"Are we going to buy swords today? Are we? I wonder what kind I'm gonna get..I wonder if I'll be good enough to kick your ass on the first try Sasuke," said Naruto with a hyperactive grin.
"I already have your swords," Maya said. She pulled out two scrolls and carefully unfolded them. Drawing blood from both hands, she pressed down on both scrolls and yelled,"Kuchiyose no jutsu!" Two identical sets of swords revealed themselves.
"I thought that jutsu was used to call forth living creatures that only obey only the master that they have a contract with," Sasuke said in wonder.
"They are very much alive. And I've commanded them to serve you and Naruto," she said. She threw the weapons to them and drew her own.
Day by day they practiced every kata Maia knew, each day more boring than the next for Naruto who was itching to challenge Sasuke, but to afraid of Maia to disobey her. Sasuke strained his red eyes to keep up with her speed, and Naruto pushed himself to exhaustion, filling the forrest with replicas of himself.
It had been another month, two in all of full on torture for Naruto and Sasuke, though Sasuke was more inclined to keep his mouth shut.
"I think were ready," Maia began, "to see how much you two have learned. On the edge of these woods, there are throngs of rogue ninjas. The outlaws of every nation have fled to the safety of the mountains for centuries, forming a natural, yet dangerous buffer between my people and the rest of the world. We'll go straight through their territory instead of around it. Use only your swords, or I'll kill you myself."
"I'd like to see you try," Sasuke muttered under his breath, but before he could finish Maia's swords were at his throat and gut. Naruto waited to see the end result of this fight, but was disappointed when they were discovered by the raging mob of ninja in the valley below them.
"INTRUDERS!!" a loud voice boomed from the valley below them. Kunai and arrows rained towards them from every direction and so the fight began.
From the edge of the woods, they could see a dingy village, marked with a hodgepodge of symbols from every country in the known world. Countless warriors spilled out of the area and ran towards the three. Maia jumped into the medley, cutting her way through the crowd. "See you on the other side boys!" she said.