49: Chapter 49 Victory! A Difficult ChoiceOnly two figures remained.
One of them, leaning on his knees, was panting heavily, his golden hair stuck to his forehead with sweat; it was none other than Naruto himself, who was exhausted.
Opposite him stood Kakashi Hatake, a silver-haired Jonin who was also supporting his knees but whose breathing was noticeably more steady.
Naruto, panting, looked up and glared at Kakashi with resentment, complaining:
"Hoo hoo.Kakashi-sensei.you, you're too cunning!"
"Hmph.it never fights me head-on.it's always dodging and weaving.it's so unfair!"
Upon hearing this, Kakashi's expression, which had been slightly tired due to considerable exertion, instantly froze.Several clearly visible veins popped out on his forehead, and his face darkened.
He straightened up, staring at Naruto with his dead fish eyes in disbelief, and retorted in a deeply offended tone:
"Hey!Kid, get this straight!When did ninjas ever have a rule about fighting head-on?"
Ambush, disguise, illusion, traps.this is the way ninjas fight!
He paused, then pointed to the two jingling silver bells at his waist, his voice rising eight octaves:
"And what's more!Have you completely forgotten what the ultimate goal of this survival exercise is?Is it to defeat me?"
Kakashi pointed at the two swaying silver bells and roared out each word clearly:
"They're stealing this!The bell!The bell!"
Naruto followed Kakashi's finger and his gaze fell on the two silver bells hanging safely on Kakashi's waist.He was instantly petrified as if struck by lightning!
"Huh."
The anger and exhaustion on his face were instantly replaced by immense bewilderment and blankness.
"Yes, yes.they were trying to steal the bell."
Naruto grabbed his messy, golden hair in frustration, as if trying to rip this crucial information out of his head:
"Damn it!How could I have forgotten something so important!"
The training ground was deathly silent.
All that could be heard was Naruto scratching his head in frustration and Kakashi taking deep breaths in exasperation.
While bound to the wooden stake, Sasuke watched Naruto's foolish appearance and, amidst his shock at Naruto's astonishing destructive power, took a moment to scoff disdainfully.
Sakura, seemingly awakened by the earlier commotion, groggily opened her eyes and saw Naruto scratching his head in regret, while Kakashi-sensei wore a murderous expression.
"What happened." Sakura asked blankly.
With the triple recovery power brought by the fused, abnormal physique, Naruto was the first to calm his rapid breathing.
He looked at Kakashi, his fighting spirit rekindled, and his hands once again formed that familiar "Ren" hand seal!
"Come on, Kakashi-sensei!Round two begins!"
Naruto declared loudly, his face radiating renewed confidence, "This time I won't forget my goal!And."
He grinned smugly, revealing a sly smile."I've come up with a secret code this time!You'll never guess what it is!"
Hahaha!You won't be able to sneak in with us this time!
Looking at Naruto, who was laughing heartily with his head tilted back, seemingly confident of victory, Kakashi blinked his one exposed dead fish eye, a hint of amusement in it, and tentatively asked:
"Is it.a 'rubber-gun'?"
"What?"
Naruto jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, his smugness instantly replaced by terror, his finger trembling as he pointed at Kakashi."Kakashi-sensei!You.you can read minds?"
Damn it!So cunning!
Kakashi sighed and rubbed his forehead, his voice filled with helplessness:
".You're just too easy to guess, you idiot!"
Looking at the energetic, spirited blond boy in front of him, who seemed to be just warming up from the chaotic battle and whose mind was only thinking about "one more round," Kakashi sighed deeply.
"never mind..."
Kakashi's tone carried a weary "I give up" attitude.He casually took the two shiny silver bells from his waist and tossed them onto the grass at Naruto's feet like trash.
".Here you go."
Huh?
Naruto looked down at the bell that was so close and within reach, and the expression on his face instantly switched from the excitement of battle to a huge sense of confusion and loss.
"Huh?What.is that all?I still have so many amazing moves I haven't used yet!Like the rubber axe, the rubber machine gun, and."
Kakashi looked at Naruto's aggrieved expression, as if he hadn't had enough of fighting yet, and was once again amazed by the boy's youthful energy, but at the same time, a deep sense of powerlessness welled up inside him.
He pointed to Sasuke and Sakura, who were still tied to the wooden stake behind Naruto, each with a different expression—Sasuke's expression was cold, but there was still a hint of shock from the "clone melee" just now, while Sakura looked confused and worried.
"Alright, it's your turn now."
Kakashi interrupted Naruto's rambling.
"My turn?"
Naruto blinked his blue eyes in confusion."What am I supposed to do?"
"Of course, it's about distributing bells."
Kakashi's voice carried a subtle hint of testing.He slowly walked to a large tree, leaned against the trunk, and took out the book "Icha Icha Paradise" again, as if trying to remain detached."Three people, two bells.Make your choice."
He turned the pages of the book, but his gaze seemed to be observing Naruto's reaction through the pages.
Naruto scratched his head, bent down, and picked up the two heavy bells.
The cool metallic touch calmed him down a little.
He first walked up to Sasuke and Sakura with a smug smile on his face:
"See!I told you I'd succeed!I got the bell!"
He approached Sakura, looking into her emerald green eyes filled with worry as she gazed at Sasuke, and heard her say, "Let Sakura."The words "Graduation, get Sasuke out of here" almost slipped out of my mouth!
But in that instant—in the space of consciousness—Ichigo's clear, cold voice seemed to echo once more: 'Partner…'
Naruto's gaze involuntarily shifted to Sasuke, who stood silently with his head down beside him.
Sasuke's cold, unforgettable vows during his self-introduction—"To revive the Uchiha clan," "To kill that man"—and the resolute killing intent that filled the air at that time, replayed in his mind as clearly as scenes from a movie.
The image of Iruka-sensei's warm, expectant smile appeared before my eyes.
And then there are.my most important companions: Ichigo who fights alongside me, the noisy Luffy, Konohamaru who idolizes him, the shy Hinata, the hardworking Rock Lee.vivid faces flash through my mind.
'So.without realizing it, I've already gained so many precious things?' A warm feeling welled up in Naruto's heart.
Prev Next