Eleven years after the Kyubi attack
Two years had passed since Jiraiya had implemented his educative reform in the Ninja Academy, rising the standards significantly. Many students weren't able to keep with the new standards for long, so they dropped out and moved to civilian schools. As a result, Naruto's class was reduced to merely twelve students, Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, Sasuke, Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, Shino, Tamaki, Haku and Karin.
Of these twelve, Sakura was the only one not being born to a ninja family –technically speaking, Tamaki didn't have a human ninja family either, but she had the benefit of being trained by ninja cats–, but this didn't deter her. After all, she was the best kunoichi of her class.
That didn't last long. In fact, these two years were horrible for the pinkette.
As the classes moved less from theory –a field in which Sakura excelled thanks to her book smarts– to a more practical approach, Sakura's grades started to fall. While she was pretty good at chakra control and the few classes that still required to study books, on everything else she was a total mess. While she was moderately good at kunai and shuriken toss, she found that it was much harder to it with moving targets, and/or when she had to move. While she mastered the three E-Rank jutsus with little difficulty, D-Ranks gave her a harder time. And obstacle courses were simply a nightmare.
But the worst part was taijutsu spars. Just like Naruto marked Sasuke as his rival, Sakura did the same with Hinata. But while Naruto was slowly closing the gap with the Uchiha, each time the pinkette and the bluenette clashed, Hinata took each time less effort to defeat Sakura.
After admitting that Hinata was too strong for her to beat, Sakura lowered her standards and aimed to defeat her former friend turned rival, Ino. But the results were the same. Even if Ino wasn't as skilled or strong as Hinata, Ino still ended up kicking her ass. It didn't help that unlike Hinata, who actually showed some restrain, Ino took sadistic glee in beating Sakura. Given that Tamaki was aiming to become a close quarters fighter, she didn't even attempt to fight her either.
So far, the only other kunoichi that she managed to beat from time to time was Karin. And even then her victories were short lived, as Karin also managed to surpass her over time. Ino even replaced her usual "forehead girl" nickname for "the pink punching bag". And her parents suggested her that maybe she wasn't cut to become a kunoichi, and think in other possible career paths.
But she could ignore Ino's taunts and her parents' discouragement. What she couldn't ignore, however, was the way Sasuke looked at her whenever she lost. That look full of disdain, barely acknowledging her. She couldn't stand that.
Sakura always excelled without even trying, so the idea of training outside the Academy was foreign to her. Still, she decided that if she wanted to catch up with her classmates, she needed to improve, and fast. Unfortunately, her additional training and study hours were very little help.
And one day, after another painful and humiliating taijutsu spar, Sakura couldn't take it anymore. She ran away from the Academy, crying, not even caring that the bell didn't ring or the fact that she forgot her backpack. She ran, not caring where she was going, or all the people she bumped into. Her legs carried her to a park, which was devoid of children given the time of the day. Out of breath, Sakura merely dropped herself at the base of a tree, and started to cry her eyes out.
"Maybe they're right, and I'm not mean to be this," Sakura thought. "Hinata has the Byakugan and her clan's taijutsu style, Ino-pig has her clan's jutsus, Tamaki has her cats, and Karin is a sensor and can heal people. What do I have that makes me stand out? Or even makes me useful?"
"Are you okay?" a voice asked behind her.
Sakura turned around, wiping the tears from her eyes. In front of her was Naruto, flanked by Karin and Hinata. She instantly noticed that Hinata was holding her backpack.
"How did you find me?" the pinkette asked.
Karin raised her hand. "Sensor."
"Sakura, you ran away before the classes ended. What happened?" Naruto asked, as he crouched besides her.
"Why do you care!?" Sakura spat at him, making Naruto flinch.
"Hey, that's not a way to talk to somebody who asks if you're okay, you know!" Karin shot back.
"You look pretty upset. It's because taijutsu spars are hard to you?" Naruto asked.
"No! Yes! I mean...it's not just that!" Sakura said between sobs. "I used to be the best girl of the class without even trying, but then your stupid dad had to change everything, and now I'm at the bottom!"
Naruto's soft face turned into an angry frown. "Hey, don't blame my dad for wanting to make us stronger!"
"Yeah, it's easy for you to say that, having not one but two legendary ninjas training you! Everybody has somebody who can train them, but not me!"
"Hey, my mom knows some medical ninjutsu and a couple clan jutsus, but she sucks at everything else," Karin said in disagreement..
"Then how did you got so much better than me at taijutsu?"
"Naruto offered me to train alongside him, being from the same clan and all that," she explained.
"But Naruto is like your cousin or something, right? Then my point still stands."
"Well, you could train with us if you wanted," Naruto offered.
Sakura opened her eyes wide in shock. "R-really? But I'm not part of your family!"
"So?" Naruto failed to see the problem. "Neither is Hinata, and we train together many times."
"Well...don't clans only train their own members?" Sakura asked.
"Yeah, most of the time. But that doesn't mean we couldn't help other people too. Besides, it's not that we will reveal you clan secrets or anything."
Sakura stared at Naruto in disbelief. "Why are you helping me? I mean...it's not that we are friends or anything. We hardly speak to each other."
"Because I'm going to be Hokage, and a Hokage has to care about all the people of Konoha, not just your friends and family. And I can't stand see a smart girl like you like this."
"Besides, it's obvious that you need some help," Karin added, adjusting her glasses.
"N-Naruto-kun was going to t-teach us something that h-he said it was good for p-people with good chakra control. Maybe could you join us and learn it?" Hinata asked.
Sakura smiled, as she stood up. "Really? That would be great."
"In that case, go to Training Ground Three tomorrow after class. Don't be late!" Naruto said as he turned back and left. Karin left as well.
Hinata, on the other hand, approached Sakura and handled her her backpack. "You forgot this."
"Oh...thank you," Sakura wiped her tears and accepted her returning backpack.
"Sakura-san...may I ask you something?" Hinata asked.
"Uhm...yeah, sure, go ahead."
"I mean, maybe i-it's not my place to ask but...what did make you want to become a ninja?"
Sakura was taken aback by Hinata's question. Looking back, she couldn't remember the reason for her to join. That wasn't good. She thought that maybe it was to impress Sasuke, but that couldn't be it since she didn't met Sasuke until later. But the reason...yes, she remember she wanted to become a ninja when she was little, but that was just a stupid, childish dream she had casted aside.
"I...I don't remember," Sakura sheepishly said.
Hinata looked thoughtful. "And do you still want to be a ninja?"
"Y-Yes, I do."
"Why? What do you want to accomplish? Being a ninja isn't an end, but a means to an end. I want to become a ninja so I can be the leader of my clan some day. Naruto-kun wants to become a ninja to become Hokage. Why do you want to become a ninja?"
Sakura once again looked inside her mind for an answer but found nothing. Well, she did found something: Sasuke Uchiha.
"A boy. I want to become a ninja so I can impress a boy, who's already stronger than I'll ever be," Sakura thought, but she clearly wasn't going to tell her that.
"It is because Sasuke-san?" Hinata guessed.
Sakura suddenly turned red and jumped back from Hinata. "Why do you think that!? And what if it's true!? It is wrong to like a boy!? Everybody knows that you'll love to be more than friends with Naruto!"
Hinata turned red as well, and yelped. Was she that obvious? But then again Naruto didn't notice how she felt either.
"T-That's besides the point!" Hinata stuttered, making an effort not to avert Sakura's accusatory glance. "Y-Yes, I like Naruto-kun, but unlike you, I don't neglect my ninja training for the sake of a misguided attempt at impressing him!"
Sakura gasped at Hinata's accusation, but rather than anger, she felt sadness, for she knew that Hinata was telling the truth. How much time did she spend trying clothes and new hairstyles in order to draw her attention that could have been invested in training? Tears started to form in her eyes.
Seeing this, the Hyuga realized that she went too far. "S-Sorry, Sakura-san! I didn't mean to be so hurtful...!"
"No, no you're right," Sakura replied, fighting back the tears. "I'm a mess of a ninja. All I did was fawn over Sasuke-kun like a fangirl while the rest of you actually improved and got stronger."
"Well...it's not too late to improve. I mean, y-you're really smart, and have the b-best chakra control of a-all of us...I think you'll make a wonderful kunoichi, Sakura-san."
This managed to make Sakura smile agin. "You think so?"
Hinata nodded. "You only need to find something to apply your strengths."
"In that case, I'll work hard to show everybody that I can become a ninja, even if I don't have a clan!" Sakura stated, clenching her fist with determination. Then, she looked at Hinata in the eyes. "Thanks for cheering me up, Hinata, you're a real sweetie. No wonder Naruto likes to hang out with you," Hinata smiled in return. Sakura continued eying her. "And with a little wardrobe upgrade, you could be his girlfriend in no time!"
Hinata's face pretty much invented a new shade of red. "W-WHAAAT!?"
"Oh come on, drop the 'cute innocent girl' act, Hinata, you're not fooling anyone. Well, except Naruto," Sakura teased.
"W-what's wrong with my clothes?" Hinata asked as she looked at herself.
"For starters, why do you hide yourself behind this coat? It's not even cold!"
"W-Well..."
Flashback
In the Hyuga Compound Dojo, Hinata was sparring against her mother, just like she did every day for her Gentle Fist practice. Suddenly, her mother stopping attacking, and stared at her in silence. Hinata grew nervous.
"Uh, Mother? I-It is there something wrong?"
Hikari smiled. "Oh, nothing, honey. It's just that I think I should buy you a bra. Didn't expect you to develop so soon!"
Hinata turned bright red, and instinctively covered her chest with her arms.
End Flashback
"...I like this coat."
"Oh well. Whatever. Anyway, thanks for the talk again, and for bringing me my backpack. See you tomorrow!" Sakura cheerfully said as she walked away.
…
Meanwhile, at Downtown Konoha
"You have no right to do this!" Sasuke angrily protested.
"Shut up! Just get out of here before I call the ANBU!" a shopkeeper replied, just as heatedly, if not more.
After the day of the failed Uchiha Insurrection, the three remained Uchihas had become pariahs in Konoha. People would glare at them, murmur between themselves whenever an Uchiha was present –though they sometimes were loud enough for their insults to be heard– and treat them with scorn and contempt. Sasuke had learned to ignore all of the above and live with it as he could, but this was the first time they treated him with such an open hostility.
Sasuke noticed that he was starting to outgrow most of his clothes, so he decided to buy new ones. However, the moment he tried to enter a store that caught his attention, the storekeeper, a bald man in his forties with a moustache, wasted no time to kick him out.
As the two of them loudly argued, a small crowd build around them, mostly to enjoy the spectacle, but some also joined the argument and threw some insults at Sasuke. Naturally, it didn't take too long before a couple of ANBU arrived to see what was causing the commotion.
"What's going on here?" an ANBU with a ferret mask asked as he made his way through the crowd.
"Oh, thank Kami you're here! Please take this demon away from my store!" the storekeeper demanded the ANBU, while pointing at Sasuke
"You can't do that! This man just kicked me out of his store for no reason!" Sasuke protested.
"No reason!? You're an Uchiha! That's all the reason I need!" the storekeeper replied.
"I see," the other ANBU, who was wearing a bear mas calmly placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "Now everybody calm down, we are going to fix this."
Everynbody was expecting the ANBU to take Sasuke away, but much to everybody's shock, the ferret masked ANBU slammed the storekeeper against a wall, and placed handcuffs on his wrists.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?" the storekeeper angrily demanded.
"You yourself admitted to refuse service to a ninja of this village based on his clan alone. That's a clear violation of the Clan Discrimination Bill. Hence, you're under arrest," the ANBU calmly explained as he dragged him away.
"WHAT!? My wife was killed by those red eyed bastards, and you take their side!?" the storekeeper angrily shouted. "You will regret this! Both you and the Hokage! You can't expect us to live side by side with those traitors!"
"Release him, he did nothing wrong!" a random villager said.
"Yes, take the Uchiha instead! Kill all of them before they betray us again!" another village added.
"Enough!" the bear masked ANBU bellowed. "Everybody, scatter or you will be arrested as well!"
The warning was effective, and people quietly resumed with what they were doing before the incident happened. The bear masked ANBU was about to ask Sasuke if he was okay, but he noticed that the young Uchiha had already left.
…
The next day after class, Sakura headed towards Training Ground Three, where Naruto, Hinata and Karin were already waiting for her. They were standing in front of a very large rock.
"Alright, everybody is here, so we can start now!" Naruto enthusiastically announced as he looked at Sakura.
"Er, Naruto, don't get me wrong, I'm really thankful that you're teaching us this, but I hope you don't expect us, or at least me, to address you as 'sensei'," Sakura stated.
"What? Oh no. I'd be a crappy sensei anyway. At least until I get stronger," Naruto replied, rubbing the back of his head. "You see, this is mom's super strength secret technique. It is very simple. All you have to do is gather chakra on your fist, and release it. Like this!" Naruto then punched the rock behind him, leaving a small crack. "See?"
"Wow, that's so amazing!" Karin gushed.
"D-Does it hurt?" Hinata asked.
"A little. That's why you also need to keep some chakra in order to shield your hands from the backlash. My chakra control is still far from perfect, but yours is much better. Why don't you give it a try?" Naruto moved aside from the rock in order to leave the girls enough space.
The first one to go was Karin. Just as Naruto instructed, she gathered chakra on her fist, and punched the rock, leaving a bigger crack than Naruto's. However, she also shook her fist in pain once she was done.
"AWW! You said it didn't hurt!" Karin protested as she nursed her damaged hand.
"I didn't said that. Did you remember to use some chakra to counter the backlash?" Naruto asked. Karin then shook her head. "I thought so."
The next one to try was Hinata. However, she looked rather hesitant. "Uh, Naruto-kun, it is okay for you to teach us this? I mean, you said it is Tsunade-sama's secret technique and..."
"Don't worry! Mom told me I can teach it to my friends if I want to!" Naruto assured, grinning widely. Then his grin disappear and added: "But please don't teach this to other people without asking me first, okay? And you can't teach this to Sasuke! I don't want to give him more weapons to use against me!"
"Actually, if Sasuke-kun wanted to learn this all what he had to do is copy it with the Sharingan," Sakura flatly stated, much to Naruto's horror. Noticing the blonde's distress, the pinkette added: "But I don't think he will. Sasuke usually favors ninjutsu and armed combat over bare fists."
"Well, let's hope that he doesn't think about doing it. Come on Hinata, show me what you can do!"
The Hyuga nodded, and walked towards the rock. Clenching her fist, she gathered chakra, remembered Naruto's warning about the backlash, and punched the rock with all her might. She managed to make a crack slightly bigger than Karin's, and unlike the redhead she managed to avoid hurting her hand.
"Well done, Hinata!" Naruto cheered with a big smile.
"T-Thanks...you know, I think I may find a way to combine this w-with the Gentle Fist..." Hinata noted, mostly to herself. She was already working to combine elemental ninjutsu to the Gentle Fist, and if she also managed to combine both...the results could be devastating.
"My turn!" Sakura confidently said as she walked towards the rock. After mentally checking all the steps of the technique, she punched the rock.
"WHOA!" three voices said in unison.
Sakura managed to make a crack in the rock twice as big as Karin and Hinata's, plus she managed to pretty much sink her whole fist into the rock. Everybody, including Sakura, couldn't believe what just happened.
"Holy shit...that was amazing!" Naruto shrieked, utterly perplexed.
Dumbfounded, Sakura slowly removed her fist from the hole she just created. She stared at her unharmed hand for a whole minute, while her brain tried to process what just happened. Once her actions started to sink in, Sakura's mouth curved into a huge smile.
"Wow, look at this!" Sakura beamed, pointing at the hole in the rock. "Oh boy, I can't wait to show this to everybody else back in the Academy! Ohhhhhhh, I can't wait to have a rematch against Ino! Let's see how does she like the new 'pink punching bag'!" Sakura said, followed by a rather disturbing laugh.
"Uh...Naruto? Do you think she's going mad with power?" Karin asked, visibly worried.
"Well...I believe it's the rush of having a new technique. It should wear off soon," the blond replied, as he continued watching Sakura making holes in the rock.
"And if she...doesn't?" Hinata asked fearfully.
"YES! YES! I'M SAKURA THE UNSTOPPABLE! SAKURA THE INVINCIBLE! TREMBLE, EVERYBODY, AND DESPAIR! YOUR DOOM HAS COME TO THIS WORLD! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!" After reducing the rock to rubble, Sakura then decided to take down a few trees.
"Dad said that the Land of the Crescent Moon is a really nice to place to live," Naruto replied, just as scared.
…
Fortunately, just like Naruto said, Sakura didn't went mad with power, and calmed down the moment she exhausted her chakra after taking down a dozen trees. After saying their goodbyes and agreeing on a date for their next training session together, the four children headed for their respective houses.
On his way home, there was something that caught Naruto's attention. Sitting alone on a small pier on the Naka River was no other than Sasuke Uchiha, his hands crossed under his chin, looking absentmindedly at the orange and yellow reflection of the descending sun in the water.
Sasuke was never the more social person to begin with, but since the Uchiha Coup D'etat three years ago, Sasuke had become even more quiet and asocial. Talking to him had the same effect as talking to a wall, and he usually lashed out at those who insisted on making him talk.
Then again, Naruto could never understand what the boy was going through. Not only he had lost almost his entire family in a single night, but on top of that the standing of his once proud clan was lower than dirt. Itachi got a pass, since there were multiple witnesses to his acts and how he was instrumental in stopping the insurrection and saving the Third Hokage. But Sasuke and Shisui were pretty much the new village pariahs. And while Shisui managed to ignore the cold stares, murmurs and the passive hostility, Sasuke was too young and didn't have the emotional maturity to deal with that. And, as such, he decided to close himself from the world.
He had seen Sasuke like this many times, but for some reason never had the courage to go and try to talk to him. But given how he helped Sakura today, Naruto thought that maybe helping Sasuke wasn't beyond his power. Making his decision, the blond Jinchuriki walked towards the youngest Uchiha.
"Hey, Sasuke!" Naruto shouted.
Sasuke didn't even turned back to look at him. "Go away, idiot. I don't want to spar with you now."
"What? Oh come on, you didn't even let me finish! I don't want to fight you, just talk."
"I don't want to talk either," Sasuke scoffed.
"You know, you've been pretty cranky since...well, you know..." Naruto rubbed his arm and looked sideways –even if Sasuke wasn't even looking at him–.
"And you think you can help me?"
"Yes, of course I can!" Naruto excitedly replied.
"Alright. Tell me, did you ever lose most of your family in a single night, yet you have absolutely no one to blame for their deaths, and on top of that people want you to pay for their crimes?"
"Uh...no. I'm afraid not."
"Then we have nothing to talk about. Now leave me alone."
"But I know what it feels being blamed for stuff that it's not your fault!"
This made Sasuke to finally turn around. "Really? How?"
"Uh, did you forget that I have the Kyubi sealed inside me?" Naruto asked as he pointed as his stomach. "There are a lot of people who fear me, because they believe that I will let the Kyubi out one day and destroy Konoha. Others hate me for the people they lost during the attack, even if I'm merely the Kyubi's container. My parents told me that they hate me because they need something to vent their hate, and I'm the easiest target. And that's what the people who lost their loved ones during the insurrection, like Ino, are doing with you and your remaining family. And you suffer because you want to lash out at somebody, but you don't have anybody to vent your frustrations."
"What about you? Don't you get frustrated? Don't you want to lash out at the people who mistreat you and hate you?"
"Of course I do! Many times! But I have something else that helps me deal with it: my family and my friends. And I believe you have that too."
Sasuke looked down, pensive. Suddenly, he felt really guilty for the cold treatment he had been giving both Itachi and Shisui, despite the fact that they only wanted to help him. Maybe he should make something to compensate them.
"And why are you telling me this? Do you want to be my friend all of sudden?" Sasuke asked, skeptical.
"Yeah," Naruto's smile was sincere. "If you have a problem, you can count on me to help you."
Sasuke remained a few seconds silent, looking at his feet.
"I...I'll think about it," Sasuke muttered. He then stood up, placed his hands on his pockets, and walked away. "I need to go home now."
Naruto watched him go. Well, that went better than what he had originally expected.
…
Many Months Later
And once more, the school year came to an end. Naruto and his eleven classmates managed to pass the exam, which, besides the usual theory, included the three basic E-Rank jutsus (even if they were also present in the exam of the previous year), taijutsu, and kunai and shuriken toss. This meant that all of them would pass into the next course next year, which hopefully would be their last, before finally becoming a real ninja.
After being congratulated by Iruka, the twelve kids gathered their gear in their backpacks, and left. As usual, Naruto was walking with Hinata and Haku.
"Hey, today my dad is going to give me some new training, wanna tag along?" Naruto asked his two friends.
"I'd love to, but I can't. My family and I are going to celebrate Neji-niisan graduating and becoming a ninja," Hinata said, a bit down. "But now that we have a few weeks off I'm sure we can find time to hang out again, Naruto-kun."
Naruto looked at her, puzzled. "How do you know that Neji passed already? The final exam has been just now!"
"Neji-niisan is a prodigy, and thus I believe it's unlikely he failed the exam. In fact, he was even aiming to graduate as the Rookie of the Year."
Naruto let out a whistle. He already knew that Neji was strong, but not to that point. Pushing those thoughts aside, he looked at the Ice Ninja. "What about you, Haku?"
"Like Hinata-san, I also have plans. Today is Friday, which means that I can visit Zabuza-sama in jail. One more year, and he'll be out of prison," the girl-looking boy replied. " Maybe another day."
Naruto looked down. "Man, what a drag. Well, in that case-WHAT THE HELL!?"
When the trio exited the Academy, they were greeted by an impossible image: despite being two in the afternoon, the sun was setting. And on top of that, they could hear the sound of waves crashing, despite the fact that the nearest beach was more than two hundred kilometers away from Konoha.
"This is...mostly unusual," Haku said, inspecting the scene.
Hinata activated her Byakugan. "This doesn't appear to be a genjutsu, my Byakugan can't see through it."
Before Naruto could say anything, he was interrupted by a pair of loud voices that came from somewhere near them. He could swear they came from within the Academy.
"It was thanks to you that I could graduate, Gai-sensei!"
"Nonsense! It was you who did all the hard work! I only gave you some pointers!"
"Gai-sensei!"
"Lee!"
"Gai-sensei!"
"Lee!"
"Gai-sensei!"
"Lee!"
"Okay...I think I'm getting out of here before things get even weirder..." Naruto said as he trailed off. Haku and Hinata did likewise.
…
Konoha Prison
Haku was sitting on a table, flanked by his legal guardians, Yugao and Hayate, who were close behind him. At the other side of the table was Zabuza, wearing the prison uniform, with shackles and both his wrists and his ankles.
"Good afternoon, Zabuza-sama. How have you been since I last came to visit you?" the Ice Ninja asked.
"Same as always. The food is trash, the company is even worse, and I can't start a fight without being thrown into solitary confinement for a week. But other than that, I'm fine," the Demon of the Mist replied.
"This will end soon. Next year I will be a ninja, and the Hokage will have to release you under probation."
"That's if he keeps his word."
"Of course he will!" Yugao slammed her fist on the table. "How you dare to doubt the word of the Hokage!"
"Trust me girl, being a Kage isn't something that makes him deserving of my trust, or anybody's trust, for that matter. I learned that the hard way."
Hayate cleared his throat after coughing a few times. "I don't know how things are in Kirigakure, but in Konoha we tend to keep our promises and deals."
"Well, it's just that I know how much you guys like Bloodline Limits, and Haku's is especially powerful. I really find hard to believe that he will let us go that easily once I finish my probation."
"Like Hayate-kun said, things here are different. Do as you're told, and there won't be any troubles," Yugao said.
"We'll see," Zabuza then redirected his attention to Haku. "What about you? Are they treating you good?"
Haku's mouth curved into a smile. "Yes. I made a few friends in the Academy, Yugao-san and Hayate-san are really kind to me, and I can show my powers without being afraid of being persecuted. Konoha is a nice place."
"It's good that at least one of us is enjoying their stay here," Zabuza mentioned. "Smart. Really smart, Jiraiya."
Haku seemed to catch Zabuza's thoughts, and his expression turned serious. "But that doesn't mean that my loyalty towards you has wavered in the slightest. Once you finish your probation, I will go follow you should you choose to leave Konoha."
Zabuza smirked, baring his sharp teeth. "Good to hear that."
They continued talking for quite some time. Haku talked about the training he was getting from both the Academy and his legal guardians, to which Zabuza constantly claimed that he would make a much better job. Zabuza also told him the little novelties that went in prison from the last time the Ice Ninja came to visit. Until they finally hit the forty five minutes mark, and Zabuza was brought to his cell.
While they headed back home, Yugao couldn't hold her tongue about certain topic. "You know, Haku-kun, I never understand how such a kind boy like you can be so loyal to such bloodthristy criminal."
"I told you that Zabuza-sama save me from-"
"Yeah, we know," the purple haired woman interrupted. "But still, the way he talks about you, as if you only existed to serve him and your feelings didn't matter...why does that never bother you?"
"It's a small price to pay, compared to my previous situation."
"What about Yugao-chan and myself? Didn't we treat you good during these years?" Hayate asked.
"Yes. You've done an admirable effort taking care of me, and I will always be grateful for that."
Hayate frowned. "Yet if you have to choose between Zabuza or us, you'll choose him."
"Undoubtedly," Haku's answer left was definitive.
"But why? That's what we can't understand," Yugao said with pleading eyes.
"Because he was the first to acknowledge me. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here. That's why I have a debt with him that I will never be able to pay."
"Do you love him?"
"Yes. He is the most important person to me."
"I see then. And do you think he loves you back?"
Haku averted his gaze. "That's irrelevant."
"You didn't answer my question." Yugao wasn't going to let the issue go so easily.
Haku stuttered something unintelligible before he gave his answer. "I...I don't know. I think he does."
"And do you want him to love you?"
Haku felt as if he was trying to force the words out of his mouth. "...yes."
"Then, why don't you ask him that the next time we come to visit him?" Hayate suggested.
"I...I'll think about it. Can we talk about else now, please?" Haku asked with pleading eyes.
"Yes. I believe we give you enough hell for that. So, do you want to have dinner at home, or do you want for us to go out?"
…
Training Ground Three
"Alright Naruto, this year will be your last at the Academy, so we will make sure that by the time you graduate, you're good enough to become a Chunin. The only thing you'll need then will be experience, and that will come with the missions," Jiraiya explained. "Now, show me what you can do before we move into something new."
Naruto and Jiraiya spend half an hour sparring, while the Toad Sage made comments about things that Naruto had improved and others that he needed to work out. Then, he asked Naruto to make him a demonstration of his ninjutsu skills, first the three E-Rank jutsus –Naruto had finally learned to do the Body Replacement without needing to do hand seals– and later his few wind jutsus.
"So, how it was?" Naruto asked, expectant.
"Pretty good. But then again it's no surprise, given that you have such an awesome teacher like myself. I am the Hokage after all," Jiraiya said, with a self-aggrandizing air. "Though your mom helped as well."
Naruto was about to retort, when a realization dawned on him.
"Hey, I just realized something," Naruto said, narrowing his eyes at Jiraiya. "Shouldn't you be at the Hokage's tower? How can you have so much spare time to train me?"
"Oh, you noticed?" Jiraiya asked with a foxy grin. "You took your sweet time. And before you start throwing accusations, the answer is that I'm not the real Jiraiya, but a clone. The real me is back at the tower, working."
Technically, the real Jiraiya was in a secret room in the tower writing the next Icha Icha installment, while another couple of clones worked on the paperwork.
"A clone? But...you're...you're...I mean, I can touch you!"
"You mean that I'm solid? Yeah. Because I'm not a normal clone, but a Shadow Clone. Not only I'm solid, but I possess all the knowledge and jutsus from the real Jiraiya. And all the knowledge I gain will be send to Jiraiya once I'm dispelled."
"Whoa, that jutsu it's so cool! And how durable are you?"
"It depends, but Shadow Clones are usually rather fragile, and a strong hit is enough to dispel them. Still, Jiraiya's clones are rather sturdy, and nothing less than a stab will dispel them."
"I see. And do the pain of the clones feel go back to the original too?"
"No. Just the knowledge."
"Okay, then let me try something!" Naruto said as he pulled out a kunai from his pouch.
"Hey kid, what are you-"
But the Jiraiya clone didn't time to react before Naruto sank a kunai on his chest, exploding in a cloud of smoke. Ten minutes later, Jiraiya –or better said, another clone– reappeared.
"Seriously brat, don't do that again!" Jiraiya shouted in a scolding manner. "We're wasting a lot of time! Not to mention that seeing you trying to kill me was disturbing as hell!"
"Can you teach me that jutsu?" Naruto asked, starry eyed.
"This is a forbidden jutsu that is only taught to Jonin," Jiraiya replied. Naruto's stars vanished from his eyes. "But then again, it's due its heavy chakra cost. And since you have way more chakra than the average Genin, I don't see why you shouldn't."
The stars returned once again to Naruto's eyes. The Toad Sage explained the process, which was surprisingly simple for being a forbidden jutsu. Once Naruto heard the explanation, he formed a cross with his index and middle fingers from both hands, and made his first attempt.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Fifteen Naruto clones appeared from just as many small cloud explosions. Jiraiya looked at the display, speechless.
"Holy shit, brat! I knew you have a lot of chakra, but this is way too much!" Jiraiya shouted in shock, unconsciously stumbling back. "Hell, I have pretty big chakra reserves and I can't make more than six clones!"
Naruto grinned. "I can do more if you want."
"No, it's okay. Boy, if I knew this, I could have taught you this jutsu way earlier. This is going to accelerate your training big time."
Naruto tilted his head. "Come again?"
"Brat, did you forget already what I said about the original retaining the knowledge of the clones?"
"Wait, so that means...I could have five clones learning five different jutsus at the same time, and thus I'd learn five jutsus in the time it takes to learn just one?"
Jiraiya smiled. "You got it right."
Naruto looked as if his birthday had just arrived. "Oh boy, this is awesome! Now I'm going to be the most awesome ninja who ever lived in no time! Come on, teach me something else!"
"I like your enthusiasm, kid. Your dad was just as eager to learn as you are. And thus, I believe it's about time you learn a jutsu that it's pretty much a family tradition. How do you like the idea of summoning an animal companion to help you in battle?"
…
Many months later
And once again, a new school year began.
One of the perks of Jiraiya's reform was the introduction of optional subjects, which would help the future Genin to choose their specialization as soon as possible. That means that, for a couple hours, the students wouldn't be together in the same classroom or training ground.
Medical Ninjutsu Course, Konoha Hospital
"Welcome everybody to my class. I'm sure everybody knows me, but I'll introduce myself nevertheless. My name is Tsunade Senju, and as you guessed, I will teach you medical ninutsu," the Slug Sannin announced, staring at her five students. "Now, why don't you introduce yourselves and tell me why are you interested in learning medical ninjutsu?"
"I think I will go first," Sakura said. She cleared her throat. "My name is Sakura Haruno. I know that medical ninjutsu requires a fine chakra control and intelligence, traits I'm sure I posses. As for my motivation, I believe it's a good way to help my teammates in battle and make myself useful."
"Nice introduction, kid. How many times did you rehearse it in front of the mirror?"
"Five times-I mean, none! What I said came from the bottom of my heart!"
Tsuande smirked, amused. "Sure, I believe you. What about you?" she asked, looking at Ino.
"My name is Ino Yamanaka. I also think I have what it takes to be a medic. My reasons for wanting to be a medic is that ninjas are mostly known for killing, but I believe that saving lives is important too. And unlike forehead girl, I didn't rehearse this."
Sakura shot his former friend a murderous glare.
"A noble thought, indeed. Who wants to go next?"
"How about me?" Karin suggested, raising his hand. "My name is Karin Uzumaki. I already have an innate healing ability, so I think I could greatly benefit from learning medical ninjutsu."
Tsunade merely nodded, and looked at her remaining two students.
"M-My name is Hinata Hyuga, though y-you already know who I am," Hinata said a bit sheepishly. "I think my Byakugan can be a great tool for a medic-nin, plus just like Ino-san said, we ninjas should help people in ways other than killing."
"Girl, you have no idea how much I wanted to get my hands on a Hyuga. But the rest of them seem to think that there's nothing beyond the Gentle Fist," Tsunade commented. "But then again, a tool is just as good as the person using it. Don't think that having a Byakugan makes you a medic already."
"O-Of course not!"
Tsunade then looked at his last student, who took the hint and spoke.
"My name is Shino Aburame. Like Karin, I also know medical ninjutsu. But then again, our clan's medical jutsus involve using our insects to repair our bodies, and thus non-Aburames are quite reluctant to be healed this way. And since I have an extensive knowledge of human anatomy, I believe I have a good base to learn mainstream medical jutsus."
"Good to have somebody in my class with a Y chromosome. I don't know why most men are so unwilling to learn medicine," Tsunade mused to herself. "Alright, now that introductions are over, let's get started. The first thing you'll learn is the Mystical Palm Jutsu, the basic healing jutsu, and the one you will use the most. My knucklehead of a son, who has an average chakra control and zero aptitude for medicine learned this jutsu in two weeks, so I expect you to learn it in less than one. Now open your books on page 7, and read..."
...
Chakra Flow course, Training Ground Eighteen
"Welcome to Chakra Flow course. My name is Hayate Gekko, and I will be your teacher," the Special Jonin said before coughing a couple times. "You know, I wasn't expecting this many people to attend this class."
Hayate's students looked at each other a bit puzzled. They were Naruto, Sasuke, Haku and Tamaki. Was Hayate expecting less than four people?
"In case you're wondering, last year I only got one student. A girl named Tenten, do you know her? No? Oh, nevermind then," Hayate coughed again. "Okay, now I'll explain you the basics of chakra flow. Like the name implies, it consists in channeling your chakra through a weapon to increase it's power, as well as adding it other attributes. Now watch this."
Hayate then tossed a kunai at a bullseye in a tree stump. The kunai's point stabbed itself in the middle.
"Now, watch what happens when I charge the kunai with my chakra before tossing it," Hayate showed the kunai, which had a faint blue glow, and tossed it against another bullseye.
Except this time, the kunai drilled itself into the stump, making multiple large cracks. Naruto and Tamaki opened their mouths in awe, while Sasuke and Haku merely nodded.
"As you can see, good chakra control is essential to master this art. What I did was channel normal chakra. If you learn elemental chakra, you can coat your weapons in fire or electricity. Now take out a kunai or a shuriken –yes Haku, a senbon is also fine– and try to do it yourselves. Don't get frustrated if you don't get it at the first try."
...
Elemental Ninjutsu Course, Training Ground Eleven
As many teachers expected, this was the optional subject with the most students. All of them actually. Iruka himself was the instructor. Behind him were five opened boxes with scrolls on them. The boxes were labeled with the kanjis for "fire", "water", "earth", "wind" and "lightning".
"I'm glad to see all of you here. You know already me and I know all of you, so we can skip the introductions and get down to business," Iruka pulled a small sheet of brown paper from a pouch of his flak jacket. "Does anybody knows what is this? Yes, Naruto?"
"A Chakra litmus paper. It's used to find out your elemental affinity. You channel chakra into the paper, and you can guess your affinity based on how it reacts."
Iruka smiled. "Very well, Naruto. I believe you have been introduced to the basics of nature manipulation, right?" the teacher asked. Naruto proudly nodded. "Does anybody else knows the basics of nature manipulation?"
Sasuke, Haku and Hinata raised their hands.
"Okay. As you can see, there are some boxes behind me. Said boxes have some D-rank and C-rank jutsus. Your task for today is to pick one and try to master it. The rest of you, take a litmus paper from me and see which is your affinity. If the paper burns, is fire. If it gets wet, is water. If it turns to dust is earth. If it splits in two then is air. And if it wrinkles is lightning."
Shikamaru, Choji and Tamaki got fire. Karin, Kiba and Shino got earth. Ino got water.
"Uh...Iruka sensei, I think I have a problem here..." Sakura said as he walked towards him.
The teacher smiled. "That's why I'm here. What's wrong, then?"
"Is just that my paper...it did something weird...can you give me another one? Maybe the one you gave me was defective."
Iruka titled his head, puzzled, but decided to comply the pinkette's request and gave her another paper. After she channeled her chakra once again, the paper got wet, but then it crumbled into a paste.
"See? This is what happened before!"
"Oh my..." Iruka looked at the remaing of the paper in surprise.
"What is it? There's something wrong with my chakra?"
Iruka smiled in a reassuring way. "There's nothing to worry about, Sakura. In fact, this is pretty good."
"Huh?"
"The paper got wet, indicating water, affinity, then crumbled, indicating earth affinity. That means that you have two affinities. Which is extremely rare outside Bloodline Limits."
Sakura's worried face morphed into a smile of triumph.
"Two affinities? Oh yes!" the pinkette pumped her fists.
"Alright, now that everybody knows their affinity, I will teach you the basic control exercises that you'll need to master before you can learn any elemental jutsus..."
…
Time passed. Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. And before anybody realized, it was the end of the school year, which would mean the Final Exam. Like the other exams, this one had written portion, which involved subjects such as math, physics, history and geography. The ninjutsu portion consisted on showing the teacher a jutsu other than the three E-Rank ones. Most people used their clan jutsus. Karin surprised Naruto with an Uzumaki secret jutsu called Adamantine Chains. Sakura used the Chakra Scalpel –which Naruto taught her– and Naruto himself used the Summoning Jutsu to summon a little red toad wearing a black jacket named Gamakichi. Other two portions consisted on taijutsu spar against a teacher, an obstacle course, and tossing kunai or shuriken against moving targets. And lastly, there was also a portion for each optional subject taken.
All the students passed without much trouble. The position of Rookie of the Year, which was close between Sasuke and Haku, went to the former. Hinata was the top kunoichi, with Sakura being a close second. Iruka congratulated each of his students at the same time he gave them their desired forehead protectors, signifying the fact that they were now real ninjas. He also told them to come back tomorrow to know their teammates and their Jonin-senseis.
At the Academy's entrances, the twelve new ninjas were being congratulated by their clans and families. Naruto was a bit dejected that Jiraiya and Tsunade couldn't come, since they were busy at the moment, but at the very least, Shizune and the twins were for him.
"Congratulations, Naruto-kun! We all knew you'll make it," Shizune happily said as she patted Naruto on the back.
"I can't wait to show this to mom and dad!" Naruto cheered, proudly pointing at the forehead protector on his head. "It look cool on me, doesn't it?"
"Hey, can I see it?" Hagane asked, as he reached for Naruto's forehead.
"I want to see it too!" Kaida said as well.
"Yes, but I asked first!"
"But Naruto-niisan likes me better than you!"
"That's a lie! Naruto-niisan, you like me better, right?"
"Enough you two! You won't see anything if you don't behave!" Shizune angrily chided. The twins shut up, and lowered their heads in shame. "Now come on, today we will dinner somewhere special to celebrate your graduation."
"Yay! Icharaku's!" Naruto and the twins said in unison.
"I said 'somewhere special', not the place you go every day, Naruto-kun."
Meanwhile, Hinata was also showing her forehead protector to her mother and little sister.
"The entire clan will be proud of you, Hinata," Hikari sweetly said, as she caressed her daughter's cheek. "And top kunoichi no less!"
"Hinata-neechan, can I see your forehead protector?" Hanabi asked as she made puppy dog eyes.
Hinata smiled at his sister, and handed the precious headgear to her. "Of course, Hanabi-chan. You'll see how in no time you'll get yours too."
Another kunoichi near the Hyugas was also showing her prize to her parents.
"See this? I'm a real ninja now! And I almost became top kunoichi! Not bad for somebody who doesn't have a clan, uh?" Sakura waved her forehead protector in front of her parents.
"We always knew you can accomplish anything you set your mind to, dear," Kizashi, Sakura's father said.
"We're really proud of you, honey," Mebuki, Sakura's mother, said as she hugged her.
While Sakura hugged her mother, she couldn't help but glance at certain black haired boy who, just like everybody else, was showing his forehead protector to the remains of his clan.
"Rookie of the Year, uh? Just like your big bro!" Shisui said as he ruffled Sasuke's hair.
"I want to restore the honor of the clan. And by doing that I need to do my best in order to show the village what the Uchiha clan is made of," It was refreshing see Sasuke happy for once.
"Now you will have plenty of opportunities to prove yourself and the clan. Come on, we have to celebrate your graduation at the top of your class," Itachi suggested as he and the other two Uchihas walked away.
Near Sasuke, Yugao and Hayate were also congratulating their quasi-adoptive son, Haku, who was showing them his headband.
"Really impressive kid. It's a pity that you didn't become Rookie of the Year, but oh well," Yugao said as he patted his back.
"Thank you," Haku replied, smiling at them. "Now if it's not much of a bother, could we go to the Hokage's office? This is the proof that I graduated, and thus the Hokage will have to release Zabuza-sama."
"That won't be necessary, brat," a voice behind them said. A voice Haku knew too well. The Ice Ninja turned around and saw Zabuza, no longer wearing the prison uniform, smirking at him from behind his mask. "Surprised to see me?"
"ZABUZA-SAMA!" Haku cried as he threw his arms around Zabuza, taking the swordsman completely by surprise. "You're free at last!"
"What the hell?" Zabuza asked in shock as he held his hands upwards, as if Haku was made of fire.
"Hey, big guy, why don't you try hugging the kid back?" Hayate suggested, while repressing a cough. "Maybe you even like it."
Going against his better judgment, Zabuza awkwardly wrapped his arms around Haku, and patted his back a couple times.
"What the hell is this place doing to me..."
…
Undisclosed location
In an underground location, a vast man-made cavern decorated with statues of snakes, three men were present, two of them having a conversation, while the third one listened intently. Two of them had silver hair, with one of them also wearing glasses. The last one was taller than the other two, had pale skin and long black hair. The latter man spoke first.
"So, tell me, Mizuki-san, what is your reasons to join my humble organization?"
Mizuki was bent down on one knee, looking at the floor. In front of him was a man whose immense power was only rivaled by his even greater ambition. This man could give Mizuki all what he ever wanted, or he could end his life right here. The former Konoha teacher had to choose his words carefully.
"Because I believe that we're the same, Orochimaru-sama. Like you, I'm a man not bound by petty morality. Like you, I'm a man that will stop at nothing to achieve my goals. Like you, I'm a man who wants to become stronger at any costs. And like you, I also left Konoha when I realized that that place had nothing more to offer."
Orochimaru couldn't repress a smirk. "You certainly has some guts, Mizuki-san, comparing yourself, a mere teacher, to somebody like me."
Mizuki gulped. He needed to fix this fast."At no point I said that we were equals, Orochimaru-sama, but that we have similar mindsets. That's why I believe that my place is at your side."
Orochimaru chuckled. He certainly enjoyed watching that lowly man squirm in a pathetic attempt at making a good impression. Orochimaru had already made his mind, since you can never have enough foot soldiers or guinea pigs, but he decided to pressure him a little more, just for his own amusement.
"And tell me, what could you offer to me and my organization to be accepted on it? Our numbers might pale in comparison with the great villages, but even we have standards."
Mizuki smirked, and reached for his bag. "That's why I brought a present that I'm sure you will enjoy."
Upon seeing the bag's content, Orochimaru's yellow eyes expanded considerably. He took a step forward to check the item better.
"The Forbidden Scroll of the First Hokage," Orochimaru said in awe, passing a hand through the much desired item. Then he glared at Mizuki. "So it was you who had it all this time?"
"Yes. I stole it during the Uchiha insurrection. They were so busy dealing with the Uchihas, that nobody thought about keeping the scroll safe. Stealing it was a child's play," Mizuki threw his shoulders back in pride.
"So that's why the scroll wasn't there when I went to steal it," Orochimaru calmly said, and suddenly, all trace of color disappeared from Mizuki's face. "And you took no less than four years to bring it to me. Guess that the jutsus here were too complicated for your simple mind, huh?"
Mizuki knew he was screwed, and not in the fun way. His skin started to sweat bullets. Stammering, he tried to find an answer that would save his skin.
"Uh...sorry, I didn't thought that...uhh...eh..."
Orochimaru's mouth formed an unnerving smile. "But you did bring the scroll to me in the end. And like the old saying goes, all's well that ends well, right?"
"So...you aren't going to punish me?"
"No, Mizuki-san. In fact, from this day onwards, you're now a ninja of Otogakure. Since you were a teacher, I believe you'll have no trouble training a squad of young recruits, right?"
"Of course not, Orochimaru-sama. I'm eager to start working for you."
"Good. Kabuto, walk Mizuki-san towards his bedroom, please."
"Yes, Orochimaru-sama," the bespectacled ninja said, as he and Mizuki walked away.
Alone, Orochimaru couldn't help but stare in awe at the object in his hands, the very reason he wanted to be Hokage to begin with. This would accelerate his plans greatly...but he also had to be cautious with the Akatsuki. It would do him no good if they realized that this scroll was in his possession now.
...
Tsunade sighed in relief when she finally arrived home after a particularly long shift at the hospital. She hated missing Naruto's graduating ceremony, but she simply couldn't leave in the middle of a delicate surgery, which turned out more complicated that the initial diagnosis suggested. Anyway, at least she could give Naruto her congratulatory gift. She only hoped that Naruto wouldn't be too upset with her.
The living room was empty, and so was the kitchen. She was about to go upstairs when a sound in the backyard caught her attention. And indeed, she saw Shizune in a light taijutsu spar with the twins, which immediately ended after her children and apprentice noticed her presence.
"MOM!" both white haired kids said in unison as they rushed to her.
"Hey mom, Naruto-niisan is a ninja now! They even gave him a headband!" Hagane excitedly commented as he tugged his mother's jacket.
"I know. I don't have any doubts that Naruto passed the exam without much trouble," Tsunade replied.
"Hey, now that you mention it, how is that you don't have a headband, mom?" Kaida asked.
"It's somewhere in my room. I don't use it because I find it uncomfortable," Tsunade told her daughter as she ruffled her hair. Then she turned at Shizune. "Where is Naruto?"
"In his bedroom," was the black haired kunoichi's answer.
"And...how is he?" Tsunade asked, feeling a bit uneasy.
"He was a bit upset that neither you nor Jiraiya-sama showed up, but I believe he understands why. I don't think he'll be mad at you," Shizune replied, trying to sound reassuring.
Tsunade sighed, though she wasn't completely relieved, at least not until he talked with her eldest son. "Alright. I'll go to see him and give him his gift."
"Gift? Do you mean...?"
Tsunade merely nodded.
…
"Enter!" Naruto said after somebody knocked the door. He had an idea of who could be.
And just like he expected, Tsunade entered his bedroom.
"Hi," Tsunade timidly said. "First of all, I'm sorry for missing your big day, Naruto."
Naruto simply smiled at her. "It's okay. I know that your work at the hospital is important and sometimes you have to stay until late. And dad's the Hokage, so that goes without saying."
Tsunade smiled back at him. "I'm glad that you're not mad at me," the Sannin then sat in the bed alongside him. "So, you're a ninja now, how do you feel?"
"Truth be told, the same as yesterday."
"Soon you'll start taking missions. Are you nervous?"
A foxy grin appeared on Naruto's face. "Of course not! This is what I was born to do!"
Tsunade couldn't help but giggle a little at the display. "I'm glad that you're so confident. That's good. But do not get too overconfident. That can get you killed in our line of work."
"Of course! You don't have to worry about me, mom!"
There was a moment of silence. Tsunade keep staring at Naruto, whose smile never left his face for a single moment.
"Anyway, besides that, I also came here to give you a gift. You know, for finishing the Academy and becoming a ninja."
Naruto grew excited upon hearing the word "gift", as his mind raced through the possibilities. "Really? What is it!?"
Without uttering a word, Tsunade removed the necklace from her neck, and placed it around Naruto's. All the enthusiasm from the blond jinchuriki disappeared, replaced by an overwhelming sense of awe.
"Mom..." Naruto said in an uncharacteristically low volume. "The necklace of the First Hokage...why?"
"Don't you like it?"
"No, no! I didn't mean that!" Naruto quickly stuttered as he shook his hands in negation. "It's just that...shouldn't you give this to Hagane or Kaida? This crystal has the chakra of the first Hokage, just like them...besides, they're your real kids..."
Tsunade's expression hardened. She then grabbed Naruto by his shoulders, forcing him to look her into her eyes. "Naruto, listen to me. Maybe you didn't come from my body, but you're my son as much as the twins, and I will not let anybody say otherwise. Besides, with that necklace, now all my children have the chakra of my grandfather with them."
For once, Naruto was at a loss for words. "I...thank you mom..."
Tsunade's stern expression was replaced by a warm smile. "You're welcome, kiddo. Now make me and the village proud."
"You can bet I will!" the jinchuriki replied, with one of his trademark wide grins.
...
The next day at the Academy
Iruka looked at his now former students with pride. They were sitting on their usual seats, for what will be the last time. The teacher was afraid that Jiraiya's educational reform will turn into a slaughterhouse, and while many students ended up dropping out due to the increased standards, these twelve kids persevered until the very end and came out triumphant.
"Turn out Jiraiya-sama's idea wasn't so hare-brained after all. This kids will be way more prepared for the future than if we stuck to the old model."
Clearing his throat, Iruka spoke. "I told you yesterday already, but let me congratulate you again. It has been great having you as my students, but now, somebody else will take my place, somebody who will be able to teach you according to your growing needs.
"You will be organized into four man cells, composed by three Genin, and a Jonin, that will be your commanding officer, as well as your teacher.
"In the past, we used to make the teams based on grades, so the average grade of each team would be more or less the same as everybody else in order to have balanced teams. But Hokage-sama thought that this idea was stupid, so he suggested to create specialized teams based on the skills of its components. Some people like it, others preferred the older system, but it doesn't matter. It's what the Hokage wants, and his word is the law.
"And without further ado, these are the team formations..."