Chương 324: CH_9.9 (324)

Takuma was nervous to be alone in the Hokage's company. Even the ANBU guards had fallen behind to give them space.

"I am aware that you will be joining the ANBU soon," said Hiruzen. Takuma wasn't supposed to discuss his employment with ANBU with anyone, and if asked, he would have outright denied it, but this was the Hokage speaking. There was no use hiding it, especially since lying to him was a crime written into the law. Takuma nodded.

"Yes, sir."

"Are you ready for the challenge? Being an ANBU-nin is not easy."

"I'm prepared to do my best."

"What if your best is not enough?"

"Then I'll just have to grow my best until it's enough." Hiruzen chuckled.

"That's a good attitude. I was surprised when I found out you had joined the ANBU. I believed you would stay with the Police Force because of your relationship with Lady Uchiha."

"I'm grateful to Lady Uchiha for all she has done for me, but my time at the Police Force has come to a natural end. It's time for me to do something else if I want to grow. In that sense, the opportunity from ANBU came at the perfect time." Takuma chose his words carefully.

He couldn't insult his previous employers openly or be blunt and say that he joined ANBU because they were the highest bidder, but he also didn't lie completely; he cared about the Hidden Leaf village and the Land of Fire because they were his home, and as a citizen, it was his duty to keep his home safe. He wanted to survive the future, but what good was survival if he couldn't live in peace and enjoy his life—and a safe home was vital for that to happen.

He also wasn't eager to return to the Police Force after everything that had happened; the idea of going through the awkward readjustment stage there didn't appeal to him"Did you factor in that working for ANBU will bring you closer to ROOT?" Hiruzen asked a startling question.

"Pardon?" said Takuma, not expecting the question.

"I assume you are aware of the ROOT."

"... Yes, sir, I am."

"You've had a surprising number of run-ins with them these past two years. They've even tried to kill you outright once. Joining ANBU could potentially have you face them more in the future. And of course, they might target you once again." Takuma had, of course, considered it, but it was one of those things he couldn't say to anyone, much less the Hokage. He didn't want to avoid them because he wanted revenge. Coming into contact with ROOT was one of the biggest reasons he joined ANBU in the first place.

"They will target me regardless," Takuma replied after a pause.

"I don't believe in running away from a problem. Given time, it'll follow you wherever you go. Better to tear it out at the root before that can happen. I'm sure ANBU is working hard to make that come true one day, and if they allow me, I will do my best to contribute. Eliminating the ROOT would be best for the village." When the Hokage was concerned, regardless of the situation, the correct answer was to put the village front and forward before anything else.

Despite the risk of being perceived as a kiss-ass, it was undoubtedly the safest option compared to speaking freely.

"Do you hate the ROOT?" asked Hiruzen.

"It would be strange not to. I was in the hospital for months and had to relearn how to walk. They also made my time in the Land of Hot Water much harder than it needed to be. When you combine that with their crimes and defection from the village, to say I hate them wouldn't be wrong."

"The Steam-Frost war. I heard from Chunin Anko that you were assigned to her team."

"Yes, we were under Jōnin Toridasu's command."

"Toridasu," Hiruzen smiled.

"That old man continues to remain active, even in old age. I must remember to invite him to a meal when he returns."

"He would be delighted," said Takuma.

"I was glad to see Anko enjoying herself as well. Her life had been difficult because of that foolish student of mine," Hiruzen sighed, the shadows of his hat aged him ten years for a moment.

"Orochimaru, the Snake Sannin," said Takuma, thinking about one of the most heinous people in the world. Hiruzen nodded with a hum.

"His actions hurt everyone close to him; she was perhaps hurt the most. So, I was happy to see her enjoying herself back there. She praised you quite a lot, which is rare for her if she feels uncomfortable about the person. I'm glad to see her open her heart to others again." Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

"She will grow now that she's joined T&I," said Takuma. He couldn't remember if Anko was a Chunin or Tokubetsu Jōnin in the source material, but considering that Orochimaru trained her and experimented on her, her potential had to be great.

"That's all I wish for her," said Hiruzen with a smile.

"Lord Hokage, I've saved my mission points, and now that I'm a chunin, I will choose a B-rank jutsu when I get the opportunity. May I get some advice on how to improve my skills with ninjutsu," Takuma asked. After Gai, he gained some confidence in asking for help.

"I like your spirit," Hiruzen said approvingly.

"Do you know your primary affinity?"

"It's Earth Release, sir. However, I believe Water Release is just behind, if not equal to it," Takuma replied eagerly. Hiruzen remained silent for an extended moment; his expression suggested that he was deep in thought.

"Earth and Water, you say," he finally spoke.

"A handle over two natures at your age is impressive."

"Thank you, sir. I'm currently more skilled with Water Release as most of my frequent jutsu are Water Release." Takuma had much more practice with Water Release due to his frequent use of Eight Tentacles, Wild Water Wave, and Water Clone jutsu, along with the recent addition of the Spirit Water Wave. He had not used Dome and Earth Tremor Sense jutsu all that often.

"Are you aware you can't just learn B-rank jutsu by reading the scroll?" asked Hiruzen.

"I am.," said Takuma.

"B-rank ninjutsu and beyond required advanced chakra training before using the ninjutsu itself."

"My first recommendation is not to rush through the advanced chakra training. Take your time, truly understand what you're doing, and perfect it before you move on," said Hiruzen as he stroked his goatee.

"People who try to rush through advanced chakra training are harming themselves. If you do it properly, not only will your skill with lower-rank jutsu improve, but you will also have an easier time learning the B-rank jutsu itself. Building that foundation is perhaps the most important thing as it gives the largest benefit." Takuma nodded. Some part of him needed to hear that.

The allure of B-rank jutsu was strong; he recalled Bishop using his Fire Release B-rank jutsu, which had boosted his power by such a large amount. Even though Takuma had emerged as the victor, it was a pyrrhic victory, with himself being seriously injured while Bishop had only fainted from chakra exhaustion. When combined with his worries about the future—he could see himself rushing through the advanced chakra training to 'officially' add a B-rank jutsu to his arsenal.

But with Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Professor, the master of all five basic natures saying to focus on fundamentals, he would do just that.

"My second piece of advice would be to experience the two elements. You must learn more about earth and water. Learn about their characteristic quirks and their part in the world. Many ninjutsu were created from inspiration taken from observing their element in nature. The better you understand earth and water, the better you will understand Earth and Water Release."

"... So, just observe water and earth? Like water from a tap and the earth all around me?" Takuma asked with a frown. He didn't understand how that would help.

"I believe you can learn a lot about water from a running tap. But visit streams, waterfalls, ponds, seas, and oceans if possible. For earth, observe different kinds of soils and stones. How is the rocky stone of the Hokage Mountain different from softer farmland? There is so much you can learn from things you would ordinarily pay no attention to."

"Understood," said Takuma. He'd give it a shot, even if it didn't make much sense right now.

"And finally, practically speaking, knowing how to utilise the jutsu depending on the situation's requirements is perhaps just as important as anything else. You must understand the jutsu at a high level and possess the skill to gain the freedom to adapt it to the situation," said Hiruzen with a strong insistence in his words.

"I understand that ANBU gives their operatives open access to their jutsu archives, and I'm not telling you to hold off on taking advantage of it—but don't fall into the trap of believing that learning more jutsu is the path.

"A shinobi who has mastery over one jutsu would often be more dangerous than one who has half-heartedly learned ten," said Hiruzen with a wise smile. Takuma couldn't agree more. His experience with Eight Tentacles made him understand the importance of practical application. Learning to cast the jutsu meant nothing if he couldn't use it effectively.

"Thank you for your time and knowledge, Lord Hokage," Takuma said, bowing.

"I have one more question from my side. I am curious: what is the ' Will of Fire' to you, Chunin Takuma?" asked Hiruzen as they arrived at the end of their walk. Takuma was not expecting the question. He had never thought about what 'Will of Fire' meant to him. He knew what it meant to Hiruzen. He believed the entire village was a large family, and every Leaf shinobi with the Will of Fire loves, believes, cherishes, and fights to protect the village, as previous generations had done before them.

It was what allowed Leaf shinobi to overcome the odds and build character for the sake of protecting something they held dear. He gazed at the path they had just walked, which led to the hall where people had come to share in his happiness. He remembered the pure joy on their faces as he received the flak jacket from the Hokage. Seeing him happy made them happy, and seeing them happy made him happy.

"... It's my desire to protect the people I love," Takuma replied. He did not like this world. It was not like the world he had grown up in—or perhaps it was the same, but he had been shielded from its ugliness. However, he had seen it now, and he did not like it. When he arrived in this world, he felt like a foreigner who did not belong; it had been four years since then, and he didn't think those feelings were gone—but they had certainly improved, and it was because of the people.

Because of the genuine connections that made him feel like he belonged. He wanted to protect them. His goal had been to survive the future, but it would be meaningless if these people weren't there with him.

"I will not let them see harm," said Takuma. They were all shinobi, so danger was part of their lives, but he was willing to do whatever was asked from him.

"I don't know if I'm right; maybe that definition will change in the future, but right now, that's what the Will of Fire means to me." He looked at Hiruzen, who was smiling gently.

"That's more than enough," he said.