My name is Shinji. Codename: Owl.
I serve as Anbu, protector of the village, unseen and unwavering.
I've trained many, assessed them, pushed them, broken them down to rebuild them stronger. I can tell, almost instantly, who will rise and who will fall. It's my duty. We dwell in the shadows so others may live in the light.
That morning, I was on a routine mission when a subordinate handed me a sealed report. "You're to report to the training grounds. A new assignment," he said.
I opened it casually.
Then I saw the name.
Johan Uzumaki.
Classification: Jinchūriki of the Nine Tails.
Age: 9
I stared at the page longer than necessary. Not because he was a Jinchūriki, I've read worse. It was the age. Younger than even Itachi when he joined.
Another prodigy? Or something else?
Either way… I would find out.
I arrived at the training ground early. The air was still, heavy with silence. I waited, a few minutes at most, before they appeared.
Tenzo introduced him. "This is Johan."
The boy gave a small nod. "Hello."
His eyes met mine. Focused. Measured.
Interesting.
I said nothing. Words were unnecessary.
Once Tenzo departed, silence settled like a shroud.
Good. He doesn't fill the void with noise. He waits.
I ordered a spar, part of standard assessment.
His movements were clean. His foundation was solid. But not enough, not yet to qualify for ANBU.
Afterward, I stepped close. Lowered my voice, made sure he understood the weight of my words.
"Tell no one about the secrets you learn here. Not a word. Break that order....
And you'll face consequences"
He didn't flinch.
He simply looked up at me and nodded.
Too calm.
Not even a flicker of fear.
This one… is different.
There's something beneath the surface. I'm sure of it.
And I will find it.
Because I've seen what happens when unstable elements slip through the cracks.
We won't have another incident.
Not on my watch.
Especially not when the unstable element... Is a jinchuriki.
--
It's been just over a week since I began overseeing Johan Uzumaki's integration into ANBU protocols.
Objectively speaking, he's exceptional.
His progress in taijutsu has accelerated beyond expectation. His movements are becoming sharper, deliberate. His body responds before command. A week ago, he was a fast learner. Now, he adapts in real time, a rare trait. It's not just talent. It's evolution.
He's mastered two additional jutsu in this time and each time he casts them, he improves their execution. More precision. More control. No wasted movement.
Chakra assessment puts him well above the median jonin level. Unsurprising for an Uzumaki, but still, concerning given his age.
I've maintained observation beyond training.. behavior, speech, interaction with others.
I've found… nothing.
No defiance. No frustration. No anger.
He's composed. Polite. Cooperative.
Too much so.
According to the internal report, even when ridiculed or mistreated, he doesn't retaliate. He helps them. Without question. Without hesitation.
That is not natural.
Especially not for a jinchūriki.
I've seen how villages treat them. I've seen what it does, the cracks it leaves in a person. The rage it plants like a seed. But in Johan… there's nothing. Just still water.
Still water hides the deepest depths.
A few days ago, I gave him a scroll. Nightmare Genjutsu, a technique designed to extract trauma and fear, exploiting the enemy's subconscious. I expected it to take him a week to understand. He returned the next day, asking to test it.
On me.
I agreed. Observation required risk.
He didn't posture. He didn't hesitate.
He looked at me, eyes steady and said,
"Feel the fear."
It wasn't a threat. It wasn't even malicious.
But it was chilling.
Soft. Precise. Like a scalpel against the skin.
Then it hit.
My breath stalled. My limbs locked. And in that genjutsu… I felt it again. That old fear I buried years ago. The kind we purge in ANBU training. The kind that's supposed to be gone.
I broke the jutsu. Eventually.
Told him it worked. Nothing more.
He just nodded.
And that smile, polite. Empty.
Back in my office, I removed my mask and stared at it for a long time.
I hadn't realized my hands were trembling.
The nightmare genjutsu worked.
Too well.
And the boy who cast it never even blinked...
This will be a long night.