The midday sun filtered through the high windows of the dojo in the Lotus Institute, casting golden beams across the polished floor.
The kids had gathered murmuring with anticipation as Murakami stood at the center, his expression calm, gaze absent as though he'd rather be anywhere but here.
Facing him were three 'formidable' opponents: Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade; Hiruzen Sarutobi's prodigious students who were eager to test their mettle.
Murakami's gaze refocused then swept over the trio. "Ready when you are," he said, his voice low and halfhearted.
Jiraiya grinned. "Let's see how you handle this!"
He formed a series of hand seals, then exhaled a stream of fire toward Murakami.
Without so much as raising his hand, Murakami channeled chakra to create a wind barrier that blocked the flames, the heat licking at the edges of the barrier but failing to penetrate.
The flames weren't even worth a proper defense.
Seeing this, Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, already following up, weaving his own hand seals and summoning a gust of wind that intensified the flames.
Murakami's eyes flickered as he dispersed the barrier and leaped into the air, flipping over the combined attack and landing gracefully behind them.
It wasn't that he couldn't have guarded against their attack, but he had an image to maintain. This was a martial arts space and as the headmaster, an over usage of Ninjutsu would be rather insulting.
"Oryaa!" Tsunade cried as she charged, her hands glowing with chakra. She struck the ground, sending a considerate wave of water surging toward Murakami which he vaulted over, landing lightly on a stable section of the floor.
The orphans watched in awe as the battle unfolded. They'd been focused on physical conditioning as Murakami made sure to emphasize that it was the foundation towards an all-rounded fighter.
A term he used instead of Shinobi.
Seeing the display of ninjutsu awed them as the three young future Sannin coordinated their attacks with precision, creating a scene straight out of their fantasy.
Yet, Murakami remained unscathed, his movements fluid and nimble.
'As expected of the head instructor.' They thought in amazement.
Realizing their ninjutsu assaults were ineffective, the trio exchanged glances and nodded as they shifted into taijutsu stances, spreading out to encircle Murakami.
Murakami observed them with the same calm expression, yet they could feel his gaze staring down at them.
Chakra Flow Perception.
One of Murakami's passive abilities that could rival the Byakugan and Sharingan combined in chakra perception.
Hence the illusion it created in their young minds.
Jiraiya lunged first, closing the distance and aimed a spinning kick at Murakami's head.
Murakami ducked and swept Jiraiya's supporting leg, sending him sprawling thanks to his momentum.
Murakami caught himself from feeling pity for the boy just as Orochimaru followed by striking with a series of rapid punches which Murakami, despite being mildly surprised at their speed and positioning, blocked and parried effortlessly, his movements fluid as he intercepted each blow.
Tsunade immediately joined in with a full force strike to which Murakami noticed and met with his free hand, sending the impact reverberating through the dojo before he twisted and used her momentum to redirect her into Orochimaru, causing them both to roll on the ground.
Jiraiya who had recovered took the opening and attacked again from behind, but Murakami clearly picked up on his movement, sidestepping and gently tapping Jiraiya's shoulder with enough force to send him off balance and face first into the ground.
The orphans cheered, witnessing Murakami's mastery of taijutsu.
They weren't overly surprised, if anything, it was expected. Murakami was their Headmaster. Someone capable of going toe to toe with their inhuman Taijutsu instructor; Dai
Despite the trio combined efforts, he remained composed and after several more exchanges, Murakami stepped back, creating a distance between them, his stance still relaxed.
"Enough," he said. "You've all improved, but coordination and adaptability are key."
"Remember that." He added offhandedly.
The three young shinobi nodded, breathing heavily but with respect in their eyes.
'Even with the improved Heavenly Restriction weighing down me, this was hardly a challenge worth twitching a muscle over.' Murakami thought to himself, lips twitching in amusement and mild annoyance before turning to Tsunade.
"I'll have you know that the Lotus Institute is a private establishment." He said before turning to Orochimaru. "I'll appreciate it if you pass on this obvious information to those it may concern."
Without letting them respond, he activated his phantom step and disappeared from their view.
"Tsk. He really wasn't fighting us seriously?" Jiraiya clicked his tongue as he rubbed a stump on his forehead causing the other two to look at him like an idiot.
…
Murakami's POV. Lotus Institute, Headmaster's Office
The door slid shut behind me with a muted finality as blessed silence settled in the room. I sighed, not out of exhaustion, but helplessness.
The kind born from having endured something deeply pointless.
I leaned against the doorframe for a moment, arms crossed, staring at the polished surface of the floor where the trio had stood moments before.
Jiraiya's grin, Tsunade's glare, Orochimaru's… silence?
It all played again in my mind like a badly staged drama.
Why did I even bother with them again?
I pushed off the wall and made my way to the low desk in the centre of my office. A neat pile of scrolls waited for attention, but only one bore the pale lavender seal I recognized all too well.
Mito-sama.
Of course.
I sank into the floor cushion, hands resting idly as I recalled the moment Tsunade stepped into the office scroll in hand, confidence in her stride.
I'd known it the moment our eyes met that this wasn't her idea.
It never was when she opened with that awkward silence and looked like she'd rather punch a wall than ask for help.
"This is from Grandma," she'd said flatly, holding out the scroll like a bomb ready to detonate. "She says you owe her."
Naturally, I entertained her. Because when Mito Uzumaki says you owe her, there's no point debating the matter. And really…I do owe her…A lot.
Still, it didn't explain why I let the other two join.
My gaze narrowed slightly, turning inward.
Orochimaru.
Now that was a child I didn't like having within my walls. Not because he was malicious. No, he was barely a teen, still, Orochimaru was something else.
He always came with Tsunade and Jiraiya. The trio was inseparable, and for good reason.
Sarutobi's golden children with more chakra and potential than most chunin twice their age.
Jiraiya was loud, Tsunade was sharp, but Orochimaru... he was quiet.
Too quiet…observant.
He never caused trouble, never overstepped his bounds, but he also never moved with the same reckless energy the others had.
He observed, always observed.
If I didn't know better, I'd call it the harmless curiosity of a boy trying to trace the outline of a life he never got to live, the quiet kind of longing that doesn't cry or complain, just watches and wonders.
Orochimaru had lost his parents in the war like many others.
Just another name on the long list of children who'd been broken by the world before they had a chance to understand the shape of it.
But I do know better, because I've seen what this boy becomes.
However, it was still potential.
Potential to be the villain everyone loved to fear, the genius who crosses every line in search of immortality.
Here and now, though... he's just a boy.
A bright and reserved one. Maybe a little too drawn to the strange and the broken, but still just a kid with teammates and a future waiting to be written.
It's hard to separate the monster from the child when you've already seen the ending. But if this world's even slightly different, maybe that ending isn't written in stone.
So I decided to watch him back, quietly and carefully. Because even a shadow can change course, given the right light.
Doesn't mean that Light was gonna be me though. Could be one angelic soul from the Lotus Orphanage who was supposed to exist originally.
Tsunade I could handle. She was still a girl beneath the scowl. Jiraiya was harmless noise. But Orochimaru..?
It's times like this I hope the Second Shinobi war would come sooner so these kids would be deployed and sent far from me.
I sighed and reached forward and unfurled the scroll revealing Mito-sama's elegant brushstrokes.
My eyebrow twitched again as I re-read the first part of the message.
[Put their arrogance down a little, Murakami-kun. Let them see that confidence alone does not make one capable. Sometimes the best lesson you can give is to remind someone just how much they still have to learn.]
There was more; mentions of Tsunade's temper, Jiraiya's ego, Orochimaru's detachment. A mission brief disguised as a lesson plan.
I smirked despite myself.
"You old fox," I muttered, folding the scroll closed. "You knew I wouldn't say no."
The smirk faded as my eyes dropped to the second part of the scroll. This should be her main purpose of sending this scroll.
[After you're done indulging my granddaughter and her teammates, do come by.]
[We need to talk.]
…
Title: Jinchuriki 1
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