547A Nugget Of Advice, Chapter 31
On that night, madmen from the fields of Oto no Kuni poured into the country of Hi no Kuni. Not ninjas; closer to beasts. They cackled and screeched and roared like animals – demons, even. Their appearances became ghoulish enough to be equated as such. All shaped differently, vaguely human – all using Orochimaru's foul Cursed Seal.
Ebisu had recalled he had been assigned two weeks to the border, assigned to a jōnin leader he had not been well acquainted with but he knew her name. A well-respected name as well. Now, she stared at him with lifeless eyes, body still. She was one of many, unfortunately.
There were still so many monstrous men coming in. He and a few others were killing them with whatever they had, but the platoon of fifty ninjas was eventually overwhelmed. People he grew up with died in droves. He had thought he had died himself when he fell and his vision swam until he blacked out.
Before he knew it, he had awoken, face and head pounding. He was being carried by someone, but he could not remember their face. He could have sworn he heard a familiar voice in between that time, one he hadn't heard in at least a decade. Ebisu felt like the person's voice was from someone he knew, but the name was on the tip of his tongue. It escaped him, but the way his head was feeling at that time, a lot of things did.
When he finally came back to his senses, he had woken inside a nearby small village a few days later by himself. Junto-mura, it was called. He recognized it because the border patrol team passed by it one night on their way to the border and camped outside its outskirts. Junto-mura was way too far from Konoha, but far enough from the Hi-Oto border.
The village medic, an older gentleman there, had said someone found him and brought them there. When he tried to get the name of the person who found him at the border and brought him to Junto-mura, the medic could not produce the name but said it had been a male with dark hair. Ebisu had a broken arm, something that required surgery – and the medic there didn't have the medical expertise or tools to fix the fracture in the hamlet. All the medic had was herbs that could soothe and take the edge of the pain off him for a few hours.
As if he needed more luck on his side, Ebisu had been saved from the uncomfortable task of getting back in one piece to Konohagakure by himself. By happenstance, a Konoha chūnin, who had a mission that took him to Junto-mura, found him in the village and escorted him back to Konoha. And so, here he had been, able to regal the tale back to his Hokage and Tsunade-sama.
Jiraiya-sama had given him a grimace and a platitude of being glad that Ebisu had made it home, one the tokubetsu jōnin accepted wholeheartedly. He too was glad to be alive. They had said he needed to rest, and that was something Ebisu would have agreed with.
But there was an uncontrollable urge, something that burned in him like a need. He was never one to forsake his health, taking very careful control of himself when he was hurt, but he desired to leave the hospital soon enough.
And when he did, he would seek out Naruto Uzumaki for no other thing other than to do one thing: to train him. For reasons unfathomable even to him.
Present Day…
"Fuck it, lemme try it again…"
Naruto held the leaf and concentrated again, trying to summon his chakra so he could manipulate it the way he wanted. His chakra went up, expectedly, and he split it into two within his body. Then, he grinded it together. Slow and steady always allowed him to learn these techniques – especially went well with his Earth Release and Rasengan training. Unfortunately, besides a miniscule cut on the edge of the leaf (and he was pretty sure he physically did that himself with the way he was holding the delicate thing), there was not a split in the leaf.
Oh, oh, yeah, there it is, Naruto thought to himself as he threw his hands up and let the leaf he was working on fly away. 'That's it, I'm pissed.'
The teen breathed out a curse. "Damn it all. I'm hitting a roadblock here in my training."
It had been a week since he had been back and the Uzumaki teen had enjoyed it. It had opened up plenty of opportunities to train once more, especially with developing newer things. He had just finished a day of training with the Hokage. Despite the grueling nature of it all, especially since Jiraiya was back on his slave-driver shit, Naruto had found his drive helped give him enough energy to head to an area. He was determined to get to some separate ninjutsu training that didn't involve his master's instructions. This usually consisted of creating shadow clones so they could work on his ninjutsu repertoire, as well as creating newer stuff. Today was no different, and today, he decided to get back into learning a newer element: Fūton.
Naruto had started to do so in Suna but hadn't gone far since he only could train for an hour or so. Now that he was back at home, with the space to experiment and throw caution into the wind, he tried hard to get it – only to come back with paltry results.
A part of Naruto said to go to Jiraiya and just see if the man could train him in Wind Release, but a more stubborn part of him wanted to see if he could figure it out on his own. The Uzumaki was also somewhat afraid Jiraiya would treat it as not as important as the rest of his training and put it on the sideline, more concerned with getting Naruto's skills with using the Fox's chakra and seals up to par. So, Naruto would train this by himself.
Besides, Naruto took it upon himself to read up some more on the training and it was only two steps to this element. He had to make his chakra fine and even enough to split the leaf in half. After that, he had to add power to it and split a damn waterfall in half with wind. The jump was insane, he knew.
The problem was that his wind creation was extremely weak. His chakra did not split in two evenly, and even when he did get that down, grinding it many times over was damn near impossible. And he felt like he wasn't doing anything wrong. He was taking it slowly, making sure of that. Yet, his chakra still didn't want to play nice.
"What am I doing so wrong?"
"Elemental Aversion."
"Wait, what?"
A familiar person spoke up at Naruto's left side. "You have heard of Elemental Affinity, the phenomenon that allows a shinobi's chakra to be aligned with at least one element. Two or more if you have access to a kekkei genkai that can use two elements. Three if you are like the Tsuchikage and his Jinton kekkei tota, but even he does not have more than three. Do you know the reason why there is very little shinobi in the history of the Elemental Countries that mastered all elements? It is mostly because of our bodies. Our chakra systems are complex and unique to ourselves. No two peoples' chakra systems are the same, no matter how close their familial ties are. Not even if they are twins. Every chakra system has different affinities and different aversions.
"Elemental Aversion makes it very hard for one to create an element, let alone control it if our chakra – in a way – does not desire to produce it. Like the body rejecting a foreign object or the immune response coming up to deal with a virus, our chakra refuses to create an element, because it goes against one's chakra nature. And it is completely random. One can have an affinity for water, a neutrality to every other element, and an aversion to lightning – whether partially or completely."
"Ebisu-sensei, huh? I knew it was you as soon as you started your long-winded lecturing," smiled Naruto, speaking in a teasing tone. His gaze turned to one Ebisu, who had approached the boy with his arm in a sling. Naruto raised an eyebrow, looking up at his teacher with confusion not at the injury but at the newer concept introduced to him. "But that covered my question. Elemental Aversion, you said? So, what, it's impossible to master Fūton for me?"
"Not impossible, just it will be very difficult – even with heavy usage of the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. It already takes a while to learn an element, I imagine it doubly worse for someone who has an element their chakra system opposes. You will have to work very hard at getting at a decent level of Fūton but it is possible."
"Crap. Well, damn, I'll keep that in mind," Naruto replied, frowning to himself about that tidbit. "Anyway, what're you doing here and what happened to your arm?"
The man smiled wryly. "Unfortunately, the invasion a week ago happened. I was at the border, on a patrolling mission, when Oto ninjas attacked us. Someone got a good shot in with some ninjutsu, and it broke my arm cleanly. I think I fell as well since I woke up with a concussion. I was lucky to make it back, but most of them there did not, from what I heard."
"Damn bastards."
"Indeed." Ebisu sighed. "I am off active duty until I recover from my broken arm and concussion, so that gives me some time in the village to help others. I seem to recall you needing my help with Doton ninjutsu before. I doubt you need my help with that, but seeing as you are starting on a newer element, I thought I would lend my expertise."
"Sensei, I appreciate the offer but uh, your hiring fee is kinda out of my pay rate right now…" Naruto trailed off, rubbing the back of his head. He still remembered the huge rate of ryō per training session Ebisu demanded in his trainer book. 'Should call him Six Zeroes Ebisu at this point…'
Ebisu stifled a chuckle. "How about I write out a more affordable price for you, Naruto-kun?" He produced a paper and pen. He wrote down the figure and gave it to the Uzumaki, who scanned the number almost suspiciously. "Is this more to your liking?"
It was, as it was generous. Maybe too generous. "You sure you're okay with that number, Ebisu-sensei? You do need to eat and pay rent too, you know?"
"How thoughtful, but I am fine with that. I am not going to be active for a while and I have plenty of money to suffice me until my arm is completely good."
"And it won't interfere with your other jobs? Or even seeing after Konohamaru?"
"This invasion and the invasion that happened in the Chūnin Exams have made my clientele a little sparser, I fear," Ebisu admitted with a small frown. "Like many other chūnin and jōnin, they are being sent on far more rigorous missions and cannot spare the time for one-on-one training like before. Some clients I have lost due to timing issues or, worse, to death. Three chūnin I was training were had been found KIA."
"Oh… Sorry about that."
"I have lost a few of my students – some were even my friends. The border thinned them out even further." Ebisu's frown deepened, his brows knitting in frustration and sorrow. "One of them was a Sarutobi clan member, directly related to young Konohamaru himself. A favorite cousin of his, I believe." Naruto paled. Ebisu nodded, understanding his response. "Indeed. The boy is again taking time off from his training to mourn."
Naruto sighed, feeling down himself now. "Damn, sorry Konohamaru. I gotta see how is he doing later."
"I am sure he would appreciate that, but I digress. This is what I can offer to you, Naruto-kun. I am uninterested in lining up my pockets but I do desire to prepare you for the future. Yes, I see it like this: I see great potential in you, Naruto-kun. I want to extract out that potential and foster it. You are a part of the newer generation after all; I see your generation potentially becoming stronger than mine. It does not have to be every day as your training with the Hokage takes precedence over this. However, it is still something you should think about."
The boy grinned excitably. While he didn't quite understand why Ebisu was so insistent on helping him, Naruto couldn't deny the offer. "Well, I won't look at a gift horse in the mouth, plus I still got money from some of my other missions. I'll accept it! Do you think you can help me with my wind training then?"
Ebisu gave him an apologetic smile. "No, I am sorry. You may have forgotten but my nature types are fire, earth, and water, so the other elements are out of my reach. Are you deadset on learning Fūton?"
Naruto huffed disappointedly, nodding his head. "Eh, I would like to learn to control wind because it's a counter to Lightning Release: Earth's main weakness."
"Smart," Ebisu mused, nodding approvingly.
The blond shrugged. "Yeah but, really, I guess it doesn't matter. At the end of the day, I need an offensive element. Earth is good and all, but it excels more at learning defensive techniques, right?"
"The Earth element can be used in both ways, but yes, most earthen techniques lean into more defensive or supplementary roles. However, both Fire and Water Release can be much more offensively used – especially Fire. It will suit you well to learn either one of those – provided you do not have an elemental aversion to them. I would suggest starting with Water Release personally."
"Why?" That was oddly specific of the man to suggest that one. "Didn't you just say Fire was more offensive? I need more offensive elemental techniques."
"Water has more utility in it, compared to fire techniques. I know you want an offensive element, but water works well both offensively and defensively, and you might find that fact can help you a lot in battle. I find the element of water to sit comfortably in the middle of the two extremes of offense and defense."
"Hmm," Naruto sounded, thinking it over carefully. Well, it wasn't too bad of an idea. While he had seen the power of fire release techniques being used thanks to Sasuke, he hadn't seen fire being used defensively like to create a shield or something. Water could create prisons like how Kakashi was trapped in one from Zabuza a few months back, create clones, or even make waterfalls to attack an enemy. "Alrighty then, let's do water."
"Splendid," Ebisu chirped, tapping Naruto's shoulder again in a pleased way. "Let us begin then."
He nodded but tempered his expectations. This was probably going to be just as disappointing as his failed Wind Release training.
Much to his surprise, he had the basics down for Water Release down by a single day. Naruto was confused, but Ebisu had only smiled.
Feeling it in her hands, Sakura patted the trainer book she had gotten recently, thinking it was a blessing Naruto decided to pop up when he did.
The boy had returned from his mission in Sunagakure and went to visit her. By that time, she had been out of the hospital. Besides telling Sasuke she was going to do better for him and her team, Sakura did not try to seek out people she knew and went straight off to training on her own. She wouldn't say she didn't want to see people, but she avoided them. Maybe because she wanted to do like Naruto and Sasuke had done and become independent in her training, maybe because she was ashamed of them seeing her.
The Haruno teen had thought by the time she saw them again that she would have some new tricks in the book, but she had hit a wall early in her training and had stopped only at mastering the Water Walking Exercise before she knew she still could not attempt to use a low-leveled genjutsu or even start the steps of medical ninjutsu. It frustrated her – until Naruto had given her a new out.
"Here," he had said that day, holding a blue book in front of her. "This is a book on all of the trainers in the villages that you can hire. Ebisu-sensei gave it to me when I was training with him for the Chūnin Exams. Never got around to using it, hehe, and I don't think I need to use it anymore. It'll be put in good hands."
Sakura remembered feeling touched and also guilty. So guilty. "Naruto, I appreciate but… Why are you trying so hard to help me?"
He looked confused. "What do you mean, Sakura-chan?"
"I mean, I-" She bit her lower lip. "I'm not exactly a good friend to you, Naruto. I've been pretty mean to you for these past months. I don't think I ever was nice to you to begin with."
"Huh?"
"You really don't get it, do you?" Sakura shook her head, almost exasperated with him. "It doesn't take a genius to know I treated you poorly. I didn't like you. Not since we had to be together on Team 7. I mocked you, hit you, called all sorts of things behind your back, and thought you were nothing but a pest to me and Sasuke-kun. You deserve the right to not try to help me."
"Really? Because I always saw it as me just annoying you and Sasuke with my antics, so I never held it against you." Naruto sighed, a wry smile on his face. "You're my friend, Sakura, regardless. Why wouldn't I want to help you get better as a ninja? You know, I don't exactly agree with Sasuke screaming at you like that."
"But I think I deserved that," She looked down. The girl sagged, arms dangling almost boneless in the air. "Why do I deserve your help? I haven't done much for myself ever since I became a genin. Look at you and Sasuke- matter of fact, let's just look at you! You're a far cry from what you were in the Academy. You're a chūnin now, out there going on big missions, and training with the Hokage. You learned Earth Release and got a plethora of techniques under your belt. Look at me though. I've been doing nothing since I got out of school, and you and Sasuke-kun been pulling my weight ever since then. I haven't applied myself; I haven't asked Kakashi-sensei much for help – hell, never asked you for help before. I doubt I got a... a right to ask you."
Silence began, not something she expected. Sakura looked up to Naruto, disquieted by a rare expression displayed on Naruto's face: solemness. "Why do you think I should resent you, Sakura? Because I don't get it. No one on the team resents you, not me, not Kakashi-sensei. Not even Sasuke resents you. Sure, he went about telling you in a bad way to get better at being a ninja, but he doesn't resent you. He's just frustrated with you. I'm starting to get there with you too, actually.
"Because why do you think you're undeserving of anything? I offered because I want to help you. I want you to be right next to me and Sasuke and say, 'We're the best Konoha has to offer. Look at us!'" His face softened. "Look, you're angry at yourself at what happened, and I get it, but all you take this as a wake-up call. I had it back in Nami no Kuni, you know, and again recently when I came back from this mission. You can't go back and change the past, so all you can do now is move forward. It's not too late for you to improve. Even if that whiny bastard Uchiha doesn't want to help you, I
do. Why? Because. You are. My. Friend. Get it?
"Now, are you willing to let me help you or do you want to do it on your own? Because I can respect that. We choose our own paths, Sakura." Naruto finished his speech with a shrug.
Sakura paused. She then lifted her hand and took the blue book from him.
The girl finished thinking over what happened in her head, a small smile gracing her lips. Naruto was a lot of things, especially an idiot at times. But no one could call him an asshole. He was sweet in his own way. He also was a good friend – something she had no experience replicating.
Kakashi-sensei had not still been in the village to check on her. Sasuke had not tried to do so, and she understood, so she didn't expect Naruto to seek her out. Yet, he did, with a smile on his face and saying he heard what Sasuke had told her. And Naruto did what he did best: invigorate a person with his energy, steeling one's resolve simply by just saying something along the lines of "Do your best next time!" Sakura knew he meant it.
Naruto was a good guy, a pillar to lean on. Sakura never realized it before. Naruto's crush on her had been irritating, as she felt it clashed often with her crush on Sasuke. It was like a gnat bothering and flying and buzzing around her. She ignored his strengths and doubled down on his flaws. However, Naruto was nothing if not the most genuine person she had ever met before. His energy was too infectious for the Haruno girl not to be affected by it. And she was very sure he did that not because of his attraction for her, but because he simply cared about her well-being. She was even sure he would do that for all of his friends.
Sakura felt horrible about how she treated him, but she could not let it blind her. If anything was to take from this, it was to not let Naruto's efforts on her go to waste. She had taken the first steps and hired a tutor.
This afternoon, Sakura was off to see one Yakumo Kurama for instructions in genjutsu. If that did not work out, she had an eye on a medical ninjutsu specialist that was in the trainer book as well.
"That's enough for today, Sasuke," Kakashi called out to his student. "Let's take a look at you now. Looking at you, I can see your Sharingan has fully evolved to its three-tomoe state. Looking like mine already."
"Hm. It should have been the opposite – me already having the three tomoe, and you finally getting them." Or, really, not at all.
"Don't sound too salty now. I have had a lot of experience using this eye, you know." Kakashi pointed at it behind his headband. The silver-haired man gave his student an encouraging smile underneath his blue mask. "Well, besides your kekkei genkai, I'd say you've picked up a lot of ninjutsu from me and made it your own. You already had a masterly grasp over Katon ninjutsu back since the exams started, and now, I can say you have mastered your Raiton. You're starting to make techniques on your own now. Soon, you'll have me running to the hills with your prowess in them."
Sasuke gave a small smile. "Hmph, that won't be for a while… but thanks." Deactivating the Sharingan, he sighed, happy his chakra reserves got a reprieve from the intense training. He sat down on a log, peering at the darkening skies of the evening. "So, what now? You're running off to another mission?"
The jōnin heaved a sigh himself. "Unfortunately. Don't get like me, kid. Become too important and prestigious in this village, and you're on everyone's hire list. Always the first one to call; always the last one home."
Sasuke huffed, wiping his forehead of sweat. "At least you get some good fights in. Ways to test and try out your techniques on strong opponents." That response had Kakashi sighing again, this time in a melodramatic fashion.
"Oh, to be young again. I've grown past the 'testing' stage. That doesn't quite give me the rush anymore, my dear Sasuke." Kakashi took out his usual smutty book, thumbing through the pages. "A man grows tired of being sent on battles and hard missions. I much prefer the little quirkier stuff that doesn't have much action. At least, compared to suicide runs and search-and-destroy quests. I can't wait until things die back down and I can go back to hiding out in the village from the limelight."
The Uchiha only offered the Hatake a noncommittal hum. Sasuke's eyes looked up as he heard a sound and he saw a plume of smoke appear. In his hands, dropped two scrolls. The Uchiha clicked his tongue. "Back to these, I see."
"Yeah, gonna be gone for a few weeks. Don't slack on your training."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the stupid comment. "Do you know who you're talking to?"
Kakashi chuckled, ruffling the Uchiha boy's black hair. "I guess I forgot then. Alright, I'm off. Be a good boy now. Ta-ta!" The jōnin disappeared in a Shunshin, leaving Sasuke to his thoughts.
He was unsurprised by Kakashi's abrupt exit. Yep, this was starting to become a common, occurring thing now. Sasuke would get a bit of training in with his jōnin-sensei and then, Kakashi would be out of the village.
Yet, this is what Sasuke had chosen. There would be no more outside interference from Otogakure, he was sure. Even Orochimaru, behind that wall matrix of his cursed seal, could only whisper at times mockingly at Sasuke for supposedly choosing wrong.
There were times this week that he was indeed frustrated. Kakashi had just gotten back from a mission nearly five days ago and again, he was off to another one. Kakashi hadn't even jumped back into the training right away either, only seeking out Sasuke on his second day back. He could sense that this would be a pattern because it had been ever since the Chūnin Exams concluded. He could have chosen to follow Orochimaru to parts unknown, but the alternative option beat that path of uncertainty and betrayal.
It took him some thinking to truly admit it to himself but the last Uchiha of Konoha did have people here that were dear to him. He had not lied to Naruto in the hospital – Sakura and him were Sasuke's friends. Even Kakashi was someone close to him – almost like a kooky uncle or, dare he say it, an older brother. He hadn't forgotten Kakashi's words to him when he was reprimanding him for his and Naruto's fight and Team 7 had indeed started to fill the hole inside his heart a while ago. He couldn't just leave them, or the village.
Yet, the thirst for vengeance against his clan's slayer lingered – it still gripped Sasuke's heart. It burned and boiled inside his blood. How could he forget it when for years it fueled him? Everything he hated pointed straight to his murderous brother. It was even disgusting for him to call Itachi that.
And the Hokage encouraged Sasuke to go after Itachi, hadn't he? He had told him to get stronger in three years and then he could see about Itachi. He had heard whispers from passing by chūnin and jōnin when he was walking the streets of Konoha. The Uchiha Clan Slayer had indeed made it into the village earlier this week, the night that Otogakure invaded to capture Sasuke. Did the man wish to assassinate the Hokage in the mix, but instead only got the village elder councilors? Worse, he heard Itachi had killed not only them but ANBU as well. Angry hissing from ninjas from restaurants and streets he frequented he had learned this knowledge.
Beyond vengeance, this was supposed to be justice. Itachi was evil-incarnate and he had to be put down. It was just that Sasuke was up to the task now.
'Three years. I'll give Konoha and my team three more years of me. Then… I'll find a way to Itachi and finish this,' he thought to himself resolutely. 'Even if Kakashi-sensei is still doing missions, I'll find some way to gain power. Just hopefully from this village. But I need to figure it out.'
He looked at the house he had called his home – now disintegrated and burned down with a troubling ambivalence. His time serving in ROOT was short and just as brutal. The things he did as a child to secure his position in the organization were something not many people could ever claim they had to do, nor wanted to do and yet, he did them. But after ROOT was forcibly dissolved, he was one of the few survivors and was reassigned as being Danzō's main caretaker.
Those who did survive always were still around watching over Danzō as well. A few of these elite men and women – those who had not killed themselves after ROOT's sudden destruction and the purpose of their lives being stolen from them – had reintegrated back into society, still loyal to Danzō and his teachings. Those who were not were hunted down and killed or set up on missions and killed out in the country or beyond. Because in their hearts, ROOT lived with them.
ROOT still had their goals. One day, they hoped to restart. There was a secret consensus between them – that one day, they would eliminate the Sandaime Hokage somehow. He didn't believe that to be possible, but for years, all they had to do – could do – was keep out of trouble and scheme in secret.
But as Itachi had returned and killed off many of them, that dream had ended. Specific targets in the village who kept active as ANBU. Those in the ANBU that were formerly ROOT led their team to their untimely deaths.
Three people were to blame for this. First, Itachi. Second, a dead Sandaime in the name of Hiruzen Sarutobi. Finally, the Uzumaki who they could not name out loud because of the cursed seal on their tongues. The last of ROOT felt the pressure. "Ex-ninja" and those who took jobs that kept them out of the limelight of Konoha rose to act now.
Sai had seen faces he hadn't seen in years. Some wore olden masks of ROOT that he recognized, others wore the regular short jacket attire of ROOT. All wore the same determination, a last stand on their mind.
"We are going to go after Itachi, Sai-kun. We have ways to seek him out. Tonight, we leave Konoha to find him and get our revenge. For Danzō-sama, for the roots that live underneath the Great Tree." One Fū Yamanaka declared, which began a cheer between the men.
They had all broken free of their emotional condition, it seemed. Because they all had spite, anger, and vengeance on their minds. Sai's conditioning had been incomplete and the years spent as Danzō's main caretaker further that. Despite the Shimura giving Sai help with his ninja training and other teachings, Danzō had not completed Sai's dampening of his emotions.
Which was why Sai did not know how to truly feel. Danzō was a harsh taskmaster, one who had made Sai do things he probably should have never done. All for the will of Konoha to go on forever. But it had been so, hadn't it? Even after the Shimura's death, even after the invasion Otogakure had tried, Konoha was still going on strong – its Will of Fire still burning. They too could continue, keep living. But Sai could see they already thought they were dead already. Either they killed Itachi and become missing-nins, or they were killed by Itachi, ROOT was finished.
Was Sai dead with them? While the desire to live and survive had been a big previous factor to him, the programmed loyalty to the foundation under Konohagakure in him had said to go where Danzō and the rest of ROOT had gone.
So, all Sai did was nod and suit up.
A/N: Elemental Aversion is just my explanation why it is so hard for people to learn all five basic chakra natures, adding to the other canon reasons. Take that as you will, as this is just headcanon, but it will be a major factor in why Naruto does not have Wind Release yet. Besides another reason. Probably a little obvious.
Another cooldown chapter to bring between the inevitable time skip I am soon to do. The paths have been set. Time to bring it together.