Chapter 2: Teams
The classroom was jovial, but there was an air of tension. This day was important for a shinobi's career. They would find who their first team leader was, thoughts of the most famous teams came into mind. The legendary Sanin led by Third Hokage, the famous Ina-Shika-Cho combos from the generation, Team Minato from the third war. Thoughts of these great achievements came in as Naruto Uzumaki came into the classroom.
The first to notice him was Shikamaru Nara "Hey Naruto, what are you doing here?"
"Check the forehead, I'm a shinobi just like you Shika" He said while pointing up to his forehead.
"No Way"
"I can't believe he made it"
"Well there's not much we can do"
'I'm so glad he made it
The thoughts and words of the other genin were interrupted by Iruka walking through, the students paled at seeing the heavy bandages around his back. "Good morning class, this will be the last day I'm in charge of you lot. My final lesson to all of you is important; we have been in a period of peace and you haven't seen our forces for war." He pointed toward the bandages on his back the students had seen prior.
"You must be prepared to bleed and die for this headband. It is bigger than you and I will ever be, more impactful, we are the reason why the civilians can sleep peacefully at night. Be proud of what you have become, with your feet on the ground. Trials and tribulations will be frequent, lean on your teammates, and comrades and you'll make it through. Do you understand?" Iruka spoke sagely
Everyone replied with a thunderous "Yes Sensei!"
"Good, then it is time to read off your team assignment, listen well because I am only going to say it once."
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"Last but not least, Team 7 will include Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno. Your instructor will be Kakashi Hatake."
Sasuke was looking at his two teammates and sizing them 'It could be worse, Naruto may be a dumbass but he can fight. Sakura is extremely book smart, but shitty in practical application. I'm going to have to carry this team, it would have been better for me to have Kakashi as a private instructor."
Naruto was looking over his two teammates 'Sasuke is the best male and Sakura is the top female, I have a lot of work to do to catch up.'
Sakura was looking at Sasuke 'Hell yeah! The same as Sasuke, this is fate for us to be together, take that Ino!'
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Three hours had passed since Iruka had left and Team 7's genin were frustrated. They were getting restless, Naruto was the first one to speak up.
"So much for an elite jonin, he can't even get his team close to on time. Fuck this I'm going to train!" Naruto went to get up when surprisingly it was Sasuke who stopped him.
"Look dobe, I know this sucks but he's in charge but I'm sure he's doing important things right now. That's why isn't here"
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Kakashi was currently at the bar looking at his watch to check the time. "Hmm, I knew something was up, I never wear a watch." He was looking at a hastily drawn sharpie circle with time hands on his wrist.
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It had been three and half hours when the door finally opened. In walked a respectably tall 5'11 man with silver hair and a mask covering more than half his face. Flak jacket and ninja pants with sandals.
"First impression of you all. You guys won't survive five minutes. Meet me on the roof in 5 minutes. You better not be late." Said Kakashi with an eye smile. He was on the rooftop a couple of seconds later.
'I love fuckin with the newbies'
The genin had made it up there in two minutes and they were staring at Kakashi, waiting for him to say something. The silver hair man did not disappoint.
"Good morning team, I am Kakashi Hatake. The leader of team 7, first let's get some introductions in. Likes, dislikes, goals for the future. That sort of thing, hyperactive blond, go first." The man said
Naruto started with a big breath of air and was loud"My name is Naruto Uzumaki. I like training, ramen, and making friends. I dislike the wait for ramen to cook, and people who have a stick up their ass for no reason. My goal for the future is to become the greatest Hokage of all time!"
"Forehead, your next"
Sakura looked down in embarrassment before starting "My name is Sakura Haruno. My likes are clothes shopping (looks at Sasuke and blushes). My dislikes are people who make fun of my forehead, and Ino-Pig. My dream for the future is (looks at Sasuke again and blushed deeper).
"Well, that leaves you Haircut, can I call you Haircut? Kakashi said.
Sasuke, trying to ignore the obvious rise Kakashi was trying to get out started "My name is Sasuke Uchiha, I don't dislike or like many things. My dream isn't a dream, it's going to be a reality. I'm going to kill a certain someone and revive my clan."
"Woah, edgy. Remind me to bring to not bring you to the bars"
Naruto spoke up first. "Sensei, what about you. We know nothing about you.
Kakashi responded quickly "Good, it's all classified. Anyway….you guys aren't actually genin yet." '3…...2…...1'
"WHAT!" All three genin said at once.
"That's correct, you guys passed the academy, that's just to make sure no mouth breathers enter the force. Now it is up to me to choose whether or not you become a member of team 7. If you fail then you go back to the academy. Meet at 0700 at training ground three for a survival exercise, personal recommendation is don't eat breakfast. You'll throw it up." With that Kakashi body flickered away. Leaving three confused and upset young ninja.
After a minute of awkward silence, they all made their way home.
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Hiruzen looked down from his desk to see one of his top jonin, Kakashi Hatake kneeling before him waiting for his command. "At ease"
Kakashi stood lazily before his leader.
"You called for me boss?"
"You have an idea why I'm sure, this team has been put together by no accident. The jinchuriki of the Nine-tails, the last pure Uchiha, and possible medical specialist. Why do you think I have done this Kakashi?"
Kakashi started to say "This group has the potential to be the next Sanin, this group, along with all the clan heads, are having their children at the same time. This class will be the beginning of the new guard and you are entrusting me with the most important team, correct sir?"
"Precisely, I expect war to be at the gates soon. Suna has been in dire straits, Iwa is Iwa, Kumo has been militarizing for the last five years. Jiraiya has been sending reports on Kiri, and we may have some good prospects for the future. This team 7 will need to be the backbone of Konoha for years to come." Hiruzen said, Kakashi quickly understood the importance.
"Your goal is not going to be an easy one. Your team needs to destroy the Chunin exams, teams from all nations will be there. We must show our dominance in our village to show strength; do you understand Kakashi?"
"Yes sir!"
"Test them well tomorrow, show them the meaning of teamwork and start them on the shinobi's path. They will lead this village into a golden age of peace. Send me Naruto after the test, it is time that he learns about his tenant."
Before he realized it, Kakashi had already left
"I'm getting too old for this shit."
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Naruto woke up startled, looking left at his alarm clock he saw it was six in the morning. He settled back into his covers realizing he still had ten minutes left on his alarm clock. Once he heard the beep he jumped out of bed ready to go. He got himself into the front leaning rest position and knocked out 50 pushups. After the push-ups 50 sit-ups, after the sit-ups 50 air squats.
Once his morning exercise was done he went into the kitchen to make a bowl of instant ramen for breakfast, he was watching the noodles closely when he started thinking 'What is his test going to look like?' He knew the man was an enigma around the village, considered one of the best, yet equally unknown men. No one knew what was behind the mask and many were curious.
His food was finished quickly and he left moving to the training ground.
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Sasuke Uchiha had been up since four. His training session was over, and he was finishing breakfast. He could barely sleep last night, the nightmares of his childhood still kept a grip on him. Combine that with the prospect of going back to the academy it was hard to sleep well.
Sasuke was lost in his own thoughts as he made his way to the training ground. 'This is it, a test against Konoha's best. If I win here I'm one step closer to him.'
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Sakura Haruno was eating breakfast with her family. Their family was proud of the young woman she would become. Becoming a ninja in Konoha was a well-respected profession, and her grades said she was putting her all into her career.
Sakura eating from a ball of rice when she heard her mother
"It's almost six-thirty, you'll be late if you stay later. Good luck; your father and I believe in you."
Sakura was already halfway out the door before she said "Don't worry, I'll make it happen today. With Sasuke, we can accomplish any task Kakashi-sensei has for us.
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The time was eight-fifteen when he heard his alarm go off. Kakashi was comfortable in his sheets and was feeling rejuvenated from a good night's sleep. He took his sweet time getting ready to mess with his soon-to-be students.
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"Goddamnit, I should've expected this. Why would we think he would be on time when he was multiple hours late yesterday was our fight" Naruto said indignantly.
The time was 8:30 and they had been sitting around and brooding. Sasuke was silent while Sakura was muttering something to herself.
Sakura perked up "He's giving us this time to plan! I've got a couple of ideas on how to beat him but it involves all of us, are you guys in?"
Before anyone could say anything a poof of smoke signaled Kakashi appearing before them.
"Follow me"
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They made it into the center of the training ground, Kakashi's back to the Memorial Stone. Kakashi spoke with strength "Are you ready to hear the instructions of the survival exercise?"
"Yes sensei!" They replied confidently
Kakashi took two bells from his pouch and fastened them to his pants. "The goal of this exercise is to take the bells from me; the two who end up with the bells when the time runs will become my students and the third will go back to the academy. You have ten minutes. Any questions?"
"This isn't fair! Why would you do that to us? This test doesn't make sense!"
Kakashi responded immediately "Good, there aren't any serious questions. A bit of advice for free; if you don't come at with intent to kill. You'll fail." With that, he disappeared into the forest.
The first to make a move was Sasuke, tracking him into a clearing 100 meters away. Kakashi was in the middle of the clearing, reading an orange book without a care in the world. Being the wise man he was, Sasuke decided for the direct approach.
Kakashi was deep in his book when he noticed Sasuke walking slowly towards him. He decided to keep his book to his nose and ignore the kid.
Seeing this, said kid got pissed off, made seven hand seals. All while thinking 'This asshole doesn't think I'm worth the attention, I'll show him what's worth some attention!"
Sasuke breathed in heavily and yelled "GREAT FIREBALL JUTSU"
A five-meter ball of fire raced towards Kakashi who still didn't care.
'Is it hot in here or is it just me, I think it's just-OH SHIT'
Kakashi substituted away quickly and Sasuke was left wondering where the silver-haired man was. Quickly scanning the area he saw Kakashi waving at him.
"Why is this guy being so Nonchalant with me, I just threw a ball of fire at his face!" Sasuke thought while moving forward again.
Kakashi on the other hand was sitting exactly where he was at the beginning, looking at a Sasuke covered to his neck in dirt. "Ah yes, lesson one: Genjutsu," He said as he tapped Sasuke with his foot to wake him up.
As Sasuke came to his first thought was 'Why is he so tall? Ohhhhhh, shit."
"If this were a battlefield, you would be dead ten times over. Congratulations, I thought the Uchiha were supposed to be good at genjutsu. Guess I was wrong." Mocking the Uchiha
Sasuke was fuming as he saw Kakashi walk away.
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Naruto saw Kakashi leaving the clearing and decided to meet him. Naruto landed ten meters away with a superhero pose.
"Hey Kakashi, can I have the bells? Pretty please?"
"Ah, diplomacy. I can respect it." He dropped the bell on the ground then said "Well, it's yours. Glad you aren't stupid enough to fight a jonin head-on"
Naruto smiled as he walked up the bell, not noticing the trap about to ensnare him. In less than five seconds he was hanging from a tree and saw Kakashi laughing at him. Naruto looked down towards him with anger.
"If you would have looked for the trap that bell might have been yours. hahhahaha, I have not had that good of a laugh in a while. I needed that, thanks." Kakashi said with a mirthful voice.
Naruto then started laughing too "Yeah this is pretty funny, You know what else is funny though sensei?"
Kakashi looked up and asked, "No, what else is funny?"
Then he saw Naruto explode in smoke, turning around to see five blondes racing towards him. Kakashi sighed "Time for lesson two, taijutsu"
The clones lasted 3 seconds before Kakashi was alone again. Seemingly not caring about the world around him.
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(Five minutes prior)
Sakura and Naruto had just watched Sasuke walk away. Then freaked out when she saw another Naruto tailing Sasuke 20 meters behind."
"NARUTO, What the hell? Since when could you do that"
"Since about two days ago, I can make a whole bunch more. It's called the Shadow Clone Jutsu, it's my baby."
Sakura then smiled "I've got a plan to get the bells, how many can you make?"
"More than you need, what's the plan?"
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Sasuke was quickly cleaning the dirt off his clothes after multiple Naruto's and Sakura picked him out of the dirt. After cleaning himself off he looked up at Naruto and Sakura.
Sakura was the first to say "I've got a plan, all we need is thirty seconds and a whole bunch of Naruto turned kunai. Are you in, Sasuke?"
Sasuke decided to shrug off the embarrassment and said "Yeah, we need to put this douchebag in his place."
Naruto turned two copies of himself into his teammates and the three clones walked towards the treeline.
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Kakashi was bored when he saw the three kids walk out of the brush. "Oh? Have you guys realized that you'll fail individually, so you guys have come to fail as a team?" Kakashi said trying to goad Naruto to attack.
When he saw all three of them throw a bunch of kunai that barely made it past him and to him he started to taunt some more. "Come on guys, you cant even throw Kunai right. It's time for you three to go back to the…"
With a poof all of the Kunai turned into a dogpile of clones, he quickly jumped away to see Sasuke right in front of him attempting to plant a kick in his face. He blocked hard and what he saw next surprised him. Sakura was reaching for the bells with determination in her eyes. He went to twist his hips to move when he heard a BEEP. Signifying the end of the exercise.
All three genin stopped and sat down next to each other, upset they were going back to another year in the academy. Kakashi walked up to them looking like he was going to dress them down.
"You all at the beginning looked like shit, Sasuke went off on his own. Naruto tried to trick me and I don't even remember seeing Sakura until the final 10 seconds. You all are poor excuses for shinobi, and you pass!"
"What?" All three kids said at once.
"The goal of the test was to see if you would turn your back on each other in a stressful environment. The way you guys were going to fail was by fighting each other to see who got the bell or fight me. Turn around, I have something very important to tell you."
They all turned around and saw the Memorial Stone.
"All of the people I cared about have ended up on this stone, some time or some way. The first friend I had passed during my first mission as Squad leader. A teammate was captured by Iwa and I decided that the mission was more important than my comrades. My friend dressed me down and made me realize how much of a fool I was. By the time I had finally got my head out of my ass, he was buried under rubble and I barely got our P.O.W. out. If I had been there with him the entire time that wouldn't have happened. The reason he's on the stone is because of me."
All three were listening to him as if their life depended on it.
"So what you guys must know is; Those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum. Don't end up like me looking at this stone wishing you did something else." They could see the emotion in Kakashi's face and all they could do was nod.
"Good, I'm glad. Physical training is tomorrow morning at seven hundred; don't be late. Also, the Hokage wants to see you Naruto. Don't delay this is very important. Dismissed!"
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Naruto was walking out the training ground when he caught up with Sasuke, who was walking briskly back to the village proper.
"Hey, Sasuke, can we talk for a minute," Naruto said, hoping Sasuke would say yes.
"If this is a prank, I don't want any part of it. I have more important things to do" Sasuke said impatiently.
"It's not, I've been thinking a lot recently. I want to train with you Sasuke, you were the best of our class and I have a lot to learn if I don't want to end up hurt, or worse." Said Naruto
'This has to be some elaborate prank, I have to turn him down' Sasuke thought
"Look, I'm really busy and I barely have enough time for myself. Let alone something extra" Sasuke said to shoot him down.
"Sasuke, the reason why Iruka-sensei was hurt that bad was because of me. I can't go into much detail about it. He was hurt protecting me, and it made me realize I have to work twice as hard to catch up. Please."
Sasuke saw his eyes, they were just like his after the massacre. Scared, and not knowing what to do. He couldn't say no "Sure, be at my house by zero five-thirty, if you don't take it seriously then I'm not helping you."
"Thanks, I appreciate it. I gotta see the old man. Later!"
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Naruto made it to the tower and was quickly ushered in by Hokage's assistant. Naruto walked into the Hokage's office to see the old man puffing on his pipe.
"Good morning Naruto-kun have a seat"
He did as the old man suggested. "What did you want to talk about jiji? Do you want to hear about how we kicked Kakashi's ass today?" The blond said proudly
"None of the sort young Naruto, this important though watch my desk." He watched as he saw the Hokage seal a kunai into a scroll. "What did you see?"
"I saw you seal a kunai into a scroll, what's the big deal?"
"Well, you tell me. What's still in front of me?" The Hokage said sagely.
"A scroll with a kunai inside?"
"Yes young Naruto, the scroll is still a scroll. The item sealed in it is irrelevant." The Hokage said
"What does this have to do with me jiji?" Naruto said confused
"Well Naruto, when you were fighting against Mizuki what happened"
"I saw Iruka-Sensei get injured, then I felt this power well from my stomach and I made enough clones to beat him up. I was so scared and angry that I couldn't think straight." Naruto said, recollecting the events.
"Well son, the reason why you were able to draw upon that power was because you are a jinchuriki, the power of human sacrifice. You have inside of you the most powerful tailed beast, the Kyuubi. Take off your shirt and channel chakra into your stomach." The Hokage instructed.
Naruto did as he was asked and saw a seal upon his stomach that looked way out of his league. Naruto started to look up at him with panic. "Jiji, am I going to release the fox and destroy the village if I get too angry?" Naruto was scared of what could happen with the power.
"No, the seal was constructed by the best seal master to ever grace the village. It is safe and so are you. You aren't a danger to the village, and Kakashi tells me that you are a member of team seven. I trust him with your care and you should too."
Naruto gulped "Okay jiji, I trust you. I'm just scared, I don't want to hurt my comrades."
The old man smiled at him "The will of fire burns brightly in you. I am in the process of recalling one of my best shinobi; our best seal master to help train you in this subject. I trust you'll give it your all?" The man knew the answer already.
"Yes Sir!"
"Good, then you're dismissed. Let me know when you have a free night for ramen with an old man. I need to get out of this office more."
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End of chapter two; this one was bigger than expected. Please let me know any comments or criticism down below.