Naruto : a hero's journey

Keiko smiled as she handed Satoru a long, thin box. It was slightly heavy, and he could tell from the weight alone that it wasn't just some random gift.

Intrigued, he carefully opened it, his eyes widening in surprise. Inside was a sword—its scabbard a muted grey, but the blade itself was jet black, dark and foreboding.

The tsuba had an unique design, shaped like a 'swastika,' a symbol he had seen before.

"What's the name of this sword?" he asked, his fingers brushing over the scabbard.

Keiko smiled slyly. "It's called Fumikage."

Satoru raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly. "Fumikage? That's… an edgy name for a sword."

Keiko rolled her eyes and motioned for him to pour chakra into the blade. "Just try it. You'll understand."

He did as she instructed, channeling his chakra into the sword. The moment his energy made contact, the blade absorbed all the surrounding light, becoming an even deeper black, almost as if it was a void that sucked in everything around it. The blackness of the blade was so intense it seemed to distort the light itself.

"Whoa," Satoru muttered, admiring the weapon. "It looks... incredible. Mysterious and strong."

Keiko nodded, satisfied with his reaction. "Now you see why it's called Fumikage. It turns into the shadow itself, absorbing light."

As Satoru was lost in admiring the sword, Miku came rushing toward them, a grin plastered on his face as he held a similarly shaped box. "Hey, Satoru! Guess what I got you!"

Satoru looked up, seeing the excitement on Miku's face. "Another sword?" he guessed, eyeing the box.

Miku grinned wider, nodding eagerly. He quickly opened the box to reveal another sword. This one had a beautiful blue scabbard with white and yellow accents running along it, like streaks of lightning in a stormy sky.

Satoru's eyes gleamed with curiosity as Miku handed him the sword.

Satoru unsheathed the blade, revealing its pristine blue edge. As soon as he channeled chakra into it, the blade began to buzz softly, small sparks of lightning flickering along its edge. Within moments, the gentle hum turned into a high-pitched whine, and the sword radiated an aura of extreme windy sharpness.

"Whoa," Satoru whispered, feeling the blade's energy resonate with him. "It feels… powerful. Like it's ready to cut through anything."

Miku beamed. "I figured you'd like it! It's meant to conduct lightning and wind chakra. Looks like you've already figured that part out!"

Keiko smiled. "You earned it. Now you've got a blade for every occasion."

Satoru looked at his two friends, feeling a warmth in his chest. These gifts weren't just weapons; they were reminders of the connections he'd forged with those around him.

Miku smiled as Satoru admired the blue blade, watching him take in the weapon's intricate design. "This one's called Arashi-ken," Miku explained. "It conducts both lightning and wind release chakra. When you use lightning, it gives off a low buzz. But when you use wind, it hums with a sharp, high-pitched sound." He then pointed at the sword's slightly straighter blade and its longer handle. "It's meant to be wielded with both hands, unlike your regular katana."

Satoru marveled at the details, his fingers running along the handle.

The balance between power and finesse intrigued him. But before he could say more, Miku pointed at Fumikage and grinned. "So, which sword do you like more? Mine or hers?"

Keiko, catching on, smirked. "Yeah, which one, Satoru?" she asked, folding her arms as if daring him to choose.

Satoru looked between the two swords, already feeling the weight of their power. But he needed more information before deciding. "Alright, Keiko, what's Fumikage good at?"

Keiko lifted her chin slightly, confidence brimming in her eyes. "It's a versatile sword, great for normal chakra conductance. It may not be tied to a specific elemental nature like Arashi-ken, but that means it's more balanced. You can use it in various ways without being locked into one fighting style."

Miku immediately jumped in, waving a dismissive hand. "Balanced? That's not anything special, Keiko. Arashi-ken literally sings with wind and dances with lightning! It's more dynamic!"

Keiko wasn't phased. With a sly grin, she added, "Oh, did I forget to mention? Fumikage turns your chakra black when you use it."

Satoru blinked. "Wait, what? Like, pitch black?"

"Yup," Keiko said, nodding with pride. "Imagine fighting someone, and your chakra just absorbs all the light around you. It'll make you look even more badass."

Hearing that, Satoru couldn't help but giggle like a little kid. The thought of having a sword that made him look so menacing yet cool tickled him. The image of fighting with pitch-black chakra, striking fear into his opponents, danced in his mind.

Miku, watching his reaction, laughed too, but he wasn't ready to concede. "Okay, yeah, that does sound pretty cool. But come on, Arashi-ken still has that insane wind and lightning combo. Think about how sharp and fast your strikes would be!"

Satoru, still grinning, looked between the two, holding both swords and imagining the different possibilities. 'Fumikage for stealth and intimidation... Arashi-ken for speed and precision...'

He twirled Arashi-ken slightly, feeling the power humming within it. Then, he gripped Fumikage tighter.

"I think," Satoru started, glancing at both Keiko and Miku, "I'm gonna have a lot of fun with both of them."

Miku and Keiko exchanged glances, realizing that Satoru had just diplomatically avoided choosing a favorite, but neither could argue with his reasoning.

Satoru laughed, in awe of the two gifts.

He glanced between Fumikage and the Arashi-ken, both magnificent in their own right. "I don't even know what to say. Thank you both."

---

Far from the lively festivities of Satoru's celebration, Hiruzen sat in a meeting room filled with many jonins, each one carefully chosen to guide the next generation of genin.

The tournament had left a lasting impression on many, and now it was time to assign teams and senseis.

The academy principal approached Hiruzen, holding a stack of papers with the preliminary plans for team assignments. "These are the proposed teams and the jonin we've selected for them," the principal said, handing them over to the Hokage.

Hiruzen scanned the papers, nodding occasionally at the thoughtful choices. But from the corner of the room, Danzo's sharp gaze locked onto one particular team—Satoru's.

Without hesitation, Danzo stepped forward and requested to see the list.

"Hand me those," Danzo said in his typically tone. The principal hesitated but complied, passing the papers to him.

As Danzo looked at the jonin assigned to Satoru's team, his expression darkened slightly. He turned to Hiruzen. "I wish to reassign the jonin for this team."

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "And who would you recommend, Danzo?"

Without hesitation, Danzo responded, "Shinichi Hoshi."

Hiruzen leaned back, frowning. The name rang a bell, but something about it unsettled him. "Shinichi Hoshi... Isn't he a former Root ANBU member?" Hiruzen's voice was calm, but the tension in the air was palpable.

Danzo remained unflinching. "That is correct, Hokage. His skills and methods make him an ideal candidate to guide Satoru. The boy has promise. He needs a mentor who can push him beyond the limits of ordinary training."

Hiruzen considered this carefully. Shinichi's background in Root meant he was no stranger to the darker, more secretive sides of the shinobi world.

Hiruzen folded his hands and stared at Danzo.

"Danzo, I won't have these children treated like tools," Hiruzen said firmly. "This is not Root. They must grow at their own pace and in their own way."

Danzo's expression didn't change. "Shinichi understands that better than you might think. He is more than capable of helping the boy realize his potential."

Hiruzen paused for a long moment before nodding slowly. "I'll allow it—for now. But I will be watching closely."

Danzo smiled, a rare and thin smile that carried hidden meanings. "I wouldn't expect any less, Hokage."

---

Satoru sat quietly in the academy auditorium, watching as one by one, his classmates were called to the stage. The graduation ceremony had finally arrived, the moment they all had been working toward.

Each new graduate received their ninja headband and genin certificate, marking the official beginning of their shinobi careers.

When Satoru's name was called, he stood up, feeling the eyes of the crowd on him. As he stepped onto the stage, his gaze fell on Keiko and Miku, who were enthusiastically holding up massive signs with his name scribbled across them in bold letters.

Reaching the Hokage, Satoru bowed slightly and accepted his headband and certificate from Hiruzen. The Hokage gave him a small, approving nod before Satoru turned and walked off the stage. 'It's finally real,' he thought, clutching the headband in his hand.

Once the ceremony concluded, all the new genin were directed to a classroom. There, the anticipation in the air was thick. Satoru, along with the rest of his classmates, waited as one by one, jonin instructors began to appear.

Each introduced themselves, grabbed three students, and left.

Satoru's eyes followed as Sakumo, Tsume, and another student were paired with a jonin he didn't recognize. The group exchanged words briefly before exiting the room. Shortly after, Nawaki and Dai were called to join another team along with a third student.

Satoru sat patiently, watching as more teams were formed around him. 'This is it,' he thought, feeling a sense of anticipation building. He knew his turn was coming soon, and he couldn't help but wonder which jonin would be standing in front of him next.

Satoru's heart beat just a little faster as the remaining students dwindled, waiting for the moment his fate as a genin would be sealed.

As Satoru sat there, waiting for his name to be called, he suddenly heard it: "Satoru, Chosuke Akimichi, and Kaito." He glanced over at his new teammates, a small smile forming on his lips.

Kaito gave a subtle nod, looking satisfied with the match-up. He knew being in the same team as Satoru and Chosuke would push him to be better, and that competitive fire was evident in his eyes.

Chosuke, on the other hand, grinned widely and immediately reached into his pocket, pulling out a handful of candy. "Here, Satoru!" he said, handing some to him with his usual enthusiasm. "I'm happy we're on the same team!"

Satoru chuckled, taking a piece of candy. "Same here, Chosuke. Let's do our best." He felt a sense of relief. Both Kaito and Chosuke were strong in their own ways, and together, they had potential.

As they exchanged small words, Satoru's attention was drawn to the front of the room, where a tall, muscular yet lean man stood, his presence silent almost unnoticeable.

A katana was strapped to his back, its hilt visible, and his expression was unreadable. Without uttering a single word, he motioned for the three of them to follow him outside.

Satoru, Kaito, and Chosuke exchanged brief glances before getting up and following the man.

'This must be our jonin,' Satoru thought, his curiosity piqued.

As they followed their jonin through the village streets, Chosuke, with his usual enthusiasm, turned to Kaito, trying to start a conversation.

"Hey Kaito, I know how Satoru fights, but I didn't really get to see much of your style in the tournament. What's your specialty?" Chosuke asked curiously.

Kaito, walking calmly beside them, shrugged lightly. "What you saw in the tournament is all I have for now. I'm still working on developing my skills."

Chosuke's eyes widened, feeling a bit concerned for his teammate. "Oh... Do you want me to share some jutsu scrolls with you? I've got plenty from my family!"

Kaito gave a polite shake of his head. "Thanks, but I want to earn my way up. I don't want to rely on something I didn't achieve myself."

Chosuke nodded in understanding, respecting Kaito's determination. He then moved a little closer to Satoru, intending to chat with him, but before he could say a word, their jonin, Shinichi, suddenly stopped and turned to them.

"We've arrived,"

The three genin looked around and realized they were at a familiar clearing near the academy, often used for training.s a team.