SHUJINKO SHIPPUDEN

CHAPTER 1: HOMECOMING

(Disclaimer: Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto. I do own my OC's, however)

"Talking / Jutsu"

'Thinking'

'Flashback'

"Flashback talk"

"Demonic voice"

Letter / Emphasis

|Konohagakure no Sato|

It was a beautiful day in Konohagakure. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the voices of children playing tag could be heard loud and clear. The streets were filled with villagers doing their daily routines and neighbors were joyfully chatting about banalities and the latest rumors and occurrences. Even the air seemed to be carrying a taste of wellness and tranquility that was enjoyable to breathe in.

It was almost hard to believe that such a seemingly peaceful place was the home of some of the most powerful and renowned ninjas the world had ever seen, including all of the Hokage, the Legendary Sannins, and other individuals whose names were well-known all throughout the shinobi world. After all, it wasn't a coincide that Konohagakure no Sato was widely regarded by many as the greatest military village in the current day and age, having earned and maintained that reputation after many wars and conflicts.

Konohagakure was also the home of another shinobi, one by the name of Ozuma Shujinko, who was currently brushing his teeth in his underwear after having breakfast and taking a shower.

Shujinko had gone through a rather noticeably transformation over the last three years, both in terms of his physical appearance and his prowess as a shinobi. Now sixteen years old, Shujinko no longer looked like a pubescent teenager and instead resembled a young man. He had grown tall and lean, yet muscular all the same thanks to years of training. His voice was slightly huskier than before, a natural consequence of having turned sixteen. As for his hair, it hadn't changed all that much since his days as a Genin, although Shujinko found himself having to cut it more often than before.

Once he was done brushing his teeth, Shujinko entered his room and started putting on his outfit. Now that he was older, he had acquired a taste for looking professional, which was why he wore the standard shinobi uniform of Konohagakure with the exception of a few minor tweaks. While most Chunins and Jounins wore dark blue pants and long-sleeved shirts, Shujinko's uniform was of a brighter shade of blue that resembled the color of a sapphire. His shirt had short sleeves and he also wore black, mid-length wrist warmers made out of leather on his forearms, leaving only his hands and his elbows uncovered. As for his green flak jacket, Shujinko had grown fond of this particular piece of garment ever since it was given to him, and so he wore it almost every day.

Of course, his apparel wasn't complete until he wore the two most important items: His headband and his necklace, a golden feather, the symbol of the Ozuma clan.

Back when the Ozuma clan was still around, only those who had proven themselves worthy were given the golden feather as a distinctive token. The Ozuma clan had been wiped out long ago as a result of an alliance made by several clans of Sora no Kuni during violent and blood-spilling times. Daichi, Shujinko's father, managed to escape from the war with the help of his mother Kyoko and traveled across the land until he reached Konohagakure no Sato, along with his wife Masumi and his son Shujinko, who had been born months before the Ozuma's arrival to the village.

It wasn't until Shujinko was twelve that he discovered his true lineage as well as the power that flowed through his veins. Unlike Daichi, whose Ozuma genes had been dormant ever since he was conceived, Shujinko and his sister Nanami both had golden eyes, having inherited the Karura Tensei. The Karura Tensei was the Kekkei Genkai of the Ozuma clan, a bloodline ability that allowed the members of the clan to instinctively and almost immediately gather nature energy, entering a state known as Hawk Sage Mode.

The history of the Ozuma was ancient and mysterious, and the only beings alive today that knew about the events that led to the birth, rise, fall, and "resurrection" of the clan were the hawks that lived in the Great Sukai Tower… But Shujinko wasn't thinking about that right now. He had to run a few errands here and there, and he had his own personal business to attend to. However, there was one thing, one thought that took almost all of his attention and brought a small smile to his lips.

"It's been three years now," Shujinko said to himself. "Naruto is finally coming home,"

Shujinko entered a small, but modest building where his mother worked as a secretary, carrying a bento box inside a bag. Kato, an elderly man who was sweeping the floor, greeted him good morning, and Shujinko returned the gesture by shaking the man's skinny hand. Kato was a short man with round glasses and a balding head, who wore an old uniform that had undoubtedly seen better days.

"It's good to see you again, Kato-san," Shujinko said.

"Who do we have here? Young Shujinko is all grown up now," Kato replied with a raspy voice. "To think that I used to look after you whenever your mother brought you here. Do you remember those days, Shujinko? You used to bring your toys to my small office and play with them all day long. It feels like it was only yesterday when you tried to go the bathroom on your own and ended up lost in the third floor,"

Shujinko chuckled. "What can I say? This place seemed huge at the time, and it wasn't my fault that I didn't have anything better to do. By the way, have you seen my mom around? She forgot to bring her lunch and I don't want her to work with an empty stomach,"

"Ah, yes, yes. You arrived just in time. Masumi-san and her co-workers are about to take their break. If you hurry, you might still find her in her desk,"

"Thanks. See you around, Kato-san,"

The Ozuma walked across the hall and climbed up the stairs, reaching the second floor. His mother Masumi worked as a secretary in a modest but reliable company that focused on edible goods. Her job was to make sure her boss was up to date with everything that was happening as well as help him arrange meetings with current and potential clients by finding dates that accommodated both parties.

It was far from being the best-paid job in the world, but she earned a decent wage. Besides, her husband worked as well and one of her sons was a shinobi who began earning money at the age of twelve, and he was currently sixteen. As for Nanami, she had become a Genin not too long ago, so she was starting to earn her own money. Since every member of the Ozuma family collaborated with the expenses, they were able to afford a relatively safe and humble lifestyle.

Shujinko saw his mother putting several binders inside a drawer as she chatted with two of her colleagues. Masumi hadn't changed all that much over the last three years, with the exception of a few thin wrinkles that were beginning to show. She used make-up to cover them, obviously. "Ugh, I can't believe how silly of me," Masumi started to say. "I forgot my lunch at home, and by the time I get back here with something to eat, my shift will have already started,"

"Why don't you just get something from the shop that's around the corner? Surely you can find food there," one of her friends suggested.

Masumi shook her head. "No way. You can't trust the food sold in those places. They'll make you fat before you know it. Just look at Kuriko if you don't believe me," It was at that moment when Masumi noticed Shujinko was walking towards her. "Shujinko, what are you doing here? Did something happen to our house?"

"Hey kaa-san, nice to see you too. And no, nothing happened. I just thought I would bring you this," Shujinko said as he handed his mother her lunch. "You're lucky I spotted it before I left. Enjoy,"

"Oh Kami, you are a lifesaver. Thank you so much, Shujinko," Masumi said, taking out the bento box out of the bag.

The three other women quickly surrounded Shujinko, much to the boy's discomfort. "My oh my. Shujinko, is that really you?" one of them asked as she pinched his cheek. "You've grown an awful lot. How did you get so tall all of a sudden?"

"Tall and handsome," the other one added, caressing his face. "I bet you have all sorts of girls chasing after you, am I right?"

"Hey ladies, haven't seen you in a while," Shujinko replied courteously. He had always found his mother's friends to be a bit obnoxious, to say the least. The golden-eyed boy was aware that they were just teasing him, but did they really have to do this every single time they met? He only tolerated them because they were friends with his mother. Had it not been for that, Shujinko probably wouldn't speak a word to them. "We can catch up another time, but I kinda have to go now. Please excuse me,"

Masumi nodded. "Alright, that's enough. Get your claws away from my son, you two. We still haven't finished our conversation from earlier,"

"Ooooh, come on. Can't he stick around a little longer? It's not like we get to see Shujinko every day. Oh, and you'll never guess who we saw last week. Do you remember Mizubo, the girl who used to work here? Well, it turns out that…"

'Geez, I thought I was never going to leave this place, Shujinko thought as he walked out of the building. Next time her mother forgot to bring her lunch to work, she could go retrieve it herself. He had spent enough time with her mother's annoying, intrusive coworkers for the foreseeable… well, forever. 'Now that we got that out of the way, I should go see Tsunade-sama and ask her if she has seen Naruto. I wonder how much stronger he's gotten. He's probably changed a lot since the last time we saw each other. There's no way he's still the same knucklehead after three years of-'

"YOU LITTLE IMBECILE!"

BAAM

The voice of Sakura was heard all throughout the street, as well as the sound of someone getting pummeled by an enormous force. Shujinko quickly made his way to where he heard Sakura, and when he got there, he was greeted by a sight so distant, yet at the same time so familiar that it made him gasp.

Sakura was holding a barely conscious Naruto by the collar of his jacket, shaking him back and forth like a ragdoll. "It's been three years since I last saw you! Three years! Then, you finally return to the village and the first thing you do is to try and use that pervy jutsu of yours in front of everyone! What the hell is wrong with you!? Don't you have any shame at all!?"

"Sa-Sakura-chan… I was only joking…" Naruto mumbled.

"Joking!? How can you even… Aaaaargh, you're such an idiot! Why did I ever get my hopes up for you!? You're still that immature twerp from before!"

"Naruto, is that you?" The ears of the Kyuubi Jinchuriki perked up upon hearing his name. Both Naruto and Sakura turned their heads around, finding their old teammate at the end of the street close to where they were.

Naruto's fear was immediately replaced by a sense of surprise and awe as he stared at Shujinko with wide eyes. Unlike Sakura, whose current outfit still vagely resembled the pink dress she used to wear during her time as a Genin, Shujinko wore clothes that clearly belonged to a shinobi, giving him a more mature and adult-like appearance. On his way to the village, Naruto was aware that his childhood friends probably didn't look the same as they did three years ago, but seeing them was another matter entirely.

"Shujinko? Hey, it's nice to see you again!" Naruto exclaimed, a grin plastered on his face. Sakura let out a sigh and released the blonde Jinchuriki so that he could walk over to where Shujinko was, because despite how annoyed she was at Naruto, it wasn't like she was going to stop him from meeting his teammate after years of absence. "Man, you've changed. I almost didn't recognize you,"

"I'm the one who has changed?" Shujinko asked incredulously. "Look at you, you're even taller than Sakura now!"

Naruto's height wasn't the only thing that was different about him. His voice was huskier than before, and his face was considerably leaner, sharpening his facial features. Much to Shujinko's amusement, Naruto still remained loyal to his clothing fashion by wearing orange garments, although he had the decency to wear a jacket with a black pattern that covered his arms and his zipper, forming the shape of a letter T. It was a small improvement over his previous outfit, but an improvement nonetheless.

The whiskered teen scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Yeah, I guess I've grown a little, but this place hasn't changed in the slightest. Everything looks exactly the same, as if I had never left. It feels great to be back in the village. I have so much to tell you, but first, let's get a bowl of ramen. I'm sure old man Teuchi will give me one for free as a homecoming gift!"

"Slow down there, kiddo. It's business before pleasure in the shinobi world. We have to stop by Tsunade's office and inform her of our return, otherwise, she'll have my head," Like the experienced shinobi that he was, Jiraiya silently appeared, turning the head of the three members of Team 7. "Besides, I'm sure my old teammate must have missed me terribly while we were gone, and its bad manners to keep a lady waiting,"

Shujinko bowed his head respectfully. "Jiraiya-sama, it's good to have you back in the village,"

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow in return. "Well, thank you… What was your name again?"

A thick drop of sweat rolled down Shujinko's temple, his eyebrow twitching in annoyance. Although not particularly close to one another, Shujinko would've expected Jiraiya to at least remember his name after being formally introduced to him. "Ozuma Shujinko, Naruto's teammate. We've met before, you know,"

"Ah, yes, of course. I remember now. You've gotten so big I can barely even recognize you," Jiraiya replied casually, although Shujinko had the feeling that the white-haired shinobi wasn't being fully honest. He then looked at Sakura, who also came to greet the Sannin.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Jiraiya-sama,"

"The pleasure is mine. Your name is Sakura, right? You're Tsunade's student, the girl with the pink hair Naruto always mentioned. The way he talked about you, one would think you two are a couple. I certainly recall Naruto saying you had fallen head over heels in love for him or something among those lines,"

"W-W-What!?" Sakura exclaimed in shock before placing a terrified Naruto in a headlock and performing a skull-piercing noogie. "What other lies have you been spreading about me!? Confess, you rat!"

"Ouch! No! Stop it, Sakura-chan! I didn't say anything, I swear! Ero-sennin is lying!"

Instead of rolling his eyes in annoyance, Shujinko found himself smiling fondly at the scene. As stupid as it was, it made him remember about the time when they were young and naive Genins full of enthusiasm. Seeing Naruto and Sakura interact like they used to back in the old days sure brought back memories that he often reminisced about, or at least the good ones. It was no secret that Team 7 suffered the humiliating reputation of being the squad that Uchiha Sasuke abandoned, so Shujinko tried to focus on the positive aspects and allow people to think whatever they wanted.

Things were just easier that way.

|Hokage's Office|

"So, you two have finally returned," Tsunade said ceremoniously before allowing a warm smile to grace her lips. Naruto and Jiraiya were standing in front of her, followed by Sakura and Shujinko, who decided to tag along. Even though she would never admit to it, she came to miss the obnoxious brat who constantly talked about becoming Hokage. Well, he wasn't a brat anymore, or at least he certainly didn't look like one after three years. "I'm glad to have you back with us. Your time was well spent, I assume,"

"You offend me, Tsunade. Do you really think we would've returned if our training hadn't been fruitful? I'm telling you, I did a good job training Naruto," Jiraiya assured her with utmost conviction.

Naruto grinned and gave Tsunade a thumbs-up. "Mission accomplished, baa-chan. I worked my but off and now I'm stronger than I've ever been before. I can face anyone you put me up against, believe it!"

"That's good to hear because I want to see the results of your training first hand, as well as how your teamwork abilities play out. There's someone I want you to go up against, and I've allowed that certain someone to rest these past few days so that he can face you at the peak of his strength. He should be here any minute now,"

"Really? And who am I going up against?" Naruto asked with utmost interest.

Right after Tsunade finished her sentence, there was a knock on the door, which caused Jiraiya and the members of Team 7 to turn their heads around.

"Come in!"

The door was opened, and none other than Shikamaru and Temari walked into the office. "Morning, Tsunade-sama," Shikamaru said with a yawn, rubbing one of his eyes with a closed fist. Despite already being early in the afternoon, the lazy genius looked as if he was just starting his day. The years hadn't diminished Shikamaru's idleness in the slightest, and probably never would. He was so busy feeling apathetic that he had yet to notice the presence of Konohagakure's Number One Hyperactive Knucklehead ninja. As for Temari, she was standing slightly behind Shikamaru and hadn't realized Naruto was in the same room as her.

"Oh, it's you, Shikamaru," Tsunade said. "Looks like you came here just in time,"

"Shikamaru, Temari, look who we have here!" Sakura announced excitedly. Despite still being angry with Naruto for attempting to do that repulsive Oiroke no Jutsu in public, she couldn't deny that she was very happy to have him back, even if it meant having to deal with his childish antics all over again.

It was only then that Shikamaru realized who was there with them, and his laziness was quickly replaced with astonishment. "Wait a minute, is that… No way. Naruto, it's you!" Shikamaru exclaimed as he raised his voice. Seeing his old classmate again after so long was such a welcoming surprise that Shikamaru couldn't help but crack a genuine smile, something he rarely ever did with his aloof attitude.

The Kyuubi Jinchuriki returned the smile. "Hey Shikamaru, long time no see!"

'Is that really the same little goofball from before?' Temari thought in awe. It was weird to see how much Naruto had grown, especially considering how he was still a midget the last time she saw him.

Shujinko smirked in amusement. He was already expecting a similar reaction from Shikamaru and Temari when he saw them stepping into the room, but watching them act so surprised upon seeing Naruto was entertaining all the same. He couldn't wait to see the look on the rest of their friends' faces, especially since they didn't know Naruto was already here.

"So you finally returned to the village, huh?"

"That's right, Ero-sennin and I came back just a few minutes ago. So what's up, then? Are you going to be my opponent or what?"

Shikamaru blinked in confusion. "Your opponent? What are you talking about? I just came here to deliver some paperwork, not to pick up fights. That'd be so troublesome,"

"Oh, really? Then, does that mean that I'm supposed to fight…" Naruto focused his gaze on Temari, giving her an inquiring look. "Oi, you're Gaara's sister, right? Your name was…"

After a minute or so of silence, Temari narrowed her eyes in a fulminating glare. "You really don't remember my name? Are you serious?"

"Of course I remember your name! Erh… It was… Teramoni or something, right?"

Everyone in the room except for "Teramoni" laughed, and even Shikamaru let out a chuckle. Under normal circumstances, the Kazekage's sister would've replied with an offensive retort, but seeing how good-natured the atmosphere was and how she was in front of the leader of Konohagakure, Temari decided to let it slide just this time. The same way Naruto had forgotten her name, she had forgotten how much of an idiot the boy was. It was hard to believe that such an idiot was the responsible for Gaara's desition to change his life for the better and become Kazekage, something she never would've thought to be possible.

'It looks like some things never change,' Shujinko thought as he shook his head.

Once the laughter died down, Tsunade cleared her throat to gain everyone's attention. "As I was saying, you won't find your opponent under this roof. You might want to open up that window and search for him outside," she said as she pointed a finger at a window nearby. Not really knowing what was going on, Naruto walked up to the window and opened it up, his brow furrowed. He poked his head out and started looking, and just when he was about to ask Tsunade what kind of games she was playing, he heard a voice that was all too familiar.

"My my, look who decided to show up. It's been a long time since we last saw each other," Naruto immediately turned his head to the left. Sitting on the rooftop was none other than Hatake Kakashi, his old sensei. He was holding his beloved Icha-Icha Paradise in one hand as he used his free hand to wave hello. "Hey there, Naruto,"

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto exclaimed, jumping out of the window and landing on the rooftops in front of the silver-haired Jounin. Shujinko, Sakura, and Tsunade approached the window to observe the heartwarming reunion of a teacher and his old student. It had been far too long since they had last gathered like this, and it was impossible for Shujinko to not feel happy right now. He really missed these moments.

"Well, one thing is clear. You certainly look different, Naruto," Kakashi said, sounding as bored as ever. Of course, it wasn't like he cared nothing for Naruto's homecoming. That was just the way his voice sounded. Shujinko knew his sensei was glad to have Naruto return to the village, even if he didn't seem to show it.

"And just like Sakura-chan, you haven't changed at all, Kakashi-sensei," the Uzumaki replied cheerfully. Out of the corner of his eye, Shujinko saw how the tender smile on Sakura's face quickly evaporated and her lips became tighter than the spandex suits worn by Gai and Lee. "What have you been up to all of this time? Oh, wait! Before I forget, I want to give you a present. It's a souvenir from my travels with Ero-sennin, believe it!"

Kakashi's only visible eye rose slightly as Naruto grabbed his backpack and started searching for the gift inside. "A souvenir, you say? That's a very nice gesture, but you didn't have to bother. If I'm being honest, I've never been very interested in either giving or receiving pres…" The Hatake was unable to finish his sentence. Naruto pulled out a small green book from his backpack, and as soon as Kakashi read the title of the front cover, his heart skipped a beat. "It… It cannot be… This is… This is…"

"Kakashi-sensei, I present to you Icha-Icha Tactics, the new installment of the ongoing Icha-Icha series!" Naruto proclaimed as he handed Kakashi the book. "Ero-sennin gave it to me just before we finished our training trip together. He said this would help me become a man of culture and good taste. It's pretty lame if you ask me, but I know you're into this kind of weird stuff, so I thought you might as well have it,"

Jiraiya let out a huff and crossed his arms in disapproval. 'Lame? Dear Kami, what an ingrate. People would kill to get their hands on that book, especially since it hasn't been released to the public yet. Then again, I suppose you can't expect a dimwitted adolescent to appreciate fine literature,'

The Copy Ninja accepted the gift and stared at the front cover with trembling hands, as if he was holding the Holy Grail of erotic novels. His heavy breathing became more intense as he opened the new volume of his favorite series. Shujinko was worried that his sensei was about to suffer a heart attack or something, but right before that could happen, the Hokage's voice interrupted the magic of the moment. "Alright, that's enough. You can read your new book some other time, Kakashi. We have more important issues at hand, remember?"

Very much against his will, Kakashi forced himself to close the book before putting it away. Had it not been for the fact that he was being addressed by none other than the Hokage, Kakashi would've flat out ignored whatever he was being told at the moment. He would've gone home to lay on his bed, open the book, replace himself with the protagonist of the story, and then… Well, be free to do whatever he wanted with his imagination. No one needed to know what Kakashi did or thought during his leisure time, right?

Naruto developed a more serious expression. "Since you're here, does that mean you'll be taking me on, Kakashi-sensei?"

Upon hearing Naruto's question, Shujinko narrowed his eyes. His teammate had surely become stronger than before after training for three years with Jiraiya, but choosing Kakashi as Naruto's opponent was excessive in his opinion. Shujinko himself spent the last three years training under the Hatake's tutelage, learning almost everything the man had to teach him and dedicating his time to learn new skills and perfect the ones he already had. As a result, Shujinko became a much more formidable shinobi, adopting the shrewd and analytic mindset of his teacher and adding it to his fast-paced, straightforward fighting style.

But even then it wasn't enough. Shujinko couldn't consider himself to be Kakashi's equal when it came to strength despite his incredible progress. There was no doubt that the power gap between the two of them had shortened considerably, and Kakashi had certainly managed to make a fine shinobi out of him, but to say that the young Ozuma had already surpassed his mentor was quite a bold statement that most people would doubt, including Shujinko.

"In a way, yes. But you won't have to do it on your own," Kakashi responded as he turned his head towards his two other students, or at least his student and Sakura, who had become Tsunade's pupil. "Shujinko, Sakura, I'm glad you're here as well. This makes things less complicated,"

"Good morning, Kakashi-sensei. It's nice to see you," Sakura said while slightly bowing her head. Ever since she started her training under Tsunade, the pink-haired kunoichi had to devote herself to the Hokage's lessons and hadn't had much time to catch up with her old sensei. Even so, she hadn't forgotten who Kakashi was and still treated him with the respect that any student owed to his or her former mentor.

"It's nice to see you too, Sakura. We haven't seen each other in a while, haven't we?" Kakashi asked with an eye-smile.

"Yeah, well, we've both been terribly busy as of lately, so we can't blame ourselves,"

"Good morning, sensei," Shujinko said. Unlike Naruto and Sakura, the golden-eyed teen had seen Kakashi almost every week for the last three years, so it didn't feel like a special reunion at all. He was merely performing a common courtesy.

Kakashi nodded. "Morning, Shujinko. As I was saying, you three being here makes things less complicated. I have an announcement to make,"

"An announcement?" Naruto repeated.

"With Naruto's arrival, Tsunade-sama saw fit to put the three of you to the test and see how well you can work together. As mentors, Tsunade-sama, Jiraiya-sama, and I know very well what our respective students are capable of doing individually, but we haven't seen what you can do when working as a team with your current level of skills. That's why I, Hatake Kakashi, am hereby challenging Uzumaki Naruto, Ozuma Shujinko, and Haruno Sakura. It'll be interesting to watch how much teamwork you've retained,"

The unexpected challenge was met with sharp eyes from the three teenagers. Shujinko wasn't expecting to be included in this, but he didn't even consider the possibility of backing down. He hadn't trained relentlessly all of this time so that he could refuse a direct challenge from Kakashi, the man he aimed to surpass. Facing their sensei in a one-on-one fight would've been extremely demanding, but if they worked together as a team, Shujinko knew they could overcome anything their mentor had in store for them. Besides, he had been under Kakashi's tutelage for three years, and knew his tactics better than anyone under this roof, with Tsunade and Jiraiya being the only exceptions.

"If you want to challenge us, then bring it on, sensei," Naruto replied, his eyes shining with determination. It was time to show everyone how much he had improved, and he couldn't think of a more fitting opponent than Kakashi. "Let's head to the training grounds right away so we can start this thing. I'm ready for whatever you have in store for us,"

"Mah, mah, that wouldn't be fair for you, Naruto. You must be tired after traveling from so far. That's alright, I suppose our challenge can wait a little longer. I'll meet the three of you at our training grounds in a couple of hours so that Naruto has time to rest," Kakashi said, tightening his grip on his new book.

Naruto blinked. "What? No, I'm not tired at all, sensei. If anything, I'm itching for a fight. We can go to the training grounds right aw-"

POOF

Kakashi didn't bother to listen to him. Raising two fingers, he made use of the Shunshin no Jutsu and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. "The heck is wrong with him? I told him I was perfectly fine and he ignored me! Doesn't he have any manners?" Naruto protested out loud, feeling a tad bit offended. What kind of man ran away right after proposing a challenge?

"Well, it seems to me that Kakashi has his priorities straight," Jiraiya replied as he crossed his arms and nodded to himself, a smug smile on his face. "It's obvious that Kakashi couldn't resist the temptation and went home to start reading my masterpiece. Trust me, it's completely understandable. I've often seen men and women falling victim to my exquisite prose, so when they hear about a new book of mine coming up, it's hard to blame them when they-"

"Anyways, since we have a couple of hours to kill, how about we go get something to eat? I've been dying to get my hands on some ramen from Ichiraku, and I'm sure Teuchi-jiji won't charge me today since I just returned to the village. What do you guys say?" Naruto asked, placing both his hands on the back of his head.

This, of course, irritated the white-haired Sannin. "You little hypocrite! You criticize Kakashi for interrupting you, and then you go and do the same thing to me! If anyone's manners are lacking here, it's definitely yours!"

"Well, maybe I wouldn't have to interrupt you if you didn't gloat over your dirty books every five minutes! We all know only perverts such as Kakashi-sensei and yourself would ever read the crap that you write, Ero-sennin!"

"Crap? Crap!? I'll have you know I'm a worldwide renowned author and I've made a fortune selling my work! You're just jealous because you'd never be able to sell a book of your our making, not even in a million years!"

"Oh, please! If I wanted to, I could write a book with my eyes closed and it would still come out better than any of your filthy novels!"

"YOU THINK SO, YOU BRAINLESS GAKI!?"

"I KNOW SO, YOU PERVERTED OLD GOAT!"

"BE QUIET ALREADY!" Both Tsunade and Sakura roared before using their gargantuan strength to punch their respective teammates. The two dummies went through the roof and managed to reach an altitude of 50 feet into the air before gravity started doing its job. Naruto and Jiraiya landed on the Academy's play yard where children were about to start a game of hide and seek, making two big crates in the zone of impact and causing a distracted Iruka to spill hot tea all over his pants.

Shujinko shook his head. Some things truly never changed, did they?

Once Naruto managed to wake up from his comatose state, he and the rest of his friends decided to take a walk around the streets of Konohagakure. Given how Naruto's jaw was nearly dislocated from Sakura's vicious uppercut, he was forced to postpone his visit to Ichiraku Ramen, much to his dismay. Nevertheless, he enjoyed seeing his old neighborhood after three years of absence.

"So tell me, Naruto. How did your training with Jiraiya-sama go? Did you pick up some new skills along the way?" Shujinko asked, wanting to catch up with his blond knucklehead of a friend.

The Kyuubi Jinchuriki grinned. "You bet I did. I'm telling you, I'm not that snot-nosed kid from before. I'm a whole lot stronger now, believe it!"

"It'll be interesting to see how we'll fare against Kakashi-sensei," Sakura said. "I don't know what kind of test he has in store for us, but whatever that test is, it's gonna' be a challenging one for sure,"

"You can say that again. I just hope our teamwork hasn't gone rusty. We're gonna have to do this together if we want to stand a chance," the Ozuma commented.

"Come on, you're worrying too much, Shujinko. I know Kakashi-sensei is a tough opponent, but the three of us have trained a lot during these last three years, right? If we work together as you say, then we'll be just fine," Naruto said with his usual confidence. "By the way, what are you two doing here together, huh?" he asked Shikamaru and Temari with a devilish smile. "Ooooh, don't tell me. I bet the two of you are on a date. Go on, admit it already,"

Temari snorted incredulously. "Oh please, like I would ever go on a date with a bum like him. I'm just here as an ambassador from Sunagakure to arrange the next Chunin Exams, that's all,"

"And for some reason I can't understand, Tsunade-sama saw fit to put me in charge of the next Chunin Exams, which means that I have to deal with this witch right here. It's a drag, but I guess it has to be done," Shikamaru replied without missing a beat, his eyes showing nothing but utmost apathy. "Besides, I'm not cut out to be in a troublesome relationship just yet. Shujinko might be into that kind of commitment, but it's not my cup of tea,"

"Is that so?" Naruto immediately turned around and redirected his mocking grin at his teammate. "Well well well, looks like we have a ladies' man over here. Do you have a girlfriend or something?"

The Ozuma raised an eyebrow. "As a matter of fact, I do,"

His reply seemed to confuse Naruto, as if he wasn't expecting an affirmative answer at all. "Huh? Wait, are you serious? Because I was just messing with you. Who's your girlfriend, then? It can't possibly be…" Naruto's face suddenly went pale. Raising a shaky hand, he started pointing at Shujinko and Sakura. "… Are… Are you two… You're not really…"

"W-What?" Sakura sputtered. "Of course not! Shujinko and I aren't dating! He was talking about Tenten, you moron!"

Shujinko couldn't help but slap his own forehead, frustrated and embarrassed by his teammate's idiocy. It was true that his friendship with Sakura had somewhat deepened over the last three years, but that was because they became the last members of Team 7 without counting Kakashi, so it was only natural that they had gotten to know each other a little better with the absence of their other teammates. However, the thought of dating Sakura had never even crossed Shujinko's mind, not only because he had no interest towards her in that regard, but also because Tenten was his girlfriend, as well as the only girl he had romantic feelings for.

"Phew, that's good to know," the blonde knucklehead said after releasing a sigh of relief. The rest of them could only shake their heads. "I think I remember Tenten. She's that girl from Team Gai, the one who's always throwing weapons, right? Well, I'm sure the two of you make an excellent couple together! Shujinko shouldn't have to worry about dating other people because Tenten is the perfect girl for him, believe it!"

The awkward grin on Naruto's face caused a thick drop of sweat to roll down Shujinko's temple. The obviousness of his actions was pathetic and comical at the same time. He had no idea how Shujinko's relationship with Tenten was going, and quite frankly, it wasn't like he cared much about it. Naruto simply wanted to push the idea of Sakura dating Shujinko out of the way as much as he could, given how he still loved the pink-haired kunoichi.

"Anyways, I know it's none of my business, but since we're on the subject, are you going to participate in the upcoming Chunin Exams, Naruto?" Shikamaru asked. "If I were you, I'd try to pick up the pace as soon as possible. You can't stay like that forever,"

"Pick up the pace?" Naruto repeated. "What do you mean by that, Shikamaru?"

"Isn't it obvious? You're the only one of our generation who's still a Genin at the age of sixteen. The rest of us have already gone past that rank,"

…

"Whaaaaaaat!?" Naruto exclaimed at the top of his lungs, refusing to believe what he had just heard. "Th-That… That can't be! How is it possible that I'm the only one who's still a Genin? I mean, I know I didn't pass the last Chunin Exams, but… but it's not fair! Sakura-chan, you've been made a Chunin?"

Sakura smiled widely and made a peace sign with her right hand. "That's right. You're looking at a fully-fledged Chunin," she said, much to Naruto's astonishment. He had been so caught up with his training that he completely forgot about his status as a Genin, and what was more, he also forgot the fact that his friends would climb up the ladder of ninja ranks while he was away. "What about you, Shujinko? Are you a Chunin as well?" he asked his friend, almost fearful of what answer he might receive.

His fears were proven true when Shujinko raised his thumb and pointed at his chest. "Actually, I've been recently promoted to Jounin,"

This time, Naruto's jaw nearly reached the ground. "A-A Jounin!? How!? When the heck did that happen!?"

"Last month. Granted, I'm still a rookie Jounin, but a Jounin nonetheless,"

Indeed, after nearly three years of being a Chunin, Shujinko became a Jounin, appointed by Tsunade herself and under the recommendation of Kakashi. His brutal training under the Copy Ninja bore its fruits, as well as all of the experience he gained through countless missions with Kakashi by his side. When the Godaime Hokage commanded Kakashi to oversee Shujinko's progress for a period of three years, the Sharingan Warrior took his student's training very seriously and taught him almost everything he knew, and while it took a tremendous amount of effort on his part, the Ozuma persevered and became the shinobi he knew he could be.

"So Sakura is a Chunin, Shujinko is a Jounin…" Naruto remained silent for a bit before his eyes went wide. "What about Gaara? What has he been doing?"

A ghost of a smile appeared on Temari's face. "Gaara has outranked us all. He became the new Kazekage of Sunagakure no Sato,"

Shujinko watched Naruto's reaction very carefully. He knew Gaara was special to him due to their similar upbringing and the fact that they were both Jinchurikis, and so they shared a unique bond that made them relate to one another. He was expecting the Uzumaki to shout hysterically at the skies and demand for answers, but much to his surprise, Naruto did none of that. Instead, he stared at the ground in silence. "So Gaara became Kazekage…" Naruto muttered, a mix of envy and happiness in his voice. Then, slowly but surely, a confident smile was plastered on his face. "In that case, I can't afford to stay far behind. Just you wait, Gaara. One day, I'm gonna become Hokage, and we'll stand as equals, believe it!"

There it was again, that unshakeable conviction of his. It was funny how practically no one used to take Naruto seriously when he was a kid, including Shujinko. During their days in the Academy, Shujinko never thought of Naruto as a bad person per se, but at the same time, he doubted the blond knucklehead would ever amount to much as a ninja due to his low grades and his boisterous behavior. However, as fate would have it, the two of them ended up on the same team, and as he watched him grow, Shujinko realized Naruto was a lot more skillful than what he first gave him credit for. Despite being a doofus, his power of will and his refusal to give up were admirable and they served as an example for everyone.

GGGGGRRRRRLLLLL

Shortly after those words, Naruto's stomach growled rather loudly, breaking the magic of the moment. "Hehe, I guess I need to have some lunch before I can become Hokage," Naruto said as he rubbed his belly. "Come on, let's go to Ichiraku Ramen before we head down to the training grounds. We won't be able to defeat Kakashi-sensei with an empty stomach, and besides, I want to say hello to Teuchi-jiji and Ayame-chan,"

"Well, Naruto does have a point," Shujinko conceded. "I haven't had lunch either, and we've got plenty of time to kill. What do you say, Sakura?"

"Sure, just as long as everyone pays for their food individually. You guys eat way more than I do, so don't even think about splitting the bill evenly,"

"Alright! Ichiraku Ramen, here we go!"

|3 hours later, Training Grounds|

"Oh, come on! Is Kakashi-sensei going to keep us waiting here forever?" Naruto complained loudly, crossing his arms in annoyance.

After receiving a warm welcome from Teuchi and Ayame, who celebrated Naruto's return to the village by allowing him to eat as much as he wished, the Kyuubi Jinchuriki left the small restaurant with a belly full of ramen and a huge grin on his face. His good mood, however, wouldn't last for long. The silver-haired Jounin was running late to the very challenge he himself had issued, and honestly, the members of Team 7 had no one to blame but themselves for waiting for Kakashi to show up, as if his tardiness wasn't already legendary.

"Why are you so surprised, Naruto? This is Kakashi-sensei we're talking about. He's never been very keen on punctuality," Sakura said.

Shujinko remained silent as he sat on the grass, leaning against the chain-link fence that surrounded the training grounds. After training with Kakashi for three years, he had pretty much gotten used to his sensei's tardiness. In plenty of occasions, Shujinko had begged Kakashi to please put an end to his annoying habit, but as time went by, Shujinko eventually realized the silver-haired Jounin simply wasn't going to change.

Even so, Shujinko always showed up to his training sessions on schedule, fully aware that his sensei was going to be late. Instead of wasting his time doing nothing of value, Shujinko spent those hours training and improving his skills on his own before Kakashi arrived. After all, ninjas were supposed to be self-sufficient regardless of the importance of teamwork, and he used those few hours of privacy perfecting his arsenal of abilities… particularly those that would help him achieve his goal of surpassing his sensei.

"I know, I know, but I was hoping he would've stopped doing this by now," Naruto replied as he placed his hands on the back of his head, looking at the clouds above. "I guess it's my fault for giving him Ero-sennin's new book. He probably stayed at home reading that garbage and forgot all about our test,"

POOF

The Ozuma smirked as he heard the sound of smoke appearing out of nowhere and fading away just as quickly. "It was about time you showed up, Kakashi-sensei. We were waiting for you,"

"Hey there," Kakashi said as he stood on top of the fence, giving his student his trademark eye-smile while holding his precious Icha Icha on one hand. "Sorry for being late. You see, I went to pick up my laundry and I happened to run into an old lady who-"

"OH, GIVE US A BREAK!" Naruto and Sakura shouted in unison. Three years had gone by, and yet Kakashi still had the nerve to come up with completely idiotic excuses to justify his tardiness, just like he used to since the beginning of Team 7. Honestly, did the man have no shame at all?

A thick drop of sweat rolled down Kakashi's temple. Back in the day, his students used to at least let him finish his excuses, but now they wouldn't even let him do that. It was clear that patience was a virtue they had still yet to learn.

Kakashi proceeded to guide his students deep into the training grounds and led them to the place where he intended to start his challenge. To their surprise, they arrived at a specific location inside the training grounds, where three wooden posts were stuck into the ground. Shujinko immediately remembered the time when Kakashi threatened to tie them to those posts so that they would be forced to watch him eat lunch should they fail to pass his test.

"This sure brings back old memories, doesn't it?" Sakura said with a soft voice.

"It certainly does," Shujinko replied, a light smile on his melancholic face. "This is the place where we had our first test as Team 7. We were just kids back then. We thought we had everything figured out because we had just graduated from the Academy. That bell test was the first lesson we received from the real world,"

That day, the combined strength of the members from Team 7 was enough to snatch the bells from Kakashi, but now that he was older, Shujinko knew they would've never been able to get them either through teamwork or through personal effort. Kakashi had allowed them to get the bells on purpose, for that was not the real reason behind the test. What Kakashi wanted was to see a display of teamwork and that was exactly what he got, even if Shujinko and his teammates never realized what the true purpose of the bell test was until Kakashi explained it to them.

"I remember how it used to be," Naruto spoke as he slightly narrowed his eyes, focusing his gaze on the wooden posts. "We had to work as a team to get those bells, and that was exactly what we did… Sasuke helped too. The four of us working together…"

Both Naruto and Sakura experienced flashbacks of the last time they each saw Sasuke. The pink-haired kunoichi remembered how she begged Sasuke to stay in the village, with rampant tears streaming down her face as she pledged her love to him. And when she was about to start screaming hysterically for help, Sasuke suddenly appeared behind her back and knocked her unconscious, but not before uttering a simple phrase that still perplexed Sakura to this very day: "Sakura… Thank you for everything,"

As for the Uzumaki, the memory of his battle against Sasuke in the Valley of the End kept replaying in his mind every time he thought about his lost friend. He gave it everything he had, he fought until the bitter end, he even used some of the Kyuubi's power to balance the scale between him and Sasuke, who had the Sharingan and Orochimaru's Curse Mark… but in the end, he was unable to keep his promise to Sakura. His friend and rival left the village for the sake of power, and Naruto blamed himself for not being strong enough to stop him when he had to.

'Looks like it's still too soon to mention Sasuke around them,' Kakashi thought as he watched how a semi-comical gloomy aura surrounded two of his sulking students. He then turned to his other student, and he couldn't help but notice how unaffected Shujinko seemed to be after hearing the name of his rogue teammate. If anything, he almost looked bored, as if Sasuke abandoning Konohagakure had been nothing but an insignificant incident to him, an irrelevant misunderstanding buried in the past.

"Maybe we should get this thing started, Kakashi-sensei. I don't know about you, but I think we've wasted enough time already," Shujinko suggested, to which Naruto and Sakura raised their heads.

"I suppose you're right. This is what we're gonna do," the Jounin replied. He then grabbed three small bells attached to a fine red lace and placed them in his waist, just like he did during the first lesson of Team 7. "Unlike the last time, there are three bells for the three of you. There's no hidden meaning to this test. All you simply have to do is to take these bells away from me by any means necessary. You have until tomorrow's sunrise, and remember, teamwork is the single most essential element that any ninja squad must possess. Now, show me what you've learned,"

"You got it!" Naruto exclaimed as he tightened the knot of his headband. "I'm warning you, sensei, we're getting those bells one way or another!"

Sakura put on a pair of black gloves and wiggled her fingers to adjust them. "I've been waiting for this opportunity to come. I'm not the same weak and helpless little girl that I was three years ago, and I'll make sure to prove that today,"

Finally, Shujinko stretched his neck and shoulders, getting his body warmed up before the start of the challenge. The feeling of fighting Kakashi alongside his teammates was enough to get Shujinko's blood pumping, for he too had something to prove. After years of training, sparring, and learning, this was the perfect chance to see how close to achieving his goal he now was. "I hope you're done reading that book, Kakashi-sensei. You won't be able to read it while we're coming at you,"

"Actually, I'm only halfway through it," Kakashi replied as he placed his novel inside his back pouch. "If I'm being perfectly honest, I'm dying to start reading the next chapter, but I suppose I can wait until this is over. And besides…" the silver-haired Jounin lifted his headband, revealing a red eye with three tomoes. "… I get the feeling that I shouldn't take this challenge so lightly,"

'He's going to use the Sharingan, huh?' Shujinko thought as he tightened his muscles. 'Looks like Kakashi-sensei has no intention of playing silly games with us… Good,'

"Now then… Should we get started?"

Aaaaand that was chapter 1. Hope you all liked it.

Welcome to the first installment of "Shujinko Shippuden", the sequel to "Shujinko: The Fourth Member". The reason it took me this long to upload is because I wanted to write the first chapters of "When Chi Meets Chakra: A Space-Time Adventure" before getting this story started. If you haven't read "Shujinko: The Fourth Member" yet, I highly recommend you to do that. This chapter was an introduction more than anything else. Most of the interactions here revolve around the fact that Naruto has returned to the village, so this chapter is not as Shujinko-centered as they usually are.

Also, what are your opinions on Shujinko being a Jounin? Before you post a review calling Shujinko "overpowered" for being a Jounin, hear me out: Yes, Shujinko is young for a Jounin (he's 16 now), but don't forget that he became a Chunin when he was 13 during the very last chapter of "Shujinko: The Fourth Member", and it took him about three years to obtain the rank of Jounin. Also, he spent those three years training under the tutelage of none other than Kakashi Hatake, a shinobi who joined the ANBU Black Ops when he was 13 (or around that age). Imagine what someone with Shujinko's potential could achieve in three years with the help of a personal sensei like Kakashi. All in all, I sincerely believe Shujinko being a Jounin at his age is possible, but you're welcome to disagree with me if you think otherwise.

The bell test is taking place in the next chapter. Are you excited? I sure as hell am.

Don't forget to Review, Favorite & Follow

Ja ne!