Arc II Chapter 7_Si Vis Pacem -‖- Para Bellum [Naruto FanFic]

Arc II Chapter 7

 II

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 Arc II Chapter 7

 

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 Asami rested on the soft grass, watching the one sided ughter from the side lines. Nothing too exciting. Her eyes followed her team mates.

 Once again, Aritame took another hit. Once again, the boy kisssed the hard ground.

 “Ouch”, Asamimented. And once again, Aritame rose up, only to be knocked out a few seconds afterwards. This wasn''t funny. This was a tragedy. Maybe she should help Aritame and Yukihiro?

 They didn''t stand a chance even in a million years. They could need her supportas she considered their team work ...improvable.

 No proper coordination, no discipline, no formation, nothing. While Yukihiro was more of a conservative type, Aritame was clearly the hotheaded type, attacking without a hint of a n. Aritame, lots of muscles, butnointelligence

 Asami sighed. Unfortunately for them, Asami had little interest in intervening as she pondered about the two bells. What was their purpose ? Asami doubted Masasane would send them back to the academy. His words were nothing but an empty threat. There would be no genin otherwise.

 The majority of the graduates were unlikely to pass a test like this. It was impossible to get one of the bells under normal circumstances. No fresh genin could scratch, not to mention defeat a fully fledged jonin. The bells were a ruse. Masasane didn''t test theirbat prowess. He didn''t test their abilities. But what then? What did he want from them?

 Asami tilted her head, and was thinking, and thinking, and thinking.

 Masasane gave her a disdainful stare. Asami reciprocated with her own special re.

 WhodidMasasane thinkhe was? What had she done to offend him? Why did he stare ...

 Asami''s eyes widened. How could she be so stupid? The answer was so simple, so obvious.The wholebelltest was just a matter ofteamwork. He didn''t test their strength, but their teamworkand cooperation.

 Confident and proud, Asami,drew her de, pointingthe tip at hersensei. “Aritame, Yukihiro, get up. I have a n.”

 Aritame''s and Yukihiro''smouths hangagape, staring at her. “...”

 Asami grew irritated.“Come on, what are you waiting for, the seconding of Hashirama?Get up and fight. Get into position. You will try to distract Masasane. I will try to get the bells, got it?”

 “...”

 “I said, got it?”

 Aritame''s and Yukihironodded.

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 Tired, exhausted, they were lying sprawled across the ground, except for Asami. In her hand, she was holding two wonderful bells. A bit of coordination and they got what she wanted. Using a tiny bit of chakra to boost her speed also helped. Her speed took Masasane by surprise, and his dumbfounded expression when she snatched the bells from him was priceless. This was a victory.

 “Aritame, Yukihiro, Asami, pleasee over. I have something to tell you”, Masasane sighed, his shoulders hanging low. He got defeated by a bunch of genin. How embarrassing. Everything was going so well until Asami got her tiny hands on the bells. How did that happen? He was an actual jonin, and he wasn''t supposed to lose.

 Masasaneughed uneasily, trying to forget his little blunder. “The good news first, you have all passed, even when your teamwork is improvable and certain girl leaves a lot to be desired when ites to attitude. Congrattions, you are now officially genin.” Her apuded.

 Masasane cleared his throat. “Now to your individual evaluation.Asami.As far as I can tell, your taijutsu and kenjutsuare both ... excellent.At least, you have something to back up your attitude.

 Aritame, you are next.”

 Aritame snapped to attention. “Yes, sensei?”

 “Aritame, your attacks are suboptimal. It is painfully obvious that you attack without any kind of n in mind. Butyou have the right spiritand there is fire in you.

 Yukihiro. Compared to Aritame, you actually think before attacking. Sadly, youckthe necessary brute force and a healthy dose of aggressiveness, unlike our little princess.” Masasanestole a nceat Asami.“Anyway, follow me. I still have something to show youbefore the lesson ends.”

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 They arrived at a ck, monolithic granite. It was a memorial. Hundreds upon hundreds of names were inscribed onto the surface.

 “Do you know why I have brought you here?” Masasane staredat the stone.

 Aritame and Yukihiro shook their heads.

 “I see...” Masasane grew silent. Some day they woulde to know.They would know sooner orter.

 Masasane sighed. “I still have to designate a team leader among you, someone who will act as my deputy in my absence.I think I will appoint Aritame as my second inmand. I have high hopes for you. I am sure you will make for a good team leader.Not now, but certainly in the future.”

 “What?!” Asami cried out in shock. This wasn''t a joke.Masasane was serious. HechoseAritame instead of her.Had helost his mind? This was madness, absolute madness.

 “Apparently, you don''t agree with my decision, Asami. What''s the problem?” Masasanefrowned.

 Asami grittedher teeth.“With all due respect, sensei, I fail to understand the reasons behind your rather questionable choice. I doubt Aritame possesses the necessary qualities to act as team leader.”

 Masasane''s betrayal hurt her. Her heart stung. She was robbed of what was rightfully hers. He chose personified ipetence over her, who was better by all standards.

 “I suppose you consideryourself asa more suitable candidate, don''t you?” Masasane waitedfor heranswer.

 Suitable, her arse. She wasn''t just suitable. She was the only sensible candidate. Asami red. “It didn''t say so explicitly, but it was heavily implied so, sensei.”

 Masasane sighed.“I knew you would oppose my decision.”

 “What a surprise. Unexpected, isn''t it, Masasane?” Asami didn''t bother to hide her sarcasm.

 Masasane set his eyes on the memorial. “I am well aware that from a purely technical standpoint you would be the better choice, but youck something important, Asami.”

 “And that would be, sensei? What do Ickthat Aritame doesn''t?” Asami clenched her fist. Ragefilled her voice.Insider her,her purple chakra boiled.

 “Asami, you know what this stone is, don''t you?”

 Asami controlled her anger. “A memorial, obviously. So what?”

 Masasane nodded.“Do you see the names? These are the names of all the men and women who have fallenfor Konoha.”

 “And what do they haveto do with me, sensei?”

 “That''s exactly the reason I didn''t select you, Asami. Youck something important. Youck conviction. Youck the ideals these shinobi gave their lives for.The will of firedoesn''t burn in you. Thefire that grants us thestrength to protect our friends and loved ones.Meanwhile, I see only emptinessin you, which is why I chose Aritame. He may not be the best choice, but I believe in him and his will of fire.Aritame has potential. One day, he will surpass you”, Masasane ended his speech. Everyone fell silent,except for Asami.

 ...

 ...

 ...

 Asami broke out in uncontrolledughter. Surpass her? Did he really say surpass her? “So your decision was not a rational one, but purely an emotional one? Are you trying to tell me that I am not eligible just because I don''t believe in superstitious nonsense like the power of friendship and love? You are a fool, Masasane, a fool! You only deceive yourself with your empty fairy tales of the will of fire. Hollow ideals are no substitute for real power. What can friendship achieve against indisputable power? Nothing, absolutely nothing. Your precious love and friendship are useless. They won''t save anybody.”

 Asami leftin rage.She had heard enough.

 “Hey, you can''t go!” Masasane tried to salvage the situation, but it was already toote.

 Asami narrowed her eyes. “For your information, I don''t need your permission for anything, Masasane. I go whereverand wheneverI want.”

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17kNovel

Arc II Chapter 7