Chapter 19

Two hours later.

 Sakura was surrounded by dozens of civilians. Filled with rage from Temari's previous advance towards Sasuke, Sakura was fuming with anger.

Who does she think she is? I'll destroy her. Rushing through her mind, Sakura's chest fluttered with each breath.

"Still the same old pathetic girl I see." Ino cut in, sticking her tongue out.

Defined by fair skin with pale blue eyes and shoulder-length blond hair, this was tied into a tight ponytail. Allowed her hair to fall too the side, Ino's right eye was partially obscured by blond strands.

Dressed in a high-collared purple blouse, this garment was sleeveless with a mid-drift. Exposing the white bandages across her naked torso, these layers of linen were sprawled across Ino's legs, thighs, stomach and wrists.

A perfect match for her purple blouse, Ino wore an apron skirt that was cut open at the sides. Drawing attention to the Konoha headband around her waist, Ino also wore a pair of blue shinobi shoes.

"I still can't believe they let you graduate, pig." Sakura spat out.

"Back at you, forehead." Snarling her reply, Ino clenched one fist.

"So troublesome." Shikamaru slurred, standing in the background.

Dressed in a mesh armored shirt with a short-sleeved grey jacket on type, this contrasted Shikamaru's brown pants. Strolling beside his teammate, Shikamaru's blue sandals scoffed the road with each step.

"Shut up!" Ino barked, muffled by the loud sound of Choji eating.

An obese 13 year old Genin, Choji's most distinct feature was his pointy-eared bandana of Konoha. Adored with a thigh-length white scarf, Choji had fair-skin with red swirls painted across his cheeks.

Wearing a white shirt with the orange kanji for 'food' sewn into view, this garment was restrained by Choji's green Haori. Littering crumbs of potato chips against his blue pants and shinobi shoes, Choji was too busy to speak.

"What's with the earrings?" Muttering her question, Sakura pointed at the match pair of silver ear-rings that team 10 wore.

"Its a tradition in our team, the Ino-Shika-Cho Trio... These earrings are proof of our friendship." Choji explained.

"I wish me and Sasuke had matching earrings..." Sakura mumbled with a downcast face.

"Cheer up forehead, I'm sure one day that team of yours will be as close." Ino teased, raising one finger towards the sky.

"Speaking of team, where's Naruto at? I heard you all got back to the village today." Shikamaru asked, earning a casual shrug from Sakura.

Naruto this, Naruto that... That's all anyone in this village talks about. Ino internally complained.

Constantly kept at arms reached from Naruto, many adults warned their children to stay away from him. Because of this, most people didn't even attack Naruto, the rumors were too harsh.

"Let's visit him." Barking her command, Ino ordered Choji and Shikamaru to lead the way.

Walking through the streets of Konoha, Sakura and team 10 journeyed down the road together. as the rays of sunlight hit upon them, these Genin soon disappeared from sight.

"And you've seen it?" Hiruzen hummed.

Seated behind his Hokage desk, Hiruzen was partially obscures by pillars of smoke. Leaking from his wooden pipe, Hiruzen inhaled a fresh hit of leaf.

"Yes, I avoided any mention of it in the report..." Kakashi replied.

Scratching the side of his silver-haired, Kakashi was bombarded by a cloud of smoke. Releasing an inquisitive hum, Hiruzen stroked his wrinkled face.

"The eyes of six paths... The Rinnegan..." Hiruzen mumbled.

"Didn't Jiraiya-sensei meet a child like this before? During the Third War?" Humming his question, Kakashi earned a smoky nod in reply.

"Yes, Nagato was his name... Jiraiya always spoke highly of them." Hiruzen proclaimed.

Pulling the pipe from his lips, Hiruzen stood up from his chair before turning around. Strolling in front of his pristine window, Hiruzen gazed across the village of Konoha.

Though Hiruzen would never openly admit it, especially not read the books in public like Kakashi did, he very much appreciated and valued the work and effort Jiraiya put into his novels.

"Speaking of Jiraiya.. I've dispatched a fire hawk to summon him." Pulling his Kage hat down, Hiruzen's voice was raspy.

"It's time for Naruto and his friends to be tested." Pressing both arms against his back, Hiruzen was consumed by sunlight.

Meanwhile.

"it took you three weeks to accomplish one mission? Loser!" Ino mocked, pocking Sakura's forehead.

Strolling through the streets of Konoha, Sakura was accompanied by all three Genin from team 10. Basked by rays of sunlight from overhead, Sakura's green eyes sparkled like emerald.

Fueled by rage, Sakura bit Ino's finger, earning a dramatic squeal in reply. At the same time, Shikamaru was sighing in the background, muffled by Choji's loud eating.

"A reunion?! Without me?!" Kiba cut in, tossing both arms through the air.

Dressed in a grey jacket with a fur-covered hood, this fabric was a perfect match for Kiba's pants. Also, Kiba wore a pair of blue shinobi sandals, contrasting his fair skin and the red fangs painted across his face.

"Long time no see." Shikamaru rolled his eyes, swollen with boredom.

"Where's your better half?!" Ino interrupted, poking her head over Sakura's shoulder.

Instead of responding with words, the white-furred face of Akamaru poked his head out from Kiba's jacket. Forcing Sakura and Ino to groan with awe, their eyes morphed into hearts.

"He's the best part about you!" Screeching with joy, Kiba snorted in response.

As this conversation progressed, Hinata was timidly standing in the foreground, twirling her fingers together. Defined by a tan-colored jacket with fluffy cuts, this baggy cloth was draped over Hinata's blue pants.

Anxiously kicking her blue shinobi sandals against the road, Hinata stared at the ground with downcast eyes. Exposing her lavender-tinted eyes, Hinata had fair skin with chin-length black hair, giving her prominent bangs.

Without warning, Kiba felt an eerie sensation surge up his spine, forcing him to twitch. Glancing over his shoulder, Kiba pointing at Shino with an accusatory glare.

"Can you stop doing that?! We've been over this!" Poking Shino's chest, Kiba barked like a dog.

Adorned with a green-tinted jacket with a high-collar, Shino's fair face was framed by black glasses. Drawing attention to the tree brown pants he wore, Shino's blue shinobi sandals were scoffed with dirt.

"I apologize." Shino murmured

"If you guys are done with your bromance, we're heading to Naruto's house." Ino proclaimed.

"What?! That runt?" Kiba gasped.

"N-Naruto's house?" Hinata stuttered, biting her lower lip.

Rushing into the center of these discussing friends, Sakura swished her pink hair with one hand. Capturing everyone's attention, Sakura's emerald eyes sparkling in the sunlight.

"Yea, we just got back from a mission today." Sakura explained.

"What a bunch of has-beens, we've already completed eleven D-rank missions." Kiba bragged.

Crossing both arms against his chest, Kiba leaning against Shino, trying to act cool. Stepping away at the last moment, Shino let Kiba fall to the ground, promptly licked by Akamaru.

"Oh yea? Shikamaru, how many have we done?" Ino barked out.

"Nine... Nine D-rank mission." Shikamaru huffed with boredom.

Ino fumed with condescending rage, clenching each of her fists. At the same time, Choji continued to eat in the background, chewing on a mouthful of potato chips.

"What about you, Ms. Forehead?" Mocking her childhood friend, Ino poked Sakura.

"Seven..." Sakura huffed with embarrassment, sliding down onto both knees.

Twenty minutes later.

"This place looks like a ghost town." Kiba mused, holding the sleep outline of Akamaru on his head.

Walking down a narrow dirt road on the outskirts of Konoha, this pathway was surrounded by overgrown grass. Approaching a distant cul-de-sac, several of these houses were covered in graffiti and cryptic warnings.

"It's nice and quiet though." Shikamaru hummed, ignoring the broken windows and dented doors.

"Yea whats going on? Why would Naruto live here?" Sakura asked, gripping her tiny chin.

"Here we are..." Shikamaru sighed with boredom, walking in front of Naruto's house.

The only building that was cracked, broken or rotten, Naruto's yard was clean cut and well-trimmed. A stark contrasting to his surrounding neighbors, Naruto lived on this isolated street by himself.

"It was in his inheritance from Iruka-sensei." Using one finger to clean his ear, Shikamaru walked towards Naruto's front door.

"What!? Naruto got a house? Why didn't I get it!?" Ino screamed in shock.

"Everyone knows that runt lived with Iruka. That's why he got special treatment." Kiba snorted.

Shikamaru sighed with boredom, standing in front of Naruto's door. Trailed by Sakura, this pink-haired kunoichi was snooping around Naruto's porch.

Startled by the abrupt opening of his door, Sakura squealed like a school girl, before regaining her composure. Pinning both arms against her chest, Sakura cleared her throat.

"Let me guess..." Shikamaru muttered with a dry tone.

"You heard Ino screaming?" Met by a quick nod from Naruto, Shikamaru was soon muffled by a protesting Ino.

Placing both hands over his ears, Shikamaru was poked and prodded by Ino, squinting her pale blue eyes. As this occurred, Choji continued to eat his potato chips, standing beside a nervous Hinata.

"Yea... Sasuke and I were in the backyard when she started shouting." Naruto exclaimed.

"Oh? Were you in the backyard training? You're gonna need it, my team has really come along." Kiba bragged.

"That's good." Naruto hummed with a casual tone.

"You can at least play along! It's not fun if you don't!" Kiba complained.

Waving his hand with a dismissive laugh, Naruto shut the door behind him before running past his friends. Running around his front yard, Naruto ran towards his fence, encouraging his friends to follow.