Chapter 32: Regrouping and a New Lesson
Not long after Zabuza and Haku departed, the sound of rustling leaves announced the arrival of Kakashi and Sasuke. They emerged from the treeline, their expressions a mixture of concern and alertness.
"Hiraoka," Kakashi called out, his visible eye scanning the clearing for signs of a struggle. "What are you doing out here alone?"
Hiraoka turned, his face effortlessly shifting back into its usual mask of casual composure. "Just getting some air, sensei. Though, I did have some company. Momochi Zabuza was just here."
Kakashi's posture stiffened instantly. "Did he engage you?" he asked, his voice sharp.
"No fight," Hiraoka confirmed, shaking his head. "Thanks to the injuries you gave him, he wasn't in any condition for a real battle. It was mostly just... talk."
He then gave a carefully edited account of the encounter, omitting his flirtatious banter with Haku and framing it as a tense but non-violent standoff.
Sasuke listened intently, his sharp eyes analyzing Hiraoka. The fact that Hiraoka had faced down the Demon of the Mist alone and emerged unscathed only deepened the mystery of his true strength. For Sasuke, Hiraoka was the living benchmark he had to surpass before he could even think of challenging Itachi.
Kakashi, however, was focused on a different detail. "Was there anyone with him?" he pressed. "A masked shinobi?"
Hiraoka feigned mild surprise. "Now that you mention it, yes. The one who 'killed' him before was there, helping him walk."
A grim understanding settled on Kakashi's face. "That confirms it. My initial suspicion was correct. They're working together. The 'hunter-nin' story was a ruse to buy time for Zabuza to recover."
Sasuke nodded, having pieced it together himself. Naruto, who had been listening with a confused frown, finally blurted out, "Wait, so the mask guy is on Zabuza's side? But he stabbed him!"
"It was a performance, Naruto," Sasuke explained with a hint of impatience. "A trick."
"Ohhh," Naruto said, the realization dawning on his face.
"By the way," Hiraoka added, as if recalling a minor detail. "Zabuza did mention something before he left. He said he'd be waiting for us on the bridge in one week to finish this."
Kakashi's eye narrowed. "He's dictating the terms, but it's better than waiting for an ambush. This gives us time to prepare." He looked at his three students, his gaze turning serious. "That means we have one week to get you all ready for a real fight. Your training starts now."
He led them to a large, sturdy tree at the edge of the clearing. Without any preamble, he turned and walked straight up the trunk, standing perpendicular to the ground as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Whoa! How did you do that, Kakashi-sensei? I wanna learn!" Naruto yelled, his eyes sparkling.
Kakashi walked back down. "It's about chakra control," he explained, tapping the sole of his foot. "You must focus a precise, constant amount of chakra to the soles of your feet. Too little, and you'll fall. Too much, and you'll be repelled away from the surface. The key is maintaining perfect, steady output." He gave a basic demonstration of the chakra flow.
"Now, it's up to you to practice and find that balance," Kakashi said. He then turned to Hiraoka. "Hiraoka, why don't you show them how it's done?"
Hiraoka nodded. He closed his eyes, focusing inward. A faint, blue glow became visible on the bottoms of his sandals. He took a deliberate step onto the tree trunk, then another. His ascent was smooth and controlled, without a single stumble or wasted movement. He walked all the way to a high branch, then turned and looked down at his teammates from his vertical perch.
"See?" he called down, a hint of a smirk on his face. "It's not so hard once you get the feel for it."
Kakashi sighed internally. Show-off.
Uchiha Sasuke watched, his competitive spirit ignited. He stepped forward and placed his foot on the trunk. He managed a few shaky steps before his chakra fluctuated, and he was forced to leap back to the ground. He frowned, analyzing his mistake.
Naruto, ever impulsive, charged at the tree with a yell. He slammed into the trunk, stuck for a brief second as a surge of chakra held him, before it sputtered out and he slid back down, landing in a heap. "Hey! Why is it so tricky?!"
The week of intense training had officially begun.
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Naruto or One Piece? For me it's....complicated.
I am Praying Rn. I hope some Stones Drop From the sky.