Naruto's thrown kunai struck the ring joint connecting the Demon Brothers' chain and pinned it firmly into the trunk of a nearby tree.
When the Demon Brothers yanked the chain, it snapped tight—but for the moment they couldn't pull it back.
"Nice one, Naruto!" Sasuke seized the brief opening. His hands blurred into motion as several shuriken shot out, striking precisely toward the arms holding the chain, forcing the attackers to either block or release their grip.
"Sakura! Snap out of it! Protect Mr. Tazuna!" Naruto shouted while forming hand seals.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"
Poof! Poof! Poof!
Several shadow clones appeared instantly and rushed forward without hesitation, throwing themselves at the Demon Brothers. Their bodies disrupted the enemy's movements and bought Sasuke the space he needed to attack.
Naruto's shout jolted Sakura awake.
She looked at the intense fight unfolding in front of her, then at the terrified Tazuna collapsed on the ground.
Gritting her teeth, she forced down her fear, pulled out a kunai, and stepped in front of him.
"Mr. Tazuna, please stay behind me!"
The Demon Brothers were growing increasingly irritated by Naruto's shadow clones and Sasuke's relentless shuriken attacks.
One of them smashed apart a clone clinging to him and lunged straight at Sasuke with his claw blade.
Sasuke's eyes sharpened.
The Sharingan clearly captured the trajectory of the incoming attack.
He sidestepped the thrust and immediately kicked toward the enemy's wrist.
Meanwhile, the other Demon Brother tried to free the chain pinned to the tree. Naruto's original body and remaining clones rushed forward to keep him tied up in close combat, denying him the chance.
"Work with me, Sasuke!" Naruto shouted.
One of his clones feinted from the front, drawing the attention of the Demon Brother fighting Sasuke.
Sasuke instantly understood.
At nearly the same moment, he launched a flank attack from the side, thrusting his kunai toward the enemy's ribs.
The Demon Brother hurried to block—but a suicide-charging shadow clone suddenly grabbed his arm, halting his movement for a split second.
Slash!
Sasuke's kunai struck cleanly into his body.
At the same time, Naruto's real body seized the moment of distraction and slashed the other Demon Brother behind the knee with a kunai.
The enemy dropped to one knee.
Several shadow clones piled onto him immediately, pinning him down.
The battle ended in a flash.
One Demon Brother was severely wounded and subdued.
The other was immobilized.
"…Is it over?" Sakura stared at the defeated enemies on the ground, still unable to believe it.
At that moment, a lazy voice came from the tree nearby.
"Well, looks like I didn't need to step in after all. Not bad. Especially the teamwork between Naruto and Sasuke."
Everyone looked up.
Kakashi was crouched casually on a tree branch, holding Icha Icha Paradise as if the "gruesome death" earlier had nothing to do with him.
"Kakashi-sensei?!" Sakura exclaimed.
Only now did she notice that the "corpse" on the ground had turned into a broken log.
Relief and frustration washed over her at once.
"You scared us to death!"
Kakashi jumped down lightly and dusted himself off.
"Sorry about that. I just wanted to see how you'd react in a real crisis. After all, flowers raised in a greenhouse can't survive a storm."
His gaze passed over the shaken Tazuna before settling on Sakura.
His tone turned slightly serious.
"Sorry, Sakura. I didn't immediately rescue you and let you get hurt."
Sakura was about to wave it off, understanding his reasoning—
But the second half of his sentence hit her like a hammer.
"Because I honestly didn't expect you to be so scared that you couldn't move."
"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto frowned.
Kakashi simply shrugged and walked over to examine the captured Demon Brothers.
"Oh? Missing-nin from Kirigakure. The Demon Brothers, huh… Looks like this mission isn't as simple as we thought."
He stood up and turned his gaze toward the pale-faced Tazuna.
His tone became cold.
"Mr. Tazuna, I think you owe us an explanation."
"Why would missing-nin from Kirigakure appear during a C-rank mission?"
Tazuna trembled but didn't speak.
"They're not ordinary bandits. You hid critical mission information, didn't you? Ninja are after you."
Under Kakashi's sharp gaze and the lingering terror of the attack, Tazuna's psychological defenses finally collapsed.
He sank to the ground and reluctantly revealed the truth.
After hearing the story, Kakashi glanced sideways at Naruto.
Back in the Hokage's office, Naruto's words had practically targeted the possibility that Tazuna was hiding information.
Was it intuition?
Or analysis?
Either way—it was impressive.
Kakashi thought for a moment before addressing Team 7.
"You've all heard the situation. The risk level of this mission has exceeded C-rank. It could be B-rank… or even higher. There may be jōnin-level enemies involved."
Jōnin?!
Sasuke's eyes instantly burned with excitement.
This was the challenge he wanted.
Only by standing on the edge of life and death could he gain the power he needed to avenge his clan.
Sakura inhaled sharply.
The enemies they had just faced were already terrifying.
A jōnin… how powerful would that be?
"According to the rules," Kakashi continued, "we can abandon the mission and return to Konoha. What do you all think?"
Sasuke spoke almost immediately.
"We continue."
He had finally encountered a real mission.
Going back to endless D-rank chores was unacceptable.
Kakashi gave no reaction and looked at Naruto.
"Naruto?"
Naruto glanced at Sasuke, then at Sakura biting her lip.
"I respect Sasuke's opinion. Real combat is indeed the fastest way to grow."
Sasuke's eyes lit up.
See that, Kakashi? Even Naruto agrees with me.
"But," Naruto continued calmly, "I think we should hear Sakura's opinion too."
He turned toward her.
"Sakura, you experienced that attack just now. And that was only the beginning. The danger ahead could be far greater."
Sasuke's brief smile vanished.
He frowned, clearly displeased that Naruto was giving Sakura's opinion so much weight.
Kakashi, however, nodded.
"Naruto's right. Team decisions must consider every member's condition and willingness."
"Sakura. What do you think? Don't force yourself."
Sakura lowered her head.
Her body trembled slightly.
The scene replayed in her mind like a nightmare—
The sudden ambush.
The poisoned claws.
Kakashi's "death."
If Naruto hadn't pushed her away in time, she would already be dead.
And in that moment…
She had done nothing.
Nothing but freeze in fear.
She had been completely useless.
Kakashi-sensei's words echoed in her mind.
"I didn't expect you to be so scared that you couldn't move."
A surge of shame and frustration rose in her chest.
She didn't want to stay like this.
She didn't want to always be the one being protected.
The one holding everyone back.
She was a member of Team 7 too.
She wanted to fight alongside Naruto and Sasuke.
Seeing her trembling and silent, Kakashi began to think he might have been too harsh.
For a freshly graduated genin, Sakura's reaction had actually been normal.
Perhaps she simply wasn't ready for a mission this dangerous.
"This level of mission may still be too early for you," Kakashi sighed.
"Let's go back. Sakura's hand was cut earlier. The enemy weapons are poisoned. The wound needs treatment immediately. We'll have to numb the area and cut open the wound to drain the blood—"
Before he finished speaking—
Sakura suddenly raised her head.
Her eyes blazed with determination.
In one swift motion, she pulled a kunai from her pouch.
Then—
Before anyone could react—
She stabbed it hard into the back of her left hand.
Stab!
Blood burst out instantly.
"Sakura! What are you doing?!" Naruto shouted.
"Sorry, everyone."
Enduring the intense pain, Sakura raised her bleeding hand.
"I swear on the pain in this hand… I will never again need someone to save me!"
She tightened her grip on the kunai.
"With this kunai, I will protect Mr. Tazuna!"
"The mission continues!"
At that moment—
The resolve burning in the girl's eyes shone brighter than any light.
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