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Chapter 38: Job Offer
🕑 Added 2025-06-23 21:48:07 +0000 UTC
After Fury gave his recruitment offer, there was a period of silence.
Fury broke the silence, his voice gruff but measured. "Think about the offer, Hound. We'll talk details at SHIELD headquarters. Save your questions till then."
Kakashi just gave a nod.
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The chopper landed at SHIELD's New York headquarters. Fury led Kakashi through sterile corridors, agents who cast wary glances at the masked mercenary.
They entered a private briefing room, its walls lined with screens and a projector. Agent Phil Coulson stood inside, his usual calm demeanor tinged with excitement as he clutched a tablet.
Fury gestured to a chair. "Take a seat, Hound. Should've done introductions before tossing you a job offer." He stood at the head of the table.
"We're SHIELD—Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division. We're the line between the world and threats it's not ready for—terrorism, superhumans, extraterrestrial incursions. We monitor, neutralize, and, when needed, recruit. That's where you come in."
Kakashi's eye crinkled, his tone dry. "Sounds like a fancy way of saying 'we clean up messes.' So, what's in it for me?"
Fury's lips twitched, a rare hint of amusement. "You're a mercenary, Hound. An individual becomes a mercenary either for the thrill or money. SHIELD offers both—missions that'll test your skills and a paycheck to match. Plus, we keep vultures like Ross off your back who would come looking for those 'unusual' abilities of yours?"
He leaned forward, his eye piercing. "We'll talk about 'em in time, but under me, you won't be dissected in some lab."
Kakashi's mind flashed to Konoha, where the Hokage assigned missions and ANBU handled the shadows.
The offer was tempting—a single employer, steady work, protection from Ross's schemes.
'Could be a good gig. Keeps me in the game without dodging army goons.' He nodded, his voice casual. "Works for me. By the way, you Agent Ipatch who gave me the Tony Stark mission?"
Fury smirked, leaning back. "Yeah, that was me. Nice job sniffing out those Ten Rings cells. Saved us a headache."
Before Kakashi could respond, Fury activated the projector, the room dimming as footage flickered to life—Kakashi's fights against the Hulk at Culver University and the Abomination in Harlem. Water prisons, lightning streams, Rasengans, and Kamui's intangibility played in high definition. Kakashi's eye crinkled, amused. 'They've got good cameras.'
Coulson rushed towards him, his voice bursting with excitement. "Sir, are you a ninja?"
Fury shot him a glare, his tone exasperated. "Coulson, not with your fantasies again."
Kakashi chuckled, raising a hand. "Actually, I am a ninja. A shinobi, to be precise." He leaned forward, his tone teasing.
Coulson's face lit up like a kid at a festival, his tablet nearly slipping from his hands. "I knew it! The kunai, the wire, those movements—textbook ninja! But I didn't know ninjas could breathe fire, summon wind, or make lightning shoot from their arms!" He leaned closer, practically vibrating. "Is there a hidden ninja village? Do you have a sensei? Wait—do you throw shuriken with perfect accuracy?"
Kakashi's eye crinkled wider, a full laugh escaping. "Yo, slow down, fanboy. Our ninjas aren't like your movies. We're trained in ninjutsu—chakra-based techniques. Fire, lightning, water, all part of the package." He pulled a kunai, twirling it with a flourish. "And yeah, my shuriken aim's pretty decent."
Coulson's jaw dropped, his eyes sparkling. "Ninjutsu… incredible. Can you teach me to throw kunai?"
Fury groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Coulson, focus. You're embarrassing SHIELD."
Kakashi smirked, enjoying the chaos. 'This guy's like a grown-up Naruto with a clipboard. Harmless, but enthusiastic.' He tossed the kunai to Coulson, who caught it clumsily. "Keep practicing, Agent Fanboy. Maybe you'll hit a target someday."
Fury cleared his throat, his voice cutting through the comedy. "Enough. Hound, let's get serious." He locked eyes with Kakashi, his gaze unyielding. "Are you human?"
Kakashi blinked, caught off guard. "Yo, yeah, last I checked."
Fury exhaled, a subtle relief crossing his face. "Good. Since you're signing on, you need to know the bigger picture. We're not alone in this universe."
"Aliens exist—some friendly, some not. They've visited Earth before, and they'll come again. SHIELD's job is to be ready when they do."
Kakashi kept his face neutral, but inside, he was unimpressed.
'Aliens? Cute. You already have demons, vampires, sorcerers in your world that you are likely unaware of.'
Fury switched to footage of Kakashi's fights. "Your abilities. How'd you get 'em?"
Kakashi shrugged, his tone casual. "Practice. Chakra control, years of training. Standard shinobi stuff."
Fury's eye narrowed. "Chakra? Like the energy yoga gurus and martial arts types ramble about?"
Kakashi's eye crinkled. "Pretty much. It's the internal energy everyone has. I just learned to shape it into jutsu."
Coulson leaned forward, scribbling notes. "Fascinating. So, can anyone learn this… ninjutsu?"
"Technically, yeah," Kakashi said, his voice measured. "Depends on chakra reserves, control, and training. Everyone's got some chakra, but most don't have enough for big jutsu. Takes years to master."
Fury's voice sharpened, barely hiding his excitement. "Can you train others to do what you do?"
Kakashi's eye narrowed, his tone firm. "No. I'm not trading one Ross for another. I don't mass-produce ninjas." He paused, recalling Konoha's strict training regimens.
"From what I've seen, nobody here has the chakra for my level of jutsu anyway."
Fury sighed, leaning back. "Fair enough."
Kakashi relented slightly, his voice softening. "That said, even low chakra can boost strength, speed, or senses beyond normal humans. I could teach that—to people I choose. No exceptions."
Fury's eye glinted, a predator spotting prey. "Acceptable. We'll revisit that later." He stood, his tone final. "One last thing: you answer to me, and only me, even in SHIELD. Understood?"
Kakashi nodded, his tone dry. "Got it, boss."
Fury extended a hand. "Then welcome to SHIELD, Hound."
