Left standing in the open by Kaito, Murakami closed his eyes and carefully sensed the area for a few seconds and noticed that Kaito's presence was absent.
'That must've been a clone then.' Murakami concluded and turned off his mental energy and opened his eyes. 'Now…what to do…'
His gaze fell to the two boys he had a clear understanding of from observation and considered his next move carefully.
He could remain the aloof person he projected or he could genuinely engage with them as much as he could. But…
'I really don't have it in me to coddle kids.' he shook his head.
Murakami understands how difficult it was to change a person genuinely set on his path. He also understands that at the end of the day, it's the individual himself who advises themselves.
It was like trying to make a smoke addict see the disadvantages of smoking. No matter how horrifying it may be, the moment they get their hands on some cash, their next thought is to smoke.
The upside in Murakami's case is the fact that they were 12 years old so their minds were still mouldable.
The only problem is the level of maturity kids in this world exhibit.
"How about we find someplace to sit and get to chat amongst ourselves." Murakami said, breaking the silence in the field.
"Uh..yeah, that's a great idea." Hideki, who had been stunned by Kaito's disappearance, collected himself and said. "I was just thinking the same thing." He added.
"What do you think, Sora-kun?" Murakami turned to the last member of their team.
"I've got nothing better to do anyways." He said and looked away coolly.
'An interesting kid.' Murakami thought as he nodded outwardly. "Then I believe I have the perfect place." He said and turned. "Come with me."
The two looked at each other before falling behind Murakami.
Although they had their respective thoughts about this moody teammate of theirs, they couldn't exactly voice them out.
As they were lost in thought, Murakami's calm words cut through their thoughts.
"Hideki-kun, you have quite the strong body for a kid and the skills to match so you have some understanding on what strength is."
Murakami paused at this point. "What do you think strength is?"
Motomiya Hideki was a civilian kid with a Shinobi father and a normal seamstress as a mother.
Because his father was Chunin, he grew up under a pseudo-systematic Shinobi upbringing.
Strength was strength…wasn't it?
Was his honest answer to Murakami's question, but just as he was about to voice his thoughts, Sora curious voice beat him to it.
"Strength is the ability to perform a technique, isn't it?"
Nani!?
Hideki paused and looked at his teammate. "What are you talking about, strength is strength. As long as you're the winner in a brawl, you are the one with the most strength, aren't you?"
"You muscle head." Sora sneered in disdain. "Technique is a part of strength, just as power is a part of strength. Technique directs how power is used effectively and that constitutes strength."
"Huh?" Hideki looked like someone who got lost but Sora ignored him and looked at Murakami walking a few paces ahead of them.
"Why ask such a complicated question to such a simpleton?" He asked and without missing a beat, Murakami's reply came.
"Because he's the only one who can relate." He paused and allowed Sora to catch up. "And I do appreciate your answer, so let me ask you this."
Both Sora and Hideki reached Murakami and stopped. "Do you think you have the strength to go up against Kaito-sensei?"
"Huh?"
Hideki and Sora expected different questions like. "Don't you think we should establish who's got the most strength." "Why don't we decide who's stronger?"
Hideki aside, Sora had already been offended by Murakami's opening remark leading to his question. He felt like he was being looked down upon considering he didn't exactly look strong.
"You both heard me." Murakami said. "Do you think you have the strength to go up against Kaito-sensei Sensei tomorrow?"
The three exchanged glances amongst themselves, each with their own thoughts.
"Why would we need to fight Kaito-sensei…and tomorrow?" Sora broke the momentary silence.
Hideki nodded.
"He only told us to return to the training ground tomorrow morning on an empty stomach."
"And why would he do that?" Murakami asked as he glanced between the two. "You think he's gonna prepare breakfast for his cute little students?"
The disdain in his voice could be felt and Hideki's expression fell while Sora's lips twitched.
Although he wasn't the one Murakami was talking to, he felt like it was, because like Hideki, he had thought of that too, but scrubbed it.
Murakami shook his head then turned and continued walking, his hands now crossed behind him.
"Are you saying we're going to fight him?" Sora asked as he followed behind him.
Murakami nodded. "Highly probable."
"We won't be sent back to the academy for any reason, so-"
"But Sensei said he'd do that." Hideki's annoyed voice interrupted Murakami.
"He said it'd be the least of our worries." Sora corrected and turned to Murakami. "Ignore the muscle head."
Murakami however shook his head. "We would have time to discuss in much details in a while, in the meantime, how about we discuss amongst ourselves and set some simple boundaries?"
…
…
Some Hours Ago.
The posted list outside the academy gates was crowded with students by mid-morning as Aiko pushed through the throng, her eyes scanning the names quickly.
She found hers under Team 9: Tanaka Aiko, Yoshida Miko, Fujiwara Yui, and Sato Kenji.
(A/N: I don't remember giving Aiko a surname, but if I hadn't, this would be it for now.)
Three girls and one boy, just as she'd hoped.
'Too bad I am not in the same team as Murakami.' she thought but then shook her head and turned to leave for the classroom, the names and faces of her teammates appearing on her mind.
Unlike Murakami, she was quite familiar with her classmates so she knew who Miko, Yui and Kenji were.
They were not in the standard three man cell, but four. Aiko had an idea why. They were all in the Medical Jutsu class…all except Kenji, but she couldn't be bothered to care about that.
If there was one thing she learnt from listening to Murakami talk like an old man, it's that you waste mental energy thinking about things you can't control.
Mental energy is important and couldn't be wasted on unimportant thoughts.
As she reached the classroom, she didn't waste time and located the three following which the four of them sat clustered near the front.
Miko had short brown hair and sharp eyes that could be intimidating.
Yui was quiet, wide-eyed girl with a braid down her back.
Kenji was slouched in his seat, arms crossed, looking bored.
Aiko took the empty chair between Miko and Yui, offering a bright smile.
"Aiko-desu, and from the looks of it, we'll be a team from today."
Miko nodded. "Yoshida Miko. Nice to meet you."
"Fujiwara Yui," the other girl added softly, fidgeting with her sleeve.
"Kenji," the boy grunted from behind them, not looking up.
Before Aiko could say more, the door slid open as a woman who appeared to be in her mid-20s entered.
She was lean, with short black hair tied back and the standard chūnin vest over a medic's white coat.
Her eyes were tired but kind, and a faint scent of herbal salve followed her into the room.
"I'm Inoue Mika," she said, her voice calm but firm. "Team 9, with me."
With that, she turned and left the classroom. The four exchanged glances before scurrying to follow with Kenji grumbling to himself about how he ended up being in a medic unit.
Aiko on the other hand, marvelled at the turn of events.
Murakami wasn't wrong. The auxiliary classes she frequented regularly in addition to the general classes decided the unit she was assigned under as a Genin.
And with the war raging on, Konoha needed more healers fast.
Aiko felt a small thrill; since beginning her training with Murakami months ago, she had seen qualitative improvement in her chakra control.
Theoretical knowledge aside, she was confident she would make a real difference since Medical jutsu required a superb level of chakra control.
The walk stretched in silence as they followed Inoue outside of the academy.
As they walked, Inoue glanced back at them and sighed inwardly, she wasn't cut out for this.
"You've been assigned to me because Konoha needs medics more than ever. The front lines are bleeding out faster than we can train healers. Starting tomorrow, you report to the health center at dawn. Expect long hours: mornings on chakra control exercises, afternoons shadowing in the wards, evenings on medical theory and herbology. No combat missions until I say you're ready. Your job is to stay alive long enough to keep others that way."
She ended and expected to series of negative reactions from the kids, however, other than the boy who has had a grumpy expression since they left the classroom, the others barely had a change of expression.
One even seemed excited for some reason. 'Has the quality of Genin improved or is my luck just good?' she wondered.
"Sensei, I don't understand why I was assigned to your team?" The boy who had the grumpy expression asked causing her rising impression to waver a bit.
Hearing the question that didn't sound like a question Inoue glanced at him then shook her head. 'He is a boy after all. Probably still hung up on the fantasy of heroism.'
"If you don't know how would I know?"
Inoue sighed afterwards because she was also curious. What was the point in adding this guy in her team?
When she saw his name and qualifications, he was also baffled, but who was she to question the Hokahe office?
But still... didn't she have much on her hands already?
She could only swallow her bitterness and perform her task. She only needed to get some added points on her profile to get promoted to squad leader.
So she could use the additional points being a sensei would provide.
They soon arrived at the health center, a large building with wide doors.
It wasn't the massive structure it'll turn out to be in the future, but none of them knew that.
Inoue brought them to a room filled with scrolls, herbs, and medical practice dummies.
"For today, observe the hospital operations at your discretion and familiarize yourself with the internal and external layout of the hospital and then get enough rest, tomorrow starts early. Dismissed."
She didn't wait to get their response and swiftly left.
The four genin exchanged glances as Inoue left, unsure of what to do, well, all except Aiko who grinned before breaking the quiet.
"Okay, that was not what I was expecting! But exciting, right? Anyways let's chat and get to know each other as we check out the place."
She gestured for them to follow her and left the room excitedly. She often frequented the health center as a student but was restricted from various areas because of her status.
Now, she was a Genin and could learn and go to places not previously privy to her.
With Aiko in the lead, Miko and Yui exchanged glances before nodding and following behind her.
Seeing this, Kenji had no other options than to follow along.
Hours later, the group had managed to learn the necessary rooms they were allowed access to within the hospital and the ones they weren't much to Aiko's annoyance.
So even as a genin, there were still restrictions.
The external layout of the health center was also explored by them while they chattered amongst themselves.
Aiko cheerfully talked about how she couldn't wait to learn medical ninjutsu which Miko and Yui mirrored but Kenji just looked lost as he followed along.
Miko shared that she came from a civilian family with a history of healers so she was shared in Aiko's excitement.
Yui admitted she was nervous about fighting which was why she was excited at not having to go to war.
Kenji grunted that he just wanted to "understand what he was doing here." His frustration only deepened with the incessant chatter of the girls.
He'd attempted to just leave, but Aiko wasn't standing for it. She'd get in his way at each junction.
Even when he thought her attention was no longer on him, as soon as he tried to sneak away, she be on him instantly.
He pride wouldn't allow him to lash out at a girl, and the girl being Aiko in particular.
Amongst their group of civilian Genins, she was the undisputed strongest in hand to hand combat.
With this in mind, Kenji could only swallow his pride and anger and follow along.
Time passed and soon enough the sun began setting behind the horizon, leaving the group debating their next move.
Aiko suddenly snapped her fingers. "Oh! I know the perfect spot. A friend of mine, Murakami, our classmate, invited me over for dinner tonight. Said I could bring my new team if I wanted. He's got this nice place, and the food's always good. You guys in?"
Miko tilted her head. "Murakami? The quiet one from class?"
"That guy?" Kenji muttered more to himself than to Aiko.
He thought Murakami was an orphan. How come he had a place of his own? Was she talking about the orphanage?
He glanced at Aiko then shook his head. That seemed unlikely. If it was, Aiko wouldn't have said "his place".
"Sure, why not." Miko nodded after a brief pause. She had no impression of Murakami other than the fact that he was always quiet and expressionless.
"Sure." Yui brightened. "Sounds fun."
Unlike Miko, she had some impression of Murakami, though it was unclear how.
Kenji had given up trying to understand and just shrugged. "Free food? Yeah."
Aiko beamed. "Great! Let's head over now."