Chapter 52: Preparing for the Return Journey
"Naruto? Naruto!"
Jiraiya stood in front of the rundown apartment, calling for his student.
Although he'd only been gone on a short mission, as a "responsible" teacher, his first priority was to check on his student's living conditions and training progress.
So, the moment he left Tsunade's house, he rushed straight to Naruto's place.
"Naruto? Where did that kid run off to? Did he go to the training ground by himself?"
Meanwhile, in the Land of Whirlpools, Naruto and the others were preparing to head back to Konoha.
Sasuke leaned against a tent pole that hadn't been dismantled yet, polishing his kunai.
Tenten was meticulously checking her scrolls and ninja tools. Lee was doing a handstand morning workout in the clearing, shouting, "Youth is sweating every single day!"
Kiba and Akamaru were chasing each other around. Shino quietly organized his insect jars. Choji was still snoring lightly inside a tent until Ino dragged him out by force.
Shikamaru yawned, watching everyone bustle about with a "what a drag" expression, though he casually handed Hinata a spice jar she was looking for.
Sakura crawled out of her tent, bleary-eyed. She hadn't slept this peacefully in a long time.
Ever since she regressed, she had lived in constant fear, terrified that a single wrong move would disrupt the timeline and cause unimaginable consequences.
So she had been handling everything carefully, including her reactions to Sasuke.
But starting from the second day, things had spiraled out of her control. From Tsunade's early return to the three-man squads becoming a twelve-person platoon, the world was step-by-step becoming something she didn't recognize.
And now this. The squad was sent to the Land of Whirlpools. Zabuza Momochi, originally a starter-village boss, had teamed up with another Seven Ninja Swordsman to ambush them right at the gate. And even Hidan and Kakuzu of the Akatsuki had shown up early, only to die early.
Add to that Naruto accepting some inexplicable power... it was chaos. Everything was chaos.
After all these days of anxiety, her heart had finally just... given up.
"Morning, Sakura!"
Naruto had packed his bags early in the morning. In the past, she wouldn't have dared to imagine this.
At this age, Naruto was always the slowest one. Now, he was the most proactive.
Sakura paused for a second before responding. "Morning, Naruto. You packed fast."
"Of course!" Naruto lifted his chin proudly, patting his packed bag. "I'm gonna be the first one back to Konoha, and the first one rushing into Ichiraku Ramen! I'm gonna eat three large bowls of chashu ramen, plus ten soft-boiled eggs!"
Sasuke, arms crossed and leaning against a tree, said coldly, "Just like a dead-last. The first thing you think about after a mission is eating ramen. Fits your nature perfectly."
Naruto hopped mad. "Smug Sasuke! I'm not afraid of you anymore! When we get back to Konoha, I'm gonna teach you a lesson!"
Seeing them about to start their daily bickering, Shikamaru yawned at the right moment. "What a drag... can you guys be quiet? It's too early to fight."
"Yeah, yeah, what's there to fight about?" Kiba chimed in.
"Everyone is full of spirit!" Might Guy walked back into the camp, his own pack already strapped to his back. "Then let us depart! In the name of Youth!"
"Depart? Yes! Guy-sensei!"
Sasuke scoffed, but the corner of his mouth twitched upward almost imperceptibly. "Boring."
Before the word even landed, he blurred into motion, chasing after them.
Shikamaru watched the three backs retreating into the distance and rubbed his temples. "Seriously... those guys have way too much energy. Let's get ready to leave too. We're supposed to be a team, why are there always a few who just run wild?"
He turned to Choji. "Want to bet how long until they get lost?"
Choji tossed a handful of chips into his mouth, smiling innocently. "I bet ten minutes."
"I bet five." Shino stepped out from behind a tree, pushing up his sunglasses, a small bug box in his hand. "Guy-sensei occasionally finds the right path, but he'll last five minutes at most."
The rest of the group started packing up. Just then, Kakashi suddenly appeared by the campfire where they had been roasting fish earlier.
"Yo. Good morning, everyone. Did I make it in time for breakfast?" Kakashi leaned lazily against a tree, flipping through his inseparable copy of Make-Out Paradise. "Looks like you all slept well. Spirits are high."
Shikamaru sighed at Kakashi's sudden appearance. "The ones with the highest spirits already left. And Kakashi-sensei, breakfast ended ages ago."
"En... Ended?" Kakashi looked at the fish skeleton by the fire with regret. "I even walked faster, thinking I could catch a hot bite."
"Kakashi-sensei, want some chips? Tomato flavor. Very crispy. It'll hold you over," Choji offered, holding out a handful.
"Thanks, Choji. Better than an empty stomach." Kakashi munched on the chips, scanning the packing students. "I heard you guys making a bet? What's the wager? Count me in."
Shikamaru leaned back on his pack, hands behind his head, wearing a "knew it" expression. "Betting on how long until Guy-sensei gets lost. Choji bet ten minutes, Shino bet five. If you want in, name a time."
"Guy's sense of direction is hit or miss, but with Naruto and Sasuke next to him, he'll get distracted by their arguing within three minutes. I'll bet three minutes," Kakashi said decisively.
Shino pushed up his sunglasses, a kikaichū buzzing on his fingertip. "My insects have picked up their scent trail. They are currently drifting northeast. The correct route to Konoha is due west. From the time they left until now... one minute and forty seconds have passed."
Hearing Shino, Choji's chip bag crinkled loudly. He swallowed his mouthful and looked miserable. "One minute forty and they're already heading northeast? My ten minutes was way off! I'm definitely losing! I should have bet five minutes like Shino!"
Meanwhile, deep in the forest, Guy, Naruto, and Sasuke were speeding along.
"In the name of Youth! Advance toward the sun!" Guy shouted as he led the way.
Naruto, running behind him, scratched his head. "Guy-sensei, isn't the sun in the east? Shouldn't we be going west to get back to Konoha?"
"Is Konoha in the west?" Guy hurriedly pulled a map from his pack. "Strange... why don't the landmarks on the map match the surroundings?"
"Guy-sensei! You're holding the map upside down! The words are backwards, of course it doesn't match!"
"As expected of Naruto! A man I acknowledge! To spot such a detail!"