Chapter 4: Youthful Rivalry

"Well team, another well done mission." Kakashi said as Sakura wiped the dirt from her knees, Sasuke scoffed and Naruto groaned.

"Can't we do something fun? We had been doing D-Ranks all month!" Naruto complained and Kakashi nodded.

"That we have. But look at the positives; we broke a record."

"I give two shits about that record!"

Samehada made sounds of agreement, before it started to whine. Naruto eyed her "Oi, what's wrong." Kakashi raised an eyebrow "What do you mean the Green Beast?"

"Oh. You mean Gai?" Kakashi asked as a cloud of smoke could be seen made its way to them.

"YOSH! HOW IS MY YOUTHFUL RIVAL DOING THIS FINE EVENING!"

The genins starred to this... person wearing green spandex, yellow leg warmers and a jonin vest. Samehada in the other hand, was making sounds of fear.

Naruto eyed his sword with a raised brow "Hold on, both Fuguki and Kisame feared this clown?" Samehada made more noises "Hell no I'm not running away!" He turned to the clown striking a pose "Who the hell are ya anyway!?"

"I am glad you asked! I am Mighty Gai! Konoha's Green Beast!" Gai introduced himself and Samehada made noises that Naruto calls; crying.

"Gai-Sensei!" Then arrived, what Team 7 could only call, a mini Gai. Followed by a Hyuga and a girl with her hair done in panda buns.

Sasuke glared at the Hyuga and the Hyuga glared back "Hn."

The girl breathed harshly but seemed overall fine. Naruto kept talking with Samehada as Mini-Gai 'flirted' with Sakura.

"No, Samehada. I don't understand how two of the strongest swordsmen fear this idiot or his old man." Naruto kept arguing as the girl approached him.

"Hey... are you talking to your weapon?" She asked and Naruto nodded.

"Ya, what of it?" He shrugged and the girl examined Samehada with her eyes before grinning.

"Oh my god! That's Samehada!" She gawked and Samehada forgot her fear and decided to bask on praise "It is really sentient? Does it eat chakra? Why is it here if it doesn't like fire chakra? Who are you anyways!?"

Naruto blinked at the rapid-fire questions "First off, Samehada is a she. Second, not even I knew that much when I met Kisame," Samehada made sounds "Shut up. And third speak slower."

The girl nodded "Let me introduce myself, my name is Ten-Ten and I want to be an expert on weapons." She explained and Naruto nodded.

"Name's Naruto. And she is Samehada as you know." Samehada made sounds "I was trained by Kisame, the former owner and now she is my sword."

Kakashi seeing how the genins interacted, ten-Ten interrogating Naruto on Samehada, Sakura dodging Lee... kisses and Neji and Sasuke glaring at each other he turned to Gai "Say, why don't we see which team is better?"

Gai raised a brow "Kakashi, my team has one more year of experience than yours. Are you sure about it?"

Kakashi nodded "Let see what they think. Hey my cute genins," He said and his team turned to them "What do you say on fighting Gai's team, 1 vs 1?"

Naruto grinned as his pupils shrunk "An offer to devour little fishes? How to say no."

Sasuke smirked in Neji's direction "I can beat a Hyuga in any way I want."

Sakura and Ten-Ten shared a look, and Sakura knew she can't back away, just nodded.

Gai nodded "YOSH! Let's get going then!"

*Training Ground 3*

"So, this are the rules;" Kakashi started "Sakura will fight Ten-Ten, Sasuke Neji and Naruto Lee. We will decide when they can't continue."

Samehada made nervous sounds and Naruto rolled his eyes "Relax, we have this in the bag. Matter of fact, we go first." he jumped to his feet and walked to where Lee was stretching.

"Ready to go Bushy Brows?" Naruto asked with a grin and Lee nodded.

"YOSH! I am!" Lee announced as Naruto's pupils contracted.

"Good to hear..." And with that, he rushed to him and tried to stab him, the bandages at the front of Samehada gone.

Lee jumped out of the way, twisted in the air and delivered a quick kick at the side of his head. The kick made Naruto drag his feet as he was slightly push.

Lee landed and ducked a swing from Samehada, and kicked Naruto's legs, and as Naruto fell, Lee kicked him in the stomach.

Naruto landed hardly. Once Lee removed his leg from his stomach, he made hand signs "Suiton: Mizurrapa! (Water Release: Water trumpet)"

Even though they were just feet away, Lee jumped just in the nick of time and Naruto grinned. He was in the air! He couldn't dodge now!

"You're mine!" He screamed as he went for a stab. Lee placed one feet on top of Samehada and used she as a platform to jump, twisted in the air, and as Naruto was in the air, and couldn't dodge, was kicked at the side of the head, sending him diving back to the ground, falling head first on the dirt.

Lee landed and pumped a fist "YOSH! I did it!"

Gai went hugged him as he cried 'youthful' tears. "LEE! I knew you would do it!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

Ten-Ten just starred at the not moving body of Naruto "I think you killed him..."

Sasuke and Sakura were thinking the same thing when Naruto slowly pushed himself up. His head bleeding and a lost look on his eyes.

"M'fine..." He slurred as he stumbled on his feet. He was seeing double as he picked Samehada. "Letsh shinish fis..." He slurred before puking.

Kakashi sighed "Someone's concussed."

Naruto wiped his mouth with his arm "M'fin..." and Kakashi slowly picked him up.

"I'm taking Naruto to the hospital. You guys can continue." He said and made his way to the hospital.

He was surprised that in all the way, he still held Samehada tightly and somehow, kept a conversation with the sword.

"M'fin, Shamesha... shat push waz noth..."

Kinda.

After he started to be treated, Kakashi was about to leave, when, he saw Sakura helping Sasuke walk as they made their way to the hospital. Kakashi starred at them "What happened?"

Sasuke gritted his teeth "I don't want to talk about it..."

*Couple of Hours Later*

Once Naruto could understand and talk again, and after Kakashi asked Gai how Sasuke's and Sakura's fight went he decided to address his team.

While Sasuke did the same as Naruto, underestimate his opponent and go head first, Sakura just gave up before the fight started.

"Naruto, Sasuke; I know that both of you are strong." He started as Naruto was sat on the bed and Sasuke leaned against a wall "But that doesn't mean you will be the winner in every fight. Both of you, thought that you would win easily and that was your downfall."

Naruto growled but stayed silent. Sasuke just closed his eyes.

Kakashi nodded and turned to Sakura that was sat down "And Sakura, you didn't even try. I understand you might be intimidated by a kunoichi with more experience, but you didn't even try."

Sakura looked down and Kakashi sighed "Maybe we should have started to take harder missions..." He clapped his hands "Very well team, tomorrow morning we will take a C-Rank. Get ready for it."

*Konoha Streets*

"Oi." Team Gai looked back to see Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura there "When we come back from our mission, we want our rematch." Naruto said and Neji scoffed.

"You already lost. We are not obliged to accept."

Sasuke smirked "Don't tell me you are afraid now."

Neji glared at Sasuke and Lee pumped his fist "YOSH! I will accept any challenge to fan my flames of youth!"

Naruto grinned showing his sharp teeth "I wouldn't accept any other answer Green Beast."

Ten-Ten turned to Sakura and gave her a dry look "Just give me a fight next time."

Sakura gulped and nodded "I will."

Ten-Ten nodded "We'll see."

Next Chapter: Meeting of Sharks