The air is still at dawn. Mist creeps low across the training ground like a silent predator. The trees stand tall and silent, like sentinels watching over the coming storm.
Team 7, Team 8 and Team 10 stand in front of their three supervising jōnin: Kakashi Hatake, Asuma Sarutobi, and Kurenai Yuhi.
Kurenai has her arms crossed, a faint smirk on her lips. Asuma leans on a tree, his cigarette glowing dimly. Kakashi has his nose in his book as usual.
The three jonins have gathered the teams for joint training sessions. After his talk with the hokage, Kakashi went straight to the two Jonin standing beside him and convinced them to participate.
All three of them agreed to meet here at training ground 17 every sunday if they are in the village for joint training sessions and today is the first sunday since their agreement.
Kurenai had already explained to the gathered genins as to why they are here and what is going to happen every Sunday starting today.
Shikamaru has made sure to address his disappointment meanwhile Kiba was the most excited among them.
Kakashi spoke without looking up, "Alright, Kurenai already told you why you are here.
Every Sunday we will provide you with different scenarios that you might face in a real mission and we will observe how you react in those conditions.
These exercises will show us your strengths and weaknesses but most importantly it will show us your teamwork not only with your teammates but also with your comrades.
In the field you never know what kind of situation you will be facing and so it is best to prepare you for the extreme.
Every Sunday we will create scenarios where you will be pushed to the limit so I suggest you start training with your 100 percent."
He stopped as Shikamaru groaned at his last words. The threats that the village is going to face in the future are something that can destroy Konoha and it is up to them to prepare this generation to face them.
Without wasting time Kakashi continued, "Today's scenario is simple. Kurenai has been captured and is being held in a secure location. It is Team 7's job to infiltrate the enemy territory and rescue her."
Asuma blows out smoke. "Enemy territory will be protected by both Team 8 and Team 10—and they have to stop you by any means."
Kiba grins. "Tch. Just like real missions, huh?"
Kurenai smirked as she spoke, "Exactly. I'll be inside a barrier formation we've constructed deep in the forest.
You will all get 30 minutes to prepare and once Kakashi starts that clock there Team 7 will have one hour to retrieve me."
Sasuke narrows his eyes. "What's the catch?"
Kakashi eye-smiles. "You all can use any means necessary to accomplish your objective and Kurenai will also be using genjutsu to mislead and delay you."
Sakura swallows. "This is basically a high level mission." Sasuke nodded but Naruto remained silent.
Kakashi nodded, "Then treat it like one. Remember that you have to retrieve Kurenai without any damage to her person.
If the other team thinks they are losing they can simply threaten to harm or even kill the hostage so you have to keep that in mind too."
"Also if Team 7 wins this round then they will take a high ranking mission while the rest of the teams will only do D ranked missions with some punishments." Asuma added with Kakashi's statement.
Naruto and Sasuke looked interested while Sakura looked frightened. Kiba yelled in excitement and Hinata was the same as Sakura.
Shino remained his stoic self while Ino was busy yelling at Shikamaru to take this seriously. Choji simply munched on his chips.
Shikamaru looked at Asuma and asked, "What kind of Punishment?" He was already dreading what the Jonins had thought of as their punishment.
Asuma smiled a little deviously and replied, "Nothing too extreme but just something like sealing your chakra while you do the most physically challenging and dirty D rank missions.
We will make sure you don't get to rest even for a minute for the rest of the week or to restrict your diet."
All members of Team 10 gulped a little imagining their future and resolved to do anything to win this round.
Kakashi lifts a hand, "You have 30 minutes to prepare. Begin."
Into the Forest
The second Kakashi says the word, Team 8 and 10 bolts into the forest. While team 7 waits for the 30 minutes preparation period to end.
Sakura looked at the boys and asked, "So how do we do this?"
Sasuke observed both of his teammates. Sakura has improved since she graduated from the academy and is no longer a dead weight.
He too has much more tricks up his sleeve than before and Naruto is Naruto, a genius in his own right.
Team 7 has grown strong since the academy but that doesn't mean the other teams are weak.
If one thinks he has learned from his time in team 7 it is to never underestimate your opponents.
"What do we know about our opponents?" Sasuke asked, it was better to have as much information as possible before jumping into the battle.
He never paid much attention to the others so maybe his teammates can help.
Sakura bit her lip as she thought about it for the moment but it was Naruto who replied.
"Our opponents are Shikamaru, Choji, Shino, Kiba, Hinata and Ino and they are all from various clans so we can easily assume what their specialities are.
Shikamaru is from the Nara clan so he must possess great IQ and knows how to manipulate his shadow.
I know once they catch you in their shadow they gain full control of your body so make sure to avoid his shadow.
Choji is from the Akimichi clan. They can manipulate their bodies to grow large but I don't know if he can do this but we still need to take precaution against it.
Ino is a Yamanaka. They can transfer their souls into your bodies and control them so avoid her as much as possible.
The Ino-Shika-Cho is famous for their teamwork and using their skills to complement each other. We need to divide them as soon as possible and make sure they can't work together.
Then we have Team 8. Shino is from the Aburame clan. They can use bugs and insects that they house in their bodies to attack, distract and track their opponents.
Kiba is an Inuzuka. Along with their canine companions the Inuzuka are very formidable fighters.
We already know he was very good in the academy and with Akamaru helping him he will only pose a much better difficulty.
Hinata is a Hyuga. With their Byakugan they are the best taijutsu users from Konoha. We can assume the same for her."
Naruto answered and Both Sasuke and Sakura looked stunned. "You have very thorough knowledge about the Konoha clans." Sakura said and Naruto just shrugged.
They didn't need to know that he wanted to know as much as possible about Konoha's powers in case he had to face them on the battlefield.
'So what's the plan?" Naruto asked, diverting the topic.
Sasuke took the lead and spoke, "So we now know what their specialities are but we still must be ready for any surprises.
We don't know what their sensei's are teaching them if they themselves learned anything new." Both Sakura and Naruto nodded.
"I can use genjutsu to distract them and since I have the best control in team 7 I have the best chance to break free of Kurenai sensei's illusions and find her." Sakura replied.
"I can use my clones to engage the teams and try to separate them while Sasuke can provide the necessary backup and assistance so that you can reach Kurenai." Naruto added and both Naruto and Sakura looked at Sasuke.
Sasuke knew this the best they could do. With Naruto they have enough firepower to fight even a hundred genins. He can create absurd amounts of strong clones and his special use of ninjutsu helps too.
Sakura is also their best chance of getting past the illusions. If he had his Sharingan then he might be the best choice but right now he knows that Sakura must be the one to do this.
Sasuke nodded and replied, "Okay so first Naruto will use his clones to find and engage the genins. Then once he found where they all are, Sakura and I will try to find Kurenai while Naruto makes sure the genin are busy with him.
If someone somehow got past Naruto I will be the one to engage them and Sakura continues her search. Once she finds Kurenai we all will immediately regroup with her and retrieve Kurenai."
All members of Team 7 nodded their approval and readied themselves.
Meanwhile with Team 8 and 10.
"We need to win this. I am not losing to Sakura." Ino said as they all gathered to discuss strategy.
"Relax, we are not going to lose to those losers. There are six of us against the three of them, there is no way we are gonna lose." Kiba is as confident as ever but Shikamaru worries.
Sasuke and Naruto had been the top students when they graduated from the academy and they have Kakashi as their sensei.
If their team training were even half as intense as team 10's training sessions then he can safely assume that they have improved a lot from what he knows of them.
He looked around to observe his comrades. He knows what they specialize in so he is to make full use of them.
"We shouldn't underestimate our opponents. Why? Because it will only be our downfall."
Shino said.
Hinata added her own opinion, "Shino is right. Both Naruto and Sasuke are very strong and Sakura is very smart too. We need to do our best if we want to win."
Ino nodded and said, "Hinata is right. Sasuke and Naruto are stronger than any genin present here.
If we don't think this through then they are going to simply bulldoze their way into winning."
Shikamaru agreed with their opinions wholeheartedly. Sasuke and Naruto are stronger than them, he has no doubt about that but if they work together then even those two would find it hard to get past them.
He gathered the genins and said, "Listen, here's what we are going to do…"
Kakashi and Asuma watched from the trees. As the genins prepared their strategies and laid the traps to stop team 7 from achieving their goal.
"You look pretty confident in your team's abilities, Kakashi." Asuma asked him.
Kakashi watched team 8 and 10 prepare the battlefield. It was a nice strategy they are going for but he knows that his team will find a way around this. "I am. They have trained hard and I know they will be able to accomplish the mission."
"Care to bet on that." Asuma said as he smiled.
"What's the catch?" Kakashi asked.
"If team 7 wins I will not smoke for the rest of the week." Asuma replied and Kakashi had to accept that this was a huge price Asuma was willing to pay.
"And if they lose." He asked, dreading what the Sarutobi had planned for him.
"If they lose then you have to go without reading the book you so love for a whole week." Asuma said and Kakashi looked at the book in his hand.
Not reading the book for a whole book seems almost impossible for Kakashi but he has full faith in his team. He looked at Asuma and replied, "You are On."
Asuma nodded. He turned to the genins and said loudly, "Okay your 30 minutes are up. Now team 7 has one hour to retrieve Kurenai and your time begins now."
With this declaration Team 7 moved immediately without wasting anytime.
Naruto created 20 clones and transformed six clones into Sasuke and six into Sakura. He divided the clones into six team sevens, each going for each genin of team 8 and 10.
The remaining two clones he sent with the real Sasuke and Sakura for backup while he remained hidden to make sure that Team 8 and 10 remained busy.
Sasuke leaps into the trees, his eyes sharp. "I'll scout the upper canopy to make sure no one reaches Sakura. Naruto, make sure your remaining clones watch our backs". He said and Naruto nodded.
Sakura, focused, begins performing a long-range genjutsu to cloud the defenders' senses. "This'll create false movement signatures to make them second-guess themselves."
As Team 7 sets their plan in motion—
Snap!
A barrage of kunai rain down from the trees, triggering explosive tags that blast the underbrush.
Hinata, hidden in the treetops, calls down: "They're using decoys!"
Kiba howls. "Too bad for them—Akamaru's nose doesn't lie!"
Naruto dives to the left as Kiba and Akamaru whirl in with Fang Over Fang. Sasuke and Sakura move forward knowing Naruto will take care of Kiba.
The twin spiral slams into a tree trunk just as Naruto uses chakra chains to pull himself away from impact.
Naruto slams his hands together on the ground and invisible threads launch themselves from the ground to pin Kiba and Akamaru.
Hinata, activating her Byakugan, calls out from above. "He's using some type of chakra thread to bind them"
She spins into action, deflecting Naruto's clone with a Gentle Fist and dispeling clones Sasuke and Sakura in an instant.
Meanwhile, Another set of clones faces Shino deeper in the trees.
His kikaichū beetles emerge in waves.
Sakura's clone throws a flash tag—momentarily blinding Shino—then tries to attack from behind.
Shino turns around to grab the kunai coming for him calmly: "Your clones can't fool my insects. Why/ because they know the signature of your chakra."
The bugs swarm the Sakura clone —which explodes in smoke.
A Naruto clone suddenly moved behind his back and slapped a temporary chakra binding seal..Shino stumbled, chakra flow temporarily scrambled.
But from below, a second swarm of insects explode from the soil, wrapping around the clone's legs dispelling it..
High in the canopy, Sasuke lands opposite Hinata, their eyes locked. He dashes forward, starting a rapid taijutsu exchange.
Hinata counters each blow with precision, her Gentle Fist aiming for his tenketsu.
A palm brushes his left side—Sasuke jerks back, gritting his teeth as his chakra flow shudders.
Sasuke grimaced as he thought to himself, One more hit like that and I'm done. He flips backward, performs a quick seal. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
Small, targeted fireballs spiral toward her—Hinata evades most, but the final one strikes a tree behind her, sending shrapnel flying.
She uses the substitution jutsu—just as Sasuke leaps into the air and hurls a barrage of explosive-tag kunai from above.
Boom! Boom!. The kunai hits the log she replaced herself with. Hinata took a sigh of relief but just as her guard dropped for a split second—just long enough for Sasuke to appear behind her, landing a solid hit to her side, sending her tumbling.
Time Remaining: 35 Minutes
As Team 7 pushes forward, they find themselves suddenly halted—unable to move.
Shikamaru, smirking from a high branch: "Caught you. Shadow Possession complete."
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura are all paralyzed.
Choji, massive from his Expansion Jutsu, charges in from the clearing.
"Human Boulder!"
All three clones turn into smoke as they are pummeled beneath Choji, leaving Shikamarun to search for the real team 7.
Just as he was about to move from his position a burst of wind hit Shikamaru from behind sending him flying.
Naruto emerges from the trees behind and sends a stream of fire towards the flying Shikamar, forcing Choji to roll away with him getting his hand on fire.
From the trees, Ino whispers a jutsu—"Mind Transfer!"
Naruto's clone takes the hit—and the moment Ino's spirit enters the clone—
Boom!
It detonates in a smoke-flash trap. The real Ino's body tumbles from the branch as her consciousness returns, gasping.
Meanwhile the real Naruto was holding his head in his hands, "uff, not doing this again."
Time Remaining: 10 Minutes
Sakura approaches a stone cabin without an entrance surrounded by the trees.
She disrupts the chakra inside her body to see that the cavern is only a genjutsu to mislead her. She turns around only to find herself surrounded by pitch black darkness..
Sakura: "This is—!"
Kurenai's voice echoed from every direction "A genjutsu. Welcome to my maze."
Mirrors appear in every direction, showing warped versions of Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke.
A genjutsu hidden behind another genjutsu, clever trick. Sakura, calming her breathing, forms a seal. She concentrates, reaching deep into her chakra pool.
"Genjutsu Dispelling Technique… Release!"
A burst of chakra erupts from her, dissolving the illusion.
The training ground returns to normal—and Kurenai is sitting in a chair, tied up by thick genjutsu-imbued rope.
Before Sakura could take a step forward towards Kurenai Shino, Hinata and Kiba appear between her and Kurenai along with a slightly winded Shikamaru, a burned Choji and Ino.
Sasuke and Naruto join her and team 7 prepares to fight the genin. Sakura thought this is going to be tough now that they don't have Narutyo's clone helping them but her thoughts came to a stop when she felt a huge amount of chakra build up from beside her.
Naruto took a step forward and placed both of his hands on the ground and channeled his chakra. The part of the training ground on which Team 8 and Team 10 were standing gaped open to swallow the genins.
Everyone was too surprised to do something but Sakura, having already seen the technique, immediately moved forward towards her target.
Sakura kneels, placing her palm against the knot. "This one's not the real knot, another genjutsu." She saw Kurenai's smile before she placed both her palms on the rope and channeled chakra.
"Genjutsu Dispelling Technique… Release!"
The rope unravelled. Mission accomplished and the bell rang.
Kakashi appears in a flicker beside them. "Time."
Team 7 stands together in front of Kakashi. All three of them don't even have a scratch on them. Sasuke does seem to have a difficulty with his shoulder but other than that everything is in order.
Asuma walks over. "That was… impressive."
Kurenai dusts herself off. "You all showed growth. You didn't rush in. You adapted. Sakura's genjutsu work and Naruto and Sasuke's assistance were crucial and defining."
Naruto cancels his jutsu and the rest of the genin joins team 7 with various expressions of anger, failure and irritation.
Kurenai immediately went to use medical jutsu to heal Choji's burned hand which seems to intrigue Sakura and Hinata very much.
Kakashi gave an eye smile to the genin and said "Not bad for a bunch of 13-year-olds."
Sakura reacted by smiling and even if Naruto and Sasuke didn't give a physical reaction you could see the pride in their eyes.
"Team 8 and 10 don't look too defeated, especially when you perform well. Now it's time for the evaluation." Asuma spoke, trying to cheer the genins.
Kakashi stepped forward and spoke, "Let's begin with the rescue team—Team 7. You had a difficult task: infiltrate, identify and free the hostage, evade detection, and neutralize the defending teams yet you still managed to succeed so congratulations."
Kakashi then turned to Naruto first and spoke in a serious note.
Kakashi: "Naruto—I have never seen a genin more stronger than you. Your usage of the clones was the key to your team's success. Using the clones to distract and divide the enemy while you stayed hidden making sure your team had a safe passage was an excellent move.
You used enough firepower only to make sure that the genins don't get in your way and not to harm them seriously. That was very good use of you Ninjutsu. I still want to know how you managed to bind Kiba and Akamaru."
Naruto nodded and replied, "It is a special type of thread I can produce from my chakra. It is invisible to the naked eye but anyone with a dojutsu or even a good sensor will be able to sense them like Hinata did.'
Kakashi raised a brow and nodded. It seems that Naruto will never stop surprising him. He wanted to talk more but others were waiting.
"I really don't think there is anywhere you need to improve. You are more than ready for a higher ranking mission and the only thing you do need is experience."
Kakashi said then turned to Sakura.
Kakashi: "Sakura—your ability to recognise the genjutsu and break Kurenai's double-layered illusion was impressive. Only someone with your level of chakra control would have done it so easily.
The best thing about this mission was you immediately knew that you stood no chance of fighting and winning against the genin you were facing but knew that genjutsu was your strength and you used this information to choose a role that you performed with excellence."
Sakura, blushing slightly, glanced down. "I—I just remembered exercise you made us do and knew this is something I can do better than the others"
Kakashi: "You didn't just remember it. You applied it under pressure. That's growth…. However"
He raised a finger.
Kakashi: "You're still lacking in offensive capability. You would have gotten overwhelmed without Naruto and Sasuke to cover you. In the field, backup won't always be immediate."
Sakura nodded, her face serious now.
Kakashi: "You've got the mind. Now you need the edge."
He then addressed Sasuke, who stood with his arms crossed, aloof as ever.
Kakashi looked at the last Uchiha and said, "Sasuke—your awareness of the situation helped you a lot. You outmaneuvered Hinata in close-range without the Sharingan, and your use of terrain manipulation with that Fireball Jutsu forced her to give the opportunity to disable her.."
Sasuke Nodded, "They were strong. But predictable."
Kakashi spoke once again, "Your strength is your adaptability but he still needs to work on your genjutsu and chakra control."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly but he still nodded.
Kakashi looked at them all.
Kakashi: "You've all come a long way. But today was a test of teamwork under fire. You passed with flying colours. Keep sharpening those bonds."
Kakashi stepped back and Asuma stepped forward, stretching his shoulders before blowing out another cloud of smoke, his last one for the whole week.
Asuma: "Alright, Team 10. You played defense—and you held off a team that's starting to act like a real unit. Not bad."
He turned to Shikamaru, who was lying flat on the grass, arms behind his head.
Asuma: "Shikamaru—your trap work was precise and you did catch your targets but…"
Shikamaru continued Asuma's thought, "I didn't realise they were clones…"
Asuma: "Which means next time, don't just analyze people. Think about what they might be hiding. You let them surprise you."
Shikamaru sighed. "Yeah. I should've accounted for the decoys."
Asuma looked at Choji next.
Asuma spoke to the powerhouse of his team, "Choji—you're like a rolling boulder when you get going. You put serious pressure on their line and defended Shikamaru like a true tank."
Choji smiled and said, "I ate three protein pills before the match."
Asuma chuckled. "Next time, pace yourself. You have speed but you need awareness."
Then his eyes moved to Ino, who sat with her arms crossed, still visibly frustrated.
Asuma looked at the sole Kunoichi of team 10n and said, "Ino—you took a risk using Mind Transfer in the middle of a three-way crossfire. That takes guts."
Ino nodded, "And I missed."
Asuma tried to cheer her up, "Yeah—but you tried something bold. And you adapted. Your body-double switch right after was smart. But your chakra flow was uneven—you're still rushing when you cast."
Ino replied in a quiet voice, "I just didn't want to let them win."
"Winning's good. Surviving is better. Think fast, but don't panic." Asuma said softly and stepped back.
Kurenai stood gracefully and strode over to her team.
Kurenai looked at her team and said "Team 8—your performance was impressive too."
Seeing their deflated expressions she spoke again, "As an individual you performed really well but you didn't get to perform as a team because of the enemy."
She began with Hinata, who fidgeted slightly but stood her ground.
"Hinata—you recognised Naruto's clone immediately and his chakra threads trap. Your Byakugan was crucial.
But you hesitated again when Sasuke stepped into close range." Kurenai said to the Hyuga heiress.
Hinata softly replied, "He was fast. And I didn't want to hurt him…"
Kurenai gently spoke again, "Kindness isn't weakness. But when you hesitate in battle, you give the enemy power.
Trust your instincts—they're sharper than you realize."
She then turned to Kiba, who was rubbing Akamaru behind the ears.
"Kiba—your scent detection was impressive but once again you rushed into battle and ruined the formation of your team."
"I didn't think he could use something like that." Kiba replied a bit angrily while looking at Naruto who ignored him.
"Never assume anything based on appearance. Naruto used your overconfidence against you. Learn from it." Kurenai lectured.
Finally, she faced Shino, who stood quietly at the back.
"Shino—you were methodical, precise. You sensed the trap Naruto set and deployed your insects to counter. You adapted when the battle changed."
"But I failed to restrain him." Shino replied calmly.
"Yes. Because you gave him enough time to act. Efficiency is only useful if paired with control. Speed matters." Kurenai replied.
She looked over her whole team. "You all performed well. But next time, increase your aggression and work on your team work."
The genin teams now stood quietly, reflecting on everything. Kakashi stepped forward again, addressing everyone.
Kakashi: "This mission simulated only a fraction of what's waiting for you in the real world. Traps. Ambushes. Illusions. Hostage threats. Tactical uncertainty. And stronger opponents."
Asuma: "What you learned today will either be a stepping stone—or the reason you fail."
Kurenai: "We will try to prepare you as best as we can but it is up to you to decide how far you want to go."
There was a quiet hush and then Kakashi spoke, " Seeing that it is nearly noon why don't you all take an hour to rest and have lunch and after that we have another exercise lined up for."
The genins groaned and protested but seeing that their sensei wasn't going to budge they all quickly went to eat.
Once the genin was out of the hearing range Kurenai spoke, "Are you sure you want to do this? I understand your reasoning behind it and that's why I agreed but do you really think it is necessary."
Kakashi turned his lone eye toward Kurenai and spoke, "Trust me I know better than anyone how it feels to be fighting in a war where everything seems out of control.
It is better we force them into these harsh conditions here in a supervised atmosphere instead of them getting trapped in them while on a mission and not being able to handle it."
Kakashi remembers what it feels like to be outnumbered by the enemy and what price you have to pay for it. The eye hidden behind his headband seems to pulse. Yes it was better they face these situations here instead of going unprepared out there.
After an hour the genin gathered again in front of the jonin sensei. All of them looked energised now that they had time to eat and rest.
Kurenai looked at the genins and spoke, "You all must be wondering what this next exercise is going to be and to answer your question this is going to be a One vs All match, where one of you will fight the rest of you."
The genins were surprised by the statement. "What do you mean we have to fight against everyone?" Sakura asked a little fearfully.
She doesn't think she can win against any of her teammates one on one so how he she supposed to fight everyone at once.
"Exactly what you think." Kakashi took over from Kurenai. "While you will be on a mission there might come a time when you alone have to face overwhelming powers at once or your team is surrounded by multiple powerful opponents.
This exercise is designed to make you experience what it feels like to fight overwhelming powers. We want you to be as prepared for the future as possible.
I will be honest with you. Right now we are enjoying the peace we got by the sacrifices of those who came before us but it is not an everlasting peace. Even tomorrow a war can occur in this world and you don't want to be unprepared for that.
You are the future of this village. It is up to you to make sure that Konoha remains safe like your seniors have done in their time.
As we have said before, we will do everything in our power to make sure you are as prepared as possible. If you don't like this life then you can quit but you have to go through the training we decide for you.
Anyone who wants to quit can do it now and return home to be a civilian but if you want to be a shinobi slacking off and cowardice will not be tolerated."
Kakashi finished with a commanding voice and the remaining two jonin's expressions matched his voice.
The genin looked at each other but neither of them said anything. Seeing their silence as acceptance, Asuma spoke.
"For the first exercise we have chosen that it will be Naruto Vs the rest of you. The next time we conduct it will be someone else vs the rest of you so I suggest you make sure you are as prepared as possible.
Now everyone takes your positions so that we can start the exercise." Asuma finished speaking and the genin took their position as Naruto went to stand in front of them without saying a word.
The sky was overcast, casting a dull gray veil over the dense forest surrounding Training Ground 7. The air was damp, the wind gentle and chilled.
Eight genin stood at the edge of the training field, forming a semi-circle. Opposite them, alone under the shadow of a tall tree, was Uzumaki Naruto.
He said nothing, his posture calm, almost lazy, but his eyes were alert. Quiet and Cold.
The others shifted uncomfortably. They have already seen what Naruto is capable of but that was not everything. This time, they had to fight him and defeat him.
Kakashi, Kurenai, and Asuma stood atop a nearby branch, watching from above. Kakashi's lone eye curved upward slightly in amusement.
"This exercise will test how well you can work against multiple opponents," he announced. "Your target is Uzumaki Naruto. He is not to be underestimated. Your goal—subdue him."
"Subdue?" Kiba barked. "There's eight of us! Only team 8 can defeat him, we don't need the others."He finished with a laugh and Akakamaru joined his master."
"Don't be arrogant." Kurenai reprimanded her genin.
"He's not holding back," Kurenai warned, her gaze sharp. "Imagine how shameful it will be to lose to a single genin so I advise you all to take it seriously"
'Also any genin who wins against the collective group of the rest will receive half of their mission payments for one week. If you ask me, it is quite the incentive to win." Asuma added just to make it more interesting for the rest of them.
Below, Naruto remained unmoving.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes on Naruto. "We can't underestimate him. We need to go about this with a plan or we will face the shame of losing to a single genin."
"You really think he can defeat us all?" Ino said, nervously twirling a strand of her hair. "He's strong but there are 8 of us.."
"Sasuke is right," It was Shikamaru who replied. "Remember Naruto has those solid clones to help him. We can't outnumber him even if it were 20 of us. We need a strategy."
They huddled together. Even Sasuke leaned in.
"Sasuke and Hinata, you will attack him in close quarters.," Shikamaru directed. "Shino and Kiba, you will make sure we know which one is the real Naruto." They all nodded and Shikamaru turned his eyes.
"Choji you will see your opportunity to crush his clones with brute force or try to catch him with your giant hands.
Sakura and I will remain behind to cover for Ino. I will try to catch him in my shadow possession and Sakura will use illusions to confuse him. If Ino hits him with Mind Body Switch. We win."
"Won't be that easy," Sasuke said, eyes flicking toward Naruto. "He won't make it easy for us."
Shikamaru glanced again at Naruto. Still hadn't moved. His jacket was open in the front, the sleeves flapping lightly in the wind. His hands were in his pockets.
He wasn't even on guard. This is going to be a drag.
Naruto looked at his opponents. He doesn't want to reveal everything about himself but Kakashi was right. The future was uncertain and this gave him the opportunity to prepare himself.
It also gives him the opportunity to show everyone what it was like to face an Uzumaki. The world seems to have forgotten his family but he will remind everyone what the name Uzumaki means.
"Begin." he heard Asuma speak and quickly readied himself as the teams scattered.
Shino's insects buzzed out from every direction.
Hinata activated her Byakugan and Sasuke rushed him with a Kunai in his hand.
Naruto's eyes flicked once.
Kiba's sprint was fast. He darted left, then right, Akamaru barking beside him. "Got him! Gatsuuga!"
The fangs spun like drills, rushing forward.
Naruto took a step to the side.
A chain erupted from the ground, snaking upward in a flash, slamming into Kiba mid-spin and tossing him across the clearing into a tree trunk with a solid thud.
"W-What?" Ino gasped as she watched the red haired boy easily send her former classmate flying in the air.
Hinata moved in silently, palms ready, aiming for his tenketsu. But before she could reach, four more chains burst from the earth like snakes, spinning around her and forming a dome of sealing symbols.
"Barrier: Four-Point Seal."
She gasped, her Byakugan detecting the pulsing chakra locking her inside.
"He sealed her—!" Choji shouted, activating his Multi-Size Technique and charging like a rolling boulder.
Naruto didn't blink.
He stepped forward and summoned a wooden sword which appeared in his right palm. It was a sword he used for his training so that he can one day the gift he was given.
The blade gleamed with a hissing sound as it crashed against the spinning Choji with enough force to stop his advancement.
But as Choji kept spinning, Naruto tapped the ground lightly. A boulder emerged from the ground forcing Choji to halt his movement and retreat.
"Dammit!" Sasuke said, forming a hand seal. "Fire style : Great Fireball jutsu."
The raging fireball shot toward him—fast. But Naruto waved his right hand in front of it and the fireball disappeared.
Sasuke stopped in his tracks, surprised by what Naruto had done when he saw Naruto waving his right hand again and the same fireball emerged from his palm but this time heading for him.
He quickly substituted himself to avoid the jutsu and regroup with Shikamaru.
"Three down," Shikamaru muttered, jaw clenched as he saw Sasuke appearing beside him. "He's shutting us down without even trying."
Sasuke cursed. "I'll go again."
He moved with speed. No Sharingan, but his taijutsu was still sharp. He closed the distance in seconds and launched a kick.
Naruto caught it with one hand.
No flourish. Just quiet precision.
Sasuke's eyes widened. Naruto's other hand moved.
The wooden sword glowed.
Sasuke pulled back, barely dodging the downward arc of the sword as it slammed into the ground, creating a crater. Dust shot upward.
Chains surged from the impact site.
Sasuke jumped back, throwing shuriken—but Naruto deflected each with the sword, twisting, graceful, silent.
"You never showed me anything," Sasuke said, panting. "Why were you hiding your true strength?"
Naruto didn't answer. Sasuke didn't deserve an answer for this. Naruto did what he thought was best for him and even now he is now showing everything.
Naruto raised two fingers in front of his mouth, the ground beneath him cracked when he released his chakra, the shockwave halting Sasuke.
Sasuke looked up just in time to see him releasing a powerful gust of wind. The jutsu slammed into Sasuke and sent him flying towards the forest.
The Uchiha slammed into a tree with enough power to break it. All movement froze seeing his deadly jutsu.
Shikamaru grunted, locked in mid-jutsu. "Troublesome… He didn't even used the clones"
Sakura stared in horror. "He took down almost everyone…"
Akamaru whined near Kiba. Shino's bugs buzzed in panic as he kept his distance from Naruto.
Hinata joined them once Naruto released his chains and the barrier disappeared.
"I knew he was strong but this is some Jonin level crap he is pulling." Ino said she watched Naruto dismantle all of them one by one. He hasn't even moved much from his original position and yet they all are sweating.
"He is showing incredible powers," Shino said grimly, as Sasuke came back from the tree he crashed against. He looked winded but was holding himself.
"Can you continue?" He asked the Uchiha who replied with a simple Yes.
Shino nodded to the Uchiha and walked forward, bugs converging into a swarm spear.
He launched them towards Naruto at an incredible speed.
Naruto watched the spear made up of bugs coming for him and braced himself. He held his sword with both hands and sliced them apart with the use of wind chakra—but this time, Shino's plan was clear. It was a distraction.
Sasuke came in from behind with a kunai aimed for Naruto's shoulder.
Naruto side-stepped again but this time… Sasuke smirked.
Shikamaru's shadow suddenly connected with Naruto's own and halted his movements.
Sasuke's movement had dragged Naruto into his range and both Shino and Sasuke provided enough distraction to possess his shadow.
"Got him!" Shikamaru called. "Ino, now!"
A little shaken by the show of abilities from Naruto, Ino launched her jutsu hoping to catch him.
Naruto's fingers twitched. He can't control his body properly.
Chains exploded from his back like a blooming flower—but slower this time. Sasuke quickly threw some shurikens to attack them.
Ino's jutsu connected with him….
Only for the image of Naruto to flicker and vanish into smoke.
"Shadow Clone…?" Sasuke whispered.
"But when?" Shikamaru asked moving to support Ino who was facing the backlash of her jutsu.
The real Naruto dropped from the trees behind them. Wooden sword held in his right hand.
He moved like a ghost.
In a single spin, he smacked Shikamaru's shoulder with the flat of his blade, and quickly moved forward for Sasuke.
He used his other hand to place a single sealing tag on a surprised Sasuke's chest.
The tag glowed.
"Paralysing Seal." and Sasuke dropped to the ground unable to move.He moved towards Ino and attacked.
Naruto slashed with his swords but it fashed right through her. Naruto stopped as he felt an unnatural pull at his chakra.
He immediately disrupted his chakra flow to release the genjutsu. Naruto turned to see Ino already being dragged away by Sakura.
Sakura stepped forward, fists clenched.
"I—I won't give up! Even if you're stronger than us, we will still defeat you!" She said, hands clutching the kunai.
Sakura's words seemed to light a flame in the genin as Naruto watched everyone regroup against him.
Sasuke was still paralysed due to his tag and Shikamaru was holding his shoulder but everyone else seems to be in a fighting condition.
He saw Kiba getting up with Akamaru beside him. He watched as Sakura, Hinata and Ino all came together to support Shikamaru and Choji.
Naruto looked at her but didn't say anything . He turned to look at Shino instead, the only one who had not joined the group. Instead he is dragging Sasuke back to their group.
Seeing their renowned spirit he decided to crush them. For the first time since the battle started Naruto spoke.
"I must applaud you for making it this far against me. You see you are not fighting an ordinary genin instead you are against an Uzumaki.
You might not know of this name or what it means so when you go back to your parents today, ask them. They will tell you what this symbol on my chest represents.
There is a reason why it took three great villages to destroy us.
Naruto created 10 clones of himself without using a single hand seal. He released his chakra and it hit everyone like a wave.
He looked at the genins as chains erupted from his back and loomed in the air like snakes and said, "Come and let me show you what true despair means."
Everyone tensed but Shino held up a hand as his bugs regrouped.
"I forfeit," Shino said quietly.
Sakura looked at him, shocked. "What?!"
"It is not a battle we can win. He already took our strongest fighter out without breaking a sweat. What do you think will happen if we fight them in our current conditions." Shino replied calmly.
Shikamaru looked at everyone. Ino was bruised by the attacks Naruto previously launched on her, both Choji and Kiba are injured.
Even if Hinata, Sakura and he himself isn't that much hurt it will still not be enough to stop the monster genin in front of him.
"Shino is right." Shikamaru said as Ino looked at him in surprise. "He clearly is much stronger than us and with Sasuke and Shino out and the majority of us injured we don't stand a chance."
Sakura looked around to see that Shikamaru is strong. She wanted to fight, to show everyone that she is not a coward but a real ninja also knows when to fight and when to retreat.
"Fine. I surrender too." She said soon joined by Hinata and then Choji.
Only Ino and Kiba remain to fight Naruto. They both looked at eachother and sighed before announcing their own surrender.
"It's over," came Kakashi's voice as he landed beside Naruto, clapping slowly. "Well done, Naruto. You didn't even break a sweat."
Naruto sheathed the wooden sword and cancelled his clones. He walked towards the gathered genins and released the seal that he used on Sasuke.
Then he turned to look at the Jonin's walking towards them.
Sasuke got up. His pride burned with shame.
"I knew he was strong," he muttered. "But I thought we would have enough ."
"Guess we were wrong," Shikamaru agreed, groaning from the tree he slumped against.
Asuma exhaled smoke. "That kid… he's something else."
"That he is," Kakashi replied softly.
Silence reigned the genins as the Jonins reached them. They looked at the bruised, sweating and defeated genin and then at Naruto who looked as calm as before without a scratch on his body.
Kakashi clapped his hands once to get everyone's attention. "Alright, everyone, great job. That was more intense than I expected."
He gave Naruto a subtle nod. "Naruto, congratulations on your win. For next week you will get half of their mission pay ."
Naruto didn't respond with a grin or fist-pump. He just nodded, still breathing a little heavily as he leaned against a tree.
Kiba groaned hearing this and even Sakura and Hinata were a little disappointed.
Kurenai stepped forward, arms crossed. "Let's begin the evaluations. I'll go first." Her eyes moved over the group with a mix of sternness and pride.
"You all quickly formed a strategy that can easily corner your opponent. Shikamaru provided roles according to everyone's strength so that they can use their full potential and that is the most important thing for a leader but Naruto was just too good for you."
She replied and Shikamaru nodded his head in acceptance. The strategy was great but their opponent was even Great.
Asuma took over Kurenai and spoke, "You all didn't give up when your first plan failed and regrouped again to attack with a new strategy and nearly captured your target but that turned out to be a clone."
Kiba snarled angrily as it was his role to recognise the clones and Shino's expression were hidden behind the collar of his jacket and sunglasses.
Finally, Kakashi stepped forward, eye landing on the genins as he began. "You all have grown up.
You refused to give up but also surrendered at the right time seeing that your comrades will not be able to fight at their best and continuing the battle will only endanger them.
Always remember a mission is important but your comrades are more important." He finished and the genins nodded a little relieved to hear praises from their sensei's.
Kakashi turned his single eye towards Naruto. The boy showed him much more than he expected.
His movements were so graceful like he was watching somebody dance. His sword play, use of clones and ninjutsu alone makes him a chunin level shinobi and if you add his Uzumaki abilities then he is clearly a Jonin level shinobi.
"You, Naruto… where do I even begin?" Kakashi said, folding his arms.
"That was an incredible performance. I'll admit, I wasn't entirely sure what you were capable of but Now I see.
Your use of chakra chains and sealing jutsu gave you a huge advantage. But more than that—it was how you used your brain."
Naruto blinked, surprised by the Jonin suddenly speaking about him.
"Your use of your shadow clones, your chains and even your ninjutsu—it was all advanced level.
You misdirected, controlled the pace, and kept the enemy divided. That's real battlefield instinct."
Kurenai nodded in agreement. "You easily predicted their movements and used just enough force to beat them.
There were many moments when you could have fatally wounded them but you controlled yourself which shows restraint."
If it was about power alone I would recommend your name for the Jonin position immediately."
Naruto lowered his head not used to people so genuinely praising him.
Asuma stepped closer and gave a rare smile. "I agree with Kurenai, Naruto—you've got what it takes.
You fought smarter than I expected but when did you replace yourself with a clone and how did you disappear that fireball and then used it to attack with it.… what was that?"
Everyone looked towards him intending to listen to what he had to say. No one has ever seen someone doing something like that.
Naruto looked up and replied. "It is like a storage seal that uses time and space at its base.
The fourth hokage had a jutsu which he used to teleport attacks away from him. He even teleported a bijudama.
I modified that seal to not teleport but to seal the jutsu so that I can use it again."
Everyone was stunned but no one was more surprised than Kakashi. To think that not only did Naruto use one of his father's seals but also modified it. He really is a genius.
"When I used that seal I noticed that everyone was a little surprised and were all looking at the fireball chasing Sasuke and I used that moment to substitute myself.
Since my substitution doesn't generate any smoke and I don't use hand signs, no one noticed when I replaced myself with a clone."
Naruto finished speaking and Kakashi had to admit that was pretty awesome. To replace yourself mid battle with a clone without anyone noticing. That was a feat even he hadn't achieved.
"Well done Naruto. You have truly proved that you are the strongest genin in this village and I can confidently say that even chunins won't be able to defeat you so easily." Kakashi said as he looked at Naruto with pride.
He stepped back and addressed all of them. "You all did well. Really. Most genin couldn't hold up to something like this.
The fact that Naruto is much stronger than even we anticipated and even then you pushed him so far—means you're growing. Each of you. Fast."
There was a beat of silence.
Kurenai finally said, "Let this be a reminder that you still need to work hard and improve yourself. If he can do this, so can you. This was just a warm-up. When you face the real enemy it will be much harder."
Asuma nodded and said, "So train. Sharpen your minds and bodies. You've seen what a determined opponent can do."
Kakashi's gaze swept across the group. "And remember, no one survives alone. Not even Naruto."
Naruto blinked at that, and for the first time, gave a small smile. A rare one. Kakashi was right even if he was strong it still wasn't enough to achieve his goals.
It will never be enough and that's why he needs friends, he needs family so that they can work together to achieve their dreams.
Sakura stepped closer and grinned. "Hey Naruto… you were amazing."
Ino folded her arms. "Don't let it go to your head, whiskers. Next time, we're taking you down." Naruto gave a quiet laugh at the nickname Ino gave him.
Sasuke cracked his knuckles. "Next time, I'll win."
Kiba smirked, tossing Akamaru into the air and catching him. "Just don't hide behind your clones, cheater."
Choji nodded. "I'm still hungry…"
Hinata gave a quiet, "You did great, Naruto-kun…"
Shino pushed up his glasses. "It was… informative."
Shikamaru just groaned. "Man, what a drag. I need a nap."
The tension slowly dissolved into light banter as the genin picked themselves up. The Jonin watched proudly as the genin not only performed well but also bonded greatly.
Kakashi saw Naruto smiling as Ino and Shino talked to him and believed there was still hope.
The sun had begun to dip toward the horizon, casting long shadows across the clearing.
Kakashi looked at Asuma and Kurenai. "Think they're ready?"
Kurenai nodded. "More than ready."
Asuma gave a grin. "Let's see what the world holds for them"
And with that, the next chapter of their journey began.
Sound Village:
The air in Orochimaru's hidden compound hung thick with the scent of damp earth and the metallic tang of snake scales.
Karin sat cross-legged on a worn mat, meticulously cleaning her sword. Her serpentine companions, coiled in the shadows, watched with their unblinking eyes.
Their scales shimmered with an iridescent sheen, reflecting the dim light filtering through the grimy windows.
Guren entered the room, her crystalline armor gleaming in the dim light. Her face, usually stoic, held a flicker of excitement. "Lady Karin," she began, her voice a low, steady rumble. "The preparations are finished. We can head out now"
Karin paused, her ruby eyes flicking up. How many years has it been since she left grass to join Orochimaru? She cried, trained, killed but most importantly she survived.
She survived because of the promise she made to her mother on her deathbed. Now she is taking one more step towards fulfilling that promise.
Another Uzumaki family is waiting for her. She already found two Uzumaki orphans from lightning country but after today that number will increase to seven.
How sad it was that the once proud Uzumaki clan has been reduced to this. Scattered around the world living in hiding waiting for the day when they can return home.
All they need is patience, she needs patience and soon they will return home. Karin knows in her heart, and can feel it in her chakra that soon Uzushio will call them and soon they will reunite to rebuild their home but until then she needs to survive.
"The Uzumaki family that I found are living in a small village, on the border pof earth country. It will take us 4 days of travel to reach them." Guren informed her as she got up from her position and sheeted her sword.
She is ready. She is prepared. "Where are Shiro and Kaizen.?" Karin asked about the two Uzumaki she found. They were her brothers and Karin worried when she couldn't see them.
"They have still to return from the mission Orochimaru gave them." Karin remembers what Orochimaru means to her.
For the world he was a monster but for her he was the saviour who came to her rescue and provided her with the tools to protect herself.
He is even helping her in finding lost Uzumaki. He was the one who told her about Shiro and Kaizen, two Uzumaki living in hiding.
Orochimaru trained her, taught her sealing and even gave her his own summoning. He made her what she is today.
Even if her family and friends seem to not like him Karin will not forget his kindness. He might not show it but Karin knows that he cares for her. She was his apprentice after all.
She glanced at the sword strapped behind her. The one her master gave her. His legendary sword Kusanagi. A proof of what Karin means to him.
Shiro and Kaizen have been sent by him to Konoha. To meet someone for him and bring something because there were no better spies than them.
They both have developed this amazing ability to completely erase their presence and after Orochimaru taught them the camouflage jutsu they can be completely invisible to the rest of the world.
To infiltrate a village like Konoha is a dangerous task and ordinarily she wouldn't have sent her family for such a dangerous mission but there was something else that she also needed to find and the Uzumaki duo were her best choice.
Orochimaru informed her that there was a Uzumaki living in Konoha. A boy living as an orphan ostracised by the very home he was living in.
Orochimaru told her about the burden he carried. He told her that the previous jinchuriki was also an Uzumaki woman named Kushina who died protecting the leaf.
And Karin needed to find the boy then she had to protect her family. Orochiumaru has told her enough about the jinchuriki to know how they are treated.
He also told her about the group he was part of in the past which plans to capture the Jinchurikis and Karin can't let it happen.
Shiro and Kaizen have been sent to learn as much about Naruto Uzumaki and report back to her so that she could reunite with one more member of her family.
Karin looked at the girl standing in front of her. As long as she has loyal friends like Guren nothing bad could happen to her again.
A wave of determination washed over Karin as she said , "Assemble our team. We leave immediately."
Guren nodded her acceptance and within moments she left the hideout to go and reunite with her family.
The journey was swift and silent. Karin, Guren, and three of their most capable subordinates moved with the practiced efficiency of seasoned shinobi.
They arrived at the village within three days. The evening sun painted the sky in hues of orange and purple.
The village, nestled in a small valley, seemed peaceful, almost idyllic. Smoke curled from chimneys, and the sound of children's laughter echoed through the air, a stark contrast to the grim reality of their mission.
Guren led them to a small, thatched-roof house on the outskirts of the village. An elderly couple greeted them with wary eyes, their faces etched with the hardships of a long life.
Three children, their red hair a vibrant contrast to the rustic surroundings, peeked from behind their grandparents' legs. The youngest, a girl with eyes like amethysts, stared at Karin with wide-eyed curiosity.
Karin stepped forward, her expression carefully neutral. "My name is Karin Uzumaki. I came here to meet my lost family."
The elderly woman gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Her eyes widened with a flicker of hope in them.
"An Uzumaki?" the man asked, his voice hard. Clearly not so trusting of strangers. Karin produced a golden chain from her hand as the childrens watched in awe and the old man relaxed, clearly satisfied with her proof.
"We should go inside where no one can hear us." The man said as he looked around anxiously.
"Of course," Karin nodded and asked her team to stay outside as they invited her inside their house. The little girl seems to like her because she held her hand to take her towards a chair.
Karin sat there pulling the girl in her lap. 'Your eyes are so pretty." The girl said and Karin gave her a small smile and replied, "Thank you sweetie but you are even more pretty than me." The little girl blushed hearing her words.
"I honestly never thought that I would see another Uzumaki in my life so what brings a young Uzumaki here in search of us? With the way you immediately reached our home it seems like you already knew of us." The old man asked her.
Karin nodded as she looked up to meet his eyes. "My friend was on a mission when she came across this village and saw you. She informed me and we came immediately to meet you.
I have two more Uzumaki living with me and I want you and your family to join us so that we can go back to our real home when the time comes."
"Real home, my son and daughter-in-law thought the same. They believed in that promise made to us years ago and went to search for our family like you.
They went to search for the child that was promised and that was 6 years ago and they have yet to return.
This is our home where no one knows what those hairs mean and I don't want to risk their lives." the old man said looking at the childrens who seemed oblivious to the conversation going on.
Karin understands their fear. It was hard to believe in a better future when you have lost everything.
But she tried anyway. She explained her purpose, her voice steady and persuasive, outlining her vision of a renewed Uzushiogakure.
The children, their eyes wide with wonder, listening intently. The youngest, the girl with the amethyst eyes, leaned forward, her ears twitching slightly.
The grandparents, their faces etched with a history of loss, exchanged hesitant glances. "We have lived quietly here for many years," the woman said, her voice soft. "We have tried to forget the past."
"I understand," Karin replied. "But the past is a part of us. It shapes who we are. And we cannot allow our legacy to vanish.
I understand how hard it is for you to believe once more. My mother told me about all this on her deathbed and I promised her that I will reunite Uzumaki once more.
I want you to believe me when I say that we will go back. The child that was promised is already born in this world.
You can feel it in your chakra, the call of her home. Soon Uzushio will call us and when needed hen ready.
I promise to protect your family with my own life. I have friends to rely on and a place I can call my second home.
This place is not safe for you. How long can you hide? One day someone will come here like I did and they will recognise who you are.
What will you do then? Where will you hide? It is only a matter of time before the world finds out about you.
Believe in the words our founder spoke. Believe in the promise that was made. Believe me that one day we will return to uzushio.
The children, their youthful enthusiasm overriding their grandparents' caution, were captivated by Karin's words.
The youngest girl, her name was Hana, spoke of strange dreams filled with swirling red chakra and images of a swirling whirlpool.
After a long discussion, the grandparents, their hearts swayed by their grandchildren's eagerness and Karin's compelling vision, agreed to accompany her.
As they prepared to leave, a commotion erupted at the village entrance. The village leader, a stout man with a stern expression, stood at the head of a group of shinobi, his face flushed with anger.
"You will not take our children!" he bellowed. "They belong here!"
Karin's expression hardened. "They belong to their clan. And I am here to take them home."
"We are leaving on our own, there is no need to worry." the grandmother, Kanna spoke.
The village leader scoffed. "You can leave if you want but leave the children here. I can't let you take that precious Uzumaki blood away from me."
"You knew." The grandfather, Gamahiro accused.
"Of course I knew. Why do you think I let you live here? Those children will fetch me a great price if I sell them to either Iwa or Kumo.
So you all can leave but the children belong to me." the leader said as Hana clutched at Karin's dress in fear.
Karin knelt down to look her in the eyes and said, "Don't worry. Remember we are Uzumaki and Uzumaki don't fear anyone."
The girl nodded and Karin took her sword out as she stepped forward towards the village leader.
Seeing her sudden movement the leader ordered the shinobi to attack. The shinobi charged, their weapons drawn.
Karin's eyes flashed, and her snake summons erupted from her sleeves, their massive forms creating a barrier between her group and the villagers.
The snakes moved with a terrifying grace, their fangs dripping with venom. The shinobi recoiled in fear, their weapons shaking in their hands.
Karin moved with a speed that blurred the senses. She weaved through the shinobi, her movements precise and lethal.
Her chakra pulsed, creating shockwaves that sent her opponents flying. Chains erupted from her body piercing the enemies with deadly accuracy.
The village shinobi, despite their numbers, were no match for Karin's skill and power.
She dispatched them with a cold, calculated efficiency, ensuring that none were fatally wounded, but all were incapacitated.
The village leader, his face pale with fear, watched in horror as his shinobi fell one by one.
Karin approached him, her eyes like chips of amethyst.
"Do not interfere with the Uzumaki," she said, her voice a low, dangerous whisper. "They are under my protection."
The village leader, his bravado shattered, could only nod in terrified agreement.
With the village's resistance broken, Karin led the Uzumaki family away, her serpentine companions slithering behind them like living shadows.
They journeyed back to Orochimaru's compound, the children's eyes wide with a mixture of awe and apprehension.
Hana, however, seemed strangely calm, a small smile playing on her lips.
Back at the compound, Karin began to integrate the new arrivals, telling the children about the history of Uzushiogakure and the unique abilities of their clan.
She saw in their eyes the potential for a new generation of Uzumaki, a generation that would rise from the ashes of their destroyed home.
The snakes watched from the shadows, their unblinking eyes reflecting the flickering torchlight, as Karin began to weave a new destiny for the lost seeds of Uzushiogakure.
Soon they will bring back the glory of the Uzumaki. Soon they will go back to uzushio but first she needed to find the chosen one.
Her thoughts were halted when she heard a noise from behind. She turned her head to see Shiro and Kaizen.
She happily introduced the boys with their new family members. Shiro looked at her and gave her a scroll and nodded as the brothers played with the children.
Karin opened the scroll only for a picture to fall from it. She picked the picture from the ground to see a young boy who looked the same age as her with vibrant red hair and blue eyes.
Even with this picture she can tell that there is something special about this boy whose name is Naruto.
Time for her to reunite with one more member of her family.
A/N
I have posted a new story on my Ao3 account so please go and check it out.
the name of the story is
Shinigami by The Devil's Pupil .
Leave review and suggestions .