-One year later, End of January-
Pov: Saburo Mori.
*Thwack!*
My fingers jab at the target and it swings around violently after having been struck- I slide backwards and grab it to still its swinging again.
It is the simplest training I have ever done, the most boring skill you can ever grind through.
Slide, stab, dodge.
That's all it is.
...
I untie the target from the tree and walk back to the campsite- lately I have been taking on medical roles outside the hospital.
They require much less hours but hold ten times the risk in danger, I am also not the only medic assigned to this squad of thirteen so my expertise is not urgently needed.
Thankfully, I know more about cutting up people carefully than putting them back together.
I sit by the fire and warm my hands up, it gets cold training this much within that fog that surrounds us.
"Cold hands medic? What are you training all the way out there?" The leader of our squad asks in a gruff tone as he snacks on some form of dried meat.
"Basic combat skills" I answer.
"Right, can't sharpen your skills too much" He nods.
"Something like that..." I note and focus on the warmth of the fire.
Wait- I can squeeze in more training here.
I lift myself up and stand in a horse stance, have to keep this up if I wish to grow stronger.
Pov: Takumi Uchiha.
A lovely sunny day, I sit with both Obito and Rin on their training ground during the small break they have. Hatake is off to the side talking with his Sensei Minato.
"How old are you again?" Obito asks.
"11" I respond quickly.
11? Time sure does fly when you fill your days with sleeping and practically little else.
I believe I trained a total of three people last year, the others bailed- I have filled my Uchiha taijutsu paper already alongside my first months training session, thanks to Fugaku wanting results quickly.
I also tightened up my taijutsu- less chakra consumption and raising the impact absorption limit.
My chakra is also increasing in quality, size and in use speed.
My physical self? It's not up to standard in any way- Almost every ninja who graduates is equal level to my strength, speed and durability. It is quite embarrassing, especially when taijutsu is my main strength.
I thought my trainings would help me grow stronger as well but very few ninja stick with me the whole way.
It makes me wonder that if I was facing an actual Jonin who specialized in any form of combat that I would fall in battle.
I fought an infiltration specialist who I battled in home territory- the stone flesh jutsu was her battle trump card and I am sure that had she been an actual combatant- I would be facing more than just one trump card.
And the last mission I went on last year was me tagging along an Anbu assassination. I eliminated a few people but nothing special enough to help me grow.
Do I need to grow stronger? What happens when I need that strength?
Am I resting too much?
Did I think myself strong enough for beating what I consider to be the 'baseline' for a Jonin? Should I aim higher? Will that impact my rest?
"What's the inner monologue today?" Obito asks me and I sigh.
Hn.
"Strength, weakness and of course, regret" I reply softly.
"Of course, regretful at all times of course" He chuckles.
"Yes, quite" I shake myself out of reminiscing.
"So the Chunin exams are coming up, it's apparently going to be quicker than last year's" Obito gossips.
"Right, hopefully I can pass..." Rin sighs.
"If not, it's only another six months to the next one. If it isn't delayed, that or a field promotion" Obito tells himself and her.
"Can Kakashi compete with us again? Last time he was merely confirming and officially recognising the title he already held... are we going to be assigned a random genin to team with?" Rin asks worried.
"Probably, Kakashi can't go through the exams again- that's practically unfair to anyone trying to become a Chunin" Obito winces.
"Why is it so bad to be teamed with another?" I ask.
"Because it's about teamwork and stuff" Obito sums up.
"A good portion of the exam is working as a team and finding the core strengths of being a ninja- attending with someone else will impose a disadvantage on us versus fully formed teams" Rin explains better.
"When is the exam?" I ask.
"February 8th" Rin tells me.
"All in one day?" I turn to look at her.
"Yes, its quick because we need more Chunin to work on missions- supposedly some Jonin are being pulled from more important missions to go solo on some lower level ones, Konoha needs at least three more teams by next month. At least that's what the information Minato-Sensei gave me said" Rin tilts her head upwards in thought.
"I am pretty sure we will get promoted in the field, else we are stuck in a cycle of failure until Sensei speaks up for us" Obito groans out.
"Just win despite the uphill battle" I tell them both.
"We can't just win" Obito replies.
"Then you shouldn't be fighting battles above your paygrade. Not being able to win in the chunin exams is a small sign that if you faced a similar challenge outside in the war- that you would die" I sum it up.
"Rude" Obito remarks.
"Really rude" Rin agrees.
"So rude I might just tell that pretty lady you live next to how horrible you are" Obito smirks.
"An Uchiha Elder brought that place, that lady is an illusion built delicately around my taste to entice me into building a crush- by 'coincidence', 'she' has conversed loudly near my building about how much she likes hardworking men and hates lazy ones" I tell him with a smirk.
...
"What? What??" Obito blinks rapidly in confusion.
"Did I not update you on this? The bounty on my head is getting larger, almost the same price as an A-rank mission to get me working like a true uchiha. The Elder I have been combating in wits has recently doubled down on beating me. I think he is bored in his retirement and enjoys this game we have going on in the background of our lives" I chuckle lightly.
"How long has this been going on?" Rin asks in great confusion.
"A year I believe, this crush thing has been a long game- one that I saw through at the very start, but it is fun to stay one step ahead of him" I ease into a smile.
"But- I thought- you wave to her every time we walk past, that's not interest?" Obito mumbles.
"Yes. It is not interest in another but rather the winning of a game that my opponent has long lost" I raise a fist in victory.
"Dude..." Obito looks exasperated.
"That's odd. Odd is the word I would use" Rin tells me.
"Right. Odd" Obito agrees.
It isn't that odd.
Hn.
Maybe it is.
No, it is.
Me and that retired Elder have far too much time on our hands that such a ridiculous ploy is being used to trap me.
It is a mental rabbit hole of boredom that never ends.
"You need a partner for the chunin exams?" I ask them.
Maybe I should occupy myself with something of value, considering I just did a year of practically nothing.
"Yeah-" Obito frowns and before he can say anything else I cut him off.
"I'll join your team for a day, stretch for a bit" I smirk.
...
"Really!" Rin shouts and breaks the moment of silence.
"Yes" I nod.
"Yes!" Obito jumps up ecstatically.
"Sensei! Sensei! Takumi just signed up to join our team for the Chunin exams!" Obito runs over to Hatake and Namikaze.
I'm not that lazy.
Hn.
I didn't use to be that lazy.
"Thank you- lets train to improve our teamwork!" Rin gets up herself and I sigh.
Maybe I should have told them sooner to avoid this excited behaviour.
"Is this true Takumi?" Namikaze asks.
"If they are willing, I am. I owe them my help every once and in a while" I get up and stretch lazily.
"I will happily report this to the Hokage, Kakashi- do you want to oversee their cooperative training while Takumi has the energy?" Namikaze asks Hatake and he nods.
"Very well, see you soon" Namikaze smiles at us all before vanishing.
"All right Takumi, what can you do?" Hatake asks.
"I am a master of one taijutsu art, of my own creation- Defence and one on one duels are my strongest cards at the moment. However I do have some cards in aggressive areas. I have a severe weakness to genjutsu and lack proper defence against any and all 'creative' ninjutsu that aren't straight forward. I am out of shape, but my insight into battles is outmatched and closes that gap. I also lack various simple things that every ninja has, my most critical one is a good sense- I cannot detect ninja actively trying to hide from me as I have no detection jutsu or trained sense to catch them. That's the simplified version" I summarise.
"You are an Uchiha. And your weakness is genjutsu" Hatake slowly tells me.
"Of course. I am a one trick pony currently Hatake" I nod and he sighs.
"Call me Kakashi, Hatake feels too formal" He shakes his head.
"Understood- I have knowledge on how these two operate, so no need to fill me in" I explain.
I helped out Obito a lot during the Academy and spend time lazing about as they train here, I have a small grasp on all of them.
"We can't fix your weaknesses before the 8th... that's nine days away" Kakashi seems annoyed but thinks to himself.
"Yeah we can! With effort and teamwork!" Obito shouts in defiance.
"No we can't, that's too much to handle in such a small time" Kakashi argues.
"Guys- lets not start anything right before training please..." Rin sighs.
I could eliminate all weaknesses and prepare a secondary mastered Taijutsu in nine days. But I am not putting in any more effort than I have to, I am slowly mastering this laziness thing.
"Cease your barking. I will handle myself and do basic teamwork exercises here everyday. Nothing else, are we clear?" I put my foot down.
"...fine" Obito grumbles.
"I don't care that much" Kakashi confesses.
"You-!" Obito holds himself back from lashing out.
Hn. Should I actually train myself? Haven't bothered much recently.
"Let's begin by going over some important phrases- we use these to communicate larger sentence's in one quick phrase. An example would be 'L - Flank' this means the enemy is arriving on our left flank..." Kakashi begins to explain, boring himself out in the process.
I pay attention and begin mentally noting this information for later- Obito seems to be fidgeting, waiting for some actual training and Rin seems content with what is happening.
I sternly nod after Kakashi finishes some basic notes and tells us all to do some practice, Kakashi acting as the enemy and our objective is to call the right phrase to ensure we send our teammates the right message.
Hn. This training is terrifyingly boring- I could at least add sensory training onto this, or perhaps scrap this demonstration and memorize it myself as I do something more productive.
I glance at Obito.
But I suppose some of us need refreshers and it would be rude of me to assume everyone learns the same way.
Very rude if you consider the fact that none can outmatch my own training.
Pov: Hiruzen Sarutobi.
*Flicker*
I almost flinch at the rapidly appearing Minato but instead let out a breath of smoke in relief that he was not an enemy attack.
I need to stop zoning out during these hours of paperwork, perhaps then I could get through them faster.
Or it could pile up and I could leave it to the next Hokage...
"Minato, how are you doing today" I smile.
"Good- thank you sir, how are you?" He replies with a beaming smile.
"Perfect as usual, what brings you in today?" I ask.
"I need another chunin exam sheet to sign up another child" He smiles even wider.
"Oh? Have you found someone to compete with Rin and Obito? I was just going through some genin who could use a promotion" I gesture to my paper filled table.
"I have, Takumi Uchiha himself offered to sign up. I rushed in here sorry, afraid he might change his mind" Minato lightly coughs as he realises what he just did.
Not everyone can just teleport into my office and then wave it off as harmless- a severe breach in security.
But... I will let Minato slide, considering his character.
...
?
...
???
"Takumi Uchiha you say" I inhale my pipe slowly, calm on the outside.
Why? Why now? What changed? I'll have to tell Fugaku, and I would like to note what happened to cause this.
Maybe it could help me unlock his true potential- I could get another Minato on the field, Takumi's talents remind me of him and every one of my students.
They all carry that same flame.
I must fuel it, for Konoha's sake.
"Yes sir" Minato smiles warmly.
"Very well, here you are- as requested" I hand over the sheet of paper he requested and let out my smoky breath.
"Thank you lord Hokage- I will make sure he participates" Minato bows and I wave my hand to dismiss him.
*Flicker*
He vanishes and a huge breath of relief escapes me as my pipe nearly slips out of my mouth- I have more work than I can handle today. I will contact Fugaku immediately and ask if his retired Elder has seen much change in Takumi.
Then I will finish this paperwork here... before overworking myself and ensuring the Chunin exam is more presentable than the rushed state I put it out in.
Meaning I need to meet with the Ino-Shika-Cho trio I put in charge this time and ensure they have made the exams as best as they can in this limited time.
I stand up and begin my walk to the Uchiha police force building.
Thanks for reading :)