Chapter 49: The End of the Land of Waves
Kakashi watched as Haruno Sakura walked ahead, her figure small but determined. His gaze was clouded with complex emotions. He wanted to say something to her, but the words tangled inside his throat, leaving him silent. After all, Sakura's actions were rooted entirely in the interests of the Land of Fire, the Hidden Leaf Village.
"What are you thinking about, Kakashi-senpai?" Sakura's voice broke through his thoughts softly. Since there was no one else around, she didn't need to address him formally as "teacher" or "senpai." It was just between them.
Kakashi lowered his eyelids slightly, the dark visible eye reflecting his weariness. "Sakura… about Danaz… he's old."
Sakura looked out toward a small pond at the edge of the woods. The still water reflected the bright moon hanging high in the night sky, and her own serene reflection. Her delicate, cherry-pink brows furrowed slightly as she faced Kakashi.
"So what?" she said simply.
"If we allow Danaz to set this precedent, once word gets out, do you know what will happen?" Kakashi's voice carried a grave warning.
"It's not the scarcity we fear, but the unfairness," Sakura replied, her tone calm but firm.
"You know this well, Kakashi," she said, her eyes sharp.
Kakashi was silent, staring at the young girl with her single cherry-pink ponytail. He wanted to speak up again, to save Danaz, to find a way to keep him alive.
"We can tell him to keep his mouth shut. If he promises silence, this will never come to light," Kakashi said, hoping for some leniency.
Sakura's lips curled into a bitter smile, but it was not directed at Kakashi—it was for the fool, Danaz. "And you want a drunkard who spends all the village's pooled funds on booze to keep his mouth shut? Really?"
Kakashi was struck dumb. Sakura's words hit home hard.
When Sakura and Kakashi returned to Danaz's house, everyone was already asleep. Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke were assigned to the same room—Naruto and Sasuke sharing one bed while Sakura, being a girl, slept alone.
She looked at Sasuke sleeping quietly, with Naruto clinging closely to him as if he would never let go. A mischievous smile played on Sakura's lips. If she had a camera, she would have taken a picture of this moment and framed it—one on each of their bedside tables—to prove just how unbreakable their bond truly was.
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The next morning, when the first ray of sunlight fell on the black-haired boy's closed eyelids, Sasuke's eyelids twitched slightly. He felt a heavy weight on his body. Instinctively, he turned over—and immediately his eyes shot wide open, as if he had just discovered a terrifying truth!
"Naruto!!!"
His face flushed bright red, like a small wife who had been terribly wronged. Sasuke roughly pushed away the hand Naruto had draped around his waist. Then, scrambling and stumbling, he tumbled off the bed.
"Huh?"
Startled by Sasuke's loud shout, the golden-haired boy rubbed his eyes sleepily and sat up.
"Naruto!!"
"You idiot!!!"
Sasuke glared at the still half-asleep blonde, furious that he had fallen asleep hugging him like that.
"Huh?"
Naruto blinked, still groggy and confused, his eyelids drooping as he stared at Sasuke's inexplicable rage.
"No, it's nothing…" Sasuke clenched his teeth, unwilling to confess the truth.
If no one knew, then it never happened.
"You two are so noisy…" Sakura's voice interrupted as she sat up from her own bed, her cherry-pink hair falling messily around her shoulders. She looked at them with mild exasperation. Two troublemakers showing their bond at dawn again.
"Ahaha, good morning, Sakura!" Naruto greeted cheerfully, his eyes lighting up when he saw her awake. He quickly leaned toward her, blaming Sasuke. "It's all Sasuke's fault for being restless this early."
Sakura, her hair loose and flowing, looked beautiful in the morning light.
"You blonde guy, go find your 'Nijūshi'~" Sakura said, half-lidded eyes barely concealing her teasing smile as she pushed Naruto back down.
"Blonde guy?" Naruto blinked in confusion.
Was she talking about him?
Meanwhile, Sasuke was stunned too.
"Nijūshi?" he echoed. "What's that? If that's the second pillar, then who's the first?"
---
Two days later, the great bridge in the Land of Waves was finally completed. The Team Seven mission was a success.
Naruto waved farewell to the people of the Land of Waves, then immediately ran to catch up with Kakashi and the others who had already started walking away.
Sakura glanced once at Danaz among the crowd, her emerald eyes cold and unreadable. Then she turned away and began the journey back to Konoha.
Kakashi looked at Sakura, who seemed unaffected by everything, then glanced back at Danaz, who wore a smile as if nothing had happened. He looked at Naruto and Sasuke, who were oblivious to the turmoil behind them, and sighed deeply.
He thought about his father, the legendary White Fang of Konoha.
Sakura was right. No matter what, the interests of Konoha must not be compromised.
With that thought, Kakashi's usual lazy demeanor returned. He didn't want to bother with anything else.
---
"Ha ha ha ha!"
"Uzumaki Naruto's back again!"
As he approached the familiar gates of Konoha, the golden-haired boy cheered loudly and dashed inside.
The veteran guard, Steel Iron, blocked his way with an outstretched hand.
"Huh?"
Naruto paused, blinking at the Chunin standing firm before him.
Sakura instinctively reached to grab a kunai with her pass to show at the gate, but she caught herself just before reaching into her pouch.
She wasn't Anbu anymore.
Kakashi noticed Sakura's slight hesitation. After spending ten years in the Anbu himself, he understood the deep tradition and unspoken rules of that shadowy world.
With a lazy smile, Kakashi approached Steel Iron and handed over the pass.
"Oh? Kakashi-senpai," Steel Iron said, recognizing him instantly. "This mission took quite a while."
He glanced at the pass and smiled broadly, waving them through.
"You're so arrogant, just like Sasuke," Naruto teased Steel Iron as he turned to leave, making a face.
"Naruto, don't be rude," Kakashi chided, lightly tapping Naruto's head.
"Ha! Idiot," Sasuke muttered, rolling his eyes at Naruto. He felt like he was turning into a Hyuga with how many times he'd rolled his eyes at Naruto lately.
Kakashi looked out toward the Hokage Rock and pursed his lips. The Land of Waves mission was over. Now the Chunin Exams were looming.
This time, the Chunin Exams would be a joint event with the Hidden Stone Village from the Land of Earth and the Sand Village from the Land of Wind—a first in ninja world history.
The Wind Village was a nominal ally, so no surprise there. But the Land of Earth was involved because of resources.
It made Kakashi uneasy.
But then he glanced at the pink-haired girl beside him and felt relieved. With this girl around, at least Naruto and Sasuke would be safe.
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(End of chapter)
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