Naruto: Binding Uchiha Sasuke, Hundredfold Return

With no one launching attacks against the Land of Lightning, over the next three years, the country gradually encroached upon the territories that once belonged to the Land of Earth. Bit by bit, they rooted out the remnants of old aristocrats and rogue ninjas. As the Land of Lightning consumed the resources of the Land of Earth, its power only grew. Within just three years, their number of shinobi increased by a tenth, with many more high-ranking ninjas appearing.

Seeing the rise of the Land of Lightning, the Lands of Wind and Water grew increasingly anxious. They knew well that they would be the next targets. Both countries focused heavily on military development, also seeking to strengthen ties with the Land of Fire, hoping that a deeper economic alliance could sway it to join them against the Land of Lightning.

Now, the two nations were no longer looking to defeat the Land of Lightning but rather hoped to defend their territories from the ever-growing power of Kumogakure.

In the Land of Wind's Daimyo's palace, a group of dark-skinned, masked men in straw hats barged in, taking control of everyone inside. Leading them was a man with a head of fluffy white hair and a sword strapped to his back.

"Darui, everyone has been subdued. No one escaped," reported a masked man with a menacing face covering.

"Ah…" Darui yawned and lazily asked, "Where is the Daimyo of the Land of Wind?"

"In his quarters. Should we kill him?"

"No, keep him alive for now," Darui replied, giving a lazy yet dangerous look. "Sunagakure has been rebuilt, hasn't it? When the time comes to attack Konoha and Kirigakure, we'll send them to the frontlines."

The newly established Sunagakure had little autonomy, having no authority to refuse the Daimyo's orders. Thus, even the most outrageous commands would be followed, such as the command to invade Konoha in three months.

This September was destined to be far from peaceful.

...

Konoha, Ninja Academy

It was that time of year again, graduation for the class. In the exams held over the past two days, fifty-four students passed, more than any previous year. With such numbers, Konoha struggled to appoint enough Jounin to lead teams, resorting to assigning some Chunin as leaders.

But as the years pass and more ninja graduate, finding qualified mentors could soon become a challenge. After all, training a fresh graduate into a skilled ninja takes time—those with talent might take a year or two, while others might take three or four, if they survive at all.

In the courtyard, a soft-spoken girl muttered nervously, "I wonder who our mentor will be…"

"Don't worry," replied her classmate, Soryu. "I'm sure we'll get an amazing Jounin!"

Soryu, the last to make the cut, had barely managed to earn his ninja headband, while their other teammate was a stoic silver-haired boy named Kawano of the Gekko Clan. Known as the most talented of his generation and heralded as the one who could match Gekko Kazuki's brilliance, Kawano had little interest in the conversation and stood quietly, waiting with patience.

As the other graduates met their new teachers and departed, Soryu's impatience grew.

"Where is our sensei? They're late! They must be a lousy ninja!"

"Soryu, you shouldn't talk about our sensei like that behind their back," Rika chided gently.

"Why not? I'd say it to their face!"

"Oh, is that so?" came an unfamiliar voice from behind him.

Soryu leapt back in shock. "Are you even human? How did you get here without making a sound?"

"A shinobi doesn't make noise when stalking their target," replied the man, smiling at the three before him—his new students.

Kawano, finally breaking his silence, recognized the man. "You're Gekko Kazuki!"

Kazuki arched an eyebrow. "You know me?"

Kawano's face lit up with admiration. "Kazuki-sensei, I'm Kawano, also from the Gekko Clan. My father, Gekko Kyohei, and my mother, Gekko Monet, are both your admirers! I've trained with you as my role model, aspiring to become as strong as you one day!"

Kazuki chuckled, amused at the enthusiasm of his family's young prodigy. He then turned to the other two.

"Apologies for being late. On my way here, a small cat blocked my path."

"Who'd believe that?!" Soryu muttered, immediately doubting the excuse.

Kawano, however, asked earnestly, "What kind of cat could block your path, Kazuki-sensei? Could it have been a powerful Summoning Beast?"

Soryu sighed. "It was clearly just an excuse!"

Kawano remained serious. "A ninja of Kazuki-sensei's stature wouldn't need to lie to us. I believe him!"

Kazuki grinned, amused by the loyalty of his new team. The dynamic reminded him of his own youth. Rika's shyness brought Hinata to mind, though Rika was a bit more timid. Soryu's energy was reminiscent of Naruto, and Kawano had a seriousness like Sasuke but with a very different background and experience.

Perhaps if Kawano went through a similar ordeal—like a family tragedy—he might grow even more similar to Sasuke. But as it stood, this trio was unique, and Kazuki felt a flicker of excitement at guiding them.

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The fanfic is finished on p@treon/tambeerg