The Evening at Tazuna's House
Johan woke up in Tazuna's house, the evening light filtering through the windows. He stretched and went downstairs, where Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke, and the others were setting the table for dinner. Tazuna's grandson, Inari, was sulking in the corner, his mood as sour as ever. Johan could hear the faint clatter of dishes and the murmur of conversation as he entered the room.
"Hey, Johan," Sakura greeted him with a smile. "Dinner's almost ready. Take a seat."
Johan nodded, sitting down at the table. The aroma of freshly cooked food filled the air, and for a moment, the tension of the mission seemed to fade. But as they began eating, the familiar argument between Naruto and Inari erupted.
"Ninjas are useless!" Inari snapped, his voice filled with bitterness. "They can't protect anyone. All they do is cause trouble!"
Naruto slammed his hands on the table, his face red with anger. "What do you know, brat? Ninjas are the ones who protect people like you! You're just too weak to see it!"
Johan stayed quiet, letting the others handle the drama. He understood Inari's pain, but he also knew Naruto's frustration. After dinner, everyone went to bed, but Johan stayed awake, his mind focused on his plan.
Late that night, Johan sneaked out of the house. Using the information Tazuna and the villagers had briefly mentioned, he made his way to Gato's base. He moved silently, blending into the shadows of the trees with his shadow manipulation techniques. The forest was eerily quiet, the only sound the rustling of leaves in the wind.
After a while, he arrived at a large, imposing Japanese-style mansion—Gato's headquarters. Johan observed the guards at the entrance, their movements predictable and sluggish. With swift, precise strikes, he knocked them out, ensuring they wouldn't raise the alarm.
He then summoned Rabbit Escape, combining it with his Divine Wolf technique to create a new fusion—Dire Rabbits. These creatures, with sharp teeth and a feral appearance, lurked in his shadow, ready to be unleashed. Johan took a deep breath and walked straight into the mansion, letting the guards notice him.
The guards tried to intimidate him, but Johan remained calm, his expression cold and unreadable. "Take me to Gato," he said, his voice low and commanding. The guards hesitated but eventually led him to a grand hall where Gato sat, drinking and surrounded by his lackeys.
Gato sneered at Johan, his voice dripping with disdain. "What does a kid like you want here? Who sent you?"
Johan didn't respond, his gaze fixed on Gato. The crime boss shouted at his guards to throw Johan out, but before they could move, Johan punched one of them, sending him flying. He then released his Dire Rabbits, the sharp-toothed creatures crawling out of his shadow in an endless swarm. They attacked the bandits mercilessly, the room quickly devolving into chaos.
Gato, realizing the danger, tried to run, but Johan's shadow toad shot out its tongue, wrapping around Gato's leg and dragging him back. Gato fell to the ground, begging for his life. "Please, let me go! I'll give you all the money you want!"
Johan's expression remained cold. "Take me to your treasury. And write down all the places you've hidden your money. If you lie, I'll let the rabbits eat you alive."
Trembling with fear, Gato complied, scribbling down the locations of his hidden wealth. Once he was done, Johan slit his throat without hesitation, storing the body in a scroll to avoid getting blood on his clothes. He then collected the bodies of the bandits with decent bounties, leaving the rest behind in the blood-soaked hall.
Johan rushed back to Tazuna's house, his mind racing. As he got closer, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He barely dodged a kunai that came flying at him from the trees. A figure emerged, attacking him with incredible speed. Even with his Six Eyes' slowed perception, Johan couldn't keep up. He did his best to dodge and defend, but he was quickly overwhelmed.
Suddenly, he felt the cold edge of a kunai at his throat. He froze, his breath catching. The figure released him, and Johan turned to see Kakashi standing there, his expression serious.
"I followed you," Kakashi said, his voice calm but firm. "I saw what happened."
Johan didn't know how to respond, his mind racing. Kakashi continued, "What you did at Gato's place was good. You took out the root of the problem. But it was also extremely reckless. If Gato had hired someone stronger, you could've died."
Johan remained silent, his gaze fixed on Kakashi. The jonin sighed, his tone softening slightly. "I won't mention this in the report. But don't do something like this again without a plan—or backup."
As Johan and Kakashi walked back to Tazuna's house, the jonin broke the silence. "Johan, while I recover, I'll be showing Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura how to improve their chakra control. I overused my Sharingan during the fight with Zabuza, and it'll take me about two weeks to fully recover. I need you to guide them through the training and ensure they stay on track. Consider this your punishment for being reckless tonight."
Johan nodded, understanding the weight of the task. "I'll make sure they get it, Kakashi-sensei. They'll be ready by the time you're back on your feet."
Kakashi gave him a small nod, his one visible eye crinkling slightly as if he were smiling. "Good. I trust you'll handle it well."
When they arrived at Tazuna's house, the others were still asleep, unaware of Johan's late-night mission. Kakashi went to rest, while Johan found a quiet spot to meditate and recover his chakra.
Early the next morning, Kakashi took Johan and Team 7 to the woods. He gathered them in front of a large tree and began the lesson. "Today, I'm going to show you how to walk up a tree using chakra control. This is a fundamental skill that will improve your overall abilities. Johan, you'll monitor them and help if they struggle."
Kakashi demonstrated the technique, placing his foot on the tree trunk and walking up it effortlessly. He then stepped back down and turned to the team. "Your turn."
Naruto crossed his arms, scowling. "Why does Johan get to sit and watch? He's not even doing anything!"
Johan smirked and stepped forward. Without a word, he focused his chakra on the soles of his feet and walked up the tree, just as Kakashi had done. He then stepped back down, his expression calm. "I've already learned it. Now it's your turn."
Naruto grumbled but stepped up to the tree. He placed his foot on the trunk and tried to walk up, only to fall backward almost immediately. He tried again and again, each time failing miserably. Sasuke and Sakura also struggled, though Sasuke managed to get a few steps up before falling.
Johan watched them patiently, offering advice when needed. "You're using too much chakra. Focus on balancing it—just enough to stick to the tree, not too much or too little."
He demonstrated again, walking up the tree slowly and explaining the process step by step. "Feel the chakra in your feet. Adjust it as you move. It's about control, not power."
After several attempts, Sakura was the first to get it, her natural talent for chakra control shining through. Sasuke followed soon after, his Sharingan helping him refine his technique. Naruto, despite his initial struggles, eventually managed to walk up the tree, his determination paying off.
Once they had the basics down, Naruto and Sasuke began competing to see who could climb higher. Johan left them to practice, heading to an open area in the woods to continue his own training.
After leaving Team 7 to practice their tree-walking, Johan found a secluded clearing in the woods to focus on his own training. He opened his system interface, checking his current status:
[ USER: JOHAN SMITH ]
[ LEVEL: 17 ]
[ XP: 1,220/1,800 ]
[ ABILITIES: ]
[ - SHADOW MANIPULATION (NARA CLAN TECHNIQUE) ]
[ - TEN SHADOWS TECHNIQUE (UNTAIMED) ]
[ - SIX EYES (PERFECT CHAKRA CONTROL, ENHANCED PERCEPTION) ]
[ - MINOR HEALING (TEMPORARILY LOCKED) ]
Johan reviewed his abilities, feeling a sense of pride in how far he'd come. He decided to focus on refining his techniques and improving his physical abilities.
practiced extending his shadow across the ground, using it to immobilize imaginary enemies. He experimented with combining his shadow manipulation with his Six Eyes, using the enhanced perception to predict and counter potential movements.
"Shadow Possession Jutsu," Johan muttered, extending his shadow to wrap around a tree trunk. He then shifted the shadow's position, mimicking how he'd control an opponent in battle. "Good. Now, let's try something more advanced."
He focused his chakra, creating multiple shadow tendrils that extended in different directions. The tendrils moved independently, each one targeting a different spot. Johan grinned. "This could be useful in a fight. I could make it into a new move."
Next, Johan practiced his Ten Shadows Technique. He summoned his Divine Dog, the shadow creature materializing with a low growl. Johan commanded it to move through the trees, testing its speed and agility.
"Rabbit Escape," Johan said, summoning a swarm of shadow rabbits. The creatures scattered across the clearing, their movements chaotic but controlled. Johan then fused the technique with his Divine Dog, creating the Dire Rabbits—sharp-toothed, feral creatures that lurked in his shadow.
"Let's see how this works in combat," Johan muttered, directing the Dire Rabbits to attack a nearby tree. The creatures lunged forward, their sharp teeth tearing into the bark with terrifying efficiency.
After practicing his techniques, Johan shifted his focus to physical training. He began with taijutsu, practicing a series of strikes, kicks, and defensive maneuvers. He moved through the forms with precision, his Six Eyes allowing him to analyze and perfect each movement.
He then moved on to endurance exercises, running through the forest at high speed while avoiding obstacles. His enhanced perception made it easy to navigate the terrain, and he pushed himself to go faster and farther.
Over the next two weeks, Johan continued his training, steadily improving his abilities and physical strength. He also kept an eye on Team 7, offering guidance when needed. By the end of the two weeks, the team had mastered tree-walking, and Johan had made significant progress in his own training.
One evening, as Johan meditated in the woods, he overheard Naruto talking to Kakashi. "There was this really beautiful woman in the forest earlier! She was gathering medicinal herbs. She was so pretty!"
Johan's eyes snapped open. Haku. That must've been Haku. His mind raced as he realized what this meant. Zabuza would be healed enough to return soon, and the fight wasn't over. Gato was already dead, but Johan had left a note at the demolished mansion, posing as Gato and instructing Zabuza to finish the job. The rogue ninja would be coming back, unaware of Gato's fate.
Johan took a deep breath, calming his thoughts. He continued meditating, his mind focused on the days ahead. He knew the battle with Zabuza and Haku would be tougher than ever, and he needed to be ready.
Later that night, during dinner, Tazuna brought up the progress of the bridge. "The construction is going well," he said, his tone a mix of relief and exhaustion. "It'll take about one more week to complete. After that, we'll finally be free of Gato's tyranny."
Naruto pumped his fist in the air, grinning widely. "One more week? That's nothing! We've got this in the bag!"
Sakura nodded, her expression optimistic. "Yeah, it's been quiet lately. With Zabuza gone, maybe things will finally settle down."
Sasuke, though quiet, seemed to share their sentiment. He leaned back in his chair, his usual brooding demeanor softened slightly. "It's about time. This mission has dragged on long enough."
Kakashi, who had fully recovered by now, gave a small nod. "Let's not get too comfortable. We still need to stay alert until the bridge is finished and Tazuna is safe."
Johan, however, stayed silent, his expression unreadable. He knew the truth. The quiet wasn't a sign of peace—it was the calm before the storm. Zabuza and Haku were out there, healing and preparing for their next move. The note Johan had left at Gato's mansion would only delay the inevitable. The fight wasn't over; it was just beginning.
As the others chatted and laughed, Johan's mind raced. He had to be ready. The next week wouldn't be easy, and the battle ahead would test them all. But he was determined to see it through, no matter what.