The Cloud Over The Leaf

A few more weeks pass as I'm training with Grandpa all the time now.

I managed to get Lightning Style down faster than I did with Water Style. This made Mom rather mad, but it's her fault. I didn't learn it quicker because she wouldn't teach me properly. 

I'm getting better at fighting Grandpa with the my sword, but being able to fight him evenly is still far away.

"Haa haa haa."

"Good job. Rest now."

Grandpa pats my back and continues to hone his form. 

[You're getting stronger. Don't worry about the difference. You'll get there.]

'But you're suddenly getting heavier...'

I started feeling a weight start to drag me down ever since he ate that arm. It's like I'm bloated or something.

[That's probably because of my growth. I'll be leaving anyway soon, so you won't have to worry about it too much.]

'Huh?! Why!?'

[It's for two reasons. One, I still don't know if your power is hindered by me or not. These next few years will be the years where your chakra will really grow from training. You can't mess these years up with me messing up your chakra growth.]

'But what about Naruto?! He has one too!'

[He's an Uzumaki. They already have high chakra to begin with. He just needs to learn control..]

I can't really argue against him. We still don't know if it's fine he stays with me or not.

[The other reason is because I want to find out what's going on in the world. I have already messed the world up quite a bit. I have to make sure things don't get too far out of hand.]

'I still don't like it.'

[Then you better be much stronger than this when I come back! I'm not leaving now though. I'll leave when you start going to the academy. Just a few more years until then, so let's have fun until that time.]

I nod my head. I gotta figure out more ways to get stronger.

"Hii."

"Yes, Grandpa?"

"The break is over. Come."

I jump to my feet and attack Grandpa with all I have!

*Chi Chi Chi*

We continue to cross blades for a while as I try to use my Lightning Chakra

I'm trying to use the Lightning to speed up my body, but I'm barely able to get it to work.

"....."

Grandpa suddenly stops fighting for some reason?

"Grandpa, are you ok?"

Grandpa breathes in deeply and exhales. 

"Hii. I need you to test something for me."

Huh? What's Grandpa testing?

"Sure, Grandpa! What do you want me to do?"

Grandpa puts his practice sword down and kneels next to me.

"I need you to put Water Style Chakra in one hand and put Lightning Chakra in the other."

I nod my head and see if I can do it.

I put Lightning Chakra in my left hand and Water Chakra in my right hand. I have to focus more on my left hand, but I think I can maintain it.

"Ok! What's next?"

Grandpa gulps and checks my hands.

"Try to put your hands together."

I nod and clasp my hands together.

"Maintain it!"

I hold my Chakra together and maintain the flow I have in both arms.

"Try to meld it together!"

I try to meld it together, but it's pretty difficult. The two energies clash for a bit, but it soon got kind of easy to put them together.

I closed my eyes and continued to meld the Chakras together until I just feel.... one weird Chakra.

I haven't heard Grandpa say anything in a while either.

I open my eyes and notice my hands have a white orb in them. It looks like a Water Ball, but I can see it's Lightning flowing around in a circle.

"Whoa..."

[Wow! That's Storm Release!]

'Storm Release? I thought they're were only 5 elements.'

[There are, but combinations also exist if you can fuse two or more together. It'll probably take more Chakra to do it, but it'll make for a much more powerful Jutsu.]

"Grandpa? Did I do-"

Oh my God!

The orb in my hand disappears when I noticed Grandpa had tears in his eyes!

"Grandpa?!"

Grandpa shivers and quickly wipes his eyes.

"S-sorry Hii! I-I became too emotional. I'm okay."

Grandpa looks up into the sky for a bit with a smile on his face. He turned back towards me with a rare smile.

"I can finally pass on the legacy of the clan! The true Storm Blade will surface once again!!"

Grandpa nods his head and picks up his practice sword.

"One more spar, and we'll go get some ramen to celebrate! Do your best!"

*Gasp*

I pick up my sword quickly and fly towards Grandpa!

I gotta get Teuchi-san's ramen again!

*****

Grandpa and I are walking happily to Ichiraku Ramen!

Ooooh! It's gonna be so good!

Grandpa took me here before after training and I've been hooked since.

"C'mon Grandpa! Teuchi-san's probably busy right now!"

"Ok, Hii. You go first and get some spots for us."

I nod quickly and rush over to the store.

I can taste it now!

'Hm? Wait, isn't that...'

I see familiar curly hair on a short frame nearby. With that crest on her back her back as well, that can only be...

"Maka-chan!"

Maka turned around and looked surprised to see me.

"Hii-chan! Long time no see! I thought you had gotten fed up with being beaten by Shisui and Itachi."

"Haha! No way! I'll beat them soon enough. I've just had family training to do."

"I see. Well, I've gotten stronger as well! We should have a match soon!"

"Yeah! Where are you going now?"

Maka tilts her head up to think. I guess something might've slipped her mind.

"Nowhere. Just gonna head home."

"You should come with Grandpa and I to Ichiraku!"

"Ichiraku?"

*Gasp*

She doesn't know?! All the more reason to bring her with me!

"You're coming with!"

"H-hey!"

I drag Maka with me as well as we get to Ichiraku! 

Yess!!! No one's in today!

"Teuchi-san!!"

"Oh! It's Hii-chan, eh?! Ready for another bowl?!"

"Yep! I brought a friend with me too!"

"H-hello!"

Teuchi looks at Maka and chuckles.

"Already bringing other customers, eh? I'll make a great bowl of ramen for you both!"

Yess!!

"Who is this, Hii?"

Grandpa comes through the flap and sits at the table next to me. Maka is sitting on my other side.

"This is my friend, Maka Uchiha. She's one of my sparring partners."

"Oh. Thank you for taking care of Hii, Maka-chan."

"No no! Hii takes care of me and Sasuke all the time. It's no big deal."

Grandpa nods and we all order a bowl!

"It's....really good!"

I see Maka's face light up as she digs into her bowl.

I dig into mine as well! I just love the broth so much!

"Haaa. That was good."

"You're finished already?!"

Grandpa has already emptied his bowl and is already paying Teuchi-san for ours too!

"T-thank you for treating me."

"I was gonna pay for Maka's though. I brought her here."

Grandpa just rubs my head and waits for me to finish. Guess they're is no arguing on this one.

Maka and I finish our bowls quickly as well, anf give thanks for the food.

"So Grandpa, Why are we celebrating anyway? What did that weird Chakra mean for our family?"

Grandpa looks at me with a shine in his eyes as he nods his head.

" It means you have the family Kekkei Genkai. You can truly inherit the Kenjutsu of the Clan"

"The Clan?"

"Yes. The one I had when I was a Cloud ninja."

Grandpa leans forward on the table counter and sighs.

"I was the younger brother of A, the Third Raikage."

"The third Raikage?!"

"Yes. He and I used to compete all the time. He would block my blade with his Lightning armor, and I would cut him with the blades I made. I aimed to be the sharpest sword, and he aimed to be the strongest shield."

Grandpa looks down as he shakes his head.

"I followed the old tradition of our family to try and reach my ambition, but fate is rather cruel sometimes. I was only born with Lightning affinity while my brother was born to have Storm affinity. I used the forgotten style of our clan to the best of my ability, but the true power of the blade  lies in Storm release. My brother, however, believed in his body more than a weapon, so he never really used it. The talentless brother took up tradition while the other made a name for himself."

Grandpa stared into the bowl like he was looking at the past.

I pat his shoulder and he wakes up from his memory.

"What happened to make you leave, Grandpa?"

"Haaaa. The Eight Tails."

I was confused as to what that could do with Grandpa losing an arm.

"I was friends with the host of the Eight tails and hung around him most of his life. It was hellish to see what he experienced when I wasn't around him. When he died and the Eight tails came back out, I begged him to at least treat the new host with respect. He didn't believe a weapon should be given respect, just to kill what needed to die."

He rubbed his arm slowly as he continued.

"We had a fight about that, then it somehow evolved into a duel. I lost my arm clashing against his Hell Stab Jutsu he created. I couldn't even pierce his skin, let alone his armor."

Grandpa turned towards me and smiles a lonely smile.

"I left afterwards in defeat. I couldn't turn back after all that happened and dropped the family name. After I left, he ended up fighting the Eight tails and somehow received a scar. I heard he mellowed out much more after that, since his prized body wasn't as strong as he thought."

Grandpa stood up and stretched his body.

"My brother's family and our family can be considered a split between the families. We use the Storm Blade while the others use their own bodies as weapons. You'll be able to use our legacy to the fullest though, Hii. I hope if you run into any Cloud ninja, you let them know our sword style still exists. I'll head back home first ahead of you. I have to tell Grandma the good news."

Grandpa bows goodbye to Teuchi-san and walks back home.

"......."

"That was pretty incredible."

I think so too.

I feel a weight now towards this sword style, the weight of Grandpa's convictions.

"Thank you for the meal, Hii. I have to get back home now. Nii-san is probably going to look for me soon. See ya at the training grounds!"

Maka and I walk out of the shop as well and I watch her head back home. The air around her seems a bit sharper than before.

'She seemed kinda tense.'

[After a story like that, I might be determined too.]

'Determined?'

[She's fighting against her disadvantage and looking for her own path, just as your Grandpa did.]

'......Can we help her at all with that?'

[Who knows? Do you think she'd let you?]

'Probably not. I'll help her if she ever needs it though.'

[That's all we can do.]

I say goodbye to Teuchi-san and rush back home to catch up to Grandpa. I have to ask him more about Storm Release and the blade.