Field of Blades

As we walked towards Training Ground Seven, the morning air was crisp, the kind that fills your lungs with a refreshing chill. I strolled alongside Naruto and Sakura, with Kakashi leading the way. The rhythm of our steps blended with the distant sounds of the village waking up.

Kakashi had decided to join us for morning training. A surprise we were still digesting. This was his first time in the month and half he's been teaching us.

"Ever wonder if we train at Training Ground Seven just because we're Team Seven?" I mused aloud, a half-joke meant to lighten the mood.

"Oh!" Naruto turned to me. "Wow. I never even thought of that. Kakashi sensei! Is it true?"

Kakashi glanced back over his shoulder, a small smile playing beneath his mask. "It's more tradition than coincidence for Team Seven to train here. Most of the other teams don't really train at their corresponding training grounds. Some training ground are too far from the village centre or too dangerous. If any of you end up leading a future Team Seven, consider keeping that tradition alive."

Naruto chuckled. "Team Seven does seem to have a lot of traditions. Is it because Team Seven members are always Hokage candidates?"

Kakashi's eye crinkled as if he were smiling, but he offered no comment, which only piqued our curiosity further.

We reached Training Ground Seven and walked to the center, where the well-trodden earth and familiar training posts welcomed us like old friends. Kakashi turned to face us, his expression turning serious.

"I know you're eager for a C-rank mission," Kakashi began, his gaze sweeping over us. "I'm willing to recommend one if you can show proficiency in what I'm about to teach you."

He paused for effect, his eyes locking onto each of us in turn. "What is a ninja's greatest weapon?" he asked.

Sakura was quick to respond, "Chakra control?"

"Stealth and power," Naruto added.

I thought for a moment before saying, "Speed."

Kakashi shook his head lightly. "Those are important, but they're not the greatest. A ninja's greatest weapon is information. The best ninjas learn everything about their opponents before a fight."

He reached into his pack and pulled out three copies of the Konoha Bingo Book from a space they shouldn't be able fit in, handing one to each of us. The book was thicker than I expected, its pages filled with details of ninjas from various villages.

Flipping through it, I noticed the tiny script. Most ninjas had a single page. Others had two. My eyes caught on a name that spread across three pages: Orochimaru.

"Memorize it," Kakashi commanded. "You're not leaving Konoha if you can't recite the book without looking at it. But remember, the Bingo Book is never complete. Ninjas will always have techniques that aren't listed. Understood?"

"Yes sir."

"Why do ninjas hold conversations during fights? The ordinary ninja just thinks it's tradition but the elite ninja uses conversations during fights to manipulate what the opponent knows about them."

We listened intently as Kakashi continued. "They'll explain their jutsu in detail, even going as far as to add a backstory, yet omit a crucial detail to use as the killing blow. Never trust everything you see or read about an opponent."

The lesson was sinking in. Ninjas were not as simple as they appeared. Look underneath the underneath. Who said the information manipulation even has to begin during the fight?

"Today," Kakashi said, his voice lowering with a hint of challenge, "I will teach you how to counter the greatest tool for manipulating information. Genjutsu. We'll spar, and I'll use genjutsu on you. If you can't detect and counter it quickly enough, you'll die. You hesitate, you die. You slow down, you die. Understand that out in the world, every mistake could mean death. Today, we'll be training out those mistakes."

We exchanged nervous glances. Death? Was he serious?

As if on cue, a group of medic-nin from Konoha General Hospital entered the training ground, easily identifiable by their their white coats marked with the red Uzumaki swirl on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, they're here just in case," Kakashi said, noticing our alarmed looks. "You won't die under my watch. It'll be close though."

With a wave of his hand and a flicker of chakra, the ground around us transformed. There was a rumble and sharp blades of all sizes erupted from the soil, turning the training area into a menacing field of blades. It was like a battlefield without corpses, only blades stuck into the floor.

"Welcome to the Field of Blades," Kakashi declared, spreading his arms wide as if embracing the deadly landscape.

We stood there, hearts pounding, as the reality of the training set in. This was no ordinary session. Today, we would learn through mortal danger, a harsh but effective teacher indeed.

"Run. Run and hide genins." Kakashi took a step forward, killing intent wafting slowly off him. We took a step back, our hearts skipping a beat. Kakashi has never looked to terrifying. "Run and hide, or you'll cut yourself."

He raised and activated a single hand seal. Our vision rippled and the blades disappeared.

"Kai!" Sakura flexed her chakra. "It's a genjutsu! If we can't see the blades, we'll just kill ourselves on it!"

"Fuck!" Naruto cursed as we flexed our chakra. Our vision cleared to see a field filled with beautiful flowers. Kakashi was already three steps closer.

"Shit! It's a layered genjutsu!" Sakura took a step back. "Do you guys remember the position of the blades?"

I thought back. It was only for a few seconds and we didn't see everything but we'd done training for this in the academy. I flexed my chakra and the view change to a field of lava. Another flex, a bog.

Kakashi sensei was stepping ever closer. There's no way we could beat him while here. "Run!" I yelled and we turned around and raced away.

Why do I suspect this was some kind of variation of ANBU training? If Kakashi wanted to remind us of the dangers beyond the safety of the village walls, they were surely better ways to do this.

I'm not sure anymore if being Kakashi's student is a blessing or a curse.