Chapter no.33 Naruto

Chapter no.33 Things are Changing

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Naruto stared at the crystal lizard cradled limply in his arms, its tiny body gleaming faintly even in its unconscious state. He couldn’t believe it had worked.

He had used a storage seal to trap the creature, tossed the scroll into the inventory, died in Lordran, and woke up back in his room. Now, here it was—a living thing from another world, safe in Konoha.

“Man, I actually did it,” he whispered, marveling at the shimmering creature. The triumph was short-lived as his gaze flicked to the clock on the wall. His stomach sank.

He was late. Kakashi-late.

But that wasn’t the worst of it.

He looked back down at the crystal lizard, its faint shimmer a stark reminder of what he’d done. A weirdly cute, otherworldly creature—brought here through sheer stubbornness and recklessness.

Naruto scratched his head, letting out a long sigh. “I really shouldn’t have brought you with me,” he muttered, shaking his head. "Now I'm in such a pickle."

The lizard twitched faintly in his arms, and Naruto couldn’t help but smile wryly. “Welcome to Konoha, buddy. Let’s hope I don’t regret this.”

The lizard, of course, sparkled faintly in its unconscious state, as if even passed out it wanted to make things difficult.

“What am I supposed to do with you?” Naruto groaned. He couldn’t just waltz into a team meeting with a crystal-covered lizard. How would he even explain this? “Oh yeah, found it chilling in a barrel in some creepy tower. Totally normal.”

But then he paused. “…Wait, no one’s actually asked about my armor or the fireballs I’ve been throwing around. Maybe they won’t question this either?”

The lizard didn’t respond, which was probably for the best.

Naruto frowned. “Yeah, no. This is way too shiny. You’re gonna attract all the questions.”

Naruto flipped the lizard over, holding it up by its tail. “Alright, let’s see if you’re a guy or a girl. No balls. Huh.” He tilted his head. “Do lizards even have balls?”

The lizard flopped in his grip, its unconscious body still managing to look vaguely annoyed.

“Not important,” Naruto muttered, flipping it back over. “Okay, what do I do?”

After a moment of thought, Naruto puckered his lips in a dramatic ‘aha!’ expression and summoned a shadow clone.

“You. Take care of it.”

The clone saluted. “Got it, boss.”

Naruto handed the lizard over, but as he turned to leave, the clone snorted. “Wait, this thing’s kinda cute. What’re you gonna name it? Sparkles? Crystie?”

Naruto froze mid-step, his eye twitching. “Don’t give it dumb names!”

“Oh, so we’re calling it something cool like ‘Shiny Tail the Destroyer,’ huh?” The clone smirked, wiggling the limp lizard in Naruto’s direction.

Naruto facepalmed. “Just—just shut up and don’t let it run away, okay?”

“Sure thing, boss.” The clone grinned, cradling the unconscious lizard like it was a royal baby. The lizard, for its part, stayed unconscious, which was probably for the best.

Naruto shook his head, already regretting everything about this morning. “I’m surrounded by idiots… and I am the idiot.”

Naruto appeared in the training ground, the familiar clearing surrounded by trees. The morning sunlight streamed through the leaves, creating shifting patterns of light and shadow on the grass. He immediately spotted Sasuke, sitting by the lake, focused on painting the serene lakeside view with careful, deliberate strokes. A few feet away, Sakura was seated on a mat, her head bent as she practiced calligraphy with a brush, the smooth movements of her hand leaving precise strokes on the parchment.

“Kakashi isn’t here.”

Sakura glanced up, blowing a stray strand of pink hair from her face. “Give it a few minutes,” she replied, returning to her practice.

Naruto nodded, then took a few steps closer, peering at her work. “So…what are you guys doing?”

“Practicing,” Sakura said, gesturing to the page in front of her. It was covered in evenly spaced kanji, written in neat, consistent strokes. “It’s a homework assignment from the Barrier Corps. I’m learning the basic calligraphy styles of fuinjutsu.”

Naruto squinted at the characters on the page. “Oh…” he muttered, scratching his head. “Looks like a bunch of squiggles to me.”

Sakura frowned but didn’t rise to the bait. “That’s because you don’t understand the precision needed for seals,” she said matter-of-factly, continuing her strokes.

Naruto turned his attention to Sasuke, who hadn’t said a word. “What about you, teme? What’re you doing?”

“Wasting my time,” Sasuke replied bluntly, not even looking up as he continued painting, his brush moving with quiet focus.

Naruto stared at the canvas. It wasn’t half bad—the way Sasuke captured the reflections on the water was impressive, though Naruto would never admit it.

“Figures,” Naruto said with a shrug. Sasuke ignored him, completely immersed in his work.

Feeling restless, Naruto wandered over to the far side of the training ground. If Kakashi wasn’t here yet, he might as well get some training in. “Alright,” he said to himself, rolling his shoulders. “Let’s see how much I’ve improved.”

He formed the cross hand seal, and with a puff of smoke, five shadow clones materialized in front of him. Each one wielded a Zweihander just like his own, resting the massive swords on their shoulders with casual confidence.

“Alright, you losers,” the real Naruto said, hefting his own Zweihander. “Let’s see if I’ve got what it takes to beat myself.”

The clones didn’t waste time. The first one dropped into the high guard, with the sword resting above its shoulder, angled for a heavy downward cut. It charged with a burst of speed, bringing the Zweihander down in a brutal slash aimed at Naruto’s head.

Naruto braced himself, his own blade rising to meet the attack. The clash of steel echoed through the training ground as he blocked, stepping into the momentum of the strike. His grip adjusted instinctively—one hand on the guard, the other on the pommel, giving him precise control over the blade’s leverage. With a twist of his hips, Naruto shoved the clone’s blade aside and retaliated with a quick horizontal slash.

The clone jumped back, smoothly transitioning into the low guard. Its blade was held low but pointed forward, ready for a defensive thrust. Naruto smirked.

“Not bad,” he muttered, lunging forward. His Zweihander swung in a tight arc, aiming for the clone’s exposed side.

The clone countered, stepping back just enough to parry the blow, its blade gliding against Naruto’s in a controlled motion. Before Naruto could press the attack, two more clones charged in, one moving into the high forward-pointing guard, while the other shifted into the fool with the blade held deceptively low.

“Crafty bastards,” Naruto muttered as the clone darted forward, its blade feinting toward his midsection. Naruto didn’t fall for it, pivoting to his left to avoid the trap. He adjusted his grip into a sliding motion, his left hand loosening slightly as he brought the Zweihander across his body in a sweeping arc.

The blade connected with the clone’s sword, deflecting it upward and leaving the clone wide open. Naruto followed through with a heavy downward slash, dispelling the clone in a puff of smoke.

The next clone took advantage of the opening, thrusting its blade toward Naruto’s chest. He barely had time to parry, his blade scraping against the clone’s as sparks flew. The force of the thrust pushed him back, but Naruto quickly recovered, stepping into the clone’s guard with a short, controlled thrust of his own. The Zweihander’s tip struck true, dispelling the clone.

Two clones remained, both circling him with synchronized movements. One stayed in the high guard, its blade ready for a powerful cut, while the other kept its guard low and poised for a thrust.

Naruto tightened his grip, raising his Zweihander. The high guard gave him a clear view of both clones, his blade angled forward like a predator waiting to strike.

“Come on,” he taunted, his eyes flicking between them.

The clone moved first, bringing its blade down in a crushing diagonal slash. Naruto sidestepped, his blade whipping downward to deflect the attack. But the other clone was ready, thrusting its blade toward his exposed side.

Naruto cursed, pivoting just in time to avoid the thrust. He dropped into low stance himself, using the stance to parry the follow-up attack. The clash of steel echoed as he twisted his blade, throwing the clone off balance.

Seizing the opening, Naruto surged forward with a sliding grip, his Zweihander moving in a brutal upward slash. The clone didn’t stand a chance, dispelling in a puff of smoke.

The final clone hesitated for a moment before doing the fool’s guard. Naruto smirked.

“You really think that’s gonna work on me?”

The clone swung upward from its baiting stance, but Naruto anticipated the move, using substitution jutsu to dodge the attack entirely. He reappeared behind the clone.

“Let’s finish this!” Naruto yelled, tossing the Zweihander aside.

The clone spun around, gripping its blade tightly, but the blonde squire was already on it.

Naruto’s fist shot forward, aiming for the clone’s midsection. The clone, quick on its feet, substituted with a log at the last second. Naruto’s punch connected with the wood, shattering it into splinters and sending a plume of smoke into the air.

The smoke cloud was all the clone needed. Using the cover, it swung its Zweihander in a wide arc, aiming for Naruto’s side. Way of Focality let the boy track the blade’s movement with precision, allowing him to catch it with his bare hands.

“Not bad,” Naruto grunted, holding the blade steady despite the strain. A grin spread across his face. “But I’m the original.”

With a sharp twist, he wrenched the sword out of the clone’s grip. Before the clone could react, Naruto spun and delivered a powerful kick. The clone dodged, but Naruto immediately followed up with a hook that tore through the trunk of a nearby tree, splitting it clean in two.

The clone dispelled in a puff of smoke. Only problem? The massive tree trunk started to tilt—right toward Naruto.

"Uh-oh," Naruto muttered, raising his hands as the falling tree hurtled toward him. A wild idea crossed his mind—what if he could catch it?

Before he could act on his reckless plan, a sudden tug yanked him backward. Chakra strings wrapped around his waist, pulling him clear as the massive tree slammed into the ground with an earth-shaking crash.

"Hey! I was going to catch that!"

"Are you crazy?" she snapped. "You could’ve gotten crushed!"

"You worry too much, Sakura," Naruto replied, flexing his arms. "I’m strong, see?"

"Can you believe this guy?" Sakura asked, turning to Sasuke for backup.

Sasuke didn’t respond. His dark eyes were fixed on the end of the fallen tree where Naruto’s punch had landed. The wood was blasted apart, jagged and splintered.

A lazy voice interrupted the moment. "Looks like my genin are having an eventful morning," Kakashi drawled, appearing behind them like a shadow. His single visible eye scanned the scene, lingering on the shattered tree.

Then, without missing a beat, Kakashi added dryly, "Naruto, you’re planting a new tree."

"Come on, Kakashi-sensei! It’s just a tree!"

"That you destroyed."

Naruto grumbled under his breath, but Sakura’s stern look kept him from arguing further.

Meanwhile, Kakashi hid his inner turmoil behind his usual nonchalance. Internally, his thoughts were a storm of confusion and disbelief. How? What? Huh? It felt like every time he thought he was starting to unravel Naruto’s mysteries, something like this happened to make them even more incomprehensible.

As Naruto sulked and began brushing himself off, the rest of Team 7 gathered around.

Kakashi glanced at each of them. “Well, Team 7, I have to say, everyone’s been showing a lot of improvement. Sakura, how’s the Barrier Corps treating you?”

“It’s tough,” Sakura admitted, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Iwashi-sensei doesn’t go easy on me, but I can see why you picked him.”

Kakashi nodded, pleased.

“And you, refining your kenjutsu through sheer stubbornness and… I’m guessing hundreds of shadow clones?”

Naruto puffed up with pride. “What can I say? I’m a natural genius.”

Kakashi’s book came down on Naruto’s head with a soft thwap. “Humility, Naruto. It’s a good trait to have.”

Naruto rubbed his head, grumbling, “It’s true, though…”

Kakashi shifted his attention to Sasuke. “And you, Sasuke? Still working on your painting?”

Sasuke gave a curt nod, his brush moving smoothly over the canvas. “Hn.”

Kakashi layed onto Sakura’s mat and flipping open his book. “So, same plan as yesterday: personalized training. Unless anyone has something specific they need?”

Sakura raised her hand. “Actually, I could use some extra help with barrier techniques.”

Kakashi snapped his fingers, and one of his clones materialized beside her. “All yours,” the original said as the clone nodded and shunshined away with Sakura.

Naruto crossed his arms. “Can I get a powerful jutsu? Something that makes everyone know I’m awesome.”

“Academics?”

Naruto groaned. “Should’ve put more points into intelligence,” he muttered, walking off with a grumble as one of Kakashi’s clones followed him.

That left Sasuke and Kakashi alone. Sasuke dipped his brush into the ink, continuing his quiet work on the painting. Kakashi stretched out on the mat, his book held aloft as he read.

“Exciting morning,” Kakashi said, more to himself than to Sasuke.

“Hn,” Sasuke replied, not bothering to look up.

Sasuke continued painting in silence as Kakashi glanced over.

“Got bored of ink stroke art?”

“It doesn’t waste enough of my time,” Sasuke replied flatly, his brush moving methodically across the canvas.

Kakashi turned a page in his book. “So, what do you think of Naruto’s new kenjutsu?”

Sasuke’s hand paused for a fraction of a second before resuming. “You were watching,” he said quietly, more a statement than a question.

“Of course,” Kakashi said, not looking up. “It was a surprise to see Naruto’s kenjutsu improve to such a degree in just a day. Honestly, he might be an even bigger genius than you.”

Sasuke’s grip on the brush tightened slightly, but he didn’t look up.

“I wonder how Naruto will react when he finds out you’ve been copying his moves with your Sharingan,” Kakashi added nonchalantly, as if discussing the weather.

Sasuke pushed the brush a little too hard into the canvas. “What are you trying to say?”

“You saw it, didn’t you?”

“Yeah,” Sasuke admitted. “He punched a hole clean through a tree. No chakra. And he’s swinging that massive sword in full armor like it’s nothing.”

Kakashi nodded. “Naruto’s physical power is something else. Maybe even greater than Lee’s.”

“Greater than Lee?” he

“Well, I wouldn’t say he’s surpassed him—not yet, anyway. You’ve never seen Lee go all out,” Kakashi said. “But they’re definitely in the same league now. And unlike Lee, Naruto can boost his strength even further with chakra. If he keeps going, he might end up as physically monstrous as someone like Tsunade Senju.”

Sasuke stared at his painting, the ink strokes blurring together in his mind. Meaningless. What am I even doing? His thoughts churned. Naruto was ahead again—first with his stupid shadow clones, now this. The gap between them wasn’t closing. It was growing wider.

I was supposed to be the prodigy. The one destined to become stronger than anyone else. But Naruto… he’s just charging ahead. Like it’s nothing.

“Sasuke?” Kakashi’s voice broke through his spiraling thoughts.

“What?”

“Aren’t you happy?”

Sasuke's frown deepened. “Why would I be happy?”

“Because now the people around you aren’t as easy to kill.”

The brush in Sasuke’s hand snapped, the pieces falling to the floor. His jaw clenched, the tension radiating from him in waves. He said nothing, but the silence spoke volumes.

“Let’s start your training, then.”

Sasuke blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift. “What? What about my rest? What about your so-called ‘trial’?”

“It’s over. You’ve succeeded in my trials. I’ll train you to surpass Itachi.”

The words hit Sasuke like a lightning strike. He froze, staring at Kakashi in disbelief. Of all the things Kakashi could’ve said, this wasn’t what he’d expected. Yet, above all the emotions swirling within him—shock, confusion, even anger—one question rose above the rest.

“Why?”

“Because it’s clear to me that you’re struggling.”

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed, his frown deepening. His tone turned sharp, defensive. “Struggling? With what?”

Kakashi met his gaze evenly, his single visible eye soft yet unreadable. “With yourself,” he said plainly. “With your team. With what you want. With how far you’ll go to get it.”

Sasuke’s hands clenched into fists at his sides. “You don’t know anything about me.”

“I know more than you think,” Kakashi said, his voice quiet but steady. He tilted his head, studying his student’s tense posture. “I’ve been where you are, Sasuke. Chasing a ghost. Thinking power will fix everything. Thinking revenge will fill the hole inside you.”

Sasuke’s jaw tightened, his glare hardening.

“Naruto and Sakura are improving,” The White Haired Cyclops said matter-of-factly. “You see it, don’t you? And you can’t help but feel it. Like you’re falling behind. Like you’re standing still while they’re moving forward.”

“What’s your point?”

“It’s easy to get caught up in someone else’s progress. Easy to spiral. You start measuring yourself against them, and suddenly, you’re losing a race they’re not even running against you. And then you push and push—not to improve for yourself, but just to beat them.” Kakashi said. “Is that what’s happening, Sasuke?”

“What do you think I care about? Beating them? Proving I’m better?”

Kakashi didn’t answer immediately, letting the silence hang. When he finally spoke, his tone was calm, but there was an undercurrent of seriousness. “I think you don’t know how to let yourself be happy, Sasuke. Not for them. Not for yourself.”

The words hit like a kunai, but Sasuke’s expression didn’t shift. He turned slightly, looking away as if the trees might provide an escape from the conversation.

"You've got teammates who care about you," Kakashi said, his tone even. "Teammates who fight and bleed for you without hesitation. But instead of seeing their growth as a strength for your team, all you see is how far you think you are from surpassing them. You won't even let yourself be glad they're getting stronger."

"Should I?"

"If I were in your shoes, I'd be relieved," Kakashi replied calmly. "Relieved to know I have strong teammates like Naruto and Sakura. Teammates who won’t die on me, leaving me with more guilt to carry. But you don’t see it that way, do you? You treat their growth as just another reason to tear yourself down."

Sasuke turned away, his jaw tight, refusing to meet Kakashi’s gaze.

“You think I don’t know what that feels like?” Kakashi asked, his voice taking on a note of sadness. “Chasing power because you think it’ll stop you from losing the people you care about—am I wrong; kid?!”

Sasuke flinched slightly, the faintest reaction slipping through his otherwise stoic mask. Kakashi leaned forward slightly, his tone sharper now—not angry, but cutting through the fog of Sasuke’s thoughts.

“I’ve been down that road, Sasuke. The one where you isolate yourself. Where you think power is the only thing that matters. The one where revenge is all you can see ahead of you. And I’m telling you now—it doesn’t lead anywhere good. It’s a long, dark road that leaves you emptier at the end than when you started.”

Sasuke’s voice was low, barely audible. “What do you want from me?”

Kakashi sighed softly. “I want you to stop chasing shadows. I want you to stop seeing Naruto and Sakura as obstacles you have to overcome. I want you to look at their progress and feel proud—not threatened. I want you to stop carrying everything on your own shoulders and realize that you don’t have to.”

Sasuke’s gaze flickered to Kakashi for a moment before falling back to the ground. His expression was hard to read—anger, frustration, confusion, maybe even something else, something he didn’t want to acknowledge.

Kakashi stood, walking over and placing a hand lightly on Sasuke’s shoulder. His voice softened, almost a whisper. “You’re not alone, Sasuke. You don’t have to be. Living for revenge won’t make you whole. Isolating yourself won’t bring you peace. And those things? They won’t make your parents proud of the person you’re becoming.”

Sasuke stiffened under the touch, his head lowering slightly. “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he muttered, but there was no real heat in his voice.

Kakashi let out a short laugh, stepping back. “Don’t I? Maybe you’ll figure it out eventually. Or maybe you’ll be as stubborn as I was.” He paused, glancing back as he started to walk away. “Think about it, Sasuke. About what you want—and what it’s costing you.”

Sasuke stayed where he was, silent, his eyes fixed on the shattered remains of the brush in his hand. His thoughts churned, loud and relentless. He doesn’t get it. He doesn’t understand. He doesn’t know what it’s like to lose everything.

But another voice whispered beneath it. Doesn’t he?

Sasuke scowled, throwing the broken brush to the side and glaring at his unfinished painting. He hated being left alone with his thoughts. But he couldn’t stop hearing Kakashi’s voice, echoing in his mind.

What do you want, Sasuke?

The evening sun dipped low, painting the training ground in hues of orange and gold as Team 7 sat together, their lunches in hand. Laughter rang out as Sakura and Naruto animatedly recounted their morning.

“You should’ve seen it, Sakura!” Naruto said between bites of his rice ball, waving his chopsticks for emphasis. “Kakashi-sensei had me doing pilates upside down! Said it was for ‘core strength and chakra control’ or whatever, but I swear he was just messing with me.”

Sakura giggled, shaking her head. “At least he didn’t have you whipping boulders with chakra strings. My arms are still sore! And the worst part? He acted like I wasn’t even trying hard enough! ‘Focus, Sakura,’” she mimicked in a monotone, flipping her hair dramatically.

Naruto nearly choked on his food, laughing so hard he had to pound his chest. “Oh man, I wish I’d seen that! You, Sakura, whipping boulders like—what did you call it? A chakra dominatrix?”

“Naruto!” Sakura screeched, her face turning crimson as she smacked him on the back of the head.

Naruto winced but grinned anyway. “Worth it.”

Kakashi, perched in a tree nearby, chuckled softly but didn’t intervene.

“What about you, teme?” Naruto asked, turning his attention to Sasuke. “What’d you do today? Bet Kakashi had you doing something insane, too.”

Sasuke barely looked up from his bento. “I did nothing.”

Sakura blinked, tilting her head. “Nothing? Why?”

“I’m resting,” Sasuke replied, his tone calm and matter-of-fact.

Naruto’s face scrunched up in confusion before relaxing into a grin. “Well, that’s good. You gotta rest up to be at your best, y’know?”

Sakura nodded, her expression softening. “Yeah, Sasuke-kun. Once you’re all rested, you’ll be back to being awesome in no time!”

"Maybe," Sasuke muttered, his voice low, avoiding Naruto's cheerful grin and Sakura's hopeful smile. Yet, something shifted deep inside him, a quiet realization echoing Kakashi's words.

If they’re stronger, they’re harder to kill.

Itachi can’t take them away if they can protect themselves.

The thought dug into his chest, bittersweet and raw. He hated how much it mattered. He hated how much he cared. But as he glanced at them—Naruto’s determination blazing like fire, Sakura’s steady resolve—he felt a flicker of something he hadn’t let himself feel in a long time.

Hope.

They were growing stronger, and that strength didn’t just shield them—it shielded him from losing them. Itachi wouldn’t tear them away like he had before. Sasuke could almost believe in the idea of them walking together, equals, a team... perhaps even something more. A family.

The word lingered in his mind, fragile and painful. Sasuke clenched his fists, the weight of his resolve hardening. If they were going to stand by him, he had to ensure they’d never fall. Not to Itachi. Not to anyone.

“You’ve been doing well, Sakura.”

Sakura froze, her chopsticks halfway to her mouth, before her face turned the color of a ripe tomato. She squealed, covering her cheeks with her hands as she glanced away. “Th-thank you, Sasuke-kun!”

Naruto, watching the scene, smirked and leaned closer to Sasuke. “What’s this, teme? Afraid you won’t keep up with me now?”

Sasuke’s response was simple: he outstretched his hand toward Naruto. No words were needed.

Naruto blinked in surprise before grinning and shaking Sasuke’s hand firmly. “Remember I am still on a lead, teme.”

Sasuke’s grip tightened slightly. “Enjoy your lead, dobe. Once I’m done resting, I’ll make you jealous.”

Naruto laughed, raising his hand to slap Sasuke’s back. “Whatever you say, te—”

Before he could finish, Sasuke flew forward, face-first into the dirt, courtesy of Naruto’s not-so-controlled strength.

“Uh… my bad,” Naruto muttered, scratching the back of his head as Sakura ran over in a panic.

“Sasuke-kun! Are you okay?” Sakura knelt beside him, her hands hovering as if she didn’t know what to do.

From his spot nearby, Kakashi hopped down from the tree, his book still in hand. “Looks like you’re having fun,” he said, raising a brow at Sasuke, who was currently covered in dirt and groaning.

Sasuke rolled onto his back. “I was planning on finishing my three days of rest.”

“And?”

Sasuke sat up slowly, brushing off his clothes. “I’ve changed my mind. Can I start training again?”

Kakashi tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Hmm… sorry, Sasuke. That was a limited-time offer.”

Sasuke groaned, letting himself flop back into the grass. “Figures.”

Naruto burst out laughing, clutching his sides.

Despite himself, Sasuke’s lips twitched into the faintest hint of a smile as Sakura fussed over him. As the laughter and chatter of his teammates filled the air, Sasuke glanced at the sky.

Mom, Dad... I've found my second family, and I swear to the world—nothing will ever take them from me.