Chapter 53 Becoming A Ninja!

The warm glow of the evening sun filtered through the windows of Shibuki's office as Riku stood before the young village chief. Shibuki sat behind a modest wooden desk, his hands clasped as he regarded the boy before him with a mix of curiosity and caution.

"I've been hearing a lot about you, Riku," Shibuki began, leaning slightly forward. "Helping villagers, entertaining the children, and even assisting with basic tasks. It's rare for someone to make such an impression in such a short time."

Riku crossed his arms, his expression calm. "I'm not here to cause trouble. Just... trying to show I can be useful."

Shibuki nodded, but his gaze sharpened. "Useful, yes. But I also know that you're no ordinary traveler. Your skills, the way you carry yourself... You're a shinobi. And not just any shinobi."

Riku tilted his head slightly, sensing the shift in tone. Shibuki continued, "Tell me, Riku, about yourself. Who are you? And why do you want to be part of Takigakure?"

Riku hesitated, the question digging into parts of himself he rarely shared. Finally, he spoke, his voice low but steady. "My name is Riku Kuroshiro. I'm one of the last of my clan... maybe the only one. My people were killed when I was a child. I've been wandering ever since, honing my skills and surviving however I could."

Shibuki's expression softened slightly. "I see. And your strengths? Weaknesses?"

"My strengths?" Riku uncrossed his arms, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his odachi. "I'm skilled with a blade, I can manipulate shadows, and I've mastered a variety of chakra techniques. I can summon powerful allies and have abilities passed down from my clan."

Shibuki raised an eyebrow. "And your weaknesses?"

Riku looked away, his jaw tightening. "I... I tend to work alone. Trusting others doesn't come easy to me. And sometimes... my temper gets the better of me."

The room fell silent for a moment before Shibuki leaned back in his chair, appraising the boy. "That's a start. But if you want to be a shinobi of Takigakure, I need to see more than words. Let's start with the basics."

Riku's eyes narrowed slightly. "The basics?"

Shibuki smiled faintly. "Yes. Show me the three basic jutsu: the Transformation Jutsu, the Clone Jutsu, and the Substitution Jutsu."

Riku blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the simplicity of the request. "You're kidding, right?"

Shibuki shook his head. "Not at all. If you can't master the fundamentals, why should I trust you with more advanced techniques?"

Riku sighed but stepped back to give himself space. "Alright, then."

---

He started with the Transformation Jutsu. A swirl of smoke enveloped him, and when it cleared, an exact replica of Shibuki stood in his place.

"Not bad," Shibuki commented, watching his doppelganger adjust its robes.

With another puff of smoke, Riku returned to his normal form.

Next, he performed the Clone Jutsu. Two perfect replicas of himself appeared on either side, mimicking his stance and movements with precision.

Shibuki nodded in approval. "Good form."

Finally, Riku demonstrated the Substitution Jutsu. With a quick hand sign, he disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving a chair from the corner of the room in his place. He reappeared behind Shibuki a second later, his arms crossed.

"Happy?" Riku asked, his tone slightly amused.

Shibuki turned to face him, smiling. "Very. You've got the basics down, that's clear. But I needed to see your discipline and attention to detail. Sometimes, the simplest techniques reveal the most about a shinobi's foundation."

Riku nodded, a hint of respect creeping into his gaze. "Fair enough. So... do I pass?"

Shibuki stood, extending a hand. "Let's just say you're one step closer to earning your place here, Riku. But remember—being a shinobi isn't just about skill. It's about protecting those who can't protect themselves. Think you're ready for that?"

Riku took the offered hand and shook it firmly. "I've been ready for a long time."

Shibuki smiled. "Then let's see where this path takes you."

…

…

Riku adjusted the straps of his academy bag as he approached the school gates. His new clothes—a dark green tunic, black pants, and a tan scarf—helped him blend in, though the magpie perched on his shoulder made him a topic of curiosity. Shiro tilted his head as villagers and students passing by whispered about the strange boy with the bird.

Riku sighed and muttered, "This is going to be interesting."

The academy classroom was simple but lively. A dozen students were scattered across the room, chatting and laughing. Riku chose a seat near the back, Shiro hopping down to perch on the desk's edge. He rested his chin on his hand, letting his gaze wander.

The teacher, a stern-looking shinobi named Uetake, entered the room and called for silence. "Quiet down, everyone. We have a new student today." His sharp eyes landed on Riku. "Introduce yourself."

Riku stood, hands in his pockets. "I'm Riku. Just moved here. Nice to meet you."

A ripple of whispers spread through the room. A girl with auburn hair turned to her friend. "That's the kid with the bird, right? I saw him by the falls."

Uetake cleared his throat. "Riku, you'll need to catch up quickly if you plan to graduate with this class. Watch and learn today."

Riku sat back down, smirking faintly. Shiro ruffled his feathers, eyeing the curious glances from nearby students.

---

Breaktime

When the lesson ended, several students gathered around Riku's desk.

"You're new, huh?" a boy said. "What's with the bird?"

"This is Shiro," Riku replied, scratching the magpie's head. "He's my partner."

A taller boy snorted. "A bird? What kind of ninja fights with a bird?"

Riku didn't rise to the bait, but Shiro let out an annoyed caw, flapping his wings. "You'd be surprised what he can do," Riku said, leaning back casually.

The auburn-haired girl from earlier stepped forward. "Where are you from, Riku?"

Riku hesitated for a moment. "Here and there. I've been traveling a lot."

"That's vague," she said, raising an eyebrow, but she didn't press further. Instead, she extended her hand. "I'm Ayame."

Riku shook her hand, appreciating the gesture. "Nice to meet you, Ayame."

---

Training Session

The class moved to the training field in the afternoon, practicing basic chakra control techniques. Riku stood near the back, observing the other students before focusing on his own exercises.

Uetake walked by, watching closely. "Your chakra control is...surprisingly good. Have you trained before?"

Riku shrugged. "A bit."

Shiro took off, circling above before landing on a nearby post. The teacher raised an eyebrow but said nothing, moving on to instruct other students.

During sparring drills, Riku paired up with Ayame. He held back, not wanting to draw too much attention, but his movements were precise and fluid. Ayame noticed.

"You're holding back," she said after their match, breathing heavily.

Riku grinned. "Guess I didn't want to make a scene on my first day."

---

End of the Day

As the sun dipped below the trees, the students began to leave. Riku leaned against a wooden fence outside the academy, watching as small groups of classmates walked home together. Shiro hopped along the fence, preening his feathers.

"Not bad for a first day," Riku muttered.

Ayame passed by and waved. "See you tomorrow, Riku!"

He waved back before turning toward the village. The day had gone smoother than expected, but Riku knew it was only the beginning. With Shiro perched on his shoulder, he walked toward his temporary home, letting the quiet village evening wash over him.

…

The next few weeks passed in a steady rhythm for Riku, though life at the Takigakure Academy proved to be more eventful than he anticipated.

Each morning began with drills. Riku quickly found himself gaining a reputation among his peers—not for showing off but for his quiet skill. Whether it was target practice, chakra control, or basic hand-to-hand combat, he outperformed most of his classmates without appearing to try.

Shiro became a fixture in the classroom. Students who initially scoffed at the magpie's presence soon grew fascinated. One day, Shiro swooped down during a lesson on projectile weaponry, intercepting Ayame's poorly thrown kunai and dropping it back into her hand.

"Show-off," Riku had teased, scratching the bird's head.

During sparring sessions, Ayame insisted on being Riku's partner. Though she never won, her determination impressed him. She had a sharp mind and a knack for strategy, even if her execution needed work.

"Stop holding back, Riku," Ayame said one afternoon, panting after yet another defeat. "I'm never going to get better if you keep taking it easy."

Riku smiled, tossing her a water bottle. "Maybe you're just improving too fast for me to keep up."

She rolled her eyes, but the corners of her mouth quirked up in a grin.

Riku wasn't the most attentive student, but he made an effort to avoid standing out too much. During lessons on Takigakure history, he kept his head down, scribbling notes or absentmindedly sketching designs for weapons in the margins of his notebook.

Once, Uetake caught him drawing. "Riku, care to share what's so interesting?"

Riku held up his notebook. "A blueprint for a kunai launcher."

The class erupted into laughter, but Uetake didn't look amused. "You'll find weapons less useful if you don't understand their history. Pay attention."

Riku shrugged, but Ayame leaned over, whispering, "That actually looked pretty cool."

The day of the graduation exam arrived with an air of nervous excitement. Students lined up outside the academy, their chatter blending into the hum of the nearby waterfall.

The exam was divided into three parts: a written test, a physical skills evaluation, and a practical demonstration of a jutsu.

Riku breezed through the written portion, though he didn't aim for perfection. The physical evaluation included an obstacle course, sparring, and precision weaponry. When it came to sparring, Riku faced the tall boy who'd once mocked Shiro.

"Don't hold back, new guy," the boy sneered.

Riku didn't. Within seconds, his opponent was flat on his back, staring up at the sky with a mix of shock and embarrassment.

Finally, the practical jutsu test arrived. The task: perform a Clone Jutsu or any other basic academy-level jutsu. Most students managed a single clone, and a few failed altogether.

When Riku's turn came, he stepped forward, Shiro perched on his shoulder. With a subtle hand sign, he summoned three flawless clones, each standing at attention with identical smirks.

Shiro, not to be outdone, hopped onto one of the clones, causing the examiner to blink in surprise.

"Well done," Uetake said, jotting notes on his clipboard.

---

That evening, the results were posted. Students crowded around the board, cheering and congratulating one another. Ayame elbowed her way through the throng and found her name, then turned to Riku.

"You made it, of course."

Riku leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Would've been awkward if I didn't."

Ayame rolled her eyes but smiled. "Guess you'll have to keep holding back in the field, huh?"

He chuckled. "We'll see."

…

Riku pushed the door open to his small apartment in Takigakure, Shiro flitting past him to settle on a perch by the window. The faint scent of fresh tea filled the air, unusual given that Riku hadn't prepared anything that morning.

He froze. Someone was inside.

"Congratulations, graduate!"

The cheerful voice startled him, and he turned to see Fū lounging on his couch, her vibrant green hair tied back into a loose ponytail. She held up a steaming cup of tea with one hand while giving him an enthusiastic thumbs-up with the other.

"Fū?" he said, confused but not alarmed.

"Surprise!" she said, beaming. "I heard the academy exams were today, so I figured I'd stop by to see how my favorite outsider did. Judging by the headband on your shoulder, you passed!"

Riku smirked, closing the door behind him. "How'd you get in?"

"Doors aren't exactly complicated," she replied with a wink, taking a sip of tea.

Shiro squawked indignantly, clearly unimpressed by the invasion.

"Relax, Shiro," Riku muttered, setting his things down. "She's harmless. Probably."

Fū pouted. "I'll have you know I made this tea to celebrate your big day. Is that how you treat a guest?"

Riku shook his head, the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement. "Thanks, I guess. Though you could've waited until I invited you in."

"But where's the fun in that?" she teased, patting the spot on the couch next to her.

Riku hesitated, then sat down, accepting the cup of tea she handed him. It was surprisingly good, though he wasn't sure if he trusted her cooking skills enough to ask what was in it.

"So," Fū began, leaning forward, "you're officially one of us now, huh? A Takigakure ninja. How does it feel?"

He shrugged. "Not much different. Just another step forward."

"Wow, so modest," she said with a laugh. "Most people would be bragging their heads off."

Riku glanced at her, noting the genuine excitement in her eyes. "You seem more excited about this than I am."

"Of course! It's nice to see someone actually fitting in here," she said, her voice dropping slightly. "It's not always easy for people like us, you know?"

Riku nodded, understanding the weight behind her words. "Yeah. I get that."

The two sat in comfortable silence for a moment before Fū suddenly perked up. "So, what's next for the great Riku? Any big plans now that you're a real ninja?"

He tilted his head, considering. "Not sure yet. I'll probably take a mission or two, see where things go."

"You should partner with me!" she said, her eyes lighting up.

"Didn't think you were much of a team player," he teased.

Fū grinned. "I make exceptions for interesting people."

Before Riku could reply, Shiro hopped down from his perch and landed on his knee, letting out a soft caw.

"See?" Fū said, gesturing to the bird. "Even Shiro thinks it's a good idea."

Riku shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "We'll see."

Fū stretched, finishing her tea and standing up. "Alright, I'll let you enjoy the rest of your night. But don't forget—if you need backup, I'm your girl."

As she walked to the door, she paused and looked back at him. "Seriously, Riku. Congratulations. You've earned it."

With that, she slipped out into the night, leaving Riku alone with Shiro and the quiet hum of the village outside.

A/N : after 53 whole chapters he finally became a proper ninja…