S Rank

The intensity of our training session slowly ebbed as the medical team patched up our assorted cuts, scrapes and bruises.

"It's like we're tenderized meat about to be used in a hamburger." I remarked.

"A what?" Sakura asked curiously.

Oh. Feudal Japan. McDonalds haven't invaded yet. "Never mind." That'll be a cool business idea. Own my very own McDonalds in Konoha. I'll be rich. Maybe when I get a big enough capital.

"I don't care what that is, but I'm sure if I'm put into a sushi roll right now, I'll taste amazing." Naruto laughed.

The medics packed their gear, ready to leave. "Thanks a bunch!" Naruto waved enthusiastically at them. They nodded and left. "God bless Tsunade Senju. Most Konoha ninjas would have died without her because we're all crazy, man. I mean, who trains in a field of blades?"

I eyed the ground where the blades have retracted into. Hidden from sight. I flexed my chakra in reflex. Just in case. It's highly possible for Kakashi sensei to be tricking us with a genjutsu right now.

We settled down at the familiar wooden posts, the coolness of the shade a relief after the ordeal Kakashi sensei had put us through. My muscles ached, a subtle sign that I was getting used to the daily brutal lessons, but it was a good pain, the kind that spoke of growth and limits tested.

I pulled out the Konoha Bingo Book, flipping through it idly. The pages started with C-ranked ninjas and progressed to those who were classified as S-ranked towards the end. The detailed entries sparked a curiosity in me, one that went beyond the fear and adrenaline of facing imagined enemies in our training. It was like reading a real life databooks.

"Kakashi-sensei," I began, looking up from the book, "Can you explain the rankings in here? How do they determine who's C-ranked and who's B-ranked?"

Kakashi, who had been quietly observing us as we cooled down, shifted his gaze towards me. "The ranking system is based on a combination of factors," he explained. "It includes the ninja's skill level, the history of missions completed, their strategic importance, and the threat they pose to enemies. C-ranks are typically genin or low-level chunin."

"Any ninja below A rank is mostly fodder. The ninjas that matter on the battlefield are the A and S ranked ninjas. A rank ninjas are ninjas that are a step above the rest. It means you're consistently powerful. You're more than just a one trick pony. You can fight at the highest level and keep up in terms of strength, technique, endurance and focus."

He stared at us making sure we understood. "Now, S rank ninjas. S rank ninjas are ninjas whose destructive ability is unmatched. There are powerful ninjas who can defeat A rank ninjas without breaking a sweat but aren't classified as S rank. Why? S rank ninjas are not just ninjas with great power. They are ninjas who can single handedly cripple a hidden village."

Pin drop silence.

"That's the power it takes to be S rank. That is one of the reason the Sanin were not classified as S rank until they became Sages. Being powerful is not enough. It's a matter of your destructive ability. It's a question of how powerful. That is why each of the five major villages have at least one S rank ninja. They're deterrents against direct attacks by other villages."

Now that he explains it, it made sense. S rank ninjas were like nuclear missiles. It's the threath of them that keeps things civil. The most famous modern S rank ninja, Minato Namikaze could probably destroy a hidden village single handedly. You don't need to kill everybody. You just need to kill enough of the village's ninja population. Both high rank and low rank. Without a sizable ninja force, the village will collapse on itself. I paused. "What rank are we in?"

Kakashi stared at us. "If you must know, you're all D rank ninjas. You don't have the experience necessary for me to classify you as C rank. Take it as the good thing that it is. That shows how much space you have to grow."

"Can I go from D rank to B rank in a year?" Naruto asked.

"One year isn't enough to jump from D to a B rank ninja. We'll, unless you're a genius or are from a clan."

We all turned to stare at Naruto. He grinned self consciously. "I guess I'm from a clan."

"You guess?" Sakura scoffed. "You think clanless ninjas can come out of the academy with a powerful jutsu like your Adamantine Chains? Even Yuji's Nitro Boost isn't completed and he's been working on it for years."

Naruto was formally a part of the Uzumaki clan. Fuinjutsu geniuses with more forbidden scrolls than a hidden village. No wonder they were wiped out. Mostly.

I sighed as my fingers continued to skim through the pages. Momochi Zabuza. Demon of the Mist. A rank. With the way things have been progressing, I think it's safe to say that we can throw canon out of the window.

Hidan. Member of a secretive mercenary group based out of Amegakure. A rank. What?! I did a double take. Weren't Akatsuki members all S rank? Well, with the current definition of S rank, it's a bit of a stretch to classify Hidan as S rank. Immortality is not such a destructive ability on its own.

When I reached the S-ranked section, I noticed how thin it was. S ranks weren't as plentiful as you would think. I flipped the first page and paused, my eyes catching on Itachi Uchiha's page, detailed with descriptions of his deadly Amaterasu Jutsu.

"Sensei, who would win in a battle between you and Itachi Uchiha?" I asked, a part of me eager to gauge the power levels after nine years of their even matchup.

Kakashi's eye creased, possibly smiling, as he pondered the hypothetical match. "Itachi is a formidable ninja, with skills that far surpass many. It would be a challenging fight, certainly."

A nice way of saying he'll kick your ass. Got it.

I continued flipping through the pages until I stumbled upon a shocking entry. Shikamaru Nara complete with a picture of him laying on his back, cloud watching, labeled as an S-ranked missing-nin. My brow furrowed in confusion. "Kakashi-sensei, why is Shikamaru Nara listed as an S-ranked missing-nin here?"

Kakashi sighed, a rare frown crossing his features. "Shikamaru was one of Konoha's brightest, a genius strategist. He was drafted into the ANBU early as an academy student but left the village under circumstances that still aren't entirely clear to us. It was his departure that led to the significant policy change in which academy students can no longer be directly recruited into ANBU. Itachi's case initially put that policy under scrutiny, but Shikamaru's exit sealed its fate."

The team sat in a stunned silence, digesting the fact that a ninja around our age had already reached S rank. Curious, I ventured another question, "Who would win in a fight between you and Shikamaru, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Shikamaru," Kakashi admitted without hesitation. "His strategic mind is perhaps unmatched."

We sat stunned. Naruto stammered, stumbling over his question. "What about between Itachi and Shikamaru?"

Kakashi's response was thoughtful, "That, I honestly don't know. It would depend on so many factors. Both are extremely capable."

Damn. I've still got a long way to go.