Naruto: A Shinobi Lifestyle

Asasu sat at the kitchen table, staring blankly at the training book in front of him. The words on the page blurred together as his mind processed the full weight of what had just happened.

He wasn't going to be a normal shinobi.

He wasn't going to learn jutsu like everyone else.

He was going to spend years destroying his body just to make it strong enough to compete with other kids.

This sucked.

But he had already decided. If this was the only way, then fine.

Then his mother found out.

"You WHAT?!" Kosu Shozen nearly dropped the bowl she was holding.

She rushed forward, placing the back of her hand against Asasu's forehead, then his cheek, then back to his forehead.

"Mom," Asasu muttered, leaning away.

"Are you sick?" Kosu demanded. "Fever? Heatstroke? Rentaro, are you sure he didn't hit his head?"

Rentaro sat at the counter, casually sipping tea. "Pretty sure."

Kosu narrowed her eyes. "Did you tell him he has to do this?"

"Nope," Rentaro said simply. "He decided himself."

Kosu didn't look convinced.

She turned back to Asasu, holding his face in both hands like she was searching for any signs of brain damage.

"You want to train in taijutsu?" she asked as if trying to comprehend the words. "Like your grandfather?"

Asasu hesitated.

"...Yeah not like I have much of a choice if I want to be a shinobi."

She stared at him.

Then she turned back to Rentaro. "You're absolutely sure he's not sick?"

Rentaro smirked. "Positive."

Kosu exhaled walking back and forth rubbing her temples. "I thought you'd be the calm, logical child, Asasu. Where did I go wrong?"

Soki, who had been sitting nearby, grinning like a little menace, burst into laughter.

"Oh noooo," she said, clutching her stomach. "My big brother can't use jutsu! He's useless!"

Asasu scowled. "Shut up, Soki."

She wiped away a fake tear, shaking her head dramatically. "No fireballs, no awesome techniques, just kicks and punches how boring!"

"I can still kick you in the head," Asasu muttered.

Soki snickered, but Kosu shot her a warning look. "Enough, Soki. Don't tease your brother."

Soki didn't look remotely sorry, but she shut up for now.

Ito adjusted his glasses, watching the whole thing like it was a live experiment.

"So," Ito said, pushing up his glasses. "Are you saying Asasu is physically incapable of being a normal shinobi?"

Rentaro shrugged. "Not incapable. Just… extremely inefficient at using chakra."

"So basically, useless," Soki said, grinning again.

Asasu threw a balled-up napkin at her.

Kosu sighed, finally sitting down across from her son. She rested her chin in her hands, staring at him like he was a mystery she couldn't quite solve.

"Are you sure about this, Asasu?" she asked, her voice softer now. "You don't have to be a shinobi. You could stay here, and run the restaurant when you're older. You'd be safe."

Asasu hesitated.

The thought had crossed his mind before. He liked the restaurant it wasn't like he hated working there. It was a safe, stable life.

But…

That wasn't what he wanted.

He exhaled, looking down at the book full of grueling training exercises.

"If I can't be a normal shinobi," he said, "then I'll just have to be something else. Something stronger."

Kosu's eyes softened, and for a moment, she looked just a little sad.

She reached across the table, gently ruffling his messy hair.

"You really are your father's son," she said.

Rentaro grinned. "I take full credit."

Kosu ignored him.

She sighed and pulled her hands back. "Alright. I don't like it, but if this is what you really want, I won't stop you."

Asasu nodded. "It is."

"Just promise me," Kosu said, giving him a serious look, "that you won't push yourself so hard that you break."

Asasu swallowed. He had a feeling he was going to break many, many many times before this training was over.

But he nodded anyway. "I promise."

Rentaro stood up, stretching. "Alright. Since we're all on the same page now, I need to send a message to Osamu."

Asasu grimaced.

The moment his grandfather found out, it was going to be a nightmare.

Rentaro smirked, clearly thinking the same thing.

"It's been a while since I gave him good news," Rentaro mused. "He's gonna love this."