Tales of a Ninja Magician: Of What Defines Us

Try Not to Die Too Fast

It was said by many that becoming a ninja made a young soul mature and grow up way too fast. Maybe it was for that reason that graduating from the Academy made one emancipated and therefore considered almost an adult. Mana could certainly feel that sort of maturity she'd have likely never had if she hadn't become a kunoichi. For example, when the Hokage approached her talking to Mana about taking her under her wing in a squad, all that the magician could think of it were the implications of what was told to her.

"Wait, so now that you quit... Is the seat empty? Will the Council place a substitute soon enough?" Mana worried about the political state of her village more than about the exciting possibilities that being taken in a squad by the Hokage provided.

"Wow, you're really weird, I've just told you that I'm gonna train you and all you can think about is all that boring political stuff..." Hanasaku pouted like an offended child, one who was promised a lick of their favorite ice cream but given none.

"Sorry... It's just" Mana tried to explain and apologize but she just didn't know how to explain the importance of these things to someone who while sat in the big chair for so long didn't appear to know the importance of it. The ninja villages were in the middle of discussing the Kirigakure autonomy. If the Hokage suddenly disappeared from these negotiations their opinion and history would undoubtedly be overshadowed by the interests of other villages.

"It'll be fine. They've found a suitable substitute. He'll do just fine, even if no one even knew he existed until like a month or two ago" Hanasaku waved her hand like it was no pressing matter, where the woman began stretching out like preparing for a workout right at that moment after witnessing Mana's puzzled expression she explained.

"You see, he was a Black Ops operative. When he joined it at a very young age his records were wiped and he had very few notes to begin with in his file. One day he just waltzed into my office and declared that he was ready to take over if I was willing to do the right thing and resign. Going from a Black Ops operative to a public office seems pretty extreme but he looks competent enough to handle it, more chances than I ever had..."

"Can't anyone else see how shady that is?" Mana scratched her temple feeling a bit confused, more so that no one else batted an eye where she saw tons of problems.

"Maybe, the Council likes him, they wouldn't have minded me staying a bit longer or maybe even serving a full term but... That place was seriously beginning to strangle me." Hanasaku shrugged, "Now can we fight already?" she almost begged Mana.

"Wait, fight!?" the magician yelled out in surprise.

"Obviously! I'm enrolling you in my squad, unlike Kiyomi who will be the second member, with you I only have Tanshu's vouch to go with. I need to know of your abilities to decide about how the squad will function, what I need to teach you and who the third member should be" Hanasaku slammed her own fist into her palm raising a strong gust of wind that made Mana clutch and struggle to stay on her feet. This woman was not only inhumanly strong, she was illogically strong even by ninja standards, judging from rumors, even by Kage standards.

"I really see no use for that..." Mana said uneasily, it wasn't that she was afraid of the woman, on some internal layer she was, the most important feeling was the absolute confusion as to why this clash was even necessary.

"If you don't fight me and show me what you can do I'll just pick Yoruma Hisako as my third member." Hanasaku blinked as a tease.

"Wait, I have no qualms with that. Hisako-san is a great kunoichi and an amazing swordswoman. Plus while she is... Rather... Odd, and curses a lot... I feel like the two of us had bonded a little." Mana smiled as she still refused to take a defensive battle stance.