Chapter 071

"I read a bingo book and your brother was in there, it said he was wanted for killing the Uchiha clan," Naruto said with a shrug, patting the pouch where his bingo book was located. "It wasn't hard to figure out who the 'man you intend to kill' was after that. And while I can understand why you want to, right now thinking about him is merely a distraction for you. Now, clear your mind and being channeling your chakra."

Sasuke sighed and decided to do as ask. It couldn't hurt more than anything he had been doing recently. When all thoughts, even the many plotted ways he would kill Itachi, were gone, he channeled his chakra to the bottom of his feet. Feeling ready he ran at the tree, jumping on and sticking his feet to the trunk he began to move up, two steps, four steps, ten steps, fifteen, thirty, fifty five, sixty. Before Sasuke knew it he had reached the top of the tree.

Blinking in a bit of surprise he grabbed onto the top and swung himself on the top most branches. He looked out over the forest, seeing how far it went on. He looked back down to see Naruto looking at him with a smirk. Unbidden a smirk came to his own face.

It looks like the dobe has his uses after all…

Later that night Naruto came in with a beaten and battered looking Sasuke, said raven-haired Genin's arm was around the whiskered blonds shoulder as Naruto held him up and walked over to the table.

"SASUKE-KUN!" Sakura screeched as she saw Sasuke. Everyone winced and covered their ears at the loudness of her voice. Except for Sasuke, who was simply too tired to cover his ears, and Naruto who was holding Sasuke up. "Naruto-baka! What did you do to Sasuke-kun!"

"Quiet down Sakura," Naruto said in an annoyed tone. "I was just helping Sasuke with his training," The blond looked over at Kakashi. "He can reach the top now, so we're working on perfecting his tree walking."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow as he looked up from his book. "What do you mean perfecting?" he asked in curiosity.

Naruto grunted as he set Sasuke down at the table, said raven-haired Genin resting his head on the table as soon as he was seated. "What I mean is, perfecting. I was told that the tree climbing exercise is not truly mastered until you can stay on a vertical surface for one hour, while in combat," The blond answered as he grabbed a plate and some food.

"That's actually a good idea," Kakashi said, looking over at Sakura. "Sakura, tomorrow, Naruto and I will be guarding the bridge; I want you and Sasuke to work on mastering tree climbing."

Sakura paled a bit at the thought of doing what Naruto had said, but nodded as it would not be wise to go against her sensei, "Yes Kakashi-sensei."

"Good," eye-smiling Kakashi turned to Naruto, "You don't have a problem with this do you Naruto?"

Naruto shook his head, "That's fine; I can get my training done early in the morning before we leave."

"Excellent!" Kakashi said with another eye-smile, "I'll be counting on you to back me up in case something happens."

Naruto grinned, "You just want me there so that if a something does happen, you can read your porn while I do all the fighting."

"Now you know that's not true Naruto," Kakashi said with a fake tone of hurt, which may have been more believable had he not gone back to reading his porn. "I would never let a comrade fight on his own if I could help it."

"Uh huh sure," Naruto rolled his eyes as he began eating. "You would be more convincing if you weren't reading your precious Icha Icha right now sensei."

"Well, you never know when I'll get another chance," Kakashi said as he turned the page and dutifully ignoring the glares from the two females in the house. "Especially if something happens tomorrow; I have to use my time wisely after all."

"Hah!" Naruto laughed, "Just admit it; you're a lazy ass bastard who simply doesn't want to do anything other than read his porn."

Throughout the whole conversation Sakura who had been getting increasingly red, spoke up. "Would you two shut up! I don't want to hear you talking about sensei's porn addiction!"

CHA! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT OUR DIRTY OLD SENSEI READING PORN! SHANNARO! Inner Sakura raged.

Kakashi and Naruto looked at each other before shrugging.

"Sure Sakura," Naruto said, another grin coming to his face, one that Kakashi recognized as the grin when the blond was doing his pranks. "If you want we can talk about how you have a shrine of Sasuke hidden in the back of your closet instead…"

As soon as Naruto said that several different things happened. Kakashi dropped his book as he fought to keep from laughing. Tazuna did laugh. Inari looked confused as he wondered why someone would have a shrine of another person in their closet. Tsunami blushed a bit as she wondered if Sakura might have some kind of mental problems. Sasuke blanched, turning as pale as a ghost and praying to every Kami he could think of that Naruto was lying. And Sakura…

"Na-ru-to!"

…Was red with anger, red enough to make a tomato seem pale, wondering how he knew she had a shrine dedicated to Sasuke in her closet that she paid homage to every morning.

"You're dead!"