A Memory, A dream

Ren had spent his first stint as a genin in the mountains training alone. Why? He was out of money. Ren was not lucky enough to have parents with a warm home for him to stay in post graduation, and while graduating the academy had given him access to the benefits of a Kumogakure Shinobi that didn't really include a space to stay. Or at least not one that was fitting to his standards. Ren wasn't a person who needed gaudy space, but he wanted silence. His years living in the academy's dormitory had been almost unbearable. He debated dropping out multiple times, but stayed for a few reasons. The academy taught how to better hurt people, and he had nowhere else to turn. He was naturally a bit taller than the usual academy student and this gave him a bi advantage in Taijutsu training bouts. He was allowed to wail on the kids until they gave up, and most of the Kumo students had a lot of moxie. They wouldn't give in even when it was obvious that they were outmatched. Ren didn't mind beating them a bit senseless though. He smiled faintly at the memory.

Post graduation it was no longer acceptable to bully academy students, so he felt no desire to stay in the noisy dormitories with rowdy kids. He tried to find an apartment, but it soon became clear that the pocket change worth of ryo he had collected wasn't going to work. He spent his time in the mountains with a few books to complement the training he was undergoing. He thought if he became mighty out in the wilderness, then he would be fit to take on any mission, especially ones with big rewards. It also gave him the opportunity to try out the villages 'might makes right' rule of law.

He soon made a small camp for himself out of sticks and dirt he found on the mountain side. He would hunt down food like rabbits, birds and fish during the day. Most coddled genin couldn't do such things, but Ren had been essentially taking care of himself for a long time. Visions of a broken bottle flashed in his mind. The phantom pains of his scar rang out, but the boy shook his head. These pains had become lesser during his schooling, but never quite went away. With his lifestyle cemented he began to train exactly as he envisioned.

If anyone came to his section of the wilderness he would fight them. Some of the bouts were honorable duels between two consenting adults, and others, were not. None ever lead to death as he was still in the limits of Kumogakure, but many were dangerous enough to leave heavy wounds and remove the loser's ryo purse. The first few times he was just swinging his fist at the ruffians he ran into. This never led to his death, but the injuries he sometimes received were quite brutal. These injuries were a blessing in a way. He would use them as opportunities to rest, learn, and practice his skills. The books he brought with him to the tiny camp had sufficed to aid him. One book covered the Lineage of the Kaguya clan. It was supposedly what he was. The rare Shikotsumyaku bloodline ability he had developed was proof of that. There wasn't much information, but it gave him an idea of what his body was capable of. Another book he brought covered very basic medical jutsu and the human body. This was how the boy healed himself after being beaten by thugs. The last piece of reading material was a scroll on basic Taijutsu. This was what he was best at in the academy, and aside from his mediocre Chakra control his teachers never praised him on anything else. He took this as a sign that he should focus his efforts on the art of the fist. The scroll he obtained from the library had a smattering of lightning and lighting related techniques. These three pieces and countless days of trial and error. Eventually led to him beating groups of thugs by himself. Each time he won he sustained less injuries. After a few months he wasn't sustaining any injuries at all. People stopped coming into the wilderness area he reigned over. He was gaining a reputation among the seedier  side of Kumogakure. The bone demon they would call him, but Ren didn't know. Some groups of rougher individuals tried to recruit him, but his response was always the same a fist to their face.  

Ren didn't like people and the wilderness suited him, but after a while his clothes were destroyed and he had acquired enough money from his victims to pay a few months of rent. I can find a place now... I'll head back... That day he returned to the academy's library to return the text he had procured and to rent his own small apartment in the safest and most quiet part of town. It was a bit pricey, and the landlord was curious as to how a disheveled young man had such money, but after a flash of his headband her attitude changed. She welcomed him to the complex and offered him the rooftop. It wasn't a large apartment, but it was enough for Ren.

Home sweet home... He said to himself. Ren knew that he would need to take on real shinobi work to fund his apartment. His stock pile would last him a while, but thugs simply didn't have enough ryo on them or come in big enough numbers for that to be a viable way to live.

The hardened Kaguya would now truly enter the world of Shinobi. He was unsure at this point how long he had been away, but truthfully he was only average at best in most areas of the academy so he was sure none of the teachers had missed him. He was always reserved or sour so he had little to no friends during his school time. It didn't help that he was a bit older than everyone else. He heard the way they made fun of him calling him name, or gossiping about his scar. I will show them, now that I am the mightiest. All of you filthy humans... The image of Miki flashed through his mind, but his fist clenched. You're already gone. Leave me alone already! A bone grew from his hand piercing the image. Ren's eyes watered and the world began to fade.

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WC:1093

Claiming: 
+20 AP from max stats
+1000 words toward Healing Hands 
EXIT

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