Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

SHINSO KEN

It had been two days since I had woken up. The bridge's construction was in its last phases. Team seven and team eight alternated every twelve hours guarding the bridge. Now that the threat had passed it was dull work. I had been cooped up in the Tsunami-san's house for three days. I had been growing restless. So, I snuck out in the evening, to roam around. I had left a note, so everyone would not worry. Just as I was roaming the forest I heard some voices. I followed the sound.

"Hiya, Hyah…."

THUMP. THUMP.

Someone was practicing taijutsu, I erased my presence, making sure not to startle them, and walked up a tree behind the person practicing to get a better view. I reached the top branch and sat on it. It was Hinata, hitting the tree, with her palms. She was panting heavily and from the sweat on her face, she had been at it for quite some time. I decided to observe for some time.

She started gathering chakra in her hands and got into the signature juke stance.

"Hyuga secret technique:8 trigrams."

TICK.

TICK

THUMP.THUMP.THUMP

THUMP.THUMP.THUMP.

Hmmm, 32 palms was the best she could pull off. But, her delivery near the end had been sloppy. I had fought Neji a couple of times and seen him spar. His strikes were both faster and more efficient than hers. Though Hinata was a bit timid, she was not without talent. In taijutsu, she had ranked just below Sasuke and that was saying something.

She finished her move and once again started painting once more. Her hands were swollen. Hmmm, I don't remember her being this fierce. Well, canon has already gone out the window so I shouldn't use that as an accurate source of info. Plus, over the twelve years, I had forgotten a lot of it. So, I decided to live each day on its own.

CARPE DIEM.

Hmm, maybe I should help her. I jumped down from the tree landing softly on the ground.

"Yo," I said in a cheerful tone. Waving, my still bandaged hands at her.

"Huhn…..," she was startled as she turned around in panic. She looked at me and I smiled at her. She started panicking and I could see her getting embarrassed at being found out.

"What are you doing out here Shinso-Kun? I just mean… didn't sensei ask you to rest?" She said while trying to control her anxiety.

"Oh. I was just getting bored in there. So, I decided a little walk around the town would be fine. Then I heard someone training and observed for a little while," I replied, waving away her concern.

"And don't worry. I left a note. So, they don't panic." I added before she could object further.

"Then. Um, its… fine. So, how long have you-Um-been watching me practice?" she asked in a small voice.

"Oh, I just came here, so just for a little while," I replied. I walked towards the tree, she had been striking and observed the marks. I passed my hand over them and they were rough. She has more chakra than Neji.

"You know, it has gotten pretty late and our team has the morning shift tomorrow, we also have to leave by tomorrow evening. So, you should probably rest." I said. My hand still checks the bark of the tree. Noticing all the marks.

"Oh-Um-I just couldn't-um-rest- So, I came out here to practice, I will leave." She said but as she was about to turn I spoke once more. The cheeriness vanished from my voice.

"I have sparred against your cousin a couple of times. I am friends with his teammate." I said and I could see her stop, my tone and words startling her. Color vanished from her face.

"His strikes were faster. His hits are precise. His movements swift." I added and I was being truthful. Hyuga Neji was a true genius. His hate had made him mold his body into an extremely deadly weapon. In the close range in hand-to-hand combat, you could not match him.

"You are not like him," My words were ruthless, I could see a flicker of anger and frustration in her eyes. She clenched her fists and she lowered her eyes.

"He lacks your fine chakra control, your strikes may not be as swift but they have more chakra due to your larger reserves."

At this, her face up and she looked at me. Shocked by my words. I could see the hunger and self-doubt in her eyes. I turned and looked her straight in the eye.,

"You can never be like him. But you don't have to. Because you can be much stronger than him," I walked towards her and stood right in front of her.

I had a wide smile on my face as, I said my next words, "So, why don't we discuss, how you can beat your stuck-up cousin's ass?"

My words took a moment to register. Because, after blinking her eyes at me for a couple of seconds. She giggled and nodded her head. I did not miss the slight watering around her eyes.

Even if the world burned because of my choice to make my path. It would be worth it.

00000000000

KURENAI YUHI

Kurenai Yuhi exited the forest with a thoughtful expression. She had come back to the house and found Shinso's note. She had been angry at him, and she had rushed out to find him. She had entered the forest and then she had seen him conversing with Hinata. When he had mentioned Neji of all people she had thought the worst.

Was he going to be like Hinata's family, disregarding her potential and mental health? She had been ready to intervene, but his next words had made a smile bloom across her face.

You can be much stronger than him.

Hinata had needed those words. More so from a person, she looked up to. Constant comparisons to her cousin, who was a once-in-a-generation genius at taijutsu had damaged her self-esteem. This gave rise to self-doubt and a lack of confidence. As much she had tried to ensure her. Kurenai's words were considered sympathy, she had needed acknowledgment from a peer. Someone whom, she considered her metric of genius.

She had not disturbed them as both Hinata and Shinso-Kun had sat down and started discussing some theory. She had left the forest without them and now she was moving towards Tsunami san's home. She saw Shino waiting outside the house.

"Where are Hinata and Shinso Kun, sensei?" he asked her. He was probably worried about them.

"Oh, they said they will return in a while." She replied and began thinking of her last student. Well, she couldn't leave him to his own devices. There was still some time left before the meal.

"Shino, follow me. It has been some time since you sparred." She said.

"Without Hinata and Shinso, sensei?" he questioned.

"Um, they can join us later." She replied.

"Ok, sensei." He nodded and started following her into the forest.

Her team was quite good she concluded. All of them were quite serious and did not shy away from hard work. They were much better than Kakashi's dysfunctional group. They had not decided on a team leader yet. Well, they could do it after returning to the village.

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SASUKE UCHIHA

Sasuke Uchiha was frustrated as he rushed back to the village with seven other people. He had been stuck on a team with morons. Sakura was oblivious about the shinobi life and was not taking it seriously. And Naruto, the idiot had such large reserves, yet he had no patience. His theoretical knowledge was nonexistent and his basics were abysmal.

Most of all their sensei was holding him back. HE HAD TO IMPROVE. HE HAD TO GET STRONGER.

None of them understood him. He looked to the other side and saw team eight, jumping across the tree alongside them. His gaze landed on the brown-haired boy. He was beside Kurenai sensei and both of them were talking about something.

Shinso Ken. He was stronger than him. She had listened to Hinata's report and Shinso had defeated Haku. And not just defeated according to the report he had outclassed him completely. He was an orphan like the orange buffoon, yet he had surpassed all of them. Even Kakashi had been impressed by him. Sasuke continued to stare at him, missing that two members of his team were staring at him.

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SAKURA HARUNO

Sakura Haruno still goy shivers when she thought about the battle on the bridge. The oppressive chakra, which their senseis had explained to be killing intent had made her tremble in fear. She had been unable to move out of fear. Then team eight had appeared and the battle had shifted.

She had seen Sasuke Kun's senbon riddled body and she had been afraid. If their opponent could do this to the best of their generation, did they stand a chance? Shouldn't all of them retreat and let their jounin sensei handle it? After all, they were only genins.

But, she had been proven wrong. Wrong on multiple accounts. Out on the field, they were not just genin, they were shinobi of Konoha. And Sasuke Kun was not the best of their generation. The best among them was the weird brown-haired kid, sitting behind her in class, often found laying with his dice in class. A no-name orphan who had risen above all those people from clans.

Her fists clenched at that, due to her very high theory marks, she had thought herself special. Yet only now she was understanding that the real world was quite different. Her marks were just paper and unless she applied herself, she would fail. At this, she looked toward Sasuke Kun in front of her. Fail in all her endeavors.

But what could she do? She did not have a cool Kekkei-Genkai like Sasuke Kun. She did not have huge reserves like 'the idiot'. The only thing she was good at was memorization. And she wouldn't become stronger through memorization. She thought of many things, but she was confused. Maybe she should ask her Kakashi sense? After all, he was there to teach them.

"We are approaching the village," Kakashi sensei informed them from the front.

She looked up and could see the large gates of Konoha at the edge of sight. She could feel her body relax. Finally, they were home. She pushed the chakra into her legs once more, rushing through the lush forests. She would think about all of this later. The first thing that she needed to do was to take a long warm bath and a very sumptuous meal.

Perhaps she should stop dieting.

000000000000

In an orphanage on the east edge of Konoha, a young woman was sitting outside watching children play on the ground. She looked at them and smiled as they had fun playing various games. Nisa was a retired chunin who had been caught by the rubble during the nine-tail's attack. It had crushed her pelvic region. Making it difficult for her to be fully mobile while destroying a certain pair of organs.

She was not very affected by the loss in mobility leading to her retirement, but the loss of her ovaries had been hurtful. She was never an exemplary shinobi, just an average one. She had made chunin at twenty-eight. And would probably be her first and final promotion. She was just your average shinobi. Honestly, most shinobi were like that. Average. More than ninety percent of genin did not ever make it up to become a Tokubetsu Jounin. All of them were just numbers.

When a vacancy had opened up at the orphanages, she had signed up immediately. Perhaps, this could give her a new purpose. The work was hectic, yet seeing the smiling faces of the kids at the end of the day had made all of it worth it. Their futures were bleak, this world was not kind to orphans. So, she let them enjoy what little joy they could have now. And in them, she had found him.

He had been the one. The special one, among those numbers. His eyes are ever observant and his intellect years ahead. He had started helping her when he was five. She had taught him basic mathematics and he had picked it up with ease. Later, he would start helping her with the budget book. And from that, he had been a constant presence beside her. When he had told her he wanted to be a shinobi, she was a bit concerned for him. He was bright and could do well in merchant school. It was not easy being a shinobi, it required grit, hard work, and dedication. But he had been firm so she had decided to help him a bit. And she was shocked once more.

He mastered skills that took her years to master in months. His potential is huge. But then he had mentioned joining the barrier corps, citing their lowest mortality rates.

She was a little disappointed in the choice, but she would support him. But then he had told her that his request was rejected. She had laughed at that. He had moved into his apartment, it was a nice enough place. He also made some money through his sealing endeavors.

He has not visited me this week. She looked at the gate of the orphanage once more. She prayed for him in her heart. Let's hope that it was just a long mission.

0000

Another character makes its way to the scene. Sakura has matured a bit because I really hated the Sakura before Shippuden. Sasuke understands his position on the food chain.

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