Naruto had gone to check on Hinata, he left after confirming that she would be all right. She had told him that they would release her later that day. They had drawn the match-ups before they left, Naruto vs Neji, Shikamaru vs Temari, Gaara vs Dosu, Kankuro vs Shino, and Sasuke vs Sakura.
Naruto scoured the village, searching for his sensei, they needed to work out a training schedule for Kakashi to train them all individually.
Naruto had finally found his hero at Training Ground 7, he was staring at the memorial stone with his book in hand.
"Kakashi-Sensei?" Kakashi turned to his blonde student. "You've come to ask me to train you for the month?"
"Well..." Naruto didn't like the way Kakashi sagged his shoulder. "Sorry, Naruto. But I'll be training Sasuke for the month. I've picked out a trainer for you and Sakura, Sakura has already met with her's. Come here tomorrow at the normal time and I'll introduce you to the person I hand-picked for you."
Naruto had held himself together until Kakashi had left, Naruto fell to his hands and knees in tears. Sasuke. Sasuke. Sasuke. It's always Sasuke. It was true that the Uzumaki and Uchiha had become friends and their rivalry had become more friendly, but it hurt the blonde that their sensei preferred his black-haired teammate. 'It makes sense though, Sasuke did far better than me during the Bell Test, he had touched a bell after all. It makes sense that Sensei would favor him.' Naruto thought as he threw his mask at a tree, causing it to crack a little. Walking over to it, he picked it up. Naruto was surprised that it had survived that punch by Lee. Naruto punched the tree his mask hit with his other hand, destroying a portion of it, and making it fall over. Naruto fell back to his knees as it started to rain. How long was he out here? What time was it? He didn't care. He wanted to die. For the rain to flood him, to drown him. He momentarily considered correcting Kakashi's two mistakes with his kunai, however, before he could make a decision, a voice distracted him.
"Naruto-Kun?" Hinata asked worriedly. Naruto wondered what she was doing here as he distinctly remembered leaving the training ground and moving to the forest. As Naruto looked her in the eyes, it was her reaction that told him he had his right eye open and reminded him he hadn't put his mask back on.
"Sharingan?" Hinata whispered as she saw Naruto's eyes. She then took notice of his tears, crouching down beside him, she hugged him, surprised that she was bold enough to do such a thing. Naruto clutched Hinata like she was his last lifeline. Had he ever hugged anybody before? Naruto wondered if he would ever feel this again. Is this what he's been missing his whole life? Naruto cried into Hinata's shoulder for over an hour, while she caressed him as she whispered to him.
It was ten before Kakashi arrived with a woman with purple hair in Anbu armor. Naruto had a sudden flashback to when Kakashi saved his life as an Anbu operative.
"Uzumaki Naruto meet Uzuki Yugao, she's the current captain of my old Anbu team. She'll be teaching you for the next month." Naruto bowed at her. "Hello," Yugao gave a half-hearted wave.
"What will she be teaching me?" Naruto asked Kakashi, off-put by her blank expression.
"Habit from years in the Anbu," Kakashi informed Naruto. "As for training, I've noticed you've acquired a Katana from the Forest of Death, so I asked the best person available to teach you how to use it. Yugao is second only to Hayate in Kenjutsu." Yugao gave a sheepish smile at Kakashi's praise, true or not it was still surprising to be praised by Kakashi.
"Hayate? You mean the proctor?" Naruto asked as Yugao smiled. "He's my boyfriend,"
Naruto nodded, having no other response to that. "Well, I'll leave you to it." Kakashi took his leave. "So what should I call you? Yugao-Sensei? Uzuki-San? Neko?" Yugao's eyes widened at his last suggestion. "A sensor, huh? You can call me what you want."
"Neko-Sensei?" Naruto tried. Yugao shook her head and offered him no explanation. "Aww. uh, Uzuki-Sensei, then?" Yugao shrugged, allowing the name.
"First things first, while he asked me foremost to teach you Kenjutsu, Kakashi asked me to teach you some other things if I saw the opportunity. So, remember to keep that in mind. Now, have you used that thing before?" Yugao asked as she pointed at Naruto's newly acquired sword. Naruto brought his hand to his neck, in his fight against a Taijutsu Specialist, he hadn't had the chance to test the sword out.
"I used it on the guy I stole it from, but that's all. I hadn't had the chance to get myself used to it, to use it properly." Yugao's mouth twitched upwards slightly when naruto just openly admitted that he stole his sword.
Naruto dodged out of the way when Yugao suddenly swiped her sword at him. Naruto pulled out his sword, recognizing that she wanted to test his Kenjutsu skills.
"That's enough for today," Yugao said as she sheathed her sword and Naruto did the same while checking his wounds. Every time he would try to attack her, she would not only counter him but cut him with ease.
"I want you to practice the kata motions. We'll meet here tomorrow after lunch and pick up where we left off. Later." Naruto didn't give a reaction to her use of the Teleportation Jutsu. Naruto made his way to the Hokage Tower. Knocking on the Hokage's office, Naruto entered upon hearing the approval.
"Naruto-Kun, what can I do for you?" Hiruzen asked the blonde.
"I was wondering if you could give me a solo mission or something?" The blonde asked with his mature tone of voice. "If you want to complete some D-Ranks, then I could give you a make-shift team."
"Can't I do it myself? I'm not really in the mood to deal with other ninjas."
"Very well, here's one to start you off." Naruto spent the rest of the day going around, doing D-Rank Missions.
"Hazy Moon Night,"
"Secret Sword: Moonlight," Naruto gaped as Yugao and Hayate sparred, both eyes open.
"Woah, they are amazing." He whispered in disbelief. They were only using Kenjutsu, so to show Naruto what a Kenjutsu Master is capable of, but Naruto was left awestruck by their fight. He was still speechless when they walked toward him, their fight finished when Hayate disarmed Yugao.
"You alright there, Naruto-Kun?" Hayate asked with a chuckle. Closing his right eye now that the fight was over, Naruto shook his head to get over his shock. "That was one the coolest things I've ever seen, do it again." Hayate chuckled before coughing, Yugao rubbed his back as his coughing died down.
"I'm alright, let's continue." Naruto stood, worried about the man's health. "Are you sure? You look like you could benefit from a nap. Should we cut today's training short, Neko-San?" Yugao nodded, gratefully. She took Hayate home, leaving Naruto behind.
Naruto sighed as he made his way to the Hokage Tower, he might as well complete some with his extra free time. He could also go home and read the books about the Uzumaki Clan and Fuinjutsu. After Yugao had sent him home after the first day of their training, Naruto went to the Library and researched the Uzumaki Clan. He had learned that they specialize in Fuinjutsu and that he got his large reserves from his clan. Uzumaki's were also known for their longevity. Naruto had found a few books on Fuinjutsu, he had his Shadow Clones reading up on Fuinjutsu and the Uzumaki Clan every day while he trained with Yugao and took solo D-Ranks.
Naruto's clones dispelled, granting him their memories and experiences. He dropped to his knees, nearly passing out from the mental fatigue that was consuming him.
"Okay, regularly change them out one at a time." Naruto realized. Naruto got up thinking through his clone's memories, resuming his trek to the Hokage Tower.
"Sorry, Naruto-Kun, you've completed all the D-Ranks in the village." The Hokage told him when he walked in. Naruto frowned behind his mask. "And you absolutely can't give me a C-Rank?" He questioned. The Hokage was prevented from answering his question by a knock on the door.
"Enter," In came Gai with his Genin team. "Team Gai, requesting a C-Rank. My student's Flames of Youth burn with youthful energy."
"Gai-Sensei,"
"Lee," Naruto was finding those two annoying beyond belief. 'This is Sensei's rival?' Naruto thought with disbelief. Naruto tuned back in to see the Hokage looking at him thoughtfully.
"Perhaps there is something I can do, Naruto." Naruto refrained from yelling his objection, he needed physical to occupy his time after training. "Thank you, Hokage-Sama." He bowed to the Sarutobi.
"Gai, would you be willing to add another Genin to your team for this mission?" Gai and Lee stopped hugging each other with tears rolling down their cheeks. "Another Genin?" Gai asked. Naruto turned to him, dropping all of his pride, he bowed to the green-clad Ninja. "Gai-San, please consider allowing me to partake in your mission, I'm starved of action."
"Why not? Our Flames of Youth will burn hotter with you joining us." Naruto sighed, wondering if it was too late to back out. "Shall I go over the mission details, or does anybody have an issue with the new arrangement?"
Naruto sighed as he collapsed onto his bed, mentally exhausted. "It's been barely a week, but I miss my team. Still, three weeks left." Naruto looked at a book that his clone forgot to put away. Staring at it, he thought through what he learned in it.
Naruto jumped to his feet, suddenly realizing something. "Uzumaki blood can heal people!" He shouted in realization. He made a hundred clones, having them learn as much about that aspect as they can.
"You're looking much better, Hayate-San," Naruto noted when he got to the training ground. Naruto had ended up giving Hayate a blood transfusion, which was all that was needed to cleanse the man of his illness. Yugao was so happy she kissed Naruto on the cheek, it was on his mask, but still. The Master Kenjutsu couple had offered Naruto anything he wanted for his actions, despite his protests, saying that he only wanted to help. He had eventually given in and requested a sword made from Chakra absorbing metal, his current one being made from regular metal.
"I feel so much better, and it's all thanks to you." Naruto sighed at Hayate's gratitude.
"You don't stop, do you?"
"We are indescribably grateful, are you sure there's nothing else we can do for you?" Yugao asked the blonde. "Just the sword, this one doesn't seem to like Wind Chakra being channeled through it."
"Well, the Hokage approved our request, we'll go to the Land of Iron after the finals."
"Speaking of which, it's time to continue where we left off. Hazy Moon Night," She waved her sword in a circular motion, creating afterimages of it.
"Oh yeah, that fight was so cool. Will you be teaching me those Jutsu?"
"Ah, Naruto-Kun, don't forget what my position is. As I'm still the proctor I'm not allowed to teach you anything. That spar was okay because I was only fighting a fellow shinobi with an audience, girlfriend's student or not."
"Aww, your Jutsu was so cool too," Naruto grumbled.
Naruto sorely walked home after yet another taxing day of training. "With Hayate-San healed, Neko-Sensei has become a slave driver during training. "Naruto?" Turning his head at his name being called, Naruto made eye contact with his female teammate. Kurenai was leading her home, it would seem.
"Sakura, you look like you're about to drop." Sakura gave a weak laugh. Naruto gave a bow to Kurenai. "Yuhi-San, I apologize if my teammate has been bothering you."
"Oh, I didn't tell you, we haven't seen each other since the preliminaries, Sensei asked Kuranai-San to train me for the month." Naruto furrowed his brows. "Isn't Shino in the finals? Shouldn't you be teaching your own student, and not someone else's?" Naruto asked with a polite tone of voice filled with respect, Kurenai was renowned as the Genjutsu Mistress. Whether he can see through Genjutsu with his Sharingan or not, Naruto still had a big weakness for Genjutsu, so the last thing he wanted was to upset the sexy Kunoichi in front of him. Kurenai took immediate notice of Naruto's behavior towards her, he wasn't this polite or respectful to her during their meeting at the Waves, she wondered what changed his behavior. "Shino is training with his clan, it was decided the moment he learned of the month of training, Kakashi had overheard our conversation and asked if I would teach Sakura a thing or two, to which I agreed." Naruto nodded respectably.
"What about you, Naruto? Who have you been training under?" Sakura asked curiously.
"Sensei's old Anbu teammate, Uzuki Yugao, also happens to be the proctor's lover. She's quite the shinobi, not a bad teacher, either."
"Oh, that's cool, what's she teaching you?" Sakura asked curiously.
"Sakura, you realize that if we both beat our opponents, we're to fight next, right?" Sakura gasped at that, just the thought of having to fight Naruto spooked her.
"We both know that I won't beat Sasuke. Besides, you know who my trainer is, you have already figured out what I'm learning, won't you even the playing grounds for your teammate?" Naruto contemplated her reasoning, it was true that he strongly speculated that Kurenai was teaching her Genjutsu, he hadn't known for sure until she confirmed it. Before he could give the girl an answer (he was going to reasonably decline, saying that she should figure it out), Kurenai had answered the question.
"If he's being trained by Uzuki Yugao, then it's probably Kenjutsu. She's one of the best at it, second only to Gekko Hayate. But you shouldn't assume that someone is teaching someone something specific just because they specialize in it."
"I had speculated that you were being trained in Genjutsu, not only because she's the best in the village when it comes to it, but also because of your gift for Chakra control, I didn't know for sure until you all but confirmed it. I didn't think that it was the only thing she is teaching you, so don't think just because my trainer's a Kenjutsu Master, that she's only teaching me Kenjutsu." Naruto advised her, causing her to nod, Naruto was steadily increasing in intellect.
"I must say, I kind of wish I had gotten you as a student, Naruto-Kun." Naruto felt a small blush tint his covered face. "I'm sure your current students complement each other just fine as is. Besides, you'll want a student that can understand the Ninja Art you specialize in, otherwise, you won't be praised as much. As much as I enjoy chatting with you two, Sakura looks like she desperately needs a bed, and I'd like to rest up and heal my injuries that Uzuki-San plans on giving me more of tomorrow. I'm sure you'll do better than you think during your match, Sakura. Ja ne." Naruto bowed before making the Tiger hand seal and disappearing in smoke.
Kurenai's eye twitched, Naruto was slightly more polite than Kakashi but had his laziness it seemed. "Does he do that a lot? He looked like he does that every day," Sakura groaned.
"He does do that every day, as does our sensei. Can you teach me that Jutsu?" Sakura had managed to convince Kurenai to teach her to Jutsu by the time they made it to her home.
"I can't wait to see the finals, I know you'll both do well. Good night, Sakura." Kurenai had withered away into ashes. "Genjutsu. Of course!" Sakura mumbled before going inside to rest.