Welcome back to the Smoke and Mirrors AU.

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“I see. Alright, if that’s all, then I agree. The planning and building will be up to you.” Hattori was pretty relaxed. After all, the guy who had been helping him for practically the entire city so far had come up with a good solution to their food problem.

Essentially, Tomo wanted to turn the outer bank of the Tawa river into a secondary part of the city. Sure, it was outside of the walls and protection, but the space would be necessary. And it wasn’t too far from the city still – any of the Shinobi within would be able to rush out and help if necessary.

“Thank you Hattori-san. I’ll draft up an amended city blueprint by next week.” Hattori nodded and the man walked away. The outer city would be entirely focused on production and resource gathering.

It meant a little more work for Hattori. However, it was another way to incentivize people to move to his city. Tomo had expanded on his idea quite a lot, and Hattori felt quite inspired.

The first thing he would have to do once he was ready to start having people move here, would be to head to Yamatari personally. He would have to register several businesses.

Tomo had three ideas. First, he recommended setting up a fishing company. Fish was quite an easy source of food, so Hattori okayed it. Moreover, they lived right on a river – the ocean was only a few day's journey for civilians.

However, that was not all that Tomo had advised. It turns out, this spot has quite rich soil for farming. So, Tomo had suggested investing time and resources into creating some farm plots outside of the city walls.

Since it was on the edge of a river, the soil didn’t need to be watered as much. Hattori thought this Tomo guy was actually quite smart.

Obviously, he agreed. However that meant he now had to make sure both shores of the river were safe from erosion. He was not someone to play with chance.

Hattori had asked for the same stone foundation the walls used to be placed on the other side of the river, making gaps through them to act as grates. These grates would get water to travel under and to the farms.

Tomo had liked the idea, and so he would include it in his next blueprint.

Hattori shook all that nonsense off his mind. He still had a lot to do in the now. The bustle of construction was almost ever present in the city. Hattori went home, and found Sukuna and Miwa training outside. He had told them to do so.

Hattori’s backyard had several wooden logs to use for training Kenjutsu and Taijutsu. The ones being used by Sukuna and Miwa were both quite beaten up.

Hattori appeared behind them silently.

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A few minutes passed as he waited for one of them to notice him.

Several more minutes passed by. He was impressed at how hard they were training, but they still hadn’t noticed him.

He coughed, and both spun on their head and tried to poke him with their blades.

Of course, as young as they were, they were wielding Tanto rather than Chokuto. Hattori easily deflected both blades by swatting their forearms.

“Ah, Hattori!” Hattori smiled at hearing them.

Right now, all the teams were still away on missions. Funding the birth of a city was really expensive, so Hattori was all alone save for these two.

“Sukuna, Miwa.”

“Are we ready to become Genin yet? Are we?” Sukuna bounced excitedly. Miwa, though, stood still with her hands crossed in front of her. She had a wide smile on her face, but she was definitely more reserved than Sukuna.

“Hmm…” Hattori idly checked the Clan Rankings menu. Both of them were still labeled as N/A. He assumed that meant they were not ready. They had only been training for around six months.

They had mastered the two basic techniques: water walking and tree walking. Miwa was still finishing her training on water, but it was passable.

Both were somewhat versed in Kenjutsu. Hattori had used his Bochigan to analyze their forms and drill the proper stances into them.

Neither were all that great at Taijutsu, and so far, neither had learned any Ninjutsu either. That reminded Hattori – he needed to come up with a curriculum for the Civilian and Shinobi schools.

“Not yet. Today, though, you will make great progress.” Hattori smiled and withdrew two scrolls and a chakra paper for each.

“Do you know what these two papers are?” Hattori asked, dropping the two scrolls onto the grass.

Sukuna furrowed his brows before answering. “Chakra Paper?”

Hattori nodded, passing one to both. “Imbue some Chakra into it, and it will tell me what your nature releases are.”

The two shared a glance before doing so. Sukuna’s burst into flame, while the other half was chopped off. Fire and Wind.

Miwa’s turned to dust before catching fire. Fire and Earth.

“Do you know what the results mean?” The two nodded yes – they had heard from the older Clan members. “Good. I brought a Fire-release Ninjutsu scroll here.” Hattori tossed the two scrolls over.

Both were copies of the Endan no Jutsu scroll. “I’ll go get the two basic scrolls for your other nature releases. Before that though,” Hattori grabbed the two by the scruff. “Let’s head somewhere where you can safely practice the fire Ninjutsu.”

Hattori blurred with speed as he raced towards the western gate to the city. Half a minute passed before he arrived on the eastern outer shore of the Tawa River. There, he dropped the two.

“Only cast Ninjutsu above the river. I mean that for all Ninjutsu.” Hattori used his stern voice. He really did not want to deal with a forest fire.

“Yes, Hattori-san.” Sukuna bowed. The boy was clearly excited, but as long as he listened, everything would be fine. Hattori eyed Miwa, waiting for her to affirm. After she did, he vanished in a burst of speed.

Another minute passed before he returned carrying two more scrolls. Both the Dodan no Jutsu and Fudan no Jutsu. He tossed each scroll to their respective owner.

“Sukuna, your second scroll is the Wind Bullet Jutsu. Miwa, yours is the Earth Bullet Jutsu.”

The two barely paid attention to him, just dragging the second scroll somewhere around them while they devoured the information in the Endan no Jutsu scroll.

Hattori moved a small distance away, leaning against a tree as he watched them try over and over again to cast the most basic Ninjutsu he possessed.

Around half an hour passed before Sukuna stood up for the umpteenth time. Something seemed a little bit different. Hattori saw a look of understanding on his face he hadn’t had the last time he tried.

Hattori turned all of his focus to Sukuna as he activated his Bochigan.

Sukuna formed all of his handseals slowly, before landing on the final seal. Hattori nodded approvingly even before the fire burst from his mouth.

“Katon: Endan no Jutsu!” a bolt of fire the size of two adult fists burst from his mouth, racing over the river for several dozen meters before fading. A trail of steam was left on the surface of the river.

Sukuna looked to Hattori, who in turn looked to view the Clan Rankings.

Sukuna Yanmaru (Low Genin)

“Sukuna Yanmaru.” Hattori spoke as he stood up, addressing the young boy. “I hereby grant you the title of Genin.”

Sukuna’s grin nearly blinded him.