...
'An unfamiliar ceiling'
Chuckiling at my own little reference, I sat up and ran my small hands over yesterdays bruises. The swelling of the bruises had gone away along with it's color. I also moved my joints around to see if I had any muscle soreness and smiled as I didn't feel a thing.
I guess this explains how Might Guy and Rock Lee didn't die of overexertion. Getting out of the bed, I threw a couple of punches for fun before going to the kitchen. Once inside, I grabbed a box of cereal and milk. Noticing the lack of a bowl, I searched behind the fruits and managed to find one.
"Cereal before Milk." I muttered to myself as I poured the cereal in first. Then, like a normal human, I poured the milk in after. 'Ah, I need a spoon.'
The past Lee hadn't done the dishes so I just grabbed one out of the sink and rinsed it off. Sitting down with a bowl of cereal in front of me, I began to eat.
While I ate, I decided to think over some things for the future. One of these things was the current situation of my household and food. My current plan for today would be to have a talk with the landlady.
Or at least try to get some type of information about my past from her. I'll also need to find a way to earn ryo since my bodies need for food will grow from training. And can my 5 year old body even withstand training?
I would prefer to focus on these facts before coming to age for the academy. That gives me about 3 years based off my potential for ninjutsu and genjutsu.
My ability for taijutsu can only be shown in the academy so I'll focus on my body for now. Now I could definitely seek out discipleship under Guy and any other known masters in the Leaf. But I doubt they'll accept a kid with a weak body.
Once finished with the cereal, I drank the milk inside of the bowl before rinsing it off in the sink. Putting everything in the sink, I watched the still running a water with a thoughtful expression.
'Might as well try the landlady for today. Maybe I could get her to teach me how to read? Based off her words a from yesterday.... she should know my past parents.' Turning the knob of the sink, it ceased the once running water.
I then put on a small pair of Sandals before leaving through the door. Putting my hands over my eyes, I squinted a bit until my eyes had adjusted to the sunlight.
From where the sun was, I could tell that it was still early morning. Turning to my right, I made my way down a set of stairs and found myself in front my complex.
Ninjas could be seen jumping roof to roof and civilians had just began to flood out of their homes. As I am not yet accustomed to my new situation and life, I still hold a ton of awe towards the ability of ninja.
I even saw a Uchiha or two walking down the road with their flak jackets. Based on how different the jackets looked compared to the one or two Jonin I saw. I could assume that they where apart of the Konoha Military Police Force.
'Oh their Sharingans are one too? Isn't that just a waste of Chakra? Wait... Sharingan..... Chakra....'
As I realized the predicament I had foolishly put myself in, one of the Uchiha had laid their eyes on me. Widening his eyes in surprise, he pat his partner on the shoulder before appearing in front of me.
"Kid." The Uchiha said with a serious tone. "You have to come with me."
"....." Knowing I was both outmatched and outnumbered, I decided to keep my mouth shut and follow him. But my head had other thoughts. 'I should have held off on unlocking my chakra! Anyone who saw a 5 year old capable of manipulating it would also be suspicious!'
'I'm such a fool!' The Uchiha next to me had probably read my discomfort with their Sharingan. I would never in my life undermine a Uchiha's ability to read body language.
Neither of them spoke any words to me despite my reactions. They probably wanted me to break down even further under the uncomfortable silence and pressure.
'I'd say my only saving grace is my low chakra reserves. My body isn't trained whatsoever. It is also the same for my mind.'
And with us getting noticeably closer to the Academy which also held the Hokage's office, my nerves had began to grow. I knew that the Hokage inside of this building is about 8 years younger compared to when the series started.
That means he's nearly as strong as when he defended the village from the nine tails. Sure the chakra beast was under someones influence, but it's still a feat well deserving of one with the title of kage.
'I'm not even guaranteed to meet the Hokage either. They might immediately throw me to be tortured.'
Being led through the hallways of the Academy, I could see that it was actually pretty empty. Only a handful of rooms actually had students inside of them. And even if there where students inside, it only amounted to 6 or 9.
That's only enough for 1 or 2 teams per class! But as it's been 5 years after the nine tails attack, the next generation of children has not yet come. The only children I could see actually making it inside of the Academy at the moment is mostly clan members.
'Maybe a small set of talented civilians. But that would be an extremely small percentage.'
"You notice the lack of students?" The Uchiha who had a scar spoke out. "It's because of the nine tails. A lot of Civilians and even Clan members died protecting this village from that beast."
The one on my other side seemed to flinch. An expression of sadness had even showed itself before he got himself to together.
"My bad." Said the scared Uchiha before feeling his scar with an expression of hatred. "Sorry for bringing that beast up. I should have known better with how much pain and anger that thing makes me feel."
Noticing my eyes scanning his facial features, he immediately collected himself and changed the subject. "Say kid, do you have any parents?"
"Dead, lost them in the attack." I said calmly causing the younger Uchiha to flinch. 'Guess he lost something important in that attack also.'
"...." A little exasperated at my reply along with his failure to change the conversation towards the better, he sighed and started muttering in a bitter tone. "I was never good with kids....."
The three of us then made our way through some more hallways before finding ourselves before a door. Next to said door was what I assumed to be the current Hokage's assistant.
She looked young and held a calm and calculating gaze. She wasn't the prettiest compared to some future girls, but she certainly was beautiful enough for me to appreciate.
'The Hokage has good tastes.' I nodded to myself while taking notes. 'I'll even tell him about the shadow clone paper work technique if he agrees to teach me a few things about taijutsu. But after Naruto gets the technique of course. I wouldn't want him to execute me for knowledge of a forbidden technique.'
The scarred Uchiha went to speak a few words to the attendant. Hearing him, the attendant shot an inquisitive look towards me. She then spoke with who I will now call scar as if to make sure he wasn't lying.
Scar seemed to just repeat the same thing over and over again causing her to get a bit annoyed. But she just sighed before speaking a bit more words and waving him off. She t
Scar then walked up to me and patted me on the shoulder. "Alright kid, me and the youngster will leave you with her. Just make sure to toughen up in front of the Hokage for me. I don't want to regret 'recommending' you."
Watching him walk off with then younger Uchiha, I raised my eyebrow in confusion. 'Recommendation? Recommending me for what?'
The door to the office opened and the attendant walked up to me before grabbing my hand. Knowing better to resist, I let her lead me inside.
Once Inside of the room, I was immediately assaulted by the smell of smoke. The room wasn't bright nor was it dark and carried the feeling of being watched.
'That feeling is probably the countless Anbu present inside this room.' I thought with a frown as my gaze settled on the desk at the end for the room. 'And there is the monster himself.'
"Haaaaaaah." The Hokage breathed in relief as he laid back and moved a stack of papers to the side. Touching a scroll near him, a puff of smoke emerged. Once clear, he had a smoke pipe in his hands and a face of bliss appeared as he lit it.
"Nothing better than my break time. I might call my attendant la-..." As his eyes met both myself and the Attendant, he coughed before make a few hand signs. "This is embarrassing, give me a second please."
My vision immediately blacked out for a few minutes. I did panic a bit at first, but I assumed it was a Genjutsu after a few minutes had passed.
But after about 10 minutes of waiting, I assumed the old man had enough time to prepare everything on his end.
'Now, how to dispel a Genjutsu 101.' I thought to myself before tucking my finger into my palm. I then wrapped my fingers on top of said thumb before raising it up in the air. 'Physical pain is always the answer!'
*snap*
My sight and hearing returned to see a room clear of smoke and the Hokage behind his desk staring at me with interest. His attendant on the other hand was next to him with a red flush on her skin .
Ignoring the excruciating pain coming from my left hand, I looked towards the both of them with an unreadable expression.
'Did they seriously just do the deed while I was in a Genjutsu? What about the other Anbu? Did they leave or are they still watching? If it's the latter.... they have my sincere condolences.'
"Hoooooh?" The Hokage made an impressed expression when he looked towards my wrist. "That's a interesting way break out of a Genjutsu."
He began to tap his fingers on the desk in front of him with a thoughtful expression. "Who was the one who taught you how to dispel Genjutsu? And how did you unlock your chakra?"
"And what else do you know?"
"I overheard some drunk ninja talking about their last mission in a bar." I said while rubbing my head with an embarrassed expression. "They had explained this Gen-Jin..."
I then looked towards him with a confused expression. "What was it again?"
"Genjutsu." He said as his shoulders visibly dropped a bit. "It's called Genjutsu."
"Yeah Genjutsu!" I yelled with a smile before moving my good hand to my head. "They explained it to this younger ninja that it messes with your brain and stuff. They said that physical pain and this chakra thingy was good for removing its effects."
Leaning back in his seat, the Hokage stared at my wrist for a bit before continuing his questions. "Alright, so that's how you learned Genjutsu.... but how exactly did you unlock your Chakra Pathways?"
"Well..." I began before making a sad expression. "Ever since I heard about chakra from those guys in the bar. I've been trying to find it....."
"What made you want to find your chakra?"
"Well ninja are strong. So I want to be a ninja too! I yelled with a serious expression earning a chuckle from the Hokage. "Ever since I learned of it, I've been searching for it desperately. And last night I found it!"
"Last night?" He said as his posture shifted to a more serious one. "You found and unlocked all your tenketsu is a single night?"
"Tenketsu?" I asked while moving my head to the side and puffed my cheeks a bit in annoyance. "What's that thing? Those ninja never mentioned that."
He left his gaze on me once again before letting out a long and tired sigh. And while staring at the ceiling, he had began to mutter. "If Itachi could do it, then this kid can't be too weird can he? Based off what I can sense, he doesn't even have enough chakra to use the transformation technique."
"Hmmmmm." Closing his eyes, the Hokage hummed to himself in thought before suddenly nodding. "I suppose that could work."
Sitting up in his chair, the Hokage looked over me for a bit before he started to open his mouth once again. "Alright, I'll give you two options....."
Putting up first finger, he held a blank stare towards Lee. "You can return home safely and live your life as a normal citizen. I'm only giving you the option to choose since your parents are dead and have you the option of free will without a guardian."
Putting up the second finger, he let out a bright smile. "The second option is pretty special. I can allow you to enter the Academy at an early age and let you participate until the standard age of 12. This one however is only because we are in need of ninjas, the foxes attack on the village made the next generation of ninja come later."
"So I'm more focused on quantity rather than quality. You're pretty bright if you managed to dispel my Genjustu and unlock your chakra at your age so I can at least give you this chance."
He then leaned forward and gave me an almost childish grin. "So what's it going to be Mr. Lee? Option one...." He said while putting his right hand forward. "Or option two?" Finishing, he brought. His other hand forward.
Immediately my hand shot towards option two. I actually reacted a bit too fast and forgot about the pain in my wrist. But I managed to hold in a groan and stared directly into the Hokages eyes.
"I will become a strong! Even if I don't have a lot of this chakra whatever!" A bright toothy smile then appeared on my face subconsciously. "And even if It kills me!"
"...." The Hokage then stared at me for a bit before sighing. Grabbing my hand softly, he put it on top of his desk. "Stand still."
A bright green glow then appeared from his hands. 'He can use Medical Ninjustu? Oh wait he was the one to teach Tsunade. And he's the God of Shinobi so should I really be surprised?'
As millions of questions about the man in front of me appeared. He calmly reconnected the tendons and my bone in place before leaning back calmly.
"There try moving it around for me." He said before re-summoning his smoke pipe and inhaling some smoke.
I began to rotate my wrist with a smile as there was no pain and it even felt brand new. "It feels brand new! Thank you.... uhhh.... Mister?"
"Just call me Gramps." He said with a wave as a small smile appeared on his face. "Also your guardian is probably wondering where you are right now. So I'll let an Anbu send you home."
With a raise of his hand, an Anbu with a weasel as his mask appeared next to him instantly. "Weasel will be the one to take you home. I'll be sure to let him deliver your Academy schedule, needs, and other things tomorrow."
"You are fortunate that the Academy only started a week ago. So you will not have to wait until next year."
Weasel then put his hand over my shoulder. Made a one handed hand sign and waited for the Hokage to finish.
"And kid..... the desire for strength isn't a bad ninja way. It's what you use that strength for." He then puffed a cloud of smoke. "Make sure to find something to protect and hold onto it for dear life. Or else you'll just feel empty in the end."
The windows to his office then opened.
"Goodbye, see you at a later date Rock Lee."
*Fwoosh* a
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