The Shadow Wars
---
A/N: This chapter is a change from the normal fight and/or romance chapters, although there will be some of that, too.
NOTE: The lines I'm putting is because QuickEdit isn't letting me use the old method I used to separate scenes. I won't change the ones where it shows up.
---
Chapter 9
---
It was three days after the army arrived back at Konoha, and the group had spent the three days alternating between eating, training, and sleeping. Even Sakura stuck to the new regimen. Then again, it may be because that was the orders of all the Team leaders, even the teams that were currently ineligible because of losses. They needed everyone to be as strong as they can.
However, it was after curfew, and no one was seen training. They were all sleeping. However, Naruto was having a very troubled dream.
---
Naruto's Dream
Naruto was running through a forest as fast as he could from four shadowy figure, who were throwing shuriken at him constantly. Even though he dodged them all, they all drew blood. Before he knew it, he was in the middle of a sea of blood. In front of him, images of his friends being tortured flashed before him.
---
Meanwhile, at Sasuke's house, he was dreaming about the night Itachi killed his parents (What else? He's been thinking about it for the whole series.)
---
Sasuke's Dream
Sasuke is running home from a day of training with another member of the Uchiha clan. It was five in the morning, and he knew his mother would be angry that he had been out training all night.
However, when he arrived at his house, he saw it burning, and his brother, Itachi, stood in the middle of the wreckage of the house, mumbling softly. Sasuke noticed that Itachi's Sharingan was activated.
"Sasuke-san, stay back." The Uchiha who was training him ordered.
"Yes." Sasuke replied.
Then, Sasuke's trainer leaped at Itachi, who dodged and stabbed the trainer once on the back. Itachi then lifted him and did Tsukiyomi. When the sensei recovered, Itachi slew him.
---
Sasuke woke in a cold sweat, his Sharingan ready, scanning the room. Although he knew that his house was empty aside from him, Sasuke could not help the reflex action he had developed to protect himself from enemies.
Realizing that he could not sleep, Sasuke began practicing his jutsus. Although he avoided using the jutsu that Kakashi had taught him, the Nankara, he developed all of his other combat jutsus.
---
The next day, the teams continued their training. Kakashi, Jiraiya, and Tsunade (who had given up her title when Takara was ready) each trained their favorite students of Team 7.
---
Kakashi was continuing to show Sasuke the Nankara jutsu, which Kakashi hoped would increase Sasuke's ability. Although Orochimaru was dead and there was nothing holding Sasuke back, since the Curse Seal vanished upon Orochimaru's death, Sasuke was having trouble controlling his powers lately because of the fact that he kept having the dream about Itachi.
"Sasuke, you have to focus. Although the jutsu is engraved into your genetics, it still requires focus. Trust me, this is worth the sacrifice. Again!" said Kakashi.
"Yes, Kakashi-sensei." Sasuke said, doing the hand seals for the Nankara. When he reached the last seal, he thrust his hand out, upon which a large, sparking ball of chakra rested. "Nankara!"
Upon that, the ball flew out toward the wall that they were using as a target. When the ball hit, however, it merely sparked off harmlessly. Raw chakra surrounded the wall momentarily, and then vanished.
"Sasuke, that's not good enough! Although you burned the wall, it's not strong enough to rely on a burn! That would require to be highly proficient in the jutsu!" Kakashi yelled.
"Kakashi, I can't master this jutsu, I'm not ready!" said Sasuke.
"Would you prefer a sparring match, Sasuke?" asked Kakashi.
"Yes." Sasuke said.
"Okay." Kakashi said, as he threw a kick at Sasuke, which the latter blocked sloppily.
---
"Good, Naruto! You're getting the hang of it." Jiraiya said, after Naruto had done the Speed Increase for the eighth time.
"Arigatoo, Jiraiya-sama." Naruto said. Although he still called Jiraiya "Ero-sennin" in informal occasions, training and food were not informal, and thus he used the formal name.
"I think you're ready, Naruto-san. You have the skill and speed. The only thing is, you need to work on stealth. There is always a stealth section in the Exam, where you need to ambush a column that is really a rival team. The teams rotate between Ambush and Column. If the Column detects you, you fail. However, it's Column Team's job to move as stealthily as possible, so as to make sure that you cannot stay loud until you hear them." Jiraiya said.
"But, Jiraiya-sama, Kakashi-sensei told us that the task was to get a scroll from the Jounin Examiners." Naruto answered, confused.
"That's the Second Task. Stealth is the first. The last is one-on- one, the same as the Chuunin Exam." Jiraiya said.
"Okay. Jiraiya, do you know Kage Bunshin?" asked Naruto.
"Yes."
"I'll set up an ambush, and you walk along Victory Trail." Said Naruto.
"Using Kage Bunshins to simulate teammates?" asked Jiraiya.
"Yes."
---
At Tsunade and Sakura's training grounds, the two were practicing Sakura's weakest part, Taijutsu. Sakura's Taijutsu skills had increased during the three days, and she was starting to be able to use chakra to enhance her taijutsu.
"You're doing well, Sakura-san." Tsunade said, as Sakura scored a roundhouse kick to her stomach. "But you're strength is lacking. If you could use the Hyuuga's taijutsu style, it would be one thing. However, you have to attack me using chakra to make your techniques harder."
"Yes, Tsunade-sensei." Sakura replied, as she threw a punch at Tsunade's face. Again, the punch connected, and this time it was hard.
"Nice punch." Tsunade said, as she threw a front snap at Sakura, which the latter dodged. Sakura then countered with a roundhouse to the head, which Tsunade blocked.
"You're getting very good, Sakura." Tsunade said.
"Thank you, Tsunade-sensei." Sakura said, as she wiped a bead of seat from her forehead.
"Okay, that's enough sparring for now. Now, on to physical training." Tsunade ordered.
Immediately, Sakura began her training, which consisted of 200 push- ups, 200 sit-ups, 100 jumping jacks, and stretching.
All the while, Tsunade was barking out every mistake in her positioning.
When Sakura was finished with that, Tsunade ordered some stance practice. Although Sakura was quite efficient when it came to flowing, she had trouble with her ability to put strikes in between the flow.
---
A/N: I'm sorry for the tedious nature of this chapter. I promise, there will be some action soon. I just wanted to make the huge increase in strength between now and the start of the exams believable.
---
A/N: This chapter is a change from the normal fight and/or romance chapters, although there will be some of that, too.
NOTE: The lines I'm putting is because QuickEdit isn't letting me use the old method I used to separate scenes. I won't change the ones where it shows up.
---
Chapter 9
---
It was three days after the army arrived back at Konoha, and the group had spent the three days alternating between eating, training, and sleeping. Even Sakura stuck to the new regimen. Then again, it may be because that was the orders of all the Team leaders, even the teams that were currently ineligible because of losses. They needed everyone to be as strong as they can.
However, it was after curfew, and no one was seen training. They were all sleeping. However, Naruto was having a very troubled dream.
---
Naruto's Dream
Naruto was running through a forest as fast as he could from four shadowy figure, who were throwing shuriken at him constantly. Even though he dodged them all, they all drew blood. Before he knew it, he was in the middle of a sea of blood. In front of him, images of his friends being tortured flashed before him.
---
Meanwhile, at Sasuke's house, he was dreaming about the night Itachi killed his parents (What else? He's been thinking about it for the whole series.)
---
Sasuke's Dream
Sasuke is running home from a day of training with another member of the Uchiha clan. It was five in the morning, and he knew his mother would be angry that he had been out training all night.
However, when he arrived at his house, he saw it burning, and his brother, Itachi, stood in the middle of the wreckage of the house, mumbling softly. Sasuke noticed that Itachi's Sharingan was activated.
"Sasuke-san, stay back." The Uchiha who was training him ordered.
"Yes." Sasuke replied.
Then, Sasuke's trainer leaped at Itachi, who dodged and stabbed the trainer once on the back. Itachi then lifted him and did Tsukiyomi. When the sensei recovered, Itachi slew him.
---
Sasuke woke in a cold sweat, his Sharingan ready, scanning the room. Although he knew that his house was empty aside from him, Sasuke could not help the reflex action he had developed to protect himself from enemies.
Realizing that he could not sleep, Sasuke began practicing his jutsus. Although he avoided using the jutsu that Kakashi had taught him, the Nankara, he developed all of his other combat jutsus.
---
The next day, the teams continued their training. Kakashi, Jiraiya, and Tsunade (who had given up her title when Takara was ready) each trained their favorite students of Team 7.
---
Kakashi was continuing to show Sasuke the Nankara jutsu, which Kakashi hoped would increase Sasuke's ability. Although Orochimaru was dead and there was nothing holding Sasuke back, since the Curse Seal vanished upon Orochimaru's death, Sasuke was having trouble controlling his powers lately because of the fact that he kept having the dream about Itachi.
"Sasuke, you have to focus. Although the jutsu is engraved into your genetics, it still requires focus. Trust me, this is worth the sacrifice. Again!" said Kakashi.
"Yes, Kakashi-sensei." Sasuke said, doing the hand seals for the Nankara. When he reached the last seal, he thrust his hand out, upon which a large, sparking ball of chakra rested. "Nankara!"
Upon that, the ball flew out toward the wall that they were using as a target. When the ball hit, however, it merely sparked off harmlessly. Raw chakra surrounded the wall momentarily, and then vanished.
"Sasuke, that's not good enough! Although you burned the wall, it's not strong enough to rely on a burn! That would require to be highly proficient in the jutsu!" Kakashi yelled.
"Kakashi, I can't master this jutsu, I'm not ready!" said Sasuke.
"Would you prefer a sparring match, Sasuke?" asked Kakashi.
"Yes." Sasuke said.
"Okay." Kakashi said, as he threw a kick at Sasuke, which the latter blocked sloppily.
---
"Good, Naruto! You're getting the hang of it." Jiraiya said, after Naruto had done the Speed Increase for the eighth time.
"Arigatoo, Jiraiya-sama." Naruto said. Although he still called Jiraiya "Ero-sennin" in informal occasions, training and food were not informal, and thus he used the formal name.
"I think you're ready, Naruto-san. You have the skill and speed. The only thing is, you need to work on stealth. There is always a stealth section in the Exam, where you need to ambush a column that is really a rival team. The teams rotate between Ambush and Column. If the Column detects you, you fail. However, it's Column Team's job to move as stealthily as possible, so as to make sure that you cannot stay loud until you hear them." Jiraiya said.
"But, Jiraiya-sama, Kakashi-sensei told us that the task was to get a scroll from the Jounin Examiners." Naruto answered, confused.
"That's the Second Task. Stealth is the first. The last is one-on- one, the same as the Chuunin Exam." Jiraiya said.
"Okay. Jiraiya, do you know Kage Bunshin?" asked Naruto.
"Yes."
"I'll set up an ambush, and you walk along Victory Trail." Said Naruto.
"Using Kage Bunshins to simulate teammates?" asked Jiraiya.
"Yes."
---
At Tsunade and Sakura's training grounds, the two were practicing Sakura's weakest part, Taijutsu. Sakura's Taijutsu skills had increased during the three days, and she was starting to be able to use chakra to enhance her taijutsu.
"You're doing well, Sakura-san." Tsunade said, as Sakura scored a roundhouse kick to her stomach. "But you're strength is lacking. If you could use the Hyuuga's taijutsu style, it would be one thing. However, you have to attack me using chakra to make your techniques harder."
"Yes, Tsunade-sensei." Sakura replied, as she threw a punch at Tsunade's face. Again, the punch connected, and this time it was hard.
"Nice punch." Tsunade said, as she threw a front snap at Sakura, which the latter dodged. Sakura then countered with a roundhouse to the head, which Tsunade blocked.
"You're getting very good, Sakura." Tsunade said.
"Thank you, Tsunade-sensei." Sakura said, as she wiped a bead of seat from her forehead.
"Okay, that's enough sparring for now. Now, on to physical training." Tsunade ordered.
Immediately, Sakura began her training, which consisted of 200 push- ups, 200 sit-ups, 100 jumping jacks, and stretching.
All the while, Tsunade was barking out every mistake in her positioning.
When Sakura was finished with that, Tsunade ordered some stance practice. Although Sakura was quite efficient when it came to flowing, she had trouble with her ability to put strikes in between the flow.
---
A/N: I'm sorry for the tedious nature of this chapter. I promise, there will be some action soon. I just wanted to make the huge increase in strength between now and the start of the exams believable.