Naruto:This Time, I, Kotetsu Hagane, Will No Longer Be Lazy

Kotetsu barely made it to the gate, his legs heavy and his eyes bloodshot from the lack of sleep. His hair was unkempt, and his jacket was askew. He felt like he'd been run over by a freight train after the grueling training with Kosuke, but he wasn't about to admit it. He rubbed his face, trying to shake off the exhaustion, as he approached the guardpost.

Izumo looked up from the paperwork at the sound of footsteps, his lips curling into a grin when he saw Kotetsu's state. "Well, well, look who decided to show up," he said, laughing loudly. "You look like you've been through hell."

Kotetsu glared at him, though the irritation in his eyes didn't match his tired tone. "It's not funny, Izumo," he muttered, leaning against the post, his eyes half-lidded. But there was no real anger in his voice—just pure exhaustion. 

Izumo chuckled, still enjoying his friend's misfortune. "Didn't think you were one for all-night training. What, Kosuke really put you through the ringer, huh?"

Kotetsu let out a low groan, rubbing the back of his neck. "You have no idea. He's a madman. Made me stop a damn river and dodge water whips while hanging on a rope between cliffs. Thought I was going to die more times than I care to count." He sighed dramatically, though there was a touch of pride in his voice despite how worn out he was. 

Izumo burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. "Sounds like Kosuke's usual level of insanity. That man's got a screw loose for sure. You actually survived that?"

Kotetsu's lips twisted into a tired grin. "Yeah, barely. But hey, I did it. I'm still here."

"Well, I gotta say, I'm impressed. You've got more guts than I thought," Izumo said, wiping a tear from his eye as he calmed down. "I don't think I could've survived the whole day. You must be one stubborn son of a—"

Kotetsu interrupted him with a raised hand. "Don't finish that sentence," he said, shaking his head with a smirk. "I already know where you're going with that."

"Guess we're both stubborn, huh?" Izumo replied with a wink. "But seriously, man. You good? You look like you're about to pass out right here."

"I'm fine," Kotetsu replied, waving him off, though he felt his knees starting to tremble. "Just need a minute to recover. Besides, shift change is coming up."

Sure enough, the time passed quickly, and at exactly 2 p.m., Ayane and another guard arrived to take over their post. Ayane, ever the professional, nodded curtly to Kotetsu and Izumo before moving to her position, leaving the two of them to head inside to the Konoha Archive Library to submit their reports.

The building was cool and quiet, the smell of old paper and books filling the air. Kotetsu and Izumo made their way to the counter, where the librarian was working. Nara Shimada, a young chunin with a cheerful disposition, sat behind the desk. She was the opposite of most Nara, with her bright personality and upbeat energy, though she still had the calm air typical of her clan. 

Shimada was dressed in a black jacket cut to the waist, black shorts with bandages wrapped around her thighs, and a green scarf tied around her waist. Her short black hair was neatly styled into a fox-tail, and her forehead protector was worn on her right arm, a mark of her rank and status. 

As they approached, Shimada looked up with a smile, clearly pleased to see them. "Hey, Izumo, Kotetsu! How's it going?" She greeted them enthusiastically, but her gaze lingered on Izumo just a little longer than Kotetsu would've liked.

Izumo cleared his throat, slightly embarrassed but trying to keep his cool. "Hey, Shimada. Just here to drop off the reports for the month," he said, handing over the stack of papers. "How've you been?"

Kotetsu couldn't help but smirk, his eyes narrowing slightly as he caught the glint in Izumo's eyes. "You're looking extra chipper today, Izumo. Got something on your mind?" he teased, giving his friend a knowing look.

Izumo shot him a quick glare but didn't say anything, instead choosing to focus on Shimada. "Yeah, you know, just wanted to check in with Shimada here. Been a while since we've had a chance to talk." His voice was casual, but Kotetsu could tell there was more to it.

Kotetsu couldn't help but laugh internally, as he never pictured Izumo was into the little sister type. Shimada was indeed quite good looking but her small stature and appearance didn't exactly say womanly. Not to mention her personality screamed younger sister that needed to be protected at all cost. For a better picture she looks like Jin from Avatar the Last Airbender, being Zuko's crush he met in ba sing sei. With her Personality being more like Tai lee. 

Truly in a couple of years this girl would grow into her true beauty like Ty lee on the beach, but not now. She had some growing to do. Maybe a grow in height here, added curves here, but you can't say anything. With her only Being three years younger than us at 15. 

Still this is too good watching him squirm, Kotetsu giggled underneath his mouth, as if he was trying to hide it. 

Shimada seemed to enjoy the attention, though she didn't make it obvious. "Oh, you know, same old stuff. Lots of paperwork, lots of books. But hey, it's nice to have a break sometimes, right?" She gave Izumo a bright smile, clearly enjoying the conversation.

Kotetsu, in the meantime, decided to step back. He raised an eyebrow and gave Izumo a teasing grin. "I'll leave you to it, man. Don't want to interrupt the, uh, important work you two are doing." With a wink, Kotetsu walked off toward the far corner of the library, giving Izumo some space.

As he wandered off, Kotetsu couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Izumo was hopeless, but Kotetsu respected his friend's determination and patience. The girl was an airhead at times but wasn't so oblivious to boys. Shimada was indeed a good girl, smart, caring, dependable. But a girl like that has many suitors lined up after all, with Shimada already turning down some advancers and broken some hearts. By no means was she a push over, and Izumo would be lucky to have someone like her.

It didn't take long for Kotetsu to find the office for staff in the back of the library. He began to open and close the metal cabinets as he placed records in order and matched names with files. As he worked, he allowed to let his mind wander, thinking about the chaos of the past few days and how his training was slowly starting to pay off.

But it was Izumo's voice that brought him back to reality, though it was faint. He couldn't hear exactly what was being said, but it was clear Izumo was enjoying the conversation. Kotetsu smiled to himself, happy for his friend. It seemed like things were going well for them today.

But then he started to think about the training from the previous day.

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Flashback to Yesterday

The air was thick with humidity as Kotetsu followed Kosuke Maruboshi to Training Ground 33. The area was isolated, surrounded by trees and dense foliage, with a rushing river cutting through the landscape. The sound of water crashing against rocks echoed in the distance, setting the stage for today's lesson.

"Hey Oldman how long are we going to be walking for?" Kotetsu wipes the sweat from his neck looking at the old guy with a turtle shell on his back.

Kosuke continues to walk without even looking at him. "If your tired already you should go home and save us all some time."

"Geez comedown no need to be harsh, have you eaten your oatmeal toady? You know how grumpy you can get without it." Kotetsu says while grinning.

Kosuke shot the young man a glare to shut him up. "Do you really wish to provoke so early into your training." Kosuke cracks his knuckles ready to give him a good beating.

Kosuke turned to Kotetsu, adjusting his old, tattered cloak as he pointed to the river. "Your task is simple," he began with a smirk, though his eyes were sharp. "Stop that river. Use Water Release to create a wall and block the current."

Huh? Wait wait no! Surely you must be joking. What do you mean? Are you trying to get rid of me. Look I'm sorry Kosuke-sensei, please don't punish me in such a way. I still have a long life ahead of me and three baby momma's at home who will all mourn my passing, you can't do this to me.

Oh get over it and get in the water! You big baby! Kosuke yells tossing Kotetsu in the water with a water whip.

Crash!

Y-you I thought you was a good guy but you turn out to be an old crooked hawk." Kotetsu says while pointing a finger.

The current of the wave pushed him down further in the current.

2 hours later

Kotetsu squinted at the rapid flow of water, the force behind it intimidating. His mind raced through the necessary hand signs, and he took a deep breath before gathering chakra. He stretched his fingers, focusing all his energy into the release—only to watch as the wall he formed collapsed instantly against the current, swallowed by the river's power.

Kosuke didn't say anything at first. He simply shook his head. "You're not going to make it today," he muttered, looking over at Kotetsu with a dismissive glance. "You're out of chakra, and I've already taught you everything I can. We'll pick this up later."

But Kotetsu, determination burning in his chest, shook his head vehemently. "No. I'm not stopping. I'm not finished."

Kosuke raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "You think you're going to force it with no chakra?" He paused, letting the words sink in. "I'm telling you, you're done. There's nothing more to be gained today."

Kotetsu, however, didn't back down. "I can get more chakra. I'll buy soldier pills from the store. I can keep going."

Kosuke's expression darkened, a rare seriousness creeping into his tone. "Soldier pills are dangerous. Too many can mess up your body. You'll burn out faster than you realize."

Kotetsu met his gaze, the fire in his eyes unwavering. "I don't care. I'm not quitting. I can do this."

Kosuke studied him for a long moment, sensing the resolve in Kotetsu's words. After a beat, he sighed, shaking his head. "You're as stubborn as a mule." But there was a glimmer of approval in his eyes. "Alright. You're the one who'll suffer if you push yourself too hard."

He sighed again, then gestured to the river. "Fine. Show me what you've got."

Hours passed, with Kotetsu frantically working, trying again and again to build the water wall, using soldier pills to replenish his chakra as he went. Each attempt was met with failure, but he refused to give up, even as the sun began to set behind him, casting long shadows across the training ground.

Finally, when the sky had turned a deep orange, Kotetsu's hands were shaking, his chakra nearly drained, and his body on the brink of collapse. But this time, the wall of water he created held. It wasn't perfect—it wavered and shuddered under the current, but it held.

Kosuke stood off to the side, arms folded, his face unreadable. "You did it," he said, his voice a mix of annoyance and begrudging respect. "Took you all day, but you did it."

Kotetsu collapsed to his knees, panting, his body screaming in exhaustion. But he had done it. The river was stopped.

Kosuke took Kotetsu to the hospital afterwards and the staff healed him right up and ruled he had a mild case of chakra exhaustion. Having a general hospital for shinobi and civilians was a luxury few places could boast in having. One of the reasons why people don't improve is because if they get injured they have no way of getting better. Luckily that's not the case for Kotetsu, as he not only had a hospital in his ninja village but also a person willing to carry his body there if seriously injured.

The old man was worried for Kotetsu so he followed him home only to see that he went to a training ground. Kosuke was going to stop him but Kotetsu convinced him to let him train. And from that the two spent the night training until midnight.

Kosuke took him to a cliff to perform a test of high chakra control. Kosuke took him to the sight of two steep cliffs right next to each other. With a rope attached to a kunai he tossed it and made and indent in the cliffs side.

"Your next test is to balance yourself on this thin line." Kosuke turns back to look at Kotetsu.

Kotetsu gulped seeing the drop, then the thin needle like line for error. But before he could say is impossible Kosuke took off and effortlessly balance on it, even jumping as if it was nothing. Then he walked back over.

While moving and doing poses Kosuke spoke. "Like your able to balance from tree to tree on a mission you must do the same and put chakra to your feet in a fine line. Being able to perfectly control and shape the right amount of chakra while also moving your body, changing the chakra on your foot from vertical to horizontal on a dime."

Kosuke saw the expression on the boys face and spoke. "I will give you one hint. Do not be afraid as theirs no room in your mind of failure. Instead picture yourself completing the task."

Kotetsu stood on a thin rope between two cliffs, the ground far below him, a dangerous drop stretching out beneath his feet. He glared at Kosuke, who stood on the edge, a smirk on his weathered face as he aimed a kunai at Kotetsu.

"Today's lesson," Kosuke said, his voice a low growl, "is about focus. Balance. And not dying."

Kotetsu swallowed hard, looking down at the abyss beneath him. "You've got to be out of your damn mind, old man."

Kosuke chuckled, a dry sound that made Kotetsu's stomach churn. "You wanted to train, instead of getting rest like I advised so here's your punishment. You're not getting off easy."

Kotetsu gulped, his fingers tightening around the rope. He was already feeling the weight of the turtle shell on his back, a constant reminder of how much more difficult this would be. "You're crazy," Kotetsu muttered, but he still moved forward, the rope shaking beneath his feet.

Kosuke's voice rang out behind him. "Thirty water whips, Kotetsu. Don't fall. If you do, I'll make you do it again."

Kotetsu took a steadying breath, feeling his heart race as Kosuke flung the first water whip at him. The crack of the water slicing through the air was deafening, but Kotetsu moved, his body forced to react quickly.

The water whips came fast, relentless. Kotetsu's body was pushed to the edge of its limits, muscles screaming as he fought to stay upright, dodging and weaving between each strike. The moon was setting just like the sun would, but this time Kotetsu had no way of guessing how long its been. How many hourse he spent training.

It felt like hours before the last water whip cracked through the air, missing him by inches. Kotetsu, breathless and barely able to hold himself upright, finally collapsed onto the rope, his legs trembling.

"Not bad," Kosuke said, his voice rough. "But next time, don't take so damn long."

Kotetsu didn't answer. He just hung there for a moment, too exhausted to care. All he could think about was the feeling of victory, even if it came at the cost of nearly dying twice in two days.

Kosuke was right about one thing: he wasn't getting off easy. But that's what made this training worth it.