Re: Akimichi

Weeks passed since team 10 passed their test. Compared to the other teams, it safe to be said their team was the best in the teamwork aspect. It was as expected for most people, as their clans Ino-Shika-Cho combo was renown in all villages.

As time passed, just like all of the other team, they attempted dozens of D ranked missions. Currently, they're running several D ranked missions at once. Chouji was seen pulling a cart across the marketplace accompanying a grandma, Shikamaru was seen as a cashier at a shop in the business district for the whole day, and Ino was seen inside one of the merchant's house babysitting several children.

---

"They're all little devils I tell you! Why they can't even stay in the same place for more than a minute?" Ino grumbled she feels wronged by the mission given to her.

"Do you think that being a cashier is better? That shop was too crowded for their own good. Those 'Customers' were not even bought a single thing yet they keep asking me questions like there's no tomorrow! I mean, they can ask those questions at another day when I'm not around, can't they?" Shikamaru complained, being irked that he cannot enjoy his peaceful nap.

"Do you think accompanying that grandma is any better? If I don't have my strong arms, I can't even think about how can I pull a whole carriage worth of supplies by myself while still walking through the market for another bout of a shopping spree! That was not a grandma, she's a God-forsaken Shopping demon. AND she won't even stop talking about her past stories." Chouji said with anime tears fall on his face.

Team 10 was currently resting after they ran their missions for the whole day. For them, the restaurant owned by Akimichi clan was the perfect place for them to rest, they're VIPs anyway.

"Let's talk to Asuma-sensei tomorrow, I have enough of this D ranked stuff." Ino was complaining as usual, but unlike any other day, both Chouji and Shikamaru was agreed with her.

*Ding*

"Yo! How's everyone doing? All good?" Asuma walked into their VIPs room, as their sensei, and as a son of the Hokage himself, he holds that privilege.

"Speak of the devil, and he shall come!" Ino said, amazed by the timing Asuma popped in.

"Who are you calling the devil, little witch?" A hand-stretched and rubbed Ino's hair.

"Hey! Hands off, sensei! I spent hours on this!" Ino swatted Asuma's hand, she felt wronged and annoyed by her sensei's antics.

"Anyway, how's the progress of your missions? No problem I assumed?" Asuma talked with 'I know it all' kind of face.

"There are zero problems with the progress of the missions, we cleared all of them. But, we need to do a higher-ranked mission. To be honest, we're all fed up with these D rank missions, sensei..." Shikamaru sighed softly, like his other teammates, he yearned to do some more 'challenging' mission. That or spend a day doing nothing but napping under his favorite tree.

Shikamaru's claim was supported by strong nods from both of his teammates, three pairs of eyes looking at one figure, practically begging for their 'tortures' to stop.

Asuma stared back at them, after a while, he opened his mouth to answers. "Show me your progress first, we don't want you guys to step out of the village only to be beaten black and blue outside, do we?"

"Tomorrow, training ground six, seven o'clock, morning." After that, Asuma's figure flickered before he disappeared from the place he stood before.

---

"Our focus now is to raise your survival rate, first you, little witch, show me how far you've learned."

On the platform of training ground six, Asuma puffed smoke and gave orders to Ino. In response, Ino stepped up, forming a hand seal then aimed at one of the little bird perched on a tree meters away.

Asuma then threw a shuriken without warning to Ino, which Ino evaded with her graceful movement. The thing he emphasizes on Ino first was her ability to split her mind and real-time focus to process several things at once. Not stopping at that point, her body also needs to be able to co-op with her mind, it's useless if you know something but unable to react to it.

So the minimum requirement Asuma placed on Ino was for her to be able to perform her clan's [Mind body switch] technique while still stay mobile. That way, one of some weak links in the group, her state of vulnerability while performing her clan's technique would no longer exist.

Not stopping his hand, Asuma keeps throwing some Shurikens and Kunais at Ino for her to dodge for ten full minutes which she occasionally threw some shurikens of her own before Asuma performed an Earth-style technique to soften the ground below her, which makes her caught off guard. Then with another hand seal, Asuma performed another earth style technique to launch some little rocks that hit her on her back.

"You need to be more aware of your surroundings, not bad, but you should be able to Improve more. Next, you drop eyes, come here!" Asuma called Shikamaru and took out a Kunai from his pouch.

Shikamaru, different from his usual set, brought out two short swords which he held one for each hand. With a strong kick to the ground, Shikamaru dashed to Asuma while keeping his stance as low as possible.

*Clang*

A sound of metal collided was heard, left diagonal slash from Shikamaru's left sword was parried by Asuma. But, Shikamaru quickly followed by an upward vertical slash with his right sword which dodged effortlessly by Asuma.

With his keen mind, Shikamaru was able to pick up Buki Jutsu, or more specifically Kenjutsu. Albeit he's able to learn the technique theories in less than a week, which takes other people's months if not years, it's a different story to ingrained it in his body. Shikamaru knew that the disparity between his mind and physique would be covered as the time went with a lot of practices, so Shikamaru worked on that.

To say Asuma was Impressed is an understatement, he practically minds boggled and slack-jawed at Shikamaru's genius mind.

"You need to be more creative when you gain a basic mastery over your sword, you should try to incorporate your Jutsu with them. It could be used for various things, from increasing the damage output to distract your opponent."

To Asuma's advice, Shikamaru just threw another horizontal slash for an answer which followed with a sidekick aimed at Asuma's ribcage then a swift stabbing motion onto his sensei's throat.

"[Kagemane] no Jutsu..."

After parried Shikamaru's slash and blocked his sidekick, Asuma threw a left jab to counter Shikamaru's stab after he sidestepped. To his surprise, his body was momentarily unable to move for a second that allowed Shikamaru to jumped back and avoided his jab. Asuma glanced down and saw a thread of shadow was on its way to retreat after connecting with his shadow and clicked his tongue.

"Sensei, thanks for the advice. By the way, I almost gain basic mastery. It's the first time I incorporate my Jutsu though..." Shikamaru said with a small smile hung on his lips.

"This rascal..."

Shikamaru charged once more, swords placed low, and glint shone on his eyes. On his way, Shikamaru tried to use the same trick once more. Alas, Asuma suddenly flickered and kicked his leg so that he tripped.

"Don't let excitement clouded your judgment, and never in any circ.u.mstances underestimate your enemy! Do you hear me, pineapple head?"

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A/N: Wrong Chapter order, this should be published as the 9th chapter. Dang it