Naruto lay on his back, holding the rubber balloon in his hand. He had just spent the entire day trying to figure out how to burst the ball all at once, without punching it or breaking just a small part of it. The task was proving to be more challenging than he initially thought.
The blonde held the rubber ball straight above his head, spinning it between his fingers. As he watched the simple dark gray sphere rotate, he pondered how to make it burst evenly all at once, letting all the chakra out simultaneously. The surface of the ball was deceptively simple. Putting a bunch of power into it and letting it explode should have been easy, but every single time he tried, the chakra would hit one spot or another, causing an uneven rupture. He couldn't get it to hit every spot at the exact same time.
Naruto sat up, knowing there was still more work ahead. He realized that figuring out this second part would take more time, and practicing right now, with his mind clouded, probably wasn't the best idea. It required a lot of focus and attention.
Packing up his things, he grabbed a white shirt with a spiral on it and a pair of orange pants. He also put on his old goggles, a familiar comfort. Once he was ready, he sought out Guy-sensei, who was nearby, and smiled up at him.
"Sensei, why don't we go for a run this morning? I think I need the exercise to clear my head and figure this stuff out," Naruto said, his eyes full of determination. "Running with you will make all the difference, believe it!"
Might Guy's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as he heard Naruto's request. He struck a dramatic pose, his fists clenched and his teeth gleaming in a wide smile. "Ah, Naruto-kun! Your youthful spirit burns brightly this morning! It is a testament to your dedication and the strength of your will!"
He placed a firm hand on Naruto's shoulder, his grip both reassuring and full of energy. "A run to clear the mind and sharpen your focus? That is exactly what you need! The flames of youth are ignited through perseverance and hard work! Together, we shall run with the power of a thousand suns, and your mind will be as clear as a serene lake!"
Guy released Naruto's shoulder and pointed toward the horizon, his voice booming with excitement. "Come, Naruto-kun! Let us embrace the morning with the vigor of true shinobi! Onward, to our run! And remember, no obstacle is too great when you have the power of youth on your side!"
With that, Guy dashed forward, his legs moving in a blur, fully expecting Naruto to follow with the same fervor.
After a month of training with Guy-sensei, Naruto had grown accustomed to his sensei's incredible speed. The intense regimen had honed his reflexes, and now he could keep up with Guy's quick pace. It had been a few weeks since Naruto last had the chance to train with him, and he relished the opportunity.
"I have to admit, Sensei, I really missed this—training with you, working on my strength and everything. It's always so much fun!" Naruto declared, his voice bursting with his usual energetic tone.
As they continued to run, Naruto's thoughts turned to the challenge that had been occupying his mind all morning. "Sensei, what's the key to hitting multiple targets at the exact same time? Is it a matter of focus?" he asked, the question reflecting his determination to improve. "With the training that Tenten and I have been doing, every time I try to strike, I always end up hitting one part of the target, but I can never hit them all at the exact same time with the same amount of energy."
Naruto's brow furrowed in concentration as he voiced his concerns, eager to hear Guy's wisdom on the matter.
Guy slowed his pace just enough to glance at Naruto with a proud smile, his teeth gleaming in the morning light. "Ah, Naruto-kun, you're truly embracing the spirit of youth! The key to hitting multiple targets at once isn't just about focus; it's about harmony and timing. Imagine your energy as a river, flowing smoothly and evenly to each point. You must unify your mind and body, so every strike is an extension of your will!"
"Think about the target as something that is connected, don't just use brute strength or speed, but use the flow of your movements, and the rhythm, keeping your strike united as one. Focus on your holistic movement and let out your youthful power and spirit in one fast hard burst letting it out equally as powerful burst of energy that is steady like the flow of water," he explained.
He patted Naruto on the back, his enthusiasm contagious. "Remember, Naruto-kun, this kind of control comes with time and practice, but I believe in you! Keep training with that fiery spirit, and you'll master it in no time! YOSH!" Guy gave a thumbs-up, his eyes shining with determination and belief in his student.
Naruto nodded his head, absorbing Guy's words as he ran alongside him. He kept thinking about the idea of letting his energy flow like a river, outward and even. As he ran, another thought crossed his mind—what if he pulled all his energy into a small point and then released it outward all at once? It seemed a little silly, but the idea stuck with him as he continued running.
When they finally reached the end of their run, Naruto felt invigorated, ready to tackle the day with renewed enthusiasm. After the long walk to the next town, he was eager to put his new idea to the test.
As soon as he spotted Tenten, a huge grin spread across his face. "Tenten-chan, I have an idea!" Naruto declared, as energetic as ever. He wanted to share this idea with Tenten, and get her thoughts on it. He knew if she could see what he was saying and understand it, then it was most likely a good idea. He trusted her judgement in these things a great deal.
Tenten's eyes lit up with interest as she was really curious what Naruto's idea what. She had worked with him enough in the last couple days to realize he was a creative thinker, if nothing else. "Oh, really? That sounds promising, Naruto!" she said, her tone supportive and curious. "Let's hear it then. How do you plan to focus the energy in the middle and release it all at once? I'm ready to help you test it out."
Naruto's eyes sparkled with excitement as he began explaining. "Okay, so here's the idea! I was thinking about what Guy-sensei said about focusing energy and letting it flow out. What if we use the same idea but with the ball? Instead of trying to hit each spot separately, I thought maybe I could concentrate all my energy in one spot in the middle of the ball and then let it burst out all at once. Like, if I channel all my chakra into the center and then release it simultaneously, it should make the whole ball burst evenly. Does that make sense?"
Tenten listened intently to Naruto's idea, her eyes narrowing in thought as she considered the concept. After a moment, a smile spread across her face, and she nodded approvingly.
"You know, Naruto-kun, that actually makes a lot of sense," Tenten said, her tone both impressive and encouraging. "If you can focus your chakra like that, it should create the kind of even pressure needed to burst the ball all at once. It's a really clever approach, especially since you're good at putting your energy into one strong burst."
She gave him a determined look, her confidence in him shining through. "Let's give it a try! I'll of course help out as much as I can Naruto-kun. I know that this is super important to you, and it is now that important to me too. I know you can do this, Naruto, believe it!" she said imitating Naruto's trademark saying.
"We will do this together, Tenten, believe it," Naruto declared as he grabbed her hand. He reached for his bag and grabbed two rubber balls and tossed her one. He was so excited to get this done with her, that he missed her statement and how she had copied his style of speech for a moment. He however was too focused on moving past this stage and to advancing to the next with her.
Naruto's enthusiasm was contagious, and Tenten couldn't help but smile as she caught the rubber ball, he tossed to her. His energy and determination were inspiring, and the way he believed in her gave her a renewed sense of confidence.
As Naruto grabbed her hand, she felt a warmth that wasn't just from the chakra he was sharing with her. There was something comforting about his presence, something that made her feel like she could achieve anything if they worked together. His warm grin and boundless energy were becoming more endearing the more time they spent together.
Tenten nodded, her own excitement building as she returned his smile. "Okay, Naruto-kun," she replied, the blush on her cheeks deepening as she felt his chakra flow into her. "I'll follow your lead."
She looked at the ball in her hand, determination sparking in her eyes. If Naruto believed she could do this, then she would give it everything she had. She wanted to keep up with him, to advance alongside him, and to see just how far they could go together. For the first time, she felt like she could be more than just a weapons specialist—like she could be something greater.
With a deep breath, Tenten focused her chakra, ready to give it her all. "Let's do this, Naruto-kun," she said, her voice filled with determination and a hint of excitement. "Together."
Naruto focused on the ball as he felt his mind thinking about nothing other than his goal at that moment. His goal was to move closer to mastering a move that was powerful and one he could use to help his friends. A move that could be his signature one that he used to make a name for himself. Excitement rushed as he noticed Tenten, holding his hand, this was new to him. He was used to very different reactions from girls when he did something like this. Either turning to red and stammering like Hinata or getting annoyed or angry at him like Sakura.
Taking a deep breath, he pushed all that out of his mind and focused again singularly on the ball, as he pressed his chakra into the ball itself condensing it into a single space as he thought about a river, his mind remaining peaceful as he thought about the flow of a river a spiral whirlpool oddly as he thought about how to do this, and then he summoned his clone who helped. The two worked in unison as the spirals exploded outward and a moment later the ball in his hand burst apart correctly.
Naruto's excitement over mastering the move was palpable, but as he realized he was still holding Tenten's hand, a wave of self-consciousness hit him. He gave her a nervous smile, trying to keep his composure.
"It seems we, um... both did it," he stammered, feeling a bit awkward but genuinely thrilled with their success.
But despite his nerves, Naruto couldn't help but show his admiration for Tenten's efforts. He gave her a big thumbs up, reminiscent of Guy-sensei, and flashed her a huge grin. "You did awesome, though, Tenten!" he exclaimed, his enthusiasm shining through despite his sudden shyness.
She squeezed his hand gently, feeling a mix of embarrassment and happiness at how close they had become during their training. "We really did it, didn't we?" she replied, her voice soft but filled with excitement. "Thanks, Naruto. I couldn't have done it without you. You're amazing."
Tenten's blush deepened slightly, but she kept her eyes on Naruto, appreciating his encouragement. She felt sense of accomplishment. This was unlike even working with her own team. When she was working with Naruto she didn't feel like the other member. She felt important to him, and she felt like she was able to do anything she put her mind to. It was such an impowering feeling and she loved it. "I guess we make a pretty good team, Naruto-kun, don't you agree?" she said with a bright smile.
"You're right Tenten-chan, we do make a great team, we are going to master this together, believe it," he declared with a huge grin still on his face, as he gave her a victory sign with his fingers.
Tenten couldn't help but smile at Naruto's infectious enthusiasm. His confidence was both reassuring and motivating, making her believe they could indeed conquer whatever challenge came next. She nodded, her eyes shining with determination.
"Absolutely, Naruto. We'll tackle the next test just like we did this one, together," she replied, her voice steady and full of conviction. "With your energy and our teamwork, there's no way we can fail."
