(A/N This is a reuplaod)
Summary: Hatred was as dominant as ever in the shinobi world. Enough examples of certain Shinobis would follow a dark path because of this corrupted world. Naruto saw it during his training with Jiraiya and after he came back from his training trip. Another chapter in Naruto's life began with the beginning of the Tailed Beast hunt. There would also be this new Uchiha who seemed to know him.
"Speech."
'Think.'
Jutsu/Technique
Flashback/Events of the Past
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Sakura smiled slightly. '2 and a half years is a long time. He really seems to have matured.' She put a finger to her cheek and blushed a little. "Have I changed too? Have I become more feminine?" She gave him an embarrassed smile and was excited to see what he was going to say.
Naruto grinned at her with red cheeks. "I don't know what to say. You are even more beautiful than you were two and a half years ago, Sakura."
Jiraiya saw Sakura's reaction and was more than pleased with his student. 'The many lessons were worth it; that's how you do it, Naruto.' He nodded proudly with his eyes closed and praised himself. Jiraiya didn't just use the two and a half years for Naruto's training. He also taught him other essential things, and dealing with a woman was one of those things.
Sakura was about to say something, but a voice behind Naruto interrupted the moment. She was very positively surprised and wanted to say thank you, but a female voice erupted after a cloud of smoke arose.
Naruto turned around when he heard his name. In front of him, he saw Konohamaru's version of the Sexy Jutsu. Jiraiya looked closely and memorized that carefully. This was true art in his eyes!
Sakura couldn't believe what she was seeing there. Konohamaru broke the jutsu and transformed back. "Well, what do you say, boss? I've been practicing for a long time to make it work like this!" He grinned contentedly at Naruto and was sure that he could now expect great praise.
Naruto laughed a little, and everyone looked at him in confusion. "I'm no longer a little boy Konohamaru. I find the Sexy Jutsu silly. I would advise you not to use this Jutsu anymore."
Konohamaru looked down thoughtfully. "Hmm." He wasn't sure what to make of it. After all, the Sexy Jutsu managed to knock out ninjas like his late grandfather, and he was Hokage, after all!
Sakura looked sideways at Naruto, slightly puzzled. She still couldn't believe how much Naruto had changed. She couldn't help it and blushed slightly. 'Naruto has become a great ninja, and I must admit that he makes me a little embarrassed. I'm sure he learned a lot from Jiraiya.'
Naruto walked up to Konohamaru and put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't give up, Konohamaru. I'm always here for you, and if you ever need help with something, just let me know."
Konohamaru looked up and grinned from ear to ear. "You can count on this, Boss!" Naruto and Konohamaru talked a bit.
Jiraiya watched the interaction between Naruto and his late sensei's grandson. He smiled at the sight, and Sakura, seeing it too, couldn't help but smile.
"Ok, Naruto, we should go to Tsunade. She will surely be waiting for us." Jiraiya intervened, not wanting to keep Tsunade waiting and get in trouble with her later.
Naruto looked over his shoulder and nodded to Jiraiya. Naruto then looked back at Konohamaru. "You heard it, buddy. I got to go report to the Hokage."
So, Naruto, Jiraiya, and Sakura went to the Hokage Building together, drawing quite a bit of attention. After all, these three people were quite well known in the village, which was hidden behind the leaves.
Besides the two apparent facts that Jiraiya was one of the three legendary Sannin and that Sakura was a student of Tsunade, there was Naruto, which was why the 3 got some attention as well.
Naruto had proved several times in the past through his actions that he would protect this village with his life and that he was not a demon but Naruto Uzumaki. Be it in the fight against Gaara during the invasion, where Naruto himself made sure that Shukaku didn't level the village or find Tsunade Senju. Naruto gave the village a fifth Hokage, and everyone was happy about that. Of course, the fact that Naruto was Jiraiya's student also played a role. By and large, Naruto was now respected by many in the village, and that's why many of the villagers smiled at Naruto and bowed slightly as a sign of respect.
Naruto smiled back politely and continued towards Tsunades office with Sakura and Jiraiya. He saw the building in the distance and couldn't help but smile slightly. It wasn't one of those vast grins he always had on his lips back then. No, that smile was genuine and not fake like it used to be in the past. Naruto had been through a lot and no longer wore a mask. He left that behind for a long time. Jiraiyas first act was to finally beat some sense into Naruto and finally get him to be himself and not the idiot he always pretended to be.
Seriously, how was an idiot supposed to learn the Rasengan in just a week and who, out of nowhere, managed to walk on water right the first time with no problems? A failure was not guaranteed but rather a hidden genius. Jiraiya coaxed the real Naruto out of his shell quickly and was glad he did. It's much more pleasant and easier to deal with the real Naruto. The real Naruto behaved more like his father and not like he used to pretend to be like his mother. He became calmer and more serious, but also smiled a lot and was full of warmth and caring for those around him.
Sakura looked closely at Naruto's new outfit out of the corner of her eye—rather than his general appearance, whether it was his new haircut or a new outfit. Everything made him look more mature. His hair had grown longer over the past two and a half years, and a few strands hung over his black headband, which was tied around his forehead. His usual long spikes that defined gravity hung here and there a bit over the headband and made his hair very wild and exotic.
He wore orange pants, a long-sleeved mesh shirt with a green flak jacket of Konoha over it, a black headband around his forehead, black ninja sandals, two ninja pouches over his hips, and black fingerless gloves. Finally, he wore the same giant scroll as Jiraiya strapped behind his back. The only difference was that his scroll was white and not red like Jiraiya's scroll, which he always wore behind his back. (A/N Look at the cover image, and you know what he looks like.)
Not much happened on the way, and the three were soon in Tsunades office. "There you are again. Was your training trip successful?" Tsunade smiled and couldn't believe how much Naruto had grown.
"Of course otherwise, we wouldn't be here again." Jiraiya smiled and looked at his student out of the corner of his eye, who was like a grandson to him.
"We experienced a lot on our journey." Naruto thought of some events in the two and a half years that he would never forget. Apart from the hard training, Naruto also lived completely as himself for the first time and was finally able to enjoy life. The last two and a half years were the best of his life.
"I believe you; I hope Jiraiya prepared you properly." Tsunade grinned slightly when she heard Jiraiya snort. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked away, offended. "Of course, I prepared the brat." Jiraiya thought that was cheeky; how could you assume that you were not prepared after two and a half years of training with him? The Legendary Sannin and Sage Jiraiya!
Naruto smiled a little and nodded to the statement, "Yes, that's right. I learned a lot from my master, and I'm glad to be his student."
Jiraiya just closed his eyes and smiled while again letting his arms fall freely beside his body and looking ahead. Sakura smiled slightly because she could identify with this statement very well. She was also happy to be Tsunade's student herself, and she learned a lot from her master's.
"I'm glad to hear that; then I'd like to see what you've got."
Naruto walked the streets of Konoha and towards his apartment. He would later fight alongside Sakura against his old sensei, Kakashi Hatake. He's excited to see what Sakura could do now. After all, she studied under Tsunade for two and a half years, and Naruto was sure that she had become powerful. He wouldn't be surprised if she were stronger than he was now. In the past, she was more of a support role in the team, but now that would be different.
Naruto was curious about how the fight against his sensei would go. He experienced a lot and had become stronger in the last two and a half years. He's just not sure if he sees himself at the level of his sensei yet. Kakashi wasn't an S-rank ninja known all over the world for nothing. It was only during his journey that he realized what an incredible ninja his old sensei was. He learned the story of Kakashi from Jiraiya, and Naruto's respect for Kakashi just shot through the roof. No matter what happened to Kakashi, he never walked the path of darkness, always thought of his fellow human beings, and always remained loyal to the village.
Naruto envies someone like that because he briefly fell into darkness in the past. It was the moment when he fought against Orochimaru in the Forest of Death, and he slightly manipulated his seal. As a result, he did not interrupt the connection as he had initially thought; no, he strengthened the connection to the Nine-Tails. There, he had briefly given in to hatred and, in the forest, together with Sasuke, simply flattened and killed the entire Otogakure team. Sasuke was influenced by the curse mark back then, and Naruto himself by the Nine-Tails. The two could not be stopped during the whole time, and only through the intervention of Jiraiya were the two brought back under control when they came to the tower.
Naruto unlocked the door to his apartment and immediately made some Shadow Clones, which started cleaning the apartment for him. He only came here to make his Shadow Clones. He wanted to go to a particular place and pay his respects to someone. So, he made a finger sign and disappeared in a puff of smoke, signaling the use of the Body Flicker Technique.
Naruto appeared in a puff of smoke in front of a training ground and calmly started walking. He looked around and smiled slightly as he remembered days gone by, such as skipping class here with Kiba, Shikamaru, and Choji. They were always hiding here from Sensei Iruka. He wondered how the four had fared. So far, he had only met Sakura and Konohamaru's team again, at least from his age group, although, of course, Konohamaru was a few years younger than him. Still, that's closer to his age than the other people he's met.
Naruto heard the rustling of the trees and the wind blowing through the thicket of trees. Naruto closed his eyes briefly and stood completely still. He breathed in and out in a controlled manner and felt exactly how everything was in harmony. He's still in training, but he's slowly but surely getting a feel for becoming one with nature. It would still be months before he had even learned the technique, and yet he was happy to have this feeling of slowly becoming one with nature. He felt the earth, the wind, and the energy around him.
Naruto opened his eyes again 2 minutes later and continued towards his destination. He walked through the trees and bushes and very soon saw the monolith where deceased ninjas who died in service to the village were immortalized. He looked closely at the names and found the two names he was looking for.
Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki were standing right next to each other. Naruto smiled and just closed his eyes. 'Hi, Mom. Hi Dad. I'm sorry it took me so long to visit you. Some time has passed since our last meeting. I hope you can forgive me, and don't be angry with me.'
Naruto was imagining his father running a hand through his hair and then his mother hugging him. A single tear slid down his cheek, and then he fell to the floor. Naruto never stopped smiling and wiped the moisture from his cheek and eye. He opened both eyes and looked over his shoulder, where he saw his sensei appear in a puff of smoke.
"Sensei Kakashi, you still come here every day?" Naruto was the only one who knew during their genin days why his sensei was always late.
Kakashi smiled at him with his eyes. "You've really grown up, Naruto. I figured you knew by then." Kakashi stood next to Naruto and looked at the monolith.
Naruto also looked at the monolith again and smiled. "So, it was a bit strange that I stopped complaining overnight, wasn't it?" He had to laugh slightly at the question.
Kakashi just smiled to himself with his eye, and that was enough for Naruto to reply. "Come on, Sensei, I'll invite you to lunch. After all, I still owe you a lot." Naruto gave his sensei a quick pat on the shoulder and then walked toward Konoha.
Kakashi looked over his shoulder and then at the monolith. "Sorry Obito, Rin and Sensei. As you can see, I must take care of Naruto first. I'll come back later." After that, Kakashi also turned around and took the book out of his pocket, which he had gotten from Naruto at his meeting in Tsunade's office today. Naruto smiled slightly at the sight. Some things would never change, no matter how long you hadn't seen someone. Luckily, some things stay the same.
Both arrived in Konoha very soon and calmly walked side by side. "How do you like the book, Sensei?" Naruto always wanted to know why his sensei liked this series of books from his master so much.
Kakashi glanced sideways and then back at the book. "I find it very intriguing. The storyline is once again uniquely written. It always gives the reader enough information to keep them satisfied, yet there are always certain aspects that remain unanswered for the moment, making the reader want to know more. That's how a good book should be."
Naruto was positively surprised. He would not have thought that his sensei really had such a profound reason for reading his master's series of books. It was pretty clear to him that he was, of course, also reading this in order to read the intimate scenes that were described very precisely. He had already read through such a scene and was surprised at how much passion his master put into such scenes. Everything was really described down to the smallest detail, and that's why such a scene sometimes went 4-5 pages long.
"That sounds pretty interesting. I do think the story of a brave ninja is a bit better than the Flirt Paradise series, though." Naruto liked his master's first book and was just like his father in that sense. His father really liked the book, too.
Both walked on and very soon arrived at a typical restaurant. They sat across from each other, and both ordered their food. "So, Sensei, how have things been for you in the last two and a half years? You must have experienced a lot during that time."
Kakashi looked up from his book. "Hmm? Yes, you could say that." Kakashi recalled some events and got a few drops of sweat on his neck. 'Gai definitely took the chance that I had no students for more than two years.' Kakashi gave a little shudder, and Naruto gave him a confused look at his reaction.
"Um, Sensei, everything ok? You looked so pale for a moment."
"Oh, I'm fine. I was remembering something that wasn't very nice. I can tell you a few stories if you'd like." Kakashi saw the nod from his student and began to relate a story that happened during one of his many missions.
Naruto and Kakashi chatted until the food was brought to the table. Naruto was really wondering one thing: how his sensei managed to eat with that face mask on. "I really have a question, Sensei."
Kakashi was already holding his chopsticks and looked at Naruto. "Hmm? What is it, Naruto?"
"How do you manage to eat with the mask on your face? I've never seen you take your mask off to eat." Naruto was really excited about what was to come.
Kakashi just smiled. "That's a secret, Naruto. One you may find out sometime." Naruto only blinked once during the answer, and his eyes widened when he realized what he was looking at. Within the blink of an eye, Kakashi somehow managed to get food in his mouth and not take off his mask.
Naruto grumbled something about stupid sensei and their unique abilities, took his chopsticks himself, and started to eat. His sensei just smiled to himself and calmly enjoyed the meal with his student.
Some people just came through the curtains of the restaurant and talked a bit. Naruto and Kakashi didn't pay any attention to the people, but the people recognized Naruto right away and couldn't believe that Naruto was back after all this time.
"Naruto, is that you?"
Naruto swallowed his food and looked to the side where two people were standing. Naruto smiled and immediately recognized the people.
"Hi Shikamaru. Hi Temari."
"Damn, you've really changed Naruto." Shikamaru smiled, although he seemed annoyed until now.
'He has grown.' Temari looked a little puzzled and couldn't believe how much Naruto had changed.
"Times are changing." That's all Naruto said, and in response, Shikamaru just laughed a little.
"Oh wow, I didn't expect such a short answer. You've really matured, and I'm still experiencing something like that." Shikamaru and Naruto laughed together and then slapped each other on the back.
Temari didn't know exactly what was going on; the otherwise so annoyed Shikamaru, who hardly spoke and interacted with others, was talking to Naruto so energetically and cheerfully. 'It looks like that aspect of Naruto hasn't changed. He has a great influence on others, even if he doesn't do it consciously.' She smiled slightly and started talking to Naruto as well.
The two sat down with Kakashi and Naruto. They had also come here to eat something. "So Temari, how is Gaara? I heard he's already a Kazekage?"
Temari thanked the waitress as she brought her some tea and then turned her gaze back to Naruto. "Yes, that's right. It's only thanks to you, Naruto, that he's Kazekage now. If you hadn't talked to my brother in the past, he might still be the same today."
Naruto waved his hand once to signal that it was nothing or something. "Come on, Temari, you already thanked me back then. I already said that Gaara and I are very similar, and that's why I could understand him. After all, I would have almost become like that myself if I hadn't met someone at the time who brought me back to the light." Naruto smiled slightly, and that was when everyone at the table saw Naruto's genuine smile. Not that big fake smile or all those fake smiles. No, that was a real smile. It radiated warmth, and you felt good at the sight of that smile.
Naruto then thought of Iruka, the first human to recognize him alongside the Third Hokage and the Ichirakus. Because of him, Naruto didn't go rogue and was able to continue his journey on the path of light.
Kakashi put money on the table and stood up. "Ok, I have something to do. I'll see you later, Naruto, and remember to bring your gear." After that, Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Every shinobi agreed that the Body Flicker Technique was a real boon for getting to a nearby location in the shortest amount of time. Whoever invented this jutsu had the thanks of every shinobi who could do this jutsu. It should be said that every Shinobi could do the Jutsu and also could do the Substitution Jutsu. After all, the Substitution Jutsu was only possible because of the speed of the Body Flicker Technique.
Naruto put money on the table as well and stood up. "I should go slowly, too. I must do something before I meet Kakashi and Sakura later. It was nice to talk to you two again."
"Likewise. You have to come to me next time; my father really wanted to talk to you." Naruto nodded and then disappeared in a puff of smoke as well.
Temari had a thought and turned to Shikamaru. "Say, Shikamaru, what do you think? Is Naruto a Chunin or a Jonin by now? He is wearing Konoha's flak jacket already."
Shikamaru looked at Temari and then at the ceiling. Temari saw exactly how Shikamaru was thinking. "I'm honest, Temari, I don't know. I am sure that Tsunade promoted him to Chunin while he was on his training trip. I heard a few things he did over the time he was traveling with Jiraiya. There would also be the fact that he saved the village one time from your brother in the past. He was also the one who brought Tsunade back to the village. Everything considered, his promotion to Chunin was the bare minimum, in my opinion."
Naruto went through Konoha towards Training Ground 3. There, he was about to meet up with Sakura and Kakashi to fight the battle. Tsunade wanted to see what Naruto could do now. In the distance, he saw the fence leading to training ground 3. He felt a whiff of nostalgia as he recalled his first meeting with Team 7 back at that training ground. Back then, he was still a loud and idiotic kid who could only spit big tones. All was right with the world back then when he formed Team 7 with Satsuki and Sakura.
He got to the fence, and it looked like he was the first. He checked again to make sure he had everything and checked both of his ninja pouches. He felt the kunai, the shuriken, and other gear for battle. Naruto smiled contentedly as he could feel everything. He completed his mental checklist and ticked everything.
He leaned against the fence and looked around. As always, the air was great and very pleasant. There was a light breeze, and the temperature was perfect for this time of year.
"Naruto!" Naruto looked to the side and saw Sakura walking towards him. Naruto raised his hand. "Hey, Sakura!"
Sakura stopped in front of Naruto. "Have you been waiting long?" She was sure that she would be the first like usual. However, she remembered that she no longer saw the Idiot Naruto but a more mature and calmer Naruto.
"I just showed up here myself. I think Kakashi will need some time. I can't imagine he changed much in that aspect." Naruto sighed slightly and shrugged.
Sakura got sweat on her forehead and just looked awkwardly to the side. She knew exactly what Naruto meant, and she was sure that Kakashi would make them wait for a while.
"I would say that we made the best use of the time," Naruto said and pushed himself off the fence.
"It would probably be better if we both knew what the other one is capable of. Depending on how long Sensei Kakashi still needs, we can come up with one or the other strategy."
Sakura looked surprised and nodded. "That's a great idea, Naruto. Then let's start right away."
Kakashi emerged an hour later in a puff of smoke in a crouched position on the fence. "Hey, sorry for my little delay. I had to help an old lady with her groceries."
"That's a lie!" both of his students said, and Kakashi only had a drop of sweat on his face. "You're right."
After that, the three calmly went to the training ground and very soon arrived at the place where it all began. The three logs were almost legendary. Many well-known teams had become ninjas at these three logs, like the three legendary Sannins. Among them were Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura, of course.
Everyone present was reminiscing a bit until Kakashi decided to take the exam slowly. After all, he was very curious to see how strong his two former students had become.
The sound of two bells ripped everyone out of their thoughts. Naruto and Sakura looked at Kakashi, who was holding up two bells next to his book.
"The rules are the same as they were last time. You have to catch the bells somehow." Kakashi attached the bells to his side and slipped the book into his holster. "Any questions?"
Both of his students just smiled confidently, and Kakashi took that as a sign that there were no more questions. "I'm afraid I'll have to try really hard this time." Kakashi lifted his headband and revealed his Sharingan, which he was so well known for.
Sakura put on her black gloves, and Naruto stood motionless next to Sakura. He watched his sensei closely and just waited for him to signal them to start this exam.
"Right?" Kakashi asked this, although it was clear that this was a rhetorical question. After that, everything went quiet, and the wind seemed to pick up, blowing heavily across the training ground.
The bells at Kakashi's side swayed in the wind, making the familiar sound. Kakashi just wanted to know if Naruto or Sakura would charge at Kakashi like they did last time. Since this wasn't the case, he no longer sees any reason not to start this test slowly. "You have until sunrise tomorrow morning. Let's get started!" Just as the last word rang out, Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Jiraiya sat on a tree and smiled while watching the fight. He's excited to see how this fight will end. Of course, he knew everything his students could do. Still, this fight was an excellent opportunity to see how strong Naruto had become compared to someone like Kakashi. If he could hold up very well against Kakashi, then he wouldn't have a problem with any of the Akatsuki members on a team, either. Naruto was giving Jiraiya a hard time, and Jiraiya had to get serious, or he would get defeated by Naruto. Naruto fought very similarly to Jiraiya, but he had more chakra than Jiraiya, so that Naruto could fight longer. Jiraiya couldn't wait for Kakashi to attempt to use a Genjutsu on his student. He would love to capture the moment on camera.
Tsunade stood with Shizue by the tree where Jiraiya was sitting. They both smiled and watched the fight as well. Nothing had happened yet, but Tsunade already had an idea of how this fight would go in the first round. She's excited to see what Naruto could do. She could only assume that Naruto learned a lot from Jiraiya. She knew for a fact that Naruto learned many techniques from the toads and, indeed, quite a few of them. She also looked explicitly at Sakura and thought, 'So what are you going to do now, Sakura?'
'Right, left, above, behind me,' thought Sakura and turned around. 'He's not there.' She made a fist with her right hand and focused her chakra. She concentrated it in her fist and made a downward swing with her right fist. "So, he's down!" Sakura said, and as her fist hit the ground, cracks appeared in front of her and widened more and more. The ground was ruptured, and earth plates were exposed. Directly between these earth plates was Kakashi, who had a slightly nervous expression on his face. "Wow, what an incredible power," he said to no one in particular.
Naruto staggered slightly and focused more chakra on his feet. He was amazed at how Sakura split the earth with just one blow. He smiled and thought, 'Very good, Sakura, you're a stunner.' Naruto jumped over Sakura, and out of nowhere, several shurikens appeared between Naruto's fingers, which he threw in the direction of his sensei with a well-aimed throw. Kakashi saw it all coming naturally and just jumped away, landing on solid ground that Sakura didn't destroy.
Sakura made a fist again and ran towards Kakashi. She started engaging him in a Taijutsu fight, being the only one attacking and Kakashi only dodging. He knew very well that he should never parry such a blow. Due to his Sharingan and his higher speed, that's not a big problem.
He slammed his back against a tree after just a few moments and briefly widened his eyes as Sakura's fist came ever closer. He quickly jumped over her, and as a result, Sakura's fist crashed into the tree, which was immediately destroyed and about to fall. Sakura smiled slightly and jumped up. Kakashi was just wondering where Naruto was. He had only thrown the shuriken so far, but Kakashi didn't have to wait long. As he landed in a slight crouch, the ground cracked, and Kakashi watched in slow motion through his Sharingan as Naruto's fist shot out of the ground to uppercut Kakashi. Kakashi leaned back, dodging Naruto's punch. Kakashi grabbed Naruto's arm and twisted it so that Naruto's back was facing Kakashi. Kakashi took the opportunity and kicked Naruto in the back. Instead of Naruto flying away, he just erupted in smoke.
'Shadow Clones, huh?' Kakashi had been wondering when Naruto would use his beloved Shadow Clones. When he turned around, Naruto was standing there making two hand signs.
"Toad Smoke Jutsu!" Kakashi watched as, out of nowhere, a red mist came from under Naruto's flak jacket and covered the area with it. Kakashi could only tell from the name that it was a technique of the toads. 'Good strategy to create the mist. However...' Kakashi looked up and saw Sakura falling on him, fist clenched. Kakashi, of course, jumped away, dodging Sakura's punch, but when her fist hit the ground, it wasn't destroyed. The fist just hit the ground and didn't even make a slight depression.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Kakashi's eyes widened as countless shuriken flew out of the mist and headed toward him. He was still in the air, so there was no way he could dodge them all. He used a Substitution and appeared in the forest. He had swapped places with a log early on and thus escaped the shuriken. The red fog on the open training ground dissipated, revealing that nobody was there anymore.
Naruto watched from his hiding spot as Kakashi looked around with his Sharingan. Naruto had just swapped places with the Substitution Jutsu with a previously made Shadow Clone. He took a kunai from his holster and threw it at a tree where a small wire could be seen. The kunai cut the wire, and this set off the trap.
Kakashi heard something move and turned around. A huge tree trunk, which was attached to 2 wires, flew out of the thicket of trees. Kakashi, of course, jumped away to avoid getting caught by the log. In mid-air, Naruto appeared out of nowhere in front of him and engaged Kakashi in a Taijutsu match.
This time, Kakashi was even able to block and counter the attacks. He did this even though he had trouble countering. Naruto's Taijutsu was of a very high standard, as far as Kakashi could tell. Before the training trip, Naruto was a real brawler who didn't have a natural style. Now he had one, and it's clearly based on speed.
Both continued to trade punches and kicks until they were just off the ground. Kakashi managed to kick Naruto in the shoulder. He wanted to use the shoulder as a stepping stone, but like before, this Naruto was a Shadow Clone and just went up in smoke. Kakashi caught himself quickly and corrected his posture in the air at the last second. He could land on one hand, then push off, and then land on both feet.
He felt something disturbing his senses. He could only assume that Sakura was trying to lock a Genjutsu into him. He saw how the whole forest around him suddenly caught fire, and he had nowhere to go. He quickly formed a finger sign and broke the Genjutsu, just like that because Sakura was in a full sprint and tried to KO Kakashi with a punch. Kakashi dodged the punch and kicked Sakura away, causing her to go up in smoke.
He looked up and jumped to the side. Shortly after that, the real Sakura landed at Kakashi's previous location and smashed the earth with her fist. She smiled slightly, jumped right back, and disappeared into the forest. Kakashi wanted to take the chance to distance himself a bit. However, now didn't seem to be the time, as several kunai were flying from all directions. Kakashi whipped out a kunai and started running in the direction of the forest and deflected the kunai, creating yellow sparks several times. The sound of the familiar strumming sounded a few times until Kakashi blocked all the kunai. 'No bad ideas so far.' He had to say that the two make a great team. Their teamwork was perfect, and every movement was coordinated with each other.
He jumped up a tree and threw his kunai towards where he saw Naruto's chakra with his Sharingan. He heard his kunai being deflected, and right after that, Naruto appeared on a tree that was very close to Kakashi's. Sakura appeared next to Naruto, and the two smiled at their sensei.
"Excellent teamwork. I'm really impressed by you two." Kakashi said this with pride. He was someone who put teamwork above everything else, and that was what he had taught the two of them. The two of them had this topic on it like hardly anyone. Even some teams that had been working together for a long time didn't have as good harmony as the two before him.
"You are really amazing, Sensei. You are extremely fast; we haven't even managed to hit you yet." Naruto was amazed at how fast his sensei really was. Of course, he also became faster and stronger, in addition to learning Taijutsu and Ninjutsu. Still, he couldn't claim to be faster than his sensei. At least not now.
"Then let's come to the first discipline that a shinobi must be able to do." Kakashi jumped to the ground and landed safely on both of his feet. Kakashi looked at his students and said the first discipline, "Taijutsu." He charged off and had no problem just attacking the two at the same time. With his Sharingan, he could perceive everything more slowly and thus react better.
He tried to punch Naruto, who surprisingly just raised his open palm and deflected the blow. He smiled slightly under his mask and took the chance, letting his body fall slightly with the movement forward. He raised his leg and executed a roundhouse kick. Naruto ducked under the kick and rolled forward.
Sakura ran towards Kakashi, and as before, a one-sided fight started, with Sakura trying to hit Kakashi and Kakashi dodging every attack. Kakashi jumped away to avoid a kick from Sakura. Sakura's foot hit the earth and destroyed it again.
Kakashi got a little sweat on his forehead at the sight. He sighed, "This used to be a lot of fun." He remembered the time when the two were still completely green behind the ears. During the exam, he could read his book the whole time and didn't have to worry about his life. In this fight, yes, he was both proud and a little worried.
Kakashi heard a noise behind him, and when he looked over his shoulder, his eyes widened. Naruto's fist was only moments away from making acquaintance with Kakashi's face. Kakashi raised his arm just in time and blocked the attack. The two had a kunai in their hands and started a wild hand-to-hand fight.
Fists, legs, elbows, and other parts of the body were used, sometimes clashing the kunai of the two, causing yellow sparks to fly.
Naruto blocked two punches and did a quick spin, lifting his right leg. He used the momentum and shot his leg forward like a weapon. Kakashi jumped over the kick and counterattacked with his kunai. Naruto deflected Kakashi's kunai with his own, creating yellow sparks again.
They both jumped back, and Naruto could feel something trying to enter his chakra network. He started to grin and just kept looking at his sensei. Kakashi widened his eyes when his jutsu didn't work. He had just tried to put Naruto in a Genjutsu, and it ultimately failed. Naruto hadn't even made the sign of trying to break the Genjutsu. It just didn't work for him. He was just wondering how that works. Kakashi saw exactly with his Sharingan how Naruto's chakra was briefly disturbed, and immediately afterward, it stabilized again. Even though he saw it pause for a millisecond, This was only for a split second, and if Kakashi had blinked, he wouldn't have seen it.
Sakura looked confused for a moment but then decided to go to Naruto. "Kakashi sensei?"
Kakashi just looked at his two students with a bit of sweat on his forehead and asked, "Yeah, what's going on?"
"I think we proved that we both have Taijutsu skills." She smiled, and Kakashi just nodded with a sigh.
"Since you both already have the second discipline down, we now come to the third and last discipline." Out of nowhere, all the smiles on the faces of those present disappeared. Naruto and Sakura knew what that meant and got ready.
Kakashi seemed like a different person; he wasn't the caring sensei he was back then. No, this Kakashi was the one known as Copy Ninja Kakashi. The S-rank ninja was known and feared by each of the great countries in the Third Great Ninja War.
Kakashi jumped back and skidded a bit on the floor. As Kakashi raised both arms, his two students saw what it was like to be an S-rank ninja. The speed at which he made his hand signs was inhuman. Sakura and Naruto couldn't even see how fast the movements were. Everything was blurry, and you could only roughly see how the arms and hands were moving.
Both were ready, and Naruto was already forming hand signs for his jutsu at an incredible speed.
Sakura also stood by and watched as Kakashi finished his hand signs first. He raised his right hand in front of his face and formed a circle with his fingers in front of his mouth.
"Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!" Kakashi took a deep breath and, right after that, unleashed a massive fireball from his mouth. The fireball even left a small depression in the ground, and whatever it hit turned into ashes, whether it was the grass on the ground or complete trees.
Naruto had already reached his last hand sign and rammed both his hands on the ground. "Earth Style: Mud Wall!" The ground shook briefly, and immediately afterward, a giant wall of earth rose in front of Naruto and Sakura. The fireball hit the earth wall a short time later, destroying a good part of it. The smoke formed at the site, and the spectators could clearly see how the earthen wall might have been destroyed in the outer parts, but the middle part was still intact. Naruto and Sakura have long since disappeared behind the wall.
Kakashi appeared on a pond, and with his Sharingan, he saw Sakura stay behind, and Naruto appeared several meters in front of the pond. Kakashi was about to start doing hand signs for the Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu. However, Naruto stopped him. "Fire Style: Flame Bombs!" Naruto unleashed a blast of fire from his mouth. The blast of fire wasn't that big, but it was swift, so Kakashi didn't have enough time to do all the hand signs for the Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu. He did his hand signs for a defensive jutsu. "Water Style: Water Wall!" The water rose around Kakashi, protecting him from fire.
Fog arose, enveloping the pond and a few meters around the pond. Kakashi jumped out of the fog and was amazed. 'So, Naruto can use Fire Style and Earth Style. Very impressive and extremely fitting for the student of Jiraiya.'
He landed and looked around with his Sharingan. 'As expected, Sakura received training in Genjutsu from someone in addition to her Medical Ninjutsu training.' Kakashi thought back to the Genjutsu, where the whole forest suddenly turned into a flaming inferno.
He was still shuddering. The illusion was very impressive and entirely accurate. Without Sharingan, he couldn't have broken that Genjutsu so easily. He could only imagine that Kurenai shared some of her knowledge with Sakura.
Kakashi heard the familiar sound of something directly above him. He didn't know how, but Naruto flickered into existence right above Kakashi with a Rasengan. Kakashi made the three finger signs for his very personal jutsu, and immediately afterward, his feared Raikiri appeared in his right hand.
The world seemed to stand still around the two of them. The two looked into each other's eyes and had a brief, unnoticed conversation. As if that moment had never happened, time went back to normal around the two of them.
"RASENGAN!"
"RAIKIRI!"
Both techniques collided, creating a sphere of wind that emanated from the point of contact and spread in all directions. Cracks formed in the ground beneath Kakashi, and lightning and visible chakra flew around the two in a dance. One thing was never seen alone; lightning and the visible chakra were always seen together around the two.
When neither Jutsu could dominate the other, the usual thing happened in such situations. There was an explosion, and black smoke appeared between the two.
Sakura was a little worried about Naruto but sighed in relief when Naruto jumped out of the smoke. Naruto slid down the floor a bit and came to a halt next to Sakura.
Kakashi came out on the other side of the smoke puff and repeated the same action as Naruto. Kakashi was exhausted. He didn't have a bit of time to recover and had to do chakra-intensive jutsu on several occasions. The Raikiri just set a good example. He sighed once and briefly thought back to the time when this exam was still fun.
Sakura didn't have as much chakra as he does, but she's still quite fit. This was due to the simple fact that she hadn't used Jutsu as intensively as Kakashi before. Naruto had been performing chakra-intensive jutsu and maneuvers most of the time, which befits the two of them. Naruto was someone with a lot more chakra than Sakura, so it's only logical that Naruto would take on that role more than Sakura.
Naruto himself had just suffered no visible exhaustion or injury other than a scratch from the blast. Kakashi was lost in thought for just a little too long because, at that moment, another fist shot out of the ground, and Kakashi could only watch as this fist slowly but indeed approached his chin. He was able to use a substitution at the last moment, and Kakashi escaped Naruto's uppercut. Naruto frowned as his fist hit the log, destroying it.
He disappeared back into the ground, and Kakashi sat panting on a tree and looked around. 'Now that was more than close.' He looked up and had to fall from the tree because Sakura came down from above again.
When Kakashi landed on the ground, two hands suddenly grabbed his ankles. "Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu!" Kakashi was pulled into the ground. Naruto came out of the ground right after that and turned around. Sakura also jumped next to Naruto, and they both looked at their sensei. He only looked at his two students with an awkward smile and disappeared into a cloud of smoke.
Kakashi looked at his two students from his hiding place and smiled slightly. 'Excellent action, you two; I'm proud of you.'
"Sensei Kakashi is really amazing." That was Naruto's only comment as he watched his sensei dissolve the Shadow Clone. "I can only agree with that." Only now did Sakura really realize how strong her sensei was. Neither strategy has helped or worked so far.
"Come on, we have to find Sensei Kakashi. Once he rests, we might never get the bells." Sakura nodded, jumped off with Naruto, and disappeared into the forest where they last heard the bells ring.
Kakashi sighed slightly in relief and took a deep breath. He seems to be at peace for the moment. He covered his Sharingan to conserve chakra. He didn't have much anymore, and he needs a moment's rest now. He kept his senses sharp but let his body relax a bit. Every little bit of chakra that regenerates was necessary for both.
The spectators smiled at the previous fight. As with the Sannin before, the harmony of the two couldn't be surpassed. Jiraiya and Tsunade were always two people who harmonized perfectly with each other during the Great War. They have defeated so many opponents through their teamwork, while Orochimaru often did his things alone.
"That could be very interesting," Shizune said something first, and Tsunade nodded. "You're right; the two are a great team." Tsunade looked up and saw how Jiraiya also had the same facial expression as herself and Shizune. The sun had already set, and night had spread over Konoha.
"This test won't last much longer," Jiraiya said something and pointed to where Kakashi was now. Tsunade and Shizune saw what was going on there, and all agreed that in the next few minutes, this exam would be over.
Kakashi had a specific feeling, and that's why he got up and picked up his headband again. Kakashi saw a jet of fire fly out of the forest. He jumped away and looked behind where Sakura was already waiting for him. She flew at him and had a fist ready. Kakashi reached into his pocket above his waist and pulled out a kunai tied to a wire. He threw it to the side and thus pulled himself out of the danger zone.
Naruto appeared right in front of Kakashi and executed a powerful kick, spinning around once, gaining more power for the kick. Kakashi raised both arms and was thrown back. He'd had a few minutes to recover, but it wasn't nearly enough. Kakashi landed and suddenly couldn't move. A tree appeared behind him and tied him up. Sakura came out of the tree with a kunai in hand. Kakashi had noticed too late that Sakura was still making hand signs in the air and activated a Genjutsu. She took both bells from Kakashi's hips and then disappeared back into the tree. Kakashi was able to move again shortly after. The Genjutsu was broken, and Naruto and Sakura stood in front of him, each holding a bell. They grinned at their sensei, and he sighed.
"Won Sensei!" They both jingled the bells again before the three heard the clapping. The three turned to the side and saw Jiraiya, Shizune, and Tsunade walking towards them with smiles. "That was an excellent performance, you two."
"Kakashi, please give your verdict now." Tsunade looked at Kakashi, already aware of what the verdict would be.
"The two have shown all the qualifications that one should have as a shinobi, and the teamwork between the two is particularly outstanding. I only know very few people who have shown such harmony in their maneuvers and attacks. The two have robbed me of my strength with several strategies and, at the decisive moment, struck and captured the little bells." Kakashi was so proud of his two students.
Naruto and Sakura both grinned. They managed to pass this exam together, and they both knew it very well. They could rely on and build on each other.
"Very good. I didn't expect anything else." Tsunade smiled.
Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi walk through Konoha and talk to each other. They were all put together in a team. The three were now officially Team Kakashi, with Kakashi being the team leader, of course.
"Hey, Sensei Kakashi, we both decided that you have to buy us a bowl of ramen," said Naruto. Sakura just stood next to him and smiled. They decided, so after all, Kakashi lost to them, and that's why he was the first to deal with them.
Of course, Naruto or Sakura would also give the team a meal at some point, but today, it's Kakashi's turn. Kakashi looked up from his book and looked at the two briefly, then just smiled. "Then go ahead."
Naruto and Sakura walked ahead and talked as they went. Kakashi just followed behind and continued reading his book. He's happy that nothing happened at the meeting in front of the training ground today. He had expected that one of the two would mention Satsuki, and they would be depressed because of it.
"Hey Naruto, how long did it take you to use the Rasengan one-handed?" asked Sakura. She had noticed it during the fight. Back then, Naruto always needed a Shadow Clone for the Rasengan. In battle, he had created the Rasengan with one hand.
"It's a bit complicated. To put it briefly, it took half a year." Naruto said while scratching something on the side of his face with one finger.
Sakura gave him a slightly confused look, and Naruto sighed. "Look, I'll explain it to you in peace, just not today. Today, I want to spend time with you and Kakashi. Is that ok?" asked Naruto.
Sakura nodded and smiled at that. "Of course! I'm curious to see what else you will tell me. The story about the eagle and the fisherman was just too good!" said Sakura. She giggled a little again as she remembered the story.
"I still have a lot to tell. For example, Jiraiya and I met a monk on our way to the lightning country..." Naruto started to tell another story. The two didn't even notice how Jiraiya appeared and talked to Kakashi. Kakashi had to leave, and when Kakashi saw how well his two former students were talking, he just smiled and disappeared into a puff of smoke.
Naruto and Sakura didn't notice Kakashi's absence until the two reached Ichirakus. "Hey, where's Kakashi?" Sakura asked, slightly puzzled. She could have sworn he was just behind her and Naruto.
Naruto frowned a little. "I guess he just got away," he said.
Sakura has a visible vein on his forehead. Naruto recognized that look, and he knew precisely why Sakura was very angry. "Then I would say that I will pay," said Naruto. He lifted the curtains slightly and sat down on one of the stools.
Sakura calmed down and then sat down next to Naruto. She was just mad at her sensei, but that didn't matter now. She looked forward to spending time with Naruto. She still had to get to know all the new faces of her comrades, and this was an excellent opportunity to do so.
Team Kakashi met up the following day to walk to Tsunade together. It's been two and a half years since they did a mission together. Kakashi hadn't had a mission for a month now, either.
Everyone was excited to see what the mission would be about. What rank would the first mission be? Would it be a B-rank mission? Would the three stay in the fire country, or would they have to go to another country? Approximately how long would this mission last?
These and many other questions went through the minds of every member of Team Kakashi. Sakura and Naruto only had to wait 20 minutes for Kakashi to appear. Everyone greeted each other and then left.
"Sensei?" asked Naruto.
Kakashi looked from his book to Naruto. "What is it?" asked Kakashi.
Naruto pointed up. "That's a hawk from Sunagakure, isn't it?" asked Naruto.
Sakura looked up and could see the hawk. It was a brown hawk with a message on its back. She hadn't even noticed the hawk until now. She looked at Kakashi, and he nodded when he saw the hawk, too. "That's correct," said Kakashi.
He looked at his two students. "We should hurry; I have a bad feeling," said Kakashi. Naruto and Sakura nodded, and then everyone jumped. No one knew how bad the situation really was.
As Naruto jumped alongside Sakura, he remembered an essential piece of information he had received from his master. 'I hope they haven't started hunting down the Jinchūriki. Otherwise, Gaara is in danger.' thought Naruto. He hadn't been in Akatsuki's sights for a long time, but only very few people knew that so far.
After an incident in the last two years, he was no longer a Jinchūriki. He's now an average shinobi like everyone else in this village. He, of course, had more chakra and stamina than most of the shinobi through his Uzumaki lineage, but he no longer had those unlimited reserves of chakra. He had lost a lot of chakras from the loss and initially had to deal with the fact that he couldn't spam his beloved Shadow Clones like before. Even so, a Hyuga would still say that Naruto had the amount of chakra of a Tailed Beast.
He could still remember exactly how he met two members of Akatsuki with Jiraiya, and they didn't want to catch him anymore. However, the people of Akatsuki figured it out. They already knew about the fact that Naruto was no longer a Jinchūriki. Naruto and Jiraiya fought the two members of Akatsuki, and Naruto learned a lot about one person. He shook his head and focused on the current situation.
He just hoped Gaara hadn't already been captured. After a few minutes, they all stood in front of Tsunade, Iruka, Shizune, and two other shinobi. All the missions were distributed in this room, and Tsunade wanted to send Team Kakashi on a B-rank mission to the land of rice fields today. However, before she could even address Team Kakashi, a Chunin ran into the room with a note in her hands.
"An important message from Sunagakure!" said the Chunin. She had brown hair and dark eyes. She was currently wearing the blue Konoha outfit and a flak jacket over it. Her headband could be seen around her forehead.
Tsunade took the note and began to read. Her face turned more and more into a grimace the longer she read. Naruto narrowed his eyes at the sight. He didn't hope that his suspicion was correct. He just wished he was wrong.
Tsunade placed the note on the table in front of her and briefly closed her eyes. She opened her eyes and looked straight into Naruto's blue eyes.
"The Akatsuki kidnaped the Kazekage from Sunagakure. The village suffered many casualties, and many shinobi died in the battle." said Tsunade. Everyone was a bit shocked that a Kage could be kidnapped.
Naruto frowned, and his two comrades did something similar. Sakura's face was clearly shocked. She knows precisely how much Gaara meant to her friend. She looked at Naruto, and she could see the worried and angry face straight away.
"This is not good," said Kakashi. He was talking to Jiraiya about Akatsuki yesterday and about certain things involving Naruto. He was glad that Akatsuki no longer targeted his students. Nevertheless, it was shocking that Akatsuki was said to have already caught the first Jinchūriki.
"We have to stand by them. We have information about Akatsuki that hardly anyone has, and that's why they sent a message to us," said Tsunade. She looked at Kakashi and Naruto. Both could think straight away what it was all about.
"Naruto and Kakashi have fought the Akatsuki members more than once. I will send Team Kakashi to Sunagakure to help them in their need," said Tsunade.
"So, I'll give you a new mission. You three will go to Sunagakure and check the seriousness of the situation there. You will send a detailed report to Konoha and help the Sunagakure shinobi as best you can." explained Tsunade.
Shizune had remained silent the whole time. If Naruto were still a Jinchūriki, she would be worried. But now she didn't have to worry anymore. She had seen how good Naruto had become in the meantime. He really learned a lot from Jiraiya. Naruto really fought just like Jiraiya. He could now use Earth Style and Fire Style, although he didn't even know a jutsu for a distance before his trip. Before his journey, he only knew the Shadow Clone and the Rasengan. Shizune didn't worry anymore; after all, Naruto also had two very capable shinobi at his side. Sakura was already better than herself, although Shizune was much older than Sakura. She didn't even need to talk about Kakashi. It's not for nothing that he's one of the most famous Konoha ninjas today, along with Tsunade and Jiraiya.
"Roger that," Kakashi said in a professional voice.
Naruto and Sakura got severe and just stared straight ahead. Naruto vowed that he would free Gaara from Akatsuki's hands. That's what he's been training for in the last few years. So that he could protect and save his friends, he had trained for nothing else. He had let Jiraiya beat him up every day. He grew stronger through sweat, pain, and blood. As he always did, but this time correctly and not like before.
Tsunade looked at Naruto, Kakashi, and Sakura. All had backpacks on their backs, and all were ready for the long journey. The sun shone down on the group currently standing at the main gate. The leaves of the trees were moving with the stronger wind that was blowing across the country at the moment.
"Tsunade, we say goodbye. See you soon," said Sakura. She gave a light salute and smiled. She was sure that she and her team would accomplish this mission. After all, she and Naruto had gotten stronger now.
Tsunade nodded and was about to say something until Jiraiya landed in front of Team Kakashi. "Naruto, so you're going on a mission?" Jiraiya asked his student.
Naruto nodded and looked at Jiraiya seriously. "Akatsuki has made their first move. Gaara has been kidnapped, and we are on our way to Sunagakure to help," explained Naruto. Jiraiya understood the situation immediately and nodded.
"Come back here for a moment, Naruto," said Jiraiya. He briefly walked off the other path, and Naruto followed him. Sakura looked after the two, confused, and wondered what Jiraiya wanted from Naruto.
When the two were some distance away from each other, Jiraiya gave his student a severe look. "Remember, Naruto, that you do not reveal information about your status. We have agreed that no one should know about this," said Jiraiya.
Naruto nodded. "Yes, I know, Jiraiya. I won't tell anyone that the Nine-Tailes is no longer sealed in me. Besides Akatsuki, Tsunade, Shizune, Kakashi, and you, nobody knows about it. Don't worry." said Naruto.
"Good. There is new information about her," said Jiraiya.
Naruto's eyes widened briefly at his master's mention of him. He got serious again and just nodded when he heard the information. "I understand. I'll try to speak to her. Let's hope your spy isn't wrong." said Naruto.
"Then get going now. I'll take care of everything here," said Jiraiya. Naruto nodded and walked back to the others.
"What did Jiraiya want from you, Naruto?" asked Sakura.
"It's not that important. It's information on other subjects." Naruto said while looking at Sakura. He then looked back at Tsunade and nodded to her. Tsunade understood immediately and nodded once as well. Kakashi narrowed his eyes at the interaction between his apprentice and Tsunade.
He would like to know what Jiraiya and Naruto just discussed. It seemed to have briefly upset Naruto. After all, Naruto had just widened his eyes and looked a little overwhelmed. It had to be something Naruto cared about.
He looked at Tsunade as she demanded everyone's attention. "So, get going and hurry up. Sunagakure needs our help now more than ever," said Tsunade.
"Roger that." said all three members of Team Kakashi.
"Let's go!" said Tsunade in a severe voice. At that command, Naruto, Kakashi, and Sakura jumped away. Tsunade, Shizune, and Jiraiya watched the three of them until they disappeared into the trees and were no longer to be seen.
"Come on. We have things to talk about," said Tsunade. She turned and went back into the village. Jiraiya and Shizune followed Tsunade with a straight face. The three knew exactly what's going on in the world right now. The situation was becoming more and more unsettled, and the next big war could soon be imminent. Of course, none of the three veterans hoped that there would be a war.
But with Akatsuki and the Tailed Beasts, the cards were reshuffled entirely. Team Kakashi must succeed in this mission so that Konoha can remain allied with Suna. Especially in times like this, allies were the most important. Konoha wasn't as strong as it used to be. Many Shinobi died in the last war, and they would generally be of an average Shinobi age. Jiraiya and Tsunade were one of the few who made it through the third war and became legendary while still alive.
Many were only revealed while dead, such as Sakumo Hatake. He was known before, but it wasn't until he died that all his exploits were indeed known, and that's how he became a legend. The yellow flash was no longer there, and Konoha also lost strength due to the loss of the Uchiha clan. Konoha was so strong in part because the Uchiha clan lived in that village. The Sharingan was not feared by so many shinobi for nothing. It was one of the most feared Visual Jutsus in existence.
Besides the loss of all the shinobis and the Uchiha clan, Konoha had also lost a vital force in the past two years. Naruto was no longer a Jinchūriki, and because of that, the village had lost its most significant military strength. It was no coincidence that each of the other five great nations had 2 Tailed Beasts, and Konoha only had one. The Nine-Tailes was the strongest and most dangerous Tailed Beast out of all 9 Tailed Beasts.
Of course, there were still many strong shinobi in Konoha, especially the generation of Kakashi, which produced some strong shinobi. In addition to Kakashi himself, there were, of course, Maito Gai, Asuma Sarutobi, Kurenai Yuhi, and a few more, and the generation of Naruto was also slowly growing into a reliable fighting force.
