13 Return To The Grind 4

The next morning, Daiki found himself once again on the track back to training ground Sixty-Nine.

Honestly, it may as well have become his home away from home, considering he seemed to be spending the better part of his day there, more than half really.

His life consisted of the grind only these days.

At least he had a few books to take the edge of when he was bored. Fucking Jiraiya man, he was a genius, the first installment of Icha Icha, was literary masterpiece!

A story following the childhood and eventual early adulthood and adventures of the main character Winneraiya and busty big tittied heroine Hotnade, both new to love, begin dating, and their eyes gradually opening to grown-up love.

It was a beautiful story indeed.

It brought a tear to the eye.

From sheer fucking laughter at the size of the mans balls.

Even as he focused his thoughts on his training, he couldn't stop the soft chuckle that escaped his lips, 'I'm..heh…definitely on to something though…fucking Jiraiya man, he's such a legend!'

Truly a role model worth following in the footsteps of.

But yeah, he'd tried out the leaf training yesterday, and he'd only managed to crinkle the tip of the leaf. Once he could maintain a current of lightning chakra that could crinkle the entire thing, he bet he would have improved by leaps and bounds!

'I should probably see about trying out the Shadow Clone Jutsu, it will make my training go much faster.' he mused. He knew the hand-seals for it, how could he not? With how much Naruto spammed it, and the formation of a clone was something he'd learned years ago.

He'd been holding off trying it out until he had chakra in the chunin range, and an excuse for him knowing it.

"…I can't believe he's this late after we just got back!" a familiar, loud voice echoed.

Speak of the devil.

Or in this case, a walking, talking excuse.

Daiki paused on the path between the training grounds, just outside the entrance to training ground seven and peered inside.

And there they were. Pink, blonde and raven haired. Sasuke was sitting at the base of a tree, arms clasped and brooding-looking as always, while Sakura seemed to be trying to sit as close as possible to him, without leaning into his lap, and Naruto was standing up, kicking rocks to vent his frustration, apparently about their sensei being late as usual.

Technically speaking, he didn't even really need to speak to them or anything like that, he could just hang around a bit to see Naruto use his jutsu and say he copied it, a good enough excuse.

But…this was a good opportunity to really test himself, seeing as that missing-nin was a disappointment who died without ever putting up a fight.

Daki's eyes settled briefly on Sasuke.

There was roughly two months and a half until the chunin exams. He could see how well he stacked up to Sasuke to see how well he would in the exams.

After all, outside of the likes of Lee, Neji and such, Sasuke was one of the strongest genin that would be competing in the exam.

"Yo, Naruto," decision made, Daiki walked into the training ground, tossing a wave in their direction as he greeted the loud blonde, "Still as loud as always, huh?"

Three pairs of eyes swivelled around to him, blue eyes blinking for a minute, "Hey…..you.." Naruto trailed off, "..Who are you again?"

Daiki stopped cold in his tracks and gaped, "…You don't remember me?" his mouth opened and closed like a fish, floundering for something else to say.

…This….this he was not expecting.

He caught sight of a small smirk on Sasuke's face, before the Uchiha looked away when Daiki caught his eyes.

Prick.

"You're such an idiot Naruto," Sakura sighed, rolling her eyes and shaking her head, "It's Daiki, remember? He was in the same class as us for eight years."

Naruto blinked owlishly, "Nope, doesn't ring a bell," the orange clad blonde shrugged, "Sorry I guess?"

'I want to punch him.' Daiki's eye twitched briefly.

A fist was deposited into the back of Naruto's head and he yelped, face planting into the dirt, "Can you be any more ignorant you moron?" Sakura huffed, then looked at him, "So what brings you here Daiki? How are Suzuki and…Ami." the pink haired girl grimaced a bit as she said the second name.

Ami and Suzuki? Who the hell were…

'Oh right, my teammates for all of a day.' Daiki remembered, "I just heard Naruto as I was passing by, thought I'd check in and see how you guys are doing," he replied, at least someone pleasant…even if it was Sakura, "As for those two, don't know, we failed our team exam, I dunno what they did, but I joined the Genin Corps instead of heading back to the academy for another year."

Sakura's lips twitched up into a smile, "Ami failed huh?" her smile turned vicious, "Serves her right!" she pumped her fist into the air happily.

Before suddenly realising what she was cheering about, "Oh, sorry." the pink haired girl apologised sheepishly.

Daiki snorted, "It's fine, she wasn't exactly much help during our exam anyway," he waved her from, and he was telling the truth, "Neither was Suzuki for that matter. We had to land a hit on our jonin sensei, like a full on hit, not anything blocked or anything, they gave up half an hour in, and I just wasn't good enough to land a hit on a jonin."

He remembered being so angry about how useless they were at the time. On that front, he could definitely understand that prick Genma not giving them any other chances, even if Daiki manage to allow them to pass, he'd have to take on those two slackers as well.

Sakura winced, "…Yeah, after seeing what our Jonin-sensei can do, I sympathise," she nodded, "In fact, I don't-"

Before she could say anything else, a snort came from Sasuke, and he cut her off, "Don't go making excuses for him Sakura, he failed because he was too weak, that's it." the Uchiha input, still looking away from him.

"Well, I mean…" Sakura looked at him, before to Sasuke, and he could practically see the cogs in her head turning. She wanted to agree with Sasuke, but realised how much of a bitch she would sound.

"You're not wrong," Daiki shrugged and agreed, "Not that you'd have been any different Uchiha."

"Oooh!" Naruto chuckled lightly, blue eyes glinting eagerly, "Looks like he has you pegged bastard."

At the slight against his abilities, Sasuke jumped to his feet and turned around, "Big words coming from a drop out loser."

"Eh…Sasuke-kun, shouldn't we calm down a bit?" Sakura tried to placate him.

But as usual, he ignored her, his eyes flashing red as his Sharingan flared to life, two tomoe in one, and a single in the other.

'They've already been to Wave then.' he realised, "You might have been hot shit in the academy Uchiha with all the teachers wanting to suck up your scrawny ass, but in the real world, you're nothing special." Daiki fired back.

Course he knew how special this cunt really was, but, the easiest way to get to Sasuke Uchiha, was to trample over his pride, well, beyond pulling the Itachi card.

Sasuke snorted, "Real world? Let me tell you, unlike some sad loser like you, who's probably stuck doing those crappy D-ranks every day without a proper sensei to teach, you," he began, "We've already been to another country, on a real mission and fought against enemy shinobi."

Daiki crossed his arms and snorted right back, "Am I supposed to be impressed? Woopdeedoo, you went out on a C-rank with two teammates and a jonin backing you up," he fired, "For your information, I've been out of the village as well, in other countries, and I've fought enemy shinobi in both. Unlike you though, I did it alone, and personally killed and claimed the bounty on the missing-nin I fought, alongside his little army of bandits."

"Eh?" Naruto uttered in surprise, "Wait, you can do missions solo? That's not fair! Why can't I do that?"

"You have? That's impressive!" Sakura praised him, and Daiki felt his chest puff out a bit. Say what you will about Sakura Haruno and how annoying she could be fawning over the Uchiha, but one couldn't deny, she was good looking. Creamy skin, pretty face, lovely eyes, exotic long pink hair, and while lacking in the chest department, she had some nice legs and perky, round ass.

And a pretty girl praising you, was a pretty girl praising you, end of story.

Sasuke's eye twitched, before visibly composed himself and smirked, "Yeah, probably some weakling bottom feeder, we on the other hand fought a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsman of the Mist," he retorted, "But, if you still think you stand anywhere close to my level, I'll be happy to fight you here and now and prove how far above you I am."

"A member of the Seven Ninja Swordsman, huh? That is impressive," Daiki nodded, "Of your sensei, cuz I bet you hid behind him like a little girl and trembled the second the enemy unleashed their killing intent on you."

Sasuke froze.

Was it fair that he was using his meta knowledge to insult him? Even if it was, Daiki didn't care.

"Honestly, I don't see why I should waste my time with fighting a weakling like you who needs their sensei to carry them," he pushed on, before smirking as an idea came to mind, "Though, let's make it interesting and I'll think about it, the loser has to teach the winner a jutsu, I always did like that fireball jutsu of yours."

Sasuke visibly trembled, the tomoe in his crimson red sharingan eyes spinning in anger, "Fine with me." he grit out.

He didn't even bother asking what kind of jutsu Daiki had, letting his anger and pride rule him.

What an idiot.

"Let's get some space, then do this then." Daiki grinned, beckoning the older boy to follow him over away from Naruto and Sakura, on the way, running his palms over his weights and sealing them away.

"Sasuke-kun, Daiki, you guys really shouldn't be f-" Sakura began, only for Sasuke to cut her off again.

"Stay out of this!" he bit out.

"Oi, don't go getting pissed at Sakura-chan just because you're angry Daisuke totally owned you bastard!" Naruto growled at him.

Daiki twitched in annoyance, 'He forgot my name again…'

He should have goaded them both, so he could punch his damn whiskered face in.

You know, he felt guilty before for sexualising Naruto's hot, dead mother in his fantasies the few times she came to mind.

Not so much anymore.