Chapter 21: Clearance

Chapter 21: Clearance

What came after their first C-rank mission was a punishment in the form of 5 D-rank missions until Tsunade felt satisfied by Mikoto's and Kushina's apology. But the fact that Mikoto awakened her Sharingan greatly pleased Tsunade. On the other hand, Kai earned 10 SP, so he was happy.

---

"Are you sure about this?" Mikoto pouted, unhappy about the slight as Tsunade instructed Kushina on the sword technique.

Meanwhile, Kai looked at the wrist weights and leg weights before nodding, "I think I am getting used to them."

"You just bought them 30 minutes ago!" Mikoto glared as Kai snorted in return, "Irrelevant! Now you may just stand a chance to win WITH that Sharingan." He was speaking the truth after all. The weight would mess up his coordination harshly and even now, he was at a little fence about Tsunade's suggestions of using the weights as it would not only throw him off at the beginning but once he removed the weights, he may need another bout of recovery spars to recollect his perception of strength. Then again... this training may just help his physique AND his perception.

He saw Mikoto's black eyes turn red with a single tomoe and marveled at the sight. According to Mikoto, she could see better and more precisely, her reaction time is improved greatly, and apparently, not as great as byakugan but Sharingan CAN see the major block of a person's chakra that allows the Sharingan users to note if the target is in genjutsu or not. It also has a higher dynamic vision alongside the ability to cast Genjutsu by sight.

"I've already copied some of your techniques!" Mikoto exclaimed proudly, "Ready to teach me again?"

That, too. Goddamn Sharingan really is just full of abilities! And it's not like they have access to one of these abilities, oh no. They have access to all of it and it grows to a certain degree when the Sharingan advances!

But they had yet to move as Kai couldn't help but just take notice of Mikoto now that the change with her eyes red felt more prominent. She has always been fair but now... she certainly looked like... growing. With his face going blank, Kai looked down at his own body and closed his eyes before suddenly shuddering his chakra as Mikoto exclaimed, "Oi, I didn't put you in a Genjutsu!"

"Tch..." Kai looked up again and found her utterly confused before she smirked, "Ohhh~ Kai-chan," Mikoto smirked, "I can't help but be an illusion, you know."

"I'd say that all the losses would make you see that you're real enough but oh well," he drawled, making the girl snort and the two rushed at each other promptly. Although Mikoto proudly stated that she copied a few of his moves, it was unintentional. Sharingan users may copy their opponents but such invasive methods must not be recklessly used on the members of the village. Mikoto, however, could still slip up in control since the dojutsu was new to her.

They quickly began their Taijutsu fest as Kushina looked at them with a wondrous expression and turned to Tsunade, cutely requesting while widening her violet eyes, "Sensei, can I join in the fray?"

"I don't know," Tsunade smiled and drawled lazily, "Can you?" with threat evident in her tone.

Pouting, Kushina continued her own practice.

Soon, Kai sidestepped as Mikoto seemed to have predicted this and had a kick next to his cheek, kissing him the very next moment as his head snapped sideways. Not from the force of the kick but his own doing as she scoffed at the weak feedback from her kick and followed quickly.

As they practiced, Tsunade continued to glance in their direction at times, 'Kushina already had a chunin level reserve but her body is quickly catching up. She also took a shine to swords technique and will grow as a fuinjutsu user, so she's already good enough to be a chunin officially. Just need to beat out a few bad habits...

Mikoto's body is a little weaker, but she's started to focus more on it after that realization. But her skills once enhanced by Sharingan are all chunin level and her chakra reserve will reach that level soon enough. She can even cast D and E-rank Genjutsu with a glance of her Sharingan.'

She then looked at the boy. Honestly, she was getting more and more doubtful that he belonged to some clan and just happened to have been orphaned.

'Chunin-level physique and his reserves are about to reach that level. Given the speed of his growth... probably half a month? Maybe sooner. Damn, I just had to promise nature transformation to him when I haven't even started with the mystical palm technique...'

The only reason Tsunade decided to 'punish' them wasn't because of their slight mishap in the C-rank mission but the fact that they were all almost chunins and had yet to completely finish their theories! Not to mention the fact that killing didn't affect the team but what could happen worse than death. This was something they would gradually learn to cope with, Tsunade did, too, after all. The village can only be peaceful if someone is out there facing all this.

These kids were a little too good for her to even cope with...

Grumbling, Tsunade waited until their spar ended. Mikoto won today but it barely brought satisfaction to the girl. She teased the hell out of the boy but Tsunade could see the urge for self-improvement in the girl.

"Alright, rest up and sit down. We only have 20 of the theory remaining and with ten written tests in the hospital, we can start with your training in iryo ninjutsu!"

This pulled groans from everyone.

---

"Damn it, Tsunade Senju!" Danzo Shimura thundered as everyone's gaze on the man narrowed. This was no mere general council. Every clan head of the village irrespective of their clan's status was present in this room as a large u-shaped desk was occupied by these heads. With the proxy not allowed, neither Mito nor Kai was present in the room, and Tsunade resisted the urge to groan while speaking up as she looked at the large map on the floor in between the scope of the large bench.

And just like that, the first War Council meeting began and started preparing concrete defense plans.

---

"This is it..." Mikoto shifted nervously in her seat as the team sat in the hallway of Konoha Hospital. They looked at various doctors and medic-nin in lab coats moving around. A few glanced in their direction since the underground layer of the hospital was restricted to the staff itself but then they saw whose office they sat outside of and walked away with their own work.

"It was easy," Kai gave a breezy smile, "I think it was the easiest exam of all 10~ Don't you think so, Kushina-chan, Mikoto-chan?"

Kushina punched the boy hard, taking away 0.1 of his health and pouting, "Shut it! It was hard as heck dattebane! Tch, you were better when it was easy to pick you up and have you on our laps..."

Mikoto nodded in silent agreement, glaring at the boy past Kushina.

They had started their theoretical exams nine days ago and while they passed all nine... Tsunade pulled out all stops today. Half of the things weren't even taught to them! And Tsunade was clear that failing any of these tests would mean that they will have remedial classes with a passing score being 60.

"My, my, is Tsunade still letting you three hang out to dry?"

An amused chortle with a hint of dry rasp made the trio's head whip in the direction of the voice and found an unusually pale youth with his sleek black hair pulled back into a low ponytail and his body covered by a large lab coat. The trio stood up and politely greeted the resident researcher of the Hospital and a good friend of Tsunade Orochimaru. This man was also the 'friend' who was supposed to teach Kai some more genjutsu techniques later down the line but Tsunade had yet to make good on the promise given how their schedule has been.

And honestly speaking, Kai was more creeped out by the fact that Orochimaru could pass as a good-looking sissy, and his overall catty nature and somewhat slurred tone didn't make the situation any better.

"Orochimaru-san, Tsunade Sensei is just reviewing our papers," Mikoto smiled.

"Hmm, that I know. We discussed your answers for the other nine tests and I have no doubt I will have to cut short my research and would have to listen to Tsunade complain about you three," A hint of annoyance flashed in Orochimaru's eyes and then smiled, "But just between you three and me... those drunken blabbers are more of a brag. Don't tell her I said this, however."

Kushina and Mikoto lit up while Kai... the one who has been scoring top through all the nine papers just shrugged. Orochimaru's gaze briefly trailed the boy... a marvel, to be exact. He was getting more and more regretful that he didn't try to snap up Minato and Kai and now both of them were in the 'incompetent' or heavy hands of his teammates... 'Sigh...'

"Well, I can also say that you three lucky stars may just help break her curse of always losing a gamble," Orochimaru smirked.

"A gamble?" Kushina inquired.

"Ara, I said too much," He smirked in amusement, "I will let you be. And again, between you three and me... I was the one who set the remaining half of your last exam. I hope you loved questions 51-100~" he walked away lazily while the trio remained rooted.

"Alright, enough dawdling with Orochi! Come in," Tsunade called the sulking trio inside her lab and made them sit away from all the pieces of equipment on the other side of the room with a toughened glass partition in the middle.

Tsunade looked at them and stated coldly, "Kushina, you scored 20. Mikoto, you scored 35. And Kai... you scored 51."

She saw their bodies stiffen but before Kushina could whine, Tsunade smiled, "Good job. You all pass."

"Huh?"

"Well, you cleared all the requirements in the last examination but... I and Orochimaru just couldn't stop! Still, good job tackling the exam, and Kai, the way you cleared one of the questions out of the syllabus was crazy... but I like it. And so will Orochi when I brag ehm, discuss your examination with them. Oh, yeah, you three didn't know but I, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya discuss the growth of our disciples almost every night."

With that, Tsunade chuckled and gave a light-hearted grin, "We'll start with the practical part of iryo ninjutsu now itself!"

***

Shoutout to TheHadCMan, PIEGURU8, Mohamed Slt, Rusted, John Smith!!

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