Naruto: The Outsider's Resolve: CH_332

"This is a great store," Takuma said as he led Utamatsu into a weapon store. "I particularly like their smithing—kunai, shuriken, spikes, hooks—this is the place to get them... They also have a decent collection of tags, but I'll show you a different place with a wider collection."

Takuma was no longer a customer because he shifted to an off-market vendor, who sold him high-grade weapons at a lower price by illegally skipping out on sales tax. He was not short on money, but he had made a relationship he valued, so he continued.

"Thank you, this is great. I don't know how long it would've taken me to find something by myself," said Utamatsu, as he picked one of the heavier kunai models and performed a couple of quick jabs.

He was new in the Hidden Leaf village and had asked Takuma to show him around shops related to the shinobi craft.

"You could just source your weapons from the armoury," said Takuma. ANBU provided weapons for its employees, especially the operatives. As long as they were below the allotment, a single form would have someone in ANBU, whose only job was to deal with weapons, would procure everything while ensuring quality, removing the hassle of shopping.

"I don't want to become reliant on them. Imagine we leave after our five year contract, and I'm suddenly out of touch with the market for half a decade and clueless about fair rates. Letting myself become dependent on them doesn't seem the smart thing to do. What kind of shinobi would I be if I didn't know how to get my own weapons," said Utamatsu as he stared down the length of a senbon needle.

"Fair enough. Better to shop by yourself and then get reimbursed," Takuma nodded.

Many shinobi were very particular about their gear and weapons and wanted to handle everything themselves so that it would be perfect for their requirements. Therefore, ANBU allowed the operatives to buy their own and then turn in the bill to get reimbursed.

They moved on, and Takuma continued showing Utamatsu to stores that sold everything from rope to soldier pills.

"I heard your team assignment was finalised," said Takuma.

He wanted to get along with his batchmates, but that wasn't the sole reason he had sacrificed time out of his hectic schedule when he could've been training the Yang Release: Fire Dragon Scales for the Yang nature transformation needed for the Shadow Clone Jutsu.

Utamatsu was leaving the training after the first month, earlier than him, which meant his team assignment had to be finalised early. Takuma wanted to know where he would get an idea of what Tapir would present to him. There was no guarantee Utamatsu had any information that would help him, but checking wouldn't harm him.

Utamatsu nodded while checking the stitching on a leather strap.

"Where are they sending you?"

He didn't reply immediately and stayed silent while observing the leather straps. For a moment, Takuma thought he wasn't going to reveal it and was about to change the subject before it got awkward when the reply came.

"One of the units that observe the activities of high-interest domestic groups."

Foreign powers weren't the only threat a nation faced; domestic forces operating for self-benefit posed just as much danger. It was part of ANBU's job to monitor and resolve such threats, especially when those groups comprised chakra-wielding individuals, including former Leaf shinobi.

Even the Fire Daimyo, his noble court, and the Fire samurai were a high-interest domestic group. Officially speaking, the Hidden Leaf village had sworn fealty to the Daimyo, but they were equals in everything but name. The two sides co-existed because they were satisfied in their own positions, and going to war with each other would invite chaos, destabilising the nation and giving the outside powers a chance to step into their homes. Of course, being equal allies didn't mean they were akin to family. One could only trust so much before it turned into a blind trust, and that was simply inviting betrayal. The Hidden Leaf kept the other side in check through military power that protected the nation, while the Fire Daimyo held power through his position as the rightful ruler of the country, recognised by the people, who paid him tax, a portion of which was directed to the Leaf shinobi.

The Fire Daimyo needed protection for the Land of Fire, whereas the Hidden Leaf needed the money that enabled them to remain a monopolistic military organisation. But no side could be allowed to rise above the other, and both of them made sure of it in their own ways.

"How does it look about the work? Will you be able to return home daily?" asked Takuma. Utamatsu was a devoted family man; thus, spending time with them was a priority, and that depended on what his job would be.

"I doubt about daily, but yes, I will be home regularly," Utamatsu smiled warmly before sighing, "or at least, that's what they assured me of... Let's see how much of it will be true."

Because of the recency, Utamatsu knew little about his job. Takuma quickly wrapped up the conversation and returned to showing him around. There would be more to learn when Utamatsu settled into his job, but Takuma had found something interesting simply from where Utamatsu was going.

High-interest domestic groups.

Only one domestic group could claim to be the top priority for the Hidden Leaf: ROOT. He didn't know anything about them, but from experience, he was confident they were still present in the Land of Fire. They had enjoyed free reign within the country forever; he was confident that most of their infrastructure was domestic. Even if they wanted to leave, it was beyond difficult.

"—One of the units that handles high-interest domestic groups—"

It was obvious that there would be more than one unit. ROOT was too big for any one team to handle; there had to be more teams handling matters related to ROOT. He wanted to get one of those teams, so he prayed that Tapir would include one of those teams in the options he would give him. Otherwise, he would need to figure out how to join one of those teams. He was willing to wait, but he would not like it if he were given no choice.

Amami was also leaving training alongside Utamatsu. Takuma wanted to hear from her, but he couldn't find her. They either missed each other, or she had stopped showing up to training as she wasn't enrolled in any courses.

———
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Tapir and Takuma sat in the former's office as the time for the latter to pick up his team assignment arrived. The promised one week of time from Tapir had turned to two weeks. They had made their arrangement at the start of the third week of training, so it was now one month into training.

Takuma only had two more weeks before he had to report to work. He wanted to push Tapir and make him apologise for his delay and have him owe a favour, but the power difference between the Master Instructor, who was once an operative, and a new rookie who hadn't worked a single day was too broad. Tapir controlled where he would go to work, so pissing him off could spell huge ramifications for him.

So, he sat before Tapir silently with a smile. Not bringing it up would leave a positive impression, and when Takuma had enough clout, he could turn it into an opportunity.

"Here are the three options I prepared for you," Tapir said, charily eyeing Takuma's silence and smile. He placed three paper sheets side-by-side on the table. The sheet on the right was kept separate, while the other two were close together.

He continued, "The Department of ANBU is divided into two major sub-divisions: the Domestic and Foreign branches—excluding General Administration. As the name suggests, the Domestic Branch is the internal organisation responsible for protecting Hidden Leaf's interests at home, notably against threats to national security. By contrast, the Foreign Branch is Hidden Leaf's external organisation responsible for protecting and promoting our interests and security beyond our borders."

He explained that while both branches existed within the Department of ANBU, they were silos and thus separate entities from each other. They collaborated and shared information with each other, but only when it was necessary. There was no singular head atop ANBU, and the branches were directed by their own ANBU Commanders, who directly reported to the Hokage.

"Though not official, this round of recruitment was only for the Domestic Branch, but I have included an option from the Foreign Branch in case you're interested," Tapir tapped the sheet kept separate.

Takuma already knew all of it from Sango. He picked the Foreign Branch assignment to read the details. The job would have him be part of a team responsible for missions involving the Land of Earth and the Hidden Stone. According to the document, he would start out by being stationed in one of four nations bordering the Land of Earth with the possibility of entering the enemy territory undercover or as a ghost spy.

He immediately rejected the option. Not only would he be away from home for a long time, he wouldn't even be in the Land of Fire. It would also mean a separation from resources like the jutsu archives, training facilities, his teachers, and sparring partners. He didn't mind leaving home for a month or two at a time, but the job was asking him to stay out for a term of at least a year or more.

He turned to the two options from the Domestic Branch.

The first option was an assault unit. As the name suggested, they were shock troops tasked with spearheading assaults and disrupting enemy defences. Their role was pivotal in swiftly overwhelming opposition and seizing key tactical positions. They specialised in swift, high-impact operations that necessitated precision, agility, and superior combat skills. Their offensive strategies focused on rapidly breaching enemy lines, creating chaos, and paving the way for follow-up forces. Conversely, defensive tactics involved holding critical positions under intense pressure and buying time for reinforcements or evacuation.

"Their work is quite straightforward but perhaps the most dangerous. They sport the second-highest casualty rate within ANBU... The highest being another assault unit with identical responsibilities," Tapir joked while conveying a serious truth. "Consider it a compliment that they are interested in you. They almost never take rookies and usually only recruit from experienced operatives. You need the ability to adapt quickly to evolving battlefield conditions, make split-second decisions under extreme pressure, maintain composure amidst chaos, and execute complex manoeuvres with precision, which is critical in achieving mission success... These are madmen who risk their lives every time they step out on a mission. So, if you think you can't handle the stress, forget about choosing this unit."

Takuma nodded before turning his attention to the other sheet.

"Inquisitor unit?" Takuma muttered.

From the name, he assumed it was an intelligence unit focused on information gathering, but the description said otherwise. It was a specialised unit that undertook missions critical to national security. They excelled in counterterrorism and dealing with a variety of high-risk domestic threats ranging from rooting out traitors to dismantling insurgencies. They were at the forefront of unconventional warfare to achieve strategic objectives and destabilise adversaries. They did a lot, from collecting information by direct surveillance and reconnaissance or converting assets and informants—involving local players to exert influence by gaining their trust—conducting sabotage missions—training forces against their targets—and even taking part in direct military actions whenever required.

"Contrary to the assault unit, their work is quite diverse. The team's history of leadership has moulded it into a unit that touches everything involving its mission. If you join, be ready to be very involved in handling a variety of responsibilities. It's going to be hectic, but you're going to learn a lot... if you manage to hold on."

Takuma didn't have a problem with that. He was used to having multiple hats while working at the Narcotics Taskforce, where everyone had many roles because they were a new, inexperienced team trying to figure things out.

"So, which one?" asked Tapir.

Takuma glanced up at the Master Instructor. He would have liked some more time to think about it, but Tapir wanted the answer immediately, and Takuma himself found himself attracted to one option more than the other.

"... I will go with the Inquisitor unit," answered Takuma, pushing the page toward Tapir.

The Assault unit was straightforward, and he could see the advantages of going that route. Even though it was much more dangerous, he would have tons of free time as their missions were intense but short—they went out, caused destruction, and then returned home to rest until their next mission. And because of that, he would have more free time to train and get stronger, which he could hone by going on high-risk combat missions.

But in return, he would never have any control over which missions he received. He would have to go after targets passed down the unit by someone else who had done the work to identify the threat. He did not want that. He desired control so he could one day target ROOT and make them his sole focus if he wished. That would never happen in the Assault unit. He would always be like a missile pointed in a direction someone else set.

On the other hand...

The Inquisitor unit screamed control. They touched every part of their mission, giving them a huge deal of freedom. He wasn't sure and couldn't ask, but he was confident that the unit would have some control over which missions they took on, which was a huge opportunity to exploit and pull the unit's direction toward ROOT if they weren't already dealing with them. He also very much preferred that he develop various skills that complement each other, which would benefit his future career growth.

The downside was less free time, but once he got the Shadow Clone Jutsu under his belt, he would be able to make up for time.

"Are you sure?" asked Tapir.

Takuma nodded.

He knew what he wanted; now, he just needed to work hard to get it.

———

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A/N: Next chapter: Combat!