A New Yet Similar Path

The Bane of all Shinobi Part 4

Kakashi walked out of the river to find a grinning Naruto just a few feet from him.

"That's what you get for trying that technique on me Kakashi-sensei!"

Kakashi sighed. 'I guess he's right, it is a bit of an unethical jutsu to use against them...'

Naruto took a step forward and clenched his teeth. Kakashi noticed this and saw that the young blonde seemed to be straining himself just by standing up.

'Interesting...'

Kakashi glanced over at the two others to see them holding their bells, wondering what was going to happen next.

"Well Naruto, it looks like you don't have a bell" Kakashi said.

'Might as well see if the other two will help him without him suggesting it.'

"So? We passed this test with flying colors. Teamwork, Sasuke and I figured it out and Sakura figured it out when we found her. We passed, no matter what kind of psychological torture mumbo jumbo. Get to the speech so we can go. Some of us are busy."

Kakashi sweat dropped. 'Damn, oh well, gives me more time to read...'

"As Naruto has said, the point of this exercise was to see if you could work together as a team. Just to speed this up, I'll tell you something that a friend of mine once told me, not long before he died, that those who disobey orders are trash, those who abandon their comrades are even lower than trash."

Kakashi let it hang in the air for a moment before he spoke.

"Team 7; report here tomorrow at nine to receive your first mission!" With that said, Kakashi disappeared, using a Shushin jutsu, leaving the three Genin.

Naruto turned to Sakura, "So, do you want to train with me?" he asked.

Sakura glared at him, "hell no you Baka!"

Naruto just shrugged and turned to the Uchiha.

"What about you?" he asked.

Sasuke looked at Naruto for a moment. 'Two days ago, I would have said no without a thought, but he is truly strong.'

"Sure, where to Naruto?" Sasuke asked the blonde.

"On second thought..." Sakura began, but Naruto interrupted her.

"I only extended the invitation to you first for I knew you would decline. I only intend to train with Sasuke until you decide to take being a ninja seriously. If you were to fight Hinata, whom many consider the weakest of our class, you would lose. To train with me, you must be a capable Kunoichi."

"Naruto you baka, I'm a very capable Kunoichi!"

Naruto looked at her, scrutinizing her. "What jutsu do you know outside of the academy jutsu?" he asked.

Sakura thought for a moment and came up with an answer that made her realize just how useless she was.

"Exactly, if you want to not be a burden, then I suggest that you start to train instead of just caring about what Sasuke might think." With that said, Naruto whirled around and walked away, Sasuke following him.

Sakura sat in the field, tears stinging her eyes. 'I really am weak...'

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Sasuke was impressed that Naruto had knocked the truth into Sakura's head. Nobody had been able to get through to the girl until now.

They were back in the city and were walking a path towards the market district.