Chapter 50: Naruto's Change
"Naruto? Naruto!"
It was deep into the night. Naruto lay alone by the campfire, the sea breeze of his ancestral homeland blowing over him.
"Oh, it's Shikamaru. You're not asleep yet?"
"Couldn't sleep, so I came to check on you. But you... usually your head hits the pillow and you're out cold. Since when do you count stars?"
Shikamaru followed Naruto's gaze, looking out at the endless, dark ocean.
"We head back tomorrow. How does it feel? Your first mission outside the village," Shikamaru asked.
Naruto answered dejectedly, "I thought... I thought I'd meet new friends on the road, run into all sorts of interesting things... just like in the novels. I thought I'd use my ninjutsu to help."
"I didn't expect... that when we actually met enemies, I wouldn't be able to do anything. I just stood in the back, watching you, watching Sakura and the others stand in front of me."
"I always thought that as long as I learned powerful ninjutsu, I could protect everyone. But this time... I didn't even have the right to stand beside you guys."
Shikamaru listened quietly, thought for a moment, and finally offered some comfort. "Remember the graduation exam? Back then, you couldn't even control your chakra properly. Now, you can use Shadow Clones in combat like a pro. Growth takes time."
"But the enemies won't wait!" Naruto suddenly sat up, smashing his fist into the sand. "When those masked guys attacked... if Hinata hadn't used Rotation to block those poison needles, I would have been..."
Shikamaru looked at the veins bulging on Naruto's hand from how hard he was clenching his fist. His usually casual expression grew a little more serious.
He didn't refute him immediately. Instead, he looked up at the sea Naruto had been staring at, then spoke slowly. "I know."
Hearing those two words, Naruto froze. In his memory, Shikamaru was always indifferent, the guy who only said things like "Don't think too hard" or "What a drag."
"Naruto, do you know why everyone instinctively protected you during this mission?"
Naruto blinked, scratching his head subconsciously. "Huh? Wasn't it because... I'm too weak? Because I'd drag everyone down?"
Shikamaru shook his head. "Not because you're weak. It's because you are Naruto Uzumaki. You are the person we all acknowledge."
He paused, then continued. "Hinata used Rotation to protect you not because she thinks you're helpless, but because she believes you are worth protecting. Sakura rushed in to fight not because she thinks you can't handle it, but because she knows your value. Even Sasuke... he might not say it, but he acknowledges it too."
Naruto opened his mouth to argue, but Shikamaru didn't give him the chance.
"You always think that you have to be strong to protect others. But have you ever thought that sometimes... being protected is also a form of trust? Everyone is willing to stand in front of you not because they look down on you, but because they believe that the future you will definitely be stronger than the current you. Strong enough to protect everyone."
The sea breeze blew gently, and the firelight danced on Naruto's face. The confusion in his eyes gradually turned into determination.
Shikamaru patted his shoulder. His tone returned to its usual laziness, but his words were exceptionally powerful.
"So, don't be so quick to deny yourself. Growth doesn't happen overnight. The enemy won't wait, but your comrades... we... will always wait for you."
Naruto was silent for a while, then suddenly grinned. "Shikamaru, you bastard... you actually say something cool once in a while!"
Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "What a drag. The one time I'm serious, and you make fun of me. Go to sleep. We have to travel tomorrow. If you're tired and slow us down, I'm not carrying your luggage."
"Who asked for your help?!" Naruto shoved him back with a laugh, and the two of them started wrestling playfully by the fire.
"See? I told you. Shikamaru can handle Naruto's problems."
The tent flap was lifted just a crack. Kakashi leaned against the opening, holding that book he never seemed to finish.
"That may be so, but Naruto hasn't been in high spirits since he came out of the Uzumaki shrine." Might Guy, wearing his Jonin flak jacket, stood beside the tent entrance.
"Ah... the troubles of youth. Truly nostalgic," Kakashi sighed softly, his gaze drifting into the distance as if recalling his own younger days.
"Kakashi! This isn't just ordinary trouble!" Guy raised his voice, then quickly lowered it, afraid of disturbing the two boys outside. "Naruto is clearly blaming himself for his lack of strength! As teachers, we should proactively help him improve, not let him stew in it!"
Kakashi couldn't help but smile, adjusting his headband. "Guy, you're always so impatient. What Naruto needs most right now isn't us forcing things into his head, but figuring it out for himself. What Shikamaru just said was more useful than a hundred of our lectures."
He paused, his gaze returning to Naruto, who was now chasing Shikamaru down the beach, his laughter carrying over the wind. "Besides, hasn't he already figured it out? Look at him now. Does he look depressed to you?"
"You have a point! However, once we get back, I am definitely designing a super training plan for Naruto! I'll make him strong in the shortest time possible! A true powerhouse of youth!" Guy declared excitedly.
"Don't put too much pressure on him, Guy," Kakashi shook his head helplessly. "Growth needs to happen step by step. Like Shikamaru said, what we need to do is wait for him to be ready, and then give him a push when he needs it."
Guy nodded vigorously, then glanced outside again. "But I have to say... that Shikamaru kid. He usually looks so lazy, but he's reliable when it counts. No wonder Naruto is willing to open up to him."
Kakashi closed his book and stood up straight. "They are comrades. To Naruto, the acknowledgment of his peers is more important than anything."
A moment later, Guy suddenly mentioned to Kakashi that Naruto had asked about his parents, and that Guy had evaded the question.
Although Guy didn't know why they had to hide it, since everyone else was keeping quiet, he assumed there was a reason, so he hadn't revealed anything to Naruto either.
"Guy... it's better if Naruto discovers that on his own."
"But Kakashi, every time that child asks about his parents, the look of expectation in his eyes... is it really okay not to tell him? What if... I mean, what if he does something drastic..."
"Precisely because of that, we can't just tell him carelessly. The identity of 'the Fourth Hokage's son' might actually be a burden to the current Naruto."
"It's like if we told Lee about the side effects of the Eight Inner Gates the moment he learned them..."
"Hey, hey, that metaphor is a bit extreme! But the logic holds. Naruto needs to find his own Nindō first, rather than living in the shadow of the Hokage's son."
"Is being the Hokage's son really such a shadow?"
"Just look at Asuma. He's spent his whole life trying to escape the Third Hokage's influence."