Italics indicate thinking
Bold is for attacks
Kale's POV
"This isn't normal Tree Climbing." Sensei explained "You're not going to be using your hands."
"Sounds fun!" Naruto cheered.
"How does this work?" Sakura asked.
"Watch and learn." Kakashi-Sensei said walking over to the tree.
When he reached the base of the roots he placed a foot on the tree and started walking up it at a ninety degree angle.
"He's climbing vertically." Sakura said.
"Whoa!" Naruto yelled.
"Hmm…" Sasuke just blinked.
"Do you understand?" Sensei said "Gather your chakra in your feet and climb up the tree, you'll only be able to do it if you can use your chakra well."
"How will climbing a tree make us stronger?" Sakura asked.
"They say the feet are one of the harder area's to gather chakra at." I told her.
"He's got it." Sensei nodded "this exercise will teach you how to bring out the proper amount of chakra and focus it in one area, tree climbing is hard for even skilled ninjas, so if you can succeed at this you can pull off lots of Jutsu."
"Talking all day won't accomplish much." He said throwing us each a kunai "Let's start, use the blade to mark how high you climb. Since you kids are young you'll want a running start. Work hard, mark your goal and try and surpass it."
"This'll be easy." Naruto said "I bet I could do it before breakfast."
"Stop rambling, pick a tree and climb." Kakashi sighed.
I stretched my legs, focused my mind and then started running. I felt the pressure in my feet as I focused my chakra to the souls and climbed higher.
"HYA!" I slashed the wood before grabbing the branch nearby.
"Hey look at us." I laughed looking at Sakura who had also reached a top branch.
"This was pretty easy." She said kicking her feet.
"WHAT?!" Naruto yelled.
"You two idiots look like ants from way up here." I smirked.
"Looks like Sakura and Kale are the best at controlling chakra right now." Sensei nodded "Not bad."
Sensei then proceeded to insult both Sasuke and Naruto. Kakashi-Sensei told us to keep working while he sat under a tree and read. We all kept sprinting up the tree, Sakura and I kept hitting the top of the tree but Naruto couldn't get more than a few feet off the ground and Sasuke was only getting a little higher with each try. Sakura was the first of us to start to tire out, I wasn't sure if it was because she just had low stamina or if it was because she was a girl. We all took a few more attempts before Sensei told us to take a break.
We retired back to Tazuna's house where his daughter made us dinner.
"Hey you two." Sensei walked up to Sakura and I "Since you guys are ahead of the other two I want you guys to watch Tazuna tomorrow, I don't think anything will happen but it'll be good to have someone there in case."
"Yes Sir." Sakura nodded.
"Not a problem." I smiled.
Later
The bridge was filled with tools and equipment for building, wood beams and stone cutters were strewn about, one thing I did notice quickly was that there weren't many other people around, I had expected to hear big loud men talking over the sounds of hammers and nails…but it was almost silent.
Sakura and I sat on the railing, I crossed my legs and closed my eyes to meditate.
"Aren't we supposed to be watching him?" Sakura asked "You trying to sleep."
"Meditation is not sleep." I said "Besides I'm aware enough to react if I have to, but if I can't train by climbing the tree I'll train by practicing my focus, I'm trying to learn a new technique that has been causing me a few issues."
"New Technique?" Sakura asked.
"Remember I explained that by combining the elemental instances I can channel different attacks, but right now I only know the three basic moves based on having three of the same instance, I'm trying to learn ones that combine two elements together to create a spell."
"MHHHMM!" Sakura yawned as she stretched "Sounds confusing."
"Trust me it is." I sighed "But…my Dad knows ten spells, and even the three that I know, if he uses them they're so much stronger."
Wex…Wex…Quas…
I sat in the relative silence, practicing hands signs and visualizing the spell, I felt a strange pressure and when I opened my eyes there was a tiny cyclone in my hand.
I did it…Tornado
I closed my eyes again to focus my chakra and practice making the wisp of wind bigger.
"I can't do it anymore Tazuna, I gotta stop."
I opened my eyes and saw a man arguing with our client. The man was nervous about the bridge work being for nothing, he was afraid of dying. But like Tazuna said, this bridge is the only chance they've got, and he wasn't giving up, he told the other man to call it a day and not to come in tomorrow.
He's calling it a day but it's barely passed noon.
"I guess we can head back." I said hopping off the railing.
"Yep." Sakura said doing the same.
We followed Tazuna through town, there were a good amount of people, but almost none of them seemed to be working. I heard multiple people yelling about thieves and saw dozens of beggars. I instinctively stepped a little closer to Sakura, I didn't like the way some people were looking at her.
"I'm supposed to pick up some food for lunch so we'll have to stop someplace real quick." Tazuna said.
"Not a problem." I said.
We headed down a side street before stopping at a store "This is the place."
"Damn…" I looked around "Almost every shelf is bare."
"What's with this place."
"STOP!" I yelled grabbing a man's wrist "Drop it."
The man let go of Sakura's bag and backed away slowly. I glared at him till he was out of sight.
"You should try and be more observant." I said.
"I was, I thought he was just some pervert ogling me." She said assuredly.
"Oh yeah because you've got so much to offer in the way of womanhood." I scoffed.
"Hey!" she snapped "I'll have you know I am stunningly beautiful."
"Keep telling yourself that." I mumbled.
"JERK!" Sakura stuck her tongue out.
Tazuna returned with his groceries and we started to walk back to his home, along the way a small boy came up and asked for money, food or anything. Sakura smiled, dug around her bag and rewarded his smile with some candy.
"So what's with this place?" I asked.
"It's been like this since Gato came." Tazuna explained "Everyone is losing hope, that's why we need the bridge, it'll be a symbol of courage and get people to stand up and stop being afraid. If we complete the bridge…this place will return to how it used to be."
When we got back to Tazuna's house Sakura and I relaxed for a few hours before Naruto and Sasuke returned from their training.
"So, how goes tree climbing?" I asked "Did you get off the ground yet?"
"Of course I did!" Naruto snapped.
"Again with the yelling." I groaned.
Tsunami was kind enough to make us a meal which we all ate together, it was fun to eat with so many people. Naruto and Sasuke were acting like dumbasses and shoveling food down their throats without chewing and then asking for more. Once dinner was done I went to relax and meditate on the floor.
"Excuse me." Sakura said walking by me "Why is this picture on the wall, it's torn."
"Hmm?" I looked up at the frame and saw that someone or something had been intentionally ripped out of the photo.
"It's my…husband." Tsunami said.
"A hero to this city." Tazuna mumbled.
A torn family photo…just what happened.
Inari pushed his chair out, hopped onto the floor and walked away.
"Don't talk about him in front of Inari like that!" Tsunami yelled at her father.
"Touchy subject." I said looking up at Sakura.
"I feel bad for asking." She said making a face.
"I think it's fair of us to ask for an explanation." Sensei said.
"Inari had a father." Tazuna explained "But not related by blood, but they were close, like real family…Inari has changed since that incident."
"What happened?" I asked.
"It's a long story…" Tazuna sighed.
The old bridge builder explained that there was once a man who lived in the country and befriended Inari, they became like Father and Son. The man told Inari that anyone could be tough, as long as they tried. That man once saved the city from a flood, he was called a hero for everything he did for the city. But then Gato came and to set his example had the man killed. Inari had become convinced that heroes only die like losers…or never existed in the first place.
"OUF!" Naruto groaned when he fell off the back of his chair.
"What are you doing?" Sakura sighed.
"Don't go train you're too beat up." Kakashi-Sensei said.
"I'm gonna prove it…I'll show that heroes are real." Naruto said walking off.
"Try not to kill yourself dummy." I said closing my eyes to mediate.
A few days later.
The time passed gradually, Naruto and Sasuke practiced their tree climbing every day, Sakura and I watched over Tazuna. I practiced my spells, the tornados I was conjuring were getting bigger and more forceful and before long I knew I could use one in battle.
Adding another move to my arsenal is great, but I have to manage my Invokes and Stamina well, another spell means more chakra and stamina split up, it's hard for me to do more than three or for invokes before I get exhausted, by adding a new spell I've lowered my ratios a bit.
"Where are those two?" Kakashi-Sensei said as we walked through the forest.
"Naruto was out all night and Sasuke hasn't been back from his walk." Sakura said "I'm worried."
"Whoa!" I stepped back when a kunai hit the dirt.
"Hmm?" we all looked up and saw Naruto laying on the high branches.
"He climbed as high as we did!" I gasped.
"See I did it!" Naruto yelled down, before trying to stand up and stumbling around.
"You idiot don't move!" I yelled.
"He's gonna fall!" Sakura yelled.
He'll kill himself if he falls that far!
"HYUP!" Naruto flipped around and hung on the bottom of the branch with his feet "HAHAHA! Got ya."
"Jerk…" Sakura and I both sighed.
"WAH!" his feet suddenly separated from the branch.
"You're a moron." Sasuke said grabbing him by the ankle.
They got it just in time, Sensei's one week time limit is almost up…if Zabuza is alive…he'll becoming in a few hours.
AN
Thank you for reading. Feedback is appreciated. Feel free to message me any questions or concerns.
Till Next Time!