Better Yet

Chapter 4 - New Sensei

A/N: I would like to remind everyone that this is technically AU... So, without giving anything away, if something doesn't line up with canon, it's because it's not supposed to. Begining this chapter onwards, I'm going to start changing a lot more in the timeline. Mostly because there isn't really a set character arc to build on, I need to change the timeline to create new ones. Also, some things just didn't make sense to me in cannon... so I'm changing it lol. 
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I'm sorry it took so long to get it out. 

-Savvy373

The week the genin had off went surprisingly quickly for Risuke. Most of the week he had spent training with Hana and another classmate/future teammate, Aburame Khiho, who, according to their parents, would be teamed with them. Khiho was a relatively good shinobi. Although somewhat average in most ninja arts, he excelled at the Aburame clan jutsu. From what Risuke had seen already, the Khiho's skill at clan jutsu was comparable to that of some chunin he had seen in his past life - though, not particularly skilled chunin, chunin nonetheless. Despite this, his other skills left some to be desired. Khiho could barely throw a kunai properly, his taijutsu was atrocious, and his stamina was even worse. 

As a result, when the trio did team training together, they often designed their strategies to have Khiho as long-range support. Thankfully, Khiho did not take offense to this. He completely agreed and did his best to better his performance for a support position. With his role more or less decided, only Hana and Risuke were up for debate. 

Hana had initially wanted to be a med-nin, but Risuke argued (as much as an Uchiha could without looking undistinguished) that they already had someone for support and it would waste her talent as a kunoichi. Khiho joined his side on the second day, inputting that he could learn medical ninjutsu and fulfill that role, but would never be able to develop as keen of battle-senses as she already had due to her Inuzuka heritage. Finally, she caved to taking a more active battle role, though, she hadn't decided entirely. 

Risuke knew that he would likely fit into his old specialization easily, so he didn't even bother with trying to change it. His mixture of ninjutsu and assassination had always worked well for him and he felt no desire to change it needlessly. That being said, it would be nice to integrate new skills and specializations into his repertoire, something that this second chance at life had afforded him. Infiltration was a classic shinobi skill and one that he had heard was often useful but had never had the chance to develop himself. Furthermore, it seemed that the ANBU of this generation was heavy on infiltration and information gathering followed by assassination, rather than the more simple assassination that had been practiced in Tobirama's time. Nevertheless, for his genin team, both he and Hana would take more front-line attack positions.

When they weren't doing team-based training, the three sparred with each other as much as they could. Risuke and Hana also spent a lot of time trying to bring up Khiho's physical performance. Both understood that while in the academy they could get away with skirting by on stamina and physical strength tests, it was considerably much more important for when they began taking real missions. As a result, during their week off, they prioritized bringing up Khiho to their level as much as possible in such a short time. 

Risuke spent the majority of his time with Khiho teaching him cheap tricks and simple jutsu that could come in handy in a bad situation. Hana, on the other hand, taught him a few chakra exercises. She had looked them up when she was planning on becoming a med-nin. She also helped him refine his taijutsu to be more combat-ready. Together, the three of them also did general physical training, Risuke and Hana yelling encouragements to Khiho whenever they lapped him or something similar. Hana always won in competitions of pure physical strength, speed, and the like. The perks of age and effort, it seemed.