A video began playing on the screen.
Between forest roads.
The scorching sun hung high.
Naruto walked swaggering in front, his hands clasped behind his head.
On his forehead was the Konoha headband.
The pattern on it resembled a leaf.
The Fire of Konoha burns eternally.
This headband is also a symbol of honor.
At this moment, Naruto was clearly happy and carefree.
Behind Naruto were Sakura with pink hair, Kakashi with white hair, Sasuke with black hair, and their client, Tazuna.
Konoha.
At the entrance of the Ninja Academy.
Iruka, following the Third Hokage's orders, called Kakashi, Yamato, and other Anbu members.
At this moment, the future Team Seven was fully assembled.
Naruto: "I'm a Ninja now! I'm wearing a Konoha headband on my forehead! Sakura, we're on the same team!"
Sakura couldn't be bothered with this conceited fool.
It was his future self who became a Ninja, yet he spoke as if he himself had become a Ninja.
His current self was still a dead last who hadn't even graduated from the Ninja Academy!
Looking at how well she and Sasuke looked together on the screen, Sakura casually said to Ino: "Ino, it's a shame, Sasuke-kun isn't on your team!"
Hearing Sakura's increasingly arrogant tone, Ino clenched her fists in anger, "Even if Sasuke is on your team, it won't do you any good!"
Sakura: "Whether it's useful or not, Sasuke-kun and I are on the same team..."
Sasuke stood aloof to the side, looking as if he wanted no part of it.
He looked at the conceited Naruto on the screen and couldn't help but belittle him.
It was a Ninja mission.
That idiot Naruto made it seem like a picnic!
He truly didn't take being a Ninja seriously!
Watching the behavior of Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke, Kakashi stood in the shadows, the corner of his mouth twitching under his mask.
To be the teacher of these three?
This was truly more difficult than an S-rank mission.
What a hassle!
And this future Seventh Hokage.
Judging by his initial performance, it wasn't very good.
The scene continued.
The group passed a puddle of water.
Kakashi looked down at it.
The others paid no mind.
Everyone continued walking forward, completely ignoring the view behind them.
At this moment, two Chunin wearing Hidden Mist Village headbands leaped out of the small puddle.
These were the Ninja sent by Gato to assassinate Tazuna.
The two Chunin were decisive, cutting the squad leader in half with a single strike.
Seeing this, the remaining few were instantly terrified.
Naruto's mouth hung open in shock, his body trembling slightly.
The two Chunin didn't miss this opportunity and simultaneously lunged at Naruto.
Naruto was already frozen.
He couldn't accept the fact that Kakashi-sensei had been killed just like that.
Sasuke, however, reacted in time, accurately throwing two shuriken at the two Chunin.
He saved Naruto just in time...
Naruto stared intently at this segment projected on the screen.
He was no longer as excited as he was at the beginning.
How could Kakashi-sensei!
How could he be saved by that Sasuke!
Was he really not good enough?
After seeing the performance of the three, Kakashi stopped acting, decisively appearing and taking care of the two Chunin in a few moves.
The Copy Ninja Kakashi's strength instantly ended the battle with an overwhelming victory.
Sakura exclaimed happily: "Kakashi-sensei, you're alive!"
Sasuke: "Why are you stealing all the thunder?"
Naruto looked at the several logs not far away and then realized Kakashi-sensei had used the Substitution Jutsu earlier.
Kakashi finally concluded: "Naruto, I'm sorry I didn't come to save you in time and you got hurt."
"However, I also didn't expect you to stand completely still."
"In any case, Sasuke did very well."
"Sakura too."
This scene ended.
Everyone's gaze involuntarily turned to Naruto.
Although no one said anything, the meaning was clear.
'However, I also didn't expect you to stand completely still.'
Naruto knew.
He truly wasn't good enough!
Not to mention Hokage, he wasn't even good enough to be a Ninja.
Naruto looked up intently at "himself" on the screen.
Presumably, at that moment, "he" also knew very well that he couldn't be the one holding them back anymore!
On the screen.
Naruto knelt on the ground.
His inner monologue was also displayed on the screen.
'I... I, who accomplished nothing.'
'Sasuke, it's his first time, isn't he scared at all?'
'He's so calm, his clothes aren't even dirty.'
'And he stepped forward to protect me.'
Sasuke: "Yo, you're not hurt, are you?"
"Coward."
Naruto finally couldn't endure Sasuke's mocking tone.
He yelled angrily: "Sasuke..."
Outside Hidden Rain Village.
In front of the cave.
All ten members of the Akatsuki Organization were present.
They might have their own things to do, but this screen, hanging over the entire Ninja World, was like a Sword of Damocles.
They didn't know when it would fall.
At a time like this, it was better to first see what this screen was going to do.
Kisame: "Itachi-san, is this the last survivor of your clan? He seems to be performing well."
Itachi: "When I was that age, I was already a Jonin."
He wholeheartedly hoped Sasuke could grow up quickly.
The Uchiha clan still depended on him for its revival.
But in the current situation, it was still too slow.
He didn't have much time left either.
Kisame: "Of course, no one can compare to you... But, can you tell what talent this Naruto Uzumaki has? This screen has been continuously projecting his scenes..."
Itachi looked at the loudly bickering Naruto on the screen.
He looked like a mere youth.
However, since the screen said he was the Seventh Hokage, presumably his Will of Fire must be very firm... The scene on the screen continued.
In the dense fog, figures were barely visible.
"Water Release: Water Prison Jutsu!"
Land of Waves.
In a forest.
Two Ninja stood on a large tree.
The Ninja with the beautiful face turned and smiled, saying: "Zabuza-san, that's your voice!"
Zabuza crossed his arms, his expression unreadable beneath his bandaged mask.
"Once I use the Water Prison Jutsu, this person won't be able to get out, not even Konoha's Copy Ninja."
Zabuza anticipated that he would likely encounter this Konoha Ninja squad on the screen.
Perhaps, he would be the stepping stone for the Seventh Hokage in the Land of Waves arc.
However, since the screen was showing it, whether he was a stepping stone or not was not up to the screen to decide.
Haku: "According to the plot on the screen, Zabuza-san should fail."
He might even die in battle.
Haku thought of this.
He also believed that he would definitely go with Zabuza-san.
Even if he died, he would die first.
He truly didn't know how the once so weak Naruto-kun managed to kill them...