Behind Her Mask (Naruto | Hatake Kakashi/Original Female Character)

Chapter 3 | Starting With Taijutsu

Chapter 3 | Starting With Taijutsu

Being trained by Hiruzen-sensei — the man managed to pester her enough to make her call him Hiruzen-sensei instead of Sarutobi-sensei — was very much different from the training program assigned for the royal guards.

Perhaps it's due to the fact that the royal guards, while deemed strong by normal standards, are essentially made out of civilians and lower-ranked shinobis.

Everyday, by the time she comes back to her flat, she's all sore, covered in bruises and soaked through her bones with sweat. And though she could already feel herself improving, she was also quick to realize that the old man is a rather sadistic teacher. No wonder the his previous students were able to gains the title of Densetsu no Sannin with a slave worker that is their mentor.

But setting her hypothetical torture aside, she fit in splendidly with the Konohagakure habitants — both the jounins of her apartment complex and the surrounding civilians alike.

As she's been shadowing Kazuki-sama during her visits to Konoha, people have actually seen her around over the past years, though never striking up conversation with her as she was on duty. So they weren't so apprehensive when she first approached them.

Her polite attitude and air of mystery certainly had a hand in charming quite a number of people. In a mere few weeks, Kei's popularity had grown in an exponential rate — most of which came from the female department. It became a routine of teenage civilian girls — and, in the rare occasions, boys — waving daintily at her when they caught sight of Kei passing by before giggling to themselves when she absentmindedly returned their greeting.

Kei seemed to take no notice of it.

Or at least, if she did, she didn't see the need of correcting their false assumption of her gender.

"—Hence, I'm going to assign some exercises that you'd be doing in your own time... Are you listening, Kei-kun?"

At the call of her name, Kei blinked back into awareness, shaking her head slightly in attempt to get rid of the hazy blanket in her mind. She opened her mouth to say something, but something made her turn away and dash towards the nearest bush.

The sound of her retching had Hiruzen up in alarm. "Do you know what caused this?" He immediately asked, rubbing the girl's back in a soothing motion.

Kei didn't answer until all had been expelled out of her digestive system. "I might have an idea." She then rummaged through her waist pouch and showed him a plastic-wrapped brownie that's been half-eaten, "Someone gave this to me on my way to the training ground."

Something hard settled in her mentor's expression, "Who was it?"

"I know it's a woman, but..." Kei closed her eyes and tried to recall. After a while, she frowned, "I can't seem to remember her face. I think they had a mild genjutsu on."

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes, "So it was deliberate." He deducted, "Do you know what could've prompted this outcome?"

"It might be due to my status as Kazuki-ojou's personal guard — I shouldn't have let my guard down." Kei pursed her lips for a moment before shaking her head, "But nevermind that. What were you saying, Hiruzen-sensei? I seemed to have missed what you're telling me."

Despite being so obvious in her attempt, Hiruzen let her steer the conversation away with a knowing look.

"I was informing you that due to the incoming Chuunin Exam taking place in Konoha, there'd been an increase in paperwork that I fear would last for more than a couple of months to sort through." He explained, face slightly pinched at the thought of his worst nightmare — more paperwork.