章 10: N:RTK. 10. The Real Plan. (At Least A Part Of It)
Disclaimer: This fanfiction is a creative work inspired by the Naruto universe created by Masashi Kishimoto. It is not intended for profit or to infringe upon any copyrights associated with the original series. All recognizable characters and settings belong to their respective creators.
– – – – – – – – – – – – –
Last time on Naruto: Road To Kage. Chapter 9: The Guardian —
"You'll do great things, Satoru-kun, just don't rush it. Pace yourself, get comfortable walking, before you start running."
"I understand, sensei." He said, trying to hold back his tears, feeling recognized for all the hard work he had put in for the past 9 months felt cathartic. Seeing her recognize his talent and validate him was even better.
Now Continuing —
"As for the bodyguard thing that'll come later or hopefully never.. for now, I just want you to teach my granddaughter Tsunade about how to be a real Shinobi." She replied casually, like it was no big deal.
Despite her ambiguous words, Satoru didn't misunderstand her words, she didn't hope that he never became Tsunade's bodyguard because she didn't think he would do a good job.
But because she didn't want to see a day where Tsunade would be target by such people that she would need someone else's help just to survive.
A life like that, that helpless feeling, was soul crushing for a ninja and she hoped that her precious granddaughter never had live a life like that.
And to be honest he was hoping for the same because while he appreciated the trust she showed for him, he really didn't want to waste time babysitting an unruly brat.
Maybe after she had grown up a little more and learned how to behave with some civility.
Oh! Who was he kidding? Tsunade never listened to anyone.
So he decided to make a few excuses to dodge this responsibility that his new sensei was trying to put on his shoulders. "But I haven't even graduated from the academy yet."
"In 9 months, Satoru, you went from an academy trainee to the level you're at now." She didn't call him a chunin, as his power level was quite skewed because of his techniques but the serious look on her face said it all.
She wasn't about to back down on the topic and he couldn't help but wince slightly upon hearing it.
He truly regretted opening his big mouth; he had revealed way too much about himself but felt that he needed to do so to build a good relationship with her.
"But.." He tried to refute, but when he saw her look at him with a stern yet pleading gaze, he knew he would fold soon enough.
"But what?" She asked back, feeling a little annoyed.
"That was only possible because of how I trained, sensei.. I trained like a man possessed; it was like living in a hell of my own creation."
"I pushed myself beyond my limits many times and every time I tried a new seal, I knew, I was putting my life on the line. But I had no other choice, she does; I nearly died once, she doesn't have to."
"I'm not even 6 years old, as you said, but I've got an ugly burn scar that stretches across my back. But I don't regret it.. because to me it was the price I paid to learn an invaluable lesson."
"That a single mistake, a single misstep.. that is all it takes to lose one's life, when they walk the way of the Ninja."
"Do you really want that for her? I don't think I can find it in me to push her like that.. She is just a child, sensei." He replied in a sorry tone.
'But so are you, Satoru-kun,' Mito thought in her mind, obviously unaware of Satoru's nature as a reincarnate. She just wanted to prepare her granddaughter to be prepared to face whatever the world could throw at her.
The fate of captured female Shinobi's was worse than that of their male counterparts; they were drugged and raped before being killed off in the name of interrogation.
And god forbid if the female Shinobi belonged to a clan possessing a bloodline like the Hyuga, Senju or the Uchiha. Then her fate would be even worse.
She would be used a broodmare and be constantly raped, forced to give birth to children that she would never see again. Children who would be used for their clan's bloodlines.
It was one of the most heinous acts in the ninja world, called bloodline theft.
She composed herself and began to take apart his argument, adamant to know why he was pushed himself so far while training, wanting to know what it was that he truly sought from gaining tutelage under her.
"Then why do you push yourself, Satoru? Why did you want to be my student? What is it that you truly seek out of this?"
"You really want to know?" He asked and then stared at Tobirama who was sitting at the back of the room.
She nodded and looked back at Tobirama, understanding her student's silent request. "Tobi-kun, you may leave."
"Hai!" Tobirama said to his elder sister-in-law and left promptly, he didn't mind that Satoru asked to leave.
He understood that as an orphan, with no close friends, trusting others mustn't come easily to the boy. After seeing him leave, Mito turned back towards Satoru and gestured for him to go ahead and speak his mind.
He sighed and thought about it for a few seconds and came to the conclusion that he could tell her parts of his plans and goals.
Obviously, he won't be revealing everything to her, but she will at least know enough to understand the reasons behind his actions. And maybe who knows, after understanding his reasons, she might come to trust him more and even support his actions.
"Are you sure that we are alone, Mito-sensei?" He asked, wanting to make sure that he wasn't overheard, because the fewer people that knew about his plans the better.
Mito sighed and closed her eyes to use the [Mind's Eye of the Kagura], she didn't really need to close them to use the technique. But doing so helped her in identifying the familiar chakra signatures even in a sea of other people.
She could see Tobirama heading towards the training ground, where her little Tsu-chan was running circles to build her stamina. While her, Hashi-kun had already covered more than half the distance to the neighboring village.
The two servants had also left the house, probably on Tobirama's order, to give them some privacy. She opened her eyes and gave Satoru a nod, as she said, "we are alone, go ahead."
He nodded and got in a more comfortable lying position as he began explaining himself. "I pushed myself so hard because I wanted to drop out of the academy and become your student before the year ended."
"Why me, why even dropout, and why before the end of the year?" She asked the many questions that arose in her mind when she heard his bizarre statement.
"It's simple, after realizing that I was talented in Fuinjutsu, I tried searching for people whom I could learn from. I found that you're the only sealing master I know that lives in Konoha, and also rumored to be one of the best in the world."
"Not for long, I hope." She said with a hopeful smile, wanting to raise a disciple who could surpass her in Fuinjutsu and attain the title of the [God of Seals].
It had been a dream that she had given up on a long time ago, but after meeting Satoru, her dream had been rekindled by an ember of hope. That dream was alive once again.
She was happy that he was now being more open to her with his motives. Even if he had declined to answer, she would still have taken him in, he knew that as well, after all she had already given him her word.
He smiled back at her belief in his capabilities, despite his inherent flaws and lack of talent in other areas. She then asked him, "why did you want to be my student so soon? You could have taken your time, maybe trained for another year or two."
"If I successfully passed your test and got accepted. I planned on dropping out of the academy and fully focus on studying Fuinjutsu under you."
"The reason I imposed that backbreaking time limit on myself was because.." he let out a sigh and looked at her with a sad smile, "I didn't want to end up as a canon fodder in the war that's probably about to begin in a year or two. It could take longer but I wasn't willing to risk my life on that bet."
Mito's heart felt heavy when she saw that sad smile on his face, but even more was the shock that she expertly kept from showing on her face, as she was taken aback by his statement.
She couldn't believe that a young child, who hadn't even completed his first year of formal education, was able to come to the conclusion that the great Shinobi villages were about to go to war.
She couldn't help, but mutter words like "genius" and "monster" in her head as she stared at him in disbelief.
"I am not exactly sure when, but in the next few years, I'm almost certain that Konoha will be pushed into war whether we want to or not." He replied with a sigh, as he broke eye contact and stared at the ceiling.
"How did you come to the conclusion?" She asked, wanting to sate her curiosity.
"It was many things, actually.. how the prices of groceries in the market have been constantly rising. But they have been rising even faster in the last few months, especially the ones that are sold by the traveling merchants."
"It was after creating the [Fake Sage Seal], that I was able feel this air of tension in the village, especially around the Shinobi's in the recent months. Like something big is about to happen, but for me the biggest reason was something I read in a book."
She gave him a questioning look, and he explained what he had read.
"In the book I read, it said that in his quest for peace amongst the five great Shinobi villages, Hashirama-sama gave something called the "tailed beasts" to the other Shinobi villages."
"One such beast called the [Nine-Tails] was used by Madara in his fight against the First.
"But even though the odds were stacked against him, the First still managed to defeat Madara and seal the tailed beast."
"The book didn't mention you being there in the fight, but I am willing to bet that it was you who sealed away the nine tails. And helped Hashirama-sama truly have a 1v1 against Madara and finally get the drop on him."
"Quite a clever observation, Satoru-kun.. and you would be correct." Mito replied in confirmation, internally feeling impressed with his deductive skills.
"Now, I don't know exactly how powerful these tailed beasts are, but they were described to be on the level of natural disasters. So I'm assuming that they could wipe out villages and cities.. if left unchecked."
Mito nodded in agreement, showing that she agreed with his assessment of their threat level.
"What I don't get is how Hashirama-sama thought that gifting the other villages the tailed beasts, being of such terrifying power, would bring about peace." He said in an exasperated tone, as he gestured to her for some water to drink.
"He didn't gift them.." She said in an embarrassed tone, brought on by the false information in the book, as she passed him the water.
"What?" He asked in surprise as he took a sip.
"He sold them.. how do you think they made such a huge, prosperous village in just two decades?"
"It hasn't even been twenty years since its establishment, it would have been an impossible task without the money we got from selling the tailed beasts."
"Wow, the idea of selling them must've come Tobirama-sama right?" He asked with a strained smile, "Well, I guess there was a silver lining in all this mess."
"Hashi-kun thought that these beasts might work as deterrents and the villages would keep each other in check, and be very careful on whether they should unleash terrible power or not."
"I understand that he wanted them to serve as a deterrent to wars. But, Mito-sensei, mark my words—."
"It would just cause the wars to be fought in the lands of other neighboring villages and nations rather than in their own."
"I feel sorry about the disaster that's about to hit the people in the land of rain." He said, in a raspy voice, truly feeling sorry for innocent people in that country.
"You can even speculate where the war will be concentrated in?" She asked, a bit surprised.
"You're not going to deny it?" He asked with a strained smile.
"Nope, you're too smart to be swayed by my words, and I hate lying." She admitted with a shrug.
"The Village hidden in the rain and the land of grass and rice as well. But the most devastating effects would most likely be seen in rain, as that village shares borders with three of the major Shinobi villages."
"But you know Mito-sensei.. Hashirama-sama forgot something very important.. he forgot that he himself was the biggest deterrent to war. After all, other than Madara none even came close to his level.
"But after he sold the tailed beasts to the other villages, even I can tell that the balance of power has shifted." He said with an exasperated sigh.
"If we assume that a tailed beast is on the level of a kage rank shinobi, then each Shinobi village got at least 2 kage rank shinobis.. whereas, all we got was money and resources."
"Money and resources that the other Shinobi villages will be attacking us for now. It's a bleak situation, as they're only 3 kage rank shinobis in the village I know of.. the First, his brother and you."
"You think I am kage rank?" She was surprised, because even in the Senju no one truly knew just how strong she truly was.
"Yes, at least in terms of fuinjutsu. After all, you've sealed the strongest tailed beast in you, after all."
"How?!" She asked in an alarmed tone.
Though, he just ignored her and he dropped another bomb on her. "But it seems you brute forced it into submission, and even the seal isn't perfectly done. I can feel it's corrosive chakra eating away at your life force slowly."
"How?!" She asked again in an exasperated tone, it was a secret that only she and Hashi-kun knew of, they had kept it so because they didn't want anyone to panic.
"Even it's fake, I'm still a Sage, Mito-sensei." Satoru replied with a smug smirk, it felt like his very own catchphrase, like the "because I'm Batman."
"You know by the amount of things I've seen you pull off with it. I don't think calling it fake does justice to its name." She gently admonished his naming sense.
Satoru chuckled and replied, "Then I can't wait to show the real one when I finally make it. In front of that seal, this one will look like a badly drawn picture made by a kid." He started chuckling, when he thought that he was actually a kid.
"That was a bad joke." She chided him with a little smile, at the corner of her lips.
"I know." He said, when he finally stopped laughing.
"And now, we finally come to the part where I tell you what were the things that I sought and still do seek from becoming your student." He said with a sincere and hopeful smile.
He dropped the smile, and adopted a serious expression as he began laying down all he wanted out of becoming her student. "I want to learn everything that you're willing to teach me."
"I want to drop out of the academy, could you please make it so that it looks like I injured both my eyes in an accident, causing me to go blind." That statement shocked her, and she had a sneaking suspicion as to what it was he truly wanted out of it.
But she asked him to speak further so she could confirm her hypothesis. "What then?"
"I will take up farming to earn a living for myself, given to me due to the generosity by someone of the Senju clan. This will give me an excuse to live in the clan compounds."
"Futsu Satoru—," he said his birth name for the first time, "—will spend the rest of his life working on one of Senju farms to earn his living. Living a life of complete mediocrity and safety."
"You want that to be a public persona?" She asked.
"Hai! Mito-sensei." He replied with determination.
"Why?" She asked, wanting to know if he really wanted it for the same reasons that she thought he did.
"It's so that if I ever have a family of my own, I don't want them to be put into danger because of the enemies I might gain in my career as a Shinobi."
"Also it's to protect me, as the best Shinobi is the one you don't even know exists, the one you don't know anything about."
"My new name, as Geinshīru Satoru, must only be shared with people on a need to know basis."
"I request that for now that sphere of people only extends to you—sensei, Tobirama-sama, Hashirama-sama and Tsunade-san."
"And if a situation ever arose that my status as the guardian of the Senju clan must be shared with the other members of the clan."
"Then I request that it be done through a code name like Zero or whatever you think sounds good. I don't really care what they call me as long as it's not by my new name or the one I hide behind."
"Hmm, I can definitely arrange for that, though making tsu-chan understand the gravity of keeping your name a secret will be a headache." she replied with an exasperated sigh, feeling a headache coming.
"Please don't worry about it, sensei. I grew up in an orphanage. I know how to deal with unruly brats very well." He replied confidently.
"I'll leave it to you then. Is there anything else you want?" She asked again.
"I want a 500 square meter area of land to farm and build a house on, preferably within the Senju compound but in a secluded corner where I can get some peace and quiet."
"This land is to be given to my public persona, on it, I plan on farming produce to sell and some medicinal plants as well."
"Done. But before that, what will you choose, Satoru-kun? A Student or A Guardian?" She asked, with hopeful look on her face wanting him to be a Guardian so she could teach him the [Secret Uzumaki Fuin-jutsu Techniques] later down the line.
"I choose to become a guardian, Mito-sensei." He replied seriously, he didn't care about any of the obligations he would have towards the clan, learning the [Uzumaki Sealing Arts] would be more than worth the trouble.
It was a small price to pay to learn something as valuable as the [Uzumaki Secret Fuin-jutsu Arts] that were lost in the original show. And also the benefits that he just had stated.
"Good, then what would you like to learn first? Higher rank sealing arts?—" She asked with a smile.
"Iryo-ninjutsu." She had a confused look on her face upon hearing his reply.
"I would like to read every Iryo-ninjutsu book you have that holds a detailed account of the body of a Shinobi." He replied, explaining what it was he truly wanted.
"Also, I want to know about how Tsunade-san is being trained right now, and I want to see her in training. I want to see her in action and get a feel for what she truly needs help with."
"But before that.. Can I ask you something, sensei?"
"Of course." She nodded happily, seeing him agree to become a guardian, now he was basically family to her. It was the first requirement in the plan to train Satoru to become the [God of Seals].
"Why me?" He asked, this time the question reversed, as he wanted to know why she was adamant on him being her teacher.
She said and replied with a forlorn look on her face. "Tsunade is my beloved granddaughter, I.. No, We can't truly bring ourselves to train her seriously. We've all lived through the warring clan era, and it still holds a shadow in our hearts."
"I don't want to hurt her, and the sentiment is shared by the clan as well. Her being talented and picking up things easily only makes them go even easier on her in training."
"As with her talent, even if she didn't train seriously, she will still become a jonin eventually by just training half-heartedly." She winced a little as she said that, because she knew just how hard Satoru had to train just to reach where he was now. And also just how much harder he will have to train just to reach the power level of jonin.
"I see, so you guys can't do it. But still, why me?" He asked again.
"Because I've only seen her look at Hashirama, the way she looked at you. Even if she hides it, the awe and wonder in her eyes when she saw you fight were real."
"Your bout with Hashi-kun made an impact on her, and now for the first time in her life she is trying her very best in training. You being just 2 years older than her but so much stronger than her made her wish to train earnestly."
"But I know, this is just a temporary motivation, she will forget that fight in a few days or weeks and then go back to her old way of training."
"We need to strike while the iron is still hot, and she is still motivated to get stronger. She will try to fight back and not recognize your authority as her sensei, but if you can prove yourself worthy of that title, then she will definitely agree to learn under you."
Satoru thought long and hard and then finally asked her a question.
"Will I gain ownership of the land that you'll be giving to me?" It almost made her want to hit the back of his head for teasing him, but seeing him barely able to move his body made her hold back.
"You'll have pay it off over the years through your produce and your contribution towards the clan." She replied after calming herself with a deadpan face.
"Hmm, so eventually it'll be mine. That's fine with me. Don't worry sensei, I promise, I will make sure that Tsunade becomes the strongest version of herself that she can be." He replied happily, giving her a thumbs up.
"Hoh. Really? and how strong do you think that is?" She was intrigued, and wanted to see what he would answer with.
"Well, I have yet to gauge her talent but considering that I'll be training her, and she is your and Hashirama-sama's granddaughter." He muttered under his breath with a thoughtful look on his face.
And he finally replied after carefully thinking about it. "I'll say that she'll at least get the kage rank, but that's only if she can survive my training and not die in the middle."
"Die?!" She exclaimed.
"I meant to say give up, it's the same." He replied nonchalantly and turned to sleep off his exhaustion.
— To be continued…
In the next episode of House of Dragons.
Cough* *Cough*
I meant in the next chapter of Naruto: Road to Kage.
-------------------
Word Count: 3,738 words (without the author's notes and disclaimer.) (New Personal Record in Naruto)
-------------------
{Closing Author's Note: Thanks for reading my Naruto fanfic, this is part of my exclusive works that's only available here on pat. reon.
With 12 additional chapters available on patreon and the link is in the author's thoughts section at the bottom of this chapter.
Anyways, I hope everyone is happy and healthy, this is bye for now but I will be back in a few hours with the H:HHS chapter. }
クリエイターの想い 
TheRamenLord
TheRamenLord https://patreon.com/user?u=74875619&utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink
Link to my patreon.
週次パワーステータス
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット