This wasn't Natsuki's first time in the Land of Wind, but it was his first time visiting Sunagakure.
Upon entering the village, he and Kakashi split up.
Kakashi went with the other proctors, staying close to Naruto, Fu, and Ajisai in case anything happened—so he could intervene quickly.
Natsuki, on the other hand, wandered all over the village.
His real mission was to keep an eye out for any suspicious individuals. If he found someone who looked like they might be from Akatsuki, he'd immediately send Kakashi a paper message.
But mostly... he was shopping.
Since this was his first time in Sunagakure, Natsuki figured it was the perfect chance to enjoy the local culture and do a bit of sightseeing.
First up—food.
He tried some roasted local specialties, including grilled lizard, grilled scorpion, and even grilled cactus. Surprisingly, they tasted pretty good… though Tenten probably wouldn't be able to stomach them.
There were also local-style clothes, jewelry, and handicrafts. If Natsuki saw something nice, he'd buy it. Some were specifically for Tenten, and others were gifts for his soon-to-be father-in-law.
Tenten, as a proctor, probably didn't have time to shop around. And after the exams, Natsuki would likely have to follow Fu to ensure her safety—so he wouldn't be able to accompany Tenten later.
So he decided to be proactive and buy things now—especially clothes. He thought it wouldn't hurt to have Tenten try on some of the more revealing Wind Country-style outfits at home. That would certainly be... stimulating.
Cough cough! Off topic.
Of course, Natsuki didn't forget about the mission. He continued observing the surroundings while shopping.
Something about Sunagakure felt... off. He listened carefully and realized the issue lay within the village itself.
Not everyone accepted Gaara as the Kazekage. Some were from opposition factions; others were civilians who had suffered from Shukaku's rampages in the past.
It was understandable. To many, a Jinchuuriki was a monster.
It was only natural for people to oppose a monster becoming their leader.
But that wasn't Natsuki's business. He continued his patrol—he couldn't afford to let Akatsuki slip through unnoticed.
Then again, Akatsuki didn't really hide their presence. They always strutted around in those black cloaks with red clouds and conical hats, making no effort to conceal themselves. It was hard to believe they'd already infiltrated the village.
Trouble, however, did break out among the examinees.
Although they were all competitors, during a shared dinner one night, tensions escalated and a brawl broke out. A chaotic mess.
Fu, who had been locked up by her two teammates, somehow broke free and joined the fight, shouting about making a hundred friends.
Kakashi witnessed the whole scene and his usual dead-fish eyes nearly rolled back into his skull.
Thankfully, it wasn't a serious issue.
The next day, the third round of the exam began—another scroll-hunt just like the simulation round. This time, it took place in the desert.
Naruto and Sakura were thrilled when they heard that—it was a familiar format, after all. Scroll-snatching was basically second nature by now.
Kakashi originally thought this stage would go smoothly.
Instead, the opposition faction in Sunagakure made a move. They directly targeted Gaara, and Fu got dragged into it as well—causing her to accidentally expose her identity as a Jinchuuriki.
This was a major deviation from the original timeline. There was no Guy's team to help this time.
Thankfully, Kakashi had been keeping watch. He stepped in just in time to rescue Gaara and Fu. Otherwise, they really might've been captured or killed by the rebels.
"Well, that's how it went," Kakashi reported afterward, his tone weary and dead-eyed. "If I'd known this would happen, I'd have taken the outside investigation role and let you watch Naruto and Fu. Who knew the exam would turn into such a disaster? Luckily, things ended without real casualties. If the rebels had taken over, it would've sparked another conflict with Konoha."
Natsuki shrugged. "You picked your role, Kakashi-senpai. Sucks to be you. Besides, I have Hiraishin (Flying Thunder God), so I'm better suited for external surveillance anyway."
Kakashi had no rebuttal.
At least the exam was over. Once the Jinchuuriki were safely escorted home, the worst would be behind them.
"I've been wandering the village for days," Natsuki said, "but never saw anyone from Akatsuki. Maybe I was overthinking. Still, now that Fu's identity is exposed, I think we'd better escort her. As for Naruto, he's got plenty of allies—he should be fine, right?"
"I agree," Kakashi said. "Naruto's with Sasuke, Neji, Shino, and Tenten. Not to mention Guy and Asuma are secretly guarding from the shadows. We can leave them and focus on Fu. Gaara should be safe within the village."
That's what you think…
Natsuki didn't say the next part aloud—after all, he couldn't exactly tell Kakashi he'd read the source material. In the original story, Gaara was captured inside his own village!
Still, since they weren't sure if Akatsuki would strike early, he didn't argue further.
Between the two, Fu—traveling outside the village—was clearly at greater risk. Kakuzu and Hidan may be dead, but Akatsuki still had other members. There was every possibility she'd be targeted.
The day after the exams, the candidates began to head home. Who would actually be promoted to Chuunin remained undecided.
The Takigakure trio rushed to leave the Wind Country as fast as possible, and Natsuki and Kakashi followed in secret.
Which goes to show: sometimes just thinking about something makes it happen.
After half a day on the road, two figures appeared ahead of Fu's team—wearing the unmistakable black cloaks with red clouds.
Looking closer—familiar faces.
"Uchiha! One-vs-seven!"
Sasuke's voice suddenly came from behind.
Apparently, he'd followed them quietly all along.
Natsuki and Kakashi weren't surprised. They'd known he was there but hadn't stopped him—because frankly, they couldn't. Letting him come had its advantages; he could help protect the Takigakure team if needed.
What caught them off guard was who showed up: Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame.
Kakashi immediately held Sasuke back. "Don't be reckless! Let's observe first!"
Sasuke nodded. "Don't worry. I've learned how to stay calm—that's something Natsuki taught me. But... when the time comes, can I fight Uchiha Itachi first? I need to gauge the difference between us."
Natsuki and Kakashi exchanged glances and didn't object. "Alright. You go first. We'll cover you."
Only then did Sasuke relax. His eyes locked onto Itachi's, his Sharingan turning scarlet. The two tomoe in his pupils began to evolve, on the verge of forming the third.
"Knew it—following Natsuki and Kakashi was the right call! Akatsuki really showed up! And it's Uchiha Itachi himself!"
Sasuke praised his own intuition. At the same time, his excitement was building.
Still, he didn't act recklessly. He remained in hiding alongside Natsuki and Kakashi, silently watching to see how the Takigakure trio would handle the situation...
(End of Chapter)
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