Naruto trudged along the dirt path to the Land of Waves, his hands behind his head and a grin plastered across his face. "This mission's gonna be a piece of cake!" he boasted, kicking a pebble to keep up the act. Sasuke walked ahead, silent, while Sakura pestered Tazuna about his bridge. Kakashi trailed behind, his nose in his book, but Naruto felt his sensei's eye on him, watching. Always watching. The familiar weight of distrust settled in his chest, but he kept his smile bright. No one could know how much he was hiding—his stolen Scroll of Sealing, his nightly training, his burning need to understand why he was the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki.The forest around them was quiet, too quiet, and Naruto's instincts prickled. He'd been practicing his shadow clones, pushing for more control, but he hadn't tapped the Nine-Tails' chakra since stealing the scroll. That power was his trump card, but it was wild, unpredictable. He needed it to grow stronger, to force the truth from the village, but he wasn't ready—not yet.A sudden splash broke his thoughts. Two shinobi burst from a puddle, chains whipping toward Kakashi. Naruto froze, his grin faltering as the Demon Brothers attacked. Kakashi moved like lightning, tying them to a tree before Naruto could blink, but the ambush shook him. "What kinda ninja hides in a puddle?" he shouted, laughing to cover his nerves. Inside, he was seething. He'd been too slow, too weak. If he'd had the Nine-Tails' power, he could've fought back.Kakashi's eye narrowed. "This mission's more dangerous than we thought. Tazuna, care to explain?"Tazuna confessed: the bridge was a target, and Gato, a ruthless businessman, had hired ninja to stop it. The mission was C-rank, but it felt like A-rank now. Naruto's grin widened, but his mind raced. Danger meant a chance to test his power, to grow stronger. But it also meant relying on Team 7, and trust was a risk he couldn't take. Sasuke was too cold, Sakura too distracted, and Kakashi… Kakashi was too strong, too close to the Hokage's secrets.As they continued, Naruto kept his eyes sharp, his hands ready to form clone signs. The Scroll of Sealing was hidden back in Konoha, but its multi-shadow clone jutsu was in his head, and the Nine-Tails' chakra was in his veins. He'd use both if he had to, but he'd keep his team at arm's length. Power was his path to the truth, and he wouldn't let anyone—friend or foe—stand in his way.
