It was the weekend and there was plenty for me to do.
Last night, I checked over my funds and realized I had enough leftover from my monthly stipend to splurge a bit, so it was my goal to knock the majority of shopping out today.
After some light stretching, I threw on a basic set of clothing consisting of a white T and shorts, before quickly exiting the apartment.
The air was clear, and skies bright as warm sunlight cascaded over the village.
The clamor of people could be heard as everyone went about their business.
As I walked through the village I could occasionally spot a dark blur or two moving across the rooftops, though they were too fast for me to get a solid look.
Everyday I spend here reminds me of just how absurd this place really is.
It was just as amazing as it was unsettling.
After a few minutes' stroll, I managed to spot the first signs of the hospital.
The map Sakura gave me had been surprisingly detailed.
It wasn't as if it was some kind of official map, but the library was close to the hospital, and she'd been very thorough in her design of it.
I hadn't really paid too much attention when I went to the library for the first time.
I'd been hyper focused on reviewing information at the time, but this part of the village was closer to the center, and as a result the buildings around looked much nicer than the rather crummy parts of my place.
I guess even in a ninja village there were signs of disparity between the lower and higher classes.
The flow of traffic was rather thick, the deeper I went into the city the more people there were, although as a city dweller myself I was rather used to it.
My feet eventually stopped at an all white building, its front having two white posts in front formed of marble.
One of the posts had writing on it, it read: Konoha Hospital.
Alright, let's see if Takei Sensei was right.
I walked in with my head held high.
(Scene Change)
"You want to buy the basic medical theory series?"
The nurse at the counter looked at me as if I was crazy.
"How even old are you? Are you sure you can even comprehend stuff like that?"
My eyes narrowed in frustration but i'm sure to her I just looked like a cute kid.
She was an obviously older woman, towards her late thirties for sure.
Her white outfit had nary a wrinkle on it, it was only obscured slightly by her long brown hair that went over her shoulders.
"Look." I told her. "I have the money for it, are you gonna sell it to me or not?"
That probably sounds rude, but this lady has been stonewalling me for the past five minutes with comments like this and it's starting to get on my nerves.
"I can sell it to you, but I really don't think you should buy the whole series. It's just a waste of money if you aren't going to be able to comprehend the very basics. I recommend you just buy the first book and then come back when you've truly understood the material."
"Yes, you've said this before." I held back a sigh. "And like I've said, that's not an issue, I need all of them because I'm going to be using all of them."
*Thud*
I put my hand on the desk, staring deep into her eyes.
"Auntie, are you going to sell me the book or not."
"A-A-Auntie?!" She stumbled over her words as she shot me a dirty look. "I'm not old enough to be an a-auntie!"
"Whatever you say auntie."
"Stop saying that!" She snapped, a tic mark appearing on her face "My name is Kimiyo not Auntie, I'm only twenty five!"
I gave her a weird look before my eyes drifted sideways, "Right."
Old Hag.
Somehow I felt like she could read my mind as she shot me a scalding look with narrowed eyes.
Was this immature and petty? Yes.
Did I care?
Not anymore.
I'd always been a spiteful little bastard, that's why I felt not a single iota of guilt as I made fun of this annoying obstacle that was this nurse.
Kimiyo or whatever.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair.
"Look, Mrs. Kimiyo." I started, trying to smooth things over yet again, " I just wanna buy the bo-"
"Actually, it's Miss, not Mrs." She butt in rudely.
*smack*
There was the sound of flesh hitting flesh as I facepalmed.
Someone put me out of my misery. Am I going insane? Is this person for real?
"Takei Sensei didn't mention i'd have to deal with this at all…that bastard… Did he know this would happen?" I grumbled to myself.
"Did you say Takei Sensei?"
The nurse suddenly looked less affronted at everything I said and more…starstruck?
"You know Hideya Takei? He's my senior!"
"Hideya?" My head tilted, "Well I don't know if that's his first name or not but if we're both talking about the same Takei then it's the one who works as a nurse at the academy, right?"
"Of course," She hummed, suddenly seeming much more open and… youthful. "He does work there part time but he's not there all the time, most of the time he's here at the hospital, He's one of our head doctors!"
"I had no idea he was someone so distinguished," I tilted my head curiously. "why does he do work at the academy though? Wouldn't it make more sense to have someone that skilled be at the hospital full time?"
"Oh he's always been like that," Nurse Kimiyo answered in a dreamy voice. "Even when I was first interning here he was taking days off to nurse at the academy."
She then sighed dramatically, eyelashes fluttering as she looked off into the distance.
"What a sweetheart right?"
I sweat-dropped.
"...right." I confirmed with a head nod before pausing.
"Anyway's we've gotten off track, please can I buy the frigging books off you, I promise I'm actually interested in the material and am not gonna "squander its knowledge" or whatever."
"Hmmm?" She seemed to snap out of whatever little daydream she was having as she gave me an inquisitive look. "Well if Takei himself recommended it to you then I have no problem with it."
My eyebrow twitched.
Seriously lady? Why the hell were you being such a pain about it earlier then?
She must've saw something in my face because she smirked, earthy brown eyes glimmering.
"Don't take it to heart, it's my job to make sure this kind of information isn't wasted on people who aren't ready for it, especially kids who aren't even out of the academy yet."
I paused.
How the heck could she possibly know that?
No wait… this actually made sense.
Medical ninja were obviously a thing in the series.
Why wouldn't the Hokage post one as a nurse clerk? They could both treat wounded injuries immediately and protect the hospital at the flip of a dime, knocking two birds out with one stone per se.
Something in my demeanor must've given away the fact I'm an academy student.
Probably the blisters on my palms or maybe the way that I walk? Considering I don't have a headband either, it's not that hard to deduce what I am.
Or...maybe i'm just overthinking all this?
She giggled at the intense look I shot her.
"Oh relax, I'm not going to bite. Here…"
She then reached behind the desk pulling out a leather bound box.
Setting it on the counter, she briefly opened it and exposed the contents, a group of six books each with the words: Basic Medical Series 1,2,3, etc.
"This is the full set, if you manage to complete this set and are able to apply the knowledge in that tiny little head of yours, you'll be ready for basic Medical Ninjutsu on the theory level at the very least."
She hummed thoughtfully with a finger on her chin. "Though if Takei gave you the recommendation I'm sure he saw something in you that I don't."
"Was that an insult within a compliment?" I asked with dull eyes.
"Think of it what you will." She grinned before closing up the box and holding out her palm. "Now, it's time to pay up."
Looking into Nurse Kimiyos' greedy eyes, I knew most of my spare money was going to be spent on these books alone.
(Scene Change)
"May you rest in peace." I said to my wallet as I put it into my back pocket.
My box of books was set in a black carrying bag that the greedy nurse had supplied me.
For a fee of course.
Why the hell did she feel more like a merchant than a nurse anyway?
Matter of fact, who the hell was she?
Every time I ran into more and more people in the village with different personalities it confirmed how much I didn't know about this world.
For instance, that information about Takei sensei…just who exactly was he? He'd mentioned Tsunade as if he'd known her personally.
I wouldn't doubt it due to his older age, but it was also confirmed that he was some sort of big deal at the hospital too.
"Head doctor huh?" I mumbled before shaking my head.
I couldn't be distracted yet, I still needed to finish my list for the day.
With that I continued my stroll through the streets of Konoha before I eventually found what I was looking for.
The shopping district.
The hustle and bustle of people was thick here, vendors called out their wares and customers haggled.
After some maneuvering and squeezing past a few people, the dirt road eventually cleared a bit and I managed to find the next thing on my to do list for the day.
From my memories, it was a place I only visited every so often.
A clothing store.
(Scene change)
Stepping out of the clothing store I straightened out the few ruffles of my new outfit.
A dark black, button up coat with a high top collar fit snugly over the white Tee I wore earlier. My shorts I'd changed out for some gray pants with lots of extra pockets.
I still wore my sandals of course.
The reason why most ninja wore them was because it was easier to channel chakra through thin sandals or Geta rather than the soles of boots.
I wasn't going to go against the grain on that front.
Smoothing back my hair I gave one more glance at the store before putting my hands in my pockets.
Alright, one last stop…the bane of all men…the grocery store.
(Scene Change)
It was less of a hassle then I thought it would be to carry a handful of groceries and books a mile home.
when you have a supernatural energy pumping through your system and supporting every muscle with vitality it could almost be called easy.
Of course, I used it as a short form of training considering it took chakra to keep up the enhancement, which I obviously didn't have a lot of.
By the time I'd gotten home I'd worked up a sweat but was satisfied with the results of today's outing.
My slight tiredness couldn't hold back my eagerness though.
After putting away my groceries I quickly went to my living room and sat at the table, pulling my books out with giddiness as I lined them up.
These six books were the beginning steps to multiple of my plans.
The first plan was to learn enough to become a Medic Nin.
After seeing firsthand the benefits of Medical Ninjutsu from Takei sensei, I was reminded well enough on how overpowered healing was in any universe.
Not only would it be better for me in the long run to have an option to heal myself, considering the kind of world I was in, but it was also advantageous in that it would allow me to speed up my training, improving recovery time and giving me the opportunity to go all out with no hesitation.
There were other aspects to Medical Ninjutsu that I was interested in too.
Kabuto had been able to cut tendons with a surgical technique which was a valuable option of offense in of itself.
Not to mention if I managed to get my hands on some basic sealing knowledge I planned on going all out in figuring out Tsunade's Mitotic Regeneration Jutsu.
I'd need medical knowledge for all of that.
It helped that Medic Nins weren't too dependent on having a large chakra pool. They were more concerned with having precise chakra control, which was something I was avidly working on day in and out.
The end goal on this front was to eventually attempt to emulate Tsunade's absolutely ridiculous strength.
Even If I could only do it one or two times, it was a big enough game changer that it could allow me to defeat enemies I was vastly outclassed by if I caught them off guard with it.
But those thoughts were for later, right now I needed to focus on the basics itself.
Yes, my second plan would depend on if I could truly grasp this information and apply it.
It was a specific kind of medical knowledge I was searching for, and after rifling through the books for a bit I finally found the chapter I was intending to.
Inner Workings and Mechanics of the Lungs and Respiratory System.
A grin spread across my face as my eyes roamed over the page with fervor, taking in the images and diagrams like a man in the desert with no water.
Yeah, this will do.
That's right, I was trying to learn how to breathe. Or rather, I was attempting to learn how to breathe properly.
Why?
Well to see if it's possible of course.
I've got all these great ideas, but none of them will work if chakra isn't as flexible as I think it is.
So this would be my first experiment, my first step on my journey to moving up in this world and getting out of this mess I was soon to be involved in.
I was going to take my medical knowledge, mix it with my hidden talent of Insight, and see if I could recreate Total Concentration Breathing.
Let's hope this works.
(Scene Change, Two Week's Later)
I stood on top of the Hokage mountain, watching as the sun rose over the leaf village from its vast height.
I found this to be the perfect spot to train my breathing, as the air here in the morning was frigid and fresh, yet thin enough to make a difference.
I was really hoping to find a training ground I could use during the week, but the only ones I knew of were only open to Genin level ninja and I didn't plan on doing this type of training in the academy's ground during off hours.
Surprisingly, it was open to the public to be on top of the Hokages heads, although you could only go within guided areas and there were certain parts that were straight up off limits.
The top of the mountain was populated, yes, but sparsely.
There was plenty of room to find a secluded corner, and it was one of those distinct corners that I found myself sat in lotus position.
After spending the last two weeks studying at school and then coming home and studying medical theory afterwords, I wasn't left with much time to physically practice.
To fix that, I started going to bed and waking up early in order to fit in my training in the morning.
It made me more tired in school as a result, but I pushed through it.
"Alright."
I smacked my cheeks.
"Let's do this."
I remembered from Demon Slayer that there was a particular pattern you were supposed to follow in order to get into the rhythm of Total Concentration Breathing.
It'd taken me some time, but with trial and error with Insight active, I was able to recognize the specific pattern that maximized the amount of oxygen running through my bloodstream.
I calmed my heart and breathed in deeply.
For four seconds I held that breath, before I exhaled in a controlled release for four seconds exactly.
Again and again I repeated this process, following the four second pattern as I continuously inhaled and exhaled.
Over the week I'd continuously practiced this pattern, whether it was during class or at home.
It was odd, as for the first two days I felt lightheaded for brief periods, like when you stand up too fast after sitting for too long.
Occasionally I'd have to stop the pattern to catch myself before I knocked myself out.
After that I'd have to take a break as suddenly I would feel immense tiredness for half an hour at a time.
There were times where I would get distracted and the breathing pattern would naturally fade away. That was always annoying. But I knew the goal was to make it consistent.
If I was anything, I was stubborn.
At first I could only hold the pattern for a minute before the lightheaded sensation set in, but now, I was able to hold it for as long as five.
That may not seem like much, but trust me, it was much harder than it looks.
As the breathing took hold I began to feel light, my heart was pounding strongly, my body temperature was slowly rising as sweat dripped down my brow.
With a thought I circulated my chakra, the familiar feeling of pins and needles accompanying it as I activated Insight.
I could follow the air as it entered my trachea and entered my lungs.
The bronchi within acted as passages that sent the air into my alveoli, the little small sacs that filled with air and the blood vessels that lined them as they separated the oxygen from my organs and diffused it throughout my blood.
I could feel oxygen rich blood traveling from the lungs blood vessels into my heart, allowing the perpetual motion organ to pump it throughout the rest of my body.
It was amazing, incredible even.
I could literally feel and witness as the blood entered my muscles and organs, strengthening them and giving them extra substance as the breathing pattern shared much more oxygen than was necessary.
Opening my eyes I held the pattern for a couple more minutes, though the lightheadedness started to come back.
Although this time instead of stopping, I kept going. Continuing to breathe far past my normal limits.
My body was telling me to stop, but I ignored it.
I can admit it, it was reckless. At the same time, I'd never been the most patient person.
Besides, though there wasn't anyone directly near me, there were other people on this mountain.
I'm sure they would lend me a hand if I passed out.
Better here than alone in my apartment where no one could help, or at school where people would obviously draw the wrong conclusion.
The light feeling continued and my heart began to beat dangerously fast.
I flexed my fist and felt my hands shaking.
My lungs began to burn, and my head began to pound.
*Ba-Dum* *Ba-Dum* *Ba-Dum*
The sound of my heart was so strong, it felt like it was coming out of my ears.
Just one more second…If you can keep going for one more second.
I kept telling myself that, going at it with a single-mindedness that only a stubborn donkey could have.
For a moment I stabilized,and then-
There was a brief moment of euphoria.
My body felt light, my skin hot, and just for a second I felt like I could run a marathon without a sweat.
I could feel myself becoming…more.
Then my vision started getting little pinpricks of black and the stability slipped away.
I fell onto my back sweating, heaving great breaths outside of the pattern.
My training Tee clung to my skin as sweat dripped down my brow.
For five whole minutes I lay there, staring out at the sky.
"Ha…HaHa." It slipped out of my mouth before I even knew it, a laugh that was equal parts triumph equal parts relief. "Ahaha-HAHAHA."
I laughed like a madman.
It worked, it really worked.
Even if I only briefly managed to reach that state, I'd manage to use Total Concentration Breathing.
My laugh continued for a good few minutes after that. I just couldn't stop. People who passed by threw me odd looks, but I couldn't help it.
One of my plans managed to work and better than I could've ever expected.
This was progress, this was amazing…
I guess I'm not so helpless after all.
But..
Before I knew it I was shedding tears.
All the while laughing.
I don't know what came over me.
Maybe it was the relief of knowing my crazy ideas weren't so crazy after all, maybe it was the full absurdity of my situation coming at me at once.
The knowledge that I'd been painstakingly ignoring.
That I'd never see my family again, that I was an outcast in a world unfamiliar. One who couldn't even remember the names of his own siblings.
Or maybe it was that I felt…lonely.
But this…this was definitive proof that I could improve, that I could grow stronger and survive the trials of this world.
Maybe then, I'd be able to fully accept that I was a part of it.
Maybe then, I could have a family and actually enjoy my life here.
Gosh i'm such a sap, get a hold of yourself Kitsuji.
With a huff I stood up, my body felt heavy, tired and strained in a way I'd never felt before, but I endured it as I wiped my eyes with my sleeves.
Filled with newfound determination I found myself walking towards the edge, the distance from the height on the Hokage's head could easily kill me if I slipped, but I paid it no mind.
With a deep breath I pumped my fist up, doing my best to give myself encouragement.
The words came out with purpose.
"IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!" I yelled out, my voice echoing out over the mountain. "I'LL SURVIVE! OR I'LL DIE TRYING!"
I didn't care that I probably looked silly.
Anyone else probably just saw some snot nosed kid making loud statements but only I knew it was a promise to myself.
To the future me.
"Survive what?" A voice said behind me.
"HOLY-" I cursed as I jumped a foot in the air, nearly falling off the mountain as my balance betrayed me.
A hand reached out and grabbed the back of my shirt, pulling me back and giving me just the extra leverage I needed to avoid a ridiculous death after such a declaration.
"Haha wow, you really need to work on your awareness, Kitsuji."
I whirled around to spot the protagonist himself.
Naruto Uzumaki was currently grinning at me like the cat who caught the mouse.
"Are you nuts!?" I blurted out , heart thudding in my chest, "Couldn't you give me a warning before you pop up like that? You almost gave me a heart attack!" I pointed to the edge of the rocks with an irate expression. "I almost fell off the mountain!."
"Sorry sorry" He laughed, his grin slowly disappearing as blue eyes roamed over my face.
"Uh you okay?"
"Huh?" I blinked. "Of course I am."
He gave me a skeptical look. "You sure? Your eyes are all puffy. Plus, what was all that you were screaming on the mountain? What are you trying to survive?"
A sweat drop fell down my forehead.
"Ah- ahem, you saw that did ya?"
"Yup." the blonde popped the P.
"God this is embarrassing." I mumbled while scratching the back of my head. "Look it's not important I was just…caught up in the moment."
Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Some moment."
"Since when the hell were you so sassy?" I clicked my tongue and the blonde laughed.
"I don't know what you mean. But it looks like you could use something to eat right? Do you want to come with me to Ichirakus?"
Giving his clearly pleading look a once over I sighed, my shoulders sagging.
He'd been asking me for the past two weeks to go with him to that place, but i'd been brushing him off.
Not particularly cause I didn't want to hang out with him, but more because I'd been so focused on training and practicing my breathing.
"Sure man, I could eat."
"Great!" The blond fist pumped. "I'll lead the way, trust me you'll enjoy it! No one can deny the food of the gods."
With a turn he started speed walking, leaving me to pause for a moment at the whirlwind that was Naruto.
It took me a moment to realise what the crafty kid just did to me.
He'd thrown out a few jabs and digs in order to make me feel better, before distracting me by changing the subject to food.
It'd almost slipped my mind that Naruto, for all his flaws, was a pretty empathetic guy.
He more than anyone probably knew what it felt like to feel ostracized and alone in a world like this.
With a small smile I called out. "Wait up you maniac, not everyone wants to haul it to their destination!"
"It's better if we get there faster." He explained over his shoulder, "The lunch rush hasn't started yet, it's the perfect time!"
"Yeah yeah." I grumbled while increasing my speed.
Who knew that it'd be this hyperactive knucklehead who'd make me feel better.
The smile didn't leave my face.
"Thanks, Naruto."
"What was that?" He yelled from far ahead of me.
"I said hurry up!" I grinned. "I'm so hungry I could probably eat more than Choji at this point."
Naruto laughed, "Fine then, try to keep up."
With that he took off running.
With a curse I took off too.
"Stop running ya jackass, I'm tired!"
"You're the one who said hurry it up! Besides, consider it warm-up training or something."
"I already DID my warm-up training."
"Then consider it extra training!"
"Ugh!"
(Chapter End)