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TEAM KAKASHI as well as the genin from Team Yuri were gathering in the woods of the Land of Waves as Yuri had deserted the other Sensei to stand guard with Tazuna.

Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Yaragi, Sezaki, and Doremi walked behind Kakashi, talking loudly amongst themselves. Naruto and Doremi were arguing about who was stronger, the boy spouting the occasional misogynistic nonsense while Doremi argued back, Sakura and Sezaki joining in her efforts. Sasuke stayed to himself as Yaragi tried to pry Doremi off of Naruto.

The six children were overbearing for the silver-haired ninja, as he groaned in annoyance. "I hate you, Yuri." He grumbled to himself. She knows what she did, she purposefully sent herself on guard for Tazuna so she didn't have to deal with six loud and argumentative genin.

The sensei began, "Today, we're going to work on something fundamental: chakra control. Proper control over your chakra is crucial for every ninja, regardless of rank. It determines the efficiency and precision of your jutsu, which can be the difference between success and failure."

Naruto raised his hand, eager to start. "Sensei, what's chakra control?"

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask, appreciating Naruto's curiosity. "Chakra control is the ability to manipulate the flow of chakra in your body with precision. It allows you to use just the right amount of chakra for any given task, which means you won't waste energy and can perform techniques more effectively. So, we'll start with a simple exercise."

Sakura asked, "What exercise, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi produced a set of kunai from his pouch and handed them to both teams. "You're going to walk up these trees without your hands."

The six genin's jaw flew to floor in disbelief. Climb tall trees without their hands? Impossible. Kakashi laughed gently with closed eyes as he took in their expressions. "But Sensei! That's impossible!" Naruto exclaimed.

Kakashi began walking towards a tree. He placed a foot onto it and then the other until he was parallel to the ground. Soon enough, the jōnin began walking up the bark of the tree until he found a good enough branch for him to stand on. Yet, he stood upside down under the branch all while on crutches. He was simply showing off to the children below who looked bewildered at what he was doing.

"It's simple. Focus your chakra to the soles of your feet. Easy." Kakashi smiled once more, moving to stand on top of the branch. "You try."

Teams 4 and 7 began their practice with dedication, though Kakashi noticed that their progress differed. Sakura and Sezaki had both quickly made it to the tops of their trees with ease as they watched their teammates below. Sakura watched smugly, while Sezaki peered below with curiosity.

The rest struggled to get far. Naruto, not using enough chakra; only took one step before falling back to the welcoming earth. Sasuke and Doremi were in similar positions. Both were using too much chakra, resulting in them making a good distance but breaking the bark before they could score the trunk with their kunai. And Yaragi was close but he would exhaust most of his chakra at the beginning out of fear and would run out before he could make it a good distance.

Kakashi took note of all this and made a decision. "Sakura, Sezaki. Very good. Your training is complete. You may go to Yuri Sensei on the bridge." The two girls dismounted their trees to rejoin their teams before they left. "The rest of you will continue training until you reach the tops of your trees."

The four remaining genin huffed in fatigue. But before they could argue, Kakashi began to leave. Naruto approached Sakura, asking for advice. Though she was reluctant, she gave it to him in the form of a whisper. Doremi and Yaragi did the same to Sezaki. Team 4 had a much better sense of teamwork than Team 7 so it was much easier to get such information out of Sezaki.

"Listen, chakra uses spiritual energy so you can't get too excited. To gather chakra to your feet, you have to relax and focus on the tree." Both Sakura and Sezaki said to their respective teammates.

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"THAT WAS quick." Yuri's words came out as surprised, but the adults around could hear a hint of despair as she now had two children to watch over. Her pink eyes glanced up to the injured man behind them who only wore a smile beneath his mask and a close visible eye. The glance was dripping with hatred. How could he push two children with her when she specifically gave them all to him?

"We both climbed to the top of our trees straight away!" Sezaki smiled up at her sensei as Sakura nodded with an equally big grin.

Yuri sighed with a simper. It could be worse. She could've been left with Naruto, Sasuke and Doremi. Imagining the arguments that would occur already gave Yuri a headache. "Very good, girls! You two can take over for me if you like."

The girls immediately nodded and ran over to their post beside a working Tazuna. Yuri smiled as Sezaki finally had someone to talk to. Though she got on well with her teammates, they couldn't talk about things she wanted to. Like typically girly things. She couldn't talk about crushes, clothes, girls - they were all things Doremi and Yaragi immediately shut down if Sezaki brought it up. But it seems Sakura could give exactly what Sezaki needed.

Though, of course, it wouldn't last.

Sezaki is from the Mist. Sakura is from the Leaf.

Sezaki's sensei is Yuri. Sakura's sensei is Kakashi.

Sezaki's sensei hated Sakura's. And Sakura's hates Sezaki's.

It was doomed from the start.