Chương 4: The Calm Which Was Ending
Sasuke Uchiha was a boy who once chose the path of hatred. He had rejecting the path of love.
The boy was once a child with a loving family, with friends, and people he could look up to.
However, things quickly changed when his Clan was massacred. He experienced true solitude.
The child was unlike Naruto, who could adapt this kind of world. Hated by the village as a fox spirit,
There was one who had never knew family in the early years of his childhood. And then there was one who did. His heart burned with a fiery hatred for the man who caused his life to be so lonely.
While Naruto knew nothing about why he was thought of as a monster, Sasuke was well aware who was the person responsible for his solitude and loneliness. It was his goddamn brother…!
Itachi Uchiha. A prodigy rarely ever seen.
Sasuke couldn't believe it. His world had been destroyed, and when it dawned on him that his older brother was the traitor that murdered his entire family, his Sharingan suddenly awakened.
The pain finally settled in…
However, the reason his Sharingan didn't have more tomoes than one… was because it was only after experiencing solitude after the Uchiha Tragedy that he truly knew the face of solitude.
No longer did his father be strict with him, no longer could he feel his mother's affection raining down on him... No longer could he hunt and play games with that teasing older brother of his...
His ghosts haunted him, but as the child that he was, his heart subconsciously put the things he wanted to avoid at the back of his mind. He was too weak. His revenge could only be done later.
When he was fully prepared…
Although he was motivated by hatred at first, time waned that pure fury, making his sadness over the events overpower his conviction. The hatred became a duty. Confined by his happiest dreams.
Unable to get rid of his nightmares…
It was why he was content with being the best in the Academy. After all, his achievements gave him hope of one day surpassing his brother in the future. It was a start to eventually get there. Even without his Sharingan, he was a person of value.
This was what he believed.
That... was until he met Sakura Haruno.
Someone who was clearly inferior to him mere days before, yet had the arrogance to say her mind could contend with his bloodline limit. It was people like her that he looked down on: Those who couldn't tell how inferior they were to him...!
However, even after he fought seriously and used his Sharingan, he lost... He lost to a slacker.
A fangirl who wasn't even as motivated at him.
Everything that he could use to say that his hard work had meaning was upstaged by her epic performance. It was to the point that he subconsciously saw her as a rival, just like Naruto.
Though she couldn't understand the pain they went through, the fact that she could keep up with them (despite not having a bloodline limit or a powerful Jutsu up her sleeve) made her worthy of being called a 'rival'. He pinned her as a new target.
One that he would surpass for sure!
In Gai-sensei's intense training regime, all four of them drove each other to improve immensely.
Especially so compared to if they would have trained with the same resolve they had in the Academy, and the person who spurred them on to such an extent was none other than Sakura.
'To become the Hokage!'
'To avenge my Clan!'
'To not be inferior as a Kunoichi!'
'To protect!'
For months, it was their rivalry between each other that sharpened their Taijutsu to the point it surpassed other Gennin at their level. They were gaining insight through the guidance of Might Gai.
Faster, stronger, simpler, complex, and infused with more of the springtime of their youthful vigour.
Though that didn't mean they hadn't lost.
In fact, all of them kept on losing to each other.
Especially Naruto, who was never fully trained in the proper forms a ninja should use to fight others.
Since now, he had been winging it.
Gai saw that he had already put his guts into his fist and reckless bravery to straighten his back.
All he needed was to add more finesse to his moves. Rather than swinging his whole body to hit.
That's what he initially thought.
But as time passed, Naruto showed he was just too reckless in general. Too honest. Too simple.
His apprentice, Lee, was much more good at thinking on the fly than this kid who thought guts meant winning. Though he had to admit there were many similarities between them. One that he liked.
Gai wondered if he would be his apprentice too.
That was his only thought. The others didn't quite catch his eye. Even Sakura was just 'a bit talented'.
However, they'd improved by leaps and bounds.
Although they couldn't match up to Lee, who had been training at a younger age, it at least made the foundation of their skills more robust. Ino showed a surprising amount of talent in their many spars.
Though not physically improving at the same rate as Sakura, her battle senses were much sharper.
He talent was blooming…
…and it had been born solely through hard work.
Though each of them worked together, their results of their training varied person to person.
The talented and ordinary had been revealed.
With Ino and Naruto taking the cake as the duo that needed the most work on their weaknesses.
Ino was too physically weak, and Naruto was far too stupidly reckless when he didn't need to be.
The other two had excelled much better.
When the sessions began, Sasuke would reserve his Sharingan as a trump card, but fighting Sakura daily made it hard for him to keep up with her cunning intellect in the midst of battle.
He ended up having to sharpen his eyes and reveal his full strength more often. Hitting his very limits.
Something he'd neglected in the future memories that Sakura had seen, which made him a bit fragile.
That weakness was being patched up now.
Naruto and Ino couldn't watch them fight. They had been stuck in training tailored just for them.
Gai saw more potential in boosting their physical strength. The duo weren't exactly suited for learning advanced Taijutsu techniques. This was the exact opposite for Sasuke and Sakura.
Gai would make them fight the entire day to exhaust them both physically and mentally.
Because nothing taught Taijutsu better than battle!
A choice he was happy for making after seeing how Sasuke had slowly balancing the playing field.
He became more adept in being scheming.
Sasuke was the type who couldn't be fooled with the same trick twice. He had a knack for adapting.
This wasn't the same as Lee's combat expertise.
If Sakura's strength laid in her groundwork to execute her schemes, and Lee's strength was in learning Taijutsu techniques much faster than others, then Sasuke's strength was in his flexibility.
Much more than even Sakura.
One could call him pragmatic to a fault. He would use both himself and the environment on the fly.
Coming up with new schemes rather than reusing old tactics, or tailoring them for his opponents.
This was his most fearsome trait even in the future.
Such progress was nothing to scoff at.
If one was to compare the current versions of this group to the previous timeline, then you could say:
1. Naruto was gaining a physical prowess that was catching up to Rock Lee, but not much in fighting.
2. Ino was becoming a better fighter than she was initially. A better team player and potential leader.
3. Sasuke was developing a level of Taijutsu far stronger than he had in the later stages of the Chunnin Exams. His constant sparring with Sakura had allowed him to refine his Sharingan usage.
4. Sakura had improved further than the rest.
Only stagnating when her body hit a limit of how much it could endure. The limits of her physique.
She had the richest evolution fighting in her fighting style and adapting to her current reserves.
Getting used to limited Chakra.
But she just couldn't train in the 'Strong Fist' even if Gai taught it. She couldn't handle the stress.
Maybe if she devoted herself to Taijutsu, she would have some accomplishments… but it was useless.
She was already satisfied with what she got.
"To think... I would be inspired by such hot-blooded passion at this age...!" Gai sighed after waving them goodbye. Their lessons had finally ended, and it was time for them to properly return.
He was truly shocked by Sakura's overall performance, even more than he did Sasuke's.
This was because the fragility she showed in the beginning of her training… had all but disappeared by the time they were done. Maybe she didn't seem like a Taijutsu expert, but her gait wasn't bad.
The way she held herself in the middle of battle.
She had the worse stamina and strength compared to those around her. However, her overall physical strength was only second to Naruto's once they reached their last training session together.
Although she fell behind in Naruto's strength, Ino's flexibility and Sasuke's speed in body by the end…
…only Gai himself was able to see that her Taijutsu itself still surpassed her three friends by a margin.
It was a scene hard to explain.
He felt like she was hiding her trump cards.
"I wonder what kind of Ninja she'll become...?" Gai thought out loud. With no one to hear him speak.
He'd forgot he put Lee on a crash course so much more extreme than he normally would after seeing Sakura's attainments. In fact, what was on this 'kind' sensei's mind right now was how to get Sakura and Lee together like two peas in a pod.
These two Taijutsu prodigies were practically perfect for each other! Who could ask for more?
A match made in heaven, he said~
It was only after a few seconds that he decided not to intervene instead. That would be unfair.
After all, Lee was as handsome as himself!
He was sure his protégé will be able to win over her heart if he showed his cool sides! Go get em', boy!
Meanwhile, Ino, being the one who achieved the least in their training sessions, decided to split from the group. She wasn't originally from a Fighter Type family in the first place, but she had her pride.
One that wouldn't lose to the rest of them.
Ino left to put extra hours in training her Clan's inherited Jutsu. This was all to not fall behind her friend any further. She was resolved to not even show her face to Sakura until she could match those efforts the girl had shown while training.
There was nothing that could stop her…!
"I'll see ya later!" Ino waved them goodbye with the hope of making the Ino-Shika-Cho Trio of their generation the best. Even going as far as to pull the lazy Shikamaru into training with all they had!
When Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were left alone, a strange silence surrounded the trio at once.
Even though Naruto's activeness would usually lead to them bickering among them. Right now, there was finally a small time of silence. The light of dawn shined down on them, and the day ended.
Some things had changed.
After all, the dynamic between the future team had transformed far more than Sakura could have imagined. Although the training session made them stronger, what it also did… was give them time to truly interact with each other on a personal level.
No longer did Sasuke treat Sakura as a nuisance.
His gaze towards her being that of mutual respect for her talent and conviction. Although he didn't know what drove her to work so hard, he wasn't willing to fall behind someone who merely talented in Taijutsu. At least, that's how he perceived it.
Naruto, on the other hand, experienced a change far deeper than any other. As someone who was isolated for reasons he didn't know why, he had never knew what friendship was, and always felt alone.
However, in the training sessions they had with Gai-sensei, he was able to get the acceptance he always wanted from others. It satisfied a part of him that had craved affection for such a long time.
Although their trio never outright asked the question, they all knew deep inside that the rest of the group had become close to them without a doubt. Even without any binding, they were all one.
A team that would one day rock the world…!
For the optimistic knucklehead, he felt like he finally achieved what he desired. Even if he didn't become Hokage, as long as he had these friends by his side, all obstacles was nothing to fret over!
If Sasuke of the past was plagued by ghosts he could choose not to face, then the current him had courage to face the future. The boy who once had nightmares of tragedy was no longer by himself.
If the knucklehead of the past was starved for attention, then the Naruto of right now was someone who finally understood why he couldn't let how the village treated him keep him down.
He was willing to put forth more effort into his dream, not for himself, but from the hope he finally saw in becoming accepted from these small bonds he already made. He would light that fire in others.
The entire village will one day know his name…
…and they would smile whenever they spoke it.
All of this was because a certain someone dragged him out of his comfort zone. Gave him a chance.
"Thanks, Sakura." Naruto was the first to speak.
"About what?" She asked in confusion.
"For... being a good friend to me." He was quite embarrassed to say this out loud in front of her.
Especially with Sasuke present.
"...Don't even mention it. It's nothing." Sakura turned her head to hide the smile that was curving on her lips.
It felt nice being looked at with gratitude.
She didn't want him to misunderstand. Her heart still loved Sasuke and she wanted to one day see if they could fall in love properly this time. Call her girlish, but she wanted Sasuke to confess to her this time, rather than the other way around.
The only reason she could sit around without trying to move his heart in the slightest… was because she knew a relationship with a girl wasn't what he was looking for right now. This was his personality.
He'd never even consider someone right now.
"It looks like we split ways here." Sakura spoke after realising they lived in different directions.
In fact, Sasuke was already being polite enough to walk with them.
This was despite the big detour he'd have to take in order to get back to where he currently lived.
"I'm leaving." As always, he was a man of few words. Sasuke only left those two words before splitting from the group.
"I'll be going as well-"
"Naruto, I have some spare time and I wanted to talk to you alone. Do you have time?" Sakura suddenly interrupted him, causing his mind to fall into chaos as his pubescent mind was trying to grasp if she actually liked him or not.
Even though her words made it very clear she wasn't interested, why was this happening?
"I wanted to teach you a secret technique. Want to hear about it?" Sakura's eyes hid her thoughts.
"A secret technique! What is it?! Tell me everything!" A surge of excitement ran through Naruto's heart.
It was then Sakura imparted a special training method she devised just for Naruto specifically.
Instead of focusing on improving his Taijutsu, she double-checked Naruto's Chakra Nature using special paper she stole from the Academy… then taught him how to train in Nature Manipulation.
The easiest methods that fit his personality.
As someone who researched Jutsus just like Orochimaru in the future, doing this was nothing.
"Don't tell anyone about this though." Sakura put her finger on her lips and cautioned him heavily.
"Thanks Sakura, you're the best!" Naruto was so happy about this new technique he learnt… that he wasn't willing to go asleep tonight.
Sakura herself saw his excitement, and was actually a little apologetic for what was to come.
'I am truly sorry, Naruto. The Seventh Hokage of the future will only exist after you face this by yourself.' As Sakura waved him goodbye, she thought this with a heavy heart.
She wasn't willing to alter the future too drastically if it meant her friends would become vastly different people. Her eyes lowered down until she noticed the piece of 'Nature Paper' she had left.
'My Chakra Natures were of Earth and Water, the last time I checked.' She still vaguely remembered.
It had been a long time since focused on studying Jutsus, rather than improving her own Nature Manipulation. It was only after injecting her Chakra into the paper did something stunning happen.
An incident that nearly blew her mind.
The paper in her hand crumpled up, showing that her Chakra Nature was now only Lightning.
Nothing else.
This thoroughly shocked her. It was unheard of for someone who was extremely knowledgeable like her to be shocked. She took out more Nature Papers and checked again, only to find that the only Chakra Nature she now had fully changed...!
'Why is it like this?!' Sakura thought to the day she arrived here… and suddenly remembered that the electrocution she felt the moment before she was sent back.
The only logical explanation was that 'Flying Thunder God Technique- Level 4' was what caused this change.
'Will I be able to use 'that' Jutsu then?' She thought about a Jutsu the future Sasuke learned.
He started to train it after mastering the Body Flicker Technique to the same level as Sishui Uchiha, who could physically be in multiple places at once. Becoming a phantom to the naked eye.
'I have to increase my training regimen.' Was the last thing she thought before heading home to meet her parents.
Her daily life after going to the past was quite peaceful, but she knew that after the Academy's results were out, the knucklehead would hit a wall straight on...
After all, Naruto still couldn't use the Clone Jutsu no matter how much dedicated effort he put into it.
A big incident was about to happen!
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