"Let's go—!" Naruto shouted excitedly, bouncing up and down nonstop. "This is the first time I've ever left the village!"
"Is that brat okay?" Tazuna looked at Naruto speechlessly. Is this guy really a ninja? I mean, you all seem strong... but that one? Really?
"Hey, old man, don't underestimate people!" Naruto yelled, puffing out his chest. "I'm super strong! I'll become Hokage someday—remember my name! Even someone like you will have to respect me then!"
"Hmph, I doubt it," Tazuna muttered mockingly. "Even if you do become Hokage, I still won't."
"AHHH, LET ME GO! I'M GONNA KILL HIM!"
Haruto held Naruto back with a firm grip and gave Tazuna a small smile."Don't worry. We're all very strong ninja."
Then Haruto turned to Naruto with a grin."But Naruto, I just realized—your dream is totally wrong."
"Huh?" Naruto blinked, confused.
"You say you want to become Hokage... so you like old men like the Third Hokage? I thought you only liked Sasuke."
Naruto froze in place, his brain trying to process what he'd just heard. "You bastard—!! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"
"Catch me if you can!" Haruto laughed, vanishing in a blur.
"If you've got the guts, then don't run!" Naruto shouted, charging after him.
Tazuna stared at the two in disbelief. "Are these really… ninja?"
"Don't worry, I'm still here as your Jonin escort." Kakashi said with a tired sigh. The face of the village, huh…
As the group continued down the road, Murasame—the sword at Haruto's side—suddenly vibrated with a faint buzz.
Haruto's eyes narrowed, glancing ahead at a shallow puddle on the path.This spot… it's the Demon Brothers' ambush point, isn't it? But they're supposed to go for Kakashi… are they changing targets because we look stronger? Did I accidentally alter the future again?
He didn't have much time to think.
"Sasuke, Naruto—let's hit the hot springs when we get to the Land of Waves!" Haruto said casually.
Sasuke blinked. "Oh? Sure, I heard the hot springs in the Land of Waves are pretty good."
"Yeah! I haven't had a proper bath in days!" Naruto added eagerly.
Right at that moment, Tazuna stepped past the puddle—and shhhk! Two dark figures shot out, chains screeching through the air as they targeted him.
Haruto flinched. Wait, they're actually going after Tazuna first?!
Sasuke reacted instantly.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
A huge fireball erupted forward, scorching the lead attacker into blackened charcoal.
The second one tried to escape, but Haruto dashed in, Body Flicker Technique blurring his movement, and nailed the enemy with pinpoint strikes—disabling all limbs in four directions.
Just then, Naruto finished his hand seals."Shadow Clone Jutsu!"A dozen Narutos poofed into existence—only to stare in disbelief at the already-defeated enemies.
"DAMMIT! Save one for me next time!" Naruto howled.
"You gotta be faster than that!" Haruto teased, sheathing Murasame.
"Was that your signal earlier? That thing about the hot springs?" Kakashi asked, walking up slowly. His gaze sharpened as he turned to Tazuna."Mr. Tazuna, care to explain why enemy ninja are targeting you?"
Tazuna hesitated, his expression grim.
"A task like this… it's already above a B-rank mission," Kakashi added. "We understand you may have your reasons, but hiding the truth puts everyone at risk."
After a moment of silence, Tazuna finally spoke the truth:
"Actually, there's an extremely terrifying man who wants me dead… He's the boss of the shipping company—Gato."
Kakashi's expression shifted slightly."It can't be… the Gato Company?" he asked, sounding shocked on the surface—but inwardly, he'd already suspected it. In fact, his real purpose for taking this mission was to investigate Gato. Konoha used to receive a steady stream of missions from the Land of Waves, but ever since the Gato Company rose to power, those requests had dwindled sharply.
"That's right," Tazuna nodded gravely. "Gato is a despicable villain, hiding behind a legitimate business while using criminals and mercenaries to control our country."
Then he added, with exaggerated sadness:"But it's fine, really. Even if I die, the only one who'll cry is my precious grandson—he just turned ten. And my daughter… she'll live the rest of her life resenting the Konoha ninja who couldn't protect me."
Kakashi sighed. "Alright, alright. We'll continue to protect you."
Gato was no ordinary businessman. He hoarded wealth yet refused to ally with lawful forces like Konoha, instead suppressing others' ability to seek protection. That, in itself, was already an act of war. If it weren't for another hidden reason behind this mission, Kakashi might've withdrawn long ago. As a ninja of Konoha, he couldn't act outside the rules just because someone made a heartfelt plea. Falsifying a mission's rank endangered every shinobi in the village—and such a thing couldn't be allowed.
Even though Kakashi interrogated the captured enemy thoroughly, he couldn't extract any useful intel. Everyone realized: getting information from low-level thugs like this was near impossible. Eventually, Kakashi handed the final enemy over to Naruto.
A few days later—
Naruto walked ahead silently, head lowered.
Haruto caught up to him. "What's wrong, Naruto? Still not used to it?"
Naruto remained quiet for a long time, then muttered: "Killing someone… even if they're the enemy… it doesn't feel right."
Haruto looked at Naruto's shaken expression and was reminded of himself—on the day he became a ninja, forced by his father to take a life. His own reaction had been even worse.
"Since the day I became a ninja, I understood what that meant," Haruto said quietly.
Naruto glanced over, eyes filled with uncertainty.
Haruto recalled his father's cold words that day: "Killing someone is no different from being killed. Once you step onto the path of a ninja, there are only two outcomes: kill or be killed."
"Even though I've spent most of my time in the village, I've seen how cruel the world is. The elderly I've helped—many lost their children in war. The orphans I've met—left alone because their parents died. The disabled shinobi—clinging to survival. This world is unforgiving."
"There's no law saying you can only kill others. One day, someone might kill you—or Sasuke. Are you ready for that, Naruto?"
Naruto stared, unable to answer.
Haruto sighed. "That's why I hate this world. People fight over the stupidest reasons. They hate, and then that hatred leads to more fighting. A cycle that never ends."
He paused, catching himself. Wait… why am I saying all this? When did I become this sentimental? I should be making fun of him or something...
Then he turned to Naruto again, his expression complicated. "Naruto."
"Huh?" Naruto jumped at the sudden shift in tone.
"The task of saving this world… I'm entrusting it to you."
"What? Why me?"
"No reason. It's just what you're meant to do."
Because you're the Child of Prophecy. You're the one who will change this world.
Suddenly,
"AAARGH! My butt! Who the heck leaves a tree root in the middle of the road?!"
Is Naruto really reliable?