9 Chapter 9: First Mission! Settling grudges.

Naruto woke early as usual and met up with Kakashi at the training field. After their sparring was finished, Naruto moved onto ninjutsu training. He focused his chakra and created a shadow clone in front of him.

"Kakashi-sensei, I think we should get back." Naruto suggested.

Kakashi nodded and the two jumped away until they were 100 meters away. Naruto threw a kunai at the clone and the clone exploded, creating a large crater in the ground. Kakashi was suddenly reminded of when Naruto had used paper bombs wrapped around his clones. He couldn't help but shudder at the thought. However he was immensely impressed with Naruto's rapid improvement. There were few individuals who learned and improved as quickly as Naruto did.

He couldn't help but think back to the information he was given about Naruto during his academy days. During that time period, Naruto was nothing more than a dunce. So Kakashi couldn't help but wonder what had caused this drastic change in Naruto. Regardless, he still felt pride at his students progress.

"Alright Naruto, looks like you've mastered combining your wind nature chakra with your shadow clones. Now it's time to teach you some new jutsus. However, I felt it would be a good idea to have you learn some basic techniques." Kakashi said, bringing Naruto's attention to him.

"Why's that Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked.

"Well, for a few reasons, I'm not saying you can't handle more advanced jutsus, but the ones you currently possess are limited. So learning a few more techniques will help fill in some gaps." Kakashi explained.

Naruto nodded his head as he listened.

"Also, if you don't have a firm understanding of the basics, then learning more advanced techniques will be a lot more difficult and you could develop flaws as well. So with this in mind, the goal is to strengthen your foundations on which you will master your ninjutsu." Kakashi finished.

Kakashi then pulled out a few scrolls and handed them to Naruto.

"These are some basic techniques that you have yet to learn, and I feel theh would prove useful to you. So, tomorrow, I want to see how much you improved on learning these." Kakashi stated.

Naruto nodded, then looked at the different scrolls. One was the body flicker technique, another one was the wind release, gale palm technique, and the last one was the wind release, great breakthrough technique. Naruto grew excited as he couldn't wait yo start training with these. However, before he could fo anything else, Kakashi stopped him.

"Looks like Sakura and Sasuke are here even earlier. We'll stop training here. After all, we have a mission to do today." Kakashi said smiling.

"Yo." Kakashi greeted with a smile.

"Hmph" Sasuke said glaring at Naruto.

"Good morning, sensei!" Sakura greeted back.

Naruto looked back at Sasuke, he wasn't sure what he should say. This Sasuke was still trying to hey revenge on Itachi and would sooner or later go to Orochimaru for power to do so. However, Naruto wanted to figure out a way to make sure that didn't happen. But he didn't know how he could do that, maybe if he could prevent Sasuke from getting the curse mark, things would change. He'd have to think some more about it.

"Alright, now that we're all here, I have an announcement for everyone, today, team 7 has been issued a D rank mission." Kakashi said. clapping his hands together to get everyone's attention.

"What's the mission?" Sakura asked.

"It's a simple task, we will be cleaning the trash out of the drainage system in the village." Kakashi smiled.

Naruto figured the mission would be something along those lines, but he still couldn't help feeling bored just from the thought of it.

"Alright, everyone, let's get going." Kakashi said as he turned and left.

The trio followed after him, and when they got to the site, they saw that the whole drainage system was filled with trash. The three of them groaned simultaneous as they saw what they'd be getting into.

"Thank you so much for your help!" The man who had put in the request said.

He then handed the group equipment for picking up the trash. Soon, team 7 had begun picking up trash. However, there seemed to be no end of it all, and Naruto had started getting restless.

"That's it!" He yelled, then he jumped up and crosses his fingers.

<Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu>

Soon, 20 Naruto's appeared and they all began picking up trash. But even with the extra hands, there still seemed to be no end to the trash.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei, what are we doing with the trash we pick up?" Naruto asked.

Then, Naruto had an idea, maybe he could use this as an opportunity to train. He then pulled out the body flicker technique scroll and looked it over. The technique consisted of pouring chakra into the body and using a burst of speed, travel instantly to another location. The only real limitations on the technique seemed to stem from how much chakra one poured into it and how well they could control it.

Naruto then focused his chakra amd covered his body in it. Then he burst forward and instantly appeared at the trash drop off sight. He quickly put the trash away, and used the technique to come back.

With this, he could train and save time on running back and forth. Hours passed by, and eventually, the drainage system qas cleared of all trash. The man thanked them enthusiastically before they left to go report to the Hokage.

Naruto had been thinking about the body flicker technique, and ways he could use it. Then he remembered the Raikage and how he coated himself in his lightning chakra. Was he really just using the body flicker technique and had just infused his lightning nature into it. Naruto wondered about this, then what if he did the same but with his wind nature? He then began focusing his chakra and changing it to it's wind nature, then he began covering himself in it. Suddenly, Naruto was surrounded by flowing air currents, and with a burst of wind, he vanished from his spot.

Sakura and Sasuke stared wide eyed at where he had stood while Kakashi had guessed what had happened. That Naruto, he thought, he really is pretty creative with the techniques he learns. While the group started to walk to the Hokage building again, Naruto qas upside down intangled in some tree branches. He hadn't expected the sudden increase in speed and distance and had messed up his footing, causing him to end up in that situation.

Hmmm, need to apply better control over it, after I master this though, it would prove really useful. Then he got another idea, after getting down, he faced a tree. He concentrated his chakra again and coated his arm in the wind nature chakra. Then he opened his arm and lunched the tree, his fist hit the tree and pierced straight through it. Then he pulled his fist back and extended his fingers. He swung his arm horizontally and sliced clean through the tree, causing it to fall over.

This is pretty deadly, he thought, at this point, he wouldn't even need a weapon. Then he thought back to the weapon shop and got another idea. So using the body flicker technique he appeared in front of the shop and ran inside. After looking around he found what he was looking for. He saw the bo staff he was interested in previously and grabbed it. After paying for it, he left the store and body flickered back. He held the staff in front of him and concentrated his chakra into coating it. Then he grabbed the staff and pierced at a tree three times. When he finished, he saw three circular holes where the staff had landed. Naruto smiled towards himself.

Even if he didn't need a weapon to fight, having one still gave him an advantage. Then he pulled out the other two ninjutsu scrolls he got. One was the gale palm jutsu while the other was the great breakthrough jutsu. After reading them over and understanding the basics, he created several shadow clones to help him practice it.

He concentrated his wind nature chakra into the palm of his hand before thrust it forward. His first attempt had sent a small blast of air that staggered several clones. Naruto then performed the task several more times until he got used to it.

"Alright, time to try it out at full strength." He said.

He then faced a tree and used the technique.

<Wind release: Gale palm jutsu>

After he thrust his palm at the tree, the tree bent backwards before snapping in half. Naruto grinned as he had finally gotten the technique down. All that was left now was the great breakthrough jutsu. Once he had it down, he would pravtice and refine each technique until he had them down perfectly. Then he glanced over at his newly acquired bo staff. I should get some training scrolls on the staff, he thought.

He looked up at the sky and saw that the sun was starting to set. So he decided to call it a day. As he was walking back he saw Sasuke and Sakura walking together silently.

"Yo, what's up?" Naruto called out to them.

"Naruto? Where did you go?" Sakura asked.

"Just in the woods over by the training field, I had wanted to try out some new ninjutsu I've been learning." Naruto replied.

Then Sakura noticed the bo staff that Naruto was carrying with him.

"I didn't know you knew how to use that" She said pointing at the staff.

"Oh this? I recently got it, I'm going to start learning how to use it. That way I can increase my range in fighting." Naruto said grinning.

Sakura seemed interested and was about to ask him about it more when she was interrupted by Sasuke.

"Naruto, I want you to fight me again!" Sasuke said as he glared at Naruto.

Naruto looked back at Sasuke and was quiet for a moment.

"No, I won't fight you again. The results won't change, even if you've been training hard, so have I." He said calmly as he stared back into Sasuke's eyes.

Sasuke clicked his tongue as he got even more pissed off at Naruto.

"But, how about we have a competition." Naruto suggested.

"A competition?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah, whoever wins has to buy the other dinner." Naruto grinned.

Sasuke stared back at him before shaking his head.

"I'm not interested, if you won't fight me then there's nothing else." Sasuke said as he began to leave.

"But I haven't told you what the competition is. It's a race, we will start at the training field and the goal is at the top of the great stone faces." Naruto explained.

Sasuke halted his steps.

"Anything goes in the race, you can try to get in my way, or anything, and whoever wins not only has to but dinner, but will be the team leader whenever Kakashi-sensei isn't around." Naruto finished.

Sasuke turned back around and face Naruto.

"Alright." Sasuke agreed.

Then the two started walking towards the training field.

"Oh, hey Sakura, can you be the referee for us?" Naruto asked her.

"Sure!" She agreed. She didn't like to see the two of them fight, so having them settle things with a race was for the best in her opinion.

Once the trio reached the training field, Naruto and Sasuke lined up next to each other.

"Ready?.....Go!" Sakura called out.

Naruto and Sasuke took off in a burst of speed. Naruto was busy thinking about how he should win when Sasuke suddenly increased his speed and got in front of him. Then he turned around and threw several shurikens at Naruto. Naruto jumped to the side to dodge and began running on the side of buildings.

After seeing this, Sasuke grew angry. When did Naruto learn to do that? He wondered. Eventually, Naruto caught back up to Sasuke and decided that he was going to use his wind release: body flicker technique. So he began focusing his chakra. After gathering up enough chakra, he activated the technique and vanished from Sasuke's sight with a sudden burst of wind.

Sasuke's eyes grew wide as he began cursing his stupidity of accepting this race. He'd forgotten about Naruto being able to do that. But nonetheless, he grit his teeth and kept running. Finally he arrived at the top of the stone faces and saw Naruto waiting for him.

"Looks like I win Sasuke!" Naruto grinned.

Sasuke say down heavily and was out of breath. He looked down in frustration.

"You know, I get that you have some goal you need to accomplish, but there's nothing wrong with asking for help to achieve it." Naruto said allowed, causing Sasuke to look at him.

"I don't have any parents, so I've had to do most things on my own. But ever since I met Iruka-sensei, and Kakashi-sensei, I've started being able to get help from others." Naruto continued.

"I never knew what it was like growing up with parents, so I can't say I know exactly how it feels to lose them."

"But loneliness is a pain that's terrible to indure, and I wouldn't want to see you get dragged into it." Naruto said looking at Sasuke.

Sasuke was quiet and didn't respond.

"Man, I'm not good at these kinds of things, so why don't we forget it." Naruto said jumping up.

"But don't forget, you still owe me a dinner!" Naruto yelled back as he left.

Sasuke was left alone with his thoughts as he remembered the times he had spent with his family. His parents, and his older brother who he loved dearly. But then everything changed on that night, and he had become the last of his clan. He grew angry at the thought, but then remembered Naruto's words. He replayed them over and over in his head. Then he too got up and left, going back to his house.

Naruto walked back into his apartment and placed the bo staff down. Then he got changed and sat down at his table. He then got on the floor and started meditating to clear his head. He was still troubled by Sasuke's decisions. But there wasn't anything he could do at this time. He then closed his eyes as he sighed out, this was going to be a tough problem.