The Bonds That Strengthen Us

Birds were heard chirping around the village bright and early the next morning. The village was bustling with activity. Shinobi of various ranks could be seen jumping across the rooftops of buildings, making their way around the village. Military Police Force members could be seen patrolling the center, ensuring the safety of the civilians. Despite their intent, many villagers of Konoha still looked at the Uchiha Police Force with suspicion and distrust in their eyes. 

After the Kyuubi no Yoko attacked Konoha five years ago, a large wave of distrust filled the populus of Konoha towards the Uchiha. This is due to the sharingan's ability to control the bijuu. Even though the Uchiha have contributed so much to the founding and the growth of the village, almost the entirety of the villagers still held some degree of distrust towards the clan. This distrust didn't extend to the entirety of the clan, however. 

For example, Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui were examples of rising stars in the clan that the village was growing fond of. Itachi was a prodigy that hadn't been seen since Namikaze Minato. And it seemed as if he was on the fast track to surpass Lord Fourth. With these stats, it's hard to ignore the genius that is Uchiha Itachi, especially when he was only ten years old making these feats. However, it is rather easy to ignore the younger brother left in his shadow.

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The gentle bubbling of distant hot springs contrasts with the quiet of the evening. Once again, he was cast aside by his father in favor of his older brother. Sasuke was unable to perform Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu (Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique) the way his brother was able to when Itachi was Sasuke's age. 

The dirt path leading toward the baths was empty, save for Sasuke sitting on a rock by the roadside, his back turned to the world. A few tears escaped his eyes as he recounted what his father last said to him:

'You are an Uchiha. Mastering the Fireball Jutsu should be instinctive. If you cannot do even this… then perhaps you are not ready.' Fugaku sighed before walking back into their house.

Sasuke had swallowed his tears at the time. He had bowed his head, forced his expression into something still, something obedient. But the moment he was alone, the tears came anyway. He hates feeling weak. He hates disappointing his father. He hates that no matter how hard he tries, it's never enough.

The soft crunch of footsteps on the dirt path breaks the silence. Sasuke stiffens, hastily wiping at his eyes with the sleeve of his yukata. He doesn't want to be seen like this.

"You know, if you cry too much, your tear ducts shrivel up and fall out of your head. Happened to a kid I knew once. Poor guy couldn't cry ever again."

Sasuke jerks his head up, startled.

A tall man with wild, white hair stands a few feet away, grinning lazily. His forehead protector didn't look like any he'd seen other Konoha shinobi wear, and his red markings made his face look like some kind of wandering monk.

In his hand is a small notebook, and tucked into his sash is a large scroll, probably something important. It takes Sasuke exactly one second to realize he's an idiot for being startled.

"You're lying." Sasuke stated plainly, trying to stop himself from breaking out into tears again.

"Kids these days. No imagination." The man sighed jokingly before crouching down to Sasuke's level. The teasing fades from his voice.

"So, kid. What's got you sitting here looking like you just lost a fight with a particularly aggressive cat?"

Sasuke stiffens. He doesn't answer. He doesn't want to explain himself to some strange man loitering around a hot spring like a degenerate. But the man just waits, like he has all the time in the world.

After a long pause, Sasuke mutters almost too quiet to hear: "My father thinks I'm weak."

He expects the white haired man to laugh. To dismiss him. To say something condescending like, 'Then get stronger.' Instead, he just tilts his head and hums thoughtfully.

"Huh. Yeah, that's rough. Parents have this nasty habit of thinking their kids are versions of themselves they can control instead of actual people."

Sasuke blinks, caught off guard. The man leans back on his heels, rubbing his chin like he's thinking about something far away. "Have you ever heard of Minato Namikaze?"

Sasuke frowns, shaking his head.

"He was my student. The Fourth Hokage. A genius. One of the best shinobi this village has ever had." The man continued, "You know what he was like when I first met him?"

Sasuke shakes his head again.

"A scrawny, uncertain little brat with no clue what he wanted."

That gets Sasuke's attention. He turns fully toward the man, brows furrowed. That couldn't be true. A Hokage? Uncertain? Weak?

"But here's the thing, kid. He got stronger. Not because someone told him to be, not because of his clan, not even because of me. He got stronger because he decided he was going to be. And he never stopped pushing forward."

Sasuke looks down at his hands. He doesn't want to be weak. He doesn't want to be left behind. Maybe… he just needs to push harder. He steels himself. He has to get stronger. No matter what.

"How did he do it?" Sasuke whispered, slowly gaining the determination to get stronger.

He raises an eyebrow. Then, after a long moment, he smirks. "Are you interested in learning a thing or two?"

Sasuke hesitates. He's not supposed to trust strangers. But… this man is strong. He knows things. And right now, Sasuke doesn't care about anything else.

"Yes.." Sasuke nods, filled with resolve.

The man stands up, stretching. "Alright, kid. First lesson: Never cry outside a hot spring. You'll freak out the customers."

Sasuke scowls, but follows after him anyway.

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The week came and went until it was finally Saturday, the day Lord Third would have a group of the most influential and trustworthy shinobi in Konoha meet up to discuss how to make Hatake Sakumo the undisputed Fifth Hokage. 

The door to Nara Shikaku's strategy room opened, revealing the man of the hour himself. Hatake Sakumo, the last person they were waiting for, walked into the room and took his seat at the table. The room was large with many maps, current and dated, pinned onto the walls. The table, which normally held a map of the elemental nations, was cleared for everyone to be able to sit without a mess. 

Sitting at the head of the table on one end was Sarutobi Hiruzen, The Third Hokage of Konoha. To his left sat Jiraiya the Toad Sage, Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Chouza. On Hiruzen's right was Senju Tsunade, Hatake Sakumo, and Sarutobi Shouma, Hiruzen's oldest son. At the opposite end of the table from Hiruzen sat Nara Shikaku. 

"Now that we're all here, let's get to business." Hiruzen stated simply before looking at Shikaku.

'He wants me to start? What a drag…' Shikaku sighed and started the meeting.

"Alright, for anyone who doesn't know why the eight of us are gathered away from the rest of the council, it's to discuss an important situation and find a solution to it. As we all know, the Kyuubi attack five years ago still weighs heavily on our village. Most notably from this, the village distrusts the Uchiha clan because their sharingan is capable of controlling the Kyuubi. Right now, Shimura Danzo is standing directly in between a peaceful resolution between the village and the Uchiha clan. Not to mention that Root has been acting awfully suspicious since Orochimaru's defection. Our main goal here is to eliminate Shimura Danzo and Root." Shikaku continued after seeing everyone was following along, "Lord Third came up with one option to solve this and this will be our first step in the Danzo problem. We need to instate a new Hokage, someone with large influence and power, in order to remove the control Danzo has over the council and village." Shikaku purposefully paused here to gauge the reactions of the rest of the table.

Unsurprisingly, everyone except Hiruzen and Sakumo made a face of shock.

"Wait, you want to nominate a Fifth Hokage to get rid of Danzo? But who?" Chouza asked, confused. 

"I believe Sakumo here is the best option for the job. He has strength and reputation to back up his position. With some political knowledge and a bit of hands-on experience, he'll be ready within three to five years." Hiruzen finished for Shikaku.

The table grew even more shocked. 

"You mean the same Sakumo that said no to becoming the Fourth Hokage less than six years ago? That Sakumo?" Tsunade laughed, still full of shock at the proposition.

"Lord Third actually already convinced me to agree a few days ago. As long as he doesn't wander too far off and stays as one of my advisors alongside Shikaku, I believe we can pull this off successfully." Sakumo stated confidently, filling everyone in the room with reassurance. He was the second strongest shinobi in Konoha after the Hokage after all.

"Alright then. Now that we're all caught up to that, Shikaku can tell us what he came up with." Hiruzen stated with a light smile on his face. 

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"That went well" Jiraiya stated as they wrapped up their meeting of the plan now dubbed "Project Fifth". 

"Yes but now we have one last matter to discuss. Uzumaki Naruto is living in horrible conditions and he is alone. The boy is only five years old. I wish to take the boy in and have him live with Kakashi and I." Sakumo stated with a straight face, ignoring the shocked looks from his peers.

"You have only been training him for a week. You already want to take him in?" Hiruzen asked with a confused look.

"Yes Hokage-sama, I want to take him in. He deserves to feel loved and cared for. If nobody else will give him the bare minimum then I will. If the council has a problem then they can take it up with me directly." Sakumo claimed with a voice full of frustration at the situation. 

The Project Fifth team looked at each other for a moment before nodding all together.

"I think it's a great idea. It may also help his reputation for him to be seen with a powerful ninja more often. I will handle the council, you can have him pack his things and move in with you in the meantime." Hiruzen finalized with a warm smile that Sakumo returned happily.

"While we're on the topic of students, I would like to add that I've been teaching the youngest son of Uchiha Fugaku, Uchiha Sasuke for the past week. Apparently Fugaku has been neglecting the boy because he doesn't 'have as much potential as Itachi'. Fugaku is dead wrong though because that boy absorbs information like a sponge and he doesn't even have his sharingan yet." Jiraiya added onto the conversation before anyone could think about getting up to leave. 

"You… what?" Everyone mumbled in dumbfounded unison. 

"Yeah, I think I may even give him the toad contract when he's ready for the chunin exams too."

"WHAT?!"

"Okay, does anyone else have a secret student they want to reveal before we leave?" Hiruzen questioned halfheartedly, not really expecting anyone to say anything more.

Suddenly, the door flew open and revealed a panting Mitarashi Anko.

"Hokage-sama, sorry to interrupt your meeting but I found a once in a lifetime prodigy of a student and get this, she's civilian born! I need an apprenticeship form ASAP!"

Everyone at the table slapped their foreheads in unison.

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The smell of dirt and sweat filled Sakumo's scent as he walked to the training ground he and Naruto had been using the past week. The meeting ended on a rather amusing note. Anko told the council of a young civilian girl Naruto and Sasuke's age that was a natural in silent assassination techniques. Her chakra control was so good that she was subconsciously masking her chakra signature to sneak around! In the end, Lord Third allowed Anko to look over the girl's training with the idea that she would join Naruto and Sasuke's genin team when they each graduated. He also allowed Jiraiya to look over Sasuke's training, as it seemed Fugaku had given up on training the boy himself.

The White Fang of the Leaf entered the training ground to find Naruto practicing his kunai and shuriken throwing. The training dummies were littered with weapons, but the most interesting part? They were all around the bullseye mark.

"Naru-chan, you're still training? I thought I told you to take a break after our morning session" Sakumo scolded teasingly as he approached the young blonde. 

"But sensei, I did! I went back to my apartment to read my book on Fuinjutsu but someone had broken into my apartment while I was gone! I decided to grab my stuff and come here." Naruto pouted as he remembered walking into his home to find it ransacked. Luckily, they didn't take his clothes or his books. He didn't have many valuables and the ones he did have, stayed on him.

Hearing this, Sakumo grew angry. How dare the villagers antagonize a little kid? He hadn't done anything to them. Good thing Lord Third had already approved of what he said next.

"Since you have your stuff with you, go grab the rest of your weapons. You're coming home with me." Sakumo spoke with a tone of finality. Naruto's eyes widened and he nodded excitedly, running to grab his discarded kunai and shuriken. Once he grabbed everything, Sakumo put his hand on Naruto's shoulder and shunshined to the Hatake Home. 

"This is your new home. I live here with my son, Kakashi. He's out on a mission right now but you will meet him later on. Come, I'll show you your new room." The silver haired jonin guided Naruto to his new room. After showing him around the house, they sat on the couch together.

"I noticed that your kunai and shuriken-jutsu are progressing well. Would you like to learn how to use a sword next?" Sakumo questioned, silently hoping the boy would say yes.

Naruto nodded excitedly. "Yes yes yes! That would be so cool! Thank you Sakumo-sensei!" Naruto cheered with a wide grin. Sakumo laughed and pulled out a storage scroll from his pouch.

Sakumo opened the scroll and channeled some chakra into it. A poof of smoke resounded in the room and when it cleared, a steel tanto was found in his hand. "We will add this to your morning training. In the afternoons, we will continue working on your chakra control." Sakumo explained as he handed the tanto to the blonde. 

Naruto nodded intently as he focused his gaze on the tanto. It came with a brown sheath and a strap that would wrap around his chest so he could carry it on his back. It didn't glow like the one on Sakumo's back, but it was the first big gift he had gotten from someone.

"Sakumo-sensei, why are you so nice to me? Everyone else either ignores me or gives me mean looks, but you're so kind. You even gave me a room in your home. Why?" Naruto teared up as he asked the man in front of him.

Sakumo frowned before responding. "You don't deserve to be glared at. You deserve love and kindness just like anyone else. If I had known how you were being treated sooner, I would've taken you in when you were born. But I'm here now and I'm not going anywhere." He explained with warmth in his eyes. A few tears slipped from Naruto's eyes before he launched himself into Sakumo's arms.

"Thank you Sakumo-sensei. Thank you so much." Naruto cried from Sakumo's chest. Sakumo hugged Naruto back until he calmed down. 

"Sensei… Do you think we could start training now?" Naruto questioned with an excited glint in his eyes. Sakumo laughed and nodded before taking Naruto to the backyard.

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The grass is soft beneath Naruto's feet. Tall trees border the clearing, their leaves rustling lightly in the wind. In the center of the yard stands Sakumo Hatake, arms crossed, watching Naruto with a calm but expectant gaze.

Naruto clutches the tanto in both hands, staring at it with wide eyes. The blade is simple, well-crafted, nothing flashy, but to Naruto, it's the most precious thing he's ever held.

"A blade isn't just a weapon, Naruto. It's an extension of yourself." Sakumo explains calmly, watching Naruto's face as he speaks.

Naruto swallows, nodding. He's never owned anything like this before.

"Lesson one, grip."

Naruto instinctively tightens his fingers around the handle. Sakumo watches, then steps forward, adjusting Naruto's hands slightly. "Firm, but not stiff. Too tight, and you'll lose speed. Too loose, and you'll lose control."

Naruto exhales slowly, adjusting his grip. The tanto feels different now. Lighter, more balanced.

"Now, a blade is useless if you can't strike properly. Try to cut this log." Sakumo points to a training post near Naruto.

He lifts the tanto, inhaling sharply, then swings down with all his strength.

Thud.

The blade barely makes a dent. Naruto scowls, frustrated. "It didn't even cut it!"

"Because you're swinging like a hammer, not a sword. A blade isn't about strength, it's about precision and flow." Sakumo guides the boy with a chuckle. He steps behind Naruto, guiding his arms. This time, Naruto swings differently. Less brute force, more technique.

The blade slices through a thinner section of the log, leaving a clean mark.

"Whoa…" Naruto gasps softly in awe. He did that! This is something he'd only ever dreamed of doing. 'I'm finally becoming a ninja!' Naruto thinks to himself with a wide smile.

Sakumo nods, satisfied.

"Now, we do it again. Until you can cut without thinking about it."

Hours pass, the sun getting lower. Naruto swings, again and again, sweat dripping down his back. Each strike is sharper, cleaner, faster.

"A real battle won't give you time to think. If your blade isn't instinct, it's useless." Sakumo teaches with an even tone. He's beyond proud of Naruto's quick learning. It reminds him of a young Minato that struck the world with his genius. Or a young Kakashi that absorbed everything Sakumo taught him.

Naruto exhales, adjusting his grip. He's starting to understand. He wants this blade to be a part of him, the way Sakumo makes his own look effortless.

Sakumo finally steps forward, placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Good. From now on, this blade is yours. Take care of it, and it will take care of you."

Naruto grips the tanto tightly, a slow grin spreading across his face. He isn't just swinging a weapon. He's learning something real. 

He's getting stronger.

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At the same time, the air in Training Group 23 was thick with the lingering scent of burned grass. Sasuke stands in the center, sweat trickling down his forehead, his breath heavy. Jiraiya watches from a distance, arms crossed, an amused smirk tugging at his lips.

"Not bad, kid. But if you think that tiny flame of yours is enough to impress me, you're gonna be real disappointed." Jiraiya comments, his tone sarcastic.

Sasuke grits his teeth. His last attempt at the Great Fireball Jutsu had barely been larger than a bonfire. It wasn't enough. His father had dismissed him for not having enough power, and he refused to let that happen again.

"I'm doing everything right. What's missing?" Sasuke questioned, his voice filled with frustration.

Jiraiya sighs, stepping forward. "Listen, kid. A jutsu isn't just pouring chakra into a technique and calling it a day. You need to really visualize how you're moving the chakra and control it."

Jiraiya kneels, drawing a crude diagram in the dirt. "Fire Release is simple, too much chakra, and it explodes out of control. Too little, and you get nothing but smoke." He continued. "Right now, you're just dumping chakra into the technique. You need precision. Control."

He picks up a small rock and tosses it into the air. As it falls, he exhales, just once. A concentrated burst of fire shoots from his lips, turning the rock into ash before it hits the ground.

Sasuke's eyes widen. Jiraiya didn't even use hand seals. "See? Small flame. Maximum destruction. That's what you're missing." Jiraiya explained as he pulled a bag out of his pouch.

Sasuke clenches his fists. He had been forcing the technique. He needed to refine how he created it.

Jiraiya pulled out some candles from the bag and set down three in front of Sasuke. "Light only the middle one. No more, no less."

Sasuke frowns but focuses. He forms the hand seals slowly. Exhales. 

All three candles go up in flames.

"Wrong. Again." Jiraiya grins.

Sasuke scowls and tries again. This time, only two candles light.

"Better. Again."

It takes almost an hour of practicing before only the center candle lights. Sasuke exhales, shoulders tight with frustration. "This is pointless. I already know how to use the jutsu."

Jiraiya flicks his forehead, hard. It reminded Sasuke of how Itachi pokes his forehead.

"You don't 'know' anything, kid. You think power alone makes you strong? Ha. You're not a dragon yet, just a hatchling breathing out small sparks."

Sasuke's pride bristles, but he grits his teeth and stays silent.

"Alright, let's see if you actually learned anything. Hit me with your strongest Fireball. And if it's weak? Well… I'll make you run laps around Konoha. There's a kid your age that does fifty laps every morning, so don't think I won't make you do it too."

Sasuke narrows his eyes. 'There's a kid my age doing that? He must be strong.'

He steps forward, stance firm, hands forming the seals slowly this time. Inhale. He doesn't just dump chakra into it. He controls it. Refines it. Exhale.

A massive, concentrated sphere of fire erupts from his lips, larger than any he had ever made before.

Jiraiya raises an eyebrow, clearly impressed, before flipping out of the way at the last second. The fireball collides with the training post behind him, turning it into a pile of ash and smoldering embers.

"Now that's more like it." Jiraiya whistles at the size of the fireball. He knew the kid had potential but this was only after a few hours of instruction! Fugaku must've given up after a few minutes if he gave up on training this genius. 

'Jackpot! This kid might just rival Minato's potential. I might be able to claim I trained the next Uchiha Madara!' Jiraiya thought to himself with a Cheshire-like grin.

Sasuke lowers his hands, chest heaving, but a small, satisfied smirk tugs at his lips. He isn't where he needs to be yet.

But he's getting there.

"You said there's a boy my age that runs fifty laps around the village every morning. I will do that too. I want to be strong." Sasuke huffed out, still tired from using so much chakra.

Jiraiya smirked. 'This kid will definitely surpass Minato.'

"Alright kid. We'll meet at 9am everyday to train. I'll help you get strong"

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Hours later, across the village in Training Ground 44, sounds of kunai slicing through the air could be heard. The moonlight barely filters through the dense canopy.

The humid air clings to Sakura's skin, carrying the distant sounds of rustling leaves and unseen creatures. She crouches low, kunai in hand, heart pounding in her chest. Somewhere in the darkness, Anko is watching her.

A voice could be heard echoing through the trees,

"Alright, princess. First lesson: If I can hear you, you're already dead."

Sakura swallows hard. She doesn't respond, she knows better now. The past week has been filled with lessons on how to track your enemy and how to hide from them.

Sakura starts moving, slow and careful. Every step is deliberate, but the leaves beneath her crunch too loudly in the silence. She pauses, adjusting her weight, remembering Anko's instructions:

'Don't step on the center of your foot. Roll from the outside in. Make contact like a ghost, not a human.' She tries again. Slower. Smoother. She barely shifts the leaves this time. A small victory, until something sharp presses against her throat.

Anko mockingly whispers into Sakura's ear "Dead."

Sakura freezes. Anko is right there, her kunai against Sakura's skin, grinning like a predator.

"Better. Still bad, but better." Anko praises her with an amused tone. The kunai vanishes before Sakura can react, and Anko disappears again.

Anko's voice drifts from the shadows: "Lesson two: Your heartbeat? Your breathing? They betray you. Learn to control them, and you disappear before they even know you were there."

Sakura kneels, forcing her breath to slow. She remembers the way Anko moves, not with hesitation, but with confidence. She listens. Not just to the wind, not just to the sounds of the forest, but to herself.

She exhales silently. Steadies her pulse. Slows her movements even further. She steps forward. No crunch. No sound.

"Not bad. Now, find me." Anko's voice echoed all around her, making it impossible to figure out where she said it from.

Sakura stiffens. The game has changed. The forest is massive, dark, and full of hiding spots. 

Sakura crouches, scanning her surroundings. She studies the shadows, the wind, the movement of leaves. Anko is fast. But Sakura knows how to be patient. A flicker of movement, just barely noticeable. A disturbance in the air.

'There!'

Sakura doesn't hesitate. She throws her kunai, not at Anko, but to force her to move. Anko dodges effortlessly, right into Sakura's waiting attack. Sakura lunges, a second kunai in hand, aimed for Anko's blind spot. And then Anko's gone again.

A kunai presses against Sakura's back. "Now you're getting it." Anko chuckles, masked by the darkness of the forest.

Sakura drops to her knees, breathless but exhilarated. For the first time, she feels it. The shift. The understanding. She isn't strong yet. But she's learning.

Filled with determination, Sakura speaks. "There's a boy my age that runs around the village walls every morning. I want to be strong like him."

Anko replies with a bit of shock but agrees. Sakura was meant to meet the boy tomorrow morning as per Lord Third's plans for their team anyway.

"We will meet at 9am everyday to train then."

Sakura nods with a wide grin. She would prove everyone wrong.

Anko smirks in the dark. This kid might just survive this training after all.

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