Elevate - A Naruto Fanfic

Chapter 7

Fingernails drummed against the wooden surface of the desk, creating a quiet rhythm that had helped keep Sakura awake during Iruka's seemingly endless lecture. Three weeks had passed since their first day at the Academy, and she'd heard enough about 'the importance of teamwork' and 'the foundations of Konoha's strength' to last several lifetimes.

"The Will of Fire burns brightest when shinobi work together," Iruka proclaimed, his voice carrying the same passionate enthusiasm he'd maintained since day one. "No single ninja, no matter how skilled, can accomplish what a well-coordinated team achieves."

'Unless you're particularly creative with a kitchen knife,' Sakura mused, her lips curving into a slight smile as memories from her past life surfaced. She'd never needed a team to accomplish her goals before - though admittedly, those goals had been significantly different from what these children were being trained for.

The morning sun streamed through the classroom windows, creating patterns of light and shadow across the wooden floors. Dust motes danced in the golden beams, far more interesting than Iruka's repetitive words about unity and sacrifice. Sakura watched them drift, her mind wandering to more practical concerns.

"When facing superior numbers, teamwork becomes essential for survival," Iruka continued, sketching familiar diagrams on the blackboard. "Each member brings unique strengths which, when properly coordinated-"

A soft snore interrupted his words, drawing Sakura's attention to Naruto's slumped form. The blonde boy had lasted longer than usual today - almost fifteen minutes into the lecture before succumbing to sleep. His whiskered face pressed against his desk, a small puddle of drool forming beneath his open mouth.

'At least he's consistent,' Sakura observed, noting how Iruka's eye twitched at the sound but he continued speaking without comment. The teacher's unusual tolerance for Naruto's behavior remained one of the more interesting mysteries she'd encountered in this new world.

Her emerald gaze drifted across the classroom, cataloging her classmates' various states of consciousness. The Nara heir himself dozed peacefully two rows ahead, his head rested on an arm while half-lidded eyes stared out the window of the room. Choji munched quietly on chips, the rustle of his bag providing a counterpoint to Iruka's lecture.

Ino sat beside her, alternating between taking dutiful notes and shooting concerned glances at Sakura's clearly bored expression. The blonde had appointed herself as Sakura's unofficial guide to proper Academy behavior, though her efforts usually dissolved into giggles when Sakura responded with particularly dark humor.

"The founding of Konoha itself demonstrates the power of teamwork," Iruka declared, his chalk tapping against a crude drawing of what Sakura assumed were supposed to be Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha shaking hands. "Two rival clans setting aside their differences-"

Sakura's gaze flickered to Himiko and Sasuke, the living embodiments of that supposedly successful alliance. The Senju girl maintained her usual mask of polite attention, though the slight tension in her shoulders betrayed her awareness of the topic. Sasuke sat straighter in his chair, pride warring with something darker in his expression as Iruka praised the Uchiha clan's role in the village's creation.

'How wonderfully ironic,' Sakura thought, suppressing a smirk. 'Teaching cooperation using the example of two clans who ended up trying to murder each other. Though I suppose attempted genocide is a form of teamwork, if you're creative with the definition.'

The lecture dragged on, each minute feeling like an hour as Iruka rehashed the same points they'd covered countless times already that day alone. Sakura's mind wandered to the collection of things she would need to purchase in the coming years. Weapons, personal supplies, more weapons, and maybe something for personal enjoyment.