CH_8.16 (281)

CH_8.16 (281)

On the empty floor, Takuma sat opposite two ANBU-nin.

He was cognisant that ANBU was in charge of national security, and they probably required a sense of belonging and patriotism towards their homeland—and he was all for that; he didn't think he would ever leave the Hidden Leaf because his friends and life was here but he had to be direct with his demands even if it somehow lowered their impression of him.

"We have a standard compensation package that includes a very handsome salary beyond even the highest competitive rates of any other department. However, we don't have a mission-based commission system where you're paid after each successful mission. We don't want our operatives to be motivated by money when it comes to national security matters," said Swine.

Takuma was already used to it from his time in the Police Force. If there were a commission for the number of people arrested and charged, the officers would've been arresting people left and right to make more money. He could potentially make more money if he were an independent shinobi not associated with a department, but that was akin to owning a business rather than being a corporate employee.

"You'll have open access to our jutsu archive up to C-rank. The scrolls stay on the premises, but you're free to read and learn any amount of jutsu you can. We also have exclusive training facilities that you can book. We have in-house iryo-nin who will cater to any of your health needs and provide the standard three meals on all days of the week. There’s also a store where everything is sold at heavy discounts and many more benefits, including top-quality gear custom-made for your preferences and generous access to our armoury. Almost everything is on our dime so you'll find that ANBU-nin's expenses fall because we take care of our own."

Takuma held back his reaction when Swine said he would have unlimited access to C-rank jutsu. Most of his career had been chasing mission points that afforded him jutsu. He had even bargained for ninjutsu from the Uchiha before his war deployment. That single benefit was so huge that it was enough for him to sign up on the spot.

"Of course, as we mentioned in the scroll, you'll get an instant rank promotion if you get selected," said Swine.

Takuma nodded. That was another benefit, arguably on par with the jutsu archive access. He had been gunning for a promotion for nearly two years.

"What about B-rank jutsu?" Takuma asked. He needed to get his hand on a B-rank jutsu to get to the next level.

"There's no open access to the B-rank jutsu archive, and you'll have to earn the privilege to learn a B-rank jutsu," said Swine as he crossed his hands on the table. "But like the jutsu in the archives, you have the benefit of not paying and how quickly you get one will solely depend on your performance. Of course, mission points are part of the compensation package, so you're free to go through the usual channel to redeem access to the standard B-rank jutsu archive like all other chunin."

"What about the time restriction?" Takuma asked an important question.

New chunin had a one-year time restriction before they could access the B-rank jutsu archives.

"We can take care of that for you," Swine nodded.

"What about developing new skills? If I want to learn, let's say, interrogation tactics, how's the ANBU going to help me?" He hadn't forgotten his motto—'A shinobi is more than the chakra he wields'—and wanted to continue with his journey in self-improvement.

"If you want guidance, we will provide it. As long as your work remains your priority, we will invite former members and experts in every field possible to guide you in whatever field you wish to explore," said Swine.

Takuma pondered what else he wanted to know about the job. He wanted to know the exact nature of his job, but his role would be undecided until they tested him. However, he still wanted to learn about it, so he posed a vague question.

"From your experience, what will my time at the ANBU be like?"

Swine had answered his questions fairly quickly until then, but this time, he took a moment to gather his thoughts. He even looked at the hornet-masked kunoichi, who hadn't said a word since the start as she silently stared at him the entire time. Takuma was unnerved, but he had done his best not to look at her so as not to seem nervous and twitchy.

She didn't want to say anything, so Swine answered the question.

"It'd be a lie to say that the work we do here is easy. It's not. I know I'm supposed to sell you on the job, but I'll be forthright with you and say that if you don't work hard, you will fall behind. The majority of our peers don't have vibrant personal lives because that's what it takes to make it here."

"Even though the ANBU's the best?" Takuma interjected.

"Precisely," said Swine and Takuma thought he was smiling behind his mask. This job is difficult even for the best of people out there. "I want you to say yes, but imagine the most stressful period of your life—that feeling is nothing here.”

'I doubt it,' thought Takuma. He had started this life with the most stressful time of his life.

Swine continued, "Multiply it by a hundred. If you can't perform under that pressure, this job isn't for you. It willy make you miserable at times to the point you wish you had never accepted the offer, but when you succeed, there's this indescribable feeling that people here keep chasing. I guarantee that not a moment of this job will be boring. You will be challenged every step of the way, and will live to surmount those challenges because here, you know that the things you're doing matter."

They were passionate words, and Takuma found himself swayed by them even though he had just been told that the job would make him miserable and he would have no personal life—not that he had much of one anyway. Perhaps it was because he was already used to it, and nothing in his life would be different from when he worked at the Narcotics Taskforce.

Takuma closed his eyes and let those thoughts drain away with a sigh. None of those things would help him and only served to stress and tire him before the tests. He needed something different from what he usually did—and fortunately for him, he knew just the thing.

———

.

Maruboshi was tending to his vegetable patch when he heard the rustle of the grass. He turned around to see Takuma standing in the middle of the garden. He looked the same as he was when he left, which was a relief.

"Welcome back. How did it go?" he asked.

"It starts one week from tomorrow," Takuma said as he walked closer. "I need your help."

"Of course, whatever you need," Maruboshi said readily as he wiped his hand. Becoming an ANBU operative was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and he would provide any help to see his student succeed.

"I want to train with you to prepare me for the ANBU tests," said Takuma, raising a scroll with the ANBU seal. "You prepared me for the academy tests all those years ago; I want you to do the same now."

"Takuma, what?” he chuckled. “Stop it."

"If I train on my own, I'll run myself into the ground... So, please train me."

Maruboshi stared at Takuma in shock and bafflement. "Takuma, when we trained, I prepared you for the academy test. We are talking about the ANBU here. This and that are two completely different—"

"The truth is that I just want to train with you. It's okay if all you do is make me do the Leaf Concentration Exercise; I'll be perfectly happy to do it," said Takuma as he stared into his eyes. "You're the reason why I'm the shinobi I am today. I have this opportunity because of the foundation you set, and now I want you to see how much I've grown."

Maruboshi didn't know what to feel. He stared at Takuma and noticed how much he had changed from the ten-year-old he had met all those years ago. He had helped him back then because he saw a struggling child who needed guidance to turn his effort into precious fruits of labour.

He didn't think he would become so attached to that child, but it happened before he knew it. That's why he stopped teaching him; he didn't want to make another mistake and ruin another life as he had done before.

"It doesn't matter if you believe in yourself; I believe in you the most in the world," said Takuma, startling him. The tired black eyes that had been steeping in grief now had a fire in them. "I believe in you. I believe you to be the best shinobi there is. I believe you to be the best man there is. And when I say you're the best mentor I could have, I believe it from the bottom of my heart."

"—I believe in you, Kosuke.—"

The words from the far past echoed in his years. It was the Lord Second Hokage who had said those words to him, but he had refused to believe him. Because of a foolish mistake, he had lost all of his teammates. From that day forth, he didn't believe he was worthy of being promoted beyond the rank of genin and had stayed in service to repent.

But even when he didn't believe himself, the Second Hokage believed in him.

The words he had denied all those years had reappeared again. He gazed at Takuma, and there was not a single speck of doubt in those young eyes.

"There's not much we can do in a week," said Maruboshi.

"It doesn't matter. I just want to train with you like we used to. But I'm sure I'll be better at the end of the week than I am now if I train with you," Takuma said as if it was a matter of course.

"Very well," said Maruboshi, a smile tugging on his old face. "We start at four in the morning tomorrow."

He still couldn't believe in himself, but perhaps it would be alright for now if someone believed in him on his behalf.

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