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Daily Challenge Completed.

Reward: 1 Point.

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"No, no, no-oh wait yes… no, no, no."

Knock knock

Naruto turned to face his front door, "Coming!" He yelled as he stood up and made his way to the front door. He opened the door and saw Jiraiya standing on the other end, "Pervy-? Er, Jiraiya-sensei? What are you doing here?"

"Hey master Jiraiya, good to see you." Jiraiya rolled his eyes as he stepped inside Naruto's apartment. "Why don't you come in?" He continued.

"My bad, jeez." He replied as he closed and locked the front door. "SO are you going to tell me why you're here now?"

Jiraiya looked around the living room and saw all the mess, "You ever clean up around here?" Naruto rolled his eyes and made a cross-hand sign. Four clones poofed into existence and quickly began cleaning along with the original. After a few minutes, the living room was mess-free. "That's better. Now, I'm here because today we leave so I hope you're all packed and ready to leave."

"I was finishing packing my clothes before this old man interrupted me."

"Oh haha. I hope you know that your words cut deep, kid." Naruto rolled his eyes causing Jiraiya to chuckle. "Alright, be ready to leave around 2 kid. Meet me at the gate by that time or I'm going by myself and you won't get to learn how to do the rasengan."

"Alright, I'll be there. Just have to finish packing." Jiraiya nodded and decided to leave. After his master closed the door, Naruto walked back and finished up his packing. 'Okay, I already finished today's Daily Challenge. All that's left is to say goodbye to Ino and Hinata.' A pit of nervousness grew within his stomach. He wasn't used to doing this… to having a girlfriend, let alone two. And on top of that, one of his girlfriends was part of the Hyuga clan. And if they all had a stick up their ass like Neji did… 'I think I'll say goodbye to Ino first.'

Jiraiya's thoughts were filled with a mixture of guilt and frustration as he remembered the events that he and the two elders talked about. Sunagakure was forced to face significant financial strain. The reparations imposed by the Konohagakure Alliance were substantial and aimed at punishing the Sand Village for its reprehensible actions. The exact details of the reparations remain confidential, but they were undoubtedly substantial enough to strain the finances of Sunagakure. Failure to pay for the reparations would result in Konoha placing harsh limits on Suna's trade, travel, and diplomatic interactions, effectively isolating Suna from the rest of the world.

Then came the next part of what the elders wanted to talk about. They want Jiraiya to take the Hokage mantle.

As he contemplated his future role, Jiraiya's thoughts wandered in a different direction. Despite his reputation as a perverted figure, he knew that his true nature was more complex. The pervy sage persona was often used as a facade, allowing him to infiltrate various communities and gain access to sensitive information. However, deep down, Jiraya knew that his perversion was not purely for amusement. It was a tool he used to gain trust and access, allowing him to gather intelligence more efficiently.

While Jiraiya's perversion was notable, it was not sufficient to classify him as a pervy sage. There was an underlying purpose behind his lewd behavior, which went beyond mere indulgence. He wrote his infamous books as a means to easily infiltrate society. Men, he realized, generally held more power and responsibility in society, making them more likely to read such salacious literature. By presenting himself as a perverted author, Jiraiya could gain access to influential circles and discreetly gather information.

Despite his initial reluctance, Jiraiya realized that being a free shinobi might be more fulfilling than being the Hokage. As a Hokage, he felt constrained by his duties and the weight of responsibility, while as a ninja, he could explore the world, train his students, and seek out new challenges. However, he knew that stepping down from the Hokage position would spark controversy and doubt.

The thoughts of Jiraiya's past mistakes weighed heavily on him. He had encouraged Minato to pursue the Hokage position, knowing that it would mean sacrificing himself for the greater good. Jiraiya couldn't help but question his judgment, wondering if he should have stepped in instead. The guilt and regret ate away at him, making it difficult for him to consider taking on the mantle of the fifth Hokage.

Ultimately, Jiraiya decided that Tsunade was the obvious choice for the fifth Hokage. Her medical expertise, leadership abilities, and natural charisma would not only benefit the village but also allow Jiraiya to focus on his spy network and the training of his godson. He believed that Tsunade's appointment would serve as a fitting tribute to both Minato's sacrifice and his shortcomings.

Jiraiya's thoughts continued to swirl as he contemplated the complexities of his role in the ninja world. Despite his reputation as a perverted sage, his motivations and actions were driven by a desire to protect and strengthen the Hidden Leaf Village. He realized that being a free shinobi, while still fulfilling his responsibilities as a ninja, would allow him to pursue his interests and continue to make a difference in the world.

He nodded to himself and decided to just head to the gate and wait for Naruto to arrive when the time came. He had nothing else to do so he'd just wait at the gate.

Naruto walked down the streets of Konoha with his sweaty hands stuffed into his pants' pockets. He saw the Yamanaka's flower shop up ahead to his right. This would be the first time entering her family's shop. When he arrived just outside the store, Naruto pulled his hands out of his pockets and rubbed the sweat off his hands onto his pants.

The bell just above the door rang, "Hello and welcome to the Yamanaka Flowers! I'll be with you in a second!" Ino yelled from the back of the shop. Naruto let out a sigh as he tried to get control of his nervousness. As Ino rounded the corner, her eyes widened as she saw who her customer was. "Naruto?"

The blonde turned around and nervously chuckled, "Hey Ino, I just came to say I'm leaving on a mission and I don't know when I'll be back."

Ino nodded her head as she walked over to Naruto. "Oh okay, what's the mission for?" Ino's eyes widened as a sudden thought crossed her mind. "Oh, have you visited Sakura yet?" Naruto shook his head and Ino crouched down near the dandelions. "You should go and give her one of these. These flowers signify healing, I'm sure Sakura would appreciate it."

He grabbed the flower out of her hand and took it to the counter to pay for it. Naruto's body eased up as he saw how casual Ino was being. Maybe he was nervous for nothing, Ino was still Ino after all. "Thanks, I'll go give Sakura this before I leave. And I'm going with my master to track and bring back the Fifth Hokage."

"Really? That's… amazing." She spoke in a shocked tone.

"Yeah, I know, heheh," Naruto said with a fox-like grin. After a few seconds, his grin dropped and was replaced by a nervous demeanor. He scratched his cheek and dropped his gaze to the floor. "Sorry I'll be gone for a while… maybe we can go on a date when I get back?" He asked in a higher pitch and with his cheeks blushing.

Ino smiled before she hugged the blonde, "I'd like that and I'm going to miss you too." She pulled out of the hug and gave Naruto a playful glare. "Although we've been dating since before the Finals and you haven't done anything a boyfriend usually does."

Naruto winced and squeezed his eyes shut, "I know and I'm sorry." His heart began racing and his sweaty hands returned with a vengeance. 'Oh screw it, just do it already!' Naruto opened his eyes and quickly kissed her cheek. "Alright I have to go say bye to Hinata too, so I'll see you when I get back!" He said before he rushed out the door with the flower in hand.

Ino was left alone standing still, too frozen to do anything else but slowly react to what her new boyfriend had done to her. She blushed and her heart raced as she still felt Naruto's warm lips pressed against her cheek. She couldn't believe that he had kissed her for the first time. She felt embarrassed yet excited all at the same time. The bell chimed and she shook herself off. "Hello and welcome to Yamanaka Flowers, how can I help you?"

'Okay, Hinata's next.' Naruto thought to himself as he slowed down in the streets of Konoha. He looked around trying to remember if he knew the way to Hinata's clan compound… only to realize he had no idea where it would be. "Damn. I wonder where it could-"

"Naruto?"

The Uzumaki turned around and had to thank the lord for his luck,

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Luck has increased by 1!

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'Okay, now you're just showing off.' Naruto teased the gamer system before he cleared his throat. "Hey Neji! Everything good between us?"

"Yes, I want to apologize for how I behaved during the finals. I was-"

"That's great and I forgive you for being an asshole but I need your help with something."

"Really?" Neji questioned, "With what?"

"I'm trying to find your clan's compound. I want to say goodbye to Hinata since I'm leaving on a mission and I don't know when I'll get back."

Neji widened his eyes with surprise. "You got a long-term mission? I thought the village was only saving those for Jonin and highly experienced chunin."

"My master is taking me with him. We're going to go and bring back the fifth Hokage."

Another widening of his eyes later, "Who's your master?"

"This guy named Jiraiya."

"Jiraiya of the Sannin?"

"Yeah, you know about him?"

"Of course, the three legendary Sannins were taught to us back in the academy."

"They were?" Neji just stared blankly at him before he shook his head. "Never mind, can you just tell me where your clan compound is? I'm kinda in a hurry."

"Go back down where I came from and take two right turns, two lefts, go straight, and after four intersections, the fifth one you want to take a right."

"Thanks, Neji!" He yelled as he ran off.

As Neji turned around and watched him go, he could only wonder how Naruto managed to get someone as legendary as Jiraiya of the Sannin as his master. 'I guess life is unfair sometimes.'

Now outside of the Hyuga gates, Naruto's nervousness came back threefold. 'Oh man, this is going to be way harder than I thought it would be.' He gathered up all his courage and knocked on the gates. He then took a step back and waited. Naruto wouldn't admit it, but he jumped a bit when he heard the gates being opened.

After the gate doors opened, Naruto saw a single man standing in the middle of the entrance. "Welcome to the Hyuga compound, how can I help you?"

"Uhh," Naruto swallowed the lump in his throat, "I'm here to talk to Hinata."

"Very well, follow me."

The guy turned around and began walking forcing Naruto to catch up to him. After what seemed like ten minutes of walking through the maze that was Hinata's compound, the guard stopped in front of a sliding paper door. "Lady Hinata's room is here. Wait a second while I knock and ask for you to have an audience with her."

"Oh, uh okay."

The guard knelt and was about to speak but he saw that Naruto was still standing and seeming oblivious. He stared at the boy until the blonde took notice and asked, "What? Did I do something wrong?"

"You must kneel when asking for an audience." The guard spoke in a gentle yet stern tone.

"Oh! Okay, I'm sorry." Naruto knelt and lowered his head. "Sorry, all this is new to me."

"That's okay, I was the same when I was first introduced to all of this."

"Really? How old were you when that happened?"

"Around five years of age." The guard saw Naruto's head droop which caused the guard to smirk slightly before clearing his throat. "Lady Hinata, I have a visitor who has requested to see you. One," He turned to face Naruto and Naruto stared back. After a few seconds of blankly staring at one another, the guard whispered, "This is where you say your name."

"Oh! Sorry! Uh, it's me Naruto Uzumaki, Hinata!" He stared at the guard and the guard motioned him to continue. "Er, Hinata-sama!"

"That's not what I meant- nevemind, you're fine." The guard shook his head before Hinata spoke.

"Naruto?" Hinata shouted. Quickly after that, loud shuffling and a thud could be heard from the outside.

"Lady Hinata! Are you alright?"

"Yes!" The preteen squeaked out quickly. "I'm fine! I just… fell." She embarrassingly admitted.

"Oh. Please do try and be more careful Lady Hinata." The guard gently requested.

"Yes, my condolences Ko." After a couple of seconds, she peeked the sliding door open. "Thank you Ko, you can go back to your post. I'm sorry about this."

"Very well Lady Hinata and it's truly not a bother." Ko stood up, bowed to the two kids, and began walking back.

With him out of sight, Hinata opened the door the rest of the way and pulled Naruto in. She closed the door quickly after and lowered her head in embarrassment. While she was contemplating burying herself alive, Naruto looked around Hinata's room since this was the first time he'd ever seen a girl's room. "Nice room Hinata. Sorry about suddenly dropping by it's just," He turned his gaze to focus on her…

"Don't look." She asked while blushing crimson.

Naruto had to bite down on his tongue to keep himself from laughing. After managing to get himself under control, he cleared his throat to remove any laughter in his voice. "Uh, nice pajamas Hinata."

There, dressed in an oversized fluffy panda onesie, Hinata held her hands over her face. "I'm sorry. If I would've known you were coming I would've dressed in something more-"

"No no, Hinata it's fine." He cut her off. "I just came by because I wanted to say that I'll be going on a mission and I don't know when I'll be back."

"Really?" She asked as she removed her hands from covering her face. All her embarrassment left was the news of her new boyfriend leaving for a mission and for an unknown amount of time. "Oh, okay."

Naruto saw her depressed mood and he awkwardly wrapped his arms around her causing her to giggle softly. "Yeah sorry, I'm new to all of this."

She returned the embrace. "It's okay, I am too." The two held each other for a silent few moments, "Be careful on your mission."

"I'll try." His blush came back before he kissed her on the cheek as well. "I'll see you when I get back Hinata." He hastily whispered before he ran out of the room, leaving behind Hinata standing alone in her room who was a blushing mess that was even worse than her shared boyfriend.

After she managed to get control of herself again, she recalled something in Naruto's hand. 'I wonder who the dandelion was for?'

Now out of the clan compound and still having an hour to kill, Naruto that he'd say goodbye to his team next. 'Kakashi-sensei… he knows about my mission so I don't have to say bye to him… I mean I want to but after what I heard that one time… I'm good. Sakura is in the hospital so I guess I'll go say bye to Sasuke first and then her.'

Mind made up, he turned on the heel of his foot and began to walk toward Sasuke's house but was interrupted by a familiar voice. "Hey, Naruto! Is that you?"

The blonde turned to his left and saw Shikamaru and Choji exiting a nearby shop with Shikamaru carrying three bags in his hand. "Oh hey, guys! What are you guys doing?"

Shikamaru raised the bags in his hand for Naruto to get a good look at, "Choji was hanging out at my place and my mom sent us out to buy some groceries for dinner, what about you?" The Nara lazily spoke.

"I'm saying goodbye to everyone before I leave on my mission. I'll be gone for a while and I don't know when I'll get back."

This got Shikamaru's interest piqued, "Really? Where are you going?"

"I'm not sure yet but I do know that we're going to go looking and bringing back the new Hokage."

"Well, you be careful out there Naruto," Choji said.

"Yeah, watch your back out there. Oh, wait," Shikamaru quickly said, "Kiba and Shino are out on missions with their parents so don't bother looking for them."

"Thanks for the heads up Shika! Bye, guys! I'll be sure to stay safe. See you when I get back!"

Naruto ran off with a smile, leaving Choji and Shikamaru behind. As they walked, Choji cracked a joke to break the silence, "Hey, what do you call a ninja that never takes a break? A 'work-a-hoo-hoo'!" Shikamaru turned to deadpan at his friend for cracking such a lame joke, but Choji just shrugged his shoulders. "Hehe, I thought it was funny at least."

"Damn, if only I knew where Sasuke's house is," Naruto said to himself after wasting ten minutes wandering around hoping he'd stumble across his teammate's residence. "Oh well, I tried. Time to go check up on Sakura before I leave-"

"Naruto? What are you doing?"

'Perfect. Great timing, Sasuke.' Naruto turned around and saw his teammate still wearing his new black outfit with his hands in his pockets. "Getting ready to leave on a super important mission!"

Sasuke's face scrunched up slightly. "Did Kakashi request a mission?"

"Nope! I'm going on a mission with my new master, Jiraiya of the Sannin!"

Now, Sasuke may have been a good student even in Iruka's terms but that didn't mean he actually cared or even bothered to remember most of the material the academy covered; unless that material would help him get stronger of course. So in other words… Sasuke had no idea who this Jiraiya was. With a cocky smirk on his face, Sasuke said, "I bet you're going on a lame mission."

"What! Nuh-uh! I'm going-"

"Yeah," Sasuke said with a dismissive wave of his hand, "I don't care anymore." Naruto grounded his teeth while seething at Sasuke's dismissive behavior. "Have you passed by the hospital to check up on Sakura yet?"

Naruto's demeanor instantly relaxed as he shook his head. "No, not yet. I was actually about to head over there before you interrupted me."

"Then let's go together, I haven't passed by to check up on her yet." Sasuke walked past Naruto, "I just need to put my laundry to wash first."

"Oh sure, take all the time you need it's not like I need to leave by 1."

"That's good. C'mon." Sasuke motioned for him to follow.

Naruto groaned but complied. "You better make this quick. If Sakura's awake and finds out that I didn't say bye before I left, you're going to be the one getting punched."

A drop of sweat ran down her forehead. Her heartbeat began to race, making the heart monitor cry loudly as a result. Sakura Haruno awakes from her week-long coma gasping for breath that her body didn't need. She frantically looked around for danger that wasn't there. Just then a nurse swiftly opened her door. "Oh, you're awake! Is everything alright?"

"Wha-?" She looked around the room. Sakura's mind had picked right back up from where it left off, which meant that she was readying herself for a fight against a crazed Gaara. "Where am-?" She looked over herself once over before looking around the room again. "I'm…"

The nurse calmly approached her. "It's okay," She soothed the girl. "You're in the hospital now, you're safe."

Her frantic mind and heart rate finally began to slow down, finally began to think properly without the adrenaline coursing throughout her body. "What happened?" She asked the nurse.

"You were brought here by a man and your teammate after the invasion began to die down,"

"Here, I'll leave these two with you."

"Wait, why are you leaving them with me?" Sasuke asked the older man.

"Why?" The older man mocked. "Because I have to go and help with the remaining stragglers. What, do you want them to take out more of Konoha's shinobi? Or let them get lucky and discover where we evacuated the woman and children too?" Sasuke was silent at hearing the white-haired man's tirade, causing Jiraiya to smirk. "I'm just kidding kid. These guys won't do anything but I do need to go help the cleanup so… cya."

The white-haired man left, leaving Sasuke alone to hand off both of his teammates to the nurses and doctors. "Are you three okay?" Sasuke turned around to see two nurses coming up to him. "Here we'll take these two. Can I get two beds ready!" As the other nurses made two makeshift beds, the first nurse looked back over to Sasuke. "Are you hurt too young man?"

Sasuke shook his head. "No, besides a few scratches and bruises, all I have is a bit of chakra exhaustion."

"Okay here," The nurse popped her medical bag open and took out a small jar. She opened and carefully poured out two chakra pills in the palm of her hand. "Take these soldier pills. Only take them if you have to fight another enemy."

Sasuke took the pills and put them in his pocket for the time being. "Thanks." He watched the nurses take his teammates to get treated before he leaped off to see where else he could help.

"And since then you've been in a coma for a week." The girl's eyes widened but the nurse put up her hands placatingly. "The doctors put you in that coma so your broken bones could quickly mend itself back together. If they hadn't, any movement you made could've strained them or made it worse."

"Oh, okay…" Sakura stared down at the bandages she felt underneath her hospital gown. "Thank you for telling me what happened. I'd like to be alone now."

The nurse gave her a sympathetic smile before she nodded her head. "Alright, if you need me I'll be just outside."

"Thank you."

After the nurse closed the door, Sakura was left alone to think about everything she had just said. Gaara had been beaten, presumably by Sasuke, so why was she still feeling a bit scared? Her mind replayed the last thing she remembered of her interaction with Gaara. Of a large sand claw rushing at her before she was enveloped by darkness. Sakura shook her head, trying to shake off the fear she was feeling. The pinkette slipped out of bed and grabbed her spare clothes she guessed her parents brought over. She crossed her arms and grabbed the hem of the hospital gown when suddenly there was a knock on the door before the person behind it opened it not a second later.

"Sakura-san, I brought-" Lee's sentence died off as he looked up from the ground and saw an awake Sakura about to take off her hospital gown. His body froze as this situation is extremely uncharted waters and he didn't know what to do… so his brain short-circuited and he just stood there, staring at his crush.

"Aah!" Sakura screamed as she covered her chest by crossing her arms. " Get out of here!"

Lee's brain finally restarted and the once limp grip he had on the door's handle suddenly tightened. "I'm sorry!" He yelled as he slammed the door closed with all of his strength before he took off. The feat of speed was remarkable considering he still relied heavily on his crutch.

Sakura blankly stared at the broken hospital door. After a few seconds passed, the same nurse from earlier peeked her head from behind the broken door. "Is everything… okay?"

"Yes- Yes, everything is fine." Sakura sighed and gave the nurse an apologetic look. "I'm sorry for my friend, but could I get another room so I can change?"

The nurse smiled and motioned for her to follow. "Not at all. Follow me." She led the girl two rooms down and opened the door for her. "You can change in here, just come up to the front desk when you're done."

"Thank you and I'm sorry for the broken door."

"Oh, no need to worry." She waved off, "We've grown accustomed to shinobis… odd behavior. It's something you'll have to get used to if you ever work in the medical field." She sighed to herself remembering a couple of cases of shinobi having a phobia of the hospital which made getting the proper treatment and healing… difficult to put it lightly. "Anyways, I'll be going now. Take your time."

"Thank you, I'll try to hurry up." She swiftly changed into her usual red dress and dark green shorts. When she finished, she walked up to the front desk. "Thank you again for letting me use the room. I'm all finished now."

The nurse flashed her a smile. "My pleasure."

Bzzt! "Miyake, please come to room 212." Bzzt!

The nurse pulled the walkie-talkie out of her pocket. "Right away Doctor." She looked over at Sakura and slightly bowed her head. "Excuse me, I have to go."

"Oh, go right ahead. I didn't mean to take up your attention." Sakura apologized. With the nurse now gone, the pinkette looked around the lobby before she decided to sit down in a chair. She needed to think and she didn't feel like going anywhere else.

She felt a twinge of sadness realizing that her teammates had now surpassed her and she felt she had been left behind. Her mind drifted back to the days when Team 7 was first formed. Sasuke always was the leader and Naruto was always screwing up. Sakura had been a big help on those D-rank missions because eventually one of the two boys, mostly Naruto, would try to prove himself and end up getting hurt or mess up his part of the mission.

Sakura giggled as she recalled one of the D-rank missions Team 7 had done soon after completing the Wave mission. A woman had paid for Team 7 to clear out the weeds in her garden and Naruto being eager to prove himself pulled everything out of the woman's garden. Those were special herbs she had been growing and they were pulled out by Naruto trying to show off.

She smiled to herself, thinking of the good times they had shared. Although she was no longer one of the two better teammates on Team 7, she was still part of the team and she was determined to keep up and be an important part of the team. Sasuke and Naruto proved themselves by entering the Finals of the chunin exams. Now it was time for Sakura to step up and get stronger so she could prove herself too.

"Sakura! You're awake!" She turned to see Naruto and Sasuke standing there with a bouquet of dandelions in the blonde's hand. With Sakura's eyes locked onto the flowers, Naruto's drifted down to them as well. His cheeks tinted red before he quickly hid the flowers behind his back. "It's not what it looks like!" He hastily shouted.

Sasuke rolled his eyes before he snatched the flowers out of Naruto's hands, eliciting a whine from the blonde. He held his hand out, offering them to Sakura. "Here, we brought them to cheer you up."

The pinkette's cheeks were dusted light pink. She turned to face Naruto who in turn was rubbing the back of his neck in an embarrassed manner. "It was Ino's idea." He finished with an awkward chuckle. "Oh, and the flower means healing. That's what Ino said at least."

With a smile on her face, she gently took the flowers out of Sasuke's hands. "Thank you, both of you." She held the flowers close to her chest. "Oh," She looked at the two boys as an earlier memory crossed her mind. "How did you beat Gaara?"

Sasuke pointed his thumb to Naruto, "It was this idiot. He's the one that saved you and beat Gaara. Mainly."

Sakura's eyes widened out of disbelief as she turned to face the blonde, who had a cheeky smile plastered on his face. "Hehe! Yeah," He dragged out before he mumbled out the next sentence, "But Sasuke helped too I guess. Just a little."

"What?!" Sasuke exclaimed. "It was my chidori that took him out!"

"Yeah, after I tired him out! I pretty much beat up that guy all by myself!"

"That toad you summoned did more than you did!"

Naruto gasped as he was taken aback. "You take that back!" He cried out.

"Toad? Summoned? Okay, you two have to tell me everything." Sakura giggled.

The two boys looked at each other before all of their rivalry energy sapped right out of them. "You see Sakura," Naruto opened, "I just came to give you flowers or say bye if you were awake already."

Sakura was taken aback. "What? Why?" She prodded, genuinely baffled.

"My new master is taking me on a mission to find the next Hokage!" He said excitedly before quieting down into a low and quiet voice, "I'm leaving today so I just wanted to stop by quickly."

"Oh, I see." She said in a small voice. Sakura had just woken up and her teammate was already leaving on a mission with a new master he had gotten? "Well, be safe Naruto. Why don't you tell me about how you met your new master when you get back?"

Naruto gave her his big and wide smile. "You bet Sakura!"

"Good." Sakura watched Naruto wave back at her as he began to run off. "Oh, and I don't want you causing trouble for your new master! Got it, Naruto?"

"Yes, ma'am Sakura!"

The team's shortest and most energetic member was gone, which left Sasuke and Sakura alone. After a few moments of (awkward) silence later, Sasuke let out a frustrated sigh. "I'll see you around Sakura. I'm going to go train."

Sakura nodded her head and watched him walk out of the hospital. She stayed behind for a few seconds later before she too let out a sigh. 'What am I doing? Why am I just sitting here?' She stood up and walked out of the building all the while feeling a burning sensation in her chest that she felt growing.

Kakashi's eyes widened when he saw his female student walk past the bar he was currently in. She seemed to be in a daze so Kakashi stood up. "Sorry to leave early guys but seems like one of my students needs my help." He looked around him and saw Kurenai slowly spinning her drink around with her straw, Asuma wincing as he took a shot, and a drunk Gai was still sulking about his apprentice's injuries. "Yeah, I'm probably not gonna miss anything, cya." Kakashi put two fingers to his forehead as his usual way of departing and was returned the favor by all of his colleagues raising the finger.

He left the bar and followed his genin outside. When he saw that Sakura was lost in another headspace and didn't seem to be aware of her surroundings, Kakashi jumped forward so he was now in Sakura's path. Sakura was distracted, so she bumped into him without a doubt.

Sakura recoiled out of shock and immediately spewed out apologies. "Oh, I'm so sorry-" Until she saw who it was she bumped into. "Kakashi-sensei? What are you doing here?"

"Well, I could ask you the very same thing, Sakura." He saw the young girl drop her head down. "Did you just get out of the hospital today? I visited you yesterday and you were still unconscious."

"I just woke up today. Naruto passed by with Sasuke but Naruto had to leave for a mission."

"Oh yes, he's going on a mission with his new master." He saw Sakura's mood drop even further. "Are you sad that Naruto has a new master?"

She flinched. "No."

Kakashi's eyebrows furrowed. "Okay, is it that you're jealous that he's getting a new master and you're not?"

Sakura shook her head frantically. "No! No, that's not it."

"Then?" He asked in a harder tone, making her flinch again before she lowered her head further down. "Sakura, you know how I run my team," She pitifully nodded her head. "Those who abandon their friends-"

"Are worse than scum. I know Kakashi-sensei." Sakura finished with tears pooling up behind her eyes. "I-I can't stop feeling this way. Naruto and Sasuke are growing stronger, way stronger than when we were first made into a genin team. When we first took the bell test. I-I-"

Kakashi cut off her tirade by crouching down and pulling her into a hug. "Sakura, it's natural for the team dynamics to change. It's suppose to happen. It'd be bad if the dynamics never changed."

She shook her head into Kakashi's jonin vest. "But I'm not changing!" Kakashi pulled out of the hug so she could see his perplexed face. Upon seeing his face, she continued her tirade. "I'm just like how I was back when we took the bell test. Just like back when we fought against Zabuza and Haku." She looked down at her feet with her tears pouring. "I…I'm not upset that Naruto is getting stronger or that he's growing up… I'm upset that I'm not getting stronger, that I'm not growing up."

Silence grew between sensei and student, so much that Sakura was beginning to regret opening up to Kakashi. But it was suddenly dispersed by Kakashi placing his hand on her head. He gently ruffled her hair. "Sakura, you have grown up a lot and you have grown stronger." She shook her head to disagree with him but he cut her off. "Hold on, let me give my reasons why okay?" She reluctantly nodded her head. Kakashi gently grabbed her shoulders and pushed her just back enough so that she can see his only exposed eye. "Back during the bell test, all it took was one low tier genjutsu to knock you out flat." Sakura grew a tick mark on her forehead but Kakashi continued. "Look at what you accomplished recently. You easily learned tree walking and you survived an encounter with the man responsible for the Sand and Sound invasion."

"But he wasn't out to kill me."

"But he would've if you and Sasuke just stayed put and accepted death."

Sakura shook her head, refusing to believe Kakashi's words. "How do you even know about that? That happened in the Forest of Death."

"I know. The second exam proctor, the Third Hokage, Sasuke, and the man responsible told me what happened. Separately of course but I managed to piece everything together."

"You talked to him?" She whispered.

"Well more like threatened him but looking back on it, it was a terrible idea to do that." He whispered back.

"Why? He was responsible for marking Sasuke and the invasion."

"Because that guy was stronger than me. He was the one who killed the Hokage so I would've stood no chance against a monster like him." Kakashi waved his hand. "We're getting off-topic. The point is, you survived a monster like that and a monster like Gaara. You're strong in your own right. Sasuke and Naruto and strong in the same way as one another but they're strong in their own ways. So stop comparing yourself to them because you're not them."

"Grow stronger in your own way. The Sakura way."

Sakura stared at the floor before she nodded her head. "Okay. I'll try." She hugged him tightly for a few seconds before she back up and wiped the tears out of her eyes. "Thank you sensei."

"Hey, what are sensei's for?" He earned a choked chuckle from her. Kakashi smiled and ruffled her hair again. "I'd advise going to the library to go and see which field you want to go into. There are the main three, Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, and Genjutsu but there are still more branches out there. Go and find one that you think suits you best and I can help you train in that when you're ready."

"Okay, thank you again Kakashi-sensei."

"Anytime."

As Sakura walked off, Kakashi stayed behind and watched her run off. 'Man,' He thought, 'The chunin exams really opened their eyes and showed them what they needed to work on.' He began walking home to his apartment with an eye smile painted on his face. 'Guess my original plan did work.'

"Hold on just a minute!"

"Yes? What is it Iruka?"

"Lord Hokage, with all due respect, the nine names that were just given were all my students at the academy. I know their skills and abilities. Every one of them has great promise but it's too soon. They need more experience before they are tested. If they try now, they are sure to fail the exam."

"When I became a chunin, I was six years younger than Naruto is now." Kakashi stated.

"Naruto is nothing like you! Are you trying to destroy him? "

"Well they're always complaining about not being challenged enough, maybe wiping out in the exams will teach them a lesson. A crucial one at that. A little pain is good every now and then."

"Wha-What did you say!"

"Oh nothing fatal of course, but seriously Iruka, relax. Iruka scoffed but Kakashi continued. Listen, I understand how you feel. It's very personal for you and it upsets you but-,"

"Alright Kakashi, back off you've said enough."

"On the contrary, Kurenai Iruka needs to hear this. He needs to realize that they aren't his students anymore. They're mine."

As Kakashi walked, his eye smile dropped and he winced.

"Maybe I was too harsh. I could've got the same message across another way…"

"Oh well. What's done is done."

As Sakura walked into the library, she felt a mix of anticipation and excitement. She knew that this was the place where she would discover new worlds, gain knowledge, and unlock her true potential. First, she needed to read up on the basics and her first choice, genjutsu. It was the one that Kakashi tested her on… and the one she failed horribly at. She pushed that thought to the back of her mind. Instead, she focused on how her genin rank now allowed her to enter the more restrictive shinobi side of the library.

Memories of her classmates and friends trying to enter the shinobi side while they were still in the academy suddenly filled her mind. She fondly smiled as she recalled one time seeing Naruto and Kiba trying the enter only to be caught before they even stepped a foot in the section. She had just been there to study for a test coming up when she overheard the commotion.

"Excuse me, I'd like to enter the genin section of the library please." She told the receptionist, who was also the head librarian.

"Sure thing, can I please see your Konoha Shinobi Identification card?"

"Of course," Sakura smiled. She opened her ninja pouch and briefly ruffled through it. She soon pulled out her ID and showed the woman.

"Great, thank you, Miss Sakura Haruno."

"Oh please, just Sakura is fine."

"So you're not one for titles either? That's a relief. I can't tell you how many shinobi come in here that get offended whenever someone doesn't use titles or honorifics." The woman giggled. "I'm Akira Okubo."

The two chatted for a while longer as they felt the other was a kindred spirit. Both were bookworms in the academy but one graduated and became a full-fledged shinobi while the other decided to become a librarian.

Akira was too afraid to become an actual shinobi. She didn't realize the extent of shinobi life until she was tested by her newly assigned sensei. There, she had been tested and beaten. Just as she was standing back up, getting ready for some more, her sensei cast a genjutsu on her. One that showed what actually happened in a shinobi's life.

After her sensei broke the genjutsu, she puked and quit on the spot. Later that day, her ex-sensei approached her and told her why he did what he did. She felt that Akira was a kind and gentle soul, one not meant for the shinobi life and Akira couldn't agree more.

They finished talking and Sakura picked a book and went to go sit at a table. She opened the book and began reading, her attention was quickly captured by the book and the theories behind it all. She felt like she was back in the academy, although this time Sakura would expand on the words she read. Sakura Haruno was determined to make a name for herself and this would be the first step in that direction.

"C'mon, c'mon! Dammit! I was so close!"

Ino let out a sigh as she made her way back up the staircase. She stopped just as she made it back up the three flights of stairs she fell down. "Okay, Maybe I need a running start." She moved back until her back was against the wall. She unconsciously stuck her tongue out as she concentrated. She sprinted forward as fast as she could… and jumped just as she reached the peak.

"Yes! I made it!" She yelled in triumph as her character was standing on the platform she needed to reach. "Now, where do I go from here?"

Ino was playing on her newly purchased game and console. The game was from when she was out with Naruto, but the console was something her father bought her. She mentally giggled as she remembered how fast her dad agreed. But she knew that she was Inoichi's princess, so he quickly went out and bought it without question.

His reasoning? "I'd prefer my princess playing games inside than going out and getting a boyfriend."

She giggled once again as the truth was she was playing games to get closer to her boyfriend. She desperately wanted to have more common interests with Naruto so they could both get closer.

*Knock knock*

Ino jumped out of bed and quickly made her way downstairs. She rounded the corner and ran straight past the living room to the front door. She opened it and saw that it was Hinata with her bodyguard Ko. "Hinata! Glad you could make it!"

"Hey Ino," said Hinata with a wave. She turned around and accepted the console and controls from her guardian. "Thank you for carrying them all the way here, Ko. I'm sorry my father made you come all the way here."

"It's my job as your guardian, Hinata-sama." He curtly replied.

Hinata simply bowed her head in acknowledgment. "I'll head home when I'm done." Ko returned the gesture before he left. "So Ino, what game are we playing today?"

"I was already playing some Dark Spirits 3 to just get the hang of it."

"And how'd it go?"

"Well, I figured out I'm not some secret prodigy at games." Ino laughed. "I'm getting there though."

"Well, you're further ahead than I am… Oh, I should've brought over my TV too."

"Oh, don't worry about that Hinata." Ino opened the door before she cleared her throat. "Daddy! Can me and Hinata use the living room TV to play games!"

"Sure thing sweetie! I'll bring it up in a second!"

"Thanks, Daddy!"

After a couple of minutes, Inoichi came through the open door with the living room TV in his arms. "Okay, where do you want me to put it, sweetie?"

"You can place it on top of my desk please." Inoichi gently placed the TV down and plugged it in. When he turned around, Ino wrapped him in a big hug. "Thanks again Daddy!"

"Aww," He returned the hug. "Anything for my little girl. Okay, your mom is about to start making dinner, any suggestions girls?"

"Oh, I'm fine with anything Inoichi-san."

"Oh, just call me Inoichi, Hinata."

"Dad! Can we have that egg and pork curry soup mom made last Tuesday?" Ino requested with puppy dog eyes.

Inoichi put a hand to his chin in mock contemplation. "Well, okay. I'll go help your mother make it. You girls have fun." The girls waved him off before he gently closed the door. He made his way downstairs and began chatting with his wife about the new friend their daughter brought home.

Back upstairs, however, the girls were chatting and getting so into the game they were playing that they completely lost track of time until they heard, "Dinner's ready girls!"

"Coming Dad!" Ino yelled back. "Come on Hinata, let's take a break and go eat. This part was starting to get me mad anyway."

"Okay, Ino." The Hyuga replied. "I can't seem to find the boss though."

"Ughhh. Same here. I don't know where we're supposed to go at that part."

Just as they reached the top of the stairs, Inoichi appeared just around the corner. "Oh, there you girls are! I was just about to come and get you two."

"Sorry for taking so long dad, we were distracted by the game we were playing."

"Don't worry about it sweetie, but you girls should go downstairs and wash up for dinner." Her father suggested.

The two girls nodded. "Sure thing Daddy!" Ino replied. "Yes sir Inoichi-san." Hinata said with a bow.

"No need to be so formal in this house Hinata, you're a friend of this family now."

"Oh, thank you… Inoichi." She said causing the man to smile.

"Girls! Dinner's ready!"

"Coming Mom!" Ino responded.

The girls hurried down the stairwell while Inoichi watched them go. When they turned the corner, he snuck into Ino's room and saw that they were playing an RPG game. 'Aww, my little girl is playing games that I used to play.' He looked around and when he saw that no one was coming, he quickly yet quietly went in and began playing. He quickly checked the objective and after a brief moment of looking around, he maneuvered Ino's character to the boss's room.

"Honey!~ You're food is going to get cold!"

"Coming love!" Inoichi quickly traced back his steps and left Ino's character right where he found it. He stood up with a smug grin and made his way downstairs. 'Heh, still got it.'

Sakura tore her focus away from the book she was reading and yawned into the palm of her hand. 'It must be getting late.' She thought to herself after looking around and noticing that almost no one was left in the library. Sakura peered at the clock, 'It's 10:43!' She mentally shouted after barely reminding herself not to shout in the library. She shot out of her chair and quickly gathered her things before she rushed to the front desk. "Hey! I'm so sorry!" She apologetically yelled, accidentally making the head librarian jump. "I didn't mean to keep you this late. I'll just check out these books and head home."

After realizing it was just Sakura, Akira smiled and dismissively waved off the girl's concern. "Oh, it's okay Sakura. I usually stay here unto the library closes at 11 or 23:00 for you shinobis." She finished with a grin and a playful wink.

"Oh, I only use that when we're out on missions," Sakura said with a laugh as she watched Akira scan her books. "Thank you, Akira." The girl gratefully said as the head librarian handed her books back. "Maybe we can hang out sometime when we're both free?"

Akira smiled and gratefully nodded her head. "I'd like that. Oh, feel free to drop by anytime you want!"

"Thank you! I'll try to come over whenever I can!" The girl waved off her new friend as she left. Now outside, a chilly breeze made her shudder and wish that she would've brought a light jacket. 'Oh, that's right. Summer's almost over. I should start bringing a jacket with me from now on.' A fifteen-minute jog later, she opened the front door and had to deal with her mother's dotting for a couple of minutes. After calming her mother, she quickly heated up and ate her food before going to her room. She placed everything on her desk and quickly picked out an outfit before taking a quick shower.

She walked out with a towel around her neck and with steam following her out of the bathroom. 'Ahh, nothing like a hot shower after a long study session.' Sakura opened her door and sat down before she picked up one of the books she hadn't read yet. 'The Art of Genjutsu.' Sakura smiled with excitement before she opened the book and glanced down at the author. She gasped as she stood up with the book still in her hands. 'By Satsuki Uchiha!'

Sakura sat at her desk in her room, her mind wandering back to a lesson she had received during her time in the academy. It was a class on the properties of genjutsu, taught by Iruka Umino. As she recalled that day, she thought back to how dedicated Iruka was to teaching the students the intricacies and uses of this powerful jutsu.

One particular story from Iruka's lesson caught Sakura's attention, even back then. He spoke of Satsuki Uchiha, a shinobi who had once lived in Konoha. Satsuki was renowned as one of the greatest genjutsu users of all time, known for her exceptional eye prowess. Iruka shared with the class examples of Satsuki's most renowned feats and fights, painting a vivid picture of her extraordinary talent.

However, as Sakura listened half-heartedly, she couldn't help but notice that as usual, most of the students were not paying attention. She couldn't blame them, as she found her mind wandering as well. Sakura knew that with an exam looming, she could not afford to let her attention slip, but she did not fully absorb the details of the lesson.

As she sat there, one particular feat of Satsuki's piqued her interest, even back then. Iruka went into great detail, recounting an incident that had transpired during Satsuki's career as a shinobi. However, younger Sakura dismissed it as a mere child's play, not fully comprehending its significance.

Yet, despite her initial skepticism, older Sakura latched onto the memory, filled with excitement and a newfound determination. It inspired her, making her want to replicate the feat that Satsuki had achieved. The feat that piqued Sakura's attention was Satsuki's ability to create illusions so realistic that they seemed to be indistinguishable from reality. Intrigued and inspired, Sakura couldn't help but wonder if she had the potential to master this powerful and mysterious art of genjutsu as well. The idea of mastering genjutsu, even just a fraction of what the legendary shinobi had accomplished, filled her with a burning desire to learn and excel.

Looking back on that day, Sakura realized that even at a young age, she could see beyond what others could. She had an intuition that told her that there was something special about that feat, something that set Satsuki apart from the rest. While everyone else in the class dismissed it as a trivial matter, Sakura's mind remained focused. She unknowingly stored away the knowledge, tucked away in her memory, waiting for the day when she would have the means to unlock its full potential.

She looked down at the book currently lying on her desk. Within held the key to Sakura's potential and so she opened it with haste, once again getting lost in the book and her thoughts.

Sasuke stifled a yawn as he was forced by Kakashi to take a mission in the early hours of Konoha's morning.

"C'mon, we're almost there," Kakashi ordered.

Sasuke snapped into focus as he quickly took in his immediate surroundings. "Why are we out here anyway`? You never told me what the mission was."

"Oh, body clean up." Sasuke nodded his head and stayed silent but grew a thoughtful look. Something that Kakashi didn't fail to notice. "Let me guess, you're wondering why Sakura wasn't dragged out here too since you were?"

"..."

"Thought so." Kakashi chuckled. "Well, when I went to go pick up Sakura, I found her passed out on top of a book about genjutsu. Guess she took my advice on training seriously after all."

'Genjutsu, huh?' Sasuke thought to himself before he remembered his other teammate and the mission he went on with his new master. "...hey, Kakashi."

"Hmm?" His sensei inquired.

"Who's Jiraiya of the Sannin?"

Kakashi glanced at Sasuke with a playful glint in his eye. "Jiraiya of the Sannin? Oh, just a legendary ninja, renowned for his... colorful personality. But enough about that, let's focus on our mission, shall we? Wouldn't want to keep you from your exciting body clean-up duty, Sasuke."

"Yippe." Sasuke sarcastically droned.

Kakashi chuckled before continuing, "Listen, you and Sakura need to learn that just because Naruto is growing rapidly, doesn't mean you're lagging behind or not getting stronger. Naruto just started at the bottom while you two already had the groundwork built up. It only seems like he's growing at a tremendous rate because he wanted to catch up with you guys."

"Yeah but now Naruto has a master and-"

"His master was a friend of Naruto's parents. He just wanted to check in on Naruto and see where his skill level is at. Naruto won't be pulled from Team 7 anytime soon."

"Oh… ok."

"..."

...

"I thought you said we were close Kakashi."

"Oh right." Kakashi turned and gave Sasuke an eye smile. "I lied." Sasuke clicked his tongue, irritated at his sensei's behavior but became serious when he saw Kakashi raise his fist up. "Stop." He looked around the two of them and nodded. "Okay, we're here."

The two figures plummeted to the earth, landing with a resounding thud. Sasuke's eyes caught sight of the first body, nestled in a shadowy corner. The sight was horrifying, captivating him with its grotesqueness. Six arms, grotesquely twisted, protruded from the body, grasping at nothing. The chest had been caved in, leaving a gaping hole that exposed the ribcage. Horror-struck, Sasuke's eyes were drawn further until they landed on the most ghastly sight: a decapitated head, lying lifeless on the ground. Memories of the night he hated most began to replay in his mind. Unable to bear the sight any longer, Sasuke turned his gaze away, a wave of nausea washing over him.

Kakashi, sensing Sasuke's distress, intervened, his voice filled with a mixture of sorrow and determination. "Being a shinobi is not for the faint of heart," he said solemnly. "The path of a shinobi is filled with danger and sacrifice. But it is also filled with purpose. To protect, to defend, and to uphold the values we hold dear."

Kakashi shook his head, regret etched on his face. He knew what he had to do, but he hated the need for it. Hated that he had to practically indoctrinate Sasuke into the ways of a shinobi. But he had to. It was his duty, his responsibility.

With a stern and commanding tone, Kakashi delivered a speech that would forever solidify Sasuke's loyalty to Konoha and his bonds to his team. "You are not alone in this, Sasuke," he declared. "You are part of a team, a family. Your teammates rely on you, depend on you. And in turn, you depend on them."

Kakashi's words resonated with Sasuke, awakening something deep within him. He now understood that being a shinobi was not about glory or fame; it was about protecting what was important.

Facing the corpse again, Sasuke forced himself to feel nothing but emptiness within him. He gritted his teeth and shifted his gaze towards Kakashi. "How are we going to clean up this mess?" Sasuke asked, his voice laced with a hint of annoyance.

Kakashi's expression remained stoic, his deep voice barely audible. "We'll seal each body in a corpse storage scroll. Afterward, we'll transport them to the forensics lab. There, they'll dissect and study each body."

Sasuke nodded, his mind already calculating the necessary steps. "Alright, I see four corpses so I'll seal two."

Without uttering a single word, Kakashi reached behind him and retrieved two scrolls. He handed them over to Sasuke, his eyes still trained on the task at hand.

Sasuke examined the scrolls, their seals shimmering ominously in the dim light. With a hint of determination in his eyes, Sasuke nodded and began the grisly process of sealing the dead.

As they worked, Sasuke couldn't help but notice the constant twitching of his cursed mark. However, he remained silent, refusing to acknowledge the sensation. His focus was on the task at hand, his determination unwavering.

Kakashi, on the other hand, appeared completely unfazed by the gruesome sight that unfolded in front of them. He surveyed their surroundings, his eyes scanning the crimson-soaked ground.

"Hm, Jiraiya mentioned that he had finished off Orochimaru here," Kakashi muttered to himself. "But where is his body?" Kakashi hummed to himself before he shrugged his shoulders. "He must have already sealed Orochimaru's body and taken it to the forensics lab."

With a renewed sense of purpose, the two of them resumed their work, their footsteps heavy as they stepped over the blood-soaked ground. Sasuke's cursed mark continued to itch, but he ignored it, determined to complete the task at hand.

Somewhere in the Northern part of Rice Country…

BAM

BAM

BAM

The wall crumbled apart as the Jugo Clone broke through the mud wall that Orochimaru used to seal him off. "I'm free! I'm FREE!" He looked around and saw all the other scientists and Sound Shinobi. The clone smirked. He threw his arms down to his sides, creating large scythes on the side of his arms. "I'm going to kill you all! Who's first!?"

All the scientists ran to the exit, trying to desperately escape while the shinobis tried to apprehend him or kill him. "Cover the exits! Make sure he doesn't escape!"

"Yes sir!"

"Come on you bastard! Come on!" The leader yelled. He was wielding a kunai in each hand. Trembling in fear, the leader charged at the clone.

Only to be sliced in half at the waist by the clone's blades. "HAHAHAHA! I'm…!" Jugo clone sliced through two more shinobi who rushed at them. Cleanly slicing an arm of one, and cutting the gut open on the other. "Having fun!"

The assistant who was once in charge of Clone Jugo, Ren Tanaka, went numb with fear as he heard the chilling laughter of the clone echoing through the halls. The echoing maniac laughs reminded him that Orochimaru never dealt with the clone, only locked him away in a temporary cage. He looked up and realized that in order to exit the base, he would have to race upstairs.

And walk past the cage that held the failed experiment.

He grasped the barely-there remnants of his courage, and with every ounce of strength he possessed, he forced himself to move. In a desperate bid to escape, Ren quickly grabbed a few items, his heart pounding with anticipation.

The clone's laughter grew louder and more menacing with each passing moment. Ren's footsteps echoed through the empty halls as he sprinted towards the staircase. His mind raced with thoughts of escape and self-preservation. Time seemed to slow down as he ran, his breath coming in short, panicked gasps.

As he reached the top of the staircase, darkness engulfed the hallway. Ren waited for his vision to adjust and when it did, he saw nothing but chaos. The clone had escaped his containment, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake. Bodies lay lifeless on the ground, their blood staining the pristine white walls.

The clone's presence hung heavily in the air, an aura of pure madness emanating from its every move. It was as though a predator had descended upon the facility, bringing nothing but death in its wake.

Ren's blood ran cold as he heard the sound of screams coming from somewhere in the distance. The scientist's pleas for help mingled with the clone's maniacal laughter. The sounds were haunting, tearing at Ren's heart and filling him with dread.

With trembling hands, Ren reached for the ancient seals that were in his possession. He poured his chakra into them, hoping that they would offer him a chance of survival. The seals glowed with an eerie light, energy pulsating through them.

With shaking hands, Ren placed them on his forehead. The touch was cold, sending a shiver down his spine. He felt a surge of power course through his body, but it felt foreign. He quickly ran into the room the clone escaped from and hid himself among the mess. Fear gripped his heart as he braced himself for whatever awaited him.

Suddenly, Ren's body froze, his blood turning to ice in his veins. The screams of the scientist filled his ears, their pain and despair piercing through his consciousness. Tears streamed down his face as he struggled to breathe, his entire body trembling with fear.

Closing his eyes, Ren softened his breathing, taking deep, measured breaths. In that moment, all he could do was silently pray to whatever deity was out there, begging for mercy. He pleaded for his life, hoping that by some miracle, he would be spared the horrors that awaited him.

As Ren stood there, paralyzed by fear, he heard the footsteps of the clone growing closer. They were deafening, echoing through the halls like a drum. Time seemed to stand still as Ren waited for the clone to reach him.

At that moment, Ren felt a deep sense of despair. He realized that he had failed, that he had underestimated the clone's power and his own limitations. The realization that he was now a sitting duck was overwhelming.

The footsteps grew closer, and Ren's heart pounded faster. He could feel the clone's presence, could feel the anger and despair radiating from it. The inevitability of his fate began to sink in, and the weight of his impending doom became unbearable.

In one final act of defiance, Ren summoned every ounce of courage he had left. He steeled himself for whatever fate awaited him, knowing that he had no choice but to face it head-on.

And then, the clone appeared, its maniacal laughter echoing, flooding through the halls. Ren opened his eyes, meeting the creature's gaze head-on. He could feel the power radiating from its form, could feel the darkness consuming him.

In that moment, Ren's world exploded into chaos. The clone lunged forward, its movements a blur of speed and savagery. Ren's body went numb as he was flung across the room, crashing into the wall. The world went dark, and all he could feel was the impact of each blow, each punch, each kick.

It was a moment of pure terror, a moment filled with despair and dread. Ren's mind raced with thoughts of escape, of survival, but his body refused to obey. The clone's relentless onslaught continued, leaving Ren no choice but to succumb to his fate.

As the clone continued to rain down blows, Ren's consciousness began to fade. The pain became unbearable, and the darkness threatened to consume him completely. But amidst all the chaos, a glimmer of hope remained.

In the depths of his despair, Ren found that he still had one weapon left - his voice. With a hoarse whisper, he called out, his voice barely audible over the cacophony of violence. He pleaded for mercy, for a chance to live.

But his pleas fell on deaf ears. The clone's laughter grew louder, more mocking. It reveled in Ren's suffering, savoring every moment. With every passing second, Ren's hope grew dimmer, and he knew that his chances of survival were slipping away.

And then, just as he was about to lose consciousness, Ren felt a surge of energy course through his body. It was a moment of clarity amidst the turmoil, a moment of strength. With one final act of defiance, he mustered every last ounce of strength and delivered a blow to the clone.

It was a futile gesture, a desperate attempt to stave off the inevitable. But in that moment, Ren felt a profound sense of satisfaction. He had given everything he had, even in defeat.

As the world around him faded into darkness, Ren's final thoughts were of survival and of hope. He clung to the belief that maybe, just maybe, there was a higher power out there that would grant him mercy.

And as the clone's laughter echoed through the halls, Ren's body finally succumbed to his injuries. His soul slipped away, leaving behind an empty shell of what had once been a mortal being.

The maniacal clone looked up the staircase that led to his freedom. Jugo smirked and climbed up the stairs, savoring each step. They wanted him caged. Wanted him as a pet. And now they're dead… and he's free.

He reached the top and smashed the doors open. Sunlight blinded him, he instinctively covered his eyes and waited for them to adjust to the new, bright environment. When his vision cleared, he looked around and could feel a few life presences not that far off from him. A wide and feral smile painted his lips.

He was free.

Somewhere in the Southern part of Rice Country…

Master Orochimaru is dead.

Kabuto stood before a group of confused guards, his reflection shimmering in the torchlight. His glasses caught the flickering flames, casting eerie shadows on his face.

"He's dead," Kabuto said, his voice low and emotionless. He tilted his head slightly, just enough to make his glasses reflect the torch's light.

The guards exchanged glances, their disbelief evident on their faces. One guard spluttered, "He's what?" while another asked in disbelief, "How can he be dead?"

Kabuto's expression remained unchanged. He gestured to the guards, his voice filled with authority and determination. "Now, you guys are working for me, and so is everyone else."

The guards exchanged looks, a mixture of anger and confusion written on their faces. One guard shouted, "Why do we have to work for you now?" while another declared, "Yeah! How about I become the new boss?"

Kabuto sighed, his expression turning dark as he neared the guards. His chakra scalpels began to hum, emitting an eerie sound. With a swift movement, he sliced through one guard's tendon in the calf, eliciting a scream of pain. Another guard felt a cold chill as Kabuto's scalpel sliced through his bicep tendon, causing him to cry out in agony.

The guards dropped to the floor, writhing in agony. Kabuto stood over them, his voice filled with menace. "You work for me, or I'll slice up your whole body from the inside."

The guards stared up at Kabuto, their eyes filled with a mixture of fear and admiration for his ruthlessness. They knew that his words were not empty threats. Kabuto would follow through on his threat, leaving nothing but lifeless bodies in his wake.

Kabuto, the merciless and feared leader of the group, stood tall, surveying the two guards cowering at his feet. The guards, trembling with fear, pleaded for their lives, their voices filled with desperation.

"Alright, alright, we'll follow you! Just please heal us!" they pleaded, their voices trembling with fear.

Kabuto's cold eyes flickered with amusement for a moment, as if he was considering their plea. Then, with a hint of a smile, he crouched down, his eyes trained on the guards' wounds. His hands glowed a faint green as he swiftly healed the two men.

"Good," Kabuto said as he finished, his voice dripping with ice. "Now you two, follow me."

Without another word, Kabuto stood up and began to stroll down the corridor, his footsteps echoing through the silence. The guards, still torn between relief and apprehension, followed closely behind, their eyes darting warily around their surroundings.

As they continued walking, they reached a dead end. Kabuto, without missing a beat, pressed a hidden button on the stone wall, revealing a hidden door.

"Wait out here." Kabuto's voice echoed through the dimly lit room, filled with power and authority. The guards, trembling with fear, did as they were instructed, leaving the door open just enough for them to peer inside. Inside, Kabuto swiftly made his way through the hidden chamber, his eyes scanning the countless files that lined the walls.

As he delved deeper into the room, his frustration grew. The records before him told a different story than what he had been led to believe. Naruto Uzumaki's records seemed mediocre at best, painting a picture of a boy who couldn't live up to his full potential. Yet, Kabuto knew that this couldn't be further from the truth.

How could Naruto, labeled as the moron of his graduating class, save an entire village in the face of overwhelming odds? Kabuto's mind raced, trying to unravel the mysteries surrounding Naruto's extraordinary abilities.

As he delved into the files, one name caught his attention - Jiraiya. Kabuto's thoughts flickered back to the legendary Sannin. Could Jiraiya have taught Naruto some extraordinary skills in such a short amount of time?

However, Kabuto's doubts began to surface. He remembered Naruto's perceived mediocrity, the mocking laughter he had heard about him. Kabuto himself had been present to witness Naruto's struggles firsthand. So why did the impossible seem to keep happening?

Kabuto's frustration reached boiling point as he slammed his fist down onto the table, causing it to dent with the force he put behind it. The thought crossed his mind that perhaps someone like Kakashi, someone who had the same insatiable thirst for knowledge and power, could have understood Naruto's abilities.

But Naruto was something else entirely. Kabuto couldn't put his finger on it, but something deep within him knew that something was amiss. It made no sense for someone like Naruto to possess such extraordinary abilities.

Kabuto, with his guards in tow, exited the room, leaving behind the files he had gathered. As he walked out of the building, the guards followed closely behind, a sense of trepidation evident in their every step.

Kabuto, on the other hand, exuded an air of power and authority. His harsh words and his unwavering demeanor left the guards with a palpable sense of fear. They knew he could instill terror in the hearts of those he deemed unworthy, and the guards were no exception.

As they walked, Kabuto's mind was made up. He was determined to observe Naruto and uncover the truth behind his alleged involvement in protecting the village. There was something about Naruto that intrigued him, and he needed to know more.

Kabuto's thoughts were interrupted by one of his guards, who asked him, "Where are we going now, boss?"

Without hesitation, Kabuto replied, "We're heading over to the base up North, approximately 32 miles from this current base. And then I can see just how much you've grown when I pit him against you, Naruto Uzumaki."

The guards were confused by the last remark, one of them asking, "Who's Naruto Uzumaki?"

Kabuto simply ignored them, knowing that they were mere tools at his disposal. Their sole purpose was to carry out his orders, and he expected to see nothing but loyalty and obedience from them.

As they continued their journey, the guards couldn't help but feel a growing sense of unease. Kabuto's words hung in the air, reminding them of the power he held over them. They knew that failure to obey his instructions would have dire consequences.

As they approached their destination, the guards couldn't help but wonder what awaited them there. In the end, the guards knew that it was best to follow Kabuto's orders. They were mere pawns in his grand scheme, and they had no choice but to obey. And so, they continued to follow, their hearts filled with a mix of terror and anticipation as they awaited whatever came next.