Sorry for the late update. Things have been hectic lately. But here is the next chapter. Enjoy!
"U- um, Sai-san. A- are you sure this will work?" A dripping wet Hinata questioned, trying to keep the panic from seeping into her voice. She had discarded her jacket and remained in her sleeveless undershirt, which was a relief because she had fallen into the lake more than three times already.
The pale boy in question furrowed his eyebrows as he read the passage in the book he borrowed. He stood calmly on top of the water without disrupting the surface. "Yes. It says here that disturbances in the water will allow you to increase control over your chakra by constantly adapting to the changing surfaces." Sai read before snapping the book shut. "I'm sure this will help you improve, Hyuga-san."
Currently, they're on their fourth day of training on how to water-walk. At first, they had a hard time accomplishing their tasks. Sai was a terrible teacher and Hinata was too shy to say something about it. But after a couple of tries, the lavender-haired girl was finally able to stand for more than a few minutes on the surface of the lake without falling. After that, Naruto decided to leave them alone to focus more on Sakura's development.
After avoiding that disaster, all the pair has to do now is to master it; meaning she should be able to walk, run, and fight whilst standing on the surface of the lake. That's where they hit a wall on what they should do to improve on that. For three whole days, their training consisted of trying to walk across the lake without causing ripples or falling into the water.
Sadly, they made no progress.
For now, Sai has been learning new tricks and easy instructions on how to improve Hinata's water-walking skills. He borrowed books from the library, studying the subject but unfortunately for them, the pale boy isn't that good at explaining things
"O- okay, if you say so…" Hinata stuttered out with a nervous smile.
Sai nodded as he prepared to perform his task. With one big step onto the water, a large wavelet rippled across the lake. The lavender-haired girl prepared for the moment of impact and once it hit her, she did her best to stay on top of the water. However, due to the changes on the surface, she's having a hard time adapting her chakra flow to the irregularity.
She only made it through a couple of ripples before her chakra slipped and she fell feet-first into the water with a yelp.
The pale boy furrowed his eyebrows once again. "Hm, maybe I miscalculated how strong my step is." He muttered to himself as Hinata emerged from the lake, soaked to the bone and shivering from the cold. She began swimming toward the shore to relieve herself from her wet condition.
Hinata trembled as she walked out of the lake, arms wrapped around her body to keep herself warm. "U- um, Sai- san. Can w- we take a b- break for a while?" The lavender-haired girl stuttered out, grabbing her jacket from the ground and placing it on her shoulders.
Sai tilted his head in confusion. "But if we take a break now, we will lose more time in the exercise and we may not be able to finish the assignment Naruto-sensei tasked us with. I believe…"
"Sai-san!" Hinata suddenly interjected rather loudly, earning a surprised look from the pale boy. "I- I understand that but… I- I'm a bit tired at the m- moment. Can we p- please continue later on?" She desperately pleaded before sitting softly on the grass and cuddling against her jacket. The cold was enough to distract the heiress that she just shouted at her teammate.
Sai made another note in his head that the characteristics of the Hyuga heiress are quite confusing. He then slowly crossed the lake and into shore, all the while walking smoothly on the water. Without saying a word, the boy sat next to Hinata and stared off into the horizon with seemingly no reason in mind.
The lavender-haired girl ignored him in favor of keeping herself warm by rubbing her hands together and blowing them. Despite her chattering teeth and shivering body, she could feel herself growing warmer. But in the middle of her warming session, she noticed the boy next to her writing on a book of some sort.
Although she didn't want to appear nosy, she couldn't help but feel curious about their socially inept teammate. After all, Sai might be as mysterious as Sasuke, given that he doesn't give any information about his past or his interests. This might be a way to connect with him and learn more about him.
Subtly peeking from her jacket, she sneaked a glance at the book Sai was writing on and realized that the boy was actually drawing on a sketchbook. In fact, Hinata found herself enamored by the beautiful strokes and shades painted against the paper. She would've never thought that someone like Sai could be such an artist.
The light strokes of his brush created a sea of fine lines across the page. Despite the lack of color, she could see the shades that make up the lake that stretched over to the bottom of the page in a one-point perspective. The meticulous branches connect to each other like an intricate web, all stemming from an arching trunk and spilling roots. Thin spikes acting as grass rose from the circular form that allowed the lake to flow to the bottom. The rising sun from the hill cast an illusion that almost gave the rest of the picture a glimmering glow.
But in the middle of the artwork could only ve described as an elegant dance between two opposing forces. A small figure hovered above the other, their hands poised into a graceful wave. A breath of wild, slithering flames swirled in a fountain of ink, approaching the other figure below. However, the same figure had raised an earthen wall—the clumps along the rectangular structure made it easily distinguishable—to protect themselves from the incoming wave of the churning-hot inferno.
With one look, Hinata could almost see an entire story being depicted in just a single glance; a fight between rivals yet the bond woven so intricate amongst the years.
"S- Sai-san, I didn't know you could draw so well?" Hinata quietly exclaimed, her eyes capturing every detail of the drawing. "I- I mean, I know your jutsus revolve a- around drawing but I always thought y- you were just a fast drawer." She explained quickly, hoping that she didn't offend her teammate.
Sai, meanwhile, didn't take his eyes off his work. "I always found drawing to be easy and interesting. My… friend gave me this sketchbook as a birthday gift because he saw my interest in drawing. I find it… calming." He replied rather sincerely, a very uncharacteristic quality for the pale boy; one that Hinata agreed with as she stared wide-eyed at him.
"Y- you have a friend?" She accidentally blurted out, before immediately regretting it to the point that her heart dropped. "I- I'm sorry! I- I don't mean to o- offend! I- I'm so sorry!"
Fortunately for her, Sai didn't take any offense, partially because he couldn't understand why her question was anything insulting. "Yes. He is my… co-worker, so to speak. He likes to talk to me and perhaps the feeling is mutual." He replied, before coming up with an idea. "How about you, Hyuga-san? Do you have any friends?"
Sai initially thought that by asking a question that's related to the topic, he should be able to continue their conversation and hopefully, by the end, earn their trust. Conversing regularly is one of the tips his new book had instructed him to do to form better relationships with people. Lord Danzo had ordered him to create a connection with them so they would feel attached to him. A puzzling command but otherwise a demand from his master.
However, he failed to take into account the emotional impact his question would have on the Hyuga heiress because the next thing he knew, Hinata had returned to her meek state of huddling back into her jacket and her body trembling but this time, not out of coldness.
"N- not really. I- I don't have that many friends." She replied self-consciously as she pressed her knees against her chest and wrapped her arms around them.
It's true. As the heiress of the Hyuga Clan, most civilian kids were told by their parents not to bother and, in turn, not talk to her. Even amongst the other clan kids, some of them already have their tight-knit groups and they have no room for a timid lavender-haired girl. But it's not for the lack of trying.
She did try to make friends, mostly with some of the kids she encountered. A few times, she would be stopped by her personal guards and be told not to associate with people below her worth. Sometimes, the kids that she would try to befriend would end up making fun of her eyes or scare her because of her meek nature. Other times, the kids have already been told about her status and would avoid talking to her. So by the time she reached the academy, Hinata had already given up.
The question Sai asked dug up some memories she didn't want to remember at all. The somberness she feels remained apparent on her face as she pressed her lips together in dejection. Suddenly, she felt a warm hand abruptly pat her head in a maladroit manner.
She confusingly glanced to her side and found Sai awkwardly doing the same motion with his hand, all with a blank expression on his face. His sketchbook is nowhere to be seen and the brush he's been using to draw is tucked under his arm guard.
Obviously, Hinata's face heated up to the point where the cold practically melted off her body. She jumped up from her sitting position and practically teleported away from Sai. "Wh- what are you doing?!" came her hysterical exclamation whilst hiding behind a tree.
"I read in a book that comforting your companions is one of the best ways to gain their trust. An example is by patting their head to soothe their emotions." Sai replied naturally, as if it's the most obvious thing to do, and judging by Hinata's incredulous expression, it obviously isn't.
Though with that cleared up, the heiress slowly walked back with a nervous smile. "U- um, thank you, Sai-san. B- but only friends are able to do that t- to each other. It may become uncomfortable to those w- who aren't close to you." She hesitantly replied as she sat back down, though there is a considerable distance between her and the boy.
This made Sai pause to think about his actions. "So… one must be friends to initiate a head pat. But, what is your definition of friends? Aren't we friends by simply being in the same team?" The pale boy questioned, a genuine curiosity shining in his dull eyes.
Hinata cringed. She didn't know how to explain a term, something she had never experienced before. But the sincere interest Sai was showing is making the heiress fold. She then decided to blurt out whatever was on her mind.
"Um, I think friends are… people who are close to you; people you trust. They will be there when they need you and they will listen to your problems without judging you. A good friend will protect you, just as you will protect them. To become friends, you should have a strong and close bond with each other. To the point that no matter what happens, they will never abandon you." Hinata stopped herself when she found herself whispering the words, almost longingly. Her arms unconsciously clutched her jacket and huddled herself deeper into it.
Meanwhile, Sai memorized everything the heiress said in his head and analyzed the information he received. 'So gaining their trust and becoming their friends goes hand in hand? Hm, Lord Danzo did say that I need to earn their trust no matter what. If it's according to Lord Danzo's orders, then I must do what is necessary. Though I am curious about these… close bonds she mentioned. Is this what Shin meant by close relationships?'
"I see. Thank you for your insight, Hyuga-san." Sai bowed his head, showing gratefulness whilst also embarrassing Hinata in the process. However, that embarrassment disappeared when she saw the pale boy stretch out a hand and held it out to her. "I would like to offer a start of a friendship with you, Hyuga-san. If we are to be teammates, it would be beneficial if we bear strong bonds with each other."
Hinata's eyes widened before they turned glassy. "R- really? A- are you sure you want to be f- friends with me?" She stammered out, still unbelieving. Years of being rejected and pain held her back from accepting right away but there still remains a tiny glimmer of hope.
Sai nodded. "Of course, Hyuga-san. Being friends will not only improve the team's dynamic, but Naruto-sensei will never have to punish us for our squabbles ever again." He replied, a bit paler than before.
The heiress sweatdropped. Not exactly the answer she was looking for but a glance at Sai's told her how genuine his offer is and she couldn't just ignore it. With a bit of hesitance, she reached out and wrapped her dainty fingers around the pale boy's hand.
"P- please, call me Hinata…" she stuttered out, but she managed to shoot him a genuine smile, albeit a shy one. While she may not show it, she considers this moment a monumental memory of her life.
"Okay, Hinata-san." Sai returned the smile, although it was a bit shaky and out of place on his face. When they both retracted their hands, a comfortable silence fell before them. That is until he broke it by pulling out a yellow-covered book with the title, 'Water-Walking For Dummies', and began silently reading.
Hinata saw it and grew worried. "Um, Sai-san? I- Is that the book you're using to teach me?" She asked, but the answer is already obvious and the oblivious look on Sai's face made it all worse.
"Yes. I found this book in a section in the library called 'Dummy Section', where there are many more of these books about a wide array of subjects, and I find it astonishing that one author that goes by the name of Nōtarin(1), wrote all of these books of educational purposes." The pale boy replied with admiration hinting in his voice.
Hinata didn't have the heart to tell him that the shinobi that wrote those books was a low-ranking Genin who kept failing the Chunin exams and got all of his information out of his ass. It's quite a popular fact to the shinobi corps and most people that do read his work only read it for the sake of entertainment. The only reason it's still in the library is that civilians, who have no further understanding of chakra and the shinobi, find it informative and educational. So, it's a surprise for Hinata to see someone like Sai, a skilled shinobi, would take Nōtarin's literature seriously, but considering his strange lack of emotions and social awkwardness, she doesn't blame him one bit
"Um, may I borrow that book, Sai-san?" She asked. When Sai handed the book to her, she read over the words on the page he had opened. "Water-walking is essentially a different variation of the tree-walking. Unlike the tree, water is constantly moving so your chakra flow must adapt to the surface in a continual manner. Even the smallest of changes in the surface of the water can disrupt the chakra flow of a user." Hinata read in her mind. So far, the information she got is pretty standard and understandable, something she didn't expect from a book like this. That is until she read the next passage.
"To achieve this, practice on a still and small water surface first to get used to it. Then, proceed to a much larger one where ripples and such are common. Keep practicing until the exercise has been accomplished."
Hinata's eye twitched. Never has the heiress been this irritated by a text in a book before yet this one has managed to achieve the impossible. Not only is this information useless, it even fails to provide clarity to its target audience. It only brought more questions and she's pretty sure none of them will be answered by this book. She then flipped the pages, trying to find some decent information that is understandable and logical. But sadly, she found none, and to be perfectly honest, she didn't know what she was expecting.
With a disappointed sigh, she gave the book back. "I- i don't think that book will help us, Sai-san." she said as Sai took it back and stared at where Hinata had stopped reading. After turning a couple of pages, he landed on the last page where he noticed that there was a short, crude message badly written on the endpaper. After an eyebrow quirk and a few rereads, he quietly closed the book.
He suddenly jumped up, causing Hinata to shift his gaze to her questioningly. "Hinata-san. Let's try this again." the boy declared with an oddly enthusiastic tone.
The heiress, a bit confused, slipped her jacket on and followed him to the lake, where he casually made his way to the middle of the lake. Meanwhile, Hinata took her time by gingerly crossing the distance between them. Each step was measured and successfully failed to disturb the surface of the water. Once she reached him, she stopped right in front of the pale boy.
"Sai-san, is there something wrong?" Hinata inquired as she slightly wobbled against the lake's surface.
The boy remained silent and studied the waters around him, while also sending glances down at the heiress's feet. That's when he spoke. "Hinata-san, do you mind activating your Byakugan and observing the chakra on my feet?"
Hinata tilted her head. She didn't know what was going on. "U- um, sure but why?" She couldn't help but ask.
"Since you have the ability to see my chakra, I thought it would be helpful if you can replicate the flow." Sai replied patiently.
Hinata's eyes widened as realization struck her. She resisted the urge to slap herself for her ignorance and stupidity. Her eyes literally allow windows for her to peer through people's chakra and she didn't even think about using them. Veins bulge out from around her eyes as her pupils sharpened considerably; the signs of her Byakugan activating.
The world around her fell into darkness with only the glow of Sai's chakra paths and the outlines of the trees, the lake, and the land appearing in her vision. She could see every tenketsu point in his body, storing chakra and allowing them to flow across his entire body. But as Hinata focused on his feet, he noticed how the amount of chakra passing through would fluctuate at every wavelet that rippled across the waters.
The lavender-haired girl watched in fascination as Sai's chakra, which is fairly large for someone his age, continuously rose and lowered without stopping. Hinata looked down at her own feet and manually controlled her chakra to match the boy'. Much to her surprise, she found it easier than she expected. At every change on the water's surface, she would feel a slight tingle under her foot and that's when she should increase or decrease the amount of chakra she's using. Ever so slowly, she allowed her own instincts to take over and let her body adapt to the new feeling.
Upon achieving this accomplishment, Hinata grew a bit confident. The heiress then stomped her foot on the waters, sending a fairly large wave and thousands of ripples across the lake. The boy allowed them to pass through with no problems but he was more concerned about the state of his new friend. "Hinata-san!" He exclaimed rather loudly, his muscles coiled and prepared to catch the heiress but much to his surprise, the lavender-haired girl managed to stay above the surface of the water, albeit with much difficulty.
A shaky smile blossomed across the heiress' face as the veins around her eyes melted back to her skin. "Sai-san, I think I did it!" Hinata exclaimed quietly, but the twinkle in her eyes betrayed her restrained feelings. "I can't believe I forgot about my Byakugan. This is so… efficient! With just enough practice, I can master this!" Her mind suddenly caught up to her and her excitement immediately deflated. The light in her eyes dwindled into a dull color as she pressed her fingers together. "I- I mean… thank you, Sai-san. I'll m- make sure to practice every day."
Noticing her change of mood, he took note of it and nodded. "No need to thank me, Hinata-san. I am merely doing the task Naruto-sensei gave me. But if you want to, you can thank this book for providing me with the solution to your problem."
Hinata's face morphed into one of uncertainty. "A- ano, are you sure?" She stuttered out.
Sai didn't say anything except to hand the book to Hinata, who slowly but surely walked over to him and took it. She then proceeds to read the small text on the page that Sai let her read.
"Note: Having a Dojutsu user can help. They can see your chakra pathways and your chakra flow, allowing you to see the right flow to manipulate your chakra with."
The pale boy expected the heiress to explode into admiration or proclaim the book, in turn, the entire series as a gift from Kami. After all, that's what Sai did in his own way. However, he didn't expect Hinata to slam the book close and then throw it across the lake with no such care.
Just as he was about to question why, he received a dead-eyed stare from the heiress, which is only enhanced by how her pupilless eyes gazed through his soul and pierced it like a kunai.
"Sai, please do not involve yourselves with such foolishness and nonsense. There are more informative publications available in the Konoha Library." came her deadpanned voice, sounding almost hollow and completely what one would expect from a typical Hyuga. It seems that she did inherit something from her father.
Then without even a moment of hesitation, turned around and walked casually back to shore without the aid of her Byakugan or care for the rippling surface. Sai watched the heiress with slightly widened eyes.
'It seems I have found yet another quality of the Hyuga heiress that I have missed.' he thought to himself as he reminded himself to write it down in his journal later. 'I don't know what it is but it… terrifies me.'
The week has finally passed and if one would ask Naruto what he's feeling, he would respond by wiping an imaginary tear from his eyes and scream, ''I'm so proud of my kids!'
The day when the Genins were supposed to show their water-walking skills was a wonderful day. They exceeded Naruto's expectations by learning to already spar on water, though they are limited to Taijutsu.
Sakura, so far, had the biggest leap in terms of abilities. Her chakra reserve, which once was insignificant, blossomed into a large enough storage to successfully last her more than a few hours on the water without being affected by exhaustion. Through determination and will alone, she achieved something she would never have tried to do if she wasn't presented with the opportunity.
As the three Genins stood in front of him, Naruto fought the urge to smile like an idiot and kept his face as neutral as possible. "Congratulations, you have accomplished the task I've given you." He said as blandly as possible.
The disappointed looks on both Hinata's and Sakura's faces nearly made him break but he powered through. "Since you've worked so hard to improve, I think it's time to gain some experience." He mused, gaining their looks of attention. "Now, I have to admit that I don't have the capability to teach each of you three different types of skills. That's why I requested two additional teachers to help you build a foundation of that skill so that you can build upon that. Am I understood?"
"Yes, Sensei!" They chorused.
Accepting their response, Naruto waved a finger in the air and circled it around. Almost instantly, a figure blurred behind him. The figure was a man with emerald-green eyes and shaggy auburn hair, standing at a good six-foot. He had a lanky build, at least it appeared so judging by how loosely the Chunin uniform hung over his body. A faded scar crossed right on his chin, just above his light stubble. His headband is tied around his waist, displaying the metal plate for the world to see.
Naruto then turned his attention to the pink-haired girl. "Sakura, this is Takumi Kubo. He is a licensed medic-nin and a fairly adept user of genjutsu. Despite being a Chunin, his skills are definitely above that level and I can personally vouch for that." He introduced.
Takumi rubbed his nape bashfully. "Aww, Naruto-senpai. You don't have to butter me up like that." He said in a nasal voice.
"Don't worry. I still think you're a lazy dumbass." Naruto deadpanned.
"Oh…"
"Anyways! Sakura, you will be working on Iryojutsu, as well as Genjutsu, under Takumi for about a week, which is enough time to finish the basics. Since you still have the lowest chakra reserves in the team, it would be better if you focus as a support until you reach a level where you can use proper offensive techniques. You don't have to stick with genjutsu, but there's nothing wrong with adding it to your arsenal. Are you okay with that?" Naruto asked Sakura, who surprisingly took it well and nodded with a determined look.
"No, Naruto-sensei!" She loudly declared.
The blond then turned to Takumi with a stern gaze. "Takumi, I'm entrusting my student to you. Make sure you teach her properly and don't hold back. But make sure to praise her progress as well. I wouldn't want that self-doubt to grow. You understand me, Yamori?" He whispered.
The lanky Chunin straightened at that. This was no longer Naruto the Jonin, but his ANBU Captain and the leader of his team. "Yes, Hayabusa-taicho." He responded steelily, his voice not lacking any respect for the blond before him. Takumi then turned to Sakura with a gentler look. "Looks like you'll be my temporary student for this week, Miss Haruno. I hope we get along well."
"Same to you, Kubo-san." Sakura replied cheerfully.
Takumi then placed a hand on her shoulder, before the both of them disappeared in a Shunshin. Once they left, Naruto turned to the remaining two. "Come with me. I'll introduce you to the next teacher."
With that, the three followed their sensei through the village. They opted to use the most common way shinobi used to travel across the village; roof-hopping. Civilians paid them no mind since they were used to people jumping across the roofs. Most buildings have their roofs reinforced due to this exact reason so it's no unusual for them to leap over from building to building.
After a few minutes of roof-hopping, they landed in between two linear roads that lead to a thick forest with trees that stretched up to reach the clouds. A ten-foot, metallic fence surrounds the entire woodland with wooden gates equally spaced-out across the border, acting as entrances for people to enter. Although the crude warning signs that appear to be written in blood, soldered against the chain-link fence are enough to discourage any civilian or weak-willed shinobi to flee the place.
If that wasn't enough, the path that leads to the middle of the forest is shrouded in darkness, tempting to suck in anyone who dares to step foot into its grounds. A ghostly howl followed the clearing, an essence of the slow but cool winds swirling across the trees. The arching branches looked like thousands of hands dangling in the air.
"This, my students, is Training Grounds 44. But it is also known by its other name; The Forest of Death." Naruto announced to the Genins. "It is said that the whispers of its victims are natives to the forest, haunting every piece of land with the memories of the horrors they experienced still fresh in their souls." The blond mentioned dramatically. But that's just a rumor."
What Naruto said didn't sate the worry the Genins have as they gaze up towards the forest that almost looks as if it was looming over them. Sai observed the forest with a curious eye. He may have heard of it during his training from older ROOT members, but to see it in person is a different experience altogether.
Hinata huddled against the blond's side, her eyes frantically shifting across the entire place. "Um, S- sensei? Wh- what are we doing here?" she asked timidly, with the fear of the forest clutching her throat and making her shiver.
Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling apprehensively. "Well, your teacher likes to hang out here and she specifically told me to—"
"NAAAAARUUUUU-KUUUUN!"
With an exasperated sigh, Naruto instinctively welded his feet onto the ground with chakra and braced himself for the incoming impact. Soon, that voice neared and he felt something heavy slam herself onto his back, her arms instantly wrapping around his neck and her legs clutching his waist. A pineapple-shaped, head of purple hair emerged from his shoulder, a grin plastered across her face.
"I missed you, Naru-kun!" Anko exclaimed, pressing herself even more against Naruto's back and rubbing her face against his nape. Hinata blushed furiously at the intimate scene while Sai tilted his head in confusion.
As the blond tried to ignore the soft pillow-like feeling on his back, he detached himself from the snake mistress and plopped her to the side. "I just saw you this morning, Anko. But I missed you too." Naruto smiled softly as Anko giggled cheerfully. He then faced the Genins. "Guys, you remember Anko-chan so there will be no need for introductions. I asked her this morning for her help and fortunately for us, she's on leave"
"Good to see you again, you brats!" The smile on her face curved into a vicious grin. "Now, who here is Hinata Hyuga?" Though Anko's words may have feigned ignorance, the piercing gaze she was shooting at the heiress with, betrayed her.
The lavender-haired girl felt a shiver run down her spine. She felt as if she was being observed by a snake, slithering across the grass and waiting to thrust its fangs into its prey. With trembling eyes, Hinata turned to her sensei. "N- Naruto-sensei…" she pleaded with a soft whimper. The tiny bit of hope she held onto was crushed after witnessing Naruto's head lower in sympathy.
As much as the blond cares for his purple-haired friend, he has to admit that her personality is obviously… overwhelming to most people. If one doesn't know how to handle her, they will be in for a rollercoaster of a ride. Even he, when he first met her, nearly fainted and almost lost a gallon of blood from his nose after that experience. Luckily, he had the help of a friend to get used to her and after a couple of years, he could say that he can ignore most of her oddities. But that doesn't mean he's blind to her attractive appearance nor is he immune to her flirtatious words. That's why until now, he doesn't know whether he truly understands the creature that is Anko Mitarashi.
"Hinata, you're going to be Anko-chan's student for a while. She specializes in toxins and sabotage, meaning she can subtly disable a person with a single touch. With your Byakugan and the Gentle Fist Style, you could really excel in this skill." He explained although the puppy-eyed look on her face remained. "Also, I think she can help you build your confidence."
Hinata wanted to protest but Anko suddenly placed a hand around her shoulders and leaned against her. "Stop worrying, Hinata-chan! I don't bite!" She emphasized this by baring her non-existent fangs, but it did nothing to sate the heiress's fears. She felt uncomfortable with her when she first met her and it still hasn't changed now.
"B- but…" Hinata tried to speak but Anko simply silenced her with a finger.
"Shh, it'll all be fine. Let's go!" The purple-haired woman declared as she led a reluctant and quivering Hinata towards the Forest of Death by her shoulders.
Almost trance-like, the heiress followed her temporary sensei, her legs moving sluggishly across the dirt. As much as it pains Naruto to put the Hyuga through this, he knows that Anko would be good for her. They almost have the same problem of being belittled and resented, but one hides it better than the other. He didn't even have to say anything to Anko because he knows that she would never harm the girl, intentionally or unintentionally.
As the duo left for the Forest of Death, Naruto redirected his attention to the last member of Team 7. Unlike the other two, the blond didn't exactly have a warm interaction with the boy and even after three weeks, nothing changed at all. Naruto could literally see through Sai's false cheeriness but he couldn't read his thoughts. Meanwhile, Sai has compiled every piece of information about the blond yet somehow, he still doesn't know him. Whether it's for the mission or for his personal interest, he remains in the dark.
Naruto could've gotten rid of him from the start and chosen a different kid to teach. After all, having a ROOT agent so close to him and other kids would make anyone uncomfortable. However, something pulled him towards the boy; a voice crying out for him but he couldn't make out the words. All he knows is that it's telling him that this pale boy with a seeming lack of emotions is different and he should give him a chance.
"Do you wish to eliminate me?" Sai broke the frosty silence with a monotonous voice.
That right there is why Naruto refuses to take action against the boy. This is not the first time he has encountered a ROOT agent and out of all of these times, never has he seen a spark of emotion from them. They were trained from birth to follow their orders without question and kill anyone who is deemed a threat with no hesitation.
No ROOT agent would ever ask a question like that, nor would they have a hint of apprehension layered in their voice. For the first time in his life, Naruto witnessed emotions coming from a soldier of Danzo. Maybe it's because he's still a kid and his training still isn't done, but that didn't matter. The moment he saw the fear that struck the boy's heart when he first showered him with his killing intent, he knew what he wanted to do.
He's going to save Sai from the darkness.
"No. Why would I do that?" Naruto replied with a quirked eyebrow.
Sai just stared blankly at the man before him but inside, he was confused as to why Naruto hadn't tried to get rid of him yet. It's obvious to both of them that he's a spy planted to monitor someone, possibly the blond himself. But nothing has happened yet and it's starting to increase Sai's paranoia.
Naruto walked past him. "Come on. We wouldn't want the girls to catch up to you, wouldn't you?" He flashed him a foxy grin before heading off back to their training grounds.
Sai watched the Jonin seemingly ignore their tense relationship. 'Naruto-sensei's actions are still… indecipherable. I must do more research.'
'Rat - Tiger - Dog - Ox - Rabbit - Tiger' His hands blurred through the hand signs until they stopped on the last one. Taking one large breath, Sasuke Uchiha unleashed the jutsu on his sensei. "Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu!"
Six balls of fire shot out his mouth and spun across the grounds, hurling themselves toward the stationary dummy. As the fiery projectiles hit their target, the wooden figure was consumed by its flames. The shuriken hidden inside the fire shredded through the dummy like candle wax, leaving sludges of melted wood dripping down to the dirt. If the dummy was a human being, blood would've painted the ground and a deafening scream of agony would've rang across the entire field.
Sasuke watched all of this happen with a scowl on his face. There was no satisfaction in mastering a C-rank jutsu in such a short time span. As the flames reflected against his eyes, it was overshadowed by the burning-hot desire simmering beneath his cold gaze. His skin paled into a pasty color as his fists clenched in frustration.
"More!" the ebony-haired boy shouted.
Kakashi peeked from the book he was reading, his one lazy trailing along on the destruction the last Uchiha had wasted. "That's the last fire jutsu I know that's on your level. Any more you won't be able to handle it," he replied in a lackluster tone before returning his attention to his book, a light blush coloring his hidden cheeks. "Oh, Himari. You naughty minx…"
Sasuke whirled and shot the man a fierce glare. "Are you saying I'm weak?" he challenged. No one has ever called him weak before. Not even the shinobi he's met and certainly not the civilians. As much as he despises the blind admiration the civilian populace showed toward him, he can't deny that being worshipped as royalty brought up his confidence.
Without his eyes leaving the page, Kakashi replied with an absent-minded tone, "As you are right now; yes. You're in no way ready for an A-rank or even a B-rank jutsu in your state. You might be the strongest Genin in the shinobi corps, but an average Chunin can take you down."
Fury clouded Sasuke's mind. Red filled his vision as slowly his hands rose up, fingers twitching to form. Like a storm brewing above in the clouds or a volcano with its pit boiling over, the famous Uchiha temper started to reveal itself.
His hands prepared to form into the hand seals of a jutsu he's been practicing ever since he learned about chakra. This was the jutsu that made him into an Uchiha; the jutsu that welcomed him to the family—the same family he killed.
Sasuke would do anything to become strong; strong enough to kill the clan killer and no one—not even this lazy, washed-up Jonin, who dares to deny him his revenge. He was weak when his brother slaughtered the clan; he was weak when he saw his brother murder his parents in cold blood. Five years have passed and he has not been training for all those years just to be labeled as weak.
'I'll show him! I'll show him my so-called weakness!' Sasuke's dark thoughts were practically revealing themselves through his features.
As anger blinds the boy from reality, Kakashi silently watched him under the guise of reading. His one critical eye has been observing the Uchiha the entire time and his reaction just now told him everything he needed to know. The boy continues to prove his flight risk status and if Kakashi's being honest, it would take him a mountain of work for him to even slightly change his mind about his vengeful mindset.
In his red lenses, Kakashi saw everything slower. Sasuke's hands sluggishly formed into the necessary hand seals for the jutsu; a jutsu meant to kill yet the boy's hands are as clean as silver lace. It's a crime to harm a fellow Leaf shinobi unless it's in the form of a spar or training. If he unleashes this jutsu at him, Kakashi can just use this as an excuse to lock him up and prevent him from ever turning. The problem would be out of his hands.
The scarecrow watched as Sasuke stopped on the last hand seal. The boy faced him, eyes glaring darkly at his form. Kakashi subtly prepared himself to switch himself out of his position. Even though he's a Genin, the jutsu he's performing has already transcended its original level. If a kunai can kill a Kage, what more if a C-rank jutsu hits him point-blank?
No, despite the fact that he could disable the boy or even kill him before he could release that jutsu, Kakashi wanted to see him try. Is the boy that far gone; too deep into his thirst for revenge that he sees anyone standing in front of him as an enemy?
Sasuke didn't stop. He inhaled, his chest almost abnormally bloating before he unleashed it all with a cry. "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"
A tiny stream of fire left his mouth. But as it went farther, the flames started to grow larger and larger until they dwarfed the one who unleashed it. Orange, hot fire swirled across the air, morphing into a huge spherical inferno that incinerated everything in its path. Its roar echoed across the entire training grounds as it flew across the air like a meteor.
The very air around it hissed as the fiery ball whizzed past Kakashi, barely licking his skin. The blazing projectile finally found its target and struck the poor wooden dummy standing right behind the silver-haired Jonin, melting the training tool into a sludge of burnt timber and turning every blade of grass in a five-meter radius into ashes. The dirt around the area was singed and blackened beyond saving.
Kakashi regarded the boy with a curious look. The moment he saw Sasuke's eyes shift their attention away from him, he knew he wasn't the target. But it only made the scarecrow question the Uchiha's actions even more. Perhaps, there's still a chance to change his mind.
Sasuke breathed heavily. It almost took all of his chakra to produce that super-charged fireball yet somehow, he remained standing, albeit shakily and exhausted, but standing nonetheless. It had been a split second, but it was all he needed for his anger to shift. If he was any more blinded by his fury, he might've hit his teacher, though he doubted that considering the man is a Jonin.
At the moment, just as he was about to unleash hellfire, he snapped back to reality. He was angry, not because Kakashi called him weak, but because Sasuke really hated to admit that it was the truth. In the academy, he might've been hailed as a prodigy and a genius. But compared to his brother, he's practically nothing. By the time he was a Genin, his brother was in ANBU and it frustrated him to no end.
By the time he reaches his level, Itachi would've been ten times stronger than he was before.
"Are you satisfied now?"
The Uchiha spun his head towards the Jonin. The orange-covered book he was reading is nowhere to be found. His hands are shoved into his pockets; his lone eye lacked its usual lazy look and was staring at him intently. For the first time since training under Kakashi, the ebony-haired boy felt intimidated.
Sasuke clenched his teeth. "I'm going to go over the chakra nature exercises." He grumbled as he stomped away to a single tree planted in the middle of the grounds. All the while scowling to himself, he plucked a leaf from a low-hanging branch and plopped himself against the trunk.
Kakashi watched in amusement as Sasuke tried to train his fire nature by attempting to light the leaf he had clasped in between his hands, on fire. While that may be a Chunin-level subject, it would be a waste not to train the boy's obvious affinity for fire. Almost all Uchihas are known for their ability to masterfully wield fire; so much so that they don't even bother to check their chakra nature.
But Kakashi intends to remedy that. From the way the boy struggled to pass the first exercise on fire manipulation training, it's obvious that his main affinity lies somewhere else and his fire affinity was only developed throughout the continuous use and training. But… he'll have to hold this information to his own for a while. Just until he knows that the boy is no longer a flight risk, which would probably take years.
Just as he was about to return to reading his smu—I mean, his literature, he heard an excitable voice from behind him. When he turned around, he was greeted by an interesting group of people, one of them, he recognized fairly well. After all, he couldn't forget the face of his ototo. Kakashi assumed that the kids trailing alongside him are his students.
As they neared, he noticed that the voice he had heard was coming from this fairly tall girl with bubblegum-pink hair that was tied back by her forehead protector. She wore a red, sleeveless vest that was accompanied by a light pink apron skirt, bandages wrapped all across her legs, and a pair of forearm protectors.
Kakashi actually recognizes this girl as Sakura Haruno, the dead last of the graduating class and known fangirl of the last Uchiha. If he didn't know about that piece of information, he would've thought of her as a decent-looking shinobi. But he reserved his judgment for now as he listened to their conversation.
"...told me that I can use the Shosen Jutsu! He said that my chakra control is so precise that once I have enough chakra in my reserves, I could actually learn it! I even got these books that can help me start learning about how the jutsu works!" the pink-haired girl excitably told her sensei, who seems to be amused by her exuberant feelings.
Naruto had just picked up his students and from the report he received from the teachers, everything worked out in the end, despite the few difficulties that occurred on the first day. Sakura ran to him with an intelligent twinkle in her eye and he knew that her talent for absorbing information came to use. Hinata walked a bit more confidently; she no longer stared at the ground for a long period of time. Although she seems to be avoiding his gaze for some reason he could only assume that Anko's extreme training methods took a toll on her innocence.
Right now, they're heading towards the Hokage Mansion for a special surprise. Of course, he didn't tell them what it is but he suspect that Sai already knew, considering he already looks geared up for a mission. Thankfully, he kept silent for the entire walk and oddly enough, the pale boy hasn't commented on the changes of his teammates.
"So, I think it's safe to say that you're more than interested in Iryojutsu?" Naruto arched an eyebrow.
Sakura practically nodded her head off. "Yeah! He told me that if you allow me to, I can work with him in the hospital on the weekends!" she cried out.
Almost instantly, Naruto was hit by her pleading expression. He correctly concluded that the girls are starting to master the Puppy-Eyed Jutsu that he first encountered with his sister. Is this an instinctive reflex for all twelve-year-old girls?
"Don't worry. I won't deny you a chance to grow stronger." Naruto sighed. It wasn't even an argument. He already decided that if Sakura had enjoyed the lessons and grew interested in the subject, he would've assigned Takumi as her personal tutor. He might be a Ninjutsu specialist, but he has next to no knowledge about Iryojutsu.
As Sakura pumped her fist in the air in celebration, Naruto turned to the quietest member of the team. "So, Hinata… how was your… training?" the blond felt himself cringe when he asked that. Because no matter how effective Anko was with her training, you will never leave that forest without a scar or at least a traumatizing experience.
His assumption proved to be correct when Hinata, the shy and polite girl who loves cinnamon rolls and adores bunnies, glared—fucking glared, at him. Granted, it wasn't really that threatening considering she bunched up her cheeks along with it, making her look like a chipmunk but Naruto isn't stupid enough to voice that out. However, the blond is still surprised to be on the other end of her glare, something he thought she isn't capable of.
Hinata held that glare for about a few more seconds before she huffed and turned away. "It was fine, sensei…" she replied quietly.
Naruto's smile strained. 'At least she grew some backbone. And it seems that Anko infected her with her fashion.' the blond thought as Hinata covered herself with a brand new, light-purple overcoat that matched the color of her hair. Thankfully, the girl didn't wear anything risqué or received any of Anko's provocative, or sadistic manners and just opted to wear a soft, white tunic underneath the coat. He didn't want to explain to Hiashi Hyuga why his daughter struts around wearing thin, mesh shirts and laughing psychotically.
Though now that he observed a bit more, Naruto noticed that she now wore a pouch filled with senbon. 'Was giving her to Anko a mistake?' he gulped. But as they walked along on the road, the blond noticed a familiar figure standing just a few feet away from them. "Kakashi? What are you doing here?"
"Oh, nothing. Just training my angry, little student." the silver-haired Jonin replied, gesturing towards the frustrated Sasuke, who was scowling at the leaf in between his palms.
Sakura's eyes brightened at the sight of her crush. "Sasuke!" the pink-haired girl cried out. It's been a long time since she last saw his handsome face. She couldn't believe she had forgotten about him. Especially during her training under Takumi-sensei. Most of her thoughts for the past week were filled with medical knowledge and genjutsu schemes.
But just as she was about to run over to him, her smile faltered. 'No! Sasuke is training hard. He wouldn't want me to disturb his training!' she berated herself.
Kakashi raised an eyebrow at the hesitation the girl displayed. "Interesting…" the man quietly mused.
However, Sakura's initial cry caught Sasuke's attention. As he looked up, he found himself observing the group with a critical eye. He immediately dismissed the pink-haired fangirl, though he was a bit curious as to why she was not running up to him and asking him out on a date. He also ignored the shy Hyuga heiress, but it seems that after a few weeks of being a Genin gave her some confidence. His onyx-black eyes locked onto the last two figures of the team.
The first was someone Sasuke recognized and found increasingly annoying. Sai was someone who has always interested him, solely for his unusual abilities and power. It's completely obvious to him that the pale boy is hiding his strength and he could respect that. What Sasuke doesn't respect is him losing on purpose during their spars. It frustrated him to no end and he always sought an opportunity to challenge him to a spar.
Unfortunately, Sai had been able to deflect his attempts by implying that the ebony-haired boy is interested in men. So, whenever he would approach the pale boy, he would receive a bunch of curious or interested looks from his classmates and he would end up straying the other way just to get away from their stares. It was more traumatizing than his fangirls.
"Oi, freak! What are you doing here?" Sasuke called out as he started to run toward him.
The pale boy flashed him that same creepy, fake smile. "Ah, we just happened to be walking by your training grounds. You don't mind, do you, Duckbutt?" Sai replied with false cheerfulness.
A tick mark bulged on Sasuke's forehead but he took a deep breath to calm himself down. "No, but since you're here, this is a perfect time for a spar. I hope you haven't slacked off for the past month." He challenged, a confident smirk on his face that had Sakura swooning.
"I'm sorry. But we're on business." came a casual voice.
Sasuke found himself staring up at a man with shoulder-length blond hair that was tied into a ponytail and judging by his clothing, he correctly assumed that he was a Jonin. Upon their eyes meeting, his body froze at the intensity of his stare, freezing him onto the ground. His cerulean-blue eyes were like glaciers piercing through a snowstorm; the air around him thickened to the point that he found himself struggling to breathe. It almost looked like he was measuring him for battle or scrutinizing him. Either way, he felt more than uncomfortable under his gaze… but he couldn't help but feel like he had met him before.
But after a second has passed, the heavy atmosphere vanished and Sasuke was finally permitted to suck in a gulp of air. A quick look around told him that none of them have been affected by the blond's suffocating pressure. His stare alone unnerved the ebony-haired boy but he refused to back down from the man's challenge.
They held their gazes for a bit before the blond broke it with a smirk. "Arrogant one, aren't you? All you Uchihas are the same. I bet you also have a stick up your ass." He mused, earning gasps from the girls and a questioning look from Kakashi.
Sasuke, however, didn't find it funny or shocking. If he had his Sharingan, they would've been bleeding red in anger by now. Their previous interaction faded in the boy's mind as he glared at the man. "Shut up!" the boy snarled threateningly. "Don't taint my clan's name with your words. If you don't have anything respectful to say about them, keep your mouth shut!" Both girls from Naruto's team widened their eyes in shock at the audacity of the ebony-haired boy to talk back to their sensei.
The blond's smirk remained on his face, unfazed by the verbal lashing he received. "Feisty, as well." He then turned to Kakashi and nodded. "I'll be leaving for now. See in you a few days." the blond said before heading back to their destination.
The rest of the Genins followed their sensei, but Sakura's gaze lingered on the fuming Sasuke. She had never seen this side of him and for it to be aimed at her sensei only made it worse. For the first time in her life, Sakura frowned at the Uchiha. The pink-haired girl turned away and walked up to her teammates' sides with a conflicted expression on her face.
"Hey," Naruto called out, grabbing Sasuke's attention. "I had nothing but respect for the Uchihas; if only the feeling was mutual. It's sad that out of the three Uchihas I truly respected, your clan's killer is one of them."
With that, Naruto left with his team, leaving a gobsmacked Sasuke faltering in his step. It was once again another bait to rile him up but this time, the boy ignored it. His eyes never left the fading form of the blond, even as they disappeared into a corner. Despite that, he remained rooted in his position; clenched fists forgotten and his boiling temper simmering down.
Kakashi sneaked a peak at his student. "That was an… interesting conversation." the silver-haired scarecrow remarked off-handedly.
"My brother used to have a friend over in the house." Sasuke suddenly spoke up. The Jonin momentarily forgot about his book, opting to indulge his curiosity. "I didn't talk to him much, but I remember he said something similar. He said to my mom that there are only three Uchihas he's ever respected and she's one of them."
Kakashi arched an eyebrow. "Do you think they're the same people?" he inquired, but all he received was a silent huff.
"It doesn't matter." Sasuke scoffed as he turned back around to train once again. "Just as long as he doesn't stand in the way, I won't bother him"
Hiruzen groaned once again as he noticed that his pile of paperwork, which was once a few pages left, was no taller than himself. All these signings, stamping, and reading are starting to form a massive headache for the wizened man. He even hired Iruka Umino, an academy instructor and one of their diligent ones, to help him in his endeavor. Of course, since it was a request from the Hokage, the Chunin didn't hesitate to accept.
However, Iruka's starting to regret taking this position. It's one thing to grade exams and organize a few records in the faculty. It's another thing to file, seal, and deliver thousands of paperwork from the entire village! He had once thought about being Hokage when he was a child; all children had. It was a fleeting thought; not even a dream or a goal but just a lingering wonder—to be the most powerful man in the village and the leader of the entire Leaf's shinobi corps.
If that thought ever stayed in Iruka's mind, it was now thrown out the window as he witnessed his Hokage cry blood from all the paperwork piling up on his desk. 'Huh, maybe I've been taking my life as an academy instructor for granted.'
His thoughts, in turn, the Hokage's agony were interrupted by the doors swinging open. In came a group that had Iruka's eyes widening in surprise. Not only are his former students here, but his former classmate as well! He hasn't spoken to or seen the man for years now and here he comes, just dragging along three kids as if it was nothing.
Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze was what you would call a model student in the class. He received perfect scores on every test, including written and practical ones. For every question asked by the instructor, he always had an answer for it. No other student could beat him in a Taijutsu battle and even the Chunin instructors had trouble defending against his offensive onslaught. To everyone in the class, he was a prodigy.
But Iruka knew better. While Naruto was indeed a prodigy, it was obvious the academy was pretty much just for show. All the answers he had ever gotten were from textbooks he would hide under the table. He had prepared cheat sheets during written exams to ace them. He doesn't even attend school. Most of the time, it was a clone and somehow, a mere half of his chakra is enough to beat everyone in the class.
How does Iruka know this? Well, most of his pranks were assisted or even orchestrated by Naruto himself. At first, Iruka despised the blond's perfect image and privileged lifestyle. So as an act of envy, he devised a prank that would leave Naruto in his underwear and dripping in goo. Instead, it backfired and the young Namikaze manipulated a teacher into walking into the trap. Since then, the two were a pranking duo without anyone even knowing. If they ever got caught, Iruka would only allow himself to be caught so that Naruto won't have his reputation trashed but most of the time, the two would get away with it.
But when the Kyuubi attacked, the boy wasn't the same and after a few weeks, he disappeared without a trace. For twelve years, he was gone and Iruka admittedly had forgotten about the blond; only because he was more focused on his career as an academy instructor. But here he is now, standing with the same foxy smile that he would always wear when they're planning a prank. The scarred man wondered what happened during all the years of his disappearance and if this man is still the same as the boy he remembered.
"Yo, old man! How's it going." Naruto greeted with a lazy smirk.
Yup, it's the same old Naruto.
If Iruka was still a young, attention-seeking kid, he might've chuckled or even laugh outright. But his time as an academy instructor shaped him into the man his past self would've despised; a stickler for the rules. "Naruto! Show some respect to the Hokage!" He reprimanded, but all he received was a non-committal wave from the blond
"Bah! It's fine! I was waiting for an excuse to ditch this paperwork anyway." Hiruzen's tired voice cut through the air. Without a single care, he crumpled the current paper on his hands and burned it with a small katon jutsu; if only he could do the same to the rest of the paperwork. "What brings you here, Naruto? By the looks of it, you intend to take your Genin team for a mission."
"A C-rank, to be precise." Naruto finished. This received wide-eyed stares from his Genins.
"Ah, I was wondering when you'll finally ask for one. All the other teams have gotten theirs and it's odd to see you be the last one." Hiruzen commented. He has been expecting Kakashi to be the latest one yet to his surprise, he was one of the very first ones.
Naruto shrugged offhandedly. "I've been training them; preparing them for a while and it's about time I take them on a real mission."
The Hokage's eyes narrowed sharply. "Define real…" The underlying question was all too obvious for the experienced shinobi in the room. Iruka stiffened and found himself waiting for Naruto's answer. The atmosphere thickened as the Hokage locked gazes with Naruto, emphasizing the seriousness of such a question.
"I want a camp-clearing mission."
Iruka rose to protest almost immediately. "You have to be kidding! It's only been a month and you want to expose them to the—"
"When will they be ready then, Iruka? If I wait any longer, they will never be ready when they eventually have to encounter that choice." Naruto countered with a scowl. "I was ten when it happened; eleven when I did it! Do you think I was ready for that?"
The scarred man faltered at that. He didn't know about the blond's shinobi record. He just upped and left when they were ten years old and any news about his work or achievements was kept from the populace. To think that Naruto had to experience such a traumatizing event at such a young age horrified him. Iruka had been seventeen when it first happened and it still haunts him to this day. They were no longer in a war but why does Naruto feel like he's preparing for one?
The Genins were looking at the older shinobi in confusion, though Sai has a sneaking suspicion of what they were talking about. They speak about the C-rank mission as if it's a death sentence being handed to them. Does this happen all the time to freshly-graduated Genins, who're about to receive their first real mission?
Iruka turned to the Hokage to plead. "Hokage-sama, you can't be serious! This is not a requirement for them! We shouldn't force these children to…" he trailed off once he saw the wizened man's hand raised to stop him.
"Your connection to the children blinds you, Iruka. They are no longer students, but soldiers in the shinobi force. You cannot protect them forever, but I admire your persistence and solicitude." Hiruzen's wise words struck the scarred man, his eyes lacking the elderly appearance he used to have. Sitting on the chair is now the Professor; the God of Shinobi, a veteran of two Shinobi Wars, and a man wizened by the horrific reality of a shinobi. "But you bring up a good point. Why do you intend to expose them at such an early stage?"
The Hokage's stern look pierced through Naruto's soul, but he held firm. Returning the stare, an action only the blond would have the audacity to do, he planted his feet on the ground and crossed his arms over his chest. "Because it's coming soon, old man. I can feel it. If I don't prepare them, they will die when that day comes." Naruto's words brought bafflement across the entire room but only Hiruzen knew what he was talking about.
"I see…" came the Hokage's worn-out remark.
He could feel his age catching up to him and it's only now that he acknowledges it. To think that he might yet experience another Shinobi War would be preposterous. But everything he was told by Naruto during the day the Kyuubi attacked had him dreading the future. If what Naruto says is true, then not only would he have to prepare; the entire village, no… the entire Elemental Nations has to prepare for the apocalypse that may fall on their world.
"Iruka, give them the scroll for the Yamamoto Bandits," Hiruzen ordered.
The constipated expression on Iruka's face remained as he searched for the scroll in the file cabinets. Upon finding it, he reluctantly handed it to Naruto, who also bore a grim expression, despite his initial insistence on the camp-clearing mission.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama." Naruto bowed, before ushering his still-confused Genins out of the room.
Once the doors slammed close, a weary and jaded sigh escaped the Hokage's lips as he leaned back in his seat with a blank expression on his face. Iruka worriedly looked over to his leader, wondering why the meeting took such a toll on the old man. However, a sudden fire lit up in the elder's eyes, a stark difference from his usual kind and wise look, as he rose from his seat with an authoritative stance.
"Iruka, cancel any appointments or meetings I will have for the entire day." The Hokage's powerful voice reverberated across the entire room, sending chills down everyone's spines, including the hidden ANBU guard.
The scarred man was quick to agree but he couldn't help but question his reasoning. "What's the matter, Hokage-sama?"
For the first time in a long time, Hiruzen could feel a spark of energy that had been lost over the years, running through his veins once more. "I've been slacking for too long. I think it's time I loosen up these old bones. I bet Enma's dying to be released."
He then turned to the upper corners of his room. "ANBU!" Almost instantly, five agents masked in white, porcelain masks and black armor appeared before the Hokage, their heads lowered and their knees resting against the ground; ready for the commands of their leader. "I'm going to need some sparring partners. Care to join me?"
The terrifying grin that curved across the wizened man's lips would soon forever haunt the ANBU's nightmares.
I intend to change Sai's backstory a bit so be reminded that the story may not be aligned with canon.
1) Nōtarin means dumbass
Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu = Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Technique
Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu = Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique