Shinobi Awakening : Rebirth

With a deep breath, I bolted out the door, the early morning air hitting me like a slap in the face. The village was still waking up, the first light of dawn peeking through the gaps between buildings, casting long shadows on the cobblestone streets. I sprinted down the familiar pathways, my legs burning with the effort of making up for lost time. My destination was a random ramen place that had been converted into an impromptu training ground. Why Anko chose such an unconventional spot was beyond me, but she was the sensei, and questioning her choices was probably not the best way to start the day.

As I rounded the corner, I spotted a figure slumped over the counter of the ramen shop, a cloud of steam rising from a half-eaten bowl of noodles in front of her. Yumi. She was already dressed in her ninja attire, her medical pouches neatly arranged across her waist and her hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. The sight of her there, sleeping despite the warmth of the ramen, brought a smirk to my face. She was always the first one to arrive, the most productive student in the bunch. It was like she was programmed to never be late.

But today, she was asleep on the job. I couldn't resist the opportunity to tease her a bit. "Looks like I'm not the only one who can't get up on time," I called out, a smugness in my voice that I hadn't felt since our first day at the academy.

Her eyes snapped open, and she shot upright, knocking her bowl to the floor with a clatter. The ramen noodles spilled out in a soggy mess. "Ryo, what are you doing here?" she asked, sleep still coating her voice.

"Nice to see you're on top of things," I said with a grin. "But apparently, you're not the only one who can oversleep."

Before Yumi could retort, a blur of metal flashed in the dim light. A Kunai whistled through the air, aimed straight for her face. In a heartbeat, she was wide awake, her hand shooting out to catch the weapon by the handle. She narrowly avoided the boiling noodles that had been seconds from becoming a facial. Her eyes widened as she took in the situation, the sleepiness vanishing like mist in the sun.

"Ryo!" she shouted, her grip tight on the knife. "What the hell?"

But before I could respond, another one came flying, this time aimed at me. I barely had time to react, but instinct took over. I jumped to the side, my eyes tracking the deadly weapon as it embedded itself in the wooden countertop. I landed in a crouch, heart racing as the realization dawned on me: we were under attack.

Except we weren't. The sound of laughter echoed through the alley, and a figure leaped down from a nearby rooftop. It was Anko, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she dangled another handful of shurikens. "Morning, Team Ten!" she called out, her grin as wide as a Cheshire cat's. "A shinobi is always on guard, even when they're just waking up."

Yumi and I stared at each other, our pulses slowly returning to normal as we realized it was just another one of Anko's unorthodox wake-up calls. "You could have just knocked," Yumi muttered, her grip on the kunai not loosening.

Tetsu, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen. The sound of shuffling feet and muffled curses grew louder, and suddenly, he appeared at the mouth of the alley, his eyes heavy with sleep. Anko's laughter grew louder as she tossed a shuriken his way. This time, the blade sliced through the air with a whistle, aimed straight for his chest. Tetsu's eyes went wide with terror, and his body reacted on instinct. He stumbled backward, his feet tangling together, and he fell to the ground in an awkward heap. The shuriken whipped over his head, burying itself in the wooden doorframe of the ramen shop with a thunk.

For a moment, all was still except for the sound of our heavy breathing and the distant chirp of early morning birds. Then, Tetsu pushed himself up with a grumble, his cheeks red with embarrassment. "What was that for?" he demanded, his voice thick with sleep.

Anko's laughter faded into a smirk. "For a Uchiha," she said, her voice teasing, "you're pretty unaware. It's like you're walking around with your eyes closed and your mind elsewhere."

Tetsu's face turned an even deeper shade of red. "What do you expect?" he shot back. "I'm not exactly like the rest of my clan."

Anko's smirk grew, but she didn't push the issue. "Your mission for today," she announced, her tone suddenly serious, "Is what I like to call the gauntlet...I have plenty of training challenges for you little ninjas to try not to die to haha"

Yumi and I shared a look, my heart racing from the surprise attack, but also from the excitement of what was to come. Tetsu, on the other hand, looked less than thrilled, his arms folded over his chest as he stared down at the shuriken embedded in the doorframe.

"What's the 'gauntlet'?" I asked, my voice a mix of fear and curiosity.

Anko's smirk grew into a full-blown smile. "It's a series of challenges," she said, "designed to push your limits and test your skills. Each one will be more difficult than the last. But remember," she added with a wag of her finger, "the true test is not just about power, but about strategy, teamwork, and adaptability."

My heart was racing, and the adrenaline from the surprise attack had yet to wear off. "What kind of challenges?" I asked, trying to keep the tremor out of my voice.

Anko's smile was like a sharpened blade, cold and sharp. "The kind that will show us what you're truly made of," she said, her eyes glinting with something that might have been excitement or perhaps just a twisted sense of amusement. "The gauntlet will push each of you to your limits—physically, mentally, and emotionally. It's not just about brute force; it's about using your wits and working together."

With that, she spun on her heel and started walking away, expecting us to follow like loyal shinobi puppies. And we did, despite our exhaustion. The path led us into the heart of the forest, the early morning light filtering through the leaves in a way that was eerily beautiful. The air was cool and damp, the scent of dew and earth filling my nose as we trekked further into the woods. The field she spoke of was a clearing up ahead, surrounded by a dense thicket of trees. It looked innocent enough, but I had a feeling it was about to become our personal battleground.