The Rookie Phase Is Over

Aburame Tetsumaru, having returned to the Land of Rain, received orders appointing him Chunin captain of a ninja squad.

Following the requirements listed in the orders, he quickly arrived at the edge of a swamp and waited for his team members.

Wrapped in a fitted trench coat, Aburame Tetsumaru walked easily across the misty, rain-soaked swamp. Having mastered the Summoning Technique, he had finally rid himself of that enormous backpack. His whole body felt lighter.

More importantly, he could finally wear the Aburame Clan's signature trench coat. It kept out wind and rain, and even with two layers of insects wrapped around his entire body, he still looked tall and slender. It felt wonderful.

The Snail that had sat atop his head throughout his first year on the battlefield was now hidden beneath the coat's hood. Even the name Snail had become history. The current Eye of Truth looked more like an electric scooter helmet, so once it was covered by the hood, apart from making his head look a size larger, it no longer created any visible bulges.

After several busy months at home, he had rested properly for a while. He had grown quite a bit taller and put on a little weight.

When Aburame Tetsumaru arrived, milky-white mist drifted along the edge of the swamp beneath the hazy drizzle. The gently falling raindrops landed silently on the ground, on plants, and on the water's surface, making almost no sound.

No one?

Aburame Tetsumaru could not be sure. In this dark, rainy, foggy weather, Dragonflies and large moths could not even fly, and the Eye of Truth's field of vision was greatly impaired. So he released his Kikaichū. The Chakra-fed Kikaichū were barely affected by rain or fog, and their flying speed remained unchanged.

The Kikaichū searched an area three hundred meters around him and found no ninja.

The observant Aburame Tetsumaru noticed that the Kikaichū had avoided four spots. He paused slightly, then realized those places all contained counter-reconnaissance measures.

It seemed one team member had already arrived.

But he could not determine whether that person was actually at one of those four spots.

Make the real appear false, and the false appear real. The ninja might not know that saying, but they were exceptionally skilled at the same sort of trick. If he was not careful, someone might be hiding in one of them.

In the Shinobi World, no matter how methods changed, they could never escape Chakra. That was why the Byakugan was the strongest reconnaissance method.

Fortunately, Aburame Tetsumaru had mastered a similar method before entering school. He closed his eyes, calmed himself, then used Insight to observe the Chakra Grand Circulation within his body.

From Insight's perspective, the stable, precise Grand Circulation displayed all sorts of fluctuations. They were reflections of external Chakra.

By observing those fluctuations, Aburame Tetsumaru quickly discovered that the Chakra at the four abnormal points was weak. Instead, there was a powerful Chakra source fifty meters to his left and another ninety meters to his right.

Both people had arrived early, but both had hidden themselves.

Now that he knew their locations, he could use the Eye of Truth's ultrasonic perception. Aburame Tetsumaru saw the two people's movements and postures, making their methods of concealment clear.

No, neither of them had hidden.

The one on the left leaned against the trunk of a dead tree, while the one on the right squatted atop a rock, hands resting limply on their knees.

Tch, Genjutsu. Both were experts in Genjutsu.

Aburame Tetsumaru could not help wanting to roll his eyes. He was a Chunin captain, so his team members could not possibly be Jonin.

Although he had only been promoted after his achievements had exceeded the Chunin promotion standard several times over, he was still a newly promoted Chunin. Surely the team assigned to him could not consist of veteran Chunin? Were they veteran Genin or newly promoted Chunin?

The key was that the Genjutsu cast by these two was natural and enduring, without any visible trace of a technique. On top of that, their Genjutsu styles were completely different.

At that moment, a classic line echoed in Aburame Tetsumaru's mind: "A new word has been dug up once more!"

One of these ninja using Genjutsu to hide himself was an Uchiha who had awakened the Two-Tomoe Sharingan. The other was a Kurama who had awakened a Kekkei Genkai.

Including himself, three ninja whose combat power far exceeded that of ordinary Chunin had been formed into one squad. What kind of bizarre combination was this?

Aburame Tetsumaru immediately decided to keep something in reserve. For now, he would use only the Kikaichū Secret Technique, hiding everything else, including the Locusts, and putting all the insects attached to his body into dormancy.

Once he was ready, Aburame Tetsumaru had no interest in playing ninja games with the two of them. He waved to either side, and two masses of Kikaichū rose from his body, launching attacks around two patches of seemingly empty ground.

Secret Technique: Insect Sphere

The Kikaichū had not discovered enemies, but under the command of the secret technique, they could attack designated locations.

Other than an absurdly abnormal Forbidden Technique like Izanagi, Genjutsu could not alter reality. The two who came under attack could only deal with it themselves.

The one on the right used both hands and feet, rolling and scrambling to evade, but failed to get away. The Insect Sphere wrapped around her head, and she screamed in terror. It was a girl.

The one on the left, however, rapidly formed hand seals and spat out a Fireball Jutsu in half a second. He then leaped through the opening created by the Fire Release ninjutsu and escaped the Kikaichū's encirclement.

Once someone moved, the Genjutsu dissipated.

A ninja boy wearing traditional ninja clothes with the Uchiha fan crest on his back appeared. His face had turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.

He had been discovered, and there was even someone he had failed to detect.

Uchiha Kei was filled with regret and frustration. After awakening the Two-Tomoe Sharingan, he had gotten carried away. Now not only had he failed to show off, he might even have exposed the Sharingan's secret.

Then he and Aburame Tetsumaru turned to look at the person screaming miserably. That person's Genjutsu was still active, so neither of them could see her. They could only hear her screams.

Aburame Tetsumaru suddenly detected something strange in the sound. No way!

He immediately formed hand seals, ended the secret technique, and recalled the Kikaichū. The screaming stopped at once, followed by the sound of a long exhale.

Then, after a rustling sound, the Genjutsu finally ended. A bright-eyed, delicate little girl appeared before them. It was obvious she had just reapplied her makeup.

"I'm Aburame Tetsumaru. By order, I have been appointed captain of the Aburame Squad. You two are my subordinates?"

"Yes, Captain."

"Oh my, oh my. The captain is so impressive, yet he isn't Lord Aburame Shikuroo. The Aburame Clan really has so many Jonin."

A thirteen- or fourteen-year-old girl dressing in gaudy finery was not a problem.

But the moment she opened her mouth, she spoke like a street thug. That was beyond what Aburame Tetsumaru could accept. He found people like that irritating, especially when they were subordinates. They were simply disasters waiting to happen.

Aburame Tetsumaru stared at his subordinate through his sunglasses and said, one word at a time, "You cannot use that tone when speaking to me. If there is a next time, you will never speak again."

The girl was frightened and did not dare say another word.

"Now report your names, ages, ninja ranks, and specialties. A rough description of one specialty will be enough." Aburame Tetsumaru pointed at the Uchiha boy. "You first."

Suppressing them with force, intimidating them with words, then giving a direct order—three moves in a row. Aburame Tetsumaru had taken control of the conversation's rhythm and established his authority as their leader.

Yet neither of them was convinced. The seemingly timid girl had a gleam in her eyes, eager to court death, while the boy let his eyelids droop as he tried to pass himself off as frightened.

"I'm Uchiha Kei, fourteen years old, a Chunin. I specialize in Fire Release and Genjutsu."

!!!!

Aburame Tetsumaru's heart gave a violent jolt. No way. It couldn't be. I can't be that unlucky, can I?

"I'm Kurama Yun, thirteen years old, a Genin. I specialize in Genjutsu. I'm not very good at Taijutsu or stamina."

Uchiha Kei narrowed his eyes. Tch, putting on an act. I don't know whether this little brat got here before or after me. If she arrived first, she saw my eyes. If she arrived later, did she enter under my nose with Genjutsu active?

Either possibility meant this woman's Genjutsu was terrifyingly skilled.

Hmph, stupid Uchiha. Sneaking looks at me with killing intent... did he realize I saw his Two-Tomoe Sharingan?

I need to be careful in case he tries something. Yeah, better strike first. I should find a chance to kill him.

Neither of them noticed that Aburame Tetsumaru's Snail could observe in all directions through the Kikaichū, taking in both of their expressions.

What the hell? What kind of freaks are these two? Are they planning to scheme against each other? Were all their previous teammates killed by their own people?

Aburame Tetsumaru was nearly going mad. Two subordinates considering how to kill each other—this kind of squad was truly deadly.

Thinking back, when he had joined his first squad, he had met Captain Ueno. The captain was tough-talking but soft-hearted, cared well for rookies, trusted him when he was still a fledgling, and helped him survive the most dangerous rookie phase.

He had truly been lucky.

But Captain Ueno's luck had not been bad either. All three of his subordinates had been dependable: one was a familiar and reliable veteran; one was a hidden cheater, a pioneering monster from the hot-blooded youth school; and one was an Aburame transmigrator.

No matter what, the wonderful rookie phase was over. What came next was the difficult pioneering phase.

The more Aburame Tetsumaru thought about it, the more the sight of these two subordinates annoyed him. He gave the order irritably, "Enough."

"Now that personnel have been confirmed, we still have a mission to complete. If you have no further questions, follow me."

The boy and girl instantly adjusted their clothes, moods, and expressions, then answered solemnly, "Yes!"

Once a captain issued a formal order, it could not be refused. There were severe punishments even in normal circumstances, much less here on the battlefield, where a captain had both the authority and obligation to execute subordinates who disobeyed orders.

Yes, it was not merely an authority, but also an obligation and responsibility. If a subordinate's disobedience led to defeat, the entire squad could face mortal danger. Even if they survived and returned afterward, the captain himself would still be held individually accountable.

If the circumstances were severe, such as causing another squad's destruction, the failure of a battle, or the loss of an important stronghold, the captain might be executed after the investigation.

Since captains bore such immense responsibility, they naturally possessed corresponding authority. Quite a few Konoha squad captains had exceptionally harsh styles, and some Genin had even brought death upon themselves merely by acting frivolously.

The sort of thing where a protagonist of the Shinobi World talked back to a Jonin captain did not exist, at least not in Konoha's thirty-second year.

Aburame Tetsumaru took the lead at the very front.

Normally, the captain should occupy a more central position suitable for supporting the team, but the newly formed Aburame Squad was unfamiliar with one another. Since Aburame Tetsumaru himself had sufficient reconnaissance ability, he simply led from the front.

Kurama Yun walked second, thirty meters from the captain and about five meters to the left of his path.

She had not lied when she said her constitution was weak. Ordinary ninja of the Kurama Clan were normal, but ninja who awakened the Genjutsu Kekkei Genkai, if they did not go insane because of it, had certainly paid an enormous price. Frail constitutions and terrible Taijutsu were common knowledge.

Uchiha Kei consciously walked at the rear, thirty meters behind Kurama Yun, fifty-five meters behind the captain, and slightly to the right.

Aburame Tetsumaru led the two of them to their destination quickly. It was an open clearing in the woods.

This journey had improved his opinion of his two subordinates somewhat. Despite their young ages, each of them was fairly experienced and had a sense of teamwork.

Not bad. Really not bad.

After choosing the northwest corner of the clearing as the squad's concealed position, Aburame Tetsumaru gestured for the two of them to come within five meters of him, then instructed, "Kurama, conceal us with Genjutsu."

"Yes." Kurama Yun answered seriously.

She immediately formed hand seals, using a secret technique to draw forth the strangeness in her heart. After an odd fluctuation, the three bodies began to turn transparent and soon vanished into the air.

It was truly miraculous. Even Aburame Tetsumaru and Uchiha Kei could no longer see their own bodies. Fortunately, their sense of touch and bodily feedback remained normal, or they would definitely have panicked.

While Kurama Yun cast her technique, Aburame Tetsumaru took out the document scroll that served as proof of assembly, tied it to the ring of a Kunai, and threw the Kunai into the center of the clearing.

Uchiha Kei watched Kurama Yun cast the technique and experienced its astonishing effect for himself. While surprised, he also felt a little more at ease.

This Kurama Clan secret Genjutsu was overwhelmingly effective. They had truly become transparent. Only when they moved quickly could one see light refracting around their transparent outlines.

That meant Kurama Yun had merely arrived at the assembly point before him, rather than coming after him.

Forget it. So what if she knew? The captain probably knew too. Silencing her by killing her would likely be difficult.

After Kurama Yun cast the Genjutsu, she had expended a considerable amount of Chakra. Combined with the physical exertion from running earlier, she could no longer suppress her rapid, faint breathing.

The little girl immediately swallowed a Military Ration Pill, closed her eyes to rest, and prayed that the next mission would not involve intense combat. Otherwise, she would only drag them down.

Aburame Tetsumaru heard the breathing and swallowing, immediately understood what had happened, and said nothing. He instead considered how to arrange Kurama Yun in a support role if fighting broke out.

The three each thought about their own matters and waited in silence.

Soon, one squad after another arrived. When the new captains saw the Kunai in the clearing, they followed suit, tying their mission papers to Kunai and throwing them over before concealing themselves.

However, there was a considerable difference between the squads. Some hid well, while others did not hide as effectively, but none of them were weak.

The captains tacitly competed through concealment and reconnaissance. Whenever comrades met on the battlefield, they were always happy and could not resist playing this little game for amusement.

The eighth squad was a pure Byakugan squad. Four Hyuga ninja simply did not hide, standing openly in the center of the clearing. Not only did they refuse to conceal themselves, the leading Hyuga ninja activated his Byakugan and looked around. Every time he found someone, he sneered, continuing until he had located everyone.

Aburame Tetsumaru's group was discovered as well. The ability to see through objects, combined with the ability to directly see Chakra, was simply a cheat in medium- and close-range reconnaissance.

But this was extremely annoying. What was the point of hiding now? What was the point of competing?

The captains of the seven squads stepped out, all glaring angrily at the leading Byakugan ninja. That damned Hyuga Main Branch—aside from the Byakugan, everything about them was unpleasant.

Moreover, the Hyuga Main Branch, which rarely went to the battlefield, had no war experience at all and required several elite Hyuga experts to protect them. On a battlefield lacking reconnaissance capability, that made them even more irritating.

The Hyuga Main Branch also often sacrificed Branch Family members because of their reckless behavior on the battlefield. Most Konoha Ninja had worked with Hyuga Branch Family ninja, and they could not stand the Main Branch using their comrades' blood to decorate their own achievements.

But the Hyuga Clan's methods did indeed reduce the possibility of the Byakugan being lost to its lowest level. The Hokage had nothing to say about it, so everyone could only glare at them with killing intent. That was all.