(Akio POV)
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Walking in the street, I headed towards the Senju residence. Yesterday, I spent the entire day assisting Blamekage with the Wood Release experiment and didn't leave until midnight. Now, having given him some 'suggestions' on improving the experiment's chances of success, I find myself completely free today with no interruptions expected.
Unlike many clans, the Senju clan residence lies deep within a forest on the village outskirts, opposite the infamous Forest of Death. It took me a solid four hours to reach it—a journey that has only intensified my eagerness to learn Flying Raijin.
[Fun fact: The forest is technically comprised of multiple collections of different variety of orchards and crop fields, 80% of the fruit and 70% of the crops sold in Konoha are grown here.]
Compared to the Forest of Death, known for its oppressive atmosphere and rumors of spirits that supposedly prey on unsuspecting children and young shinobi that is no accompanied by an adult (of course, Anbu propagate this lie to kidnap without worry), this place offers harmony.
Here, lush green trees bear vibrant fruits, a gentle breeze rustles through that gives off a fruity scent, and the cheerful chirping of small birds creates an atmosphere that could soothe even the most battle-hardened shinobi. Despite the tranquil surroundings, I still find it difficult to sleep like an ordinary person.
Walking on the wooden pavement towards the Senju residence, I mentally prepared what to say to Lady Mito in order to convince her to help me learn and even master the Flying Raijin jutsu, a technique even her clan, the Uzumaki, had failed to learn to use let alone master it. I carried my last mission report with Sandaime-sama's recommendation and signature to prove I was qualified to aid her with the demon fox inside her in exchange of helping me, regardless of any doubts she may have.
Of course, I needed to be careful with my words. If she could detect lies like Karin, attempting to lie to her would only lead to animosity and rejection from her.
"Youth!" came a spirited shout from a distance, catching my attention in the empty training ground.
Knowing it could only be Duy and Nawaki, I made my way over to them.
"You can do it, Nawaki! Just 10 more push-ups!" Duy's encouraging voice echoed loudly as Nawaki pushed through with a sweat-drenched smile.
In that moment, they were entirely absorbed in their task, unaware of my presence, much like how an Aburame clan member blends into the background during a mission.
"Ninety-five..."
"Ninety-six..."
"Ninety-seven..."
"Ninety-eight..."
"Ninety-nine..."
"Two hundred!" Nawaki collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily before celebrating his accomplishment with Duy.
'Truly touching,' I thought dryly, wiping away imaginary tears. I approached them out of politeness, and they greeted me back with genuine enthusiasm.
"So, what are you doing, Brother Akio?" Nawaki asked curiously, poking fun at my tendency to stay indoors, earning me the nickname 'Vampire' alongside Sakumo.
"I've hit a roadblock in my Fuinjutsu studies, so I thought Lady Mito could take me on as her disciple to help me progress faster," I replied honestly, seeing no reason to keep it a secret.
As a member of the Nara clan, we've historically been subordinate to the Sarutobi clan, who in turn answer to the Senju clan. Seeking guidance from their members is accepted, as long as I don't overreach.
"You're out of luck, brother. Grandma left for the Land of Whirlpool a few days ago, and she won't be back for another week or two," Nawaki said, sounding genuinely sorry.
'My disappointment is immeasurable, and my day is ruined,' I sighed inwardly, frustrated that Sandaime-sama hadn't informed me of her absence earlier.
To be fair, he was preoccupied preparing for negotiations with Sunagakure alongside Aunt Koharu and Uncle Homura, awaiting the arrival of the Suna envoy with a peace treaty following the success of my recent mission. I suppose I should give him some leeway.
But that doesn't change the fact that I'm disappointed.
"By the way, could you tell me when Brother Orochimaru will return? I have been waiting for him to train me ever since Big Sis said he would be my sensei."
"Can't say for sure, as he is on a mission. You know how long it can take to finish, especially during wartime when unexpected things happen quite often," I replied, pushing my previous negative thoughts aside.
He is still in Kumogakure as far as I know, and based on what I assume about his mission, he's likely there to unseal the Eight-Tails from its Jinchuuriki, as shown in the anime.
'I should definitely discuss with him about kidnapping one of Ryuto's clan members so that he can develop the curse mark earlier than usual.'
If he could create a weaker yet safer and more accessible version of the curse mark, it could significantly bolster his chances of becoming Hokage.
Well, that was my hope initially when pushing him to that direction, before he hastily retreated to his laboratory upon realizing how tedious the Hokage's life could be, burdened with paperwork that had once traumatized him during his tenure as Sandaime-sama's assistant at my request. (Seeing the despair in his eyes was oddly satisfying, so I guess it was worth it.)
"Anyway, how is your progress with the Eight Gates?" I asked, hoping to uplift Nawaki's spirits.
"I can manage to use up to the Third Gate, though only for a minute," he replied, a hint of pride in his voice.
Honestly, if Duy hadn't recognized his talent in Taijutsu and introduced the Eight Gates technique, I would still see him as a mediocre shinobi, especially considering his unfortunate end in the anime.
Given that Nawaki is the only Eight Gates user I know so far that is capable of using ninjutsu while in Third Gate state, which is highest no one went in Anbu, I'm eager to see his future performances.
Anyway, it's time for me to head back to my apartment; there's no reason to linger here.
"Brother Akio, I wanted to ask you something," Nawaki interrupted my thoughts, "Can I spar with you? I'd like to know how I measure up against an Anbu."