The misty shores of the Land of Waves greeted Team 7, the air thick with salt and tension. Naruto bounced ahead, shouting, "This place is awesome! We're real ninja now!" His grin was wide, but his eyes scanned the fog, wary of another ambush. Tazuna's home was a modest shack, and his daughter, Tsunami, welcomed them with nervous hospitality. Naruto played the loudmouth, joking about eating all their food, but inside, he was calculating. Gato's ninja were coming, and he needed to be ready—stronger, faster, unstoppable.Kakashi gathered them in the forest for training, his voice calm but firm. "You're not ready for what's coming," he said, his eye flicking to Naruto. "Zabuza Momochi, a rogue ninja, is likely Gato's hired blade. You need better chakra control."Naruto laughed, scratching his head. "Chakra control? I got tons of chakra, Sensei!" But his heart sank. Zabuza was a real threat, a killer, and Naruto's shadow clones wouldn't be enough. He needed the Nine-Tails' power, but every attempt to tap it left him drained, seeing red eyes and hearing snarls. He couldn't trust Kakashi's training either—the man was too tied to the village's lies.Kakashi's exercise was simple: climb trees using chakra to stick to the bark. Sasuke mastered it quickly, his smug smirk grating on Naruto's nerves. Sakura followed, her precision surprising. Naruto struggled, his chakra flaring unevenly, sending him crashing to the ground. "Stupid trees!" he shouted, laughing to hide his frustration. But each fall fueled his resolve. He didn't need Kakashi's approval—he needed power.That night, while the others slept, Naruto snuck into the forest, summoning fifty shadow clones to practice. They climbed, fought, and dispersed, each failure teaching him something new. Between sets, he sat, reaching for the Nine-Tails' chakra. The heat came faster now, a burning pulse that made his skin tingle. He saw those red eyes again, felt a surge of strength, but it slipped away, leaving him panting. "I'm not scared of you," he whispered, his voice steady despite the fear. The fox was his, and he'd master it.As dawn broke, Naruto returned to Tazuna's house, his grin back in place. "Ready to climb some trees, Sakura!" he teased, dodging her glare. But his mind was on Zabuza. A real fight was coming, and it was his chance to test his power, to prove he could stand against killers and liars alike. He'd keep his team at a distance, rely on his clones and the fox's chakra, and show the world he was more than a demon.
