Or rather, it should be said
The strictest monitoring of Naruto within Konoha Village took place after his birth, especially from the ages of two or three up to six or seven.
After all, it was during this period that children began to develop true self-awareness, and in this world, that stage could already be considered extremely important (after all, this was a world where five- or six-year-old children could be sent to the battlefield).
And the reason the Third Hokage ultimately allowed Naruto to enter the Ninja Academy later on was precisely because, during that period, the surveillance results reported by ANBU were deemed qualified. In particular, through long-term observation and direct contact, the Third Hokage gradually came to believe that although Naruto indeed harbored resentment and even a trace of hatred toward those villagers who rejected and ostracized him, deep down he still longed far more for acknowledgment and acceptance from everyone in the village. Especially that sentence "I want to become a great ninja, and I want everyone to acknowledge me" deeply moved the Third Hokage's heart. He believed that Naruto was not deceiving him.
Of course, Naruto's words were not lies either.
They were not merely spoken to gain the trust of the Third Hokage; they were also part of Naruto's own true goals.
Thus, when Naruto entered the Ninja Academy at the age of six, the level of monitoring placed upon him by Konoha and by extension, under the authority of the Third Hokage was reduced by one tier. During that period, it was less surveillance and more protection.
On the surface, this arrangement appeared no different from previous years.
But in essence, it represented a fundamental change.
Until this year, when Naruto finally迎来了 his graduation season.
After twelve years of concealment and adaptation, Naruto had, in a true sense, gained the trust of the Third Hokage, and the direct ANBU surveillance over him was completely lifted. Although he was still assigned to Team Seven under Hatake Kakashi who had been personally entrusted by the Third Hokage the core reason, as mentioned earlier, was simple:
Naruto was trusted.
However, the closer it got to this moment
The more tense Naruto's nerves became.
After all, countless real examples had already proven that the closer one got to the final step, the higher the probability of failure, and the greater the accompanying risk.
Before the first phase of his plan was fully and completely accomplished, Naruto would not allow himself the slightest slack or carelessness especially when it came to maintaining his current façade. Only after the first phase succeeded could Naruto truly live the life he wanted, rather than continuing to exist under this "clumsy" and deliberately exaggerated persona.
Standing in front of Naruto, Kakashi naturally had no idea that the son of his former teacher strictly speaking, his superior was running through such complex thoughts deep within his mind. At this moment, Kakashi was instead considering the upcoming C-rank mission. Just like before, this C-rank mission also carried a certain deeper meaning beneath its surface.
And it was precisely while Naruto and Kakashi were each preoccupied with their own thoughts
Not long after.
Almost exactly at the appointed assembly time
The figures of Sasuke and Sakura appeared near the village gate.
"Sorry for being late, it took me a bit longer to pack."
Haruno Sakura, who arrived last, clasped her hands together and spoke with an apologetic expression as she looked at Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke, who were already waiting. Although she appeared to be addressing all three, the moment she spoke, Sakura's gaze had already drifted entirely toward Sasuke. After all, she was the last to arrive. She didn't know how long Sasuke had been waiting. What if he had been waiting too long and became annoyed?
Ah ah ah ah ah!
Sakura suddenly had the urge to dig a hole and bury herself.
Fortunately, at this moment, Sasuke didn't appear impatient at all.
Sakura secretly glanced at Sasuke again and finally let out a silent sigh of relief. Of course, Sakura didn't realize that this was entirely because Sasuke didn't care about her behavior in the slightest. As long as she wasn't truly late and didn't delay the mission's progress, Haruno Sakura was, to Sasuke, a dispensable presence.
Sakura's small movements naturally did not escape Naruto's notice.
But Naruto cared even less about such things.
"It's fine, the timing is just right."
Naruto smiled gently and replied.
"Well, for a girl, Sakura, you're already pretty quick and you didn't exceed the agreed time."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow slightly, speaking with a hint of teasing amusement.
"Since everyone is here, let's go."
"Yes!!"
With a light wave of Kakashi's right hand, a sharp chill suddenly spread.
"Tuk!"
A kunai pierced through the wooden post beside the village gate, pinning the mission permit firmly in place.
"Swish."
"Swish."
"Swish."
"Swish."
Several figures leapt forward.
Under Kakashi's leadership, Team Seven Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura galloped toward a location near the eastern border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Waves.
And it was almost at the same time that Naruto and the others departed Konoha under Kakashi's command
Team Eight, having just completed a D-rank mission, also arrived at the mission center once more. At Inuzuka Kiba's request, and with the tacit approval of Yūhi Kurenai who had grown increasingly confident in her team Team Eight received a C-rank mission that very same day: to escort a slovenly-looking uncle to the Land of Waves.
If Naruto had been present, he would have immediately recognized him.
The sloppy uncle being protected by Team Eight
Was none other than the key figure who had originally triggered the special Land of Waves arc
The bridge builder of the Land of Waves, Tazuna.
The butterfly effect caused by Naruto's arrival had once again altered the direction of the plot.
Team Eight did not depart the next day.
But instead stepped onto an unknown path that might very well lead to death.
Unfortunately, at this moment, almost no one realized that beneath this seemingly simple C-rank mission lurked a danger on par with or even faintly surpassing an A-rank mission.
As the only person who knew that this mission concealed a massive crisis
Naruto was, at this very moment, far away from Konoha, carrying out the first C-rank mission of his life.
The speed of shinobi was something ordinary people could not compare to.
For ordinary civilians, traveling from Konoha to the eastern border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Waves would take a full day. But for ninja even moving at a normal pace it would take only five or six hours to reach the same destination.
As for this C-rank mission
The mission scroll included detailed information about the location and the distribution of the bandits' combat strength.
Originally, this task should have fallen under the jurisdiction of the Land of Fire's military forces.
However, because the nearby garrison had been mobilized to carry out other duties, the local guards proved unreliable.
As a result, this group of bandits had grown increasingly rampant in recent times.
Unwilling to wait for the garrison's return, the local city lord directly commissioned Konoha Village's ninja through a formal mission request to eliminate the bandits.
This was not unique to the Land of Fire.
Rather, it was an extremely common occurrence in every country that possessed a shinobi village.
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