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[color=black]𝗥𝗬𝗨𝗨𝗡𝗢𝗦𝗨𝗞𝗘 [/color]
[color=26BD7B]𝗥𝗬𝗨𝗨𝗡𝗢𝗦𝗨𝗞𝗘[/color]
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[right][sub][color=#4c4949] ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 𝟷| ᴘᴀʀᴛ 𝟷[/color][/sub][/right]
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[indent][indent][color=gray]There was a death procession, an elder of the Ōsuikashiro clan was on their deathbed. Throughout the day, and throughout the night, the clan lined up to enter his death room and have one last moment with him. When it was Ryuunosuke’s turn, the sun had hit the horizon like a strike of metal against flint. The old man had already passed, and it smelled like death when Ryuunosuke entered. It was unpleasant, but it wasn’t his first death procession and certainly not his last. In just an hour, though, he is meant to meet with his team; the procession calls for him to stay in the room for an hour and no exceptions, not even shinobi duties, would interrupt that.

Ryuunosuke pouted by his bedside, arms crossed and eyes gazing down on the still body. [b][color=26BD7B]“Just ‘cause you croaked, old geezer, doesn’t mean [i]I[/i] should miss the chuunin exams.”[/color][/b]

Even on the inside, Ryuunosuke knew it was a bit disrespectful, especially to the kind man that gave him candied lemon slices and treated him to the fruit of Jubokko after practice. Ryuunosuke sighed, pressing his palm against his knees and standing up. His family would find out later, when another entered the room for the procession and found it empty of a living soul, but Ryuunosuke was determined to make a lasting impression on the shinobi world. It was important to not only him, but the village, as this is the first since reconstruction began after the war.

The window was closed tight, above the bed of the deceased, and he had to place a foot on each side of the corpse’s head in order to pry it open with blunt and bitten fingers. Ryuunosuke easily pushed down the feeling of disgust over his insolent actions, eased with practice in self-denial. It was for the good of the Ōsuikashiro clan, and for the good of Kusagakure.

He finally crawled through the window and hit the ground running, exhaustion from an all-nighter dulling his steps only the slightest. A shinobi was built to last several days, and Ryuunosuke is not only a shinobi – but a god among his peers.

[b][color=26BD7B]“A god among my peers.”[/color][/b] He huffed to himself, encouraging himself to push faster and harder.

A little bit away from the training grounds, Ryuunosuke stopped and caught his breath. He didn’t want to appear desperate in front of his teammates; cool, collected, calm. That was him, Ryuunosuke.

[b][color=26BD7B]“Oi, losers!”[/color][/b] Ryuunosuke called as he entered the training ground, hands tucked into his pockets and face unimpressed. [b][color=26BD7B]“And Kameyo-sensei.”[/color][/b] Last time he lumped Kameyo-sensei with the other dumbasses, he couldn’t get dirt out of his ears for weeks.

[b][color=26BD7B]“Well, what are you all laying about for?”[/color][/b] Ryuunosuke said, annoyed, [b][color=26BD7B]“I wanna kick some ass already.”[/color][/b]
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