The bridge stood complete, gleaming under the Land of Waves' sun, named the Great Naruto Bridge in honor of the loudmouth genin who'd inspired Inari to hope. Naruto grinned, waving at the cheering villagers, his voice booming. "Told ya I'd be a hero!" But inside, he was a storm of doubt and resolve. The mission was a success, but the cost—Haku's death, Sasuke's near-death, the raw power of the Nine-Tails—shook him. Power was his path to the truth, but it was also dangerous, unpredictable, just like the village's lies.On the boat back to Konoha, Naruto leaned against the railing, his grin in place as he teased Sakura about her seasickness. Sasuke sat silently, recovered but distant, and Kakashi read his book, his eye occasionally flicking to Naruto. The mission had shown Naruto the strength of teamwork—Sasuke's sacrifice, Sakura's support, Kakashi's skill—but his distrust lingered. They were comrades, but they were still part of Konoha, tied to the Hokage and his secrets. Even Iruka's kindness, back in the forest, felt like a half-truth.The Nine-Tails' chakra had saved him against Haku, but it was a beast he barely understood. The Scroll of Sealing, still hidden in his apartment, held clues to controlling it, and he'd study it more, train harder. The village's hatred, the Fourth's choice, the redacted records—they were all pieces of a puzzle he'd solve, but only with power. Haku's loyalty to Zabuza had shown him something else: strength wasn't just chakra or jutsu. It was will, purpose, maybe even bonds. But bonds meant trust, and trust was a risk he wasn't ready for.As Konoha's gates came into view, Naruto's grin widened, his voice loud. "Home sweet home! Time to become Hokage!" But his eyes were hard, his mind on the scroll, the Nine-Tails, and the truth. The Land of Waves had made him stronger, shown him what power could do, but also what it couldn't. He'd keep his mask on, keep training, keep digging. The village's secrets were still out there, and with every step, every clone, every spark of the fox's chakra, he was closer to tearing them open.
