TF going on with Wn?
Chapter 151: Contingency and Beginning
"...Good morning, big brother. Were you the one who woke me up?"
Facing Haku, who was several years older than himself, Naruto still used a respectful address, asking in a natural tone.
Hearing the accurate address of "big brother," Haku was clearly stunned for a moment, because with his overly delicate and beautiful face, almost everyone who met him for the first time would instinctively call him "little miss" or "sister." It had been a long time since anyone could accurately identify his true gender at first glance.
Haku's gaze gently swept over the forehead protector on Naruto's head that symbolized him as a Konoha ninja, then showed his usual gentle smile and responded: "Mm, good morning. Get up quickly. Sleeping in such a damp place all the time isn't good for your body."
Seeing that Haku had already recognized his identity as a Konoha ninja through his forehead protector but showed no hostility, instead maintaining goodwill, Naruto also responded with a sincere smile: "Yeah, thanks for the reminder. By the way, big brother, what are you doing here so early?"
"I came to pick some medicinal herbs," Haku slightly raised the small bamboo basket in his hand. "To gather some herbs that can treat illness and heal injuries."
"I see. Having to come out so early to gather medicine must be really hard work," Naruto remarked.
Haku just shook his head without saying much. These herbs were all for treating Zabuza... For him, as long as it was to protect Zabuza-san who had given his life meaning and belonging, he would willingly do any amount of hard or trivial work.
Afterward, Naruto offered to help, searching for the needed medicinal herbs together with Haku in the early morning forest and grasslands. Haku was somewhat surprised at first, but seeing Naruto's enthusiastic and earnest manner, he accepted this kindness.
After working for a while and filling the bamboo basket with the needed herbs, Haku stopped and turned to face Naruto, showing a grateful smile. "Thank you so much for helping. It's getting late now, you should head back quickly, or the people worried about you will be anxious."
"Yeah!" Naruto nodded and said cheerfully, "Then farewell until we meet again by fate."
Haku smiled and nodded in acknowledgment, then turned to leave.
Just then—several strands of black hair at Haku's forehead and temples were suddenly lifted. Haku instinctively tilted his head slightly, looking around somewhat puzzled...
Was it the wind?
But what he couldn't see was that in the instant that gust passed by, a golden figure had appeared before him.
The next moment, that golden figure quickly retreated, merging into the back of Naruto who was facing away from him waving goodbye in the distance, disappearing without a trace.
---
"Naruto! Naruto—!"
In the early morning forest, an anxious figure was rapidly moving through, constantly pushing aside dense branches and leaves, her voice full of worry and urgency.
While loudly calling Naruto's name, Satsuki nervously looked around everywhere. When she woke up this morning, she found Naruto's bedding completely empty.
Although Kakashi speculated that Naruto had most likely gotten up early to train as usual, Satsuki's heart couldn't calm down no matter what. She had no appetite for breakfast and immediately ran out to search.
"Um... excuse me, are you looking for someone?"
A gentle voice came from nearby, stopping the anxious Satsuki. She immediately jumped down from the tree branch, landing in front of the speaker.
It was a "girl" with long straight black hair, delicate beautiful features, wearing an elegant kimono—at least on the surface. It was Haku.
"Yes!" Satsuki nodded urgently. "Have you seen a boy with golden hair, blue eyes, wearing a Konoha ninja headband, about this tall?"
"Mm," Haku raised his hand pointing toward a direction in the forest. "I saw him, not far away in that direction in a clearing. He seemed to have gotten too tired from training and fell asleep directly on the grass."
"Really? Thank you so much!" Hearing definite news, half of Satsuki's anxious heart finally settled. She hastily thanked him, immediately turned around, and ran at full speed toward the direction Haku indicated. Her figure quickly disappeared among the trees.
Haku stood quietly in place, watching Satsuki's undisguised anxious, rapidly departing figure, complex understanding flashing in his eyes.
It seems... this girl is the same type of person as me.
He slightly lowered his eyes, understanding in his heart. The next time we meet... we'll probably be enemies standing on opposite sides.
Though a trace of faint melancholy passed through his heart, Haku's face showed no change in expression. He silently turned around, carrying the basket full of medicinal herbs, and quietly left.
---
Over the next few days, perhaps because Gato's side had no new moves for the time being, the bridge workers who had been scared away gradually returned in considerable numbers, making the construction site busy again.
Watching the bridge's framework extend day by day toward the opposite shore, this bridge carrying the hope of driving Gato out of the Land of Waves would soon be completely finished.
Sakura's mood became much more relaxed accordingly. These past days when she followed Tazuna to the market for shopping, she truly witnessed the miserable state of this country's people under Gato's oppression, making her better understand the significance of building this bridge.
Now, that terrifying Kirigakure rogue ninja hadn't appeared to attack again, and the bridge was nearly complete. Everything seemed to be developing toward a perfect conclusion.
Out of caution, over the next few days, Naruto, Satsuki, and Sakura didn't continue training in the forest. Naruto even left a shadow clone at Tazuna's house to prevent Gato from sending people to attack their base.
Their main bodies followed Kakashi to the bridge construction site, constantly alert for possible attacks from the sea surface or thick fog.
However, seeing his students all earnestly and responsibly helping to watch the surroundings, Kakashi "showed his true colors." Under everyone's watchful eyes during the escort mission, he brazenly pulled out that orange-covered "Make-Out Paradise" again, reading it with great interest, completely immersed in his own world.
Neither Sakura's speechless looks nor Satsuki secretly whispering in Naruto's ear with a tone of frustrated disappointment, warning him to "never learn this kind of slack attitude from Kakashi-sensei," could stop this Jonin from immersing himself in the ocean of "literature."
Just like this, several days passed peacefully in a strange atmosphere mixing tense vigilance with Kakashi-style leisure.
Until this day—
From deep in the sea fog came the sound of gentle water. An unremarkable small wooden boat quietly penetrated the morning mist, slowly approaching beneath the bridge.