At this moment.
Even the usually cold and gloomy Sasuke showed a rare hint of joy. After all, he had passed the final test and officially became a Genin. The recent special training showed that this Jonin named Kakashi Hatake was far more powerful than he had imagined. Under such a Jonin’s guidance, his own strength would surely grow rapidly, bringing him closer to that man!
Thinking of this.
A deep longing arose within Sasuke.
Though he tried to hide it.
Kakashi, standing nearby, noticed it and briefly furrowed his brows before relaxing again. With slightly spread arms, he smiled at his first batch of subordinates and spoke in a relaxed tone.
“Alright, it’s about time. To celebrate the official formation of Team 7, I’ll treat you to a good meal today! Then, we can have a good rest and start our formal missions tomorrow!”
“Huh?”
“Really?”
Upon hearing about food, Naruto’s eyes lit up with excitement. Naruto was genuinely excited unlike Sakura and Sasuke, who were merely hungry. Although he was supposed to be cared for as an orphan under Konoha’s regulations, Naruto’s unique status often meant he had to fend for himself. Iruka started taking him out for meals only in the last two years of the academy, and before that, Iruka’s feelings towards Naruto were complicated. It was only after seeing Naruto’s genuine efforts and personality over the six years in the academy that Iruka began to see him differently.
Naruto was Naruto.
The Nine-Tails was the Nine-Tails.
Watching Naruto work hard.
One day.
Iruka finally began to separate Naruto from the Nine-Tails in his mind.
So, in the past two years, Naruto occasionally had meals with Iruka. But otherwise, he had to rely on himself, with no extra income and often depended on luck to eat well. Hunting in the forest wasn’t always successful, and fishing, if unchecked, could deplete the river’s fish.
Thus, when Kakashi offered to treat them.
Naruto’s spirits lifted.
“Of course! You can eat whatever you want. Today is a special occasion!”
Kakashi waved his hand generously.
A single meal was insignificant as a Jonin with years of income and family savings.
Even Sakura and Sasuke were now feeling their hunger intensely. Having been focused on the graduation test, they had ignored their hunger. But now, it was nearly noon, and they hadn’t eaten or drunk anything since 5 AM, making this the longest they had gone without food.
Despite their hunger, Sakura maintained her “ladylike” demeanor, and Sasuke kept his cool, aloof appearance.
If they could control the rumbling of their empty stomachs.
“Growl…”
The timely sound broke the silence.
Naruto raised an eyebrow and burst out laughing.
Kakashi also chuckled, looking at the embarrassed Sakura and the slightly flushed Sasuke.
“It seems everyone is hungry. Let’s go then!”
“Yes!”
Leading the way, Kakashi left the training ground.
Followed by Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura.
This special training session marked their first step together and foreshadowed significant changes in the ninja world.
By evening, in Naruto’s slightly rundown apartment.
Naruto returned with a satisfied look, patting his full belly and burping contentedly. For him, a hearty meal was a great happiness.
Two starved Genin and one of Konoha’s top eaters.
Though it didn’t bankrupt Kakashi.
The sight of Kakashi’s twitching eye when paying the bill made Naruto laugh.
“Well, such opportunities might be rare in the future.”
Naruto licked his lips, feeling a bit regretful.
“Starting tomorrow, we can take on official missions. This is a big step and very exciting!”
Standing by the window, looking at the village bathed in the sunset, Naruto’s eyes gleamed with anticipation.
Twelve years!
Twelve long years.
He had finally taken the first step.
Naruto had survived these twelve years with his acting skills and cautious demeanor. Now, he had the legitimate opportunity to leave the village. This was his chance, but also a dangerous path, considering the threats from Danzo within the village and the Akatsuki outside.
Luckily, he had the “storyline” as a reference.
“Phase two of my plan can soon begin….”
Looking at the seemingly peaceful village outside.
Naruto’s eyes held a hint of sarcasm, quickly replaced by a fiery determination.
‘Uzumaki Naruto?’
‘No! My name is Namikaze Naruto!’
In the silent room.
The solemn determination welled up from deep within.
This vow.
It was Naruto’s greatest resolution!
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