Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Shin, Kakashi and Aoba waved good bye to the villagers of wave. The bridge was been completed a week after the battle.
Naruto had a small smile on his face as he waved to the villagers. Sakura joined him with her green eyes sparkling. Shin was laughing while muttering something about "praise me more." Sasuke was giving him weird looks while standing aloof with his hands in his pockets.
"Thank you so much leaf shinobi!
"You saved us!"
"Come back and have a free meal at Oru's diner!
Kakashi and Aoba stood further down the exit of the bridge.
"Alright, let's go team 7 and company."
The leaf shinobi departed, walking through the woods slowly back to the leaf. Kakashi was reading his book while talking to Aoba about the mission procurement.
Sasuke was walking quietly while contemplating how strong he's become. Zabuza the Jounin was out of his depth. Itachi would have defeated him in an instant. Sasuke clenched his fist in anger at the thought. He was still wasn't strong enough. A dark pulse went down his body from the curse mark, Sasuke frowned. When did he become so soft? His body, his soul meant nothing as long as Itachi was roaming around freely!
"Sasuke fight me!" Shin yelled standing in front of Sasuke with a hand on his katana. Sasuke gave him a disinterested stare before turning to look at Naruto who had joined Kakashi and Aoba's conversation to gather more knowledge.
"Really!?" Shin continued, face growing red from anger at Sasuke ignoring him. "There's no way that blonde idiot Is strong than me now!"
"Shin! Be nice, we wouldn't have survived without Kakashi-sensei and Naruto." Sakura said turning around from the front of their formation to glare at Shin.
"Whatever." Shin said, pissing off Sakura who clenched her first as Sasuke slowly edged away from the danger zone.
"Sakura, it's okay. You guys are my friends. I will always come to help. You know Shin better than I do, just smile and nod." Naruto said with a small chuckle. Sakura relaxed, giving Naruto a grateful smile.
Shin exploded, unsheathing his Katana. "Fuck you! Let's go right now Naruto!"
Naruto smiled gently, "Once we get back I don't mind showing you a technique or two."
Sasuke smirked, Sakura smiled, Shin bristled. "Show me a thing or two….?"
Shin grabbed his katana with two hands- "Enough Shin, you can spar when we return to the village." Kakashi said, his voice firm. Shin grunted, sheathing his katana.
"I'll see you at training ground 7, first thing blondie!"
"Of course, of course."
Sakura slowed down to walk next to Sasuke. Sasuke watched her get closer from the corner or his eye. Sasuke resisted the urge to sigh. While she had improved since they first became teammates almost a year ago, she was still naive and could become a lot stronger if she was probably focused. Yet she was still his teammate and so he tolerated her asks for a date even though he never would go on one of them.
"Sasuke.." Sakura tentatively spoke up, playing with the hem of her dress. Sasuke had to stifle the urge to sigh again.
"Yes, Sakura?" Sasuke could almost slap himself. Since when did he start responding to people when they spoke to him? Had he really become that soft? Someone was definitely af fault here. He blamed Naruto, that bastard somehow always made him act uncharacteristically.
Sakura was quiet for a moment, deciding what she should say or registering that he had talked to her. Definitely the latter, she was a intelligent know it all, after all.
"...Would you go on a date with me?.." Unbeknownst to Sasuke and Sakura, all of the present leaf shinobi were watching this spectacle with interest. Hey what else can you do while walking in a forest.
Sasuke was quiet for a while, long enough for Sakura to assume he did not want to go on a date. With her head down Sakura started to walk away from Sasuke when he finally spoke up.
"You've improved since our first day as team 7. You have potential, actualize it. I have one goal, I do not have time for anything besides getting stronger." Sasuke said, he noticed the group was silent. Sasuke looked around to see everyone looking at him.
"What?"
Naruto walked over with a huge grin on his face. Naruto patted Sasuke's shoulder. "That was almost..Nice. look at you, guess I can't call you Mr
Grumpy anymore."
Sasuke shoved, sending a laughing Naruto stumbling away. Shin walked up to Sasuke, eying him closely.
"Sasuke being… nice? I would have bet on Sandaime-sama returning from the pure land before Sasuke was ever nice."
Kakashi sighed as his students started arguing. They were good shinobi but still young. At least teamwork had improved leaped and bounds. Kakashi turned to watch Naruto ask Aoba a million questions about Genjutsu. Naruto was already growing at a phenomenal rate, to fight, let alone defeat one of the swordsmen of the mist single handed was a Jonin feat.
Kakashi flipped a page in his book absent-mindedly as they got closer to the village. They were all coming along nicely. There were some techniques he was thinking about teaching Sakura that would help her have stopping power. Shin could use some help with his nature transformations.
Kakashi smiled under his mask. All things considered, he was proud of his kids.
They reached the hidden leaf. Kakashi and Aoba stayed behind to report in for the two missions.
"Team 7, take the next week off to rest. We'll resume team training immediately after."
"Hahahah, Yes! No more stupid missions for a week."
"Thank you, sensei. Shut up Shin."
"Hn."
Sasuke, Sakura, and Shin headed their separate ways as a bemused Naruto stood there looking at them continue to argue in the village.
"Naruto."
Naruto turned around, quirking an eyebrow at Kakashi.
"Yes, senpai?"
"You're a chunin, breaks are optional but I do recommend that you take one before you go on another mission."
"He's right, you're strong but not resting enough can break the strongest of shinobi." Aoba said nodding next to Kakashi.
"Thank you for your advice. I'll consider it." Naruto waved as he jumped on a nearby roof to travel to his apartment.
Later
Naruto entered his apartment pulling out a scroll, unsealing it the blast sword fell on the ground in front of him. Naruto grinned as he picked up the sword to inspect.
"Blast sword huh? Once I'm done with you, they'll call you the Uzumaki seal sword.
A month later
Naruto was in training ground 44 practicing the Sage technique he learned from the Sarcos. With his eyes closed, the Sage markings spread over his face, turning his whiskers into two green bars, slitting his eyes and putting a circular green lines around his eyeball.
A 30 foot thick snaked jumped from above Naruto, stretching its mouth wide to swallow him whole, Naruto held his hand up, the snake was inches from his hand when it was cut violently into a hundred pieces. The blood splashed everywhere but on Naruto.
Naruto stood up, retaining his Sage markings, going through a long chain of hand seals, a green aura expanded from Naruto's skin extending about 15 inches in all directions. The ground around him began to grow grass in the dirty patches and the area with grass started to look healthier.
When the green aura still radiating, Naruto unsealed the blast sword, he unrolled it swinging it twice. A seal fluttered down in front of Naruto's face. Narrowing his eyes on the seal, Naruto jumped back as it exploded sending him crashing through three trees, until the last one fell on him.
"Damn it. Still not right." Naruto said pushing the tree off of himself, still radiating a green aura, is it the component of my chakra that's causing it to overload the seals instead of changing their composition?"
Naruto re-sealed the blast sword. Releasing the jutsu, Naruto's sage features disappeared. He hunched over for a moment to get his barings.
"Man, they were not kidding about my body being too immature for Sage jutsu."
Flashback
"Naruto." Naruto pushed himself up from the swamp covered ground.
"Yes, Subara-sama." Naruto said looking up at the large Sarco with bruises, cuts, bites, and blood all over his body.
You're strange kekkei-Tota is affecting our training.
"Body technique? Huff, Jiraiya-sensei said my mother was an Uzumaki. Apparently my unique chakra trait is inherited from them."
Hmm, interesting. Your inability to Master some of the Sarco clans techniques stem from your body constantly absorbing Natural energy. Subara layed his head on the ground. Your kekkei-tota passively increases the more you train. Similarly your chakra increases as you train which so far has prevented you from becoming a statue. Unfortunately it can not be avoided any longer.
Subaru used his tail to scoop up Naruto. You must learn Sage techniques from the Great Predators of the Sarco or you will become a permanent statue.
Naruto nodded in agreement, he was always ready for more training. "How do I learn from-" Naruto was cut off halfway through as Subara tossed him through the sky with his tail.
Naruto dusted himself off, his body aching from the impact of the trees, but his spirit remained undeterred. He glanced around the clearing, his eyes sharp and focused. The Sarco Sage techniques were powerful, but they were also unpredictable with his kekkei-tota constantly absorbing natural energy. He needed to find a way to harmonize the two or risk failure—or worse.
He looked down at his hands, where faint green energy still crackled sporadically. "I can't let this chakra keep me from mastering these techniques. If I can't control it, I won't survive the training with the Great Predators."
Naruto clenched his fists and took a deep breath, centering himself. He began another set of hand seals, this time slower, more deliberate. The green aura started to expand from his body again, but this time it felt different—more controlled, more focused.
Just as he was about to test another technique, he felt a heavy presence nearby. His eyes snapped open, and he turned to see a massive creature emerging from the shadows of the trees—a Great Predator of the Sarco, towering over Naruto with scales that shimmered in the dim light, its eyes glowing with an ancient, predatory wisdom.
The beast was easily fifty feet long, with a muscular body coiled and ready to strike. Its fangs gleamed as it hissed, the sound reverberating through the forest. Naruto could feel the immense natural energy radiating from the creature, and for a moment, his heart raced. This was no ordinary opponent; this was a trial by fire, the true test of his ability to wield the Sarco's Sage techniques.
Without warning, the Great Predator lunged at Naruto, its massive body moving with speed that belied its size. Naruto jumped back, narrowly avoiding the creature's snapping jaws. He landed on a tree branch, but before he could catch his breath, the branch shattered under the force of the predator's tail, sending him plummeting back to the ground.
Naruto twisted in mid-air, landing on his feet and rolling to absorb the impact. He barely had time to react as the predator came at him again, its movements a blur. He could feel his chakra stirring within him, the natural energy he had absorbed amplifying his senses, but it was also pushing against his control, threatening to overwhelm him.
"This is it," Naruto thought, steeling himself. "I have to trust in the Sarco techniques, trust in myself."
As the predator closed in, Naruto performed a rapid series of hand seals, and the green aura around him flared brighter. This time, instead of simply radiating energy, the aura condensed around his body, forming a protective shell. The predator's jaws snapped shut around him, but instead of being crushed, Naruto stood his ground, the green aura holding the beast at bay.
With a roar, Naruto pushed back, the aura expanding and forcing the predator away. The creature hissed in frustration, circling him warily. Naruto's breathing was heavy, but his eyes were calm and focused. He had managed to hold the natural energy in check, if only for a moment.
The predator lunged again, and Naruto moved with it, weaving between its attacks with newfound agility. He was no longer just reacting; he was adapting, using the Sarco techniques to enhance his movements, to channel the natural energy into controlled bursts of power.
As the battle raged on, Naruto realized that this was more than just a test of strength or skill. The Great Predator was teaching him, pushing him to the brink to force him to find balance. It wasn't enough to simply absorb natural energy; he had to harmonize it with his own chakra, to become one with the energy of the world around him.
Summoning all his willpower, Naruto focused on the connection between his chakra and the natural energy, merging them into a single, unified force. The green aura around him intensified, but it was no longer chaotic or unstable. It was a part of him, an extension of his will.
With a final surge of power, Naruto launched himself at the predator, his hands forming a seal as he moved. "Sarco Sage Technique: Verdant Barrage!"
The green aura shot out from his body in a torrent of energy, engulfing the predator in a storm of force. The creature roared as it was pushed back, struggling against the overwhelming power. But Naruto didn't let up, pouring everything he had into the attack until, finally, the predator collapsed to the ground, defeated but alive.
Naruto landed softly on the forest floor, his body trembling with exhaustion but his mind clear. He had done it—he had mastered the first of the Sarco Sage techniques. But this was only the beginning. The Great Predators of the Sarco were numerous, and each would test him in new and terrifying ways.
As he caught his breath, the predator slowly rose, its massive head bowing in a gesture of respect. Naruto nodded in return, acknowledging the bond they had formed through their battle. The predator turned and vanished into the forest, leaving Naruto alone once more.
He stood there for a moment, the silence of the forest pressing in around him. He knew the road ahead would be difficult, but for the first time, he felt truly prepared. He had found a way to harness the power of his kekkei-tota, to use it not as a burden but as a strength.
Naruto took a deep breath and smiled. "Looks like I won't be turning into a statue anytime soon. But there's still a long way to go."
With renewed determination, Naruto turned and headed deeper into the forest, ready to face the next trial The Great Predators of the Sarco would test him, but he was ready to learn—to become a true Sage.
Flashback end
Naruto stood at the edge of Training Ground 44, the morning sun barely peeking over the horizon. The air was cool, carrying the scent of damp earth and leaves, but Naruto's mind was restless. His usual energy seemed to be smoldering beneath the surface, eager to burst out. It had been weeks since his last mission, and with his team scattered, the days had dragged on endlessly.
His thoughts drifted to Hana, the last mission they had together—one that ended in disaster. Her loss was still fresh in his mind, and every time he closed his eyes, he saw her face, heard her last words. He shook his head, trying to dispel the image. Sai's sudden disappearance and Yamato's reassignment to ANBU only deepened the void. The team he had grown accustomed to was gone, and he was left in a limbo of endless training and self-improvement. But it wasn't enough. He needed a mission, something to focus on, something to push him forward.
Naruto let out a heavy sigh, his breath visible in the crisp morning air. "Maybe I should train with Team 7 again," he muttered to himself, more as a way to fill the silence than anything else. His mind conjured up images of his old teammates—Sasuke, Shin, Sakura. Sasuke was still a bit of a pain, but they were kind of getting along, at least better than before. And Shin... Shin was always fun to poke at, with his stoic expressions and dry wit. Sakura, too, was different now—stronger, more focused. She had grown so much, and Naruto couldn't help but feel a little proud of her.
But as much as he enjoyed their company, it wasn't enough to quell the itch. "I need a mission," Naruto said, louder this time, as if trying to convince himself. His body was practically vibrating with pent-up energy, and he knew if he didn't get an outlet soon, he might just explode.
With a decisive nod, Naruto turned on his heel and headed towards the village, making a beeline for the Chunin mission room. Maybe, just maybe, there was a team that needed a plus one. His mind raced with possibilities as he walked through the bustling streets of Konoha, the familiar sights and sounds doing little to soothe his restless spirit.
The mission room was a place of constant activity, and as Naruto approached, he could already hear the murmur of voices, the shuffling of papers, the occasional bark of orders. It was a small comfort, knowing that missions were still being assigned, that life in the village continued as normal despite everything.
He pushed open the door, stepping into the room with a sense of purpose. Several Chunin were huddled around a large table, discussing strategies and logistics for various missions. A few of them glanced up as Naruto entered, their expressions a mix of curiosity and mild surprise. It wasn't every day that Naruto Uzumaki wandered into the mission room without a team.
Naruto walked up to the mission desk, where a bored-looking Chunin sat, flipping through a stack of mission scrolls. "Hey," Naruto greeted, trying to keep his voice casual despite the urgency he felt. "Are there any teams that need an extra hand for a mission?"
The Chunin looked up, raising an eyebrow. "You don't have a team?"
Naruto scratched the back of his head, his signature nervous gesture. "Not right now. Just looking to help out, you know?"
The Chunin hummed thoughtfully, flipping through the scrolls. "Well, we do have a few missions that could use another shinobi. Let me see…" He rifled through the scrolls with practiced ease, each one detailing a different mission, different objectives. Naruto waited, trying to keep his impatience in check.
As he stood there, his thoughts drifted back to his old team, the camaraderie they shared, the bond forged in the heat of battle. But that was in the past. Right now, he needed to focus on the present, on finding a mission, on moving forward.
--
Meanwhile, in the shadows of Konoha, four figures moved with silent precision, their footsteps soundless on the cobblestone streets. The Sound Four had infiltrated the village, their objective clear: find Sasuke Uchiha. Their movements were methodical, each step calculated, each action deliberate. They knew the stakes were high, and failure was not an option.
Kidomaru, the spider-like member of the group, skittered across the rooftops, his six arms allowing him to move with inhuman speed and agility. His sharp eyes scanned the streets below, searching for any sign of their target. He was methodical in his approach, never rushing, always observing. He knew that Sasuke would not be easy to find, but that only made the hunt more exhilarating.
Jirobo, the massive brute of the group, stayed close to the ground, using his earth-based abilities to sense vibrations, to feel the presence of anyone nearby. His slow, lumbering movements belied his sharp mind, always thinking, always analyzing. He was the muscle of the group, but he was far from mindless. His thoughts were focused on the mission, on the thrill of the hunt.
Tayuya, the lone female, moved with a grace that belied her sharp tongue and fiery temper. Her fingers brushed against the flute at her side, the instrument that held so much power, so much control. Her mind raced with thoughts of the upcoming battle, of the sweet sound of victory. She was a predator, and Sasuke was her prey.
Finally, Sakon, the leader of the group, moved with deadly purpose. His eyes were cold, calculating, always a step ahead. He knew Sasuke was in the village, and it was only a matter of time before they found him. His thoughts were focused, clear, each step bringing them closer to their goal.
The Sound Four moved as one, a well-oiled machine, each member playing their part. They were patient, methodical, knowing that the slightest misstep could cost them everything. But they were confident, their minds sharp, their bodies ready. They would find Sasuke, and when they did, they would bring him back to Orochimaru.
The hunt had begun, and the clock was ticking.