Chapter 3: The Scroll Beneath the Flame
Two days had passed since Naruto's chakra flicker. And he hadn't stopped trying since.
He was back at Training Ground 3 again, bruised and tired, kunai littered around him like fallen leaves. His chakra control was still shaky, but better than before. That alone kept him going.
Today, though, the usual quiet was interrupted by something strange.
An old storage shed, mostly abandoned, stood nearby. Naruto had passed it a hundred times… but never noticed the faint burn marks on its wooden doors before.
Curious, he approached.
The door creaked open.
Inside, under layers of dust, sat a half-burnt crate of scrolls. Most were useless — moldy, torn, faded ink. But one caught his eye.
It shimmered faintly — sealed in red wax, with a swirl pattern and kanji written boldly across the front:
"Katon/Wind Hybrid Theory: Experimental Training Notes."
Naruto's eyes lit up.
"Wind… and fire?"
He knew something about elemental natures — mostly from sneaking into the academy library at night. Most shinobi had an affinity for just one. Two was rare. But combining them?
"Jackpot," he whispered, pocketing the scroll.
---
Later that evening, Naruto was hidden in the woods outside the village, carefully opening the scroll.
The parchment inside was covered in notes. Most of it looked way above his level — chakra fusion theory, hand seals for altered fire release, and something called "Wind-Fan Amplification."
But a passage stood out:
> "Wind increases fire's destructive power. Rare among shinobi to have both… but if trained young, the synergy can be devastating. Start by feeling wind chakra—light, sharp, flowing. Then ignite with intent."
Naruto grinned.
He sat cross-legged, remembering the steps. Chakra to the palm… focus on wind.
He closed his eyes.
A breeze stirred.
Leaves rustled. And then — his palm flickered. A faint greenish-blue shimmer danced in his hand.
It wasn't much.
But it was wind.
Naruto's eyes widened. Then he tried what the scroll suggested — igniting a spark of fire with it.
He pushed too hard.
Boom!
A small explosion of smoke and heat blasted him backward into a bush.
"Ow," he coughed. "Okay… that was awesome."
---
But he wasn't alone.
Sasuke had been watching from the trees again — silent, arms folded.
That chakra… it wasn't just strong. It was conflicted. Like two wild forces barely in balance. Fire and wind? Impossible for someone his age. And yet, he was doing it.
"This idiot…" she muttered. "What is he?"
Naruto groaned and sat up, rubbing soot off his cheek. "You again?"
Sasuke dropped down in front of him, hands in her pockets. "You could've blown your hand off."
"I didn't," he replied, grinning. "And besides — it worked! That scroll is gold."
Sasuke stepped closer and snatched the scroll from the ground. Her eyes scanned the title — and narrowed.
"…Where did you get this?"
Naruto blinked. "Found it. Old shack. I think it used to belong to some crazy chakra theorist."
"That's Uchiha calligraphy," she muttered.
"Huh?"
"Nothing," she said quickly, returning the scroll. "You're lucky you didn't mess up the fuse step. Wind chakra is unstable without precision. Idiot."
Naruto tilted his head, studying her. "You talk like someone who knows this stuff."
Sasuke stiffened. Too much slipped.
"…Just keep practicing. But if you explode, don't expect me to help you."
She turned to leave.
"Sasuke."
She paused.
"…Thanks," Naruto said simply. "I'll get stronger. And one day, I'll beat even you."
Sasuke smirked over her shoulder.
I doubt that, she thought.
But her heart beat faster.
Because some part of her — the part that was tired of hiding, of pretending, of being alone — hoped maybe he could.