CH_10

CH_10

"Young Takuma, did you talk to someone about us?"

Takuma flicked his head up to rid the sweat-soaked hair from his face as he looked at Maruboshi. He stopped pushing the large sheet metal basket filled with heavy sand—

"Do not stop," said Maruboshi.

Takuma scowled and let out a frustrated groan as he went back to pushing the thing across wet mud, elevating the annoyingness of the task. Feeling the wet mud get between his toes made him hate that he hadn't saved enough money for a pair of shinobi boots.

"What do you mean?" Takuma's voice flared up as he dug his feet in, giving the box a heavy push.

"Someone came to ask me what relationship I have with you."

Takuma frowned and stopped pushing as he turned his face to look at Maruboshi—

"Continue pushing," said Maruboshi before Takuma could even relax his body.

"Don't talk to me then!" Takuma said, shouting with irritation. He resumed the pushing, feeling every step forward in his thighs. "There was a lady... Umeda something, I will have to look in my notebook," Maruboshi had taught him to carry a pocket notebook with him to note down information. "From Leaf Child Welfare Services... She came to my house to talk, and we chatted about how a typical day looks for me. I think I mentioned you there. That's the only time I can remember talking about you with anyone. Why did something happen?"

Takuma wanted nothing more than to put his hands down and use his shoulder or, better, his back to push the useless box of sand, but couldn't— stupid order from Maruboshi.

"The man who visited me was from the Leaf Genin Resource Command."

"What is that?"

"They are in charge of distribution, strategic talent management, personnel programs and services of Leaf genin. To put it roughly, they manage everything related to Leaf genin. Everything from ensuring the genins are being deployed for missions to issuing their paychecks," said Maruboshi. "You can stop now," he added at the end.

Takuma pushed no more and turned around to lean against the metal box. He wanted to hop onto it so he could sit, but he knew Maruboshi would tell him to remain standing.

"Why would they come asking?" Takuma asked. He wasn't a genin yet, not even close to one.

"I believe they also handle part of recruitment from the academy. You are in your last year; I assume you come under their purview."

"What did they want from you?"

"Nothing more than some answers. The man asked if I knew you, how we met, how long we had known each other, and why I was training you when I told him about us. The man immediately left after that," Maruboshi said, shaking his head.

"Am I in any trouble?" Takuma asked.

"No, I don't think so. From what I could tell, he was interested in knowing why I decided to train you. As for why they were interested, I asked but did not get an answer in return," said Muruboshi, sighing.

"So young, so naive," Maruboshi sighed with a soft smile. Takuma didn't know if it was an old person thing, but Maruboshi had the tendency to say things that made his face twitch in anger. "With time, you will come to realize how a shinobi is much more than the chakra he wields. To be a shinobi is a way of life... I hope you will understand it one day."

"Your average academy student doesn't have enough chakra in their bodies. The children have not entered puberty, the growth stage, where the amount of chakra develops rapidly with the rest of the body," Maruboshi continued. "While Henge No Jutsu (Transformation Jutsu) and Bunshin No Jutsu (Clone Jutsu) are taught in the academy, neither is useful in the field. Shinobi are trained to see through the illusionary clones, and while transformation can fool the civilian eye, a shinobi can see right through the jutsu's disguise. Disguising oneself is an art form in itself that takes years to perfect."

'The transformations in the class could've fooled me any time of the day,' thought Takuma. He probably had a worse eye for it than even the most rock-headed people.

"They are taught to make the student get used to channeling chakra, get familiarized with hand signs, and because learning jutsu excites children," said Maruboshi. "Going beyond is simply not worth it when you can take the time to teach so many other skills necessary for competence and survival.

And you, who doesn't have much time before graduation, I would instead train your body and teach you skills that make a shinobi different from the average roadside bandit."

Takuma narrowed his eyes at the analogy thrown back at him.

"What about the clan kids? They train in their clan's shinobi arts from a young age," he said.

"Did you hear that from a friend of yours, one that belongs to a clan?" asked Maruboshi.

"N-No," sputtered Takuma. He didn't have friends.

"Then I will tell you what most of the children from shinobi clans will tell you. Yes, they do go through training of their clans, but believe it or not, most of it revolves around the same subject taught in the academy..."

Takuma was about to ask why they would do that, but he then remembered the existence of coaching classes and after-school tuitions many kids took back at his home.

"The academy isn't perfect, and the clans know that, so they prepare their children. They go deeper into the subjects taught and cover some more that the academy doesn't cover, things that might increase their children's chances of survival on the field. And yes, I won't deny that children from shinobi clans do learn their clan's shinobi arts— but in most cases, it's a special form of taijutsu or some knowledge that would help them practice their clan's special ninjutsu when they are ready in the future. Only a select few who showcase talent with chakra are encouraged to learn more advanced jutsu— clan or otherwise."

Takuma hung his head down. He, of course, didn't know any of that. The truth of the matter was that he just wanted to use chakra. It was chakra, after all! Anyone who had read Naruto even once had the thought of being able to use the mystic power.

"How do you know I'm not one of those select cases," asked Takuma with a tinge of defiance. He, after all, still wanted to learn chakra— and from what Maruboshi had said, it didn't look like he would get to do much of that in their training, at least, not as much as he would like.

"I do not know. Maybe you have gained some skill as you pursued it in your own time," said Maruboshi. "Can you use chakra, young Takuma?"

Takuma felt his face burn up. He felt stupid... really... really... stupid.

He shook his head in shame.

Maruboshi smiled, the kind one that he showed most often.

"Then let's remedy that."

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