The morning sun peeked over the rooftops of Konoha, casting long shadows as Team 7 stood once again at the edge of Training Ground 7. This time, however, the energy was different. Gone were the groans of frustration and exhaustion. In their place was a simmering determination—and just a hint of mischief.
Raven Kamizuki stood at the forefront, her violet eyes gleaming as she surveyed her teammates. Naruto Uzumaki cracked his knuckles, a wide grin plastered on his face. Sasuke Uchiha brooded silently, his perfected glare sharp enough to cut glass. Sakura Haruno flexed her fingers, her confidence noticeably stronger after their grueling late-night training session.
And, of course, Kakashi Hatake leaned against a tree in the distance, his orange book in hand—but his visible eye occasionally flicked toward Raven, a hint of unease lurking behind his lazy demeanor.
Tora, the Fire Daimyō's wife's cat, was back to its usual antics. The notoriously elusive feline lounged atop a high tree branch, its tail flicking lazily as it surveyed the approaching shinobi with smug disdain.
Naruto cracked his neck, bouncing on his feet. "Alright, furball. Let's see you escape this time."
Raven grinned. "Remember, team: controlled chaos."
With a synchronized nod, Team 7 launched into action.
Sasuke moved first, his hands forming quick signs as he summoned his newly refined technique.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
Unlike his previous wild bursts of flame, this time Sasuke's attack was precise. The small, controlled fireballs danced through the trees, strategically cutting off Tora's escape routes without igniting the surrounding foliage.
The cat hissed, darting along the branches—but Sasuke was already a step ahead.
Raven, watching from below, nodded approvingly. Broody boy's finally getting it.
As Tora leapt to another branch, Naruto sprang into action.
"Ramen Clone Technique: Noodle Barrage!"
Dozens of Ramen Clones materialized with a burst of chakra and the faint scent of miso broth. The clones moved in perfect synchronization, their forms stable and controlled, unlike the chaotic mess from their first attempt.
The clones surrounded the tree, climbing with ease and forming a human (and ramen) ladder to cut off Tora's path.
Naruto grinned from the ground. "You're cornered now, furball!"
But Tora was nothing if not crafty.
With a sudden leap, the cat vaulted over the Ramen Clones, landing gracefully on another branch.
Sakura didn't hesitate.
Using her newfound Genjutsu skills, she formed a quick hand sign, casting an illusion of a giant dog appearing below the tree.
Tora's eyes widened in fear, its fur standing on end as the illusionary dog growled menacingly.
While the cat was distracted, Sakura sprinted forward, her improved physical strength allowing her to leap higher than before.
She reached for Tora, her fingers grazing its fur—but the cat recovered at the last second, slipping through her grasp with a hiss.
Sakura landed gracefully, frustration flashing across her face. "So close!"
Raven stepped forward, her grin widening. "Alright, my turn."
She formed a quick hand sign, summoning a group of Pizza Clones. The clones split into two groups—perfect duplicates for stealth, and pizza monsters for chaos.
The perfect clones blended into the trees, moving silently to flank Tora, while the pizza monsters morphed into grotesque shapes, their mozzarella limbs stretching to create a net of cheese.
The cat, realizing too late that it was surrounded, tried to leap—but the cheese net snapped shut, ensnaring Tora mid-air.
"Gotcha!" Raven called triumphantly.
But just as the team prepared to celebrate, disaster struck.
One of Naruto's Ramen Clones tripped over a Pizza Clone's mozzarella limb, causing a chain reaction of clones collapsing into each other. The sudden burst of chakra feedback destabilized the net, allowing Tora to slip free once again.
The cat bolted into the underbrush, leaving a trail of chaotic clones and shredded cheese in its wake.
Naruto groaned, collapsing onto the ground. "Not again!"
From his spot under the tree, Kakashi watched the chaos unfold, his book forgotten in his lap. His visible eye twitched slightly as Raven's Pizza Clones wreaked havoc across the clearing.
But it wasn't just the chaos that unsettled him.
It was the subtle comments Raven kept dropping throughout the mission.
As she regrouped with the team, she shot Kakashi a sly grin.
"You know, Kakashi-sensei," she called out, "I hope Narutos Mom doesn't hear about this. She might not be too happy with how things are going. She is a firce advocate of the pizza lifestyle how would she react to ramen clones."
Kakashi's heart skipped a beat.
Despite the setbacks, Team 7 wasn't ready to give up.
Raven gathered them together, her grin never faltering. "Alright, we're close. We just need to tighten our strategy."
Naruto wiped sweat from his brow. "I say we drown it in ramen!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Or we could just trap it properly."
Sakura nodded, determination shining in her eyes. "Let's do this."
Raven chuckled. "That's the spirit. One more try."
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