Team 7 stayed till the bridge was built. Kakashi was rather proud of his kids. They performed admirably, Naruto and Shikamaru held out long enough for backup. With the Chunin exams coming soon, he knew they were ready.
However he needed to address the turmoil going on in his kids. Mainly Shikamaru and Naruto. Shikamaru nearly died, even adults struggle with near death experience. Luckily the Nara was very logical and would be willing to listen to him.
Naruto would be tougher, the boy had his first kill. Not only that, he triggered the Kyuubi with his anger. Kakashi heard his screams in his sleep while they were at the Tazuna house the last few days.
Today they say bye to the villagers and head home. Naruto was glad to get home to his big sister. He hadn't slept well since the battle at the bridge. Tazuna stood with the entire village. "Thank you again for saving our nation. If the Leaf needs anything we will be there." Everyone bowed to the Leaf ninja.
"Thank you for your hospitality Tazuna and Tsunami. I'm glad we could help." Kakashi bowed back.
Walking up to Tsunami, Mito gave the women a hug, "Thank you Tsunami! I hope we can see each other again!" The women smiled, "Yes I do to! Anytime your here please stop by."
Inari tried to hide his tears, "Go-goodbye Naruto." Naruto pulled the boy in for a hug. "Goodbye Inari!" Letting himself cry brought the younger boy to tears, "We will see each other again okay?"
The boy nodded into Naruto's shirt, "Okay! You promise!" Smiling Naruto let go of the boy, "I promise."
Waving goodbye as they walked away. Tazuna decided to name the bridge the Great Konoha Bridge. The people of Wave would be eternally grateful to the Village Hidden in the Leaves.
After a few days of travel Team 7 arrived at the gates to Konoha again, "What a drag of a mission. I'm glad to finally be home."
"Me to! I need to learn how to apply my wind element now!" Everybody noticed the life come back to Naruto once they entered the village again.
"You guys go ahead and see your families. I will turn in our report." The Genin hastily agreed. Kakashi disappeared from view and the three walked together for a bit.
Mito looked at her friends, "So you guys want to train together this weekend after we advance a little bit?" Shikamaru smiled, "I'd rather sleep, but I'm game. We are a pretty good team."
Naruto was quiet for a moment, "Yeah I can. I want to learn a couple wind jutsu this week."
"Well if we check out elements maybe we can train with you." The blond smiled at him causing him to blush. "Um well I better go. I'll see you two later."
Watching the Nara walk away confused Naruto, "Did I say something?" Mito burst out laughing. "What's so funny?!"
Putting her hand on Naruto's shoulder, "Your so clueless." Naruto got flustered, "I don't understand?"
"Well you are a dobe." Sasuke appeared out of nowhere, "Shut up teme!" Naruto crossed his arms and pouted.
"Well Uzumaki. I hope you got stronger, I got a score to settle with ya." That changed Naruto's attitude, "I can't wait to see Sasuke."
"What's it like having Hinata and Shin on your team?" Naruto asked the emo boy. "Shin is weird. Hinata is quiet but strong."
They approached the Oda house hold, "Well bye Mito! By teme!" Naruto ran off into his home. Opening the front door, "Hey I'm home!
Yui ran through the doorway to the kitchen, "Naruto!" Wrapping her arms around her little brother. "How was your mission?"
"Well it was okay except it kinda turned into an A rank mission." Naruto rubbed the back of his head and chuckled. Yui's eyes got big, "Is everyone okay?"
"Yeah they are." Naruto looked at his feet. "Is mom or dad here?" Yui shook her head, "No, Dad's helping the Hokage with some things and Mom is training a few new Anbu for Shikaku."
"Hn." Naruto grabbed some new arrows and his yumi, "I'm gunna go practice." Watching her brother full of worry, Yui let him go into their training area.
Arriving at the Hokage's office, Kakashi walked in to see him and Kenshi discussing defense, "Oh Kakashi. Your back."
"Yes Lord Hokage. I turned in my report but thought I'd fill you in on the mission details in person." Hiruzen nodded before lighting his pipe.
Kakashi filled him and Kenshi on the events in wave. From the first fight, to the finishing blows to both Zabuza and his apprentice. Both men listened intently. Kenshi shuddered at hearing his son activating the Nine-Tails power.
"Naruto has been having troubles since he killed the hunter Nin." Kenshi nodded, "We all remember our first kill. I had hoped he wouldn't have to live with this so soon."
Letting out a sigh Kakashi look at the two older men, "With how the mission went, I'm honestly glad my team were so effective together." Hiruzen let out smoke before he responded, "Yes. They seem to be a great team. I don't know another team that would have come back in one piece from that mission."
"I will go and see Naruto. I'll be there for him." Kakashi nodded, "Thank you Kenshi. Also I would like to have Asuma come over tomorrow to help train him in wind chakra."
"Oh he has a wind element! Wonderful, I was curious. I assumed lightning because of Minato!" Kenshi's excitement made Hiruzen chuckled, "He really gets his energy from you."
Laughing Kenshi nodded, "Yes but his protectiveness comes from Sara." Bowing to Kakashi and Hiruzen, "Well goodbye my friends. I will take care of Naruto."
Naruto fired arrow after arrow into targets. Each time seeing the face of that boy. Naruto doesn't even know his name. Yui and Sara watched as he ignored any attempts to get his attention.
"You should have given up. Now after I finish this fight I'll have to help Zabuza finish off your friend." Naruto pulled back his last arrow. Eyes turning into slits, he screamed as orange chakra surrounded him. Giving the arrow insane power it completely destroyed the target and the tree directly behind it.
Falling to his knees, he started crying. Feeling a hand on his shoulder he looked up to see Kenshi. Jumping into his dad's arms he broke down. "I'm sorry Naruto do you want to talk about it?"
Nodding he looked at his sister and mom, "Shikamaru and I were by ourselves when they attacked us to get the bridge builder. I got separated fighting an ice hunter Nin. He said he was gunna go help his boss kill Shika and something snapped."
"It's natural to want to protect the ones we care about Naruto." He started to tremble, "I killed him though. He wasnt much older then me."
"Life of a Shinobi isn't easy. You will kill many more times before your career is over Naruto. It won't ever be easy, but you will get used to it."
"Now come on. We will eat then you are going to bed. Tomorrow Kakashi is bringing over a guest to help you with your wind release." Naruto nodded and made his way past Sara and Yui.
"Will he be okay?" Yui looked at the door he had just walked through. His dad nodded, "Yes. I'm worried about the Kyuubi chakra but yes he will."
Instead of nightmares of the fight in the wave. Naruto found himself standing in front of Kurama. "Hey furball! It's been awhile!"
"Damn it brat. I see you used my chakra." Naruto nodded, "I don't understand I thought you weren't going to let me use it?"
Kurama huffed, "I hadn't planned on it. However when I felt your heart break at the loss of that boy. I couldn't stop myself."
"Normally, to use my chakra you have to fill yourself with hate or anger. When you use it in that way your seal weakens. You didn't feel hate, but I allowed you to use my chakra."
Naruto put together what he was saying, "So you did that for me why?" Kurama looked away as if searching for something, "I do not know. I am getting soft. Now go let me sleep."
Trying not to think about his conversation with Kurama. Training with Sara helped, she was a tyrant in training but he loved it. He also had clones working on different seals. He had been able to create a fire seal for his arrows. Along with a bigger explosive seal. His gravity seals were increased as well.
Naruto landed on his back from the throw his mom had just got done doing to him when he felt Kakashi's chakra. "Hey Kakashi sensei."
"Naruto, I have someone to introduce you to. This is Asuma Sarutobi. He is the only other natural wind user in the leaf village." Naruto looked at the man in excitement.
Looking the blonde over he could tell that the boy worked hard, "I can teach you a few jutsu. But my specialty is in melee combat."
Jumping up to his feet in excitement, "My specialty is ranged combat. Mainly my yumi. I am also highly trained in Kenjutsu, my wakizashi being my other preferred method of fighting." Asuma lit his cigarette and smiled, "Good I want you to make thirty clones. Kakashi said you are the best user of shadow clone jutsu."
Smiling Naruto created all thirty clones, "Good. Clones you will split into ten. I want to work on Faithful Wind Blade, Wind Gale Palm, and lastly Wind Gale Wolf." The clones nodded and began working through the jutsu while Asuma took Naruto.
"Now Naruto I want you to use these Kunai. Your goal is to throw through the dummies." Naruto looked at him confused, "Hey old man. How the hell am I supposed to do that?"
"Surround your Kunai in wind chakra." Tossing the Kunai, it practically destroyed the dummy and kept flying." Naruto looked in awe before getting his bearings. "We will start here then as you progress you will add it to your wazikashi and then your arrows."
Smiling Naruto flipped a Kunai in his hand, "Hai!" Throwing the first one, Asuma was shocked to see he already has wind increasing the strength. 'This kid is incredible.'
Uchiha Compound
Mito was training with Shisui to increase her prowess with her Sharingan. Sasuke was there as well but was trying to increase his fire jutsu prowess . He had already expanded is justsu ability and gotten quite accomplished with body Flickr.
Throwing a fire ball at Shisui, the boy dodged and appeared behind Mito. Landing a kick and sending her crashing into the ground. "You still struggle with your fire ball jutsu. It's not strong or fast enough."
Mito thought about this, "Well my father wasn't an Uchiha. Maybe I have a different element?" Shisui thought for a moment, "It would explain why fire is more difficult for you. If so then you'll be closer to Jonin then anyone in your class."
The older Uchiha pulled out a peice of paper, "This is chakra paper. Feed your chakra into it and we can find your element."
Following Shisui's instructions, Mito forced her chakra through. Looking in awe as the paper crumbled apart. "what the, what's my element then?"
Shisui chuckled, "Your affinity is for earth. So we will have to get with Kakashi. Luckily your sensei has well over a thousand jutsu." She smiled before getting back to her training.
Sasuke had just arrived to spar with Mito. Overhearing her conversation with Shisui, he was glad to here that she would be able to help grow with her own affinity. Mito was strong, the only other Uchiha other then his brother and Shisui he really respected anymore.
Shikamaru was practicing his shadow mimic technique. Shikaku was glad to see that his endurance had increased with the ability. He now was practicing different ways to use his shadows. Instead of just straight lines, he also was able to throw Kunai and shiruken with the ability. Something that Shikaku had invented.
Watching his some closely though, he could tell his mind was elsewhere, "Shikamaru come here." Sitting next to his dad, and taking a water bottle he had offered, "What's wrong Shika?"
"It's troublesome. Don't worry about it?" Shikaku shook his head, "Is it about the Wave mission?"
"Son you almost died. I'd be worried if it didn't bother you." Shikamaru sighed, "It's partially that. When I thought I was going to die, I thought of someone and now I'm confused on what to think."
Raising his eyebrow, "A teammate?" Shikamaru nodded, "The Uchiha girl?" This time he shocked his dad by shaking his head, "Ah I see. So you have feelings for Naruto Uzumaki huh?"
"I'm clan heir. I shouldn't be having feelings for a boy." Shikaku chuckled, "Says who? Son you can feel what ever you want. If a boy makes you happy then we will support you."
Shikamaru fell back and looked to the sky as his dad walked away. Thinking about Naruto made him smile, "What a drag."