Sasuke and Sakura regained their focus, looking ahead. The scene appeared frozen within a picture frame.
There stood a blonde boy, sheathing his sword with composure. Nearby, the eyebrowless villain was pinned against a tree, while a large, broken blade lay on the ground, half-buried. The clanging of battle had ceased, leaving the outcome starkly clear.
Sasuke clenched his fists tightly, fixing his gaze on Naruto. He had believed the strength gap between them wasn't significant; once he awakened his Sharingan, he thought he could easily catch up. But today, the cold, harsh reality struck him like a blow to the face. He realized that the distance between them was far greater than he had anticipated. The elite Jonin, who he thought was merely exuding killing intent, had been swiftly defeated by Naruto.
Watching Naruto's back, he subconsciously envisioned his older brother, Itachi Uchiha. He had once admired him to no end; at twelve, Itachi was capable of Jonin-level techniques. Back then, Sasuke hadn't fully comprehended what "Jonin" meant; he simply thought his brother was incredible. But with Naruto now as a reference point, the path to catching up to Itachi felt impossibly long.
"Sasuke, your eyes!" Sakura exclaimed, snapping him from his thoughts.
His eyes? Could it be…? Sasuke excitedly rummaged through his ninja tool pouch and pulled out a mirror. At the sound of her voice, Naruto turned to look.
Sasuke felt a subtle change in his chakra; a chilling aura seemed to emanate from him. His pupils transformed from simple black and white to a deep crimson, the irises now adorned with tiny black dots surrounded by "fan" motifs that orbited the pupils.
This is… the Sharingan?
Biting his teeth together, Sasuke felt the joy of his bloodline awakening fade almost immediately. One tomoe did not signify a transformation powerful enough to defeat a Jonin. He lifted his head, his resolve hardening as he stared at Naruto. If he couldn't even catch up to Naruto, how could he ever hope to chase after that man?
From the tree trunk, Zabuza squinted his eyes.
What a perfect opportunity! With them focused on the Sharingan brat, he curled his fingers in a silent hand sign and began to channel his chakra. But he hadn't completed his technique when—
Clang!
The sheath of Naruto's sword struck Zabuza's right hand, knocking him off balance. The notorious rogue ninja looked up, his eyes widening in shock.
Naruto greeted him with a wide grin. "Third time's the charm. Don't pull such tricks."
Zabuza's heart sank. He hadn't expected Naruto to notice him.
Moments later, after Naruto bound him tightly, Kakashi rushed back, carrying a young girl who appeared to be around their age, unconscious.
"Oh? Naruto, you've already dealt with Zabuza?" Kakashi said, gazing at the bound rogue, who was covered in dirt and grime, visibly taken aback.
Kakashi had believed in Naruto's ability to protect Sasuke and Sakura, trusting he could hold Zabuza back. With the backup of the Anbu, there was no way they could fail. That's why he had agreed with Naruto's strategy and followed through on the mission, leaving the others behind.
How did he manage this?
Naruto flashed a grin. "Just got lucky; he was right in my wheelhouse."
Lucky? Zabuza scoffed. If he hadn't been trying to escape, he could have held out longer. Even disregarding Kakashi's external influence, he would have lasted a bit longer. Ultimately, he would have still been caught when his chakra ran low.
The techniques that kid possessed were too peculiar, devoid of hand signs, with bizarre effects that defied ninja logic. It required ample intelligence to counteract him.
Kakashi didn't pry further. He would read the final investigation report once they were back in the village.
Once Zabuza was secured, they set off. With two powerful captives, they decided against using ninja hounds for transport.
Zabuza was a male, albeit with a somewhat androgynous beauty to him. His strength was formidable—at least on par with a Special Jonin. Possessing the bloodline limit of Ice Release, he was considered more valuable than Zabuza himself. It had taken Kakashi considerable effort to restrain him.
This realization left Sasuke feeling even more frustrated. The praise he received at the ninja academy had given him a false sense of "talent." But the reality was glaring.
Whenever Naruto took things seriously, his strength surged. Even the average ninjas they encountered on their journey seemed stronger than Sasuke.
After reaching the Dazuna household, Sasuke was quick to approach Kakashi, earnestly requesting to "become stronger." Kakashi, unbothered, willingly agreed to mentor him in the applications of Sharingan techniques during their free time.
These lessons were of no use to Naruto and Sakura, as they lacked Sharingan.
Under Naruto's persistent urging, Kakashi drafted a list of sealing techniques. He found it odd that Naruto was interested in sealing jutsu; children his age were usually more focused on pure strength like Sasuke.
The support from Konoha arrived the next day, led by a bearded man Sasuke recognized from earlier—a member of the Sarutobi clan, Asuma, the son of the Third Hokage—alongside his comrades, Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji.
Naruto furrowed his brows. The situation had been conveyed as urgent, yet the dispatched team consisted of little more than reinforcements.
They didn't linger for long, quickly leaving after a meal to transport Zabuza and Hozuki to Konoha.
The bridge work proceeded smoothly. Despite Kado's interference, he was unaffected by Zabuza's defeat—often sending rogue ninjas to hinder their progress.
However, Naruto showed little interest in these interlopers, finding their techniques unremarkable and their chakra uninspiring. They were excellent sparring partners for Sasuke, though.
From struggling to defeat the rogue ninjas at first, Sasuke rapidly improved and soon dispatched groups of them effortlessly.
Within a week, the bridge was completed. On their return journey, Dazuna stubbornly followed them, convinced that Naruto's words were indeed profound—merely relying on the strength of civilians was insufficient to oppose Kado, so they needed Konoha's protection. This bridge was his bargaining chip to gain support from the village.
Upon returning to Konoha, Naruto and his friends resumed their previous routines, tackling low-ranking tasks to bolster their public image. The frequency of their missions, however, diminished.
Strange new faces began appearing in the village, adorned with unfamiliar Leaf Village headbands.
This was a sign of something brewing.
Eventually, one day, Team Seven was summoned. Kakashi pulled out three registration forms.
"Though it seems a bit abrupt, I've recommended you all to participate in the Chunin Selection Exam."
Naruto accepted the papers, noticing the entry conditions at the bottom. One requirement noted, "Genin must have completed eight missions, including at least one C-rank mission."
Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura all met these criteria, tightening the sense of urgency Kakashi had implied.
So it was for the Chunin Exam after all?
He glanced at Sasuke, then down at himself. Was there some opponent from another village that they couldn't defeat as Genin, prompting their intervention?
Kakashi spoke slowly, "Be here in Classroom 301 by 4 PM tomorrow."
"Prepare well, and I wish you all the best in your exams."
"That's all," he added, eyeing Naruto and then Sasuke.
The investigation report following their mission in the Land of Waves had been inconclusive. Anbu had stayed distant, knowing Naruto's perception abilities meant he would sense them if they got too close.
Two pieces of information were confirmed: Naruto had not interacted with any suspicious outsiders, and he was strong—fully on par with a Jonin.
Yet… Kakashi felt this might not be Naruto's limit.
There was no evidence, just an instinct.
(End of Chapter)