The Fateful Uchiha

The encounter between Team Yamato and Team Gai was exactly as Jun had thought; it was hilarious. Gai was delighted to meet Yamato and suggested a bunch of exercises to bring out the spirit of youth in the students. Yamato was a bit overwhelmed, but he agreed. His genins were decent in Ninjutsu, but it wasn’t helpful during the training.

Gai’s exercises were solely to strengthen the body. While Team Gai and Team Jun completed their push-ups, squats, and laps around the training ground without complaining. Naruto and his comrades weren’t as comfortable. They failed to complete half of the warm-up. Hotaru even had to stop because her legs refused to move. When Yamato suggested they do this every day, his genins looked terrified.

Team 9 was behind and would have trouble catching up to the older genins, who graduated over a year ago. Some of them were even ready to become chunin. However, it provided Naruto and the others with an excellent training routine. Moreover, it allowed them to learn more things. Yamato knew more about Suiton and Doton than Jun, so he taught some techniques to the other kids.

Jun showed the genins tricks for handling shurikens and steel wires. Kazuma had a natural gift for it since he had been trained since he was a kid. Naruto also proved to be particularly talented with it, especially when combined with his Kage Bunshin no Jutsu.

Training together also helped the kids to socialize. Tenten and Hotaru quickly became friends. Lee found in Naruto someone who could match his stamina. Kazuma got along with everyone, but Shin remained aloof.

Team Kakashi should have joined. Jun didn’t know how Sakura and Kiba would fit in, but it was mostly Sasuke he was thinking about. He didn’t want him to be isolated while his peers formed strong relationships that would last for years. But the Uchiha clan leader couldn’t do much if Kakashi didn’t want his team to join their group.

However, he still taught Sasuke how to walk on walls and was currently showing him the concept behind walking on water.

“I can’t train your team; it’s Kakashi’s responsibility. But I can train you because you’re a Uchiha and that’s part of my responsibility as a clan leader.” Jun explained to Sasuke.

“You’ve already told me that.” The boy muttered.

His foot slipped, and he sank up to his ankle on the lake. He yelped before regaining his balance.

“Are you teaching Kazuma this as well?”

“His sensei is taking care of it, unlike yours. His team has even joined our training group with team Gai.”

“Why do you think Kakashi refuses to join?”

“I have no idea what goes on in his mind. By the way, how likely are Sakura and Kiba to listen to you?”

Sasuke thought about it for a brief moment.

“Sakura will listen to anything I say. Kiba… I’m not sure; it depends.”

“I see. You should encourage them to learn to walk on trees and on water as well. Especially if Kakashi doesn’t bring it up.”

Sasuke nodded.

Jun would have liked the days to be longer. He had so much to do with his missions and in particular with the plan to get Tsunade back to the village. The Uchiha clan leader was working on finding the descendants of the Senju. Some were easy to find as they knew about their ancestry. Others required more work. All of them carried the surnames of their other parents. Ibiki Morino was an example of that.

Jun was still working on a way to convince Tsunade, but the fact that the Senjus weren’t extinct could work in his favor. However, he didn’t know if he should tell the people in question about their ancestry, especially those who did not know about it like his student Tenten.

The young man also kept up with Police affairs. The organization of the next chunin exam had triggered a sort of frenzy among them. The genin police officers would have a chance to obtain a promotion. Shiba took advantage of it to launch a campaign to recruit medical ninjas. The Chief of Police wanted more of his subordinates to know medical ninjutsu. More people were showing an interest in the profession, mostly genins who weren’t strong fighters.

Karin came to Jun to remind him of his promise to go to the Uzushio ruins one day to salvage what could be saved. The clan leader assured her he hadn’t forgotten. He used his position in the Division to ask to be notified as soon as a mission to the Land of Waves appeared. That territory was not far from where the Land of Whirlpool used to be. Jun also hoped to be informed when the mission to escort Tazuna came in. In the Naruto storyline, it was during that mission that Team 7 met with Zabuza and Haku.

Jun also trained with Yamato and faced his Mokuton. His Jutsu was strong and incredibly versatile. The wood could reform, grow, and even attack. Moreover, Yamato had decent stamina, and he managed to keep up with Jun’s pace. He often put the Uchiha in difficulty with his Mokuton techniques, forcing Jun to jump in all directions to avoid the vines and tree trunks that sought to seize and crush him.

Their training inevitably left its mark on the various training grounds they used. But there were measures in place to fix it. Many missions were about restoring the land ravaged by overzealous shinobi training. However, Yamato was very secretive about his Mokuton. Therefore, it was he and Jun who removed the traces of the destruction they caused.

It was an opportunity for the two to have a conversation. Yamato wasn’t as fun and energetic as most of Jun’s friends, but he was attentive and friendly. Moreover, he had a dry sense of humor when he was relaxed and comfortable.

“Your Kekkei Genkai is pretty cool.” Jun commented one day.

Yamato was in the process of reabsorbing into the ground a big twisted tree that had been used to hit Jun. The trunk had been charred by the Uchiha’s Katon technique.

“It’s not mine…”

Jun raised his eyebrows.

“I have been briefed. No matter how you acquired it, it’s yours now. Moreover, I believe you would never have been this compatible with the Mokuton if you weren’t related to the Senjus. Orochimaru conducted the experiment on hundreds of children… Only you were able to absorb it and use it.”

“You think I’m a descendant of the Senju clan?”

“Yes. Do you know that there are quite a few of them in the village?”

Yamato nodded.

“Shikaku mentioned it when I left the ANBU.”

“Shikaku’s wife, Ibiki and Tenten are among the Senju descendants.”

Yamato was taken aback.

“Did they tell you that?”

“No, I found it out on my own. I believe the Senju clan may be revived one day… who knows?”

Yamato didn’t seem to share his enthusiasm. He hesitated for several seconds before answering.

“I’m not sure about that… Some things are worth preserving like a legacy worth passing on. But sometimes, it’s a burden and a danger. Wouldn’t it be better to let time take its course? Maybe the bloodline would die out…” He said, staring into the distance.

Jun was surprised at the man’s response. But for Yamato, the Senju’s heritage brought him back to the greed of people like Danzo or Orochimaru. Jun had a different experience of a clan. He thought of a family and the unconditional support it could bring, though he rejected all that in the past by not wanting to be associated with the Uchihas. His fear of being dragged down in their fall had pushed him to remain distant and passive. He had decided to let them die. It was an awful choice he regretted and wished things hadn’t turned out like that. They didn’t deserve such a dreadful fate.

“The Senjus are your family, not mine, and I understand that I don’t have a say in their affair. However, I don’t think it’d be better to just let it fade away.”

“Why?”

Jun shrugged, avoiding his gaze. He thought about the heritage of the Senjus but also that of the Uchihas. Madara’s madness, the curse of the Mangekyo’s Sharingan, the greed of those desiring Kekkei Genkai, Danzo’s machinations, the Uchihas’ rigidity, and his mother’s grave…

“I believe nothing deserves to disappear forever.”