Konoha: Starting with the Tenseigan and Taking Charge of Team 7

He didn't notice... did he? Sakura Haruno stole a cautious glance at Sasuke. When she saw him standing with his hands in his pockets, gazing up at the sky, she quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

My skin's gotten worse from hunger. Thank goodness Sasuke-kun didn't notice.

Time crept by. Ten minutes soon passed.

Seven ten. It was already seven ten.

Team 7 had been waiting there for three hours and ten minutes!

Naruto Uzumaki lay sprawled on the ground and muttered weakly, "That bastard Aogetsu Hyuga. I swear I'll kill him. If I'd known, I would've slept in."

"Boring. I'm going home." Sasuke Uchiha turned to leave. He didn't have a shred of patience left.

Sakura Haruno knelt on the ground, clutching her rumbling stomach. Forcing a smile, she urged him, "Sasuke-kun, let's wait a little longer. If we go back now, we might lose our Genin status."

"Ugly girl, you're an idiot. You think you have to become a Ninja to gain power? It's people with power who are Ninja." Sasuke Uchiha clenched his fist. The image of the man who had slaughtered their entire clan rose in his mind.

"Even if I don't become a Ninja, I'll gain power!"

"Ug... ugly girl?" Sakura Haruno's face darkened. She balled up her fist, ready to punch Sasuke hard.

But...

Sakura Haruno looked at Sasuke's handsome face and finally gritted her teeth and lowered her fist.

Bastard!

He's so handsome. I can't hit him.

If Naruto Uzumaki had said that, she would have hit him again and again.

"Wait..." Something suddenly occurred to Sakura Haruno. She rubbed her chin and muttered thoughtfully, "Aogetsu-sensei is a Jonin. Don't you think it's strange for a Jonin to show up late after setting a time?"

"Maybe this is a test of our patience and perseverance." Sakura Haruno thought it over. How could a Jonin possibly be late?

Telling Team 7 not to eat and then deliberately arriving late—Aogetsu-sensei's actions might all be a test of Team 7's patience and perseverance.

That would determine whether Team 7 qualified to become Ninja.

"A test?"

Everyone paused in surprise.

Sasuke Uchiha considered it for a moment, then frowned and said, "So that's it? A boring trick, but it does sound like something a Jonin would do."

Sakura Haruno's guess was reasonable. A Jonin couldn't possibly be late.

"Tch. I lost my composure. It was so obvious, and I didn't notice right away." Sasuke Uchiha gritted his teeth and slammed his fist into a tree trunk.

"Huh? What? What do you mean, a test?" Naruto Uzumaki stared blankly at Sakura Haruno, who was kneeling quietly, then at Sasuke, who was angry for some reason.

Sakura Haruno shot Naruto Uzumaki a glare. "Idiot."

Sasuke Uchiha sneered, "Moron. Must be hard for someone with your brain to understand."

Naruto Uzumaki's eyes went wide with fury. "Hey! What are you two talking about?"

He felt shut out, as though he were the only one who didn't understand what was going on.

"Aogetsu-sensei is late because he's testing Team 7's patience. If we wait, we should pass." Sakura Haruno pressed a hand to her forehead and shook her head helplessly. "Naruto, you're such an idiot."

"A test, huh? I'll endure it no matter how long it takes! I'm going to be Hokage someday. There's no way I'll lose to a little waiting!"

Naruto Uzumaki glanced at Sasuke and taunted, "Sasuke, if you can't take it, tuck your tail between your legs and run home."

"Idiot. I'll outlast you." Sasuke Uchiha sat cross-legged on the ground, closed his eyes, and endured the ordeal.

It's only a little patience!

I've endured every day since the massacre. If I can gain enough power for revenge, what's a little more waiting?

Forty minutes later...

Eight o'clock.

A full eight o'clock!

Rumble. Rumble. The sounds of Team 7's empty stomachs rang out one after another.

But neither Naruto nor Sasuke said a word. As if by unspoken agreement, the two were locked in an invisible contest.

"Yo. Morning." A cool breeze stirred the grass as Aogetsu Hyuga appeared out of nowhere before Team 7 with the Body Flicker Technique.

"Aogetsu-sensei!" Sakura Haruno's eyes flew open, and she looked at him with delight.

If Aogetsu-sensei is here, does that mean Team 7 passed the test?

Aogetsu Hyuga clasped his hands together and said apologetically, "Sorry. I woke up a little late. Sorry for the wait."

The Genin's Ambitions and Dreams

"Woke... woke up late?"

After hearing Aogetsu Hyuga's apology, every member of Team 7 froze.

He woke up late?

What does that mean?

Was there no damn test of patience and perseverance? Did Aogetsu just oversleep and make Team 7 suffer through several extra hours of waiting?

"You've got to be kidding me, bastard! We've been stuck here for four hours while you were sleeping at home? I'm going to teach you a lesson!" Naruto Uzumaki rolled up his sleeves and lunged at Aogetsu Hyuga, but Sakura Haruno hurriedly stopped him.

"Calm down, Naruto. A lot must have happened last night for Aogetsu-sensei to oversleep. Jonin have plenty of missions, after all." Sakura Haruno held Naruto back and made excuses for Aogetsu like a model student, while silently cursing him.

"Idiot." Sasuke Uchiha gave Sakura a cold glance, then turned to Aogetsu. "Now that you're Team 7's teacher, shouldn't all your missions involve Team 7?"

"You wouldn't get many solo missions while you're teaching us."

"Aogetsu, you weren't on a mission last night, were you?"

Sasuke Uchiha knew how it worked. Almost every mission assigned to a Jonin leading a team involved that team, because their job was to help their Genin grow.

Aogetsu Hyuga said, "Last night? I did have a lot going on. Technically, you could call it a mission. Explaining it all would take too long. There was quite a bit."

"..."

Everyone fell silent. Aogetsu-sensei had said plenty without telling them anything.

Curious, Sakura Haruno asked politely, "Aogetsu-sensei, could you tell us about last night's mission? Briefly, if you can."

Aogetsu Hyuga gave a thumbs-up. "I helped Hinata train and get stronger, then I drank with my arms around some women. The ladies last night had incredible figures."

He really had been busy last night. First he had helped Hinata train, then he had gone to the Red-Light District to drink with those beautiful ladies.

I was worked to death!

"..."

Every member of Team 7 froze. Their bewilderment turned to anger.

That's his reason?

Busy?

Busy, my ass!

Aogetsu had overslept because he'd spent last night drinking with women, leaving all of Team 7 waiting there for four whole hours!

What kind of teacher does that?

"Bastard! That wasn't a mission! You just went drinking with women! I'm going to tear you apart!" An angry vein bulged on Sakura Haruno's forehead. She no longer cared about appearances. Rolling up her sleeves, she charged at Aogetsu.

She had imagined Aogetsu Hyuga was a responsible teacher.

But the truth?

Aogetsu was nothing but a shameless flirt of a teacher!

He'd gone drinking and chasing women last night, and Team 7 had waited four miserable hours because of it!

What a joke!

I don't care if Aogetsu-sensei is gorgeous. I'm going to punch him!

Aogetsu Hyuga raised a finger and said earnestly, "Here's a lesson from your teacher: comforting lonely women is a man's duty, too."

"Calm down, Sakura." Naruto Uzumaki held Sakura Haruno back.

"Get out of my way!" Sakura Haruno punched Naruto several times, then charged at Aogetsu again. She was so angry she could almost cry. She had to land a punch on Aogetsu today, or she'd never get over it.

"Don't get so worked up. You'll throw your hormones out of balance." Aogetsu Hyuga caught Sakura Haruno by the wrist and pinned her to the ground with a grappling hold.

"Mm." Sakura Haruno frowned and let out a small whimper at the pain in her wrist. "That hurts."

"I may be a gentle, refined teacher, but I won't hesitate to fight when I have to. I'd even give a woman a flying kick." Aogetsu Hyuga bent slightly and murmured in Sakura Haruno's ear, "Calm down, Sakura."

Feeling his breath against her ear, Sakura Haruno blushed and answered shyly, "O... okay, Aogetsu-sensei."

Sakura Haruno grumbled to herself.

A gentle, refined teacher?

Seriously?

What kind of teacher pins a female student to the ground in a grappling hold?

"Good." Aogetsu Hyuga released Sakura Haruno.

Clutching his aching head, Naruto Uzumaki pointed at Sakura Haruno with wide eyes. "Why? Why am I the only one getting hit? And why are you blushing when he just pinned you to the ground?"

After all that, I'm the only one who got hit!

"Anyway, let's introduce ourselves first." Aogetsu Hyuga sat cross-legged on the ground and began.

"I'm Aogetsu Hyuga. I just turned twenty, and I'm currently an Elite Jonin of the village. I have an adorable distant cousin."

"I like sweets. The person I respect most... my dream... those are hard to say."

"My type is beautiful women. Young, mature, married—as long as they're beautiful, I like them. But if they make me angry, I'll make even the prettiest girl cry."

"What I hate most is looking after brats like you."

Aogetsu Hyuga clapped his hands and said with a faint smile, "That's about it. Your turn."

"..."

After hearing Aogetsu Hyuga's introduction, every member of Team 7 was speechless. He had said so much without giving them a single useful detail!

And he hated brats?

Was that something a teacher should say in front of his students?

"Me, me! I'll go first!" Naruto Uzumaki raised his hand excitedly.

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I like ramen, and my favorite is Ichiraku Ramen. The person I respect most is the Third Hokage."

Naruto Uzumaki adjusted his Forehead Protector. There was determination beneath his sunny smile as he said, "I want everyone to acknowledge me. My dream is to become Hokage!"

Becoming Hokage was his dream, one he would fulfill even if it killed him!

"Someone I hate..." Naruto Uzumaki glanced at Sasuke beside him with open distaste.

"Someone I like... my type..." Naruto Uzumaki blushed and stole a few glances at Sakura Haruno on his other side.

"I see." Aogetsu Hyuga studied Naruto.

This Nine-Tails kid wants to be acknowledged, and his dream is to become Hokage through hard work?

And the person he respects most is that sly old fox, the Third Hokage.

He's been thoroughly brainwashed.

"I'm Sakura Haruno. My dream is... the person I like... the person I respect most..." Sakura Haruno trailed off and stole a look at Sasuke Uchiha. Her face instantly flushed, and she covered her red cheeks, fidgeting.

Naruto Uzumaki clicked his tongue and muttered sourly, "Tch. What's so great about Sasuke?"

"Sasuke Uchiha. I don't have much to say. I do have one ambition: I'm going to kill that man with my own hands." Sitting on the steps with his chin propped on his hands, Sasuke Uchiha pictured Itachi, and murderous intent flared in his eyes.

Revenge was what drove him to keep living.

No matter what, he would gain power and avenge his dead clan!

"What troublesome brats." Aogetsu Hyuga sighed. Every member of Team 7 had problems.

The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki dreamed of becoming Hokage. The Uchiha survivor was bent on revenge.

As for Sakura Haruno... she was boy-crazy and had romance on the brain.