The break was over, and in the center of the stood the sand sister, Sabaku no Temari, standing across from Tenten, who looked confident in her ability. Lee, who was cheering in the crowd, was jumping up and down like he was on fire... which ironically, he probably was... with the fires of youth.

Hayate stood up and brought his hand down, crying out, "Hajime!" and the Chuunin hopeful held their breath. The face-painted boy, who had hurt Kimourii, was standing beside Gaara, and smirking as every attack that Tenten through was blocked.

"Kuso, every time I try to get an attack in... she sends it back. If only I had Lee's speed, or the Byakugan. Oh well," she said, pulling a large scroll, biting her thumb and swiping. When she released the Summoning Scroll, she swung it in a large arch, weapons literally pouring out. Smirking, she figured the distraction was good enough, and ran forward, getting knocked back, just as another yell of "Kamaitachi!" rang out.

The slicing winds pierced Tenten's skin, and she fell, as gashes and cuts appearing on her body. She tried to stand, but the pain was too much for her, and she fell over passed out. "Shousa, Sabaku no Temari!"

The girl smirked and walked back to the top, where people were awaiting the next match. It turned out to be two Kunoichi that were rivaled for the heart of the Uchiha, and ended in a double knockout, which didn't really impress Naruto at all.

The next match, though, did get his attention. Hyuuga Neji vs. Inuzuka Kiba. He smirked, it wasn't that he hated Kiba... but he really wanted to see the Byakugan in a real battle, so he could adjust his Mokushioku and Chioku correctly. So, when the battle began, Naruto laughed when the Inuzuka made damaging statements about Hinata, who incidentally was supposedly his best female friend, calling her the weakest. You could hear her heart breaking at the words, and Naruto was pissed. So, of course, he had to say something.

"Don't you let that Kiba-teme call her that, Neji! Kick his ass... KUSO!"

The Hyuuga smirked and said, "fine... I will. Hakkeshou Kaiten!"

The crowd gasped as the Hyuuga knocked into Kiba, and sent him flying. His dog, which had been waiting for an oppurtunity to attack, ran over, whimpering as Hayate called him the winner.

The next, ironically, was Hinata against Nushi, who was feeling so bad for the Hyuuga she didn't even notice when the match was called, and was knocked out. Naruto sighed, realizing that he was the only person on his team left in the preliminaries, and so was Gaara. "Kuso... I hope I don't fight him now."

His wish was granted. The next fight was Sabaku no Gaara against Rock Lee. His face fell... so maybe he should have faced the other jinchuuriki.

"YOSH, NARUTO-KUN I SHALL ENDEAVOR TO DEFEAT THIS MENACE TO THE WAYS OF YOUTH!"

"He has no chance" a voice said behind him, "but you already know that."

Naruto turned, "that may be, but again, not even Gaara has a chance against me, Kankurou, and you know that."

Kankurou shrugged. "I admit that what happened in Waterfall was bad for morale, but Gaara has trained since then, I bet you've just set back and learned a few new jutsu. Gaara will win next time you fight."

Naruto turned back to the match, to see a few well placed kicks appear on Gaara. The redhead still stood there stoically, his sand still. Lee was getting frustrated and, just for a moment, Naruto wondered if it would be advantageous for him to slip Lee some sake.

"Don't worry, Gaara won't kill him... you're the only one he wants to kill."

Naruto turned and said, "well... Shukaku may be powerful.. but I know something he doesn't Kankurou."

The sand shinobi frowned.

"I tire of this," was the only thing Gaara said, a few minutes later, as sand wrapped around both the left ankle and right arm of Lee. Suddenly, Chakra surrounded Lee and he broke free! Naruto sat down, wondering how that was possible, when Neji came over and smirked, "that's Lee's secret weapon."

They were soon joined by Genma, and Gai-sensei, who smiled. "Lee's powerful youth is a gift to us all, to see such youthful ways from one so small... do you not agree Genma?"

Naruto smiled. Lee really was a showoff. "Lee is great, Gai, I will admit that."

Suddenly, Lee stood up and said, "Zesshou Hachimon Hogeki - Life Gate - Kai!"

Everyone gasped. Gai smiled, and ruffled Naruto's hair. "Lee has been training, Naruto... to surprise his eternal rival. Are you?"

Naruto nodded and said, "the baka, he really is that good, isn't he?"

The man nodded as Lee sped around Gaara faster and faster. Suddenly, he stopped, and disappeared, only to reappear and kick Gaara in the chin. "I'M SORRY GAI-SENSEI, I KNOW YOU SAID THIS IS A FORBIDDEN JUTSU, BUT I MUST!"

Naruto simply covered his ears.

"YOSH, IT IS ALRIGHT, MY STUDENT OF YOUTH! THIS ONE OCCURANCE WILL NOT HINDER YOU, AND YOU WILL BE STRONGER FOR IT, YOSH!"

Lee smiled and said, "Ura Renge!"

Soon, a variety of punches and kicks came upon Gaara like never before, and he was wrapped in bandages. Lee paused for just a second, an expression of pain on his face, before he pile drove Gaara into the ground, and stood up, smiling in triumph.

Hayate smiled, "Shou..." but paused as the killing intent increased three fold.

Gaara's body crumbled and out of the shadows came the Suna-genin. He smirked and said, "Sabaku Ryusa!"

The sand pitched out, and a crunch later, Lee fell as pain gripped him.

As Gai launched over the rail, Gaara simply stood back and looked at Naruto, the message conveyed loud and clear. Naruto glared at the Jinchuuriki and was about to jump down when he was stopped by a hand on his head. He turned to see Jiraiya and Genma-sensei, who asked him when Gaara escaped.

Naruto thought back to the entire sequence and said, "the only place I know he could have been when he paused for a second."

Jiraiya nodded.

"Alright, Naruto, when you get done, I want you to see me. It's about the seal on your stomach, I'll take care of it after the match."

Naruto nodded, and simply jumped down, the board appearing with his name as soon as he jumped.

The name that appeared beside his made him smile. It was that Oto-nin, Tsuchi Kin, who had attacked that pink haired girl... Sakura... and the arrogant Uchiha.

He smirked. He was going to enjoy this.

And, more importantly, was the Kyuubi. She glared at him, and when the match began threw senbon needles at him. Naruto, of course ducked, dodging them as they came. She smirked.

Then he heard it, a bell ringing. He dodged to the other side, and was pierced by the needle. She smirked, and threw three more, as he went to make hand seals.

It was all for naught, she rang her bell again, and he was forced to dodge, getting hit with two of the senbon.

Now, he wasn't a genius, but Naruto recognized what she was doing. Sighing, he looked up, only to dodge again as she rang her other bell, moving his throat into direct path of another senbon. It hit, and blood gushed out of the wound. He fell to his knee, and glared, before placing his fingers together for a jutsu that he excelled in.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" The Kage Bunshin formed around him, and began cutting the wires, and taking the bells with them. Naruto glared at her, as she prepared to throw more. "Katon: Karyuu Endan!"

The crowd gasped as a large dragon appeared and circled her. "So, that's how you did it, the strings had the bells attached. Oh... blood... Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

The crowd gasped as a little, two-tailed Kitsune appeared and Naruto nodded. He used a Henge and transformed it into a copy of himself, and the two circled the girl, as the flames died.

She gasped at the two Naruto's, thinking only one was real, the other a Bunshin, and was about to attack, when the other disappeared and a scorching fire hit her back.

"Doton: Shinjuu Zanshuu no Jutsu!"

Suddenly, she was pulled underground and Naruto walked over to her. He glared, "you pissed me off. For punishment, you'll learn first hand the move that a dear friend taught me, to deal with Oto-baka like you. Raikiri Issen!"

The crowd gasped as with a simple wave of his finger, Naruto pushed and cut off the top layer of her hair, barely touching the scalp, yet sending shocks inside of her body, that forced her to scream that she quit.

Naruto smiled and looked at the girl, whose hair appeared unscathed. "Funny what a genjutsu can do, eh?"

The crowd gasped as Naruto walked up, not so on purpose forgetting that the girl needed out before she suffocated.

It wasn't until a moment later the crowd wondered why the long, white haired man took him off before the preliminaries were over.

He was taken to a room that had the smell of blood all over it. In the center of the room lay Uchiha Sasuke, who had a seal surrounding that dark seal on his neck, and was pulsing with power. Jiraiya smiled, "just through here, Naruto".

Naruto followed and, when ordered to sit in the middle of the room, did so as the man used a silver knife to cut his finger. He started writing Kanji on his body, every so often repeating one, or another. Naruto was confused for a moment before the man said, "these will serve as pain collectors, and will help stabilize the Kyuubi's chakra when I do the Five Element Unseal jutsu. Also, it will allow you to learn the Rasengan faster, since your father would want you to use it in the third round.

Ano... Naruto, what is your special element?"

Naruto smiled. "It's Wind, Ero-Sennin!"

The man chuckled. "Good, good. Then I will later have a challenge for you... but not now."

Soon, he was finished with the Kanji and said, "now, stand up carefully, so as to not disturb the kanji."

Naruto did and the man said, "arigatou, Naruto. Gogyuu Kaiin!"

With that, he jammed his fingers into Naruto's abdomen, as an influx of Chakra hit the Kyuubi seal, sending the power of the Kyuubi through the boy again. Instead of hurting, like he expected of the boy, Naruto grinned and said, "that's better Ero-Sennin, arigatou!"

The man smiled. "Naruto, I... Oh... so you are here, Orochimaru?"

The Sannin turned around and stood face to face with his former teammate.

"Hello Jiraiya, it's been a long time."

Naruto sighed, before getting on his coat and standing beside his new sensei. "Not long enough, Orochimaru. And, you may want to just leave the Uchiha alone, because as long as I'm here, you won't be leaving with him."

The snake man frowned. "Why would I take him now? He's not useful at the moment, and I'm not even sure he'll be useful enough for me. No, I came to see if the rumors were true, and the baka there was the son of the Yondaime."

Jiraiya snarled, "what's it to you, are you still jealous that Arashi got chosen as the Yondaime over you? Is that why you're here, to turn Naruto?"

The man licked his lips and said, "yes, and there's nothing you can do about it. I will have you, Naruto-kun."

Naruto snorted.

"Another time then, perhaps when this village kills any child you have out of fear that the Kyuubi will have passed on?"

"Actually, I figured they'd be happy to have a bloodline like that, baka-teme. And... there's the fact that no one knows about Kyuubi."

Jiraiya smiled. It was an interesting thought... and a good plot for a story...

"Anyway, Naruto... since both you and Uchiha Sasuke aren't able to see the end of the examinations, the judge and panel will choose your opponent for the first round, after that it'll be a cascading effect. Because of that, we have training that I want to start on immediately. Where do you want to train at?"

Naruto smiled and said, "the estate, Ero-Sennin!"

The Sannin nodded, "of course baka-chibi, I'll train you on the Kazama estate, let us traverse the streets and make way to your house. Oh... Naruto... how much money do you have?"

Naruto frowned and said, "a lot, Ero-Sennin. Why?"

The man stopped at a convenience store and walked in. The cashier made to make a smart-alec comment until recognizing Jiraiya. He told Naruto to find a big box of water balloons, some rubber balls and chakra pills. Naruto nodded and grabbed the three items, three packs of water balloons, five packs of rubber balls, and chakra pills, coming out to a total of fifteen thousand yen.

"Alright, we'll be on our way, Naruto" the man said.

The passed people in the streets and acknowledged them with a little nod of the head each, and when making their way back to the estate, couldn't help but smiled.

When they made it back to the estate, Jiraiya asked for a room, since he figured he'd teach him a few jutsu as well as the Rasengan, and told Naruto that he had a room that he preferred. At Naruto's stunned look the man said, "Arashi was my apprentice" and left it at that.

When they found the room's, which took a total of fifteen minutes, Jiraiya went into the backyard, and went to a tree. He looked at Naruto and said, "watch carefully, Naruto, because you'll need to memorize how this looks, then I'll show you the steps."

Naruto nodded and the man smiled. "Good, now, the Rasengan is a non-sealed move, which means its purely directed chakra, and uses the wind element marginally. The problem is that it's so difficult to do, because you'd have to be a Hyuuga to actually manipulate that chakra right off. Even your mother could never learn the Rasengan technique, and she was a very strong woman.

Watch," he said as he held his hand out in a forty-five degree diagonal. Naruto watched as the chakra appeared, first as a tiny dot, like a tornado, and spread out to encompass the entire palm. The sphere was perfect, had a feel of unleashed fury. "Your father called this the Hurricane in a ball, Naruto."

Naruto laughed, tears forming at his eyes. "Now, I've perfected the Rasengan to a point, I can create one in each hand, and use them simultaneously. However, I've heard about your Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. Naruto, you are forbidden to create the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu while you train in the Rasengan."

Naruto stood stunned, he was told not to create the Kage Bunshin... but resolutely he nodded and said, "Hai!"

The man smiled, "Genma tells me you've got a summon already?"

Naruto smiled and said, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

When the one tailed Kitsune appeared, Jiraiya smiled, patted its head and said, "good, then you'll already understand the feeling of massive chakra being out placed at once. Naruto, I won't lie to you, this is a dangerous thing you're about to do. The Rasengan can drain you to the effect of the Hakke Rokujuu Yonshou, you've heard of that, right?"

Naruto nodded, of course he had, and his best friend was a Hyuuga.

The man smiled. "Alright, this jutsu has three parts to the training. The first involves the water balloons. Watch!"

He held a water balloon out in front of him and popped the balloon. Naruto stared. The water was freezing!

"Yeah, Arashi had that same look on his face that you have now, except in this case you forget that you're the one training in the Rasengan, and not me! The cold water will help you train, because when you get splashed, you'll be wet, and wet means you get cold faster."

Naruto nodded. "Alright, now I can't tell you how to train, each person will train differently in the Rasengan, and after you've gotten to the point that you can make one, even if imperfectly, then I'll let you create some Kage Bunshin to practice with."

Naruto nodded. "Alright, now I am allowed to give you hints, the water inside must be powerfully rotated to cause a burst."

Naruto nodded, then closed his eyes, pushing chakra into the balloon at an alarming rate. Soon, it burst and he smirked. The man sighed and shook his head. "No, that's the wrong way... watch again."

He picked up the balloon again and soon, every few seconds, a bump would appear in the balloon before it would burst.

The man smiled and said, "now, try it again."

Naruto nodded. He picked up his chakra, making it swirl in one direction, faster, stretching the balloon, but never breaking.

For seven hours he sat there before fainting, and being fed a Chakra pill. The man sighed, "go lay down. I know you've got the concept now, so I'm going to leave you. You'll know where to find me when it's complete."

Naruto nodded.

The next day, he went to training Area 51, a tree-filled area that was used by Chuunin for practice skirmishes, until he found a majestic looking waterfall. It was so high that the water simply rushed passed as many ill-fired jutsu.

He sat down, and stretched his hand in front of him. Yesterday, he'd gotten the water balloon flat, stretched out to a point where the edge was nothing more than a sharp end, yet no break.

And, to make matters worse, Kyuubi refused to help. Not that the fox was mad, at Naruto at least, but the five element seal had hurt the Kitsune pride, and that was unforgivable.

He sighed, the balloon again flattened out, but not breaking. And it's not even getting bumpy like it was befo... before... the bumps!

"Alright, what's the best way to get bumps?" he asked himself, rotating the water inside of the balloon lightly at first. Soon, little mounds appear, and other times, the best cannot be said.

Concentrating the hardest he'd ever had too, Naruto had finally made some progress.

Yesterday, when he confronted the white haired Sannin, the man did tell him that, in order to achieve any progress, he needed to rotate the chakra many different ways. When Naruto didn't understand, he pulled out an ink well, and drew a small, spiral with a single loop in the center of his hand. When questioned, Jiraiya said, "the main point to the Rasengan is focus, if you cannot focus, you cannot even form a half-completed version. This," here he looked at his own hand, "is a custom started by the Fourth when he created the Rasengan to help you concentrate, Naruto. Focus on that spiral, and practice.

When you pop the balloon, you will understand."

Naruto nodded and the man smiled, leaving Naruto to the training he was doing now.

Closing his eyes, Naruto focused on the symbol tattooed onto his hand, visualizing the half-spiral in his minds eye. He'd been at this for three days, he thought, and had only yet to make the smallest amount of progress. Shaking the stray thoughts from his head, Naruto visualized the chakra building directly on the center of that half-spiral, and was surprised when he was jerked back, a small amount of water hitting him in the face.

He looked, surprised to see a burst balloon in his hand, and couldn't figure out what happened. Resolved to understand, he picked up another balloon, and went through the same progress, only with his eyes opened this time. He was surprised to see the large bumps forming on the side and then in the center. Finally, a surge of chakra flew through the balloon and he was again wet by the balloon popping.

That was it... concentration! Just letting the Chakra work for him and not forcing it... it did what he wanted on its own!

Smiling to himself, Naruto went to Ero-Sennin, who was knelt and looking in a peep-hole, giggling as he wrote notes for his perverted books.

"Heh, Ero-Sennin!"

The man face-vaulted and turned, only too see the balloon pop and water spray out. The man smiled, "you've passed the first part, now practice it with Kage Bunshin, and really understand. If I know you, you've got the first part, about Concentration, but you need to be able to pull that off instinctively, the Kage Bunshin will help with that. Send them off into different parts of the wood, at the Forest of Death, and Akagahara, while you stay at your house. The different situations will help you focus better, you know?"

Naruto nodded and the man said, "alright, I want them spread out over a ten-mile radius, and a few outside of the village. You are going to your house, and to the training room. Once there, you will practice, until each Kage Bunshin reports back to you, and you feel that you could successfully prepare a Kage Bunshin in a dangerous situation.

Hajime!"

Naruto nodded, and put the seals together, crying out as loud as possible, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

He grinned as each of them sped off, using Hiraishin no Jutsu, and leaving the man to contemplate the meaning of 'murder' as he looked upon seven angry females, three of which were Hyuuga.

When he appeared at his home, Naruto was surprised to see someone already there. Slipping into the room, he was surprised to hear a cry of, "Hakke Rokujuu Yonshou!" and a cry of pain as the person intruding upon his family home fell over from massive chakra overload.

He walked in and was about to attack when another person attacked, saying, "how dare you enter sacred ground and disturb Hinata-Hime!"

He ducked as the swipe missed his tenketsu. Naruto jumped backward, catching the upper arm of the attacker and using his velocity, threw the man over his shoulder. Growling, Naruto jumped over, and kicked the Byakugan user in the temple, laying him out flat and growling as the attack ceased.

When the Konoha Military Police showed up, a smirk forming on the face of the Hyuuga on the ground, Naruto stopped and said, "I want these people arrested for trespassing."

The girl with Chakra problem's gasped, before saying, "Gomen. If it is as you say, and we have trespassed, then I will submit myself for prosecution, as will you, guard-san."

The guard growled, and said, "liar, this is the Fourth's residence, and resides on the outside of our property, that means that you are trespassing, Uzumaki-san."

Naruto shook his head, and was about to retort when a voice called out, "Naruto-san, are you alright?"

He looked and saw Neji, who was moving forward with the Hokage on his side. Neji sighed and said, "Arigato Hinata-Hime, but when I saw Naruto-san returning to his home, and heard you call out the Hakke Rokujuu Yonshou, I had no choice but to notify the Hokage, as I had no idea this was Naruto-san's home."

The Hokage looked at the Military Police that were glaring at Naruto, and back to the boy, and said, "alright, that's enough. Captain, you and your men are dismissed. If anything should go wrong, I will take care of the situation. Hyuuga Neji, thank you for notifying me, and you Hyuuga Hinata-hime for not resorting to the same violence your guard decided was necessary.

How long have you been using this property to practice?"

She frowned and said, "since I became a Genin, Hokage-sama. I... I was led to understand by my detail this property was left to the Hyuuga Clan, by our Fourth."

The Hokage looked at the man who smirked as if he knew exactly the opposite. "Hyuuga Hinata, I can understand that you've been deceived, however in this case it is up to Naruto as the violated party to decide your punishment."

Naruto looked at Neji, who was glaring at the guard. "Neji-san, it is my understanding that the Branch House of the Hyuuga Family hates Hyuuga Hinata because she is the heir to the Main House, is this the same Hyuuga Hinata?"

Neji's eyes softened as he gazed at her and said, "it is, Naruto-sama."

"And, from what I can understand now, the man guarding Hinata-sama is a Branch House member?"

The man blanched as he realized that Naruto did, in fact, have a good knowledge of the politics of the Branch and Main Houses. Neji seemed to sigh, and look at the Branch House member, and said, "I am afraid that it is, Naruto."

Naruto sighed, "I'm supposed to be practicing, and didn't expect to come home with anyone violating my property like that, and in all circumstances, I should press charges for unauthorized access to my home. However, in my opinion, this is a matter for the Hyuuga Council to decide upon. Hiashi-sama has known me for a number of years, and it is my understanding that he told both the Main and Branch families of this being my property.

I would assume, then, that you wanted Hinata-sama to be arrested, and then delegated to the Branch house due to dishonoring the House. Had it not been for my prior knowledge of the circumstances, as Neji-san here has provided, I would have pressed charges. I am asking, Sarutobi-sensei, that you see to the matter with Hiashi-sama, for me."

The man nodded and looked to Hinata, and said, "I will see to the matter for Naruto, and I expect it resolved soon. I will ask you, Hinata, not to use any home in Konoha, abandoned or otherwise, without permission from the owner no matter the assurances from within your family. You are lucky that Naruto trusted me when I dismissed the Military Police, because I have no doubt he would have pressed charges, I did hear him, before he knew who you were."

The girl bowed to Naruto, and then smiled to Neji saying, "arigato Neji-niisan, I will remember your help and tell Otousan."

Neji nodded, looked at Naruto and held out his hand. Naruto smirked, and took the hand, pulling him into a one-armed hug.

When things were back to normal, he passed out forgetting about the various Kage Bunshin no Jutsu that he'd left wandering around last night.

The fifth day of practice came early, and Naruto, with all his doubts got out of bed as a crow flew over head. He sat down, and without really meaning too created the first stage of the Rasengan in the palm of his hand, inflating the shapeless balloon with Chakra. When it popped, he woke up as the sound jerked him out of his tired state.

He looked at his hand, and picked up a filled balloon, and applying the smallest amount of concentration, burst the balloon. Confused, he tried to recall the events of the last evening, the only thing he actually remembered was the massive influx of thoughts that forced him to fall asleep late that night.

He smiled, that's what happened. The Kage Bunshin all succeeded at the same time, and ended their existence, the knowledge coming in handy in the early morning. And, he realized, he understood Ero-Sennin better too. He needed the experience to create the first stage at the slightest thought, and the only way for someone to do that was to practice. With his ability with the Kage Bunshin, that was made easier.

He found Jiraiya outside of the Konoha Hospital, a bandage helping ease the lump that was on the top of his head, and snickered. The man looked at him and said, "this is your fault, Gaki. Don't think for a minute you're getting training today."

Naruto smirked and said, "Orioke no Jutsu!"

The gob smacked man launched into the sky as a trail of blood issued from his nose and he hit his head on the Hospital side. Naruto laughed and changed back with a flume of smoke, running from the angry Sannin on his trail.

They arrived at a lake where Naruto sometimes liked to train. The man sat down, smiling at the brat in front of him who acted more like his father everyday, with a good mix of his mother there, just to be safe.

"Alright Naruto, today I'm going to show you the next step, but you're not going to practice that until later. I've got a new jutsu for you to learn that will help you in the Finals. Did you bring the rubber balls that I told you would be used in the second stage?"

Naruto pulled on out and watched as the man burst it with the same routine that he used for the water balloon.

"Okay, time for a short lesson. In the Water Walking exercise, Naruto, you are taught to expel a certain amount of chakra to stay on top of the water, and the same is taught in tree-walking exercises. On the water, you are taught to keep an ever-flowing amount of chakra on your feet, and in time that ability becomes secondary. In this step, you are doing the same thing, the difference comes in your ability to burst this ball. In order to do that, you must use power to pop the balloon, so you'll need to put the right amount in to pop the balloon but not throw yourself backwards.

Now, create some Kage Bunshin, and let them practice that while I teach you a new Jutsu. I've looked over your scroll of jutsu and have discovered that you are seriously lacking in specialized jutsu."

Naruto frowned and said, "what Ero-Sennin?"

The man sighed. "A specialized jutsu, where you combine two elements together to create a single element, like the Mokuton jutsu, Water and Wind, Ice. You need to create a jutsu that will work just as well, but be unique to you, and will go onto this list. I've been told that your primary element is Wind and the Earth is your second, is that right?"

Naruto nodded. The man smiled. "Good, I've acquired help then, in the form of Sarutobi Asuma, who will help you learn the wind manipulation. And I'll teach you Earth Manipulation. We'll use the same exercise that you did, using Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. You'll practice with Asuma every other day, beginning tomorrow and with me beginning today, every other day. Every night you'll practice the Rasengan training for an hour, and when you finish the second step, the third will be shown to you. Do you agree?"

Naruto nodded.

"Good, the first thing. Earth Manipulation is simple to use, once you know how. It allows you to use Doton Jutsu easier, and makes for a good conversation piece. Now, since not many people use Earth Manipulation, only Sarutobi, you and I use it, you'll have to learn everything in less than a month. It's not hard, but until you can use it correctly, you'll overpower your Doton jutsu.

To practice in Doton Jutsu, you need to do this."

He bent down and acted like he grabbed at the Earth. When he stood up, a large ball of stone came up with him. When he finished, he threw it up and when it came down, he did something, and punched through it, steadying the ball on his arm.

"Earth Manipulation is the easiest to learn of the four elements because it deals with direct Chakra Manipulation. Using Kage Bunshin, it shouldn't take you more than a week to perfect. Get to it."

Naruto nodded and, doing the correct seal said, "Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu".

As he once more showed them how to do the move correctly, Jiraiya stood back in case of trouble.

The man looked at Naruto with disguised glee. He'd heard of this student from his Otousan when he was growing up, and couldn't wait to make a mark on the life of the greatest genius in the village's history.

As he pulled out his knife, he said, "Wind Chakra is all about using Chakra as an edge. With Wind Chakra, much like the Chidori, you can cut through anything. Because of this, Wind Chakra is the hardest to control, and will take you much longer than Earth, Fire or Water Chakra. Watch."

He applied Chakra to the knife in his hand and threw it toward a tree, where it collided and kept on going until Asuma called it back. "Now, you won't start this training until later, right now I'll need to take you to the Waterfall in Konoha, and teach you the basics."

As they arrived, he split the Waterfall in half with Chakra alone and said, "When you've got the basics, come to me and I'll show you the rest. Hajime!"

Naruto nodded and set to work.

End Chapter