Chapter 67: First Steps Forward!
The morning sun painted the hospital corridor in soft golden hues as Kōzaru carefully made his way toward the main entrance, Yuki and Riku flanking him with obvious relief and excitement. After two weeks of recovery, the familiar weight of his gear felt good against his shoulders, and his enhanced senses were no longer overwhelmed by the antiseptic smell of the medical wing.
"Take it easy for the first few days," the nurse had reminded him during his final check-up. "Your body may feel fine, but you've been through significant trauma. Don't push yourself too hard."
Kōzaru nodded, though internally he was eager to get back to training. The system notifications had been quiet during his recovery, but he could feel the potential for growth thrumming beneath the surface. More importantly, he was desperate to see how Yuki and Riku were doing after their own ordeal.
As he stepped into the main hospital lobby, familiar voices caught his attention.
"Kōzaru!"
He turned to see a group of his former academy classmates approaching, their faces mixed with excitement and concern. Leading them was Asuma Sarutobi, now wearing a Konoha forehead protector and looking more mature than Kōzaru remembered. Behind him were Kurenai Yuhi, Genma Shiranui, and several others from their former academy class.
Kōzaru was shocked to see them, not having expected his old class mates to come and see him since he, Aotaka and Tatsuma had graduated before them.
"We heard what happened," Kurenai said, her red eyes bright with genuine worry. "Are you really alright? The rumours going around the village..."
"What kind of rumours?" Kōzaru asked, though he suspected he already knew.
"That you and your team fought three jōnin and lived to tell about it," Asuma said, his voice carrying a mixture of awe and disbelief. "Is it true?"
Kōzaru felt his cheeks warm slightly. "It's... complicated. We had help."
"Still," Genma interjected, a senbon needle dangling from his lips, "taking on jōnin-level opponents at our age? That's incredible."
"We just did what we had to do," Kōzaru replied, unconsciously reaching down to scratch Yuki behind the ears. The familiar motion grounded him, reminding him of what was truly important.
"Your ninken look good," Kurenai observed, kneeling down to Riku's level. "We heard they were poisoned too."
"They're tough," Kōzaru said with obvious pride. "Tougher than I gave them credit for."
"So what's next for Team Fifteen?" Asuma asked. "Are you going back to missions immediately?"
"Actually, we're taking some time to recover properly," Kōzaru explained. "Minato-sensei is away on a mission, so we're supposed to focus on individual training and spending time with our families."
"Lucky," Genma muttered. "Even since we graduated our sensei has had us doing D-rank missions. Yesterday we spent four hours looking for a lost cat that turned out to be stuck in a tree the whole time."
The normalcy of their complaints brought a smile to Kōzaru's face. It was strange how quickly life-or-death combat could change one's perspective on routine missions. What had once seemed tedious now felt almost luxurious in its simplicity.
"Its nice to see that you all graduated from the academy, we should all train together sometime!" Kōzaru said, a smile forming on his face as he looked at all of them, knowing they would one day grow up and play important roles in the village.
"Well, we should let you get going," Asuma said, though his expression remained curious. "But maybe when you're feeling better, you could tell us more about what really happened out there."
"Maybe," Kōzaru agreed, though he knew that some experiences couldn't be properly shared with words alone.
As his former classmates dispersed, Kōzaru reflected on how different he felt from them now. They were still adjusting to being genin, still learning what it meant to be ninja. But he and his teammates had crossed a threshold that couldn't be uncrossed—they had faced death and survived, and that experience had fundamentally changed them.
The walk through the village toward the Inuzuka compound was peaceful, with both Yuki and Riku staying close to his sides. Citizens and shinobi alike seemed to recognise him, offering nods of respect or small smiles that spoke to his growing reputation. It was gratifying, but also somewhat overwhelming for someone who had once been just another academy student.
As they approached the familiar wooden gates of the Inuzuka compound, Kōzaru's enhanced senses immediately picked up a scent that made him pause. There was someone unfamiliar in the compound—young, female, with the distinctive musk that marked her as an Inuzuka, but more mature than he was used to.
"Looks like we have a visitor," he murmured to his ninken, who had also noticed the scent, growing excited.
The compound looked exactly as he remembered, but there was an air of expectation that hadn't been there before. Several clan members were gathered near the main training area, and he could see his mother's distinctive silhouette among them.
"Kōzaru!" Mika's voice carried across the compound as she spotted him approaching. "Perfect timing. There's someone I want you to meet."
As they drew closer, Kōzaru's breath caught in his throat. Standing beside his mother was a young woman who could only be Tsume Inuzuka, though she was much younger than he had expected. At eighteen, she was tall and lean, with wild brown hair that seemed to have a life of its own and the characteristic red fang markings of their clan. Her eyes held an intensity that reminded him of his mother, but with a warmth that spoke to her protective nature.
Beside her stood a massive ninken that made Kōzaru's eyes widen in recognition. Kuromaru was enormous, easily the size of a wolf, with dark fur and two perfectly intact eyes that gleamed with intelligence. The legendary hound's presence was commanding, and even Yuki and Riku seemed to sense his importance.
"So your famous now, eh little Kōzaru," Tsume said, her voice carrying the same gruff affection that characterised Inuzuka speech patterns. "The kid who survived jōnin-level combat and lived to tell about it."
"Tsume-san," Kōzaru said, offering a respectful bow. "Thank you for taking care of Yuki and Riku whilst I was recovering."
"Don't mention it, kid," she replied, though her eyes softened slightly. "Any ninken brave enough to take poison meant for their partner deserves the best care we can give." She said, watching as Yuki and Riku barked and wagged their tails towards her.
Kuromaru padded forward, his massive form moving with surprising grace. When he spoke, his voice was deep and resonant, carrying the authority of years of experience.
"Your partners fought well, kid," the great hound said, his gaze moving between Yuki and Riku. "They showed courage beyond their years." The wolf said, taking Kōzaru by surprise as he had forgotten the thing could talk.
Well, they're the best partners I could ask for." He said, rubbing the back of his head with a surprised smile, wondering Riku and Yuki would ever grow so large and be able to talk like that.
"Good," Kuromaru rumbled approvingly. "The bond between human and ninken is sacred. It must be earned through mutual respect and shared danger."
"Which brings us to why we're here," Mika interjected, her tone becoming more serious. "What you three did on that cliff road... it's gotten the attention of the entire clan. The elders want to meet you formally."
Kōzaru felt a flutter of nervousness. Meeting the clan elders was a significant honour, but it also carried weight and expectations he wasn't sure he was ready for.
"They want to assess your potential," Tsume explained, her expression growing thoughtful. "See if you're ready for some of the advanced clan techniques. Your performance against jōnin-level opponents suggests it might be time to intensify your training runt."
"Advanced techniques?" Kōzaru asked, his mind immediately going to the powerful abilities he knew the Inuzuka clan possessed.
"Things that are normally taught to chūnin-level clan members," his mother said. "But exceptional circumstances sometimes call for exceptional training."
The implications hit him like a physical blow. Advanced Inuzuka techniques could dramatically increase his combat effectiveness, potentially giving him abilities that would help him and his teammates face the challenges he knew were coming.
"When?" he asked, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice.
"Tomorrow," Tsume replied. "The elders are gathering specifically to meet you. It's... unusual for someone so young to receive this kind of attention."
"No pressure," Kuromaru added with what might have been amusement. "Just the expectations of the entire clan resting on your shoulders."
Kōzaru couldn't help but laugh at the great hound's dry humour, surprised even more that the ninken could make jokes. "I'll try not to disappoint."
"You won't," Mika said firmly. "You're my son, and you're an Inuzuka. That means you don't back down from challenges."
As the family gathering began to disperse, Tsume approached him with a more serious expression.
"Can I talk to you privately for a moment?" she asked, glancing around to make sure they wouldn't be overheard.
Kōzaru nodded, following her to a quieter corner of the compound whilst Yuki and Riku played with some of the other clan dogs.
"What you did out there," Tsume began, her voice quiet but intense, "protecting those civilians, standing your ground against impossible odds... it reminded me of stories I've heard about your father."
The mention of his father made Kōzaru's heart skip a beat. In his previous life, he had spent countless hours wondering about the backgrounds of minor characters, but now he was living as one of them.
"You knew him?" he asked.
"I was just a kid when he died," Tsume replied, her expression growing distant. "But the older clan members still talk about him sometimes. They say he had the same instincts, the same willingness to put others before himself."
She paused, studying his face intently. "The clan elders... they see potential in you. Big potential. But they also remember what happened to your father, how his heroics ultimately led to his death."
"What are you saying?" Kōzaru asked, though he thought he already knew.
"I'm saying be careful," Tsume said bluntly. "Courage is valuable, but dead heroes don't protect anyone. You've got your whole life ahead of you, and partners who depend on you. Don't throw that away for glory."
The advice hit deeper than she probably realised. In his previous life, he had always admired the heroic sacrifices in the Naruto series, but living in this world had taught him that such sacrifices left real people behind to grieve.
"I understand," he said quietly. "I'll be careful."
"Good," Tsume said, her expression softening. "Now, let's go see how those partners of yours are getting along with the pack." She said as she hit him on the back, causing his whole body to shake from the force.
As they walked back toward the main compound, Kōzaru reflected on the strange turns his life had taken. Two weeks ago, he had been just another genin trying to prove himself. Now he was apparently being considered for advanced clan training, with the respect of legendary ninken and the expectations of his entire extended family.
The future remained uncertain, but for the first time since waking up in the hospital, he felt genuinely excited about what lay ahead. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but tonight he could enjoy being home, surrounded by family and the comforting presence of his ninken partners.