"Of course... I just have one question," he asked.
"Yeah, what is it?" Riku asked curiously.
"Well... you see..." Yuto said, tugging on his short hair.
"I was pulled by my hair during a fight. So I was thinking maybe you probably had a way to prevent that?" Yuto said, hopefully, as he already missed his long hair.
"ahh, yes! I noticed you cut off some of your length," he said.
"Hmm, we have a lot more in common than I thought," Riku said with a smile.
"In what way?" Yuto asked, confused.
"Well, I've encountered that problem before as well, but you know what they say, beauty is pain," he said.
"So what did you do to prevent it?" Yuto asked, as Riku's statement didn't answer his previous question at all.
"It's a bit tricky, because your opponent might realize you're trying to protect your hair and decide to target it," Riku said.
Yuto nodded. "Yes, I can see how that might work against you," Yuto said.
"Yeah, but ultimately, it comes down to just sheer speed," he said, shrugging his shoulders.
"Is speed the only thing you care about?" Yuto asked, noticing that it seemed to roll off the guy's tongue every chance he could get.
He chuckled. "Not at all, but when it comes down to combat, power means nothing if you can't reach the target," Riku said.
Yuto nodded. Of course, Yuto was already aware of these things, but hearing them from a more skilled and more experienced ninja made it worth considering. If he could leave the genin reserves' six-month training period even half as skilled as Riku, that would be good enough. After all, he was just a soon-to-be medic; he didn't need to become the next Kakashi Hatake or Itachi Uchiha. he would keep his head down and build his resume until he could earn a promotion.
"Let's take a break," Riku said.
"Really? We only sparred for a few minutes," Yuto said in surprise.
"Taking breaks not only allows you to rest your body, but also your mind," Riku said wisely.
Yuto was still confused but just nodded, taking a seat on one of the benches. He unraveled his scroll, unsealing a water canteen in a puff of smoke and taking a sip.
Riku sat down next to Yuto, drinking from a water bottle before letting out a refreshing sigh.
"You know, you pick up on things fast, your analytical skills are unbelievable. I don't understand why someone with your skills would want to become a medic," he said.
"Hmm, I know it's shameful to admit, but I can't say that I like performing in the field," Yuto said, shrugging his shoulders.
Riku raised an eyebrow. "You're afraid?" he said, mildly surprised.
Yuto felt no reason to lie, giving a nod.
"I'm always afraid... killing, fighting, dying; it's all frightening," Yuto said, admittingly.
Riku sighed. "It's not surprising; every shinobi can relate, no matter how much they try to deny it. The idea of never returning home to your family and friends is all but exciting," he said.
Yuto glanced at him before speaking. "You don't seem to be bothered? You would still stick your neck out for me, even after what I just told you?" Yuto asked, a little surprised.
"You have great potential, but like I said before, these won't be spar's between sensei and student. I'm just helping out a young genin, simply because I can. I don't care that you're scranny, or weak, or afraid. Besides, I didn't know until you told me. That tells me all I need to know about you as a person and a shinobi," he said with a smile.
Yuto looked up at the older genin in surprise. "First, Taro, now this guy? I don't understand! Why would they go so far? Why do they care? It doesn't make sense," Yuto thought to himself, his face in confusion and uncertainty.
Riku noticed Yuto's expression, knowing exactly what Yuto was thinking.
"You'll understand in a few years," Riku said, rubbing Yuto's mop of black hair.
Yuto sighed. "Everything takes time, doesn't it?" Yuto said, thinking about all of his preferred fields.
"Yes, there's no escaping from that, but you should enjoy this time while you still have it. If this shinobi world has taught me anything, it's that life can only be unpredictable, beyond its events," Riku said.
Yuto nodded, knowing this very well from the series. Asuma Sarutobi, not long after finding out he was expecting a child, died fighting the Akatsuki.
Riku clapped his hands together, breaking the silence.
"Let's continue!" he said, standing up off the bench.
Yuto stood up, placing his canteen down on the bench.
Later on. Yuto exited the shower, walking to his room fully clothed as he had learned his lesson from last time. He wouldn't be walking around without a shirt unless he was in the sand country, and the heat becomes too much. It was unlikely, seeing that shinobi could regulate their body temperature with chakra alone.
He entered his shared dorm, sighing as he saw Hikari passed out on the bed, snoring abnormally as he pushed open the door.
This was a common occurrence, so Yuto was used to it. He sealed his ninja pouch into a scroll and threw his dirty clothes into a basket in the corner. He would need to clean the room again, as it smelled like a teenage boy, and seeing Yuto wasn't even thirteen yet, this was courtesy of Hikari.
He had just completed one week out of six months of training, and he already felt like he had accomplished more than he would have in the regular forces. During the first week of orientation, he had learned many of his weaknesses, ones that he should have picked up on in his first mission. During his first mission, not only was he outclassed, but did more hindering to the team. Yes, his skills were admirable, but his weak body couldnt keep up with his chunin teammates. They had taken so long to reach the target that the target had to come to them. Not to mention, when Gemma was forced to protect him and battle the target at the same time. Of course, Gemma wouldn't have brought Yuto on the mission if he wasn't sure that he could watch over him, but realistically, he shouldn't have to. That team ending was probably a blessing in disguise. If he had stayed on that team, he would have been in for a rude awakening, and he'd be under the pressure of keeping up with his chunin teammates, and this would be impossible for a freshly graduated genin, no matter how smart or skilled. After just one week in the genin reserves' six-month training period, he realized multiple flaws in his fighting style, not even including the things Riku pointed out in today's spar. He would need to use these six months to fix those flaws before he enters the regular forces.
Yuto pulled the hood of his pajama set onto his head, rolling into bed.
Time skip three months later.
Yuto pulled himself from his bed, flopping onto the floor. Bags were under his eyes, and scrolls were neatly organized on his bedside table. The room had no windows, but the clock on the wall said five AM. He never stopped waking up at this time, but instead of training his weak kinjutsu with his grandfather, seeing this was not an option, he opted for completing his medical material. He was on his final scroll of material after three months of study, but he still had years' worth of material waiting for him as soon as he finished his six months of training, when he rejoined the medical trainee department. He suspected he would complete the dozen scrolls in a few weeks, but Captain Mai not only went over the material with him but also handed him assignments personally.
He pulled himself off the floor, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. he looked over, hearing Hikari's loud snoring. He sighed, rubbing his temples. His blue pajama set was still in use as he walked out of the dorm to use the restroom.
He walked into the restroom, as it was right across from the showers at the end of the hall. He heard water running, his face becoming curious, as he wasn't aware that anyone but himself would be up at this time of day.
He walked in, seeing a mop of blond hair infront of the sink. He sighed, seeing the Yamanaka.
Touji turned around, seeing Yuto in his pajama set. He didn't seem to be full of energy as usual, seeing the time of day.
"Why the hell are you up, kid?" Touji asked.
"Morning piss," Yuto said, not even batting an eye at Touji as he walked over to the urnal.
Touji dried his hands, speaking, "You really are a zombie," Touji said.
Touji was right, after his couple of days of resignation, and after his heart-to-heart talk with Taro, Yuto went back to studying for hours and surviving on coffee.
"What's up with this casual mood? You're usually acting like a sociopath," Yuto said with confusion in his tone.
He scoffed. "Trust me, you're not an important player in my game, plus it's five in the morning, you fucking owl," Touji said, quickly getting irritated by Yuto's question.
Yuto rolled his eyes. "I could be wrong, but I'm sure your hands are already dry?" Yuto said, clearly ready for Touji to exit the bathroom.
Touji stopped drying his already dry hands, gritting his teeth. "I'll stay in here as long as I want, you stupid brat," Touji said with a growl.
Yuto finished up at the urinal, walking towards the sink. "You know, when I first encountered you, you were oddly nice, defending me from Nobutoshi, then you started being an asshole after the second day of orientation. Why is that?" Yuto asked, squinting his eyes curiously, as he turned on the sink water.
Touji grinned. "Don't be so full of yourself, Nobutoshi, and I are good pals, good cop bad cop is one of our favorite games!" he said, his grin getting wider.
Yuto raised an eyebrow, and His face contorted into contempt. "That's the problem with scum like you! You want to subsidize your fragile ego! You don't fear being caught or seen, or care about who you hurt! A cold, calculated act out of sheer boredom, hoping for amusement. I truly pity you, Touji Yamanaka," Yuto said calmly, but his enraged face told a different story. He was angered at being treated like a toy. Touji treated him like a game he could play with and then throw away when he was bored. Not only that he boldly rubbed it into his face, trudging around with his filthy grin and his arrogant attitude.
Touji slowly walked up to Yuto. Yuto didn't back down, turning from the sink, the water still running, and facing Touji. He looked up at the older man without a flinch. He had never feared Touji, but he was weary of him and refrained from conflict with a clearly stronger opponent. But right now, as they stood in the dimly lit bathroom alone, Yuto felt like he had a chance to win.
Touji's face turned into a smile. "Nice speech, but what will you do now? You think you can talk to your senior however you please? You think I won't break your little face?" Touji said in the calmest voice, but with all seriousness in his face and tone.
Yuto said nothing, refraining from escalating, as he didn't like his odds as the smaller opponent in the tight bathroom.
"You'd better hope we don't cross paths during joint combat next week," Touji said, bumping into Yuto's shoulder while walking out of the bathroom.
"I'm counting on it!" Yuto said, before he heard the door close. The bump caused his hood to fall off, as some of his length had grown back, but not quite the length it was before. His black bangs reached chin length, while the rest of the hair that was cut only grew a few inches.
He didn't fret or lose any rest over his hair; he wasn't worried about his looks right now. he was only there to improve his skills, at least that's what he kept telling himself.
He made his way back to his room, as he needed to study before his session with Captain Mai, seeing it was a Sunday, so he had a lot more time, seeing it was no assignments from instructor Taro.
He had managed to make it in the top five a few more times, but the points weren't as rewarding as his first week, as he was able to double points, seeing that he reached the top five in the joint exercise. He would need four times the amount he had accumulated to obtain the rest of his material, but he wasn't worried at all. He obviously wouldn't be able to gain the needed points with the small amount rewarded by the training program, but he would be going on missions once the six months were over, D-ranks or not. He wouldn't be able to take any serious missions until he became a certified medic and was offered a position on a team. he later realized he was being naive, thinking he would get picked up by a jonin-led team just because he was a medic-nin. He would likely be led by a chunin with genin counterparts. Chunin most likely led genin to prove their skills as a leader, seeing that it was the key skill needed to become a chunin. Yuto, on the other hand, hoped to gain a chunin promotion threw the field, but he realized that he had no leadership skills whatsoever, and didn't plan on gaining those skills either. He knew he'd have no choice but to take the chunin exams. Obviously, he wasn't happy about this, as not only was it more work, but it was also more dangerous. he lacked the excitement other genin had when it came to the exams, as he had the pleasure of watching the anime in his previous world. If he ever encountered the snake pedophile, he'd kill his damn self. Yeah, no, thank you.
When he had finished studying, it was time to report for his medical training. Captain Mai had somehow convinced the facility management to add his medical training to his schedule. It also meant that he couldnt skip out on it, despite him paying her to tutor him.
He reported to the infirmary, entering the room and seeing Mai, leaning back in her doctor's chair, clearly bored.
Yuto smiled. "Good morning, Captain Mai," he said cheerfully.
She groaned. "I don't get how a zombie like you can be so cheerful this early in the morning," Mai said.
"Hmm, I've been up since five AM, so it's only natural that the sleepiness would have worn off already," Yuto said, struggling.
"Well, since you're so full of energy, be a dear and get me a cup of coffee," she said, rubbing her temple.
Yuto sighed. "Coming right up!' Yuto said sarcastically.
She chuckled, seeing him leave the room.
"he's grown so much, in such a short time," Mai thought to herself.
She had trained him from basically scratch, seeing that he only took one class, and he was already close to completing a quarter of the material. She was impressed by how fast he learned.
Yuto returned to the infirmary with two cups of coffee in his hand.
He realized he couldnt open the door, seeing his hands were full.
"A little help," he said on the other side of the door, tugging on the door with his full hands.
He groaned. "Stupid brat," she murmured.
She opened the door, snatching one of the coffee cups.
Yuto frowned.
"Alright, we have a lot more time, since no one is assigned any assignments on Sundays, so fewer injuries," she said.
"You study the material, yet?" she asked.
Yuto nodded, showing the completed guided notes, scroll.
"Yeah, I had nothing else to do," he said.
"Good, I already prepared your test!" she said, almost excited.
yuto groaned.
"You know, this is necessary. There won't be any notes in the operating room. You need to perform each skill and gain experience to solidify yourself as a real medic-nin," Mai said chastizingly.
"Hi, Captain," Yuto said.
"Okay, simple stuff, well, for me anyway. Remember, I won't stamp your material as done unless I'm satisfied with your work," she said warningly.
"I'll complete it flawlessly as usual," Yuto said pompously.
She snorted, handing him the clipboard.
"That's the task," she said.
Yuto frowned, glancing over the details. "disgusting, but doable," he said, walking to the testing table.
He refrained from touching anything, seeing that he hadn't suited up yet. He set the clipboard down, walking to the coat on the rack.
He walked back over, gloved and masked. He looked at the beating heart on the table. He knew he was required to remove the heart from the pumping device and pump the blood with his chakra. The details emphasized the difficulty. Yuto remembered Sakura doing this during the Fourth Great Ninja War.
He detached the advice, a small amount of blood spilling on the table. His goal was to connect the heart tubes to a device. And powering the device with the force generated by the pumping blood.
Mai walked over, observing Yuto. Yuto looked at the leaking heart and attached it to the device from the tubes. He was supposed to secure the tubes with his chakra and pump the heart with his other hand.
He did so, closing his eyes for a second to concentrate. Yuto glared at the light on the device, hoping it would turn on, as he wasn't very fond of having to reattempt such a messy test. To his relief, the light turned green, meaning the device was powered.
He smiled.
"Good job," Mai said proudly.
Yuto reattached the head to the pumping machine and wiped down and sanitized the table. He placed the heart in a container before he threw away his bloody gloves in disgust and hung up his medical coat.
"Glad that's over with," Yuto said in relief.
She smiled, stamping his scroll.
"You'll perform this same task to gain your certificate in the next year if you keep progressing this fast," she said.
He sighed. "I'll do it... I have to," he said confidently.
[Be sure to give me your power stones]