"Naruto, come on, are you even trying at this point?" Tenten asked with a smirk stuck on her face, as he tried to get up for the sixth time in the past hour. He had just been knocked to the ground by another one of her blows, and it didn't really look like he was keen on trying for lucky number seven. "Can we take a break? I've been getting better since we started and it's just a matter of time before I'm the one beating you!" Naruto was wearing his staple training clothes today. The pair of navy-blue shorts and bare orange t-shirt he had on were tattered. This was due to the many sparring matches he'd had with Tenten, alongside the rigorous training he'd undergone recently. These were coupled with the staple blue ninja sandals, with his forehead protector hanging loosely around his neck. A few nicks and small cuts were visible on his limbs here and there. A few old ones bandaged and healing while others were still fresh. They were due to the sparring matches he had been having with Tenten. Well, except for the one he'd gotten on his right hand by cutting himself with his own Kunai. That was a very embarrassing memory. He was probably exhausted from all the work, but that didn't mean he could stop now.
"Exactly! That's why we can't take a break here! Now get up! This is the last one though, I promise. It's almost evening."
Naruto knew defeat when he saw it and didn't bother wasting more time. After all, she had said that this would be the last spar and he wanted training to end sooner rather than later. He got up slowly, his muscles sore and aching. Tenten had put him through harsh training over the past two weeks but he knew it was necessary if he ever wanted to learn how to use Kubikiribōchō properly and succeed Zabuza.
He stood now, his back arched, with his hands resting on his knees. Kubikiribōchō lay by his side with a visible sheen reflecting sunlight off of the silver metal. He rested for a moment before picking up the sword and straightening his back, now looking at Tenten with increased determination.
"Okay then, try not to throw away your sword this time." She smirked at him teasingly before the two rushed at each other, Tenten wielding a set of steel katanas with one in each hand and Naruto holding Kubikiribōchō.
Tenten was the first to swing her sword aiming for a slash across the arm which would have made contact had Naruto failed to block it. Naruto now went for a stab which Tenten easily side-stepped before jabbing Naruto in the stomach with the hilt of her sword. Naruto wanted to curl up on the floor and wince in pain but he knew there was no time for that, he would have to endure the pain in his stomach. Naruto rolled away as Tenten plunged one of her katanas into the ground where Naruto's arm had been a second ago.
'Woah, that was probably one of the best split-second decisions I've ever made! I'm getting better at this.' Naruto thought as he got up and rushed towards Tenten, and brought his blade down in a large arc. Tenten didn't have time to dodge but instead was forced to block it with both swords.
At the resounding clash of the swords, both of them jumped away from each other. Tenten used this as an opportunity and threw a dozen shuriken at Naruto which he dodged by impaling his sword into the ground to slow himself while ducking at the same time. He had been trying to do this correctly for a week now, and he was glad to say that he had finally done it. Naruto was the first to react this time, and did so by moving ahead and sticking Kubikiribōchō into the side of a nearby tree. He ran up the blade coursing chakra through his feet, using it to propel himself while simultaneously removing the sword from the trunk. As he leaped, he made a few shadow clones of himself and moved through the air, rushing at Tenten.
Two shadow clones were easily dispelled by Tenten as they flew towards her, two quick slashes were all it had taken. The next few, however, were able to land a few punches in as Tenten dismissed them with several sword strikes. Now, Naruto, the real one, hovered above Tenten as he brought his sword downwards. Tenten was only just able to defend against it as she raised both of her blades, a loud metal clang echoed throughout the training grounds. Naruto pushed down with all the force he could muster as he came towards the ground, pushing the sword further, remaining airborne, his muscled arms enduring his body weight. After a few seconds, Tenten grunted before collapsing on the ground as she lost her footing which was mainly due to the absurd weight of Naruto's sword. Her katanas dropped beside her as she lay on the ground, panting heavily, the sun setting as she looked at the orange sky. Naruto stood above her, pointing Kubikiribōchō at her neck. She raised her hand, signalling that she yielded and the fight was over. Naruto extended his hand to Tenten, a shining grin plastered on his face.
She blushed heavily before hastily getting up by taking his hand, trying to gather her bearings and calm down. Naruto didn't notice though, as he was fumbling with his sealing scroll, which she was thankful for. She didn't want to mess up her chances of being something more than friends with the boy. Admittedly, Tenten had started to view Naruto as someone she could potentially be closer with. She had quite enjoyed the past two weeks of training and sparring with Naruto. The goofball of a ninja had turned out to be a nice guy. A slight redness began to appear on her cheeks. She shook her head vigorously. 'Snap out of it Tenten, pining over a boy never ends well.' Her past experience with crushing on Neji instantly came to mind. His cold attitude had left a definite bad aftertaste. It was just too weird to bring up, and she was sure Naruto didn't feel the same way. It wasn't like she was exceptionally pretty like Sakura or Ino and she wasn't the sort of girl that would immediately qualify as 'girlfriend-material'. Naruto hadn't even met her much outside of the training sessions they'd had; he considered her a friend and a mentor, nothing more, nothing less. She pushed her thoughts away hurriedly, as she noticed Naruto staring at her, probably waiting for a critique on the spar.
"You did extremely well today, I'm surprised actually. You're getting much better, especially now that you can hold and swing Kubikiribōchō properly. Those weights really did help." Tenten said this while glancing at the black wrist and ankle bands that lay at the side, the special weights Naruto had gotten recently. The weights being special because they had a seal that was extremely simple to use which enabled the user to change the weight of the bands to their needs and liking. He moved away from her, smiling at his progress. She was right, he had gotten much better, and he wasn't going to think nothing of it. It hadn't been easy to get to this stage but with hard work and determination, he had done it. Although he did know that he had a long way to go, this didn't make him feel any less pumped about the prospect of getting even better. If anything, it fueled him to grow more committed and excited. He resealed his sword inside of the white sealing scroll he had gotten before he heard Tenten's voice.
"Naruto, I have to tell you something." Naruto turned around to look at her, evidently puzzled. "Our training can't go on, with the Chūnin exams coming up, if we continue these training sessions, we'll know exactly what to expect if we ever face each other in the exams. I think it's the right decision to make, and we have to do it now." Tenten had said this while twiddling with her fingers as if expecting Naruto to disagree with this. He looked at her intently when she spoke, a blend of sadness and comprehension etched in his face. "I understand, I've learned a lot from you and I think you have a fair point, we can't continue the lessons at this rate. It really will give everything away, won't it?" He said the last line with his poster goofy grin on his face, the thing she liked about him most. Tenten noticed that he had answered with a certain melancholy in his voice, as if he didn't want to discontinue the training but knew it needed to be done.
'Maybe, just maybe, he'll miss me.' Tenten thought to herself. The thought did slightly cheer her up, so she put on a smile. "Well, don't you go thinking you're going to best me in the Chūnin exams, you haven't yet seen a part of what I've got to show you. So next time we meet, may the best swordsman win!"
Naruto nodded to her solemnly before walking away to pick up his bands, putting them on and once again feeling the great weight of thirty kilograms on each limb. He had started using thirty only recently, around a week ago, and he had informed Guy-Sensei whenever he increased the number of kilograms. This time, Guy had said that this would be his limit for a couple of weeks, at least. Naruto had wanted to up the weight again since he had started to move around with one hundred and twenty kilograms as he usually would but he was told to wait another week before making the bands heavier as his muscles needed time to adjust. Extreme conditioning and the strain these weights placed on his body was nothing to scoff at, and if it weren't for the fact that he knew being a Jinchūriki boosted his body's own metabolic rate, he wouldn't have taken the chances of increasing the weight as fast as he had been doing. He couldn't move around with Kubikiribōchō as quickly and agilely as he would have preferred but at least he could use it in battle without looking like an idiot, and for Naruto, that was enough for now.
After saying a final goodbye to Tenten, he left the training grounds for Ichiraku, wanting a hearty, calorific meal to quell his hunger after all the strenuous exercise he'd done today. As he walked through the village, he became aware of the fact that he hadn't really talked to any of the other members of Team 7 in some time now. Sakura usually ignored his attempts to talk to her whenever they met each other, focusing on her own training and preparation for the exams, which was mainly studying. He hadn't seen Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke at all, the two had begun their own separate training ever since Sasuke had unlocked the Sharingan in Wave. It was starting to get lonely but at least he had his training to keep himself distracted. However, he shrugged off these thoughts as he neared Ichiraku, smelling fresh ramen. He sat down on his regular stool and ordered his regular order. The familiarity was probably why he went to Ichiraku every time, there was a certain feeling of comfort and safety here that no other ramen bar could provide.
As he waited for his food, he began to feel that there was something missing. He knew exactly what it was but he pushed his thoughts down in haste. 'Iruka-sensei was probably just busy.' What had been bugging Naruto for the past few weeks was that his former sensei and teacher, Iruka, had not paid him a visit ever since he had come back from Wave. He had really expected him to, it was his first big mission after all but Naruto wasn't the type to hold something against someone so he let his thoughts die away as a deluxe size bowl of the miso ramen was put in front of him. He dug into the noodles as he remembered that he hadn't had a meal since breakfast, and boy was he hungry. As he slurped down his food, he thought about what he'd do now that he wasn't going to have training sessions with Tenten.
He would continue his regular training as is, but he'd still have a lot of free time on his hands. Maybe he could try doubling down with his training, though he decided it'd be better if he made the decision later and focused on his food now. It wasn't the Naruto Uzumaki way to think on an empty stomach. After wolfing down the Ramen and asking for a refill which met the same fate, Naruto decided to take a break for the rest of day and go to his apartment. 'Heck, I might even have a chance to get back some lost sleep,' He thought. He had stayed awake multiple nights now trying to learn more about fūinjutsu, wanting a more compact scroll for Kubikiribōchō. The one he had now was as long as his arm, but what Naruto was going for was a scroll that was a centimeter or so longer than his hand. Reaching his apartment, he went to his cupboard to fetch his night clothes - a green shirt and trousers with frogs drawn on them accompanied with a nightcap with a similarly amphibious design. He put on the pyjamas and decided not to set his alarm. He wanted to get as much rest as possible tonight while he could. From tomorrow on, he'd have to look into getting a bit more serious about the upcoming Chūnin exams. He then got into his bed, pulling the sheets over himself, falling asleep instantly of exhaustion.
"Mei-sama, are you sure it was wise to come without any additional support?"
"Ao, for the last time, we won't be needing backup for this meeting. I've heard enough about the Hokage to know that he wouldn't start a conflict unless prompted. And I don't want our forces back in Kiri to be spread any thinner than they already are." Mei replied to her subordinate's concerns. She then turned to look over her shoulder and give the man a pretty smile which belied an undercurrent of danger. "Besides, we're practically inside of Konoha at this point. Don't get cold feet on me now of all times." She spoke in a tone of finality, signifying the end of their discussion. Near the gates of Konoha, a group of Anbu Black Ops appeared all around them. An Anbu with a fox mask raised his hand, a sign for the visitors to halt. Mei assumed this was the captain of the squad. He then sent a few of the others away, using hand signs only decipherable by them as a means of communication. "You are to wait until Lord Third has allowed you to enter the premises of the village, please wait patiently." The captain spoke as if the words had been thoroughly rehearsed, keeping his voice as emotionless as could be. Mei nodded in response to what the Captain said, understanding that this was protocol for visiting the Leaf. The Kiri Nin and the Anbu waited in silence. After all, the cold Anbu of Konoha weren't exactly known for their talkativeness. Mei hoped there wouldn't be any problems, considering she'd informed the Hokage of their visit earlier. After a moment's wait, the Anbu sent to deliver the message re-appeared in front of the group in a vortex of leaves. "Hokage-sama has allowed the visit, please follow us to meet him."
As Mei entered Konoha, she took in the peaceful and carefree environment of the village, a sharp contrast to the atmosphere in the 'Bloody Mist'. A group of children played together in a park, covered in lush green grass, and trees to provide shade for the children to relax or nap. They were passing a yellow and white beach ball to one another, laughing when someone tumbled over or fell in an attempt to catch it. The parents of the lot of them were sitting nearby on wooden benches, talking about the weather or some other trivial subject without a care in the world. The smell of freshly cooked ramen from a nearby stall wafted through the park, uplifting the spirits of the children who would be looking forward to the tasty treat. The image itself was beautiful to Mei. As someone who had grown up in Kirir during what were perhaps it's darkest years, she had known nothing but senseless violence, no remorse, and war her entire childhood. Seeing sights like these always gave her hope, and a future to fight for: one of peace, love, compassion and understanding, not pain or strife. She only wished that someday their own Kiri could be this way. To achieve that, Mei would have to accomplish her mission in Konoha. It was too important for Kiri not to let slip one of its legendary swords.
Soon they had entered the office of the Hokage, and were invited to sit by Hiruzen Sarutobi. Mei sat down in front of the Hokage, but Ao politely refused the offer. The Anbu Captain from before now stood next to the Hokage in silence. After a short pause, Hiruzen spoke. "So, Mei Terumi, leader of the Kiri rebellion, what did you wish to speak with me about?" The Hokage asked the woman, as she had mentioned in the letter she had sent him before, that it was better to discuss the situation in person. "I have come to talk about Kubikiribōchō. I've heard that it recently fell into the hands of a Konoha shinobi after its former wielder, Zabuza Momochi, died in Wave. Is this true?"
Hiruzen was concerned the news of the development had already reached Kiri. He knew they would have found out eventually, but he had hoped for it to take longer. At the moment, however, Hiruzen did not think there was any point playing dumb considering the cat had gotten out of the bag. "Yes, I actually know the ninja in question quite personally. In fact, in Zabuza's final moments, he entrusted the sword to him, as Zabuza believed him fit to wield the weapon and succeed him." Mei was a bit surprised at what she had just heard, it seemed that the rumors about the sword and its new owner were completely true. "You must understand Hokage-sama, that this is quite a peculiar situation. One of the seven legendary swords of 'Kiri' being given to a shinobi from Konoha. The rebellion requires the aid of the legendary swordsmen to restore order to Kiri once again, they are some of our greatest assets. We would like it if you could return the sword to our village as it belonged to Kiri, not Zabuza Momochi."
He appreciated Mei's straight forwardness regarding the issue, though he could not comply with her request. "I understand your situation Mei, but I'm afraid that it has always been a tradition that the seven legendary swordsmen would choose their own successors, even I know as much about the traditions of your village. In this case it is a shinobi from Konoha. The decision of returning or keeping the sword does not lie in my hands, but rather it is completely up to the wielder of Kubikiribōchō."
"Who is this Ninja you speak of anyways? The current possessor of the blade. He must be quite worthy for him to have been entrusted with Kubikiribōchō."
Hiruzen smiled slightly, his thoughts drawn to the boy who was practically as close to him as his own grandson. "That would be Naruto Uzumaki, one of our most promising Genin."
Back with another chapter!
It's been quite a while since the last update but don't fret, I haven't abandoned the story! I'd just had some difficulty planning out how I would take the story forward, and a bit of a 'writer's block'. I left fanfiction writing for a long time because of it but I'm positive I'll be continuing with this now. There may be some other fics coming out along with this one, but nothing's concrete yet.
For those of you who were wondering about the pairing, it has been decided to some extent, with two characters being the most likely to be with Naruto. This is probably not going to be a Harem, so just keep that in mind.
As always, I hope you enjoy the chapter and favourite, follow, or review if you did! I really love it when I'm able to interact with you guys and see what you think of the story!