Chapter 3: The Nara Clan's Deer
Yamamoto Ryusei continued, "Being a ninja is extremely dangerous, but there are safer positions, like being a medical-nin or working in the logistics department. Compared to other roles, these positions are much better protected. Yuki could become a medical-nin. So, if you want to be a logistics ninja, with our current resources, your only option is to learn blacksmithing from my dad."
Komiya Yuki had no objections, but Yamashita So was a little disappointed. "Ah... I want to be a respected ninja, not a blacksmith."
Yamamoto Ryusei smacked him on the head. "What's not respectable about a blacksmith? If you can forge chakra weapons, your status will be higher than a Jonin's."
So imagined himself being even more impressive than those other ninjas and couldn't help but chuckle foolishly, getting lost in a daydream about his wonderful future.
Ryusei smacked him awake again. "Tomorrow morning, you'll both join me for morning training. So, you tell your parents not to ask you to do chores at home anymore. We'll train until four in the afternoon, then you'll follow me to my family's blacksmith shop to learn the trade. Yuki, you can start by finding some medical books to read or by helping out at the hospital."
"Okay, Ryusei-nii," Komiya Yuki readily agreed.
Yamashita So spoke up, looking troubled, "I don't know if my parents will agree."
Ryusei teased him, "Well, that depends on how determined your will is, and how well you can take a beating."
So's expression soured, but his gaze quickly firmed. "Fine. I'll convince them one way or another today."
Half an hour later, after the trio finished their lunch and were cleaning up, Komiya Yuki noticed the large pile of fish bones and crab shells in front of Ryusei. "Ryusei-nii's training must be tough. His appetite has grown again."
Ryusei looked at the pile in front of him. It was true, his appetite had increased significantly today, likely because refining chakra required more energy.
"Yeah. My dad asked the Senju clan for a copy of the 'Chakra Refining Technique,' so I need more energy. Later, let's go to the bamboo grove to cut some bamboo and weave more fishing cages. Once your training volume increases, you'll need a lot more food too. This won't be enough."
Yamashita So ran over excitedly. "Ryusei-kun, you really have the 'Chakra Refining Technique'? Can I learn it?"
It wasn't just So; Komiya Yuki also looked at Ryusei with anticipation, clearly wanting to learn as well.
Ryusei looked troubled. "I can't. Lady Senju Miyuki told my dad that only I am allowed to learn it and that it can't be shared privately. You'll have to wait for the Ninja Academy to open."
Although So and Yuki were a bit disappointed, they understood the gravity of the situation. If jutsu could be shared so casually, everyone on the streets would be a ninja.
After cleaning up, So and Yuki went to the bamboo grove to cut bamboo and weave fishing cages. Ryusei, meanwhile, began refining chakra to nourish his body again. After the rest and exercise earlier, his spiritual energy had recovered quite a bit. He tried a new method this time, nourishing his body while simultaneously exercising. He felt his pitifully small amount of chakra slowly seep into his body, then digested it through training. He repeated this cycle several times, managing to refine chakra a few more times than he had in the morning.
An unknown amount of time passed. Seeing that the sun was about to set and that So and Yuki had finished weaving the cages, the three of them pulled their old cages from the river, collected all the fish, and then placed the newly baited cages back into the river, concealing them carefully. After that, they went to check the traps in the forest.
As they approached one of the trap sites, the rustling of branches alerted them to an animal's presence. From the sound of it, it was a big one.
A full-grown deer was caught in a rope trap, struggling. The traps Ryusei set were meant for small animals; this was the first time he had caught such large prey.
So immediately ran to the deer's side. "Ryusei-kun, this is a huge catch today! We could get a lot of money if we sell it back in the village."
Ryusei examined the deer carefully. "So, let it go."
So was stunned. "Why let it go? Oh, I get it. Ryusei-kun can't bear to harm such a cute animal. You're so gentle, Ryusei-kun."
Being called "gentle" by another boy made Ryusei's hair stand on end and goosebumps crawl up his skin.
Komiya Yuki rolled her eyes and retorted, "You idiot. Rabbits are cute too, but Ryusei-nii kills them without a second thought. How could he not kill this deer just because it's cute?"
'Komiya Yuki really gets me.'
Ryusei glanced at Yuki, his expression grave. "Yuki is right. Cuteness is worthless to me. The reason we have to let this deer go is because it might belong to the Nara clan."
So spoke up, a hopeful tone in his voice. "What if it's not? Besides, there are so many deer in the forest, not all of them belong to the Nara."
Ryusei shot So a look. "And what if it is? If we kill it and the Nara find us, they'll make us pay for its life with our own. In the eyes of those great clans, our lives aren't worth much more than a deer's."
"Now that's going a bit too far, little man." A youth of about seventeen with a pineapple-style haircut and a Konoha forehead protector, who had been squatting on a tree branch, spoke in a slow, leisurely voice. "A human's life is more important than an animal's. That's something we in the Nara clan can distinguish."
It was the first time So and Yuki had been this close to a ninja. Even though the ninja wasn't emitting any intimidating aura, their legs still trembled with fear.
Yamamoto Ryusei took a step forward, shielding So and Yuki behind him. He bowed to the ninja and said, "My apologies. I spoke out of turn. I hope you can forgive me, Ninja-sama."
The Nara ninja jumped down from the tree. "No need to be so formal, little man. But this deer is indeed from my family. Here," he said, pulling a brocade pouch from his waist bag and tossing it to Ryusei, "take this as compensation for your trouble." He then untied the trap and left with the deer.
The moment the Nara ninja was gone, So and Yuki collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily.
Ryusei's heart was still pounding. It seemed he really had to be more careful with his words in the future. He was lucky this ninja was lenient; otherwise, he could have been killed for insulting the Nara clan and no one would have batted an eye. Ryusei tossed the brocade pouch to Yuki. "Yuki, hold onto this money. We'll use it as our activity fund."
Yuki opened the pouch and counted the bills inside. "Wow! There's five thousand ryo in here!"
Hearing this, So's fear immediately vanished. He squeezed next to Yuki. "Let me see, let me see! Wow, it really is five thousand ryo! The market price for a deer right now is about three thousand. That means we made an extra two thousand! Let's catch more deer and sell them to the Nara clan in the future!"
Yuki punched So on the head. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?! We ran into a kind-hearted one this time, but we might not be so lucky next time."
Ryusei glanced at the setting sun. "It's getting dark. Let's collect the rest of our catch and head back quickly." They managed to get a few rabbits and pheasants from the other traps. After resetting them, the three headed home.
...
Crouching on a tree branch was the same Nara ninja from before. He hadn't left at all, but had been silently observing them from the shadows.
"That little kid is pretty smart. And those cages he's carrying are interesting. Are they specifically for catching fish? Heh, you guys are scared, but so are we. With the Hokage away, the Uchiha clan is eyeing the other bloodline clans like a pack of mad dogs. One wrong move, and the Uchiha will come down on us. Things will stabilize once the Hokage returns."
...
The atmosphere on the way back was a bit heavy. Surprisingly, it was Komiya Yuki who spoke first. "Ryusei-nii, I finally understand why you're so determined to become a ninja. This feeling... it's really awful."
Komiya Yuki had always been coddled by her parents and adored by her peers. She had never been made to feel so powerless.
Ryusei smiled. "This sort of thing is normal. After all, they wield extraordinary power. But things will be better once the Hokage-sama returns. With him to keep them in check, the other ninja clans won't dare to act so freely towards civilians. We won't have to live so cautiously. Still, we were lucky it was just a deer today. If it had been a dog from the Inuzuka clan or a cat from the Uchiha, we'd be in real trouble. Not that our little traps could catch ninken like those anyway."
Yamashita So was silent the whole way. Just as they were about to part ways, he looked at Ryusei with a resolute expression. "Ryusei-kun, I will definitely become a ninja."
His voice was firm, and his determined gaze, along with his hair gently blowing in the wind, made his conviction clear. He would have been even more convincing if he wasn't holding a chicken in one hand and a fish in the other.
So and Yuki went home with their respective catches. Ryusei returned home with his chicken and fish. His mother, Yamamoto Nami, was amazed. "Ryu-chan, you brought back so much today! What a great harvest!"
Ryusei handed the food to her. "Mom, you can cook this. We can sell whatever is extra for some money."
Nami took the food and excitedly went to prepare dinner.
After dinner, as Ryusei was helping his mother wash the dishes, she turned to him and said, "Ryu-chan, the dishes you taught me to make are delicious. I've been so bored at home lately. What do you think about me opening a small restaurant?" Nami's cooking skills came from the Chinese cuisine Ryusei had taught her, which was certainly much tastier than the current food in the ninja world.
Ryusei knew that his increased appetite had given his mother the idea to open a restaurant to supplement their family's income. He didn't expose her thoughts and said, "That's a great idea! I'm sure lots of people will come to eat. You'll definitely rake in the money. Mom, you can build it up, become a big boss, and just count money every day."
Nami nodded with satisfaction. "As long as you support the idea, Ryu-chan. I'll discuss it with your father later and see where we can rent a suitable shop."
After washing the dishes, Nami took a bento and headed to Yamamoto Shuichi's blacksmith shop. Seeing his mother leave, Ryusei knew his father's hopes had been dashed. His dad's gaze would have to be even more fixed and straight ahead tonight.
Lying in bed, Ryusei refined his chakra. This time, instead of using it to nourish his body, he practiced controlling it, making it flow over his hands. After two hours of practice, he prepared to sleep.