Clang!
Tatsuya reacted instantly.
A kunai flicked from his fingertips, intercepting the incoming shuriken mid-flight.
A shadow flickered.
A figure—black hair flowing, crimson eyes gleaming—appeared behind him in an instant. Without hesitation, she launched a high, fluid kick: the Leaf Hurricane.
Beautifully executed. Precise. Powerful.
Boom!
The moment her kick connected, a cloud of white smoke burst outward.
The target vanished—
Body Replacement Technique!
A wooden stake clattered to the ground.
"So fast!" the kunoichi gasped, blinking in awe.
> [You picked up 50 Combat Experience Points.] [You picked up 40 Chakra Points.] [You picked up 40 Chakra Points.] [You picked up 100 Leaf Hurricane Skill Experience.] [You picked up 100 Leaf Hurricane Skill Experience.] [Your Physical Technique: Leaf Hurricane has upgraded — Current Level: 5 (50/1000)]
Another breakthrough.
Tatsuya stepped out from the shadows, a slight smile on his face.
The Leaf Hurricane—while common—was one of the foundational taijutsu skills of Konoha. Like other techniques, it developed through use and experience. Each level required a thousand points to advance.
That small encounter had given him 200.
Now, his Leaf Hurricane was at Level 5.
Efficient.
Training in the ANBU division was clearly more fruitful than lying dormant in the hospital.
Power. Progress. Purpose.
"Tatsuya-kun—no, I should say, Captain Tatsuya. Welcome back."
The voice was soft, yet confident.
He turned.
Red eyes. Jet-black hair. A warm presence he hadn't felt in a while.
Yuhi Kurenai.
Tatsuya blinked. "Kurenai? You're in ANBU now?"
She smiled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Over a year ago, I submitted my application to Lord Hokage. My father supported the decision... he hoped I'd become someone who could protect Konoha. Like you."
He nodded slowly.
Her presence here… it wasn't in the original timeline. But then again, neither was he.
In this rewritten world, their bond had formed differently.
When he was recovering in the hospital, she'd visited often—always with homemade soup. What started as kindness had grown into something deeper. Perhaps it was gratitude. After all, his predecessor had saved her father during the Nine-Tails' attack.
Their friendship, though rooted in altered circumstances, had become genuine.
Tatsuya looked at her fondly, if not a little amused. "If you want to protect Konoha, you'll need to train harder."
Kurenai's expression turned resolute. "I will."
A beat of silence. Then—
Two more figures approached.
"Captain Tatsuya! Moonlight Hayate, reporting."
"Uzuki Yugao, sir. I specialize in Konoha-ryū swordsmanship!"
Young faces. Familiar names.
Tatsuya gave a polite nod. "Welcome."
This team was starting to come together. A bit oddly, though.
Moonlight Hayate and Uzuki Yugao—practically inseparable even as teens. And Kurenai? Originally paired with Sarutobi Asuma in the known timeline.
Yet now, they were all under his command.
He took a slow breath, a touch amused.
What a strange twist.
Still, they bowed and quickly returned to training.
Hayate was 14. Yugao, only 12. Both Chūnin-level. Still growing. Still learning. But they had potential.
Tatsuya grabbed a chair and took his seat by the edge of the training field.
The golden lights began to shimmer again.
> [You picked up 40 Chakra Points.] [You picked up 40 Chakra Points.] [You picked up 50 Combat Experience Points.] [You picked up 20 Physical Talent Points.] [You picked up 20 Physical Talent Points.]
The field glowed with golden remnants of effort and discipline.
More light streamed into him.
> [You picked up 500 Chakra Points.] [You picked up 400 Physical Talent Points.] [Your Physical Talent has advanced — Current Level: 5 (100/1000)]
Another breakthrough.
This time in taijutsu potential itself.
Tatsuya smirked faintly.
Physical talent—now higher than his Fire Release aptitude.
It made sense. Most battles didn't end with flashy jutsu or forbidden techniques. They ended in close combat. Movement. Reflex. Precision.
And here, in ANBU, raw technique was forged through repetition.
He looked toward the horizon.
Another cup of tea arrived beside him.
Kurenai handed it over, steam gently rising.
She didn't say anything.
She didn't need to.
Tatsuya accepted the cup with a quiet nod.
This team... might just work.
---