Chapter 41: The Sandaime's Proposal
Jun continued to perform missions as chunin. The deaths of Ise, Sora, and Daiki were starting to be distant. The village even appointed him as a team captain for a few missions. The teenager wasn't overly excited about it. Being a leader wasn't important to him; he wanted to be strong. He decided to learn Kenjutsu. It was one area he was lacking.
He should have done so a long time ago; he knew many people who could instruct him. Yugao wielded a sword with the grace of a dancer. Gai had mastered several weapons and could use them with ease. However, he made it a point to fight with his bare hands. He wanted to show the might of his Taijutsu.
Fortunately, Jun had his ways to make up for his poor Kenjutsu level. The first was the Sharingan. He discreetly observed a few training sessions with Yugao and Hayate, then Kakashi and Gai with his Dojutsu active. He eventually acquired a solid foundation. Then, he turned to Shiba for more guidance.
The jonin was also an expert in Kenjutsu. He had always made time for the teenager, even when he left the team after his promotion to the rank of chunin. He was happy to let him join their practices and include him in their strategy meetings. Shiba had even encouraged him to continue improving his Fuinjutsu. When Jun informed the jonin about some of the seals he created, his sensei encouraged him to tell the Hokage about his new Jutsus. The teenager didn't follow his advice.
He didn't like the Sandaime. Jun saw Hiruzen as the guy who crumble before Kumo's demands and accepted Hizashi's sacrifice. For the teenager, the Kage could have done better. It took the easy way out by letting one of his people sacrifice himself. There was also the incident with Orochimaru. Jun blamed the Sandaime's incompetence. He couldn't believe Hiruzen knew nothing of his former student's experiments for that long. Moreover, the old man let Danzo have his way by looking the other way, despite knowing the atrocities his old teammate was committing.
Moreover, Jun didn't want to put himself on the Hokage's radar. He was content to stay on the sidelines. He didn't want to become a pawn. He had obviously never explained himself to Shiba. He let the man believe that his reluctance to mention his talents to the Kage was due to shyness. However, the subject came up again a few weeks later, as Jun was improving in the way of swords.
"Hizo told me he advised you to ask for a promotion." The jonin informed him one day after their Kenjutsu training.
Jun took a few seconds to recall the conversation with Hizo, a few months earlier. He recalled thinking it was a good idea at the time. But… it was before Daiki, Sora and Ise died. The idea had slipped his mind afterward.
"What do you think about it, sensei?" He asked.
"I think you should do it. You could even skip the rank of Tokubetsu jonin and directly become a full fledge jonin within a couple of years." Shiba declared bluntly.
Jun was shocked. He wasn't even fourteen yet. He didn't believe he had the level to become a jonin. Gaining a Tokubetsu promotion was reasonable because it only implied he achieved a jonin level in a specific area. But being a jonin was to be an elite ninja all around, in all areas. He still had a long way to go to get there.
"Why do you think I should wait and skip applying for Tokubetsu jonin?" The teenager asked.
"Would you be satisfied with a specialization in sabotage or in tracking? You are undoubtedly a frontline fighter. That's why I think it's useless for you to ask for a promotion to become Tokubetsu. You should directly aim for the rank of jonin. It suits your style better, and contrary to what you may think, it's not out of your reach."
Jun ran a hand through his hair.
"Sensei, you are overestimating my ability."
"You managed to keep up with Gai's pace during the numerous missions you did with him. He was only promoted to jonin recently."
"There is a difference between keeping up with him and being able to face him in combat."
Shiba frowned.
"Your current level is closer to Gai's or Hizo's than it is to Natsumi's, Susumu's, or Iruka's."
Jun agreed. However, if he compared himself to Kakashi or Shisui, he was still far behind. His sensei heaved a deep sigh.
"You have a jonin level in Ninjutsu. You have mastered four elemental affinities. That's impressive. I can only use two of them, the Futon and the Katon. Compared to you who can use everything except the Doton, I am lacking. It doesn't matter if your jutsus aren't very powerful in some areas. You have the potential to improve them. If we add that to your Taijutsu, which is at the Tokubetsu jonin level, you are a formidable fighter. If it was wartime, you'd be sent to the frontlines."
"I'm glad we're at peace then." The teenager said.
"Have you noticed your missions often involve your team fighting many enemies?"
Jun thought about his missions and shockingly realized his teams had been outnumbered in the majority of his operations. He thought about how many enemies he had disposed of. He was always at the vanguard, no matter the formation.
"But strength alone isn't sufficient. You need to be smart, experienced, and skilled. You've displayed all that through the various missions you completed. You are a versatile shinobi who could integrate any type of team. You have your Fuinjutsu, sensory abilities, expertise in sabotage, and now Kenjutsu. You've also shown leadership. Specializing in a single area as a Tokubetsu jonin would be a waste of your talent in my opinion. If you train more, being a jonin in a couple of years is within your reach."
His sensei's arguments made sense to him. He definitely didn't feel at a jonin level at the moment. But within a year or two… with a lot of training… it wasn't impossible for him to reach that rank. He would be fifteen, and that would be plenty of time to gain experience and improve his skills.
"What is your suggestion then?" He asked his sensei.
"Keep working on your Fuinjutsu, perform more missions, train with Gai, and learn other jutsus. You also need to update your file to reflect your skills in sabotage, your chakra nature affinities, and a note about your expertise with seals. I will recommend you for future promotion. Then, it will depend on the Hokage."
Jun trusted his sensei, so he followed his advice. He updated his file and volunteered for more missions. Moreover, he continued developing his strength. He trained his Taijutsu with several people like Gai, Anko, and his Hyugas acquaintances. He wanted to experience fighting diverse Taijutsu styles.
The teenager also practiced with his friends. He wanted to help them improve as well. Susumu was the only member of Team 14 who hadn't made chunin yet. Jun didn't want to neglect him. His comrade was only lacking in firepower jutsu-wise. That was the only thing holding him back from becoming a chunin. Jun also wanted to show his gratitude. It was thanks to his teammate providing him with eyes that he was able to develop his Raging Rupture Seal.
Jun often visited him to teach him some Ninjutsu. Susumu also helped the Uchiha work on his Genjutsu and even imparted to him some basic medical ninjutsu knowledge. Susumu gave him books to further his knowledge. Jun studied them with dedication.
Furthermore, he didn't neglect his own Ninjutsu training. He could now use a sword at an acceptable level, so Shiba taught him some Futon techniques he utilized in combination with Kenjutsu. The combo was destructive, especially when Jun added some Katon to it.
The young Uchiha completed his Paralyzing Trap Seal. Unlike the Eternal Chakra Gate, the Dying Wish Seal, and the Raging Rupture Seal, he decided to share that technique with the public. Jun registered the Fuinjutsu technique with the village archive. It wasn't a seal anyone could use. It would take an expert in the field to draw the seal, and an advanced chunin to utilize it.
He felt good about sharing his creation with Konoha. Fuinjutsu techniques have been so rare since the disappearance of the Uzumaki clan. The jutsu would be useful since the seal immobilizes anyone who stepped on it. It wasn't a killing technique per se, but one of protection.
He told his friends about it and even taught it to those who were interested and had the skill to master it. Iruka used to study Fuinjutsu with him back in the day.. He had the basic knowledge to master the seal. Anko and Hizo were also able to learn the technique.
To Jun's surprise, the Hokage had taken notice of him. Fuinjutsu was hard to master, and those able to create new techniques in that area were rare. He was summoned to the Sandaime's office a few days after he registered the Jutsu.
The teenager had been in the office before to receive mission orders. The old man's gaze usually turned to other members of the team, not him. But now, Hiruzen was focused on him as if he was looking at an interesting puzzle.
"Jun Uchiha, I am very impressed with you. I didn't know you were an expert in Fuinjutsu." The Hokage said warmly.
"I wouldn't say I'm an expert, but thank you."
"You are more advanced than almost all my jonins. It's enough to qualify you as an expert. Shiba told me about your desire to be promoted; it is not impossible. I would like you to learn from a master."
Jun narrowed his eyes. The old man's eyes twinkled.
"I'm guessing you've heard of the Sannin Jiraiya. He's currently on a mission outside the village. I intended to let him wander for a while, but the opportunity is too good to pass on. He will refuse to take you under his tutelage. Tell him it's an order from me. You must learn everything you can from him within three months and come back with his report… and other documents he may give you."
It took Jun a few seconds to process his new orders. Even though he had mixed feelings about it, he was happy to be given such an opportunity to learn from the Pervy Sage. Despite his unique personality, the man was a legendary figure in the shinobi world.
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