One Thousand Hands (OC- Senju SI)

Pre-chapter A/N; It's here. The last chapter of the year (for some of us). Some of us are already in the New Year so happy New Year everyone. Here's this week's chapter a tad bit earlier for your enjoyment. The next three chapters are up on Patreon(www.patreon.com/Oghenevwogaga) as always. There's a handy little December discount on both monthly and annual plans. If you just want to read complete chapters and not my work in real-time then feel free to purchase this story as a collection on my Patreon(www.patreon.com/Oghenevwogaga) page- nice way to support this story, and me while you're at it. Enjoy! 

NOTE: The holiday discount on Patreon(www.patreon.com/Oghenevwogaga) runs out on the 2nd of January (GMT), so hurry while stock lasts. 

It was perhaps a failing of mine that when I had been told of this mission, I had spent all my time thinking about myself, and not the people who would be joining me on this undoubtedly difficult mission. I doubted I'd be getting any one of the Village's heavy hitters since they would have been placed in charge of the mission instead of me if that were the case. I even doubted I'd be getting many Jounin. The way Hiruzen had phrased it, it had seemed like only those who would find no use for themselves anywhere else would volunteer for this particular mission. 

"Just as a forewarning, less shinobi than expected volunteered for this mission, so you will be leaving with a substantially diminished squad, but I find that you will agree that the team being placed under their charge will not be lacking either in power, or in utility." He said. After that speech, I found myself prepared to be taking the absolute bottom of the barrel, doubting Hiruzen's words on principle. 

That was why when Izuku and Uzume were the first to walk into the room with Jounin vests around their frames, I nearly did a double take. Toshiro, Kizuru, and Omoikane came in next, whispering among themselves before snapping to silence once they came face to face with an amused Hokage. They joined the Uchiha in their bowed positions. Uraume, Inukuro and his ninken, and Shiba were next. The former Team 1 had remained together even after all three of them had been elevated to Chunin. 

"Only three more now" Hiruzen said, and I had a fairly good guess of who the last three would be. I couldn't believe he had done this. My entire genin class. Part of me wanted to believe that it was just a happy coincidence. That they had volunteered of their own free will to join me on this mission. But I wasn't stupid. This was just the kind of shit Hiruzen would pull. He wouldn't even see it as the manipulation it was. He would see it as helping. What did he ever enjoy doing more than poking his nose into situations that were none of his business. I could bet already that he saw it as an opportunity to drag me even closer to the village and ensure I'd put in my best here. 

Sadly, my reputation for being a bit of an arsehole when I was younger had not left with time. Even Hiruzen feared that I'd fail to value the lives he put me in charge of so he was taking it into his own hands and assigning me this team. It didn't matter in the end, I thought. I never planned on wasting the lives of my men. And this lot were a better group than most. They had rare kekkei genkai and skills that made them worth something. Even Toshiro, the most normie of them all, had become a terror with his mix of genjutsu and kenjutsu. The last time we'd fought, he even managed to catch me in one. Not for long, of course. But the fact that he had managed to fool a Byakugan user with his illusion was a credit to him. It was why he was one of only two of those from my graduating class to advance to the rank of Tokubetsu Jounin. 

Speaking of that, the other, and her teammates walked in next. Twelve Shinobi: Three Jounin, Two Special-Jounin, and Seven Chunin to delay a force of thousands. This was going to be an interesting mission, no matter what. 

"Welcome everyone. Thank you for volunteering. As explained earlier, you will be expected to delay the Suna advance from reaching Konoha's borders and allow the main force to mobilize with the aim of pushing Suna back into their desert. While few in numbers, I have the utmost faith in your ability as a collective to harness the will of fire and achieve victory in the name of Konohagakure no Sato." The Hokage said, spreading his hands over us as if in a prayer. 

"Go forth. Go with the will of fire. May it burn in your hearts and may it burn your enemies" He said finally. With those words, we nodded, and jumped out the window that was set aside for those leaving on urgent missions. I found myself taking point in our wedge formation with the Uchiha cousins by either side of me. Behind them were Toshiro, Kizuru, and Omoikane. Shika alone brought up the rear. I flared my chakra to get everyone's attention and then began to make signs at a rapid pace. I'd raised my hand so it was within their view, of course. 

The message? Full speed out of the village, meet to strategise at the spot. "The Spot" was not really an official place. It awas just a clearing that all twelve of us were intimately familiar with as a result of our academy days. Whenever we'd left the village: be if for survival training, or hunting, or whatever, this was the spot we would be expected to rendezvous at. It took us virtually no time to reach it, moving as quickly as we were. I had to give it a few seconds for everyone to settle down, but once I was sure everyone had taken their places around the clearing and were listening to me, I began. 

"Yo" I said, cringing internally at the terrible beginning even as Izuku and Toshiro failed to quite hide their smiles. Somehow, that reaction stabilised me. These weren't strangers, these were my peers. My friends, even. I could trust them to have my back, and I could afford to just be myself with them. 

"So you heard the Hokage. We will be working to stall Suna. Presently, I have a plan that should tide us over with achieving our goals, but to be honest, that plan was made with the assumption that I would be receiving some no-name chunin and Jounin. Obviously, that is not the case here. With you all, I already get the feeling that I can be much more ambitious with the goals I set both for us as a team both in terms of what your roles will be and what we seek to achieve" I said. 

"What do you mean?" Inukuro asked in a deep baritone that shocked me to hear. If my eyes didn't deceive me, the baritone shocked everyone except his genin teammates who just smiled at everyone's surprise. 

"Watcha looking at me for?" He asked next, and the white dog at his feet growled in irritation. Oh the gods, Shiro barely even qualified as a dog anymore. In the office, he'd been more subdued, but here I could see how he reached up to Inukuro's chest and was almost as tall as Uraume. He looked more wolf, than dog, and he knew it. 

"Nothing. I just think we're a bit shocked by the voice. Moving back on track though, I mean that we were ordered to halt Suna's advance, and that is what my plans were previously aimed at, but I think with the twelve of us working together, we can toss them right back into the deserts ourselves" I said, feeling a sharp grin build on my face to match the one Inukuro was sporting. 

"So what do you want us to do" Shika asked, stepping towards me. 

I took out a scroll from one of the pockets on the inside of my armour and took out a series of papers from the seal. "This was the initial plan. Explosive tags on the trees, poisoning the water supply, attacks on their scouts, and genjutsu on their rear guard, things like that. It was supposed to disorient and confuse them to make sure that they were stalled and didn't get any forward momentum until our forces get here. What I need you guys to do" I said, pointing at Shika, but referring to much of the gathering. 

"Is rework these plans to take advantage of your unique skills to make it so we don't just confuse them into stopping, but that we route them entirely." I said next, finishing my pitch. 

Shika nodded at that, "Well, I'm more than willing to take point in this one. Crafting a plan to make us the most effective battlefield force in Konoha history sounds troublesome, but that's the right kind of trouble" She said, and I walked forward and handed the scroll over to her so she could unseal more paper and gave her a quick high five while I did so. I wasn't a slouch when it came to tactics, but leaving it to a genius Nara was just common sense. She wasn't the only one with a brain for tactics here, and I smiled to see how easily she accepted Toshiro into her space. 

"So first of all, I need to know what everyone here can do. I have some idea from your clans and the Chunin exams but I doubt anyone is still at the same level they were back then" She said, getting unanimous nods from us. 

Since she hadn't specified, I decided to go first. 

"Well, you all know I'm Shorirama Senju. I have mastery over all five elements. If you need something to blow up quickly, I'm your guy. I'm also proficient in taijutsu, and can use a nintaijutsu armour made of either wind, fire, or lightning. I can summon whales who can use very large scale water ninjutsu and I have a mastery of fuinjutsu under my belt as well" I said, and the clearing fell silent as everyone's head snapped to my position. 

Izuku whistled, and I could faintly make out Inukuro's whispered, "S-ranked Kage Killer, of fucking course" 

"Well, I get the unenviable role of going right after that" Izuku said with a chuckle that carried in the silence. 

"Well, I have a fire affinity. I can use ninjutsu from all five elements, but I'm far from mastery with all except fire and lightning. My taijutsu is good, and my kenjutsu is passable. I don't have any summons but I do have quite a few genjutsu under my belt." He said. 

"So you fight like an Uchiha then. Noted" Shika said and I couldn't resist the urge to chuckle at the look on his face. Uzume seemed reluctant to go next, so someone else stepped onto the stage. 

"I have taijutsu on the level of a Jounin, and I can see up to over 20 kilometers away with my byakugan" Uraume began to a loud appreciative whistle from Izuku. I could support the sentiment. 20 kilometers was a lot. It was also more than most Hyuga could boast so that meant even with the Chunin vest around her shoulders, Uraume was one of the best the clan had to offer- if not the best outright. 

"I can also use wind release and earth release to some extent. I have mastery over the standard hyuga jutsu: rotation, and the eight trigrams family" She said next. She did not need to specify too much, as every single one of us knew what the Hyuga were capable of. During the warring states era, the Hyuga had been inferior to only the Senju and the Uchiha so that meant that their techniques and jutsu had been placed under a lot of scrutiny. Each of our clans probably had multiple scrolls dedicated to Hyuga techniques and working around them. In much the same way we all knew how the Uchiha fought, we knew how the Hyuga fought. It was the reality of having fight against each other for centuries. 

"I'll go next then if no one minds" Toshiro began, stepping forwards. 

"Beyond standard proficiency in taijutsu and ninjutsu, the only things I have really going for me are genjutsu and kenjutsu. I can also combine the both of them into something I call genkenjutsu so if you see my blade begin flashing, its best if you look away" He said, and I actually had to stifle a chuckle at his terrible naming sense. 

"Is it single or multi-target?" Shika asked. 

"Depends on the jutsu itself, but most of the time, my genjutsu will ensnare all who manage to look at the flashing blade. It doesn't take more chakra to ensnare more people since the jutsu is being cast on the blade itself, but it will fall apart if I try to stretch it to too many targets" He said and Shika nodded. That was a lot of trust, Toshiro was giving, and I could see that everyone here understood it. We were from clans so we all had more or less an idea of how the others fought. Toshiro was a completely nuetral element in that case. He was a blank slate and this 'genkenjutsu' of his was definitely original so it was something to give that information to us so freely: allies or no. Of course, I'd known about his genjutsu experimentation even if I hadn't known how far he'd gotten with it. 

Where before the crowd had been reluctant to step forward, something about Toshiro's candor had convinced them to step forwards. After a brief stare down, Kizuru was the next to go. 

"My taijutsu and ninjutsu are below average, as you all probably know. My endurance isn't that good as well. My genjutsu, with or without my flute is top-tier, however. I'm even better than my Aunt right now" He said to impressed looks from more than one source. The Kurama clan wasn't the largest of Konoha's, but Sakura Kurama was a Jounin with more than her fair share of notoriety. Her genjutsu were said to be even more dangerous than what the Uchiha could do on their best days. 

After that flex, kizuru stepped off the metaphorical stage, and Omoikane replaced him by what seemed to be broad consensus. "I can use both fire and earth release really well. I know a few wind release techniques from Uncle Danzo, but nothing groundbreaking. My taijutsu is really good and I can summon a monkey but it costs a lot of chakra and he only really fights when he wants to. My genjutsu is passable but I'm good at detecting them" He said, and I nodded at his words. He was on the same team as both Kizuru and Izuku and had been Kagami's student. What passed as passable in that company was probably in the 90th percentile of people out there. I ignored the way my chest twinged at the thought of Kagami Uchiha- the man whose kill I'd stolen however unwillingly. 

"Me next." Inukuro said, stepping up and practically daring anyone who had a problem with it to fight him. No one did and so we were blessed with the hotheaded teenager taking a second to breathe as if he wasn't sure what he was going to say. "I'm really good at my clan jutsu, and my taijutsu is also great. I can smell anything for kilometers out depending on the wind. My hearing can be that good as well fits quiet enough. I'm really fast, and I have stamina for miles" He said the last with a wink that wasn't really directed at anyone and received eye rolls from more than half the class. "Oh, I also know medical ninjutsu." I wasn't the only one who raised an eyebrow at that. "I learned some stuff to help with Shiro and it turns out most of the stuff carries over to humans" he explained with a shrug. 

"I'll go after you then" Shiba stepped up, speaking to his teammate before turning to address the rest of us. "I am Shiba Aburame. In my body are several species of insects utilized by my clan. Unlike most members of my clan who play host to two to three species of insects, I am host to Bikōchū, Rinkaichū, Kidaichū, Kikaichū, Kochū, and Shōkaichū. This means I can play the roles of a sensor, tracker, combatant, assassin, and diversion specialist as needed" He said "A regular jack of all trades this one" Izuku said with a chuckle but I could see the way his eyes laid on Shiba. They were assessing. So were mine. Six species of insects was double what even the most skilled Aburame could boast. There had to be something unique about him that made him uniquely suited for it. It also made him dangerous. 

"Finally my turn. I can use my clan's mind techniques and I am also a sensor. I have good taijutsu and kenjutsu as well" Inoken said, briefly unsheathing the tanto strapped to his back to show it off. 

"I also can use my clan's techniques and I have good taijutsu and kenjutsu, same as Inoken" Choni said immediately after her teammate had spoken.. I could feel the gears in my brain begin to turn. Kenjutsu? Shika had a tanto as well. Shika said the same words as the other two and the conclusion cemented itself in my head. I planned to approach Shika about it in private, but Uzume beat me to the punch. 

"How the hell did you three get into anbu?" She asked with a scowl forming on her face. The scowl came easily to her, I mentally noted. It was like she had a face that as made to scowl. It wasn't an aspersion on her looks or anything like that. She was objectively a beautigful young lady..even when she was scowling. It was just a statement to represent how quickly the scowls formed and how at home they tended to look. 

"Who said anything about anbu?" Inoken refuted instantly. I sighed. He had spoken too quickly, and his eyes had darted straight to Shika right after he had spoken, like he was waiting to be backed up in the denial. 

"We're at war. I doubt any of you will be performing anbu assignments for the next few years, so don't worry" I said, trying to assuage his fears, while Uzume just huffed. 

"Kenjutsu? You three? Maybe Yamanaka alone would be believable, but Nara? No way. She's too lazy to spend any time learning something like kenjutsu unless she gets forced into it. There's only one part of Konoha's military that requires knowing kenjutsu. Now answer the question" She demanded. 

"It's none of your business, Uzume." I said, stepping in between her and Shika, who she had taken a step towards. Uzume had grown a long way from the young girl who fought first and asked questions later, but she still had a bit of temper on her. 

"Like hell. I want to know why they'd take them and not-" as she realised just where she was and what she had almost said to all our classmates, she clammed up mid-sentence. 

"Good. Now, you're the only one yet to do yours so you might as well" I said next, stepping back to give her some space. She nodded, eyes still focused on Shika. 

"I have fire, lightning, and wind release mastered. I can use different techniques from all elements. My taijutsu is exceptional, and my genjutsu is the same. My bukijutsu is flawless, and I can cause massive damage with my war fan" She said as she stepped backwards. I said nothing about the skills she didn't mention. It wasn't my business, and I knew Shika would account for a few trump cards here and there. Uzume was already agitated enough. 

Shika folded her hands and crossed her legs after Uzume spoke. 

"Oi. What's going on, here?" Inukuro demanded 

"She's thinking, jackass" Inoken replied instantly. 

After I had counted to sixty twice and still heard nothing from Shika, I reached for a scroll I'd sealed away and began to read my Grandfather's writing. I had made it a good way through when she opened her eyes and stood up. 

"Okay then. I have something. Depending on where Suna have made it to in the Land of Rivers, there are three ways we can deal with this-" I smiled as she began. 

A/N: Last bit of the chappy. Next chapter should begin with a POV cut to look at something else and then we'll come back here to see how the war begins. The next three chapters are up on Patreon(www.patreon.com/Oghenevwogaga) as always. There's a handy little December discount on both monthly and annual plans. If you just want to read complete chapters and not my work in real-time then feel free to purchase this story as a collection on my Patreon(www.patreon.com/Oghenevwogaga) page- nice way to support this story, and me while you're at it. Enjoy!