Chapter VIII: Apathetic Sword
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While walking home with Hanabi and Hinata, my senses caught an intruder's presence. I turned to find a masked figure, who had stealthily materialized before me, whispering something that made my eyebrows arch in surprise before he swiftly vanished.
Hinata, noticing my abrupt halt, inquired, "What happened, brother?"
I replied, "Ah, it's nothing. I just remembered I needed to go somewhere urgently. Let Mom know I'll be home quite late. Goodbye."
"Wait-" Their words were cut off as Tatsuya flickered away at high speed.
"Dammit, he always does this!" Hanabi exclaimed, stomping her feet.
Hinata suggested, "Don't mind him, Hanabi, let's go back, he probably has some important things to handle."
.
.
.
Swiftly traversing rooftops, executing jumps and parkour effortlessly between buildings, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. While such movements were second nature to a ninja, in Tatsuya's previous world, even the most skilled individuals couldn't match a fraction of what a genin could accomplish here.
The transformative power of chakra on the human body was evident – even without active circulation, a normal human body here was at least five times stronger than average.
Chakra proved to be a fantastic force, boasting immense potential. It could achieve extraordinary feats such as reviving the dead, time travel, space jumping, dimensional travel, and even world creation. As long as one had enough chakra and the right technique, one could ascend to the status of a god.
I had to admit, it made me excited about the future possibilities despite the danger.
In no time, I arrived at the designated location, finding myself back at the Academy. Stepping inside, I navigated through the halls where students were still bustling about, some carrying files, others practicing with ninja weapons.
"Ayy, Tatsuya! You're back? Do you need something?" A gruff voice resonated in my ears.
Turning my gaze, I spotted a burly man, muscles bulging beneath his skin, and a burn scar marking the left side of his face. He chewed on a toothpick, its movement incessant in his mouth.
Clad in the typical leaf Jonin uniform complemented by a green vest, he sported a distinctive black bandana wrapped around his head, exuding an intimidating aura to anyone encountering him.
This formidable figure was none other than Kumano Torio, the Head Jonin of the Department of Physical Fitness (DPF).
If I had to comment anything on him, I would say despite his imposing appearance, he proved to be a relatively laid-back person to converse with — that is, as long as you avoided landing on his bad side.
Because once someone found themselves on his dislike list, Torio would not leave them easily and push them relentlessly, training until their body reached its breaking point. He showed no mercy, especially during such intense sessions.
As for what to do to avoid ending up on his bad side, it's best not to slack off during Torio's classes or try to act smartass infront of him. Adhering to these guidelines makes his classes surprisingly enjoyable.
"Ah, Torio-sensei. Good morning! You know the routine; she's calling me, so I have to go," I explained.
"Good morning. Again, huh? It seems she took a liking to you. Well, good for you. Try to maintain the connection; it can be beneficial later. Her influence is quite spread throughout the world," Torio remarked, shaking his head.
"Thanks for the advice, Torio-sensei. I'll try as long as I can," I replied with a rueful smile, pondering the intricacies of the relationship.
"Well then, good luck, Tatsuya. I'm heading home," Torio declared.
"Goodbye, Torio-sensei," I said, departing the scene and venturing deeper into the Academy.
Following its collapse during the Nine Tails Rampage event, the Academy underwent a complete reconstruction, resulting in a significantly larger structure than its previous size.
After a brief stroll through the halls, I found myself standing before a door with the sign {D.I.T} in bold black letters.
This marked the office of the Head Jonin of {DIT}, who had also recently overseen the training of Hinata and others.
Taking a breath, I knocked on the door, and a resolute voice from within called, "Come in."
Upon entering the office, the Head Jonin revealed herself to be an unmasked woman seated behind a desk adorned with scrolls and documents. Her beauty surpassed expectations, meeting what can be considered the pinnacle standards in the Naruto world.
She possessed a bewitching figure, accentuated by perfect curves and well-placed features. Dark hair flowed elegantly, fashioned into two braids cascading over both shoulders. Her pale complexion not only failed to diminish her beauty but rather enhanced and complemented her dark hair.
Her allure was further heightened by the distinctive addition of purple glasses she wore.
{Image Here}
This was Tsubasa Hanekawa, among the village's most skilled Jonins, second only to the Kages in expertise. A character which was absent from the original Naruto story.
Glancing at me, her legs casually propped on the table, she remarked, "Hmm, finally here? I've been waiting for quite some time."
I chose to sidestep her question, heading straight for the chair. Once comfortably settled, my gaze briefly flickered to her sitting posture. Her toned legs, clad in black leggings, were easily visible, enough to captivate anyone's attention.
However, I kept my composure, refraining from dwelling on those alluring long legs as I remarked, "You know, it hasn't even been more than an hour since I left the school."
"It's not about being late or early. You left right after, without even meeting me. I am hurt, you know," she claimed, feigning a hurt expression.
However, I knew better to not take any of the expressions on her face at face value. With acting skills rivaling even Obito/Tobi, she was a Master Manipulator.
"Well, my sisters were with me, so I couldn't exactly come to meet you. I didn't want everyone to know that I am able to meet the cold, emotionless, heartless and aloof Kunoichi who doesn't even give face to the Hokage, right? Also, I thought you were busy with the DIT test for the other sections, so I thought I could give you some time to rest," I countered.
Tsubasa tched in response to my words, like she ever needed rest from such chores.
Leaning back in her chair, her gaze turned piercing. "Cut the excuses, Tatsuya. You didn't come because you wanted to avoid me, not because of your sisters or some test. I've known you long enough to see through those words. If you want, you can easily come here without anyone knowing. Or do you think I am forgetful enough to not know Shadow Clone and its uses."
I chuckled, raising my hands. "Ok. You got me there; sadly for you, there's no prize, and it's not like I thought you would believe the excuse.
"As for the real reason, it's that I was busy with work and didn't have enough time to meet you."
Tsubasa raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smirk playing on her lips. "Busy with work, or busy avoiding me?"
I grinned. "Maybe a bit of both."
Changing the subject, I asked something I was curious about, "How did the other sections do in the test? There are some good ones among them."
Tsubasa thought for a moment, tapping her chin rhythmically before saying, "You are right, there are some good ones among them with good mental fortitude, but there were also the most annoying ones."
"Naruto?" I said.
"Urg! Don't remind me of him. I still can't handle his idiocy even after almost five years. He just doesn't fix his attitude ever," she said, her voice laced with annoyance.
"Hehe. He won't be Naruto if he was able to fix himself," I chuckled. Naruto was Naruto, He didn't even change in this AU type world.
"And it's not just him; the Nara kid is also a pain in the ass. He has no motivation to do anything he remotely considers annoying."
"Well, 'What a drag' is their clan's favourite sentence for generations, what did you expect?" I said, chuckling to myself.
Tsubasa also chuckled at my words. But if anyone other than me were to witness the [Apathetic Sword] smiling and talking casually, they would literally be surprised.
Her reputation, whether outside or inside the village, was not necessarily good; it can even be said she was infamous. As for what caused her to have such a reputation, it is a long story to tell.
Tsubasa then contradicting her own earlier sentiments, said, "Even if they are quite annoying, I can't deny their extraordinary mental fortitude, especially Naruto. He has something special about him. Usually, there isn't anything about him to be called special other than him being Nine-Tail Host, but if one were to put a clear goal in his eyes, he is able to show great willpower in achieving it.
"Normally, I didn't expect him to get a good result in the DIT test, or to even participate in it, but after knowing Sasuke was participating, he not only participated in it but somehow, to my surprise, was able to even score almost the same as Sasuke. Which I considered almost impossible for him."
"You can't look down on him, Tsubasa-san. Didn't I already remind you of that?" I said, emphasizing that underestimating Naruto based on just his behaviour would only lead to one's downfall. After all he wasn't an Ashura's Reincarnation for nothing.
"I remember it, but his naivety keeps changing my opinion on him,'' she said, shaking her head.
"It's because your line of thinking is completely opposite to him, causing a conflict of opinion in you. Where he is naive about the way of the ninja, believes in happy-ever-after endings, and you are extremely pragmatic, knowing the ruthlessness of it."
"Where he is the type to act first and think later, you are one to think a thousand plans before acting," I said.
"Tch...You are acting like Suu again with all the analyzing of personality again. Can't you stop it?" Tsubasa grunted.
"Hehe, if I stop doing this, how would I ever have known your real personality, which you always hid under the cold facade of yours?" I said, making her silent.
But one shouldn't also think that her actual personality is the typical gentle and loving type hidden beneath a cold facade, which is a common trope in fiction. To actually understand her true personality is a very difficult thing to do. Even after five years of friendship with her, I can't say I fully know her. But at least, what I knew was that her personality definitely is quite different from the perceptions of the outside world.
"You really are... leave it; there's no winning against you." She shook her head with a wry smile. "Anyway, let's get to business. I assume you wanted to actually ask for 'her' report, right?"
I nodded. "Yeah."
Taking a paper from her drawer, she handed it to me. I glanced through it with a discerning gaze before pocketing it. Gazing towards her, I gave a genuine smile and said, "Thanks, Tsubasa-san. I don't know what I would have done without you."
She didn't say anything for a second and then shrugged casually. "Just doing what I do best."
After that, we had some light conversation about various topics and the affairs of other villages before I decided it's time for me to leave. So, I said my goodbyes and started leaving the room, but then she suddenly stopped me, "Wait."
"Hmm?" I looked at her, confused.
"I almost forgot the reason why I actually called you here urgently. It was for this; maybe you should know about this; it might help you," she said and flickered a piece of paper toward me at a speed that could easily decapitate a normal person's head. Maybe her frustration finally manifested.
I caught the paper between my fingers and gave it a rough read, making a small frown appear on my temples. I then looked back at Tsubasa and thanked her, "Thank you again, Tsubasa-san." This time my thanks were much more appreciative.
She just smiled and waved at me. Taking the sign, I nodded and left the room.
- x - X - x -
I would like to give a early warning to everyone, that I will be introducing oc both friend and antagonists early in the story with even oc plots as many things were left out by Kishimoto. And I've always wanted to play with the Naruto story in my own way, rather than using generic fanfiction plot. So If this isn't your preferred style, consider yourself warned.
Also give me constructive criticism and ideas u would want to see. And don't forget the power stones. Otherwise I'd be stingy with word count. Hehe. I m just kidding btw
And here's the link that I copy/paste for every chapter: [patreon.com/NexusPrimodius]