Forged Beyond

Sensei

Naruto's eyes fluttered open, still groggy with sleep. His muscles should have been sore after the intense training last night, but thanks to the Kyuubi's chakra, he felt fine. Running a hand through his messy blond hair, he sighed, rubbing his neck before standing up. His plain white T-shirt, slightly loose, exposed his collarbones as he stretched. With sluggish steps, he made his way to the restroom, washing his face, fixing his hair, and finally slipping into his usual ninja attire.

Before stepping out, he grabbed a familiar red scarf and wrapped it around his neck—the same one Hinata had given him three years ago. His fingers lingered on the fabric for a moment. Warm. Soft.

It was still early, around 6 AM. As he walked down the dimly lit hallway, the scent of fresh air mixed with the faint remnants of dinner from last night. His stomach grumbled, leading him toward the large kitchen. Orochimaru barely ate, but he maintained a well-stocked kitchen—for the sake of Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto.

When he entered, he immediately spotted Sasuke, leaning against the counter, eating an apple while scanning a scroll. His hair was a mess, and his eyes, still half-lidded, looked up briefly before returning to his reading.

"You're up already?" Sasuke muttered, tossing the half-eaten apple into the trash.

Naruto ignored the greeting. "What did she say?"

Sasuke sighed, setting the scroll aside. "She cried. A lot. Didn't want to eat anything, but I got her to take a few bites. She..." His brows furrowed. "She traced her scar with a kunai. It was bleeding. I told her to dress it properly. I don't know if she listened."

Naruto tensed, clenching the scarf without realizing it. "Damn it."

Sasuke turned, arms crossed. "There's a man outside asking for her. Says he wants to talk."

Naruto raised a brow. "Who?"

"Tch. I don't know. Some short guy with red hair and an attitude." Sasuke scoffed, narrowing his eyes. "I don't see why she'd have anything to do with him."

Naruto smirked. "Jealous?"

"Idiot." Sasuke rolled his eyes and walked past him, leaving Naruto to rummage through the kitchen for food.

By the time Naruto walked into the living room, Sasuke was already sitting on the sofa, arms folded, watching the man in question. The room was filled with silence, thick with unspoken tension. The man, shorter than most shinobi, sat with an eerily calm expression, his sharp, blackish-gray eyes betraying nothing. His deep red hair fell smoothly to his shoulders, and his posture was almost too relaxed—like someone who had nothing to fear.

An hour passed. Then another thirty minutes.

Sasuke, growing impatient, finally spoke. "Who are you?"

The man lifted his gaze slightly. "I'm here to see Sakura."

"That doesn't answer my question." Sasuke's tone sharpened, irritation creeping in.

Before the conversation could escalate, a familiar voice broke through.

"Sensei! It's been a while."

Naruto and Sasuke turned just as Sakura entered, heading straight for the red-haired man. She slid onto the couch beside him, her demeanor noticeably lighter, a faint smirk playing on her lips.

"Indeed," the man responded with a small smirk of his own. "Though, it's only been eleven months since our last meeting."

Sasuke's eyes darkened. "Sensei?" His jaw tightened. "You're saying this guy is teaching you?"