Fifteen minutes later, I stepped out of the Hokage's residence with three scrolls in hand. Asking for the Rasengan, A-rank techniques, or anything forbidden would've been pointless - Hiruzen would never hand those over. On top of that, I deliberately avoided naming any techniques. No way a dead-last student from yesterday suddenly knew stuff like that. To avoid raising suspicion, I had to describe the effects I wanted instead. In the end, the old man picked the scrolls himself based on my requests. This was the best I could get at this stage.
So, here's what I ended up with:
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough" - a C-rank ninjutsu. A powerful gust strong enough to knock down trees. Hiruzen handed it over the moment I mentioned wanting to support Sasuke's fire techniques. Perfect for team combos.
"Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole" - also C-rank. It turns the ground into something like sand, letting you literally "swim" underground. I brought up the Demon Brothers hiding in a puddle, and the old man immediately got the idea - I needed something for stealth attacks and quick retreats. For my "anchor" plan, this was essential.
The last one was "Earth Release: Earth Wave." A chakra-heavy C-rank technique that creates a moving wave of mud and rock. I sold it as a way to flush enemies out of hiding, but I had other plans. This one was my answer to the Rain shinobi… and more importantly, to Neji Hyuga. His Rotation is considered a perfect defense, but it relies on stable footing. If I send a wave under him mid-spin, he gets swept away along with the terrain. The chakra cost didn't bother me - that was one thing I'd never had issues with.
My team was waiting outside. Sasuke and Sakura were clearly curious about what the Hokage and I talked about, even if the young Uchiha tried not to show it. As for Kakashi-sensei… judging by his expression, he already knew what the Third had in mind.
"So, Naruto? What did Hokage-sama want to talk to you about?" Kakashi asked, even though he already knew.
"Well… the Third was pleased with how I handled things in the Land of Waves. Said I showed potential - so he rewarded me with three technique scrolls of my choice," I said, holding them up.
"Wow… that's really generous of Hokage-sama," Sakura said, visibly surprised.
"…?" Sasuke just raised an eyebrow. He understood I'd performed well, sure… but he didn't exactly look thrilled about me pulling ahead of him.
"Congratulations, Naruto. So, what did you ask for? Hopefully nothing forbidden…" Kakashi said, genuinely approving.
"Nope. Here, take a look," I replied, handing over the scrolls.
"Hm… one Wind Release, and two Earth Release techniques. All C-rank, but very practical for teamwork. Especially Great Breakthrough. If you master this and combine it with Sasuke's Fire Release: Great Fireball, that'll be a dangerous combo," Kakashi said after checking them. Overall, he seemed satisfied with my choices.
"Yeah! I remembered what you said about Haku's Ice Release - combining wind and water. Our fire attacks didn't even scratch those ice mirrors. So I figured… why not counter that with synergy of our own?" I explained.
"Very smart, Naruto. Unfortunately, I won't be much help with Wind Release. It's not really my specialty. You'll have to figure that one out yourself. As for Earth Release, I can give you some pointers," Kakashi said, acknowledging the logic but limiting his help.
"…Got it," I nodded. I didn't really buy that a guy who copied thousands of techniques and had all five chakra natures was "bad" at wind, but whatever.
"Good. Training can wait, though - we've got a D-rank mission. While you were inside, we picked up a job harvesting crops," Kakashi added with a smile.
"…Great. Let's go dig potatoes," I replied with very poorly faked enthusiasm.
In the end, it took us six hours to finish the mission. While Kakashi-sensei sat in the tree's shade reading "Make-Out Paradise," me, Sasuke, and Sakura worked the fields, gathering the harvest. The client had around fifteen hectares - normally, that would've taken days. Luckily, no one said I couldn't use shadow clones. Once I made fifty of them, things sped up like crazy. We wrapped it up in six hours, and the client was thrilled. He even offered us part of his stock as a bonus. Kakashi and the others refused - I grabbed a few kilos of green onions. Perfect for ramen.
"Good work, team. I think that's enough for today. Since you finished ahead of schedule, we'll focus on training tomorrow," Kakashi said as evening rolled in.
"Nice! Just don't be late this time, Kakashi-sensei!" I shot back.
"I promise - if nothing comes up, I'll start your training in the morning," he said, then vanished with a Body Flicker jutsu.
Me, Sasuke, and Sakura exchanged looks. We were all thinking the same thing. He's definitely going to be late...
"Well… nothing we can do. Let's just hope it won't be too bad," I said first.
"I wouldn't be so optimistic if I were you, Naruto," Sakura sighed.
"Either way, we'll start training without him," Sasuke added calmly.
"Exactly. By the way… you're not too tired after all that field work, are you? If not, how about we continue our training?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
"I'm always up for beating you," Sasuke replied with a smirk - 'challenge accepted'.
"…" Sakura watched his back as he started heading toward the Uchiha district. She clearly wanted to say something… but held herself back. She knew we weren't going to the usual training ground.
"What about you, Sakura-chan? Still got some energy left?" I asked, trying to include her. Leaving her behind didn't sit right with me.
"Huh? No… I'm not tired," she answered quickly after a brief pause.
"What do you think, Sasuke? Let her join us." I said.
"I don't care. As long as she doesn't get in the way," he replied coldly.
"Then let's go! Together, we'll become the strongest team in Konoha!" I said with a grin, following after him.
"Hmph." Sasuke snorted. He might've accepted me as a rival… but to him, Sakura was still just a weak girl.
"…Thank you, Naruto," Sakura caught up to me and said quietly, but sincerely. Too bad Sasuke couldn't see what I saw. She really had changed.
"Anytime, Sakura-chan." I said with a playful wink.
"…Idiot," she muttered, looking away, but she was smiling.
The Uchiha district greeted us with silence.
Empty streets, shuttered houses, broken windows - the scars of that night were still here, even if no one talked about it. Even the air felt heavier.
Sakura slowed down, glancing around. Her expression grew more serious - for the first time, she was really thinking about what Sasuke had gone through. The Uchiha himself said nothing. He just kept walking, like this place meant nothing to him.
We started with taijutsu. Sasuke was my opponent, while Sakura once again faced one of my shadow clones.
For the first fifteen to twenty minutes, we just traded simple blows, warming up. No sudden bursts, no attempts to turn the fight - just fundamentals.
As for Sakura… I had to give her credit. She'd improved.
She was still losing to my clone, sure. But this time, it looked different. She didn't rush in, didn't try to overwhelm it. She played defensively. Minimal wasted movement, clean dodges, solid blocks. Because of that, she lasted much longer than before.
Sweat ran down her face, her breathing grew uneven, but her focus didn't break. She wasn't gassing out after fifteen minutes anymore. For her, that was real progress.
My warm-up with Sasuke ended naturally.
He was the first to move, closing the distance instantly. I barely got my guard up - the punch landed on my forearm, sending a dull pain through it. He didn't let up. The next strike was already coming for my body. It was obvious now - Sasuke wasn't holding back anymore.
I stepped back, adjusting my stance, trying to catch his rhythm. The difference in technique was clear - his movements were cleaner, sharper, with no wasted motion. He didn't just attack, he already knew where to hit to break through my defense. He kept finding openings.
But this time… it wasn't the same.
I could see his attacks. Not perfectly, not completely, but I wasn't fighting blind anymore. My body reacted faster, my blocks were tighter, and most importantly - I stopped folding under pressure. I still took hits, still blocked some, but I didn't fall apart after the first exchange.
Before, I was just enduring.
Now… I could actually fight back.
I stepped in, closing the distance and forcing my own pace. I leaned into my only real advantage - endurance. I could afford to take hits if it meant landing one in return.
Sasuke couldn't. He fought differently - colder, more precise, picking me apart. He didn't trade - he won every small moment, building his advantage piece by piece. After another exchange, we both pulled back at the same time, pausing for a second. My heavy breathing broke the silence… then slowly steadied.
"So… done playing around?" Sasuke said with a faint smile. He was enjoying this.
"About time," I smirked back, forming hand seals as I started gathering chakra.
Six shadow clones appeared beside me.
Sasuke didn't hesitate - his Sharingan flared to life, his gaze sharpening into something almost intimidating.
We attacked from all sides, trying to stay in sync and leave him no space. I controlled angles, tried to cut off his escape routes… but within seconds, it was obvious - this wouldn't work.
It felt like Sasuke was moving through us. He dodged my strike, countered instantly, then spun and wiped out one of my clones with a kick. Another fell right after - I barely even registered how. He never stopped, reading movements and reacting faster than we could finish our attacks.
I tried not to meet his eyes, but that was harder than it sounded. The moment I looked away, I became dead weight for my own clones. At some point, it became obvious. I wasn't beating him like this.
So I pulled back for a moment while the clones kept him busy, gathered more chakra… and created seventeen more. If quality didn't work - I'd win with quantity. This time, even Sasuke felt the pressure. Too many angles, too many attacks at once. Even his Sharingan couldn't keep up with everything. The rhythm shifted completely, and he was forced into full defense. It didn't save him. The first hit landed clean. Then another. For the first time in the fight, Sasuke had to retreat.
He broke out of the encirclement and immediately dashed into the forest. Me and the clones chased him, not letting him create distance - and that's when I realized my mistake. He was leading me. Straight into terrain that favored him.
Too late. I heard the sharp tension of wire snapping tight.
Sasuke stood ahead, calm, holding the threads. They were nearly invisible even in daylight - in the forest, at dusk, I had no chance of spotting them. Not giving him time, we attacked together. Big mistake. With the Sharingan and wires, he completely neutralized my numbers. Every clone got dispelled. And me?
Tied up. Completely.
"No chance." I thought, realizing I couldn't even move.
"…Alright. I give." I exhaled with a crooked grin.
The tension released. Sasuke let go of the wires and stepped back. There was a faint smile on his face.
"Not bad," he said. He had some bruises and scratches, but he looked satisfied.
I rolled my shoulder, feeling the tension slowly leave my body.
I lost. I couldn't overwhelm him with numbers anymore.
But instead of frustration… I was already thinking about how to get stronger.
After a short break, we moved on to ninjutsu practice. By the water, Sasuke worked on his clan technique - Fire Release: Great Fireball. This time, he wasn't alone - five of his shadow clones trained alongside him. As for me, I created fifty clones and sent forty of them to repeat techniques I already knew - Great Fireball and Mud Wall. Me and the remaining ten focused on the wind release scroll. Meanwhile, Sakura practiced her genjutsu - Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing - using one of my clones as a target.
That's how our training went.
About an hour later, Sasuke walked us to the edge of the district and headed back home. I said goodbye to Sakura and went my own way. Before leaving, she thanked me again. I could see she was serious now. More importantly… she wasn't training for Sasuke anymore, but for herself.
I liked that. She was changing.
But tomorrow… that was what really mattered.
I needed to convince Kakashi-sensei to actually teach us something useful.
**Author's Note: Hello everyone! Here is new chapter. I suppose, there will be some similar fight scenes and opinion's of MC during sparring. But hope - it's not critical. TY for support and will be glad to recieve ur comments and reviews.