The sun barely peeked over the horizon when Naruto was already back at the training field, glaring at the tree in front of him. His forehead protector was askew, his clothes were damp with morning dew, and his hands were scraped from his repeated falls.
But he refused to stop.
I'm gonna master this tree-walking thing!
With a deep breath, he channeled chakra into his feet and sprinted up the trunk. This time, he made it higher than before—only to lose control and go tumbling back down.
"GAH! This stupid tree!"
A soft chuckle came from behind.
"You're certainly determined."
Naruto twisted around to see Sasuke standing there, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
Naruto pouted. "What, you here to laugh at me?"
Sasuke scoffed. "No. I'm here to train."
Without another word, Sasuke ran at his own tree. He made it nearly to the top before he pushed off and landed smoothly on the ground. He turned to look at Naruto, an eyebrow raised. "You're improving… a little."
Naruto clenched his fists. "Tch! 'A little'?! Just you wait, bastard—I'll get this down in no time!"
Sasuke smirked. "Then stop talking and do it."
Naruto scowled but turned back to his tree, determined.
---
As the two trained in silence, Kakashi observed from a distance, leaning against a tree with his book in hand.
They remind me of Minato-sensei and Obito…
His gaze softened slightly. Minato was alive, and things had turned out differently than before, yet the past still echoed in these boys. Naruto had his father's indomitable spirit, while Sasuke carried the same silent intensity as his late brother, Itachi.
And then there's the burden Sasuke carries…
Kakashi's eye flickered toward Sasuke's movements. The boy had been training harder than usual. His strikes were sharper, his focus unwavering. He was still haunted by the night of the Uchiha Massacre—by the truth he didn't yet know.
If only things had been different…
Kakashi sighed, snapping his book shut. No use dwelling on the past. The future was what mattered now.
---
By midday, Team 7 gathered at the bridge in the village. Sakura had just arrived, and she looked between Naruto and Sasuke, noticing their exhaustion. "You two were training again, weren't you?"
Naruto grinned. "Of course! Can't let Sasuke get ahead of me!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes.
Kakashi appeared in a puff of smoke, making Sakura jump. "Alright, Team 7, we have a mission."
Naruto groaned. "Ugh, don't tell me it's another dumb D-rank…"
Kakashi's visible eye curved in amusement. "No. This one's different. We're taking an escort mission."
Naruto's eyes lit up. "Really?! Who are we escorting?"
As if on cue, an older man with glasses and a bottle of sake stumbled forward, hiccupping. He adjusted his straw hat and scowled. "You brats are my guards? Hah! I asked for ninja, not kids."
Naruto scowled. "Oi, old man, we're real ninja!"
The man snorted. "Hmph. I hope you don't slow me down. My name's Tazuna, and I'm a bridge builder from the Land of Waves."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly. Something about this mission felt off.
Kakashi remained calm, but he had already sensed it, too.
This mission is more dangerous than it seems…