The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm golden hue over the training ground. Kakashi leaned against a sturdy tree, arms crossed and a single visible eye observing the group with calm detachment. His posture was relaxed, but there was a quiet intensity in the way he watched the trainees.
Naruto sat on the ground, frustration etched across his face as he scratched hurried lines into the dirt with a stick. He had yet to join the others in the tree-climbing exercise, still struggling with the concept of one-handed seals. His mind was spinning with confusion as he tried to piece together the chakra control that Kakashi had introduced. The one-handed seals had seemed simple at first, but now they felt like an insurmountable challenge.
"This is way harder than it looks," Naruto muttered to himself, his lone hand forming a tight fist as he struggled to focus. "But I'm not giving up." His determination was a familiar thing, but it didn't ease the tight knot of frustration in his chest.
Nearby, Sakura, Sasuke, Mai, and Mina worked on their tree-climbing exercise, the sound of their efforts filling the air. Naruto glanced up at them and felt a pang of irritation. He wasn't even at the starting line. His eyes narrowed as he watched Sasuke, the usual fire of rivalry flaring within him. "No way I'm falling behind," he muttered under his breath. "Not to Sasuke. Not to anyone!"
Naruto clenched his fist and tried again, awkwardly forming a seal with one hand. His brow furrowed in concentration, sweat beading on his temple as he focused every ounce of his willpower. "Come on, focus!" But the seal crumbled, and the chakra dissipated before it could take form.
Kakashi's gaze drifted to Naruto. His expression remained unreadable, but his attention lingered. The boy's struggle was clear, yet Kakashi didn't intervene. This wasn't just about mastering a technique—it was about Naruto learning to trust himself.
—
Sakura, her emerald eyes shining with quiet determination, was the first to reach the top of the tree. Her movements were fluid, her chakra control precise and effortless. She didn't rush—there was no need. As she perched confidently on the highest branch, she adjusted her balance, her posture steady as she took a deep breath.
Now, she sat on a high branch, legs swinging as she gazed down at the others, her face alight with a mixture of pride and quiet satisfaction.
From the ground, Mai gawked at her. "Wait, what? She's already at the top?!"
Mina paused mid-step on her tree, adjusting her glasses as she glanced up at Sakura. "It's impressive," she murmured, her voice neutral but tinged with acknowledgment.
Sakura leaned slightly forward, her gaze flickering toward Sasuke. Her hope was obvious—perhaps he'd notice her achievement, maybe even say something. But Sasuke didn't look up. His focus remained on his own tree, where deep scratches from countless kunai marked his repeated attempts.
Sakura's smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly shook it off, her pride returning.
Sakura's ability to walk on trees wasn't born of luck or chance. Her success was the result of natural talent and diligent practice. From her early days at the Academy, Sakura had excelled in chakra control exercises. Unlike Naruto, who often struggled with the basics, or Sasuke, who relied on raw power, Sakura had always approached ninjutsu with care and precision.
Years of refining her understanding of chakra flow had given her a solid foundation. For her, this exercise was simply an extension of skills she had been honing for a long time. While it might have looked easy, her mastery was the result of disciplined effort and a sharp, analytical mind.
Kakashi nodded slightly, acknowledging her success with a silent approval. Sakura's ability to focus and maintain control had always been her greatest asset. She was never the fastest or the strongest, but her control over her chakra made her a formidable force in her own right.
On the ground, Mai let out an exasperated groan as she slipped again, landing unceremoniously in a patch of grass.
"This is ridiculous!" she huffed, brushing dirt from her knees. She glanced at Mina, who was steadily making her way up another tree. "How are you doing that?!"
Mina paused, her movements deliberate as she adjusted her stance. Without looking down, she replied, "It's about balance, Mai. You're overloading your chakra and pushing yourself off the tree."
Mai crossed her arms, her expression sour. "Yeah, well, maybe I like overloading my chakra."
"Clearly," Mina said dryly, reaching for the next foothold. Her steps were precise, her chakra flowing evenly into the bark beneath her feet. Before long, she reached the top, pausing on a sturdy branch to glance down. "Made it," she said simply, her tone devoid of arrogance but carrying quiet satisfaction.
Mai groaned, throwing her hands up. "Great. Now I'm the only one still stuck down here."
Mina, ever composed and analytical, followed soon after. She approached the exercise with the same calculated precision that characterized her entire being. Unlike Sakura, she didn't move with the same effortless grace, but her steps were steady and deliberate. Mina had always been methodical in her approach—where others might rush, she was the one to carefully measure each movement, each pulse of chakra.
Though slower than Sakura, her determination never wavered. She climbed to the top of the tree with quiet pride, adjusting her glasses as she stood at the summit. There was a flicker of satisfaction in her usually neutral expression as she made her way down.
Sasuke's attempts, however, were a different story. His chosen tree was scarred with marks from his kunai, each failed attempt only fueling his growing frustration. His normally composed expression had twisted into a scowl, his eyes burning with the desire to be better, faster, stronger than anyone else. But despite his strength and speed, the tree climbing was proving to be more difficult than he had anticipated.
"Tch," Sasuke muttered, glaring at the tree with increasing disdain. His hand tightened around the trunk of the tree as he leapt to try again, but the chakra control required to scale it eluded him time and time again.
Kakashi's gaze lingered on Sasuke for a moment. Sasuke's struggle with the tree-climbing exercise wasn't due to a lack of talent—it stemmed from his impatience and his difficulty adapting to the precise level of chakra control required. Despite his incredible raw talent as a shinobi and his lineage as a member of the Uchiha clan, Sasuke's abundant chakra reserves made this training more challenging compared to civilians like Sakura and Mina.
Sasuke was determined to excel, to dominate, and to surpass everyone, but such intensity worked against him in this particular task. His frustration grew with each failure, his emotions clouding his judgment and making it increasingly difficult to achieve the balance required to climb the tree.
Tomaru, meanwhile, had stepped away from the group after gaining Kakashi's permission with a logical argument. Having already mastered the chakra control technique, he reasoned that moving on to water-walking training at the nearby river would be a more productive use of his time.
The forest surrounding the training ground was alive with the hum of cicadas and the rustle of leaves as Tomaru made his way deeper into the undergrowth. The sunlight filtered through the canopy, dappling the ground in shifting patterns of gold and green. The air smelled faintly of damp earth and pine resin, a testament to the nearby river's proximity. Once out of sight, Tomaru's demeanor shifted entirely. His usually composed expression became taut with focus, and the faint glow of his Tenseigan illuminated his features. His enhanced vision pierced through the foliage, revealing the intricate web of faint chakra trails crisscrossing the area.
Hidden deep within the forest, a treehouse concealed by layers of moss and foliage came into focus. Inside, he saw them—Zabuza Momochi and Haku.
Zabuza lay on a makeshift bed, his body wrapped in bandages, his once-mighty aura diminished by his injuries. Haku moved around him with quiet efficiency, tending to the wounds with unwavering dedication. The sight stirred something in Tomaru—a mix of calculation and hesitation.
In the original timeline, Haku had sacrificed himself to protect Zabuza, only for Zabuza to meet his end shortly after. Now, with Naruto's earlier loss of his hand during their first encounter, the future had already veered off course. Tomaru wondered: was it truly necessary for Team 7 to fight Zabuza and Haku again? Could Team 7 even defeat them as they were now?
The answer seemed clear. With Sayuri and himself present, Zabuza and Haku would not pose a significant challenge. Yet, was intervening the right choice? Would stepping in rob Team 7 of a crucial experience, one that could shape their growth and prepare them for greater challenges ahead?
Tomaru crossed his arms, his gaze fixed on the treehouse. The thought of fighting Zabuza and Haku felt almost trivial, but the implications weighed heavily on his mind. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were at the beginning of their journeys. Each battle, each hardship, was a lesson they needed to face to grow stronger. But was this battle truly necessary for their development, or would it only bring further pain and loss?
And then there was the question of his own role. Should he act? His presence alone could tip the scales, but what would be the cost of his interference? He thought back to Naruto's missing hand, a stark reminder of how small decisions could ripple into profound consequences. If he acted now, would the future shift once again?
He exhaled slowly, his breath misting in the cool forest air. For now, he decided to wait. The situation was delicate, and any misstep could unravel plans not yet fully formed. The battle ahead was more than a test of strength—it was a crossroads, one that would shape the future of everyone involved.
Turning away from the treehouse, Tomaru allowed his Tenseigan to fade. The forest around him seemed quieter, as if holding its breath. He walked back toward the river, his thoughts heavy but his resolve firm. Whatever decision he made, it would not be taken lightly. For now, the threads of fate were still in motion, and Tomaru would watch and wait, letting the pieces fall into place before making his move.