บท 9: Chapter 9
The morning of the registration day didn't particularly hint that I had already become a shinobi. Of course, I understand that I've reached the level of a genin, but there are hundreds, if not thousands, like me throughout the village. In short, there's nothing particularly unique about me. Even knowing one technique doesn't set me apart much from many other students like me. But I understand that only now, with becoming a genin, the race for power and influence is just beginning.
The weather outside was wonderful, even joyful, I would say. Not a single cloud, and only some distant birds flying in the sky. Some of them serve as a method of quick communication among shinobi when it's undesirable for ordinary people to be informed. Honestly, these signs aren't particularly hidden; only a shinobi can spot them at such a great distance in the sky.
Dressed in my new clothes and with my hitaite on my arm, I headed out to register myself.
The registration takes place at the Hokage Residence, which also serves as the main administrative building. Here, missions are accepted, ordered, and the main departments that decide the village's fate are located.
Approaching the building, I noticed several shinobi who were just sitting around doing nothing, but their particularly pale faces hinted that things were not so straightforward with them. Occasionally, there were other people with weapons who had no relation to the village but were citizens of the Land of Fire.
There were quite a few people here... after all, it's the heart of the entire village... the center. The Hokage Tower, located atop the administrative building, attracted a lot of attention because it was one of the unique buildings in Konoha, built where the peace treaty was signed by the founders: the Senju clan and the Uchiha clan. Although both clans are now considered long gone. Behind the Hokage Tower, a large and massive mountain could be seen with four carved faces. These faces belonged to the former and current Hokage. It so happened that the Fourth Hokage died in battle against the Nine-Tailed Fox, and the Third had to come out of retirement.
The faces of the Hokage are another landmark of the village, making it even more unique because there's nothing like it anywhere else. As we were told in our history lessons, even the other Hidden Villages don't have such a landmark.
Without lingering too long, I approached the central entrance to the Administration and quickly glanced around the entire hall. It was quite a large hall, with three staircases leading to different places. A small window, where a shinobi guard sat, was slightly closed. It might seem like this guy was sleeping and noticing nothing, but something told me that wasn't the case.
The help desk was almost empty. A rather attractive kunoichi with a Konoha hitaite sat there, working on some ledger, writing something very neatly. Approaching her, I stopped for a moment. She raised her blue eyes to me and smiled.
"How can I help you?"
"I'm looking for the registration office for new genin," I replied and showed my new hitaite. "I just passed the genin exams yesterday."
"Oh," she said. "Congratulations. Are you alone?"
"Yes, my parents are working," I shrugged.
"I see," she nodded. "Go to staircase number two. Go up to the second floor and look for room number two hundred twenty-eight. They'll take care of everything there."
"Great, thank you," I replied and smiled broadly.
"Good luck," she chuckled and smiled back.
Waving to her, I headed to the indicated stairs. Everything around was made of wood in reddish-brown tones with small touches of green in some places. Occasionally, there were quite large bonsai with plaques. It's said that growing bonsai was one of the First Hokage's pastimes. And now they stand in the Administration, actively taken care of.
When I reached the second floor, I immediately stepped aside to let a few young shinobi who were in a hurry pass by. After that, I went looking for the right office. It turned out to be at the very end. The door didn't look particularly new, but it was the most beautiful among them all. There were some strange drawings, obscure symbols, and unusual tones.
Knocking on the door, I slowly entered. Behind the desk sat an old man wearing a very strange hat. It was very wide in one part and very narrow in another. The color was odd too. In short, his hat was a mix of a sunhat and a cap. In short... strange.
"Good day," I greeted the old man first.
He looked at me attentively and said:
"Oh, a new genin! Well, hello. Have a seat."
I sat down in the chair opposite him and waited.
"Name?" he asked quickly.
"Suzuki," I answered quickly.
"Last name?"
"Grandvitara," I replied.
The old man froze and looked at me suspiciously.
"Are you joking?" he asked in a stern tone.
"Not at all," I answered quickly. "That's just my last name."
"Hmm," he grunted. "It sounds strange. I suggest you change it."
"I'll think about it," I nodded to him.
He quickly flipped through the folders in his desk. When he found mine, he immediately pulled it out and placed it on the table with a light thump. Opening it, he stared at one of the forms. I immediately recognized this form because it had the stamp of that unknown shinobi on it.
"Excellent," he nodded, looking through the paper. "Now, I need a photograph. Just like everyone else. Stand against the wall."
I flinched a bit because the phrase "against the wall" brought some ambiguous associations, instantly triggering memories of strict teachers and stressful situations. My legs, slightly trembling from the surprise, led me to the wall, which was cold and featureless, with a slight hint of sterility in its whiteness. It just needed some red stains. Rising from the chair, I walked over and stood by it, slowly relaxing. There's no way what I'm thinking will happen now. I'm just going to be photographed.
The old man, with his slow and deliberate movements, approached and took a camera out of another cabinet that creaked slightly when opened. His hands, covered in wrinkles and history, handled the equipment carefully, showing respect for the technology and its ability to preserve moments. Setting the camera on a tripod, he covered it with a small cloth, hiding behind it, creating a small shadow theater where his silhouette transformed into mysterious shapes on the cloth. His movements were precise and confident, each action part of a familiar ritual he might have repeated many times.
"I'll need four photos of you," he said, reappearing from under the cloth. "Profile from the right ear, profile from the left ear, a portrait, and a full-body shot. Got it?"
"Yes, understood," I replied.
"Excellent. Ready, set, go!"
A blinding flash burst from the small black square of the camera. For a moment, I even lost my ability to see.
"Perfect!" exclaimed the old man, bringing me back to some semblance of consciousness. "Now from the right side. Go ahead."
At the same time, he was holding my photo and shaking it vigorously. When I turned, he had already placed the photograph on the table.
"Ready!"
Another flash, but this time I was ready for it and not facing directly, only turned sideways.
"Now from the left side. Ready!"
After taking all the necessary photos, I rubbed my eyes a bit to regain my bearings and then returned to the chair. The old man was already gluing my photos to the forms. Afterward, he handed them to me to check how they looked.
"What do you think?" he asked.
"I look pretty good here," I shrugged. "Yes, very good."
"That's excellent," he nodded, sticking the last photo. Then he extended his hand for a handshake. I responded. The old man's handshake was firm. For a moment, it felt like he could just break my hand. In the future, I'll be the one breaking hands. "Well, congratulations. You are now a fully registered shinobi of the Land of Fire. Do you know who you'd like to team up with?"
"Not yet," I shook my head. "Not yet… I hope the sensei can pick the best partners."
"You can be sure of that," he nodded and glanced quickly at the clock on the wall. "Teachers at the Shinobi Academy have always been known for their ability to pick good partners. Alright… you should be on your way, and I need to get back to work."
"Thank you," I stood up and bowed lightly.
Leaving the office, I took a deep breath in and out. Emotions slowly settled inside me, allowing me to think more clearly about my future and the fact that very soon I might have to get my hands dirty with someone else's blood for the first time. Taking another deep breath in and out, I let that thought move to the back of my mind.
Leaving the Administration, I decided not to go home but to take a walk around the village. I wouldn't say there was anything entirely new to me here. I had seen almost everything, but I just needed some fresh air.
Walking through the village streets, I tried to enjoy the pleasant air and the warmth of the sun. This continued until my nose caught a very delicious scent. Looking around, I quickly identified where the smell was coming from. It came from a small eatery, which could be classified as a fast-food ramen place. The name was very telling: "Ichiraku Ramen." Wasn't this the place mentioned as very important in the story for the hero's development? I don't remember exactly, but I should go in and try what delicious food they make here.
"Good day," a young and pretty girl greeted me. She looked simple, but there was something special about this simplicity. Hard to say what. "Welcome to Ichiraku Ramen."
"Ah, good day," I nodded to her, sitting on a high stool.
"What would you like to order?" she asked, handing me a menu. The selection wasn't extensive. Only ramen, which made sense given the name.
"What dish would you recommend?" I asked her.
At that moment, a tall man dressed in a chef's outfit appeared from the back door. The first thing that caught my eye was his smooth movements and deft handwork. He was calmly slicing something so quickly that I could barely keep up with his movements.
"Pork ramen," said the chef.
"Then I'll have that," I nodded.
"Alright, it will be ready soon," the chef smiled.
He began preparing something very quickly. His hands moved swiftly and skillfully. Sometimes, it seemed like they were almost flickering due to the speed. About five minutes later, a large bowl of hot, delicious-smelling ramen was in front of me. When I say it smelled delicious, it's not an attempt to flatter the chef or anything. No... the aroma of the ramen was divine! My stomach growled. I hadn't been particularly hungry, but... I definitely didn't mind devouring this heavenly-smelling dish.
Once I started eating, I couldn't stop. Until the bowl was empty, I just couldn't stop, and I even wanted to keep going, ordering a second, then a third, fourth, and fifth portion. I had to restrain myself from doing so.
"Very tasty!" I said, pushing the bowl aside. "I've never tasted anything like it."
"I'm glad you liked it," the chef said, smiling widely. "Do you collect coupons?"
"Coupons?" I asked, a bit surprised.
"Yes," he nodded and showed me a small card. "For every bowl of ramen a customer eats, they get a coupon. After ten coupons, you get one bowl of ramen for free."
"Oh, not a bad idea," I nodded. "And yes... I do collect such coupons."
The chef gave me one of these coupons, and I put it in my wallet. Why not? I won't refuse such an opportunity, because right now, I fully understand that this eatery could become my favorite. Of course, I haven't tried others yet... but when I have money, I will definitely visit.
"Thank you," I said to the chef once more and paid the bill. It was relatively inexpensive, so I could afford it.
After that, I decided to head home and practice my chakra control a bit. Mine was already pretty good for a genin, but there's always room for improvement. Today, I think I'll try doing it while sitting on the wall. Maybe that will make it more challenging and give me a bit of an extra boost.
Passing by one of the houses, I froze for a second. Muffled female screams were coming from inside. After standing for a bit, I realized that it was a woman scolding her lazy husband for something. I don't know how badly he messed up, but if it wasn't severe, there wouldn't be such shouting.
Sneaking past this house, I jumped onto a tree branch and hopped towards my home. As always, at this time, no one was there. The whole house was just for me, and I could do whatever I wanted. And right now, the only thing I wanted was to train.
Until evening, I practiced chakra control while sitting on a vertical wall. It was quite difficult, and the number of leaves I could move around my body dropped to five. I couldn't even think about making them fly. So, I found myself a new, more challenging training routine.
"Suzuki, are you here?" my mother asked after a light knock.
"Yes!" I answered. "What do you need?"
She opened the door and peeked into my room, then froze with her mouth open. Even though they live in a village full of shinobi, she didn't expect to see her son sitting on the wall with green leaves moving around his body.
"Um, am I interrupting?" she asked with slight nervousness.
"No," I shrugged and jumped down to my feet. "Do you need help?"
"No," she shook her head. "I just wanted to ask if you need to buy anything else? You registered today, right?"
"Yes, I did," I nodded. "What do I need to buy?"
"Well, kunai... shuriken," she began. "If you want, we can go together, and you can tell me what you need in addition to what you already have."
"Thanks for the offer," I replied. "But today it's better not to spend money. Tomorrow I'll be assigned to a team. I'll find out who will be the captain and sensei, as well as who will be with me, and then we can think about purchases."
"Alright," she nodded. "Then just let me know if you need to buy anything. Okay?"
"Of course, Mom," I replied and added, "Thank you very much."
"By the way, dinner will be ready soon," she added. "If you want, come down."
"Oh! Great! I'll be there soon!"
Dinner turned out to be delicious and quite filling. Today, my father was delayed at work because they needed to prepare for one of the celebrations that was to take place in three days. If I'm not mistaken, it's the Green Leaf Festival. It's one of the festivals held every year around the same time.
"Tomorrow you have team assignments?" my mother asked me.
"Yes," I nodded.
"And do you have any idea who you'll be with?"
"No, not yet," I shrugged. "But I believe the sensei will choose good teammates for me."
"What about the sensei?" she asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.
"I don't know either," I shrugged, feeling a bit of disappointment. I would like to know in advance myself.
"I see," she nodded, her eyes expressing understanding and support.
After dinner, I returned to my room, a cozy space filled with warmth and tranquility, and finally decided to open the book I had bought at the store and start reading it. The book about fuinjutsu wasn't very big, but even the first chapter had so much information, described in a clear and accessible language, that the information immediately stuck in my head.
After the first chapter, there were several pages of exercises and a few tasks for practice. The first tasks were simple and not particularly difficult because they didn't require anything complicated. They involved practicing the motor skills of the wrist and hands for drawing the initial elements of fuinjutsu.
For successfully drawing fuinjutsu, two things were needed. First, a surface on which they could be applied. Chakra-conductive paper is best for this. Second, the medium used to apply the seal. Chakra-conductive ink is suitable for this. And third, a sufficiently large amount of yin energy. The last is considered the most important because, according to the same book, true seal masters don't need ink or paper and can apply seals to almost any surface. Rare geniuses can place seals in the air. But since such people are unique, I definitely won't achieve something like that... probably.
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