Chapitre 135: CH_4.35 (135)
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The link is also in the synopsis
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The lesson continued,
"If I remember correctly, you can use a genjutsu, correct?" asked Mikoto.
"Yes, ma'am. Mist Servant Jutsu," Takuma replied.
"Ah, illusory clones that act as though they're made of mist when attacked and reconstitute from any injury," Mikoto mused out loud. "A question regarding this genjutsu: how do you establish the connection to a target?"
"It's a visual genjutsu," answered Takuma.
"How do you know that?"
"It was in the jutsu scroll."
Mikoto looked surprised. "You read the attached research on jutsu scrolls?" she asked.
"It takes time to read the text, but it makes up for it by making the learning process easier. Reading the text beforehand makes solving mistakes and blocks easier as I'm already aware of potential problems that may pop up and am prepared for them," said Takuma.
Mikoto smiled. "… You're correct; Mist Servant Jutsu is a visual genjutsu. However, I want you to be able to recognize the connection component of a genjutsu by studying the hand seals and the chakra pathways those hand seals direct the chakra into— the final goal is to be able to judge the genjutsu's connection component just from the hand seals."
"Understood," Takuma said as he took notes.
"Excuse me for a moment," said Mikoto and exited the room.
Takuma flipped to the last page of his notebook and started calculating how many mission points it would take to buy three, four, or five D-rank genjutsu so he could figure out the different connection components. Mission points weren't a problem, but it would still be a significant purchase. The real problem was choosing the genjutsu. The genjutsu catalog in the jutsu archives didn't mention the delivery method; they only said what the genjutsu did.
'I'll ask which ones I should buy,' he thought.
Mikoto entered the room and sat in front of Takuma.
"Here you go," she said.
"Ma'am, I was wondering which—" Takuma looked up from his notebook, and his words died in his throat as he found himself staring at four crimson-red scrolls sitting before him. The color wasn't the shocking part, but the paper seal which held the scroll shut. He recognized that seal design. It was unmistakably the official seal of authenticity imprinted by the village authority on every jutsu scroll created. He owned five such scrolls, and the only difference between his and the scrolls in front of him was that his scrolls were scarlet red.
"Ma'am?" Takuma looked at Mikoto.
"These are four D-rank genjutsu for you to study. In addition to the Mist Servant Jutsu, you now have five genjutsu in your possession. Study each of them thoroughly and compare them to each other to recognize which part of the hand seal and chakra flow establishes the connection component."
Takuma was stunned beyond words. He stared at the woman before him for a long while until she had to speak first.
"Takuma?"
He snapped out of his shock. "How much do I need to pay for these, ma'am? I was going to purchase a few on my own, but it's more convenient if I can get the ones you recommend."
"You don't need to pay me anything, Takuma," Mikoto laughed. "These scrolls come as part of our lessons, and you don't have to return these to me as they're yours to keep."
"B-But this is too much…."
"Not for me. These mean nothing to me," Mikoto shrugged. "The compensation of an inactive jonin like myself from the village is such an amount that I can buy four of these scrolls every day, and it won't put a dent in the amount I have. So, don't feel burdened by these scrolls as they don't hold the same value in my eyes as they do in yours. And if you still feel uncomfortable… I'm aware that you did a great service for the village and made the Police Force proud. Just consider it as gratitude from the Uchiha Clan. Refusing these would be a slight against me and my clan."
Takuma bowed his head deeper than before.
"You leave me no choice; I accept these gratefully," he said. "Please accept my heartfelt gratitude."
"Accepted," smiled Mikoto.
Takuma tried to gather himself, but the four brand new scrolls he had gotten for free and the fact he wasn't even expecting to get them at all refused to settle down in his mind. He was truly startled and did not know how to react. He worried if he should've expressed his gratitude differently. And deeper than that, he couldn't help but wonder if all genin under jonin teams got this sort of treatment from Day-1 after their academy graduation. Mikoto had dealt out four D-rank jutsu and said it meant nothing to her— and it was only the second time he had met her. Takuma couldn't help but imagine what all precious resources his classmates who were selected by jonin had received in the two years they had been out of academy.
The feeling of indignation rose within him. All the hardship he had suffered in the past two years seemed insignificant. Why was he trying so hard for resources he fought for, shed blood, sweat, and tears for when some of his peers could get the same without batting an eye? How far ahead would he have been if he had it that easy? All of that effort, and he knew in an all-out fight, someone like Okubo Momoe would decimate him with a B-rank jutsu she had in her possession. Did she know what it felt like to fight in front of people for entertainment while knowing they wanted to see his blood spilled? Did she know what it felt like to sell drugs to people in hiding, fearing that one slip-up would end his life as it was? Did she know what it felt like lying to loved-one, to colleagues because he feared that telling them would damage the relationship he cherished so much after losing every loved one he had from a previous life? Did she know how it felt to know the future and live every day with the fact that people like him would be the first to die in the conflict to come?
He felt his resolve slip; the steel in his heart which made him get up every morning and kept him working to the end of the day until he couldn't do any more crack. He was aware of the difference between him and a genin from a jonin team before, but it was now that the reality had truly struck him in the face that he was aware that the difference wasn't as short as he assumed but that of a canyon which couldn't be surmounted.
He couldn't help but hate the unknown entity that had dumped him in this world, if it even existed. If he was to be sent to this world, why couldn't he have been sent a couple of years earlier— even a single year would've been enough. But, NO!He had to be sent with only one year to the most important turning point of a shinobi's life. If he had more time, Takuma would've worked harder and made it on a jonin team.
He resented this world for being as harsh as it was. He resented the system which had created the inequality he suffered under. He resented those who held the privilege while he struggled in the mud. He resented this village—
"Takuma, is something wrong?" asked Mikoto.
Takuma closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He felt his raging heart and pulled a curtain over it as he opened his eyes and looked at Mikoto. The woman in front of him was part of the problem, but at the same time, she was his benefactor who was teaching him genjutsu and had just now gifted him four jutsu scrolls.
"Just a little overwhelmed, ma'am," Takuma said, his voice softer than usual. "I feel an increased pressure not to disappoint you after you treat me with such generosity."
"Do you dislike being under pressure, Takuma?" asked Mikoto.
Takuma's tired eyes widened. Before he knew it, a laugh escaped him. Did he dislike him being under pressure? "Yes, I do. I dislike it deeply," he replied.
From the day he had become Takuma, he had been under constant pressure without a single moment of reprieve. He could no longer recall what his days as a carefree college sophomore felt like. What did he do all day? He didn't have a job with pressure to earn a living, had no chores at home, and no responsibilities other than studying, which he didn't take seriously— Takuma couldn't recall going back to those days, and yet those days were all he wanted.
He hated every single moment of his new life. Yes, he had built relationships he cherished more than anything and learned more than he imagined he would; Takuma liked the current version of himself— he was confident, competent, and an overall better person in every category that mattered. And yet, if given a choice, he would choose not to live the three years of his life.
But that was not a choice.
"But under pressure is when I perform the best."
Takuma felt a calm descend in his heart as a solid line of thought emerged from within his chaotic mind.
His one goal from Day-1 had been survival. Takuma now realized that his goal had been part of the problem. Survival meant continuing to live in spite of an accident, ordeal, or difficult circumstances. That type of existence was a constant struggle. He needed a new goal.
Survival be damned— he needed to thrive.
The cracked steel in his heart became whole again, stronger than before.
He couldn't change the world, not as he was now, and he didn't know if he wanted to change the world. So, the only other option was to change himself. If he was dissatisfied with his treatment, he needed to reach a position where his current dissatisfactions became non-matters.
Takuma looked at Mikoto. "Ma'am, I will be a jonin of the Hidden Leaf one day. It's one of my new goals."
Mikoto laughed. "Your new goal is to be a jonin? I thought that was the goal of every child of your age. What was your goal till now?"
"The old goal doesn't matter, ma'am. Only the new one does."
"If you say so," said Mikoto, amused. "I expect to be treated to a lavish celebration worthy of a jonin when you achieve your goal."
"As you wish," Takuma said.
It didn't matter if he wasn't privileged to resources by his peers. If he wanted them, he just needed to get them in some other way, as he had done till now. Nothing had changed, only his goal. He simply needed to work harder, longer, smarter until he had everything he could ever want.
He hated this world, which made him hate his life.
No matter what it took, he was going to change that.
It was as simple as that.
The sound of footsteps interrupted his thoughts. Takuma looked at the time, and it wasn't the time for an academy student to be back home. When he focused on the footsteps, he realized they weren't from a child. The footsteps were heavy, uniform, disciplined, and strangely evoked a sense of authority.
He looked up at the door as the footsteps neared, and a figure Takuma recognized appeared at the door.
"Dear, you are home," Mikoto said in surprise. "Did you tell me you would have lunch at home?"
"No," said the man. "I came for some documents in my study."
The man had short, brown hair reaching his shoulders and onyx-colored eyes with visible creases below that gave him a naturally stern look. He wore the standard flak jacket, along with a black shirt with the Police Force symbol on the shoulders, shin guards, and a black, open-front apron with white diamonds on the bottom.
The man was Uchiha Fugaku, the Commander-in-Chief of the Leaf Military Police Force, the Head of the Uchiha Clan. One of the most politically powerful people in the Land of Fire, one of the shrewdest leaders through the generations, and one of the strongest shinobi in the Hidden Leaf, his talents were said to be only second to the Fourth Hokage, which made him one prime candidate for the same position.
Takuma stood up to greet his boss.
Fugaku turned his gaze to Takuma.
"This is Takuma," Mikoto introduced. She didn't introduce her husband; there was no need to.
Fugaku nodded in greeting, which Takuma returned with a deep bow.
"Now that you're here, would you like to have lunch?" asked Mikoto.
Fugaku nodded.
"Takuma, can we end our lesson here today?" Mikoto turned to Takuma.
"Yes, ma'am. I'll take my leave," said Takuma, reading the room.
But as he was picking up his newly-acquired genjutsu scrolls,
"Genin Takuma, seeing that your lesson ended early," said Fugaku. "I would like to have a conversation with you."
———
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AN: So, when I started this chapter, I thought it would be focused on genjutsu just like the previous one. But as I wrote Mikoto giving Takuma the scrolls, the direction of the chapter changed.
At first, I thought Takuma would be elated with getting free jutsu without spending a dime. But then I wondered if that's what Takuma would actually feel. After working so hard he had slowly built his jutsu collection which had 5 D-rank jutsu in it, and on the first day of his genjutsu lesson, he was given 4 of them. I realized that elation wouldn't be Takuma's reaction. It would be something similar to what I wrote. I felt he would break down, which I did my best to portray.
What next? I wondered. When something's broken, it needs to be built up. So, I thought what would Takuma do his breakdown. In my mind, Takuma lacks several things— he lacks a lot of important qualities— but if he's one thing, he's resilient. He had been knocked down several times, and each time, he got up stronger than before. It's his resolve, his will— the steel in his heart— which is his strongest asset.
I always thought that the "thrive not survive" moment in fanfiction and webnovels was always so cheesy and not earned most of them time. It always happened after a single event hardship. But in Takuma's case, he already has nearly 3 years of hardship in his resume, so I thought he had earned that change in mentality.
He was grinding before. But now he's going to grind while on the "sigma grindset." LOL. But, on a serious note, tell me what you guys think of this pivotal moment in Takuma's life. And because this is [Naruto: The Outsider's Resolve] and we follow traditions seriously, we had to knock Takuma down when he was feeling up— so, enter Uchiha Fugaku.
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AN[2]: The review from Patreon chapters was sub-par, meh, [sure, why not]. They didn't have a problem with survive -> thrive— but they weren't in love in with the execution. Too much in too little time? But I wrote myself into it; can't change it now. This reminds of the time when Takuma went into a coma after realizing he might not be able to use chakra.
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The link is in the synopsis!
Chapitre 136: CH_4.36 (136)
Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over to Patreón @
[ https://www.patreón.com/fictiononlyreader ]
The link is also in the synopsis
———
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Takuma's thoughts raced at the sudden invitation (read as: order) from Fugaku.
"Police Force business?" asked Mikoto.
"Something like that," Fugaku said. They exchanged a look that Takuma missed in his alarm.
"Very well, the food will be ready in fifteen minutes," Mikoto said before walking away.
Takuma followed Fugaku through the massive house. He would've mapped his route and observed the entry and exit points, but his mind was occupied by speculations which turned crazier with every passing moment.
They reached a study-cum-office with a minimalist interior yet matched the rest of the traditional aesthetic of the house. Ink calligraphies, poems, and woodblock prints hung on the walls alongside ceremonial swords, daggers, and kunai. Ornate vases and other clay works sat in displays, some of them beautifully elevated through repairs using the kintsugi method. On the other side, an entire wall was dedicated to a library of scrolls and books.
Takuma sat across Fugaku with a large desk between them. He had some time to gather himself, but by no means was he calm. He didn't think this meeting was about his unsavory secrets, or else he wouldn't have been allowed near the house, much less inside it, which could only mean the discussion was about his work in the Organized Crime Division. If he knew he was going to present his work and plans to the big boss, then he would've prepared for it. If he did it poorly, his team might as well be scrapped before the one-month trial period he had managed to negotiate. But if he did well… He straightened himself and went through the key points in his mind; he had to answer any question asked clearly and in the most complete way possible.
"How is the job treating you, Genin Takuma?" Fugaku gazed at Takuma with calm eyes. "You were part of our first expansion recruitment. I believe you've been in the force long enough to get comfortable in your position."
"The work is challenging but fulfilling, sir. My peers and supervisors did a great job of bringing a novice like me up to speed, and thankfully, I've been able to pull my weight inside the department," Takuma replied. He applauded the work, complimented his coworkers, and finished with a few words of humble praise for himself.
"Organized Crime, correct? That's a difficult position to start as a rookie. To be able to perform under those expectations deserves nothing less than praise," Fugaku's words were praising, but his face remained still, and yet, there wasn't a sense of disconcertion in that. "I myself was part of the Organized Crime Division once; they do good work. I hope you'll continue serving the village with all you have."
"Of course, sir," replied Takuma.
Fugaku then engaged Takuma in a line of questioning revolving around the Police Force from the point of view of someone in his position. All the questions were point and specific, and it was clear what Fugaku wanted to know; with each passing question, Takuma realized Fugaku was collecting information. It seemed the Commander-in-Chief wished to know the ground reality from someone who wasn't in a supervisory position. Even though Takuma had very recently assumed his new position as the leader of the new narcotics team, which was a supervisory position, he was perfectly suited to answer the questions.
Takuma worded his answers carefully. He didn't outright badmouth anything or anyone because that could get him in trouble, but he did offer some suggestions and add some of the insights he noted as a relatively new outside hire.
"I was informed that a narcotics task force was given the go with you as its leader," said Fugaku. "That's a heavy responsibility for someone as young and new as yourself. Do you feel you're equipped to handle it? If I remember correctly, you only asked for a month to produce results— a month slips through the fingers before one realizes… Do you need more time?"
Takuma felt Fugaku's eyes on him. Even without the Sharingan, the man before him was an experienced shinobi and commander in charge of an entire clan and the organization which enforced the law in a shinobi village.
"… No, sir. I do not require more time. My team will produce the promised results by the decided deadline," said Takuma. He considered jumping at the offer of more time but then wondered what impression it would send. It hadn't even been a week since the team had been established, and if he, the leader, was already thinking about more time, then perhaps the new team hadn't given their plans enough thought. "I'm confident that my team will exist past the thirty days given to us."
Fugaku nodded, a hint of approval flashing on his face, which disappeared faster than it appeared.
He said, "It seems you're going through a good spell, Genin Takuma. You took a risk and hit it big in the Maiko Triad case— converted that success into your own task force— and you were even rewarded with genjutsu lessons from my wife, a jonin. I know a good streak when I see one…"
Takuma chuckled. "I simply made most of my situation, sir."
"… not to mention the massive victory you just scored in the Ring."
Takuma felt a cold shiver go up his body while his body temperature shot up several degrees within the span of seconds. Tremors appeared in his hands and clenching them into fists did nothing to settle them. It took every drop of his will and control to keep his face in check as he gazed at Fugaku, who looked no different from before.
"… Pardon, sir?"
"Your big victory in, I believe, the ninjutsu category, Genin Takuma. Or would you prefer me to address you by your Ring moniker… Scars." Every word out of Fugaku's mouth was a sledgehammer against his head and heart. "Allow me to congratulate you. I was told that it's a big event in a Ring fighter's career to win their first fight in the ninjutsu category. I apologize if I get something wrong; I don't keep up with the finer details."
"… I apologize, sir. I'm confused… You might have the wrong person. I'm not—"
Fugaku shook his head. He didn't even need to speak, and Takuma terminated his attempt to talk his way out of the ditch he was currently in.
"There's no rule forbidding an officer of the Police Force from being involved with the Ring. We never needed one because we never had civilian-born shinobi in our ranks before your batch joined," said Fugaku. Takuma wanted to look away, but something in Fugaku's gaze made Takuma maintain solid eye contact with the man. "I was conflicted about how to feel about this, even after having the time to think… I am still conflicted. On the one hand, I prefer if none of our officers have any connection with that organization, but at the same time, the Ring exists for a reason, and shinobi like you benefit from it. I'm sure you have reaped numerous gains; after all, you have reached the ninjutsu category."
Takuma was drawing zeroes on what to do in a situation like this. The person before him outclassed him in every single aspect of life. He was in real danger— but he couldn't simply sit there and not try anything. He picked a direction and decided to go hard in it.
"… Am I in trouble, sir?" he asked.
"Do you think you're in trouble, Genin Takuma?"
"I don't believe so, sir. As you said, the Ring exists for a reason, and I utilized it for all the benefits it could provide me… I made the best of what my situation presented to me," said Takuma as if he had done nothing wrong.
"Then why hide it? I didn't see the mention of your illustrious career in your application," asked Fugaka.
"I didn't want to be judged by my peers. You mentioned it yourself, sir. Ring only became an issue when civilian-born shinobi entered the Police Force; clan shinobi don't participate in the Ring— but I know its image in clan circles. The Police Force was a big opportunity, and I didn't want to see it ruined because I did something else for the betterment of my career," said Takuma in justification. "I simply wanted to be treated fairly, and it would take one supervising officer to look at it negatively for my progress to be throttled."
Takuma stopped when he realized that his speech cadence had jumped up and took a moment to collect himself. He didn't continue and faced Fugaku without a hint of fear on his face, even though, inside, his heart and mind were declaring an emergency. A lot depended upon how Fugaku would react to his justifications.
"… I don't have a problem with your participation in the Ring. I get to have a shinobi in my ranks with extensive combat training without paying for it. And clearly, the Ring is not affecting your work," said Fugaku. But then he continued by saying, "The conflict arises when I wonder if your associations from that part of your life would affect your judgment as an officer of the Police Force. I hope you understand what I'm saying…"
'Does he know?' Takuma's heartbeat spiked. He had no way of checking without directly asking and he wasn't going to do that in case Fugaku didn't know. "Takuma and Scars are two separate entities, sir. Scars only exist when I'm down in the tunnels; the moment I exit, I become Takuma, and when I don my uniform, I assume the responsibilities my position demands from me. Keeping my lives separate is the only reason why I have been able to come this far without ruining it all."
His identity as a Ring fighter contributed to only a fifth of his tension, panic, and nerves ready to burst; the rest was his status as Tobi, his work with Ryuu, and his connection to Enomoto. The Ring was an open secret that was actively ignored, but the drug industry was one hundred percent illegal and a target for eliminating any chance the Police Force got. If he got implicated, he would be crushed without any chance for rebuttal.
Takuma needed Fugaku to believe him.
"… I hope that is true, Genin Takuma." Fugaku leaned forward. "If I find that you've been misusing your position in the Police Force… I don't need to tell you the outcome. I'm happy with what you have done till now and would hate to lose a shinobi like you. Keep that in mind when you're at a crossroads and have a decision to make."
"Understood… sir," Takuma nodded.
It looked like Fugaku was done speaking.
Takuma, however, wasn't done— he had some pressing questions he needed to clear.
"Who else knows about this, sir?" asked Takuma.
"Not many people. Me, Jonin Sayuri (Head of Organized Crime), Chunin Yakumi (Kano's direct supervisor), Chunin Setsuna. But it'll be put on your file, so any Police Force jonin who wishes to look into your personnel records will know," answered Fugaku. That was a problem. Takuma opened his mouth to speak but was shut down by Fugaku. "It'll remain your Police Force personnel file, Genin Takuma. That's not negotiable. Be thankful that we aren't sharing it to the village-wide file."
Takuma closed his eyes and sighed. Now he had to be extra careful when dealing with a Police Force jonin in case they felt the need to look into his personnel file. He wasn't in immediate danger, as checking personnel files was frowned upon. He needed to build influence inside the Police Force as quickly as possible so if one day someone did bring up his Ring involvement, it wouldn't matter.
"You hid it well," Fugaku said. "It didn't come up in the screening when we hired you. It was because you were going to be a regular at my house that we had to do another check." He looked at Takuma with a smile, "After all, we can't let anyone enter this house, can we?"
Suddenly, Takuma was glad he used Tobi as an alternate identity for drug dealing.
"Does Jonin Mikoto know?" he asked.
"Of course, my wife knows. She was the first one to see the report."
Takuma couldn't help but smile bitterly.
Why couldn't he, just once, get an opportunity without a hidden caveat that always created problems for him?
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———
Chat with me and the rest of the community on our DISCORD server.
The link is in the synopsis!
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
200+ Classement
Power Stone 
109 Power
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