Super Ninja

Sparring among us genin revealed the full extent of our differences. I finally had the chance to test my strength against each of them, and I defeated them all. Neji tried for a rematch, and although our second sparring session went well, the Hyuga still fell behind. He just couldn’t beat me at this stage. In the future, when I focus on other skills, he may catch up, and I have no doubt about that. But catching up doesn’t mean surpassing me overall. Closing the gap in one area doesn't equate to overtaking in every aspect.

 

Team Twelve looked weak, even compared to Neji and Lee. Even Ten Ten proved stronger than each of them. Shiko and Ayamane were only slightly stronger than those genin, which immediately highlighted the difference. Back at the Academy, they could have successfully opposed Ten Ten and often won, but now... things have changed. Such weakness, in my view, is unacceptable.

 

“Girls,” I addressed them. “When we return from the mission, you’ll need to focus on your training. You’re falling behind a bit, and it’s not safe for you.”

 

“Oh, says the genius,” Yamanaka replied with an odd tone of irritation.

 

“Come on,” I responded, a bit surprised. I hadn’t expected such a reaction. “It’s for your own good. I’ll gladly help.”

 

“Haaa,” she exhaled, clearly displeased. Ayamane didn’t seem particularly happy with my suggestion either. I don’t get it. As a Nara, she should be at least a bit smarter than the others. She should realize that with such an attitude, surviving in this world and becoming something greater is going to be difficult.

 

“Well then,” I said, raising my hands. “If you change your mind, I’ll always be around.”

 

I still don’t understand them. It’s hard for me.

 

Getting ready for the mission wasn’t difficult. I just needed to buy some supplies and check my gear. Everything else was already packed and ready. After double-checking, I sharpened my small blades and kunai a bit. It wasn’t necessary, but it calms me, almost as much as meditating with nature, when chakra from the outside world flows into me.

 

I didn’t get to see Mebuki again, as I was preoccupied with another matter—the mission. Once I return, there will be time for fun. But for now, it's better not to divide my attention.

 

Early in the morning, before our departure, I reminded myself to leave a note for my parents, letting them know I had gone on a mission. After quickly scribbling it down, I left the house and headed to the meeting point.

 

The two captains were already waiting. Maito Gai’s team looked fully prepared for the mission, each member carrying nearly identical bags and wearing serious expressions. The captain had likely already made them train a bit. Kiochi-sensei was calm as ever, giving me a simple nod when I arrived.

 

Everyone else showed up right on time. For some reason, Team Twelve didn’t seem particularly pleased. I’m not sure why... Honestly, it’s strange. Shiko and Ayamane were with them, likely because they were either related to or part of the same clans.

 

“Everyone’s here,” our captain said. “Let’s move out.”

 

We headed to the gates. The guards didn’t even glance our way; they seemed preoccupied with their own duties, which was fine. We weren’t looking for attention anyway.

 

Once we reached the wide path, we switched to the usual shinobi mode of travel—moving through the treetops. The slowest in our formation was Akimichi Douza from Team Twelve, so we all adjusted to his pace. After all, the rule is to stick together, no matter the size of the group when traveling.

 

Before nightfall, we stopped to set up camp. Tents were pitched quickly, and a small, smokeless fire was soon burning. I started it, feeling a small sense of pride. Shiko and Ayamane had gathered the branches for it.

 

As the food cooked, conversations sparked among us. The captain of Team Eleven promptly sent his team to the nearest training ground.

 

“Kiochi-sensei,” I addressed our captain, “may I join Team Eleven’s training?”

 

The captain glanced briefly at the other members of Team Thirteen. None of them seemed particularly eager to act. With a slight shake of his head in disapproval, he then looked at me and said:

 

“Fine. I’ll allow you to train with Maito Gai’s team during this mission.”

 

“Thank you, Captain,” I replied, gratitude evident in my voice.

 

He waved dismissively and pulled out the book he had been reading earlier. I quickly made my way to Team Eleven. Gai was more than happy to let me join them. I wouldn’t say Team Eleven reacted negatively to my presence either. Both Lee and Neji seemed eager to beat me in taijutsu. After all, how could it be that a shinobi who would likely specialize in ninjutsu was beating the future masters of taijutsu? For Neji, as I could tell, it was a blow to his pride.

 

Ten Ten was also interested in sparring with me, though her goal wasn’t to defeat me in taijutsu. Instead, she used our sessions to improve her handling of different weapons. And I can’t blame her for that—I can only admire her dedication. Even now, she slightly surpasses me in this area, so I definitely have something to learn from her.

 

We returned from training a little tired but satisfied. Afterward, we had dinner and assigned watches for the night. Since there were three teams, we set up three shifts, with one member from each team per shift. To keep things fair, the selection was random. I got the middle watch.

 

After dinner, I went to sleep. My sleep was light, so when Shiko approached my tent to wake me, I was already ready to take over. Stretching, I nodded to her as she headed back to her own tent. Her twin brother had set his tent up nearby and occasionally threw irritated glances my way. I ignored them.

 

“Ten Ten,” I nodded to her as we began our watch together. She, too, was on the second shift, along with Nara Iton from Team Twelve.

 

“Suzuki,” she responded, stretching and taking her position. She wore a dark cloak that allowed her to blend seamlessly into the surroundings. I should probably get one of those cloaks myself.

 

Nara Iton merely nodded before taking his post, but within five minutes, he was asleep. I was honestly surprised. How could he sleep during his watch? And his captain seemed to notice but merely shook his head, doing nothing about it. I have no idea why.

 

Time passes slowly when you sit in one place at night. To avoid falling asleep, you have to keep your mind occupied. Ten Ten had some sort of strange toy, full of sharp angles, which she tossed and caught by the correct end. I sat quietly, thinking about my future plans.

 

The night forest isn’t the quietest place. There are always sounds—rustling, cracks, and distant calls. The wind stirring through the treetops only added to the sense of unease. I glanced around periodically, listening to ensure there was no imminent danger.

 

After some time, Ten Ten got up, woke Lee, and went to sleep. I did the same, but Ayamane replaced me, while Iton swapped with his clanmate from the Yamanaka clan. Overall, the shift changes went smoothly in this setup.

 

Morning greeted us with cool air and slightly damp ground. We quickly packed up camp, ate breakfast, and continued our journey. The next night, we set up camp near a large lake, across from a sprawling city. Its night lights reflected on the still water, creating a breathtaking scene. You could watch it endlessly and always find something new in the reflections.

 

This time, I had the first watch, which was a nice change. I spent the day training with Team Eleven, sparring with Neji again, who once more tried to outmaneuver me but failed.

 

“Not bad, Neji,” I said as he got up after taking a kick to the chest, my footprint still visible. “I think you're just a bit slow.”

 

“You think so?” Neji exhaled, trying to conceal his bruised pride.

 

“Well, yeah. If you'd been a little faster, you could’ve reacted in time.”

 

I shrugged. The Hyuga are incredibly dangerous and tricky in taijutsu, especially with their Byakugan. As I’ve learned, their eyes give them nearly a full 360-degree field of vision, allowing them to counter attacks from almost any angle. But something tells me it’s not as flawless as it seems. There must be a weakness, though I haven’t figured it out yet. I’m not about to ask the Jonin either.

 

“Suzuki-kun is right,” Gai said, overhearing our brief conversation. “But don’t worry, Neji, we’ll fix that problem.”

 

“Understood, Captain,” Neji exhaled at his sensei’s words. I could sympathize with him because I knew that promises like these from Maito Gai meant tougher and more intense training sessions. Many might dread that, but through pain, shinobi grow stronger. I’ve learned that from experience.

 

The following days weren’t much different from the previous ones. We rotated watch duties, trained, rested, and interacted quite a bit. Once everyone grew accustomed to one another, the atmosphere between our teams became lighter and more lively. Despite some discord within our group, things weren’t so bad overall.

 

After another week of travel, we finally saw the city where we were scheduled to meet our client. Since it was a border town, security was heightened—not just from shinobi but also from civilians. No one stopped us, though I could sense we were being watched, and then the surveillance disappeared.

 

“Captain?” I asked my sensei. “Was someone following us?”

 

“Correct,” he replied calmly with a shrug. “Probably ANBU or someone else. I don’t know.”

 

“I see,” I nodded. “Oh well.”

 

The city had tall, sturdy walls that seemed to have been built using some Earth-style technique. If that’s the case, I can only respect the power of whoever created such a defense. I’m sure the city is protected not only by these solid walls but also by other methods that I’m not aware of.

 

There were two entrances to the city. One was for regular civilians. Ordinary people had to stand in line, undergo thorough inspections, pay fees, and fill out paperwork. Only after that could they enter—unless the inspector didn’t like something, in which case they could face several very unpleasant hours of questioning.

 

The second entrance was exclusively for shinobi. We approached it and waited. After a few minutes, a shinobi with small glasses appeared from behind the door. He wore a standard chunin vest, and his forehead protector rested on his shoulder, allowing his hair to fall freely over his face, partially concealing his large forehead.

 

“Ahem,” he cleared his throat and pulled out a form. “Your names and the purpose of your visit.”

 

We provided the requested information. After that, the shinobi nodded and disappeared behind the door.

 

“Sensei,” Shiko asked, “does this happen in all border towns?”

 

“No,” Kiochi-sensei shook his head. “This only happens in towns that were the primary targets during past wars. You’ll see similar setups in other countries.”

 

At that moment, the door opened again, and the shinobi reappeared, this time smiling.

 

“Welcome,” he said, motioning for us to pass through the door.

 

We walked down a long but wide corridor and eventually emerged on the other side. The bright sun hit us directly, forcing us to shield our eyes for a moment before stepping onto the street.

 

The houses pressed up against the walls looked unusual, resembling large, half-pyramids. From the wide base, where several families lived, to the sharp peak, which held small rooms for the poor, the design was peculiar. Beyond these houses, a wide boulevard lined with green trees stretched out, leading to more traditional architecture typical of the Land of Fire.

 

The city, walled off from the outside world, had limited space for construction. As a result, buildings were built taller than usual to accommodate more people. Three- and four-story houses were common, and occasionally, there were even five-story buildings, though they were rare.

 

According to our mission briefing, we were supposed to meet the daimyo’s archaeologists. They should have already arrived and settled in the designated inn. We needed to meet them and then begin the mission to protect these important scholars. I hope the client is reasonable. While it's not a huge issue, an unreasonable client could create unnecessary difficulties during our work.

 

We moved in a tight group to ensure no one got left behind or lost. The chances of that were slim, but imagine the embarrassment if someone actually did get lost. It would be difficult to recover from such a mistake—people remember dumb mistakes easily and for a long time. Make one, and it stays with you for life.

 

The archaeologists had settled in a fairly large inn, which wasn’t cheap. While they didn’t book the imperial suites, they weren’t skimping on comfort either. They had a caravan, accompanied by students and servants, all of whom we had to protect as well.

 

While Captain Kiochi went to speak with the head of the archaeological mission, we waited on the sidelines.

 

“Hey, Suzuki,” Ten Ten said, turning to me, “what do you think? Will we face strong opponents?”

 

“We shouldn’t,” Yamanaka Shito, Shiko’s twin brother from my team, answered before I could. “We’re three teams with three strong Jonin. That’s a formidable force.”

 

“I can’t disagree,” I replied, noting that Ten Ten had expected an answer from me, not from the guy who had lost to her so easily in sparring. “But it’s better to be prepared for equal or stronger opponents. That way, we won’t panic if things get tough.”

 

“Oh, that’s what you think,” she responded, then glanced at the archaeologists, who were gathering their things at a painfully slow pace. “Tch, why are they taking so long?”

 

“Come on, Ten Ten,” I chuckled. “A little patience, and we’ll be on the move soon enough.”

 

“If you say so, I’ll be patient,” she replied with a smile.

 

In general, her light flirting was obvious to me. Shiko and Ayamane didn’t seem to notice it, mostly because it happened during Team Eleven’s training, which I had joined, or when we were alone during our watch shifts.

 

I responded to her flirting positively and calmly. There was no awkwardness or nervousness on my part. I even gave her compliments from time to time, occasionally making her blush. But nothing serious had happened between us yet, as we were on a mission. Later, when we return… maybe.

 

After a while, Captain Kiochi returned.

 

“So, our clients are planning to set off tomorrow morning,” he reported. “This means we need to find a place to sleep. There are a few options. We can rent rooms at the inn, or we can head back into the wild and sleep in tents. What do you all think?”

 

The answer came almost immediately. No one wanted to sleep in tents more than necessary. Even I would have gladly paid for a room, but the captains had other plans.

 

“To keep your spirits high and ensure you don’t get too comfortable, I think we should spend the night outside the city,” Maito Gai said.

 

“I agree,” Captain Kiochi nodded, prompting groans of displeasure from Shiko and Ayamane.

 

“I think it’ll be beneficial,” the captain of Team Twelve added.

 

“So, it’s settled,” our captain smiled. “We’ll be sleeping outside the city.”

 

Sighs of disappointment could be heard from many, but not from me. It didn’t matter to me where I meditated or trained, whether it was a hotel room, a log on the street, or the wild forest.