Chapter 19: A Promise

"It seems like you all had quite an adventure huh." The team of ninjas stood before one of the greatest ninjas in living memory, "Yes lord Hokage." Kouki replied respectfully as the rest remained quiet. "Well,it would be unfair to deprive you of all of the opportunity to become a Chunin regardless of this little setback. So I will discuss this matter with your respective Jonin sensei and take into consideration your recent performances before making a final decision. For now, you all should go back home and relax." The old man smiled kindly at the young ninjas that stood in his office. Shin also observed the old man and was quite impressed to say the least.

 [Name: Hiruzen Sarutobi

Level: 140(-5)

Title: 3rd Hokage of Konohagakure/ The Professor/ God of Shinobi

Age: 60

Stats:

Strength: 140(-5)

Vitality: 140(-7)

Agility: 140(-5)

Sense: 140(-3)

Chakra: 140(-10)

Control: 140]

'Assal, why are all his stats at 140?' Shin asked in confusion and got an instant reply.

[Subject has realized his potential]

'Ok but why are they all 140? I've never seen anyone's stats being so balanced.' Shin elaborated his question.

[Unknown. Requires subject genetic sample to form conclusions.]

'Ah yes… useless as ever. Well done Assal!' Shin spoke in sarcasm as the genins were dismissed. "Hey Itachi, we should hang out sometime. Would love to learn that shadow clone jutsu of yours." Shin offered and Itachi accepted the promise to meet another time. With that, the duo went back towards their home. "Man, this sucks. I was looking forward to becoming a chunin, I was gonna go back to the academy and rub it in our classmates' faces!" Atsuki sighed in disappointment. Shin simply shook his head at his friend's words, choosing to ignore them completely, "What do you say we surprise mom? We can give her the gifts we bought." Shin suggested to which the other boy immediately agreed. The duo had bought a few souvenirs on their journey, Shin had bought a few colorful shawls while Atsuki had bought a few traditional house decorations.

......…

It was the July, the hottest month of the year, the blazing sun deterred anyone who wished to leave the comfort of their houses with the promises to heat and sweat, the singing crickets and chirping cicadas drowned the scarce melody of the birds as they hid in the shaded trees and rested near water fountains. Often one would see a man and bird, seated on a shaded bench or a cat lounging on the same tree as a bird's nest with no thoughts of conflict. The one advisory of all life had brought forth this uncommon compassion and tolerance between beings of such difference.

This had been regarded as an uncommonly hot summer, luckily for the villagers of Konoha, summer had never been that intense and the countless trees that gave the village its moniker, provided dense and numerous shades to rest and relax under. The people however, favored staying indoors, accompanying their families and playing with children alongside refreshing drinks and cool and sweet watermelons. However, there were many that could not stay indoors and enjoy familial comfort for they had sacrificed that small happiness for a nobler purpose. Standing in the shadows of buildings and trees, roaming the near empty streets, manning the countless guideposts throughout the village, silently jumping from one roof to the next with vigilance, bearing the symbol of the village on their headbands, these were ninjas, sworn to protect this place, their home, from any and all threats. There was no honorable calling than that of protecting the ones you love, these men and women had heard that call and answered an unwavering yes!

Among these ninjas, were a few that wore a slightly different uniform. A crest of a reed and white fan displayed proudly on their backs, these were the Konoha Police force, charged with the duty to protect the peace of the people. But outside the village, this clan was feared and dreaded, their red piercing eyes cast a great shadow onto the hearts of their enemies.

At this moment, within the many small forests that littered the village, these red eyes, looked upon a small boy no older than 8 as he stood in the middle of the clearing with his eyes closed. The boy slowly opened his eyes and jumped into the air, his hands relieving a set of 4 shurikens in each hand as his eyes roamed around the clearing, his hands swiftly matching his sights as numerous *Thk Thk* resounded as the boy spun midair and sent two on a colliding trajectory and they did collide; one being launched onto a tree and the other being deflected behind another tree were another *Thk* signified his success. The red eyed boy nodded in admiration, "You might be the first person not named Uchiha to gain such mastery over our Shurikenjutsu in such a short amount of time." The boy smiled at the praise, "Well I had a good teacher, or rather teachers. Speaking of, Where is Shisui anyways?" Itachi smiled, "He is a Jonin you know, he is a lot busier then we are."

After a week from their debacle of a Chunin exam, the two of them had been called into the Hokage's office where they were granted the rank of Chuin. Atsuki was told to try next year, something that left him sour but nonetheless happy that Shin had gotten promoted. Atsuki had even treated the whole family to a barbecue to celebrate Shin's promotion. Since Shin was now a Chunin, he had mostly co-led some missions or came on as a medical-ninja. Shin was mostly assigned solo missions and in 4 months, Shin had completed a total of 10 missions that mostly consisted of reconnaissance or capture on a known enemy spy, the later being far easier since a single look allowed him to find out the truth and even made genjutsu useless. Seeing his efficiency after his first capture mission, he was recommended as a hunter-nin and had already completed the required training, which mostly consisted of specialized fighting style using needles to quickly take down a target and then seal them or burn them to atoms using specialized fire jutsu.

While Shin was training as a hunter-nin, his knowledge as a medical ninja came in handy, he did have to learn some specialized tracking techniques but having a Cat helped a lot in that department. Atsuki had also started to take separate missions and double down on his training, he was also reassigned to another team. Shin had to put his medical training on hold since he was also training with Itachi and Shisui(Sometimes) and had managed to learn more jutsus in these 4 months then he did in the last whole year! From Shadow clone to genjutsu, even elemental jutsus such as air bullet and earth shuriken, but his greatest prize was learning the Uchiha's famed shurikenjutsu. Shin's talent had found common ground with the two Uchihas and his open personality had allowed them to open up as well.

"I wonder when we'll become Jonins." Shin spoke casually as the two walked out of the forest and headed to the closeby residential district. "We just became Chunin so, not anytime soon I reckon." Itachi commented as they entered the district that bore the Uchiha clan crest on its doors, poles, homes, walls, windows and everywhere else for that matter, 'Damn, I won't be surprised if they start painting it on their faces too.' Shin thought as they entered a traditional looking house. Shin sat in the backyard while Pineapple lazed around. Itachi came a few moments later with some lemonade.

"Ahhhh… This is amazing Itachi, you should start a business!" Shin suggested while enjoying the refreshing drink go down his throat and spread coolness throughout the body. Itachi laughed at the suggestion and politely declined, "I think I'll stick to being a ninja. You can have my recipe though." SHin simply shook his head and spoke with a smile and sagely wisdom, "Itachi, the lemonade is sweeter because I didn't have to make it. If I make it, it will become bitter through my sweat." Itachi gave a confused expression while replying, "That doesn't make sense…" "Ahh, you are too young my child…" Shin the sage continued but Itachi only seemed to get more confused.

"Itachi-oniisan!" a small voice cried out in joy as a rapid footsteps approached the two of them and a little boy jumped at Itachi and hugged his neck. "Sasuke, don't bother your brother when he's with friends!" Scolded a gentle voice as Shin stood and turned back, "Auntie, it's fine. I'm sorry for imposing." Shin slightly bowed to which the woman smiled, "Always so well mannered aren't you Shin-kun. It's no bother, you should come by more often." The woman went away to make some snacks while Shin argued with Sasuke, "No! Itachi-onisan is waaaay more better than you!" the boy argued. "Na-ah! He's just older! If we were the same age, I would beat your brother black and blue!" Shin countered with a grin. "Oh yah!? Well… you don't even have a sharingan!" the boy continued. "Oh yah? Neither did Hashirama and he still beat Madara." Shin shot him down. "Well, well, um… you still can't beat Itachi-oniichan!" The little boy relented to his previous statement.

"Alright, you guys don't have to do this every time." Itachi sighed watching the two argue, many times he too had been dragged into their argument and had to avoid taking sides because Shin's words had merit. 'If the ages were reversed, I don't know if I could win against him.' Itachi thought. Shin's talent had indeed impressed Itachi and even Shisui. "Alright, how about this? If you can catch Pineapple, I'll give you a super cool jutsu!" Shin decided to challenge Sasuke to which the boy's eyes started to shine, "Really!?" "Of Course! And it's not the small stuff they teach at the academy but a really powerful A rank jutsu!" Shin promised. "You better not go back on your word!" Sasuke spoke as his eyes landed on the cat that was laying under the shaded tree, the cat was startled as the boy started to run at her and jumped up the tree. "Hey! Wait!" Sasuke yelled as he started to climb the tree as well.

"You are really going to teach him a jutsu?" Itachi asked Shin. "Of course, not that he has any chance to catch it." Shin replied as he watched in amusement as the boy tried and failed to catch the cat over and over again. Itachi sighed, "Can you stop playing with my brother like this?" Shin looked at Itachi in amusement, "Alright Mr. Bro-con." Itachi was not amused.

After a while, Shin left a panting and cursing Sasuke behind and made his way home. Tomorrow was mission day and according to hearsay, he was going to be hunting down a missing nin of Kiri near the land of waves. He didn't know how it would take so he was going to prepare. Shin looked at his stats and sighed, 'I've come a long way but there is still so much further to go. Even Pineapple is Level 20 now!'

 [Name: The Overlord of Chaos (Shin Hirano)

Level: 45

Title: Chunin of Konoha

Age: 8

Stats:

Strength: 34

Vitality: 33

Agility: 40

Sense: 50

Chakra: 60

Control: 56]