Ch16: First technique

In a forest clearing, three young shinobi faced each other in a duel of challenging looks. The girl, with her trademark red fangs painted on her cheeks, broke the silence.

-Well? demanded the brown-haired girl.

-Ahem, I'd rather not. I'd only end up disappointing them," replied the dark-haired young man, trying to evade the situation with a tone of false modesty.

-Of course, of course, you're only saying that because you can't," replied the Inuzuka, defiantly.

While they were arguing, the blond joined the girl, supporting her demand.

-Come on, Yasuke, just admit it," he said with a tone of conviction.

-Exactly, just admit it," the girl repeated.

Yasuke, feeling his discomfort growing, decided to prove his worth. In his previous life, he didn't care what others thought of him, but in this new existence, he had discovered that he couldn't be so indifferent, especially towards those who, even if he didn't want to admit it, had approached him.

-Well, they want a demonstration, I'll give it to them," he announced with a tone of defiance.

-Ha, go ahead," said the Inuzuka, skeptical.

Extending his hand, Yasuke pronounced:

-Shambles.

However, nothing happened. The red-haired girl openly scoffed, while Minato smiled with a mixture of mockery and understanding.

Yasuke, frustrated, mentally went through the steps of his ability, questioning why it hadn't worked. He recalled the creation of the "room," the selection of targets, the execution of the exchange, the precise control, and the completion. As he pondered, Minato came over to comfort him and offer his help in learning the technique.

-Don't worry, Yasuke. Even if you have not succeeded in performing the technique now, I will help you learn it," Minato assured him in an encouraging tone.

Yasuke, having identified the flaw, raised his hand again, this time with more determination.

-ROOM," he said firmly.

Minato, being closer, felt Yasuke's chakra extend into a translucent sphere of five meters radius. Tsume, though he could not perceive the change in chakra, watched the sphere forming around Yasuke.

Concentrating, Yasuke activated the technique:

- "SHAMBLES."

In an instant, a piece of tree trunk appeared where Yasuke had been. Minato and Tsume were puzzled, not understanding how it had happened.

-See... ahg... I could... agh... do it," said Yasuke, panting. The exertion had depleted his chakra reserves, as he had never trained his chakra control.

The reactions of the Inuzuka and Minato were contrasting. Tsume refused to accept Yasuke's skill, while Minato expressed his admiration and curiosity.

-Show me how to do that trick," Minato asked enthusiastically.

Yasuke, ignoring Tsume, offered a confident smile to Minato. However, in the middle of his explanation, his eyelids closed and he fell to the ground, fainting.

The world went dark for Yasuke as his consciousness faded, plunging him into a sea of forgotten memories of his former life. He was in an operating room again, surrounded by bright lights and the metallic sound of surgical instruments. He was an accomplished surgeon, respected for his skill but distant from those around him.

Each day was a monotonous repetition: he arrived at the hospital before dawn, immersed in complex surgeries, where every decision could mean life or death. Despite the importance of his work, he felt like a mere tool, just another cog in the hospital machine. His colleagues respected him, but rarely approached him outside the professional setting. There was no camaraderie, only cold efficiency.

At the end of his long days, the drive home was a lonely routine. He would walk the streetlamp-lit streets, reflecting on the day's cases, the lives he had saved, and those he could not. His apartment was an empty, silent space, a mere extension of his isolation. There was no one waiting for him, no conversation or shared laughter. Just the bare walls and the echo of his own thoughts.

In those moments, Yasuke wondered what all his effort meant. Was it worth saving lives when his own seemed so meaningless? Loneliness was his only constant companion, a reminder that, despite his abilities, he was invisible to the world around him.

This memory of his past life contrasted sharply with his present in the ninja world, where, despite the challenges and dangers ahead, he had found a genuine connection with his peers. It was a world where he was not only valued for his skills, but also as a person.

As the flashback faded and Yasuke slowly returned to consciousness at the orphanage, he realized that, although his life in this new reality was full of uncertainties, it also offered something that his previous existence had not: a sense of belonging and camaraderie that he had silently longed for.

Konohagakure no Sato Orphanage

At the Konohagakure no Sato orphanage, Yasuke awoke on a soft mattress, under the dim light filtering through the curtains. Confused and with a slight headache, he sat up in his bed. The room, filled with single beds and adorned with faded patterns, echoed with the voice of one of the caretakers, who was reprimanding Minato and Nonoe for using ninja techniques without supervision.

-How many times have I told you not to use ninja techniques without an adult present? You haven't even had your second chakra control class," he reproached, though his tone denoted concern and affection.

The morning sun bathed the streets of Konoha with its warm glow, creating a picturesque backdrop for the young shinobi on their way to the academy. The atmosphere was filled with the energy and anticipation typical of a new day in the village.

-That jutsu from the other day, what was it? -Minato insisted, looking at Yasuke with a mixture of curiosity and admiration. His skill as a sensor ninja had allowed him to perceive something unusual in Yasuke's technique.

Yasuke, with his usual seriousness, disguised his discomfort at the question.

-I don't know what you're talking about. It was the Kawarimi no Jutsu," he answered, maintaining a facade of indifference.

Minato was not so easily fooled.

-Come on, Yasuke. Remember, I'm a sensor. I felt your chakra spread out in an unusual radius. That wasn't a simple Kawarimi," he asserted confidently.

At that moment, Nonoe intervened, trying to divert attention from the awkward interrogation.

-Guys, we're almost at the academy. There are rumors that we will have a new classmate today. This is no time to discuss jutsu," said Nonoe, trying to lighten the mood.

-As if image matters when you're standing next to a ninja fanboy," scoffed Shiya, a boy with lively eyes and a distinctive spotted cap. His tone was playful, but with a hint of provocation.

Minato turned to Shiya, his expression a mixture of annoyance and amusement.

-Hey! I told you not to call me that. Wait, I'll find a good nickname for you," Minato warned, but Shiya had already moved on, leaving him talking to himself.

The conversation faded into laughter and friendly chatter as they approached the academy. The anticipation of meeting the new classmate and the uncertainty about Yasuke's mysterious jutsu added an air of mystery and anticipation to the day. Among the tall buildings of the village, one could feel the vibrant energy of the young shinobi, eager to learn and grow in the way of the ninja.

To be continued...