18 Changes in the Land of Waves

At the hokage office.

"How goes your report Tora?" Tsunade asked while sitting behind her desk, looking at the genin in front of her.

"It's doing well Hokage-sama, I have the report here. As expected for the notables, Team 8 are competent trackers, Team 10 are competent in their clan specialties and are deadly when combining them together, while Team 7 are the most versatile; though the presence of Naruto and Sasuke make them most suitable for assault missions. Further details are in the report as well as for the remaining teams." Tora said as he placed his report on the table.

"How about the genin squad from your clan?" Tsunade asked. Tora was well known in his clan obviously, but she wondered what he thought about his genin clansmen.

"...They are doing well, Father assigned a clan jounin to be their sensei as per the agreement. Sumaru is a hot-head, while Mizura and Hokuto balance it out with kindness and responsibility respectively. I think they have a chance to reach jounin-level in the future." Tora elaborated regarding his clansmen. His father had negotiated with Tsunade for a that trio be put together under a Hoshi Jounin, which Tsunade accepted after some negotiation.

"Good work... I also heard that you tried your hand at fuinjutsu recently." Tsunade asked as she looked through Tora's report.

"...Unfortunately, fuinjutsu is a jutsu-type I'm just not compatible with Hokage-sama." Tora cringed slightly at this.

"Sigh... I had a feeling that was the case, I saw your notes after all. I was hoping you weren't an example of that medical-nin stereotype." Tsunade referenced Tora's handwriting. To be generous, it was barely readable. That's why when Tsunade was finally able to understand his notes and realize its potential, she had him dictate it to a stenographer.

Tora winced at this. He had learnt the hard way that you needed to be at least at the professional level when it comes to calligraphy if you wanted to make your own seals. Tora blew himself up when he whimsically tried to make an exploding tag like a meathead. After that experience, he eventually gave up on the endeavor.

Now he simply buys any explosive tags and storage scrolls he needs from Tenten. Why did it have to be from Tenten? Well, he just wanted to support her craft and and let her know someone was relying on her; her ninja way wasn't exactly something popular and it felt only right to support her by buying some of the goods she makes.

Funnily enough, since he knew of Naruto's clan specialty. He actually purchased some sealing supplies for Naruto as a gift. He wasn't expecting much since he felt that Naruto wasn't a fuinjutsu type of person, however he was proven wrong. After a few minutes of reading the sealing guide Tora bought him, Naruto smiled and chuckled dangerously. It was only a few days later that Tora learnt that Naruto saw fuinjutsu as a potential way to improve his pranks/tricks and thus studied it with a passion.

"Now for your next mission, I received a call for reinforcements from Kakashi and his team. You will be joining the team of Kurenai with Anko. You are tasked to follow their instructions but are allowed to deviate if you believe it to be necessary. Kurenai and Anko already know of your capabilities from your training but be sure to update them if needed."

"Hai Hokage-sama. Is there news on who we will be facing?"

"Not much, all the scroll that Kakashi sent back through Pakkun said that it was likely the mercenary group known as the "Akastsuki" was involved."

'Oh? That's new... Butterfly-san has cast their jutsu it seems.' Tora thought to himself about the changes to the Land of waves mission.

"I see, I apologize for asking, but if I am not mistaken Hokage-sama. That group is full of S-rank missing-nin, are we sure this is enough?" Tora asked. He would be lying if said he was not nervous about facing the Akatsuki.

"Tora, I consider you already at Jounin level. I also consider Anko and Kakashi firmly at the elite jounin-level, perhaps even quasikage for Kakashi, while Kurenai is getting closer and closer to that level of elite jounin as well. Additionally, Kurenai's team will be useful in the mist heavy areas where visibility is low. Just be sure to guard them, they will likely be the first targets in an ambush." Tsunade explained her logic.

"Hai Hokage-sama." With Kiba's sense of smell, and Hinata's byakugan, if they did end up facing someone like Zabuza who used the mist; Tora believed their abilities would be a godsend.

A few days later, Tora was traveling with Team 8 and Anko. They were getting close to the meeting spot and were on guard. Based from Kakashi's letter, he mentioned that a mobster owned most of the thugs in the area. He also mentioned they had found help and they would come to meet them.

"Kiba, Hinata, do you sense anything? " Kurenai said as they approached the meeting area filled with mist.

Kiba sniffed the air and so did Akamaru. Meanwhile, Hinata activated her byakugan and looked through the mist around them.

"Nothing, they could be hiding it though." Kiba said after a few seconds.

"I don't see anything either Kurenai-sensei." Hinata added.

Anko then looked at the two of them with a smile.

"Nice little genin you have here Kurenai. Let's hope their as good as they are in fighting, as they are in scouting" Anko said with a laughing smile. In response, Kiba smiled pridefully while Hinata only nodded with a smile.

Anko then turned to Tora.

"Brat, go on ahead and set noise traps. Let's make sure we don't get caught with our pants down." Anko replied.

"Sigh... Sure thing Anko-san. But couldn't Shino just use his bugs?" Tora replied with a sigh. Tora had to admit, that job was a bit of a hassle.

"He could and will later, but we do want to conserve everyone's chakra. Among the genin, only you and yellow brat can splurge on Chakra like that... Actually, even you shouldn't be that wasteful, now go ahead and do it. I'll check later to see if your still practicing what I teach, you don't want to find snakes in your sleeping bag again don't you?" Anko replied with a sadistic smile.

Tora could only sigh again and then obey orders, it would be troublesome for Anko to mess with him while he slept. So he went ahead of them and began setting simple alarm traps that could alert them of the presence of other shinobi.

After Tora left, Shino spoke up.

"Kurenai-sensei, is it true that you and Anko-san have been training Tora since he was a child."

Kurenai looked at him and smiled.

"Yes, usually he comes once a week to each of us for instruction in different aspects of shinobi. Though that may have to stop now that I have a genin squad." Kurenai said in a serene voice.

"Hahaha, that brat has been getting weekly lessons from me since he was 5. Why do you think he's so amazing." On the other hand, Anko boasted proudly.

"Hmm, trained by Anko-san and Kurenai-sensei, as well as being a disciple of Hokage-sama. It explains why he was able to graduate the academy early then." Shino surmised.

"Don't worry Shino, he was ahead of us by two year but we'll catch up quick. I'm sure I could kick his ass in Taijutsu once I start training hard enough"

Anko could only laugh at this.

"Hahaha, I'd like to see you try kid, that kid's close combat instructor was pretty good. Right Kurenai?" Anko looked at Kurenai, referencing that her not-so-secret boyfriend had trained Tora in the fighting department. Kurenai could only smile.

"That would be difficult Kiba, Tora specializes in close combat and was trained by a skilled close combat jounin as well, but I'm sure you would improve with enough training." Kurena said, trying to politely tell Kiba that he was underestimating Tora too much.

"You worry too much Kurenai-sensei, I'll make sure I won't beat him too bad, he was your student too after all." Kurenai's implied meaning flew over Kiba's head.

Anko could only laugh further at this.

A few minutes later they had arrived in the meeting spot and were waiting for Kakashi and the help that was going to meet them. Tora approached the genin squad.

"Hey, I'm curious, have you guys checked your chakra affinity yet?" Tora asked.

"Huh, what do you mean?" Kiba asked.

"No not yet." Shino answered.

"No, I haven't yet Tora-kun." Hinata replied.

Tora smiled slightly.

"Chakra affinity is the nature element your best at using. Like how Sasuke probably has a fire affinity since he uses his clan's fire jutsu frequently." Tora answers Kiba's question.

"Oh, nah not yet." Kiba remarked.

"Well would you like to check it now? You don't have to show me the result if you don't want to." Tora then asked.

"Eh sure, what the heck, why not." Kiba shrugged and agreed.

Hinata and Shino thought for a few seconds, before nodding.

"Tora-kun, what's this I hear about Chakra affinity?" Kurenai then walked over, overhearing their conversation.

"Oy oy, sounds interesting. Don't tell me you have chakra paper with you." Anko then followed behind her with an interested look on her face.

"Ah, Kurenai-sensei, Anko-sensei, I was just asking them if they wanted to find out their chakra affinity now. They had just graduated recently and I wanted to get them graduation gifts." Tora held up three pieces of chakra induction paper as he said this.

"Pheeew, those three pieces of paper are worth almost one d-rank mission kid. Aren't you generous." Anko whistled and commented on Tora's generosity.

Tora only shrugged before replying.

"Their classmates and friends who just graduated, there's no issue at all. Is this alright with you Kurenai-sensei. I don't want to undercut you if you already had plans."

Kurenai thought for the moment before smiling softly.

"Tora-kun, I'm assuming you bought chakra paper for Team 7 and 10 as well?" She asked.

"Yes Kurenai-sensei." Tora nodded.

"Ohh, why don't you spread some of that generosity to your beautiful sensei. A few sticks of dango at town maybe?" Anko then said.

"Of course Anko-sensei, when you have your first genin team. I'll gift you chakra induction paper as well." Tora wasn't a fool, the chakra paper would likely cost less than the amount of dango he would treat Anko with.

Anko scowled at this but remained silent.

"It's fine then. Please don't ask for too much Anko. You don't want to bankrupt someone who sees you as a sensei." Kurenai said. She looked at her three genin and nodded.

Kiba walked forward excitedly and grabbed a chakra paper offered by Tora. He was told by Kurenai to infuse his chakra into it; Kiba nodded and began doing so. This led to his piece of paper crumbling into dust.

"Earth-release, strong defense, hard, and stubborn. Nice Kiba." Tora commented. He imagined Kiba implementing a version of the headhunter jutsu Kakashi likes to use; wherein Kiba or Akamaru could grab someone's feet from underneath the ground while the other whales into them from above.

"Huh, looks like were gonna be the best at earth release, aye Akamaru?" Kiba proudly says to Akamaru.

'Never change Kiba, never change.' Tora thinks to himself while remembering the numerous earth-release specializing shinobi from Iwagakure.

Afterwards, Shino steps forward and Tora hands him a piece of chakra paper.

"Thank you." Shino say before channeling his chakra through the piece of paper. As he does so, the piece of paper ignites and turns into ash.

'Huh, who would've thought. I know personality isn't really something that goes into affinity but this is definitely surprising.' Tora thinks to himself.

"Fire-release, spontaneous, creative, destructive. Be careful in the future Shino-kun; like your clan insects, fire is something very powerful, but it needs control and preparation to use." Kurenai says to her Genin.

"Yes, Kurenai-sensei." Shino, the shinobi of few words, replies.

Finally, Hinata walks forward somewhat shyly and holds onto the piece of paper Tora hands to her.

"Thank you Tora." She says with a smile.

She then begins channeling her chakra through the paper, it immediately wrinkles signifying her element.

"Lightning-release, precise, surgical, deadly. This sounds awesome for your gentle-fist Hinata; I wouldn't want to get hit by your attacks if your able to combine them." Tora says.

"Hey, that sounds like a great idea brat. Make sure your able to do it little girl, I'm sure yellow brat will be impressed." Anko comments.

Hinata can only shyly nod at the Jounin's remarks.

"Stop pressuring her Anko, don't worry Hinata. I believe in you, I'm sure you can do it at your own pace in the future." Kurenai similarly likes the idea and encourages Hinata.

At this, Hinata smiles.

"Yes Kurenai-sensei." She says, encouraged.

Suddenly, a large amount of mist comes into the clearing they were staying in. The jounin and Tora immediately go on guard.

"Kurenai-sensei, I think this might be Kiri's trademark jutsu." Tora says immediately.

Kurenai and Anko nod.

"Hinata activate your byakugan and look around, Kiba see if you can smell anything shinobi related. Shino spread your insects." Kurenai orders her genin squad. The three nod and do their orders.

After a few seconds however, two kunai and a hail of senbon appear barreling towards the three genin under Kurenai.

Author's Corner

Hey Guys!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

This chapter is the set-up to a different land of waves arc from the original. We also got Tora hanging out with team 8. I always felt that their skills would be really useful in a land of waves scenario were visibility is low, and they can use their different abilities. The only real problem is their combat strength, and whether its enough to help them survive a battle with elite shinobi.

Thanks for reading!