This is my first story. Don't hate for no reason. Will take fair criticism though.
I do not own Naruto or anything related. That goes to Masashi Kishimoto
CHAPTER 11
Becoming a seal master is supposed to take years. Each level takes much, much, longer than the last. But since that day there was always at least a few dozen clones practicing fuinjutsu even while the original Naruto was sleeping. But the day before the sealing, Naruto had just managed to finish level eight. He learned how to place and remove slave seals but the sections that mentioned juinjutsu were very insistent on the fact that it was very different and very difficult, though the copy of the caged bird seal that Hinata managed to bring him was very helpful on learning how to remove it.
Hinata on the other hand began to learn a new fighting style. She knew the gentle fist was never going to work for her so she started learning the suiken. And because she and Naruto shared a water affinity they trained in the style together.
On the floor Naruto smiled, "You always beat me when we only use the suiken.
Hinata pushed her index fingers together, "T-this s-style is m-more n-natural for m-me."
Naruto rubbed the back of his head, "I know! The next step is combining it with the Jyuken."
"W-why are you even l-learning this style? You're already really skilled in the raiken."
Getting up, Naruto flashed a confident grin, "To confuse my enemies. I eventually want to learn more styles so imagine this. You're fighting a bunch of my clones but none of them use the same style. First you fight one using the suiken, the next one uses the raiken, then the last one uses the jyuken. It would always keep you guessing."
Hinata thinks about it then smiles back, "That w-would be hard to f-fight. Rematch?"
"Of course!"
Both of them got into the Suiken opening stance and charged. Meeting in the middle Naruto attempted to punch but Hinata bent backwards out of the way. Changing to a cartwheel she flipped backwards trying to kick Naruto in the chin but Naruto was able to dodge sidewards and make another charge. This time Hinata crouched under the punch and palmed Naruto in the stomach. Coughing up some spit Naruto rolled backwards. Hinata charged Naruto who was still on the ground but as soon as she got close he used his crouching position to sweep her legs. Flying over him she was able to convert her rough landing into a smooth roll. But quickly dodged left as Naruto rushed in with a flying kick. But just as Naruto passed by she pushed him, setting him off balance. Unable to land correctly he used his arms to reorient his landing but it was still rough. He was able to stand up just before she strikes so he used her momentum by grabbing her arm and tossing her over his shoulder. But reflexively she held onto him so when she hit the ground he fell over too.
Though Hinata was laying on the floor normally, Naruto was laying over her hand pinning her arm while she was holding on to his other. As they looked each other in the eye, sweat giving their faces a sheen, their tired breath, blushes that were incomparable, and their mouths two inches apart and all Hinata could think was, 'kiss him, Kiss Him, KISS HIM!'
After a second Naruto quickly jumped off, "I-I a-am s-so s-sorry. I-I j-just r-reacted a-and…" 'What is happening to me?'
"N-n-no it's f-fine. It w-was a s-spar." Though she smiled at Naruto she was disappointed in herself. They both took a moment to calm down when Naruto spoke up, "The sealing is tonight right?"
Hinata saddened, "Yes, when I get back to the compound the seal will be applied."
Naruto rubbed her shoulder, "Hey, the next night I get to take it off. You'll still have to wear the bandages over your forehead, but at least there won't be any seal."
Hinata took a deep breath, "Thank you. You've helped me so much, even when you don't have to."
Naruto smiled, "I care for you. You are precious to me, and there is nothing I wouldn't do for you." Naruto pulls her off the ground and continues, "Now let's get you home, I have a seal to remove tomorrow."
Hinata smiled back with a blush, "Y-yeah." 'And I get to live with you.'
-that night-
Naruto bustled around the house organizing everything. They had already bought and arranged the new furniture and moved most of her clothes and items into dressers in the bedroom. In the dining room everything was moved to the sides to make space for the sealing circle directly in the middle. When Naruto returned from training tomorrow he had a job to do and he had to complete it.
When he finally laid down on the bunk bed they had bought he began to focus on his plan. He understood that the kill switch on the seal was dangerous. He knew she was fine if he left the section that destroyed her eyes upon death, but it was the slave seal that scared him. It was so close to the kill switch that if he was even a little off it could hurt her. And above all that was one thing he really did not want to do.
-next morning-
When Naruto arrived at the training ground Hinata was already there, but with a major change. Her forehead was now covered with not only a set of bandages, but also her hitai-ate.
Walking up to her he asked, "Let me see the seal before Shino arrives."
Removing the bandages Hinata responds, "Y-you'll still be able to r-remove it?"
Inspecting the seal Naruto confidently confirms, "Of course! Because it's so fresh the links to your brain and eyes are still developing making it much easier to remove. You can wrap it back up now."
As they waited for the rest of the team to arrive they finalized all the little details about the sealing process and the living arrangements. But after about 20 minutes everyone else arrived.
"Good morning. Today is adjustment day. Remove your seals. But, it's been a month so I want you to do 10 laps around the forest and one hundred push-ups and sit-ups. It should be challenging due to the increase but not too much because of the seal release. Now go."
After three shouts of, "Kai!" Three dust clouds formed as the genin attempted to adjust to their new speed via trial and error. Kurenai watched on, proud of the improvement of her genin, as they completed all ten of their laps in under an hour. And as tired as they seemed they started their pushups directly after their laps. 'I guess training with a stamina monster encourages growth in stamina.'
For the first time the genin were able to complete all their physical exercises in under two hours.
As they were all laying on the grass panting they heard clapping off to the side, "Well done genin. Take a break and rest up before you start chakra control."
After 15 minutes the genin began their one hour of chakra control. Naruto and Hinata remained seated, trying to balance as many kunai as they could along their arms, Naruto having 3 and Hinata having 5. But Shino walked to the river to practice water walking. After an hour Kurenai produced 2 clones and called out, "Time for individual lessons, please follow one of me."
-with Shino-
When Kurenai and Shino separated enough from the group asked, "Shino, give me your best Doton: Doryuheki. (Earth Style: Earth Wall)"
Going through the hand signs Shino monotonously shouted, "Doton: Doryuheki!" And after palming the ground with both hands a ten by ten foot curved wall shot up from the ground. It was roughly 6 inches thick.
Smiling Kurenai walked 20 feet away from the wall and said, "Now, let's test it."
She quickly threw 10 shuriken and kunai and they lodged hilt deep into the wall but they did not penetrate fully through. Next Kurenai went through hand signs of her own, "Katon: Hosenka! (Fire Style: Phoenix Flame)"
Each of the small fireballs that hit the walls only left a scorch mark but no damage making Kurenai very proud, "Well done Shino you're jutsu was impeccable."
"Thank you sensei. Which jutsu will I learn next?"
Kurenai throws him a scroll, "This one."
Doton: Shinju Zanshu: D-rank (Earth Style: Double Suicide Decapitation)
Seals: Monkey-Snake-Tiger-Ram
Description: User travels under the ground then the user then pulls the target under the ground up to their neck, leaving the target vulnerable to attacks and torture.
-with Hinata-
"For the past two weeks I have watched you learn an entirely new fighting style, and honestly you are doing better with the suiken in the past two weeks than the entire time you've known the jyuken. So now we are moving on from taijutsu to ninjutsu."
Hinata gave a confused look, "I'm going to be learning jutsu? Hyuga aren't allowed to learn jutsu."
Kurenai smirked, "You are learning a new style, I know about your living arrangement, and we both know that you're not the average Hyuga. So why don't we continue this change with learning jutsu?"
Hinata thought it over for a second, smiled and nodded, "Okay!"
"Great! Try this one first," Kurenai instructed, tossing a scroll over.
Suiton: Suidan no Jutsu: C-rank (Water Style: Water Bullet)
Seals: Tiger-Ox-Tiger-Ram
Description: User channels chakra to their stomach then spits out a bullet of water. The more chakra is used the stronger the bullets are and the more there are.
Closing it up Hinata smiled, "I'll do my b-best."
-with Naruto
"As promised, if you can show me that you can control your jutsu I will teach you another."
Naruto smirks, goes through the hand signs then shouts, "Raiton: Rai Tenohira!"
Lightning begins to pulsate in the palms of his hands as Naruto runs towards the nearest tree and slaps it. The area of the tree around his hand darkens slowly and when Naruto removes his hand there were dark scorch marks where the lightning used to be.
Clapping Kurenai congratulates, "Well done. Now I assume you would like to learn a water jutsu next?"
"Definitely!"
Digging through her bag she found a scroll and tossed it to him, "Good, because I found this jutsu and thought you might like it."
Rolling it open it reads:
Suiton: Suishoha: A-Rank (Water Style: Water Colliding Wave)
Seals: Horse-Dog-Bird-Tiger-Boar-Ox-Rat
Description: User creates or controls a vortex of water that, using hand gestures, can be manipulated in any way, the water can even be evaporated by the user. The water can also be used for any additional water jutsu.
Naruto asked excitedly, "An A-rank jutsu?"
Kurenai smiled back, "Created by our very own Nidaime Hokage, the jutsu is very adaptable. You could use it as defense, offense, or even support for your lightning jutsu. Though the more water you use the more chakra you need, though I don't think it will be a problem for you. But to accurately control the water, you need good chakra control. So it's a nice balance between power and control."
Naruto grinned, "I'll get this down, no problem."
To be Continued…
I am feeling a little generous today. Plus I am on break so I posted a second chapter today. I will post every one to two weeks. Thank you for reading.