A/N:
Hey, I know this might be annoying, but if you could leave some POWERSTONES, it would motivate me a lot and maybe even make me post extra chapters with some sort of Powerstone goal. It's free and won't cost you anything. Thanks.
-------A/N END-------
[Eight Months Later]
"It's 83 wins for me, and 81 wins for you Eiji" Minato said smugly.
Eiji rolled his shoulders and got in his stance, holding a new sword made from metal "You forgetting something Minato? I had to carry you home after you slipped on some moss yesterday. You should have seen your mother's face when I carried you to your room"
"Hey, that didn't count, I slipped before we even fought," Minato said indignantly.
"A win's still a win Man, if we're not counting that as a win, how about last time when you suddenly jumped me and made me choke while I was eating? Are we still counting that as a win?" He continued "or how about the time when you begged me to lose in front of the kids because you wanted to look cool? Or how abou-"
"HEY…. fine, eighty-three wins for me, and eighty-two wins for you, fair."
"Sure, fair, if that's what you want to call it," smirking.
After eight months of training together, a lot of things had changed.
The training area had become wider, trees that were once around the perimeter had been cut down and used as firewood and other things, or stored somewhere else. The ground had been cleaned and organized, some parts were smooth, perfect for normal training, some parts were ragged and cracked. Chairs, tables, and many other things had been installed, even a building for storing new and old tools and equipment had been built.
Minato lunged towards Eiji without warning, that was how it always went now.
Eiji slid his back foot and brought the sword up just enough to deflect the kunai aimed at his ribs.
"Still opening with that?" Eiji said.
Minato was already moving again. "Why fix something that's not broken right?"
A second kunai flashed. Eiji twisted, felt the wind cut past his cheek, and stepped in instead of back. He swung low, forcing Minato to hop away as the blade skimmed dirt as the wind from the sword kicked up a spray of dust.
Minato laughed and snapped a shuriken toward Eiji's face.
*Clang*
Eiji knocked it aside with his sword and rushed through the opening, shoulder first. Minato jumped over the charge, rolled, and landed right behind him.
"Too slow!!," Minato yelled, reaching for Eiji's collar.
Eiji dropped his weight and drove an elbow back. Minato barely ducked back fast enough under the blow, nearly brushing the tip of his nose. He answered with a kick to Eiji's back, jumping off while pushing Eiji forward.
Minato hurled three shuriken in a wide fan.
Eiji turned with them.
The first was deflected by his blade to a nearby training post. The second hit the training post behind him and sank into the wood with a sharp crack. The third flew to his face, exploding with dust as he tried to deflect it with his sword again, briefly obscuring his vision.
*Poof*
He heard the sound of hand movements and smoke as two minatos landed on the ground in front of him, Both Minatos ran side by side towards him in another attack.
Eiji watched the dirt as both Minatos closed in, one set of footprints just a little heavier than the other. He shifted his weight and angled toward the one on the right, blade floating up between them.
The two Minatos split.
One slid low, aiming for Eiji's legs. The other leapt, kunai flashing down toward his shoulder.
Eiji stepped back, then sideways, letting both attacks skim past him by inches. The kunai cut a line through the air where his neck had been. The low sweep brushed his pant leg but found nothing solid.
He didn't strike.
He kept moving.
Minato's clones pressed in, fast and relentless. One jabbed, another kicked, a third tried to hook his arm. Eiji flowed around them, feet circling, sword always between him and the closest threat. He felt like he was being herded, slowly guided toward one of the training posts behind him.
He noticed it a moment too late.
A Minato burst out from the side of the post, swinging for his ribs.
Eiji twisted and brought his blade up, steel meeting kunai with a sharp ring. The clone grinned—
And vanished in smoke.
Eiji frowned.
More Minatos rushed in from the smoke, three at once, each moving just differently enough to force him to react. He ducked under a kick, stepped over a sweeping leg, and turned a stab aside, his back brushing the rough wood of the post.
Something felt wrong.
The shuriken embedded in the post behind him hadn't moved.
It hadn't fallen.
It hadn't even rattled when the clones passed.
Eiji dropped his stance lower, letting another Minato's punch skim over his head. His eyes flicked back for half a second.
Eiji tried to turn-
Too late.
Minato peeled out of the shuriken in a burst of smoke, hands already reaching for Eiji's collar, a grin on his face. "Got-"
*Boom!*
Eiji stomped.
The ground cracked under his foot. Dust and loose dirt exploded upward in a thick cloud, swallowing the space between them. Minato coughed as he felt a pull on his arm.
The dust settled.
Eiji stood in front of him, blade resting lightly against Minato's neck, eyes calm.
Minato slowly lifted his arms, a resigned smile on his face.
"Okay. Okay. That one was good."
Eiji let out a breath and stepped back.
Minato dropped onto the ground and stared up at the sky, laughing. "Dang, I thought the shuriken trick would work for sure."
"It almost did," Eiji said.
"What gave it away?" Minato asked.
"Honestly, nothing. You clones are already very good. The first set of clones made me think that one of them was the real one with heavier footsteps. Nice use of illusion jutsu with the shurikens though, almost didn't realize."
"How did you realize they were clones?"
"Mostly intuition, I try to anticipate all the tricks you could probably use, and I felt that your shurikens weren't fully targeted to hit me."
"Dang, strong body and mind huh.
Eiji smirked. "Yup, now that makes it eighty three even huh."
Minato groaned. "You're never letting that go, are you?"
"Not a chance."
Minato pushed himself up and brushed the dirt off his pants. "I'm telling everyone that I won, and you cheated today."
Eiji snorted. "Tell him I learned it from a movie in my past life."
Minato blinked. "What's a movie?"
"Exactly," Eiji said, turning toward the benches.
Minato followed, grabbing a water flask and tossing it over. "Next time, I'm bringing paper bombs."
"You brought paper bombs last time."
"Yeah, but I tripped on my own wire."
"Which is how I got that win," Eiji said, catching the flask. "Thanks for reminding me."
Minato groaned dramatically and flopped onto a bench. "Eighty-three even. I hate how that sounds."
Eiji took a long drink and leaned against the tool shed. "I'm sure you'll love it if you're ever ahead again."
"When," Minato repeated, pointing at him. "Not if."
They sat there for a bit, listening to the wind move through the cleared trees and the distant sounds of the village. It didn't feel like just any clearing anymore. It felt like a place that belonged to both of them.
"I'm stopping by your place later," Minato said. "Mom's making something with grilled fish and that weird sweet sauce your Matron gave her."
"It's a glaze," Eiji corrected. "She's been experimenting."
'Though I've been the one subtly suggesting quite a lot of sauces from my past,' He thought quietly.
Minato grinned. "Tell her it's working. Also tell her I still want more."
Eiji laughed and shouldered his bag. "You just come for the food, and you can buy some of the sauces she makes soon. We're planning to sell it."
"Hey, I helped you build the chicken coop," Minato shot back. "I don't just go there for free meals. That's just a bonus."
They parted at the edge of the path, Minato waving as he headed toward the village, Eiji turning toward the worn trail that led back to the orphanage.
The orphanage was loud when he arrived.
A lot of things had changed over time. The roof had been patched. The fence had been reinforced. There was a small garden now, where Mizu proudly showed off the vegetables she grew herself. Kota had grown taller and louder, and the younger kids followed him like ducklings.
Kota and two of the younger boys were chasing each other around the main room until the matron clapped her hands sharp enough to make them freeze mid-step.
"Bathroom. Now."
They scrambled.
Mizu spotted Eiji and ran over, nearly slamming into his leg. "Eiji-nii You're late again, you said you will read me a story tonight."
"Sorry Mizu, I was training really hard with Minato. I'll still read you the story tonight." Eiji said.
"Hehehe, Okay Eiji-nii," Mizu laughed as she ran back to the dining table.
Dinner was simple but warm. Rice, grilled fish, and a small bowl of sauce Mari had been testing. The kids passed it around like it was some rare treasure.
Mizu dipped her fish in and tasted it.
"Hmm.. It's sweet," she said surprised.
"It's supposed to be," the matron said. "And don't use all of it."
'Too late.'
Eiji leaned back against the wall, watching them bicker over who got the last piece of fish. Eight months ago, eating fish or any kind of meat was a rare occasion, now they have it every meal.
Recently he taught Kota, Mizu, and the other kids everything he knew on how to set up traps, types of plants, market dynamics, and how to process things to get the best value. Most of the kids started to set up smaller traps outside the forest, mainly catching small animals that wander off, or fish at the river and setting up traps for crabs, shrimp, and other animals.
He would also teach the kids how to exercise and train, the boys and a few girls loved sparring matches, while Mizu and the younger and quieter kids still exercised, but not as much. They usually preferred to meditate and tend to the backyard.
"Eiji, my trap caught a rabbit today," One of the kids suddenly said, mid eating.
"I caught a bunch of fish today, Eiji," another kid said.
"Kids, you can talk about your spoils later, now eat first before the food gets cold," the matron chided lightly as the kids focused back on eating.
Eiji's efforts in hunting and gathering had not been wasted, now he was better, always bringing something back for the orphanage and to sell.
Some days it was rabbits or fish from the stream. Other days, bundles of herbs the market sellers had started recognizing on sight. The old man at the corner stall even set aside a few extra coins for him now, calling him "Little Hunter" like it was a title instead of a joke.
At the market, the fish seller often waved him over before he even reached the stall. "Got more of those bitter leaves?"
Eiji usually nodded and passed over a small bundle. "Fresh. Picked them this morning."
The man sniffed them and grinned. "Always reliable, thanks Eiji, here's the usual," as he handed the money.
The library had been a constant, he visited it everyday to read something, usually he would take Mizu to read, sometimes Kota and the other kids joined too. It was the same comfortable dynamic every time.
"Morning Miko-san," He always greeted the librarian.
"Morning Eiji-kun, your books are at your usual spot," the librarian always said.
A lot of times she would recommend books to him, sometimes even before he asked anything, it was as if she could read his mind.
After dinner, he went to his usual spot to meditate and reflect on the day. Sitting under the tree to clear his mind had become a habit, it made his sleep better, he usually felt more refreshed. Sometimes he even fell asleep outside while meditating, but the Matron and other kids had gotten used to it. Kota and Mizu wanted to try it once, but the matron stopped them, saying they were still too young.
[Strength Increased]
[Chakra Control Increased]
[Perception Increased]
He usually checked if anything had change-
"AHHHHH"
Suddenly he heard a scream from the forest.
Eiji was already on his feet, running towards the forest.
He was already so familiar with the forest, he remembered paths, and even set up more permanent markers for the kids.
He could hear the voice getting closer, it was someone sobbing.
He followed it downhill, past roots and low branches, until he spotted a figure near the ravine, sitting against a rock and clutching her leg.
"Hey," he said, slowing as he approached. "Easy."
She looked up, eyes wide and bright in the dim light. "Don't come closer."
"I'm not here to fight," Eiji said, hands open. "You're hurt," as he pointed to her wounded leg.
"I slipped," she muttered. "I was being stupid."
"Yeah, don't worry," he said gently. "It happens."
He crouched and pulled a cloth from his bag, tying it clean and firm around the cut on her shin.
"We should bring you somewhere to get this treated, otherwise it could get infected."
"It's okay, I can walk, I don't nee-" the girl stopped and sucked in air as she felt pain while trying to stand up.
"It's okay, I got you," Eiji caught her. "Hop on, I'll help you." Eiji turned his back to her.
"You don't even know where I live." She tried to protest, but got on, as her leg started to hurt more.
"You can show me the way, I'm Eijiro by the way, most people call me Eiji." he tried to help her forget the pain by talking to her.
"Mikoto Uchiha, you can call me Mikoto."
(To Be Continued)
A/N
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