The gentle sunlight of noon streamed over Training Field 8, dappling the soft grass in shimmering patterns. A light breeze stirred the leaves as Iruka and Naruto slowly opened their eyes, returning from the profound depths of Naruto's mindscape. It felt like they had spent hours talking to Kurama, Minato, and Kushina… yet in reality, barely two hours had passed.
As their vision cleared, the familiar forms of Kurenai and Team 8 came into focus — Kiba, Shino, and Hinata — standing nearby, watching over them patiently.
Naruto blinked in confusion. "What are you guys doing here?" he asked, stretching out his arms.
Kiba grinned lazily, throwing his hands behind his head."You guys looked like you were meditating or something. We didn't wanna mess with that."
Naruto was about to reply when he noticed something... strange.The ground beneath where he had been sitting was frozen solid — a circle of glistening ice, sparkling like tiny diamonds under the sun.
Naruto's mouth fell open."W-what the—?!"
He jumped to his feet, pointing at the frost-covered ground. "Did I do that?! Sensei?! Kurenai-neechan?! What's going on?!"
Iruka chuckled under his breath, placing his hands on his hips in a relaxed posture."Looks like it's a side effect from the pill I gave you," he said. "You probably awakened Ice Release."
Naruto's eyes lit up like twin suns.
"Awesome!" he shouted, pumping his fists into the air.
His excitement was infectious; even Kiba and Shino looked impressed.
But then Hinata, peeking shyly at Naruto, suddenly stiffened, her hands flying to her mouth.
"N-Naruto-kun... your hair... it's lighter... and your whisker marks... they're... fainter..."
At her words, both Kiba and Shino leaned closer, squinting at their friend.
"Whoa, she's right!" Kiba exclaimed. "Dude, did you dye your hair or something?"
"Nah!" Naruto laughed. "It's not just that! I even got abs now!"
Kiba's eyebrows shot up. "Pfft! Yeah, right!"
Without hesitation, Naruto yanked off his orange jacket and lifted his shirt to reveal his toned abdomen. His skin shimmered with a subtle glow, muscles clearly defined from the changes coursing through him.
For a moment, there was dead silence.
Then — a tiny, squeaky noise.
"Eep!"
Hinata's face turned beet red, and she fainted dead away, falling onto the grass with a soft thud.
Kurenai gasped and rushed to her side, but Naruto just laughed proudly, flexing exaggeratedly."See?! I told you!"
Iruka, red-faced and furious, grabbed Naruto by the head and gave him a solid thwack."Idiot! Don't strip in public!"
Inside Naruto's mindscape, Kushina clutched her stomach, laughing so hard she almost cried.
"My boy's so handsome he even made a girl faint! Ahahaha!"
Minato gave an awkward, sweat-dropped smile, while Kurama just grunted in amusement.
Naruto blinked and looked around in confusion."Wait... who said that just now?"
Kurama's deep, lazy voice rumbled in his mind.
"Relax, kid. You can hear us now. No need to shout — just think about talking."
Iruka's eyes widened slightly, realizing he too could hear the fox's voice. Kurama shifted to him without missing a beat.
"Since I shared a bit of my chakra with you, human, you're linked too."
Iruka blinked, processing the information, but before he could react further, something grabbed him.
"Sensei!!!"
Kiba had lunged at Iruka's feet, clutching them desperately like a drowning man.
"Please! I want that pill too! I wanna get ripped like Naruto!"
Iruka sweatdropped."I don't have any more left... Kurenai took the last one."
Kiba looked over at Kurenai, betrayal clear in his wide puppy eyes."Kurenai-sensei... why...?!You...you took it... you stole my future six-pack..." he whimpered pitifully.
Kurenai sighed heavily, facepalming.
Kurenai laughed softly, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear."You're exaggerating, Kiba. It's not like that."
Then she turned toward Iruka, her gaze softer.
"Still... you really didn't have to give me something so precious, Iruka," she said gently.
Iruka smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head."Come on, that's nothing."
Without thinking, moved by the casual atmosphere, he reached out and lightly patted Kurenai's head, ruffling her hair in a fond, brotherly gesture.
The moment his hand touched her, Kurenai froze, a faint pink dusting her cheeks.She made a small sound — a mix between a startled gasp and a flustered laugh.
"Uh, ah... Iruka..."
Realization dawned on Iruka at once. His face turned scarlet, and he pulled his hand back as if burned."S-sorry!" he blurted out, flustered.
Kurenai shook her head quickly, smiling shyly."I... I didn't mind..."
Inside Naruto's mindscape, Kushina's teasing voice floated by.
"Both my boys are so awesome~!"
Iruka turned even redder, wishing he could disappear into the ground.
Naruto, sensing the perfect opportunity, leaned over to Kiba, whispering loudly.
"Hey, Kiba... Iruka-sensei's got a crush~!"
Kiba's eyes lit up mischievously."Ohoho, I see what's going on here!"
The two boys immediately began teasing both Iruka and Kurenai mercilessly.
Even Shino, normally stoic, adjusted his glasses and added,"Public displays of affection increase emotional trust."
Naruto and Kiba stared at him.
Then both collapsed into laughter.
"Even Shino's roasting you!" Naruto wheezed.
Hinata, who had regained consciousness, peeked up from where she sat — and seeing the chaotic, laughing scene — giggled softly behind her hands.
Iruka groaned and rubbed his temples.
"You're all infusing way too much chaos into this training session..." he muttered, but a smile betrayed his fondness.
Kurenai folded her arms, trying — and failing — to look stern.
"Alright, that's enough teasing, you brats," she scolded lightly.
Naruto stuck out his tongue playfully."Aww, you're no fun, Kurenai-neechan!"
Hinata quietly murmured from her spot,"I... I think it's cute..."
Iruka sighed, defeated but warmed by the cheerful energy around him.In his mind, Kurama's rumbling chuckle echoed.
"Humans are strange creatures..."
Kushina giggled."But they're the best, aren't they?"
For the first time in a long while, Iruka felt an overwhelming sense of peace settle over him.Warmth bloomed quietly in his chest, a silent acknowledgment that despite the chaos, despite the awkwardness —this little group, noisy and ridiculous as they were, was slowly becoming something precious.
A family.
And he wouldn't have it any other way.
To be continued....
I am far of the topic that I once thought bout this story but now I think this way would be okay too i was thinking of having chunin arch right now .hahaha well comment what you guys think