The Konoha shinobi began clearing the battlefield—counting casualties, treating the wounded, and restoring order.
A familiar voice suddenly called out from the distance.
"Kakashi-sensei!"
Kakashi turned his head.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were running toward him.
All three looked battered, clothes torn and faces smudged with dirt, but their expressions were full of energy.
"Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura," Kakashi said, his gaze softening. "Are you all alright?"
"Of course we are!"
Naruto thumped his chest proudly.
"And! We beat Gaara!"
"That guy from Sunagakure was insanely strong!"
"He even turned into this huge tanuki monster!"
Sakura nodded excitedly.
"It's true, Kakashi-sensei! Gaara completely lost control and transformed into a tanuki-like monster!"
"That thing was terrifying—one attack could wipe out an entire forest!"
Naruto grew more animated as he spoke.
"But then! I used the Summoning Jutsu that the pervy sage taught me! I summoned Gamabunta! A super huge toad! Bigger than a house!"
"I stood on his head and fought that tanuki!"
"In the end, I smashed it with the Rasengan and knocked Gaara right out of the sand!"
The more Naruto talked, the more exaggerated his gestures became.
"Then I told him that even monsters can be accepted! That even monsters don't have to live alone! I reached him with my heart!"
Sakura nodded again.
"Naruto really did change him. That scary guy… he actually cried in the end."
Sasuke stood off to the side with his arms crossed.
His expression was calm, but a complicated look flickered in his eyes. He glanced at Naruto, then at his own hands.
Summoning Jutsu… Gamabunta…
That dead last can summon something like that…
And I don't even have a summoning contract…
Damn it… I have to get stronger. I can't let him pull ahead of me…
On the surface, Sasuke snorted.
"Hmph. The dead last didn't embarrass himself this time. The fight was sloppy, but the result was passable. However…"
He shot Naruto a sideways glance.
"If I hadn't drained Gaara's chakra and broken his defenses first, your clumsy tactics would've gotten you buried alive by that sand monster."
"What?!"
Naruto bristled.
"Sasuke, you jerk! I'm the one who beat Gaara! You barely landed a few hits before getting swatted away by Shukaku's tail!"
"In the end, it was me and Gamabunta who won with the Rasengan!"
Sasuke sneered.
"That's because I'd already injured him. You just picked up the leftovers. And without borrowing someone else's power, your Summoning Jutsu wouldn't amount to anything."
"What did you say?!"
Naruto jumped up angrily.
"I earned that Summoning Jutsu through hard work! Just admit you're jealous!"
Sasuke's eyes turned cold.
"Jealous? Don't be ridiculous. I'm just stating facts."
The two were about to start arguing again when—
"Enough, both of you!"
Sakura stepped between them, exasperated.
"Is now really the time to fight?! The village just went through a disaster!"
Kakashi looked at the three of them, a faint smile forming.
"You all did very well. Defeating Gaara in his Tailed Beast state is already beyond the level of an average Chunin."
He turned to Naruto.
"Mastering the Summoning Jutsu and successfully calling Gamabunta means Jiraiya taught you well. More importantly, changing Gaara's heart was more meaningful than defeating him."
Naruto puffed out his chest.
"Of course! I'm going to be Hokage one day!"
Kakashi then looked at Sasuke.
"Sasuke, your tactics during this exam were solid, and your use of Chidori shape transformation was excellent. Your strength is steadily improving. However…"
He paused.
"Sometimes, teamwork matters more than individual power."
Sasuke remained silent, then nodded slightly.
Finally, Kakashi looked at Sakura.
"Sakura, you also worked hard. While your combat power still lags behind Naruto and Sasuke, your support was precise and effective. Keep it up."
Sakura nodded seriously.
"Yes, Kakashi-sensei!"
Kakashi touched the necklace resting against his chest.
"Alright. Go get some rest. Everyone's exhausted today. Once things settle down, we'll review this mission together."
"Yes!"
The three answered in unison.
Naruto and Sasuke were still glaring at each other, but eventually turned and left.
Kakashi watched their backs and smiled faintly.
"Such energetic kids…"
Night fell.
Konoha gradually returned to calm as repairs began across the village.
After finishing reports and handling various matters for the Hokage, Kakashi finally headed home.
He walked through Konoha's streets, fingers brushing the necklace on his chest.
"What a long day…"
Naruto's triumphant grin and Sasuke's conflicted expression replayed in his mind.
"Sasuke is clearly bothered by Naruto's Summoning Jutsu," he muttered. "Looks like I need to find him a suitable summon."
"My ninja hounds are focused on tracking and support. They don't really match Sasuke's fighting style."
As he walked, he considered the possibilities.
"The three great sage lands…"
"Shikkotsu Forest requires Tsunade to return first, and the Katsuyu clan specializes in medical support. Not suitable—at best a backup option."
"Ryūchi Cave… I don't even know its exact location. And the White Snake Sage is connected to Orochimaru. Definitely not appropriate right now."
"Mount Myōboku already has Naruto as a contractor. Even though the toads can have multiple contracts, Naruto just signed, and Sasuke's pride wouldn't allow him to use the same summons."
Kakashi rubbed his chin.
"That leaves the Uchiha Clan's ninja cats. Fast, agile, and well-suited to Sasuke's style. And as a traditional Uchiha summon, Sasuke would likely accept it."
He paused.
"However…"
His eyes sharpened.
"There's an even better option—the Monkey Clan."
The more he thought about it, the more it made sense.
"Enma is an extremely powerful summon, capable of transforming into the Adamantine Staff. Offense, defense, versatility—it's perfect for Sasuke."
"And…"
His gaze grew thoughtful.
"If the Third Hokage allows Sasuke to sign the Monkey Clan contract… With Sasuke being the last Uchiha, and the Third still carrying guilt over the clan's destruction… he should agree."
"Besides, Sasuke is my student—and I just saved his life."
Kakashi made up his mind.
"That's it. Once the Third recovers a bit, I'll talk to him. I'll have Sasuke sign a contract with the Monkey Clan."
"One move, two benefits."
---------------------_-----_---------_--_-_-
Read 10 advanced chapter on
👉 patreon.com/Master_fic
read 10 chapters ahead just for 5$
Every 50 power stones= 1 chapter
Every 5 reviews = 1 chapters