What if after they speak up, someone comes out and starts calling them out by name?
Wouldn't that be super awkward?
At that moment—
Jiraiya had already arrived outside Konoha's great wall.
He slowed his steps.
"So... it was because I left the village that Orochimaru was able to send his men to take Sasuke away?"
"That damned old Danzo... he really didn't make a move!"
"Then this time, now that I've returned to the village, all I need to do is properly guide Naruto."
Jiraiya made up his mind.
Once he returned to Konoha, he would devote himself completely to training Naruto.
As for the Akatsuki organization, he no longer needed to investigate them.
Which meant... he wouldn't need to go to Hidden Rain Villageeither.
And so—he wouldn't be killed by Pain.
Even though he now already knew all of Pain's intel.
And had even obtained the Time-Screaming Rubber Chicken.
But!
There was no need for further investigation anymore.
As long as he had the scroll,
he could simply watch the visions shown on it—
far more useful than any field investigation.
The image on the scroll continued:
[But to everyone's surprise, Sasuke awakened the power of the Three Tomoe Sharingan and the Heaven Curse Mark. Even though Naruto gave it his all, he still failed to stop him.]
[Fortunately, Jiraiya brought back intel—Orochimaru's reincarnation technique couldn't be used on Sasuke for at least another three years.]
[To give Naruto the strength to bring Sasuke back during this time, Jiraiya formally accepted Naruto as his disciple and took him out of the village for intense training.]
[Uzumaki Naruto @Jiraiya: Pervy Sage! Where are you? Come back already and officially take me as your student!]
[Jiraiya @Uzumaki Naruto: My dear disciple! Your master is on his way! I'm right outside Konoha's great wall. I'll be with you in no time!]
Konoha – Chūnin Exam Venue
Orochimaru's expression shifted slightly.
Even in the current situation,
he was already finding it hard to retreat safely.
And now Jiraiya had returned to the village as well.
That only made things worse for him.
Unless...
Unless he could make it onto another ranking list and earn some rewards to turn the situation around.
Why a different ranking?
Because Orochimaru knew himself too well.
As for the current Five Kage Composite Ranking, there was no way he was getting on that.
But if it were another list, he might have a shot.
Like a Scientific Research Ranking?
He'd definitely be ranked #1 on that!
[Uzumaki Kushina: Naruto, looks like you really do care about Sasuke!]
[Uzumaki Naruto: Of course I do! He's Sasuke, after all!
@Uchiha Sasuke – don't worry, this time I will bring you back!]
[Uchiha Sasuke: Naruto!
I already told you—
As the Seventh Hokage, I won't be defecting from the village anymore.
I'm staying in the village for good,
so that you'll never get to become Hokage.]
[Uzumaki Naruto: Sasuke! I won't give up!
I'll definitely become Hokage!
If you're gonna compete with me... then I'll defeat you!]
[Hyuga Hinata: Naruto-kun, you can do it! I believe in you!]
[Uzumaki Kushina: Go for it, Naruto!
Mom will always be cheering you on!]
[Namikaze Minato: Naruto, I still believe in you.
After all, you're the son of me and Kushina.
You'll definitely become Hokage.]
[Uchiha Fugaku @Uchiha Sasuke: Sasuke, I support you!
Although Konoha wronged the Uchiha Clan,
it wasn't the village itself,
but that filthy old Third Hokage and that despicable Danzo.
If you really do become the Seventh Hokage in the future,
then work hard and live up to it!]
[Uchiha Mikoto @Uchiha Sasuke: Sasuke!
Just like Kushina always supports Naruto,
your mother will always support you.]
[Uchiha Madara @Uchiha Sasuke:
Is your ambition really that small?
Just the title of Hokage is enough to sway you?]
[First Hokage Senju Hashirama:
Madara! What's that supposed to mean?
Are you looking down on the Hokage title?]
[Uchiha Izuna:
It's not that my ni-san looks down on the Hokage,
but... wasn't it your granddaughter Tsunade who said that
'All Hokage are trash'?]
Back in Konoha—
Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto stared firmly into each other's eyes.
Uchiha Sasuke:
"Naruto! You've never beaten me. And this time will be no different!"
Uzumaki Naruto:
"Sasuke! I will win this time!
Because I never go back on my word—that's my ninja way!"
After they spoke, both boys broke into wide grins.
For Sasuke, it was the first time he had smiled like this since the Uchiha Clan Massacre by Itachi.
Not only could he talk to his long-dead parents through the chat group—
But more importantly—
Thanks to Naruto, much of the hatred in his heart had already begun to fade without him even realizing it.
Of course!
That didn't mean he had forgotten his hatred for Uchiha Itachi.
Deep in his heart, he still desperately wanted to kill his older brother.
Off to the side, Sakura smiled too.
It had been so long since she'd seen Sasuke smile like this.
Seeing him so happy made her feel happy as well.
What's more!
Sasuke had clearly stated more than once—he would no longer abandon the village.
That meant she could stay by his side forever!
The image on the scroll continued:
[At that time, the other member of Team 7, Sakura, went to find Tsunade.
Back when Sasuke left the village, she had been the last person to see him.]
[But she hadn't been strong enough to stop him.
She could only watch helplessly as the boy she loved walked away—
She didn't even have the strength to join the pursuit.]
[All she could do was cry and beg Naruto to bring Sasuke back,
only for the whole retrieval team—including Naruto—to return seriously injured.]
[She was frustrated that, while everyone else was risking their lives,
she couldn't do anything at all.]
[Sakura: "I'm sorry, Naruto.
I still need more time...
But next time, please take me with you!"]
[Yamanaka Ino @Haruno Sakura:
Forehead girl, you're still the same as ever—
useless and just good at crying.
How embarrassing!]
[Haruno Sakura @Yamanaka Ino:
Ino-Pig, didn't you see what Lady Tsunade said in the scroll?
I'm going to become her disciple!
Once that happens, I'll leave you in the dust!]
[Yamanaka Ino:
Forehead girl, I'm seriously mad now.
How dare you call me Ino-Pig in front of everyone!
I challenge you to a duel!]
[Haruno Sakura:
Ino-Pig, you're so unreasonable.
Weren't you the one who first called me Forehead Girl in front of everyone?]
[Yamanaka Ino:
Yeah, but at least I was telling the truth—
You do have a huge forehead!
But I'm not a pig!]
[Haruno Sakura:
Not only do your nostrils make you look like a pig,
you're just as dumb as one too!
So calling you Ino-Pig is totally accurate!]
[Yamanaka Ino:
Did you just say I'm as dumb as a pig?!
That's it—I have to duel you now!]
[Haruno Sakura:
Fine! Bring it on! Let's duel!]
Sakura agreed without hesitation—
Because her performance in the scroll image had been trash.
Just like Ino said, all she did was cry and cry.
She had been bottling up her frustration all along!
Now, both girls were at the Chūnin Exam venue.
Both were glaring at each other, rage marks throbbing on their foreheads.
Off to the side, Shikamaru sighed:
"Oi, oi, are you two seriously doing this?"
"What's the point of your duel?
Whether you win or lose—what does it even change?"
Choji, munching on a bag of chips, chimed in:
"Hey, if they really do duel,
maybe the scroll will set up a fight for them, too!"
Tenten perked up with interest:
"Like how it did with Lady Tsunade and the Fifth Mizukage?"
And so—
The rest of the Konoha 12, and even others nearby,
no longer stopped the two from fighting.
Because if the scroll did arrange another duel between them—
Wouldn't that mean everyone could bet on the outcome and earn more reward gift packs?
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 70 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/Sagamaster789