Chapter 30 - D-Ranks and Binding Techniques

Reaching the Hokage tower with struggle from the weights, Raito and the team were finally in the mission room, sitting, standing in the corner as other groups came and received their mission. One after another, the groups came, the Genin with their Jōnin instructor, took the mission and before leaving looked at them with hints of joy.

Soon enough Sasuke with s.h.i.+no and Kiba walked in with their Jōnin instructor Kurenai.

Raito watched intently as team eight took the mission scroll.

"This is stupid." Naruto spat as he looked Sasuke group take the mission scroll.

"Maybe…we can get the mission ourselves," Hinata suggested, she also felt exhausted after waiting for a long time.

Raito shook his head, if there was any possibility, he would have already done it. The register needed the signature and registration number of the Jōnin instructor.

"Yo, Naruto, Hinata, Raito, why are you guys standing there? Wheres yar Jōnin instructor?" Kiba asked in his usual loud voice.

The Chūnin behind the mission looked towards their side but then again he returned to do his own work.

"Kibsan, we are waiting for our sensei?" Hinata always polite answered Kiba.

Kurenai signed on the register and walked towards team seven and spoke, "Kakas.h.i.+ has always been like that, you will need…patience, lots and lots of it." With that, a giggle escape from her mouth.

Raito turned and punched the wall.

Kurenai grabbed Hinata's hand with care and asked with a gentle voice. "Hinata how are you doing?"

"I am good Kurenai-nee…no I mean Kurenai-sensei," Hinata answered while correcting herself. Raito smelled history between them but it was not important right now.

Kurenai looked back at Raito and Naruto and suggested, "Maybe you guys should do something till…he comes, like reading something new or some light exercise."

"Hey does that mean you got a flatbread for a teacher?" Kiba asked, loudly not thinking carefully that he had just disrespected one of the strongest ninjas in the village.

Kurenai frowned and immediately reprimanded, "Kiba! What did I tell you about your language?" her hand latched on Kiba's ear, pulling it fiercely. Even Akamaru who had been carefree till now whimpered.

"What is taking you so long?" Sasuke annoyed and heavy voice called out. He had already reached down but seeing that no one had followed him, Sasuke had walked back all the way.

Kurenai and Kiba said their goodbye and joined their team leaving the Hokage tower. Raito could see Sasuke smirking towards his direction at all time. To his punchable face, Raito just rolled his eyes in response.

About fifteen minutes later team ten appeared for their mission scroll. Asuma with a cigarette dangling in his mouth looked at the group without the Jōnin instructor called them out.

After grabbing the scroll and handing it to Ino, his eyes locked to Raito and asked, "Raito, right? It was you who gave s.h.i.+kamaru the answer? That's quite an eye you have. Can you tell me now what brand I am using right now?"

"Nice to meet you, Asumsensei." Hinata bowed in respect which was followed by Naruto.

Raito also followed custom and bowed lightly. "Umm…Black cherry?"

"Spot on." Asuma took out the cigarette packet and showed it to Raito. "The taste isn't bad at all. It has a little bit of…"

"Oi smoker of a sensei, don't try to corrupt others." Ino punched Asuma to his side to which he turned his head.

"Smoking meat is a good technique but smoking a cigarette is bad." Chōji opened a packet and said.

"You three are totally different from this three." Asuma rubbed the heads of Ino and Chōji and said, smile hung on his face.

Letting out a cloud of smoke, he continued, "Your Jōnin instructor is Kakas.h.i.+ Hatake, everyone in the job knows that he is late for every mission below Ranks. He is lazy, loves p.o.r.n and is totally "

Naruto began to tremble in rage as he heard Asuma speaking. He pointed towards Asuma and shouted in anger, "Don't say a bad thing about Kakas.h.i.+-sensei."

"Oh! What a lively boy." Asuma played with his cigarette blocking a few of Naruto's punches.

"Nice punches. Put your back on the punch." Asuma played with Naruto for a while and left with his team after some time.

Raito walked across the room for quite a while before laying down in front of the mission desk.

The ninja sitting on the chair couldn't take it anymore, rubbing his temples and he shouted, "Stop."

Rubbing his sore neck, the man looked at the three and said, "Go away and don't be a bother." His voice was filled with annoyance.

[Takes.h.i.+ Kota Lvl 20]

Angry, Hungry, Irritated…

Raito sighed as he read the description using the 'Observe' skill. Everything can be solved with food and good food means good mood. Thinking that Raito choose a heart full meal in his mind and scrolled through his inventory.

"Here Kotsempai." Raito gave Kota a bento box and a juice bottle. The rectangular black box and the bottle filled with orange juice gave a strange allure to Kota.

The stunned Kota looked at the bento box and after hesitating for a little while took the bento box.

"Sorry…for that stupid thing that I did earlier." Raito apologized, clapping his hands.

"Please open it." Raito made hand signs.

Kota nodded still stunned at the scene and opened the bento box. Immediately an aromatic smell enveloped Kota making his stomach growl, hard. There was rice with fish, beans, carrot, and various other vegetables.

"It looks so delicious and this smells…" Kota let out a big breath and gulped.

"They are, aren't they, sempai? Please, Eat up." Raito pa.s.sed the chopsticks and took a step back, signaling the two behind him.

After Kota took a bite he couldn't stop. The rice was fragrant and the vegetables were well seasoned and delicious. Taking bite after bite, soon the bento was finished and Kota drank the juice finis.h.i.+ng it at once. The juice was even more amazing, the fruity taste and refres.h.i.+ng feeling.

Kota let out a large breath and his tense body finally relaxed.

Seeing the chance, Raito started. "Kotsempai, why were you so irritated?"

Patting his stomach, Kota replied with somewhat a mature aura, "I am clearly an administrative ninja, you understand, right? We are working in s.h.i.+ft and making sure that the mission desk and other facilities in the tower is active day and night. My s.h.i.+ft was supposed to end two hours ago but it seems that the ninja who was supposed to come has some problem. Just like Kakas.h.i.+-sempai, she is too late."

"Oh, right. You three are with Kakas.h.i.+-sempai, right? Hokage-sama has been trying to give him a team but none of them pa.s.sed his test."

Shaking his head, Kota managed the paper on the desk, "The bell test… (Sigh) that's the most difficult test in the village. It is said that very few have pa.s.sed that test including the Sannin. And since you three pa.s.sed the test. That's awesome, you know." Kota gave a thumbs up.

"Say, Kotsempai when is Kakas.h.i.+-sensei gonna come?" Naruto asked from behind.

"Soon, soon, it's already two hours so any time now." Kota thought for a while and answered.

"There is even a routine?" Raito asked somewhat stunned.

"Yup, didn't you know? Kakas.h.i.+-sempai is always late for C's and D's. There was one time that Gai-sempai and Kakas.h.i.+-sempai were punished for destroying the new project. Hokage-sama gave them D rank for a whole week."

"Destroyed a project? What's that?" Raito questioned.

"D-ranks for a week?" Naruto was amazed.

Hinata who had a shy personality kept quiet and listened to everyone talking. If she wasn't cute enough, she could rival s.h.i.+no for the minuscule presence.

"Yeah, you may have seen them running around the village or even…other things. They are the best in the village but…the antics. Haha…"

"Kakas.h.i.+-sensei did D-ranks for a week then?" Raito asked with a strange excitement.

"Yeah, but…we had to suffer… because he would always report late…like a whole week late." Kota replied smacking the table.

"A week late!? We can do that?" Naruto shouted.

Kota who was somewhat excited jumped in anger as he heard Naruto and shouted, "You can't."

Raito who saw Kota jump also leaned forward while frowning, he asked, "Kotsempai, why doesn't anyone do anything about Kakas.h.i.+-sensei?"

Kota who heard that looked at Raito then sat with a sigh, "Because he is good at what he does. He may be late for D's and C's but he is never late for B's, A's and S's."

"B, A, S?" Naruto breath hurried as he repeated the letters.

"I have not seen the reports myself but I have heard that he has never failed a mission nor anyone has died when doing the mission with him," Kota added with hints of admiration.

"My sensei is that awesome? I never thought that lazy-sensei is that good." Raito replied.

"Top of his generation," Kota added.

"Not his cla.s.s but his generation?" Naruto and Raito looked at each other than at Kota for the answer."

"Yup, he is one of the best of the best in the village." Kota now looked like more and more of a chatty housewife in Raito's mind and a feeling to run away appeared in his heart.

Retrieving the bento box and empty juice bottle in the inventory, Raito took out a book with a purple cover and a sword symbol.

"That's convenient. Are you a fuinjutsu pract.i.tioner?" Kota asked in astonishment.

"Yes, I am," Raito replied truthfully.

"So young, yet so talented." Kota was truly jealous because fuinjutsu was truly one of the most difficult subjects along with medical and spatial techniques.

"Not only I am a fuinjutsu pract.i.tioner… but Naruto too is a fuinjutsu pract.i.tioner." Raito hooked Naruto on the shoulder and said.

"Two fuinjutsu pract.i.tioners in a team, that's quite…unique." Kota didn't know what to say anymore.

Looking at the girl behind, Kota somewhat shrank back, "And even Hyuga, is this the team of elites?"

"Even elites begin as a normal soldier." A voice interrupted the chatting ninjas.

"Kakas.h.i.+-sempai/sensei." It seemed that Kakas.h.i.+ had come in just as Kota had some bad impression to Hyuga.

"You are late," Naruto shouted.

"Am I?" Kakas.h.i.+ asked with his head tilt and lazy eye.

"Yeah! We have been waiting here for you for about two hours. Two! d.a.m.n! Hours!" Naruto after shouting hard was panting hard.

Raito had already walked towards the mission desk and grabbed one of the many green-cover scrolls with his left hand and his right hand had already picked up the pen, writing down his registration number.

"Kakas.h.i.+-senpai." Kota who was sitting behind the mission desk called out.

"Please." He sighed and pointed at the register.

"Oh! I was teaching my students so, I got a bit distracted." Kakas.h.i.+ pointed at Naruto and walked forward as he explained.

Naruto who was made scapegoat was dazed for a moment. After being called by Hinata, he woke up from his daze and walked forward.

Kota began filling the register with mission serial number and said, "All done, please remember to report back."

As Naruto wrote down his registration number, a woman wearing a Chūnin vest ran in.

"I am sorry!" She immediately bowed, her long hair falling forward.

Kota looked at her with some hesitation. Clearly, he wanted to say something but held himself back.

"I'll be going." Kota sighed then signed the doc.u.ments before walking out with team seven.

"Ne, ne, Raito what's the mission?" Naruto asked his face full of disguised happiness.

Raito shrugged then cut the serial number paper sealing the scroll. Opening the scroll, he read the content then was stunned. Kakas.h.i.+ waved his hand in front of Raito then held the scroll, reading the contents.

A laugh escaped from Kakas.h.i.+. Looking at his team/students, he said, "Bathing puppies."

"Eh!!?" Naruto cried out.

Hinata also stood stunned, just for a while.

[A mission quest has been accepted]

['D-Rank' 'Bathing puppies']

[The manager of the new shop 'Moonlight House' is a regular customer to the Hokage tower and has been issuing mission of variety as D-Rank to the new Genin…]

Raito ma.s.saged his temples to calm his growing anger.

"Well seems like you guys have chance to play with puppies." Kakas.h.i.+ waved his hand and walked forward.

"Bathing puppies? Why?" Naruto glared at Kakas.h.i.+'s back and cried out.

Raito patted on Naruto's shoulder and shook his head. Glancing at Hinata, Raito nodded and walked forward.

In front of a huge building, a tall man wearing a clean suit was standing in front. Seeing team seven coming, the man waved his hand and asked, "For puppies?"

Kakas.h.i.+ nodded and opened the scroll in his hand, showing the man the scroll. The man nodded and the group walked inside. There were a few of the Genin, cleaning the house, pulling on weeds and preparing the stages. They were not under their Jōnin instructor but under a people of master of jobs.

A somewhat chubby woman was ordering the Genin on what to do. Moving the tables, chair, and other furniture. Then cleaning the floor, wall, and window, Genin practiced with their house cleaning. It was clear that the Genins who did this mission would be a great help in their homes.

Another woman, sitting on a chair with crossed legs. The woman instructed the Genin in gardening. She seemed to know what everyone was doing when a Genin was going to pluck a flower, she would ask them to stop and if someone had left a spot, she would instruct them to do so.

Lastly was a muscular man and the Genin under him were holding many types of equipment. They ran around, tightened the bolts, fitting the planks, placing the lights and on. The muscular man shook his head from time to time and instructed them, correcting their mistakes but he never moved his hands himself to correct the problems.

Raito's eye darted from place to place and his hands tapped at his teammates and with that Naruto and Hinata also looked around. They slowed their pace and a.n.a.lyzed the surrounding, which was true for Raito and Hinata and as for Naruto he looked everything with happiness and antic.i.p.ation.

"Where are Jōnin instructors?" Raito asked to no one.

"They are inside…enjoying their…time." the tall man replied with some hesitation.

Looking at Kakas.h.i.+, Raito commented, "While Jōnins are enjoying, the Genin are going to be working."

"That's exactly what D-Ranks are for," Kakas.h.i.+ replied.

"Please." The tall man bowed and his hand pointing at a direction. The yips and cries of dogs came from the room, making Naruto and Raito s.h.i.+ver.

A woman with her hair tied in a bun walked out. Jade skin, an oval face, small nose, everything needed for a beauty. Wearing a kimono and holding a fan, she looked at the three and said with her sweet voice, "Come in, we have lots to do."

Raito, Naruto, and Hinata walked in the room and see tens of puppies walking all over the room. There were small bathtubs all over the place. Shampoo, brush, combs, whatever needed for bathing a dog was needed was there.

Naruto rolled his sleeves and pulled his pants up. "The faster we finish this, the faster we can get out of this."

Raito exhaled loudly and the puppies all turned towards him. Slowly the puppies surrounded Raito and yipped from time to time. The woman wearing kimono looked in surprise then smiled.

"A puppy can tell between a good person from a bad one." She also rolled her sleeves and carried the bath wares, handing it to Hinata.

[Dog]

[Black Golden Retriever]

Raito waved his hand and the puppies moved to the movement of his finger. The way the puppies moved and sometimes fell in a cute way made Raito smile. Raito looked with amazement as he made a sign to call one of the puppies. Soon a puppy from the crowd walked in front towards Raito. Black and golden fur, pink nose and pink tongue, cute eyes, and cute walk. The puppy looked at Raito for a long time before yipping and jumping onto him.

(Author goggling - Today I found that yelp and yip are different and opposite.)

Raito quickly caught the puppy who yipped with a happy tone. The puppy struggled and Raito's hand loosened, the puppy licked Raito on his face making Raito let out a happy smile.

Soon after that, the puppies all ran and joined Naruto and Hinata. The woman stood at the door as if she was afraid of getting her dress wet. From time to time she instructed the three on how to bathe the puppies. The puppies were playful and soaked Naruto and Hinata. Only Raito who was surrounded by puppies was bathing them without getting himself wet. The puppies also wagged their tails in joy and yipped from time to time.

Raito rubbed the snow white puppy with a towel and let out a big breath. "Finally."

"It took you three, only two hours and ten minutes." The beautiful woman announced and looked at the puppies who were surrounding the three, especially Raito. It seemed like Raito was natural in handling puppies or animals.

The woman was lost in thought as she looked at Raito.

"They did a nice job." Kakas.h.i.+'s voice broke her out of her thought.

"Yes, yes, they did." The beautiful woman stammered, grabbing the scroll and with a hanko pressed on the confirmation. Then she went back and brought a ticket. "Please."

Somewhat hesitating, Kakas.h.i.+ grabbed the ticket and replied, "We may not be able to attend."

"I understand." She bowed. "Please try." While bowing, one could see her soft skin and deep cleavage.

The tall man in suit led them out and bowed. The puppies also tottered out as if wanting to leave with Raito. Raito waved at them and walked with the group.

Team seven walked out of the tall building and went to the library. The library was located at the side of Hokage tower and Jōnin quarters of the village.

Walking inside, they saw the librarian, middle-aged woman with short hair and a medium perky nose, frowning as she saw Naruto. It seemed like she wanted to lash out at Naruto, just like she had been doing for all these years. Immediately, irritation appeared on Raito's face as he felt hostility. Raito wanted to slam the desk and startle the women, intent appeared and action followed. Raito raised his hand but someone was even faster than him.

But just then an old woman with a hunched back appeared as swift as the wind, jumped and hit the librarian on the head. As she landed, her purple robes fluttered and the walking stick slammed on the floor making a thundering noise.

"You don't need to come from tomorrow." The old woman shouted, which not only shocked the women but also Kakas.h.i.+ and his team. The women looked at the group sternly and for a moment no one spoke.

Kakas.h.i.+ felt awkward looking at the old woman. Rubbing at the back of his head and giving a silly laugh, he tried to speak first, "Kiyomi-baachan…its team-"

Slamming her can down once more, she cut off Kakas.h.i.+, "Finally! Finally, you came."

Looking at the Genin beside Kakas.h.i.+, she nodded, "Good seeds. Finally, there is someone who pa.s.sed that stupid test."

"Kiyomi-baachan, that test is really important." Kakas.h.i.+ tried explaining.

Smack!

"Important? Important?" Kiyomi continued hitting Kakas.h.i.+ with her cane and Kakas.h.i.+ tried blocking with his hand weakly.

With a harrumph, Kiyomi walked off and Kakas.h.i.+ followed him.

[Keeper of Secrets]

[Kiyomi Lvl ?]

Kiyomi paused and looked back, her gaze locking at Raito, "Little guy, don't get perverted thoughts."

Raito who was walking forward nearly stumbled hearing that. 'Who is looking at you!?' Raito cursed heavily with everything he had learned from Anko.

Raito continued to walk ignoring the comment from the old woman. He still kept a distance of half a meter around him, dodging the people walking with him or opposite to him.

Kakas.h.i.+ sneaked glances a few hundreds of times from the building, to the way to the library and inside the library. Raito seemed like he was training on his own. Thinking that, Kakas.h.i.+ approached to a door along with Kiyomi. The door was located on the second floor at the back and guarded by the Chūnin. The Chūnin only glanced at them then returned to reading his book.

Kiyomi tapped several points at the wooden door. The points that were tapped were depressed and the door was opened.

After the door was opened, they walked down the stairs and another door was opened. Kiyomi who was beside them jumped and sat on a high seat.

"Hatake Kakas.h.i.+, Team seven, Hyuga Hinata, Yos.h.i.+zawa Raito, and Uzumaki Naruto. Cubicle number seven, every time after D-ranks. Total of twenty-eight days, minimum of two hours every time."

Kiyomi gave a token to Kakas.h.i.+ and looked at the three behind him. "Learn properly. After twenty-eight days, you are going to come here for another month to read…more."

Then shooing away the four, the old woman wore a spectacle and started reading her book. Same orange cover and the same kind of giggling, Raito felt his face twitching involuntarily.

The group walked forward pa.s.sing several cubicles, there were other teams, some with Jōnin instructor and some without. All of them were studying books, they were on tactics, formation, jutsu, and theories behind things. There were team eight and ten were all there. Everyone had Jōnin instructor teaching them but Raito found the scene comedic. In one of the cubicle, Asuma held a book in his hand and teaching his Genins but Raito found that no sound was leaking and Asuma was only moving his mouth. Raito found it extremely funny.

Kakas.h.i.+ sighed and dragged back Raito who was laughing silently watching Asuma teaching. The cubicle was a small room with a board behind Kakas.h.i.+ and the two sides had books stacked all over. There was a small seal at a side where Kakas.h.i.+ pushed chakra and a layer appeared at the end of the cubicle creating a barrier separating the cubicle from the outside world.

"This small cubicle is for team seven and no one. After you pa.s.s out to become a Chūnin you naturally will have another cubicle at a lower level." Letting out a big breath, Kakas.h.i.+ looked miserably at the book to his right and Raito's left. "We will be finis.h.i.+ng them all in a twenty-eight hour." Then watching his left, "You will be reading all of them on your own."

It looked like Naruto wanted to burn all the books down, looking at them with disgust.

Kakas.h.i.+ shook his head and continued, "Now for some good news. You will have to take at least three mission every week and the next day will be your training day. Then for our group Sat.u.r.day is a holiday, you can do whatever you want."

Raito felt miserable, now he had to work and read. Compared to this academy life was way more comfortable.

"Kakas.h.i.+-sensei, who is the woman outside?" Hinata asked. It seemed that the ever silent and shy little girl had shown signs of changing.

"That old woman…is Kiyomi-sensei. She was here way before I became a Genin and has been guarding this library till now." Kakas.h.i.+ gave minimal detail then grabbed a book from the bookshelf.

"You three are in for an info dump today. Try to remember as much as possible." Kakas.h.i.+ turned the pages and said slowly.

Raito immediately brought a couple of plastic cups and a water bottle before filling the cup.

Exhaling deeply, Kakas.h.i.+ started, "In these six months, before Chūnin exams, you will be working inside the village and inside the fire border, sometime you may also get a mission to go outside the 'Land of Fire'."

He sighed at his fate then continued, "For C-Rank mission, you have to complete a set of D-Ranks and need approval from the Jōnin instructor, me and Hokage-sama."

"That means better mission," Raito commented.

"We have a chance," Naruto shouted.

"We should choose a far one," Raito said looking s.h.i.+ftily.

Kakas.h.i.+ sighed, he felt the oncoming headache. "A regular C-Rank is fine but there are irregularities too. A C-Rank can easily go to 'B' or even an 'A' rank."

"Oh." Naruto, Raito, and Hinata voiced out.

Kakas.h.i.+ waited for more but the three didn't continue. Looking at the three, Kakas.h.i.+ shook his head and continued, "You guys have no sense of danger."

"For D-ranks, only Genins do them and, Chūnin and Jōnin who are punished. For C-ranks Genin group and Chūnin groups do them. For B-rank, a Jōnin with Chūnin group or a high B-rank a group of Jōnin is necessary. For Ranks, a Jōnin group. For S-rank, there is a need for mobilization of a few Jōnin groups."

Kakas.h.i.+ felt thirsty after talking for a while and drank the water to soothe his throat.

Raito waved his hand and said in a lazy tone, "Continue."

Kakas.h.i.+ felt like hitting Raito, his glabella in pain.

"That's all for mission ranks now. If you want to know more, you can read on your own. Next is tactics and team formation."

Kakas.h.i.+ continued pouring knowledge, directly reading from the book and sharing his experiences while using those formations and tactics. Kakas.h.i.+ gave examples of his achievement and defeats.

At the end of the day, Raito, Hinata, and Naruto were bored to death.

"Raito, it's so late."

"Yeah, (sigh) let's go. Everyone should be at Yakiniku Q by now."

Later at Yakiniku Q, team ten and team seven sat in opposite seats Chōji and Raito fighting for grabbing the meat.

"We did parcel delivery. Maybe thirty or forty, I lost count." Ino pressed her temples.

"We washed puppies, small puppies about thirty of them, thirty," Naruto added.

"They were cute though." Hinata chimed in from the side.

"Puppies?" Ino was shocked. While her team had to deal with heavy moving and long walking, Raito and his group only had to bathe puppies.

"s.h.i.+ka, when are your days off?" Raito asked his chop attacking Chōji's.

"Tuesday," s.h.i.+ka answered then continued looking for meat pieces.

"We need about a minimum of twenty-five mission to sign up for Chūnin exams," s.h.i.+kamaru added.

"Chūnin exams? I don't wanna." Raito voiced out.

"Hmph!" Chōji snorted and in a flurry grabbed a couple of meat pieces.

"d.a.m.n." Raito cursed and attacked.

"Genin, Chūnin, Jōnin then Hokage. I want to join." Naruto slammed the table lightly.

"If you are Chūnin, you don't have to do D-Ranks" s.h.i.+kamaru voiced out.

"Don't have to do D-Rank?" Everyone looked at him and a couple of table around also peeked.

"We must become Chūnin." Raito looked at two of his teammates and his fiery gaze made them slightly uncomfortable.

Returning home, Raito opened the door to face Anko who was taking a big gulp of beer and bites from the meat, sitting in a comfortable sofa and enjoying herself to treats.

"Anko-nee?" Raito called out.

"Raito, Naruto, hic." The room smelled like alcohol and Anko was tipsy as a widowed man.

Naruto walked in front of Anko and pushed her slightly before getting knocked down on the floor.

Raito brought out a pouch and brought out a grayish cube and placed it in front of Anko's nose. Naruto immediately pinched his nose and Anko who was asleep frowned before waking up with a jolt.

Anko jumped and coughed a couple of times before glaring at Raito. Naruto who was pressed down hurriedly woke up and ran upstairs.

Taking out a gla.s.s and spring water, he gave it to Anko. Anko took huge gulps directly drinking from the bottle.

"Why are you here?" Raito asked.

"What? I can't come here?" Anko showed anger.

"…" Raito stared, giving Anko the creeps.

"Okay, okay. I had too much work, stressing me up. So I came here to hide." Anko confessed but Raito felt like that was not the whole truth but as long as it was not a lie Raito wouldn't care.

"Anko-nee…I want to see." Raito spoke with seriousness and Anko sobered up in an instant like she was never drunk.

After a long time of staring, she hung her head and asked, "Up or down one?"

Raito felt his muscles twitching slightly. Facepalming he added, "I want to see that seal."

"Raito." She mumbled as she crossed her hand and grabbed the seal place. Looking at Raito, she could see that Raito wanted to help. The seal was one of the reason for Raito to continue forward.

Pouting, she dropped her trench jacket. The fishnet top gave a sense of freedom, not hiding her bountiful breast. Calling Raito to come forward, she took off her fishnet top and covered her breast with her hands.

"First is this." Anko channeled her chakra and three magatamas with a center dot appeared on the neck to the right side. The magatamas turned red and a searing pain fell on her. A pain of tearing a muscle, nerves snapping or vein bursting.

"That's the 'Cursed Seal of Heaven'." Her voice was full of pain, gritting her teeth she explained.

When Raito saw Anko's face, he gritted his teeth and used the skill.

[Cursed Seal of Heaven] (Locked)

A seal made by Orichimaru, one of the three Sannin. The cursed seals are the result of his desire to use the natural energy of the world and to become a sage.

-Activating the cursed seal, physical power and chakra level with an increase to a high level.

-Activating the seal, activates the hormones to increase growth and change body structure.

-Activating the seal, 'Soul Erosion' and 'Soul Invasion' is activated.

-Activation the seal, negative emotions are heightened.

"I understand." Raito starred/bookmarked the tab as he saw that Anko was in pain.

Anko activated another seal then the three magatamas were surrounded by three curved lines. The three curved lines had centipede-like seals crawling to her back shoulder.

"This is the Evil Suppressing Seal made by Hokage-sama." Anko voiced out, this time there was less pain. "It's almost perfect."

[Evil Suppressing Seal] (Modified) (Incomplete)

Seals made to suppress one's evil self in oneself. Seal modified to suppress the cursed seals of Orichimaru, modified by Jiraiya.

-Helps to dampen the negative emotion on activation of the cursed seal.

-Suppress the activation of cursed seal spreading.

-Restrain Chakra level and physical capabilities.

-Resonate with specific chakra and suppress foreign chakra.

Evil comes from greed.

Evil comes from love.

Evil comes from hate.

Evil comes from justice.

Intent is root of all evil.

Sealing the intent to seal the evil.

O' Broken will,

Swirling tides - Broken lands.

Flaws 103>>

Use>>

After taking notes and looking at the seal structure in the tab, Raito asked Anko to wear her clothes and gave her a warm tea.

"This evil suppressing seal is the best that Hokage-sama and Jiraiysama could do. They said if only the heritage of Uzumaki were not lost, destroying this seal would be no problem." With a green ceramic teacup on her hand, Anko said with a little sadness. She struggled in the blanket, even more, searching for a comfortable position.

"Don't worry. I will work on it. First I will seal it completely then…destroy it...even if it means I have to kill Orichimaru." Raito's voice was heavy and filled with might, his eyes burning with great determination.

Anko gave a weak smile and said, "Don't throw your life away. If you meet him...run, just run." The hand holding the gla.s.s tightened and cracks appeared on it.

Seeing that Raito was not agreeing, she added, "That man is not a human, he is a monster. Even if you kill him…he will not die. He is just like a c.o.c.kroach, hard to kill."

"Is that even possible?" Raito was filled with confusion.

She nodded her head and told, "Jiraiysama used his ultimate technique and destroyed his head but a year later he was again seen in some part of the continent."

"Why does it sound like, you are making this up?" After asking Raito added, "Even first Hokage, who had a strong life force, wasn't immortal."

"You can ask Hokage-sama one day," Anko replied weakly.

"That's not a lie?" Raito questioned inwardly.

"If I take a Fuinjutsu Master Exam, then I will be at level four," Raito said, revealing one of his secrets, not even readers knew much about this or maybe the author had revealed something relating to it.

"I even made new seals myself." Raito threw a talisman towards which Anko caught and activated it. A figure of herself appeared in the front sitting in joy and eating dango.

Anko moved her hand and tried touching her image. She thought that the Genjutsu would disappear but she felt it, she felt touching the skin and saw that her image had looked at her.

Anko was shocked, she knew what the talisman was for. Old man Hokage had told her about it but wasn't it supposed to be just an illusion? Wasn't it supposed to just disappear?

"Hmm…it's something like the river will not always follow the same path, humans have the power to turn the river. Something like that."

"I can make modification too." Raito smiled happily.

Anko stopped channeling chakra and the figure disappeared. "What is this talisman name?"

"Name? I didn't think about that. It's just a sealed jutsu." Raito replied.

Anko shrugged and after chatting with Raito for an hour went to sleep.

Raito also went to his room and used his 'Chakra Sense' to check everything then disappeared from the house.

Sitting in his house in the wasteland, Raito took out a scroll, chakra paper, and talisman paper ready to make a seal.

[Create Fuinjutsu activated]

One after another explosion talisman, barrier seals and various other simple seals were created. Raito woke up till two ante meridiem and had stacks of twenty with six different seal set.

"About one twenty." Raito ma.s.saged his muscle and stretched his body.

"[Destroy Fuinjutsu]" Raito grabbed a seal and a red light covered the seal totally destroying it.

[Destroy Fuinjutsu Lvl 10 (201/1000)]

Inhaling a deep breath Raito continued the boring and laborious process of destroying the seals he had just created.

[You have slept in a bed.]

Raito looked at the ceiling and felt depressed.

"Skill list. Fuinjutsu."

[Fuinjutsu Lvl 29]

I thought that I could get a skill but…it's so disappointing."

[Destroy Fuinjutsu Lvl 10 (320/1000)]

"This is too slow." Raito walked out of the room and opened the door to Naruto's where he saw Naruto in his boxer and vest drawing seals.

"Hey, Raito. Morning."

"Hey morning." Raito replied somewhat in a daze.

"What's up? You look like you have some plan." Naruto asked somewhat excitedly. He dried the seals and placed the brush down.

Raito smiled widely and grabbed Naruto, "Naruto, why don't we make some seals today. We should help that old man in the shop earn some money."

Talking about seals, Naruto eyes had glitters s.h.i.+ning as he announced, "Let's do it. I was always thinking about that."

Raito smiled even more widely.

Later that day Hinata walked in the house and saw clones of Naruto sitting and making seals. Raito was also present and the stacks of seal in front of him were far more than Naruto and clones of Naruto had.

"We ran out of chakra paper." Clones shouted in alarm. One after another they announced and soon the room was filled with panic and alarm.

Raito immediately finished his seal then slammed the table. Taking out some money he gave it to one of the clones and asked him to buy some more from the shop.

Raito took a huge breath then his gaze landed on Hinata who stood at the doorsteps shocked. Naruto and clones waved towards Hinata and Raito also looked at her with his wide smile.

"Hey, Hinata, Naruto and I, are already learning Fuinjutsu. Do you want to learn too?" Raito asked.

"Yeah, Hinata, if all three of us learn fuinjutsu then it would be so cool." Naruto chimed in.

"I can learn Fuinjutsu?" Hinata asked after being stunned for a while then sadness filled her. "My family doesn't practice other technique than gentle fist. I have been practicing healing techniques, which is already going against them…"

"Your family can't be that bad and not let you learn, right? They can't be watching you all the time just to make sure that you don't practice other things." Naruto asked his brows furrowed.

"My family…" Hinata murmured with sadness.

"If you are worried about them finding out then you can just practice inside the house." Raito shrugged.

"My parents went a little overboard making this house. Try using your Byakugan, you cannot see through that wall and similarly, no one can see from outside to inside." Raito added.

"This place is perfect for playing hide and seek with Byakugan user." Raito watched at the astonished gaze of Hinata and smiled. He felt proud of explaining his parent's achievement but at the same time, he was a little worried that she may reveal the secret to her family.

Hinata's face had a mixture of emotion playing. Raito couldn't wait so he went back to making the seals. Naruto also looked at Hinata in a funny way. His clones who had chakra paper left were still working and those who didn't have chakra paper left were doing things else.

"Pfft." Hinata let out a laugh and rubbed her face. She turned to Naruto and said, "It's breaking the rule. I-I have never done it."

"Oh! Don't worry Hinata. We have broken many, many rules. So we, the experts can help you." Naruto said in a confident manner, puffing his chest and beating it.

Raito rolled his eyes and shouted, "Less nonsense and start teaching her from basics."

After looking at Hinata for a long time, Raito said in a solemn way to Hinata, "Your clan also practices Fuinjutsu. They have one which I know… 'Caged bird Cursed Seal'. Jiji told me about it and since your clan members are learning…I personally think you can too."

Naruto who heard about the seal felt bitter and frowned. Naruto did know about it as he was present at that time when Hyuga member asked Raito about it.

"I brought a chakra paper." Naruto clone shouted as he entered the room.

But just as the door opened a shadow also entered in a lightning fast speed. Raito who had always activated his chakra seal stood up and faced the direction of the shadow.

"My dear Genins, what are you doing?" Kakas.h.i.+ voice sounded as the shadow cover was lifted and his figure was revealed.

After checking that he was indeed Kakas.h.i.+, Raito felt relief. So he sat down and ignored Kakas.h.i.+, opting to better use his time and make seals.

Naruto also ignored Kakas.h.i.+ and dragged Hinata, taking out a book and started teaching her.

"Oi, Naruto. Don't teach her wrong stuff. I don't wanna clean up your mess." Raito joked.

"Raito-san I have some knowledge regarding fuinjutsu." Hinata voiced out.

"I-I secretly learned a few times." She added with a low voice.

Then Naruto continued teaching and Raito kept drawing seals.

Kakas.h.i.+ never thought that he would be totally ignored. He scratched his head and looked at them, doing their own things.

As Kakas.h.i.+ kept on looking at them working. He couldn't help but feel shocked at their talent. One after another seals were drawn and talisman was made. Layers after layers stacks after stacks.

Naruto would bring something to eat from time to time and also would give to Kakas.h.i.+. Raito increased his speed and soon a total of two hundred talisman and seals, was made at the end of the third hour, form Raito alone.

On the other hand, each Naruto clones had a stack of eighty seals. With ten of them and a high level of chakra, almost eight hundred seals were made by them.

After all cleanup, the messy room was much better and the stacks of seals and talisman were on the table. Raito looked at the table and his skill panel.

Facing Naruto, Raito bit his lips and with his voice shaking, Raito called out, "H-Hey Naruto."

"Raito?" Naruto looked at Raito with confusion. He never heard Raito with that tone.

Taking a deep breath, Raito asked for it directly. "Can you give me five hundred seals?"

There was silence in the room as Naruto looked at Raito. After a long time, Naruto asked with a head tilt, "Why are you asking? You are really acting weird."

"Take how much ever you want. But what are you going to do with them?" Naruto's nonchalant manner was making Raito feel ants crawling.

"…Destroy them." The answer Raito give stunned not only Naruto but also Kakas.h.i.+.

But after a while, Naruto gave the same answer, "Okay."

Nodding Raito sat down and the clones helped move seals in front of Raito. He picked a seal in his hand and with a red glow the seal was destroyed in pieces.

"Woo." Naruto was truly amazed at the scene. Hinata who was sitting with Naruto grabbed Naruto's arm hard then she looked back at the book Naruto had given her.

Raito kept eye on the skill panel and kept destroying the seals. One after another, with a red glow, the seals kept getting destroyed.

Kakas.h.i.+ who had silently pulled the forehead protector, using his Sharingan to a.n.a.lyze what Raito was doing. But it was useless, all in vain. Just like how Raito disappeared from the spot that time in Hokage tower, now the destruction of the seal was another mystery. But now a more baffling thing happened. Kakas.h.i.+ was able to see the chakra flowing in the past but now he only saw the darkness, only pitch black.

[Stealth Lvl 50 CP Cost 40 per minute]

An essential skill for all s.h.i.+n.o.bi. This skill allows the user the ability to move around undetected. Remain undetected, not to be heard or seen. Power of life and power of darkness.

-Sound cancellation. (On activation, the sound made by the movement of the body will disappear. Also applied to the equipment.)

-Dark Cover. (Pa.s.sive. A layer of darkness hides everything the user want. Limited to oneself.)

Every skill was evolving, after every ten or twenty levels, new lines would appear which made Raito want to increase his level more and more. There would be some skill which would add additional skill under them and there would be some skill which will increase in effect and

Giving gifts to do work, just like motivation. Gifts are skills and stat points.

In games, played or to be played, there is just one goal, defeat the opposition party. Ina game to kill, kill. In a game to rule, rule. Farming, management, racing, fighting, puzzle, card, shooting, tower defense. Every single one of the game had one goal and that was to defeat the opposition.

Kakas.h.i.+ saw the destruction of the seals and couldn't help but feel pain. Raito was destroying treasure, life-saving treasure. But what could he say, Naruto had already separated a part of the seals to be sold to the village.

But to him, Raito was turning into more and more of a mystery, just like his parents who came from nowhere and joined the village.

Reminiscing back, Kakas.h.i.+ couldn't help but feel bitter. Pulling back the forehead protector, Kakas.h.i.+ continued reading his book.

In an hour, Raito had already finished destroying more than half of the seals they had made. But Naruto kept on making more seals on and on. When Raito destroyed about five, Naruto would make one.

Hinata who had just started was already practicing her calligraphy.

[Destroy Fuinjutsu Lvl 11 (112/1200)]

"Let's stop for today." Raito stretched.

Fiery red orb of light slowly sank. Threads of light lingered in the sky, mingling with the rolling clouds, dyeing the skies orange and red. The breeze from the eastern lands carrying leaves with it, once it goes and next it goes down. Leaves from east appear at west. Birds flying in the sky with the intent to return to their nest. Men and animals returning home alike.

Slices of meat marinated in spices and oil. Colors added on meat strips, giving watchers think of infinite possibilities. Mouth salivating and stomach rumbling.

Pan with oil and vapors coming through. As the meat slice touched the oil, a sizzling sound caught the crowd attention. One after another the sizzling sounds increased and an aroma covered the kitchen.

With tongs, Raito turned the meat slices around and a new song was created.

"Ow." The flames burned and p.r.i.c.ked Raito. But only one point of Health Point was lost.

"Hmph. Rock Fist." Soon both of his forearms were covered with rocks sparring the palms of his hand.

Looking at the scene, Kakas.h.i.+ couldn't help but shake his hand. Even he, sometime would use jutsu as such. Like replacement and clone techniques to trick Gai, to escape from his challenges. Using 'Fire spark' instead of lighter to light the gas for cooking. And many more that Kakas.h.i.+ couldn't even remember. He had copied hundreds of techniques which had many practical values.

Picking out the fried meat, Raito placed them on a plate with a base of salad of various a.s.sortments and topped off with a little gravy. Along with meat, there was rice, soup, and vegetables.

The dishes and bowls were placed on the table. Four sides, four dishes, and four people.

Raito felt slightly difficult as Hinata and Kakas.h.i.+ joined the table.

He bought new bowls, plates, and chopsticks. Cleaned them with spring water and using earth control carved their names on the items just like what he had done to all who walked in.

With Kakas.h.i.+ keen eyes, he had already found about it but what was there to say. It felt like he was once again a part of a family, a small but pretty cute family.

Wearing normal civilian clothes, Kakas.h.i.+ looked like a handsome brother but the mask was still causing people to look at him weirdly. Some knew him but many didn't and for Raito, it was somewhat confusing.

Hinata in her white dress looked like a flower blooming in the darkness under the moonlight, just like a light at the endless darkness.

Waving her goodbye the three walked towards the busy street of Konoha market stalls. Raito brought food from time to time, not knowing that he already had spent thousand. As they walked, the streets got quieter and Kakas.h.i.+ stood in front of a building for Jōnins.

He looked at Raito before asking directly, "Do you need seals?"

"Yes." Raito wasn't modest at all.

"To destroy?" his lazy voice had hints of curiosity mixed as he kept on questioning Raito.

"Yes." Again one word one intent.

"Wait a while." Kakas.h.i.+ walked up to his floor and came back with a few scrolls in his hand.

"Take it." Kakas.h.i.+ tossed the scroll towards Raito and Naruto. There was a couple of dozen of scrolls.

Opening the scrolls, Raito found each of them were storage seals. Every one of them were intermediate level storage seals. One could fit a small room of things inside it and capable of storing five hundred of the same seal.

"These…"

Pulling back his forehead protector, he said, "This eye remember everything. I have seen many sealing techniques in my time and mastered every single one of them easily with Sharingan…. But… I am not able to create new seals. Jiraiysama also said that I have no creative talent for Fuinjutsu but with Sharingan, I could compensate for it."

There was silence for a while. Kakas.h.i.+ continued, "But I have never stopped practicing, I tried again and again and have acc.u.mulated this all."

Raito was seriously thinking and was confused, "If you have so many seals so why didn't you sell them?"

Kakas.h.i.+ looked sideways. There were hints of awkwardness between.

Raito rolled his eyes and used observe skill.

[Hatake Kakas.h.i.+ Lvl?]

[Emotion - Embarra.s.sed]

Storing the scrolls in the inventory, Raito picked out one and pushed his chakra into the storage seal.

Tag, seals, and talismans appeared in front of him, having one, two and three characters each respectively.

[Illumination Seal] (Uncommon) (Low Rank)

Made by Hatake Kakas.h.i.+

Grade: 1/10

[Burning Seal] (Uncommon) (Low Rank)

Made by Hatake Kakas.h.i.+

Grade: 1/10

[Paralyzing Tag]

[Blood Clotting Seal]

[Explosion Talisman]

As Raito looked at them, heaviness landed on Raito's eye because each and every one of them were the worst, the lowest grade.

"These are seriously bad." Raito commented as he held a seal in each of his hand.

"That's how it is." Kakas.h.i.+ shrugged.

Raito destroyed the seal and saw that there was progress in the skill. Immediately feeling happy, Raito stored the rest and thanked Kakas.h.i.+.

Kakas.h.i.+ advised the two boys for some time before walking upstairs. Raito and Naruto waved Kakas.h.i.+ goodbye before walking upstairs.

"Ne, Raito, why do you want so much of them?" Naruto asked in confusion. Naruto had given Raito all the worse seals he had made but then again Raito wanted more.

"I want to learn how to destroy seals." Raito replied simply.

"You want to learn how to destroy seals?" Naruto was flabbergasted. While he was trying how to make seals, Raito was more focused on how to destroy the seals.

Shaking his head Naruto decided to just leave it be. If there is isn't anything that he didn't understand, the reason will be he didn't need to.

Wearing an orange t-s.h.i.+rt and white short pants, Naruto had a small smile on his face. With hands behind his head, Naruto looked at the moon on the way back home.

One after another, seals glowed in red and destroyed in ashes. And after a long time, he finally heard a clear melody.

[Fuinjutsu Lvl 30]

Skill 'Binding' unlocked.

[Binding techniques]

Yeah because the author didn't know how to write about it so, he just left it blank.

Raito again went blank in the calm surrounding. His brain was filling with new information, maybe or maybe these ideas were never introduced in this world or was lost in the history of time.

The gleam in his eyes was rejuvenated. Jolting straight, Raito quickly went to find a notebook with yellow pages with a black cover and golden sides. There even was a golden Yos.h.i.+zawa family seal at the middle of the cover.

The notebook was old and the sack in which it was kept was even older.

Patting the black notebook in his hand, Raito placed it on the table and nicked the thumb of his finger. Gathering chakra in the drop of blood that was forming slowly, Raito dropped the blood on the Yos.h.i.+zawa family seal and soon the drop of blood got slowly absorbed. After the blood was absorbed the golden yellow family seal changed into a blood-red color.

[Binding Successful]

[Book of Secrets]

Owner - Yos.h.i.+zawa Raito (Bounded)

A simple book, made by chakra paper, bounded by a blood ritual to Yos.h.i.+zawa Raito.

The introduction was short and not very detailed. Everything depended on Raito in what he wanted to do next.

Raito sat in front of the small table and played with the brush in his hand. On the table, there was a scroll with characters inscribed in it. After thinking for a while, Raito continued inscribing characters in the scrolls. He would stop for several moments then again continue.

Time past and it was now midnight. An eerie silence with darkness pushed by the moonlight glow. In a certain house, the light lit up in a room seen by a window.

Raito had a black book in his hand which had a heavy aura. Leaving the first-page blank, he turned the page. A drop of ink at one side then a drop of blood at other side. Instead of spreading and making a mark on the paper, the ink and blood was gradually being absorbed.

The scroll at the table which was filled with characters were being gradually turned into a single character, under the control of Raito's chakra. And soon there were no characters on the scrolls. Only one seal 'Shadow Clone'.

With chakra storage seals on the table, Raito was fully ready to start the final stage. After performing a mult.i.tude of handseals, Raito concentrated the chakra at the index finger of his two hands. His hands separated and a thread of chakra was created linking two fingers.

The scroll with the 'Shadow Clone' seal was at a side and laying at other side on the scroll was 'the book'. The indexes of his finger touched at the characters and then on the ink drop side of the book. Soon the character disappeared from the scroll and appeared in the book. While the character disappeared and reappeared, he had already used the chakra storage which could hold about five thousand points of chakra each. At the other side of the page, there was a black circle with a red dot at the center.

One page had the character seal while other had a circle.

[Binding Successful]

Raito closed the book and used 'Chakra Sense'. He could see that a very thin thread linked himself and the black book.

[A secret technique has been created.]

[A new technique has been recorded under the 'Book of Secrets'.]

[Technique 'Shadow Clone' has been recorded.]

[A goal has been achieved. 200 points gained.]

"Hidden Sealed Technique - Shadow clone."

As Raito pushed chakra on the book, a clone appeared in front of his.

[Raito's Clone No. 1]

Durability - 150/150

CP - 1200/1200

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Can you…"

"Yeah, I can do that and everything else." Clone answered before Raito could finish.

Raito picked the table and placed it inside the inventory then looked at his clone. His clone also pulled out the table placing it at its original position.

A smile hung on Raito's face as watched the scene. "We have a lot to experiment."