Another week had passed, after which the bridge had finally been completed.
And finally, it was time for Naruto and others to take their leave and return back to Konoha...
The sun hung high in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the newly completed bridge. The scent of the sea drifted through the air, mixing with the earthy aroma of fresh timber and stone. Waves lapped gently against the wooden pillars, their rhythmic sounds accompanying the murmurs of the gathered villagers.
At the foot of the great structure, a crowd had gathered—a sea of familiar faces, all standing to bid farewell to the ones who had changed their lives.
Standing at the entrance of the bridge, Team 7 faced the people of the village one last time.
Tazuna, the old bridge builder, stepped forward. His rough, calloused hands rested on his hips, his usually gruff expression soft with gratitude.
"Thanks to you, the bridge was completed safely," He said, his voice carrying the weight of sincerity. His gaze drifted toward Naruto in particular. "But… we'll miss you very much."
Beside him, Tsunami offered a warm smile. "Please, take care on your journey."
Kakashi, ever relaxed, gave a gentle smile. "Thank you for everything as well."
Naruto, standing in the middle with his arms crossed, let out a boisterous chuckle, flashing his signature grin. "Now, now… we'll come back for a visit again, Old Man Tazuna!"
Tazuna let out a hearty laugh. "Hah! You'd better! And next time, I expect some sake!"
"Really?"
A small, wavering voice spoke up.
Naruto turned his head, his grin softening as he met Inari's wide, tear-brimmed eyes.
The little boy's hands clenched into fists, his lips trembling as he tried to hold himself together.
Naruto's smirk widened. "Oh? Inari! You're gonna miss us, aren't you?"
He crouched down, resting his hands on his knees. "It's all right to cry."
"N-No, it's not!" Inari sniffled, rubbing at his eyes with his sleeve.
Naruto reached out and ruffled the boy's hair, his voice turning softer. "Inari, you protected your mom, didn't you?"
The boy's breath hitched.
"You learned to be responsible at such a young age," Naruto continued. "So be a man and face problems with your courage." He leaned in with a teasing grin. "No more crying, got it?"
Inari choked on a sob, his small hands gripping the hem of Naruto's jacket before he burst into tears, throwing his arms around Naruto's waist.
Naruto stiffened for a second, then let out a soft chuckle, patting the boy's back.
"Geez… you're such a crybaby."
Behind them, the villagers whispered among themselves, their voices filled with awe.
"That boy… he changed Inari's heart."
"And Inari changed the hearts of all of us…"
Tazuna crossed his arms, his chest swelling with pride as he looked out over the bridge.
"That boy built a bridge, alright… but not just any bridge."
He smiled as he watched Team 7's departing figures. "He built a bridge linking us to hope… A bridge called courage."
The villagers murmured in agreement, nodding amongst themselves.
Then, one man spoke up. "Speaking of bridges, we need to name this one, don't we?"
Tazuna blinked, then rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That's true…"
"Any ideas?"
The old builder stroked his beard, and then a slow, knowing smile spread across his face. He turned to the villagers, eyes twinkling with warmth. "I have a perfect name for this bridge."
"Oh?" The villagers leaned in with curiosity.
Tazuna took a deep breath and grinned. "The Great Naruto Bridge."
A hush fell over the crowd for a second before someone spoke.
"That's a good name."
Tsunami beamed. "It suits it perfectly."
Another villager nodded. "I couldn't have thought of a more fitting name."
An old man in the crowd laughed. "And someday, it'll be the name of a very famous bridge… A name heard around the world."
Tazuna chuckled, looking out toward the horizon where the bridge stretched out into the distance. "That's truly what I hope."
And with that, the legend of The Great Naruto Bridge was born.
------
On the other side
The dirt road stretched before them, winding through the thick greenery of the Land of Waves. Birds chirped overhead, and the leaves rustled gently in the breeze.
The scent of damp earth lingered from the previous night's rain, and their boots made soft thuds as they walked toward home.
Kakashi, hands stuffed in his pockets, walked with his usual lazy gait, his lone visible eye half-lidded in thought. Something had been nagging at him.
He finally broke the silence. "Naruto… I've been meaning to ask."
Naruto, who had been walking ahead with his arms crossed behind his head, tilted his head back with a lazy grin. "Huh? What is it, Kakashi-sensei?"
Kakashi's eye narrowed slightly. "How exactly did Gatō end up on the bridge like that? That wasn't a coincidence, was it?"
Naruto's grin widened. "Oh? You still remember that? I thought you'd forgotten by now."
Kakashi rolled his eye and sighed. "It's kind of hard to forget when a crime lord just waltzes onto the battlefield and practically hands himself over to be killed."
His tone was dry, but there was a keen edge of suspicion beneath it.
Sasuke, who had been quiet until now, turned his gaze toward Naruto. "…You planned it, didn't you?"
Naruto chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, what can I say? The opportunity was just too good to pass up."
Kakashi's eye twitched slightly. "Explain."
Naruto nodded. "It started when I met Haku in the forest. At first, I didn't know who he was, but I had a feeling he was connected to Zabuza. So, I decided to send a clone after him just in case."
Sasuke clenched his fist. "You tailed him?!"
Naruto shrugged. "If I failed, then no harm done. But if I succeeded..."
His grin widened. "Well, let's just say my clone got lucky."
Kakashi's expression darkened slightly. "Naruto… do you realize how dangerous that was? If Haku had been more ruthless, you could've lost your chance before the battle even began."
Naruto waved him off. "Yeah, yeah, but listen first."
Sasuke's expression remained unreadable, but there was a flicker of intrigue in his eyes. "Go on."
Naruto continued. "My clone followed Haku all the way back to Gatō's hideout. And guess what I found out?"
Kakashi's expression sharpened. "…Let me guess. Gatō had no intention of paying Zabuza from the start."
Naruto snapped his fingers. "Bingo!"
Sakura covered her mouth. "That means… he was planning to betray Zabuza all along?"
Naruto nodded. "Exactly. He was going to wait until we had all fought ourselves into the ground and then swoop in with his men to clean up the survivors... all of us."
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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