Traning Ground 3
"Minato-kun!!"
"Wow! So far!"
Swoosh- Thud. Thud. Thud.
Minato relaxed his shoulders as the three kunai hit close to the center from 10 meters away. The other children in class swooned over him, especially the little girls. The boys were jealous, each agitated to show they can compete with him; the class genius.
Ko-sensei asked everyone to settle down and they needed to wait their turn. He turned to Minato, and gave him a compliment.
"Your posture is much better than yesterday. Keep up the good work. You can try practicing with moving targets and while moving next. Next up, Nagisa!"
Nagisa took a step forward. The class childish chatters and excitement quieted by a lot. Not because they didn't like her. But more because she was not a 'fun' person. Polite yet distant, that was her in their eyes. Or in children's vocabulary - a boring person.
Nagisa took the 3 dulled kunai from Ko-sensei, weighed it in her hand, adjusted her posture, and swung her arm back. She threw one. Then the rest.
Thud, whoosh, chik.
One of the kunai stuck at the outer edge of the circular target. One missed barely. Another landed on a rock below the target.
The instructor nodded. "Good improvement. However you need to also use your muscles here too. You can learn from your brother. Okay, next-"
Nagisa stepped aside. Blending into the background. The rest of the day had nothing to be noted on except regular training.
When the academy period was over, many children returned home. Some stay to practice. Some spend their childhood playing around with their friends of similar age.
Nagisa did not go home, nor did Minato. Others normally stay in the training ground or go to other assigned grounds. But she needed a more private space, so one of her go places was at the edge of a forest within Konoha. Sometimes hunters would come to find wild games; other times a shinobi with similar ideas would also go here.
She shed her image of good competence when no one other than Minato was looking; revealing her true capabilities for sake of sharpening herself.
Her hands shoved into her ninja toolbags at her side, and within a short moment she had locked onto the targets they made.
Whoosh, whoosh! Thud, thud, thud!
One of the targets split apart in two, falling down the ground with a crash. The others pierced close to the very center.
Minato looked at the targets without any visible emotions. He had seen enough and had long accustomed to her actual performance over the months.
"Show me your throw." Nagisa turned to Minato. Her voice was neutral, more like wanting to assess him.
Minato nodded, then he started throwing. His performance too, was far above what he showed in the academy. Even so…
"Your arm stiffened at this point. And your waist needs to…" Nagisa showed him what she could see can be improved. Acting less of an instructor, more like a sister teaching their little brother.
The two spent another hour there, training at their own pace. From chakra molding, throwing, to basic taijutsu.
"Don't close your eyes." Nagisa reminded him again. Eve though she had told him countless times before, she was not frustrated. In her eyes he was but an 8 years old child with ample time to develop.
She rushed in with another punch, though her punch stopped before hitting him, only tapping when needed. Minato tried his best to dodge, to counter, to absorb everything Nagisa was drilling into him.
"Ah-" Minato once more lost his footing and lost his balance, before he was knocked down. A surge of frustration welled up in him. Not that it had ever shown in his expression.
"Good. You lasted longer." She let out a small satisfied smile. "Let's end today's session, nii-san."
"Mm." Minato took a long breath before taking her hand and stood up.
Minato turned to look at Nagisa, as if searching for what she was thinking. Since the academy, he felt he knew his little sister less and less. He didn't feel jealous of her abilities - it was just a frustration that he couldn't quite catch up. But even that frustration was nothing compared to the other feelings he had. He felt… It was unsettling.
He knew it was off. Even if he was a child, he couldn't be fooled and knew logic didn't hold.
He didn't ask her to explain how she was able to do all she had shown him. He knew enough decency not to pry unless Nagisa herself explained to him. Still, at times it felt like a void he couldn't grasp.
"Nii-san, tomorrow onward we can start training chakra control. Others from shinobi clans had started their chakra training far earlier. We can start as well."
"Okay, Nana." Minato replied shortly. Despite being the brother, he did not treat her like a typical brother would. Over time, Nagisa's maturity, his own maturity, and that unsettling feeling he harbored didn't allow for usual sibling interactions.
Even so, ever since they entered ninja academy, they had interacted a lot more with each other compared to before. And in a way he started to get to know her properly; not under empty assumptions she was a typical little sister.
As they walked back home in the usual silence, Minato spoke.
"Nana."
"What is it?"
"How about ramen for dinner." Minato suggested.
Nagisa mulled over it for a second. "Hm. It's been awhile. Alright then."
She had always followed his whims as part of her 'psychological wellbeing management' over the years; though now she simply had found it to be a part of her own normal and found him pleasant to be around with. The only one she could be her true self to when others their age were 'children' that were just annoying to deal with.
They went to Ichiraku ramen, their usual place.
As they made their order and ate, Nagisa thought back and analysed the training session earlier, looking over Minato while thinking what can be improved.
Inwardly, she was very impressed.
Minato was a genius. No, a genius didn't do him justice. He was equivalent to Albert Einstein in the Shinobi world. An exception even amongst geniuses.
She had trained soldiers, she made comparisons with their classmates and knew what the expected rate of improvement was.
Minato was far beyond that. He absorbed everything very quickly without needing her to push him in any of the brutal methods she once used for her soldiers in the past.
She was lenient to him, very lenient given he was 8 years old. And yet his performance terrified her in a way she couldn't explain.
Not because she was jealous or couldn't fathom his talents. It was because she knew from experience what the higher ups would most likely do to someone like him if they knew. They already send children and 'geniuses' as young as 10 as shinobi.
She wouldn't want him to be forced to graduate earlier with the excuse of 'genius'.
That was why she insisted and warned him to hide enough, allow enough to show. It was fine to be a regular genius. That was where opportunity lies. Where they get extra stipend and small rewards from the instructor and for their future mentor.
But never a monster. Absolutely not.
Even with that in mind, she didn't simply abandon the training for him. Instead, she pushed him for it. He settled for this path and wouldn't change his mind so she could only support him on this road the way she knew. Having more skills and power would increase his survival chance once they graduated.
In her plan, they would graduate at an appropriate time that was considered as competent - show enough skills to be considered a genius so a named Shinobi instructor would be assigned to them; at the same time gather as much skill and power as possible during this time.
She figured from biographies on named figures how to have a good chance at surviving and climbing the hierarchy in this world.
Their mentor would be very important; as orphans and coming from civilian backgrounds their first mentor after they graduate would be their first key connection and resource.
Talented geniuses would be assigned under those who were just as talented and well connected. Those who were mediocre were assigned to mediocre instructors. A predictable distribution.
That was her plan.
The days passed in the ninja academy without a problem. Minato was known as a genius. Nagisa was known to be talented. In the second year, they were both moved to a better class filled with children from shinobi clans and those others that were filtered to be 'worthy'.
As she planned, enough show of talent to increase their value. She observed their new classmates. Most of them are already familiar with each other given they were from shinobi clans. Being from no known family name, they sat with others of similar stature.
Minato made friends quickly with his welcoming personality. As for herself, she remained polite yet distant. Though this time she wouldn't refuse connections if it came from any one of those hailing from known shinobi clans. Those were important connections she could invest in.
In the second year, Nagisa portrayed herself as 'talented' in all aspects, then showed her 'genius' in her chakra control and scored close to 100% for all theoretical and written examinations. Her hand seals were a few notches above Minato, the efficiency of chakra use made instructors whisper, her ability to already stand sideways on a tree made them take note. She was paving her way to become a medic-nin candidate.
Minato was still hailed as a prodigy and a genius still; but Nagisa already tuned him to only compete with the top positions; not overshadowing all of them. Minato listened to her suggestions and held himself back. Nagisa appreciated that he understood the importance. This also made Minato closer with those from named clans who saw him as a competition, rivalries turned into friendships given Minato's nature that was hard to dislike. Nagisa appreciated that Minato was building connections easier than herself, it was another talent of his she admired.
Everything was going smoothly for them both. The seeds sown eventually bloomed in the middle of the semester. She was called to the teacher's lounge by their homeroom teacher. She anticipated good news, and to her delight she was selected as a candidate to learn medical ninjutsu along with a few others. She would have extra classes; but the extra classes felt more like a reward for her hard work.
"I will do my best, sensei."
Learning complex biology was not easy, of course. She still had to make notes; still had to frown her eyebrows at times. But she could learn far better compared to others her age given her background in sciences in her previous life and that she was an adult inside.
She was taught the Mystical Palm technique after a month's class; a versatile jutsu that essentially send chakra to the body tissue to stimulate and accelerate the body's natural healing.
It required a very solid grasp of anatomy and imagination; representing the Yin. And to control the output of chakra and affect the flesh representing the Yang. The jutsu itself was considered Yang release as it affects the flesh directly. But practically it was a Yin-Yang release given the amount of control, knowledge and image they need.
Nagisa shone brightly amidst the candidates of promising medic nin. And she was finally noticed by someone of high stature. She knew her. Tsunade, the granddaughter of 1st Hokage, dubbed as the princess. Known to be a medical prodigy, once a student of the current Hokage, and her name carried respect and weight in Konoha.
The 21 years old woman was Tsunade. She was a visiting instructor who came every other week to give lectures and test them.
Nagisa was the first to sufficiently master Mystical Palm technique, scored high in the theoretical exam she gave, and the first to successfully pass the fish test where she had to resurrect a fish without destroying their cells.
"You. What's your name?" Tsunade placed her palm over the fish, observing them closely to assess it. She had a very pleased expression reflected in her eyes.
Nagisa calmed her excitement, then straightened her back. "I am Nagisa Namikaze, Tsunade-sama."
"Nagisa. I heard of you from others. Their praise are not misplace."
"However."
Tsunade paused for a second, her expression stern. "You have much more to learn. Don't get complacent, understand?"
"Yes, Tsunade-sama." Nagisa showed a calm expression, accepting her comment.
Tsunade smiled slightly, nodding in approval seeing her attitude.
"See me after class."
Nagisa almost stopped breathing for a second. This was it. An opportunity she had wanted badly. She almost felt like she was floating. Ah, I did it.
She composed herself, and replied with an enthusiastic voice. "Yes, Tsunade-sama!"
Tsunade raised her eyebrows in surprise, a smirk carved on her lips seeing that expression. "I thought you were a quiet one. It seemed my assumption was wrong."
"I am very excited to learn from you, Tsunade-sama." Nagisa showcased her own will and doubled it as flattery, hitting right where Tsunade liked it. It was within her plan.
"Haha! Very good!" Tsunade felt good in her heart seeing someone enthusiastic about learning medical ninjutsu from her. It was her own passion, and now she found a kindred soul.
Nagisa was floating the rest of the day. She received extra books from her, even Tsunade's own notes and tips amongst those slips. It was a lot of hard work to digest all of this, but she was very happy.
"Hm! Hm~ hm~!" She was almost dancing as she walked back home with Minato that evening.
"Nana, what's going on with you today?" Minato, for once after years of being with her, felt shocked and felt like laughing at the same time.
"Tsunade-sama noticed me, and now I would receive her guidance~ hm~" She smiled happily as she spun around.
Minato couldn't hold it anymore. He burst out laughing seeing her. "Hahaha! Nana! You are being weird!"
"Hm~ No nii-san. It was something to be celebrated. Let's have grilled meat tonight, what do you say?"
"On it!" Minato smiled. The moment he saw her like this, he felt a stone in his chest completely dissolved. Turns out, she could smile and laugh. And for once, he felt the invisible distance closed.
***