Still very tired.
It was not only because of the insomnia from last night.
More importantly, it was because of the hell-like experience they had gone through the previous evening.
Not physical exhaustion.
But a kind of deep mental fatigue.
Tossing and turning throughout the night.
Naruto himself did not know exactly what time he finally fell asleep. It felt like it might have been around three o'clock, or perhaps closer to four or even five in the morning. Before falling asleep, every scene that surfaced in Naruto's mind was related to the people who had died by his own hands. Even after he finally drifted into sleep, Naruto clearly had nightmares. When he woke up, there was an indescribable sense of unreality, as if the world around him was slightly distorted. For a brief moment, fear lingered faintly in his pupils.
Of course, on the surface, Naruto appeared to have returned to his usual state.
However, with Kakashi's experience and sharp observation skills, he could naturally see the subtle changes. Still, Kakashi did not point them out. This was a path Naruto had to walk on his own.
"It looks like everyone rested reasonably well. The weather today is also very good. After breakfast, we'll head to the nearby town, then return directly to the village to submit the mission report. This was a C-rank mission, so the reward should be relatively generous."
Kakashi jumped down from the tree trunk and spoke with a relaxed smile while looking at Naruto, Sasuke, and Haruno Sakura, who had just woken up.
"Yes, Kakashi-sensei."
Sasuke and Sakura responded.
Sasuke still looked cold and indifferent, as if yesterday's experience had not affected him at all. Haruno Sakura, on the other hand, appeared noticeably more timid. At this moment, even when facing the Uchiha Sasuke she claimed to admire the most, Sakura's gaze was filled with hesitation.
She looked at Sasuke with a faint sense of fear.
What happened last night.
For Sakura, it felt like a nightmare that she could not wake up from.
Team Seven had only been formed for less than ten days.
In those few short days, Sakura had been immersed in the joy of being on a team with Sasuke and Naruto, successfully passing Kakashi-sensei's test, and officially becoming a ninja. She had been happy simply because they could carry out missions together. She never imagined that in such a short time, she would be forced to face something like this.
Ninjas have to kill.
This awareness still existed within Haruno Sakura.
Or rather, if one did not even have this awareness, how could they dare to call themselves a ninja?
However, killing also came in many forms.
Scenes like what happened yesterday were undoubtedly far beyond the psychological limit Sakura could bear at this stage.
Especially when she saw Sasuke and Naruto—people she believed stood on the same side as her—choose to accept the mission and truly carry it out, her mental defenses nearly collapsed. If it could be said that they had not completely broken, then it could only be credited to Sakura's mental resilience being stronger than expected.
Even so, this was still something Haruno Sakura could not accept right now.
Particularly when she recalled the blood-covered appearances of Naruto and Sasuke from last night, her body could not help but tremble slightly.
Seeing this, both Kakashi and Naruto sighed inwardly.
Leaving Kakashi aside.
Naruto himself did not actually harbor much dislike toward Sakura.
Even in his previous life, when reading the original story, Naruto's feelings toward Sakura were no more than indifference. He never truly hated her.
Now, this was even more the case.
You could not say Sakura's thoughts were wrong.
In this world, it was difficult to define right and wrong so simply when it came to such matters.
The only thing that could be said was that Haruno Sakura was too pure.
That was all.
And because of that purity.
Naruto could not help but feel a bit of pity for her.
Because in a world like this.
Being innocent was, in some sense, a kind of mistake.
Of course, such a statement was somewhat exaggerated.
But there was still a degree of truth to it.
"Maybe Sakura really isn't suited to be a ninja…"
Almost at the same moment.
The same thought surfaced in the minds of both Naruto and Kakashi.
Just as the four of them finished a simple wash and organized their equipment, preparing to head toward the nearest town, a sharp cry suddenly echoed in the distance. Shortly after, a brown eagle appeared in the sky above Kakashi, Naruto, and the others. After circling overhead for a moment, it flew toward a farther direction.
The next moment.
Kakashi's footsteps paused slightly.
"Hm? I just remembered that there's still something I need to take care of. I won't be returning to the village for now. Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura—you three head back first. This is the mission scroll. Naruto, I'll leave the rest to you. After I finish handling things on my side, I'll return to the village."
Kakashi turned his head, as if suddenly recalling something, still wearing his usual lazy expression. He spoke casually while tossing the scroll toward Naruto.
"Oh? Ah!"
Snap.
Naruto subconsciously caught the scroll and stared at Kakashi in a daze.
Before Naruto or the others could say anything—
"Kakashi-sensei?"
"That's all for now."
Kakashi waved his hand lightly, straightened his posture, and disappeared from their sight in an instant.
The remaining three stood there, watching the direction Kakashi had left. Even Sasuke, who usually kept a neutral expression, frowned slightly.
Logically speaking.
Given the special nature of Naruto's identity.
Kakashi should not have left Naruto outside the village alone.
(At least, under normal circumstances.)
However, considering the intelligence he had just received, as well as the strength Naruto and Sasuke had already demonstrated, and the fact that they were still within the territory of the Land of Fire and not far from Konoha, Kakashi made his decision after weighing the risks. Moreover, the matter he needed to handle next carried a higher danger level. After careful consideration, Kakashi chose to let Naruto and the others return first.
These were the thoughts that passed through Kakashi's mind at that moment.
Unfortunately.
This was only Kakashi's one-sided judgment.
After the initial confusion faded, Naruto gradually regained his composure and recalled the eagle he had just seen.
"Could it be that a Konoha ninja team nearby is in danger? Could this have something to do with Momochi Zabuza again?"
Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly as the thought surfaced in his mind.
This was the territory of the Land of Fire.
But it was also an area close to the borders near the Land of Waves.
In the original story, the Land of Waves mission occurred not long after Naruto graduated. If he had missed it, that did not mean no other team had accepted a similar task.
Although this speculation lacked concrete evidence.
There was still a voice deep within Naruto urging him to stay alert.
There must have been another team that had received the Land of Waves mission.
And it was very likely a squad led by a jōnin.
Only such a team could temporarily withstand Zabuza's assault and still have the ability to send out a distress signal.
If you want, next I can:
Seamlessly link this to the Land of Waves arc
Tighten Naruto's deductive reasoning
Adjust Kakashi's decision to align even more closely with ANBU-era caution
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