Naruto stumbled into Training Ground 7, the early morning mist still hanging in the air, clinging to his clothes. He hadn't exactly gotten much sleep the night before—too many thoughts swirling around his head. Team assignments were coming up, and even if it was just for a moment, he'd been trying to think beyond his usual antics. It was time to actually get better.
But that's when the trap mentality kicked in.
"Where is she?" he muttered to himself, crouching low to the ground, scanning the area like a hawk on the lookout for its prey.
His eyes darted to every tree, every shadow, trying to spot the faintest disturbance. His entire body was tense, coiled like a spring, ready to dodge whatever came next.
"Come on," he whispered. "I know you're out here, Anko."
A soft rustling behind him. He spun, kunai at the ready, but it was already too late.
Wham!
A flash of movement, and he felt his feet leave the ground. His body slammed into a thick, solid branch, and for a second, his vision blurred. The next thing he saw was a kunai, spinning right toward his face.
"Screw this!"
Naruto ducked just in time, the kunai grazing the top of his head, leaving a deep cut in his forehead protector. A small trickle of blood slid down his cheek, but he wasn't worried about that.
Instead, he grinned. "Missed me!"
Out of nowhere, Anko's voice rang out from behind a nearby tree.
"You think that was a warm-up, idiot?"
Naruto's grin only widened, teeth flashing in the early light.
"Of course! You didn't think I'd be tricked by that," he yelled, ready for the next surprise.
Anko's shadow flickered in his peripheral vision, and just like that, the next trap was set.
---
The past week had blurred the lines between a series of pranks and brutal training. It wasn't just about sneaking up behind him anymore—Anko was giving him real lessons. Real challenges. Real stakes.
It had started with subtlety: ninja wire hidden in the trees, shadowy figures running through the leaves, kunai buried in the ground. But soon, it escalated. She hit harder, faster. He was left bruised, bloodied, and barely able to keep up.
But what really messed with his head were the lessons buried beneath all the traps. Every time she landed a blow, every time he found himself on the ground, panting for breath, she'd shoot him some quick, brutal advice. It wasn't much, but it meant something.
"You throw like a beginner."
"Your stance is too open. Learn to close it, or you'll be dead in the field."
"You hesitate. That hesitation is what kills."
Each sting from her words hurt. But with each one, he learned. He had to.
---
On Day Three of this insane training, Naruto had finally caught on.
Anko was watching his every move like a hawk, but it wasn't enough just to train his body; she was testing his adaptability, his instincts. How fast could he adjust? How quickly could he throw a counterattack?
But none of it ever seemed to stop her from mocking him. It wasn't even that she disliked him. She was teaching him—just in her own twisted way. No care. No coddling. No hand-holding.
She was serious, but there was always a layer of playful cruelty under it.
On the fourth day, Naruto finally managed to land a clean punch to her shoulder. It wasn't much, but it felt like a victory.
"Not bad for a punching bag," Anko quipped, grinning, the first sign of praise in days. "But it's still a long way to go."
Naruto jumped back, hands on his hips, grinning wide. "Hey, at least I got you this time!"
"Did you?" She casually dodged the next punch, rolling her eyes. "You're still too predictable."
---
Day Five arrived.
Naruto was already on edge as he approached the training ground, fully expecting the usual barrage of traps. But when he stepped into the clearing, it was eerily quiet. No kunai buried in the ground. No wires. No traps waiting to spring.
He looked up, confused, but saw nothing. "Where's the fun, Anko?"
Then, like a shadow in the wind, she appeared from behind a tree.
"Trying to sneak up on me again?" she teased. "I'll teach you something today."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Finally! A lesson I can actually learn!"
But she didn't immediately give him anything he was expecting. Instead, she pointed to the sky.
"See that cloud?" Anko asked casually.
Naruto squinted. "The fluffy one? What's so special about it?"
"That's your target."
She stepped back, pulled out a kunai, and hurled it toward the cloud.
The kunai split the air with a sharp whistle before disappearing completely into the sky.
Naruto blinked. "Wait. You threw a kunai at a cloud?!"
Anko grinned. "If you can't dodge a simple throw, you won't be able to hit the real targets. Get your head in the game."
For the rest of the day, he learned about focus. Precision. Reaction speed.
He still didn't get the cloud thing.
---
On the last day before team assignments, Naruto was bruised and scraped more than he had been in his entire life. He was barely keeping his eyes open, but he refused to quit.
"Not bad," Anko said, glancing at him while she lazily twirled a kunai between her fingers. "You don't fall down as much anymore."
Naruto grinned, his chest heaving from exhaustion. "Of course! You can't defeat the king of pranks that easily!"
Anko raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you think you are? A prankster?"
Naruto just flashed his trademark grin. "Of course! Konoha's prankster king! You're just lucky I'm nice enough to let you get a hit in."
She laughed, walking toward him. "Good. Now—let's see if you can handle this."
Before Naruto could react, she disappeared in a swirl of leaves, her kunai flashing again.
---
That night, Anko leaned against the second-floor mission rail, staring out over the rooftops.
Kurenai joined her, quiet for a while.
"You put him through a lot," Kurenai finally said.
"He kept showing up."
"That's not the same as knowing what he was doing."
"No," Anko said, "but it's a start."
Kurenai studied her. "So why him?"
Anko's jaw tensed slightly.
"He's loud. Too reckless. Stupid, sometimes. But... he's honest. Even when he's angry. Even when he's hurt."
A pause.
"He reminds me of who I could've been. If someone had taught me to punch up instead of bury everything."
Kurenai didn't respond.
Anko turned away from the railing. "He'll survive. I made sure of it."
Kurenai raised an eyebrow. "You going to show up for the team assignments?"
Anko scoffed. "Please. Like I'd want to be seen anywhere near that academy. They already talk enough about me."
A pause, then a faint grin broke through. "But if he doesn't screw things up, he'll be fun to watch."
---
As the day of team assignments arrived, Naruto stood with his hands behind his head, wearing his usual grin. He'd made it. The training was brutal, but he hadn't just survived it—he'd learned from it. He was better.
And if he hadn't won Anko's respect yet, at least he knew she couldn't help but appreciate his determination.
As for what came next? He had no idea.
But it was going to be awesome.
---