Back in their temporary lodging, Naruto placed the small porcelain bottle on the table.
He twisted open the cork, and a clear, fresh scent of herbs wafted out.
He dipped a fingertip into the ointment and brought it to his nose, sniffing lightly.
The ointment's ingredients were not complex, consisting of common plants known for stopping bleeding, reducing inflammation, and promoting muscle recovery.
But the proportions of the mixture were perfect.
A bit more would be wasteful, a bit less would reduce its efficacy.
This required a profound understanding of pharmacology and extensive practical experience.
The 'girl' named Haku not only possessed a will as firm as a glacier but also commanded such exquisite pharmacological knowledge.
More importantly, he casually gifted such precious ointment to a 'stranger' he had just met.
This kindness was pure, without a trace of impurity.
But in Naruto's eyes, this was precisely his greatest 'weakness'.
Pure kindness, in the face of cruel reality, was like an ice crystal in the sun—beautiful but fragile, shattering at a touch.
And that extreme loyalty, without a sufficiently strong will to guide it, would ultimately only become fuel for tragedy.
Naruto capped the bottle and put the porcelain bottle away.
He had better medicine, but he accepted this 'kindness'.
On the future battlefield, this might become an interesting variable.
In the living room, the atmosphere was oppressive.
Sasuke was repeatedly wiping his kunai, his movements mechanical, his eyes vacant.
Naruto's definition of 'revenge' earlier in the day had pierced him like a thorn, embedding deep in his heart.
His right to revenge had been co-opted by that man with an unquestionable demeanor.
From then on, every swing of his blade, every hand seal he made, would no longer entirely belong to him.
Instead, it would be a part of the plan orchestrated by 'Uzumaki Naruto'.
He looked up, gazing at Naruto by the window.
That figure, though shorter than himself, was like an insurmountable mountain, casting a shadow that enveloped his entire being.
"You seem very uneasy."
Naruto's voice came, without him turning his head.
Sasuke's body instantly tensed, as if his thoughts had been seen through.
"I'm just thinking about how to kill enemies more effectively."
He masked the turmoil in his heart with his usual cold tone.
"Is that so?"
Naruto turned around and walked towards him.
"You are afraid."
Naruto stated a fact.
"You are afraid that your revenge, your power, even your very existence, will become unimportant."
Sasuke's pupils sharply contracted.
"Nonsense!"
He almost roared it out.
"Today in the forest, I encountered Zabuza's accomplice."
Naruto ignored his rebuttal and changed the subject.
"He's strong?"
Sasuke asked, knowing Naruto wouldn't speak without reason.
"No."
Naruto shook his head.
"He is very 'pure'."
"Pure?"
Sasuke couldn't understand the word.
"His sole purpose in existence is to be Zabuza's weapon. For Zabuza, he can unhesitatingly dedicate everything, including his life."
Naruto looked into Sasuke's eyes.
"His loyalty is his strongest power. Because of this loyalty, he will not be lost, will not waver, and will not be disturbed by any emotion."
"And you, Uchiha Sasuke, your heart is full of impurities."
Naruto's words, like a sharp scalpel, once again cut open Sasuke's pride.
"Your hatred, seemingly powerful, is mixed with nostalgia for the past, confusion about the future, and anger and unwillingness about your own weakness."
"These things are constantly consuming your energy, preventing you from focusing one hundred percent of your power on a single point."
Sasuke's breathing became rapid; he couldn't refute it.
Because every word Naruto said struck his core.
"A pure soldier is always more threatening on the battlefield than a general with internal conflicts."
Naruto stood up.
"Until you learn how to purify your will, you will never surpass that man."
"And you will never kill Uchiha Itachi."
The name "Uchiha Itachi" struck Sasuke like lightning.
He suddenly stood up, staring intently at Naruto.
"You..."
"Become stronger, Sasuke."
Naruto left him with these words and turned to walk away.
"Strong enough for your will to bear your hatred, instead of being consumed by it."
Sasuke slumped back down, the kunai in his hand dropping to the ground with a crisp sound.
For the first time, he began to think about things beyond hatred.
Will.
Loyalty.
These ethereal words, from Naruto's mouth, seemed to possess a tangible power.
In the other room, Sakura was meticulously studying the notebook Naruto had given her, illuminated by the oil lamp.
The anatomical diagrams within were so precise that even she, an honors student in theoretical subjects, felt ashamed.
The various methods for treating wounds were also unheard of.
For instance, when dealing with large-area burns, the notebook mentioned an ointment made from a specific blend of herbs and animal fats, which could maximize wound moisture, prevent infection, and stimulate granulation tissue growth.
This already went beyond the scope of basic first aid, resembling some lost secret art.
The more she read, the more astonished and captivated she became.
It was as if she had opened a door to a new world.
It turned out that medical Ninjutsu wasn't just about the green glow of Chakra.
Behind it lay such a vast and intricate system of knowledge.
For the first time, she felt she wasn't just a burden who could only scream from behind.
She too could possess power.
A power of her own, to save comrades and decide life and death.
Kakashi leaned against the doorframe, silently observing everything.
He watched Sasuke lost in thought, and Sakura engrossed in her studies, forgetting sleep and food.
His two students were undergoing a transformation at a speed he couldn't have imagined.
And the catalyst for all of this was that blond boy.
He walked over to Naruto and lowered his voice.
"Did you intentionally go to the forest today to meet that masked Ninja?"
"Yes."
Naruto admitted frankly.
"Why?"
Kakashi was puzzled.
"Reconnaissance, assessment, and... probing."
Naruto replied calmly.
"A qualified commander, before a decisive battle, must possess information on all available pieces, whether friend or foe."
"Pieces?"
Kakashi's brows furrowed.
"Sensei, don't you think it would be a wonderful thing if a soul with such pure loyalty could be used by Konoha?"
Naruto countered.
Kakashi was stunned.
He was speechless, shocked by Naruto's wild and audacious idea.
Recruiting an enemy?
And a dangerous individual like Zabuza's accomplice?
This was no longer tactics; this was playing with fire.
"You're gambling, Naruto."
Kakashi's voice grew serious.
"No."
Naruto shook his head.
"I never gamble. I only make calculated investments."
"I trust my judgment, and I trust my methods."
Kakashi fell silent.
He found himself understanding his student less and less.
Naruto's way of thinking completely transcended the limitations of the Ninja profession, resembling more a monarch who strategizes from behind the scenes.
Treating the entire world as his chessboard.
And all of them, whether friend or foe, were merely pieces on his board.
This feeling gave him a chill, yet also a strange sense of anticipation.
He truly wanted to see what kind of game this student would play out.
Two days passed in a flash.
The morning of the decisive battle arrived as scheduled.
Thick fog rolled in like a tide, instantly engulfing the bridge in a blanket of white mist.
At the bridgehead, Team 7's four members were already in position.
Sakura was in the middle of the bridge, with bandages, disinfectant, and various sorted herbs neatly arranged beside her.
Her face no longer held its usual panic; instead, there was an unprecedented focus.
Sasuke stood at the bridge entrance, his Sharingan already activated, two tomoe slowly rotating in his eyes, vigilantly scanning every corner of the thick fog.
His breathing was steady, his mind calm as still water.
Naruto's words had pointed him to a new path.
Before killing Uchiha Itachi, he would first become a qualified, sharpest blade, unswayed by emotions.
Kakashi stood behind Naruto, looking at the backs of his two students, filled with emotion.
How much time had passed?
They had already grown from fledglings needing his protection into warriors capable of standing on their own.
And all of this stemmed from the Genin in front of them, the one who least resembled a Genin.
Naruto stood in the center of the battlefield, eyes closed, as if feigning sleep.
But his senses, like an invisible giant net, covered the entire bridge.
He was waiting.
Waiting for those two familiar enemy presences.
Finally.
In the thick fog, two figures, one tall and one short, slowly emerged.
Zabuza Momochi still carried his massive kubikiribōchō, his eyes as cold as blades.
Beside him was Haku, wearing a white mask.
"It seems you didn't run away."
Zabuza's voice echoed in the thick fog, tinged with mockery.
"Konoha Ninja, you have more backbone than I imagined."
Kakashi stepped forward, his Sharingan beneath his forehead protector already locked onto Zabuza.
"We are just carrying out our mission until the bridge is completed."
"Then we'll see if you have the life left to see that day."
Zabuza snorted coldly, his killing intent erupting.
"Haku, these brats are yours."
"Yes, Zabuza-sama."
Haku's voice was still clear, but devoid of any emotion.
"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said without turning his head, "Execute the plan. Sasuke, Sakura, Formation Three."
As his voice fell, the three instantly dispersed. Sakura leaped to Tazuna's side, a cold gleam flashing from her kunai. Sasuke crouched, his Sharingan slowly rotating in the mist.
A silver light pierced through the fog, aimed directly at Tazuna's throat.
Sakura's body reacted faster than her mind. She stomped her foot, activating a chain of explosive tags Naruto had pre-set.
Boom!
The flash of the explosion instantly illuminated the mist, deflecting the senbon in mid-air, embedding them in the bridge railing.
"Good reaction." A clear, cold voice sounded, and a white figure emerged from the mist.
It was a young man wearing an ice crystal mask, with long, cascading hair, a slender figure yet containing deadly danger.
Sasuke's Sharingan locked onto the opponent's movements.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A fireball whistled towards a specific direction. It wasn't to kill the enemy, but to evaporate the mist and restrict Zabuza's movement space.
"You brats, your coordination is quite decent." Zabuza leaped out of the flames, his kubikiribōchō striking directly at Kakashi.
Kakashi raised his blade to block, and the two blades clashed, emitting dazzling sparks.
"But the game is over." Haku's figure flickered, appearing beside Sasuke.
Sasuke's pupils constricted, his Sharingan capturing the trajectory of the attack. He dodged sideways, swinging his kunai in a backhand strike.
Haku easily dodged, quickly forming hand signs.
"Secret Jutsu: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals!"
Ice mirrors rose from the ground, quickly combining in the air to form a closed circular cage. Sasuke was trapped inside.
"Sasuke!" Sakura exclaimed.
"Don't move recklessly." Naruto's voice remained calm, "Sensei, focus on Zabuza, don't get distracted."
Kakashi's heart sank, and he silently obeyed Naruto's words.
Inside the ice mirrors, Haku's reflection appeared in every mirror. Senbon rained down on Sasuke.
Sasuke gritted his teeth and dodged, his Sharingan desperately tracking Haku's movements. But the opponent's speed was too fast.
Blood dripped down his arm; Sasuke already had multiple cuts on his body.
Was this his limit?
The pride of the Uchiha was brutally crushed by reality at this moment.
"Sensei, Phase One testing complete." Naruto looked at the ice crystal cage and said to Kakashi, "Sasuke's performance limit data has been collected."
"Naruto, what are you talking about?!" Kakashi yelled, parrying Zabuza's attacks, "Sasuke is your comrade!"
"Precisely because he is a comrade, his combat parameters need to be accurately assessed." Naruto stepped forward, "Now it's time to collect other data."
"Be careful! That Ninjutsu is very dangerous!" Kakashi tried to stop him, but Zabuza held him tightly.
Naruto ignored the warning and walked straight towards the Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals.
"Don't come closer!" Haku's voice from within the mirrors carried a warning, "Come one step closer, and I'll kill this Uchiha!"
Naruto stopped, tilting his head.
"Kill him?" Naruto chuckled lightly, "Do you really want to kill him?"
Haku's movements paused for a moment.
"Or are you just executing the command to 'create a threat but not inflict fatal damage'?" Naruto continued forward, "Your senbon are all aimed at non-fatal areas. Is this a tactic Zabuza taught you, or your own choice?"
Haku's breathing became ragged. How did this blond boy know these things?
"You are confused." Naruto's voice carried a certain detached insight, "Because you realize that you actually don't want to kill this young man who is around your age."
"I... I am Zabuza-sama's tool! A tool doesn't need emotions!" Haku's voice trembled slightly.
"A tool?" Naruto reached out and placed his hand on one of the ice mirrors, "Then tell me, why would a 'tool' choose to disobey orders when its master faces a life-threatening danger?"
A trace of Chakra, mixed with a judgmental will, infused the ice mirror. Haku felt a chill from the depths of his soul, more bone-chilling than his Ice Release.
What was this? This oppressive feeling... it was like facing some indescribable entity.
Haku's movements completely stopped.
Naruto seized this opportunity, his figure flashing as he entered the encirclement of the Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals.
"Stand down." Naruto ordered Sasuke, "Your mission is to observe and record."
Sasuke gritted his teeth. It was like this again, being treated as a burden that needed protection.
But he still retreated to the side, his Sharingan intently watching Naruto's every move.
"Now." Naruto looked directly at all of Haku's reflections in the ice mirrors, "Let's talk about your loyalty problem."
All of Haku's reflections looked at Naruto, their eyes filled with shock and confusion.
"Your loyalty, used in this way, is a waste."
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