The ground was in utter disarray—cracked stone paths and signs of destruction scattered everywhere.
It spoke volumes about the fierce battle that had taken place here.
Passing villagers hurried their steps, wary of getting caught in the aftermath. After all, this was a clash between Shinobis; if one were unlucky enough to be swept into it, there'd be nowhere to cry about it.
Suddenly—
With a sharp swoosh, several figures wearing animal masks appeared, methodically and cautiously encircling the Sunagakure Shinobis and Team Seven.
"The ANBU, huh."
Naruto tilted his head slightly, retracting the chilling aura he had been emanating. With a single hand motion, he dispelled the Flying Thunder God Barrier.
There was no need to drag things out now that his objective had been achieved.
As he pocketed the Flying Thunder God kunai, Naruto approached Kushina and Mikoto.
Kushina leaned in close to Naruto's ear and whispered, "Hey, Naruto, don't you think you overdid it a bit? Won't the shopkeeper come after us for compensation?"
Naruto's composed expression froze momentarily. Turning his head, he scrutinized the area more carefully. Admittedly, the scope of destruction did seem a tad excessive.
Cough, cough. "Don't worry, Kushina. It's no big deal," Naruto said, feigning nonchalance. "When you think about it, they were the ones from Sunagakure who started this mess. If anyone's paying, it'll be them."
Mikoto covered her lips with her delicate hand, her mouth curving into a slight smile. "It's rare to see Naruto-kun show any other expression."
"Alright, alright, let's go. Before someone does come asking for money," Naruto muttered, grabbing the hands of the two women and preparing to leave.
Suddenly—
---
Meanwhile, on the other side of the ruins, Masan slowly stood up. His left arm, purple from defending against Naruto's ninjutsu, hung limp at his side.
His body trembled uncontrollably, a paralyzing numbness spreading through him.
Taking a moment to assess his condition, Masan muttered grimly, "Such overpowering Lightning Release chakra... Could this brat's mastery of lightning-nature chakra already rival that of a Kage-level ninja?"
Has this kid been training chakra nature transformations since he was in the womb?
He sighed inwardly. If only Rasa were here—his Magnet Release would've been perfect for dealing with this kind of opponent.
Turning his head slightly, Masan caught sight of his fallen students, all incapacitated.
Pakura and Sasori lay unconscious amidst the rubble, though their steady breathing offered some relief. Masan exhaled softly. At least the blond boy hadn't gone as far as killing them outright.
The only one still standing was Saro, whose Iron Sand defenses had spared him from losing consciousness like the others.
"Masan... sensei," Saro limped over from the debris, his lips trembling. "What do we do now?"
Before Masan could answer—
---
"The Sunagakure shinobi, please accompany me to the Hokage's office to meet with Lord Third."
A member of the ANBU, wearing a fox mask and radiating an eerie, dangerous aura, stepped forward. His white hair glinted under the sunlight, and his presence was like that of an unsheathed blade, sharp and chilling.
Though his tone was calm and unhurried, Masan's expression shifted drastically. His face twisted into a miserable smile, as if crying would've been easier.
"White Fang of Konoha," Masan croaked, his voice hoarse.
Saro froze in disbelief. "Him? He's... the White Fang?!"
"Oh? You can recognize me even with the mask on. Impressive," said Hatake Sakumo through his mask. His voice was measured, almost indifferent. "But it's just a hollow title. Now, if you please, Sunagakure shinobi, let's head to the Hokage's office and discuss what happened."
As the saying goes, a person's reputation precedes them. The name "White Fang" carried weight throughout the Five Great Nations.
Saro wisely kept silent, shrinking behind Masan to minimize his presence. In front of someone like Hatake Sakumo, he was no more than a helpless infant; provoking him would be suicidal.
"Of course, White Fang-sama. Allow me to wake my students. We'll go at once," Masan said, furrowing his brows and sighing deeply. Circumstances left no room for negotiation.
---
Elsewhere, a shadow clone of Sakumo suddenly materialized in front of Team Seven, raising a hand to stop them.
"You three—Uzumaki Kushina, Uchiha Mikoto, and Uzumaki Naruto—are also required to report to the Hokage's office."
Naruto's expression shifted slightly. "No money here. If it's about compensation, take it up with our teacher, Orochimaru."
"Uh..." Sakumo's mouth twitched faintly, momentarily at a loss for words.
This was the same person who had once single-handedly repelled Kumogakure forces? Yet his demeanor was closer to that of a shameless rogue.
After a brief pause, Sakumo said, "It's not about money. This is simply to report the situation."
---
Hokage's Office
Hiruzen Sarutobi, unusually without his pipe, sat with a solemn expression etched into his aged face.
After a long silence, Hiruzen finally spoke. "Masan, of Sunagakure, correct? Explain the situation."
"Lord Hokage," Masan began respectfully, his tone careful. "We were merely gathering intelligence on your village's Genin ahead of the Chunin Exams. Things... got a little out of hand. Regarding the damages caused in this chaos, we will provide full compensation."
Masan's deference was palpable. He was, after all, standing before a Kage. The oppressive aura emanating from Hiruzen was enough to make cold sweat bead on Masan's forehead.
Hiruzen tapped his fingers lightly on the desk. "Your explanation is accepted."
Then, turning sharply to Team Seven, he said, "Now, Naruto..."
====================
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