Chapter 6: Mission
Rei awoke before dawn with the bitter taste of possibility on his tongue. Yesterday had yielded unexpected gains—Yamanaka Inoichi's grudging respect and Yu's desperate loyalty. Hanazuki remained an unknown quantity, but even unknowns could be useful. In this world where cannon fodder filled unmarked graves, every alliance mattered.
I can change things, he thought, watching shadows retreat from his window. If I can cross worlds, then fate is just another opponent to defeat.
By the time he reached the training ground atop the Hokage Monument, the sun had barely crested the horizon. Yu arrived later with Hanazuki in tow, their easy conversation suggesting an overnight thaw in relations.
"Found her buying breakfast near my place," Yu explained with a sheepish grin. "Figured we should all train together if we're going to be stuck with each other."
What they didn't notice was the shadow clone observing from the treeline, cataloging their each and every interaction. Yamanaka Inoichi had been watching since yesterday, and what he'd seen was enough to warrant immediate action.
---
The Hokage's office smelled of tobacco and old paper, authority made manifest in wood and stone. Sarutobi Hiruzen looked up from his documents as Inoichi entered—still in his prime at forty-seven, black hair unmarked by the gray that would come with future losses, pipe smoke wreathing his features like incense.
"Report," Hiruzen commanded, voice carrying the weight of absolute power.
"The Inoichi Team shows significant improvement," the jonin began, standing at attention. "Uchiha Rei has evolved beyond his psychological profile. The mission failure appears to have catalyzed growth rather than trauma. All three members demonstrate combat readiness."
Hiruzen's eyes sharpened with interest. "The Uchiha boy?"
"Two-tomoe Sharingan at age ten. Shunshin no Jutsu execution, seal speeds exceeding elite chunin standards. More concerning—or promising—is his tactical acumen. He's not the impulsive child in his file."
The Hokage set down his pipe, full attention now focused on his subordinate. "Interesting. And the others?"
"Solid support capabilities. The girl, Hanazuki, shows medical training and water affinity. Wada Yu has earth techniques and exceptional loyalty to Rei. They're forming genuine bonds."
"Good." Hiruzen's smile held depths that made seasoned jonin nervous. "The boy's talent is... significant. Two-tomoe at ten surpasses even Itachi's early development. We'll need to be careful how we cultivate this particular flower."
The reference to the Uchiha prodigy sent cold understanding through Inoichi's spine. Politics and power, always dancing their deadly waltz.
"Your instructions, Hokage-sama?"
"The borders grow restless. Our scouts report increased activity from Iwa and Kumo." Hiruzen's voice dropped to something that might charitably be called conversational, but carried undertones of steel. "War comes whether we will it or not. These children must be ready."
The words hung in the air like a funeral shroud. Another war, more graves, more orphans to fill the academy ranks.
"Ensure they survive their growing phase, Inoichi. Use whatever resources necessary. If the Uchiha boy shows promise, we cultivate it. If he shows problems..." The sentence remained unfinished, but completion was unnecessary.
"Understood, Hokage-sama."
Inoichi left the office with sweat cold on his spine despite the warm day. The implications were clear—war was coming, and Konoha needed weapons more than it needed children. Those who could be forged into something useful would receive support. Those who couldn't...
Well, graveyards were full of those who couldn't.
---
Meanwhile, atop the monument, Rei pushed his teammates through formations and tactical drills, unaware that his future had just been decided by men who measured lives in strategic value. His concerns were more immediate—survival, growth, the desperate scramble to accumulate power before fate's machinery ground him beneath its wheels.
"The war's coming," he muttered during a water break, staring out over the village that would soon bleed for its ambitions. "Few years at most. We need to be ready."
"What war?" Yu asked, confusion clear in his voice.
"There's always another war." Hanazuki's quiet observation carried the weight of someone who'd already lost too much. "My father died in the last one. My mother says the peace won't last."
The truth of it settled over them like ash. This was the world they'd inherited—endless cycles of violence dressed up in noble purpose, children trained to kill other children for the glory of hidden villages.
By noon, exhaustion and hunger drove them to Ichiraku Ramen, a small establishment that had recently opened with promises of the best noodles in Fire Country. Uncle Teuchi was young then, unmarried, his hands already skilled at his craft despite his youth.
Rei found the food... adequate. His previous life had spoiled him for simple pleasures, but his teammates devoured their bowls with the enthusiasm of people discovering flavor for the first time. Yu managed three servings, Hanazuki forced down two, both declaring it the finest meal they'd ever tasted.
Simple to please, Rei thought, watching their joy with something approaching fondness. Maybe that's not such a bad thing.
They were returning to their training ground when Yamanaka Inoichi materialized from thin air, his expression carrying news.
"You have five days to finalize your team dynamics," he announced without preamble. "Then we're back to active duty. If you need anything before departure, ask now."
Rei's interest sharpened to a razor edge. "Anything?"
"Within reason."
"Shadow Clone Technique. I need it for training and tactical flexibility."
Inoichi's eyebrows rose. "You've mastered Shunshin already? Shadow clones require jonin-level chakra reserves for practical application. Are you certain?"
"My reserves will grow. Intelligence gathering, misdirection, advanced training—the applications are endless."
And I need to start building a reputation, Rei thought but didn't say. Famous techniques make famous ninja, and famous ninja don't die forgotten in unmarked graves.
"Very well. You two," Inoichi addressed Yu and Hanazuki, "Rei can teach you later if you're interested."
"I'm still working on earth techniques," Yu declined. "No point overreaching."
"I prefer water clones for my fighting style," Hanazuki added. "But thank you for the offer."
"Practical choices." Inoichi's approval was evident. "Meet at the village gates in five days, nine AM sharp."
He vanished as abruptly as he'd appeared, leaving behind only the lingering scent of authority and unspoken threats.
"Generous of him," Rei mused, already planning how to maximize this unexpected gift. What he didn't know was that generosity had nothing to do with it—this was investment, the village betting on his potential while keeping careful track of the odds.
"Finally, another mission," Yu said with nervous excitement. "Think it'll be different this time?"
"Everything's different now," Hanazuki observed quietly. "We're different."
She was right, though perhaps not in the way she intended. They were being shaped by forces beyond their understanding, molded into weapons for a war that would define their generation. The only question was whether they'd survive the forging process.
Above them, hidden in the treeline, Inoichi's surveillance continued. The Hokage wanted progress reports, and progress was exactly what he'd provide—whether his students knew they were being studied or not.
In Konoha, even kindness served the greater good. And the greater good, as always, demanded sacrifice.
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