In the past, Aburame Tetsumaru would never have been so extravagant. He used to be the kind of person who recovered materials from his dead insects; when he had the time, he wouldn't even let the bug meat go to waste. Even with the risk of prions, he figured he could sanitize it with repeated steaming and sodium hydroxide solutions.
But this batch of insects was different—drastically different.
Of course, the bugs were Tetsumaru's own creation, but he had submitted a formal request through Orochimaru. The village had agreed to reimburse him for everything: the money, the iron, the copper ingots, the medicinal reagents, and the insect feed. All of it was on the village's tab.
In a situation like this, they expected him to be frugal?
That would just be inhumane.
He was currently facing the Third Kazekage and three thousand elite Suna shinobi. This was a top-tier S-rank mission. He was risking his life leading a squad of Genin to hold the line, a feat few others could even claim to match—and they wanted him to save the village money?
Anyone who suggested that was clearly working for the Sand, a traitor trying to handicap Konoha. They were obviously malicious.
In fact, Tetsumaru figured he should probably investigate anyone who complained to see if they were a Suna sleeper agent!
He was getting the job done and the mission completed. He had already saved the village a massive amount of manpower and potential casualties. So what if he "padded the budget" a little? A few over-reported expenses here, a bit of "shrinkage" there, a couple of kickbacks... who was really going to nitpick?
Heh.
There was no feeling quite like spending other people's money while you worked. It was refreshing.
Actually, it was glorious.
Once everyone had rested, Tetsumaru began rotating Uchiha Hiro and Nara Yoshito out on harassment runs against the Suna forces. Under his direct command, the swarm's organization skyrocketed. He utilized rhythmic wave attacks and dense charges of Scythe-Mantis bugs. The Suna ninjas, who had spent the night getting used to "mindless" insect swarms, were caught off guard. It was a formal declaration: Aburame Tetsumaru was back.
The Kazekage, predictably enraged, returned to the front lines and refused to leave.
This, in turn, made Tetsumaru nervous. In a fit of "over-correction," he burned through two million insects in a single afternoon, even deploying over a hundred Explosive Flight-Locusts.
Although the Kazekage's fierce counterattacks meant the casualty count wasn't as high as he'd hoped—Tetsumaru wasn't even sure how many kills he'd actually secured—the tactical objective was achieved. Suna only managed to advance ten kilometers that day.
When night fell, Tetsumaru swapped out the exhausted insects for a fresh batch and continued the psychological warfare. He commanded the swarm to circle the Suna camp, creating a cacophony of noise and launching "soft" attacks every thirty to forty minutes.
After several feints, the Suna ninjas inevitably grew lax. Detecting the drop in alertness through his Secret Technique: Domain Field Barrier, Tetsumaru immediately launched a heavy strike. He didn't just send the Scythe-Mantis units; he personally led Hiro and Yoshito in a high-speed raid, shattering the Suna defensive line.
Knowing the Kazekage was nearby, Tetsumaru didn't overextend. After breaching the perimeter and killing a dozen Sand ninjas on the outskirts, he decisively left behind hundreds of thousands of insects to cause chaos and retreated with his students.
He went straight back to the base to sleep, leaving the rest of the night to the bugs. There was no need for another heavy assault; the noise alone was enough.
The Kazekage and his men, however, were denied even a moment's peace. Following the breach, Tetsumaru had seeded the Suna camp with over five thousand Landmine Insects. These ambush-style bugs burrowed into the ground, entered a state of hibernation, and were set to activate at random intervals.
Until dawn, bugs would pop up at unpredictable times. No one in the Suna camp could tell which patch of dirt was safe or when the next explosion would happen.
The Suna ninjas were in for a miserable night. They had three choices: endure random explosions, dig up every inch of the camp to clear the bugs, or pack up and move in the middle of the night.
Regardless of their choice, they were going to be busy. And very, very frustrated.
Tetsumaru, feeling quite pleased with himself, returned to the base and looked at his three subordinates.
"Do you want to be my students?" he asked.
Team 121 followed a standard squad model. As a Tokubetsu Jonin, Tetsumaru was the captain and responsible for their training; they already called him "Sensei" or "Teacher."
However, that wasn't a formal apprenticeship. A squad leader has a duty to guide and teach combat experience, but they rarely pass on their "bottom-of-the-box" secrets.
In public, the three Genin were only supposed to call him "Captain." Once the squad disbanded or someone was reassigned, they would simply be close comrades. Tetsumaru's question today was a proposal for a formal master-disciple bond.
They had been together for over a year and knew each other well. Tetsumaru kept the offer simple; he didn't feel the need to entice them with bribes the way Jiraiya did with Naruto.
The reactions were varied.
Nara Yoshito knelt immediately. "Teacher," he said without a second's hesitation.
He was an "isolated" member of the Ino-Shika-Cho tradition; his two childhood teammates had died in the war, leaving his future prospects dim. He was a rational boy who understood his situation perfectly. He'd been hoping for this.
Inuzuka O blinked a few times before it clicked. He let out a joyful laugh and knelt down just as decisively.
Uchiha Hiro, however, wavered.
First, there was Uchiha pride to consider. Traditionally, Uchiha only apprenticed under Jonin within the clan. The few who went outside the clan usually studied under the Hokage or his direct disciples; that was the only way to avoid clan gossip.
If he took an Aburame as his master, the clan would talk. The radicals might even target him for "disgracing" the Uchiha name.
But a teenager's rebellious streak eventually won out over hollow pride. To have a ninja as powerful as Tetsumaru-sensei as my master is my good fortune, he thought. To hell with those idiotic traditions.
But there was another reason that had been bothering him for two days. He decided to take the opportunity to ask.
"Teacher, why did you let those three Suna ninjas go?"
Tetsumaru blinked, then let out a chuckle. "Do you think I was wrong to do it?"
He then looked at the two who had already knelt. Neither looked surprised, meaning they had noticed it as well. "What about you two? What do you think?"
"Teacher did the right thing," O answered immediately.
"Oh? Why?"
"I don't know."
The blunt, unwavering answer made Tetsumaru want to laugh and cry at the same time, but it warmed his heart. O's trust was absolute.
"Yoshito, what about you?"
Yoshito had already processed the logic. "Pointless slaughter is unnecessary," he replied.
"Mm, well said." Tetsumaru turned back to the Uchiha. "Hiro, anything to add?"
Hiro thought for a moment and shook his head. "I don't think it was pointless. They are ninjas. They are combatants who will kill us given the chance."
"Alright, let me tell you my thoughts."
Tetsumaru gestured for them to sit. "First, as Yoshito said, I believe it was unnecessary slaughter."
"We are Konoha ninjas. On the battlefield, killing is our duty. If we don't kill the enemy, they will kill us, our teammates, and our friends. This is a struggle for survival; there is no room for hesitation or doubt."
"However," Tetsumaru's voice grew more resonant, "I believe we must not kill without a bottom line—not for the sake of others, but for ourselves."
"Some say ninjas are just tools. That's nonsense," Tetsumaru said firmly. "A ninja is first and foremost a human. A human has a heart: a heart for love, for empathy, for the will to fight. You need all of it."
"Without a heart, you cannot feel the beauty of the world. And if you can't feel that, how can you have an ideal? Without an ideal, without a yearning for a better life, why would we ninjas even bother risking our lives on the battlefield?"
"For glory? For money? No! It's to protect everyone in Konoha, because we have felt the beauty of this village. If not for that ideal, why would the First Hokage have set aside his hatred to build this village? Why would he have fought to end the era of the Warring States?"
Man, I'm getting good at this cheesy stuff, Tetsumaru thought. The best part is I don't even feel nauseous saying it.
"The ability to feel beauty is precious, but it's fragile. It is easily corrupted by slaughter. Therefore, when we use force, we must never cross our own line."
"I have three lines I will not cross: I do not rob or slaughter civilians, I do not engage in meaningless killing, and I do not indulge my own desires."
Hiro asked, "I understand the first and third, but what qualifies as 'meaningful' killing?"
"Killing an enemy to protect the interests of the Village or the Land of Fire, or to reduce the casualties of Konoha ninjas—that is necessary. That is meaningful."
"But if those three Suna Genin return to the battlefield as enemies," Hiro pressed, "won't they threaten the lives of Konoha ninjas then?"
Tetsumaru was silent for a moment before speaking slowly. "It's a matter of degree."
"A matter of degree?"
"Yes. Logically, your point stands. But if you follow that logic to its end, it becomes a slippery slope."
"A Suna farmer grows crops. That grain feeds the Suna ninja. A well-fed ninja has the strength to fight us. Should we kill the farmer?"
"A civilian has children. Those children might become Suna ninjas. Should we kill the civilian?"
"That... that's different."
"Is it? Are the Suna farmers and civilians not supporting their ninjas?"
"Yes, but... they aren't the same as a Genin!"
"You believe civilians shouldn't be killed. I believe those who have lost the will or ability to fight shouldn't be killed. Both could technically be threats to Konoha, but the probability and intensity of those threats differ. See? It's a matter of degree."
"Killing a Suna ninja who is an active threat is to protect your life. Sparing one who isn't is to protect your heart from getting lost in the blood."
"I still think your line is too high," Hiro muttered. "Letting them go isn't fair to other Konoha ninjas."
"Hahaha! I don't have much confidence in myself, so I chose a higher standard to stay safe. Everyone can have their own standard, as long as they have a line they won't cross."
In truth, Tetsumaru's internal calculations weren't quite so noble. Sparing three Genin was partly because he couldn't bring himself to do it—forty years of modern morality isn't easily erased.
In his previous life, there were stories of soldiers finding the children of the enemy on the battlefield. Even after all the atrocities committed by the invaders, they didn't kill the kids; they adopted them. Tetsumaru didn't think those soldiers were wrong.
But a kind heart was only part of the reason. The real reason was his environment. If Tetsumaru had been born in the Hidden Mist, he would have killed them without a second thought.
Why? Because the political climate of Konoha was shifting toward a more "benevolent" stance.
Regardless of his actual actions as a politician, Hiruzen Sarutobi was constantly preaching the Will of Fire. People were buying into it. By the end of the timeline, nearly everyone in the village would support this ideal—or at least wouldn't publicly oppose it.
Look at Jiraiya. He met three orphans in the Land of Rain. Orochimaru wanted to kill them—not because they were threats, but because he thought a quick death was kinder than starving in a war zone. Jiraiya stopped him and stayed behind to teach them. Did Jiraiya not realize he was potentially training future enemies?
Yet, including Hiruzen, who actually stopped him?
Twenty years later, those kids became Konoha's greatest enemies and leveled the village. Did anyone blame Jiraiya? No. He remained the village's undisputed heavyweight and the first choice for Hokage.
Now look at the counter-examples.
The cold, brilliant Orochimaru stayed in his lab and made massive contributions to the village. Was he rewarded? No. He ended up as a rogue ninja.
The Uchiha clan fought on the front lines from the very beginning. They sacrificed countless lives to build and grow Konoha. Did they ever get a Hokage? No. They were eventually massacred.
Setting aside Danzo's machinations, the Uchiha lost the "hearts and minds" of the village simply because they were strict enforcers who were easily painted as cold and unfeeling.
In the future, "Bonds" and "Kindness" were the political currency of Konoha. It was the irresistible tide of history. Until Tetsumaru was ready to leave Konoha for good, he had no intention of swimming against that tide.
On the contrary, he was going to craft a persona of a man who was all about bonds and kindness.
He cared deeply for his subordinates. He faced a Kage alone to save his students. Who could say he didn't value bonds?
Sure, he "accidentally" let a few non-threatening Genin go. That was a mistake, but it was a mistake that proved he had a "soft heart."
Average people would see him as someone worth befriending—not a cold, calculating machine.
High-level players would find him "safe" to keep around—someone with a small, manageable flaw who could be easily manipulated.
Most importantly, the Hokage would feel at ease.
A strategic-level ninja who could solo a thousand-man army, but had no master-disciple or clan-mainline ties to the leadership, was a liability. But a strategic ninja who was kind-hearted, soft-natured, and made minor mistakes? That was perfect.
With the Hokage's approval, Tetsumaru's life after the war would be much easier.
Hiro thought for a long time. Who knows what went through his head, but eventually, he leaned forward and bowed to Tetsumaru.
"Tetsumaru-sensei... please look after me from now on."
"Good. From this moment on, the three of you are my disciples."
Tetsumaru pulled them up. In the ninja world, becoming an apprentice was a solemn affair, but the ritual was simple: a bow, and it was done.