Red Riot - Interlude - Observations (Patreon)

“Alright, the expeditions are done,” said a gruff voice from around a cigar that glowed resentfully out at the world. “What did the trainee Hunter nin see happen out there that is worth being discussed?”

The third-year instructors started first, as always.

Tempora, or as he was known to his brats, Instructor Tempora, settled in to wait. His class would take a while to get to as first years. He leafed through the reports that had been written up with this year’s observations. There were a few standouts and some points of interest in what was seen as ‘the kiddies’ getting their feet wet.

He noted that the hunter nin hadn’t mentioned how Matsu had healed his teammates after they’re little rescue mission against the sharks. Sloppy paperwork, very sloppy. But sloppiness that worked for him.

He tuned back in to listen as a few notable occurrences and some failings were rattled off.

“Nenda should have been able to get around the genjutsu, but he didn’t. The only reason he is still alive is that he was with a group that saved him. I recommend he go through the full graduation process at the end of the year,” stated the third year instructor. Others in the group nodded and noises of agreement were made before they moved on.

If Nenda was lucky, he’d kill a weaker kid to qualify as a Genin at the end of the year. Then he’d have a chance to serve properly. But if he hadn’t yet worked out his genjutsu weakness by then, well… chances were he wouldn’t amount to much once out in the field.

A few other disparaging comments were made, before they moved on to the ones that had impressed.

“Nami, Chiko, and Dazi, all of them were able to get out of a number of traps their fellows tried to use on them. They ended up taking out two of the others and, in the process, blooding themselves. I nominate them to not require the full graduation and to be promoted straight out of the academy when their done.”

This caused a stir. “All three of them? Which of them killed the others? Those would have proven they had the right attitude. All three are asking too much!” said one instructor.

“Yeah!” barked one voice.

“You're just boosting your groups numbers to make yourself look good!” said another.

Tempora took a drink of water. If someone were to know only a little of the graduation process then they’d be confused by the claims of boosting numbers.

The Mizukage wasn’t a fool.

The concept of bloodied warriors only being allowed to graduate to the ranks of shinobi was fed to known spies i their nation to create a mythos of more ruthless fighters for Kirigakure. It scared those outsiders to hear how brutal Kirigakure was. It also created the idea that they wouldn’t be turned, such was their loyalty to Kirigakure.

They bought into it and sneered while true Kiri shinobi laughed at the Leaf or the Storm shinobi’s ignorance in falling for such a bald-faced lie.

Having each graduating class fight to the death until they killed another was a method that only resulted in half of the graduating class making it through. When a graduating year underwent the blooding, as the Instructors called it, usually only a third of them had to go through with it instead of all of them. This kept the fatalities to under thirty for each graduating class.

Tempora scratched at an old scar that a kunai had just missed.

It always acted up around the end of the term.

What outsiders wouldn’t realise, was that the cream of the crop never went through the actual bloody graduation. It would be like fattening up a shark only to throw it into a meat grinder instead of taking the finest cuts of meat and being selective. After all, why spend all that time teaching kids only to have them cut down.

Even weak idiots like Denda had spent years learning shinobi skills.

The idea of having the graduation earlier had been floated around before reality presented itself. It still caused too few to graduate.

Instead, at the end of each term, students were selected to be observed. If they reached a good enough level, they would be quietly tapped on the shoulder come graduation and asked to step out of the ring.

They’d get the honour of watching.

It was the teacher’s responsibility to try and get as many of their class through as possible, a tough ask with the clans having to be broken up. But it had to be done, lest one class and therefore those instructors be the ultimate victors in the results. Also not enough of the Clan would have the chances to shine and therefore avoid the final graduation.

Tempora had a good feeling about his class this year.

When it was his turn to speak, he collected the report and waited as other class instructors made their own cases. There really were only grounds for two people to be excluded through merit this time. Not enough had resulted after all, but that was to be expected with this being the first expedition. There would be more to come.

“I nominate Hanahime Terumi on grounds that she held the water spring for her group for five of the seven days she needed to. She also is now blooded,” claimed a grizzled instructor as he smugly announced the girls ‘acchievement’. Tempora had noted that the trainee hunter nin had said her kill was, in truth, just an accident.

She and all the Hozuki kids lost marks having not noticed the civilians sneaking up on them.

Next to him, Geta snorted in contempt. “Not like she was going to have to go through the blooding if she got that far. Her uncle never would have stood for it,” he said with a grumble.

Tempora shot his fellow Instructor a look. The other man grunted only to stiffen when the eyes of the academy’s headmaster turned upon him. “Something to say?” he said pointedly in Geta’s direction.

Geta shook his head. “No sir!” he said quickly.

The headmaster’s cigar glowed angrily before the man turned his eyes upon Tempora. “What about you Tempora? Anything to say?”

“The girl and the Hozuki all lose marks. The civilian kids spent the week not fighting them but instead sneaking up on them. They, in turn, weren’t able to catch out the trainee hunter nin but…” Tempora made a gesture as if to say it was to be expected. He got a few grunts of acknowledgement. Tempora then swallowed and decided to play his hand.

“I otherwise nominate Matsu. The kid is a natural leader that looks far beyond coming tasks. He plans for future scenarios and gives everyone in his group the best chance. He’s the best leader, even over the others in his year.”

The Headmaster gestured for Tempora to continue so he did. “He avoided all combat yes, but the mission statement of the expedition wasn’t to fight but to survive. He made a tentative agreement with the Terumi leader in his year and avoided igniting tensions while solidifying his group’s strength. His group will have improved from this trip rather than being on shakier ground.”

Tempora didn’t say that the kid was training himself to be a chakra sensor, or that he had started to become a rather skilled medic all on his own. Tempora wouldn’t announce that out loud. That was just begging one of the clan instructors to slip the information to their own kids. The kid’s name got raised but not too high. It was brought up and considered but would be dismissed, that was Tempora’s ultimate goal with how he’d stated things.

Sadly, some couldn’t simply let it play out that way.

“Matsu…” said Jinamo, a man who stood as Tempora’s ‘thorn’ in as much a capacity as he could be. “Isn’t he that Uzumaki bastard the whores spat out?”

Tempora inclined his head, not defending the Geisha or Matsu, lest too much interest be drawn to both.

Jinamo rocked his head back and forth as his eyes searched Tempora for weakness. Tempora gave nothing back but a bored blink to show he wasn’t interested in playing this game. Jinamo was just bored, he must have lost his latest little toy if he was looking for something new like this.

“What is your point Jinamo?” said the Headmaster with a bark, who must have been getting annoyed with how his cigar was almost spent from the length of the meeting. He started to feel around his top pocket for another only to scowl and drop his wandering hand.

Jinamo shook his head. “Just thought I might agree with Tempora, that little man will be one to watch. His heritage is Uzumaki, obviously. Red hair that vibrant, and strong chakra? Amazed the whores got so lucky.”

Jinamo tilted his head coyly, still probing at Tempora. “Still, an Uzumaki? Might be useful to have one of their sort attached to Kirigakure, make a new clan from him perhaps?” he mused idly.

Tempora snorted, the only thing he could do to show that he didn’t think much of that idea. In truth, the words were damaging enough to the clans that might hear these little musings and decide to smother any potential Matsu might have in creating another ‘clan’ in the Village. They might allow it if he attached himself to another group but that could be just as dangerous, due to opposing groups targeting him just to deny him to the opponents.

It would be petty office politics and a chunin with too much time on his hands resulting in a kid with some actual potential dying. Tempora regretted even offering the kid up in a reduced capacity.

In his head, he cursed Jinamo as the others considered Matsu more seriously.

The Headmaster snorted loudly. “Not enough. Maybe when he kills, from what has been written he’s decent and Jinamo has a point if he has some of the Uzumaki vitality and their chakra, which his notes state he does, there is potential. But he’s just a student right now. He’s not proved himself enough for me to sign off. He’ll need more before the end of the third year to skip the blooding.”

Tempora inclined his head and keeping up his bored expression, like it didn’t matter one way or another.

The Headmaster grunted, his cigar dying in his mouth. He scowled at it and then at the others in the room. “ About the girl, Hanahime already had a pass due to her uncle. Any other points to consider?”

When no one said anything, he waved his hand. “Dismissed. There’s the usual week off between terms, be back here in five days for the next round of work. Or take some missions, die, and don’t. I don’t care.”

The man remained in his seat while everyone else left.

Tempora caught Geta on the shoulder and smiled. Geta sighed. “Alright, I owe you one for taking his attention, sure. To the bar?”

Tempora allowed himself a smile. Geta was too easy to get free drinks off. When they claimed a seat at the bar with enough space to talk Geta tilted his head. “You really think that pretty boy Uzumaki can get himself a pass from the blooding? Add to our numbers?”

“I think a few of his group could, honestly. Be a nice bonus for us.” Tempora gave Geta a look and relaxed when the other man nodded with a smile that wasn’t faked. Good, Geta would know to only give them trouble they could handle.

A few drinks passed with Geta paying for all of them. The man knocked down his fifth glass before burping and shaking his head. “They won’t thank us, you know?”

Tempora merely nodded. “Still, it’s better to have to watch than to have to take part.” Geta nodded and flicked his eyes down.

Tempora stopped rubbing at his chest where the old scar was playing up.

The next round of drinks Tempora paid for.