บท 52: 52. Mission completed
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The mission in the Land of Waves had finally ended, and Naruto was on his way back to Konoha.
Living in the Land of Waves had been uncomfortable, but it wasn't because Tazuna's family hadn't been welcoming.
Naruto just felt out of place. There's nothing like returning to your own home and sleeping in your bed.
The journey back was much easier than the trip there. Without the responsibility of protecting Tazuna and with no mission hanging over them, there was less concern about ambushes or sneak attacks.
As they travelled, Naruto realized he had neglected to bring any souvenirs from his first trip outside of Konoha.
He had intended to, but after wandering through the streets, he discovered there was nothing worth bringing home. The Land of Waves was too poor. It was a country in name, but it felt more like a small fishing village.
"Should I bring back some salted fish?" Naruto wondered aloud, glancing at Kakashi, who already had one slung over his shoulder.
"Kakashi-sensei, will there be more missions like this in the future?" Sakura asked, her voice curious.
Sakura enjoyed missions away from the village. It meant she didn't have to deal with Ino and their rivalry over Sasuke.
"Most Genin missions are in or near the village," Kakashi replied. "Especially for you new Genin."
"Oh," Sakura said, a little disappointed.
"When you become Chunin, though, the mission level goes up, and you'll have more chances to leave the village."
Naruto perked up. "Aren't the Chunin Exams starting soon?"
"In about a month," Kakashi said after thinking for a moment. "Are you all planning to participate?"
The three nodded eagerly, each with their reasons.
Naruto just wanted to join in on the excitement. With Konoha's current lineup, Orochimaru wouldn't dare attack the village.
He thought about Itachi, Sasuke, and Kimimaro—if they were all there, who would Orochimaru target? Maybe it's time to start calling him 'Auntie Snake.'
Sasuke, on the other hand, wanted to see how he measured up against other Genin. Sparring with Naruto every day made it hard to gauge his strength. And of course, becoming a Chunin would mean he was one step closer to catching up to his brother.
Sakura had her motivations. She wanted to become a Chunin as soon as possible so she could spend more time with Sasuke without Ino around.
She saw these four-person missions as her and Sasuke's little world, with Kakashi buried in his book and Naruto off practising on his own. Naruto even gave her opportunities to be alone with Sasuke.
*Inner Sakura*: As long as I can marry Sasuke.
In her mind, becoming a Chunin meant Sasuke was practically hers already. She was determined to take the exam!
"Alright, I'll sign you up," Kakashi said. "But as your teacher, I have to remind you—the Chunin Exams can be very dangerous."
"How dangerous are we talking?" Naruto asked.
Kakashi hesitated. No matter what, the Chunin Exams couldn't be more dangerous than facing Zabuza.
He was confident in his students. Even the talented Neji Hyuga, whom Gai was always bragging about, wasn't necessarily stronger than his team.
Neji might be gifted, but he was just a Genin who had graduated a year ago. Had he seen Fire Jutsu and explosive tags in action? Or an enhanced Water Dragon Jutsu?
The four of them chatted as they walked, sharing what they knew about the Chunin Exams. By evening, they had returned to Konoha.
"Izumo, Kotetsu, it's your turn to stand guard again?" Kakashi greeted them lazily.
Naruto perked up. These two were the legendary Konoha Gatekeepers who had supposedly scared away Pain at the front gate. But no matter how he looked at them, they just seemed like two ordinary Chunin or maybe Special Jonin.
"Kakashi, did the mission go well?" Izumo Kamizuki asked.
"Other than a few surprises, it went fine." Kakashi handed over the mission details and the entry certificates. The process was routine.
Kotetsu Hagane looked over the papers. "Everything seems fine. Welcome back."
"See you later. I've got to submit a mission report." Kakashi waved casually.
Once inside the village, they disbanded.
Sasuke couldn't wait to get home. He hadn't seen his brother in a while and didn't know if he was there.
Sakura also hurried home. Despite always complaining about her parents, she still missed them after being away.
Naruto wasn't in a rush. He had a few video calls with his parents while in the Land of Waves.
Kurama had even helped Kushina call Naruto a few times. His relationship with Kurama was always like that—a pair of happy rivals.
Kushina had mentioned that Minato was trying to hack into the chatroom, but it didn't go well.
Naruto walked slowly, kicking a pebble as he thought about his next plan.
"Hehehe..." A lewd laugh caught Naruto's attention.
No way. Naruto turned his head, and sure enough, there he was!
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Iamxeno
Iamxeno sorry! for the slow release of chapters; I was busy this week, but don't worry, chapters will be regular.
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