章 32: Chapter 32 : Genin, Chunin, Jonin
"IT'S TIME TO PARTY!"
My voice boomed across the packed pizza hall, the crowd of familiar faces cheering in response. The clink of beer glasses and rumble of laughter filled the room, and it was damn near perfect. Graduation finally done, people drunk and laughing on my tab—guess it's one way to be remembered. They'd all gotten a real show, too. Not every day you watch a Jonin-level fight over a fresh leaf headband.
That's right. Jonin-level—finally.
Five years shaved off my lifespan to get the chakra reserves for it, but who cares? What was five years when it felt like I'd spent a lifetime in waiting? Once I'd boosted my reserves, it was just a matter of condensing that energy, making more room to grow. Others would be stuck at that stage for years, but for me, smooth sailing.
My new headband felt perfect on my head—part pride, part steel. Probably the strongest alloy in the Elemental Nations, if you asked me. I'd waited long enough to wear it; I was keeping it. Especially since the Anbu mask is no longer there to protect my face, I need this protection.
It's a pity this alloy isn't chakra conductive, otherwise it would have been the vibranium of this world.
I looked around the party hall, my gaze drifting to the familiar faces. Orphanage kids from my old stomping grounds, Nono-san, some of the regulars who practically lived off KK Pizzaria's weekly discounts. But two faces were missing: Duy and Guy.
Duy and Guy, the father-son duo, were the only two who knew how to balance the line between friend and sparring partner with the right energy. I never thought I'd have anchors like that, but somehow, their laughs had kept me sane, even when life was its most merciless.
Whoosh.
I flicker on the roof above to see my silent and lonely guest, Kakashi.
I stared at him. "You look like someone killed your dog," I muttered. No way he'd miss a jab like that.
He shot me a glare but stayed quiet, idly swirling the empty juice glass in his hand. Damn it, Minato-senpai. If you going back, take this guy back with you. I am not Obito that can smile in the face of death and give my girl and eye to my rival. This guy is much more broken than me. Much, much more when I remembered my time of peace I spent in the last few months.
His silence was heavy and really awkward, until he finally asked, "Did you master Rasengan yet?"
I raised an eyebrow. So, that was it. Rasengan, the pinnacle of chakra shaping.
"Not yet," I admitted. "But I'm getting there."
Kakashi's brows knit together. "How'd you use that much chakra without collapsing? I barely have enough to practice that technique, much less pull it off in combat."
I shrugged. "Perfect chakra control. I do n't waste it. Every drop hits its mark."
He fell silent again, looking like he was mulling that over, maybe a little frustrated. I almost felt bad—almost. But he wasn't here to congratulate me. I could tell he wanted more. So I nudged him. "Want to know how I got here?"
His gaze sharpened, interest clear. I pulled out a small notebook from my pocket, pages filled with my own research and techniques on chakra control. It was all about Tsunade's muscle reformation, chakra muscle training, every little way I'd hacked my body and boosted my strength.
Kakashi took it, flipping through, his expression serious. He didn't even flinch when he got to the parts that mentioned the cost: the shortened lifespan, the pain, the relentless mental strain. We both knew what it took to live in this world. You sacrifice time, youth, parts of yourself you can't ever get back. He got that.
The laughter below reminded me I'd earned this. The sun peeked over the horizon, casting light on faces that had watched me struggle, that had seen the moments I'd almost quit. I knew, right then, it was time to get some returns on my work. Enough waiting.
With a last glance at the rising sun, I disappeared from the roof, reappearing in front of the mission center. I took out the form, pen in hand, and filled it out quickly.
Genin Kyudo Kirito, applying for Chunin Promotion.
The chunin behind the desk squinted at my headband, still shiny and practically brand new. His brows shot up as he looked at the headband's issue date—yesterday.
"You sure you got the right form?" He gave me a look like I was a kid playing dress-up.
I sighed, leaning on the counter. "Check the back of the registry. Look up my credits with the special units."
He raised an eyebrow, but he turned around, flipping through the files. Not exactly Anbu or Root, but he'd find what I was talking about soon enough.
The chunin at the desk only needed a minute or two to dig up my record in the special division file—my credits were all there from my years working medical ops and emergency triages since my academy days. I saw the way his face changed when he glanced over the entries.
"Medic-nin Kyudo Kirito… multiple triage operations, Konoha Hospital, classified field credits…" He looked up at me, his surprise not fully contained, and stammered, "Wait a minute! I'll, uh, be back."
Not bothering about that, I waited for his response by seating myself on a bench nearby. Might as well use this time to think of over my current progress. I mastered 2 natures and in the process of mastering wind by the end of the year. I am on the verge of mastering the shadow clone. Though, considering its chakra cost, it will not be a staple of my jutsu like Naruto.
As for Rasengan, I can use it, but it is nowhere near the absolute peak of strength it could be. I can still increase more strands of chakra in to rotate in the ball. But at this point, progress has become very slow and will take years for me to truly master chakra formation ergo Rasengan.
In a way, I firmly believe Naruto is the same in the canon. He could use Rasengan in a week of training, a month if we count the time from which he started using balloons, which can be saying that mastered its use, but he truly mastered the jutsu to core over time.
But, shadow clone and Rasengan are strong trump cards when used right. My experience in root gave me the tools and vision to know when the right time is to use them. It is time to search for more ways to progress.
The cost of using the medic ninjutsu to increase my reserves is rapidly increasing. In just last month, I lost 1 year of life span and my daily intake of food reached 30 peoples. Therefore, I had to end my chakra-boosted training and gradually restore my metabolism to its normal state. Compared to yesterday, my food intake has reduced by 4 bentos. At this rate, I will be back to normal in a month. It is best, considering I will be thrown back in the war.
But, the fact remains Medic Ninjutsu is not showing any overt methods to increase my strength unless I follow Tsunade's yin seal or Orochimaru's body modification. Both of them take time and resources that are heavily monitored by the village. Just the fuinjutsu knowledge behind Tsunade's seal is S-rank secret, which touched upon Yin and Yang's nature transformation. So, I need other ways.
The only thing I can think about is sage jutsu, but it requires chakra reserves of S-rank. Again, which I don't possess. Hence, my current spiral of weakness. The Naruto movies showed multiple items like gele stone, but I can't run after them in the middle of the war. If it wasn't for the fact I bought really important information that helped the negotiations back then, I would have been severely punished for doing things on my own. Though, I wonder what became of Sasori.
Not like I care about him but I am curious if something changed due to my intervention. At least, the kazekage's body should have been returned suna and Sasori got captured. But, the next sequence of events is a mystery to me.
CRUNCH CRUNCH
After hours of munching on whatever snacks I could scrounge up, I'd become a regular fixture in the office, enough that rumors about my bottomless appetite might someday find their way into Boruto-era stories. And just when I thought I might have to resort to raiding the storerooms again, the desk guy finally came back with news that the Jonin Commander was requesting my presence.
Well, that was as good as a confirmation: I was officially a chunin now.
I made my way to the Jonin Commander's office, grinning when I spotted the familiar, lazy-eyed face of Nara Shikaku slouched over the desk. As expected of the Nara, he looked like he was one nap away from merging with the chair.
"Shikaku-san!" I greeted him, giving a small bow. It'd been ages since I'd last seen him. He'd only really stopped by the pizza stall when it first became a hit, but even then, he'd been lazy enough to not stand in a queue, and the just leave. Meeting higher-ups like him was a rare thing unless you were running in some specific circles, though Root did bring me into the orbit of a few other legends — Danzo, Tsunade, and even Minato.
Shikaku opened one eye, then grumbled in his usual drawl, "Ahh, you're here. Good. Here's your vest, kid. Now maybe I can stop dealing with this troublesome paperwork." He practically threw the chunin vest my way, clearly more interested in getting back to whatever he'd been doing, which looked suspiciously like nothing.
I accepted the vest, imagining for a second what it would look like over my armor — a clashing nightmare of styles if I'd ever seen one. I sealed the vest away immediately. Then, I handed Shikaku another application.
He glanced at the paper and sighed. "You really know how to make things more troublesome, don't you?"
I raised an eyebrow and teased him, "Why do you think I'm doing this?"
He ruffled his hair, his irritation half-hearted. "To rile up the higher-ups and get out of wearing the vest, I'd guess. Fine, Chunin Kyudo Kirito, I hereby approve your application to Jonin rank. Happy now?"
I gave him a nod of thanks and headed back to the pizza restaurant, where the crowd from last night's party was still recovering, some sprawled out across tables and floors.
Without hesitation, I flung the chunin vest onto the counter in front of everyone. The noise jolted them all awake.
"All right, listen up!" I shouted, throwing my arms in the air. "I'm a chunin now. LET'S PARTY!"
And just like that, the energy came roaring back with cheering, laughter, and a new round of celebratory drinks.
-----The next day--------
----Third day of active shinobi service-----
As expected, the party was relentless. People drank, laughed, and danced until the next morning, with a kind of reckless abandon that, honestly, didn't come around often. But as dawn broke and the last stragglers wandered out, the inevitable happened. A masked ANBU arrived, blending with the shadows, his voice low but clear: "Summons from the Hokage."
After a long time, I'd be meeting the Hokage openly.
The moment I stepped into the Hokage's office, I knew I was in for a headache. Usually, Jonin promotions required approval from either the Jonin Council or the Hokage. But with the war occupying the council's attention, it was down to the Hokage alone. And here's the twist: while Hokage authority over these matters was absolute under the Second Hokage, Hiruzen had added "advisors"—the so-called Elders of the Hokage. And there they were, standing stiffly beside him: Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, two people whose ambition was as high as their ideals were shallow.
Unlike Danzo, whose machinations came with an ideology, these two were just… there. Power-hungry, petty, and ordinary in all the worst ways. And maybe the fact that both owned pizza stalls and saw me as "competition" didn't help their popularity in my book.
I gave the Hokage a casual wave, taking a bit of satisfaction in greeting him openly, without the stiff Root protocols. "Yo, old man! Looks like you're doing well since last time."
Hiruzen just chuckled, not bothered by the casual greeting, and looked me up and down. "It seems the break has done some good for you. You look better with a smile and that headband on."
It'd been a long time since I felt warmth in his words. Maybe not since before Root claimed me. A part of me wanted to relax in the sentiment, but it didn't add up. Why now? He was the one who'd practically handed me to Danzo, so why did it seem like he was holding out an olive branch now? His words were almost... genuine.
I just nodded, unsure what to say. It's not that I didn't appreciate the sentiment, but after everything, I wasn't naive enough to think kindness was the only motivation here.
The first sound that broke the thick silence was Koharu's sharp clearing of her throat. Her grey hair and pointed stare gave her an edge, though to me, it looked more like a mask of irritation. "Listen, kid," she started, with a tone dripping in condescension, "we're here to discuss the preposterous application you submitted."
I bit back a smirk. "My apologies, Elder Koharu, that my application appears preposterous, despite my qualifications—strength, experience, and an extensive record of missions. I understand that certain... aspects of my service may not be visible to you, given Root's protocols." I let my voice take on an air of forced politeness. "And, of course, as a former teammate of the Hokage, I'm sure you're familiar with how strict these rules are."
In one go, I pressed all her weak points. Koharu was known, if at all, only for having been on Hiruzen's team. She held power solely because of that connection, and her influence was little more than a relic from the Hokage's past. And though I didn't mention it, it didn't hurt that my restaurant's success had certainly disrupted some of her own investments in the village's food scene, specifically pizza.
The thing is that I am upset that my business had gained the status of a "major business" and attracted higher taxes. Well, she had no one to blame but herself when I'd only met the challenge by expanding into every corner of the Land of Fire. After all, major business can and are allowed to reach out to the nobles of land of fire. With shared investment, my branches spread up like trees in Hashirama's backyard.
Her face flushed slightly, but she quickly schooled her expression, raising an eyebrow as if she found my response amusing rather than a direct shot. Meanwhile, the Hokage's eyes crinkled ever so slightly as he observed us. Whether he was entertained by the exchange or just thinking deeply, I couldn't tell.
Homura, who had been silently watching with his arms crossed, finally weighed in, though his voice held a softer edge. "Kyudo, we're not here to question your strength or experience. But to jump so quickly from genin into Jonin—there are protocols. It is not as simple as the restaurant business you run."
I met his gaze evenly. "And as far as I'm aware, Hokage-sama's authority includes the discretion to override such protocols when warranted. I simply have the skills and experience that warrant a Jonin rank." I kept my tone steady, though I couldn't resist adding, "If my business endeavors are a concern, I'm more than happy to address that separately. But let's not confuse it with my service to the village."
There is a reason I don't like these two. They might have been active shinobi in their youth, but the very moment Hiruzen became the Hokage, he appointed them as his advisors to deal with the politics in the village. Especially since he had to deal with the first shinobi war and fight in it.
Maybe because they had been involved in the politics for so long, they are politicians first, shinobi second.
The Hokage raised a hand, calling for quiet. "Kyudo," he said, his voice calm but carrying the authority that reminded me that he is the Hokage, "your strength is undeniable, and so are your accomplishments. The Elders here only want what's best for the village, just as you do. Hence, we are here to review this application and make a decision."
I took a breath before speaking, choosing my words carefully but with a pointed edge. "No offense, old man, but we both know you have no problem with the promotion. Considering Kakashi's moving up to Jonin and Minato-senpai's in the village to support him, clearly it isn't an issue. You agree with me, right, Minato-senpai?"
Right on cue, Minato walked in, Kakashi beside him, both looking as fresh and ready as ever. Kakashi gave me a nod and greeted the Hokage and the advisors with a formal bow. Poor guy had no idea about the true darkness in this room, or in the village for that matter. But he'd come to learn soon enough.
Both of them were not hiding their presence, so it was for a sensor like me to detect them. But, I am sure there is someone else listening in on this conversation right now. I didn't even need my senses to confirm it; I knew Danzo was lurking, pulling strings as usual. He was the only one with enough influence over the advisors to delay my promotion. After all, he had a knack for greasing the wheels of their business ventures in exchange for funding his projects.
"Danzo-sama," I called, letting my voice carry through the room. "If you wanted a conversation, there's no need to sneak around. You know I'm always ready."
A subtle shift in the air told me I was right; Danzo materialized, his aura as sharp and cold as steel. He made his approach, and with Tsunade's chakra-enhancement technique primed, I caught his hand before it could land on my shoulder.
The room chilled as he eyed me with that unsettling calm. "You had such potential," he murmured. "It's a shame you couldn't handle the darker side of things. This only proves your weakness."
I let out a snort, meeting his glare. "Maybe I'm strong enough because I've seen the darkness and still managed to walk away from it, Danzo-sama."
Our gazes locked, tension thick enough to slice through, until the Hokage's chakra flared, snapping us both back.
"Enough!" The word rang out, commanding and final.
I pulled my eyes from Danzo, who simply walked past me, settling beside his old teammates, tapping his cane in that way that made every nerve stand on end. Hiruzen glanced around the room and cleared his throat.
"We're here to vote on the promotions of Hatake Kakashi and Kyudo Kirito to Jonin," he announced. "If there are any objections from the advisors, the Anbu commander, or the Jonin commander, please state them now."
One of the Hokage's assistants stepped forward, looking visibly nervous. "Sir, Shikaku-sama left a letter in his absence."
A brief look of amusement passed over the Hokage's face as he unfolded it. "The Jonin commander has no objections."
With a pulse of chakra, the Anbu commander silently registered his approval.
I watched the advisors, fully expecting their objections, but then Danzo and Hiruzen raised their hands, surprising everyone. "We have no objections," they said in unison.
Koharu and Homura hesitated but ultimately fell in line, seeing they were outnumbered. Danzo's move caught me off guard, "Despite everything, you are a competent shinobi—even if you hadn't turned out exactly as I wanted."
And he disappeared. I really don't understand that man.
I smirked and turned to Kakashi. "Guess we're the youngest Jonin in Konoha."
Kakashi nodded with that usual calm. "Looks like it."
"Well, I worked hard for the last three days. I want to go party. Do you want to come?"
"Yes."
"Besides Kakashi, didn't you take far too long for a promotion? Look at me, Day 1- I am a genin, Day-2- I am a chunin, Day 3- I am a Jonin."
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
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