Naruto: Forbidden Pleasures

The sun was already high when Naruto stepped into the courtyard, ready to begin his first day of training. The morning light gently kissed the stone ground, but Naruto paid it no mind. His determination, forged the night before, weighed heavily in his mind, eclipsing all distractions. He had decided to change, to surpass himself, and to honor the legacy of his clan.

Akane finally appeared, walking calmly yet exuding an imposing aura. She stopped a few steps away from him, her arms crossed, her piercing gaze fixed on Naruto.

"Are you ready?" she asked simply.

"Yes," Naruto replied firmly.

Akane studied him for a moment, scrutinizing his expression, before nodding.

"Good. Starting today, your training will be structured into three areas: taijutsu to strengthen your body and endurance, practical exercises to sharpen your combat instincts, and finally, an introduction to fūinjutsu—the art of sealing—the pride of your clan. But before we even talk about seals, you'll have to earn the right to touch a brush."

Naruto nodded, his fists clenching slightly.

"I'll do whatever it takes."

Akane allowed a faint smile, though her tone remained serious.

"Then let's begin. Warm up. I want to see fifty push-ups, followed by a hundred-meter sprint across the courtyard. No breaks."

Naruto wasted no time and got to work.

The steady rhythm of his hands hitting the ground accompanied the first drops of sweat. He kept a consistent pace, his breathing measured despite the growing strain.

Akane stood nearby, her arms still crossed, monitoring his every move.

"Lower. The ground's not going to bite you, Naruto," she remarked dryly.

Naruto bit his lip but obeyed, his arms trembling slightly under the pressure.

When he finished, he immediately moved on to sprints, his breath shortening as he dashed back and forth across the courtyard. Fatigue weighed heavily, but he pushed on, clinging to the resolve burning within him.

"Not bad," Akane finally said as he stopped, panting but standing tall. "But this is just the beginning. Prepare to suffer if you want to earn this legacy."

Naruto straightened up, wiping sweat from his forehead with a sleeve.

"I'm ready," he declared with determination.

Akane nodded and motioned for him to follow her.

In a small room adjoining the house, Akane had laid out several scrolls, ink pots, and neatly arranged brushes. She sat down in front of one of the scrolls, gesturing for Naruto to do the same.

"Before diving into the art of seals, you need to understand that this isn't just a technique. It's a discipline that demands rigor, precision, and patience. There's no room for error here. A single wrong symbol, and you could harm yourself—or worse."

Naruto listened intently, his gaze fixed on the scroll she unrolled before him.

"These symbols," she continued, "are the key to manipulating chakra to create precise effects. Your clan perfected them over centuries, and it's your duty to honor that legacy."

She drew a simple symbol on the scroll, her movements fluid and precise.

"What you see here is a basic storage seal. It's used to store objects or substances. Now, your turn."

Naruto picked up a brush, hesitation visible on his face.

"Focus. Channel your chakra into the brush, but stay calm. Breathe."

He took a deep breath and began drawing, his movements shaky at first. The brush slid clumsily across the parchment, leaving uneven strokes.

"Too much pressure," Akane corrected. "Relax."

Naruto gritted his teeth but continued, gradually correcting his mistakes. After several failed attempts, he finally managed to draw a seal resembling Akane's, albeit less refined.

"Not bad for a start," Akane commented, "but it's far from enough. Keep practicing."

Naruto nodded, determined to improve.

The day flew by in a blur of physical exercises and repeated attempts at fūinjutsu. As the sun began to set, Akane called an end to the training.

"That's enough for today," she said, standing up. "Rest. You'll need it for tomorrow."

Naruto lingered in the courtyard for a moment, watching the sky turn shades of red and gold. His body felt heavy, every muscle protesting the day's efforts, but he felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

He reflected on all he had learned and the challenges still ahead. The road wouldn't be easy, but he was ready to face it.

"Mom," he murmured, looking up at the stars starting to appear, "I'm going to become someone you'd be proud of."

With that thought in mind, he stood up and went back inside, ready to face a new day.

[...]

The soft afternoon light filtered through the large windows of the Hokage's office, casting a golden hue over the scattered papers on the massive desk. Tsunade, visibly exhausted, rubbed her temples in a mechanical motion. It had been over seven days since Naruto had disappeared, and the complete lack of news weighed heavily on her, as well as on the rest of the team.

Kakashi and Sakura stood before her, their faces marked by exhaustion. Their mission to rescue Gaara had been a success, but their return to Konoha had been overshadowed by worry for their comrade. Azuma, one of the village's most respected jonin, had just finished his report after several days spent investigating nearby villages.

"We searched every corner of the neighboring villages," Azuma said, placing an annotated map on Tsunade's desk. "No trace, no reliable witness. It's as if he vanished into thin air."

Tsunade clenched her fists, a mixture of frustration and helplessness evident on her face.

"That's impossible," she murmured. "Naruto doesn't just disappear like that. There must be something we've overlooked."

Sakura, who had remained silent until then, took a step forward. "Hokage-sama, maybe… maybe he was ambushed by the Akatsuki. We know they're after him because of the Kyubi."

Kakashi nodded slightly, supporting his teammate's words. "That's a possibility. But if they had captured him, there would have been signs. The Akatsuki isn't exactly known for complete discretion."

Tsunade crossed her arms and stared at the map before her, as if hoping answers would suddenly appear. After a few moments of reflection, she took a deep breath and straightened up.

"We can't afford to wait any longer. Naruto is a strategic asset for Konoha, but more than that… he's family. We need to mobilize more resources to find him. Azuma, I'm going to request the help of the other Kage."

The jonin raised his head, visibly surprised. "Are you sure, Hokage-sama? Asking the other villages for help could be seen as a sign of weakness."

"I don't care," Tsunade replied firmly. "Naruto is too important—not just to us, but to the future of this world. If they refuse to help, that will be their mistake."

Kakashi spoke in a calm but serious tone. "Before that, there's the Council of Elders. You know they won't be in favor of this idea. They might even oppose deploying additional resources."

Tsunade sighed, visibly irritated. "The Elders… always focused on strategy and politics. But if we want to move forward, we'll need their approval first. I'll summon them immediately."

She turned her gaze to Azuma. "In the meantime, continue your search. Focus on the more remote areas, the ones we haven't covered yet. And if you find anything, report to me at once."

Azuma gave a slight bow before leaving the room, leaving behind an atmosphere heavy with tension.