DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto. I'm doing this merely for the fun and enjoyment of seeing my own world unfold.
A/N:If you think it doesn't seem to have a main plotline, well, the truth is, I have no idea as well. I'm just writing as ideas flow into my head.
Chapter IV
The city, a large crowded place that he shunned, for the fear of being hated was all too great. Yet here he was, strolling happily, and nobody seems to notice. Everyone were out to do their own little task, their own business and jobs. It was heaven and hell if compared to Konoha, and Konoha was the hell. His blue eyes peeked at the wares of the stall vendors, and his liitle peeking was replied with an offer. "Hey kid, wanna buy some nice bracelet? You can give it to someone, you know?"
Sena smiled, and he politely declined the offer for Naruto because he is holding the cash.
"Don't stare at their wares. Some people would think that you are planning to steal it."
Naruto nodded in agreement. He was never really a streetsmart fellow, so he would heed the master's advice. So, he did not look at all, which Sena promptly realized.
"But that dosen't mean you don't need to look. It's fine to take a small glance, but no more. Well, that is unless you are interested in buying." Naruto nodded again, and his head kept turning to look at all the stuff along the street. "Don't overdo it, Naruto. People will think we are nuts. Relax, time is something we have plenty of."
Naruto looked at Sena, and he smiled, "What syllabus did the old man put you through?"
"That old man has a name, you know, and it is Jishin-sensei."
"...Fine, fine. What's syllabus are you going?"
"Eight paths." Sena answered abruptly, and his eyes turned to look at the clothing store.
"What's that?"
"I'll tell you on our way back. Now, let's get you some clothes."
Sena was fast to pick out clothes, and Naruto could not choose from the clothes. But he realized that all the clothes were surprisingly nice, in terms of quality and service. 'I wonder why the people don't see me as Kyubi.' Still, Sena just kept finding clothes along the row of shops, and they bought quite a number of jackets. But most of the clothes had a similarity. They seemed to have dark and plain colors that don't stand out, but even if the colors are quite earthy, the design and style are quite eyecatching.
At the end, they went back with a whole back full of clothes at the price of an empty wallet, and because of the extra weight, their journey back takes a longer time.
"So, you said about that... what's that... eight thingy..." Naruto tried to recollect the facts Sena threw at him.
"Eight path. It's a multi-pronged training that weeds out every last drop of talent in you."
"What kind of talent?"
"Well, mainly artistic, combat, or intellectual."
"Okay. Anyway, why do the people in the village treat me differently?"
"Simple. They never seen you before. So, nobody knows you are the kyubi's vessel."
"...I see."
--------
Neji frowned when he met his two teammates. Two of the noisy and irritating girls for teammates, and he could not but help but curse the gods that made it so. Their ceaseless bickering knows no end, and they might stop only at one condition: their Sasuke-kun is around, and after his so-called departure, that situation is highly unlikely. The truth is, Neji doesn't see what is good in that bloody betraying bastard, well, maybe he is from an advanced bloodline and all that, but... He is a traitor, how could these girls still like him.
"Can you two stop make noise? Are you two blind? Can't you two see I'm trying to concentrate over here." The hyuga exclaimed angrily, easily snapping the two girls from their endless arguments. "Good. If you two are still trying to catch that traitor's attention, I suggest you train, that might be a better way." Neji said.
Sakura wanted to scream and yell at Neji for calling Sasuke a traitor, but for what he has done, she could not do so. Neji was after all one of the few ninjas sent after him, and maybe that has given him the right to call Sasuke a traitor, a fool. Sakura looked at Neji slowly walk into the woods, and about some time later, Ino also left to practice in the woods. Alone, she felt left behind again. She shook her head, willing herself to snap out of the self pity and make a difference. "Wait for me!"
-------
Shino. His name, wasn't it? How many times was he called with that name? Quite little, actually. But anyway, he examined the bugs in his net, and like always, he is alone in the woods.
He looked around the forest, and he felt that familiar urge to leave Konoha again. No. He wasn't a traitor. He would serve Konoha and protect it with his life and soul if the need calls, but he just felt there was nothing he could do now. Nothing. The place is already well protected, with Jiraiya, Tsunade and the other jounins around. There is no place for him to help his homeland. Not yet.
Since the last battle, he could not help but want to leave and see the world, and all the weird insects that call it home. But he always lacked the so-called guts to tell his father that. No, he it was because he was obedient, and his parents would be disappointed if he left.
Then, a small bug managed to bite a hole in the net, and it flew off, away from the other bugs tangled in it, it's wings buzzing and slowly it disappeared into the bushes.
'Even a small bug take chances to be different, why not me?' The bespectacled kid thought inwardly, and a small fire began to burn inside him.
Maybe leaving Konoha would be good, for both Konoha, and himself, and with a certain sense of determination to tell his parents his wish to go on an adventure. When he returns, he will bring experience and strength with him, and then, he might be able to help Konoha more than he could now. With that thought in etched into his mind, he sped home as quickly as his feet could take him.
-------
"What are you waiting for? Stand on the pool." Hideiki ordered.
"I did that already. How many times do I have to tell you?" Naruto whined.
"You can stand and walk on it, but can you fight on it?"
"Yeah, no problem."
"Fine. Dodge all the wooden kunais I'll be throwing at you." Hideiki challenged, his hand playing with the training kunai.
Naruto walked to the pool, and he waited at the middle of it. "Bring it on, old man."
Hideiki immediately used Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, producing ten clones, each of them holding a large amount of wooden kunais.
"That's cheating! No clones!"
"Nobody said that." Then, one of the clones threw a few kunais at him, which he avoided easily. Then, two clones started throwing the kunais, and he avoided them. But when three clones started send the kunais flying, he was starting to have problems. He jumped to avoid the clones, and he jumped again to avoid another. Then, four clones, and he was starting to get hit. Five clones, and he was starting to get really hurt. Six, he could not keep his control on the chakra because he was trying to avoid the kunai.
"You lose, Naruto. So, for the rest of the day, avoid all the kunais my clones will be throwing at you. I'll be under the shade watching your sluggish movements, even an old man like me can avoid them without any problems." The old man walked over to a shinto styled gazebo and watched Naruto continue his bloody to training.
The blonde's arms and feet was sufficiently bruised by the high velocity wooden missiles, and he found much trouble trying to avoid them. 'Too many... Cannot avoid.' He jumped, and he still got hit at his back by around ten wooden kunais.He jumped, he ran, he tried, he keep trying, but still he kept getting hit. Seeing not much improvement from Naruto, Hideiki signalled for only 4 clones to attack, while the rest of them restock them with kunais.
"Naruto. You'll need to get used to releasing chakra through your feet, in fact, keep doing it until your body automaticly releases chakra when you stand on water. Then, you'll only need to concentrate on avoiding the kunais. After all, you don't seem very good at multitasking."
The first day, and he is getting hit very often. But the amount was dwindling when the day came to an end. Day two, five clones, and he is starting to fare slightly better than the first.
"You have a very quick rate of growth, Naruto. If you were here a few years ago, you'd be really good already." Hideiki praised. "We'll practice this three days a week."
Day three, still five clones, but the amount of hits was getting less and less, but they were still there, and every time Naruto got hit, he often cursed. "Pain is a good motivator, don't you agree?" Naruto shook his head in disagreement.
-------
Tsunade looked at the the Hokage monument, and felt slightly uncomfortable.
"So, what you doing here, Tsunade?" Jiraiya's unmistakable voice cut through the air and into her eardrums.
"Just wondering. Come to think of it, are you sure we did the right thing by sending him there?"
"Of course."
"Why do you say that? What would work on the Yondaime won't necessary work on him. Same goes for medicine."
"I sent the Yondaime there for the last part of his training, and I believe it made him quite strong. So, why would it not work for Naruto?"
"But you know how much they stretch and exert their students, right? It's very painful and tiring."
"I know, and it would be for the best of him."
Tsunade looked at the Sandaime's sculpture, and she sighed. "Am I doing a good job? Aburame Shino recently requested to leave on a journey, so did some other ninjas. Ninjas are leaving... Konoha's future generation are leaving."
"Don't worry. They will come back later, and they will help make Konoha stronger."
---------
Sasuke looked at the vacant training ground, dusty, and covered in dirt. There is an eerie silence that lurks in the air, an untold chill that crawls in it. This is where he will be at.
"Not going to lose to Itachi again. I'll kill him alright, I swear it." Chakra started to flare in his left palm, and he charged at the tree as quickly as he could.
His hand drew closer t0 the tree, and a loud rattle and crack awakens the morning countryside.
He jumped back to his original location, and he was back at his training.
"Training, Sasuke?"
Sasuke's sharingan eyes turned to face Kakashi's single eye, and Kakashi's silver hair seemed golden in the ochre morning glow. Sasuke's eyes twitched, and he lunged forward with a kunai in both of his hands. "I don't need you here, copy ninja."
Kakashi blocked Sasuke's two kunais with two of his own, and Sasuke flipped to throw a kick aimed at his head. Kakashi went backward to avoid it, which the Uchiha took the opening to throw the two kunais in his hands at him, which found the hard treebark of a wooden log.
"Is this how you treat your mentor?"
"There is no need for you. You can't make me stronger than Itachi or Orochimaru."
"Is that so? If you don't want me to help, at least take these training items." Kakashi dropped three large bags on the floor, and he vanished.
Sasuke walked over to the bags, to the sight of weights, scrolls, books and every other training material for a small training course.
---------
The afternoon sun scorched the flat stone floor, and it was the kind of unpleasant weather that most would rather avoid no matter the situation. But unfortunately, not everyone has the choice to stay under the shade and do as they please. So, Naruto was forced to suffer under the heat to train his physical strength.
"Now, Naruto. I want you to run around the perimeter of the flatlands." Hideiki ordered from the comfort in the shades.
"For how long?"
"Until sundown and if you spill them by one bit, I'll refill all the pails and add another pail."
"That's nuts."
"My student, my rules. Now, start running." Hideiki ordered.
The blonde ran, and sweat began to course it's way down his body. It was hell of a difficult alright, when everytime he tried to stop to catch his breath, there was surely some water spill out from the near full pails. At the end of the day, he was carrying fifteen pails, and rocks added to increase the weight on his large pails. He barely had the energy to carry them, so running was more like limping around.
Totally tired, he was at his room eating at his ramen. He kept eating that he was unaware that there were someone else in the room.
"Really tired, huh?"
Surprised, Naruto faced to see Sena sitting comfortably at a chair. "... Yeah. Carrying water and preventing them from spilling, that was very hard. Very hard. Especially when you are expected to run and still make sure the water is still inside."
"Ah. That training. It's quite easy once you know how to do it."
"... How exactly you do it?"
"Simple. To prevent the water from spilling out when you run, swirl and press the water inside with your chakra. That way, with your chakra pressing down on it, they won't spill out."
"But there are four pails..."
"That's the objective. To make sure you are able to release chakra simultaneously and continously at multiple points. It is the foundation to prepare you for the coming chakra control techniques, and it also helps you increase your stamina." Sena continued, his mature voice bounced off the wooden walls.
"Why didn't sensei tell me that?"
"He probably wants you to figure it out yourself."
"... That evil sensei. Ah, what coming techniques?"
"Qi battle. It's really hard and it is also really fun to practice. Then, there is chakra molding without seals, and there are quite a lot more."
"... How about the kunai avoiding training? Any clues on that?"
"... That one. I haven't done it. After all, my syllabus is different."
"Do they have missions for us? I'm want something other than training."
"Not now. You have to at least get your sensei's permission before actually try one. I never even did a mission yet."
---------
Thanks for reading.
A/N:If you think it doesn't seem to have a main plotline, well, the truth is, I have no idea as well. I'm just writing as ideas flow into my head.
Chapter IV
The city, a large crowded place that he shunned, for the fear of being hated was all too great. Yet here he was, strolling happily, and nobody seems to notice. Everyone were out to do their own little task, their own business and jobs. It was heaven and hell if compared to Konoha, and Konoha was the hell. His blue eyes peeked at the wares of the stall vendors, and his liitle peeking was replied with an offer. "Hey kid, wanna buy some nice bracelet? You can give it to someone, you know?"
Sena smiled, and he politely declined the offer for Naruto because he is holding the cash.
"Don't stare at their wares. Some people would think that you are planning to steal it."
Naruto nodded in agreement. He was never really a streetsmart fellow, so he would heed the master's advice. So, he did not look at all, which Sena promptly realized.
"But that dosen't mean you don't need to look. It's fine to take a small glance, but no more. Well, that is unless you are interested in buying." Naruto nodded again, and his head kept turning to look at all the stuff along the street. "Don't overdo it, Naruto. People will think we are nuts. Relax, time is something we have plenty of."
Naruto looked at Sena, and he smiled, "What syllabus did the old man put you through?"
"That old man has a name, you know, and it is Jishin-sensei."
"...Fine, fine. What's syllabus are you going?"
"Eight paths." Sena answered abruptly, and his eyes turned to look at the clothing store.
"What's that?"
"I'll tell you on our way back. Now, let's get you some clothes."
Sena was fast to pick out clothes, and Naruto could not choose from the clothes. But he realized that all the clothes were surprisingly nice, in terms of quality and service. 'I wonder why the people don't see me as Kyubi.' Still, Sena just kept finding clothes along the row of shops, and they bought quite a number of jackets. But most of the clothes had a similarity. They seemed to have dark and plain colors that don't stand out, but even if the colors are quite earthy, the design and style are quite eyecatching.
At the end, they went back with a whole back full of clothes at the price of an empty wallet, and because of the extra weight, their journey back takes a longer time.
"So, you said about that... what's that... eight thingy..." Naruto tried to recollect the facts Sena threw at him.
"Eight path. It's a multi-pronged training that weeds out every last drop of talent in you."
"What kind of talent?"
"Well, mainly artistic, combat, or intellectual."
"Okay. Anyway, why do the people in the village treat me differently?"
"Simple. They never seen you before. So, nobody knows you are the kyubi's vessel."
"...I see."
--------
Neji frowned when he met his two teammates. Two of the noisy and irritating girls for teammates, and he could not but help but curse the gods that made it so. Their ceaseless bickering knows no end, and they might stop only at one condition: their Sasuke-kun is around, and after his so-called departure, that situation is highly unlikely. The truth is, Neji doesn't see what is good in that bloody betraying bastard, well, maybe he is from an advanced bloodline and all that, but... He is a traitor, how could these girls still like him.
"Can you two stop make noise? Are you two blind? Can't you two see I'm trying to concentrate over here." The hyuga exclaimed angrily, easily snapping the two girls from their endless arguments. "Good. If you two are still trying to catch that traitor's attention, I suggest you train, that might be a better way." Neji said.
Sakura wanted to scream and yell at Neji for calling Sasuke a traitor, but for what he has done, she could not do so. Neji was after all one of the few ninjas sent after him, and maybe that has given him the right to call Sasuke a traitor, a fool. Sakura looked at Neji slowly walk into the woods, and about some time later, Ino also left to practice in the woods. Alone, she felt left behind again. She shook her head, willing herself to snap out of the self pity and make a difference. "Wait for me!"
-------
Shino. His name, wasn't it? How many times was he called with that name? Quite little, actually. But anyway, he examined the bugs in his net, and like always, he is alone in the woods.
He looked around the forest, and he felt that familiar urge to leave Konoha again. No. He wasn't a traitor. He would serve Konoha and protect it with his life and soul if the need calls, but he just felt there was nothing he could do now. Nothing. The place is already well protected, with Jiraiya, Tsunade and the other jounins around. There is no place for him to help his homeland. Not yet.
Since the last battle, he could not help but want to leave and see the world, and all the weird insects that call it home. But he always lacked the so-called guts to tell his father that. No, he it was because he was obedient, and his parents would be disappointed if he left.
Then, a small bug managed to bite a hole in the net, and it flew off, away from the other bugs tangled in it, it's wings buzzing and slowly it disappeared into the bushes.
'Even a small bug take chances to be different, why not me?' The bespectacled kid thought inwardly, and a small fire began to burn inside him.
Maybe leaving Konoha would be good, for both Konoha, and himself, and with a certain sense of determination to tell his parents his wish to go on an adventure. When he returns, he will bring experience and strength with him, and then, he might be able to help Konoha more than he could now. With that thought in etched into his mind, he sped home as quickly as his feet could take him.
-------
"What are you waiting for? Stand on the pool." Hideiki ordered.
"I did that already. How many times do I have to tell you?" Naruto whined.
"You can stand and walk on it, but can you fight on it?"
"Yeah, no problem."
"Fine. Dodge all the wooden kunais I'll be throwing at you." Hideiki challenged, his hand playing with the training kunai.
Naruto walked to the pool, and he waited at the middle of it. "Bring it on, old man."
Hideiki immediately used Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, producing ten clones, each of them holding a large amount of wooden kunais.
"That's cheating! No clones!"
"Nobody said that." Then, one of the clones threw a few kunais at him, which he avoided easily. Then, two clones started throwing the kunais, and he avoided them. But when three clones started send the kunais flying, he was starting to have problems. He jumped to avoid the clones, and he jumped again to avoid another. Then, four clones, and he was starting to get hit. Five clones, and he was starting to get really hurt. Six, he could not keep his control on the chakra because he was trying to avoid the kunai.
"You lose, Naruto. So, for the rest of the day, avoid all the kunais my clones will be throwing at you. I'll be under the shade watching your sluggish movements, even an old man like me can avoid them without any problems." The old man walked over to a shinto styled gazebo and watched Naruto continue his bloody to training.
The blonde's arms and feet was sufficiently bruised by the high velocity wooden missiles, and he found much trouble trying to avoid them. 'Too many... Cannot avoid.' He jumped, and he still got hit at his back by around ten wooden kunais.He jumped, he ran, he tried, he keep trying, but still he kept getting hit. Seeing not much improvement from Naruto, Hideiki signalled for only 4 clones to attack, while the rest of them restock them with kunais.
"Naruto. You'll need to get used to releasing chakra through your feet, in fact, keep doing it until your body automaticly releases chakra when you stand on water. Then, you'll only need to concentrate on avoiding the kunais. After all, you don't seem very good at multitasking."
The first day, and he is getting hit very often. But the amount was dwindling when the day came to an end. Day two, five clones, and he is starting to fare slightly better than the first.
"You have a very quick rate of growth, Naruto. If you were here a few years ago, you'd be really good already." Hideiki praised. "We'll practice this three days a week."
Day three, still five clones, but the amount of hits was getting less and less, but they were still there, and every time Naruto got hit, he often cursed. "Pain is a good motivator, don't you agree?" Naruto shook his head in disagreement.
-------
Tsunade looked at the the Hokage monument, and felt slightly uncomfortable.
"So, what you doing here, Tsunade?" Jiraiya's unmistakable voice cut through the air and into her eardrums.
"Just wondering. Come to think of it, are you sure we did the right thing by sending him there?"
"Of course."
"Why do you say that? What would work on the Yondaime won't necessary work on him. Same goes for medicine."
"I sent the Yondaime there for the last part of his training, and I believe it made him quite strong. So, why would it not work for Naruto?"
"But you know how much they stretch and exert their students, right? It's very painful and tiring."
"I know, and it would be for the best of him."
Tsunade looked at the Sandaime's sculpture, and she sighed. "Am I doing a good job? Aburame Shino recently requested to leave on a journey, so did some other ninjas. Ninjas are leaving... Konoha's future generation are leaving."
"Don't worry. They will come back later, and they will help make Konoha stronger."
---------
Sasuke looked at the vacant training ground, dusty, and covered in dirt. There is an eerie silence that lurks in the air, an untold chill that crawls in it. This is where he will be at.
"Not going to lose to Itachi again. I'll kill him alright, I swear it." Chakra started to flare in his left palm, and he charged at the tree as quickly as he could.
His hand drew closer t0 the tree, and a loud rattle and crack awakens the morning countryside.
He jumped back to his original location, and he was back at his training.
"Training, Sasuke?"
Sasuke's sharingan eyes turned to face Kakashi's single eye, and Kakashi's silver hair seemed golden in the ochre morning glow. Sasuke's eyes twitched, and he lunged forward with a kunai in both of his hands. "I don't need you here, copy ninja."
Kakashi blocked Sasuke's two kunais with two of his own, and Sasuke flipped to throw a kick aimed at his head. Kakashi went backward to avoid it, which the Uchiha took the opening to throw the two kunais in his hands at him, which found the hard treebark of a wooden log.
"Is this how you treat your mentor?"
"There is no need for you. You can't make me stronger than Itachi or Orochimaru."
"Is that so? If you don't want me to help, at least take these training items." Kakashi dropped three large bags on the floor, and he vanished.
Sasuke walked over to the bags, to the sight of weights, scrolls, books and every other training material for a small training course.
---------
The afternoon sun scorched the flat stone floor, and it was the kind of unpleasant weather that most would rather avoid no matter the situation. But unfortunately, not everyone has the choice to stay under the shade and do as they please. So, Naruto was forced to suffer under the heat to train his physical strength.
"Now, Naruto. I want you to run around the perimeter of the flatlands." Hideiki ordered from the comfort in the shades.
"For how long?"
"Until sundown and if you spill them by one bit, I'll refill all the pails and add another pail."
"That's nuts."
"My student, my rules. Now, start running." Hideiki ordered.
The blonde ran, and sweat began to course it's way down his body. It was hell of a difficult alright, when everytime he tried to stop to catch his breath, there was surely some water spill out from the near full pails. At the end of the day, he was carrying fifteen pails, and rocks added to increase the weight on his large pails. He barely had the energy to carry them, so running was more like limping around.
Totally tired, he was at his room eating at his ramen. He kept eating that he was unaware that there were someone else in the room.
"Really tired, huh?"
Surprised, Naruto faced to see Sena sitting comfortably at a chair. "... Yeah. Carrying water and preventing them from spilling, that was very hard. Very hard. Especially when you are expected to run and still make sure the water is still inside."
"Ah. That training. It's quite easy once you know how to do it."
"... How exactly you do it?"
"Simple. To prevent the water from spilling out when you run, swirl and press the water inside with your chakra. That way, with your chakra pressing down on it, they won't spill out."
"But there are four pails..."
"That's the objective. To make sure you are able to release chakra simultaneously and continously at multiple points. It is the foundation to prepare you for the coming chakra control techniques, and it also helps you increase your stamina." Sena continued, his mature voice bounced off the wooden walls.
"Why didn't sensei tell me that?"
"He probably wants you to figure it out yourself."
"... That evil sensei. Ah, what coming techniques?"
"Qi battle. It's really hard and it is also really fun to practice. Then, there is chakra molding without seals, and there are quite a lot more."
"... How about the kunai avoiding training? Any clues on that?"
"... That one. I haven't done it. After all, my syllabus is different."
"Do they have missions for us? I'm want something other than training."
"Not now. You have to at least get your sensei's permission before actually try one. I never even did a mission yet."
---------
Thanks for reading.