Chapter Text
“Kakashi-sensei,” Sasuke said quietly as they sat around their small fire, just the two of them. The boy had been practicing his fuinjutsu with a steady hand, although now he’d stilled, setting the paper and ink aside.
“Yes, Sasuke,” Kakashi replied, his voice a low murmur in the quiet of the night.
Sasuke wasn’t looking at him, simply staring down at his hands, the palms worn with calluses. “What do you think my parents would think of me now? Or Itachi?”
“What do you mean?” Kakashi asked gently, and Sasuke’s fingers moved to touch the skin on his arm, lightly tracing the almost translucent scars.
His seals were no more. Instead, the ink had melted into his skin, and there were only ghosts of it left, leaving faint markings on his skin. However, the effects hadn’t disappeared, and had instead been enhanced by the ritual. It was why the outcome had been such a success, even more so than anticipated, and why he had become so much more physically powerful for it, especially in regard to his chakra reserves, speed, strength, and durability.
But, even so, it had changed him.
“I don’t look like myself anymore,” he murmured quietly. “My skin is lighter, and these scars aren’t like any I’ve ever seen. And, my eyes are…different. If they could see me now, I wonder what they would think.”
Kakashi nodded, humming lightly. “Well, I would think they’d be proud of you. You’ve come so far, and survived so much.”
When Sasuke’s gaze still remained fixed on his hands, Kakashi leaned closer, gently nudging the boy with his shoulder, a slight smile on his face. “Hey, did I ever tell you just how much Itachi would talk about you both?”
Sasuke’s head snapped up at that, his eyes wide as that majestic spark they now held to them glinted brighter. “You mean Naruto and me?”
“Yep,” Kakashi replied, staring down at the boy out of the corner of his eye. “When we would go on missions back when we were both in ANBU, he would always update me on everything. At the time, I liked keeping some tabs on Naruto, since Minato was my sensei, but you certainly caught my interest as well, given how much Itachi’s eyes would light up when talking about you. Both of you were the two people he loved most in this world, and anyone could plainly see it.”
“Really?” Sasuke asked, leaning a little closer. “What did he say?”
“Silly things, really,” Kakashi said with a chuckle, thinking back. “When you both learned how to walk, he wouldn’t stop talking about it for at least three days. Oh, and when you two entered the academy, it really escalated from there.”
When Sasuke remained silent, seemingly begging for more with his eyes alone, Kakashi continued. “Well, in one instance, we were out of the village and had stopped for the night, and Itachi came over to me, and, mind you, he tended to be very focused on missions. However, this particular day, he came up to me with just the hint of a smile on his face and pulled a photo out of his pocket to show me, and it was of you two covered in mud from head to toe. Naruto had been smiling so widely, and you had been trying to hide yours, but I could tell you had been enjoying yourself.”
“I remember that day!” Sasuke exclaimed suddenly, sitting upright. “Naruto and I had been sparring, and the idiot had thrown us both into this big puddle of mud. It was cold, too, but he just couldn’t stop laughing, and I was annoyed, but I guess it ended up being fun.”
He paused for a moment, letting out a shaky breath. “I never knew Itachi had taken that picture.”
Kakashi’s expression softened. “He took it everywhere with him, and I would catch him staring at it on missions. So, Sasuke, trust me when I say he would love you regardless of anything. You both were his everything.”
Sasuke raised his chin, meeting Kakashi’s gaze, and swallowed thickly. “Thank you. I…I really miss him, and I always feel like we never had enough time.”
“I know,” Kakashi said quietly, understanding. “I’ve felt the same before. I wish I’d had more time with the people I cared about, too.”
Sasuke hummed a small sound, and with a tired breath, he leaned fully into Kakashi, resting his head on the jonin’s shoulder. Kakashi shifted to make the boy more comfortable and moved his arm to give Sasuke a firm hug, pulling him close.
Sasuke relaxed in the hold, and Kakashi’s gaze drifted up to the sky, peering at the vast expanse of stars. Distantly, he could hear the rhythmic sound of crickets chirping in the grass, and the soft purrs of the panthers in their own packs nearby.
Itachi, if you’re out there somewhere and there really is something beyond this living world, I hope you’re still watching over them like you always did. And know that I am, too. They’re not alone.
I hope you’re resting well.
Just as he’d finished the thought, from beside him, Sasuke stirred lightly. “You know, I really miss Sakura and Naruto, too. And the others.”
“Me too,” Kakashi replied honestly, taking a slow breath. “But we’ll go back home soon.”
Sasuke nodded, his cheek brushing against Kakashi’s vest as his hair tickled the jonin’s neck. “Do you think we’ll be ready?”
Kakashi remained silent for a moment, deliberating, before he hummed. “I think so.”
Sasuke remained quiet after that, having found comfort in the words just as Kakashi had intended, but, deep down, Kakashi could never be sure.
He could have said “I hope so,” but he’d chosen to be more optimistic. Because if Sasuke had gotten this strong, he could only imagine how far his other students had gone. Sasuke was stronger than even he was now, and they all would need to be for the fight that was coming.
For the organization Jiraiya had warned him they would be up against.
“Come on, Sasuke, let’s go to bed,” he said, breaking the silence, and he received a small sound of acknowledgement as Sasuke dragged himself upright and over to his bedroll.
Kakashi lay next to him on his own and just barely picked up as Sasuke mumbled goodnight.
“Sleep well, Sasuke,” Kakashi replied, and closed his eyes, letting sleep take him.
***
“Lee, Sakura, are you ready to begin?” Gai asked, looking between both of his students.
“Yes, Sensei!” They both replied in sync, each forming the Seal of Confrontation as they got into position.
“Good then,” he said, jumping back to give them space. “Begin!”
Without hesitation, Lee hurled himself forward at a frightening pace, throwing a quick jab with his fist to try to throw Sakura off balance. However, Sakura merely narrowed her gaze, focusing, and, to her, Lee seemed almost slow, his body moving sluggishly through the air as she accelerated her cognition.
She caught his fist, her grip tightening, and she threw him, his body arching over her head, but Lee wasn’t so easily defeated and twisted midair to land steadily on his feet.
From there, it was a flurry of movements, each filled with enough power to crack bones, and the pressure radiating off the two swept up the dirt as the ground quaked and wind shook the trees. Gai watched on with pride, his eyes carefully tracking each of them as they fought to ensure neither went too far.
They tended to get so spirited, each putting their all into every spar, that it wasn’t uncommon for him to have to step in when things got too dangerous.
“Sakura, I say we should pick it up!” Lee said, happiness clear in his tone. “I know we can go faster!”
“Fine, Lee, I hope you can keep up!” Sakura replied, grinning, and their exchanges grew even more powerful.
Their attacks became faster, faster, and faster still, as the duo put in all their strength into the fight. The rush of adrenaline was addicting, and Sakura felt so alive, and landing a hit became her singular focus.
Finally, for a split second, Sakura spotted an opening, just one as she enhanced her mind’s processing speed to the max, and with a powerful rotation of her hip, she slammed her shin into Lee’s exposed side.
The boy went careening to the side, a shocked gasp escaping him as a crack was heard, but before he could crash into a tree, Gai appeared behind him in a blur, catching him carefully.
“Stop!” He called, ending the fight, and Sakura landed soundlessly on her feet, one hand flying to her mouth.
“Oh, Lee, I’m so sorry,” she said, running forward as she focused her chakra into her hands, her palms glowing a soothing green. She knelt beside him, quickly noting a cracked rib, and hurriedly began to heal him, her heart pounding in her chest as the guilt settled in.
However, Lee merely cracked a smile, reassuring her. “It’s alright, Sakura, I know it wasn’t your fault. You were really focused! And, besides, you can always heal any injuries, so I never have to worry about holding back when we spar.”
“I can’t heal everything, you know,” Sakura replied quietly, but still, she felt a little better about her mistake. It hadn’t been on purpose, after all, merely a miscalculation in her strength.
“You are always so humble,” he said with a light chuckle as she finished, and he sat up carefully, prodding the area. It was still a little sore, but the bone was mended, and he gave her a thumbs-up. “See, all better!”
Sakura let out a small breath as she stood up. “Still, Lee, I am sorry. I guess I just got caught up in the moment.”
“Like I said, it’s fine,” he said good-naturedly. “I’ll just have to work even harder on not dropping my guard when I’m on the offense.”
“You both did very well,” Gai said, finally joining in as he helped Lee stand. “I have to say, I am remarkably impressed by how far you both have come. Lee, you have grown much with Sakura here to push you, and, Sakura, your tenacity and spirit have always been strong.”
“Thank you, Sensei,” Sakura replied, while Lee’s eyes watered.
“I will continue to do my very best!” He declared, hurriedly wiping away his tears, and Gai smiled, his own eyes shining.
“Yes, I trust that you will both continue to make me proud,” he said before glancing at his watch. “Ah, and it is fairly late by now. Sakura, would you care to join us for some dinner? My treat.”
Sakura deliberated for a moment, but she figured her parents wouldn’t mind, and, besides, they were used to her coming home late by now.
Smiling brightly, she nodded. “Yes, I’d love to come.”
Lee’s grin widened, and he threw his arm around Sakura’s shoulder. “The more the merrier!”
He lowered his voice then, whispering into Sakura’s ear. “I say we should go to Yakiniku Q and eat all the food we want. I am certain Sensei’s wallet can take it.”
Sakura let out a small laugh, nodding. “Good idea.”
“Hey, what are you two whispering about?” Gai asked, raising an eyebrow, and both chunin straightened.
“Um, nothing, Sensei, just talking about where we want to go,” Lee said, although he sounded sheepish. The boy was a terrible liar.
Gai just shook his head with a playful scoff, figuring whatever these two were scheming couldn’t really be that bad, and placed a hand on each of their shoulders. “Alright, then, lead the way.”
“Right!” Lee said, rushing forward in his excitement, and the three of them raced off toward the restaurant.
It wasn’t too busy given the hour, and they were able to get a table without having to wait, and, once they were seated, both chunin began viewing the menu with even more enthusiasm than when they were training.
“I think we should get this, this, and, oh, this too!” Lee said, pointing to the menu items as he looked over Sakura’s shoulder.
“Yeah, those look good,” she replied, equally as invested. “And how about these? I think three orders should be enough.”
“Yes, good idea,” Lee said before glancing over at Gai. “I hope the table fits everything.”
Gai let out a nervous chuckle, realizing that perhaps he’d made a mistake offering to pay for everything. But, then again, his students had earned it, so he was more than happy to splurge on them tonight.
“Order anything you’d like,” he said, leaning back in his chair as he relaxed, watching with amusement as both Sakura and Lee’s eyes brightened, and they turned their attention back to their menus with renewed vigor.
Eventually, a waiter came to take their hefty order, and even he looked a little surprised by the amount, but made no comment on it, and assured them their food would be out as soon as possible. Another perk of eating with a high-ranking jonin, and both chunin were glad for it as their stomachs growled.
“You know, I feel like no matter how much I eat, it’s still not enough,” Sakura complained, resting her chin against her hand as she propped her elbow up on the table.
“I feel the same,” Lee agreed, letting out a sigh. “Rebuilding muscle after breaking it down over and over requires so much protein.”
Gai nodded, turning his head toward Sakura. “You are making sure to eat enough, though, right, Sakura?”
She nodded. “Yep, I finally figured out a routine for myself. I am busy, but Shizune taught me how to make some special soldier pills, and I supplement with those when I need to.”
“Good, good, as long as you’re taking care of yourself,” he said, forcing a smile as he tried not to think back to Sakura’s collapse.
He’d known she’d been pushing herself, but the girl hadn’t taken no for an answer, and she had hidden her pain so well. Still, he should have known, and when the Hokage had told him the full extent of her condition, he’d barely managed to stop himself from crying.
After that, Sakura’s health was no compromise, and he’d ensured he cared for both her and Lee to the best of his ability, while still pushing them to reach their greatest heights. And, she’d been doing much better now, which he was eternally glad for.
“Thanks for everything you’ve done for me, Sensei,” Sakura said, her kind voice breaking him out of his reverie.
He smiled again, this time genuinely. “Anything for you, Sakura. Your youthful vigor is a great motivation for Lee and me as well, and you have always been a joy to teach.”
She blushed lightly, and Lee flashed her a full-toothed grin before his eyes suddenly widened as he peered over her shoulder.
“Is that…Neji and Tenten?” He murmured, curious, and Sakura and Gai turned to look.
The two chunin were eating together at a booth for two, chatting quietly with each other. Well, Tenten was doing most of the talking, but Neji was clearly interested in what she was saying, the boy engaging occasionally with the utmost attention.
“Ah, what youth,” Gai said, pleased for them. “I just love to see my students getting along.”
But Sakura smirked, clearly seeing something they were both oblivious to. “Oh, I’d say they’re getting along, all right.”
Lee raised an eyebrow, confused. “What does that mean?”
“Lee, I know you only think about training, but you must have noticed how those two are around each other, right?” Sakura said, turning toward her friend, and Lee blinked a few times before he finally gasped.
“Ah, I get it now! They like each other, don’t they?”
Sakura nodded, laughing lightly at his reaction, and Gai looked a bit stunned before he grinned.
“Youthful love, even better! And blossoming in my own team, no less. This is brilliant news,” he said, and after stealing one more glance, he turned his attention away to give his students privacy.
And, soon after, their food arrived, and Neji and Tenten left the restaurant, having finished their dinner. The two of them never even noticed the group, clearly caught up in their own little world, but it’s not like any of them wanted to bother the duo.
Besides, they were far more focused on their meals, and Sakura and Lee tore into the meat, eating so quickly that Gai had to remind them that the food wasn’t going anywhere.
“So, Sakura, how has your other training been going?” Lee asked around a mouthful of ribs as he tore the meat off the bone.
“Good, actually,” Sakura said as she wiped her mouth with her napkin. “Just this week, I finally finished microdosing with poisons and performed a difficult surgery on my own for the first time. The patient’s expected to be discharged today without problems, so I’m really proud of myself for that.”
“Wow, Sakura, you’re incredible!” Lee gushed, wholeheartedly impressed. “And are you immune to poisons now like you’d hoped you’d be?”
Sakura nodded. “Yes, it seems so. Shizune and I did some testing to be sure, but there were no signs of problems. Oh, and, actually, on another note, Tsunade-sensei, Shizune, and I recently made a breakthrough in our studies.”
“About what?” Gai asked, and Sakura went quiet for a moment before she explained, her voice softer.
“I’m sure you both remember the Uchiha Massacre, right?” She began, and when they both nodded solemnly, she continued. “Well, ever since Tsunade-sensei became the Hokage, we have been trying to diagnose what poison was used.”
She took a steadying breath, lowering her voice. “And we’ve finally done it. It was a compound never seen before, but, after working for over a year now, we’ve made a cure.”
“What?” Lee gasped, eyes wide. “Sakura, this is amazing news.”
“With this, Danzo’s trump card will be rendered useless if he ever tries to use it again,” Gai murmured, expression serious before he smiled at Sakura. “You truly are a brilliant shinobi, Sakura.”
Sakura’s ears flushed hot at the praise, but she merely shook her head. “It was mostly Tsunade-sensei and Shizune, I only helped. But, really, I’m just glad that nothing like that day will ever happen again. And, I hope to be able to tell the boys when they return.”
“I’m certain they will be very grateful to know,” Gai replied. “It will put their minds at ease.”
“I hope so,” Sakura said quietly, absentmindedly tapping her chopsticks together. “And I can’t believe it’s already been almost a year since they left.”
“Yes, time has flown by,” Lee said before he leaned closer, bumping up against Sakura in a friendly gesture. “But maybe they will come home sooner than you think.”
Sakura smiled, comforted by the thought. “Maybe.”
Gai watched his two students interact and found his thoughts drifting to Kakashi. He wouldn’t mind his best friend coming home soon, too. He missed their competitions, despite how busy he’d been lately with missions and training.
“Well, my youthful chunin, there’s no use getting sad now, is there?” he said, gesturing to the food. “Eat before it gets cold.”
Both Sakura and Lee didn’t have to be told twice, and continued eating their meal, eventually clearing the table. Gai paid after that, and he and Lee walked Sakura home.
“See you tomorrow, Sakura!” Lee said as he waved goodbye, and Sakura waved back.
“Goodnight!” She called before stepping inside.
Her parents were already asleep by now, although they’d left the hall light on for her, and she walked back to her room quietly. And, just as she was climbing into bed for the night, she spotted the team photo they’d taken together after making genin.
She picked it up, carefully brushing her thumb over the frame, and felt herself warm as a soft smile broke out across her face.
“Stay safe,” she whispered into the night before she returned the picture to its spot on her bedside table.
And, with that, she lay down and sank into blissful darkness.
***
Learning Perfect Sage Mode took Naruto a week. One singular week.
Jiraiya had been rendered speechless the rest of the day, and Naruto had boasted about it for quite some time before getting a stick to the back of the head from Pa. Kurama, of course, had aided in this accomplishment as he helped acclimate Naruto to nature energy, but, for the most part, Naruto had his father to thank for teaching him stillness from a young age.
And, now, with more time on his hands than they’d anticipated, Naruto had continued to meditate. He experimented with the flow of his chakra and how nature energy maintained a balanced state within him. It reminded him of the way Kurama’s chakra felt when he used it, although maybe not quite the same.
Kurama’s chakra felt like the essence of power itself, like a rushing torrent, while nature energy felt like a vast ocean flooding into him. It was infinite, yet gentle, and he always found himself entranced as he gathered it.
There was a peculiar feeling to it, as if he could just let it sink deeper into himself until he was one with the world. It was a peaceful sensation, and one morning three months after he’d first achieved Sage Mode, he felt as the energy settled into his core, seeping into his chakra points.
It was warm, a gentle heat surging through him, and everything was so still-
“Naruto!”
He heard a sudden shout and startled, losing his concentration as he snapped his eyes open and jumped to his feet.
“What?” He shouted, looking around wildly until he saw Jiraiya staring at him with wide eyes, with Pa and Ma beside him.
The man was looking at him with a strange, undecipherable expression, and Naruto could tell whatever he’d done had caught the sannin very off guard. Perhaps even scared him.
“What did I do?” Naruto asked again, this time quieter, and Jiraiya seemed to finally gather his bearings enough to speak.
“You… disappeared,” he said slowly, as if he didn’t even understand what he was trying to say. “I couldn’t see you, and even your chakra signature was gone in an instant. Your scent, your breathing, everything. What did you do?”
“Oh, um,” Naruto began, his expression pinching as he thought back. “I just let the nature energy settle deeper into my chakra points. Are you saying I disappeared?”
“Yes, you did,” Pa said, stepping forward with a spark in his old eyes. “And, young one, I think you connected with the world itself.”
“I did…what?” Naruto asked breathlessly, slightly in awe, and Pa continued, drawing with his cane in the dirt.
“It’s something we only thought possible in the most abstract of theories, but, remarkably, you’ve achieved it. With your Perfect Sage Mode and further training, you’ve reached a complete harmony with nature energy. And, by allowing the energy to sink deeper into your chakra points, which requires absolute precision, you blended in with the world, therefore escaping all perception. In fact, I doubt even dojutsu could see through your invisibility.”
He turned to Jiraiya then, and hopped up onto the man’s shoulder as he gestured for Ma to do the same. “Now, I’m inclined to believe that only another Sage will be able to see through this new technique. So, Naruto, try to enter that state again, and Jiraiya-boy here will enter his Sage Mode, and we will see if I am correct.”
“On it,” Naruto replied with a short nod as he resumed a meditative position, recalling once again the same sensation as before.
The energy settled within his core, and he knew instinctively that he’d achieved the state, and he opened his eyes this time to see Jiraiya staring at him with a focused expression.
“So, can you see him now, Jiraiya?” Pa asked, and the sannin nodded, although his gaze remained narrowed.
“Yes, but not easily. His form is somewhat blurry, almost like a mirage curling up from hot sand.”
He sighed then, releasing Sage Mode as he crossed his arms with a miffed expression. “Then again, I’m no Perfect Sage like my pupil here.”
“Oh, come on, Ero-sensei, maybe you’ll get it one day,” Naruto said with a laugh as he phased back into view. “But, Pa, Ma, how cool is this? I can do surprise attacks now once I get the hang of it!”
“It is quite impressive,” Ma replied, smiling kindly. “You should be proud of yourself, and for all the hard work you’ve put in.”
Naruto grinned, jumping up and down excitedly. “Oh man, I bet Sasuke and Sakura won’t even believe it when they see it…or uh, when they don’t see it, I guess.”
He stilled then, his smile slowly fading away before he flopped back onto the ground and resumed the lotus position. “Okay, gotta focus. I won’t be able to face either of them if I don’t get this technique down perfectly, you know?”
“Alright, kid, but don’t push yourself too hard, you hear?” Jiraiya warned, wagging a finger at the boy, and Naruto merely nodded with a small laugh at the man’s chastising before closing his eyes and resuming his previous focus.
The blonde now in a trance, Jiraiya turned to Pa and Ma and subtly nodded his head for them all to step away.
The toads took the hint, and the three of them moved a short distance from Naruto, enough to be out of earshot for the most part, while also still close enough to help Naruto if the need arose.
“Was there something on your mind?” Ma asked, catching Jiraiya’s expression. The man seemed thoughtful, yet serious, as his finger tapped a slow tempo on his sleeve as he crossed his arms.
“Seeing this, I just…” The sannin trailed off, pausing for a moment before he shook his head, letting out a long sigh. “I don’t think I have anything more to teach him. The kid’s stronger than me.”
“Well, it’s as they say, the student must one day surpass the master, or else we are failing as mentors,” Pa replied, nodding wisely.
“Yeah, I just didn’t think it would be so soon,” Jiraiya said with a chuckle. “I mean, Naruto’s only 14.”
“He is young, but to face what is to come, we all must gather every bit of strength we have,” Pa said, and Jiraiya nodded solemnly.
“The Akatsuki are coming for him, and they will kill him and anyone who stands in their way,” he said, clenching his jaw at the mere thought of it before he let out the tension in a breath. “And, so, I think it’s finally time to release the Nine-Tails’ seal.”
“You think he’s ready?” Ma asked, and Jiraiya nodded.
“Kurama is on Naruto’s side, more so now than ever before, and with the physical training he’s undergone over the past nine months, as well as training his chakra pathways with learning Sage Mode, I think he can handle it.”
“Alright then,” Pa replied, agreeing with Jiraiya’s assessment. “Once Naruto has progressed more with this new technique, we can undergo the process of releasing his seal.”
Jiraiya just nodded silently, turning his head to look back over at Naruto. The boy was meditating peacefully, his eyes highlighted with a bright orange, and Jiraiya felt his heart pang with a subtle pain.
Naruto was only 14. He shouldn’t have to be worrying about the Akatsuki, not that he knew of them, of course. But he’d still suffered from Danzo, that rotten man, and that was another threat of equal measure. Jiraiya should have been able to protect him, protect Sasuke, protect all of them.
They were just children.
But, this world cared not for what age its soldiers were, only if they were strong enough to fight and win. To survive.
And, by Kami, Jiraiya was going to make damned sure they did.