UCHIHA LIBERATOR (NARUTO X MALE UCHIHA OC)

Chapter 11

3rd POV

The next day, Ryuichi stood proudly in front of the Hokage, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he gazed at the Konoha headband in his hands. The metal plate, emblazoned with the symbol of the Hidden Leaf, reflected the morning sunlight. A small smile played on his lips, unable to fully contain the sense of accomplishment swelling inside him.

"Take good care of it, Ryuichi," one of the instructors standing beside the Hokage advised, his tone gentle but serious.

"I will," Ryuichi responded, his voice steady, though his eyes never left the headband. The weight of it in his hands seemed to symbolize something more than just a rite of passage—it was a symbol of his growth, the next step in his journey as a shinobi.

The Hokage cleared his throat, shifting the moment from personal pride to the responsibilities ahead. "Now, for the important matters," the Hokage said, his gaze warm but authoritative. "You'll be placed in the genin reserves for now, Ryuichi. It may take a couple of years before we find a permanent team for you."

Ryuichi blinked in surprise, but quickly nodded in understanding. "Understood, Hokage-sama. Will I be required to take missions in the meantime?" he asked, his tone respectful but eager to know more about what lay ahead.

"For the time being," the Hokage replied, "I want you to focus solely on your training. Hone your skills, master what you've learned so far, and push your limits. When the time comes for missions, you'll be better prepared than most, and you'll reap the benefits of the effort you put in now."

Ryuichi straightened, the weight of the Hokage's words settling in. "I understand, Hokage-sama," he replied earnestly, his voice filled with determination. He clutched the headband a little tighter, realizing that while he wasn't yet part of an active team, the path ahead was clear—training, discipline, and patience would be his focus until he was ready for the battlefield.

-{0}-

Ryuichi's pov (1 month later)

It had been a month since I'd officially become a genin, and I'd made sure to brag about it to Kakashi and Fuyumi. Kakashi, of course, had been his usual smug self, offering nothing but an eye-roll and a lazy "congratulations," while Fuyumi remained largely uninterested. Despite her lack of enthusiasm for my boasting, she had kept her promise to drop by the Uchiha compound regularly for sparring sessions.

Fuyumi was far from a taijutsu prodigy, that much was clear. Her fighting style was raw, wild, almost like a brawler with no specific form or technique. It was rough around the edges but undeniably effective in its unpredictability. Still, she had begun to refine it slowly, learning the basics of taijutsu from me to better control her attacks. The sharp contrast between her fighting style and her quiet, stoic personality was striking. Fuyumi rarely expressed emotion, and while she had warmed up to me over time, our conversations were usually limited to shinobi-related topics—taijutsu, ninjutsu, and occasionally training strategies. But, in a way, that suited us just fine.

One thing Fuyumi did ask for more frequently was help with her ninjutsu. Her chakra control was, to put it mildly, disastrous. It wasn't that she lacked potential—far from it. The problem seemed to be that she had too much chakra, so much that she struggled to control it properly. When she attempted the leaf exercise, she consistently used too much chakra, blowing the leaf off her forehead entirely. But I could tell she was close to getting it; her progress, though slow, was steady.

In return for my help with ninjutsu and taijutsu, Fuyumi offered to help me with calligraphy. Honestly, I knew she felt guilty about only receiving my teachings without offering anything in return, I agreed. Fuyumi was a natural when it came to calligraphy and sealing techniques. In fact, she was so skilled that it became frustrating for her to comprehend how I could make mistakes when writing calligraphy. Her strokes were fluid, precise, and perfect every time, while I was still struggling with the basics.