The morning sun filtered through the trees as Team 7 gathered in a secluded clearing near Training Ground 7. The air was still, save for the occasional chirping of birds and the rustle of leaves in the breeze. But the tension among the team was palpable. Their disastrous attempts to catch Tora the day before were fresh in their minds, and the frustration clung to them like a second skin.
Raven Kamizuki stood at the center of the clearing, her violet eyes gleaming with mischief and determination. She crossed her arms, surveying the group with a knowing smirk.
"Alright, listen up," Raven began, her voice cutting through the silence. "If we're going to catch that cat—and not embarrass ourselves again—we need to train. Properly."
Naruto Uzumaki groaned, flopping dramatically onto the ground. "Do we have to? I just want to get the cat and move on to real missions!"
Raven shot him a look that immediately shut him up. "Unless you want to spend the rest of your ninja career as a glorified pet sitter, yes. We have to."
Sasuke Uchiha remained silent, his dark eyes narrowed and focused. He didn't like admitting it, but Raven had a point. Their first attempt had been pathetic.
Sakura Haruno nodded in agreement, though her eyes flicked to Sasuke every few seconds, clearly more focused on impressing him than the actual training.
Kakashi Hatake leaned against a nearby tree, his ever-present orange book in hand. He flipped a page lazily, though his visible eye occasionally flicked toward the team, silently observing.
Raven turned to Sasuke first, her smirk widening. "Alright, broody boy. You're up."
Sasuke's scowl deepened. "Stop calling me that."
Raven ignored him. "Your Fire Jutsu is powerful, but it's all brute force. You need precision."
Sasuke's jaw tightened, but he didn't argue. He formed quick hand signs and launched a Fireball Jutsu at a nearby target—a makeshift dummy Raven had set up using logs and old fabric.
The fireball exploded on impact, incinerating the dummy in a burst of flames.
Raven clapped slowly, her expression unimpressed. "Great. You can burn stuff. But what if the target's standing next to something—or someone—you don't want to roast?"
Sasuke's glare could've burned through steel, but he begrudgingly nodded. He tried again, this time focusing on controlling the size and intensity of the flame.
Hours passed as Raven guided Sasuke, offering sarcastic quips and genuine advice in equal measure.
"Try not to set yourself on fire this time."
"Hey, nice! Only half the forest went up in flames."
Eventually, Sasuke's technique improved, his fireballs becoming more focused and precise. By the end of the session, he could hit a target dead-center without so much as singeing the surrounding area.
Raven crossed her arms, nodding in approval. "See? Not bad for a broody boy."
Sasuke rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
While Sasuke cooled down—both literally and figuratively—Raven turned her attention to Naruto.
"Alright, ramen boy. Your turn."
Naruto groaned but stood up, dusting himself off. "I've got this. Shadow Clones are my thing."
He formed the hand sign and summoned a massive horde of clones, the clearing instantly filled with dozens of identical Narutos.
For a moment, it looked impressive.
But then the strain hit.
Naruto staggered, clutching his head as the overwhelming influx of information from the clones flooded his mind. He groaned, collapsing onto the ground in a heap.
Raven sighed, walking over and tapping him lightly on the forehead.
"You're using brute force, just like Sasuke was," she said. "Work smarter, not harder."
Naruto groaned from the ground. "Easy for you to say…"
Raven crouched beside Naruto, her expression softening slightly.
"Look, you've got the power. But you need control. Don't just summon as many clones as you can. Focus on how you use them."
Naruto sat up, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "How?"
Raven's grin returned, sharp and mischievous. "Ever hear of the Pizza Clone Technique?"
Naruto blinked. "Pizza… what?"
Raven stood, summoning a Pizza Clone with a dramatic flourish. The clone looked exactly like her, down to the last detail, but with a faint, mouthwatering aroma of oregano and melted cheese.
"These clones are just like Shadow Clones, but better," Raven explained. "No mental strain, constant training feedback, and—bonus—they can turn into pizza monsters if I want them to."
Naruto stared, his jaw hanging open. "No way… That's awesome!"
Raven's grin widened. "Exactly. And if I can do it with pizza… you can do it with ramen."
Naruto's eyes lit up, the possibilities swirling in his mind. "A Ramen Clone Technique…"
Fueled by inspiration, Naruto leapt to his feet.
"I'm gonna do it!" he shouted, determination burning in his eyes. "I'll make the greatest clone technique ever!"
He spent the next few hours experimenting, guided by Raven's advice. His clones grew more stable, more controlled. The mental strain lessened as he focused on refining the technique rather than overwhelming himself with sheer numbers.
By the end of the session, Naruto had the beginnings of a Ramen Clone Technique—clones that were not only effective but smelled faintly of miso and noodles.
Raven clapped him on the back. "Not bad, ramen boy. Not bad at all."
Throughout the training, Kakashi watched from the sidelines, his book forgotten in his hands. His visible eye narrowed slightly as he observed Raven's guidance.
They're improving… fast.
For the first time, Kakashi felt a flicker of uncertainty. What am I even supposed to teach them?
But then Raven's eyes flicked toward him, her grin widening ever so slightly.
"You know, Kakashi-sensei," she called out, her voice dripping with innocent mischief. "Sayuri doesn't tolerate nonsense around her precious boy… Naruto "
Kakashi's eye twitched, and a cold shiver ran down his spine.
She knows.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Team 7 gathered around, exhausted but exhilarated.
Sasuke's fire techniques were sharper, more precise. Naruto's clones were more controlled, the beginnings of a new technique taking shape. Even Sakura had started to work on her physical conditioning, inspired by Raven's guidance.
Raven stood at the center, her arms crossed and her grin as wide as ever.
"Well," she said, "you're not complete disasters anymore."
Naruto laughed, punching the air. "We're gonna catch that cat tomorrow for sure!"
Sasuke smirked, nodding slightly. "We'll be ready."
As the team dispersed for the night, Kakashi remained behind, staring at the spot where Raven had stood.
She's more than just a student, he thought. But what exactly is she?
His mind drifted to Sayuri Arata, Naruto's mother, and the subtle hints Raven had been dropping all day.
Kakashi shuddered, tucking his book back into his pouch.
Better not think about it too much.
As the team walked off into the twilight, their laughter echoing through the trees, Tora watched from a distant branch, its eyes gleaming in the fading light.
But this time, the cat sensed it.
Tomorrow, Team 7 would be different.
And this time, they wouldn't fail to cause another CATastrophe.
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