Now completely flabbergasted by the annoying blond, Sakura can't help but gripe, "how?"
"Come on," he calls as he runs over to the nearest tree. After she catches up to him, he tells her, "I bet you anything you can Tree-Walk on your first try. That would definitely tell you if you can do it!"
"I don't know how to Tree-Walk, Naruto," she returns genuinely. "Kakashi-sensei hasn't taught us that. He hasn't taught us anything yet."
"Even if he didn't teach you, I still think you can do it," Naruto returns his enthusiasm for training driving the point home. "All you have to do is focus a steady amount of chakra to the bottom of your feet and use that to stick to the tree so you can climb. If you use too little, you'll slide off. If you use too much, you'll get shoved off, and break the tree. Think of it like a magnet. Come on, give it a try. Remember, this isn't just for the team... it's also for... Sasuke." He sighs at the anguish, but she doesn't seem to notice.
With a determined look on her face, she nods and turns to the tree. Generally, Sakura's accustomed to learning new techniques with the direction of a sensei, and not an idiot like the one beside her, but for Sasuke-kun she's more than willing to try this at least. Because if this was as possible as Naruto seems sure it is, than maybe she could use this to get closer to Sasuke-kun than any other kunoichi could, especially her rival, Ino-pig. Molding her chakra has always been as easy as stretching and she effortlessly manipulates the flow of energy to her feet. Her first step is a tentative one.
She did have to admit, however, that a small part of her liked the prospect of moving in a direction similar to Tsunade-sama of the Legendary Sannin. Like many Kunoichi in the village, Tsunade-sama was a heroine of hers. She grew up hearing stories of her strength, her legendary healing ability, and her beauty. So many girls in the academy aspired to be her, whenever students had to create a report of their favorite shinobi, a good eighty percent of the girls chose Tsunade-sama.
So when her first step stuck, easily, followed by her second step—also as easily—Sakura began to wonder how well she may actually be able to do. With her third step, she was completely parallel to the ground but felt no danger of falling. She was in complete control, and honestly, a part of her couldn't believe it.
"Way to go Sakura-chan!" she hears from the ground beneath her.
Another part of her couldn't believe Naruto was the one who led her here. He's not a sensei, nor is he smart, or talented; he's the Dead Last of their class, and yet he urged her to Tree-Walk before anyone else. When she made it to the top of the tall tree, she was a little winded, but funny enough, she was proud. Not that this was anything to be proud of. She knows this is only a first step many shinobi can easily do, but, to know she was now among them, gave her a small sense of pride.
Reaching the ground, Naruto couldn't help the huge grin on his face as he proclaims, "I knew you could do it! On your first try too! That's so badass!"
"Yeah..." she huffs, winded but mildly enjoying the praise, even if it is from the baka. She leans against the tree to rest some.
"Are you okay," he asks with a heavy amount of concern in voice. 'She had small chakra reserves in the beginning,' Naru-nii answers him as Sakura just waves him off to say she's okay.
"You probably have low chakra reserves," Naruto sagely repeats to her, making Naru-nii laugh a little. Sakura looks at him questioningly as Naru-nii tells him, 'I think she's on board. Now you have to talk to Ji-chan.'
'I remember,' Naruto mentally replies.
'I'll probably disappear before your done so let me just explain what you're going to do every time Kakashi is late, which sucks to say, will happen all the time.'
'Do you know why that is?' Naruto asks. 'I mean, why he shows up late?'
'I do, but I can't really get into that now,' Naru-nii proclaims. 'Next time.'
'So, what am I doing?'
'There are a couple of exercises that'll help you master your Fūton chakra,' Naru-nii sagely explains. 'There are so many badass jutsu that you'll be able to learn after these exercises. It'll be super hard to beat you then.'
"Uuuawwwhh," Naruto moans, salivating at the thought, and finishes with, "I want!"
"Want... what?" Sakura slowly asks from the tree, before pushing off to walk to him.
"Nothing!" he quickly tells her remembering he's not alone. "I think we should start walking to Hokage Tower."
"What? Why?" She gasps, not at all expecting Naruto to say that.
"Cuz, I think Ji-chan can help us," Naruto earnestly responds to his pink-haired teammate.
With an exasperated sigh, Sakura begrudgingly decides to educate him. "Naruto-baka, we can't just walk into Hokage Tower like that. Everyone there is extremely busy."
"Don't worry," he tells her already starting to walk. "It'll be fine. Besides, you need some intro stuff to be Iryō-nin."
"Well, why can't we just get them from Kakashi-sensei," she asks, running after him.
"He's not here and I don't know where he lives," Naruto naturally tells her. "Do you?" She just shakes her head, her beautiful long pink hair flowing easily with every shake of her head as they walk toward the tower they had left only twenty or thirty minutes ago.
'So,' Naru-nii starts as the teammates walk in silence. 'The exercise goes like this; you take a leaf, any leaf will do, place it flat on your left palm, cover it with your right palm than try to cut the leaf in half using just your chakra.'
'That sounds crazy,' Naruto returns. 'Can I really do that?'
'Hell yeah you can and so much more,' Naru-nii answers with complete confidence. 'When you're trying to cut through it, that's when you're manipulating Fūton natured chakra through your hand. Try to think of it like making your chakra as thin and as sharp as possible. Don't worry if you don't get it right away, it took me a while and I had thousands of clones doing it at the same time.'
'Mnn, sounds tough, but it wouldn't be worth it if it wasn't,' Naruto reasons. 'So do this when Kakashi is late? Should I make clones while I do it too?'
'Mnnn, not yet,' he answers. 'I want you doing something before he eventually shows up. Though, you probably oughta make some clones in the morning and have them practice Water-Walking while you wait. Dispel them when sensei shows up so you're not dead on your feet for your missions.'
'Urrggh,' Naruto mentally groans. 'All our D-Missions had better not be like this, or I'm going to snap at some point.'
'Hahaha, yeah. I'm just about out,' Naru-nii states. 'Tell me how it goes tomorrow.'
'Mnn! Will do, Naru-nii,' Naruto mentally returns but with a very real smile.
"What are you smiling about?" Sakura asks suspiciously with a hint of disgust.
"Uahhh," Naruto groans, fidgeting a step before awkwardly answering, "the real question is why aren't you smiling? I mean our team just got a whole lot stronger with an Iryō-nin."
"Baka," Sakura calls back, though lacking the same heat she might have if he had insulted Sasuke. "I'm not an Iryō-nin yet. I don't even know how you plan on getting me material from Hokage Tower. We may be genin, but they don't just see anyone."