-3 months ter-
Pov: Shuzo
------Shuzo Skills:
Mending Massage: E×D×C×B×A×S×K×
Shifting Bance: E×D×C×B×A×S?K?
Meditation: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
Poke: E×D×C×B?A?S?K?
--
Shuzo Statistics:
Weight +5
Density +5------
This meditation stuff is actually quite nice, I got the skill after massaging four people at the same time with no jutsu... the C-rank scroll was then abruptly decided to be 'Meditation' as I always wondered what it was like.
I pretend to meditate all the time but actually doing it? Calms me down... makes me feel like my old self again, back to the roots of that troublesome calm kid that wasn't stressed out.
Stress relief has been a very big part of my travels and I am upset that I never tried anything like it previously, I feel so much better after all.
And the more I think about it the more upset I am about the fact that I was stuck in Konoha for so long- sure I will miss Naruto but what else was there for me?
Lord third? Well he isn't there anymore...
...
I'm upset that I can't put my friends on that list, the fact that I always had this gap with them due to my maturity is unfortunate if not upsetting.
I am at the point where I am starting to forget the reasons I hung around them, I am actually slowly understanding the fact that I might not be as close to Naruto as I thought I was.
...
That mask of Kenzo I upheld never let me be Oswald and that always got in the way of who I am- of what my retionships where.
Lee... Ino, Naruto- his pals, I barely knew his team because I tried to avoid them all and unfortunately for me if I had tried to get to know them more I would have done nothing but hurt them with the truth.
Oswald should have told the truth from the beginning, before I became Kenzo.
Before... I had grown close to my brother.
...
..
.
I should have left as soon as I could have, escaped with anyone to do anything- someone like me should have been taken by Oorochimaru and never returned.
I am just gd that I got out of there now, before all the chaos erupted into something even worse for Kenzo... I am lucky that I left, If I stayed I would not have been Shuzo.
I would never have learned to slow down.
I would never feel like I do now.
Calm.
In control.
...
Maybe its not the pce.
But the person- Ryū loves Konoha, he is attached to it with a strange sense of belonging... I remember it so clearly.
Kenzo? Perhaps he is cursed or unlucky, maybe he is just a bit grumpier... but now that I am thinking of it? Kenzo is the perfect person to make a monster.
...
Because he is a monster- one that trains constantly, one that doesn't socialize, one that doesn't wind down, one that hides in his box to grow in power, one that wants power for 'protection' but the power he has causes only trouble.
Kenzo may not know it yet- but this rexing journey has opened my eyes to a few things.
I don't like Kenzo- or rather I hate my prior self and am gd to have split from him, never should I have gotten close to any child, never should I have chosen those skills and never should I have made those gambles.
------
Have a minor revetion!
Reward: One statistic scroll!
------
..?
I suppose... that means I am on the right track to becoming the Shuzo I am meant to be- more Weight it shall be, I am getting used to my current weight.
Maybe after this I should try out some of the mud baths around here- I am sure the spa stuff in the nd of stone is good enough compared to Hot springs and Fire.
---
Pov: Kenzo
I wait and watch on a rooftop- the second my target steps in front of the alley way I flicker downwards.
*Spsh!*
"Oi- watch where you nd!" A mist ninja yells out as I flicker into a puddle next to him.
"Sorry- sorry" I raise my hands and without much emotion I apologize.
"No- not good enough" the murderous ninja pulls out a kunai as his other hand wipes the water from his eye.
"Boo" I state simply and flicker my eyes into a stare for a mere second.
He tumbles backwards away from me perfectly into the alley way I nded next to, I walk forward slowly as he nds on his ass and crawls backwards.
"What- what are you?" He mutters in horror as I approach him, slowly shifting from a mist ninja into his appearance.
"Tell me nothing but the truth- where is the scroll you where hired to transport, I know it hasn't left your vilge yet" I coldly command.
"No-" He breathes out.
"Wrong answer" I sigh and transform my arm into a giant toothy maw that- *SNAP!* bites down on his leg and eats it.
He doesn't scream.
My genjutsu will not let him.
"Again, the truth" I state coldly.
"I- I am just a genin- I swear I don't have it on me" He chokes out as he struggles to gain control over his vocal cords.
"You are thirty four next month- old enough to pay for your crimes... old enough to know what you did wrong" I scrunch my face in rage as I recall the bounty on him.
"Its- it's at my house, I swear I haven't done anyth-" *Stab!* A bone pierces his skull as my palm aims down at his head.
I retract the bone into my hand and use my other hand to eat the evidence, if I apply that nightmare creatures taste buds I at least wont vomit from this.
But the sight is still disgusting.
...
I need to find a new way to destroy evidence discreetly.
...
Done- and just before the sensor nin patrol this area, I should head to his home and take the scroll before leaving, if I remember right Kakazu told me his address.
*Pit Pat*
My feet sp against the muddy streets as I continue forward throughout this district, focusing on keeping my chakra signature exactly like his.
...
Shortly after I squeeze myself through his window and shift into a small rat leaving his clothes at the floor where I enter.
I scuttle around for a few minutes before finding a small lockbox hidden beneath a tile in his bathroom.
Lifting it up with ease I turn the box around to find a seal on its back... probably a defence or security measure.
*Crack!* *Split!*
My little rat body grows bigger as its torso splits in two with rows of jagged teeth and a pitch bck mouth bite into the box and swallow it whole.
*Squirm!* *Rattle*
My body squirms and rattles over the box, a small click is heard as my lockpicking skill using my bone picks sets off the seal.
*BOOM!*
The sound of the explosion is muffled as my body swallows it and covers my insides with bck bone.
I unshift and hold the burnt box in front of me- opening it up I see the untouched scroll.
I knew they wouldn't line this scroll with anything destructive enough to destroy it, the explosion was more for noise I bet.
I grab the scroll before shifting into a seagull and taking off through the window.
*Wooosh!*
I fly high into the sky and then glide across it towards my next destination, outside of the mist vilge I travel to the headquarters of a merchants business.
He gets this scroll and all bckmail his competitor has on him will be gone just like that.
------
Infiltrate one of the major vilges without being spotted!
Reward: Two Statistic scrolls.
------
Hm? Good, lets bring that natural regeneration up to a five- I can handle more shapeshifting now.
---
Pov: Ryū
"Hey Akemi? Did you see the numbers in Battle-Sage team 5?" I ask as I flip through the folder.
"Yeah, it was surprising actually- no other team has surpassed the control they have, maybe its because of Kanata and Katsuko? You have given them some special attention" She tells me.
Akemi Yamanaka- my new manager of the Battle-Sages, the council fought for at least one other manager besides me and Tsunade compromised by sending someone from the Hospital to help me.
Best option really, less work for me and the elders have no control over anything I do- plus she has proven herself to be a great individual.
"Well... its true, cannot deny my influence from team 5, but you also cannot ignore the fact that they have surpassed expectations by a rge margin" I reply and drink some water.
"Really? Still not trying anything but the water...? Come on, open up and live a little" She shakes her head and sighs.
"I told you I don't like drinking often" I can't drink right now, I have a lot of work to get done.
"Bah, that's ridiculous- how do you even destress from all the work you do? I swear that's all I ever hear from you" She sighs deeply and I chuckle.
"Well what else do you even want to hear from me?" I shake my head as I stop flicking through the folders.
"Something, anything- you chose, just not work or lightning stuff" She exaggerates her exasperation.
...?
"Uhhh..." I tap my fingers across the folders as I think about it.
Not much to go on... what should I make up? Or should I just vaguely talk about prior interests? I did read a lot of stuff in my youth- the dictionary especially.
"It can't be that hard" She ughs a little.
"Well- you know, I haven't been able to speak to others like this in a bit..." I scratch the back of my head and sigh.
"Oh stop with the awkward act" She says and stands up.
"Hm?" I tilt my head.
"Lets go- you said you don't drink often but not never, Katsuko can handle any work we have tomorrow" She starts walking away and I quickly put the folders away before exiting the room and locking it.
"Wait hold on-" I stumble forward and walk in line with her.
"Nope- lets go get a few others, you are going to open up tonight!" She fist bumps the air and I sigh.
Might as well, can't avoid this forever- not when I have a year or maybe more to spend here.
The only thing I need to worry about is not providing contradictory information... while getting drunk and losing control over myself.
I don't think I have ever had alcohol before actually... a first experience for me?
"You know Anko right? I was working with her a few days back and she was a great drinking buddy, pretty sure she gets off in another five" Akemi comments.
"I think I do? I remember her from a restaurant a bit ago, also seen her a few times here in T&I" I nod my head.
"Who else to bring...? Know anyone?" She asks.
"Uhhh, Kurenai? Does she count as an acquaintance?" I ponder.
I suppose we are, not sure if I know much beyond the name as Ryū- do not want to accidentally say anything only Kenzo knows so hopefully she is out of town.
"I know- you go get anyone you can and meet us at the Jonin bar, I will gather what I can since everyone is looking to destress after the work heavy three months we just did" She nods her head.
"Jonin bar?" I ask in curiosity.
"Ok- that- that is what I want to know, almost everyone who is promoted into special Jonin or higher gets taken to this bar, get someone else to show you the way" She chuckles and flickers away.
...
Damn- I was going to show up alone but she trapped me into taking someone to guide me... who though? I have no idea where anyone lives.
...
Do I just... roam around until I spot someone?
...
..
.
After ten minutes roaming the streets as the sun sets I hear the voice of the Hokage.
"Hey Ryū, get your butt over here!" I turn around to see the Hokage walking towards me, I quickly flicker in front of her and bow.
"Yeah enough about that- Tsume told me that a few of her friends were invited to a bar in order to 'break through your awkward wall of ice' and you were lost" She states and I look up at her.
What?
"Come on, many Jonin need some destress and you have stressed out a lot of them with your mystery background" She walks by me and I follow behind her.
"Wait- many Jonin? How many?" I ask.
"I have no idea, but the bar is going to be full of people at least- and I ordered a break for me and some staff that usually work these hours just for this so no worming out of it" She looks back at me and smirks.
...
What?
A full bar? Akemi!?!? What happened!? I thought this was going to be like three extra people!
"Ah, Hokage-sama you shouldn't have done all that for me..." I try and recim some ground.
"I said no worming out" She shakes her head and sighs.
"Well- I may be slightly allergic to alcoholic beverages" I say sadly.
"That's strange considering the chocotes I gave you for your good work st week had some alcohol in it" She says.
...
"I knew you were being too nice- was that a trap, is this a trap? How many paths have you blocked me from using??" A few dots connect in my mind.
"Oh we came prepared to drag you here Ryū, in Thorn you have been outside of Konoha almost all your life- sure you dropped by... but the people? The culture? I am almost certain you excluded yourself for the mission" She states as we stop in front of a bar.
"Lady Tsuande?" I ask with confusion.
"Stop being awkward, live a little Ryū- just have fun and forget about work" She pats me on the back and opens the door.
Inside is about thirty ish ninja, most of whom cheer as they see me enter- multiple people gather around me and pull me in.
Live a little?
"Come on take a seat- use that money you earned" Akemi pats my back as she gestures to the bar stool.
"Enjoy your youth to its fullest friend!" Might Gai who I am sure hasn't met me before says- what a friendly dude.
"Calm those nerves and take off the mask, welcome back to Konoha" I feel Shikaku pat my back and I slowly raise my hand to my mask.
... forget about work? The mission? The list...?
"Oh stop hesitating, we know you aren't like Hatake- half of us have seen your face man so don't use that excuse" I hear a Jonin shout from across the bar and I turn to look across them all...
That's not what I am- haaa- never mind, lets just breathe for a bit.
I take off my mask and getting a better view of everyone I awkwardly smile as I am handed a small shot gss.
Here goes nothing.
*Swig!*
"I'm not sure if I have met everyone here but that doesn't matter does it? Thank you all for inviting me here... I hope to answer all your questions?" I gulp down the drink and do my best to not cough and choke on it.
People drink this for fun?
"I'm starting to think the awkwardness isn't an act" Anko ughs out.
And moments ter everyone else ughs as well as they watch me shrug, soon enough everyone is embroiled in conversation and I am being passed around and interrogated.
"The famous Hatake Kakashi, I am honoured by the fact that you are interested in me" I smile at the ninja in front of me who sits next to Gai, Asuma and Shikaku.
Currently I am sitting on the opposite end of the bar near the lounge like area, I feel drained by all the conversation I have been doing but nonetheless I have to continue.
And... unfortunately I have drunk enough to consistently forget some details I have talked about... my head feels hazy and I want to nap.
"Now that's the sentence of a man who has yet to meet the real Kakashi, don't worry I am sure you will meet the true goofball that he is soon enough" Asuma chuckles as he lights another cigarette.
"I'm not that bad" Kakashi states.
"Oh? Really now Kakashi? Your reading a 18+ book in a social gathering" Shikaku raises his eyebrow as he takes a sip of his drink.
Oh wow, he is...
"Hold on- this conversation isn't about my eternal rival Kakashi~ Ryū we want to hear about you" Gai states with a toothy smile as he ys back on the lounge.
"More specifically we want to hear a story, everyone else has covered favourite colours, things and etcetera- now it is time for a story in which you are prominent" Shikaku smirks as he looks to me.
A story? Oh man, I thought I got off easy with the questions about my dislikes and interests.
What story should I share?
Oh, I know- this will help dissuade anyone's interest in gaining my lightning as well.
"How about I tell you how I managed to get my lightning?" I raise my eyebrow and cup at them and inquire.
"What a perfect pce to start" Shikaku smiles.
I drink my cup in one gulp before ying it down and sitting up straight.
"Nature chakra, something that sages turn into sage chakra- a natural force throughout this world that is quite the annoyance to tame- me? Oh I chanced upon this little technique I use, as a very small child I mistakenly absorbed some natural chakra and started suffering from some side effects, no one could tell exactly why I was sick and dying but I had a small feeling of what it could be" I start my story and note a few Jonin from around my area listen in.
"Picture me near death in Konoha, an orphan with no one to visit or remember him- fortunately I had quite the vivid imagination, often thinking of wild adventures and crazy quests that I would go on... at the time it was all I had, which makes my decision to get up and walk out of the hospital trying to save my life a little more sane- it was quite easy to leave as I was a low priority resident and I was only at the hospital for a short time until my unfortunate passing... and when I left the clouds stirred a dark grey... I slowly but surely made my way through the streets of Konoha and sat on a park bench" I note the fact that half the bar has gone silent to listen in on my story.
"A storm brewed. Cold. Wet. Chaotic. But for some odd reason my blood felt warmer than ever, boiling and yet calm at the same time... I felt divine as the rain poured across my body and felt pure bliss as the thunder assaulted my ears... it was at this time that I asked myself the question you are all wondering, 'Why?'- why would I feel so much better in the storm than in the hospital?" I take a breath as everyone listens now, realising that I am about to reveal the formu for my lightning.
"When I was a brat I was learning about chakra systems and accidentally absorbed the smallest drop of nature chakra into my heart causing many problems with it- it wasn't until my twenties that I finally understood why that event somehow led to my lightning blood. Spiritual chakra or Yin chakra was shaping it, every time I thought of chaotic and crazy adventures I was subconsciously pouring those images into my tainted heart... and when I decided to leave the hospital my dreams of adventure and goal to leave that hospital bed led me to love the storm, it wasn't that the storm made me feel better... it was my own thoughts that did" I state as people raise their brows.
"Pcebo?" Lady Tsunade asks.
"Precisely- I had convinced myself that I love the storm and with my entire being I had fully believed it, which in turn flowed through my chakra points and finally reached my heart... the nature chakra which was destroying my body through confusion and not intention finally found a something to grasp onto- a firm belief in this one storm gave nature direction... like disease from animals the disease didn't want to end its host... it wanted to live, but was treating my human body like a rats body, the nature chakra started to treat my body like a storm... my insides were fried with the power of a tiny storm" I say and look around the room to more confusion.
"How did you live?" Asuma asks.
"The Third Hokage, spotted me as he was flickering from pce to pce and I don't think I can ever forget the face of pure confusion he had on him when he found me on the ground... perfectly fine on the outside but practically a burnt corpse from within... he knew I was on deaths door... I would have died if he didn't pour medical chakra into my body to understand what happened" I sigh.
"No offence but he was not good enough to heal a corpse" Lady Tsunade gulps down a sake cup.
"Oh don't get me wrong, the medical chakra wasn't ever going to heal me, but it did alert him to the fact that everything but my circutory system was undamaged completely... covered in lightning but undamaged, see this nature chakra had been in my heart long enough to make some changes to it- and when the big shock came it was the only thing that survived due to its changes" I nod my head.
"And you lived how...?" Kakashi asks.
"Yeah, yeah I will cut to the good part- he brought me to three medical ninja who took a look at me and tried the best they could but failed, bh, bh, bh, after an hour one of them gets the idea to use the stormy blood on the rest of my body, after what I was told was three days of constant work they managed to successfully get the lightning to cling to my whole burnt body and slowly but surely try and heal it now that it wasn't constantly killing me- I was dead for roughly seven hours at one point and awoke to some of the most outrageous pain I have ever felt... and with four hundred surgeries to go through before being able to live truly" I shrug.
"So your organs where fine? You could breathe through the burnt lungs?" Shikaku asks.
"My body was... eh, it was barely clinging on and was probably not going to make it past the second surgery so I was asked the terrible question: 'do you want to live?' They asked... and I shook my head, I was also briefly questioned on what happened... after some time I communicated to them that I wanted to killed by lightning- odd I know but the warmth of that storm... I had not felt that kind of warmth for so long and wished to feel it again" I lower my head solemnly.
...
"At that point is when the miracle happened. The will of fire burning through me as they performed the least painful lightning justu that they knew and pulsed it towards my heart to stop it forever" I pause for dramatic effect.
"The unyielding spirit of humanity flowed through me as I grew upset with my conditions, as I yearned for my crazy adventures, as I yearned to not be sick. Feeling that nature chakra that killed me.. changed me... I felt like gripping it and throwing it out in anger... and the nature chakra followed my will once more- suddenly bursting out of my body the bright blue lightning coursed through every part of my body and overcharging it with pure life, the doctors said that in that one moment my regeneration capabilities were akin to the first Hokages as the nature chakra flowed through me... I was fixed... I stood on that bed completely fine as if nothing happened" I look up with wonder in my eyes.
"Is that it? Can't be..." Gai asks with curiosity in his eyes.
"Of course not, I just threw out the nature chakra in my body- and even though it was healed it needed some good rehabilitation" I smile at him.
"The secret to gaining my abilities? To obtaining my power? Be a mad man. Replicate the events of my youth in my recuperated body and potentially throw away my life for absolutely no reason- I felt nature chakra once and I would feel it again... every storm I could sense it... and on one storm I ran outside and climbed onto a roof, held onto someone's lightning rod and smiled- I could not get that feeling of... of... amazement out of my head, I had to feel the storm again" I twist my face into a grin.
"For everyone else it was just a lightning strike, for me? It was my moment of truth. Like slow motion everything stopped to a halt and I felt the bolt flow through my body... using nature chakra I absorbed the lightning like I once had and tried to direct it... it failed. I tried again. It failed. It failed. It failed and I tried again- the only thing giving me any motivation was the fact that I was unhurt by the lighting- the next storm, and the next I did so again. On my fourth storm I let go of the rod as lightning entered my body and instead of letting it flow through me I decided to try and bottle lightning" I chuckle to myself.
"And you did?" Kakashi says.
"I did. It was stuck flying through my circutory system with no where to go- with some advice from the Third Hokage and a bit ter from the Fourth I slowly understood how to control it- intake the nature chakra, and without using chakra I slowly but surely changed it into orange lightning that flowed within me- my entire youth was spent turning my body into a forge that makes orange lightning, my lightning... not lightning made from chakra but actual lightning that was mine" I say and look around at everyone's varying faces of intrigue and excitement.
"Crazy motherfucker" Akemi states which makes the room burst out into ughter.
------
Make multiple Higher ups in Konoha shocked! A grand political manoeuvre!
Reward: One Instant B-rank Skill scroll.
------
I smile as I feel the notification, best to get a [Lightning Absorption] skill considering I just told everyone I could do that.
"How about I tell you how I met my good friend Shuzo, and how our Prank war is currently going?" I say to everyone who is still interested in me.
Lets leave that skill stuff for ter- I am enjoying myself here.
Thanks for reading :)
