Chapter 72: Wind (Flying? Normal?)-Type Pokémon
Konoha.
Ichiraku Ramen.
When Naruto heard the news, he froze on the spot, forgetting all about the ramen in his hands. Family. Clansmen. Those words had always seemed so distant—something he'd yearned for his entire life. And now someone was telling him that he really did have clan members alive in this world.
Naruto blurted anxiously,
"Big Bro, you have the same surname, Uzumaki, but you're not a Konoha ninja. Are we really from the same clan? And the others—are they not in Konoha either?"
At that, Naruto's eyes were wide, clearly filled with a longing for something that had seemed impossible before.
Senshi nodded lightly.
"For now, besides the few of us, there aren't many Uzumaki left. But yes, we're definitely your clansmen. You and I share the same blood."
As he spoke, Senshi reached out and ruffled Naruto's hair. Feeling the warmth from Senshi's palm, Naruto blanked out for a moment. He touched his cheek and winced.
"Ow—that hurts!"
He let out a cry of pain, but then burst into a big grin.
Standing off to the side, Sasuke looked at Naruto with disdain, clicking his tongue in annoyance.
"Sensei, this dead-last…he's actually from your clan?"
That loser who couldn't even master the basic Three Academy Jutsu was from the same clan as Sasuke's all-powerful teacher? Humans really do differ more from each other than humans from dogs…
Naturally, Senshi caught the meaning in Sasuke's words and just smiled.
"Sasuke, don't underestimate Naruto. In certain ways, he's a genius."
He wasn't just flattering Naruto. Sasuke had no way of knowing that, in the future, he and Naruto would team up against the Otsutsuki with some transformations basically derived from the Three Academy Jutsu. In terms of Clone and Transformation jutsu, once Naruto became a Genin, nobody could match him. One night was all it took for him to learn the Multi-Shadow Clone, and his Sexy Technique had singlehandedly humbled countless top-tier foes.
At that moment, Karin shifted her gaze off Senshi's face and onto Naruto's head. Pointing to his bright blonde hair, she asked Senshi,
"Senshi, your hair and mine—and Nagato's—are all red. But this guy named Uzumaki Naruto has yellow hair? I mean, my mom told me the symbol of the Uzumaki clan is their red hair, right?"
Hearing that, Senshi snickered inwardly. Why? Probably because that "blond gene" from a certain family line is just too strong. Outwardly, however, he shrugged,
"He's in the 'second stage' of being an Uzumaki, basically going Super Saiyan."
Karin blinked, looking baffled.
"Huh? What's that supposed to mean? Senshi, don't tell me you're joking again."
Senshi stroked his chin. I know you're curious, but just wait. If I ever draw some "Saiyan" bloodline in my lottery, I'll show you a real 'blond form.'
Naruto, meanwhile, had no idea what they were babbling about—he was terrible at academic subjects, and to him, Karin and Senshi's banter was total gibberish. But he did grasp one crucial point: Sasuke was the Academy's top student thanks to extra training with this private teacher, Senshi Uzumaki!
Damn… He's my own clan member, Naruto thought, feeling even more awkward. Then he gathered his courage and asked,
"Big Bro—can I learn ninjutsu from you, too?"
Senshi pondered a moment. He held no hostility toward Naruto, who was essentially a good kid. Sure, Naruto was a bit of a brat at the start, but he was still likable enough, especially with how hard he'd had it. The only problem was that Naruto had no money—unlike Sasuke, who had a fortune. Still, a young sapling can grow into a fine tree. Naruto was definitely a high-potential investment for the future, and maybe he'd team up with Sasuke for some co-op missions down the road.
With that in mind, Senshi nodded.
"Sure, no problem."
The instant he said that, a system prompt echoed in his head:
[Congratulations! The 'Trusted Allies' count has reached four. The "Strongest Mercenary Corps" module has been unlocked.]
[You may form a mercenary corps with your allies. Whenever any member completes a mission, you'll receive 50% of their mercenary point rewards.]
Senshi's eyes went wide. "What the—? A 'Strongest Mercenary Corps?'"
So this is the new feature? Where's my standard 'grinding' system from before…? Have I been working my butt off all this time for a management-sim add-on? If I'd known this earlier, I would've gathered a crew of unstoppable 'Pokémon' a long time ago. Senshi felt some regret; he could have formed bonds left and right instead of slogging through missions alone. He had lost out on who knows how many draws!
He heaved a deep breath, opened his system interface, and sure enough—besides his usual system menu, there was now a mercenary corps interface. Four character cards were displayed below:
1. Name: Karin Uzumaki
Gender: Female
Age: 9
Bond Level: 99/100
Current Strength: S-
Potential: SSS
Overall Rating: SSS
2. Name: Kakuzu
Gender: Male
Age: 84
Bond Level: 82/100
Current Strength: S
Potential: S+
Overall Rating: S+
3. Name: Sasuke Uchiha
Gender: Male
Age: 9
Bond Level: 69/100
Current Strength: B+
Potential: SSS
Overall Rating: SSS
4. Name: Naruto Uzumaki
Gender: Male
Age: 9
Bond Level: 61/100
Current Strength: C
Potential: SSS
Overall Rating: SSS
"Wow, three SSS ratings…" Senshi was startled. He understood Sasuke, Naruto, and Karin being top-tier, but Kakuzu, too? The same Kakuzu who always complained about not wanting a partner? Apparently, the old tsundere was in as well!
Senshi felt a sudden surge of emotion.
"Kakuzu, buddy, you must miss me after all this time. Don't worry, I'll team up with you on missions soon enough."
With that in mind, Senshi turned to the three kids.
"I just formed a mercenary corps, and I'd like you three to join. Is that okay with you?"
Karin gave no objection—she agreed without looking up. Sasuke, unclear on what exactly a 'mercenary corps' was, also had no reason to refuse. His teacher had been good to him, so he trusted him. Naruto, not really understanding either, saw the others agree and followed suit.
After finishing their meal, the group returned to the training ground. This time, Naruto was with them. On his first time training together with the others, Naruto acted like a wide-eyed country bumpkin, unable to contain his excitement—he was darting around, checking everything out like he had ADHD.
Sasuke ignored Naruto, quickly settling back into his own training routine. Even though a Skill TM had given him direct mastery of "Thunder Punch," Sasuke's combat experience was still limited. He needed dedicated practice.
While Naruto was busy gawking, Sasuke concentrated lightning around his fist.
Boom!
The "Electric-Type Pokémon" Sasuke drove a crackling punch into a large tree. It was so thick that it would take three people joining hands to circle it, yet under the force of Sasuke's thunderclap blows, the tree looked frail. After a few hits, it gave a groan before toppling over.
Naruto jumped at the sound. He stared at the fallen tree, then at the lightning dancing around Sasuke's fist, and gulped audibly. What the heck…?
Back in the Academy, Sasuke was considered a prodigy, but the gap between him and the other students hadn't felt this huge—just more techniques. Now, though, he'd gained an ability so strong that if he hit Iruka with that punch, Sasuke might be begging him not to die.
It had only been a short time, yet Sasuke was already this powerful. And it was all thanks to that man: Senshi Uzumaki.
Envy flickered in Naruto's eyes. If I'm taught by him, could I be this strong someday, too?
Naturally, Senshi noticed Naruto's expression but didn't say anything. Instead, he quietly opened his system's lottery feature:
[-100,000 mercenary points used. Remaining: 120,935 points.]
[Drawing…]
[Congratulations! You've obtained:]
Kekkei Genkai: Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse) x1
Spicy Chili Pills x20
Explosive Tags x10
Chakra Pack (5 "cards" worth)
Ichiraku Ramen x15
etc…
Scanning over the loot, Senshi picked through for something that might suit Naruto. The new mercenary corps system had given him a fresh perspective: one person's power was limited, even with Wood Clones. No matter how strong, he couldn't handle all the missions at once, and he also had other goals in life. With the mercenary corps, though, the more people under me, the more tasks we can do at once… 50% of their earnings might not sound like a lot, but it adds up.
Of course, he wouldn't let just anyone join. It wasn't a dumping ground. But the ones already in—Karin, Sasuke, Kakuzu, and now Naruto—were worth investing in. Karin had her Eternal Mangekyō with double Kamui, and even if she mostly used Susanoo to cook, your average ninja couldn't handle her. Sasuke had his brand-new "Pokemon" skillset and was still growing. Kakuzu was a veteran from a past age, brimming with experience.
That left Naruto, whose talents were still untapped. Senshi planned on leaving Konoha soon and couldn't stay to teach Naruto much. While his Wood Clone would keep instructing him, that wouldn't accelerate Naruto's power as dramatically. If Naruto (and Sasuke, etc.) eventually started completing missions themselves, Senshi would earn half their mercenary points. This was a solid investment opportunity.
He also knew Naruto's overall potential: with the Nine-Tails and Uzumaki lineage, he had monstrous chakra—easily "100-chakra bars," so to speak. And once Naruto learned the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu, he'd become a perfect "grind machine."
While thinking it over, Senshi's eyes suddenly locked onto a promising item:
[Skill TM: Aura Sphere]
"Generate aura from within your body and fire it at an opponent—this attack will never miss."
Senshi couldn't help grinning. Sasuke is my "Electric-Type Pokémon," so Naruto can be Lucario, huh? Aura Sphere is like forming a 'chakra ball,' which Naruto is practically a pro at.
"Alright, this is it!"
He took the Aura Sphere disc out and handed it to Naruto.
"Here. Think of this as my parting gift to you."
Naruto blinked in confusion, accepting the thin, round disc.
"Sensei, wh-what's this?"
Now that Senshi had agreed to teach Naruto, the boy had switched to calling him "Sensei," just like Sasuke did. Before Senshi could answer, Sasuke spoke up in a haughty tone,
"Dead-last will be dead-last, huh? This is a 'Skill Learning Disc'—it's extremely precious. My new ninjutsu came from one of these."
Naruto froze. Sasuke's terrifying new technique came from this? Now Senshi's just handing it to me…? Did that mean he'd be able to learn something just as powerful? He imagined the looks on everyone's faces—especially Sakura's—and grinned.
"Yes! Thanks so much, Sensei! I'll work really hard!"
Senshi gave him a small smile.
"No worries. But it won't be the same as Sasuke's move. He got Thunder Punch because he's more suited for Lightning Release, whereas yours is called 'Aura Sphere.' Your primary nature is Wind, so I figure this suits you better."
Hearing that, Naruto felt a surge of gratitude. His new teacher had not only given him something precious but even made sure it was the best possible fit for him. Naruto felt warmth spread through his heart. He clenched his fists, vowing to master it as soon as possible.
Off to the side, Sasuke added,
"Just crush it, and your body will automatically learn the technique."
Naruto did so. The learning disc shattered into shimmering fragments that flowed into his body. Instantly, countless pieces of knowledge about Aura Sphere filled his mind. Without a word, he dashed toward a nearby tree and unleashed the technique. The chakra inside him condensed into aura form, piercing straight through the trunk in a blink.
Senshi nodded in satisfaction, seeing Naruto's success. It's probably time for me to leave. After all, Naruto and Sasuke were far from able to run missions independently, so they wouldn't be earning him points anytime soon.
There was an "XP bag" named Kakuzu waiting in the Akatsuki—Senshi had to hurry over and get him fully on board. The sooner, the better; that 50% cut of mission rewards was too good to waste. He'd give Kakuzu some perks to speed up his mission turnover. The motto: "Grind 'til you drop—but don't actually drop."
With that thought, Senshi set off toward Amegakure, his mind swirling with new plans.
~~~
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