"Ahhhhhh!"
Little Sakura's scream pierced through the forest like an alarm. In that instant, Naruto and Sasuke instinctively moved in front of Tazuna, shielding him from the chain that had been launched by the Mist shinobi. The old bridge builder was still frozen in shock, completely unprepared for the ambush.
Sasuke twisted his body sharply, evading the deadly chain with a precise roll. His hand moved without hesitation, flicking several shuriken into the air. With a fluid leap, he flipped multiple times midair, sending the steel projectiles slicing toward the enemy.
"Tsk. The brat's tougher than he looks…" one of the Mist shinobi muttered, his smirk faltering as he barely managed to dodge. But his words ended abruptly.
A blur of orange shot forward. Naruto's small fist, packed with monstrous strength, slammed into the shinobi's side. The impact was explosive, sending the enemy flying through the air and crashing violently into a tree trunk.
Even though Naruto was still a child, he carried the overwhelming power of the Nine-Tails sealed within him. And unlike most jinchūriki, the Nine-Tails had already acknowledged him in part, allowing him to draw upon its terrifying strength.
"What the—?!" The second Mist shinobi froze in disbelief as his comrade was taken out in one strike by a boy who looked no older than twelve. For a split second, he hesitated.
That was a mistake.
"You dare to get distracted during battle? Are you really a Chūnin?" Sasuke's voice was cold as he appeared right in front of the man. His eyes glowed crimson, the Three-Tomoe Sharingan spinning slowly.
The Mist shinobi only managed to lock eyes with Sasuke for a heartbeat. That was all it took. His body stiffened, his mind swallowed in the genjutsu, and before he could even register what had happened, his world went dark.
In less than a minute, both enemy shinobi collapsed to the ground, defeated by two "children." They had assumed this mission would be simple—take out Kakashi, dispose of the bridge builder, and walk away. But what they failed to realize was that even a Jōnin like Kakashi would have struggled against the teamwork of Naruto and Sasuke. For them, the encounter was fatal.
Little Sakura, trembling a few steps back, finally snapped out of her paralysis. She stared at her teammates with wide eyes, her face heating with shame. Compared to Naruto and Sasuke, who had reacted decisively under pressure, she had done nothing but scream.
She clenched her fists, guilt gnawing at her chest. We're all ninjas… we all graduated together… and yet, in front of danger, I froze. I'm dragging them down.
Sasuke bound the unconscious Mist shinobi with practiced precision. Standing atop a tree branch, he called out, "Teacher Kakashi, if you don't show yourself soon, we might just turn back. This old man clearly hid the danger of this mission. According to regulation, we can cancel it outright."
Though Sasuke and Naruto were confident in their strength, he wasn't arrogant enough to think they were invincible. Risking their lives recklessly for pride wasn't worth it. That kind of foolishness was something Andrew, their senior, had repeatedly warned them against.
"Two Chūnin just after leaving the village… that already makes this a B-rank mission at the very least," Sasuke continued, eyes narrowing. "With the resources of the Cardo Group, they could easily hire Jōnin. Mr. Tazuna, I suggest you start telling us the truth."
At that moment, Kakashi emerged from the shadows of the forest. His usual lazy demeanor was in place, but his single visible eye sharpened when it landed on Naruto and Sasuke. For a brief second, both Sakura and Tazuna froze in shock—they had genuinely believed Kakashi had been killed.
Kakashi, however, had been carefully observing everything. The performance of his team had been… extraordinary.
By the standards of newly graduated Genin, Naruto and Sasuke were monstrously abnormal. Not only had they protected their client, but they had also exploited their enemy's arrogance to secure victory against Chūnin-level opponents. That level of composure, teamwork, and combat instinct was unheard of among fresh academy graduates.
But Sakura… Kakashi's gaze lingered on her. She was closest to Tazuna, yet she did nothing but scream. If Naruto and Sasuke hadn't ended it quickly, she would've been a liability instead of an asset.
Tazuna swallowed nervously, guilt flashing across his wrinkled face. Finally, with a heavy sigh, he confessed:
"Fine. I won't lie anymore. The Land of Waves was once a beautiful and prosperous home. But since Cardo came, everything changed. He's bled us dry, turned us into beggars. I… I hid the truth from you. Not because I wanted to trick you, but because I couldn't afford more than a C-rank mission. Yet what I needed… was far more."
The old man's words hung heavy in the air.
Kakashi looked thoughtful. "So that's how it is. Then, it's time we decide—should we continue, or turn back and report the situation?" Instead of deciding himself, he turned to his Genin. This was their mission too.
Sakura bit her lip, torn. Logic screamed that abandoning the mission was safest. The Cardo Group was wealthy and ruthless. If they had already faced Chūnin, then Jōnin might not be far behind. For a team of Genin, continuing was reckless.
But before she could speak, Naruto grinned. "I say we keep going! How often do we get a chance like this? Running into Jōnin is rare—it'd be a waste to turn back now!"
Sakura almost fainted from exasperation. How can he say that so casually?!
Sasuke, however, nodded slightly. "Naruto's being reckless, as usual, but… he's right about one thing. We won't get many real combat opportunities. If we give up now, who knows when we'll face something like this again? Still, we need to think ahead. How many Jōnin could Cardo hire? What kind of protection has he set up in the Land of Waves?"
He spoke calmly, acknowledging their lack of true battlefield experience. Both he and Naruto were strong, yes—but raw power wasn't everything.
"Cardo's 'group' is nothing but a shell company," a voice interjected smoothly. Andrew stepped out of the shadows. His presence instantly changed the air. "At most, he can afford two Jōnin. That's his limit."
The revelation caused Tazuna to gape. In truth, Cardo's company had once been a formidable force. But with the rise of the Uchiha Group—backed by both economic dominance and sheer military might—Cardo had been reduced to a shadow of what he once was. His repeated clashes with Uchiha interests had already cost him dearly.
"If his company were truly powerful, Uchiha Heavy Industries would have crushed it long ago," Andrew continued bluntly. "The only reason Cardo still exists is because he's too insignificant to bother with."
Sakura's shoulders slumped. If both Naruto and Sasuke were determined to continue, and Kakashi hadn't voiced opposition, then her opinion meant nothing. "…Then… fine. I'll go along."
Andrew's eyes swept over her, unimpressed. "She's hopeless. Aside from textbook knowledge, she's not cut out to be a shinobi." His words were harsh, but not untrue. Even in the future, Sakura's hesitation and overreliance on others would weigh heavily on her.
Kakashi's visible eye curved slightly. Despite Andrew's words, he knew this was a pivotal moment. Team 7 had faced their first real threat. And though Sakura lagged behind, Naruto and Sasuke had grown, showing the first signs of becoming the powerful shinobi they were destined to be.
--------------------------------------------------
Visit our Patreon for more:
Get membership in patreon to read more chapters
Extra chapters available in patreon
patreon.com/Dragonscribe31
----------------------------------------------------- .