I was sitting in a shitty apartment with a crying woman and surrounded by corpses.
I feel like my life took a wrong turn somewhere...
The reality of the situation hit me, I had just experimented on six people and killed three of them.
This was my life from now on, this would only happen more in the future.
I blew a heavy breath from my nose and stood up.
It seems crying women are my weakness.
Perhaps a gift before I go...
...
I gave the woman one final check-over, her chakra system was still a little fragile but she now had bigger reserves then myself.
I blew a breath out of my nose while I rubbed my eyes.
I think it's time I got out of here.
I sent the sleeping woman a wave as I made my way to the door.
I left the woman and the other survivors in the apartment after gathering the corpses for later research.
Food storage scrolls were fantastic, expensive but fantastic...
Gotta love a little time dilation...
I think I might need more food storage scrolls...
...
I made my way out of the city towards Iwa and Kusa's shared border after dropping my Henge.
According to the scroll, Shiro Renzo had been wandering the border and killing Kusa shinobi.
He had his Genin team with him and was showing them the ropes.
I was still undecided about going for a total wipe and killing him and his students.
I wasn't sure I wanted to start killing kids.
Sigh...
...
Grass's capital was extremely close to its border.
So, it was just a short half an hour trip that I made with my Byakugan active.
A lot was going on, both Konoha and Kusa shinobi were heavily patrolling the border.
The Iwa shinobi seemed to have set up camps and were using hit and run tactics.
Though it seemed that neither side crossed the border, they only threw weapons and the occasional jutsu at each other.
...
I spent my day wandering the border Byakugan active trying to find my target.
I of course had no luck.
I did meet some friendly Konoha and Kusa shinobi though.
The cannon fodder from Konoha wasn't much help, but the Kusa shinobi pointed me to Shiro Renzo's last known location.
He had a Genin with Explosive Release on his team who was stirring up some trouble.
He also had a Kamizuru on hand as well...
Kamizuru were Iwa's version of the Aburame, only they used bees, wasps, and hornets.
Which was extremely annoying...
Shiro Renzo was likely strong, only the stronger Jonin get clan children in their teams.
Or at least that's how it was in Konoha...
I doubted it was any different in Iwa.
...
I wandered the area where Shiro's team was last spotted.
...I think I need a different name for Shiro...
Evil Shiro?
No... that should be my name if anything...
Shiro the second?
Shiro number two?
Iwa Shiro?
Black haired Shiro?
Black Shiro?
Kuro Shiro?
Enemy Shiro?
That's it...
Enemy Shiro...
...
I wandered the area for a while longer.
Eventually, I decided that staying on this side of the border and following the unspoken rules would get me nowhere.
No one told me I had to stay in Kusa after all.
I deactivated my Gravity Seal and checked my weapons.
...
Boom*
I felt the heat of the explosion wash over me from my position behind a tree.
It seems Iwa's shinobi were pretty good.
I had hidden my chakra and I was sure there were no bees, wasps, or hornets around.
How did these assholes find me?
I did a quick count and saw fourteen ninjas were approaching me, with more on the way.
I had forgone Chikaku no kyōka for range and so far, it was paying off.
I was outmaneuvering them and avoiding attempts to surround me.
Boom*
Though one Chunin was getting a little annoying with his constant explosions.
I grabbed a handful of explosive tags and started slapping them on trees as I passed.
I had finished slapping several down when the first had started exploding.
Boom*
Boom*
Boom*
Boom*
Boom*
Boom*
Boom*
My explosive tags only caught one Chunin but they slowed the rest of my pursuers.
Which was what I needed, having to dodge thrown weapons and flying chunks of rock had slowed my speed.
I activated Chikaku no kyōka and sped off towards the border with a chain of Shunshins.
I arrived back at the border annoyed but whole and hale.
I didn't see any sign of Enemy Shiro or his team.
The second I stopped traveling along the trees and touched the ground, I was swarmed by ninja.
Iwa seemed to have some method of sensing using the ground, what was worse was that it had an extreme range and was invisible to my Byakugan.
My late-night trip into enemy territory had proved fruitless.
Though at least I learned something.
...
"But Aoi, he's just a kid!"
Another trip into Iwa's territory the following day provided similar results.
"It doesn't matter! Even if he's a kid now he won't always be! Soon he'll have grown and he'll be killing our brothers and sisters! By then it will be too late for regrets!"
Though this time they had successfully surrounded me.
"But he's a kid now! Who knows what will happen in the future! He might quit being a ninja after a scare!"
Though there were only eight of them.
And no one was throwing explosive tags at me.
Which was always a plus.
I sighed...
The two idiots had forgotten about me and were fighting while the other six alternated between watching me and watching the idiot duo.
Though they were underestimating me because I lacked a flack jacket, something available to anyone above Genin.
I felt my heart beating against my chest and took a deep breath.
In through the nose.
I activated Chikaku no kyōka foregoing my Byakugan's range and my world slowed.
Out through the mouth.
My legs flooded with chakra, and my fingertips glowed lightly.
I bent my knees slightly and took off in a burst of speed towards the ninja with the most chakra.
He didn't have time to do more than widen his eyes slightly before he died from a strike to the heart.
Another Shunshin and another strike to the heart, and the female Chunin next to my first target died.
Though the other ninja seemed to have caught on and were now paying attention to me.
I Shunshined to the next closest ninja and aimed a strike at his heart.
He was quicker than his fallen comrades and dodged three of my strikes in quick succession before I tagged him on the gut with the fourth.
He wasn't dead but he was out of the fight and screaming bloody murder, the remaining five ninjas were quickly approaching trying to team-up on me so I Shunshined to the farthest ninja who was making hand-signs and preparing to launch a technique.
I tried to strike him in the lower back but he turned and intercepted my strike with a half-formed stone gauntlet.
I blinked and tried to strike him six more times but my strikes were intercepted each time.
My enemy sent me a smirk.
Smarmy bastard.
I briefly eyed my remaining opponents.
The one advocating for my survival was trying to help his injured comrade and stopped his pursuit, the one arguing with him was guarding his back.
The remaining two were headed my way.
I sent another two strikes at my opponent and wasn't surprised when he blocked them.
Annoying...
If at first you don't succeed...
The chakra in my hands shifted, started spinning, soon becoming a visible blue swirling drill of chakra.
I struck my opponent's gantlets with lackluster results...
My chakra drill sheared through the stone gauntlet and part of his hand before it ran out of steam.
My opponent let out a grunt.
"Argh!"
Though the pain my chakra drill caused him did provide me with an opportunity.
I jumped and aimed my second chakra drill at his throat and sheared half of it away.
Though I got covered in blood for my trouble.
I used his body as a launchpad and jumped into a nearby tree.
My pursuers had retreated and were grouped up and covering my advocate while he tried fruitlessly to save his still wailing comrade.
I grinned at them.
I thought they would pursue, but I guess not...
A few tense seconds passed, the Iwa ninja were grouped and I was watching them from my spot on the tree.
My advocate had given up on his comrade and looked lost in thought.
My advocate stood and focused on me.
A few more seconds passed.
I got tired of waiting and sent a Vacuum Palm at the group.
The ninja at the front of the group got hit and tumbled away.
Seeing that I was successful I sent two more Vacuum Palms at the group and Shunshined at to the one that was tumbling away.
Crack*
A One For All stomp to the chest finished her.
I blew a breath out of my nose.
The remaining three had recovered and entered a formation.
I eyed them closely, they weren't making hand-sighs or trying to palm an explosive note.
What was their game?
I caught a flicker at the edge of my range.
Shit...
I deactivated Chikaku no kyōka and expanded my range.
Another eight ninjas were approaching, they seemed to be surrounding me.
I didn't have enough chakra to fight that many.
I activated Chikaku no kyōka and sent a two-handed Vacuum Palm at the group and Shunshined towards one of the ninjas trying to surround me.
I tapped him on the knee as I passed, crippling him and hopefully slowing any pursuers.
Hopefully, they would stop and help their injured comrade.
...
They didn't stop and help their injured comrade, though that didn't stop me from escaping.
I made it well past the border and rubbed my irritated eyes.
I think I used them too much.
I stopped to give my eyes a break and got surrounded
.Annoying...
I made my way to one of Konoha's unofficial camps, hoping to get some rest.
This mission was proving to be annoying...
Perhaps I should have stayed within The Land Of Fire...?
...
A new day dawned marking my sixth day on the mission.
I activated my Byakugan and took note of the lack of clan shinobi, perhaps they didn't want to consume their strength before the war even began...?
I blew a breath through my nose.
I don't think I'm doing any more assassination missions anytime soon...
I wandered around the camp looking for things to do.
I had no plans on doing any fighting today, I've had enough excitement for a while.
I came across Konoha's field hospital, it was hastily built with Earth Release but looked rather sturdy.
I wonder if I could offer my services?
...
"...and we don't have any time to mess around so scram!"
After being laughed at and getting an ear beating from a malnourished looking med-nin I was roughly escorted out.
I figured they'd at least need someone to apply bandages or clean wounds and give me a chance.
But if they're going to be assholes...
I looked at the malnourished idiot.
I held my hand up and it glowed green for a moment before I switched to my chakra scalpels.
I took a second to take in the look of shock on the idiot's face before I disappeared in a Shunshin.
...
With nothing to do, I sent a clone to the capital and I made my way back to the border.
Every time I crossed the border, they seemed to hone onto me regardless of what I did.
At first, I thought they were using insects or some sort of earth sensing method to find me but that didn't seem to be the case.
Even when there were no insects or I was up in the trees they were still able to locate and track me.
Did they have a Senjutsu user?
...
I traveled along the border Byakugan active.
There was no sign of Fuinjutsu nor was there chakra present in the ground, so it didn't look like anyone was using a technique of some kind.
I was about four hours away from where I had last fought, I figured their sensing couldn't possibly extend this far...
I silently crept past the border, there were no trees here providing me little cover.
...
I watched as Four Iwa ninja started making their way towards me.
I thought they could detect my chakra levels and that's why squads of Iwa shinobi had come after me each time.
Though that might not be the case...
Maybe their forces are just heavily concentrated around Grass's capital?
Hmmm...
Iwa shinobi all seemed to wear red clothing with brown flak jackets.
It looked pretty cool but also made them easy to spot.
I palmed a bone senbon and started heading to the right.
I watched one ninja make some hand signs and point in my direction.
Did each team have a sensor or something?
I coated the senbon in electricity and watched as the apparent sensor made more hand signs.
The team slowed and started approaching slower, the sensor retreated towards the back of the group and withdrew a sword.
I started making my way left trying to get a line of sight on the team.
...
Eventually, I was confident and I took my shot.
I flung the senbon with a Shunshin enhanced throw.
It hit the sensor directly in the gut and the senbon continued through him and into a tree behind him.
The sensor fell and grunted and one of the team members positioned himself in front of him while the others started making their way towards me.
It's likely the sensor won't survive... Gut wounds are often fatal...
I decided that my work for the day was done, I disappeared in a Shunshin toward the border.
...
I made my way back to the camp lost in thought.
Lightning coated senbon were extremely effective.
Perhaps what my chakra drill needed was lightning?
And maybe the Rasengan as well...
Maybe everything needs some Lightning?
Something new to test...
...
I made it back to camp, surprisingly my clone hadn't dispelled yet.
I dispelled it to prevent future trouble and leaned on a tree while I absorbed its memories.
...
My clone hadn't caused much trouble, he just took over a clinic and started providing free treatment.
Though I wish he hadn't started offering 'plastic surgery'.
Now men and women were walking around with much larger assets than they originally had.
I rubbed my eyes, I don't know I'd be able to resist the temptation to do the same to myself.
Especially in my teenage years...
Now that I knew I could do it, could I stop myself...?
Sigh...
...
I sat in a room I had rented, I enjoyed the camp and all but I'd rather a bed then a bedroll.
I was kicking around the thought of assimilating that woman's cells.
My main problem was that it would change my chakra nature, and I would come off differently to sensors.
Something that shouldn't happen outside of Konoha...
I also didn't need the healing or the water affinity either...
But the woman's adaptability was interesting, if I had the same, I could probably assimilate whatever bloodline I wanted...
Though there was no need to rush, I was plenty strong as it was.
..Perhaps I should start taking missions around Kiri?
I wanted the Shikotsumyaku after all...
...What other bloodlines were interesting?
I remember that there was a clan of people who could turn their bodies into smoke similar to the Hozuki clan's weird water body...
Sigh...
I shouldn't get overly excited...
I had a lot of time before things really kicked off.
My day had started well until I was ambushed.
"Shiro!"
No!
I was picked up and spun.
"Hello Kushina, what brings you here?"
And when would I be too big to be picked up?
"Your mother sent me?"
Why did that sound like a question...
"Oh, did she...? What does she want?"
Kushina pressed her head against mine as she 'hummed'.
"Hmmm... She got a mandatory mission, and has to chase some traitor."
Ah, someone got sensitive intel and they needed someone to grab them.
"How many people are on the mission?"
The number of people sent deepened on how strong the traitor was and how much combat was expected.
Though these missions were usually done by the Anbu meaning they were likely short staffed...
"No clue!"
Alright...
"So, what brings you here?"
I couldn't remember If I got an answer.
Kushina set me down, put her hands on her hips, and adopted a serious expression
"Your mother wants me to stop you from fighting with the Iwa-nin."
She leaned and stared me down, I took the time to take in her new appearance she was wearing the standard Jonin attire and had her hair in a ponytail with her Hiatae on her forehead.
"So..."
She reached down and started tapping me on the nose.
"...No..."
Tap*
"...Fighting..."
Tap*
"...With..."
Tap*
"...The..."
Tap*
"...Iwa..."
Tap*
"...Nin"
She straightened and sent me a brilliant smile.
"Ok?"
Well, it's a bit late...
"Understood."
I sent her a nod, no more fighting Iwa-nin...
And she ruffled my hair.
"Your so cute Shiro!"
I am cute...
...
"So... My mission was to assassinate an Iwa Jonin..."
Meaning I was fighting with the Iwa-nin, which was exactly what I was just told not to do...
"Shiro..."
Kushina bent down and reached her index finger towards my nose.
I deftly stepped away, avoiding more nose taps.
Kushina sent me a pout in response.
She straightened and crossed her arms.
"No fighting with the Iwa-nin."
How am I supposed to do the mission?
I raised an eyebrow at her.
"What am I supposed to do then?"
Kushina smiled at me and scooped me up.
"You're working at the field hospital while I do the mission!"
What?
...
We arrived at the hospital, a med-nin was waiting for us at the entrance.
He was bald and looked to be furious.
"Shiro, you're with me."
He turned and walked into the building.
I squirmed out of Kushina's embrace and quickly followed after him, only sparing a second to send Kushina a wave as I left.
...
"I've been told your competent, all you have to do is not kill anyone."
That shouldn't be hard.
"Ok, where should I start?"
The room we were in was large and filled with stabilized but still injured people.
"No one is dying, so take your time and do it right."
He pointed vaguely towards the left side of the room while he started walking to the right, he paused midway.
"Be careful, injured ninja are jumpy. Make sure to speak loudly and tell them what your doing, don't be sneaking up on anyone."
Alright...
I approached the first bed on the right.
"Hello, I'm Shiro, I'll be healing you shortly."
...
I was making my way through the injured ninja at a good pace.
My minder was stuck on a female ninja who wouldn't let him heal her.
"Sit down you stupid bitch!"
He gave up and knocked her unconscious and started healing her.
I raised an eyebrow.
What terrible bedside manner.
"So, what's your name."
My minder side-eyed me, I don't think he's looked any less furious than when I first met him.
"Enomoto Keiji."
He grunted his name at me and focused back onto his patient.
Alrighty...
...
I finished my side a little after Keiji finished his.
I raised an eyebrow at him, wondering what's next.
I think that was praise?
"Thanks."
I sent him a nod.
"Ok, we're on break now, eat and come back in like an hour. I'll be in the next room over."
He jutted his thumb in the direction of the door, before jumping out a window and disappearing.
I was left standing alone in a room full of unconscious patients.
When in Rome?
I jumped out the same window Keiji left from.
...
I returned forty-five minutes later and made my way to the room Keiji had specified.
The room was the same as the one before except the people here were conscious and loudly moaning in pain.
I spared a second looking for any clan ninja but didn't see any.
I couldn't just stand there and listen to them moan so I got to work.
...
"I see you've gotten started."
Keiji arrived with a cigarette dangling from his mouth.
"Yep."
I was healing a woman with a large burn wound on her side, it wasn't something I was familiar with as the civilians I healed have never had their clothes burnt onto their torso.
"Why are the people here awake?"
The other room was full of unconscious people, only one or two being awake.
"These are the Genin and Chunin, we're expected to be able to dodge them when they try to hit us."
So, they sedate the strong ones...?
Ok...
"And these are the ones with minimal injuries, there's another section dedicated to surgery and stuff."
I paused to watch him swat someone's hand away from his cigarette.
"That's mine bitch."
I blinked.
Keiji had destroyed the filter on the cigarette with his teeth making it unusable.
Cotton was coming out of the cigarettes filter...
I turned back to the woman, cutting parts of her shirt that were burnt into her skin from her with a chakra scalpel.
If these were minimal injuries, I wondered what was considered major injuries.
...
We made through another room after the second before calling it a day, Keiji's mood never seemed to improve as he seemed to be perpetually angry.
We didn't run into any other med-nin, the only people I saw were 'trainees' who were changing diapers or cleaning wounds and sometimes sedating uncooperative patients.
The hospital was divided oddly, the lower your rank the more 'roommates' you had. If you were a Genin you pretty much shared your room with five other wounded Genin.
It sucked in my opinion, but I guess you couldn't treat the Jonin like Genin.
...
I was sneaking out of camp hoping to escape Kushina's affection.
"Shiro!"
But of course, it wasn't to be.
Kushina picked me up and held me to her chest leaving my legs dangling.
"Hello."
Kushina used one of her hands to ruffle my hair and set off.
Kushina started making her way through the camp, I had to endure the stares of my fellow ninja as I was carried.
...
Kushina spent the walk telling me about Mikoto.
She was pregnant and moody.
Though Kushina used the words 'not fun' instead of moody.
...
Kushina brought me to a tent and set me down before entering.
I followed her in wondering what was up.
"Fuinjutsu time!"
Kushina proceeded to fill the room with smoke as she unsealed an assortment of paper and sealing tools.
"Is it alright to do this in the camp?"
Kushina smiled.
"Don't worry."
That didn't answer my question.
...
"You are doing amazing Shiro!"
I apricated the praise, but the supportive backrub was too much.
"Thanks."
My progress in Fuinjutsu was mediocre, all I could do was copy excising seals, I wouldn't be making anything original anytime soon.
I think Fuinjutsu bullshittery was a few years off, which sucked as I wanted to use Fuinjutsu to get to the moon.
So, no Tenseigan for me...
Should I have gotten into Fuinjutsu earlier?
I finished the final stroke on the Silence Seal I had been making.
It worked but even I with my mediocre experience could tell that it was clunky.
...
"Fuinjutsu is all about intent, there is no correct alphabet. You can draw whatever you want as long as there is structure and intent."
That sounded too good to be true.
"However, if your intent wavers during the drawing of the seal it becomes unusable."
That still sounded too good to be true, but who was I to argue with an Uzumaki...
"Do I need to have intent for each character or just the seal in general? And what do you mean by structure?"
Kushina picked up a brush dipped it in ink before infusing the tip of her brush with chakra. She drew a perfect circle with the Uzumaki swirl spiraling into the center.
"This is the structure or the foundation if you prefer, and you need intent in every brushstroke."
That was not how I was doing seals.
"What's with the chakra on the tip of the brush? And can you do that again I want to watch with my Byakugan."
Kushina dipped her brush tip into the ink and started on her circle.
I activated my Byakugan eager to see what was happening.
"The chakra is how I infuse my intent into the seal."
I watched her chakra drain at an astonishing pace, though at the rate her chakra regenerated I imagined her reserves would be full by the time she started on a second seal.
She slowed her pace while doing the Uzumaki spiral, her chakra expense stayed the same though the amount used changed as she needed more time to make the spiral.
"The structure of each seal depends on what you want it to do, you'll get a feel for it in time."
The way Kushina was doing Fuinjutsu was completely different from how I had been practicing, perhaps this is how you do it when you reach mastery?
I deactivated my Byakugan and closed my eyes.
I need to write this down and memorize it.
I opened my eyes to see Kushina had started on something else, her brush flew across the page without an ounce of hesitation in her movements.
Her movements were fluid and natural, born from countless hours of practice and repetition.
It was something I hoped to one day achieve myself.
I turned my eyes away from her and looked at my paper.
I picked up my brush, dipping it in ink, gathering chakra on the tip, and bringing it down onto the page.
Mastery would come with time.
Though now I had something to experiment with.
...
I arrived the day after ready for another day at the hospital.
I walked into what was considered the staff room and took a seat waiting for Keiji.
I liked him so far, he wasn't friendly or nice but I got along with him.
I held my finger out and a tiny Rasengan swirled into existence, I let the chakra unravel and the Rasengan dispersed.
I formed the Rasengan again this time adding some electricity to it.
The lightning was gathering in the center of the Rasengan and lashing out in tiny steams of blue lightning, I wasn't sure if that's what I wanted but I couldn't imagine a way that it would go better.
I let it disperse and leaned back into my chair, throwing my leg over my knee and crossing my arms.
That felt too easy.
Would it shock or would it pierce?
Did it need more electricity?
I blew a breath out of my nose and closed my eyes.
Questions... Questions...
...
"During battles, the thing that kills you isn't enemy ninja, it's usually explosions or Ninjutsu."
This came from a ninja that was laying on his stomach as he had six Kunai jutting from his back.
"An explosion did this?"
He Chuckled.
"After I killed this bastard with an explosive tag his friends fill me with kunai."
Fair enough...
I hummed in reply.
A quick scan revealed a shuriken in his leg.
"Hmmm... the shuriken hit an artery."
He let out a pained laugh.
"I didn't feel it until you talked about it."
He had a senbon stuck his femur...
Who was throwing senbon hard enough to pierce bone?
"That's how adrenalin works when your no longer in danger you start feeling everything and experience a bit of a crash."
I hit him with the Anesthetic jutsu, before putting my hands on either side of the injury.
"Don't move, you're only feeling better you're not better."
He quirked his lips.
"You won't get any trouble from me."
I snorted.
"I hope not, I'd hate to have to tell your family that you died because I slipped."
He chuckled and his body shook, making me nervous.
My joke could become reality...
I nervously scratched my nose with my thumb before getting back to work.
I started manipulating his tissues to push the shuriken from his body, the process only took a few seconds...
Sadly I had to do this seven more times...
Blood started to spill from his injury.
Oops, forgot about the artery...
...
"...Ya, so my brother said 'Keiji I bet you're too scared to climb on the roof' and I showed him I climbed up the wall like a spider."
Keiji chuckled and scratched his face.
I asked him why he became a med-nin and was now getting his life story.
"And that bastard got mad and threw a rock at me!"
Keiji slammed his fist on the table making water slosh out of my glass slightly.
"So, I fell from way up high and hit my head and boom! I was different!"
Keiji took a sip from his glass before continuing.
"The moment I woke up I realized I wasn't the same, I couldn't stop myself from telling people to fuck off and I couldn't stop my thoughts from leaving my mouth."
He had what I'd call an evil grin on his face.
"Anyway, weeks later it became obvious I was now amazing with chakra. Ya see, the fall knocked some stuff loose but also tightened some stuff up!"
Keiji rubbed an arcing scar that went across the top of his head.
"Sadly I couldn't be a ninja, I kept running directly at my enemies and disobeying orders so they made a med-nin and now I fix idiots for a living."
Well... What an interesting life you've had Keiji...
"Thanks for telling me."
I sent him a nod.
"Any time you little shit!"
Keiji was one of a kind... as he got to know me better, he hid less of his true self.
He was one of the villages most accomplished medics, I had wondered what motivated him to become a great medic.
Turns out he hit his head and couldn't become a ninja... and thus was forced to be a med-nid...
Keiji was probably one of the most unique people I've ever met...
I want to go home! I want to go home! I want to go home!"
Someone was wailing on Keiji's side, I took a peek over my shoulder to see what Keiji would do.
Keiji stopped what he was doing and stalked over to the screaming teen.
"I want to go home."
The teen had stopped screaming when Keiji got close to him.
"Go ta sleep ya silly bitch!"
Keiji then hammer fisted his head.
Thwack*
My jaw dropped and I had to close my eyes for a moment.
What just happened?
I opened my eyes and Keiji had returned to healing his previous patient like nothing happened.
Did Keiji just punch one of the patient's unconscious?
I looked around looking for someone who had just seen what I saw.
I and a female ninja with a broken arm made eye contact and we shared a moment.
I broke the eye contact and rubbed my face with both my hands.
What a day...