BSWS CH-7 Team Bonding

"Ahem!! Pay attention please!" Iruka interrupted their discussion "Team 8 : Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Aburame."

"Hmm, not bad Hinata," Sakura praised her "It seems you were chosen for a sensory specialization team."

"Sensory Specialization? What do you mean?" Hinata asked.

"Haven't you noticed yet?" Sakura drew her attention to her teammates "Kiba of the Inuzuka Clan and Shino of the Aburame Clan. Both of them specialize in Search and Destroy type operations."

"Kiba's Clan specializes in combo techniques with their Ninja Pets, specifically their specially raised Ninja Dogs. Similarly, Shino's Clan is heavily focused on Ninja Insect rearing. When combined with your Clan's Dojutsu, the Byakugan, you three form a solid Sensory team that can cover all types of Sensory Bases." Sakura explained.

"Wow, that is so cool!! That is a great team you have their Hinata." Naruto exclaimed "Even if that Kiba is kind of annoying and arrogant. And don't get me started on that puppy of his. Do you know it stole my ramen the other day?"

"Naruto!!!! Will you shut up and let me complete my announcements!!" Iruka shouted loudly. Naruto immediately settled down and stayed quiet.

"Now then! Team 10 : Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara and Choji Akimichi." Iruka announced.

"Huh? Sakura, do you know why there is not a Team 9 in our class?" Naruto asked.

"That is simple, Naruto." Sakura replied, "There is not a Team 9 because there is already a Team 9."

"I don't get it!!" Naruto said while scratching his head.

"It is like this: There are at most a total of 30 Academy Genin Teams at a given moment in our village. This means that at a given point our village only has 90 Genin in the squads that were formed at the time of their graduation to Genin."

"This doesn't mean that there are only 90 Genin in our village in total. Most of the teams are disbanded and their slots freed when its members become Chunin, get transferred to other departments or get Killed in action."

"Some members even get left behind when their teammates go on to become Chunin and Jonin. They then form temporary teams with other Ninja to complete missions."

"However, the number of Academy teams never exceeds 30. The team numbers are reused when the previous generation of the team no longer has that team."

"Case in point, whoever formed Team 7 before us were either disbanded or got promoted to Chunin. Similarly, Team 9 of the batch before us is obviously still functioning therefore there is no Team 9 in our batch. Do you understand Naruto?" Sakura asked.

"Ah!!! That was so much information… Make it simpler Sakura." Naruto said.

"Hmm. How about this? Think of Team Numbers as Unique Ichiraku Ramen options on its menu. There can't be a duplicate of the same type of Ramen on the menu, right?" Sakura said.

"Ah yes. That makes much more sense." Naruto said nodding sagely.

'Like hell it does Naruto!!' Sakura thought in her mind 'I had to make up a watered-down version of that knowledge specifically designed for you. I assure you that no one apart from you can get that reference!!'

"Everyone remembers their numbers? Those are all the squads this time." Iruka concluded his announcement "You can have a break now. You will meet your new Jonin teachers after lunch. Class Dismissed!!"

Lunch was a quiet one that day as Sakura ate alone in the class. Naruto had stomach problems so he couldn't eat with Sakura. Ino and Hinata had to go and eat with their own teams to help with team bonding. As for Sasuke, he had moodily skulked off to god knows where.

After Lunch, they all assembled again in class. One by one every team's Jonin Sensei came to pick them up. Ino and Hinata came and talked to Sakura before going with their sensei.

Hinata's team was assigned to Kurenai Yuhi, a renowned Genjutsu mistress. Ino's team was assigned to Asuma Sarutobi, son of the Third Hokage and a very accomplished ninja in his own right.

Team 7 on the other hand had to wait for hours. Sasuke and Sakura managed to keep their patience, but Naruto kept moving around impatiently.

"Urgh!! Just when will he arrive??" Naruto shouted.

"Just settle down, Loser. Screaming won't bring him here faster." Sasuke said annoyed with Naruto's antics.

"Aargh! That is it, I am going to prank him so hard!!" Naruto shouted again.

"And how are you planning to do it?" Sakura asked.

"I will keep the duster balanced on the door and when he comes it's going to fall on his head!!" Naruto said with guts pose.

"Is that so? Very boring plan, Naruto. I expected better." Sakura said shaking her head.

"Hmm? What do you mean?" Naruto asked.

"Even in the extremely minute chance that you succeed, Your prank will tell us nothing about our Sensei. Pranks should be means to get us information on our target that they won't show at any other time." Sakura said.

"Then what do you think we should do?" Naruto asked. Even Sasuke looked at Sakura out of the corner of his eye.

"Watch and learn Naruto," Sakura said as she weaved her hand signs. She was going to perform a certain combination of Genjutsu she had never attempted before.

"Chameleon Hiding in the Leaves!!" Sakura muttered as she cast her Genjutsu. Immediately, all the windows and doors of the room vanished, leaving the room without any entrance. Sasuke and Naruto both looked around in shock.

"Whoa!!! How did you do that?!!!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly.

"Genjutsu?" Sasuke guessed before Sakura could reply and Sakura nodded in affirmative.

"It is a new one I have been experimenting with. It will hide things in plain sight by excluding them from the scene. Even if you knew where it is placed in reality, the closer you come to the actual position, the more you will find your sense of direction distorted and instead of reaching the target you might find yourself a few or even a dozen feet away from it." Sakura said.

"Wow!! Can you teach me too? I will be able to prank others so hard with this!!" Naruto said with stars in his eyes.

"Sure Naruto, but to do this Genjutsu you will need precise control over your Chakra. So if you want to be able to do this you will have to master chakra control." Sakura said.

"Of course!! I will do anything to learn cool stuff like this." Naruto exclaimed.

"Alright then, I will add it to our training menu then," Sakura said. Looking at Naruto daydreaming about various pranks with Genjutsu, Sakura smiled inwardly.

'Ah Naruto, sorry for baiting you with Genjutsu. It was the only way I could get you interested in Chakra control. The faster you get used to controlling even a portion of your vast chakra, the sooner you will be able to use it to accomplish greater feats.'

'Since I don't have a plot armor this time around, I better get you stronger in the shortest time possible. The enemies we will have to face in the future terrify me as each is more terrifying than the next. We will face Gods, Demons, and certain ninjas who are basically like a force of nature itself. You need to get stronger fast so that I have an additional ticket of security.' Sakura thought.

"So Sakura, what will this Genjutsu tell us about our teacher?" Naruto asked.

"Well, it's simple. If he can't break through even a simple Genjutsu like this, then what is the use of having him as our teacher?" Sakura asked the other two. They both nodded thoughtfully in agreement.

"Well said! If I couldn't even break through this then I would not have been able to show my face among other Jonin of the village." a lazy voice called out from behind the trio.