The sensei and student were sitting at Ichiraku. There was a comfortable silence between them, separated only by quick glances that Naruto was sending his Sensei whenever he thought Iruka wasn't looking.

Iruka smiled »Just ask already Naruto«

The small blonde swallowed a lump in his throat. »Umm, what's the tree walking exercise?«

The chuunin laughed. »So this is what it's about.«

Iruka looked to the side for a second. Coming to a decision, he looked back at Naruto and started speaking. »Well, remember the leaf focusing exercise I had you do in detention? Well it's basically an upgrade of that. You focus your chakra on your feet and with it you can walk upright, or even hang from the ceiling.«

Naruto nodded. He was quiet for a few seconds then asked a question.

»How do I know I'm doing it right.«

Iruka smiled a bit. »You mean apart from it working?«

Naruto pouted. »That's not funny.«

The chuunin chuckled a bit. »Well to answer your question. If you use too much chakra you'll be pushed of the surface and wont stick. If you use too little you wont stick at all.«

The blonde smiled and nodded to himself. »Thanks.«

In the next moment, two steaming bowls of ramen were placed in front of the pair. Iruka took the chopsticks and broke them apart.

»I'm sure you're hungry. More eating, less talking. And no more than two bowls.«

Naruto's eyes widened. »Two bowls! Oh come on!«

Iruka smiled and started eating.

Naruto waited for a second, but he soon figured out his sensei was ignoring him. He took the chopsticks and started eating. He grumbled at the unfairness between large gulps of the broth.

-*9*-

Naruto woke up to the sound of the bustling village. He groaned and looked at the clock next to his bed. He laid in his bed for a few more minutes and then got out. He cleaned himself and got dressed. He put on his headband last and looked at himself in the mirror.

He smiled at his reflection and sighed happily. »Time for breakfast.«

He made himself a bowl of cereal and sat down at the table.

»So I've got about six full days before the team assignment. Should also get my picture taken in the next day or so. Gotta try tree walking too.«

Naruto's thoughts then ran in a different direction, to the past events.

»It's weird, I remember beating the crap out of Mizuki, but it's weird. My memories are like, as if I hit him hundreds of times.«

Naruto froze. He sat frozen for around ten seconds before he crossed his fingers and made a kage bunshing. He told it to go in his room and bring him his clock. After the clone came back and put the clock on the table, he dispelled it.

Naruto froze again, then started laughing. It was a funny kind of laugh which turned creepy really fast. Naruto stopped his laugh and threw the bowl in the sink and then quickly ran to the door and left.

His path carried him through the streets to the nearest training ground. His head was full of thoughts about how he was going to become the best, the strongest, the fastest and the smarted person in the world. Oh and Hokage too.