It was nearing 6pm when Yugito woke me up for dinner. I wasn't feeling any sort of way about the events over the past couple of days or even thinking about them, I just needed to focus on my future.
We walked down to a set of tables set out with different groups of kids scattered around the room. We sat down at an empty table when the matron walked over to us. "You two, I have received word from the Raikage. You are to stay here until you can enter the shinobi academy, do not disappoint." Was all she said before heading back to the kitchen to finish the meal prep.
The food was of a far lower quality than Tsumugi's cooking but I knew I would never have that again, so I didn't complain. This didn't stop Yugito's dislike of the meal from showing though, she made a pretty funny face after the first bite but sucked it up for the rest of her dish.
After the meal it was around 6:30 so we headed back to our room for training. I first went to the back of the orphanage and picked a few leaves off of the lemon tree before heading upstairs where Yugito was.
When I walked in, she was in a meditative position, but I didn't neglect the rumbling from her stomach. We had been eating scarcely over the past few days and that meal didn't change anything. I grabbed the bag from my side of the room and chucked her a tin of tuna and a spoon.
As soon as it hit her bed she peeked out of her right eye and pounced on it, she wasn't too happy when I laughed at her feline-like behaviour. She didn't care that much once she started eating though and I began training.
Putting the leaf on my head, I began to focus and meditate, I could feel the chakra flowing through me and around my body. I was doing the exercise without the use of the skill so I could improve faster, and I was trying to recall on the memories of the Naruto show from my past life, the techniques, the people, the locations, the feelings and as I did this my chakra changed. Instead of it being a dense, viscous fluid it became quick like a gas, and thin as paper. My chakra flowed through my body more efficiently than ever, but the biggest change was the rush of chakra to my eyes.
I opened my eyes, and the leaf still wasn't off after over 2 minutes, much to my and Yugito's amazement from where she was watching. As I looked towards her, she gasped and said "Shin your eyes! They're red!" She pointed towards the mirror in the wardrobe, and I saw my new, blood red eyes.
"Ketsuryugan Unlocked!"
"Skill 'Leaf sticking exercise' levelled up! New functions unlocked"
"You have levelled up!"
I quickly opened my status and looked at my stats
Name: Shin Chinoike
Title: N/A
Birth date: February 26th
Level 4
Hp 175/175
Cp 160/160
Stam 150/150
Efficiency ?%
Stats
Strength: 4
Vitality: 5
Chakra: 6
CC: 3 (+20)
Luck: 3
Intelligence: 4
Willpower (Locked): 1
Charisma: 2
Stat points remaining: 5
Monthly Lotteries collected: 19 (Can be claimed on the first of each month!)
Skills
[Ketsuryugan] level 1 (6%) {click here for more details}
[Leaf sticking exercise] Level 10 (14%) {click here for more details}
[Basic Chakra Exercises] level 4 (64%) {click here for more details}
I put 2 stats into my vitality and 3 into chakra control and checked my new skill.
[Ketsuryugan]
A powerful dojutsu that allows the user to infuse chakra into blood and manipulate it. Also increases visual prowess and chakra control while activated. Description will be added to with information gained.
I stopped the chakra flow to my eyes, and they changed back to their normal brownish colour. "Shin? Are you alright?" Yugito said while looking worried. I grabbed her hand and pulsed twice which she sighed at.
It was September 2nd today, so I opened the monthly lottery and spun it around. It finally stopped on a special quest section, and I was shaken up to say the least.
Special Quest alert!
'Tailed beast boy'
Seal one of the 10 tailed beasts inside of you during your lifetime
Objective 2: Do it alone
Objective 3: Befriend the beast
Objective 4: Don't get caught by the Gedo Mazo
Hidden objective 1: ?
Rewards
5x 40 skill voucher, 100,000 ryo, title: perfect jinchurikii, skill: tailed beast bomb, skill: chakra cloak
Hidden objective rewards: 1000 rep with Hagoromo otsutsuki, skill: ?
'What the fuck is even going on anymore' I thought while staring at the mirror. Yugito grabbed my shoulder and said, "lets head to bed Shin, we can train in the morning." I turned around and went to bed after blowing the candle out.
It was late at night when I heard Yugito whimper under her covers. I rolled over and looked at the mound of blankets she was under, 'Acting mature really took it out of her' I thought while I flicked up the blankets and walked over the gap between our beds.
I gently tapped the mound and her head popped out, the moon illuminated our room and I saw her dark, cat-like eyes staring into me. "Shin? Are you alright?" she said while trying to sound like an adult. I tapped her bed twice and she moved over as we huddled up, I thought she needed this and we were both soon asleep in each other's arms.
4 months later
I awoke early and removed myself from Yugito's grasp, the past 4 months were great for training, but my lotteries were horrible, all cash, soon lady luck would shine on me for all the points I put into luck it meant nothing. I opened my status and reviewed what I had learned over the last 3rd of a year. From B's letter he would be here soon, and I would like him to see my progress.
Name: Shin Chinoike
Title: Natural (received 2 chapters ago) [15% to experience gain]
Birth date: February 26th
Level 12
Hp 325/325
Cp 250/250
Stam 250/250
Efficiency ?%
Stats
Strength: 10
Vitality: 15
Chakra: 15
CC: 10 (+20 with ketsuryugan activated)
Luck: 8
Intelligence: 8
Willpower (Locked): 1
Charisma: 1
Stat points remaining: 0
Monthly Lotteries collected: 23 (Can be claimed on the first of each month!)
Skills
[Ketsuryugan] level 15 (71%) {click here for details}
[Leaf sticking exercise] Level 33 (63%) {click here for more details}
[Basic Chakra Exercises] level 8 (84%) {click here for more details}
'Still haven't got many skills, but ill get more in the academy' While I was looking at my status Yugito stirred and threw the blankets off her body. 'Ugh, need to do this shit again' I thought while remaking the bed. "G'mornin, Shin" she said while yawning. "Morning" I replied while smoothing out the sheets.
We walked outside together since it was early the matron was still preparing food. "Morning you two, care to help?" She asked, implying we didn't have a choice. "Yes miss" We both replied while grabbing out ingredients. Over the past few months Yugito and I had gotten far closer, but I still held onto a lot due to my previous relationships. While I was washing the cabbage Yugito grabbed a tortilla and smacked me with it, much to her amusement. "Oh, its on" I said while slapping her back with the still wet cabbage spraying water behind her… all over the matron.
"Hmmm? Oh, alright since you two have so much energy. How about you go hang the laundry?" She said mockingly.
I held a straight face before quickly saying "Dibsnot" before Yugito could. She sighed loudly before walking out back to start hanging up the clothes from the previous day. I continued to wash vegetables before cutting them thinly and after 4 months I finally got… "Skill [Cooking](level 1) Unlocked!"
"Raises proficiency in preparing meals and ingredients. Effects:
Passively grants 1% to bonus to taste with any dish cooked
Dishes have a chance to restore stamina and grant bonuses for a period of time"
'Finally, after 2 months of doing this, I unlocked the skill' I noted before grabbing another carrot to chop. I hadn't been cooking per say but just grabbing ingredients, so it makes sense I got the skill slowly but still, 2 fucking months is harsh.
"Thank you, Shin, that's enough" The matron said as she turned on the stove.
"No problem miss, I'm going to go help Yugito now" I said before getting off the stool I was using to reach the countertop.
She hummed in acknowledgement before I left outside. When I went outside, I didn't see Yugito anywhere before she popped out behind a sheet and tackled me. "Gotcha! Hahaha" She laughed while still on top of me. "Can you get off Yugito?" I said in annoyance, it isn't great to be spear tackled to the ground.
"Fine but you have to help me in exchange" she said while pouting.
"I was out here to do that anyways" I deadpanned.
"So rude! I should wash your mouth out" She argued while dusting off her legs.
"You act like my mother, but you are only like a year older than me." I replied while wiping my hands on my shorts.
We quickly finished working outside and made it back intime for breakfast where we talked about the training we were going to do. My training was mostly chakra based right now since I didn't want to exercise too much in a little body like this.
As we were talking the door swung open slowly and a man walked through. He looked over at me and yelled. "Yo Shin, its me, host of the hachibi, killer B, WHEEEE!" he said while throwing up a sign to the sky.
"Hello B, is there something you need?" The matron said quickly while plating up more eggs for the younger kids.
"Just here to see Shin and Yugito, saves me 2 trips in a row YEAH!" he said while walking around the tables of kids.
"Shin, Yugito, take this man into your room to talk once you are done." She sighed while cleaning up a kid's mouth.
We quickly finished and led B to out room where we were to talk.
"First off, Yugito how is training with Matatabi Yo!?" He said cheerfully until he saw Yugito's pained expression with the subject. I slapped his arm and dragged him straight back out the door.
"It's been a little while B, did you hear what happened to the Nii family?" I said to which he nodded.
"Some Iwa jonin wiped them up and put them in the bin!" He rapped while I stared into him.
"That's not really what happened" I said while recounting my perspective of the events.
"Oh, I see. I shall help her for my name is Killer B!" He said, back in his cheerful and loud persona.
We reopened the door to see Yugito sitting on the bed. I had already told her of the events a few months back and she acted the same way then.
Flashback 2 months ago
I was still getting used to my child voice as I sat down sounding out various kanji to get a feel for it. Yugito walked in with her cheerful manner before slumping at the door and asking a question I didn't want to answer.
"Shin, what really happened that day? I know you were awake." She said while not looking at me.
"I told you the truth. A shinobi came around and your parents protected you with there lives. I was too scared to come out from the house, so I started to pack and run when you woke up." I replied simply.
"Stop lying! The cat is calling you a liar. She knows what happened and you do as well so tell me! I need to know." Yugito said while sobbing into her knees.
This was a touchy subject and I wanted to tread lightly. I wish I had time to prepare a fool proof retelling of things, but Matatabi's interference really made that plan hard. "Fine, that day during breakfast Yuta was called out for something and came back inside angry. His eyes had changed, and he dragged me out of the house before yelling at me." I said before continuing.
"He tried to end my life, but you jumped in the way. He stabbed you and went after me again before the 2 tails healed you and you finished him off with his back turned. Yuta had already killed you mother, so I don't know how that went down." I said without a single sliver of emotion in my voice. 'They were traitors, I trusted them, and they tried to kill me.' I thought before looking at Yugito. She was clenching her fists so hard they bled, her nails had grown, and chakra was slowly seeping out of her.
I know it would hurt but I went up and embraced her tightly. "That's what happened. Nothing else, it wasn't you that did that, it was the cat not you." I said though I knew she wouldn't believe it.
That night I felt like a life-sized plush bear with how hard I was being squeezed.
Flashback End
B walked up to her and held out his fist. "Yo little miss let me meet your beast." He rapped while Yugito looked up at him in a dead stare, she tapped fists with him, and I just went to my bed and sat down while waiting.
After about 10 minutes the stopped and Yugito looked to be a lot calmer than before. I smiled at that before coughing into my hand for attention. "Is that all you came here for B?" I said impatiently, as much as I did want to show him my progress, I knew it wasn't enough yet. It wasn't enough to protect myself or Yugito, from Akatsuki or other countries.
"No of course not, I come baring a gift for you lot." B rapped in response as he chucked me a scroll. "Pour some chakra into it and check them out. Well I'm needed so I'll be about on the killer B route WHEEEEEEEEEE!" He said before quickly scampering out the door.
"That made no sense." Yugito said while looking at me.
"I know but its kind of reassuring that some things will always be the same." I said while staring down at the scroll in my hand. Well, let's see what's inside