Training Ground 18 was a stark contrast to the dense forests of the other zones. It was a rocky expanse, dotted with large boulders and sparse vegetation, designed for visibility and maneuvering rather than stealth.
Kagami Uchiha stood in the center, his hands hanging loosely by his sides. His Sharingan was active, three tomoe spinning lazily in pools of crimson. He didn't project killing intent; instead, he radiated a calm, absolute awareness that felt like standing in the eye of a storm.
Facing him stood the newly formed Team 9.
"The objective is simple," Kagami said, his voice carrying over the wind. "Kill me."
He smiled, a gentle expression that didn't reach his battle-hardened eyes.
"Or at least, try to. I want to see your killing intent. I want to see how you function when the safety protocols are removed. Do not hold back. If you manage to land a lethal blow, I will be proud, not dead."
Might Duy stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. He wore his green jumpsuit like a suit of armor. "I WILL SHOW YOU THE POWER OF YOUTH, SENSEI! PREPARE YOURSELF!"
Sakumo Hatake drew the short tantō strapped to his back. The blade gleamed in the afternoon sun. He fell into a kenjutsu stance that was low and balanced. He didn't speak; his focus narrowed entirely on the threat.
Nanami Kento stood slightly behind them. He didn't draw a weapon. He assumed a relaxed posture, his hands open. His aura—his Ten—was tight against his skin, invisible to the Sharingan but shielding him like plate mail.
"Begin!" Kagami ordered.
Duy exploded off the mark.
"DYNAMIC ENTRY!"
He launched a flying side kick that shattered the sound barrier. It was fast, heavy, and direct.
Kagami didn't dodge. He raised a forearm.
BOOM.
The impact kicked up a cloud of dust. Kagami slid back a few inches, absorbing the kinetic energy with chakra reinforcement.
"Good power," Kagami noted.
Before he could counter, a silver blur cut through the dust.
Sakumo Hatake.
He used Duy's attack as cover. While Kagami was braced against the kick, Sakumo slid low, aiming a slash at Kagami's exposed hamstring.
It was a veteran move. Using a teammate's distraction to strike a vital point.
Kagami's eyes tracked it. He hopped, flipping over Sakumo's blade.
"Predictable timing," Kagami commented mid-air.
But as he flipped, he found Nanami Kento waiting for him.
Nanami wasn't on the ground. He had anticipated the dodge. He was in the air, level with Kagami's face.
Nanami's fist was already moving. It wasn't a chakra-enhanced punch; it was a pure physical strike driven by thousands of hours of repetition.
Kagami's Sharingan widened. He didn't react to my dodge. He moved to where I would be forced to go.
As Kagami crossed his arms to block, a shiver went down his spine that had nothing to do with the impending impact. The positioning. The absolute lack of wasted movement. The cold calculation in the boy's eyes.
It feels... familiar, Kagami realized, a sense of déjà vu washing over him. This isn't Academy training. This is him. He moves exactly like Lord Tobirama.
CRACK.
Nanami's fist connected with Kagami's forearms. The force spiked Kagami into the ground.
Kagami landed, bending his knees to absorb the fall. He immediately backflipped as Duy and Sakumo rushed him again.
The fight evolved into a high-speed dance.
Duy was the hammer. He kept the pressure on, forcing Kagami to constantly move or block. He had endless stamina, throwing punch after punch with shouting enthusiasm.
Sakumo was the scalpel. He wove around Duy, striking at Kagami's blind spots, forcing the Jonin to split his attention.
And Nanami... Nanami was the ghost.
He didn't commit to long exchanges. He hovered on the periphery. Whenever Kagami prepared a counter-jutsu, Nanami was there to interrupt it with a precision strike. Whenever Duy overextended, Nanami was there to pull him back or cover his opening.
Kagami launched a Fireball Jutsu.
Nanami didn't use water. He threw a kunai with a modified explosive tag—the Silent Strike variant. It imploded the air in front of the fireball, creating a vacuum that snuffed the flames instantly.
"Impressive," Kagami muttered, landing on a boulder.
He looked at the three Genin.
"Enough."
The team stopped. Duy was panting but grinning. Sakumo sheathed his blade, his breathing controlled. Nanami simply straightened his collar.
Kagami jumped down. He deactivated his Sharingan.
"Duy," Kagami started. "Your physical parameters are Jonin-level. Your stamina is monstrous. But you telegraph every move. You shout the name of your attack before you launch it. Against a skilled opponent, you are giving them an engraved invitation to counter you."
"BUT SENSEI! THE NAME GIVES IT POWER!"
"The name gives it away. Work on silent lethality."
Kagami turned to Sakumo.
"Sakumo. Your technique is flawless. You fight like a Chunin, not a Genin. You used Duy effectively as a shield and a distraction. However, you are rigid. You stick to the Hatake style too strictly. When I disrupted your rhythm, you hesitated for a microsecond to reset your stance. In war, that microsecond is death."
Sakumo nodded, his face serious. "Understood. Adaptability."
Finally, Kagami looked at Nanami.
"And you."
Kagami shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips.
"You were the only one actually fighting me, not just throwing attacks. You read the flow of the battle. You covered Duy's openings before he even made them. You set up Sakumo's strikes. You act as a force multiplier."
He tapped his temple.
"You fight with your head. That is good. But don't be afraid to take the lead. You have the power to finish fights, not just manage them."
"Efficiency dictates that I conserve energy if my teammates are willing to expend theirs," Nanami replied.
Kagami laughed. "Fair enough. You pass. All of you."
He pulled out a scroll.
"Meet me at the Hokage Tower tomorrow at 08:00. We start missions. Real ones."
"YES! MISSIONS!" Duy cheered.
"Dismissed."
Kagami vanished in a body flicker.
Nanami looked at his teammates. The sun was beginning to dip, casting the training ground in gold. They were sweaty, dusty, and officially a squad.
"I am hungry," Nanami announced. "Barbecue?"
Duy's eyes lit up. "MEAT! THE FUEL OF YOUTH!"
Sakumo smiled, a rare, genuine expression that softened his sharp features. "Barbecue sounds acceptable. I haven't eaten since breakfast."
The Yakiniku Q restaurant was crowded, filled with smoke and the smell of grilling meat. Team 9 claimed a booth in the back.
It was a study in contrasts.
Might Duy ate like a vacuum cleaner. He didn't chew; he inhaled. Plates of beef vanished into his mouth at a terrifying speed.
"DELICIOUS!" Duy shouted, grill tongs in one hand, a bowl of rice in the other.
Sakumo ate with precise, almost surgical manners. He cooked each piece of meat to the exact second of perfection, dipped it lightly in sauce, and ate it silently.
Nanami sat between them, managing the grill. He flipped the meat with the dexterity of a seal master.
"So," Sakumo said, placing a piece of short rib on his rice. "Nanami. I've heard rumors about you. They say you're the Second Hokage's personal student."
"Yes," Nanami said, placing a perfectly charred slice of beef onto Duy's plate before the boy could try to eat it raw. "I have been his student for 5 and a half years. I also debug his jutsu."
"Debug?" Sakumo tilted his head.
"Improve," Nanami corrected. "And you, Hatake-san. You graduated early. Why the reassignment?"
Sakumo hesitated. He looked at his tea.
"My previous team... suffered casualties during a border skirmish," Sakumo said quietly. "I was the only survivor. The administration decided I needed a 'fresh start' with a new cell."
The table went quiet. Even Duy stopped chewing for a second.
"I see," Nanami said. He didn't offer empty pity. He simply placed the best cut of meat—a marbled wagyu slice—onto Sakumo's plate. "A Kenjutsu specialist in the team increases our tactical options significantly."
Sakumo looked at the meat. He looked at Nanami.
"Thanks," he whispered.
"WE SHALL BE THE STRONGEST TEAM!" Duy declared, breaking the tension. "WE WILL NEVER LEAVE A COMRADE BEHIND! I SWEAR IT ON MY GREEN JUMPSUIT!"
"Let us swear it on something with more dignity," Nanami suggested. "Like this bill."
They ate until the sun went down. Nanami paid the tab(Healing tags fetched a lot of money).
"See you tomorrow," Sakumo said, bowing slightly before heading towards the Hatake district.
"GOODNIGHT, KENTO! I WILL RUN HOME ON MY HANDS TO DIGEST!" Duy shouted, inverting himself and sprinting away.
Nanami stood alone on the street. He checked his watch.
19:00. Schedule adherence is optimal.
He turned and began walking toward the Senju compound.
Halfway there, a figure dropped from a rooftop and landed beside him.
"You smell like smoke," Tsunade Senju said, wrinkling her nose.
She wore casual training clothes, her single ponytail bouncing as she fell into step beside him.
"Barbecue," Nanami explained. "Team bonding initiative."
"Without me?" Tsunade feigned hurt. "I thought we were a duo."
"We are a duo," Nanami assured her. "But I have a new department to manage. Team 9. Duy and Sakumo Hatake."
"Sakumo seems cool. Duy is..." Tsunade searched for a polite word. "Intense."
"He is enthusiastic. It is a quality that can be weaponized."
They walked in comfortable silence. The village lanterns flickered on, casting warm glows on the wooden streets.
"Where are we going?" Tsunade asked, though she clearly knew. She was walking the same way.
"Mito-sama summoned me," Nanami said. "She said she had a graduation gift."
"Me too," Tsunade grinned. "She told me to meet her in the garden. She was super secretive about it."
They reached the massive gates of the Senju compound. They walked through the winding paths to the inner garden.
Mito Uzumaki was waiting.
She sat on a stone bench beneath the oldest cherry tree in the compound. A tea set was laid out on a low table. She looked serene, the moonlight reflecting off the diamond seal on her forehead.
"You're late," Mito said softly, though her eyes were smiling.
"We were delayed by meat," Tsunade admitted, sitting down next to her grandmother.
Nanami bowed. "Good evening, Shishou."
"Sit, Kento."
Nanami sat.
Mito looked at the two of them. Her granddaughter, strong and fierce. And her disciple, the boy who had rewritten her clan's legacy with cold logic.
"You have both graduated," Mito said. "You are Genin of Konoha. That means you are adults in the eyes of the village."
She took a sip of tea.
"I have taught you both Fuinjutsu. Kento, you have mastered the theory. Tsunade, you have... persisted with the brushwork."
"Hey!" Tsunade protested.
"But a ninja needs more than just seals," Mito continued. "You need allies. Allies that will never betray you. Allies that will carry you when your legs fail."
She pointed to a large, ornate box sitting on the grass.
"Tsunade. Bring it here."
Tsunade stood up and grabbed the box. It was heavy. She placed it on the table.
Mito placed her hand on the lid. She pulsed her chakra. The locking seal clicked and hissed.
She opened it.
Inside lay a single, massive scroll. It was white, with green ends. The kanji for Slug was written on the side.
Nanami's breath hitched.
The Shikkotsu Forest Contract.
One of the Three Great Sage Regions. The legendary summon of the Sannin.
"This," Mito said, touching the scroll reverently, "is the contract with the Great Slug Sage, Katsuyu. It has been in the Senju family since my husband's time, though he rarely used it. He preferred his wood style."
She looked at them.
"Katsuyu is a healer. A protector. She does not fight with rage; she fights with acid and preservation. She can divide herself to protect thousands, or combine to crush mountains."
Mito unrolled the scroll. It was filled with names written in blood. Hashirama Senju. Tobirama Senju. Mito Uzumaki.
There were large blank spaces at the end.
"I want you both to sign it," Mito said.
Tsunade gasped. "Me? But... I haven't even mastered medical ninjutsu yet!"
"You will," Mito said confidently. "It is in your blood. And Katsuyu will help you learn."
She turned to Nanami.
"And you, Kento. You are not a Senju by blood. But you are a Senju by spirit. You understand the value of preservation. Your 'Healing Tags' prove that."
"I..." Nanami hesitated. This was a deviation. A massive one. In the original history, only Tsunade signed this. "This is a clan treasure, Shishou. Is it appropriate for an outsider?"
"There are no outsiders in this garden," Mito said firmly. "Sign it. Consider it your graduation gift. And your responsibility. Katsuyu is lonely. She enjoys conversation."
Nanami looked at the scroll.
A summon. A Sage summon.
His Enhancement reinforced his body. His Conjuration would create tools or animals. But he lacked a massive, external force for large-scale battles. Katsuyu was perfect. She was the ultimate tank. She provided healing, acid attacks, and information networks through her divisions.
"I accept," Nanami said.
"Ladies first," Mito gestured.
Tsunade bit her thumb. She winced, then pressed her bloody digit to the parchment. She wrote her name in bold, sweeping strokes.
Senju Tsunade.
She marked it with her fingerprints.
"Your turn, genius," she grinned, sliding the scroll to him.
Nanami bit his thumb. He focused. He didn't just write his name; he infused his intent into the ink.
Nanami Kento.
He pressed his five fingers down. The paper absorbed the blood greedily.
"Done," Nanami said.
Mito nodded. She rolled up the scroll.
"Now," she said. "Introduce yourselves."
She demonstrated the hand signs. Boar. Dog. Bird. Monkey. Ram.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Tsunade and Nanami mirrored her. They molded their chakra. They slammed their hands onto the grass.
POOF.
Two clouds of white smoke erupted.
When the smoke cleared, two creatures sat on the grass.
They were slugs. White bodies with blue streaks running down their backs. They were small—about the size of a cat—which was expected for a first summon with limited chakra usage.
"Oh my," a soft, polite voice echoed in their heads. "New summoners? And two of them?"
The slug in front of Tsunade bowed its eye-stalks. "Greetings. I am a division of Katsuyu. It is a pleasure to meet you, Tsunade-sama."
Tsunade squealed, leaning down. "Hi! I'm Tsunade! I'm going to be the best medical ninja ever!"
Then, the slug in front of Nanami looked at Tsunade.
"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Tsunade-sama," the second slug chirped. "Katsuyu is happy to serve the Senju line."
Tsunade froze. She looked at Nanami's slug. She looked at her own slug. Then she looked at Nanami.
"Wait a minute," Tsunade frowned. "I didn't introduce myself to that one. How does it know my name?"
Nanami didn't look surprised. He simply adjusted his sleeve.
"They are a hive mind, Tsunade," Nanami explained calmly. "They are not separate entities. They are divisions of a singular whole. Information shared with one is instantaneously available to all others, regardless of distance. It is the ultimate wireless network."
Tsunade's eyes widened. "A hive mind? So if I tell this one a secret..."
"Every piece of Katsuyu in the world knows it," Nanami finished. "So be careful what you say."
"That's... useful," Tsunade admitted, though she looked a little unnerved. "But also creepy."
"It is efficient," Nanami countered.
He turned to his summon and bowed respectfully.
"Nanami Kento," he introduced himself. "I am an efficiency specialist. I look forward to a mutually beneficial partnership."
Katsuyu blinked. "Efficiency specialist? That is a new one. But you have a very... dense spiritual energy, Kento-sama. Your chakra feels heavy."
"It is reinforced," Nanami explained. "I hope that is not an issue."
"Not at all. It feels... safe."
Nanami smiled.
Mito watched them, sipping her tea. The moonlight filtered through the cherry blossoms.
"The next generation," she whispered to the empty garden. "They will be strong."
Nanami looked up at the moon. He felt the connection to the forest now, a tug in his gut that linked him to a place far away.
He had a team. He had a master. And now, he had a summon.
Phase 3: Survival is complete, he thought.
Phase 4: Expansion.
"Dispelling," Nanami said.
Poof.
The slugs vanished, returning to the Shikkotsu Forest.
"Thank you, Shishou," Nanami said, standing up. "This is invaluable."
"Use it well," Mito said. "Now go home. You have a mission tomorrow. Kagami doesn't like tardiness."
"Neither do I."
Nanami and Tsunade walked out of the compound together.
"So," Tsunade said, bumping his shoulder. "We're both slug summoners now. That makes us like... partners."
"It makes us contract holders of the same entity," Nanami corrected.
"Partners," she insisted.
Nanami looked at her. She was smiling, genuinely happy.
"Partners," Nanami conceded softly.
He walked her to the fork in the road.
"Goodnight, Tsunade."
"Night, Kento!"
She ran off toward the main house.
Nanami turned toward the bakery.
He felt the weight of the bone brush in his pocket. He felt the phantom sensation of the contract on his fingertips.
He was ready for the world.
And God help anyone who got in his way.