Naruto: A Life On The Battlefield

A rather large celebration was set up in less than ten minutes. The Panther king left and returned with a couple of wild boars. Symbasei, the lion king, spent that time creating a large bone fire to cook the meat on. The queen of tigers took it upon herself to show off her mastery of fire release. Generating floating balls of white fire to light the clearing. 

I couldn't lie, being accepted by all of them was nice. When Sakumo explained that you would be summoned to the clan you are most like, I didn't think it would be so literal. I honestly wouldn't mind spending years among the clan, maybe that would be my retirement plan?

If I lived that long. A shinobi was more likely to kill an elite Jonin than truly retire, only those lucky few reached that point. Well, unless they retired on merits. A pipe dream for most as gaining enough merits to warrant early retirement amounted to killing an opposing kage or completing a couple of S-rank missions.

When the saying meant among accomplished shinobi, an S-rank mission was usually a suicide mission.

"Tometsu here is your order," Symbasei said as he came in front of me. My gear was placed in his paw. "I took a few 'creative liberties' after I had heard from Elder Pathera that you had completed the trial," The lion said with a tentative smile. 'As long as you didn't paint my gear orange, then I wouldn't care'

I curiously grabbed the Haori first and unfolded it. Darkened metal forearm guards and a sewn-in layered metallic plate on each shoulder were the most obvious and requested changes. I turned it around and found where the lion king had taken his 'creative liberties'.

"Sage of Panthera," I said and read with a hint of pride. Across the entire back of the cloak, perfectly incorporating the three tomoe Sharingan symbols in the center.

I set it aside as I checked over the flak jacket. Stained pitch black, four painted animals marked the back. The four clans are modeled by cubs. 'Well can't let Nawaki see that, I'll never hear the end of it. Mikoto will like it though'

Feeling my intent both the elders jumped off my shoulders as I suited up. I felt a great deal of pride as I finished running my arm through my haori's sleeve. A wave of exhaustion was quickly wiped away as the two weights returned to my shoulders.

"It's perfect, let the entire elemental nations learn the glory of Panthera," I said with a smirk that must have looked devilish with my extended canines. 'Now that I think about it, I probably look more Inuzuka than Uchiha if you didn't pay attention to my eyes'

"My thoughts exactly summoner," Symbasei said with a smile that matched mine.

"I guess you do look more representable now, dapper even," Pathera spoke for the first time, getting a chuckle out of me. I felt it through Ninshu; she had regarded me at arm's length. Scared I would die in the trial, it was wholesome. I couldn't even find the annoyance I had towards her anymore, seeing the truth of somebody through ninshu was a scary concept. I was sure the sentiment was shared with Rougias and Tugaris.

We spent the rest of that night celebrating; stories were told, and jokes were made around the bonfire. I had even met the two cubs I had bribed on my first days here, Yuras the Panther cub and son of Rougias. Along with the tiger cub Tigress, the daughter of Tugaris. A few of my last couple cans of sardines and tuna slid their way.

I didn't even realize I had fallen asleep until I awoke the next morning. On the Lion King's back, we traveled at a sedated pace to what I guessed was Leandra, their city.

"Morning…." I grumbled as I scratched away my bed hair into a more presentable mess.

"Morning to you as well summoner. The others have already returned to the city, I took it upon myself to take you back" Symbasei said as he made a money sign with his paw. "Plus we still haven't talked about payment for services rendered."

I nodded at that, a half smile playing on my face as I waited for his price.

"Whatever metal that sword is made of will be adequate, there is not a mineral on this island that could hold a candle to it when chakra is involved. Offensively speaking, of course, we have managed to create many alloys that excel at defense" the lion continued as he tapped a claw against one of the pauldrons on his shoulder.

"It's chakra metal, very expensive, especially when it's affinity tuned like my sword." I had done a good bit of research during my stay at the village after I got my first 'nice' sword. Most standard-issue kunai were made with at least five percent chakra metal. Yet the more of a percentage the more costly and difficult to make a weapon turned out to be.

"A single unprocessed ingot would do, time isn't a factor and if the price exceeds work done I'm sure I can find something to reward you with," I couldn't deny that and simply nodded in agreement. 

We traveled silently while the lion king began picking up pace in his strides. We returned to the city in less than an hour, a procession of the younger and 'civilian' cats of Panthera. They were similar in size to their wild counterparts and wore clothes similar to humans if you looked over that they stood on four legs.

They cheered, howled, and waved, causing me to tilt my head down in embarrassment. Word had spread that a summoner was found.

Luckily, after we entered the gates, the crowd had dispersed enough that I could jump off Simbasei's back and walk beside him.

"So where are the elders?" I asked as today would mark two weeks of being here. Thus I would be marked as killed in action within the day. 

To come back after being marked KIA is a lengthy process that is as annoying as it is tedious. Firstly I'd be called back to the village and sent straight to T.I., torture, and investigation. To be checked to make sure I was who I was and get my reasoning for 'abandoning' my duties to the village. If my reasons aren't satisfactory I could receive anything from a fine to imprisonment.

Not even to mention the possibility of a Yamanaka being brought in to check over my thoughts and memories. I'd have to instantly defect, run for my life out of the village if they see anything relating to the 'scroll'. Agreeing to kill your Kage is grounds for instant termination.

"They should be waiting for you at the education facility, there is much you have to learn," Simbasei said causing my right eye to twitch. 'It seems this is where I'll have to put my foot down with the elders'

Despite my decreasing mood we managed to arrive at this realm's equivalent of an academy. The Lion King gave me a few directions before walking off, it took no time at all to reach the top floor and enter the classroom.

It was practically an empty room, besides from a single desk with a few books being added by Pathera.

"Now listen, before you two start. I need to be sent back immediately, a full two weeks have passed." I said as I locked eyes with Mufuso who had a pointer in his hand.

"You barely know the basics, you know none of your potential summons nor their strengths. They each have specials…" he started to lecture but I had enough.

"Enough, send me back before I try to fucking swim back!" Beat drop silence. 

"Would it ease your mind if we sent a panther to let someone know you are alive?" Pathera questioned with a voice of reason. Yet it had made my eye twitch that much more.

"You're telling me you could've done that since the beginning?" I thought I'd go blind by how much my right eye was twitching in annoyance.

"Bring Putheru here," Pathera ordered to the open air before tossing me what I guessed was a blank scroll.

"Right your message, and find something with the scent of the recipient. I expect it will take you no longer than three days to learn everything you need. Especially with that handy cloning technique of yours." Pathera said as placed a brush and ink tablet on the near-perfect human-sized desk. I could smell the freshly carved wood from here and could only let my frustrations fall away with a sigh.

Hopefully, Sakumo sensei will get the message in time and be able to smooth everything out for me.

It took a mere minute for me to write the message and bring out the broken sword Sakumo had given me on our first day of training. Not a second sooner did a shadow in the corner come alive as the pitch-black panther stepped out. A normal-sized creature but he had an affinity with shadows that would make the Nara clan jealous.

He greeted me with a single nod as I handed him the scroll and the hilt of the broken sword.

"Where will he be summoned to?" I asked as we were in a time crunch. 

"Where you were last, you are the anchor. We can't simply summon ourselves across the elemental nations." Mufuso answered. Bringing a few worries off my shoulders, he'd be able to give it to Sakumo within the hour.

"Multi-shadow clone jutsu," nearly immediately twenty clones had filled the once barren classroom.

"Make that less than a day... I assume they retain memories and the like?" Pathera asked in slight shock at how her students had multiplied.

I simply nodded and motioned for her to continue. I had told Sakumo four days, so whatever extra time I had would go to finally finishing the first step of nature transformation.

I learned a great deal in ten straight hours. Notable members of Panthera, and their specialties be they race-wise or their own.

Like a cheetah named Atorious who had lost both of his front legs in a battle with the sharks. A life-ending injury to most that he had turned into a path forward, becoming the right hand to the Cheetah King, how? The crazy bastard had the Lions drill blades into his appendages. He was now known as the blade master of Panthera. I was interested in meeting him.

Another of note was Putheru, the master of Shadows as they called him. A master of recon and stealth with the greatest affinity for yin chakra in Panthera. The only one I had met up to this point and the one delivering my message to Sakumo.

There were one or two notable ones from each race aside from their leaders of course.

The most interesting to me though were the strengths of the two elders in front of me. Pathera was the elder of healing while Mufuso was the elder of battle.

"So you're telling me that if I summoned both of you, he could keep my Senjutsu going and you could heal me?" I asked incredulously. 

"Correct but note I have a chakra pool that is barely larger than yours. A few large injuries and I'd be forced to de-summon myself, yet you wouldn't even notice superficial injuries while we're connected." Pathera noted as she continued teaching me her strengths and Mufusos.

"You also have to account for the amount of chakra it takes to summon us elders, nearly twice as much as one of the kings and queens," Mufuso advised. "I'd estimate it would take nearly a fourth of your reserves to summon one of us. That is unless you've hidden yet more of your chakra?" Mufuso asked with slightly squinted eyes to which I just shook my head.

That brought up the next subject of learning, chakra cost, and specific summoning. Based on the elders' estimates I got a basic idea of the exact numbers. An elder was roughly twenty-five hundred; a 'boss level' summon was around a thousand. The rest were rather mixed and random, the only way I'd be able to choose who I'd summon would be to meet them. 

To summon a specific member I'd use the jutsu with the intent and name in my mind. Throughout the day nearly a hundred cats stopped by and we shared introductions. I spent a few minutes longer with Artorious talking and promising to spar in the future.

With that and a few lessons on other niche subjects, I'd learned everything.

The next day was spent just relaxing while my clones toiled away at nature transformation. The relaxing was more required than necessary as I had noticed a flaw in the shadow clone jutsu. The more clones you used the more exhaustion was transferred to the user, with twenty clones my nose had nearly combusted with blood when I released the Jutsu the day before.

Still, I felt I wasn't at my limit with twenty clones, I had had these symptoms back when I first used the jutsu. Yet I grew resistant to it after a few weeks, I'd hoped it would be the same with this number of clones.

As with twenty clones working together, it was a matter of seven hours before one had cried in triumph. I didn't even have to rise from my spot under a tree to know what that meant. A blinking in the corner of my vision told me everything I needed to know.

{(Wind) Nature Transformation Questline}

The World's Breath I

Objective: Cut a leaf perfectly in half with wind chakra.

Rewards: 20 stat points, 1 perk point.

'Hm, not even a bit of experience for that quest. Still, a perk point and two levels of stat points were well worth the struggle.' I commented to myself as I brought out a jutsu scroll that I had gotten from my bet with Rizen Sarutobi along with my jutsu list.

The jutsu from Rizen was something he said was a B-rank wind release jutsu that didn't require nature transformation but it did require a wind nature chakra flow. You can only attempt chakra flow after mastering the first step of nature transformation. I had been pranked. Yet I finally received a prompt to 'learn' the jutsu. But it was a sealess jutsu which was incredibly rare, it was a priceless gift despite its rank.

[Learn B-rank Ninjutsu- Bladed whip?]

JUTSU LIST-

[Wind Style- Bladed Whip- A B-rank ninjutsu that extends the user's chakra flow into an extremely sharp-bladed whip. Requires wind-natured chakra flow. Cost 800 chakra]

[Pantherian Sage Mode- The state one can reach after mixing spiritual physical and natural energy to an acceptable margin. Increase physical attributes by a 5x multiplier, near continent-wide sensing range, and a separate pool of chakra to draw upon. *Undetectable by others not using Senjutsu.]

[Wind Style- Bladed Tornadus: A powerful A-ranked area of effect ninjutsu. Summon a tornado fueled by your chakra, yet the winds will only be as sharp as your ability with the element. It requires moderate shape manipulation and the first stage of Wind Nature Transformation. Cost 2,000 Chakra per tornado]

[Three Tomoe Sharingan: When active it enables its users to copy movements and jutsu, they can only use whatever is copied if they are capable of it themselves. It grants the ability to see chakra and easily disrupt genjutsu. With the third tomoe, one can read opponents' moves and cast genjutsu with just eye contact. Cost: 6 Chakra/second.]

[Lightning Style- Lightning Dragons Fall: A S-rank ninjutsu that enables the user to call upon that power of thunder. Mold your chakra and send it into the clouds to summon a wrathful dragon to obliterate almost anything in your path. Requires mastery of the second step of (Lightning) Nature Transformation. Cost 7500 Chakra]

[Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu- An A-rank ninjutsu that can multiply a projectile up to ten times. Cost: 300 Chakra per projectile]

[Shadow Clone Jutsu: A B-rank jutsu where users split their chakra in half to create a perfect solid copy of themselves. The clone will share memories with their creator but they will be dispersed if they take a solid hit. Base Cost:500 Chakra]

[Wind style- Great Breakthrough: A C-rank wind-release jutsu that allows its user to saturate the air in their lungs with wind chakra, releasing the built of chakra with a roar that sends a blast of wind towards their enemies. Cost 100-??? Chakra]

[Water style- Wild Water Wave: A C-rank water ninjutsu where the user uses their chakra to summon a wave of water towards their enemies. Cost: 130- ??? Chakra.]

[Fire Style- Fireball jutsu: A C-rank fire ninjutsu where the user transforms the air in the lungs into a ball of fire. Cost-100 Chakra]

[Body Flicker: A D-rank transportation technique that shinobi use to move at the top speed their body will allow by coating their body in chakra and 'flinging' themselves forward. It cannot be controlled further than a straight line. Cost:45 Chakra]

It was rather surprising that even with my Sharingan I only knew three wind jutsus and could currently only use one of them. It may have been because I ended most of my fights fast or that I just hadn't encountered a ninjutsu specialist during the war.

Yet to use both the bladed tornadus and bladed whip I'd have to learn chakra shaping and chakra flow. Luckily I had asked Roku about it a few weeks ago and he had shown me the method for training chakra shaping. Where chakra flow was concerned I was at a loss, it was something I'd have to ask Sakumo about. As with my sword, I wasn't using fire-natured chakra flow. Merely wrapping the blade in chakra and igniting it with a spark, the blade did most of the work.

So the question remained as to what I should train for the next few days. Chakra shaping or practicing with sage mode. 

I had an idea about sage mode since I learned it, could the boosts it gives me be the missing key to my half-baked movement jutsu?

Sakumo did say it had the potential to become an S-rank technique, was that worth trying to master instead of filling out my jutsu repertoire and preparing for the future?