Uchiha orphan, so what if I'm ruthless?

Konoha, daytime.

Sunlight poured down from the sky, illuminating every corner of the village.

People strolled along the streets—both civilians and ninjas. Civilians wore ordinary clothes, carrying baskets or holding children. Ninjas wore Konoha flak jackets, forehead protectors tied in place, and bulging ninja tool pouches at their waists.

The shops lining the streets were open. People were buying, selling, and haggling. The aroma of food drifted from restaurants, while the clinking of metal rang out from weapon shops.

Children ran back and forth through the streets, their loud laughter filling the air.

Ninjas were practicing on the training grounds. Kunai and shuriken flew through the air, striking targets with a rhythmic thud.

The four faces on the Hokage Monument gleamed in the sunlight. From the First Hokage to the Fourth Hokage, each visage was carved deeply and clearly.

Everything was peaceful, just like any other day.

Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura walked down the street.

Naruto led the way, dressed in his signature orange tracksuit, his bright blonde hair shining in the sun. The three whisker-like marks on his cheeks were as prominent as ever, stretching toward the corners of his mouth.

His brows were furrowed, his lips slightly pouted, and he looked entirely displeased.

Sakura followed behind him, wearing a pink top and dark shorts, her pink hair tied back in a ponytail. Her expression was calm, but anyone who knew her well could tell she was in low spirits.

Naruto looked at the bustling streets and the familiar, peaceful scenery, but it only left a bitter taste in his mouth.

He muttered under his breath.

"That old man Hokage is really something. Keeping such a close eye on me and not even letting me go on missions... It's so frustrating."

His voice wasn't loud, but his tone was laced with obvious dissatisfaction.

Sakura looked at him and spoke up.

"You're too impulsive, Naruto."

Her voice was calm.

Naruto turned his head and glared at her.

"Dammit! Sasuke left the village and there's still no news about him, yet the village won't even let me go look for him. It doesn't make any sense!"

He raised his voice.

"He's my comrade!"

Sakura fell silent for a moment before replying.

"It can't be helped."

Her voice was soft, and her expression grew even more downcast after saying it.

The two of them continued walking aimlessly down the street.

They passed the main street, wandered through alleys, walked by the training grounds, and passed the Hokage Building.

The streets were crowded. People walked past them, most only giving them a passing glance before looking away.

Naruto paid no attention to the crowd; his mind was entirely focused on Uchiha Sasuke.

Sakura ignored them too; her thoughts were also consumed by Uchiha Sasuke.

It had been a long time since they last went on a mission. Ever since Sasuke left the village, Team 7's missions had been suspended.

Naruto was ordered to stay in the village and forbidden from leaving, leaving Sakura with nothing to do.

Hatake Kakashi hadn't shown his face to them in a long time either. They heard he was constantly out executing missions.

Neither of them was used to this.

In the past, they had training every day, missions every day, and they saw Kakashi-sensei every day.

Now, they had nothing.

Just eating, sleeping, and wandering around the village.

The days were incredibly boring.

Just as Naruto was dwelling on these thoughts, a figure suddenly dropped down from a nearby rooftop, landing right in front of them.

The landing was completely silent. The soles of his shoes touched the ground without a sound, his body perfectly still, blocking their path.

Naruto looked up, his eyes lighting up instantly.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

He shouted, his voice filled with irrepressible joy.

The person standing before them was indeed Hatake Kakashi.

He wore his standard Konoha uniform with a green flak jacket over it. A black mask covered the lower half of his face, from his nose down to his neck, leaving only his right eye visible.

That right eye was slightly narrowed, looking as lazy as ever, but his posture was relaxed, as if he had just returned from a mission.

He greeted them with his usual demeanor.

"I heard you haven't been very quiet lately, Naruto."

His voice was casual, accompanied by a visible eye-smile.

Naruto immediately began to protest.

"What do you mean not quiet?! I've been perfectly normal every single day!"

He yelled, sounding deeply wronged.

Sakura stood to the side, silent. Her mouth opened slightly as if she wanted to say something, but she swallowed the words back down.

She looked at Kakashi, hesitating to speak.

Kakashi caught this out of the corner of his eye.

He glanced at Sakura, then back at Naruto, and finally spoke.

"I just got back from a mission, and it's been a while since we last saw each other. Come on, my treat."

Naruto immediately jumped into the air.

"Alright! I want barbecue!"

He cheered loudly, a wide grin spreading across his face.

And so, the trio headed to Yakiniku Q.

It was a famous barbecue restaurant in the village. The storefront wasn't large, but business was booming.

The three walked in and found a seat by the window.

Naruto grabbed the menu and ordered a whole table full of food.

Beef, pork, chicken, vegetables, mushrooms—the table was packed to the brim, neatly arranged.

Normally, this would have made Kakashi wince in pain.

He didn't have much money, and most of it went toward buying copies of Make-Out Paradise, leaving just enough for food.

But this time, he didn't feel a pinch. He sat there without batting an eye as he watched Naruto order.

The reason was simple: the village was footing the bill.

Lord Hokage had declared that all of Team 7's expenses would be reimbursed by the village.

Naruto's mouth was covered in grease.

He picked up a piece of grilled meat with his chopsticks, shoved it into his mouth, chewed a few times, and swallowed it down. Then he grabbed another piece and shoved it in again.

His table manners were terrible, but he didn't care.

Sakura, on the other hand, ate in small, polite bites. She picked up a small piece of meat, placed it in her mouth, and chewed slowly.

She ate in silence.

Kakashi didn't speak either. He sat there, watching the two of them eat, occasionally grabbing a piece of meat himself, slipping it into his mouth at lightning speed, chewing twice, and swallowing.

He ate without saying a word.

The atmosphere of the meal was rather strange.

The only sounds were the clinking of tableware and the sizzling of meat on the iron grill.

No one spoke.

Finally, Kakashi set down his chopsticks.

He looked at Naruto and Sakura, then broke the silence.

"In a few days, the village will assign a new member to join Team 7."

His voice was calm.

"Once that happens, we'll be able to resume our normal missions."

Naruto hadn't processed the words yet. He still had a piece of meat pinched between his chopsticks and food in his mouth.

He froze.

Sakura's chopsticks slipped from her hand and fell onto the table.

*Clack.* The sound was sharp and clear.

Her eyes widened slightly, her mouth falling open in shock.

Naruto snapped out of his daze and swallowed his food.

His eyes widened as well, his mouth dropping open before he let out a loud shout.

"T-This... No way!"

He yelled so loudly that the other customers in the restaurant turned to look at him.

"The only person Team 7 is missing is Sasuke!"

He raised his voice even higher.

"Anyone else is unacceptable!"

Kakashi shook his head.

"This is Lord Hokage's arrangement."

His voice remained perfectly calm.

"Naruto, you can't be stubborn about this."

Naruto's expression darkened.

His brows knitted together tightly, his lips pressed into a thin line, and his teeth ground together audibly.

Then, he slammed his hand onto the table.

"Dammit!"

He roared.

"I won't accept this!"

With that, he slammed his chopsticks down, stood up from his seat, turned around, and bolted for the door.

The door was shoved open with a loud bang.

Naruto's back disappeared outside.

Sakura remained in her seat, staring at the doorway without moving.

Kakashi also sat in his seat, looking toward the door, unmoving.

After a few seconds, Kakashi sighed.

"That kid's temper... still as hot-headed as ever."

He shook his head.

Sakura didn't say a word. She just lowered her head, staring at the unfinished barbecue on the table.

Her eyes were a little red.

Naruto dashed out the door, picked a direction, and ran straight out of the village.

He sprinted through the village gates, through the woods outside, and across the dirt paths and grassy fields.

He ran and ran, not stopping until he reached the banks of a small river outside the village.

The river water was clear and shallow, revealing the stones at the bottom. The current was gentle, babbling softly as it flowed. Lush, thick green grass grew along both banks, soft and springy underfoot.

Naruto finally came to a halt. The long sprint left him breathless; his chest heaved violently, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

He stood there, staring at the surface of the river for a few seconds.

Then, he lay down, tilting his head back to look at the sky.

The sky was a brilliant, clean blue, like a freshly washed cloth. The clouds were white, sparse, and thin, drifting like wisps of cotton.

Naruto watched the clouds, the vast sky, and the birds flying overhead.

His eyelids grew heavy, his eyes half-closing as his pupils lost focus.

His rapid breathing gradually steadied, and the violent heaving of his chest subsided.

Then, his eyes closed completely.

He fell asleep.

He didn't know how much time had passed.

In a daze, Naruto suddenly realized that a figure had appeared in front of him.

It was an elderly figure—very old and very thin—wearing a long white robe and leaning on a black shakujo staff.

His hair was long, draped over his shoulders, and the wrinkles on his face were deep, as if carved by a knife.

His eyes were bright, with concentric ripple patterns radiating outward from the pupils like ripples on water.

The old man looked at Naruto and spoke.

His voice was soft and ethereal, as if drifting over from a very distant place.

"Naruto, my child, the ninja world needs you to step forward."

Naruto stared at him, his mouth slightly agape, his eyes wide.

He didn't know who this old man was, nor did he understand what his words meant.

But he sensed one thing.

This old man was far from ordinary.

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