Naruto - Azure Awakening

For the first time in a while, Shin felt a flicker of genuine excitement. Holding the renowned Kiba Swords in his hands, he was ready to test their power against his opponent. Lightning crackled fiercely around him, casting an eerie glow in the dim cave.

The bandit leader's eyes narrowed as he recognized the swords. "How did you get those weapons?" His voice was a mix of anger and unease. In the Land of Water, every shinobi knew of the legendary Seven Swords.

Shin didn't bother answering. Instead, he channeled more chakra into the blades. Lightning surged, dancing wildly around him, and a faint smile touched his lips at the weapon's overwhelming strength. He moved.

Shin charged, the Kiba Sword in his right hand slicing through the air toward the bandit leader's neck. But the leader wasn't just a brute—he ducked low, narrowly avoiding the deadly swing, and jumped aside to create distance. He knew better than to try blocking those blades with his weapon. Even though the leader managed to dodge, he did not account for his subordinates standing behind him as the electricity leapt from the sword, frying them instantly. Their lifeless bodies crumpled to the ground. Or maybe he knew but simply did not care.

"Who are you?" the bandit leader demanded. "You're not from Kirigakure. Which force do you belong to?" He was clearly stalling, hoping to negotiate or at least disrupt Shin's focus.

Shin ignored him entirely. His hands blurred through a series of seals, creating two clones that immediately flanked him. Without hesitation, they both charged.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!" the bandit leader inhaled deeply before unleashing a powerful gust of wind. The first clone was obliterated instantly, but the second dodged just in time, only to be struck moments later by a wind blade resembling a slicing slash. It vanished in a puff of smoke.

[This guy isn't a pushover,] Shin thought, as a faint smile appeared on his face. [A perfect test subject.]

In a flash, Shin disappeared from view, reappearing behind the bandit leader with startling speed. Before his opponent could react, Shin swung the Kiba Sword in a deadly arc aimed to decapitate him. But the bandit leader showed catlike reflexes unfitting to his massive frame. Twisting his body, he narrowly avoided the blade, the sharp edge grazing the air just millimeters (1 inch = 25 millimeters) from his skin. Using the momentum of his dodge, the leader counterattacked, his massive blade clashing against the Kiba Sword in Shin's left hand. Sparks flew as the weapons met, lightning crackling furiously in the dim cave.

The bandit leader smirked, thinking he could overpower Shin in raw strength—but his confidence wavered as he sensed movement above him. Acting on instinct, he leapt backward just in time to avoid a bolt of lightning that struck the ground where he'd stood.

Shin pressed his advantage. Both the real Shin and his remaining clone attacked simultaneously—one from above, one from the front. The bandit leader hesitated, unsure which was the real threat. A mistake here could prove fatal. His mind raced as he formed a hand seal, summoning a clone of his own to defend.

Blocking the airborne Shin's attack with his blade, the bandit leader let his clone intercept the frontal charge. The two weapons clashed, but Shin swiftly ducked and sliced through the bandit leader's clone at the waist, dispelling it. Wasting no time, Shin struck again.

The bandit leader reacted quickly, kicking Shin's airborne clone away, but his attention turned too late. The real Shin's Kiba Sword was already carving through the air toward him.

"Earth Release: Stone Wall!" the leader shouted. A thick barrier of stone shot up between him and Shin, stopping the blade just short of his body. He exhaled in relief—too soon.

The Kiba Sword surged with lightning, a crackling spear of energy blasting through the wall and piercing his arm. The leader howled in pain, twisting his body just enough to avoid a lethal strike to the chest. He stumbled back, clutching his injured arm, his confidence shaken.

Shin stood still, the Kiba Swords humming with raw electricity in his hands. "Not bad at all," he said in his usual calm, indifferent tone, though the faintest hint of satisfaction glimmered in his eyes.

The bandit leader's face twisted with desperation. He knew he was outmatched, but retreat was impossible, he was much slower than Shin. Instead, his chakra flared violently, wild and unstable. "If I can't survive, then I'll take you with me!" he hissed, his hands moving in a blur as he began weaving hand seals.

[A suicide attack?] Shin's gaze narrowed, [This fight is over.]

Lowering the Kiba Swords slightly, Shin took a steady breath and centered himself. His energy shifted, and a faint, silvery light began to shimmer along his face, forming intricate, nearly transparent marks. His chakra transformed, no longer ordinary but surging with the raw essence of lightning itself—untamed and overwhelming.

The bandit leader completed his seals, ready to unleash his final attack. But before the jutsu could manifest, Shin vanished. To the untrained eye, it was as if he had disappeared entirely.

When he reappeared, the battle was already over.

The bandit leader's body fell in two halves, severed cleanly at the waist. Sparks of lightning danced over the lifeless corpse, leaving faint scorch marks on the ground.

Shin surveyed the aftermath with precision. Once he confirmed his opponent's death, he closed his eyes, exhaling deeply. The silvery marks on his face began to fade as he focused inward, sealing away the mysterious power he had briefly unleashed. His expression tightened for a moment, pain flickering across his face.

[Still not there yet. I wonder when I'll be able to freely use this power,] he thought as he put the Kiba Swords back into the storage seal on his arm.

Shin turned toward the shadows, his lips curving into the faintest smile. "Kaoru's been watching the whole time, hasn't he? The kid endured all that pain just to see this fight." He shook his head lightly as he began to walk. [That brat… he really does have a knack for suffering in the name of progress.]

<<<>>>

Shin let Kaoru rest for a few hours. The boy was running on fumes, his chakra dangerously low, and even moving seemed painful. Yet, Kaoru refused to stop rotating chakra in his hand, a technique he insisted on maintaining despite the strain.

"If I stop now, I'll be out of commission for days when I try to restart the rotation later," Kaoru explained.

Shin raised an eyebrow. He didn't fully understand the technique Kaoru and Akane were practicing, but he could tell it was something special—something powerful. He decided not to push him further.

"Fine. Rest for three hours, then we head back to the village to meet Mizuki and Akane," Shin said, leaning against a nearby tree as he prepared to climb up and keep watch.

Before settling in, Kaoru rummaged through his satchel and pulled out the storage seal full of supplies he had retrieved from the bandit camp. "Sensei, I got these from the bandits. There's money, tools, and supplies in here."

Shin took the seal, examining it briefly. "Good. When we're back, we'll split the money we got from camps and the main base evenly. The tools and supplies will go to the village. They'll put them to better use than us." He tucked the seal away and leapt up into the branches of a tall tree, his silhouette blending into the night.

Kaoru finally let himself relax, leaning back against a rock. He had three hours of precious rest ahead of him, but his mind was already racing with plans for his next steps. Even in exhaustion, he couldn't help but think about the work still ahead.

<<<>>>

"How did the fight go, sensei?" Akane asked eagerly as soon as she saw Shin and Kaoru approach.

"They're dead," Shin replied curtly in his usual calm, indifferent tone.

"Sensei, we have a small problem," Mizuki said as she stepped forward. A little girl stood behind her, clutching the edge of Mizuki's clothes and glancing nervously at the tall, stoic man. "One of the children we rescued has no family to return to. Normally, the village would take her in, but they're barely scraping by as it is. They don't have enough food to feed another mouth. What should we do?"

Shin remained silent for a moment as he considered the situation. Before he could respond, Kaoru stepped forward.

"I'll take her into the Takime clan," Kaoru said. "I'll ask Grandma to look after her. Is that okay, sensei?"

Shin studied Kaoru for a moment, then nodded. "Typically, it wouldn't be, but you're not just any clan member. Your grandmother is the clan head, and your sister is next in line. It should be fine." A rare, faint smile touched Shin's lips. [Besides, you're the only one in your clan who has the potential to fully unlock Suijingan.]

The little girl's face lit up with relief and happiness. She remembered Kaoru as the one who gave her that delicious sandwich, and she felt safe with him.

Shin pondered for a second and then reached into a storage seal and pulled out all the supplies they had collected from the bandit camp. He handed them to Mizuki. "Give these to the villagers," he said nonchalantly, his tone as indifferent as ever.

Mizuki's purple eyes sparkled as she grabbed the supplies and ran toward the village chief's house. "Thank you, sensei!" she called back.

"She really cares about them, doesn't she?" Kaoru said, smiling as he watched Mizuki sprint away.

Shin gave a small nod. "She does. It's one of her strengths."

"We'll spend the night here," Shin continued, turning to the group. "We'll head back to Takimura tomorrow morning. On the way, we'll drop the other children off in their villages."

Without another word, Shin disappeared into the night, leaving Kaoru and Akane to organize the group for the night's rest. The little girl stayed close to Kaoru, who couldn't help but feel a strange sense of responsibility—and maybe even pride—at the thought of helping her find a new life in Takimura.

<<<>>>

Team Shin stood in front of the training ground, the evening mist settling over them as they awaited Shin's arrival. When he finally appeared, his usual tired expression seemed a little more pronounced, but his words immediately caught their attention.

"I reported the mission results and got the reward," Shin began. "Each of you will receive 25,000 ryo. The mission was reevaluated as rank B due to the presence of an Elite Chunin-level enemy, and the village paid us 100,000 ryo. I've split it evenly. In most teams, the leader takes a larger share, but I don't operate that way. Additionally, we recovered 300,000 ryo from the bandits' camps and base. You'll each get 75,000 ryo from that."

He handed each of them two small pouches filled with coins. Kaoru stared at his pouches in disbelief.

[I just earned 100,000 ryo from one mission? No wonder Maki never cared how much money I asked for. And to think I felt guilty for asking for 100 ryo…] Kaoru frowned slightly, regretting all the times he'd undersold himself.

"There were also four scrolls," Shin continued, "one for fire release, two for wind release, and one for a basic technique. The basic technique was already in the library, but the other three weren't, so they've been added. Any scrolls you contribute will always remain available for you."

Kaoru barely heard the last part, still processing the weight of his newfound wealth. Mizuki, however, cut through his thoughts.

"Kaoru, what about Nari? Did you find her a home?"

"Yes," Kaoru said, his expression softening. "I couldn't ask Grandma; she was too busy. But I left her with my neighbors for the night. They're good people—a little annoying, but good. I'll talk to Grandma tomorrow. She'll either find Nari a family to adopt her or maybe even give her a house of her own. Grandma will know what's best."

Mizuki smiled at the thought, while Akane nodded approvingly.

Shin stretched slightly, then added, "Take a few days off to rest and recover. We'll resume training in three days."

With that, he disappeared, leaving his students to themselves. Kaoru was about to flicker away when Akane grabbed his arm.

"Ru, we're dying of curiosity here. How strong is sensei? What kind of skills did he use?"

"You mean you're dying of curiosity," Mizuki chimed in, crossing her arms. "I'm fine."

Kaoru hesitated, thinking about what to say. After Shin had returned from the fight, Kaoru had bombarded him with questions, only for Shin to brush him off. All he'd said was that, in time, he might teach them some of his techniques. However, Shin also clarified that his lightning ability, like Kaoru's Suijingan, couldn't be taught.

"He's incredibly strong. Might even be stronger than Maki," Kaoru admitted.

Both girls gasped in unison. For Kaoru to say someone was stronger than Maki was nothing short of shocking.

"But don't tell her I said that!" Kaoru warned, looking genuinely panicked.

Little did he know, while he was away on the mission, Maki had finally perfected her original technique—a feat that had elevated her to an entirely new level of power. If Kaoru thought Shin was strong now, the gap between him and his sister was about to be erased.

**

A/N -

You've probably guessed already that the next few chapters are going to be crucial for both Maki and Kaoru's growth. While Maki has already made a significant leap in her strength, solidifying her place as one of Takimura's strongest shinobi, Kaoru is about to have an encounter that could shape his future. Maru, the mighty eagle, wants to see Kaoru. What exactly does the "mighty Maru" want to discuss? Only time will tell—but one thing's for sure, it's going to be big. 

Stay tuned!

Character Notes:

Maki - Angry - "Stronger than me huh, ill smack both of you!"

Kaoru - Scared - "I was joking, Maki…"

Shin - Confused - "What did I do?"

**