Chapter Ten

A Day Before

The final task was a team battle against other Genin teams, and was set for a month after the previous task had ended. Based on their conditions upon completing their previous task, Kakashi and Guy realized that their respective squads were talented, but needed more training to keep up with rival ninja. So in traveling to the Hidden Leaf village, they would do nothing but take a week away from their already limited supply of time. By remaining in the Hidden Cloud, the two Jonin decided to teach their students the final (and most difficult) lesson of chakra control; walking on water.

No squad knew how to do it. The closest was Sakura, and she could only maintain her stability for about three minutes. The worst was Kiba, and he had yet to make any progress at the moment.

This exercise in chakra control would be heavily necessary. The way the seeding was played out for the final part, it was not to the advantage of either team. Luckily for Team Kakashi/Kurenai, they wouldn't have to face Kurotsuchi and her team of high-level earth ninja.

That honor belonged to TenTen, Lee and Sakura. In the first match of the first round.

This did not mean that the trio got off easier than their counterparts, at all. Arguably, they had a harder opponent. They had the opportunity to face Chojuro and his legendary blade, the Hiramekarei. What made this even harder, was that they had no intel on him. They also had no intel on his blade of legend, and despite Kakashi's efforts, he was unable to acquire much more information than what he already had.

In short, the two trio's were determined as ever, yet still nervous. After all, they were fighting foreign ninja in a foreign land. They felt as if almost everything was against them.

"I can't get the hang of this thing down!" Kiba exclaimed, his calves were submerged in water as he struggle to keep the rest of his body afloat.

"Just maintain focus, Kiba. Maintain focus!" Rock Lee screamed.

To everyone's surprise, Lee mastered this technique on his third day. After that, it took him another four days to master it with his leg weights on. At the current moment, he was sprinting laps around the group of Leaf ninja. For being the only one here was unable to use a single ninjutusu, his chakra control was stunning. Nobody expected him to get it at all, let alone master it in less than a month.

"The power of youth runs through me!" Lee screamed as he rallied off four consecutive backflips on the cool sun-dappled water.

Hinata and Sakura were next to each other doing some light sparring. They weren't fighting seriously, but rather testing each other. The main challenge was to see how they could keep themselves stabilized while focusing on their opponent. Shino and TenTen were doing the same as well.

"I don't understand where he gets all this energy and control from." Sakura mumbled.

A nod from Hinata let Sakura know that she was not the only one.

. . . .

Kakashi walked through the streets of the Hidden Cloud, flanked by Might Guy on his sides.

"Kakashi!" Guy screamed with a mouthful of food. "These Lightning Pork buns are amazing!"

Kakashi sighed. Guy could never stop eating whenever the two would go on walks.

As they walked through the town, perfectly confident that their students were handling the excise well. At least until they were stopped by a familiar sight. Appearing in front of the two was a white slug with a blue stripe on its back. It was about the size of Kakashi's foot.

"Ah, good afternoon Lady Katsuyu." Kakashi greeted as he placed the slug on his right shoulder.

"Hello Kakashi. Hello to you as well, Guy."

Guy made an incoherent speech as he had his mouth full of food. If the slug could make facial expressions, then she definitely would have given Guy a look of disgust.

"I'm glad to have caught up to you, Kakashi." She said.

"Is there a problem, Lady Katsuyu?" Kakashi asked.

"No," she began. "Lady Tsunade just said that she wishes all of you the best of luck in your training. She will be attending, and she hopes you gives the Cloud a good show."

"Not a problem!" Guy shouted. "We will give the Cloud a taste of what the power of youth is all about!"

Katsuyu nodded. "Sounds perfect. Also, Rock Lee's mother will be unable to attend. She has a joint mission in the Hidden Sand. Sakura's mother will attend. TenTen's father will also attend."

Guy nodded. "I shall relay this information to my future Chunin."

"Kakashi." She began. "Also, Shino nor Kiba's parents will be able to attend. They will both be on important missions."

Kakashi understood. "And of Hinata's?"

Katsuyu spoke again. "Her father and sister will be attending."

Kakashi's heart dropped. There is no way that Hinata would be able to focus should she find out that her father was there. There was no possible scenario in which she could become a Chunin, and know that her father was watching her. Not only that, but why was he coming to see her in the first place? Didn't he have a lack of interest in her? Or was did he not expect her to make it this far, and was seeing how it was possible? That was the most likely explanation.

"Understood, Lady Katsuyu." Kakashi said.

With a cloud of smoke, Guy and Kakashi were left alone.

"Guy, lets return to the children." Kakashi said.

"A problem Kakashi?" Guy asked.

Kakashi closed his eyes and sighed. "Maybe we need to hurry their training."

Guy nodded. "But the test starts in six days.

Kakashi nodded. "Yes, I know. But I feel we still have more work to do."