#ninjutsu tools

[sokeanshu]

HOW THE NINJA USED THE UCHITAKE 🔥 Ninjutsu Weapons Training

[slutpoppers]

<-Sasuke vs Lord Orochimaru->

[demonslayedher]

I see now how Ufotable plans to make a full season out of this

[arabella0001]

Hiii

Do you remember the Kakashi request I made a while ago ?

cn: fluff. slow burn. avoidant attachment style. explicit sexual content [nsfw / 18+].dirty talk, 6.5 k+ words.

⟡ fandom: naruto | pairing: kakashi x reader

part 1 part 2 part 3

a/n: your requests always bring out the monster in me and make me write too much!

Ocular jutsu is a powerful tool. So powerful that the balance is inclined toward darker intents.

Fortunately enough, you and the people in your village were spared. At least for now. Injured ninja and powerless civilians like you are advised to stay in the medical tents around the city. Still, resources are low, so as a community, housing other ninja is a needed help.

Since Kakashi is the Hokage of the Konoha village, he is the most sought after. You didn’t interact with him directly that much, no. Only heard about him from others.

Most of you are powerless against ocular jutsu, but as a villager of healing techniques, you were one of the best at it.Your specialization is in creating advanced medical equipment and tools, of course with knowledge in medical ninjutsu. What sets you apart from others is your rare affinity and expertise toward some techniques in nature manipulation, lightning transmission, and any basic technique that helps you create Saishin Gijutsu-gata.

The special invention that made your name somewhat known in the village was the one you proposed to Konoha’s monarchy government, along with the council.

The first time you saw Kakashi was in a flash.

You walked with little confidence toward the meeting room because you didn’t do well with public speaking, even though Tsunade practically pushed you through the door after fighting off the anxious, irrational doubts you told yourself.

The door was opened by your slightly trembling hand, and you took a deep breath before entering.Your steps were the only sound in the room, announcing your presence before you bowed toward the present members.

“H-hello!” You adjusted your too-weak voice. “Hello! My name is Y/N L/N, born in the village of Sunagakure but now a member of the foundation of the Children’s Mental Healthcare Clinic and Medical Research Division in Konoha.”

You dared to glance at their expressions, which looked bored after the previous presentations before you.

“Right, so…” You turned toward the blackboard with the image projected onto it. “My research is about a possible mono-thunder train.”

“Mono-thunder train?” Shikamaru Nara asked curiously.

The sudden voice froze you a little before you looked at him over your shoulder.

“We know the Thunder Train installed in Konohagakure, right? The research is focused on a singular wagon designed for only four people, one of them to operate the train.”

Shikamaru added immediately. His voice wasn’t judgmental, but skeptical.

“Why should we invest our resources in this if we have a Thunder Train good enough for our needs?”

“Because the difference between them is that it doesn’t need rails. It only needs the ground.”

“What do you mean, the ground?”

You were at least happy someone was asking questions; it helped you present your idea better.

“Yes, that’s the major difference. And your next question is probably how an invention like that could run on the ground without an electrical line. Well, a usual train uses a locomotive as an engine, while this vehicle would get power from a drivetrain, engine, transmission, etc.”

Shikamaru blinked slightly before asking,

“Before you continu…since I, myself, want to hear all of it, and I won’t vote to dismiss your research. What’s the major purpose of it?”

“The monarch of the village would benefit most from it, as it increases privacy and security, especially with a trained person designated as his personal driver.”

Finally, you looked at the Hokage. Kakashi was standing beside Shikamaru, his crucial advisor.

Speaking of Kakashi, he was usually forced to participate in all these kinds of meetings. Not that he didn’t want to. He appreciated creativity of any kind; but the long list of responsibilities drained him day by day. He didn’t want this role, and everybody knew it. Is he a bad or uninvolved Hokage? No. A happy person who gives the most powerful speeches? Also no.

But when he saw you walking in with noticeable shyness yet speaking confidently about your project (which was impressive), he paid more attention. He didn’t want to play the innocent card either, but your beauty was another reason. So it wasn’t a surprise that he was already looking at you when you made a reference toward him. A surprise that the eye contact lasted two seconds too long.

Maybe she’s intimidated?

You weren’t. Well…a little, but that wasn’t the major reason. The major reason was his presence. Why didn’t anyone prepare you beforehand for how young the Hokage is and especially how he looks?

You withdrew your gaze so it wouldn’t be considered disrespectful, as if you were glaring at the Hokage himself, and you didn’t dare to look at him again. Only once more before finishing your presentation, and once again, he looked at you too. Of course, you told yourself he was paying attention like a good Hokage would, but the truth was further from that.

You were too tired when you arrived home later that day. The fifth brutally injured patient had arrived at your tent. The unknown opposition organization threatening Konoha was still causing damage. It’s true the number has decreased, but until they find the purpose behind these evil, destructive individuals, you can’t name a solution.

Your own theory is that the reason they’re not killing people but instead injuring and putting them under various jutsu for control is that they want to send a message. Probably a message for the only person threatened with death. Kakashi. He’s not the only one with ocular jutsu, Sasuke and Sarada are also targets. Ocular jutsu has always been superior, once representing some of the most powerful people on earth: the Uchiha Clan. Maybe their intention is to steal the remnants of that power?

Your thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door, and you nearly dropped your teacup when the knocks became more aggressive and insistent. You couldn’t think of anyone who might be at your place right now, other than your friends who would never make your heart race like that from the intensity of the knocks. That’s the disadvantage when your techniques don’t help you in a proper fight. Basic knowledge of defense doesn’t calm your heart either.

You gulped, grabbed your favorite knife handcrafted by you, and walked toward the door, which had stopped rattling. You turned the handle with precise slowness before opening it.

When you opened the door slowly and cautiously, you froze with wide eyes at the scene in front of you: the Hokage himself, speaking with one of the three guards about the exaggerated knocking. They stopped mid-conversation, giving you side glances.

Kakashi’s eyes traveled briefly over your body, pausing at your choice of clothing, a black satin two-piece pajama. His eyes landed on the knife, then on your slightly scared expression. He shifted his position to stand directly in front of you, with the guards behind him.

“Good evening. I offer my apologies for the earlier sudden and harsh knocking. I imagine it frightened you.”

You still hadn’t processed what was happening.

“First of all, I know this isn’t news to you, but the allocation of refugee citizens in the medical tents and housing within the safety zone plays a role in citizen security.”

You started to come back to yourself, and just before responding, you realized what you were wearing in front of the most powerful person in the village. You abruptly closed the door to cover yourself, red paint practically blooming across your cheeks.

“It’s fine! No problem! I was just… never mind. Ahm, yes. Good evening, Hokage-sama. I know about the situation. Obviously—I mean of course I know that—excuse me,” you said, bowing. Kakashi smiled subtly under his mask, though his gaze seemed serious.

His guards didn’t look too pleased, judging by the way they glanced at you suspiciously, scanning the area.

“There’s no need to apologize,” he reassured you before continuing. “The Hokage’s assignment was designated to your home because your home’s infrastructure is closest to the strategic security plan proposed by my advisor, Shikamaru Nara.”

You didn’t really hear much of the last part. Kakashi staying in your house?

His unmistakable voice pulled you out of your dissociative gaze to focus on him again.

“If it’s alright with you, there’s no pressure. I can speak with Shikamaru to rewrite the plan for a different house, if there’s another available.”

One of the guards looked like he was about to object to the number of options being given to you, but Kakashi’s gaze pinned him in place.

You looked at each of them before returning your gaze to Kakashi, wondering if you were dreaming. Nope, this is real.

“Ah, yes. Of course, no problem. Excuse my manners.”

You prayed the room wasn’t too messy and that not everyone would enter at once. Only one of those things came true. The guards followed him in and began checking the place for any signs of danger, and you stood frozen, just watching them. Kakashi wasn’t focused on the house at all. Only on you.

“It’s necessary, unfortunately. Your privacy was invaded, and I’m sorry for that. I know how it must feel.”

You looked up at him because he was tall, not that you were very short. You didn’t understand why he hadn’t fully entered the house so you could close the door.

“It’s no problem. I understand it’s for your safety.”

You indirectly signaled him to step in by trying to close the door, and he took the hint, stepping inside.

Your formality bothered him, it made it feel like you weren’t equals. But he’d bring that up later.

Your house was completely different from his because his had as few personal items as possible, maybe just a few books. Yours was full of plants, which fit you, along with books and all kinds of paintings of insects on one side, and weapons and machinery on the other. A woman of both worlds. There was some mess here and there, which bothered him even more because he had caught you off guard.

“I-I’ll go prepare the room. Actually, choose whichever you like, you can even take mine—just let me go in first, please—”

He raised his hands, signaling disagreement and stopping both your words and your steps.

“You don’t need to do anything. Wouldn’t you rather we have tea until the guards finish checking?”

You turned quickly toward the simple open kitchen, contrasting the living room.

“Sure, just a moment.” You paused. “Can I go change? I’ll be right back, promise.”

He’s probably going to lose his mind at how sweet you are, but way too stressed.

“Yes, of course. You don’t need my permission.”

You nodded and rushed up the stairs to your room. When you came back down, Kakashi was already preparing the tea, his cloak and hat resting on a chair.

“What? No, you didn’t have to! You’re the guest and not to mention—”

His eyes gave the hint of a smile, but you weren’t sure. He looked over his shoulder and let you continue by taking his hands off the teapot.

“I can’t remain a guest in a house that isn’t mine and offers me safety on top of it.”

You shook your head in disagreement. You didn’t understand his completely unentitled behavior. But you had no words left when he moved toward the couch, his figure front and center.

I don’t know how I’m going to survive this.

He visibly smiled with his eyes when you gave him the tea, eyes closing. And you smiled back.It was the first time he saw that. Officially, you’re even prettier when you smile.

The guards returned at the same time from upstairs, their strong footsteps echoing down to the last stair. They looked strangely at the scene before them, as if you two had known each other forever, before bowing to a Hokage who looked completely relaxed.

“All clean, Hokage-sama.”

“Alright. You may leave for the night and return in the morning with Shikamaru’s plans.”

“Hokage-sama, it’s not safe to remain unsupervised. Tsunade warned us beforehand about…this. We’re forced to go against your word this time.” Another added after bowing, “We’ll surround the house and take turns.”

Kakashi sighed before accepting, mentally cursing Tsunade���s interference in his selfless plans.

“Fine. Do as you wish then.”

You waited for them to finish before continuing.

“If you want, you can rest here between shifts.”

The third member, who hadn’t spoken until now, said reproachfully before they all exited the house.

“A guardian doesn’t close his eyes when the supreme leader’s life is at risk. You should know that, foreign girl from the Land of Sand.”

You felt too ashamed to say anything back.

“Ignore what they say. They take their job too seriously. Their words don’t define what I believe.”

You looked at Kakashi, disheartened.He had calmed you more times tonight than you could count.

Is he irresponsible or do I just not think twice before speaking?

You nodded in superficial agreement, more out of respect.

“Now, do you want to choose your room, Hokage-sama? Or would you like to eat? Shower?”

Kakashi stood, sighing again, and you were convinced you’d upset him, maybe stressed him out too much, or maybe you weren’t behaving correctly. You didn’t know how to speak to high-ranking people, especially when that person looked this attractive. It was an extreme-level game not to let your eyes admire his face or body. Not a game for beginners.

“We can go and you can show me the rooms, but only for your pleasure.” His steps got too close to you, and your heart beat wildly as you tried your best not to back away and appear afraid. “But otherwise, my only wish is for you to treat me normally. Like a friend, Y/N.”

Your brain short-circuited. What? He knows my name? Then you corrected yourself—duh, of course he knows the name of the person he’s staying with.

You came back down to earth, finally acting a little more like yourself.

“Okay, I’ll try. Sor—” No apologies. “Right. Ahm, let’s go.”

Kakashi slept that night in the guest room next to yours, the one where your friends sometimes stayed. It was fairly simple, just the way he liked it, even if it didn’t have your touch.

You, on the other hand, had a hard time falling asleep that night, tossing and turning and praying you’d wake up early enough to make breakfast. You figured he probably had food delivered by his guards, but you couldn’t risk it.

You managed to wake up, not feeling his presence, so you assumed he was still asleep. You rushed through your usual routine, still preparing your medical uniform to head to the tents, hoping that maybe today there would be even fewer victims. Although this area was the most monitored and safest, it was hard to ever feel completely secure.

After finishing breakfast and placing it as nicely as possible, you stepped outside the house to see what his guards were doing. They were likely starting the house security protocol Shikamaru had proposed.

But when you came out, Kakashi was still in yesterday’s clothes, since he hadn’t had a change yet, and his Hokage wardrobe was missing. His gaze was fixed above the house, where a guard was measuring its dimensions, his hands resting on his hips.

Fuck, I woke up too late.

Kakashi sensed you immediately, he was already used to your presence. In fact, involuntarily, he was far more aware of it. He looked at you from the side before greeting you.

“Good morning, Y/N. Quite an early hour to be awake.”

You blushed a little, not bothering to argue.

“Breakfast is ready. Anytime you’re hungry, you can go to the kitchen.”

Kakashi looked at you a moment, noticing the dark circles under your eyes and assuming this definitely wasn’t your usual wake-up time but he said nothing. You couldn’t take your eyes off him, and not just because you didn’t want to be disobedient, however that made for a good excuse.

“I already ate, thank you. You didn’t have to cook for me.” But he didn’t let you continue, already knowing what you were going to say. “Are you leaving soon?”

You clasped your sweaty hands before answering as normally as you could, still without confusing his position with friendship.

“In… a few hours. I’m on the afternoon shift.”

You’d already confirmed that 5 a.m. was definitely not your normal hour. He nodded in acknowledgment.

“Okay, I’ll come with you then. I’ve got a few things to discuss with Tsunade. I understand you know each other?”

Probably that’s how he knows my name.

“Ahm… yeah. She was the one who introduced me to the hospital’s internal protocol.”

“Aha. So you’re just acquaintances.”

Your mind flashed through all the evenings you’d spent drinking with Tsunade, her complaining about the Hokage (now you had way too many questions about what you knew regarding Kakashi), and all the times she’d been your biggest supporter.

“Friends. Good friends, I’d dare say.”

Interesting. Tsunade wouldn’t make friends with someone who didn’t meet her standards. The thought that you might share a bit of her fierce attitude made him want to know you even more.

“I see.” You didn’t understand why he was asking. Was he making conversation? You could say he seemed grounded. Under normal circumstances, you’d be glad to want to know him more. But you couldn’t allow yourself that.

Kakashi exchanged a few words with the guards when they asked him about a particular section on the adviser’s or architect’s paper. Even though he didn’t appear focused on you (or so you thought), you bowed slightly before turning back toward the house.

Kakashi watched you go as he half-listened to the man speaking. It took a while before he came in—you assumed it was because he now had his bag, most likely with clothes, closing the door softly behind him.

“D-do you drink coffee?” You found it hard to speak with formality, and Kakashi noticed your hesitation. He liked that you were trying.

“I’d love to.” He wondered what coffee made by you might taste like. Hopefully, it would soon be his favorite.

Even though thoughts like that didn’t scare him the way they used to, Kakashi wasn’t usually like this, and he didn’t believe it was wise. It was just the illusion of a door opening to some parallel universe where he might have access to a word foreign to him: love.

Still, he found it amusing to have these kinds of conversations with you because you attracted him from multiple angles. First, it was your appearance and he knew that was shallow, but your life, your path, your personal space had been enough to mentally draw him in too. Who you were underneath the humble persona, he couldn’t quite figure out. You were definitely a good person, considering your profession and the friends you had. But that wasn’t enough to satisfy him yet.

Still, the circumstances he was in made him act this way. His thoughts now sounded an alarm, and he went to change into clean clothes, avoiding his unbearable uniform and settling onto the couch, reading his favorite volume from the series. Old habits die hard.

The shift in energy was also a reminder for you that he was just being polite in response to your hospitality. At the end of the day, he was the village leader, not a potential friend. The word “friend” felt false anyway; your thoughts weren’t platonic, and that only made you feel worse.

You placed his coffee on the small table and stopped yourself from finishing a curse under your breath when you almost spilled it because of a book’s spine. Kakashi was faster than you—though he seemed immersed in the book (he was, needing a distraction, and Icha Icha books were the best choice)—his hand already reached the cup while yours was just inches above his.

There’s a reason he holds that title. It’s inhuman to be that fast. Your eyes met, your mouth slightly open in shock at embarrassing yourself in front of the Hokage. But feeling his firm hand under yours made you pull back your hand and your gaze at the same time.

“I’m sorry, I should’ve been more careful.” You stepped back from the table as if you feared you might make another blunder.

And Kakashi just let out a sound that resembled a chuckle, which instantly made you look up at him. What a beautiful smile.

“It happens. Sometimes you’re too deep in your own thoughts.”

My thoughts about you. Right.

Kakashi added, “Are you feeling alright? I know these past days have been demanding for you all.”

You couldn’t lie to him. It’s one thing to act differently from how you feel—another to lie outright.

“It’s been rough, but not as bad as at the beginning.”

You felt awkward standing there like you were putting on a show, and his gaze felt too exposing, so you sat down on a chair as far from him as possible. Kakashi understood you weren’t comfortable sitting near him. It bothered him, just a little.

He sipped the coffee and he felt on his tongue the beans you’d chosen were exactly the kind he had at home. Strong enough, but not overly roasted like some people preferred. Your gaze wasn’t free of his as you wondered if you were even allowed or privileged to look at him without the mask. You were stunned at how handsome he was.

“Can I help you with anything? Or help you personally with something?”

When you began to shake your head in disapproval, he spoke again.

“Tell me. Forget the formalities.”

You swallowed hard.

“Thank you very much, but it’s not necessary. We’ve managed so far.”

The first time you allowed yourself a question, murmured while Kakashi crossed one leg over the other and closed the book. He couldn’t stay distracted anymore.

“Has anything been found about the identity of the culprits? If it’s okay for you to tell me—”

He cut off the end of your sentence.

“Not yet, but there are suspicions. It shouldn’t take long, considering the Sand Village recently declared, without us even asking, that they’re willing to help.”

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, considering a very slim probability.

“Are you part of a well-known family from the Sand Village?”

That question was bound to come.

“Yes. The mother figure was the well-known counselor Chiyo. The mother figure for me and… Sasori.”

Figures, Kakashi thought.

“I’m sorry for your loss. Both losses.”

You replied with a half-smile.

“I’ve moved on, but thank you. Sasori, though… he was lost from a young age. The pain he left behind has faded over time.”

Kakashi figured your childhood wasn’t pleasant either. He didn’t dare ask about your parents.

“I suppose you felt some apathy toward the new Kazekage.”

You laughed a bit ironically. It was a small, satisfying portion for Kakashi.

“A little, yes. But now we have strong ties.”

That brought him right where he wanted. Even so, it didn’t mean the conversation wasn’t sincere.

He leaned forward slightly, his voice curious and hard to read.

“The Sand Village has always been helpful, especially during the war. They’re trustworthy people. It was pleasant and surprising how quickly they found out about the invasion, even on day one.”

After he finished the sentence, he paused before slowly turning his gaze toward you to observe your reaction.

The silence was crushing. You could hear only your heartbeat in your chest. If you hadn’t upset him before, now you felt like you’d be kicked out of your own house for treason.

And you didn’t recognize Kakashi’s gaze. It wasn’t stern or serious. His eyes were hypnotic, and you’d already dug your grave by not answering immediately. There was nothing left to do.

“I… told them.”

He turned his gaze to his coffee, took a sip, then continued to let you stew a bit. From a certain angle, what he was doing could be seen as a little toxic.

“I thought so.”

You couldn’t even apologize. It wouldn’t make sense. How did he figure it out? Since when?

He stood up and adjusted his pants, and you felt your breath catch again; worse now than when he asked.

“I’ll go put on those damn clothes. Want to come after?”

Where? To jail?

“Where?”

He barely stopped himself from laughing.

“To the tents? Where else, Y/N?”

His smirk grew wider at the end of the sentence.

“Right… of course.”

As he climbed the final step, he ended the conversation with another tease.

“Maybe we’ll have time for a walk before you get lost in your thoughts again.”

You watched him go with that same stunned expression.

Is he fucking with me now?

—

The walk to the tents was fairly short. The glances from the locals were uncomfortable and understandably so. Of course people were wondering why, next to Kakashi with his guards in tow, there was a girl of seemingly average social status in Konoha.

Kakashi didn’t feel like caring. He was too busy forcing himself to smile at everyone who greeted him. A socially exhausting walk and the day hadn’t even begun properly. The sideways glances he gave you went unnoticed. You were too tense and uncomfortable, still his focus was on how the morning light highlighted your beauty.

How had your paths not crossed earlier, considering your link to Tsunade? Or had he been so caught up in his indifference that he hadn’t noticed you? Even that felt hard to believe. Where had you been hiding all this time?

“Good luck. I’m sure you’ll do great.”

He bowed slightly out of respect, and you wanted to leave as quickly as possible after glancing nervously at half your coworkers who were wondering what business the Hokage had with you. The rest had already heard. Gossip was inescapable, especially in such a small corner of the village.

“Aa-ah, thank you. And thank you for the trust. Have a good day and good luck to the Hokage with whatever he planned today?! Yeah.” You bowed back, lower than him. It was hard to speak in a way that didn’t feel like you.

Kakashi’s eyes glinted. His voice dropped lower so only you could hear.

“I like that you still try to pretend.”

You blinked twice, but Kakashi had already turned toward Tsunade’s makeshift office.

Was that a threat? Will I be punished later for what happened this morning? You don’t know, still your body definitely interpreted his words differently, and you felt warmer than usual.

You quickly pulled yourself together. People needed you. Just before dropping off your tools, you were rearranging your supplies on the shared table, making sure you hadn’t forgotten any of the herbs you needed. Shizune’s sister, your friend, nudged you sharply with her elbow to get your attention.

“Can I know why I wasn’t the first to find out? Traitor.”

You scowled at her, half confused, half indignantly playful.

“Are you insane?”

People were already looking at you, especially when your voice rose.Seering their reactions, you hissed aggressively in a quiet voice. You didn’t want more attention than you already had.

“What the hell are you talking about, Shinya?”

She gave you an offended look.

“That the Hokage is staying at your house, maybe? I don’t know, just saying. It might be IMPORTANT INFORMATION??”

“I found out last night! I’m just as shocked as you.”

She leaned over the table, a grin on her face.

“What’s it like sharing a bed with the most attractive man in Konoha?” she corrected herself, “Or no, what’s it like sharing a bed with the most attractive leader in Konoha?” She wiggled her eyebrows teasingly.

You nudged her back with your elbow, shocked and embarrassed.

“I don’t fucking share a bed with him! He’s actually sleeping in the bed you and Sakura used.”

She opened her mouth wide, gasping dramatically as she followed you all the way to the tent. You pulled the curtain shut on her face before muttering, “I didn’t know he looked like that. I’m gonna kill Tsunade.”

It would’ve been the peak of irony to walk back home with Kakashi. It’s weird to say home like it’s your shared house. A small, selfish part of you had a foolish expectation that maybe he’d be waiting for you. Pure irrational daydreaming. No, Kakashi was, at the end of the day, buried under mountains of paperwork, full of new information, citizen fears, investigation proposals from the Land of Sand, Shikamaru’s plans, the council’s suspicions. He couldn’t even stand the thought that his guards barely got any rest, like he was some kind of untouchable jewel. He’s not. He never has been, no matter how much people keep trying to tell him that. That’s why he never wanted this position in the first place, mostly.

He preferred helping silently with everything he had, trading in his life without blinking rather than being applauded for simply breathing.

He can’t even go on missions himself anymore. It stresses him out terribly. And Naruto’s constant attention is even more exhausting and overprotective. Sasuke’s probably even more stressed by him, though. Not that Kakashi would ever complain about Naruto. If he could, he would’ve given him this position. As for Sasuke, it’s partly true that he wouldn’t complain. He’s one of the few people Kakashi resonates with on this topic. Besides Itachi, who’s been sacrificing himself ever since his own mistakes, born of trauma far too deep.

One’s dead, and the other managed to build a family. Kakashi would’ve punched him himself if he didn’t finally accept Sakura in his life and kept ignoring his feelings. The thought came now; if Tsunade ever found out about his… affinity for you, he’d probably get beat up (worse) and stressed out. Clearly, he’ll need to avoid ever slipping up about that.

But then…there’s you.

On your way home, you ran into none other than Tsunade at the restaurant that resembled Ramen Ichiraku. Probably one of the first things the war hero did when she arrived here. He’d been away on missions for days now, and Sakura was getting more and more worried, who was also having to basically force Sasuke to stay out of nearly everything just to be with Sarada, which honestly did him good, while she worked more than anyone else.

Tsunade was leaning on both elbows, waiting for her food, until she saw you and snorted.

“Rough day, huh? Didn’t see you today.”

You hugged her from the side. One of the rare people Tsunade smiles at when receiving affection. Not much, but still.

You sat down with a sigh, before speaking with a mocking tone and a dramatic tilt of your head.

“Yeah, maybe ‘cause you were too busy with Ho-ka-ge sa-ma.”

She rolled her eyes and immediately took a shot, tossing her head back.

“Yeah, yeah. Bullshit. I didn’t get the chance to tell you and even if I did, I wouldn’t have.”

“Why my house, specifically?”

“Shikamaru said Kakashi’s suggestion was solid when they checked the houses. The chakra points align well for protection.”

Suggestion… whose?

“Kakashi suggested it?”

Tsunade raised an eyebrow before making room on the table for the food.

“Who did you think?”

You ordered a simple ramen too, then leaned toward her, whispering accusingly.

“Knowing you, I figured you’d only suggest it just to mess with me.”

Tsunade lifted a hand and dropped it with a ‘miss me with that bullshit’ gesture before changing her expression.

“You’re pretty affected, huh?”

Now it was your turn to roll your eyes.

“Don’t start. You’re smug because you find this amusing.”

You widened your eyes, elbowing someone a second time.

“Shut up. I don’t want anyone hearing that kind of thing.”

She made a scandalized face, clearly entertained.

“So I’m right.”

“Partially. It’s irrelevant, he’s the Hokage.”

Tsunade scrunched her nose.

“So what? It’s Kakashi. The problem’s not that he’s the Hokage, it’s that he’s Kakashi.”

Now you frowned.

“What do you mean? How is that not a problem? What would people say—”

“To hell with people. High-ranking folks get to live too, you know.” You agreed with her, but still weren’t convinced. “Kakashi is like a wall, made out of materials even stronger than the ones you make.”

“What do you mean?”

She got a little irritated.

“As if I haven’t complained to you about him before. He’s got a really good heart, even if I hate to admit I can’t stand him, but his past was hell. He’s not open to things that might actually do him good.”

You didn’t know why your stomach twisted in disappointment. You hadn’t even gone that far.

She noticed the way your gaze dropped.

“I’m not saying it’s impossible. People change, depending on who they meet.”

Just like Shinya, she raised her eyebrows at you teasingly.

“Oh shut up. It’s too late. I’m going to bed.”

“With who?”

You made an exaggerated face before you both said goodnight.

——

When you got back, Kakashi wasn’t around. At least not in the living room. You went to wash up quickly, allowing yourself to put on pajamas that were somewhat decent, because that conversation with Tsunade reminded you he is a normal person at the end of the day, and a little bare let shouldn’t bother the Hokage.

Going down the stairs, lost in thought, you moved to make two cups of tea in case he showed up and nearly dropped the kettle when Kakashi suddenly entered the house. Even though only he knew the seal for the door, he still startled you. Your eyes met.

He took off his cloak as he walked, speaking first.

“Seems like all I do is scare you.”

You laughed politely.

“It’s okay, I’m just clumsy.”

“I’ve noticed that too.”

Given this joking side of him, you were starting to think maybe you weren’t going to jail. You couldn’t help but smile back and he did too, involuntarily, which even surprised him, though that was just the effect your smile had.

“Want me to put your cloak in the closet here, so it’s easier to grab in the morning?”

He stood holding it, a little confused in the middle of the living room.

“Ah? Yeah, sure. Actually no, you don’t have to. Where is the closet?”

You tried pointing, but missed, so you laughed and came over, taking it from his hand without asking and placing it in the closet right in front of him. A common trait men share.

You were too close to him, and you only realized it late, just as his voice caught you off guard when your back was turned.

“Apparently you’re not the only clumsy one.”

You instinctively looked over your shoulder up at his face, and the look in his eyes froze time. He was just as affected. Why lie about it? He didn’t even try to move or give you personal space, leaving it up to you to decide what to do. And, of course, you left once you broke out of the trance, smiling faintly and distracting yourself with the tea mugs.

You didn’t even realize that Kakashi was staring at your exposed legs all the way up to your parted lips when you turned your head. Because you were already too caught up in how good he looked in that black tank top clinging to his body, showing off his build. And the fact that he still wore the mask was killing you even more. Maybe a dress code would help, considering you both acted like teenagers hitting puberty.

But your visual distraction was temporarily paused. His shirt and pants were changed, still black. But his hair was wet now, which made up for it. Another angle from which he was just… attractive.

Ugh, you couldn’t take it anymore.

You gave him the reheated tea after preparing his food and sat down beside him without even realizing it, automatically grabbing your book from the table.

“That’s a step worth considering.” His smirk wasn’t visible, but it was there. He leaned his head on his hand.

Noticing where you sat, you shifted more into the couch, as if that would somehow put more distance between you.

“A step toward what?”

He grabbed his book too, opening it to the marked page.

“Toward not being so tense around me.”

You turned your gaze away, embarrassed, but didn’t respond.

“What are you reading?” he asked, and you showed him the book, chosen more by chance, to support the used bookstore opened by a neighbor.

“Tell me what you think of it once you’re done,” he said, noticing it was on the first page.

“You?” You hadn’t looked at what he was reading till now so you didn’t want to come off as a stalker, but maybe you should’ve, because you gave yourself away by knowing exactly which book it was. You weren’t born yesterday, you knew. “Ah.” You looked away. “Didn’t think the Hokage had that kind of taste.” You couldn’t lie. The story was interesting, but still…

Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

“Oh? And what kind of books do I seem like I’d read?”

You leaned on your fist, ignoring the sarcastic tone. You knew it came off a little disrespectful, but you were too affected to care.

“I don’t know. I don’t know you well enough.”

“I haven’t been Hokage that long, though.”

His gaze was unreadable as usual, but his tone was warm.

“I know. I didn’t mean it to sound rude or anything.”

“Seems like you have this kind of taste too.”

You looked away again, distracting yourself with a sip of chamomile tea.

“Maybe.”

Finally, you’d let go of the formalities or at least for one evening. You were impossible to ignore; with your hair gently falling from your shoulders, your legs slightly revealed by the cross-legged position. Your flushed cheeks half-hidden from his eyes, your soft gaze hiding other parts of you. You were so at ease in your senses, so unlike the serious you he saw today when you were focused on a wounded patient, wiping the sweat off your forehead from the effort. He would’ve waited if he could, nevertheless responsibilities remain responsibilities, powered by the stress of the village’s situation and the people still getting hurt and he doesn’t want to let them down.

You looked back at him from the stillness and only then did Kakashi snap out of his trance, clearly having been staring at you.

That’s when Kakashi pulled back. It was his moment to retreat inward. He closed his book as you watched him.

“All right. Have a good evening and sleep well. Don’t wake up at 5 a.m. again unless it’s necessary.” He offered you a smile except it didn’t reach his eyes. His voice was flat, emotionless.

“Sleep well, Kakashi.” You spoke without thinking and Kakashi stopped mid-step. “I apologize for the way I addressed you—I wasn’t thinking—”

“It’s okay. I told you, we’re equals.” He didn’t turn back to look at you, his thoughts were entirely focused on protecting you both. Still, hearing his name fall from your lips affected him more than he expected.

And that’s how you ended up in the kitchen until midnight. Sprawled across the couch, head tilted toward the ceiling, arm dangling midair holding a book you’d barely reached page 7 of.

@strangergraphics for the dividers

[our-happygirl500-fan]

Something that I have kind of noticed is that though Donnie has a love of tech he also seems to possibly have an appreciation for traditional Ninja weapons & equipment.

April: How are we gonna get up there with no tech?

Donnie: Old school.

Something that I kind of noticed was that during the episode 'The Purple Jacket' Donnie used ninja stars & tegaki and neither of them had any tech upgrades meaning that Donnie is willing to keep traditional ninja tools with him without adding any tech to them which kind of makes me wonder if even though Donnie loves tech he might also possibly have an appreciation for certain aspects of traditional ninjutsu as well.

[soldrawss]

HIII. Wanted to come and say that I love your artsyle (it's so squishy!) and your AU's! I first saw your baby Hunter and papa Darius AU, and now I'm in love with It Keeps Us Dancing! YOUR MINDDDD

Anyways, I wanted to ask if you have thought about April in your AU? Like, how does 2012 Mikey meet her? What does he think about her? Does he compare her to his April?

Oh and also, will he accompany the boys when they start their hero-ing? I assume that he's invited to all the hangouts, but idk if he'd be a more "let them experience things on his own", "I'm just gonna keep an eye on them" or a "fuck it, we ball together" older sibling when it comes to vigilantism.

Have a nice day! 🫶🏻

All of my moots know I have a very particular Achilles heel in the shape of babies, so if I ever make an AU, 100% of the time there will probably be a little guy involved, but thank you for liking my work! April IS in the au, she shows up a little while later (She would be around 12, Raph 11, the twins 10, Mikey 9, and 2k12Mikey (who I will call Tee) who is around 24). Tee KNOWS about her the entire time (whether the boys tell him or not, he always knows when his little rascals are up to something), but since it's an APRIL, Tee knows he can trust her with his kiddos and let them have their own secret escapades and let them decide when to actually introduce them. I'm still working out the HOW aspect, but I know that Tee comes to adore her. It will always be a backburner kind of reaction to compare everyone he knows with their RISE variations, but after almost 10 years in this universe, he's getting so much better about not comparing his memories to the real life, in the flesh, people he comes across. In this au, Tee (and Splinter, with a gentle little ass-kicking) are much better about teaching the boys ninjutsu, but Mikey is completely on board with the notion of letting these little goofballs be kids for as long as possible. He fosters their creativity and endless energy into fun tools they can use to protect themselves as well, while also allowing them space to grow themselves in a safe environment. When the boys finally get to be the age where they want to start exploring and adventuring by themselves, Tee lets them, because he WANTS that freedom for them, but he lets them know that he's always here when they need it. If they're ever in trouble or need help, Tee will come RUNNING. And because Tee has always been caring and thoughtful and honest with them, they return the notion. There's not so much sneaking around or hiding things, they come to Tee first when they have a problem, because he will always be a safe space for them.

[howlingday]

Ruby: Blaaaaaaaaaaaaake! I'm bored~! Can you teach me some cool ninja tricks~?

Blake: Ruby, we've been over this already. You're fourteen years old. You're too young to be trained in the art of ninjutsu. Come back when you're fifteen.

Ruby: AAAAAAUGH~! Weeeeeeiss~! I'm boooooooooored~! Can we play some video games or something?

Weiss: Oh, hush, Ruby! I'm busy looking over our finances.

Ruby: Ugh... Fine... I'll just play by myself...

Ruby: ...

Ruby: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIE~! WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL MY GAMES?!

Weiss: Khm! A- About that... Ruby, I... I needed to scrounge up some lien to support us, so I... had to... cut some corners here and there. But there's nothing to worry about. I'll be able to buy you a whole new set of console and games once we have more lien to spare and- and business starts boomi-

Ruby: FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!

Weiss: HEY! Watch your language! Keep that up and all you'll get is NOTHING!

Blake: Weiss? Where are my shuriken and kunai?

Weiss: Your what?

Blake: My tools! My ninja tools!

Weiss: Oh, those! I, er, also had to pawn those as well. As I said, lien is scarce at the moment and I-

Blake: WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?! DID YOU USE DUST TO BREAK OUR SAFE?!

Weiss: Er...

Blake: Those were heirlooms gifted to me by the head of the White Fang! They're priceless!

Weiss: Not according to the pawn shop...

Blake: Weiss! What... the HELL?!

Weiss: Listen, I know how this looks, but listen to me! All we need to do is knock out a few more jobs and we'll be financially stable!

Blake: How... on Remnant... are we this bad... with... LIEN?! We just finished ten jobs back-to-back! Where did all that lien go?!

Weiss: Don't blame me! It's the economy! There's been inflation and shrinkflation and deescalation and-

Blake: Quiet, Weiss! Let me see the recent expenses.

Weiss: What?! What are you saying, Blake?! Don't you trust me?!

Blake: I lost my trust when you broke into my safe and SOLD MY HEIRLOOMS! WE ARE BEYOND LOSING TRUST! Now let me see it! I'M NOT ASKING AGAIN.

Weiss: Theatric gasp! I can't believe you, after everything we've been through! You really don't trust me~?!

Ruby: Got it~! ...Hey, what's "LNLYHUNT"?

Weiss: ACK! RUBY, NO! GET BACK HERE!

Ruby: It says... "Monthly Tier 3 Sub To..."

Ruby: "Daddy Dragon Xiao Long"? Who's that?

Blake: "White Queen 2013"? Oh, you have got to be kidding me, Weiss...

Weiss: UUUUUUUH! S-Someone must've hacked our account! I've been trying to dispute them but they keep piling up!

Blake: YOU... HAVE BEEN SPENDING ALL OF OUR LIEN... ON YANG'S DAD'S... LNLYHUNT ACCOUNT?!

Weiss: Oh, I'M sorry! I didn't realize being supportive of a single father's occupation was SOOOOO wrong!

Blake: It is when you're pawning off ALL OF OUR STUFF! Just so you can see him naked?!

Ruby: ...Why would you want to see him naked?

Weiss: I! HAVE!

NEEEEEEEDS~!

[whattraintracks]

I kinda feel we didn’t much of raph and splinter’s relationship in 03 thoughts?

Hmm, I suppose that's fair. I've heard it said that 03 isn't a very character-driven story, and I agree we don't see as many character dynamics or arcs explored as we could have.

Below the cut are the pieces of Raph and Splinter's relationship I've pieced together for myself.

Splinter's bio on Raph in Tales from the Sewer presents this interesting duality in Splinter's perception of him. He's a difficult child but just a kid. He trains the most but he's a difficult student. He makes poor decisions but Splinter has the utmost faith in his abilities. As both father and teacher, Splinter sometimes struggles to approach his sons and their needs in the appropriate role, especially when it comes to Raph.

For example, his hands-off approach to Raph's rage, or what I usually think of as emotional dysregulation (either as a product of neurodivergence or his young age). When Raph nearly maims Mikey during a rage attack/dissociative episode (see S1E4 "Meet Casey Jones") Splinter doesn't try to stop Raph or separate him and Mikey, although he very well could have. He doesn't step in until after Leo and Donny have broken up the fight. Despite addressing Raph parentally, he comes at the issue like a teacher offering those ninja master-esque nuggets of wisdom about rage being a monster and a true warrior is balanced in all things. I think he wants to come across sympathetically (gentle voice, physical contact, calling Raph "my son") but there is a sense of disappointment and unmet expectations in what he says.

In the aforementioned bio, Splinter notes that of all the turtles, Raph trains the longest and hardest. He likely equates length of training with dedication to ninjutsu and assumes that because Raph exhibits these things he should be something he isn't: more disciplined less angry. Perhaps he compares Raph to Leo who apparently trains less but fits Splinter's prototype of a good ninja. Speaking of Leo, later in the same episode we see Splinter chastise Mikey and Donny for interrupting Leo's practice and tell Leo to keep practicing his split kick without offering any advice on how to get it right.

We see this idea directed to Raph in Splinter's comment about a true warrior finding balance in all things. It's not particularly informative. This is his version of telling Raph to keep practicing but it's not what Raph needs at this moment, hot off such an overwhelming experience. So instead of reading this as the patient, parental advice I think Splinter intends it to be, Raph's body language screams chastised. He doesn't meet Splinter's eyes and he runs away. Raph (like all of the brothers) wants Splinter's approval and he's devastated to have fallen short in this instance. Then Splinter doesn't let Mikey follow after Raph. And yeah, Raph likely needed that space but it's this hands-off approach, again. Another example comes from the one of Raph's diary entries in the Raphael: Collector Book. He talks about Splinter assigning him more meditation exercises to help him control his emotions and temper. Perhaps training, space, meditation, and nuggets of wisdom are effective tools for Splinter to self-regulate his emotions, but Splinter is also an adult. Raph needs more guidance and practical advice at this point in his life that Splinter isn't providing. The tools aren't enough, he needs to be taught how to use them.

So. Raph responds in a couple ways to Splinter's hands-off, more-teacher-than-father approach. The first is to train harder, and longer, and learn everything he can about ninjutsu. If Master Splinter says becoming a true warrior will help him find emotional balance then he's going to try his hardest to become one. When he meets Casey, he shares with him verbatim the true warrior line but confesses to Casey he's not sure how hot-heads like them are supposed to do that. He still takes the advice to heart even if it's not helpful or he doesn't understand it because he wants to please and obey his father. The collector's book shows us that Raph has taken the time to learn aspects of ninjutsu that are confusing, uninteresting, and even inaccessible to him. This book contains a lot of technical information about ninjutsu techniques and teachings. It presents Raph as even more of ninja nerd than Leo! Some of this stuff appeals to his interests, for sure; the different punching techniques for instance. Some of it, he seems to have only learned to gain Splinter's approval. He has a detailed spread on hand signs that he explicitly finds too mystical and confusing, claims it took forever to learn, and he can't even use it as a three-fingered being, but he hopes Splinter will be impressed with him.

Second, he goes behind Splinter's back. If there's something he wants or needs and he thinks Splinter won't approve of it, he'll take it for himself. Such as going to the surface when he needs space or bringing his brothers to the surface when he thinks there's something important they need to do. This feels, to me, like access thievery, which is the concept (typically applied to disabled/neurodivergent folks) of taking what one needs (time, space, resources) without asking for permission or waiting to be offered it (because you likely won't be). Again in the collector's book, Raph exhibits an awareness of his faults and a self-compassionate recognition that he's just a teen. Splinter know this too but has shown that he can't always offer what Raph needs or won't give him it in some cases (forbids them from going to the surface). So Raph has developed a willingness to take what he needs for himself and sneak around Splinter to avoid the disapproval he fears.

All that aside, I think they're very similar in their fierce love and devotion to family and the ways it can drive them to anger, fear, hatred, and vengeance. There are traits Raph inherited from Splinter they bond over, too. They're both competitive. The Battle Nexus Tournament isn't their thing but we see them playing pokey in "Dragons Rising." I love the idea that they play a lot of games together! They have a similar sense of humility. They know they're skilled but they're more likely hang back and play support while their other family members take the spotlight than boast. Unless it's really personal, then they'll take over, like how Splinter's quest for vengeance guides them in Exodus and Raph's desire to help Casey leads the brothers to sneak out with him in "Meet Casey Jones." I think, they have a similar sense of humor, too. Raph has this silly line in the collector's book about Splinter being proud he used his head, that is, like a battering ram, and you cannot tell me Splinter wouldn't chuckle at that.

[awinterrosesstuff]

I have a soft spot for Ino. I've always liked her confidence, her cheerful side, her intelligence and her techniques. The Yamanaka techniques are quite interesting and versatile. And that's literally why I think giving her medical ninjutsu wasn't really needed for her character. I don't hate it, but still. There's no real explanation in the manga. She just uses it for the first time trying to heal Asuma (probably to make his death more tragic) and then later to heal Naruto. And I think that's it ? Ino seems to care deeply for Shizune like they were close and you could argue it's her who taught her the techniques she knows. For an alternative, I think it would have made more sense if Ino learnt about poisons (from Shizune for example). It was teased in her flashback with Sakura, but anyway.

I think Kishimoto did a good job showing how Ino's techniques can be used in various ways. And even better, she does it successfully.

She can take control of people's (& animal) mind.

In the first instance, she takes control of Sakura's mind to get the answers of the written exam and later gives them to Choji and Shikamaru.

In the second one, she uses her technique to spy on the Akatsuki and find Hidan & Kakuzu.

In the third one, she takes control of Obito from distance with the help of Hinata's byakugan and saves the alliance by taking control of Jubi by extension.

So there are many things to note there. She can use that technique for different things (getting info & stopping the enemy) and it's very useful in combat but also in spying/infiltration. She works as a support ninja, but still is the key in those different situations.

Inoichi also uses the Yamanaka's techniques to see other's memories. I don't think Ino ever does it in the Naruto's manga. But I'm pretty sure she could do it too.

She's also a sensor and very important to the Inoshikacho ultimate technique.

So my girl can sense her enemies' signature chakra and "directs" Shikamaru who directs Choji. Oh well, that's a weird way to present it. I know, in Boruto, Ino's sensory skills are more explored. But there's already a great example. Plus, Ino, Shikamaru and Choji are all complementary, you need ALL of them.

Also, she can also take control of someone's mind and communicate with them at the same time.

I will not post the whole interaction. But Ino there is in Choji's mind, directs Choji's movements (showing at the same time her hand to hand combat kills) and also talks to him. I suppose she can do it only when the person isn't resistant, but that's still pretty impressive in my opinion and it goes perfectly with my next point.

Ino can connect many (the whole army apparently) together thanks to her telepathy skills.

And she does it again later :

I love how they are like "Can you do it ?" and she answer with a "Of course" and does it without much problem. The show don't tell is perfect here. Kishimoto tells you she's confident she can do it, then shows you exactly she's able to do it. Especially when you consider how hard it seemed when Inoichi was communicating infos about Naruto to the army with some "tools".

So let's sum up... Ino can take control of people's mind and body and powerful people at that (like Obito or Kinkaku). She uses that succesfully many times for different purposes and I didn't even show all the examples. She's a good sensor and very complementary to Shikamaru & Choji's techniques. And she can communicate someone's thoughts to many people without much problem. And when she takes control of someone's mind, she can also sometimes talk with them. (Can you even imagine the other possibilities to explore ?)

See, Ino was already powerful and versatile without the medical ninjutsu. She doesn't really need it for her character to work and be interesting and successful in what she does. It doesn't even appear in the war arc and you don't miss it.

Ino is a good example about how you write a character techniques and development. You see an evolution in her techniques. You don't need to read the databooks to understand what she's doing and how she's doing it. You just have to read the manga for it. She's not ridiculous and dead weight. She's skilled and talented. We were told at the beginning of the manga by Asuma, she was the girl with the hightest potential. And honestly, is it difficult to believe ?

[woodblxssomcrowned]

https://www.tumblr.com/woodblxssomcrowned/780619711210733568/sorry-you-mightve-mentioned-this-before-but

Do you have any headcanons/backstory for Ashura’s great-great granddaughter? Was she a shinobi, or did the concept of “shinobi” even exist during her time?

Otsutsuki Mitsuri (Depicted at roughly age 20)

(Mixed headcanons. I haven't solidified her and probably never will so sorry if these are a bit jumbled and maybe a bit vague)

Ashura's great-great granddaughter

His third reincarnation.

Youngest child with two older brothers.

Her parents were delighted to have a daughter, and gave her a name roughly translated to "radiant gem".

She was born roughly ten years after the death of the previous reincarnation, her uncle Gyōi, who was just a child when he passed.

She's related to Hamura Ōtsutsuki's descendants through her mother, and inherited the pale lilac eyes that were prevalent in his lineage.

She was a very intuitive and sensitive child, reactive to the emotions of other people and prone to people-pleasing in order to maintain a pleasant and peaceful environment.

Attempt at training her ninshu and ninjutsu was a slow process, as she was easily distracted by her surroundings and prone to daydreaming.

As she got older, she became more and more free-spirited. She was still sensitive to others emotions and well-bring, kind and generous, but less likely to bend over or minimize herself for the comfort of others.

Favorite pastime was to find a rooftop to lounge on and listen in conversations below.

Loves heavily spiced foods

While she was trained to be a warrior, she didn't care for violence.

She was one of the first to be born with the genetic mutation that made it possible for her to have a natural affinity for both Earth and Water chakra, and the ability to combine and convert that chakra into natural life energy. She could use this to create living vegetation and manipulating it. Aka, the mokuton. It very quickly became known as an incredibly powerful ability.

She was the first reincarnation of Ashura to also possess the mokuton, and would be the only one until the birth of Senju Hashirama.

This combination granted her incredible innate strength that really came to light in her teens.

Didn't quite 'connect' with her mokuton though. It was just an ability and a tool that other people found intriguing, not something that she thought was a part of her identity or affected her interests.

Mitsuri only met Indra's reincarnation once, a boy about a year younger than her. They had no idea who the other was.

At first they had just shared a very long and kind of uncomfortable look, then the only thing he said to her was: "Your eyes are weird." and she said "That's rude." He shrugged, and walked away.

At this time, the Otsutsuki were still considered an active clan, but were starting to become somewhat torn and scattered by the conflict between Ashura's branch and that of Indra's branch.

Ironically, it had been Mitsuri's father's generation who had started drifting away from Hagoromo and Ashura's philosophies around Ninshu, and started turning more and more towards ninjutsu to fight and protect themselves from their enemies. This was something that caused friction and splintering among Ashura's lineage.

While there technically were shinobi around, it would be a while after Mitsuri's time before Hagoromo's descendants really started operating under that occupation and ninjutsu would become almost synonymous with shinobi.

The Otutsuki at this time hadn't started to sell their abilities as mercenaries and still fought for themselves and their own interests when they had to, but there were definitely a growing interest in them.

[sokeanshu]

THE HIDDEN SECRETS OF NINJA TOOLS (Ninjutsu Training)

[slutpoppers]

<- Lord Orochimaru vs Hiruzen Sarutobi ->

Summoning Jutsu: Edō Tensei

[demifiendrsa]

NINJA GAIDEN 4 Official Announce Trailer | Developer_Direct 2025

NINJA GAIDEN 4 will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam, Microsoft Store) in Fall 2025. It will also be available via Game Pass.

Key visual

Screenshots

Overview

About

The definitive ninja hack-and-slash franchise returns with NINJA GAIDEN 4! Embark on a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in this high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat.

Key Features

Return of the Legend – Experience a return to the intense, high-speed combat that established NINJA GAIDEN as a premier action game series. Prepare for a legacy reborn with captivating style for a new generation of players.

Epic Hack and Slash Combat, Evolved – NINJA GAIDEN 4 fuses Team NINJA’s tempered combat philosophy with the stylish, dynamic action gameplay of PlatinumGames. Engage in visually stunning combat that rewards precision and strategy. Use Bloodbind Ninjutsu to transform your weapons and unleash devastation upon your enemies, alongside legacy techniques like the Izuna Drop and Flying Swallow. The legendary Ryu Hayabusa also returns with a revamped yet familiar set of tools to master. With a customizable player experience, NINJA GAIDEN 4 will push action game veterans to their limits while allowing newcomers to enjoy a heart-pounding adventure full of twists and turns.

An Ancient Enemy Returns – An endless rain of miasma hangs over a near-future Tokyo in the wake of an ancient enemy’s resurrection. The fate of the city lies in the hands of young ninja prodigy, Yakumo. Fighting his way through cybernetic ninja soldiers and otherworldly creatures, Yakumo must reconcile a destiny he shares with the legendary Ryu Hayabusa himself and free Tokyo from the ancient curse that brought the city to its knees.

Additional details

A New NINJA GAIDEN World Unveiled

While the series has been beloved for almost four decades, the announcement of NINJA GAIDEN 4 marks the first new mainline entry in 13 years. When asked about the long gap—spanning two Xbox console generations—Yasuda expressed Team NINJA’s long-standing desire to bring the series back. “Fans have long been asking us for a new NINJA GAIDEN game,” he said. “Koei Tecmo‘s President, Hisashi Koinuma, and PlatinumGames’ CEO, Atsushi Inaba, share a close relationship, which led us to explore a collaborative development effort. PlatinumGames had the expertise we felt was ideal for working on NINJA GAIDEN, and with support from Microsoft’s Phil-san [Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming], the three companies were able to take the next step towards creating a brand-new NINJA GAIDEN.”

Appearing for the first time in the Developer_Direct broadcast, and published by Xbox Game Studios, NINJA GAIDEN 4 is positioned as the direct sequel to NINJA GAIDEN 3. While maintaining the dark and gritty world that the series is known for, players will take on the role of a new protagonist, Yakumo. “A significant amount of time has passed since NINJA GAIDEN 3, and players will find themselves arriving in a gruesomely transformed Tokyo. One of the key themes of this story is the return of the Dark Dragon, which has plunged the city into chaos. Within these unsettling conditions, Yakumo will have to face off against his foes, as well as the formidable Master Ninja himself, Ryu Hayabusa,” Nakao explained.

When asked why a new protagonist was introduced, Nakao clarified that “since it’s been a while since the last game, we wanted a new hero to make the series more approachable for new players. Of course, we also wanted long-time fans to enjoy the game, so Ryu Hayabusa plays a significant role in the story, serving as a major challenge and growth milestone for Yakumo. Ryu will appear throughout the game and be playable, ensuring his prowess and presence is deeply felt in NINJA GAIDEN 4.”

Overcoming Adversity in NINJA GAIDEN 4

In the Developer_Direct trailer, the new protagonist, Yakumo, shows off stylish new mechanics which include traversal using wires and rails, something new for a NINJA GAIDEN title. When asked about the addition of these elements, Nakao revealed one of the game’s core themes: “Adversity is a key concept for this game. From the beginning to the end of each stage and even in the transitions between, everything is designed to represent adversity for Yakumo.” First and foremost, that adversity will come in the form of NINJA GAIDEN’s signature combat, but Nakao explains that these new additions outside of the fights keeps that feeling high at all times: “To maintain the tension throughout, we’ve added high-speed elements like rail and wire-based actions to keep up the sense of challenge.”

The announcement footage also depicted a rain-soaked, cyberpunk-like Tokyo, leaving a strong impression to those who watched the trailer. “In NINJA GAIDEN 4, we wanted to blend old and new elements. Tokyo in this game has been drastically transformed by the influence of the underworld., which is why it appears this way,” Nakao explained, elaborating on the Dark Dragon’s miasma rain, as well as the disasters it has caused. “Rain is a major visual theme in this game. For example, we’ve put a lot of effort into how characters look when drenched, how raindrops hit the ground, and various other effects.” These visual motifs stay true to the signature dark, hardcore atmosphere of the series while bringing new flavor to its visual direction.

Nakao also touched on the game’s anticipated difficulty. “We’ve brought together the best aspects of the series and elevated them for the current generation. Personally, I believe [the difficulty level of] NINJA GAIDEN 2 had a lot of standout qualities, and I think fans will feel its influence strongly throughout NINJA GAIDEN 4.”

After such a long break between games, it’s paramount that the team balances what’s great about the series, while adding new ideas. Despite the daunting challenges, the collaboration between Team NINJA and PlatinumGames promises an unparalleled NINJA GAIDEN experience.

“One of the key differences between modern action games and NINJA GAIDEN lies in the sense of fairness when confronting enemies,” Nakao said, explaining the series’ unique game balance philosophy. “Enemies are designed to be masters of defense and experts of unrelenting aggression, but players never feel they’re at an unfair disadvantage. There’s a sense of balance that’s been passed down through the series, transcending current-day trends.”

“The rapid shifts between offense and defense, the almost fighting game-like 1v1 combat—you’ll see these elements evolve in NINJA GAIDEN 4. At the same time, we’ve ensured that returning players will immediately feel at home when they pick up the game,” he concluded.

A True Successor

When asked about the challenges involved in achieving the fairness that defines the NINJA GAIDEN series, Nakao shared his thoughts with a laugh.

“If I were to go into detail about the feel of the action, we’d be here for quite a while (laughs). In all NINJA GAIDEN titles, a delicate balance is carefully crafted to maintain the satisfaction of attacking enemies without losing the speed and exhilaration that define the gameplay. I remember struggling with the fine adjustments required to achieve the right feel when we first started implementing and testing the systems. Additionally, when we brought Ryu Hayabusa into NINJA GAIDEN 4, we wanted long-time fans to experience the exact same enjoyable gameplay feel they’ve come to expect. We had numerous discussions with Team NINJA to fine-tune the mechanics and ensure everything felt just right.”

Yasuda also added that “when it comes to gameplay feel, Team NINJA was deeply involved. Fairness in combat with enemies is only possible when ultimate playability is a given. To achieve that, we pushed for even deeper refinement of controls and other aspects. I know it probably seemed like we were being a bit too demanding at times…(laughs).” This collaboration across company lines was crucial to creating the next ultimate NINJA GAIDEN experience.

One of the standout features of NINJA GAIDEN 4, which embodies the series’ experience while introducing fresh elements, is Yakumo’s “Bloodraven Form.” Nakao described this as “a technique that manipulates the blood of oneself and enemies, transforming it into a massive weapon capable of slicing through multiple foes at once.” He elaborated further on how this addition expands upon the series’ traditional gameplay.

“Yakumo fights using Bloodraven Form, and when certain conditions are met, he can unleash a move called ‘Bloodbath Kill,’ which instantly bisects enemies in one strike.” Nakao explains that, while previous entries have tasked players with working out how to approach encounters with multiple enemies, and NINJA GAIDEN 4 is introducing another exhilarating way to fight against swarming crowds: “This time we’ve added large-scale, high-damage attacks with the Bloodraven Form, enabling players to instantly turn the tide of battle in their favor.”

This system introduces moments of release from overwhelming situations, offering new depth to the gameplay that Nakao hopes both newcomers and returning fans will enjoy.

Both Team NINJA and PlatinumGames are known for their expertise in high-end action games. According to Nakao, the process of creating NINJA GAIDEN 4 revealed the unique strengths and characteristics of each studio.

“Looking at the titles created by PlatinumGames, we noticed clear differences in approach. While we emphasize flashy, impactful strikes and moment-to-moment experiences, the NINJA GAIDEN series focuses on delivering refined and satisfying gameplay feel, culminating in an exceptionally polished overall action experience. This collaboration was a truly unique learning opportunity for us at PlatinumGames.”

When asked about the significance of bringing NINJA GAIDEN 4 to Xbox, Yasuda reflected on Team NINJA’s long history with the platform.

“With titles like the Dead or Alive series and the NINJA GAIDEN series—especially the original NINJA GAIDEN, NINJA GAIDEN Black, and NINJA GAIDEN II—we have a deep history with Xbox. It’s been a long time, but we’re thrilled to bring the latest installment back to Xbox players. Additionally, with the game being added to Game Pass, we’re excited that more people will have the opportunity to experience it.”

Nakao, who became a fan of the series during his days as a student, also shared his excitement. “Personally, I played NINJA GAIDEN II on Xbox 360, so being able to play the latest installment on Xbox again makes me very happy. Even now, I occasionally boot up NINJA GAIDEN II on my Xbox Series X. As a developer and a fan, I’m thrilled to see the NINJA GAIDEN series come together on Xbox, creating a moment in time where all these titles can be enjoyed in one place.”

[cerastes]

Apropos the Nioh 2 rec, do you have any tips or recommendations for newcomers to it?

This is NOT a Soulsborne. Don't treat it as such. It plays similarly in some aspects, especially during the early game, but it comes with big differences: Active skills are aplenty and allow you make a "moveset" of sorts, kind of like Godhand, just not that robust (since each weapon has three different base, fixed movesets).

Your first playthrough will be radically different from every other playthrough, or "Dream Of". You play Soulsborne-like the first playthrough. You play a character action game on subsequent playthroughs.

Your first playthrough is just fucking around trying new things. You can respect relatively freely eventually, and even then, don't worry because you can't really fuck up your build, there's no such thing as building in the first playthrough, just play.

Getting like 30 Dex and 30 Magic to be able to use a myriad of Ninjutsu and Onmyo Magic is recommended. You're not a Ninja build or Onmyo build for it, any build uses this, because there's no builds until way later in the Dreams Of, there's playstyles first and foremost.

Nioh 2 is an aggressive game. Use your Burst Counter, make your openings by force when you can, go hog wild on openings if you can't, but in general, remember aggression is the name of the game.

If you find a cheese, use it. Enemies are designed strong but with the game systems in mind. If an enemy is susceptible to poison, poison will FUCK it up. If an enemy is susceptible to Paralysis, which really straight up just freezes you in place, get Paralyzing.

If you inflict two Elements on an enemy at once (Burn and Saturated, Shocked and Corrupted, etc), they additionally become afflicted with Confused. Confused enemies take 50% extra damage while Confusion is active. It's insanely high damage and extremely important on subsequent Dreams of past the first one, but it'll definitely be amazing in your first playthrough as well if you can leverage it.

Swords are basic bitch weapons and good to get the feeling of the game, but really, just try anything that catches your eye.

Use Ki Pulse and stance changes. Don't complain that the game is hard if you're not willing to interact with its systems.

High stance is your offensive, high damage stance that doesn't bounce off block but it has a shit dodge. Medium stance is your all-purpose stance with good tools all around and the best defensive tools like parries and counters, with a good dodge (quickstep into roll). Low stance is your non-committal, safe, quick, very low damage, high hit amount stance that's good at building up status effects and has the best dodging tools with two quicksteps.

Straight up use your resources. Don't save stuff For Later, just use the damn things, you'll get a bunch again anyways.

[leportraitducadavre]

Let's get something out of the way, the "Sasuke as a medic" AU has nothing to do with Tsunade being more "suited" to mentor him; there's nothing she can teach him that he'd find useful in his quest (why would he, who has an enormous amount of chakra at his disposal, need to learn to delicately control his energy as Sakura canonically needs to as her chakra pool is small?), nor helpful. Tsunade would never even consider taking him out of the front lines to use him as a medic either, as doing so would be a waste of his immense power and capabilities in the field.

No. This AU isn't about Sasuke, it's about Sakura and how her stans want to disguise their ultimate desire for her to have more jutsus at her disposal than what Tsunade taught her.

Hate to break it to you, but being the student of a powerful ninja doesn't mean copy-pasting the abilities of the mentor down to the disciple. What they learn has all to do with their personal capabilities, desires, and natural strength. Naruto, while he used mostly his teacher's jutsu, quickly outgrew his teachings by taking the Rasengan further than his father and Jiraiya, Sasuke surpassed both Orochimaru and Kakashi, as Kabuto did with the Sannin by the end of the series.

Orochimaru knowing kenjutsu doesn't translate to Sakura being able to be even remotely good at it. Her "agility" (which isn't even canon as there's no mention of medics being agile, rather them staying away from danger) has to do with her being a medic-nin, and I'll reiterate, Orochimaru isn't a medic in a similar manner Tsunade is, that one is Kabuto. Why would Orochimaru take Sakura with him when Kabuto, a 19-year-old, devised a technique like Tsunade's without even meeting her before fighting her?

Sakura copy-pasted the techniques taught to her, she improved them in no manner:

Do you see where I'm going with this? Kabuto even has a larger pool of chakra as he was able to learn Senjutsu mode which Sakura will never be able to do (Tsunade and Sakura having a small chakra pool is the whole reason why the Yin Seal -that actually uses Yang, as that's the only chakra nature Tsunade possesses even exists).

Kabuto knew medical ninjutsu outside of Orochimaru's teachings as those were the reasons Orochimaru sought him out, the Sannin even admitted to looking for extraordinarily talented people to take "under his wing", and at no moment he even looked in Sakura's direction (I implore you to read yourself the whole Orochimaru vs. Team 7 fight, from Chapter 46 to Chapter 49, and tell me how many times Orochimaru even glances at Sakura's direction. He knows both Naruto and Sasuke's names, yet never mentions Sakura's).

I don't even understand why "being an expert at Genjutsu" has her fandom in such a chokehold, normal genjutsu became almost obsolete when the Sharingan (Yin Release at its finest) was introduced and the more the story unfolded the fewer regular genjutsu experts, of the likes of Kurenai or Shee, were introduced, as the strongest characters either used kekkei genkai genjutsu (which can't be broken by a single person as the chakra needs to be disturbed by someone else) or ninjutsu/taijutsu skills. Regular genjutsu can be broken by the target if they realize a genjutsu has been casted, it's mostly used as a quick diversion for an attack or to escape, and most ninja have that tool at their disposal.

[And if you think Sakura would be able to pull off a Genjutsu like Shee does and attack with the speed at which A attacked Jügo you're out of your mind, she used not a single remarkable genjutsu in the whole manga, having Sasuke do that for her during FoD and dispersed a single basic one. She fell for Kakashi's genjutsu on the bell test, had to wait for Sasuke's reassurance that an illusion was in place in the chünin exams, fell for Orochimaru's own genjutsu in FoD, and was fooled by a henge twice in the same chapter and once by non-other than Naruto who pretended to be Sasuke. She had four encounters with the genjutsu technique, and three out of the four times she fell for it and still, some of you still hold Kakashi's words as "proof of her wasted potential" when he's the same man who couldn't care less if she dropped out of the exam.]

And as a quick addition, why is Mokuton!Sakura so insanely popular? Her having Earth and Water releases (Ino also has those nature releases, what's your point?) means nothing as she'll need a huge amount of chakra (which she doesn't possess) and few ninjas are even capable of mixing the two.

While any ninja can learn to transform their chakra’s nature, and even transform it into different natures consecutively (which Sakura was never even shown to do as she only used her medical skills to fight), it is impossible for them to transform two at the same time.

And he could perform such a special jutsu because he was of a kekkei genkai bearing clan

Only those with the genetic abilities of these kekkei genkai have a chakra system capable of double-nature transformation.

Canonically, no one but Hashirama could naturally have such nature release (for god's sake, Naruto and Sasuke both have water and earth nature and they can't even use Mokuton!). Let me remind you the reason why Hashirama having Mokuton is so important thematically:

Mokuton is the expression of Yang (Life) at its finest; Yang Release uses chakra that is two parts physical energy and one part spiritual energy. It governs vitality and manipulates the body, breathing life into form to animate that which lacks life of its own, which is in direct opposition to the Sharingan that expresses Yin (creating form from nothing); Yin Release uses chakra that is two parts spiritual energy and one part physical energy. It governs imagination and manipulates the spirit, creating form from nothingness to give shape to that which has none (which is why the Sharingan is the ultimate expression of Genjutsu).

[Used Sasuke's chart to exemplify, as Madara has both Yin and Yang Releases as he modified his body using Hashirama's cells].

Yamato was experimented on by Orochimaru by using Hashirama's cells, so the only way Sakura could have such power is if she is experimented on by Orochimaru, and why on earth would he do that? Furthermore, Hashirama's cells would eat her alive in seconds, she couldn't handle a scratch amount of Kyuubi's chakra, how would she handle Hashirama's? This is the same man whose chakra was so vast and potent he healed himself unconsciously!

Sakura having delicate chakra control isn't a wild card you can use as you see fit to fulfill your fantasies, it means nothing outside her medical work. This notion that "Sakura has precise control of her chakra! That means she can learn any jutsu she wants!" is completely false.

First of all, Kakashi outright claims this idea of "no Jutsu should ever be beyond you," is "in theory, anyway." At no point does he say you'll be capable of learning chakra-draining ninjutsu with this skill alone as not a page after he claims this:

If you think this looks hard, it's even more difficult to maintain your chakra when using ninjutsu

Delicate chakra control in a portion of one's body (like fists when using Sakura's Cherry Blossom Impact) used to enhance one's strength (chakra enhancement is a feat used by every shinobi ever, like Lee and Gai themselves, albeit with different levels of expertise) isn't as chakra depleting as using Ninjutsu, which is why Sakura and Tsunade use it as their main fighting technique since they don't have a vast chakra pool as Hashirama had.

[tasogaredokijou]

S23 - E39: Moroizumi Sonnamon's Strategy [ENG SUB]

Moroizumi Sonnamon of the Tasogaredoki ninja always has nightmares in which he is beaten by Doi-sensei and his classroom tools. Telling himself he needs to study his enemy in order to secure a win, Sonnamon goes scouting in Ninjutsu Academy.

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