Twenty-four hours of running. That's what it took.
Yamato and I had been pushing hard. Not sprinting the whole time, we stopped for rest, ate ration bars, caught quick naps. But we covered ground fast. Faster than most teams could.
When we crossed into Wave Country, the air changed. You could smell the ocean.
«Chakra signatures detected. Approximately 2 kilometers east. Team 7. Kakashi's signature is depleted, he's low on reserves. The others are stable.»
I stopped. Yamato stopped beside me.
"They're that way," I said, pointing. "Kakashi might be hurt. Chakra's almost empty."
"How can you tell?"
"Chakra sensing. I told you before."
He stared at me for a second. Then: "Lead the way."
---
= Tazuna's House =
The house was modest. Wooden. A bit run-down. The bridge builder wasn't exactly rich.
I knocked on the door. A woman opened it, dark hair, and with kind eyes. Tsunami.
"Who are you?"
Yamato stepped forward. "We're ninjas from Konoha. The Hokage sent us as backup."
"BACKUP?!"
Naruto appeared behind Tsunami, shoving his way past her. "RYŪ! You cane!"
He tackled me. I stumbled back, then caught myself.
"Get off."
"i knew you would come!"
"I'm here to work, not to hug."
"TOO BAD!"
He hugged me anyway. I let him. For like two seconds. Then I pushed him off.
Tsunami led us inside. The house was warm. A fire was going in the corner. An old man, Tazuna. was sitting at a table, drinking something. and A kid, Inari. was in the corner, staring at the floor.
"Hey old man," Naruto said. "These are the reinforcements."
Tazuna looked up. Nodded. Didn't say anything.
"what's even the yes of them," inari muttered.
"Inari," Tsunami said. "Be polite."
"Why? They're just gonna die like the others."
The room went quiet.
Naruto's face darkened. "What did you say?"
"You heard me."
"Inari," Tazuna said. "Go to your room."
The kid stood up. Walked away. Didn't look back.
«The child is traumatized. His stepfather was killed by Gatō's men.»
Hmm Yeah I think. I remember.
---
=Guest Room =
Tazuna led us to another room. Kakashi was on a bed, shirt off, bandages wrapped around his torso. His visible eye was open. He definitely looked tired.
"You look like crap," I said.
"Good to see you too."
Yamato sat on a chair. And I leaned against the wall.
"What's the situation?" Yamato asked.
Kakashi sat up, then started to brief on the situation.
"We were attacked on the road. a Missing-nin from Kiri. Zabuza Momochi."
"The Demon of the Hidden Mist?"
"The same. We managed to defeat him off Barely. Then a hunter-nin from the Mist showed up and took his body."
Yamato's eyes narrowed. "You think the hunter-nin was fake?"
"I know it was. No hunter-nin would show up that fast. And they didn't take any samples, just the body. I didn't interfere because I was too weak from the previous battle."
"So Zabuza is still alive?."
"Almost certainly."
Kakashi leaned back. "Right now, our mission is to protect Tazuna until he finishes the bridge. That's it. We don't engage Zabuza unless he engages us."
"And if he does?"
"Then... we kill him."
The room was quiet.
"One more thing," Kakashi said. "The kids need training. Their chakra control is sloppy. I'm too weak to demonstrate properly."
He looked at me.
"Ryu. You're teaching Naruto, because he has already learnt chakara control. I'll handle Sasuke and Sakura with tree walking."
"Why me?"
"Because you're the only one here who's alive and kicking and isn't half-dead."
I looked at Yamato. He shrugged.
"Fine," I said. "But I'm not holding back."
"Didn't expect you to."
---
= The Forest =
The next day, after dinner, Kakashi gathered us in a nearby forest. Sasuke. Sakura. Naruto. Me.
Yamato stayed at the house. Guard duty boi.
Kakashi walked to a tree. Put one foot on the trunk. Then the other. Walked up. Stood sideways on the bark.
"Tree walking. You channel chakra to your feet. Just enough to stick, not enough to push off. Too little, you fall. Too much, you meet Jesus."
He demonstrated. Walked up, down, upside down. Made it look easy.
Then he handed Sasuke and Sakura a kunai each.
"Mark how high you get. Practice until you can reach the top. You have three hours."
Sakura went first. Focused. Took a step. Then another. Made it halfway up before slipping.
Sasuke watched. Analyzed. Then he went. Made it three-quarters.
Kakashi nodded. "Good. Keep going."
Then he looked at me and Naruto.
"You two. Over there."
---
I led Naruto to a clearing. Trees around us. be sky was open.
"Okay. I'll teach you a New jutsu. Wind Release: Air Bullet."
Naruto's eyes lit up. "WHAT DOES IT DO?!"
"Shoots bullets of air. Fast and Sharp. Up to fifteen at once."
"I WANT FIFTEEN!"
"You'll get one. Then two. Then fifteen. But first, you need to learn the hand signs."
I showed him. Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Bird.
He copied them. Messed up the order three times before getting it right.
"Now focus your chakra. Wind nature. You've done some other wind release jutsu's, right?"
"Yeah. A million times."
"Same principle. you're compressing air and Pushing it through your mouth."
He took some air in his mouth. Concentrated.
A puff of air came out. Weak. Like a sigh.
"pathetic."
"SHUT UP! I'M TRYING!"
"Try harder."
He tried again. A slightly stronger puff. Moved some leaves.
«His chakra control is stable. Estimated mastery of Air Bullets: 3 days with continuous practice. I recommend you should tell him to use Shadow clones»
Nah let him suffer...
«as you wish.»
"Naruto. Imagine the air is a ball. You're squeezing it smaller and smaller. Then you let go. The pressure does the work."
He closed his eyes. Hands out. Focused.
POP.
A bullet of air shot out. Hit a tree. Bark flew.
"I DID IT! DID YOU SEE THAT?!"
"I saw it."
"THAT WAS AWESOME!"
"Do it again."
He did. And again. And again.
---
= Three Hours Later =
Sasuke and Sakura had mastered tree walking. They were walking up trees like it was nothing. Sakura was smug. Sasuke was quiet.
Naruto was still practicing. His mouth was red. But he was practicing trying to use this jutsu perfectly.
"I'm gonna go beyond fifteen," he said, gasping.
"Tomorrow lil bro."
"NOW."
"You're exhausted. You'll hurt yourself."
"Nuh uh I don't care!"
"I care. Stop."
«Gay activity?»
Come on Jarvis this is just normal thing to care about a friend.
He opened his mouth to argue. Then his eyes rolled back.
He collapsed.
I caught him before he hit the ground. Laid him down against a tree.
«Chakra exhaustion. He pushed too hard. He will recover in a few hours.»
Idiot.
«Determined idiot.»
You.
My IQ Score is in millions by human standards. (A/N: I made TS up I don't know how much IQ the skill have but I think this is the estimate if you know how much would it be, then enlighten me please.)
Sasuke and Sakura had already headed back. Kakashi was leaning against a tree, watching.
"He's got your stubbornness," Kakashi said.
"neh He's got his own. I'm just the enabler."
Kakashi snorted. Then he walked back toward the house.
I stayed with Naruto. Watched him sleep.
---
I must have dozed off. When I opened my eyes, Naruto was gone.
«He woke up. He walked toward the river. Approximately 50 meters north. There is another chakra signature besides him»
I stood up. Stretched. Walked toward the river.
When I got there, I saw them.
Naruto was sitting on the ground, rubbing his head. A girl was kneeling next to him. Dark hair. A small basket of herbs beside her.
"Wake up," she said. "You'll catch a cold if you sleep here."
Naruto blinked. "Huh? Who are you? What are you doing in the forest?"
"I'm picking herbs For someone."
She helped him sit up. Brushed the leaves off his shoulders.
"You should be more careful. There are dangerous people in these woods."
"I'm a ninja," Naruto said. "I can handle myself."
She smiled. "Of course you can."
They talked for a few minutes. About someone precious, About nothing and everything.
Then she stood up.
"I have to go."
"Wait I didn't get your name!"
She looked back. Smiled.
"Maybe next time."
She walked away. Disappeared into the trees.
Naruto sat there for a second. Then he stood up. Brushed himself off.
«That was Haku.»
I know bruh.
«She is heading back to Zabuza's hideout.»
Hmm.
«Are you going to follow her?»
I stepped out from behind the tree. Naruto didn't see me. He was already walking back toward the house.
Yeah definitely. I'm going to follow her, but I'm not a creep.
«Your chakra signature is suppressed. She will not detect you.»
Bet.
I moved into the trees. Haku was ahead. Walking at a casual pace. Not looking back.
«Distance: 30 meters. Heart rate: 62 bpm. She is calm. She does not know you are there.»
Alrighty.
---
END CHAPTER 30
Xx-----xX
A/N: Leave some power stones and if you don't... I'll THOUSAND YEARS OF DEATH you... :)
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Btw if you want to read some advance chapters then check out my P@treøn, links in the synopsis.