Chapter 71.1- One Thousand Hands

XXXXXX- CEE

“Form up” He roared at the top of his voice. To their credit, the maggots were at attention in a matter of seconds. Good. Almost good enough. He looked at them. There were close to forty of them arranged in a straight line in front of spaced out targets. Another month, another set of maggots to take through the basics. He almost wondered what the Raikage had done to convince the Lightning Lord to give them such free rein to recruit, but it was not his place to question. Only to obey.

“Show me thunderbolt” he barked, and they began weaving seals. He watched them, eyes scanning from left to right, from person to person. Snake to rabbit to monkey to tiger to ox, they weaved the seals in unison and then roared as one. Not a single person was out of step, as they pointed their hands outward. Each one of them hit the target placed in front of them. Good, he thought, before changing his mind as he looked closer.

“You there” he said, pointing at the erring maggot.

“Sir!” He was at attention.

“What did I say about uncontrolled discharge?” He asked, feeling his fury boil even higher as he got close enough to see the level of the distance.

“Not to, Sir”

“So tell me why the grass around the target is scorched so badly.”

“Poor aim, Sir” he thought he was smart, did he? None of his fellows were stupid enough to chuckle at least. Wise.

He turned to the side, looking away for a second before he swung, turning his waist into the blow to give it more force. The maggot never even saw the punch coming. He instantly went to the floor, near knocked out.

“Like I have said a million times. Any bolt of lightning that does not ht your target is wasted chakra. You can not afford to waste chakra in war, maggots” He said, and they all began nodding. Even the one that he had hit. And it was only then that he took a step back.

“Again” He barked.

“Cee-sensei” he heard a voice call and turned to look at one of the chunin running in his direction. One of B’s, he noticed. Masaki? Masashi? Hisashi? One of them.

“What do you want, boy?” He barked before internally cringing at the way the boy flinched. Keep the sergeant voice for the maggots, he reminded himself.

“Raikage-sama sent me to get you, Sir. Emergency meeting” He said, and that set all sorts of warning bells ringing in Cee’s mind. What was going on? And why was it so urgent that it could not wait for their regularly scheduled meeting tomorrow.

“It’s just your luck, maggots. You get a break.” He said, scoffing internally as he saw some of them even begin to relax.

“NOT” he screamed, and they were up again.

“While I am gone, you will practice all five of the jutsu I have taught you until you drop from exhaustion. If any of you decide to slack off, just know that I will know and you will suffer for it” He warned.