Hey guys! I'm back! Sorry for keeping you waiting. I had to deal with a lot of personal stuff lately, regarding with my friends, school, etc. Yeah, you know how life works. But now that I'm back on this sequel, I'll be working on other GaaSaku stories and a few of them are not going to be based on manga. I hope you enjoy reading this with the twists that I've put onto it.
So anyways, please enjoy reading and reviewing! Love y'all! :)
The village has been reciprocating well enough to provide extra care for the civilians and animals around the environment. Waking up every morning to either get back to work or training is always a great blessing every single day to live up to their success and hard work. But not only for the pink-haired kunoichi, she has a vision that she wants for everyone to look forward into. That is joy, peace and mostly, love.
There are some moments where she would think of one person who has always been in her mind lately that can make her feel alive or somehow, dead and broken inside. In any way, she didn't want to talk about it just yet. She just can't. After all, the one that she loves the most can truly be the deepest cut in her heart that almost haunted her every time she sees the things around that reminded her of him.
Stepping back into the hometown was definitely a refreshing memory for the newly well-grown boy.
Two and a half years had passed since the incidents that occurred in the leaf and sand villages, Naruto and Jiraiya made a return back to their hometown after the hard work of their training. They glanced around to see that everything hasn't changed one bit, but the blonde-haired ninja was full of homesickness with excitement and nostalgia. Without a doubt, he was glad to be back. He sees the monument face of the 5th hokage that has been carved out, much to his amusement.
"You've grown a lot, haven't you Naruto?" A voice spoke out, which made him turn around to see who it was.
"Kakashi-sensei!" The blonde-haired ninja jumped on the roof and remembered to give him a present. "This is the latest in the 'Make-Out Tactics' after a few decades. It's really boring. But you'll still like it, I think!"
Jiraiya, on the other hand, squinted his eyes with his arms crossed and pouted annoyingly in thought. "Idiot... A kid like you wouldn't understand the beauty of that book. It's still an unreleased rare item too..."
A couple of minutes later, he and Kakashi began to discuss the news, regarding to the mysterious group of shinobi.
"As promised, I'll leave Naruto back into your care. I fear the Akatsuki has been growing impatient. They may create an attempt on Naruto soon. I'm going to head around and gather as much information as I can," the white-haired man explained it sternly, just when the blonde-haired ninja stopped in a halt, seeing a familiar green-eyed kunoichi, who appears to be well-grown and beautiful.
"Sa-Sakura?" The blonde-haired ninja stammered a little in awe of her appearance.
"Eh? Naruto?!" The pink-haired kunoichi takes a surprising look at him and asks shyly. "How do I look? Do I... look more like a woman now?"
"Yeah..." he nodded, grinning cheekily as his cheeks tinged pink.
"You've... you've gotten taller than me?!" Sakura noted and genuinely smiled at him proudly. "Hmm... You've become really strong since I last saw you."
"Bro Naruto!" A voice called out eagerly, making everyone look at the person who used a Sexy Jutsu till it disappears in a puff of smoke. "How was that?! A real drool of a jutsu, wasn't it?"
The blonde-haired ninja chuckled faintly and said. "Konohamaru, I'm sorry but I'm not a kid anymore. From now on, you shouldn't use that jutsu either..."
"So... Naruto hasn't just matured in appearance. This makes me feel a little sad. You really have become amazing, Naruto. I'm sure you've come back with a lot of great new jutsu too, right...?" Sakura gazed at him surprisingly with interest in thought. Her cheeks turned a little bright pink because she might even consider him more than what she sees as a friend.
Naruto then burst out and pumping out his fist vehemently, proclaiming. "Such a jutsu is now mediocre, Konohamaru! Behold! The new perverted ninjutsu I've been developing! Here we go!"
The pink-haired kunoichi chuckled lightly as she trailed off of her words. "Aha, new ninjutsu you say, a new perv..." Then, she suddenly punched him in the face, yelling in annoyance. "You idiot!" She watches him stumbled off on the ground and began to scold him irritably as she kept shaking him. "I was wrong. You haven't changed one bit! I haven't seen you for two years and within two minutes, you jump straight into that! Idiot! What about that wonderful feeling of respect I had for you just now?! Ahh! As if I could feel sad that I wasn't grown up like you!"
"Hey, hey, Sakura. Calm down... Konohamaru here's terrified," Kakashi said gently, gesturing her with calmness.
"Jiraiya. Naruto has grown more and more like you in the past two years, hasn't he?" Tsunade murmured with a dull tone.
"That beauty and strength... It would seem as though you've raised another Tsunade, no?" Jiraiya grimaced in thought at that.
"The nostalgia ends here though. Kakashi," Tsunade ordered.
The copy-haired ninja slammed his book closed with his one hand and informs Sakura and Naruto as usual. "Well it has been a while, hasn't it? From now on, the two of you will come with me on team-related missions. It's different than before. It's no longer teacher and pupil. Starting today, we're equal leaf shinobis." He held the two familiar small bells in front of them and continued on. "First, I'm a bit curious as to how you've developed. The rules are the same as when I first met you two. If you don't come at me with the intent to kill, you will never succeed in getting the bells!"
Later on, Kakashi and the others arrived at one of the training grounds. He explains the simple rules as before by getting the bells from him until sunrise tomorrow. Naruto and Sakura looked around, contemplating and embracing on how much they've missed the place. The same place that they've first trained with Sasuke. Though, the thought of him made them depressed as they both sulked up to themselves.
"Anyways, let's move on. Shall we? Besides, this time for some reason, I get the feeling I should take it a little seriously," Kakashi slammed the book with one hand as he activated his sharingan in his left eye.
Naruto then starts throwing shurikens directly towards his sensei and summons his Shadows Clone quickly for movement. However, he got held up behind his head yet he was able to catch him on the back.
"His use of the clones and his timing is very clever," Kakashi said impressively in thought. "Well, your haste hasn't changed."
"Hehe," Naruto smirked, much to Kakashi's amusement.
"Alright, let's begin!" The copy-haired ninja disappeared in a puff of smoke, whereas the pink-haired kunoichi was moving her eyes carefully to find his hiding spot.
"If he's not anywhere, he's below!" Sakura exclaimed out loud as she smashed the ground with full of force of her fist and smiled. "Found you!"
Naruto chuckled at how mesmerizing she is and thought. "Heh. I should stop playing around in front of her. She could kill me."
"She builds up the maximum amount of chakra in their fist, then release it in an instant without precise chakra control. She couldn't do that it's a real feat. Medical ninjutsu plus amazing strength. No, that's not at all. Sakura was originally a genjutsu type. She may become an even better ninja than the fifth," Kakashi contemplated in mind and said. "Alright, this time should I also do something on my end."
Later that night, Naruto and Sakura hid behind a huge tree and were still figuring out their sensei's weakness. Once they solved the puzzle, they were heading straight to attack him right on the spot.
"Now, Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed.
"Alright! Kakashi-sensei, the last joke in Make-Out Tactics that happened to the main character-" Naruto spitted out, much to Kakashi's shock.
When their sensei covered up his ears with his hands, including his sharingan eye, they quickly snatched the bells out of his pockets. They were satisfied that the passed the test, which Kakashi was very amazed by their individual growth and potential. He knew that they are capable to overcome this kind of obstacle together. Even without Sasuke. As much as he misses them as cute newbies, it was time to accept the change that they have in themselves.
Once they head back into the village, Naruto suggested for them to eat at the Ichiraku Ramen place.
"Yeah. I'm a bit hungry after training from yesterday too..." Sakura said thoughtfully.
"Well, I have to create and submit a list of formations of the new teams. So see you later," Kakashi noted as he disappeared in a puff of smoke out of their sight.
"Ah! He ran away!" Naruto groaned in annoyance.
"Hmm. He's just thinking about reading the book probably," the pink-haired giggled.
"Hehe... So the two of us are on our own now, so is it a da-" the blonde-haired ninja didn't get to finish his sentence when Sakura prefers him to treat them.
She glanced over the two familiar shinobi walking by and decided to wave at them, exclaiming. "Shikamaru! Temari! Who do you think this is?!" She pointed a finger for them to recognize her best friend and teammate.
"Hey! If it isn't Naruto!" Shikamaru greeted in surprise.
"Sup!" The blonde-haired ninja reciprocated.
"Did you just come home then?" Shikamaru asked.
"No, I came back yesterday," Naruto puts his hands behind his head.
"Haha. So has any of your idiocy left you? And have you changed well?" Shikamaru interrogated in amusement.
"No. He hasn't changed at all," Sakura whispered with a disapproval gesture.
"Ah, really?" Shikamaru chuckled.
"So... Are you two on a date too?" The blonde-haired ninja grinned secretively in a smug.
"That's not it," Shikamaru answered calmly.
"You're joking. Why would I go out with such a complex guy like him? Anyway, there's a chunin exam soon. I'm just going back and forth between the sand and the leaf for meetings," Temari informed.
"And it's troublesome, but I've become an examiner. So I was told to go and see off the messengers from the hidden sand," Shikamaru explained.
"A chunin exam? That brings back memories..." Naruto murmured sincerely.
"Yeah. It does," Sakura gazed off at that thought.
"Hey, what are you planning?" Shikamaru asked.
"What do you mean?" Naruto was puzzled.
"The only one from our class who hasn't become a chunin is you," Shikamaru stated in conclusion.
"Ehh?!" Naruto's eyes widened in bewilderment.
"Plus, Neji from the class above us, Kankuro, Temari are already a jounin," he added, which made the blonde-haired ninja even more shock.
"Hey... What about Gaara?" Naruto mentioned and waited for them to respond to his question.
Sakura smiled genuinely as she looked up towards the sky, knowing that her best friend is busy taking care of things back in his hometown. She knew that he would accomplish something bigger and even getting himself this far to reach for one of his dreams. She will always believe in her friends, no matter what and for them to strive for the great things that is about to come.
Meanwhile in the hidden sand village...
"Lord Kazekage, the meeting is starting soon," one of the advisers said.
"Ok," said the young and grown red-haired ninja softly.
A few minutes later, Gaara and the rest of the councilors were discussing a few issues, regards to the chunin exams.
"In the past few years, our village's power has stabilized and has maintained good relations with all of our allies. Plus, we have good results from the curriculum of the training program we bought in from our new allies of the hidden leaf," one of the councilors noted.
"There's a chunin exam soon. I'm looking forward to the results of that," the elderly man mentioned with interest.
"Well... this is close to it, there's been a bad rumor..." the young man said anxiously.
"What is it?" Baki asked.
"This information's from Jiraiya of the legendary Sanins. Have you heard of an organization known as the Akatsuki?" One of the Jounin pointed out.
"Yes. But anyway, we will continue further on with that matter eventually. This is the end of our meeting," Baki announced.
Outside the hidden sand village, two mysterious black-red clouded cloak figures stood in the midst of the desert. They seem to be waiting to attack the guards on the front and nevertheless, they are currently approaching them without hesitation.
"So, the ones Orochimaru manipulated are ahead. Yeah?"
"It seems for some reason, he leaked our information and turned into a traitor..."
"We don't have a choice. I don't know what he's like after using that jutsu either."
"Is it alright just with that bag?"
"Our opponent uses the 'power of human sacrifice.'"
"Well, my jutsus are all artistic, so I came up with my favorite number 18. Yeah, because our opponent is the 'One Tail,'" said the tall black figure with a hat on and reveals a mouthful creature in front of his palm.
On the contrary, several guards saw the two enemies walking towards them in shock. They decided to move quickly to stop them from entering their village. A few seconds later, one was standing in his spot and the rest were murdered instantly on the ground. He bowed down before his master after doing what he was told to do.
"Well done. You remembered me?"
"Yes, sir! Of course, it's Master Sasori," said the jounin with a high respect.
"Alright. If you'd forgotten, I might have had to use my jutsu. Since your memories have returned, you are my faithful servant," he murmured softly.
"Alright then. Here we go!" The man with a mouthful-creature began to chew a white clay and slurped out a small bird figure as it flies off onto the ground. He made a few hand signs to enlarge it for him to step onto him and heading off towards the sky to attack the hidden sand village.
Without a question, there is no other way for them to delay their plan. They only have one motive to accomplish. Only one thing that they are looking for and their ultimate objective is... Gaara.
TO BE CONTINUED...