Early morning, deep within the forests of Konohagakure...
A shuriken sliced through the air, aimed straight at a man wearing a forehead protector like a bandanna. Dressed in a standard Jonin jacket with a senbon clenched between his teeth, Shiranui Genma barely flinched as he tilted his head, letting the blade whistle past his ear.
His opponent? Uzumaki Naruto.
In a sudden burst of speed, Naruto lunged forward only for Genma to sidestep effortlessly. With a light but firm push against the back of Naruto's head, he sent the boy sprawling face-first into the rough bark of a nearby tree.
"Urgh… my head!" Naruto groaned, rubbing the sore spot where wood met skull.
Genma crossed his arms, the senbon in his mouth twitching slightly as he spoke. "You've got the speed, but you're still reckless. Control it, or it'll control you."
"I know," Naruto grumbled, pushing himself up on unsteady feet.
For a brief moment, Genma saw a flicker of his old mentor in the boy's stubborn gaze. A faint smile tugged at his lips before he exhaled, shaking off the nostalgia.
"On your feet," he ordered, tone firm but not unkind. "We're going again."
Naruto wiped the dirt from his face, determination flashing in his eyes as he dropped into a ready stance. "Yes, Genma-sensei!"
And then he charged.
. . . .
Sasuke launched a sharp kick straight at the chest of a tall man with short, spiky black hair, Sarutobi Asuma, clad in his standard Jonin vest.
Asuma crossed his arms, gritting his teeth as the impact rattled through his guard. The force behind the Uchiha's strike was nothing to scoff at.
Without hesitation, Sasuke pressed forward, his sharp eyes analyzing Asuma's movements. There was a roughness to his style, something akin to Kiba's but where Kiba relied on hit-and-run tactics, Asuma stood his ground, trading blow for blow with relentless pressure.
A heavy downward punch came crashing toward Sasuke. Reacting instantly, he twisted his body, seizing Asuma's wrist mid-swing. Using the momentum, he pivoted and snapped a kick toward Asuma's face—
Only for the Jonin to catch his ankle in a firm grip.
Unfazed, Sasuke released his hold on Asuma's wrist, shifting his weight to whip his other leg around in a second strike.
This time, Asuma had no choice but to block and stagger back a step. A slow smirk spread across his face as he lowered his guard.
"Uchiha Sasuke, you pass." His voice carried a mix of approval and something deeper, unspoken.
'He's already better than I was at his age… but still nowhere near Itachi.' The thought lingered, bitter yet resigned. 'The world doesn't hand out talent equally, does it?'
With Asuma's declaration, Sasuke had officially become a Genin. He stood there, breath steady but mind racing. It wasn't a decision he would have made alone without Kiba's influence goading him forward, he might never have taken this step at all.
. . . .
Hokage Office
The Third Hokage exhaled a slow stream of smoke from his pipe, studying the young boy standing before him. Kiba met his gaze without hesitation, shoulders squared.
"You requested this meeting with urgency," Hiruzen observed, tapping the ashes from his pipe. "I assume the matter is important."
Kiba's voice came out steady, but there was an edge beneath it. "Is my family still alive?"
Hiruzen gave a single nod. "They are. And they face no immediate threats."
A brief silence settled before Kiba spoke again. "Then I have a request."
The Hokage gestured for him to continue.
"When I turn twelve," Kiba said, his tone deliberate, "I want to be placed on a genin team. I'll be ready to pull my weight by then."
A faint smile touched Hiruzen's lips. The boy had chosen his timing well old enough to be taken seriously, young enough to still have room to grow.
"I thought you aspired to follow your sister's path," the Hokage mused, watching him closely.
Kiba didn't waver. "Experience is the only way I'll succeed."
Hiruzen couldn't argue with that logic. After a moment's consideration, he gave a slow nod. "Very well." He dismissed him with a wave. "You may go, Kiba."
"Thank you, Hokage-sama." With a sharp bow, Kiba turned and strode from the room.
Hiruzen turned his chair toward the window, his gaze sweeping across the village of Konoha. Rising from his seat, he leaned forward, studying the bustling streets below.
"The future of this village rests on the new generation," he murmured, his voice heavy with contemplation. "Will they be strong enough to protect it when I am no longer here?"
The weight of his years pressed upon him. The fragile peace between the nations would not last, he knew that all too well.
A silent dread settled in his chest as he considered the possibility of Konoha faltering when the storms of war inevitably returned. Would the village stand strong, or would it crumble under the tides of conflict? Only time would tell.
— — — — —
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