IV

---

━━━━━━┓༻❁༺┏━━━━━━

---

Arc IV Chapter 14

---

━━━━━━┛༻❁༺┗━━━━━━

---

The grass was whistling in the wind. Ancient trees watched the clearing while Asami was resting beneath a tall tree. Its shadow offered her comfort, shielding her from the ardent sun. It was summer, it was hot, and it was training time. 

 

Debris fell from the sky, debris that she and her ballistic tests were responsible for. A massive falling boulder nearly crushed her, but only nearly. Obviously, the boulder failed in its feeble attempt to murder her. As it turns out, she had channelled too much chakra into her attack and accidentally pulverised the target boulder. The result was a shower of rock and stone raining down on the training ground.

 

Asami prepared her next test series, curious how her multiple layers of shielding would fare this time. Her fire against spaced chakra armour. Her eyes searched for a new target. Fortunately, the training ground provided her with an ample supply of boulders for target practice. She found a suitable candidate.

 

Her chakra created a series of consecutive shields and a very angry sphere of tantalising fire. The wild flames only awaited to be unleashed. Hopefully, she hadn’t used too much chakra again.

 

Propelled by her chakra, a spear of fire shot forwards with the full might of its burning wrath. The bolt of hot plasma accelerated in a fraction of a second, but not for her. For her, time passed differently. The entire world slowed down. Uchiha lived in their own time. They lived their own little world. Whether other Uchiha ever thought the same? She would never know.

 

The currents of fate were indeed beyond unpredictable. Nevertheless, it was her who was graced with the powers of the sharingan. They had chosen her. Her bolt of fire connected, piercing the first shield with ease. The shield shattered. The initial layers didn’t offer significant resistance, but her test yielded the result she desired. 

 

The stream of heated plasma tumbled more and more with every penetrated shield. Each shield deflected her projectile, each shield weakened her thunderbolt until it disintegrated. Her shields won. Her fire penetrated eight out of ten layers, but the ninth layer stood firm. An impressive performance considering the strength of her attack. The results were promising. They would help her to strengthen and improve her susanoo.  An impenetrable susanoo was now within her grasps ...

 

“...” Asami tensed up. An unidentified person had invaded her perimeter. The intruder moved in her direction. Her body rose, dedicating her attention to the newcomer. She didn’t recognise the boy, but judging by his attire, he was a chunin. 

 

“...” The boy lowered his head and knelt. He waited for her to speak.

 

Asami offered a sweet smile. “Speak, what's your purpose?”

 

“I came to deliver a message.” The chunin looked up. “Are you Minami Asami?”

 

“I am, the one and only.” Asami nodded.

 

The boy extracted a scroll from his leather pouch. “The Hokage ordered me to deliver you this scroll.”

 

Asami's excited hands enveloped the scroll. The official seal of the Hokage adorned it. It wasn't the seal used for daily affairs, but the seal used for important documents, documents that mattered. This scroll was important, and it was meant for her. “Thank you, you are dismissed.”

 

The chunin disappeared and Asami opened the scroll, scanning its contents. The opening lines were inconspicuous as usual. She had already seen them before. “The following document may contain confidential Information ... If you are not the designated addressee ... advised to destroy the scroll ... Any unauthorised act of publication ... liable to prosecution ... Severe consequences ...” It was the usual stuff. She was used to it.

 

Asami went through the scroll word for word, until she stumbled across the relevant paragraphs. “... In consideration of your past contributions in service of Konohagakure

we, the Village Council of Konohagakure, 

composed of

the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen,

Counsellor, Shimura Danzo,

Counsellor, Mitokado Homura,

Counsellor, Utatane Koharu,

Counsellor, Nara Shikaku,

and the ANBU Commander,

took the following decision

on the recommendation of the Third Hokage

to promote Minami Asami, No. 011567, with immediate effect, to the rank of jonin.  Furthermore, it was decided to assign the command over Konohagakure's forces to the Counsellor Nara Shikaku and you. In the face of a potential invasion by foreign powers, both of you are thus tasked with organising and planning the defence of Konohagakure.

To accomplish such task, you will be vested therefore with all necessary powers. You will act and speak in the name of the Hokage himself. We sincerely hope that our faith in you is not misplaced.

signed

Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.”

 

“Hehehe.” Asami broke out in incredulous laughter. Her laughter echoed across the empty training ground. Nobody heard her. Nobody saw her. She didn’t believe her luck. From now on, she answered to no one except the Hokage. Her future political aspirations just took a considerable leap forwards.

 

Her hands rolled up the scroll, smiling. Her susanoo had to wait for the time being. Great things were expected from her and she would deliver. She had a village to defend, a battle to fight.

---

━━━━━━┛༻❁༺┗━━━━━━

---