Chapter 18: The Unexpected Turn
In a narrow alley, Ino had cornered Naruto against the wall.
Her thick golden bangs covered half her cheek as her blue eyes locked onto Naruto. She barked out a "Hey!"
"Does Sasuke even like girls?"
"What?" Naruto tilted his head, looking at Ino in confusion, showing no awareness of being cornered.
"Damn it! You're the one who said it!" Ino was nearly losing it as she grabbed Naruto by the shirt. "Don't play dumb, Naruto!"
"Then you should just ask Sasuke yourself." Naruto suddenly grinned, sly as a fox.
"Argh! Damn it!" Ino was on the verge of a breakdown, clutching her head and shaking it from side to side. "Does he like girls or not?"
"I've got an idea to test it out," Naruto said at just the right moment.
"What idea?" Ino's head snapped up.
"Every year, Konoha's shinobi get a collective hot spring vacation," Naruto said with a smirk. "When the time comes, catch Sasuke alone and go straight into the men's—"
"Drop dead!"
Ino didn't get her answer, exhaled deeply, and gave up.
The Yamanaka flower shop wasn't far. Naruto escorted her there, then returned to his apartment. Honestly, his relationship with the Ino-Shika-Chō trio wasn't bad at all.
The next day marked the end of their two-day break.
Kakashi gathered Team 7 and informed them their mission review had been approved. He also handed them their first C-rank mission.
"Protecting a bridge-building expert in the Land of Waves?" Sakura asked.
"That's right," Kakashi replied unhurriedly, his dead-fish eyes half-lidded, hands in pockets. "Stay sharp—this is your first C-rank mission."
"While C-rank missions typically don't involve enemies, once you leave the village, anything can happen."
"Bandits, rogue shinobi, pirates, even ninjas from other villages—any of these could spark a fight and escalate the mission."
"Got it, Kakashi-sensei. Man, you're so long-winded." Naruto was far less gloomy than he had been on the rainy day before and couldn't resist complaining.
That morning, he had tossed a bag of trash right onto the heads of those villagers downstairs with their hateful glares. It put him in an especially good mood.
Those villagers, all bark and no bite, had immediately shrunk back when he flashed his ninja headband.
Without a word, Kakashi reached out and smacked Naruto on the head.
"Team 7, meet at the village gate in half an hour. Dismissed!"
With a puff of white smoke, Kakashi vanished on the spot.
"I can't wait for this mission!" Sakura said with a hint of excitement. "I wonder what this bridge expert is like."
"He's just a protection target," Sasuke said flatly. "Doesn't matter who he is. Kakashi said a C-rank mission won't involve fighting."
"Boring. Let's finish it quickly. Waste of time."
Naruto glanced at Sasuke and noticed a blue wrist guard on his left wrist.
"What do you think this bridge expert is like, Naruto?" Sakura asked, turning toward him. Naruto was yawning.
"No idea. Since he's called an expert, he's probably a cranky old man," Naruto said, scratching his face carelessly.
Half an hour later, at Konoha's main gate—
"Hey! Are you kidding me? I paid you people! And you're sending three brats to protect me? What's wrong with Konoha?"
A scruffy old man with a bottle of sake in hand was shouting at Kakashi.
"This is Konoha's attitude? How am I supposed to be protected like this? I'm a bridge-building expert!"
Sakura's face darkened. She stared at the tall, shabby old man, then glanced at Naruto as if to say, You really nailed it.
Kakashi was smiling as he tried to explain, but the old man wasn't buying it at all. He looked downright indignant.
"I am Tazuna, the bridge-building expert from the Land of Waves!"
Naruto, already annoyed, shouted back at him.
"Shut up, old man! What's so great about building bridges anyway?"
"You little brat!" Tazuna sputtered, but Kakashi quickly calmed him down, persuading him until he finally agreed to depart.
Half a day later—
The group reached the edge of the Land of Fire's forest. A little farther ahead and they'd hit the ferry. Kakashi's gaze sharpened as he glanced subtly to both sides.
Sasuke picked up on Kakashi's reaction, frowning slightly. His face stayed composed, but inside, he was on alert.
Naruto had known they were being followed for a while; the Mist shinobi's tracking skills were downright pathetic. He wasn't worried, humming a tune as he strolled along.
Even Sakura, who had been silent, started to feel uneasy. The strange tune Naruto was humming only heightened her nerves.
Just as she was about to speak, things took a sudden turn.
Two shinobi leapt from the bushes, clutching barbed chains, swinging them straight at Kakashi.
In that instant, the stifling air seemed to freeze. Naruto could feel the sweat on his skin suspended in place.
The strange sensation lasted only a moment before the black-and-white world around him surged back into vivid color. A metallic chime rang in his head as a synthetic voice spoke once again.
And then the frozen scene burst into motion. The chains tore into Kakashi, blood splattering everywhere.
Naruto knew it was a substitution jutsu and ignored Sakura's scream. The two shinobi, convinced Kakashi was dead, charged at the seemingly defenseless Naruto.
"Naruto, look out!" Sakura cried in terror.
But Naruto didn't budge, as if rooted to the ground. Not far away, Sasuke clicked his tongue, gritted his teeth, and hurled three shuriken.
The projectiles forced the two shinobi back for the moment. Then, Naruto finally moved—but instead of retreating, he charged straight at them.
"Naruto! It's dangerous!"
Even Sasuke froze for a second. Regaining his senses, he didn't hesitate—he dashed forward with a kunai in hand.
"Sakura, protect Mr. Tazuna!"
That was all Sakura heard from Sasuke before seeing both him and Naruto rushing the enemy.
Her heart pounded furiously in her chest, a mix of panic and inadequacy washing over her. It was their first mission, yet the two of them showed none of her fear at facing enemy shinobi.
As she faltered, Naruto's voice rang out ahead.
"Damn it! Are you messing with me?!"
"Options! Show me the damn options!"
Thud, thud, thud—the two Mist-nin were already beaten to a pulp on the ground while Naruto muttered strange words, still pummeling them.
Sasuke stopped mid-stride, staring in astonishment. Kakashi, very much alive, stood off to the side, watching Naruto with a shake of his head.