"Naruto." — Direct speech.
"Naruto." — Thoughts.
*Slurp* - Sounds.
The day after training with Anko. Office of the Hokage.
In the heart of the village governance, the esteemed Third Hokage chose to pause his endless reviewing of paperwork for a brief leisure, lighting up his favorite pipe. Leaning back in his chair, he looked out the window at his village and couldn't help but feel a wave of weariness washing over him. "How I wish Naruto would become Hokage as soon as possible and take this stone off my shoulders. Alas, these timeworn bones are scarcely the bastion for youth's ascension."
Hiruzen opened his desk locker and took out the familiar crystal ball from it. Placing it in front of him, he activated Crystal Ball no Jutsu, seeking for Naruto's chakra. In moments, an image materialized on the crystal – a familiar sight of Training Ground 3 with Naruto standing upon the water's surface, eyes closed, and a leaf adorning his forehead. "Has Kakashi already taught the lad Water Walking?" mused the Hokage.
Naruto opened his eyes and smirked. The leaf detached from his forehead and began to spin a short distance from him. After a few seconds, he pushed the leaf with his chakra about a hand's length forward. Raising his hand towards the leaf, he grabbed it with his chakra and began to twist it clockwise over his palm. Naruto chuckled and channeled more chakra into the leaf, atomizing the poor thing.
He leaned to the water and stood in a low start, looking ahead. A second later, he disappeared from his spot on the river, creating a high wave of water behind him. He appeared ten feet from the river, barely stopping in front of a tree, falling on his buttocks. "Oops! It's still hard to control..."
The Hokage scratched his beard, exhaling a puff of smoke. "Certainly, Kakashi approaches his duties as Jonin-sensei with remarkable zeal. Body Flicker no Jutsu so early after graduating from the academy? But why doesn't he use hand seals?"
Naruto stood up and created a thousand clones who immediately started training Chakra Control, Taijutsu, Shurikenjutsu and practicing hand seals while the original started running around Training Ground. Several clones began trying to perform the Body Flicker, miraculously without crashing into trees or scattering.
After a period of observation through the Crystal Ball no Jutsu, Hokage gave a resigned sigh, turning off the jutsu and returned to his work. "I'll have to discuss Team Seven's training approach with Kakashi."
As dusk settled on Training Ground 3.
"We're done for the day!" declared an exhausted Naruto. His clothing bore evidence of the day's rigorous regimen, dirtied and nicked in multiple spots. At his signal, the army of clones vanished instantly in puffs of smoke, their today's experiences flowing into the Naruto.
"Whoa," Naruto murmured, a momentary dizziness threatening his stability; he almost fell to the ground, but managed to grab onto a tree branch. "That's strange… Am I overtired?" He quickly regained composure and headed home, still feeling a slight headache.
Streets of Konoha.
Leisurely walking towards his house, hands resting idly at the nape of his neck, Naruto keenly eyed individuals and residences that populate the Konoha streetscape. That's when he noticed a white pup perched atop the head of boy with red fang markings of the Inuzuka Clan on his cheeks.
"Akamaru! Kiba!" exclaimed Naruto with a big smile. Catching sight of his other former classmates Shino and Hinata, accompanied by sensei Kurenai he greeted them. "Shino, Hinata-chan, Kurenai-sensei. Great to see you guys!"
"Hey Naruto, what's up? We have just finished our team training." Kiba replied with his own smile. Kurenai smiled and nodded in his direction. Shino also bobbed his head in quiet acknowledgment while Hinata just blushed and started doing this adorable finger-tap that she tended to do.
Naruto gestured to his clothes, his eyes narrowing. "I train on my own. I'm slowly running out of cool jackets and pants! And I can't buy new ones! Seems my lucky streak had me earning dango-duty for a five ladies, and now I'm broke!" He glanced at Kurenai, who was wearing that beautiful smile on her face. And Hinata, who squirmed under his gaze. "The price of popularity, I guess."
Kiba is actually winced. "Poor bastard."
"You can join us for a team dinner? This one's on me." suggested Kurenai.
"Sure, would be nice." Naruto agreed, and together they headed to the restaurant Kurenai offered.
20 minutes later.
"Kakashi-sensei is super lazy, the next meeting of our team is only after tomorrow. By the way, he has already been more than two hours late for team meetings. Twice! Does 'professional procrastinator' go on the medical chart?" he asked Kurenai, who covered her beautiful smile with her hand. Her shoulders trembled visibly.
"So what kind of self-training? How in the ninja world did you manage to de-thread during your solo training session?" Kiba asked between bites from his food.
"Heh, that's my new super strong jutsu! I'm sure I'd easily kick your ass now." replied Naruto from smirk.
Kiba couldn't spare more than a bored yawn, keeping his prime engagement with his plate. "New jutsu, huh..."
"Hey, what's up with that tone!"
"Your last 'new' technique, what was it called..? Oh yes! Sexy Jutsu. So unique it's nearly unforgettable." he said, his tone threaded with a bit of a snicker. "Not to roast it or anything," he added, battling the heat in his cheeks, "but it kinda backfired on you hardcore, didn't it?"
Naruto felt Kurenai's sharp gaze weigh heavy on him while she asked with a flat voice, "Would you enlighten me about the nature of this... jutsu of yours?"
Naruto began to sweat actively and stutter "Ahem... It's a… secret technique. Between us ninjas, some things are best kept under wraps, ya know?"
"The technique turns him into a feminine and naked version of himself. He tried to use it when we were fighting at the academy, but Iruka-sensei stopped the fight and then spent hours reprimanding Naruto about how indecent it was." Kiba revealed the secret without batting an eyelid.
Seeing no escape, Naruto tried to at least protect his creation. "We're ninjas! For us, there is no such thing as dirty play! Sexy Jutsu works perfectly on perverts, no matter what gender they are!" Turning towards Hinata and Shino, desperate for some back up, he tried to get their support. "Don't you think so, Team?!"
Shino calmly turned his head to Naruto. "I agree. Why? Because his logic's got the shuriken's edge. Targeting weak spots – Academy's Warfare 101. This technique can lead to an open point in the defense of the enemy, which can be crucial in the confrontation."
Kiba and Naruto looked at Shino open-mouthed, Shino had undeniably spun quite the tale.
Hinata's eyes nervously flittered between Kurenai and Shino before landing on Naruto. "I also think that this t-technique can come in handy..." she stammered, her eyes bashfully inspecting the ground, "Though it's—um—a bit lewd..."
Tears streamed down Naruto's face. He threw himself on his knees in front of Shino and Hinata, thanking them. "You guys are the MVPs! Kiba-baka immediately snitched on me, but you've got my back," he cried.
With a sudden bounce, Naruto threw himself at them with a hug. Shino immediately leaped away from him, but Hinata, caught unprepared, ended up in a Naruto bear-hug.
Upon realizing that she was being hugged by Naruto, Hinata's circuits blew a fuse, and she slumped into unconsciousness.
Naruto felt her go limp in his arms and gently lowered her to the floor. Panicking, he blurted, "Hinata-chan, speak to me!"
Kiba cackled, smaking his hand on the table. Kurenai sighed and mustered a twitchy grin. Shino—well, he probably had an expression in there somewhere.
Naruto tried to lightly slap Hinata on the cheeks and she began to wake up. Her eyes fluttered open to his eager mug hovering inches away.
With a loud 'Eep!', she bounced off Naruto and nearly crashed into the table they were sitting at — thwarted only by Kurenai's quick reflexes.
"Are you okay? I'm sorry." Naruto raised his hands with a worried look.
"She's fine. Let's tone the drama down and finish dinner, shall we?" said Kurenai. Hinata nodded her head quickly in agreement.
"OK. Hey, do you have any clue where I can find Anko-sensei? She promised I could bug her for workout tips." Totally nonchalant Naruto plunked down on his chair and continued on with his sushi.
Kurenai gracefully sipped on sake and took a bite of her takowasa. "She's on a mission right now, but I can give you her address. I don't think she will be in the village for a little more than two weeks."
"Thanks."
Kiba has finished his portion of sushi and is sitting at the table with his hands on his stomach. "Who is this Anko-sensei?"
"She's kind of my unofficial ninja arts instructor. She taught me Tree Climbing and Water Walking. Don't know much about her."
"I think you know about her plenty. With the way you spied on her in hot springs. Pervy brat." Kurenai sent a stink eye that could sour milk at Naruto.
Naruto slammed his head on the table with a loud thunk. "I've already apologized hundreds of times! It was a tough day..."
"A hundred times is not enough..." Hinata's muttering was barely audible, but Naruto heard her.
Lifting his eyes, they locked with Hinata's, who instantly resembled a ripe tomato and quickly dipped her head once more. "Did I misheard..?"
"How about joining us for training?" Kiba chimed in. "If you don't have training with the team and no missions, why not?"
Naruto shifted his questioning gaze to Kurenai, noting the faint but unmistakable rosiness across her cheeks from drinking sake. "Is this normal?"
"If Kakashi gives it the thumbs up, there shouldn't be any problems. We train on the Training Field 4. Come anytime, if we're there breaking a sweat, you can join."
"Awesome! I'll be there, count on it!" cheered Naruto.
The meal wrapped up and Team 8 bid Naruto farewell. Kiba turned to Hinata flashing a mischievous grin. "Feeling excited? It looks like you'll be able to see your 'Naruto-kun' more often. Care to toss me a 'thank you'?"
Eyes like saucers, Hinata's face turned a hot shade of crimson. Smoke seemed to come out of her head like an erupting volcano. "I-I-I- W-w-what?! No, no, no!" The poor girl's stutter sent Kiba into uncontrollable fits of laughter.
"Kiba don't tease Hinata." Kurenai chastised him, but she wore a small smile on her face.
Just one month past Team Seven's newbie D-rank shenanigannery. The usual mimosa field, um, I mean Training Ground 3.
Here comes Naruto, in his signature orange that could blind a bat in broad daylight, interrupted the what-ifs dotting Sasuke and Sakura's ongoing Uchiha speculation game. "Hey, teammates!" greeted Naruto. Sasuke turned to Naruto and nodded. Sakura added, "Hello."
At that moment, probably the most unexpected event of Team 7 in the entire short time of its existence took place. Kakashi walked into the clearing. On time.
Immediately, Sakura and Naruto asked, "Hah, I thought it wasn't going to rain today..?" Even Sasuke tried to dispel the genjutsu before looking up at the sky, looking for storm clouds.
His timely entrance was so unprecedented that it might as well have sparked tsunami warnings across not only Elemental Nations but could reasonably alert alternate universes of temporal imbalance.
"Good morning, team!" Kakashi greeted them happily, ignoring the looks of disbelief. Claiming a nearby wooden pole with animated wiseness reminiscent of a mentor, Kakashi eyed the trio of genins. "Ladies, gentlemen, – On the day's roster is a taijutsu spar! Keep the mini lightning blades at bay – weapons and ninjutsu are prohibited. It's 'Cherry Blossom' Sakura paired against 'Resolute Gloom' Sasuke!" At these words Sakura turned a little pale. "If you're ready, let's get started."
Naruto jumped on the pillar to Kakashi's right and sat down looking at his comrades. Sasuke stood in front of Sakura with a serious face that made her visibly anxious. "Relax Sakura, it's just sparring. Sasuke won't hurt you seriously, use this as a chance to evolve." Kakashi gave her the sort of pep talk.
Shifting her eyes from Kakashi back to Sasuke, she noticed him nod in her direction.
"Crush him, Sakura! Pretend that he's the world-class peep-tactician at them steamy hot springs!" Naruto shouted fortuitous sentiments.
Sakura gave a muted smile and acknowledged the moment with a nod. With a focused gaze, Kakashi announced the beginning of the duel. "Ready... Steady... Go!"
The match sprung to life with Sakura setting herself up defensively, it wasn't long before Sasuke made his aggressive approach. He launched a rapid duo of punches aimed at Sakura's midsection, which she deftly evaded. He followed up with a sweeping leg kick, attempting to floor her.
Bouncing back, Sakura's eyes widened when Sasuke surged forward at double speed, aiming a piercing jab towards her abdomen. She managed to parry, though the force left her with a wince-inducing bruise.
Sasuke relentless, threw another punch in her direction. Narrowly dodging him, she swung her fist and tried to stab Sasuke in the chest. But Sasuke easily evaded her fist, which cleaved through nothing but air.
With reflexes sharp as lightning, Sasuke grabbed Sakura's arm and was able to twist it behind her back. His hold was firm but non-damaging before he grounded her with a swift motion. "Stop!" Kakashi's voice rang out.
Releasing Sakura's arm, Sasuke extended a hand to help her to her feet as she looked up at him, eyes glittering with adoration. "Good fight, Sakura, Sasuke." Kakashi praised them. "Sakura, sit down and rest. You've earned it. Naruto you're up."
Leaping with excitement, Naruto descended from his spectator's perch straight into the hassle locking eyes confidently with Sasuke and flashing a smile. He folded his hand into the reconciliation seal. "Hoping for a fair challenge." Sasuke responded in his own quiet way, folding the seal before adopting his fighting stance.
Kakashi's lips curved into a smile as he initiated the countdown for the spar to begin. "Ready... Steady... Go!"
Naruto was the first to move, quickly reducing the distance between him and Sasuke determined to seize the advantage. Responding with keen alertness, Sasuke adopted a solid defense, absorbing and sidestepping the flurry of fists hurled his way by Naruto.
After trying to counterattack, Sasuke barely dodged a particularly swift strike, leaping backward as he recalibrated his stance. Naruto's grin broadening with his unyielding onslaught operating at full throttle, ensuring Sasuke had no respite to shift from defense to attack.
Wide-eyed, Sakura took in the spectacle, marveling at their speed – markedly quicker compared to when Sasuke squared off against her. "They're like lightning!" she thought, as she watched in amazement.
She witnessed Naruto catching Sasuke off-guard and landing a sharp jab to his ribs. However, Naruto was swift on the recovery, leaping away to deflect any counter-strike from Sasuke – who then resolved to shift gears and attack.
Landing on ground, Naruto blocked his circular kick and grabbed the attacking leg with his hand. Sasuke did not hesitate to try to punch him on the head, which was again blocked with the other hand and grabbed. Immediately, he lifted his free leg and tried to hit him on the head.
Naruto was able to block the punch with both hands, which were still holding Sasuke's limbs. He maneuvered adeptly, pinning down Sasuke's thrashing limbs and tried a bold counter by plunging him towards the earth, his knee arcing skyward in anticipation. Sasuke's eyes widened and he managed to raise hand, his last defense against Naruto's imminent knee strike. Sasuke's effort barely mitigated the momentum of Naruto's swing. His punch bore down, the back of Sasuke's hand grazing his own nose in a painful scrape, threatening to fracture it.
Twisting free from Naruto's hold, Sasuke vaulted back with the leverage of his feet, distancing himself several feet away. A momentary pause ensued as they took sight of one another – Sasuke's gaze cool and assessing, Naruto sporting a confident grin.
"Ready for more?" Naruto baited with an unwavering smirk.
He ran at Sasuke again at high speed, bringing his fist back for a hard punch. Sasuke was about to dodge his fist when he saw the balance shift toward a leg sweep. A grin cracked his stern facade and he adapted, bracing to deflect the kick.
That smile disappeared from his face as Naruto's motion blurred into a vortex of yellow and orange hues, obscuring his vision. Spinning to trace the whirlwind, Sasuke's eyes widened as he registered a fist hovering but inches from his features.
"I think that's enough," Kakashi interjected, his tone full with boredom. He was standing right between Sasuke and Naruto with a timely grip on latter's wrist, bringing the exchange to a halt, "I've seen enough, there's no merit in escalating it to further injury." Granting Naruto a thoughtful look, Kakashi acknowledged, "So this... is what you've achieved in a single month? The Hokage's foresight never fails to impress."
Naruto nodded his head in Kakashi's direction and unclenched his fist as a silent promise to cease the battle. In response, Kakashi relaxed his stance and strolled back to stand amidst the wooden pillars.
With a quick glance at his team, Naruto couldn't help smirk at their astonished faces. Sasuke and Sakura were left gaping, their eyes stretched wide in surprise, with Sakura's mouth hanging open in disbelief.
"Nice moves, mini-ninjas," Kakashi's eye crinkled up in what you might call a grin," You're leveling up fast. I think you'll be ripe for your first C-ranked quest soon."
Naruto's grin took over his whole face as he busted out a weird little dance of triumph.
"I have to admit, I'm pleasantly surprised by the speed of your development as a ninja," Kakashi mused, striking a pose like he was pondering the mysteries of the shinobi universe, "Might just have to dangle a tasty carrot to keep the ninja flames burning bright."
Naruto went zero to lightning speed, shoving his gleeful mug right up to Kakashi's, "Gift?!" he shrieked in max volume. With ninja chill, Kakashi pressed a hand to Naruto's mug and scooted it out of his personal space.
"You can say so... How about a little ninjutsu?" Kakashi tossed out casual like. Naruto's eyes started practically throwing off sparks and stars. Sakura and Sasuke weren't far behind, eyes wide and full of 'no way!'
"N-ninjutsu?" Sakura piped up.
"Or genjutsu, perhaps? I will teach each of you the technique and you will teach each other. How is that?" Kakashi smiled under his mask. A shared glance had Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke grinning ear to ear.
"That's sick!" boomed Naruto, while Sakura and Sasuke just bobbed their heads with defiant coolness.
"Well, let's get started then. Sakura, you're up for Magen: Hell Viewing no Jutsu. Solid genjutsu for a rookie ninja, and with your fancy handiwork with chakra, you'll nail it. But you gotta pump up your chakra level." advised Kakashi, ever so sly. Sakura beamed, eager to learn new jutsu.
"Up steps Sasuke—he's set for Doton: Headhunter no Jutsu, a solid choice for Genin to restrain adversaries." After waiting for a nod from Sasuke, Kakashi continued.
"Next, Naruto. You'll master the Body Flicker no Jutsu. Essential for swift maneuvers, can blur with almost untracked..."
"Wait, I already know this technique." Naruto interrupted him.
"Oh, have you now?"
"Yep, caught onto it by pumping chakra into my legs for speed boosts. Trained up with Team 8 several times, and Kurenai-sensei showed me how it's done and hand seals for it. Although it works fine even without 'em... Anyway, check it out." Folding his hands into a tiger seal, Naruto disappeared amidst a whirlpool of leaves and appeared behind Kakashi.
"Well, aren't you great? I planned a peer teaching session with those three jutsu, but sure, you ace it and I gotta upgrade your homework." Sakura and Sasuke shield their eyes from Naruto's blinding megawatt smile. "Futon: Great Breakthrough. I already gave you a demo during the bell test. It huffs, it puffs, it could whoosh away a house. Technique is quite easy, and for some reason it seems to me that you'll have Futon affinity."
"And with that, it's training time." Kakashi folded the clone seal and three clones appeared in front of him.
"Huh? Clones?" Sakura looked at the clones with a perplexed look.
Kakashi cast them a knowing glance, his eye curving into a smile. "With the clones aiding you, I'll avoid the struggle of dividing my attention among the trio," he remarked lightheartedly.
"With the trio of clones at our beck and call, you're free to indulge in that juicy novel of yours," Naruto chimed in, provoking Sakura to shoot Kakashi a gaze devoid of emotion.
Kakashi chuckled, "Gotta love the perks of shadow clones, right?" With a casual spin on his heel, he ventured into the depths of the forest, his fingers finding the well-worn spine of his favorite orange book.
The clones each chose a student for themselves, wisely keeping their distance to not crowd the learners. Naruto created a thousand clones that Kakashi began to utilize in demonstrating the Wind Release: Great Breakthrough fundamentals.
"As I already said, the technique's as easy as pie. You pucker up, let out a gust, and voilà—you've either got a playful zephyr or a full-blown tempest." A little chuckle escaped him as Naruto's expression flickered with amazement. "And you should know, the significance of this jutsu isn't only its power but its combination with Sasuke's skill."
"What does he have to do with it?" Naruto scratched his head with his hand.
"Pair his Great Fireball with your Great Breakthrough, and you'll amplify the fireball's intensity, its spread, and velocity—assuming you both can exhale these techniques swiftly enough."
"Bigger, badder, faster. Neat. What are the hand seals for this?"
Evening. Training Ground 3.
Sakura and Sasuke finished training with their techniques a few minutes ago and sat down to rest under the left and right pillars, leaving the lone pillar between them. The peace lasted about as long as a Ramen bowl in front of Naruto before Sakura, cheeks tinged with the hue of ripe apples, attempted to breach the vast ocean of silence. "Sasuke, don't you think we could..."
But before she could finish her possibly earth-shattering thoughts, guess who crashed the party? Yup, under the unused pillar in a trademark puff, the mischievous Naruto popped up, destroying potential romantic moments. "Yo! Catching your breath or what?"
"Well, well... Naruto, you have the sense of timing of a startled badger," Kakashi drawled, materializing from the shadows of the trees like the cool sensei he was.
"Rule number one: Jump in my way like that again, and you'll wish you're a badger," Sakura said to Naruto in a chilly as an Ice Release tone.
Naruto completely ignored her his focus slid straight to Sasuke. "How's the jutsu practice?"
"I'm not there yet, but according to Kakashi-sensei, I'm only a 'magical shuriken' toss away," said Sakura, with a scowl due to Naruto's ignorance to her existence.
"Ditto," was all that our lone wolf Sasuke threw into the conversation.
"Hehe, that means I was the first to learn a new technique." With his chest puffed Naruto smirked, which made Sasuke want to pummel Naruto's face into the ground.
Sakura gaped at him. "And just how?"
"With my beloved Shadow Clones. They're the best kind of doppelganger one could ask for."
"Memory of clones go back to the original, and you use this for training." Naruto nodded in acknowledgment to Sasuke's words. "Could you teach me this technique?"
Kakashi took a seat on the grassy ground before his team, poised to provide a necessary clarification. "Utilizing this specific training tactic is beyond your reach," Kakashi began, locking eyes with his brood. "Ordinarily, executing a standard Kage Bunshin no Jutsu requires a shinobi to part with half their chakra reserve. That's why it's typically deemed appropriate solely for jonin-level shinobi. Now, take the Taiju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. Because it brings forth manifold more clones, the cost in chakra soars, that'd clean out practically anyone who's not sitting on the Hokage's throne."
Overtaken by astonishment, Sakura gazed at Naruto, disbelief painting her face. "But how is that possible? Naruto creates thousands of clones! How much more chakra does he have?!"
"Three-fold, perhaps quadruple the typical amount? Hah, maybe he has about the same amount of chakra as I have..." he mused, light-heartedly scratching his head.
Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke's eyes widened to unimaginable proportions. Sakura and Sasuke began to shift their gaze between Kakashi and Naruto with their mouths open in shock.
"What?! I have as much chakra as you?!" Naruto shouted with his index finger pointing at Kakashi.
Kakashi offered analysis rather than solid facts. "I'm blind without my sensory specs, yet judging purely by your Shadow Clone Technique mastery, those are the hints we can perceive. Surviving the creation of a thousand clones is unheard of, even for someone awesome like me; I haven't witnessed anyone creating beyond hundred clones." Flashing straight-man seriousness, he looked into Naruto's eyes. "Here's what sets you apart, Naruto: you possess distinctive physiological traits, perhaps due to some DNA irregularity. It's this unique nature that ensures your survival."
The gravity of his teacher's words turned Naruto towards introspection, his hand mechanically reaching to his stomach. "Could it be Kyubi harbored inside me who ensures my life?"
"Is this akin to a Bloodline Limit?" inquired Sasuke with astonishment lingering in his gaze.
After a brief moment of contemplation as he observed Naruto, Kakashi seemed to have reached a decision. "Have any of you ever learned about the heritage of the Uzumaki Clan?"
"The Uzumaki what now?" Naruto cocked his head, visually perplexed.
With an audible exhale, Kakashi launched into an explanatory speech. "The Uzumaki Clan once stood as a distinguished lineage within Uzushiogakure, the hidden shinobi village of the Land of Whirlpools. This clan was known for its members' signature bright, red hair, enough to make tomatoes envious, remarkable vitality, substantial chakra reserves, and a masterful command of Fūinjutsu. Their adeptness in warfare, especially with their sealing jutsus, earned them a formidable reputation—a double-edged sword, as it provoked other villages to coordinate an assault, leading to the clan's devastation. However, despite Uzushiogakure's downfall, the Uzumaki lineage managed to survive, albeit thinly spread, with many finding refuge in Konohagakure. We can speculate, even if it's faint, the succession of the Uzumaki lives on within Naruto. Possibly he is one of its final direct descendants, though I suspect there might be others; 'extinction' is not a concept easily paired with the Uzumaki's resilience."
Amazement splashed over Sakura's face. "They taught us about Uzushiogakure at the academy. The Shinobi of Konoha wear the crest of the Uzumaki Clan on uniform or vest as a sign of respect and acknowledgement of their significant contributions to the village. However, I never connected your surname to the legacy of the clan."
"Well, you may have surmised that Naruto was just a namesake. Members of the Uzumaki Clan, as I said, are known for their bright red hair. Surely one of Naruto's parents was not Uzumaki with blonde hair and his genes were dominant." Kakashi surmised.
"Wait, what is fuinjutsu?" asked Naruto above his head, the number of question marks increased. "If the Uzumaki were good in this stuff, maybe I should try it too?"
Kakashi sweatdropped. "Let me break it down for you: Fuinjutsu is like expert-level puzzle-solving, only with chakra and funky symbols that turn into seals. And trust me, controlling it isn't a piece of cake - botch it up, and who knows what sort of mayhem you'll unleash. My sensei was a bit of a fuinjutsu fanatic, so I can show you a thing or two..."
Naruto broke into his trademark grin. "Cool. Teach me, sensei!"
Sasuke had been silent the entire time since the beginning of Kakashi's lecture, deep in thought. "He is also the last of his clan?"
Catching Sasuke suddenly quite and broody, Naruto bit his tongue on whatever reassurance he was about to offer. Instead, flipping his proverbial lightbulb on, he turned to Kakashi. "In the battle with Sasuke, when I appeared behind his back. It was essentially a Body Flicker without seals. Is this considered a violation of the rules? Body Flicker is ninjutsu, and I used it in taijutsu battle." He asked Kakashi, who once again struck a pensive pose.
"Body Flicker is just vitalising the body to move at extreme speeds with chakra. Some types of taijutsu require the use of chakra, the Hyūga Clan's Gentle Fist is a perfect example. They poke the enemy's chakra streams as casually as playing darts to damage internal organs or close the tenketsu visible only with the Byakugan and only to an advanced eye user." Kakashi explained with eye smile.
Cue Naruto with sparkling confusion swarming his noggin like a brand-new aura. "Wait, Hyūgas you say? How's Hinata's clan involved in all of this?" The torrent of question marks above him bounced once more, as if caught in an exasperating challenge to stay afloat.
"Yes, her white eyes are the main sign of the Byakugan. She is formerly the heiress of the Hyūga Clan."
"So she's strong?" Naruto's head tilted to one side as a look of curious bewilderment camped out on his features. "She totally dodged our sparring session, and that's even with Shino and Kurenai-sensei giving it the thumbs up..."
Kakashi sprang to his feet with a smile. "Let's call it a day, kids. I've explained the basics of the techniques to you, so go wild practicing them without my constant supervision. Toss jutsu back and forth like hot potatoes. Naruto, keep Great Breakthrough to yourself. Sakura and Sasuke, you can test the effect of your jutsu on each other. Or ask Naruto for help."
Moving away from the pillar, Naruto moseyed homeward. "Sasuke can count on me, but no way am I booking a round trip to la-la land of genjutsu." Naruto huffed in mock despair.
Kakashi took out his favorite book as he strolled alongside the deflated orange clad ninja. "Hmm, you can use this as an opportunity to practice your release from genjutsu. Just pop some clone piñatas for Sakura's amusement." Without missing a beat, Sakura leaped to her feet and tailed the odd couple, with Sasuke trailing close behind.
Sasuke eyed the trail ahead, then threw a quizzical look at Naruto. "Did your jacket go on a secret mission or what?"
Naruto chuckled, sheepishly scratching his head, "Look who's making a joke! Well, you could say I got a bit chakra-happy and catapulted right into the foliage. I'm intact; the jacket certainly became one with nature."
Sakura giggled and Sasuke's features relaxed into an almost imperceptible smile, the kind that sneaks up on even the most stoic of shinobi.
Sakura threw a curious glance at Kakashi-sensei, "Hey, Kakashi-sensei, during the bell test, my gut told me we had plenty of time before that alarm went off. What's up with that?"
With his eyes still glued to his book, Kakashi casually lobbed the answer, "I tinkered with the timer to make it sing earlier."
Flash forward two hours. Streets of Konoha.
Casually, Naruto wandered through the village alleys, hands clasped in relaxation over his noggin, donning a grin. "I have a clan. Or had. Either way, it's cool. I really need to learn more about Uzumaki, Uzushiogakure and Fuinjutsu..."
Suddenly, a pair of arms sneaked around him, and something incredibly soft touched the nape of his neck. "Hey there, whiskers." Anko whispered near his ear, turning his cheeks to a fine shade of tomato.
Naruto's tongue managed an awkward dance as he put into words, "H-hey, Anko-sensei. Back from your mission? It's been a quiet month without the pop-in."
Anko released her enclosing grip, and Naruto turned to her. "Yep, came back only yesterday. How's Naruto-land? Missing a certain garment?" Her eyebrow dancing upward as she inquired.
Naruto's expression soured as though tasting a sharp citrus, as he half-moaned, "The great jacket saga continues. Last one kicked the bucket in style—through the noble act of training destruction. Don't have spare ones anymore."
Anko showed her impish smile. "Good news for you! Seeing that Kurenai has planned a secret date, you, Mr. Chosen One, get the all-star chance to strut 'n' frolic with yours truly for an entire day."
"If it's a secret date, why are you telling me about it?" Sweatdropped Naruto.
"Let's buy you some new clothes and go get some food." Anko slung her arm over Naruto's shoulder and hustled him toward the nearest boutique.
5 minutes later.
"Great Breakthrough? Good for you, gaki." Anko let go of Naruto and walked into the clothing store, with him following her.
Naruto, trailing behind Anko as she frenzily foraged through the menswear section, scanned the nearly empty store. His eyes paused briefly on a girl who neatly fit into a pink qipao-like top and dark green trousers, her black hair fashioned into twin buns, with short fringe-bangs framing her face over forehead protector. She appeared in a parallel fashion crisis, weighing the merits of the same top in a shade of leafy green.
Looking to pass the time, and maybe preserve his sanity, Naruto meandered towards bun-girl. "Y'know, a capri blue might be more up your alley," he tossed with a casual sidelong remark.
She shifted her gaze to him and replied with a smile, "Spot-on. A less 'worn-in by battle' ensemble would do wonders for you." His tattered shirt and pants were a none-too-subtle cry for a wardrobe intervention.
With a hearty chuckle, Naruto scratched the back of his head in mock embarrassment. "Heh, you've got sharp eyes. That's exactly why I'm braving the fashion jungle today. By the way, I'm Naruto, the freshest-faced genin of the year," he announced proudly, with a grin that was nothing short of infectious.
"Tenten. I've been a genin for a year now." Putting her green blouse aside, she began to look at the dark blue pants. "So how did you damage your clothes? Training?"
"Oh yeah, Kakashi-sensei taught our team a few jutsu. He turned us into his personal ninjutsu guinea pigs." Hearing his sensei's name, Tenten froze like a statue, slowly cranking her head towards Naruto to interrogate him.
"Kakashi-sensei?" she eeked out, eyebrows high enough to catch rain.
Brows furrowed and arms barricaded in front, Naruto bobbed his head. "The one and only. You've had run-ins with him?"
"M-my s-sensei keeps screaming about his eternal rival Kakashi and that he will defeat him with his 'power of youth.'" At first, her voice was a little nervous, but by the end of the sentence it had turned into a deadpan.
"Uh huh... That explains it." Naruto said with a drop of sweat on his temple.
"Life sure is whimsically scripted, huh? Having us stumble upon each other here," quirked Tenten as she took another cloth for appraisal.
It was the moment when Anko's vocal ballooned over the shop, "Oi, Naruto! Fashion quake! Try it on!"
"Try something blue or orange, you will not regret it. Orange is the coolest." With a kangaroo skip and a bright-snatched grin, he hopped off, "I'm on my way!"
Few minutes ticked into novel voids of waiting, and then he emerged. His entrance screamed 'voguish shinobi'. Burnt orange coat that was left open at the front, emblazoned with red Uzumaki crest on it's back. The coat's hem was intricately lined with a pattern resembling black flames. He paired this with stark black trousers that featured a trio of white bands around the right leg, giving the ensemble an asymmetric flair. Complementing the theme, he wore a pair of crisp white ninja sandals; upon closer inspection, the red Uzumaki crest could be discerned ornamenting them, creating a cohesive finish to his attire.
"Umm, Anko-sensei?" ventured Naruto, uncertainty threaded through his voice.
Anko snapped to attention, eager to retort, "What's up?"
"Are we sure it's complete? Not to be a bother, but the coat's gaping here—and my mesh armor's MIA," he pointed out, noting the unscheduled abs show happening in his midriff region.
"No need to stress, you're decked out to perfection. Own it!" assured Anko, waving off his concerns.
A flattered and slightly flushed Naruto stumbled through a bashful "Thanks."
"Let's take a few of the same spares and go for some grub. I'll treat you to the gear." She proceeded to beam her way to the checkout.
After paying the cashier, they went to the exit, Naruto, armed with an array of fashion bags. That's when Tenten wandered to the cashier, with azure clothes. Naruto greeted her with a congenial hand wiggle. "Catch ya later, Tenten-chan! Can't wait to peep you in the latest duds!"
Cue a dash of color in Tenten's cheeks. Sight of Naruto's fashion-forward ensemble stirred the rouge as she mustered a send-off. "Until next time, Naruto-kun!"
Out of the shops and under open sky, Anko's lips curled into a mischievous arc. She elbowed Naruto—who was already blossoming a comical shade of vermilion—teasingly. "So, Mr. Naruto-kun, dipping into high demand are we, amidst the lady folk? Quite the heartbreaker, aren't we?"
"N-no! It's really not... uh..." he stuttered out.
"Puh-lease. You can't tell me you missed her going actually bazooka red? Baring all brawn will have'em come flocking! Haha!" teased Anko, setting his face aflame with embarrassment. "And what about Hinata, huh? She'll hit the deck faster than you can say 'ramen!'" Anko's gleeful cackling blended into their stride through an audience of onlookers, utterly amused by the unfolding adolescent antics.
"What does Hinata-chan have to do with it?" Naruto asked, losing a bit of redness in confusion.
Anko gave him a look that screamed 'seriously?', then dropped the bombshell. "Isn't it obvious? She turns redder than tomato whenever you're close by."
"Eh? Well, yeah, but..."
Chatting away, they arrived at Ichiraku's and slid into the haven of noodles. "She might be on the shy side, but trust me, she's got a special shade of scarlet reserved just for you."
"You think it's like an allergic reaction to guys or something?" Naruto wondered aloud.
"No way – you're the special ingredient," Anko claimed, plopping onto a stool by the counter.
"But what's the deal?" Naruto persisted, his face screwing into a knot of bewilderment.
Anko gave a long-suffering sigh. "Put your brain noodles to work, would you? It's not high math or fuinjutsu."
There was the chiming greeting from Teuchi. "Naruto! Always a pleasure. And who's this?" Teuchi's eyes wandered over to Anko.
"That's Anko-sensei, and Anko-sensei, you're looking at the Noodle Yoda, Teuchi-ojisan, of this galaxy. Large serving of miso ramen with roasted pork fillet for me, please." Naruto handled introductions like he handled spicy ramen – unusually but enthusiastically.
Teuchi, sporting his ever-present merchant's grin, nodded. "Ah, nice to make your acquaintance! Naruto talked a lot about you."
"I'd say it's the other way round. Does he score free meals promoting your place part-time?" Anko teased, a lighthearted twinkle in her eye. "And for me a non-spicy miso ramen that won't set off my alarms."
"Naruto, what happened to your clothes?" Ayame inquired, as she sauntered toward the counter clasping a dripping dish in one hand and brandishing a towel in the other. Teuchi smiled and went to make ramen for Naruto and Anko.
"The last outfit met its end during practice. Anko-sensei volunteered, or rather, 'insisted' I let her pick my new threads," Naruto shared, his fingers air-quoting so stealthily Anko didn't catch the gesture.
Suppressing a giggle, Ayame shot Anko a thumbs-up. "Kudos for the fashion tips, Anko-san." She turned to Naruto. "Look at you, quite the trendy ninja now."
Naruto's cheeks went fifty shades of crimson. "Uh, thanks," he mumbled.
Anko couldn't resist teasing. "You see? Flaunting some skin isn't reserved for the ladies alone." Both Anko and Ayame shared a chuckle at Naruto's glowing face.
Soon after, Teuchi emerged with their steamy bowls of ramen. As they dug in, Anko lobbed a random question mid-blow on her scalding broth, "Got any stance on serpents?"
Naruto slurped some noodles thoughtfully before replying. "Eh, they're not my cup of ramen broth."
"Ah, not a fan of the slithery kind, I take it?"
"It's not that—I'm cool with most critters, snakes just make my stomach do backflips," Naruto confessed.
"Hmm..."
"By the way, have you heard of the Uzumaki Clan?"
"What about it?" Anko raised her eyebrow.
"Kakashi-sensei said I could be the last of them."
"Not shocking. Considering your chakra capacity — hey, do you dye your hair?"
"What? Nah! Who'd bother?!"
"Meh. Dunno."
"Circling back to the Uzumaki Clan. Kakashi-sensei said that they were masters in fuinjutsu, so I asked him to teach me the basics."
"Oh. That's cool. Seals have quite the blast to 'em. When you learn how to make exploding seals, I hope you won't forget, my dearest student, that I'm your number one sensei. And I fully expect a loyalty supply of Exploding Tags delivered to me every month...gratis."
"Pffft, sure thing..."
For a short while, they munched on their food in companionable quietness before Anko broke the hush, her gaze still married to her bowl of ramen. "Been mulling over what pearls of ninja wisdom I should drop on you since our last sparring match."
"Geez, and here I was thinking you were just buffing up my ego for a good chuckle."
With an impish grin Anko agreed, "Got it in one," while her fingertips tapped her bowl. "A good chunk of my ninja trick book is all about snakes—obviously, no hand-me-downs there. Plus, you'd look ridiculous trying my taijitsu since, well... it's tailored for awesome people like me." After a short pause, with her eyes finally meeting his, her smirk grew. "But, I've got a beginner's mind-boggler up my sleeve—Temporary Paralysis no Jutsu. Simple stuff for an eager tadpole like you, but a rough ride to escape for the pros. Whaddya say?"
Naruto's eyes lit up with stars and he nodded his head vigorously. "Yes, please!"
Anko finished her ramen and got up from her chair. "Training Ground 44 suit you for our showdown at dawn?"
With haste, Naruto offered, "Got a schedule shuffle with Sasuke and Sakura for a high noon, err, I mean, 1 p.m. rendezvous. Does cracking crack of dawn—sevenish—work for Anko-sensei events?"
And like a stage actress basking in the spotlight, Anko sauntered over, circling him with all the drama. She breathily declared close to his ear, "That oughta give us plenty of time, right?" Naruto looked like he might melt on the spot — whether from embarrassment or thrill, take your pick. With those last honeyed words hanging in the air, Anko took her leave in a dramatic burst of leafy theatrics. Naruto's lingering gaze might as well have growled tumbleweed as she vanished. Ayame's giggles permeated air, and deep scarlet etched itself all over Naruto's face like rogue paint on a statue.
An hour later. Anko's House.
Who would have thought that a woman like Anko Mitarashi enjoys something as trivial as tea ceremonies. But this is our reality. Perched delicately on a zabuton, she embraced the warmth of her tea in a cozy invitation. Mid-swig, a knock punctuated the stillness, prompting her to replace the tea on the table. She rose, prompting a groan of effort, and walked to the door, playfully inquiring as the door swung open, "Ah, Kurenai, back from whispering sweet nothings in secret corners?"
Kurenai whirled away, chastising Anko's lack of conventional attire. "One would think draping in modest gownery is optional when receiving guests!"
Anko feigned offence, "Hey, my toes are sporting stylish socks, aren't they?"
Crickets could almost be heard in the ensuing silence.
Invite extended, Anko sauntered back to her milieu, that cheeky hip-wag igniting a blushing spark in her visitor.
"Seriously, Anko!" Kurenai sighed, pressing the front door shut with finality and sinking onto the proffered zabuton, choosing the path of waiting.
A minute whisked by and Anko re-entered, now garbed a tad more appropriately in a white coat. Gracefully seating opposite, she said, "What whims carry you to my humble tea ceremony?"
"Because forbidden, clandestine gossip amongst comrades is the spice of life?" Kurenai suggested, a half-tease playing her lips as she accepted the steaming infusion. "How did today treat you? Clerk noted that you even ghosted the Dango Shop," Kurenai sighed softly, sampling the delicate flavors of offered tea.
"I trained at Training Ground 44 for half a day. And when I was walking towards the Dango Shop, I met my new student." Anko put the kettle down, picked up her cup and drank some tea.
"Naruto?"
"Mmgmm... He tore his jacket, so I bought him new clothes." Looking into Kurenai's eyes, she smirked. "Oh you you'll surely delight in his transformation," she taunted, twinkling in mischief.
Kurenai couldn't help but roll her eyes in exasperation. "Splendid. As if being the Prankster-in-Chief wasn't enough, now you're giving him a creepy badge," she remarked with mock enthusiasm.
Anko nodded sagely, "Aha, that pinches a nerve, doesn't it, Kurenai? Got an eye for something out of the box, I see." She was met with a deadpan stare from Kurenai. "Besides, who doesn't like free meals? I took the liberty of treating Prankster Prince over there at Ichiraku's and skipped out on the bill—it was his treat." She waggled her eyebrows. "Threw in a tutorial for a new trick up his sleeve as a bonus."
Kurenai raised an eyebrow. "Does Kakashi know about this?"
Now it's Anko's turn to raise an eyebrow. «No. So what? Should he get a memo? By the way, how was your date?"
Hint of reluctance mixed with satisfaction, "Not too shabby." Kurenai decided to throw a compliment Asuma's way. "He has his charming moments. Besides, he's the company I don't mind keeping." This admission turned Anko's expression stony as she stared contemplatively into her own tea, "Gonna hang a forever-closed sign on mine relationship with Asuma?"
Anko's blunt curiosity struck a chord. "Hmm, do I have to draft a press release for this affair? What about tossing this gossip cat among the pigeons, hm? For how long are you going to hide your 'boyfriend?'"
Kurenai mumbled, her gaze focusing on the soothing tea swirls. Deciding to ignore Anko, she switched the subject, "Teeny little guidance and Naruto zoomed through Body Flicker no Jutsu."
An incredulous laughter bubble from Anko, "Hope Mother-Hen Kakashi approved, lest we incur the wrath of the scarecrow."
"Fufufufu."
Same time. Narutos apartment.
"I can't believe she dumped me there without paying..." Naruto sighed, flopping down on his soft bed. He threw his hands behind his head, pondering all the events that had taken place that day.
"Kakashi came on time. I defeated Sasuke. Learned a new technique. Found out about the clan. Met Anko. Got new clothes." He rolled over onto his side and closed eyes. "Hmm... By the way, what she said about Hinata... It can't be that... Nuh. Brain, stuff it," giving off mutterings of endearing disbelief as sleep started to lasso him into its hold.
Next day. Training Ground 3.
Sakura and Sasuke had been practicing their techniques next to Memorial Stone for half an hour when a bush rustled nearby. Eyes swiveled towards the greenery – plot twist: it was just Anko, sieging the scene with a grin you could see a mile off and a very unconscious Naruto playing the role of her casual shoulder accessory. With a flick of pizzazz, Anko launched Naruto from her shoulder, Safety Officer Sakura executing a flawless, impromptu catch.
"What did you do to him?" Sasuke inquired sharply, eyeballing Naruto in his new outfit.
"Chill," Anko's grin shifted gears into full on flirty-mode, "Trust me, he's not gonna file a complaint. You two jerks keep on keeping fit!" As her farewell words registered, she made her escape in a mini hurricane of leaves.
Sakura positioned Naruto under a tree, just as the blond shinobi started to wake up. "Naruto? Speak to us, are you in one piece?"
Groggily taking in his familiar yet unexpected company, he retorted, "Eh? Sakura, Sasuke? Where is Anko-sensei?"
"You hitched a ride on her back, unconscious. What happened?" Sasuke asked, his voice filled with a mix of exasperation and intrigue.
Naruto's face took a dive into the redder shades of embarrassment. "Something wonderful," he said, eyes casting off for dramatic effect – hero landing successful.
"Have you decided to change your image?" asked Sakura, inspecting his new clothes. Naruto decided to add mesh body armour to his outfit so as not to walk around with his torso completely exposed. "It's good for you."
Naruto rubbed the back of his head with bashful smile. "Thank you, this is a gift from Anko-sensei."
"Can we start training? You can talk while you're practicing." asked Sasuke.
"I'm all for it," Naruto agreed with smirk.
Next week. Training Ground 4.
"Shit, what should I say? 'Hey Hinata, why are you blushing so much next to me?' I'll seem like a total weirdo!" Naruto thought to himself as he made his way to the Team 8 training area.
Emerging into a quaint and sunlit clearing, his gaze was instantly drawn to Kurenai and Hinata, seated gracefully within a wooden gazebo adorned with dainty crackers upon a table between them. Observing Hinata, he felt a faint blush kiss his own cheeks before he hurriedly spoke. "Good evening, Kurenai-sensei, Hinata-chan. We haven't seen each other for a long time."
Kurenai raised an eyebrow, taking note of Naruto's attire and his blush. "Good evening. Well, at least Anko has some sense of style. It suits you."
Naruto smiled and nodded, "Thanks."
"G-Good evening, Na-Naruto-kun." Hinata greeted, poking fingers together. Her face is much redder than usual. "I also have to compliment his looks... Wait, does that sound weird? What if he thinks I'm implying something else?!"
Before Hinata could spiral further into self-doubt, Kurenai chimed in. "If I'm not mistaken, it's been more than a week since our last training session together?"
"Yes, that's plus or minus right." Naruto replied. Noticing the absence of the male part of Team 8, he asked. "Where are Kiba and Shino?"
"They're training at Tree Climbing a little bit away from here."
"Didn't you say last time that it was too early for them to learn it, or something?"
"They were highly motivated after losing to you in sparring. They've been training hard and I think they'll be able to start Water Walking in a few days, a week at most." Answered Kurenai with proud smile.
Naruto smirked and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Good for them, I guess." Looking at Hinata again, he raised one eyebrow. "Why isn't Hinata-chan with them?"
"I'm a-already able to do Water Walking..." Hinata quietly replied to Naruto, lowering her gaze to the ground. "I guess it'd be awkward if I started complimenting his looks now…"
"Wow, great job. Oh! It reminded me. Kakashi-sensei gave us a lecture about the Hyūga Clan and their taijutsu style. It sounds super cool. I was hoping you could spar with me today."
Hinata glanced at Kurenai, who sensed her stare and looked back at her. Seeing Hinata's uncertain expression, Kurenai smiled. "It's going to benefit both of you."
"Great! Let's get started right away!" exclaimed Naruto, jumping off the hut and standing in the middle of the clearing. He made the seal of reconciliation, then got into his fighting stance.
Hinata stood up nervously and approached him, stopping few feet away from him. Mimicking his actions, she too formed the reconciliation seal and then activated the Byakugan, shifting into Gentle Fist stance.
Kurenai remained seated in the gazebo, watching them with interest. "Well, I'll start the countdown. Ready... Steady... Go!»
Hinata and Naruto didn't budge in the first few seconds. Realizing Hinata wouldn't make the first move, Naruto launched into action, attacking her with the same speed Sasuke used against Sakura. He made several attempts to strike at Hinata, but she skillfully deflected each blow without retaliating.
Naruto narrowed his eyes after a minute of this fight and bounced away from her. "She does not counter-attack even at obvious opening?"
Hinata's eyes widened as he charged back, but at a much faster speed. Deflecting the first two punches, she didn't have time to dodge the kick to her right side. She staggered back from the force of the impact.
Naruto halted the assault and shot Hinata a puzzled glance. "Why don't you attack?"
Hinata deactivated the Byakugan and looked at the ground with sad smile. "N-Naruto-kun is much s-stronger than me. Even completely focused on defense, I still couldn't dodge last kick."
«Eh? So what? Kakashi-sensei said that Hyūga can harm internal organs with chakra, is that true?"
«The user of Gentle Fist expels chakra from the chakra points in their hands to attack an opponent's chakra system directly. The idea is that it causes internal damage by affecting the body's vital points, disrupting or stopping the flow of chakra." Kurenai explained.
"I'm strong and mighty, but even I would suffer from that!" shouted Naruto, causing Kurenai to laugh at his boasting. "The best defense is offense! If you don't attack back, how can you win?"
Hinata looked up to look at Naruto. "O-okay, I'll give it a try..."
"Go on!" Naruto beamed as he took his stance, ready for action.
Hinata activated the Byakugan once again and launched her attack. As she moved in to strike with a palm slap, Naruto leapt to the side and retaliated. But Hinata skillfully kicked his hand away, leaving Naruto feeling a sharp pain in its place.
Surprised, he jumped back and glanced at his hand, clenching and unclenching it. "Woah... And she could have done that all this time?"
Hinata looked at him worriedly, but when she saw his big smile, she exhaled, not even noticing that she was holding her breath.
Naruto returned to the assault at top speed. Hinata went back to the defensive, but now Naruto was especially careful when she parried his punches. Though Naruto was faster, he couldn't land a single solid strike. He tried to find some blind spots in her defense, but even when he was able to get behind her - she easily deflected his blow, causing pain to his arm again. It was as if her eyes had seen everything! Thanks to his speed alone, he didn't get seriously injured from her attacks.
A few minutes later, the winner was clear. Hinata's breathing quickened, and beads of sweat dripped from her forehead. She began to slow down and Naruto was able to land some clean hits on her.
So far, Naruto seemed no worse off than when the battle began. Sure, Hinata had landed a few punches, and they did sting. But they barely made a dent in his combat prowess.
Hinata turned off the Byakugan and smiled faintly. "Na-Naruto-kun... very strong. I don't... there wasn't... even a chance…" Her stutter was barely audible between the pants of exhaustion.
Naruto raised his fist in the air and shouted. "No, there are always chances! Even if your opponent is a hundred times stronger than you, you shouldn't give up. This is my nindo! I'm never going to run away and I never go back on my word!" he lowered his fist and continued. "Besides, it was just a friendly spar. You've lost this battle, but you've become stronger because of it. I believe you've got what it takes to become super strong."
Kurenai chuckled at Hinata's awe-struck expression. "That's some impressive ninja way you've got there, Naruto. If you don't deviate from this path, I'm sure you'll become an incredibly strong ninja in the future."
"That's the plan!" Naruto started laughing with his arms crossed in front of him.
At that moment, Kiba and Shino came out of the forest behind the gazebo.
«Oh! Naruto! Planning a fashion revamp? Why are you so obsessed with orange..?" quizzed Kiba.
"Hey there, Akamaru! It's been a while. How's life treating you with Kiba?" Naruto completely brushed aside Kiba and shifted his attention to petting Akamaru, who had leaped from Kiba's head and bounded towards him.
Kiba's eye twitched. Eager to retort, he opened his mouth, but was interrupted by Shino. "Akamaru's doing great. He aced the Tree Climbing exercise, outlasting both Kiba and me. Though, he's still not as good as Hinata."
"Good boy! I think you'll become a chunin much faster than Kiba." Naruto said, scratching Akamaru's chin.
"I think that's definitely a possibility." Shino nodded in agreement with Naruto.
"Hey, you two! Quit ganging up on me!" Kiba leaped at Naruto, attempting to put him in a headlock.
Amused, Kurenai chuckled and continued munching on her crackers from the sidelines.
Hinata was still in thoughts after her battle with Naruto. "Can I become strong? Naruto-kun is so kind… I must strive to get better, if I want to…" she murmured, blushing as she stole a glance at Naruto.
An hour later.
Naruto and Team 8 lounged in the gazebo, snacking on crackers and chit-chatting.
"We could still hang out on weekends," Kiba suggested, munching away on a cracker, a bruise visible under his eye.
"Kakashi-sensei instructed me to relax on the weekends after I passed out during training," Naruto said, while scratching head of Akamaru, who laid lazily on his lap.
"We can just chill together... Wait, are you training on weekends too?" Kiba raised an eyebrow at Naruto.
"Yep, seven days a week," Naruto affirmed.
"That's illogical. Your body needs to recuperate after training. By pushing yourself seven days a week, you're only further injuring yourself," Shino said, adjusting his glasses.
Naruto lowered his eyes and placed a palm on his stomach. "I have... a special body condition." Kurenai realized what he was saying and wore a dejected expression. "I used to train for ten hours a day, seven days a week, and every next morning I was as fresh as a daisy. But Kage Bunshin pushes my mental abilities to the maximum. So even if the body recovers, the brain still doesn't."
"Kage Bunshin is such an unfair technique... Beast Human Clone seemed cool to me, but this..." Kiba complained.
"I already told you that you can't perform Kage Bunshin," Kurenai reprimanded him with narrowed eyes.
"Yeah, yeah. I won't try, or I'll end up drained of chakra, dead. Understood."
"Good." Kurenai stood up, drawing three curious looks. "I think training for today is done. I have plans after this, so I'll head out first. Good luck."
"Goodbye, Kurenai-sensei," echoed three genin voices, after which Kurenai vanished in a swirl of leaves.
"Well, my sister asked me to help her when I'm free. Can't keep her waiting," Kiba said.
"See ya later, Akamaru. I'll miss you too," Naruto ignored Kiba again, scratching Akamaru behind the ear.
With a tick mark, Kiba exited the gazebo but turned around to observe the smiling Naruto and Hinata, who had once again started poking fingers. He smirked. "Oh, sorry for interrupting your date. We're leaving, right, Shino?"
"I'm expected at home too; I should go," Shino said as he stood up and left the gazebo. "Have a nice date." He added somewhat smugly.
Naruto and Hinata glanced at each other and blushed deeply. A stream of smoke began to emanate from Hinata's head, as she fell unconscious.
"Hinata-chan!" Naruto leaped over the table and began examining Hinata's unconscious face. When he turned back to Kiba, he saw that he, Shino, and Akamaru had already disappeared into the woods. Kiba's laughter was still audible in the clearing. "Stupid mutt," muttered Naruto.
Sighing, he turned his attention back to Hinata. She slumped on the chair, her head lowered on her shoulder, her hair covering her face.
A flood of thoughts raced through his mind. "Why would she like me? Isn't she a former heiress? How did she ended up so shy?" Naruto raised his hand to brush the hair from her face, but she began to wake up at that moment. Blushing, Naruto lowered his hand. "Hinata-chan? Are you okay?"
She sat up straighter in her chair and smiled at Naruto. "Y-yes, I'm f-fine."
"So... should I walk you home?"
"Eh? N-no... I don't want to c-cause you any t-trouble," Hinata waved her hands in denial.
"Why would it be a trouble? Iruka-sensei always told me to escort a girl home if possible, but Sakura always refused..." Naruto mumbled the last part. "I don't really have anything else to do. My clones will be training for a few more hours before I have to dispel them."
"T-then of course..." Hinata agreed and stood up to walk with Naruto in the direction of her home.
Naruto threw his hands behind his head and walked alongside Hinata.
"..."
"N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata nervously asked, her fingers unintentionally poking each other again.
"Yeah?"
"I-I noticed that you stopped calling Sakura '-chan.' Why is that?"
"Oh... She's been telling me for a while to stop calling her that. I hoped she would change her mind if I insisted long enough, though. But Hokage-jiji told me that if I'm serious about becoming Hokage, I should learn to respect others' opinions. So, I decided to start with Sakura and Sasuke."
"S-Sasuke too?"
"You probably know that Sasuke and I aren't exactly pals..." Hinata giggled. "But he's not as bad as he may seem at first glance. When he sparred with Sakura, he deliberately gave her a chance to strike, even though his ego didn't allow him to take a hit. After the spar, he helped her up and even blushed a bit! When we were teaching each other the techniques Kakashi-sensei taught us, he tried to explain every detail. And if we were struggling, he tried to help. The poor guy just feels awkward showing his emotions." Glancing at Hinata, he smirked. "He reminds me of you in that aspect. Both of you need to open up more to others."
"K-Kurenai-sensei told me the same thing."
"And she's right!" Naruto exclaimed. Glancing around, he noticed the Ichiraku Ramen sign not far from them.
"Don't you want to grab a bite?" Naruto pointed to Ichiraku Ramen.
"I-I don't have any m-money with me..." Hinata said somewhat sadly.
"Lesson from Iruka-sensei 2: always pay for the girl," Naruto said with a grin.
"I can eat at home..." Hinata replied hesitantly.
"But it's Ichiraku! The best ramen restaurant in the world!" Naruto shouted, causing some people around them to turn in their direction.
Hinata blushed from the attention of others and nodded. "I don't mind."
Entering Ichiraku, they heard Teuchi's voice. "Hello, Naruto. I heard you're advertising our place again. Who's with you today?"
"Hehe, I'm just telling the truth to everyone. This is Hinata Hyuga, my former classmate. Hinata-chan, this is Teuchi-ojisan. I've been eating at his restaurant since I was six or five."
"I still remember when you first came to us... Such a cute little boy," Ayame said, joining them. "And now, you're bringing a girl for a date..."
Blushing like a lobster, Naruto looked at Hinata to make sure she didn't faint this time. Much to his relief, Hinata managed to withstand the embarrassment.
"What will it be?" Teuchi asked.
"Large serving of miso ramen with roasted pork fillet. Three bowls," Naruto ordered.
"T-the same for me. Just one," Hinata added.
While Teuchi and Ayame went to prepare their ramen, Naruto started to sweat. "Now it really looks like a date..."
"B-by the way... You mentioned having a s-special body condition? Is it a B-Bloodline Limit?" Hinata asked.
"Oh, yeah. I found out about it a week ago. Kakashi-sensei believes I'm the last of the Uzumaki Clan."
"W-when we were taught about Uzushiogakure at the academy, y-you weren't in the class... I was always curious if you were from their clan," Hinata said with a smile.
"Well, Uzumaki usually have red hair, but maybe one of my parents wasn't Uzumaki, and their hyenas were dominant..."
"Genes..." Hinata giggled.
Naruto scratched the back of his head, a tinge of pink on his cheeks. "Yeah, that."
Ayame served them bowls of ramen, and then went back to the kitchen to prepare two more for Naruto. Hinata and Naruto wasted no time in starting their meal.
Between bites, Hinata turned to Naruto and asked, "If you're from the Uzumaki Clan, y-you might have a talent for Fuinjutsu."
Swallowing a mouthful of ramen, he replied, "Yep. Kakashi-sensei has already started teaching me the basics. Look." He rolled up the sleeve of his coat, revealing a small seal array drawn on his arm.
"Huh? Is it safe?"
"Being a ninja means facing danger head-on," Naruto chuckled at her deadpan expression. "It's just a Sealing Jutsu. I learned how to seal objects in scrolls and thought, why not draw such a seal on my hand? That way, in battle, I can instantly have a kunai in my hand or store important items that shouldn't be lost. As long as the hand is intact, the item is safe. Oh, if you cut the seal itself, the item might fall out... But Kakashi-sensei gave me some ideas on how to make it self-repairing. Right after scolding me for drawing the seal on myself without his knowledge..."
"What other Fuinjutsu have you learned?" Hinata inquired.
"Hmm... Sealing Jutsu, Explosive Tags, and simple Barrier Tags. Kakashi-sensei taught me more about how seals work than actual jutsu. He even made my clones read a bunch of books on Fuinjutsu... Once you understand how the seals work, it's relatively easy to modify them. Although Kakashi-sensei lectured me for a long time when I modified an Explosive Tag, and it blew up in my clone's face."
"Kage Bunshin is truly an incredible technique. With them, you can check seals with minimal risk," Hinata commented.
"Yes! They're amazing."
"And what does a Barrier Tag do?"
"You can take four of these tags and place them around the perimeter. Activating them around this perimeter creates a barrier that's hard for an ordinary shinobi to pass through. Also, with some modifications, you can make sort of Restraint Seal. When someone touches one, it releases several thin threads that wrap around the target and restrain them. Those are just basic ways to use them; I think I can come up with more," explained Naruto.
"Well, now we know that you really are from the Uzumaki Clan," Hinata said with a smile.
Naruto blushed and scratched his cheek with a nervous grin. "S-so... about opening up to other people. Would you like to meet like this occasionally?"
Hinata blushed again and hid her face behind the long collar of her jacket. "Th-that would be wonderful..."
"Cute..."
3 weeks later. Mission Department in the Hokage's Residence.
"Oh, my cute little Tora-chan, I was so worried!" exclaimed the middle-aged woman of more-than-average size, cuddling the cat with a red ribbon on its ear.
"Now I feel sorry for the poor beast..." thought Naruto.
"Now it's clear why she ran away..." Sakura pondered.
Once the woman and the cat left the office, the Hokage raised the mission scroll and began reading its contents. "Now... Kakashi's Team, your next duty is... Hmm... Babysitting an elder's grandson, shopping in the neighboring village, and help with potato digging."
"No! No! No!" Naruto crossed his arms in an 'X' shape in front of him. "I'm tired of these chores! Find us something better!"
"I agree with Naruto..." Surprisingly, Sasuke concurred.
Sakura looked at both of them and sighed before agreeing, "Me too."
"You're just rookies! Everyone starts with simple duties and works their way up!" Iruka exclaimed, standing up from his seat next to the Hokage.
When Naruto was about to shout again about the crappiness of these missions, the Hokage stopped him. "Naruto. Perhaps I need to remind you what these duties are all about?" He calmly asked.
Naruto fell silent for a few seconds, staring intensely at the Hokage, but eventually sighed. "No, there's no need. I'm not in the mood for lectures. Whatever you assign us, it's for the benefit of the village anyway." Kakashi and Hiruzen smiled at his words, while Iruka, Sakura, and Sasuke looked at him in surprise.
"Hmm..." The Hokage pondered, rubbing his beard and looking at Team 7. "If you're so eager, I'll give you a C-rank mission. It's a protection mission for a certain individual."
The faces of Team 7 lit up, and Kakashi's shoulders dropped as he stared wide-eyed at his Kage. "Yay!" exclaimed Naruto. "Who is it? Who is it?"
"Calm down, Naruto. I'll introduce him now." After these words, an obviously drunk man with glasses and a bottle in his hand entered the room. "This is Tazuna, an expert bridge builder. I expect you to provide him protection until he returns to his country and completes the bridge."
"Huh? What's this? They're just a bunch of brats, especially... the shortest one with a dumb-looking face. Hey! Are you really a ninja!?"
"Haha, who's the shortest with the dumb face?" Naruto laughed, looking at his teammates, who somehow seemed to tower over him by two heads. Naruto turned his gaze back to Tazuna. "I'll kill him."