So, I know how much you all love AN-only updates, so I had to release the eleventh chapter early with a bit of news. I will be going away to Stockholm for a month, so I won't be able to update until then. I hope you all stay patient and such, and that you will be eagerly expecting a new update sometime after the 19th of September!
–
"SASUKE-NII-CHAN!"
Uchiha Sasuke, sixteen-year old Konohagakure Chunnin, sighed as he rubbed his forehead. In the three years since Naruto went off with Jiraiya on his training trip, Sasuke had made a drastic change to his wardrobe. He no longer wore any real Uchiha-style of clothing. Instead, he wore traditional, black Chunnin clothes. The only thing that wasn't standard was the armguards he wore, which stretched down to segment into a handguard, which was held to his hands by straps. He still had a kunai pouch on the left side of his back-waist, and his chokuto on his right. The only thing different about the shirt he wore was that while he had the standard Uzumaki swirl on his right shoulder (symbolizing Konoha's strong ties with the Uzumaki clan), he had the Uchiha symbol on his left.
Sasuke's head turned toward the source of the voice, now twelve-year old Sarutobi Konohamaru, who approached him with his two friends, Moegi and Udon as he sat on one of the three poles at Team Seven's old training ground.
"What's wrong, Konohamaru?" Sasuke asked.
"We're graduating in a couple of days!" Konohamaru said with a massive grin. "So, teach us something cool to show off with at graduation!"
"Ninja aren't supposed to show off their moves, you know..." Sasuke muttered. "Besides, I may have taught you a few Taijutsu moves, but teaching you guys is really Naruto's job..."
"But he's not here right now..." Moegi muttered, doing her very best to give him a set of heart-wrenching puppy dog eyes. Unfortunately for her, Sasuke had repeatedly demonstrated that Uchiha were immune to that technique.
"It doesn't matter if you learn it now, a week from now, or a month from now, I guarantee that Naruto will be back long before you go out on C-rank missions," Sasuke said, hopping off the pole and walking off. "Later, guys."
Sasuke sighed as he walked. He liked the Konohamaru Corps, that was for damn sure. They were adorable most of the time, but they tended to annoy him now and then. It was a real bother that only Naruto seemed to be patient enough with.
Sasuke supposed it was because annoying idiots had no problem hanging out with other annoying idiots...
–
"A-A-ACHE-HEYOH!" a certain blond-haired sixteen-year old sneezed loudly as he walked along the path leading toward Konoha. He had changed his outfit since he left, now wearing standard shinobi clothes. The only thing that really set him apart from most other ninja was the two kunai pouches he had strapped to his back-waist, along with the large fur collar that was attached to his shirt. His Chunnin vest didn't have a collar, as it would have gotten in the way of his fur.
"Oho, sounds like some young beauty is talking about you, eh?" the old man walking next to him said, a great lecherous grin on his face. "Maybe it's that Saki girl in Degarashi, eh?"
"Poke a hole in that stiffy of yours, pervert..." Senju Naruto muttered, glaring at the old man. "It was just a sneeze. Although I do have this sudden urge to break Sasuke's nose..."
"You've said that thousands of times now all throughout our trip..." Jiraiya said. "Are you sure you guys are friends?"
"Oh yeah, best of friends," Naruto said with a nod. "But, you know, that doesn't mean I don't get the urge to break his face if he insults me."
The duo saw the gates in the distance, open as usual. Without a doubt, Kotetsu and Izumo were once more guarding it. It seemed like they had the habit of drawing the short straw again and again.
"Hm... It's been a while, but..." Naruto grinned at Jiraiya. "...I think I can beat you."
"You brat, you're a hundred years too early to challenge me!" Jiraiya barked. He looked indignant for only a moment, however, before he grinned as well. "But since you're insistent, I suppose I can show you how inferior you are."
"Alright, then," Naruto said as he knelt and picked up a rock. "Hokage Tower?"
"Tsunade's office."
"Okay! Ready, and..."
Naruto tossed the rock into the air, and the two watched as it descended. The second it hit the ground, the two ninja disappeared in a blur.
Meanwhile, in Tsunade's office, the blond Hokage was staring at Uchiha Sasuke with disapproval.
"When a mission is completed, isn't a shinobi's first duty to report to the Hokage?" she muttered. "Why was I informed that you went to the training ground first?"
"I needed a rest, and I can write better reports with a clear mind," Sasuke said as he handed over his report, which Tsunade took with a grumble.
"It seems you've got an answer for everything, doesn't it?" Tsunade said, chuckling softly. "It seems Naruto rubbed off on you more than you care to admit."
"It seems I did catch a bit of laziness from him," Sasuke said with a nod. "It's just too bad he's not around. Watching the clouds is no fun when you're alone."
"By the way, have you heard-"
Tsunade was interrupted when her window was suddenly smashed, a black, white, and yellow blur flipping into the office. The blur landed on its feet, followed quickly by a red, green, and white blur.
"First!" Senju Naruto exclaimed, raising his hands triumphantly into the air.
"Damn it!" Jiraiya muttered, panting slightly. "Were I ten years younger, I would have won that, and you know it!"
"Naruto? Jiraiya?" Tsunade asked, her eyes wide as she stared at the two ninja. "WHY THE HELL DID YOU SMASH MY WINDOW?!"
"Well, if I'd taken the time to open it, he would have caught up," Naruto said, jutting his thumb over his shoulder to point at Jiraiya.
"Yo, it's been a while," Sasuke said, which made Naruto's head snap toward him.
"Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed, a bright smile appearing on his face as he rushed up to his brother and gave him a bone-crushing hug.
To a bystander, such as Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Shizune, it looked hilarious as Naruto's monster strength made Sasuke's body go slack, and Naruto was swinging him around as though he was hugging a ragdoll.
"N-Naruto..." Sasuke wheezed, tapping Naruto's arm. "Air...!"
"Aaah! It's been so long!" Naruto sang, completely ignoring his friend, as was customary for him. When he finally let Sasuke go, the Uchiha had to lean on him for a moment to catch his breath. Then, he straightened up, and immediately noticed something.
"The hell...?" Sasuke muttered, putting a hand on Naruto's head to push down his hair. "You've gotten as tall as me..."
"What are you on about? I've always been as tall as you."
"No, you've always been an inch shorter than me," Sasuke said, glaring at Naruto. "Why are you suddenly just as tall?"
"Because I'm awesome, that's why."
"As heartwarming as this reunion is, I expect a report on your training," Tsunade spoke up, making both ninja look at her. "And I want it today."
"Alright, pervert, I'll leave it to you," Naruto said, nodding to Jiraiya, whose head snapped in his direction. Before he could say anything, however, Naruto blurred away.
"I better go to and make sure the idiot doesn't hurt himself," Sasuke said. "Knowing him, he's probably forgotten where to go."
With that, he blurred away as well.
"If he wanted to leave, he didn't have to make up such a lame excuse..." Tsunade muttered, frowning. Then, she glanced at Jiraiya. "So, what did you do?"
"There wasn't really much I could teach him," Jiraiya said happily. "That kid is a genius. Well, at least when it comes to jutsu. The only thing I could teach him was Fuuinjutsu. And even there, he was already knowledgeable. I was also amazed when he showed a strong affinity for a third element."
"A third?"
–
During the last three years, Hinata had found friends in Ino and Sakura. While Sakura had once been the type to not really make friends with her, she had changed after Ino had brought her along to meet with Hinata a couple of times.
So now, the three of them were friends, and they always took the time to meet and catch up between missions. It was happening less often now, though, when all three of the were Chunnin, but that just meant that they had more to talk about when they met up for dinner.
"This is horrible, though..." Sakura muttered as they sat in Toyama Dango, her head dropping to press her forehead against the table they sat at. "I'm almost seventeen years old... I was hoping to at least have a boyfriend by now... But then I find out Sasuke-kun is..."
It seemed like Sakura still couldn't say the word.
"There's more than one boy in Konoha, though," Hinata said softly, smiling at Sakura. Over the last three years, she had really started gaining confidence. She was still as soft-spoken as ever, but now she hardly ever stuttered, and often managed to refrain from mumbling. "You even have two on your team."
"Ugh, don't even mention them!" Sakura whined, straightening up again. "Shino is weird and has all these bugs crawling around inside him, and even if I do think that Kiba is kinda attractive with his wild attitude... he's waaay too dog-like for me..."
"I think you might be a bit too picky," Ino commented, which got her a glare from Sakura.
"Don't be a pot calling a kettle black. I don't see you hooking up with Shikamaru or Chouji..."
"Well, I don't have to. I've already set my sights on someone else," Ino said with a pleased smirk.
"Eh? Who?" Sakura asked, her eyes widening. Hinata was also looking at Ino curiously.
"Well, considering Sasuke-kun is now off-limits, I'm going to go for the second best," Ino said, then added thoughtfully, "Though to be honest, being best and second best kinda varies between talents with those two."
"You don't mean... Naruto?" Sakura asked in surprise.
"Why not? He sure is cute enough," Ino said, a blush springing up on her face. "Probably the only reason why I didn't go for him back at the academy was because he was always so loud, but I bet he's mellowed out now, traveling with Jiraiya-sama. And besides..." Ino looked like she was on the verge of drooling now. "...given how Sasuke has grown more handsome, imagine how much dishier Naruto must be now!"
The three girls took a moment to imagine just how Naruto might have aged in the last three years, before Sakura started rubbing her chin thoughtfully.
"You know, now that I think about it, he was kinda cute, wasn't he? And he was easier to talk to than Sasuke-kun, that's for sure."
"Hinata, you sure are lucky, having those two and Kakashi-sensei on your team..." Ino muttered. "Shikamaru and Chouji are great friends and teammates, and Asuma-sensei is a great teacher, but what I wouldn't give for a little eye-candy once in a while..." She looked ready to cry. "What kind of woman would enjoy being around a slacker, a fatty, and a bearded chain-smoker all day?!"
"I take it something happened in your last mission?" Hinata asked, smiling.
"We were supposed to guard this box with some kind of treasure in it as it was transported from Tea Country to Water Country... Then the boat was hit by a rough wave, and the box was knocked into the water..." Ino told them, frowning. "Shikamaru said it would be troublesome to hop in after it, Chouji claimed you shouldn't swim right after eating, and Asuma-sensei didn't want to get his cigarette wet... so they picked me up and threw me in!"
Hinata and Sakura started laughing softly at the indignant and huffing Ino.
"What kind of gentlemen are they, huh?!"
"Well, Naruto hasn't really showed any gentlemanly sides, has he?" Sakura asked with a smirk.
"Oh, that's right, he hasn't..."
"Actually," Hinata spoke up, catching their attention, "while Naruto-kun isn't the traditional type of gentleman, he's always very kind and helpful."
"Ooooh, I did not expect that about him..." Sakura muttered. "Then again, it's stupid to judge someone based on appearances and such. I mean, at first I thought Kiba was just this loud, dead-last showoff, but you know, he's actually really strong, and dangerously loyal to the team."
The three girls leaned back in their seats, thinking about just what kind of hidden sides about their male teammates they might have missed. Then, Sakura leaned forward and looked at Ino again.
"By the way, you may have some competition for Naruto's affection now, even if Hinata's given up on her crush."
"Huh?" Ino blinked. "What do you mean?"
"Well, on top of training with her, I often help Tsunade-sama with her paperwork, and the other day, I had to update the ninja registry. When I did so, I got a good look at Naruto's file. Most of the information regarding his birth and such was blacked out, but what interested me was the last three years. He's completed twenty-four C-rank missions, sixteen B-rank, seventeen A-rank, and one S-rank since he left! That's more than Sasuke-kun!"
"No way!" Ino exclaimed. "That's-"
"And there's more," Sakura continued, leaning closer. "Tsunade-sama, on top of payment for the missions, has received three request for arranged marriages for Naruto, from no less than three daimyo. Haruna from Vegetable Country, Toki from Bird Country, and that actress and daimyo Kazahana Koyuki..."
"Eeh... A daimyo can have anyone... Why pick Naruto?" Ino muttered, furrowing her brow. "Shouldn't they stick to guys from their own countries? No need to snag our hotties..."
"I think you just answered your own question as to why they'd pick Naruto," Sakura commented, which made all three of them laugh quietly to themselves.
Two pairs of sandaled feet were heard landing outside the shop, then the sandals met the wooden floor inside, and a very familiar voice was heard shouting, "Toyama-san! Dango, dango!"
Three heads snapped toward the entrance, to see that Senju Naruto had entered, a huge grin on his face, with Sasuke in tow, smirking.
"Oho, Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun!" Toyama, the elderly owner, said with a bright smile upon seeing the two ninja. "It's been a while since the both of you came here together! The usual?"
"You know it!"
"Coming right up!"
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata exclaimed, shooting to her feet.
Naruto looked at her, his grin widening.
"Hinata!"
Hinata suddenly went completely red-faced, as she, like Sasuke, suddenly became the victim of Naruto's bear-hug, and was swung around like a ragdoll.
"It's been so damn long!" Naruto sang happily. "It's great to see the old faces again! Yo, Ino, Sakura! You alright?"
"Y-You shouldn't ask us that, Naruto!" Sakura said urgently. "You should ask Hinata!"
"Eh?"
Naruto looked down at the girl in his arms, to see that she was frantically tapping out, her face steadily getting redder.
"Oh, sorry!" Naruto said, letting her go. "I was just so damn happy to see you again. It's not been the same, going on missions without the team..."
"I-It's okay, Naruto-kun..." Hinata wheezed, massaging her sore neck.
"Okay, dango for the boys!" Toyama announced as he approached them, a tray in his hands. On the tray were two clay plates, each with three dango stick on them.
"Thanks, Toyama-san!" Naruto said happily, taking both plates and moving over to the girls' table, setting them down as Sasuke grabbed two nearby chairs and brought them over. "Is it alright if we sit here?"
"Of course, of course!" Ino said, blushing slightly as she and Sakura looked the blond over, taking notice of how he had lost pretty much all of his baby fat now, his face no longer cute, but handsome instead, with a nice tan which looked amazing together with his hair and eye colors.
"Thanks," Naruto said with a grin as he and Sasuke sat down.
"By the way, Hinata," Sasuke muttered, glancing at their teammate. "Have you noticed?"
Hinata had become very good at reading people, especially Sasuke, so she knew exactly what he was grumpy about now.
"Yes, he gained the inch," she said with a pleasant smile.
"Inch?" Ino and Sakura repeated in confusion.
"Sasuke-kun has always been one inch taller than Naruto-kun," Hinata explained. "But it seems they're both the same height now."
"But man, I've missed this place," Naruto said happily as he looked outside.
The Toyama Dango shop was located very close to the east wall, also within walking distance of the hot springs, so there was a very pleasant scent in the air, and it wasn't surrounded by a bunch of buildings, giving it a very serene atmosphere.
"Hey, Naruto," Sasuke said, having already stripped one stick of its dumplings. He held it up with a smirk. "It's been a while."
"Heh..." Naruto grinned as he stripped his stick of its last dumpling and held it up as he swallowed. "You should be careful, though. My power has only grown during my trip."
"What are they doing?" Ino whispered to Hinata.
"Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun like to compete," Hinata explained, pointing to a tree outside the shop. "They tend to compete about who can throw the sticks the best, often either just throwing one as a test of accuracy, or trying to make shapes with several."
"Who wins?" Sakura wanted to know.
"It depends."
"We're tied now," Naruto said, letting them know that he had heard their whispered conversation. "Forty wins, forty losses."
Both friends got up and stood next to each other, looking at the tree. Then, they turned around to face the other way. Sasuke closed his eyes and thought for a while, then opened his eyes and raised the stick in his hand to look at it.
"You saw that bulge in the bark, with the swirl?"
"A meter from the ground, right in the middle?" Naruto asked with a smirk, which was mimicked by Sasuke.
"Center of the swirl."
Naruto nodded. Then the two spun around and flung their needles with impossible speeds. Sasuke had thrown his first, which impacted with their target with dangerous accuracy, hitting the swirl dead-center and burying itself about two inches into the bark. Then came Naruto's stick, hitting Sasuke's and piercing straight through it into the tree, and through it, to embed itself in the wooden fence behind it.
Naruto grinned as he was met with four slack jaws. Even Sasuke was staring with his mouth open as Naruto dusted off his hands and sat down.
"Another draw, I guess."
–
"...and just as he finishes bragging... BOOM! The whole damn castle goes up in one big, beautiful ball of flame!" Naruto told the people around the table, giving a bark of laughter. Sasuke was smirking, and the three girls were listening intently, their mouths slightly agape. It was one thing to read about the missions he'd completed, it was another thing to hear about it, after all.
"I imagine that pissed him off," Sasuke said, which made Naruto snort.
"Unfortunately, no. It depressed him. When he realized that the pervert and I had already figured him out and planned around his own plans, he just broke down."
"Broke down?" Hinata repeated. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, he realized just how screwed he was and, instead of fighting to his last breath, just dropped into a fetal position and started mumbling to himself," Naruto said, scoffing as he attempted to pick his teeth with a dango stick. "It was kinda sad, really, so we knocked him out and brought him to the authorities..."
"Kinda anticlimactic, especially considering how much he was bragging," Sasuke commented. "By the way, Naruto, Konohamaru and his friends are graduating in a couple of days. You should go see them."
"Oh, it's been a while since I saw Saru!" Naruto said, grinning. "I bet he's grown a lot!"
Then, Naruto blinked in realization, and he looked to Sasuke.
"By the way, come with me for a moment."
Without another word, and without waiting for a response, Naruto rose from his chair and grabbed Sasuke's vest, before pulling the Uchiha with him out of the shop, leaving three confused kunoichi behind.
"What the hell?" Sasuke uttered once they were outside, wrenching himself out of Naruto's grip. "What's the matter?"
"How is it?" Naruto asked, knowing Sasuke would understand what he meant right away.
"Throbbing with pain occasionally," Sasuke said, crossing his arms. "I don't know why, and neither does Kakashi. We tried to figure it out, but it's not like we're great at Fuuinjutsu."
"But I am," Naruto said, sounding very pleased with himself. "I've been studying the pervert's notes on the Curse Seal, what he's learned from his informants, and what he's learned from studying Anko-san and those four who put up the barrier during the invasion. I think I've managed to create an even better suppressing seal than the one you already have."
"And, naturally, you haven't tried it before, so you want me to be your guinea pig?" Sasuke guessed, which made Naruto blink.
"Wow, how did you know?"
"I know because you're an easy-to-read idiot," Sasuke said simply.
The fist impacted with his face so fast that he hardly even registered it before stars exploded in front of his eyes, and he was sent flying, spinning in the air, before smashing into a fence. He was lodged in the fence, hanging upside-down, groaning, as the three kunoichi came out to see what the commotion was about.
"You haven't changed, you bastard! Insult me, will ya?!" Naruto barked.
"You've gotten faster..." Sasuke muttered with a painful cough. "Stronger, too..."
With that, Sasuke slipped out of the hole in the fence, to collapse unconscious on the ground.
Five hours later found Sasuke sitting shirtless in a healing chamber in Konoha's hospital. Tsunade was there, along with Sakura and Hinata. Naruto was behind Sasuke, drawing sealing formulas on Sasuke's body in his blood, which was seeping from a cut on his palm.
"This feels familiar..." Sasuke muttered, sounding bored.
"It should, considering this seal is based on the one you already have," Naruto said, hard at work.
"Speaking of which, shouldn't you be removing the old one?"
"No, I designed this seal to work on top of the Fuuja Houin," Naruto explained, before cursing, as the cut on his palm had healed for the tenth time since they started, which caused him to slice it open again with a kunai. He waited for more blood to dribble down to the tip of his finger before he continued. "Leaving it intact should only make this seal stronger. Think of it kinda like a treasure in a chest. Instead of moving the treasure, you leave it in, and just put the chest in a bigger chest."
"I'm glad you consider me a treasure," Sasuke quipped. This proved to be a mistake, however, as he was sitting shirtless, and Naruto had an uninjured hand that was perfectly capable of slapping the bare skin on his back.
"Don't move," Naruto ordered as Sasuke flinched from the pain the back-slap had caused. "You don't want me to accidentally seal up your own chakra as well, do you?"
Sasuke blinked.
"You can do that?"
A smirk appeared on Naruto's face as he leaned to the side to look into Sasuke's eyes as the Uchiha's head turned to look at him.
"I guess we'll see," the blond said happily, standing up. "Because it's done."
"Um, I'm having second thoughts about this," Sasuke announced as Naruto started going through handseals. "I don't want to do this anymore. I- Stop that! Godaime, don't let him-"
"Juuni-Ten Fuuin (Twelve-Point Seal)!" Naruto announced as he pressed his hand against the Cursed Seal. Steam started rising from under Naruto's hand as Sasuke gave a sudden yell of pain. His entire body tensed up as the sealing formula came alive and moved up his body to gather under Naruto's palm.
Sasuke showed remarkable restraint during the entire process. The yell he gave at the start was the only sound he gave off, as his mouth snapped shut immediately after, and he spent the entire time gritting his teeth with his eyes closed, enduring the pain as best he could.
Finally, the steam stopped, and Naruto removed his hand. Another seal had formed around and on top of the Fuuja Houin.
"There we go. Other than the pain you're feeling now, you shouldn't be bothered by the Cursed Seal again."
Sasuke grunted, clutching at his shoulder.
"Are you telling me that I'll be stuck with this pain?"
"Not at all," Naruto said with a shake of his head. "It'll pass in a day or two. It's just burrowing down right now to really anchor itself to you. It should be dangerously hard to remove, too."
Sasuke gave another grunt as Hinata hurried over to hand Sasuke his shirt.
"So, still gay?" Naruto asked, which got him a strange look from Sasuke.
"Yes, and happily so."
"Good to know," Naruto said, patting Sasuke on the shoulder. "I'm happy you're comfortable with your choice of lifestyle."
"What's up with you?" Sasuke asked, still staring strangely at Naruto. "You sound like you read that from some kind of book..."
"Oh, yeah, I read a book on tolerance during my training trip," Naruto explained. "And I realized that I haven't exactly been very supportive. The book said that such an attitude could be damaging for your already fragile psyche. So, I just want you to know I'm happy for you."
With that, Naruto walked off to Tsunade, leaving Sasuke to put on his shirt, a barely noticeable pout on his face, and mutter, "I'm not fragile..."
–
'I was once this small?' Naruto thought in surprise as he watched the various Academy students running around outside the place of learning. Obviously, none of them were twelve, since today was graduation day, but still... Naruto had been that tiny at one point in time? No wonder why none of the older teenagers took his threats of beating the crap out of them seriously!
"Oh, Naruto, eh?"
Naruto blinked and turned toward the source of the voice, to see a rather large man with brown hair and a goatee, dressed in the standard Konoha uniform, with a forehead protector that he wore as a bandanna.
"It's been a long time!" the man said, smiling brightly at Naruto, whose eyes widened.
"Yeah, and you haven't changed one bit, Daikoku-sensei."
"But you have, that's for damn sure! You've grown, kid!" Funeno Daikoku said with a laugh. "So, are you looking at any prospective students?"
"Come again?"
"Well, you're certainly powerful enough to be a Jounin, if the rumors are true. I thought you might be checking out the potential," Daikoku said.
"You think I'll make Jounin?" Naruto asked in surprise.
"Oh yeah! I always knew you'd go far, kid."
"Really?" Naruto asked with a smirk, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't you once tell me that a no-good punk like me shouldn't even be in the Academy?"
Daikoku laughed at that.
"Yeah, well, that was back when you were a no-good punk who shouldn't even be here, before you and Sasuke became friends. Now you're just a punk, which is good sometimes."
Naruto had to chuckle at that. He couldn't really argue with that. He was a punk most of the time, at least in the eyes of the older generations.
"So then, what are you doing here, if not looking for prospective students?" Daikoku asked.
"Saru is graduating today, and I thought I'd be here to congratulate him," Naruto explained, which made Daikoku blink in confusion.
"Saru?"
"Konohamaru," Naruto clarified.
"Aah. Well, good luck with your career as a Chunnin," Daikoku said, waving as he walked off. "I suspect it will be very short. You'll probably be Jounin when next we meet."
"Good luck handling the brats, Daikoku-sensei."
Naruto stood there for another hour, realizing that he should probably have brought a book or something, before the bell was heard ringing, and a large group of newly graduated Genin spilled out of the doors of the Academy. Many parents had already gathered outside the Academy, and they happily greeted and congratulated their children.
Naruto spotted Konohamaru exiting, along with Udon and Moegi. His two friends waved at him and ran off to their parents, while Konohamaru headed straight for the exit, only to freeze when he saw Naruto grinning at him.
"Yo!" Naruto said, raising his hand in greeting. "Congratulations on graduating, Saru!"
"Naruto-nii-chan!" Konohamaru exclaimed in surprise. "You're back!"
"Sure am! Just in time, too," Naruto said with a grin. "How about some ramen to celebrate, eh?"
"Ooh! Awesome! Nii-chan, you're the best!"
And so, an hour later found Naruto and Konohamaru sitting at Ichiraku Ramen, Konohamaru telling Naruto about everything he had learned during Naruto's trip.
"And this technique, it-" Konohamaru started, but was interrupted by a bop on the head from Naruto.
"Idiot, don't go telling people what your techniques do, even allies, without good reason," the blond chided his somewhat-apprentice. "You never know if you might go up against them in a spar or the Chunnin Exams, so don't go revealing them unless you absolutely have to. Secrecy is a ninja's greatest weapon, didn't you know?"
"I know, I know..." Konohamaru muttered, crossing his arms with a pout. Naruto smiled softly at that, being greatly reminded of himself when he was twelve. Even though Sasuke had beaten secrecy into his head, he had always wanted to show off how great he was.
"I-"
"Oh, this is where you were, Naruto? I should have known."
Naruto's head snapped around to stare at the new arrival, a bright smile appearing on his face.
"Kakashi-sensei!"
"Yo!" Kakashi greeted, raising his hand in a wave.
Naruto hopped off his stool, grinning, and reached into one of his kunai pouched.
"Oh, good timing! I've got something for ya!"
Kakashi's visible eye widened in utter shock as Naruto fished a book out of his pocket and handed it to his teacher. Not just any book, though... A green book with the shape of a man on the front, sitting in a thinking pose.
"T-This is...!"
"Icha Icha Tactics!" Naruto said, sounding incredibly proud of himself. "I helped co-author it, so I got a couple of copies. Savor that, since it hasn't even been released yet!"
Kakashi was silent as he slowly opened the book, and Naruto thought he could almost hear a choir singing somewhere. Must've been his imagination, though.
"Thank you, Naruto," Kakashi said, closing the book again. "But I didn't come here for this. I've already contacted Sasuke and Hinata. We'll have our first team meeting in three years tomorrow morning at six."
"You mean ten, right?" Naruto asked with a smirk, which got him a chuckle from Kakashi.
"Six, Naruto."
With that, Kakashi disappeared with a puff of smoke.
"Yeah, right... He just got a new Icha Icha. Of course he's gonna be late tomorrow..."
–
Naruto arrived at the training ground two hours late. He was pleased to see Hinata and Sasuke landing in the clearing at the same time. What he wasn't expecting, however, was to find Kakashi leaning against one of the stumps, his arms crossed as he gave his three former Genin stern looks.
"So that's what it feels like..." he muttered.
"Oh, sorry I'm late, sensei!" Naruto said, giving a wave. "You see, a black cat crossed my path, and I had to take the long way around."
"Yeah, sorry," Sasuke said. "I got into a fist fight with an intolerant asswipe, and my clothes were torn, so I had to go back home and replace them."
"I didn't look where I was going," Hinata said softly, smiling. "So I got lost on the road of life."
Kakashi opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it with a snap. He repeated this about four times, then sighed and said, "I don't know whether to be mad or proud..."
Kakashi sighed, then straightened up and turned fully to face his three students.
"Alright, kids, the Godaime wants Team Seven back in action. Now, I already know Sasuke and Hinata's basic skills, but I have no idea how much you have grown, Naruto. So, we're going to spar."
"This will be interesting," Sasuke said to Hinata, who nodded as they both hopped off to sit on two of the stumps.
Kakashi and Naruto moved to the center of the clearing and stood about eighty feet apart. Naruto blinked when he realized something.
"You don't have your book out, sensei. Not gonna read it?"
"Nope. I think I should save the enjoyment for later," Kakashi said as he raised his hand to hook his thumb under his forehead protector. "Actually, for some reason, I get the feeling I should take it a little seriously too."
Kakashi raised his headband to uncover his Sharingan, which made Naruto grin.
"Oh, I get to see it so soon, eh?" he asked, cracking his knuckles. "Well, I'll have to make sure not to disappoint!"
Naruto started going through a chain of seals at an alarming rate, finishing by clapping his hands together.
"Fuuton: Atsudangan (Wind Element: Pressure Bullet)!" he called out, his cheeks puffing out, before he blew an incredibly large ball of compressed air at his teacher, who only had time to go wide-eyed before he had to dodge out of the way. The ball of air tore up the ground as it passed, and when it hit the trees behind Kakashi, it sliced them up, carving a path into the woods.
'Fuuton Ninjutsu?!' Kakashi thought in surprise. 'And he molded the chakra with such ease! Has he discovered an alignment with a third element?'
Kakashi had to leap into the air to dodge another ball of air.
"Don't underestimate me!" he told Naruto, who blew another ball at him. Kakashi flashed through seals as well, finishing in Tiger. "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"
Kakashi brought his hand to his mouth and exhaled a massive ball of fire, which charged straight into the Atsudangan. Instead of exploding as a rookie might have thought, the fireball wasn't even slowed down by the Fuuton jutsu, absorbing it and growing in size as it smashed into the blond Senju.
"You didn't really think I'd believe you'd let yourself get hit by that, did you?" Kakashi asked as he landed, looking around. "Now, where are-"
Kakashi stopped and leapt away as two hands burst out of the ground, grabbing at his ankles. He wasn't given pause, however, as another set of hands came out where he landed. He danced around the clearing as an amazing number of hands came out of the ground trying to catch him.
'When the hell did he have time to create so many Kage Bunshin?' Kakashi thought in surprise, leaping into the air again to avoid yet another set of hands. These hands, however, suddenly turned into wood and extended, stretching up into the air and grabbing Kakashi's ankles. "What?!"
The hands flung him through the air, and another Naruto, no doubt the original, shot out of the ground and delivered a punch into Kakashi's face that sent him rocketing toward the ground, kicking up a massive amount of dust and forming a crater as he landed.
"Heh, Kawarimi, eh?" Naruto asked as he landed. The dust cleared, to show nothing but splinters remaining of the log Kakashi had swapped out with. He turned around and grinned. "Really, sensei? You're hiding underground? That's my domain, you know. I'll give ya to the count of three to come out, before I force you out. One..."
The ground burst behind Naruto, and Kakashi came shooting out of it, crossing the distance between them and grabbing Naruto from behind in a hold.
"I'm good at hiding, Naruto. What you sensed was just a clone."
Naruto grinned.
"I know."
This statement made Kakashi's eyes widen, and he let go of Naruto and jumped back just in time for Naruto to turn into wood, several wooden spikes shooting out of his body.
Naruto shot out of the ground behind Kakashi and rushed at him, attempting to engage him in a Taijutsu fight. Kakashi, however, wouldn't touch that shit with a ten-foot pole.
'He honestly expects me to fight him?' Kakashi thought as he dodged several strikes. 'Those fists are packed with chakra. Just getting grazed means I'm history...'
"Kakashi! Don't be fooled!" Sasuke called from his spot on the stump. "You know how much Naruto loves his clones!"
Kakashi didn't need further warning. His eyes went wide, and he ducked just in time to avoid a punch coming from behind. Naruto's punch connected with his clone, which exploded into splinters.
"Damn it, Sasuke!" Naruto barked at his best friend, who was just smirking at him. "I had him, you know!"
"I don't want the spar to be too short," Sasuke defended. "Kakashi has only just started to learn not to underestimate you. He's going to get serious now."
"Heh, true," Kakashi said with a small chuckle, which made Naruto turn around to face him. "I guess I was still treating you like a wet-behind-the-ears Genin. I'll start getting serious now, alright?"
"You're not serious already?" Naruto asked in surprise, and Kakashi shook his head, which made the blond grin widely. "Maaan! We sure hit the jackpot when it comes to Jounin commanders! I must've faced at least twenty Jounin during my training trip, and none of them have managed to stay awake against me for this long, and now I learn you're not even serious yet!"
"You seem happy, Naruto," Kakashi said with a smile, which only made Naruto grin wider.
"Hell yeah I'm happy! At this power level, that means you're a candidate for the Hokage position! Beating you means I'm one step closer!"
Kakashi chuckled at that and made a 'come on' gesture.
"Well then, make sure to beat me, because I have no interest in the seat!"
Naruto chuckled as he clapped his hands together, before flashing through seals.
"Alright, sensei! Time to learn why I gained the nickname Shizen no Kami (God of Nature) during my travels!"
–
In the Hokage's office, Tsunade suddenly looked up from her paperwork and looked over her shoulder to stare out the window.
"Tsunade-sama?" Shizune questioned as Tsunade furrowed her brow.
"I just got a strange feeling..." she muttered. "Jiraiya!"
"Eh?!" Jiraiya's head popped up from under the broken window, which had yet to be repaired. "How did you know I was here? Or better yet, how long have you known?"
"Since you first showed up," Tsunade said with a shrug. "I was just enjoying the peace and quiet, so I didn't call out to you."
"That's cold, Tsunade," Jiraiya muttered with a pout. Then, the pout was quickly replaced by a grin. "You can feel it, can't you?"
"Yeah. What is that? It feels like chakra and yet... it's different..."
"That's the thing about Naruto," Jiraiya said as he crossed his arms. "When he gets serious, he can't do stealth for shit. His chakra flares so much that it almost heats up, and the strange feeling you're getting is from that very chakra. It mingles with the earth, and becomes one with it. So it's more reminiscent of Nature Chakra I use in my Senjutsu (Sage Techniques). The kid's probably a natural at that. Then, he tends to do some flashy jutsu in order to scare the shit out of his opponent."
In the distance, the three of them suddenly saw a massive forest shoot up, rising high above the forest surrounding the village. It was massive, too, probably enough to cover the training ground Team Seven was so fond of.
"Like so," Jiraiya said with a gesture for the spontaneous tree-growth. "Naruto is sparring with someone strong, huh?"
"Kakashi said he wanted two days to get a feel for Naruto's abilities, and to get the team reaccustomed to teamwork," Tsunade explained, which made Jiraiya grin again.
"Guess they're both serious now..."
–
It was three hours later that Kakashi sat on the ground, panting heavily with his back against a tree. He was sweaty, dirty, and his clothes had tears in them here and there.
'His power is unnatural... Couple that with his freakish stamina... I can't compete with that... And his elemental affinity is insane. As soon as I try to use one strong against the element he's using, he'll just switch. I can't engage him in Taijutsu, and he dispels any Genjutsu I cast on him...'
Kakashi closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
'Calm down... My lack of stamina is my greatest weakness. Can't afford wasting energy on breathing so heavily... Well, at least Naruto is kind enough to give me a breather. I find it hard to believe I'd be able to hide from him, especially in this forest he created... At least I've gotten a couple of hits in myself. My speed is greater than his, that's for damn sure. And I can outsmart him easily enough. The problem is his adaptability... As soon as I get him in a trap, he adapts and adjusts his strategy... No wonder the Senju clan was so feared during the Warring States Period... Naruto is probably on the same level as the Shodai Hokage was at that age, if not stronger...'
Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle as he thought about it.
'And given how Sasuke is probably at the same level Madara was at that age...' He chuckled again. 'Those two are going to be unstoppable on the battlefield if they were together. Damn forces of nature... And if that wasn't enough, Sasuke is aligned with Fire and Lightning. That makes a full set. And I understand Hinata's studies with the Godaime has earned her a massive amount of medical knowledge. Damn, I have a fine team, don't I?'
"Well," Kakashi uttered as he got to his feet, brushing dust off his backside, "I guess it's time to get back to it. Naruto is injured, so it should be a bit easier."
When Kakashi reached what was originally Team Seven's clearing with the three stumps, but which was now a thick forest, he found Naruto sitting on a wooden chair that had seemingly sprouted from the ground. He was panting slightly, and was about as dirty as Kakashi himself.
"Yo," Naruto said, raising his bloodied hand in a wave. "Come out of hiding, did you? All rested up?"
"Yep," Kakashi said with a nod. "Well, not as much as I would have liked, but I thought it'd be best to finish this before you bleed... out..." The cycloptic Jounin went wide-eyed when he saw the tear in the side of Naruto's flak vest. Kakashi had managed to graze him with a Raikiri earlier (used at Naruto's urging, of course), and Naruto had been bleeding heavily, evidenced by how the left leg of Naruto's pants were drenched with blood. But the wound...
It was gone...
"How...?"
"Hm?" Naruto looked down at his non-existent wound. "Oh yeah, it's a technique I developed after reading about Tsunade-baa-chan's Souzou Saisei (Creation Rebirth). It's kind of unrefined right now, so it uses up a lot of chakra, but it's great for wounds that bleed like crazy."
"And here I thought you'd be easier to fight, being injured and all..." Kakashi muttered, sighing deeply. This made Naruto chuckle as he leaned back in his chair.
"On that subject, you look beat, sensei," he commented, whistling. "Maybe we should call it quits for today? As you probably know, I'm ready to fight for another three hours, while you look dead on your feet. Your stamina has always been your greatest weakness, after all."
Kakashi chuckled. "You're probably right, Naruto. In a normal fight, I can go for at least twelve hours, but you sure made me work up a sweat... I'm torn between embarrassment and pride. Sasuke, Hinata!"
The two Chunnin called blurred into view between them. Hinata went wide-eyed when she saw how beat-up Naruto and Kakashi were. Sasuke just looked annoyed, however.
"Damn it, Naruto," he muttered, glaring at the blond. "Because you went overboard, we couldn't watch the show..."
"Heh, sorry," Naruto said, scratching his head.
"Well, that concludes our spar," Kakashi said, panting slightly as he covered his Sharingan again. "Hinata, do you think you could help with my injuries before I continue?"
"Y-Yes, sensei!"
Hinata hurried over, and Naruto frowned, furrowing his brow.
"Oi! You should know you can't hide from me by now!" he called out, and within seconds, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Shizune walked into view. Tsunade and Shizune were looking around in awe, while Jiraiya grinned.
"I wasn't trying to hide, you know. Just waiting for the opportune moment to show up."
"Yeah, right! You three have been watching me for the last hour and a half," Naruto muttered.
"In any case," Tsunade spoke up, looking to Kakashi. "What do you think?"
"Well, he's in excellent shape," Kakashi said, scratching the back of his head with an embarrassed chuckle. "Would've beaten me if we had kept fighting, if only through attrition. More than ready to get back to it, that's for sure."
"Very good," Tsunade said with a nod. "Then Team Seven has permission to return to active duty. Senju Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuuga Hinata! From this moment on, Hatake Kakashi is once more your team leader and commanding officer. Any objections?"
When all three shook their heads, Tsunade looked to Kakashi.
"Then, Kakashi, I'll leave them with you."
"Roger," Kakashi said, nodding as Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Shizune blurred away. "Alright, guys, tomorrow we will be doing some teamwork exercises to once more get a feel for each other."
"What?!" Naruto barked, and Kakashi was quick to raise his hands in a placating manner.
"Now, I know you're eager to start doing missions with the team again, but you really put me through the ringer today. I need to recuperate, after all."
"Tch..." Naruto uttered as he crossed his arms. "I'd forgotten how easily you guys get tired."
–
So, what did you think? Love it? Hate it? Remember to leave a review!
Peace,
ZnK