Arashi stood up, "I guess… I'll have to show him…" He muttered. Hanako wondered what he meant, "Show him?"
Arashi clenched his fist, "He doesn't believe in heroes… even after his son died as one… protecting the people he loved." He looked back at Hanako and pointed at his head protector, "My brother died a hero. He sacrificed himself for me and everyone he loved. He was my hero… I doubt it'll come to it, but if it does, if it means I'll die too… I'll prove to him that heroes do exist!" He said with determination.
Hanako widened her eyes. She caught a glimpse of Natsuo within him. She couldn't explain it, but she knew he would do what he set out to do.
And so Arashi and Kazuya went back to training the next day.
In the land of waves, so did Naruto and Sasuke. They were all growing rapidly.
One week later, all four of them had grown increasingly powerful. In the land of waves, Kakashi was reading a book in the evening. His body recovered, and he was feeling better. 'Those two have been going at it for days now. They've been consistent with their training and dedication.' He closed his book. 'But it's getting late, and none of them are back yet. I send a clone to see how they're doing.'
Kakashi made a hand sign, and a clone appeared beside him. He left through the window and went to the forest. His eyebrow furrowed as he smelled something in the air. 'That's smoke…' He looked above and saw a cloud of smoke coming from the forest.
"What's going on?" He hurriedly jumped towards the source of the smoke, 'Is this an attack? A signal, maybe?' Nothing could've prepared him for what he saw next.
Kakashi's eyes widened as he surveyed the scene before him. Multiple trees engulfed in flames, their branches crackling and disintegrating into ash. The once-vibrant forest now bore the scars of intense training. He had pushed Naruto and Sasuke to their limits, and it seemed they had surpassed even his expectations.
A mix of pride and concern swirled within him. The immense power displayed by the two young shinobi was awe-inspiring, but he couldn't help but worry about the toll it took on their bodies. They were only children, after all.
As Sasuke struggled to regain his composure, his breath laboured and sweat dripping down his forehead, Kakashi could see the exhaustion etched on his face. It was clear that their training had pushed his endurance to the limit. But despite his weariness, a newfound determination burned in his eyes.
"N-Naruto," Sasuke's voice trembled, his hand still crackling with residual lightning. "Let's... let's go back now."
Naruto, with his trademark grin, slowly rose to his feet, his limbs feeling heavy and weak. The strain of the intense training session had taken its toll, leaving him drained. But the fire in his eyes remained undimmed.
"OK!" Naruto's voice echoed with unwavering enthusiasm, his determination shining through. Sasuke offered him a supporting hand, and together, they began the arduous journey back to the village.
As they trudged through the charred landscape, Kakashi couldn't help but reflect on the progress his young students had made.
'Naruto… Sasuke… Arashi… you three are no longer the wide-eyed children I was assigned to look after. Now I see it. You're all real shinobi.
Yet… you still have much to learn. Now that I've seen your true potential, I think it's time I teach you two the real deal of ninjutsu.'
As he reached the outskirts of the village, the sun began its descent, casting an orange glow over the horizon. Kakashi looked at his exhausted students, their determination undeterred despite their weariness. It was moments like these that reminded him why he had become a teacher in the first place.
With a small smile playing on his lips, Kakashi silently vowed to continue guiding Naruto and Sasuke on their path towards greatness. The flames of their potential had been ignited, and it was his duty to ensure they burned brighter than ever before.