Hinata tugged on Naruto's sleeve from behind. "Naruto, what's wrong?"
Naruto turned his head, his eyes moist.
He smiled. "It's nothing. The wind just blew some dust into my eye."
Hinata studied him closely. He didn't seem unhappy, so she reluctantly accepted his explanation.
Sasuke's expression was puzzled, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why.
Leading the way, Minato smiled to himself. *Silly boy,* he thought. *We have a long road ahead of us.*
Under Minato's guidance, the group quickly arrived at Training Ground Three.
"Alright, as your supervising jonin, let me introduce myself. My name is..." Minato subtly glanced at the palm of his hand. "My name is Ikeda Shingo."
*Lord Orochimaru really gave me a terrible name,* he thought. *It's nowhere near as good as my real one.*
"Now it's your turn to introduce yourselves. Even though you were classmates, you'll need to know each other better if you're going to fight as a team. You can talk about your dreams, your likes and dislikes, and your hobbies."
At their new sensei's words, Hinata began to think, but Naruto had already shot his hand into the air.
"Alright, Naruto, you go first."
Naruto looked Shingo-sensei straight in the eye. "Shingo-sensei, since you're going to be our instructor from now on, how about you give us a proper introduction first?"
Shingo let out a hearty laugh. Naruto's gaze sharpened instantly; that smile only confirmed his suspicion. *It really is you, Dad.*
"Alright, I'll go first then. I like cooking, I hate wasting time, and my dream is to live happily with my family."
As he spoke of his dream, a glint of light flashed in Minato's eyes.
Naruto grinned widely. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki! I like ramen and stinky tofu, and the person I like most is Kawasaki-senpai, because he gave me a better life."
"The thing I hate most is... being all alone."
"And my dream... is to kill Obito!" He said the last sentence with absolute conviction.
Naruto had matured significantly since learning he was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. He knew far more than most people his age. Kawasaki had told him long ago that the man who murdered his parents was Obito. After what happened to Fugaku, Naruto's hatred for Obito only intensified. From the fragments of conversation he'd had with the Nine-Tails, he'd also learned just how many people had died during the rampage. All of this fueled a burning hatred for Obito, but this was the first time he had ever spoken it aloud.
Hearing those words, Minato felt a tremor in his heart, but his voice remained calm. "I see. A very good introduction, Naruto. Next, Sasuke."
Sasuke clenched his fists, his expression serious. "My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I like the feeling of competition."
As he said this, his gaze instinctively flickered toward Naruto.
"I hate how my older brother always treats me like a child. My dream is to kill Obito and become the new pillar of the Uchiha clan!"
Years ago, Obito had brought immense suffering to the Uchiha clan during the Nine-Tails Attack. Though Sasuke hadn't experienced it himself, he knew enough. The damage Obito had inflicted on his father and brother, leaving his father blind, only hardened Sasuke's resolve to eliminate him. Now that neither his father nor his brother possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan, he knew he had to be the one to awaken it. He had to become the new hope of the Uchiha.
Minato was struck by the fact that both Naruto and Sasuke shared the same dream of killing Obito. He didn't dwell on it, however. Even though Obito was once his student, after everything he had done, Minato would never forgive him either.
Minato offered a warm smile to Hinata. "Hinata, it's your turn."
Hinata blushed slightly, but seeing how confidently Naruto had spoken, she found her voice. "My name is Hinata Hyuga. I like... cooking. I don't really have anything I dislike..." She pursed her lips, thinking of her strict father, but then shook her head. "My dream is..."
Hinata stole a quick glance at Naruto, her face growing even redder, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.
Hinata remained silent. Naruto couldn't help but ask, "Hinata, why didn't you finish?"
She just shook her head, blushing.
Naruto scratched his head. He was curious, but he didn't press the issue. Sasuke merely glanced at her without a word.
Of course, these small gestures didn't escape Minato's notice. He had been quite the charmer in his youth and could read a young girl's heart at a glance. The more he looked at Hinata, the more he approved.
*Could this be why Kawasaki specifically put Hinata on a team with Naruto?* he wondered. *No, I have to find a chance to ask him about this.*
Outwardly, Minato remained composed. "Very good. I have a general idea of who you are now. Lastly, tell me what jutsu you're best at. We'll have a combat exercise tomorrow."
Minato smiled at the three of them. "And Naruto... there are no Anbu watching us here."
Naruto and Sasuke reacted differently. Naruto's eyes lit up. Sasuke, on the other hand, looked confused, sizing up their new sensei with a contemplative expression. Hinata simply looked lost, not understanding the meaning behind his words at all.
Naruto stood up and performed the Shadow Clone Jutsu. Extending his hand, he formed a spherical object with the help of his clone.
Minato already knew Naruto could create that sphere; he even knew how he had learned to do it. While inside Naruto, he had seen everything clearly. He wasn't sure why Kawasaki had taught Naruto that particular training method, but he was incredibly happy that his son had mastered the technique. However, the Nine-Tails' chakra still interfered with Naruto's control, which was why he needed a shadow clone to help.
*That won't be necessary anymore,* Minato thought. *I'll have to help him break that habit.*
A smile played on Minato's lips. "That's the Rasengan. A very powerful jutsu."
As he spoke, Minato raised his own right hand, and a Rasengan materialized in his palm.
Seeing the Rasengan in Shingo-sensei's hand, Naruto broke into a grin so wide he couldn't contain it.
Beside him, Sasuke was stunned. He remembered all the trouble Naruto had gone through to practice that move. He also knew it was the signature jutsu of the Fourth Hokage, a technique few could master. He couldn't believe their new jonin instructor knew it as well. And why was Naruto so trusting of this man? Back at the Academy, Naruto had never used this jutsu in front of anyone. Sasuke had a nagging feeling that Naruto was hiding something, but he had no idea what it could be.
Hinata activated her Byakugan, observing the spinning spheres of chakra in their hands and sensing the immense power contained within. She felt a knot of anxiety and nervousness form in her stomach. *Naruto is so amazing,* she thought. *I still have such a long way to go.*
"So, Naruto," Minato asked, a sudden excitement in his voice, "do you know what this jutsu's original name was?"
Naruto scratched his head. "Isn't it just called the Rasengan?"