ever find time to relax?"
Kakashi responded with his characteristic calm, "I enjoy a good book from time to time."
Guy, always one to appreciate a reader because of his ADHD, shouted out, " Such disgusting youth."
As we caught our breath and exchanged post-spar banter, our attention was suddenly drawn to an unexpected presence.
Trust me, you develop a sense of that as you train to be shinobi.
A figure, clad in the attire of an Anbu operative and wearing a mask adorned with a distinct fish pattern, stood silently behind me.
The instincts of a shinobi kicked in, and my heart raced as I realized I had been surprised. In one fluid motion, I turned to face the newcomer, my hand instinctively moving toward my kunai pouch.
It was a reflex honed into me by the Yusuke Sensei, through months of training.
Kakashi, however, recognized Anbu's signs and nodded in acknowledgement. The tension in my shoulders eased slightly as I realized that this masked figure was not a threat—at least not to us.
The Anbu operative spoke, his voice muffled by the mask but carrying an air of authority. "You are summoned to meet with the Hokage."
My thoughts raced as I tried to process the words.
In the world of shinobi, meetings with the Hokage were reserved for matters of utmost importance—missions of great significance, threats to the village, or significant promotions.
Of course, special cases exist.
Special cases like Kakashi, Sasuke and even Naruto.
I couldn't help but wonder if my evaluation regarding the medical side of the village was at that level being a special case.
I couldn't resist a funny thought. I don't think he's summoning me for a pizza.
-------------------------------------------
As I stood outside the Hokage's office, flanked by the enigmatic Anbu operative, I couldn't shake the tension that gripped me.
The situation weighed heavily on my shoulders, like the weight of countless shuriken.
With a deep breath, I pushed open the imposing doors and stepped inside the Third Hokage's office.
It was a room filled with shelves lined with scrolls and relics that told the tale of Konoha's past. Behind an expansive desk sat the leader of the village, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, his eyes fixed on me with an assessing gaze.
Dr. Tanaka, too, regarded me with a piercing look, his anticipation for the following conversation clear.
I mentioned a shinobi sense, right? Well, sitting here feels like a boat sailing the vast ocean.
Hiruzen gestured for me to sit, and I complied, my heart pounding with anticipation. He gave me a kind smile to dispel my nervousness.
The Hokage spoke, explaining the reason behind this summons. "I am aware of your unique circumstances—the apprenticeship at the hospital, your training as a medical ninja, and the potential that has been glimpsed within you in the wards. Dr. Tanaka ensured that."
Dr. Tanaka nodded in agreement.
The Hokage continued, "Training a skilled medical ninja is a hard task. It's not just about mastering chakra control, though that is a crucial aspect. Medical ninjustsu encompasses the understanding of the human body, as well as the wide range of diseases and complications that can effect. Even, I spent years to grasp all this information."
His words shed light on the reason for my summons- the scarcity of medical ninjas, making up less than 1% of Konoha's shinobi. This highlighted the unique position I held.
I had already crossed the need to learn a large amount of medical knowledge; all that remained was to refine my chakra control and expand my capacity.
Hokage seemed to sense my realization and added, "I believe it is in your best interest to become a full-fledged Medic nin. It is a safer, prestigious, and even wealthier path, comparatively speaking. However, I believe you don't need help with the last point. Even I heard about your new dish—Pizza."
Beads of sweat formed on my forehead as the unspoken order hung in the air. It wasn't a request; the Hokage's word was law. He was the military ruler of the shinobi forces, after all.
Hokage's decision was likely influenced by my civilian heritage, which showed a lack of combat talent.
Despite the insulting bias, it is the truth and a fact.
I wasn't an exceptional case like Minato or Jiraiya, whose natural talents were on par with those of clan geniuses.
However, he remained unaware of my unique advantage—an AI to expedite my mastery of shinobi arts. I had ideas to speed up my growth, but I planned to implement them once I gathered more wealth and data. For now, I needed to convince the most influential voice in the village.
I looked at Hiruzen with unwavering confidence as I recounted the conversation I had with Dr. Tanaka. It was an incident that had left a profound impact on me, shaping my perspective on the path of a shinobi.
"Hokage-sama," I began, "I still remember my parents' deaths and the orphans from the Second Ninja War in the orphanage."
Hiruzen's face shadowed with sorrow at that.
In canon, despite his flaws concerning Danzo, he remained a kind man, burdened with responsibilities.
Unfortunately, his kindness and close bonds were easily exploited by his loved ones- Orochimaru and Danzo.
I continued, drawing their interest, "We shinobi grow stronger by facing countless difficulties, adapting to the harsh realities of our world." I paused for a moment, letting the weight of those words settle in the air.
I still remember the various injuries, broken minds, and deaths in the Hospital.
"As we grow stronger," I continued, "our capacity to make a difference also grows. A genin can help win a battle, a chunin can lead others, and a jonin becomes a pillar of our village, even taking part in decision-making processes."
This got me nods from them as I gestured towards the Hokage himself and the photo with his students. "Then there are the S-ranks, also known as army killers. They determine the outcome of wars. They are the measure of a Great Ninja village's power."
Hiruzen's face swelled with pride. He was the only one to train three S-ranks thus far.
"But sir," I continued, "I couldn't help but think of the founding of Konoha."
I said to him, "Two men- Hashirama and Madara, as kids of my age, had dreamed of a future of peace. Their dream made them pursue their strength, breaking their limits. Their Dream shifted us from the cruel era of 'warring shinobi clans,' where peace was a luxury, and children my age were thrust into the horrors of war, to the era of the 'Great Ninja Wars', where every generation had the luxury of peace, but still prepare for conflict."
I said with conviction, "I believe I have the confidence to do the same. I want to usher in an era where there isn't a great war every generation. Although I cannot erase war completely, I can strive towards a future where it is not a ghost that haunts us.
For that, I need to be strong. Strong like those two whose strength was so immense that the world adapted to them instead of the other way around."
My speech, once felt corny in my mind, now felt like a declaration. I possessed unique advantages, time till the fourth war and a head start, all of them were something 99.99% of shinobi did not have.
Silence hung in the room after my speech. I didn't blink or waver, fully aware that any sign of hesitation could crush any possibility of pursuing combat prowess. Besides, What I said will happen regardless according to Canon and I want this change. So, saying what kind of person I am is better.
Eventually, the Hokage broke the silence.
"You know, it's rare for people to chase impossible dreams after facing the harsh realities of the world," he said, gazing into my eyes intently. "I believe you are aware of the realities I speak of. It seems to be the curse of prodigies to find and understand these realities before their time."
I understood his reference to Kakashi.
But I held my gaze, unyielding, until he declared, "I will allow you to pursue this path if you can reach genin level strength within a year."