Chapter 20: Elder Otuka Perspective (2)
Just as Otuka moved forward, the Mizukage had sneaked behind the young academy student Takeshi. Most likely, he had heard about him from the instructors, and wanted to test his potential. Whether he would become a candidate for one of the seven legendary ownerless blades in the future, or a core jonin from the ANBU, or a nameless shinobi.
Depending on the years, the top of the class could either reach unimaginable heights or be very average. It really depended on how good the class was, and how much potential they had. Many people with bloodlines were late bloomers, and could go much further than regular civilian shinobi could ever hope to be.
But...
The kid...
In the midst of danger, he did not panick. The Mizukage had let out most of his terrifying aura, one that reeked of blood, one that had committed atrocities to intaure a semblance of peace in the lands of water. Many applauded the Mizukage as a hero, but his past as an assassin had shifted his way of governing. Otuka was not so naive.
The Mizukage had led squads of ANBU to kill innocent civilians from neighbouring countries, assassinated opposing nobles from the land of water, and even betrayed past allies for the sake of solidifying his reign in Kirigakure. Despite such evil nature and imposing such evil missions to all ANBU members and its ninja, Kirigakure had not grown much in the past decade.
*BOOM*
Otuka could not believe his eyes.
The reckless kid who had attempted to copy the first sword strike of the Fog Kenjutsu Style, which required tremendous chakra control and the ability to let it out throughout his blade, had managed to master part of it, and released it against an enemy no less fearsome as the Mizukage!
'What just happened...He was not half as strong the last time I saw him...I thought he had trained for years to reach this level, but his talent is actually much higher than what I expected...He might just be more talented than Biwa...', Otuka analysed
"Interesting, an academy student taking down genins and capable of decent chakra control at such a young age...", the voice continued, "And this strike...How familiar...", the destestable voice of the Mizukage reverberated.
However, the words were not directed at the kid, but rather at him. Despite years of experience as a ninja, and stealth that could be considered among the best, he stll could not escape the sensory abilities of the Mizukage. Even if he did not want to admit it, Otuka could only sigh in front of kage power.
"Resorting to bullying children...Really, you never change", Otuka muttered.
"I wondered who dared to talk to me in that manner. So it was you, Otuka", the third Mizukage spoke, "An academy student was about to break into the inner library, after taking two genins out, and here you are, only appearing now"
After some provocations, the Mizukage attempted to seal him and teach him a lesson. However, Otuka proved he was not someone who could be defeated with a single A-rank jutsu.
"Kid, open your eyes", Otuka said with a grin.
That's it.
Takeshi was the one who would inherit the Fog Style Kenjutsu Art.
He met the swordsmanship talent requirements, he possessed enough chakra to exploit its full potential unlike him, and more importantly, he had this...obsession, this greed that was unique to battle-crazy practicioners of his style.
"Is he your disciple? He does not look very worthy of being one. It seems like your standards decreased"
"What do you want? I am getting older"
The kid seemed to have understood Otuka's intentions and could not believe his eyes. Did he really have that bad of a reputation?
"What are you standing here for?", Otuka said, slightly amused but expecting a vow of respect to officialize their relationship of master and disciple
"You are right! Thanks for acknowledging me as disciple, and putting me on the right path", Takeshi said in an excited manner
'Is he excited because he will be able to focus on kenjutsu...Truly, I made the right choi-'
However, his thoughts were caught short, as the young academy student rushed into the now-open inner library and started to devour jutsu scrolls, trying to find the best ones with joy and unbelievable efficiency.
The scene had happened too fast.
Takeshi had been taken in as a diciple from the closed Fog Dojo, and his first reaction was to steal jutsu from the Kirigakure Academy...
Dumbfounded, Otuka wondered if he had not been too hasty in his judgement...
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