"Not bad, you finally learned how to dodge properly," he offered her a hand. Sakura remembered the words he'd told her yesterday and they were still bitter, but it was the truth. She was weak, she needed to improve, and she'd do it just to prove him wrong. Taking his hand, the kunoichi got up and joined Ino and Hinata who already had their sessions with sensei for the day. They'd improved too. The Academy felt like a lifetime ago compared to the drills she and her teammates faced every day.
"Well, genin. I have good news and bad news." Their sensei began as they sat on the ground and he stood with his arms crossed. "The bad news is you guys still suck. So bad. Like so bad. Words cannot describe how horrible you guys are."
"Thank you, Sensei-k" Ino started and stopped. "Sensei." Sakura looked at Piggy with a raised eyebrow. She looked a bit…different. She wasn't sure what it was, but she seemed lighter. Glowy. Must be a new cream.
"You're welcome, but seriously you girls are horrible. If you ran into high level shinobi you'd be dead."
"W-We know, sensei. We're still genin."
"I was a genin too once," Naruto pointed at himself. "I mean I was too, but I was so much better. So much cooler too."
"You're very humble, sensei." Sakura said with gritted teeth. Their sensei really liked to remind them how worse they were compared to him. The fact that he was their age and already a jōnin was what he particularly held over their heads. He even grinned at them in a smug manner regarding that sometimes.
"But on to the good news," he coughed into his hands. "My genin you no longer absolutely suck."
"That's rude, sensei."
"At least word it better."
"Is it really that hard for you give a compliment?"
"No, but my compliments have to be earned. If I can call the Hokage a lecherous old man and he accepts it, why should three genin get special treatment?" Naruto Uzumaki ranted on a bit more, making sure to let them know each of their weaknesses and Sakura hated that bit. How quickly and viscerally their team leader found the problems and exploited them. It was infuriating.
"Maybe it's your fault we suck." Sakura mumbled, she could feel his stare.
"You're right." Naruto said and this time Sakura stared back. "It's my fault. I should've been more considerate. Things are different now." Sakura in that moment realized how calm and serene their sensei looked. His eye was closed as the breeze flew, his hair was ruffled by it. He opened it and pointed at them before her hope turned into despair as a twisted grin spread across his face. "This is why we'll be training extra hard from now on."
"No…" Ino's voice was laced with fear.
"More drills."
"Sensei, please…" Hinata's shook.
"And of course," Naruto slammed his fist into his palm, it echoed across the land, the streams, the walls of the village to the depths of hell, "more survival sessions."
"RUN!" Sakura was the first to get up as her teammates followed. In the background the terror known as Naruto Uzumaki laughed. He was a predator. They could only run from him. However she stopped as did her teammates when their sensei appeared in front of them. "Sensei," Sakura mustered up the courage, tightening her fists with fury, "we won't hesitate to hurt you."
"Hurt me? Oh please." He disappeared. She felt his hands on her shoulders, his fingers were long and his grip was strong. She didn't look back out of fear as his voice reached each ear. "You're years too early to say that to me." And then he walked back. "I didn't say we'd be starting right now, did I?"
"No," they all collectively said and their sensei beckoned them to come closer. He reached for his pouch and brought out three papers.
"Do any of you know what these are?" They all shook their heads. "Makes sense. These are affinity papers. To find out what your elemental affinity is."
"Elemental affinity…for nature release?" Sakura remembered reading about those, Naruto nodded at her. "But, sensei isn't that for when we reach a more advanced level?"
"You're right about that, but I decided to say 'Fuck it'. As much as you suck, you've all exceeded my lowest expectations." Naruto handed them each a paper as Sakura frowned at him, Naruto rolled his eyes. "Besides, all three of you will start from the basic stage. The more you know, the less you'll fear. Now, one by one, concentrate your chakra into the paper. Hinata. You first." Sakura and Ino watched as the paper in her hands wrinkled before catching fire and turning into ash.
"Woah, that's rare." Team Six's sensei said rubbing his chin. "Dual affinity. Fire and lightning. Not bad at all."
"T-Thank you, Sensei-k-" Hinata eeped a bit. Sakura couldn't help but smile a bit. Hinata was still shy despite her improvements.
"Hmm. Hmm. Alright, Princess Daisy," Naruto said looking at Ino who looked annoyed at the name, Sakura chuckled a bit earning a glare from Piggy. Then she watched how Ino's paper caught fire too, but before turning into ash the paper dampened.
"Well, I'll be," Naruto laughed a bit. "Another dual affinity wielder. Fire and water. Natural opposites. Nice." Her sensei looked at her and she looked back. Sakura felt a bit of pressure. Ino and Hinata are from clans. No surprise they have dual affinities, she thought to herself. She gulped a bit. Her nervousness returned and the insecurity kicked in. She was just a girl from a civilian family. She wasn't special like them. What if-
"Oi, Sakura," she looked at her team leader who gave her a thumbs up and a small smile. "Go for it." Braving herself, she concentrated her chakra into it and felt her finger getting soaked. She sighed, Well at least it isn't a total dump. Before she discarded the paper like the rest of them, she noted how the paper was drying up. Fast. It felt rough, grainy, then the paper crumbled away.
"Hell yeah!" Naruto Uzumaki said loudly. "Three for three in my team. Can't wait to flex this on the rest of the sensei."
"Sensei," Sakura was surprised at this and inside her, she felt a sense of joy. Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God! I have two affinities!
"Right," her sensei had calmed down a bit. He seemed like a kid for a moment. "Your affinities are water and earth. Looks like I hit a jackpot with this team."
"Wow, sensei you seem genuinely happy." Ino said, even she seemed to be in a lighter mood. What is up with her skin?
"Please train us well, sensei." Hinata bowed her head a bit. Still at it with the formalities.
A thought crossed her mind. "Say, sensei," Sakura started, "what's your affinity?"
"Well," he started, his hand reaching out of her Ino's as he took the paper from her hand, Ino's fingers jolted a bit and Sakura looked at her inquisitively. "I can use all five elements, though my natural affinity leans towards just one." He held the paper and within a moment the paper cut itself into dozens of tiny pieces. "Wind."
She had to admit it was kind of cool. Then, all her senses blared to life as she suddenly took guard, as did Ino and Hinata. She heard fast approaching footsteps and braced herself, when she realized someone had sped past them. Sakura turned around and what she saw shocked her.
A woman. With waist-length black hair tied into a ponytail, dazzling green eyes and a curvaceous, yet athletic body, wearing a full, form-fitting kunoichi attire, she was hugging their sensei. Her arms around his neck and one of her legs wrapped around him.
"Eh?"
"I missed you so badly," she said, her cleavage was visible as is pressed against his chest, eyes glossed over, rosy cheeks, "husband."
"EHHHHHHH?!"
...
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