True Bonds

Our Own Paths

The four members of Team 7 sat in silence, reflecting on their experiences in the Demon Desert. Even though they were far away from each other, all four of them had similar thoughts in their minds. 

Their fights with their opponents had mostly been successful, with the exception of their showdown against the Akatsuki trio.

After a few minutes lost in their own thoughts, all four shinobi making up Team 7 came to the very same conclusion. 'We need to get stronger.'

🔥

A messenger hurriedly rushed into Tsunade's office, wheezing from the distance that he had run. 'Tsunade-sama! Something terrible has happened!'

Immediately alert, Tsunade scanned the room, shooing the ANBU away and activating her privacy seals. 'What happened?'

'The captives our shinobi took in the Demon Desert have been murdered! Their heads are still in the T&I Department!'

Tsunade bit her lip and cursed.

🔥

Atop the head of a toad, Jiraiya opened the hospital window, looking inside to see Naruto deep in thought. 'Oi, kid.'

Not a word came out of Naruto's mouth.

'Oi! Kid!' Jiraiya repeated, louder than before.

Naruto jolted upwards, shocked by Jiraiya's appearance. He shook off his confusion in a flash, before turning his attention to the white-haired man. 'Pervy Sage! What are you doing here?'

'We both know about the Akatsuki, right?' Met with a nod, Jiraiya resumed speaking. 'I've received word that they are laying low for two years to capture the weaker jinchuriki before they come for you. How about spending that time to improve your skills so that you will be adequately prepared when the stronger members of the Akatsuki come for you?'

Thoughts raced through Naruto's mind, the many suggestions circulating around his brain. 'Let me think about it.'

'Take your time, while you still have it.' Jiraiya shrugged, his toad leaping away and leaving Naruto alone as if he had never come.

🔥

Sasuke reflected on his usage of Orochimaru's Curse Mark, reminding himself that he had only beaten his opponent because he tapped into this dangerously tempting power. So, what should his next move be to speed up his improvement? He still needed to defeat Itachi eventually, so how should he do it?

A small part of his mind reminded him that going to Orochimaru was always an option, but the sane part of Sasuke reassured him that that voice was just the result of the Curse Mark's influence. Pondering about his next move, Sasuke continued to lean against one of the walls of the Uchiha Clan Compound, thinking about what his next move was and what the fastest but safest way of improving his abilities was.

🔥

Looking down at his hands, Kakashi sighed, reminiscing of the times he was still with Obito, Rin, and Minato. Naruto was growing to become more and more like his father in both personality and ability, while he had remained stagnant since he had become a jonin sensei.

In fact, Kakashi, a former ANBU captain, had barely managed to defeat Zabuza and Raiga, much weaker opponents than some of the others he had faced during his ANBU career. Speaking of his ANBU career, Kakashi wondered how his former teammates in Team Ro were doing with the exception of Itachi, who was now a missing-nin.

Ah, the good old days as an ANBU captain, where he was highly capable of protecting his teammates, albeit that they were already very strong.

Suddenly, an idea struck Kakashi. He could return to ANBU if he wanted, but that would mean leaving his cute little genin, no, chunin behind to fend for themselves...