Chapter 5 - The academy and the Namikaze clan

Five months went by quickly and it was finally the day we got to start at the academy. During the time four largely important things happened. Firstly, both Minato and I awakened our skills as sensors. Just like in Naruto, Minato was a strong sensor, and I'm proud to say that I was nothing less. This was welcome addition, as it led to me finally being able to locate and track the ANBU that had been tracking us since our birth.

Secondly, we got our own apartments. Minato and I was able to negotiate with Hiruzen, and secured our tickets out of the orphanage, sponsored by the funds of the Namikaze clan. Midori-san didn't like it, but seeing we were more mȧturė than most genin, she allowed it, with the cost of a promise to come and visit her when we have time. As for why we had separate apartments, it was my idea. I needed a place away from the eyes of others, even Minato, since I needed a place where I could train unhindered. Of course, I wouldn't be able to hide forever, but it would prevent me from gaining unwanted attention. With my current skill in seals, I was able to modify the silencing seal, so that it was also able to block the hokage's crystal ball. Now as to why I decided to start keeping secrets, it leads me to the third major thing that happened…

I managed to touch upon my magnet release. As of now though, I could only do small things like lifting a kunai for a second before dropping it or turn on and of the light. I admit turning on and of the light isn't that amazing, but I was able to create a small magnetic field to interfere with the cables. For now, I had developed a little training technique for the magnet release. I call it Spoon bending!!! As silly as it might sound, it was actually a very hard exercise, as I had to keep the spoon floating, while simultaneously moving only one half of the spoon. The best thing about it though, was that it helped me up my chakra control and reserves, as it was a quite taxing task.

Now, the last thing that happened, was none other than the start of the second ninja world war. It started with Iwagakure attacking Kumogakure, but soon Konoha was brought in to the war, due to the Sunagakure, with Iwagakure soon joining with an offensive against Konoha. This led to a three-way battlefield in the land of rain, with separate fronts stretching into the land of river and the land of grass. I don't know much about the second war, since it wasn't explained too well in the original, but due to a little eavesdropping, I found out that Tsunade and Sakumo was sent to face Sunagakure, since Tsunade, now having gained her reputation as a medical ninja, was the only hope to counter the poisons from Chiyo the puppet master. Orochimaru, as one of the most skilled jonin of Konoha, was sent to the front against Iwagakure as commander. The last of the three, Jiraiya, was currently on standby near rain, since there had only really been small skirmishes in the country, due to the three villages combined fear of their legendary leader, Hanzo of the salamander.

Back in Konoha, we were attending the opening speech from the hokage, as tradition at the start of a new year in the academy. Furthermore, the traditions required two of the newcomers to show their skills, and what better match than Fugaku Uchiha vs Nawaki Senju. As they came from rival clans, they obviously both wanted to win, which led to an intense battle, ending with Hiruzen having to step in, before Nawaki was toasted by a fireball jutsu courtesy of Fugaku he had no way to defend against.

I was personally most surprised to see that they were both almost at the same level as Minato and me, but this only made me more determined to become stronger faster. As we got situated in our classes, I realized that this version of the academy was vastly different than the one in Naruto's time period. It might be because of the war, as I could see from the pamphlets on our desks, that the curriculum focused a lot more on battlefield tactics and actually developing our skills as ninja.

In the beginning, it wasn't really that interesting in the academy. There was only one lesson that caught my attention, that being the history of the clan wars period. The reason it caught my attention, was none other than the mentioning of the Namikaze clan, when we were going through the Senju clan's history of fighting with the Uchiha. Apparently, a major oversight from the original story, was that it failed to mention, that the mother of the first and second hokages… was a Namikaze.

That's right a Namikaze. That day after school I went with Minato to the village library, to figure out more on the history of our clan. Much to my surprise, the Namikaze clan was once a clan renowned at the same level as the Uzumaki clan. During our great grandfather's era, the clan was known for three things; their sensory abilities, an affinity for space-time ninjutsu, though not many such jutsu was created, and finally the cherry on top, The swift release. It was also this that led to the clan getting attacked, and mostly destroyed. This attack left the clan with only our great grandfather as the only inheritor of the swift release, and all the space-time jutsu being destroyed. Thus, due to the difficult position, our great grandfather chose to enter an alliance with the Senju-clan, by marrying his sister to the, at the time Senju leader. Unfortunately, our grandfather didn't inherit the swift release, leaving the clan to decline, until only we were left, with the rest of our clansmen dying in the first war.

After about a year in the academy, Minato and I, finally finished learning all that Hiruzen had provided us in sealing techniques. Having nothing more to work on, I had just the person I mind who could teach us seals. The only problem was approaching her, since Kushina had yet to join Konoha. Thus, I figured we had to make contact, but that was easier said than done. First of Mito didn't live in the Senju compound, even though I was her husband's clan, if that had been the case, we might have been able to meet her through Nawaki, who we had befriended shortly after we started.

No, Mito had chosen to isolate herself from the Senju by living in the guest compound of the Uzumaki, which was located at the edge of the village, contrary to the Senju compound, which was close to the center. As a plan was formed, Minato agreed to sneak away from the ANBU, which was hard and wasted nearly an hour, in order to sneak in to the Uzumaki's home. Although that was what I told Minato, I knew we would get caught, as Mito not only was a sensor, but one that could read the emotions of others due to Kurama giving her that ability. It was also likely that the grounds around the compound was protected with seals, but I was hoping we would be able to avoid them using our own knowledge of seals.

Only problem was forgetting that the Uzumaki were infamous, not only for their seals and chakra chains, but also for their trap making. Sure enough, we were able to avoid a few seals, but nothing good ever lasts long, as we were soon caught in a genius trap straight out of Indiana Jones, leaving us incapacitated and losing consciousness, as Mito came and retrieved us into her house…