Naruto: Heir To The Cherry Blossoms

Chapter 6: The All-Out Assault

The trio advanced steadily through Training Ground 7, their eyes set on Kakashi's flag. Naruto led with a calm yet determined demeanor, while Sasuke followed with sharp focus, and Sakura flanked them with nervous energy. Despite their differing personalities, their movements were coordinated.

Halfway to Kakashi's flag, he appeared in their path, casually leaning against a tree with his signature eye-smile. "So, you're finally working together. I'm impressed," Kakashi said. 

Naruto stepped forward, his gaze sharp. "Impressed enough to let us pass?" 

Kakashi chuckled. "Not quite." 

---

Naruto and Sasuke lunged at Kakashi simultaneously. Naruto aimed a series of precise strikes with his Gentle Fist, while Sasuke attacked with a kunai, his movements aggressive and direct. Kakashi sidestepped Naruto's palm strike and parried Sasuke's kunai with his own.

"You two are getting better," Kakashi remarked, pivoting to avoid Sasuke's kick. "But you're still too predictable." 

Sakura stayed back, her hands full of kunai and shuriken. She hurled them with practiced aim, creating a barrage that forced Kakashi to move defensively. 

Naruto took the opening, unleashing Eight Trigrams: Air Palm, a burst of chakra that shot toward Kakashi like a cannon. Kakashi backflipped, narrowly avoiding the blast, but the force disrupted his balance. 

Sasuke seized the opportunity, forming seals quickly. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" Small fireballs erupted from his mouth, spreading in an unpredictable pattern. Kakashi twisted his body to dodge, but the flames obscured his vision briefly. 

Naruto appeared in his blind spot, his Byakugan glowing fiercely. "Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms!" 

Naruto's hands became a blur as he struck Kakashi repeatedly, aiming for his tenketsu points. Kakashi managed to block some of the strikes with his forearm guards, but the speed and precision of Naruto's attacks forced him to retreat. 

""Impressive," Kakashi admitted as he created distance. "Your Gentle Fist is refined beyond your years. But..."

He suddenly appeared behind Naruto, aiming a kunai at his shoulder.

Naruto turned swiftly, countering with an Air Palm that forced Kakashi to retreat again.

---

As the fight continued, Sasuke formed more seals. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"

A massive ball of flame erupted from Sasuke's mouth. Kakashi countered with the Water Bullet Jutsu. 

The two techniques collided, creating a dense cloud of steam that blanketed the area. 

Naruto smirked. Perfect.

Using the cover of the smokescreen, Naruto used Shunpo, vanishing from sight. His sudden disappearance caught Kakashi's attention. 

"Smart," Kakashi muttered, his eyes scanning the area. 

---

Naruto reappeared near Kakashi's flag, his eyes narrowing as he spotted a clone standing guard. The clone immediately moved to intercept, throwing a kunai aimed at Naruto's chest. 

Naruto sidestepped, closing the distance in an instant. The clone slashed at him with another kunai, but Naruto ducked under the attack, using the momentum to deliver a powerful Air Palm. 

The clone dissipated into a puff of smoke, but Naruto didn't relax. His Byakugan revealed the flag within arm's reach. 

As he reached out, the ground beneath him shifted. Another clone emerged, attempting to grab his ankle. 

Naruto smirked, twisting his body mid-air to appear behind the clone in a flash. His hand grasped the flag tightly as the clone vanished. 

"I've got it," Naruto murmured, a rare hint of satisfaction in his voice. 

---

Naruto returned to his teammates, holding the flag high. Sakura gasped, and Sasuke's eyes narrowed in a mixture of surprise and annoyance.

"You actually got it?" Sasuke muttered, his tone a mix of disbelief and irritation.

Naruto handed the flag to Sakura without a word.

Kakashi emerged from the shadows, clapping slowly. "Well, well. You've managed to get this far. I'm impressed."

Naruto stepped forward, his expression unchanging. "Spare us the compliments. Have we passed or not?"

Kakashi chuckled. "Yes, you've passed."

"You worked together when it counted," Kakashi.

"So I was correct the test wasn't about the flag after all. So that's why you didn't attempt to take our flag" Naruto

Kakashi nodded.

"It was never about the flag" Sakura and Sasuke thought

"Naruto, you saw an opportunity and took it. Sasuke, you provided the necessary cover with your fire jutsu. And Sakura, you supported your team effectively. That's what being a ninja is all about. Teamwork " Kakashi

Naruto's face remained stoic, but there was a subtle glint of satisfaction in his eyes.

"From now on, Team 7 is officially formed," Kakashi declared. "Congratulations."

Kakashi offers some final words: In the Ninja World, those who break the rules are scum, that's true...but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum!"

____

Chapter 7:

At the Konoha Cemetery

Kakashi stood silently before the graves of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, the afternoon sun casting long shadows across the stone markers. His hands were tucked into his pockets, his expression thoughtful beneath his mask. 

"Well, Minato-sensei, Kushina, your son passed the test," Kakashi said softly, his tone carrying a hint of amusement. "He's... let's say, not what I expected. Stuck up, prickly, and formal to a fault. But..." Kakashi's visible eye softened. "He's a good kid. You'd be proud of him." 

He sighed, glancing at the names etched in stone. "Still, I can't help but feel he's carrying too much weight, too many rules, too much expectation. He deserves to be happy, to live without feeling the need to shoulder the world..." 

Kakashi's voice trailed off as memories of his father, Sakumo Hatake, surfaced. He clenched his fists briefly, recalling the guilt and obsession with rules that consumed him after his father's death. 

Unbeknownst to Kakashi, a figure shrouded in darkness watched him from the shadows. Tobi, or rather Obito, observed his old friend with an unreadable expression, his lone Sharingan glowing faintly beneath his mask. 

"Kakashi... still haunted by the past," Tobi thought. "Once again you'll be powerless to save someone you care about. The Akatsuki will come for the boy, and there's nothing you can do to stop it." 

Kakashi turned to leave, offering one last farewell. "I'll keep watching over him for you, Minato-sensei. For both of you." 

As Kakashi disappeared into the distance, Tobi remained in the shadows, his thoughts dark and foreboding. "Enjoy your peace while it lasts, Kakashi. It won't be long before the world you know begins to crumble." He vanished into the shadows, leaving only silence behind. 

---

When Naruto returned home later that evening, he found Hinata seated in the living room with their parents, a small smile on her face. She had just finished telling Hiashi, Hanabi, and Hitomi about her success in passing her team's test. 

Naruto congratulated her, his tone cold and formal as always. "Well done, Lady Hinata." 

Hinata smiled warmly, seeing through his icy exterior. "Thank you, Naruto-niisan." 

---

Naruto, with a rare day off, approached Hiashi that morning with a request to accompany Neji to one of his training sessions. Hiashi granted permission without hesitation, intrigued by his son's interest in Neji's peculiar sensei, Might Guy. 

When Naruto asked Neji about joining him, the older Hyūga complied, though his expression suggested mild surprise. 

---

At Training Ground 3

When Naruto and Neji arrived, they were greeted by a peculiar sight; Might Guy and Rock Lee were running laps around the training ground on their hands, their movements fast despite the awkward position. Nearby, Tenten practiced her aim, precision evident as her weapons struck targets with pinpoint accuracy. 

Guy and Lee flipped into the air, landing gracefully in front of Neji and Naruto. Guy's toothy grin and thumbs-up were immediate. "Ah, Neji! And who is this youthful companion you've brought along?" 

Neji bowed slightly. "This is Naruto-sama, the heir to the Hyūga clan." 

Naruto inclined his head politely. "Please, no need for such formalities, Neji. I've no intention of becoming clan head. My devotion lies with Lady Hinata and Lady Hanabi." 

Tenten glanced at Naruto, intrigued. "So this is the famous Naruto," she thought. "He's... kind of cute." 

Lee stepped forward energetically, his eyes wide with excitement. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Naruto-sama! My name is Rock Lee!" 

Naruto returned the courtesy. "Likewise, Lee." 

Guy's booming voice interrupted. "Ah, the fire of youth burns bright in you, Naruto! What brings you here today?" 

"I came to observe and, if possible, participate in one of your training sessions," Naruto replied, his tone steady. 

Guy gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up. "Excellent, Naruto! The flames of youth will burn even brighter today!" 

Lee nodded eagerly. "Your interest in our training shows your dedication, Naruto-sama! Let's give it our all!" 

---

The Race Through the Village

Guy handed Naruto and Neji weights similar to those he and Lee wore.

Guy explained the rules of their race; start at Training Ground 7, run through the entire village, and circle back. The first to finish would win. With that, the four lined up and took off at Guy's command. 

"Ready... go!" they launched into action. 

Guy and Lee surged ahead immediately, their speed incredible despite the weights. Naruto maintained a steady pace at first, observing their movements. Neji trailed behind, his face composed but clearly unused to the challenge of running with such burdens. 

As they raced through the bustling streets of Konoha, villagers paused to watch the spectacle, some cheering, others gawking at the sheer absurdity of it all. Lee, running just behind Guy, glanced back at Naruto with wide eyes. "Naruto-sama, you're keeping up well!" 

Naruto didn't reply but increased his speed slightly. Though he avoided using Shunpo to teleport outright, his form was efficient and well-measured, allowing him to close the gap with minimal effort. 

By the halfway point, Guy still held the lead, his relentless stamina keeping him ahead. Naruto, however, began gaining ground on Lee, his breathing steady and calculated. 

"Impressive, Naruto-sama!" Lee called out, though a spark of competitive energy flickered in his eyes. "But you won't surpass my youthful flames so easily!" 

Naruto didn't respond verbally, but with a sudden burst of speed, he overtook Lee, moving into second place. Lee's eyes widened in shock and determination. "What?! No way! I can't let this stand!" 

The final stretch of the race brought them back toward Training Ground 7. Naruto was now only a few meters behind Guy, his Byakugan active as he studied Guy's movements. The older man's speed and stamina were nothing short of extraordinary. 

Naruto pushed himself harder, his muscles burning under the weight, but he couldn't quite close the distance. Guy crossed the finish line first, landing gracefully with a victorious pose. 

Naruto arrived mere seconds later, sliding to a stop with controlled ease. He exhaled, but showed no signs of exhaustion. 

Lee finished shortly after Naruto, dropping to his knees in shock. "Second place?! Naruto-sama... you... you surpassed me!" His disbelief quickly morphed into fiery determination. "This... this is incredible! Naruto-sama, I now declare you my rival in the flames of youth!" 

Naruto raised an eyebrow at Lee's proclamation, his tone dry. "I wasn't aware we were competing." 

Guy's booming laughter filled the air as he clapped Naruto on the back. "Outstanding, Naruto! To finish second in your first race with weights, your flames of youth burn brightly indeed!" 

Neji crossed the finish line a moment later, his usual calm composure marred by mild irritation. He said nothing, though his glance at Naruto conveyed both acknowledgment and begrudging respect. 

Lee stood up, his fists clenched in excitement. "Naruto-sama, I promise to work harder and surpass you next time! My youthful determination will not falter!" 

Naruto smirked slightly, brushing dust off his sleeve. "You're welcome to try." 

Guy gave another enthusiastic thumbs-up. "This race has shown me something beautiful! The youthful spirit of rivalry burns strong today!" 

The group stood together briefly to catch their breath, the air alive with energy as the next phase of their training loomed. 

Tbc