Pov: Hiruzen Sarutobi.
I didn't expect him to accept the offer, everything I know about the child deemed him very likely to rebel and attempt to escape... I even had Anbu watch over him for the next week in case he really did so.
But it seems he is quite willing to partake in this deal of ours- no one is being trained this month due the deal being forged within the middle of November but someone will have to be trained next month... perhaps he will choose one of his friends?
"Are you sure about this one Hiruzen? I am all for testing limits but a B-rank infiltration mission when he is a skilled taijutsu specialist seems very unwise" Danzo asks me.
"I want to see how he handles a mission outside of his usual perimeters, he has never attempted to infiltrate anything within Konoha and is very blatantly lazy in anything but training- even then he lacks motivation to do much... so I want him to put his full effort into a subject he is not skilled in" I summarise.
"I see. Then we can test how much effort he is willing to put into these missions, if it is not enough we can punish him for violating the deal and if he is terrible at performing his duties despite his effort the mystery value he sells himself at will plummet" Danzo strokes his chin in thought.
"Yes, and we need someone to keep an eye on him- test his capabilities and ensure the mission is not failed due to his negligence" I reply.
"A root ninja? All my root are spread thin currently, I have a few injured if you need them to just watch... but I cannot push them too hard" Danzo sighs.
"I just need one to plant Minato's Kunai around the destination, the infiltration should only be an hour- which Minato can take from his schedule... but I cannot justify a whole Jonin being sent to watch a child travel for a week and a half" I shake my head in thought.
"Of course- how efficient, the root ninja I will send has only one broken arm and should be capable of travel from one place to another... place one of his Kunai at our favourite tea shop" Danzo nods.
Thinking of the exact area Danzo is referring to I flick my wrist and a an Anbu rushes to deliver the news to Minato, who will leave a kunai for the ninja Danzo sends to pick it up.
"Haaa, if only we had the time to drink some tea now..." I sigh.
"Yes, but work calls for us all. In fact I am late to the training of one of my recent agents, I best not set a terrible example" Danzo stands with a chuckle.
"Thank you again Danzo- your root has come in handy far more times than I thought possible" I smile.
"No problem Old friend, I am always here to lift the burden off of your shoulders" Danzo tells me before walking out the door.
And now... I have to return to this endless pile of paperwork- lets see what the Daimyo wants done first.
I pick from the very important pile of paper and start reading through it.
Pov: Takumi Uchiha.
"You are really going on a mission?" Obito asks, bewildered.
"In pyjamas?" Rin asks, same bewilderment.
"You were there when the deal was struck" I inform.
"I didn't hear a pyjama clause..." Rin furrows her brow.
"I have no ninja outfit, my pyjamas and this jacket will suffice" I state.
"Not even a kunai packed to go... but you bring your romance novel?" Rin, still flustered, asks in a very confused tone.
"A new one yes- thought I might read in my downtime, [Tales of Ryo and Woe] seemed unique in its multiple short stories surrounding that of sex workers who want more than just lust- a wholesome story dedicated to those who never had a choice between-" I summarise.
"-Okay, we don't need to hear all the juicy details- just take a med kit with you at least, and maybe wear pyjama pants that aren't pink!" Obito suggest with a yell.
"They are pink and white, note the dots patterned onto the pants" I gesture to my pyjamas.
"Do you have something less bright?" Rin asks.
"No. I brought the same pair ten times over so I never have to struggle with the thought of what I should next wear when waking up. I am nothing if not efficient" I humbly declare.
"...okay... and the med kit?" Rin questions.
"Medical kits are for those that are injured. I am in fact, not" I inform them.
...
"You aren't listening to us- med kit is for in case you get injured" Obito tries to dumb it down.
"I will not get injured" I stand tall as if threatened by his assumptions of my weakness.
"You can't possibly think that- your not an oracle! You can't see the future! You can't just declare that you won't get injured and then not get injured, that's not-" Obito begins to rant.
"Watch me" I state.
"-what?" Obito stops.
"I will return uninjured. Watch. Me" I challenge myself.
"... never mind, stay safe weirdo" Obito facepalms.
"Please stay safe Takumi..." Rin bows.
"Hn" I answer and turn around, walking out the gate without a care in the world.
...
*Step* *Step* *Step*
Right... I need to put my full effort into this mission don't I?
It's been a while, doing something for someone else.
*Shiver*
I can feel the excitement wake my bones, my very soul shakes in the mere thought of being who I was for even a moment.
My steps stop dragging and start speeding up- my body stops leaning backwards and starts leaning forwards as my eyes stop lazily scanning the road and start looking up at my goal.
A travelling merchant company has been suspected of being spies- in the last village they visited the townspeople noted that one of their crates was filled with ninja supplies... the thief who found this promptly left the carriage alone and informed his village who then informed the Hokage.
And now I am hunting for spies.
Specifically I was told to discern every detail about them as whatever Identity I choose and then return with that information.
However- It would be simpler to bring them in directly rather than create two missions, or if I figure out enough I can just remove them then and there.
They should be three days out- four if I am slow... no, let's get this done within a week.
*Flicker!*
Dust picks up and fallen leaves flutter as I pick up the pace, the flicker technique allowing me to dash at an intense pace.
Konoha ninja are accustomed to traveling through the tree tops but I am far more used to sprinting through the snow in the empire.
My armour would weigh too much for the branches to carry me... and I am not learning another method of travel if my method is fine.
Body enhancement- if I pour chakra into the stepping foot at the right time and with the right rhythm, I can slowly accelerate to a speed that outmatches tree hopping.
*Step!* *Fwooooosh!*
It starts slow but my chakra enhancement builds up, using the idea of my impact dispersing I take the basic principles and apply them to regular chakra enhancement instead, every step creates an impact, I absorb half my impact and disperse it in a more focused blast to push my body forward- slowly increasing my speed as the impacts grow stronger.
*Fwwwoooooooooooosh!* *Whistle~*
The air whistles around me and I channel my chakra to coat my body, something light and non expensive- just enough chakra to smoothen the winds passing by and reduce the noise.
*DASH* *DASH!* *DASH!*
The only noise remaining is my footsteps slamming against the earth as I sprint forward.
-Eleven hours later-
Pov: Root operative.
*Flicker!* *Flicker!*
...
*Flicker!* *Flicker!* *Flicker!*
How is this child making such tight turns around the forest at such speeds while sprinting? I can easily change direction by flickering off the branches in a different way but he is in a dedicated sprint that weaves through trees like nothing else.
And he keeps getting faster and faster...
Building momentum, a strange technique but I have seen various jutsu that do the same thing- and many Shinobi who have the same idea.
Though those Shinobi were taijutsu practitioners or Jonin- masters of Body enhancement and chakra control.
A strange child indeed...
*Flicker*
"I am here for the first day-" Minato Namikaze appears next to me on a branch but vanishes behind me as I keep up with the child.
*Woosh!*
"I am here for the first days report" Minato catches up to me with ease.
I am playing the part of an ordinary ninja now, I must show some emotion.
"Yes Minato-san, Takumi has been moving pretty fast in a dedicated sprint for eleven hours now... no breaks and still building up speed!" I report.
"Oh? So he is a talented kid! I didn't doubt the Hokage's words but my new genin made it sound like he was a lazy sloth" Minato raises an eyebrow in surprise.
"Lazy yes, talented also yes- they seem to cancel each other out..." I nod my head eagerly.
"Alright then... summon me when you arrive or rest, I will head back now" Minato stares at the kids back for a moment before vanishing.
Haaa- I release all the energy in my body as I become emotionless once more and focus on the child in front of me.
Takumi Uchiha sprints through the trees endlessly, for hours on end he runs- and when he needs to eat he will snatch at fruits and berries that this forest provides in order to eat on the run.
Without rest Takumi sprints through the night.
Every so often he stops at a location... before changing direction- hidden campsites and old fires lead him through the night as he tails after a travelling band of merchants.
Over plains- and through rain Takumi eventually arrives at his destination when the sun rises for the next day.
Abruptly stopping on a hill Takumi gazes downwards towards the encampment- he waits for minutes on end... before stepping down towards it.
Pov: Takumi Uchiha.
This camp is abandoned- they knew they were being followed, or perhaps they were tipped off about being found out.
It will be much more difficult to track these shinobi when they are actively hiding themselves.
I am certain they will have supernatural methods to disguise traces that I would normally follow- and I lack methods of chakra tracking.
So how do I track them from here?
I recall a band of thieves that robbed the empires vault- their leaders Aura was of stealth and my sharp senses could not discern where they went.
Hn.
I relied on my old fools dark arts to track them that day- something I am unable to do now.
But, I did learn something valuable that day in regards to tracking.
I scan the camp and search every crate- all empty, probably stored in bundles of less discrete sealing scrolls.
Humans are limited by their environment- those thieves couldn't drag all that treasure far enough without being caught, they had to hide right under my nose as I left the capital in search of them.
These merchants also have quite the lump sum of loot... meaning they would favour hiding over running. Especially in enemy territory.
...
The next town is an hour away- All these supplies, even in scrolls would be hard to drag across the land of Fire without being caught.
Now it is a gamble. But it is also the only lead I have.
-One hour later-
Pov: Root operative.
*Flicker*
Minato Namikaze appears before me.
"He arrived?"
"Yes sir- just entered town, I used my tracking methods to deduce they are here... but I have no idea where they could be hiding" I nod.
"That's fine- it is a test of his abilities not yours" Minato waves it off and scans the streets.
Finding Takumi walking slowly between buildings he focuses in and leans over the roof.
"Let's see... he is investigating each potential hiding zone, striking buildings one can't hide in a small time frame and moving onto the next" Minato mutters to himself.
"A large group of merchants should be hiding in a tavern or such" I add.
"I had the same thought- but look... he walked right past that one" Minato points.
Why?
Pov: Takumi Uchiha.
I step in front of a bar and give it a look over, before walking to the barber shop neighbouring it.
Hn.
Tricky spies- I prefer facing the more honourable kind of warriors but I suppose I will lack that thrill in this world.
I step to the next building.
Hn?
This bookstore, not opened yet- a closed sign still up.
A window opened slightly, perhaps the owner is inside just before opening?
No- what is peaking my interest here is the lack of tracks leading to this place, every other store has dried mud footprints placed about at it's entrance, but a seasoned spy would not leave such an obvious sign.
Unless that sign was less suspicious than fresh footprints leading up to the window.
Hasty- they are staying for a moment and leaving as soon as they can.
I walk up to the window and poke my head inside- seeing a person dusting the shelves.
"Oi- you open?" I ask.
"Not yet brat, come back later" The man responds.
"When's later?" I ask.
"... we open in another hour" He tells me.
I take a few steps back and wait thirty seconds, I pull on the sleeve of a townsman walking by.
"You- when does this store open?" I ask.
"Usually opens after lunch, Goro is inside usually though- bother him enough and he will open for you" He tells me before continuing down the street.
Goro...
I walk back to the window.
"Hey Akio, I heard from your neighbour that you would open if I pestered you enough, is this the case? I really need to buy a book" I poke my head through.
"Not today- I am doing a deep clean, now bugger off!" He tells me off and I close the window.
No longer a small suspicion, that confirms it.
He responded to a different name- which means he either doesn't know his own name or someone is hastily pretending to be him.
The lack of footprints and clean windowsill compared to the dusty insides was enough to grab my attention- the owner cleaning the bookshelves closest to the window and door is an odd place to start but nothing too out of place.
Which means I needed to confirm my suspicions or put them to rest, to which I would go to the next suspicious building if this really was Goro.
Hn. Now I must 'infiltrate' his bookshop, and find the merchants inside.
Perhaps discern who they are and their mission inside our lands.
I open the window again.
"Hey" I greet.
"Wha-" *Slam!*
I slam the window down.
...
I open the window again.
"Hey" I greet.
"Don't-" *Slam!*
I slam the window down.
...
I open the window again- meeting face to face with the 'Owner'.
"Hey" I greet.
*Slam!* *Catch!*
The owner catches the window as I attempt to slam it on him.
"What do you want brat? What book could be so important that you bother me so much!?" He grunts through his teeth.
"Do you have [The Mystery of Brok-ahn, Finh- Ghars]?" I raise an eyebrow.
"No" He answers bluntly.
"It's a real eye opener" I smile.
*CRACK!* *POKE!*
I uppercut his hand holding the window up and then poke him in his widened eyes- the second he lets go I jump through the window and shut it behind me.
*Thunk!*
Slamming into the bookshelf behind himself I confirm he is a shinobi based on one thing- he didn't scream when confronted with sudden pain.
"Why you little shit-" He groans out and throws a punch at me.
*Tap!*
I hold out a hand and absorb the impact- dispersing it into the creaking floor below me.
"Pathetic, hit harder" I demand.
Following my demand the ninja graciously throws a haymaker at me- to which I raise my hand and- *Crack!*
Absorb the impact, before dispersing directly back into his own hand... breaking his other one.
*Swish!*
A swift kick follows and I turn my body slightly to dodge it with bored eyes, as his foot passes by me I flicker with precision.
*Woosh!*
Appearing above him on the bookcase I rest my head on my fist and gesture for him to keep going with my other hand.
"... the fuck are you?" He asks.
"Bored. Can you not stop to speak? I am only here to kill mist spies" I yawn.
He doesn't react and continues to fight.
Either really good or I picked the wrong village.
*Swish!* *Swish!*
He jumps up and throws two consecutive kicks at me- I freeze and feel the first kick impact across my shoulder and the second one impact across my face.
I do not budge as I absorb the impacts and immediately send them back through his leg.
*Snap!*
His knee bends the wrong way and I sigh as he flops to the floor.
*Creak*
"Who are you?" A man opens the door behind the counter and questions me.
"He is-" *SLAM!*
I jump off the bookcase and land on the mans head, either knocking him out with my full body weight or cracking his skull- I am not so fussed to check.
"I was sent to kill you cloud scum" I scrunch my face in disgust.
He furrows his brows in confusion and I see that I guessed wrong again.
*Swish!* *Swish!*
He performs a few hand signs and I pick a book off the shelf- *Wooosh!*
I throw it across the room and the man disappears in a cloud of smoke before appearing behind me- and releasing his jutsu.
*Bang!*
A water bullet shoots from his mouth and impacts against my forehead as I freeze my body and disperse the impact behind me.
The dust rises from the released impact and I flurry into a standard array of punches and kicks that the opposing shinobi blocks with great taijutsu.
"The other one got caught off guard and failed to use jutsu, terrible coordination with his taijutsu- and worst of all is that he underestimated me unlike you. I evaluate him as a genin. You have above average taijutsu skills and a good foundation for jutsu, a well practiced water bullet and substitution- I also appreciate the fact that you identified me as a threat above your capabilities immediately despite my age and looks. I evaluate you as a high ranking chunin or low ranking Jonin. Though you could do with a better low block" I speak through my attacks and feint a low kick to which he instinctively blocks.
But I raise my leg high and slam it into his nose to which he tumbles back and recovers quickly.
Tch- I am too weak... and lack knowledge on chakra.
I am being carried by my skills and knowledge on combat that outpaces these fools by heights unimaginable to them.
I feel like a god trapped in the body of a toad trying to fight a tortoise.
I am faster, quicker and more skilled but my lack of strength and experience with chakra is leaving a gap in my power.
*Slam!* *Thwack*
He punches me and I disperse his impact right back... but the man only receives a bruise in return unlike the other.
He is stronger... definitely a foundational rank above the guy playing bookseller.
*Smack!*
I disperse his next attack into the floor next to me... and the next- and the next- and the next.
*Tip~*
The bookcase starts to tip under the impacts I send towards it and I slam my foot into it.
It fully tips and I leap through the books and out the other side- something he cannot do as he is much bigger than me.
The bookshelf slams on top of him and I kick a book in his direction as his head pokes through one of the holes.
*Thwack!*
*Woosh!*
The bookcase is pushed back up- I jump and tap over the bookcase that tips back before landing right back where I was.
*Bam!*
A much stronger punch strikes my hand and I disperse the attack back. He takes the hit like a champion.
Tch- he enhanced his durability more than his strength with chakra.
*Thwack!* *Bam!* *Pow!*
I slowly but surely correct my move set, accidentally completing Form B during this flurry of blows.
It was simple anyway- no big fuss.
I jump back and sigh.
If a big attack won't work... then a thousand will.
Let's see now- adjusting my current theories on Form C, we can... no let's... yes.
This makes sense.
I throw a punch.
It does nothing.
I change my stance, dodge his attack and throw another.
I repeat this process- slowly but surely completing my theory with practical application.
I wanted an aggressive style and I weeded out all the false ideas in these past few seconds- no impact storage, no momentum build-up, just directional dispersing again.
Reshaped however.
*Smack!*
It starts with a small jab that swishes past his oncoming fist and hits his chest- I duck under his attack and disperse half of my own impact.
I disperse that half back into critical areas, applying that force as a boost rather than to damage. Thrusting my arm forward with it by applying it at those critical areas across my body.
Behind the elbow, at the waist and etcetera.
Which applies more force when I throw my second jab- and my third, and my fourth, and my fifth.
Each jab sacrifices half it's impact to enhance the next, which means a greater impact to steal half it's energy from.
Which means an even stronger jab, that I steal from- a loop.
*Thwackwackwackwackwackwackwack!*
My punches speed up- blurring quickly as the multiple jabs slowly but surely turn into multiple hooks that don't slow down.
Speed- more force! More speed! More force! More speed! MORE FORCE! MORE SPEED! DO NOT RELENT! MORE FORCE! MORE SPEED!
A thought clicks in my head and it all falls into place- every potential attack I could make with this jutsu played bare before me.
Every path my enemy makes, and every weakness of this form.
Every punch, there is an instant in which I am still and defenceless- the enemy hits me then, but it only improves my attacks as I absorb that impact.
No- the weakness is not the instants I am still, but rather the ones I am not.
I must maintain this flurry because it will lose all speed the second I lose the impacts.
*Thwackwackwackwackwackwackwackwackwackwackwackwackwackwackwack!!!!!!*
Like rain my fists thump against his chest, I start to feel my hands heat up and it's second flaw reveals itself.
Heat- I have a limit on how much I can flurry due to my lacking durability, if it heats up too much I will injure myself with self inflicted burns.
I take a breath and reel back my hands- preparing a good uppercut.
Releasing all that built up impact loop into one attack I throw it forward.
*Snap!*
And break one of his ribs.
*Cough!*
The man coughs up blood... and holds his rib as he steps back to analyse me.
My mind further returns to my prime as it races to complete my form- finishing moves that use that final impact.
Hn.
[Final Impact]
I like it.
I crack my neck and look him in the eyes as he scans me, waiting for my next move.
"You are quite something kid..." He scoffs.
"I wish I could say the same to you" I reply, earnestly.
But this small obstacle is only a disappointment- I should be able to kill him with a glance.
That's just who I am.
But I have to put effort in to do that again.
"Haahahahaha..." I laugh with a low chuckle.
"What's funny?" He asks, annoyed.
"You remind me of someone" I say.
"Oh? Who?" He pulls out a kunai and holds it in his free hand.
"Him" I point behind him with a cruel smile and he glances back to nothing for just a moment.
A moment far too long.
*Kick!*
I kick one of the fallen books at his hand and flicker in front of him- snatching the kunai from his loosened hand before slashing it across his stomach and stealing half the impact.
*Slash!* *Slash!*
One into two- two into four- four into eight my attacks speed up quickly, most my cuts running along his arm as he blocks the attacks and uses chakra to defend against the blows.
*Slashashashashashashashashashashashashashashash!*
My [flurry of slashes] rattle against his flesh and I can feel the metal ring within the kunai as I leap back and disperse the [final impact].
*Swish!*
With all my effort I throw the kunai and half of the [final impact] into the tips of my fingers.
*Bang!*
Like his water bullet 'my' Kunai rushes forward- and stabs him in his shoulder, he grips it with the hand he used to clutch his rib and I rush forward over the pile of fallen books.
*Dash!*
I jump up at his face and he leans back- *Swish!*
I throw a kick and he leans back further- *Woosh!*
My body is thrown forward due to the laws of physics and he steps back further and further until he meets the door- and I land just before him.
*Thwack!*
He kicks me and I disperse the impact behind me as I propel myself off of his raised foot and grab the kunai from his shoulder before jabbing it into his eye.
*Spurt!*
He bleeds out everywhere and I am drenched as I remove the kunai and plant it into his other eye.
"The key to beating you was shaking your foundations, you had solid ones but if I injured you once. If only a little- that would cause you to adjust your blocks to account for it... the rib reduced your defensive stances and that shoulder stab ruined any defence against attacks aiming for your eyes. Be warned against a perfect defence, as your opponent will be forced to create a vulnerability. And that vulnerability is usually something much worse than a regular attack" I educate him.
*Slash!*
I slit his throat and stick the kunai into his other shoulder before jumping off him, landing down I stand and watch him flail about before succumbing to his wounds. Fainting or otherwise.
"High Chunin. You lacked anything significant to enter into the Jonin ranks, however I applaud you for focusing on your weaknesses and strengths before racing onward" I turn around and hop over the counter.
Looking down I pick up the book I through and read the title.
[Luck, love and Lily]
Hn. looks wholesome enough, I tuck it into my jacket next to my other book.
Thanks for reading! :)