Hey. I'm back. And sooner than I thought. This chapter was really easy to write. Simple mashing up of scenes and quick explanations on everyone's motives and training. Nothing too crazy. I just wanna say beforehand that Naruto DOES learn the secret of the Shadow Clone Jutsu. However, because of narrative purposes, Naruto will not use his clones to learn Ninjutsu. It'll make him way too strong, way too fast. However, he WILL use them to make himself stronger, just not in the way you think. He will use clones to strengthen his mind.

Naruto will also go through something that will forever change him in this chapter. Keep a look out and try to understand why I did what I did.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter, and let's get on with the story.

General narration

"Talking"

Flashbacks

'Thinking'

Narration

"Yami speaking"

"Bijuu talking"

'Bijuu thinking'

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or Naruto Shippuden, nor the Naruto Manga. They are owned by Viz Media and Masashi Kishimoto. I only own "Narrator" and other OCs.

When walking in the village, Sakura stares at all the young girls running around. They look happy, but also… aimless? Is that the right word?

The young boys in the village all seem so independent and they all dream of becoming shinobi. They play pretend as shinobi and they feel icky about girls. She remembers that anytime she and her friends talked about anything back in the Academy classrooms, it always centered on which boys were the cutest, coolest, and strongest.

Back in the Academy, when learning about past shinobi and their contributions to the shinobi arts, and the Hidden Village, all that Iruka-sensei talked about was about cool, powerful men. The Past Hokages, the rich history of powerful Konohagakure Shinobi. The strongest of the Sannin, Jiraiya the Toad Sage. The scourge of the village, Orochimaru. The person who nearly single-handedly ended the Third Shinobi World War, Namikaze Minato. He was also the same person who saved the village during the Kyuubi's attack.

The boys learned about strong men and graduated having excellent male shinobi role models. The greatest prodigies in the history of the Academy were all boys. She never learned about any exceptional Kunoichi back in school. She didn't even know about Tsunade until she became Hokage.

The boys were taught stories of comradery and brotherhood, such as the unification of the Uchiha and Senju into one village through the friendship between Senju Hashirama, and Uchiha Madara. And at the same time, she and all her girlfriends would fight and try to break each other down at any opportunity just to garner the goodwill of a single boy. A boy who is now gone.

She had no female role model growing up. She came into the shinobi world unmotivated and unprepared. Hell, she joined the Academy only because she learned Sasuke was joining. She was born into a man's world with no place for a girl like her.

Would that happen to all the young girls in the village who have yet to start school? Would they grow up as she did, ignorant and aimless, and with no one to serve as inspiration? Or would things be different now that Tsunade-sama is the Hokage? The first female Hokage.

Maybe Tsunade-sama could be that idol for these girls. She certainly has started to become one for her.

Speaking of Tsunade, Sakura is currently walking toward the Hokage Tower to meet with Tsunade. She knocks on the door of the Hokage's office.

"Enter!" Sated an exasperated voice.

Sakura walks in and closes the door behind her. She rolls her shoulders back to appear confident and to open up her lungs. "I come here with a request."

Tsunade scribbles in a scroll and doesn't look up. "What is it?"

Sakura looks forward, straight, true, and determined. "Please make me your apprentice!"

Tsunade stops writing. She folds her hands in front of her face and stares at Sakura. Tsunade opens a filing cabinet by her desk and pulls out a folder. She opens the file and reads out the contents inside. "Haruno Sakura. Lacking in physical fitness, both in strength and stamina. Has below-average speed. Possesses pitiful chakra reserves. Can get highly emotional in a dire situation, and most importantly, has questionable decision-making."

Tsunade closes the file and gets up from her seat. She walks around her workstation and sits on her desk. "That was a list of statements about you from many Jonin who have seen your work first-hand on missions. I have received other comments from Kakashi, such as that you are unmotivated and mentally weak. After knowing all that, why do you think I should make you my apprentice?"

Sakura looks at the floor and grits her teeth. She has nothing. There is nothing she can realistically offer to Tsunade that could convince her that she is worthy. All she can offer is a promise that isn't guaranteed to succeed. "I…don't have anything of value for you, Tsunade-sama, but… I'm desperate. I promise to work hard to prove myself to you and be the best apprentice I can be!" Sakura pleads for the opportunity.

Tsunade scoffs. "That's all you have to offer, huh? Alright. Then let me ask you this. Why do you want to be my apprentice?"

Sakura quints a little, trying to think. She has so many thoughts running wild in her mind, and so many things she wants to say. "When I was growing up and studying in the Academy, I never heard stories about any excellent Kunoichi. All I learned about was powerful men and their exploits. I never had a female role model. But you, Tsunade-sama, are the first female Hokage. You are an inspiration to all the young girls in the village, and that includes me."

Tsunade smiles a little. "While I thank you for the flattery, you haven't answered my question. Why do you want to be my apprentice?"

"Because I want to be like you!" Realizing what she blurted out, Sakura covers her mouth with her hands. A mortified blush blooms on her face. " I-I mean, I want to be a role model to younger girls, too. I want to be an excellent Kunoichi like you."

Tsunade becomes pensive. "What else?"

Sakura looks at the ground sadly. "I've always felt like a burden to my team. Sasuke-kun has always been so strong, and Naruto's will is unbreakable. And I was weak, both in body and mind. I always had to be saved at every turn, and I was never involved in planning. I was a passenger. I could do nothing to help. I felt useless. And whenever I saw either of them get hurt, I felt helpless. There was nothing I could do. And it was worse when they took hits for me." Sakura shakes a little and starts grimacing. "And then one day while taking the Chunin Exams, they were both knocked out, and I was alone. Sasuke had a fever, and Naruto was unconscious. I never felt so helpless seeing the people I cared about suffer. It was the same when Sasuke-kun was in that coma not too long ago. I tried everything I could to help him feel better, like talking to him in his sleep, but I might as well have never been there."

Sakura bites her lip. "And then there is Lee-san. When I last saw him before his surgery, he tried so hard to make me happy and he made sure I wasn't worried. He smiled the same way he always did, but I noticed that it lacked the same intensity it usually carried. Every day he was injured, he tried so hard to smile, but it was always fake. It never reached his eyes. I always felt so guilty about it, because I would try to spend as much time with him as possible, and even bring him flowers, but nothing worked. It's like I was never even there. I felt so empty. I felt defective, like there was something wrong with me. It all came from knowing that I couldn't help Lee-san heal from his pain."

Sakura's self-deprecating rant stops, and slowly, she starts smiling. "But then you came along, and you fixed everything. I was told by the doctors that Lee-san's and Sasuke-kun's conditions were impossible to fix. That they would both suffer for the rest of their lives, but you came in and healed Sasuke-kun like it was nothing. You gave Lee-san a second chance at life with a surgery only you could do! You made the impossible… possible." At this point, Sakura starts grinning. "You were like a superhero, Tsunade-sama. You save so many lives and made many happy. You even saved Naruto's life twice. I think there is nothing cooler in the world." Sakura stares the Godaime Hokage in the eyes with fiery determination. "I want to do that, too. I want to save as many lives as possible in a way only I can. I want to be the difference between my friends living and dying. I could never feel confident in another person being responsible for the lives of my friends. I'd rather have my friends' lives be in my hands. I know that I will give more effort than anyone else when it comes to saving the people I care about. So I beg you, Tsunade-sama, please, let me be your apprentice!" Sakura ends her speech in a subservient bow.

Tsunade looks at Sakura and smiles widely. She walks back to her chair and picks up the file. "In this file, Kakashi also made a point to note that you have a brilliant mind, and a strong will. And that despite having weak reserves of chakra, you have near-perfect control of it." Tsunade smirks. "You have shown me that you have the heart and willpower needed to be a medic. You have a noble goal, Sakura."

Sakura looks at Tsunade with hopeful, yet trepidating eyes.

Tsunade recognizes Sakura for the first time. She shakes her head to clear any lingering thoughts. At last, a coy smile touches her lips. "Alright."

Sakura smiles brightly. "Arigatou Gozaimasu, Tsunade-shishou!"

Tsunade gives Sakura a stern glare. "Just know, I won't be easy on you."

"Hai!" Sakura then remembers something. "Kakashi-sensei told me I have an affinity for Genjutsu, Godaime-sama." Chimes Sakura.

Tsunade's lips set into a line. "Genjutsu? I can't help you with that. But if you really want to develop that skill and make the most of your potential, I suggest seeing Kurenai about that."

Sakura nods. "Hai!"

"We start tomorrow at 6:00 A.M. I'll be strict, so don't expect me to treat you like a kid. From this moment forward, I'll treat you as I would any Jonin." Tsunade makes sure to give Sakura a serious, stern glare for added effect.

"H-Hai!"

While walking in the village, Sakura runs into Lee. "Lee-san, how are you?" she asks giddily.

Lee strikes his signature nice-guy pose. "Good morning, Sakura-san. Thanks to the youthful weather today, I feel fantastic, thank you for asking! You look very happy right now. Did something happen, Sakura-san?"

Sakura's smile is so bright that Lee thinks he's going blind. "Something did happen! Godaime-sama agreed to take me on as her apprentice!" Sakura shakes from the excitement.

"You became… the apprentice of the Hokage?" Lee is absolutely gobsmacked. Once the shock begins to fade, he starts to smile. "Congratulations, Sakura-san. Your youthful nature will allow you to go far. If you stoke up your flames of youth, you can even surpass your Mistress."

Sakura's eyes widen. A nervous, doubtful glint appears in her eyes. "D-do you really think so?" She asks in an unnaturally meek tone.

Lee grins and gives the girl a thumbs up. "I have no doubt in my mind, Sakura-san."

No one has ever complimented Sakura on her abilities and potential as a shinobi, much less a friend. And never so sincerely. It's new territory for her, so no one can blame her when a radiant, rosy blush filled her cheeks. "D-don't say things like that out of nowhere, b-baka!"

Lee quickly becomes remorseful. "D-did I say something wrong, Sakura-san?"

Sakura wills her blush down and sighs at Lee's obliviousness. "No, you didn't do anything wrong, Lee-san. I was just being weird." She gives her best attempt at a reassuring smile.

Lee nods uncertainly. That doubt is quickly cast away as an idea is born. "Sakura-san. I can only train in Taijutsu, so my body goes through more stress than most shinobi. I was wondering if…" Lee suddenly feels exposed, and his embarrassment makes it hard for him to say what he wants.

Sakura becomes worried. Lee never blanks out like that. Lee is extremely talkative, so for him to just… stop is highly concerning. "Lee-san?"

Lee's body burns up a bright red. "Can I be your guinea pig?"

Of all the things Lee could've said, this was certainly a sentence. "Uhhh… what?" What does that even mean? It sounded like a random arrangement of words.

Lee chuckles nervously. "W-well, I get hurt a lot while training, and I can't risk wasting all my youthful training by resting. You will begin your own youthful path in medicine, so I was thinking that I could be a test subject for you. I get to heal from injuries, and you can have a live test subject to practice on."

Sakura mulls it over. She really doesn't need long to think of an answer. "That's a great idea! It's a mutually beneficial arrangement. Alright, Lee-san. You can be my guinea pig." She smiles mischievously.

Lee grins. "That's fantastic news."

Sakura reciprocates the grin. "We'll be spending a lot of time together from now on. You better get used to seeing my face every day."

Lee blushes at the implications of this. He gets to see Sakura-san's pretty face every day now! This might have been the best decision he's ever made.

Hinata stands by the wall outside her father's office, waiting for him to call her inside.

"You may come in."

Hinata hesitantly makes her way inside her father's office.

Hiashi's eyes follow his daughter's every movement, trying to carefully discern what it is that she's in his office for. "What is it that you need, daughter?"

Hinata fidgets and gulps. "A-ano, Otou-sama. I w-wanted to ask you about t-training."

Hiashi sighs. "Hinata, you have disappointed me time and again. You always give up on your training before we can really go in-depth."

Hinata bites her lip. "Otou-sama, I-I know that I've been f-flaky before, but I'm desperate t-to get stronger." She tries her best to make eye contact with her father.

Hiashi becomes pensive. He taps his fingers on his desk rhythmically. "What will be different this time, Hinata? What assurance can you give me that you'll finally embrace our clan's practices?"

Hinata's look becomes strong and determined. "B-because this time, I-I have my resolve."

Hiashi leans forward. "And what is the focus of this resolve of yours?"

Hinata clenches her fists. "I want to earn Hanabi-chan's respect. I-I want to be worthy of being her Aneki."

Hiashi's eyes widen marginally. Flashes and images of his memories with his brother resurface, along with the swelling of emotion that comes with being a failed elder brother. Maybe if he had been a better brother, things might've been different. He now lives every day reliving the grief of his failure every instant he sees Neji. Despite how distant he is, he still loves Hinata very much. She is his daughter, and the last thing he wants is for her to suffer that same grief. Alas, Hiashi sighs heavily. "Alright. We'll recommence your training and education. I hope that you finally give it your all, Hinata. I have high expectations of you."

Hinata's eyes widen. Her father… expects her to succeed? Maybe she misjudged him. "H-hai."

Hiashi closes his eyes introspectively. "Don't disappoint me. You are dismissed."

Hinata smiles shyly and leaves her father's office. That's one step done. She will continue to learn Jyuuken, but unlike the rest of her clan, she understands that their clan taijutsu is not enough. She needs to develop her other talents, and she knows exactly who to ask.

Narrator: With this one stray thought, massive ripples were created in space-time. One little thought from a meek girl created new possibilities for abilities. With new abilities being possible... it's inevitable that the future would be altered to fit the anomalies in power.

Tsunade hears another knock on her door.

"Come in."

Tsunade's eyes widen when she sees Hinata open the door. "Hyuuga Hinata. I'm surprised to see you inside my office. Seeing that you are alone, I assume you are here of your own volition."

Hinata nods shyly. "H-hai, Godaime-sama."

"So, why are you here?" Tsunade didn't mean to sound rude there, she's just genuinely curious.

Hinata's mannerisms become skittish, likely from nerves. She pokes her fingers together and tries to find a way to phrase this. Eventually, she decides on being blunt. "I-I was wondering if… If you… I was wondering i-if I could b-become your apprentice?"

Tsunade nearly chokes on her own spit. She must've heard wrong. "I-I'm sorry, but may you repeat that please? I don't think I heard you right."

Hinata's nerves worsen. "C-Could I be y-y-your apprentice?"

Tsunade becomes excited. 'I've been wanting a Hyuuga to become an Iryo-nin for decades! I've asked Hiashi-dono and his father about having some Hyuuga join the hospital since their Byakugan would be the perfect tool for detecting illnesses! Not to mention their near-perfect chakra control caused by their training, and their large chakra reserves. A Hyuuga would be my perfect apprentice!' Tsunade becomes giddy at the possibilities.

Suddenly, she remembers a conversation she had with a certain someone earlier that day. Tsunade rubs her forehead and sighs regretfully. She looks up and gives Hinata an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Hinata, but I already picked up an apprentice earlier this morning."

Hinata gasps. "What?"

Tsunade huffs a stream of air from her mouth. "Had you approached me first for an apprenticeship, I would've accepted you in a heartbeat. But alas, I have a student of my own."

Hinata frowns sadly. She was too late. "I-I'm sorry for wasting your time, Godaime-sama." Hinata goes to leave the room.

"Wait one moment before you go, Hinata." Tsunade chuckles. "You didn't let me finish. I may already have an apprentice, but you have way too much potential for me to pass up. I can't make you my apprentice, so I won't teach you how I fight. I doubt it'd suit you anyway. However, I can make you another offer. Would you like to personally study the art of medicine under me? Would you like to be an Iryo-nin?"

Hinata looks at Tsunade hopefully. "R-Really?"

Tsunade grins. "Yep. You'll work alongside my apprentice in learning the medical arts. Who knows, maybe with you around, you'll push each other to work harder. What do you say?"

Hinata smiles widely. "Yes! I accept!"

Tsunade smiles back. "Great. Come by the hospital tomorrow at 11:00 A.M. I expect you to give it your all."

Hinata's smile weakens. "I-I forgot to mention, O-otou-sama agreed to recommence my training, H-how do I come up with a schedule that works for us all?"

Tsunade smirks. "Don't worry. I'll handle it. I'll speak to Hiashi-dono personally."

A Week After Naruto Leaves the Village

An orange figure is seen tumbling in the dirt. Yelps of pain and groans of exhaustion come out from it.

A tall white-haired man sighs. "Quit whining, brat. Get up."

The orange-clad child pants. "I-I'm not… finished yet, Ero-sennin… dattebayo."

Jiraiya shakes his head. "We'll take a break."

"No! I-I can still fight!" Shouts Naruto from the dirt.

"Rest is just as important to your development as training, Naruto. Take a few minutes to recover."

Naruto groans and sits up. He digs into his backpack and pulls out Hinata's ointment. He applies it to his cut and bruises. He holds back a moan of relief, feeling the damage sizzle away in a cloud of steam. Naruto looks further into his bag and pulls out a notebook. He skims through the pages, trying to see if he forgot anything. His eyes widen slightly when finding a certain page. "Oi, Ero-sennin, what can you tell me about Elemental Jutsu?"

Jiraiya quirks a brow. "I know plenty about Elemental Jutsu, but I wonder why you bring this up."

Naruto sits up straight. He resists a grown from the ache in his muscles. "I want to start learning my element. Sasuke already knows 2 elements, so if I want to catch up to him, I need to learn mine, dattebayo."

Jiraiya snorts. "While I'd love to teach you sometime, I don't know what your element is. There is a certain material I need so I can test out what your element is. And even then, learning an element requires years of dedicated training."

Naruto smiles coyly. "Well, I already know what my element is, and 'dedication' is my middle name!"

Jiraiya's jaw hinges open. "Huh? W-what do you mean you know your element? As far as I know, Kakashi never tested your element before. How do you know what your element is?"

Naruto smirks. "It's a secret!" He winks and sticks his tongue out at Jiraiya.

Jiraiya facepalms. "At least tell me what your element is."

Naruto rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "Oh, right. I forgot to tell you. My element is Wind Nature."

Jiraiya's eyebrows rise up so high they hide behind his bangs. "Really, now? Wind Nature is rare in Konoha."

Naruto grins toothily. "I guess that means I'm special."

Jiraiya shrugs. "Okay. I'll start your Elemental Training. But right now I'm too busy trying to drill the basics into you, so that will be secondary training. You'll train it while we are moving locations, and in your free time. I need to set up a few things, but I can make it work."

Naruto leaps up from his seat and slams into Jiraiya to give him a bone-crushing hug. "Yatta! Thank you, thank you, thank you! You're not too bad for a pervert, dattebayo."

Jiraiya tries to push Naruto away from him. He fails spectacularly. "Get the hell off of me, brat!"

Back in Konoha

While picking up weapons from the Weapon's Shop, Hinata runs into Tenten, who is manning the shop.

"Hey, Hinata-san. Are you here to pick up your order?" Asks Tenten.

"H-hai." Confirms Hinata.

Tenten rummages under the countertop to look for the order. While she's looking, she decides to ask Hinata something. "You know, I've been wondering. Neji-kun was always very skilled when it came to throwing projectiles, like Kunai and Shuriken. Is it the same for you?"

Hinata does not have to think much about it. "Hai. I-I've always been good at marksmanship." Hinata smiles softly in pride at her skill. "It wasn't very hard for m-me."

Tenten pulls out the order but stays quiet for a minute. "So, is that something all Hyuuga can do? What would happen if a Hyuuga uses their Byakugan in tandem to throw a kunai?"

Hinata pokes her fingers together. "I-I think most Hyuugas are g-good with weapons. B-but I never thought about us using our eyes to aim better. W-why do you ask?"

Tenten groans. "It's because I've been trying to convince Neji to pick up a weapon and train it with his Byakugan. He's so stubborn, so he never once tried to hear me out. And now that he would, he's out of commission for who knows how long. It's frustrating. Do you know what I mean?"

Hinata flushes. "N-no, sorry, I don't."

Tenten sighs. "It's okay. Not many people do. Anyway, your order will be 1,500 Ryo."

Hinata digs into her pouch to look for her wallet. While doing so, she thinks a bit about what Tenten was trying to say. The Hyuuga have an affinity for marksmanship, but Neji -like most Hyuuga- is too prideful to diversify his skillset. It's an interesting dilemma.

She remembers back when they spent the day together, Naruto made an effort to point out her latent talent in marksmanship while playing the bottle tower game. He mentioned that her aim was really good.

Her aim…

Hinata's eyes widen. 'Wait a second.' Hinata looks at Tenten. "Ano, Tenten-san. I was wondering i-if I c-could add something else to my order."

Tenten thinks about it. "It is pretty last minute, but I think I can manage it if I have something in stock."

Hinata bites her lip nervously. "C-can I purchase a practice Bow and a set of Arrows?"

Tenten's eyes widen. "I'm pleasantly surprised. I didn't know you were interested in Archery."

Hinata flushes. "N-neither did I." She mumbles. Thankfully, the words were too quiet for Tenten to hear.

"We do have a couple of sets in stock. I can show your our current selection for you to choose from. But do you even know how to use a bow and arrow, Hinata-san?" Tenten makes a point to raise a brow skeptically.

Hinata looks down at the floor, feeling dejected. "N-no."

Tenten smiles. "Well, you are in luck. Our shop offers customers lessons on how to handle their weapons. I can offer you classes to learn how to handle, treat, maintain, and use a bow. We'll teach you how to aim, fire, and even how to take weather conditions into account."

Hinata's eyes brighten. "R-really? When are these c-classes available?"

Tenten claps her hands together. "We offer classes daily from 10:00 A.M. to closing."

Hinata smiles excitedly. "I-I'll come by when I'm free."

Tenten grins. "I'll be here when you are ready. By the way, your order will be 3,000 Ryo."

…

In another part of the village, Sakura drags her weak, aching body to Team 8's Training Ground. She heard that they are leaving on a mission in a few hours, so this is her only chance to ask.

When she gets to the Training Ground, she spots her target. She immediately straightens her back and feigns confidence. "Good Morning, Kurenai-sensei."

Kurenai looks at who's been trying to reach her. "Sakura? How are you doing?"

Sakura forces a smile, trying to hide the pain caused by the bruises and throbbing lumps on her body as a result of training. "I've never been better."

Kurenai smiles. "That's good to hear." She eyes Sakura questioningly. "So, are you looking for something? Do you have business with one of my Genin?"

Sakura clasps her hands behind her back. "Actually, I'm here to see you."

If she was surprised earlier, now Kurenai is downright baffled. "Me? What do you want to talk to me about, Sakura?"

She decides to get straight to the point. "I heard that you are our village's Genjutsu specialist. And Kakashi-sensei told me that I have an affinity for Genjutsu. So I was wondering if maybe you could teach me Genjutsu?"

Kurenai's shock fades to make way for a bashful smile. She knows that no one is ever interested in Genjutsu. It's the most underrated art, and no one ever takes it seriously. The meat-headed men of the village view Genjutsu as a waste of their time, and as a boring, useless art. So to have someone not only interested in it, but to directly look for her to learn the art under… it's a prospect too good to pass up.

She smiles brightly at her new student. "I'd love to, Sakura-chan. I know you are Tsunade-sama's apprentice now, but I'll try to work out a schedule with her for your development in Genjutsu and Iryo Ninjutsu."

Sakura smiles giddily. "Thank you, Kurenai-sensei."

A Month After Naruto Leaves The VIllage

Naruto growls in frustration. He's been trying to cut this stupid leaf for a Fucking MONTH NOW! "Why won't you cut?!"

Jiraiya's eyes flicker about wildly, making sure there is no danger around them. When he's sure there's nothing nearby, he quickly glances at his student's progress. "I don't possess an affinity for Wind Style, so I can't tell you what to do." He admits.

Naruto growls in frustration. "Wind is so lame! What can it do besides push things around, dattebayo?" He throws the leaf to the ground and stomps on it petulantly.

Jiraiya side-eyes Naruto disapprovingly. "You're being far too narrow-minded my pupil. Wind has a lot of power, as you know. Wind has a reputation for being able to blow things away and cause a lot of forceful damage, but it can do more than that. That's why I'm making you cut the leaf."

Naruto huffs. "What does cutting a leaf have to do with Wind?"

Jiraiya's eye twitches in irritation. Naruto has those moments where it feels like he's purposefully trying to be dumb. He really needs to address that soon. "I'm making you cut the leaf because Wind has the ability to cut."

Naruto squints his eyes in confusion. "Cutting? How can air cut?" He asks incredulously. He makes it a point to give Jiraiya a skeptical look.

Jiraiya stops walking. Naruto is being difficult again, so he needs to give him his full attention to explain. "What's the one thing you need to make something sharp?" He asks rhetorically. "You need a fine, thin edge. Air is as thin as can be. You can make the air as thin as humanly possible. In theory, as long as you solidify the air with chakra, you can make the thinnest, sharpest blade out of it."

Naruto looks at Jiraiya in awe. "Wow. I can do that?"

Jiraiya sighs and starts to walk. "Let's just go."

Naruto picks another leaf from a tree and eyes it sharply. 'Ero-sennin said that in theory, I could make the air as sharp as possible. But how do I make it sharper?' Naruto thinks about how blades themselves get sharper. 'Whetstones and metal are used. Metal sharpens metal, making two thin edges. How would that work with wind?'

Suddenly, Naruto gets an epiphany. "Could wind be used to sharpen wind?" He asks himself. Naruto cups his hands together and closes his eyes. He pictures two blades of wind grinding against one another, creating a thin, sharp edge. He strains against the effort, and he can feel his hands prickle a little.

He opens his eyes and opens up his hands. He sees small cuts along his skin, and a large gash in his palm with blood dripping out. It's highly concerning, but above all, one thing grips his attention. "The leaf…" There is a minuscule, almost microscopic cut along the end of the stem of the leaf. A large, toothy grin splits his face.

Jiraiya smiles in pride. "I'm impressed you managed to figure it out so soon, Naruto. From the looks of it though, you need to learn how to control your chakra. Keep practicing. When you can finally cut a leaf only using two fingers, then I'll teach you some Wind Style Jutsu."

Naruto rubs Hinata's ointment all over his hands. He can feel the steam seal off his wounds, leaving fresh, pink skin. He then grins challengingly at Jiraiya. "Challenge accepted."

…

Once they finally reach a stop, Naruto thinks about what else can be done to further his training. It does not matter how small the progress is, because little things stack to become large gaps. So taking that into consideration, one thing he hasn't trained is his mind.

He remembers when an incident with his clone happened back in the Forest of Death. He can't remember exactly what it was, but he did remember that he wrote about it in his notebook.

Opening up the notebook and flipping through it, Naruto finds what he was looking for. "Clone might transfer memories during sleep. 1st time might be a fluke, so test it first. A good way to study if true.'"

Right. That could be useful. He hates studying, but he knows that knowledge is a dangerous weapon in the Shinobi World. So being smarter, in turn, makes him stronger.

Ero-sennin has been trying to make him read a book mapping the Geography of the Elemental Nations for weeks now. Looking out the window, he can see it's getting late. Now is as good a time as any to test his theory out.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." Four clones spawn into existence. Naruto hands them 4 books. A book on geography, a book on mathematics, a book on chemistry, and a book on history.

Begrudgingly, his clones pick their poison and petulantly grumble their way to find a place to study for the night.

Naruto yawns and tucks in for the night.

…

The next morning, Naruto dispels his clones. A headache strong enough to turn his brain to mush squeezes against his cranium. He feels pressure like a geyser building inside his skull.

And just as quickly as the headache came, it disappeared. The pain leaves, almost like it never existed at all. And with the diminishing of pain comes an inviting influx of information. Suddenly, he knows that Mizu no Kuni is made up of 8 islands. He knows Pythagoreas' Theorem is a^2 + b^2 = c^2. He knows what an electron is, and he knows the First Hokage died before the First Shinobi World War.

Overall, he'd call his little experiment a success.

A Month And a Week After Naruto Leaves The VIllage

Naruto groggily walks with Jiraiya to their new destination.

Jiraiya worriedly looks at his student's exhausted state."We went to bed early yesterday, and I even let you sleep in. Why are you so tired?"

Naruto dismissively waves his hand at Jiraiya.

Jiraiya sighs. 'Kids these days. Always so stubborn.'

…

Later that night, Naruto decides not to use his clones to study. He's too exhausted ever since he started using them. But the knowledge he gains at the speed he does is so incredibly valuable. He can't give that up.

'Maybe, just maybe I can study with my clones while awake.' He decides to test it out.

Naruto summons a clone. The clone heads outside and writes something in the dirt. When it's done, it dispels.

In the room, Naruto writes down the word 'Whirpool.'

He smiles, feeling satisfied. "So I receive the memories of my clones, regardless if I'm awake or not." Naruto facepalms, feeling like a fool for depriving himself of sleep for the past week.

Tomorrow, he'll simply have his clones study while he's awake and dispel them before bed. That should work.

…

The next morning, Jiraiya eyes Naruto suspiciously. "Yesterday you looked like you were on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion. Today, you look as spry as a spring chicken. What happened?"

Naruto smiles mysteriously. "Teenage stuff."

Jiraiya deadpans.

Kids are so annoying. And Naruto is worse than any other kid he's ever met.

6 Months After Naruto Leaves The Village

Sakura glares at the girl sitting next to her in their shared Iryo Ninjutsu classes. Since their first class together, Sakura's always been better than her when it came to understanding the material and applying the methods they learn. From the first second she applied herself to medicine, it all came so easy to her. It's hard work, yes, but she excelled at a rate not even Shizune reached when she studied under Tsunade-shishou. And with the privilege of having a live test subject in Lee, she has a wide margin of error to work with.

But Hinata… from the very first class, the girl has struggled. She always seemed overwhelmed with the workload, and she always had trouble doing the learned Jutsus herself, even with help of the Byakugan. Even then, every time she sees her studying and helping out a patient, no matter how stressed she seemed, Hinata always had a genuine smile plastered on her face. She seemed to be enjoying herself.

Don't get her wrong, she's happy that Hinata is happy, but despite her struggles, the girl is always breathing on her neck regarding progress. Whenever she masters a technique with ease, Hinata masters it an hour later. Even if it's kicking, screaming, clawing, whatever, the girl always, always catches up, no matter how ugly the manner. She's sort of like Naruto in that sense.

It's so frustrating. Medicine was supposed to be her thing, but Hinata seemed to not want to let things go her way.

But that's okay. No matter how hard Hinata tries, she'll make sure to work even harder. Even if unintentionally, Hinata managed to make a competitive rival out of Sakura.

…

Hinata has a day off today. Between training under her father, and working in the Hospital with Tsunade and Sakura, she only has Saturdays to herself. Saturdays are her favorite. That is the day she can focus on her new favorite hobby. Archery.

And today, she really needs to de-stress after losing to Hanabi yesterday. Again.

She finished her Beginner's Courses with Tenten a few months ago. Right now, she is working out how to incorporate Archery into her skillset by herself. She would love a teacher, but unfortunately, Konoha doesn't have anyone proficient in Archery. She has no choice but to teach herself and learn to become a specialist on her own.

It's tough work, but she won't quit. Naruto-kun doesn't ever run away from a challenge, and neither should she. She wants to prove her worth to her clan, her sister, and most importantly, herself. If she can teach herself her own niche of excellence, if she can have a contribution that only she is able to do, well, that would be a good place to start.

Hinata draws the string of her bow and takes aim. She releases the arrow, and it soars into the sky where it immediately kills a hawk flying overhead.

She makes her way over to the bird. The last thing she wants is to waste a life like that. The bird would make a good lunch.

When she gets to the bird, she pales. The bird she killed was Jiraiya-sama's messenger hawk. The same hawk that brings Naruto-kun's daily letters. 'H-how did I not realize this earlier?'

Only one word could be used to describe the predicament Hinata was in. "Sh-shit!"

One Year After Naruto Leaves The Village

Tsunade stares intently at Neji. She's ready to deliver her final verdict on his health. "Neji, I know this last year has been very hard on you. All the treatments and months of Physical Therapy have all been worth it. You have made a full recovery, and it is my honor to say that you can recommence your shinobi career once more."

Hinata gives Neji a bone-crushing hug while sobbing freely. "Neji nii-san! C-congratulations!"

Neji hugs her back weakly. He tries to maintain a strong front, but he struggles to hold back his tears of elation.

Tsunade smiles at the heartwarming scene. "I'll give you two a moment to yourselves."

Hinata and Neji smile and laugh freely, finally feeling the weight lift off their shoulders after a year of heartache.

"Nii-san, I-I'll make sure you g-get back to your very best. I'll be there to t-train you in time for the next Chuunin Exams!" Hinata promises wholeheartedly.

Neji smiles sincerely. He doesn't deserve Hinata's forgiveness, but he will make the most of his second chance. "And when I reach my best, I'll become the best training partner you've ever had."

The joyful siblings close a painful, despairing chapter of their lives, and open up a new, fresh page filled with hope and promise.

…

Lee collapses from exhaustion. Before his head hits the ground, Sakura grabs him and holds him up. When she feels comfortable, she sits on the ground and places Lee's head on her lap. She sighs, feeling frustrated. "You really are way too reckless, you know that?"

Lee pants like a dog. His body aches everywhere. "I… was able to sustain the Fifth Gate for three minutes when I fought Gaara. Now…" He pauses to take a few more breaths. "...I can hold the Fifth Gate for… four minutes now. I can… sustain it a minute longer now, Sakura-san."

Sakura's palms glow green. She begins the slow process of mending back together Lee's bones, muscles, and any other damaged tissue. She gives Lee a disapproving frown. "You're lucky that I'm around to bail you out when you do something stupid." She bites harshly. Slowly, her bright, emerald jewels gaze into Lee's solid black eyes. "Please, be more careful Lee-san. I don't like seeing you hurt yourself." She pleads with concern.

Lee winces. He feels terrible for worrying his friend. "I… I'll try to tame my flames of youth, Sakura-san."

She smiles, feeling satisfied. "As your personal nurse, that's all I ask."

Lee immediately stands up, ramrod straight. He coughs into his fist and makes a conscious effort to hide his scarlet face from Sakura. "I-I feel m-much better now, Sakura-san. I'll c-continue with my youthful training."

Sakura blinks in bewilderment. 'What happened? Did I say something wrong?'

With Naruto and Jiraiya

Naruto jumps around, feeling ecstatic. "Ero-sennin, Ero-sennin, look!"

Jiraiya resists an eye-roll and makes an effort to look at whatever has Naruto so happy. He's been trying to teach Naruto a one-handed Rasengan, and in the entire year, all the progress on that has been Naruto managing to do it by himself with two hands.

Don't get him wrong, that's progress, but not the type of progress that is ready to face Akatsuki. His absurd physical conditioning and his steady progress in taijutsu serve as a good consolation prize, but it's not enough. You can only imagine his startlement when he finally understands what he's looking at.

His eyes widen and the snack he's holding slips out of his hand. "H-how?"

Naruto holds up a perfectly split leaf in between his index and middle finger. There isn't any unevenness or crookedness to the line. It's straight along the vein.

The boy smiles proudly. "I kept trying and trying and trying, and I finally got it, dattebayo!"

Jiraiya is completely bewildered. 'But how? It takes most Jonin years of exclusive, dedicated training to master even the first step of change in Chakra Nature. Naruto only took a year, and it wasn't even exclusive training. He split his attention among other things. Is he some sort of hidden prodigy?' Muses Jiraiya.

Eventually, Jiraiya begins to smile as well. He feels pride well up inside him. Naruto has done something special today.

Jiraiya gets up and ruffles Naruto's hair. "Okay. I'll hold up my end of the promise. I'll teach you what I know of Wind Style Ninjutsu. Get ready. I'm not going to go easy on you, nor will I take away time from your other exercises. You'll wake up two hours earlier, and you'll sleep an hour later. It will be hard, grueling work, but by the time we are done, you'll have a wide arsenal of Wind-based attacks." Jiraiya gives the kid a small smile.

Naruto wraps his arms around Jiraiya's neck and hangs off it. "Ero-sennin! You're the best!"

Jiraiya moves his arms around erratically, trying, and failing to get a grip on the boy. "Get the hell off of me!"

…

A week later, Naruto spots Jiraiya sitting at a table in deep thought. He's scribbling inside a notepad with an ink-dipped paintbrush. It's so rare to see the self-proclaimed Super Pervert look so… focused, so naturally, Naruto would get curious about what had the old pervert so preoccupied.

"Whatcha doing, Ero-sennin?" Asks the curious boy.

Jiraiya barely spares him a glance. "Fuinjutsu. It helps me relax."

Naruto doesn't know what it is, but it has the word 'jutsu' as a suffix. It must be some new mega-powerful shinobi art for the old pervert to actually spend time doing it. "Teach me."

Jiraiya snorts mockingly. "Yeah, no. This art requires you to be absolutely focused on your task. One slip-up can cost you your life. I know you, brat. You don't have the attention span required for such a complex art."

Naruto growls angrily. This shot to his ego wouldn't fly. The old pervert might as well have declared an open challenge to the blond. "Try me, dattebayo!"

Jiraiya shrugs. "Okay, I'll bite. I'll teach you the basics. Depending on how well you do, I'll decide whether or not to allow you to keep pursuing Fuinjutsu."

Naruto grins excitedly.

…

"Well, I'll be damned." Mutters Jiraiya.

It's only been three days since he showed Naruto the basics of Fuinjutsu, including calligraphy, the symbols, their meanings, and the application of chakra. It took himself months to learn these minor steps in the art, yet it took the idiotic blond three days to master the basics? All he could say was "How?"

Naruto smiles uncertainly. "I don't actually know myself. I guess it just came naturally to me. It was easy."

"Easy he says." He mumbles.

'I should've known. He has a natural affinity for Fuinjutsu because of the Uzumaki blood flowing through his veins. I can't pass up on this well of potential now, can I?' Muses Jiraiya.

"Tell you what. I'll teach you everything I know about Fuinjutsu, and I mean everything. I'll teach you about chemistry, physics, quantum theory, and every bit of science I know. I'll even teach you the most advanced things I know that even experts don't know about. I'll try to teach you." He admits.

Naruto blanches. All of that sounds so boring.

"But…" And just like that, Jiraiya grabbed the entirety of Naruto's attention. Jiraiya smirks, knowing the blond will eat up these next words like the finest ambrosia. "If you can learn everything that I know in these last two years we have, I will give you a primitive clue about the Yondaime Hokage's perfect jutsu. Hiraishin no Jutsu."

That did it. That sealed the deal

For Naruto, the prospect of learning the Yondaime's most prized jutsu, Hiraishin no Jutsu, is a prospect he cannot pass up. It may be a primitive clue he'll earn, but it's still a very real first step to learning one of the most unbeatable techniques ever created.

Naruto smiles confidently. "Get ready, Ero-sennin. I'll master everything you give me on Fuinjutsu before we get back to Konoha."

Jiraiya smiles back at the kid. "I hope so, or else this would all have been a wasted effort."

A Year and Six Months After Naruto Leaves The Village

In Otogakura No Sato, a tall raven-haired boy sits alone in the center of an underground training ground. He's exhausted from the strain on his body. He lays down and stares at the high, dark, empty ceiling of the lair. Despite the fatigue he feels in his body, Sasuke's mind is as overactive as ever.

Unfortunately, his thoughts linger on a conversation he had with Kakashi almost Two years ago. A conversation about the man's Sharingan eye. That day, he heard a name he would never forget. Uchiha Obito. His story... He's thought long and hard about him.

"Obito taught me many things. He gave me my philosophy, which is 'those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon a comrade are worse than scum'. Obito told me that, and Obito proved his values to me. He'd rather fail the mission than abandon our teammate, and he would rather forfeit his life than let me die. He gave his left eye to me as a parting gift. So Sasuke, Obito's life is what I mean by 'those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum'. He embodies that ideal. I hope you've learned something from this."

That was what Kakashi told him. He did learn from that. It feels weird to say, but ever since he heard the story of Uchiha Obito, he was always fascinated by the boy and his way of life. Obito is probably the closest thing he's had as an idol since Itachi.

He used to respect Obito back when he was in Konoha. Even though he defected, a small part of him still feels the same way about him. However, a much larger part of him feels like Obito was a fool. Obito gave up his life for a man that -who from the looks of it- has failed to live up to his philosophy. Obito was naive. But... to be fair, Obito died young. He didn't get to see how awful the world truly was before he died. He can forgive him for such idealistic views considering his age.

It makes him wonder, however... how would Obito react if everything he ever knew, everything good in his life was forcibly taken from him? How would he react if he watched it happen? All his hopes and dreams crushed in a single moment. His ideology put through the ultimate test. Would he make it out whole?

No. Something tells Sasuke that Obito would react the same way he did. Maybe even worse. If someone as pure as Obito were to be corrupted by the rot of the Shinobi world, then that means he is justified in the way he reacts when it pertains to Itachi. It's a shame really.

If he had the chance to speak to Obito, the chance to understand him, he'd relish the opportunity. He'd finally know which is the right path for him to take. After all, if his secret idol were to fall into the clutches of despair, then that meant it was inevitable that everyone will one day lose their innocence.

And when the day arrives that Itachi is dead at his feet, he will finally be free.

Narrator: For Sasuke, Obito serves as a mirror of himself. He sees himself in Obito and Obito in himself. For most, such a thing would be a good tool for learning about oneself. It helps you to see yourself objectively, and it helps you become a better person.

For Sasuke, this type of thinking would lead to his eventual fall.

In Konoha

The entirety of the Konoha 12, excluding Naruto and Sasuke, get ready for the Chunin Exams. Everyone decided to hold off on taking the test until Neji was fully rehabilitated, and that day has finally come.

Sakura joins Team 10 to fill their vacant spot in the platoon since Shikamaru became a Chunin a long time ago.

It goes without saying that everyone was promoted with little difficulty, including Neji.

With Naruto and Jiraiya

"Odama Rasengan!" A large explosion shakes the Earth as a massive ball of condensed blue energy slams into the ground. Vibrations hum along the ground, and shockwaves swim across the air.

The jutsu fades and a Shadow Clone along with it.

Jiraiya claps from a safe distance away. "Well done, Naruto. You have mastered Odama Rasengan and you finally figured out how to make a one-handed Rasengan. You have more than enough raw power to eliminate most seasoned Jonin. Your strength will naturally improve as you age, so now it's time to start the most grueling part of your training."

Naruto gulps. This last year and a half have been hard on his body. He cannot imagine how terrible this next year and change will be. "W-what will we be doing next, Jiraiya-sensei?"

A mirthful chuckle escapes Jiriaya's lips. Naruto only ever calls him 'sensei' when he wants something from him, or in this case, mercy. "I will be training the most dangerous weapon a shinobi can possess. Their mind."

Naruto can feel a tear roll down his cheek. "M-mercy, sensei…"

Jiraiya smiles all smug. "I know you've been using your clones to study while you train. I gotta say, it's a fantastic idea. Even I never thought of that. Since I know you can learn faster than anyone else, I plan to take full advantage of that. I'll train your analytical mind, your planning, strategic understanding, observation, and whatever else I can think of."

Naruto now rues the day he ever discovered the secret of Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. "Shit."

Jiraiya pulls out a folder and throws it into Naruto's lap. "Open it."

Naruto opens the file and looks at the contents. "It looks like a bunch of mission reports."

Jiraiya's smile notches upward slightly. His eyes knit together slightly. The smugness in his look is nearing condescending. "That's because it is. Think of this as a daily test I'll give you before bed. The paper has details about a mission someone from Konoha already completed. It includes context, a timeline, the number of shinobi, their abilities, as well as predicted level of strength. I forgot to mention it also includes their enemies on the mission if they have any."

"Okay. What do I do with this?" Asked the stumped boy.

Jiraiya holds up his index finger. "Your job is to use your brain and tell me what happened on the mission."

Naruto gives Jiraya a look that says 'Are you serious?' "How do you expect me to know what happened, dattebayo?"

Jiraiya shrugs. "I don't. I expect you to try and guess what probably happened. You tell me a step-by-step synopsis of what you think happened. Tell me what each person did, and in what order. Depending on how close you are to the answer, I'll reward or punish you accordingly." He giggles sadistically.

Naruto gulps hard. "A-and then?"

Jiraiya becomes serious. "Secondly, tell me what those taking on the mission did wrong. That's the concrete part of this step. After that, try to come up with as many possible things that could've gone wrong. What did they not take into account that could've hurt their chances of success?"

Naruto frowns. That seems pretty difficult. "And then?"

Jiraiya's expression hardens into stone. "Then tell me if they succeeded or failed in your eyes. What things did they do that caused their downfall or made the mission a success? What didn't they do that made them succeed or fail?"

Naruto can feel a headache form already. "Is that it?"

Jiraiya smirks. "It would've been, but because of your tone, I have one more thing for you."

Naruto groans.

Jiraiya bellows out a laugh. "Don't worry. This is the easiest part."

Naruto sighs out loud in relief.

"Maybe." Comments Jiraiya.

"What?!" Squaks an indignant Naruto.

Jiraiya completely ignores him. "Your final job is to tell me what the team could've done better to maximize their chances of success. If they die, tell me what they could've done to survive. Tell me how the mission could've gone smoothly if the mission was a mess. That kind of thing." He grins like a Cheshire cat. "Easy, no?"

Naruto petulantly crosses his arms and frowns bitterly.

"Hmph!" Grunts the Sannin. "You better get used to this. I'll quiz you every day before bed until the final day of training. And every day will be progressively harder."

Naruto grumbles something under his breath.

Jiraiya looks on at the horizon, seeing the sun start to set. He grins devilishly at the pouting boy. "Looks like you'll have your first lesson today."

Naruto tries to run away, but a large, firm hand gets a hold of his arm.

He's dragged off to his accursed fate.

Two Years After Naruto Leaves The Village

Naruto has been ruminating on the potential consequences of asking this question for months now. Should he ask, or not? Can he trust Jiraiya with the greatest secret he possesses? If you were to ask him when they first met, the obvious answer would be a resounding 'No'. Even when he spent every day with Jiraiya for a year, it'd still be a 'No'. However, after a year and a half with the pervert, his feelings for him evolved. He no longer sees Jiraiya as simply his teacher. He sees Jiraiya as his father.

Well, maybe not exactly a father, but maybe a Grandfather? An uncle, maybe? Whatever he is to him, he trusts Jiriaya with everything he is, including his life. There are few things he hasn't told Jiraiya, such as his hidden hatred for the Sandaime Hokage, the existence of Yami, and most of all, his Byakugan.

The former two are much more complicated to explain and would set off red flags for Jiraiya, so the only secret he could ever reveal would be his Byakugan. After two years, though, he thinks that the time has come. He trusts Jiraiya fully. "Umm, Ero-sennin?"

Jiraiya looks up from his journal and stares at the now much taller boy. He finally reached his growth spurt. "What?"

Naruto huffs out a steady stream of air. It helps to calm him down. "There's something I have to tell you. But if I do, you have to give me your word you will never tell ANYONE what I'll tell you."

That caught Jiraiya's attention. Naruto always tells him what's on his mind, so for the boy to have a secret that he has never mentioned the entire time they have been together… that's big. "It depends on what you have to tell me. I can't exactly make a promise like that." He admits.

Naruto purses his lips. "I'm not asking you as Jiraiya of the Sannin, a shinobi of Konoha. I'm asking you as my master, and friend." It was hard for Naruto to say something so sappy.

Jiraiya closes his journal with a snap and gives Naruto his full attention. "As a shinobi, if what you tell me is a danger to Konoha, I must report it to Tsunade-hime. But as your master and companion…" He sighs. "I'll give you my word that I'll keep your secret."

Jiraiya meant every word of that.

Naruto sighs in relief, but even with Jiraiya's reassurance of confidentiality, he still feels anxious about how he'd react. "I think I'll just show you." Naruto kneads chakra in his coils. He then casts the signs for his jutsu. The chakra flows to his eyes and activates his greatest kept secret. "Byakugan!" Naruto's irises turn a pale gray and veins protrude around his eyes.

Jiraiya gasps dramatically. "B-b-b-but… b-but h-how? Y-you possess B-Byakugan?" He sputters disjointedly. He tries to get a hold of himself, but he fails to find his sanity in the madness he just witnessed.

'It shouldn't be possible. Naruto couldn't possibly possess Byakugan! He's not a Hyuuga!' He tries to rationalize.

"Ero-sennin?" Asks a concerned Naruto.

Jiraiya's manic black eyes bore into Naruto's worry-filled blue. "How do you have those eyes? You are not a Hyuuga!"

Naruto recoils nervously at the unwanted attention. "I-I don't know! I showed you because I thought you could help me, dattebayo!"

After a few seconds, Jiraiya manages to recompose himself, if only enough to speak. "I promised to keep this confidential for you, and I will. But Naruto, I have no idea what you want me to do with this information. I'm not a Hyuuga, and I've never trained a Hyuuga before, so I can't help you learn to master your eyes."

Naruto feels a pit in his gut. "S-so is there nothing you can do to help me?" His eyes mist up, and his bottom lip quivers.

Jiraiya groans. 'Curse my bleeding heart. How can I say no to that look?'

Jiraiya shakes the feeling away. "I'll tell you what. The best -and I truly mean the best- that I can do is maybe, maybe help you control your eyes so they can become usable. I can help you control your chakra better and get accustomed to your eyes. Pretty much, if you try hard enough, you should be able to use your eyes without passing out from exhaustion." He looks at Naruto knowingly.

Naruto looks at his reflection from a nearby lake. He grimaces at his pale, sickly visage. In his current state, his eyes really do more harm than good. "I guess it's better than nothing."

Jiraiya walks up to the teenage blond. "I'll help you manage. However, when we get back to Konoha, find a Hyuuga who will teach you how to master your eyes. Or at the very least, find someone who will make your eyes fit for practical use."

Naruto nods. "Okay."

Jiraiya looks at Naruto with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. "You know, in your current condition, you are not fit for any physical training today, but you are in the best possible state to maximize your mental training."

'Oh no.'

Jiraiya continues. "I've been training your tactical and environmental awareness, but I think it's time I start getting into more advanced strategic thinking."

'No!'

Jiraiya's smirk widens to sickly proportions. "So starting today, I'll teach you how to create plans and strategies, as well as a backup plan, a Plan C, and how to set up contingencies."

'No, No, NO!'

"And lastly, in case everything that could possibly go wrong does, I'll teach you how to create your own plan to help you fall back and survive." That final sentence was the nail in the coffin.

"NO! Ero-sennin, why?!" Pleads the miserable blond.

Jiraiya shrugs dismissively. "You need to understand that this world is more than powerful and flashy jutsu. It's also about your ability to adapt and your willingness to learn. I already told you. I'll make a real shinobi out of you. And part of that is understanding that Plan A never goes as you want it to, but a plan will set a baseline and objective on what to do while on a mission." He states sagely.

Naruto gives up. He's too weak to fight back, so he resigns from struggling.

In Konoha

Hinata pants exhaustedly. She retreats, trying to find a bit of reprieve to administer some emergency healing to herself. Unfortunately, her opponent is as ruthless as a Blood Mist Kage. Hanabi won't give her any room to plan, rest, or counter.

The battle started out even. It's more even than it's ever been. Hinata is faster than her Imouto, much more agile than her sister, and considerably stronger than her as well. Her physical prowess overwhelmed Hanabi, and for a while, it looked like Hinata had finally reached her goal.

Sadly, Hanabi proved to be more skilled than her Aneki. Much more skilled. The gap was closed, but it is only temporary. Hanabi will grow older, and one day, she'd match Hinata in her physical prowess. What cannot be compensated for with age, however, is skill. What Hinata learned today is that as long as their skill gap remains, she can never overcome her sister. 'Today may have been my best effort yet, and that is a sign of progress. I need to become more refined in my Jyuuken. When I achieve that, I would have finally achieved my goal.'

That was the last thought in Hinata's mind as a vicious palm strike hit her directly on the diaphragm. With the air knocked out of her lungs, Hinata finally passes out.

…

Neji watches Hinata's spar from afar distastefully. He feels proud of Hinata's progress, but it isn't enough. Hinata has already surpassed Hanabi, but that's not what she wants. Hinata wants to beat Hanabi in a Jyuuken fight. As long as Hanabi is more 'Hyuuga' than Hinata, the elder girl will never win. Hinata needs something new that would help her balance the playing field and finally reach her goal.

Hinata has gone into a deep dive on Iryo Ninjutsu, and it's worked wonders for her. She's also dabbled into a bit of Water Style Jutsu, but nothing too serious. Neji himself has actually gotten heavily invested in Earth Style Jutsu. He finds the directness and simplicity in the efficiency of the Element fascinating. It's as if Jyuuken was a Ninjutsu... or better yet, Jyuuken is like if Earth Style was made into a Taijutsu.

But that isn't enough, nor is it what he meant. Hinata needs an ace up her sleeve. Neji has the perfect idea of how to do that. Hinata needs to invent her own Jyuuken jutsu. Something strong. It needs to deliver a powerful punch, and it has to be able to end a fight in one strike. Most importantly, however, it must be something only Hinata can do.

It's the same for himself. After half a year of training, he's back to the level of strength he thought he'd be at had he never been injured. (AN: Neji's current power level is slightly less than the start of Shippudden Neji in canon.) Despite his remarkable progress, he's not satisfied. Knowing Naruto, he'll come back to the village a powerhouse. He'd have destroyed and far exceeded everyone's expectations of his progress. If not in power, then in skill.

Naruto is an unknown. Lee, however, isn't. Reluctantly, Neji has to admit that Lee has surpassed him. He and Lee may be friends, but the idea of Lee surpassing him in the manner he did really rubs him the wrong way. He cannot fall behind.

Just then, Neji gets a brilliant concept idea for a new jutsu. He needs to improvise and make the Jyuuken much more deadly than it currently is. He needs the jutsu to be versatile, where it can kill an enemy immediately, or within minutes. It needs to be a jutsu that is hard to counter, and that only those with specialized knowledge can understand. Most importantly, it must be so incredibly subtle that the victims have no idea they are on the verge of death.

Neji smiles. He's got it. The perfect jutsu to work on. It'll increase his effectiveness drastically without altering his style at all.

Before he can start, he needs to figure out how he can effectively incorporate Earth Style into his arsenal.

…

Kakashi eye-smiles warmly at his student. "I'm impressed, Sakura. You have made excellent progress with Genjutsu. Kurenai has taught you well."

Sakura smiles with a blush. "Thank you, sensei."

"But you can always improve." He adds expectantly.

Sakura frowns. "What do you mean, sensei?"

Kakashi sets his typical blank expression. "I mean that Kurenai is teaching you all that she knows. But that isn't enough. You are merely copying what someone else already learned. I think it's time you start developing your own Genjutsu."

"H-how do I do that?" Stammers Sakura.

Kakashi holds up a finger as if he was starting a count. "To make Genjutsu, you must have a vivid imagination. You must think about what type of Genjutsu you want to make, what the context is, what triggers it, and the weaknesses in it. Simple." He eye-smiles sarcastically.

Sakura deadpans. "Right. Simple."

"He's right, you know." Chimes in Kurenai.

"Now, get to work." Demands Kakashi.

Sakura glares at him in equal parts annoyance and determination. Alas, she starts writing down potential concepts for Genjutsu with the help of her senseis.

She makes a small mental note to only test out the safer ideas on Lee. For the more experimental ones… maybe Lee would still volunteer as a test subject.

Two Years And Six Months After Naruto Left the Village

Neji stands proudly in the Hokage office, feeling all his closest friends' eyes looking at him in pride.

Tsunade smiles. "After looking at your track record and your efficiency, Chuunin Hyuuga Neji, I hereby declare that from this day forward, you are a Jonin. Congratulations."

Small claps pitter-patter around the enclosed room. Neji feels someone run up to him and give him a crushing embrace. "Neji nii-san!" Cries out Hinata. The cousin-siblings separate and share happy smiles. They both fully enjoy this proud, momentous occasion.

Neji winces when he feels a harsh slap to the back. "NEJI!" Lee squeezes the air out of Neji's lungs. "Your youthfulness has been compensated. I'm so happy, my eternal rival!"

Gai sobs tears of happiness. "Neji, my beloved student. You have made me the proudest teacher in the whole wide world! To celebrate your youthful achievement, I will run a thousand laps around the village using only one arm!" Gai runs and clamps onto the other side of Neji, the one not being held by Lee. Neji is now in between a green Bushy-browed sandwich.

Tenten, Sakura, and Tsunade are all deadpanning at the idiotic display. Even Hinata can't resist a twitch of annoyance on her brow seeing something so… lame.

With Naruto and Jiraiya

Jiraiya looks at Naruto grimly. "Today, Naruto, I will give you the hardest field test of your life."

Naruto smiles confidently and blows a raspberry at Jiraiya. "Pfff! I've passed all your tests with flying colors. This will be a piece of cake!"

Jiraiya frowns. "Naruto. You once told me you wanted to be a hero, right?"

Naruto squints in confusion. "Uhh, yeah. Why are you asking?"

Jiraiya stares Naruto in the eyes, penetrating into his soul. "What are you willing to do to save those in need? Are you willing to do absolutely everything, even making the hardest decisions all for the sake of others?"

Naruto is starting to feel nervous now. "Y-yeah! I swore that I would find a way that was straight and true, without regrets. I never go back on my word. That's my Nindo!" He declares uncertainly.

Jiraiya pauses. He looks at Naruto carefully. Closely. He's looking for something. Something vital.

And just like that, Jiraiya stops his scrutiny of Naruto. "Let's put those words to the test."

Jiraiya takes Naruto to a clearing deep in the forest. When they reach it, Naruto sees a gargantuan camp filled with shinobi and what appears to be bandits.

"Why are we here?" Asked the blond.

Jiraiya stares at the camp with a frigid, apathetic look. "This is a camp containing hundreds of missing-nin. Or rogue ninjas, if you prefer. Along with them are just as many bandits and thieves. They have merged together and are working as a large organization of over 400. Their firepower may not be all that impressive, but there are many of them."

Naruto narrows his eyes at the camp. Rogue ninjas are scum, and bandits are no better. "So we take them out? Seems simple enough."

Jiraiya shakes his head. "No. You don't understand. These people are not your average criminal organization. Your average criminal would do crimes for monetary gain, or in order to earn notoriety. Even if it's not a noble goal, they have their motive. But these guys…" Jiraiya pauses and gives a glacial glower to the bandits from afar.

Naruto gulps. "These guys… what?"

Jiraiya clenches his fists. "These guys are irredeemable monsters in the truest sense of the word. They invade and attack any village they can find. They kill those fighting to protect their homes. They kill the children to send a message, and they rape the women until they've had their fun. When they are done, they leave behind all precious goods and materials from the village. It's a statement proving that they don't do raids for money. And when it's all said and over, they destroy all evidence of a village ever existing."

Naruto is horrified by the idea of such unforgivable people existing. To think that those people would cause all the pain and suffering… and all for nothing. Just because they can... the very thought makes Naruto sick. Such people… "such people don't deserve life." He mumbles.

Unfortunately, Jiraiya wasn't finished. "These people make their money in other ways, such as the trafficking of young girls into sexual slavery." He forces out through gritted teeth.

Naruto remains unnaturally silent.

"And right now, in the middle of this camp, Naruto, is a massive collection of young girls awaiting a fate worse than death." He states grimly. "This is your test. Your job Naruto is to rescue every last one of those young girls. You will do everything in your power to free them. You will try every trick you have to complete this mission."

Naruto glares heatedly at the bandits and rogues. His look carries so much hatred one would think he's the reaper, ready to cast judgment.

The Sannin grabs the blond by the shoulder. "I only have one condition, Naruto." Jiraiya's serious aura rolls off in waves. "You must kill every last person responsible in the camp. There are no exceptions."

Naruto staggers back. "W…what?"

Jiraiya's face shows that he was not joking. "These people are unforgivable. They are scum."

Naruto feels conflicted. "B-but all life is precious, Ero-sennin! I can't kill them!"

Jiraiya's glare intensifies. "These are not people you can talk to, Naruto. You won't be able to convince them of their wrongdoings for the simple fact that there is nothing missing in their lives. They do the things they do for simple carnal pleasure. Whoever survives today will wander around the Elemental Nations and find another group just like this one. And if not, they will work alone. These people will still hurt others, kill innocents, and ruin lives. The suffering will continue, except that every single one of those lives will be on YOU. You will be responsible for their deaths and their suffering all because you were too weak to do the right thing. Sometimes, in order to do the right thing, you must do unspeakable acts." That is Jiraiya's implied ultimatum.

Naruto looks down at the forest floor below with grim determination. His right eye flashes dark, and his right arm feels tingly. "I will do what I have to do."

Naruto sneaks up behind a guard. He takes him down and quickly slits his throat. Naruto forces down a gag and transforms into the victim. He forcefully relaxes and confidently walks toward the center-most building where the girls are being kept.

Once inside, he makes transformed clones to travel to every floor. He has the clones clear up their respective floor until there is no opposition left.

When his clones dispel and he gets the feedback, he has to cover his mouth to hold down his lunch. With effort, Naruto eventually swallows the grim contents of his stomach.

And with the girls secured, all there was left to do was clean up.

He walks out and casts a familiar seal.

And with that, a massive horde of shadow clones are spawned.

The sound of kunai ripping through flesh and the activation of jutsu creates a deafening cacophony of chaos. Screams of agony and the snapping of bones add background noise to the horror song. Bodies, limbs, and kunai litter the ground. Small puddles and streams of blood flow into the soil.

Slowly, but surely, the screams of the camp become quieter and quieter. Eventually, not a single sound remains in the camp.

Naruto dispels his clones, and he gets the feedback on the atrocities he has committed. And with that, his self-control wanes. Naruto hurls the contents of his stomach onto the forest floor. Hot, burning tears flow freely from his eyes, and snot clogs his nostrils. "W-what have I done…" He mutters.

"Well done, Hikari. You have performed a magnificent show here. I'm glad to know that the day of our merger approaches ever closer." And with that small comment, Yami fades back into the recesses of Naruto's mind.

Naruto's right arm trembles. He clenches his fists and tries to choke back sobs.

Jiraiya flickers to his side and hugs him tenderly. "You did good today, brat. Even if it's the last thing you want to hear right now, know that I am proud of you."

Naruto tries to push Jiraiya away, but the old man keeps a hold of the broken teenager.

Eventually, Naruto stops struggling. He crashes into Jiraiya and lays his head in the crook of the sage's neck. He cries freely until his tears dry up.

…

When the boy's crying finally stops, Jiraiya gets up and hands the blond a tissue. "I'm glad you feel better, but the job isn't finished. We still need to free those girls and bring them to safety."

Naruto wipes his eyes and blows his nose. His throat is sore from sobbing, so he can't speak. Instead, he nods weakly. Naruto and Jiraiya start the clean-out of the dungeon. They remove the shackles off of the girls, and they open the cages.

Despite Jiraiya's best efforts, none of the girls trust him. They huddle in corners and avoid looking at him. 'For children to be so wary of the sight of a man... those who are supposed to be their protectors... what horrors must they have gone through...'

"Oi, Jiji, I finally freed the girls from the basement." Chirps a peppy, energetic voice.

Jiraiya turns to look at who the voice belongs. His eyes widen. "N-naru-"

A tall buxom blonde with pigtails winks Jiraiya. She slowly walks up to the girls huddled in the corner and holds out her hand. "I'm sorry if my Jiji scared you. You are safe now." The beautiful girl smiles purely. "My name is Naruko. I took out all those mean old men outside. As long as I'm here, I won't let anything happen to you guys." She ruffles the hair of a tiny doe-eyed girl.

The little girl giggles.

Slowly, Jiraiya's shock fades. He stares at the young woman in front of him. He can feel a smile threatening to split his face in two. 'You are truly the strongest person I've ever met. Instead of wallowing in your grief, you have decided to become strong for the sake of these girls. Kushina... Minato... I hope you both are looking at this from above. I hope you both feel just as proud of him as I do.'

The girls follow behind Naruko. She and Jiraiya take the girls to a rehabilitation center near the capital of Hi no Kuni.

Once the girls are delivered safe and sound and they are far away from anyone that could see them, Naruto dispels from his clothed Oiroke no Jutsu. He signals for him and Jiraiya to take a rest.

They sit quietly for a few minutes, simply taking the time to come to terms with the events of the last few days. Naruto specifically is fixated on the camp of rogues and the state of those girls. Those girls were so traumatized they couldn't even handle the sight of a man. How could a person cause so much intentional damage? And worse... to cause all that damage to children... people who don't even possess the capacity to defend themselves... 'How sickening.'

This line of thought brings him back to the day of the Konoha Crush. The way the lives of the audience members were so wastefully taken. The fact that days after, those same shinobi responsible for the deaths of the villagers were honored in death, whereas the civilians were left forgotten. "It all ties back to shinobi. Shinobi seem to be the cause of everything wrong in the world."

"I can't blame you for feeling that way." States the weary voice of Jiraiya.

Naruto flinches. "Did I say that out loud?"

Jiraiya nods.

Naruto frowns contemplatively. "Ero-sennin. I need to ask. Why is there so much suffering in the world? Why is it that we live in a world where good people get hurt and bad people can live happy lives?" Grinds out the blond. The frustration is seeping out of him.

Jiraiya looks up at the sky. "That's a difficult question to answer, Naruto. This world is flawed in many ways."

Naruto is having none of it. "No! Don't patronize me! I'm not stupid! I can think of so many examples off the top of my head. There's Tsunade Baa-chan. She's done nothing wrong, and yet her lover and her otouto were killed in a war for Shinobi. There's Neji, whose Tou-san was killed for the sake of peace between Shinobi Villages. There's Konohamaru, whose Jiji was killed for the sake of our Shinobi Village! Those girls, whose entire lives were destroyed by greedy shinobi! There is Zabuza… Haku… And then there is Sasuke… whose entire family was killed in this pit of despair that is a Shinobi Village."

Jiraiya remains silent.

Naruto slams his fists to the ground. "I don't get it! Why can't everyone get along? Why can't good people be left alone? Why do we live in a world where civilians are at the mercy of shinobi who do little to defend them? Why are people not allowed to be happy?!" He hyperventilates from his anger. Slowly, the tension in Naruto's body eases, and his arms slacken. "I just don't get it."

Jiraiya rarely smokes, but this is one of the few times he feels it's warranted. He pulls a pipe from the inside of his haori and lights it. He takes one long, strong drag and exhales. When he starts to relax, he passes the pipe over to the blond.

Naruto eyes the pipe warily. Hesitantly, he takes a drag. His eyes widen and he goes into a coughing fit.

Strangely though, he feels slightly more relaxed.

Once Jiraiya has had his fill, he turns to Naruto and smiles sadly. "Believe it or not, I know exactly how you feel, Naruto. I've had those same exact thoughts in my head. They've been circling me over and over again, and even to this very day."

The duo sits silently, neither all too sure of what to say next.

With a frown, Naruto reluctantly opens his mouth. "So… what? Is that it? Will I have these doubts for the rest of my life? Is there no other way?"

Jiraiya leans back and looks at the sky once more. "I don't know much at all, Naruto. I'm only a man. But despite that, even I'm able to see that there is entirely too much hate in this Shinobi world of ours. My whole life, I've always wanted to do something about this hatred. I just don't know how to go about it."

Naruto frowns sadly.

Jiraiya sighs, feeling discouraged. "Maybe you are right. Maybe Shinobi themselves are at fault for the hate Shinobi feel. Perhaps as long as a Shinobi system exists, things will stay the same." Slowly, Jiraiya starts to smile. "Even so, I truly believe that eventually, the day will come when all people will understand one another and live in harmony."

Naruto grimaces. "That sounds… complicated."

Jiraiya places his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "If I can't find the solution to this problem, then perhaps I'll entrust you to find it, Naruto."

Naruto snorts. "It's not like I can actually turn down a request from my master, can I, Jiraiya-sensei?" He states with a teasing smile.

Jiraiya chuckles. "Hahaha! Your smile is my salvation, Naruto. I'm glad I made you my student." He grins at the blond.

Naruto blushes and looks away from Jiraiya. "You ain't too bad yourself, Ero-sennin."

Jiraiya shakes his head and ruffles Naruto's hair. "We should get going now."

The master-student duo makes their way to find a new campsite.

Narrator: In another world, the main, central reality, Jiraiya tells his philosophy to Naruto when he was still young, naive, and impressionable. A young 13-year-old Naruto, who had yet to see the true horrors of the Shinobi World, and who had yet to feel true hatred... his lifetime ideology was set. He was unintentionally indoctrinated, and it made him the man he became.

However, in this reality, Naruto was much older and jaded when Jiraiya entrusted his dream to him. Naruto had seen and committed atrocities. Naruto had felt a budding hatred for the world itself, even if it was a minuscule amount. Jiraiya was entirely too late. Now, Naruto had already begun to develop his own view of the world.

Had Jiraiya known the consequences of his late approach... perhaps he would've felt an unending sense of despair at learning he had failed once again. Perhaps he would've insisted harder on teaching Naruto.

But if he knew of the things Naruto would do... perhaps he would've cut his losses and killed the boy before it was too late.

Three Years After Naruto Leaves The Village.

Jiraiya and a much taller Naruto trek back to Konoha. Naruto is wearing a new outfit composed of a fresh black and orange tracksuit.

"Man, I can't wait to get back to the village, dattebayo. I wonder how everyone is doing? Have they gotten stronger?" Rhetorically asks Naruto, whose voice is now an octave or two deeper.

"Don't worry about them. You should worry about yourself. You have surprised me with your progress, Naruto. You even exceeded my expectations in Fuinjutsu." States Jiraiya matter-of-factly.

Naruto pouts and grunts. "Hmph. It's not like I completed the challenge you set for me. I still have a lot to learn."

Jiraiya shrugs. "Yeah, that is true. But it's not like I expected you to master Fuinjutsu to my level of expertise in such a short amount of time, even with your latent talent and the help of your clones. It's simply impossible."

A tickmark forms on Naruto's head. "So why did you give me a challenge you knew was impossible?"

Jiraiya yawns, feeling bored. "It was to see if you were truly serious about Fuinjutsu. It was a test."

Naruto crosses his arms. "And what did you find out?"

Jiraya smiles. "That you were truly invested in the art of Fuinjutsu. Even if you are not on my level yet, you should get there in a year or two."

Naruto smirks. "Sweet."

Jiraiya bends over to whisper into Naruto's ear. "The secret is that Hiraishin is the perfected version of Nidaime-sama's jutsu of the same name. Find it when you are ready."

Naruto turns around, only to see Jiraiya in the same place he's always been, looking oblivious to what happened. "What?" He asks, sounding truly confused.

Naruto shakes his head dismissively. Internally, he grins, feeling giddy. 'Thank you, Jiraiya-sensei.'

That's the chapter. I want to say that I hope you guys understand why I chose to write that last scene with Naruto and the captured girls. Naruto is a jaded teenager now. Jiraiya was too late in spreading his philosophy. Now, instead of Naruto blindly following Jiraiya's words to the letter, he'll be struggling to follow them. He'll be torn between accepting his Master's will, or following what he believes is the truth. It'll make for some free, easy-to-write drama in the future.

I wrote about Sasuke and his thoughts on Obito because I thought it'd be an interesting dynamic. Sasuke would constantly think about who Obito was, What he would do in his situation, and what kind of person he'd be if he were still alive. I think it adds some nice depth to Sasuke as a character. I hope you understand.

Let me know what you guys think about everyone's development. Of course, not everyone's training was written. I only wrote the training montages for those who both needed it and were going to become huge parts of the story later. The only person who maybe deserves a shout for a Training Arc and didn't get one is Shikamaru. But then again, it's Shikamaru. He doesn't need power. All he needs is to get smarter.

A few more things. I decided to have 'Naruto Shippuden: The Movie' be the only movie I'll incorporate into the story. I have a plan, and that movie is vital for the future.

I have begun the process of creating a completely new Naruto. The process is slow and gradual, but eventually, you'll all see the fruits of my labor. that is all I have to say.

Thank you for reading. Review if you enjoyed it, or if you have requests or complaints. You can always P.M me too.

Have a good day. This is Zippy, out.