Chapter 3: Work it!

After finishing our lunch at Ichiraku Ramen, Naruto and I headed to the library to do some research. I needed to learn Kenjutsu and then how I could use Breathing Styles.

I highly doubt that something like Breathing Styles exists here.

Naruto the manga was way older than Demon Slayer and was already completed when Demon Slayer started.

Naruto, on the other hand, had no idea what he should do concretely and would follow my lead.

I decided Naruto needed to improve his chakra control. Secretly I would try to find something about the Kagebushin memory transfer, if I told him straight up, even Naruto would wonder from where I knew it.

As we were searching for books, I noticed a familiar figure sitting in the corner of the library.

It was Shikamaru, one of my old classmates who was known for his intelligence and laziness.

And also was the son of the Jonin Commander of Konoha...mmh maybe...?

I walked over to him and greeted him warmly. "Hey Shikamaru, what are you doing here?"

He looked up at me and gave me a lazy smile. "Just killing time, Sakura. What brings you here?"

"I'm doing some research with Naruto," I replied. "What about you?"

"Nothing much," he shrugged. "Just reading up on some strategies for shogi."

"Say maybe you can help us with something."

"Mmh, sure?"

"Your dad is the Jonin Commander, right?"

He gave me a short nod.

"I heard from my parents that Kagebushin No Justu has some special abilities.", I lied smoothly. "Sadly they couldn't remember what, maybe you know...?"

"I just know that you can inherit the memories of the Kagebushin once it was dispelled. Does this help?"

"A lot, thank you!"

I nodded goodbye and went back to Naruto and our search for books.

After finding a few that could help us with our training, Naruto and I left the library and headed to a free training ground.

"Okay, Naruto, I learned something interesting about Kagebushin. Can you make a clone?"

"Sure, Sakura, what did you learn?", he asked excitedly.

I gave him a secretive smile.

"It's better when I show you."

So Naruto got ahead and made his clone.

Or clones should I say?

Not one, like I requested, but three.

"Hehe, ups."

The blond grinned sheepishly, rubbing his neck.

"Indeed, we need to work on your chakra control...okay you clone come with me."

Clone One, as I decided to call him, followed me a bit away from Naruto and Clone Two and Three.

Then I whispered something in Clone One's ear which would greatly offend him.

Before he could lecture me, I hit him with a kunai dispelling him.

At the exact same moment, Naruto and his other clones got the memory and started shouting.

"How could I member of my team say something so horrible!"

"Sakura you eat with me two times at Ichiraku, how can you say Ramen is the worst!"

"It's the food of the gods, Dattabayo!"

Smiling I wander over to the offended blonds telling them: "Now how do you know what I said to the other clone?"

All three of them blinked in confusion.

Okay, I need to spell it out.

"When a clone dispels, you inherit his memories, that's means Naruto that you can learn faster and better than anyone."

It took them three seconds before they started celebrating and shouting they would become Hokage soon.

"Alright, alright calm down. Now Naruto make as many clothes as you can and we will work on Chakra control today!"

Happily, he followed my request and the training ground was filled with at least over 100 maybe 200 clones.

I divided them into two groups.

One group would do the leaf exercise we had learned at the academy the others and the original would learn with me tree climbing.

Like in canon, I got tree climbing down in one go, which made all the Naruto's pout, but I reassured him it was thanks to my small reserve that I had such huge control over my chakra.

While he needed to improve his chakra control, I needed bigger revers or when I tried the Kagebushin it would kill me.

So it meant walking down the tree up and down, till I hadn't any chakra left.

We spent the rest of the afternoon training together.

It was nice having someone to train with who didn't judge me for being weaker physically than them.

As the sun began to set, we made our way back into the village.

I was nearing chakra exhausting, while Naruto, after slowly dispelling his clones, could also do the tree climbing.

We both celebrated.

Tomorrow after our first mission, we agreed to train more and I promised him, we would try water walking.

But for now, I was just happy that I had found a friend in Naruto and had started building a strong foundation for our team's success.

We waved goodbye to each other and walked to our respective homes.

It was night and I was standing in my room. I had an old training sword out of wood from Kizashi in my hand.

Turn out he had tried his hand at swordmanship when he was young but it hadn't been for him.

Thankful he didn't throw out the wooden sword.

Till I got a real Katana this was all I could practice with.

Careful I let the Chakra flow all over my body, especially in my lungs.

I could feel how they expanded more and got stronger.

I was going the right way it seemed.

Then I took a deep breath and began to move the wooden sword in fluid motions.

I would try Breathing Styles when I was out in a training field and not at home where I could break stuff.

The sound of it cutting through the air filled the room. I focused on my technique, making sure each movement was precise and intentional. As I continued to practice, my mind drifted to the day when I would finally hold a real Katana in my hands.

But for now, this training sword would have to do. I knew that mastering the basics with this simple tool was crucial before moving on to something more advanced. With each swing, I could feel myself getting stronger and more confident.

Hours passed by as I trained, lost in my own world of focus and determination. When I finally put down the wooden sword, sweat dripping down my face, I knew that I had made progress.

And tomorrow, I will pick it up again and continue on this path towards becoming a true swordsman.

I woke up early the next morning, eager to continue my training. I grabbed the wooden sword and headed outside to the training field. The air was cool and crisp, perfect for a morning practice session.

As I began my warm-up exercises, I couldn't help but think about how we would start the stupid D-Rank missions today.

Chores not more was that!

I still wonder what they were good for, there had to be a reason behind it. Besides keeping the Genin in a safe place, where they could use their skills without killing themselves or others.

I focused on my breathing as I started my practice routine, moving through each technique with precision and grace. The sound of the sword cutting through the air was like music to my ears, each strike bringing me one step closer to mastering this ancient art form.

Then it was time to meet up with Kakashi-Sensei, Sasuke and Naruto to get our Mission aka. A chore for the day from the Hokage.

The disappointment of Naruto and Sasuke as we got the mission was funny. They really thought we would be protecting a princess or assassinating a corrupted Daiymo.

As we arrived at the client's house, I could see that they were grateful for our help and eager to explain the task at hand. It was a simple job - guarding their shop while they went out of town for the day - but it still required focus and attention to detail.

We took turns patrolling the perimeter, keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity or potential threats. And even though nothing eventful happened during our shift, I felt proud knowing that we had done our part to protect the village and its citizens.

As we returned to the Hokage's office to report on our mission, I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment wash over me. Maybe D-Rank missions weren't so bad after all - they were just another opportunity for us to prove ourselves as capable ninjas and valuable members of the community.

Or maybe it was just funny seeing Naruto and even Sasuke, albeit quietly complain about their first mission.

Kakashi-Sensei gave us an eye smile. "I'm proud my cute little Genin. We will meet tomorrow at the same time and get our next mission."

And with that, he shushed away.

Sasuke walked home, not wanting to spend time with us.

I really need to come up with something so we can bond and make Sasuke stronger too.

I don't want him to go to Orochimaru, just no, if we can avoid this a lot of later headaches get stopped.

Like yesterday Naruto and I had lunch, this time I dragged him to a Dango-Shop, too much ramen wasn't good and then we trained together again.

Water walking was on the program and I was glad I told Naruto to take his swimwear with him, even with his clones he landed often enough in the water.

I was wearing a bathing suit too and, yeah, amazing chakra control, but the water was something different.

I needed more time to get it down.

At the end of the day, we were wet as freshly washed clothes, but water walking was down on our list too.

Amazing how Naruto excels with the right guidance.

I pat myself mentally on the shoulder.

And for a few weeks, this was my life.

My daily routine had become quite predictable - morning training with my wooden sword, followed by a D-Rank mission with Team 7, lunch with Naruto, and then more training in the afternoon.

However, I knew that I needed to mix things up if I wanted to keep improving.

I decided that I needed to bond more with Sasuke and find a way to make him stronger as well.

Maybe we could train together on our own time or find a common interest outside of missions.

As for Naruto, he was progressing rapidly under my guidance and we were now working on our fighting skills.

But first, it was time for my morning training session. I grabbed my wooden sword and headed outside to the training field. The cool morning air felt refreshing as I began my warm-up exercises before moving on to my techniques.

Later that day, we received another simple D-Rank mission - babysitting.

It wasn't the most exciting task but it gave us an opportunity to work together as a team.

Also, it was funny how the little girl was full fangirl for poor Sasuke.

I tried my best not to laugh at his misfortune, while Naruto openly laughed.

He stopped when little Kari-Chan kicked him in the balls.

Autsch.

After completing the mission, I decided to take Sasuke and Naruto out for some onigiri at a local shop.

It was important for us to bond as teammates and friends outside of missions.

I bet the Uchiha only came along because it was one of his favourite foods, besides tomatoes.

It was good that I still remember these little things from the Databooks.

I won't lie it was awkward for all three of us.

Naruto and I already were the bested of friends, he even started to call me Nee-Chan, while Sasuke couldn't connect with either of us.

He just ate his onigiri and then left.

In the following days, Naruto and I continued our training in fighting skills.

Naruto's progress was impressive but Sasuke still seemed distant from us.

I knew that we needed to find a way to connect with him on a deeper level if we wanted him to stay loyal to Konoha.

Overall, my life had become centered around training and missions but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Every day brought new challenges and opportunities for growth as a ninja.

It was so much different than my life before. I loved my life and my kids and grandchildren, yet having a second chance to live in such a fantastic world was something else.

Then came the day, I tried the Breathing Style.

My target was a simple wooden pole.

Trembling I hold my wooden sword in my hands.

This is it.

I let the chakra flow, take a deep breath and rush up to the pole.

"Total concretion! Love Breathing!", I shouted getting closer and closer to my target. "First Form: Shivers of First Love!"

Two things happened.

With the help of chakra, the attack worked exactly like Mitsuri's one in Demon Slayer, the single slash that winds through the target, hitting multiple areas with one slice.

The wooden pole was now a lot of little sticks.

And the second thing that happened...the technique was too much for my practice sword.

It turned into campfire sticks.

Damn it!

Well, at least I had the proof that Breathing Styles worked!

I just need a Katana now.

A Katana, which is really pricy.

I sign and check my hand for splitters.

Where should I get a Katana?

I decided to ask around for a good place to purchase a Katana.

I asked some of the older ninjas in the village and they recommended a blacksmith who had been making swords for generations.

I made my way to the blacksmith's shop and was greeted by an elderly man who introduced himself as Tetsuo.

He showed me some of his finest work and I was amazed by the craftsmanship.

I explained that I needed a Katana for training purposes and he nodded understandingly.

He showed me a few options that were within my budget and I finally settled on one that felt right in my hands.

It was beautifully crafted with intricate designs etched into the blade.

As I left the shop, I couldn't help but feel proud of my new acquisition.

It was a symbol of my dedication to becoming a true swordsman and it would serve as a reminder of all the hard work and training that lay ahead.

The next day, I met up with Naruto and Sasuke at our usual spot before heading out on our mission. As we walked towards our destination, Sasuke noticed my new Katana and raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Where did you get that?" he asked curiously.

"I went to see Tetsuo, the blacksmith," I replied proudly. "He's been making swords for generations."

Sasuke nodded approvingly, seemingly impressed by my choice of weapon.

For once, there seemed to be some common ground between us.

As we completed our mission for the day, I couldn't help but feel grateful for this newfound sense of camaraderie between us.

We still had a long way to go before we could truly call ourselves a team, but this was definitely progress in the right direction.