Chapter 29 - S

Sasuke gives the Governor three days for him to think about the proposition. Three days to let the others in command know about the deal. Three days for him to get used to his languid body.

He can't do anything too exhausting. Katas are out. As with most physical conditioning. He's always taken advantage of his speed and all his fighting style depends on it so stretches are the only thing that would work so he doesn't lose his flexibility. Even if they're one of the easiest exercises, they still hurt whenever he flexes his muscles too fast. That alone speaks a lot of his current strength. It's humiliating how simple exercises to warm his body leave him sweaty and shivering. The civilians are afraid of him. And while he doesn't care what they think of him, it'd be bothersome to have to watch his back around the civilians too.

So he trains outside. Not something physical, of course. One thing is to make them less afraid; another is to make them realize how weak he really is. He's still living in the house that was given to him. It's the same except now he uses the small guest room with no adjacent bathroom. And he'll continue to do so until he fixes the door of the other room. And that will be then where he exercises.

Outside, where the grass is not evenly cut like in other houses, he mediates. That way he trains his chakra network and makes himself known among the others, at least in their presence, while maintaining a perfect awareness of his surroundings.

On his first day outside he felt two people aiming at him. They were well hidden but he made a point to look at them until they lowered their weapons, to make the Governor know he was always aware. They haven't agreed yet to anything so he lets it slide.

However, the second time they aim, he makes sure to throw two pens, one for each one, aiming at their hands and making sure no one besides them has noticed.

Most think only shinobis exude killing intent and that's a lie. Every action with some negative intent can be classified as killing intent. However, because they're not as potent, they're easy to ignore. One can learn to identify them even in animals if one trains for it.

And if he's learned something from Orochimaru, who most of the time only felt amusement whenever he attacked him, it's to distinguish even the smallest grain of killing intent.

That's why, on his second day, when his new guards try once to aim closely at his person, he guesses it was probably in curiosity, Sasuke glares at the direction where he felt the slight spike in killing intent until the other retreats. Then he closes his eyes again and continues meditating until the sun hides and the weather gets colder. That's when he goes back inside to continue the physical training.

It's not until the sky is completely dark and everyone is sleeping that he goes outside once again, making sure to not be seen by his bored and tired guards.

He goes to the small library the doctor mentioned before. The language is written differently so he grabs some books that are obviously meant to teach kids how to read. It's going to be slow progress without the Sharingan but not impossible. He's always been a fast learner.

-

"Your decision?"

This time the Governor is behind the desk, obviously trying to gain whatever little upper hand he can. It doesn't bother him; it's better to let him think he's the one in charge.

"It depends, are you going to explain what are you planning to do?"

Sasuke doesn't say anything and that itself answers enough.

"How will we know that what are you trying to do will work?"

"Because I plan to complete my part of the deal first. When you see that it works, the ball will be in your court."

The Governor smiles. Is not a nice smile but one filled with condescension. "And what will stop me from killing you then?"

"I think the people you send to guard me already told you that the second someone plans to aim at me, I'll know. I restrained myself from killing because we hadn't agreed on anything yet. If you accept and they try to aim, then… I won't stop."

The frown and slight red on his cheeks tell him enough. Sasuke lets a small smirk show on his face as he waits for the other to speak.

"Yes, very gifted indeed you are," the Governor murmurs. His back relaxes, and his tense posture is no more as he taps two fingers on the desk absently. The smile returns as he glances back at him again. "Let's add another clause to this deal, what do you think? As you probably don't know, let me inform you that here in Woodbury we're a close-knitted community; we all work for its well-being. And, as it is, what kind of example would the others get if you have your own house and are admitted into our home after all the ruckus it happened when you woke up, um?"

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. "Stop the roundabout. What do you want?"

"Me? No, no. I'm just telling you everything would go more smoothly if you had a defined role to fill inside our community."

"You already have something in mind, I'm sure."

"Well, you've shown all of us your prowess in combat and we've some people that could benefit from your experience. The younger especially. Most of them haven't seen what's outside."

He frowns. The Governor has seen what he's capable of, yet he wants him to socialize with his people? What's the purpose?

"You'll give me free rein of your people's training?"

"Of course not. This was something I had planned to do for some time. I had some candidates to give this task to. You'll work with them."

That's clever. He knows he won't be able to keep an eye on him If Sasuke stays inside the house all the time, even so… there's something else he's not seeing.

"If I do this, what do I get?"

Because a house is not enough for him to do all this. And the Governor knows it.

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