Clap, clap, clap!
Shino stood to the side, calmly applauding.
Kiba blinked in confusion, then started clapping as well."Uh... Shino? What are we clapping for?" he asked while clapping.
Shino answered without looking at him. "Nothing specific. I just felt like this moment deserved some applause."
After hearing that, Kiba paused… then nodded. "You know what? Yeah, that makes sense."
Haruno Sakura watched the scene unfold with a swirl of emotions in her chest.A strange feeling rose in her heart—envy.
She glanced at Hinata, who now stood beside Naruto, and couldn't deny what she saw:Hinata had always quietly admired Naruto, and now… that love had been returned.
They're in love…
And what about her?
Her thoughts drifted to Sasuke, and with that came a wave of sadness.
At that moment, Yamato approached Kakashi and said with a light-hearted grin,"Well, senpai, looks like we'll be attending a wedding pretty soon."
Kakashi gave a long sigh."A happy occasion is a happy occasion. I am happy for him.But that Naruto… he really doesn't know how to pick the right time to fall in love."
Naruto Uzumaki, for his part, didn't linger.There was still a long road ahead—and more pressing matters to handle.
He gently released Hinata's hand."I'm sorry, Hinata. I have to leave you for a few days," he said softly.
Then he turned to Kakashi."Kakashi-sensei, I'm entrusting Sasuke to you. I have something important to take care of—I need to leave the team for a while."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow.Everyone there knew how much finding Sasuke meant to Naruto.Yet now… Naruto was choosing to walk away from that mission?
"I need to know—where are you going?" Kakashi asked, his voice turning serious.
Naruto met his eyes. "I'm sorry, I can't tell you yet. But please believe me… it's something very important to me."
Haruno Sakura stepped forward, a worried edge in her voice."More important than finding Sasuke?"
Naruto hesitated.That question hit a nerve.
He was reborn now. He knew that Sasuke wasn't in mortal danger—at least not yet.What awaited Sasuke next was a battle with his brother, Uchiha Itachi.And Naruto intended to handle that in time.
But right now… he had to catch up with Jiraiya.That came first.
"I'm sorry, Sakura. I really can't explain everything right now.But I promise you—Sasuke will be alright. You don't have to worry."
Kakashi stepped forward, his tone firm."I'm sorry, Naruto. We're in a critical situation. As your team captain, I can't allow you to leave unless you tell us the full truth."
With that, he signaled to Yamato.
Yamato immediately formed hand seals, summoning a Four-Pillar Prison from the ground using his Wood Release.The wooden structure sprang up around Naruto, trapping him inside.
Yamato's Wood Release wasn't just physical—it could suppress Naruto's chakra and the Nine-Tails' chakra within him.That was precisely why Lady Tsunade had placed Yamato at Naruto's side in the first place.
Seeing this, Hinata stepped forward in alarm.
"Kakashi-sensei, please! Naruto must have his reasons. He wouldn't keep things from us unless it was truly important."
Kakashi hesitated, torn between duty and trust.
He couldn't let Naruto just walk away.Not when the Akatsuki were actively hunting Jinchūriki like him.If Naruto were captured… the consequences would be catastrophic.
Sakura also looked on anxiously.
Inside the wooden prison, Naruto sat calmly with his eyes closed.Silent. Still.
What's going on with him?He seemed like a completely different person from the Naruto she had known just days ago.
Then his voice rang out—steady and composed.
"I'm sorry, Kakashi-sensei. Captain Yamato.I'm not asking for permission.I'm just letting you know."
At that moment, Naruto opened his eyes.
Sage Mode—activated.
His earlier stillness had only been to gather natural energy.Having lived a full life once before, many jutsu were already etched deep into his soul.He didn't need years of practice to master them again.
Now, his chakra surged with senjutsu power.
With a mighty strike, Naruto shattered the Wood Release prison from the inside—Breaking through Yamato's chakra-suppressing technique with ease.
Then, in a blur of motion, he jumped up into the trees.
Yamato stood in stunned disbelief."H-How is that possible?! My Wood Release… It suppressed both his chakra and the Nine-Tails' chakra completely!"
Kakashi stared at Naruto, his eye widening.The distinctive orange pigmentation around Naruto's eyes made it clear.
"…Sage Mode," he muttered in shock."How… when did he learn senjutsu?!"
Naruto turned back to them, bowing his head briefly."I'm sorry, Kakashi-sensei. I can't say more right now."
And then—he was gone.
Sakura cried out, "Naruto! Come back!"She was about to chase after him when Kakashi held out a hand to stop her.
She looked at him, confused and frustrated.But Kakashi spoke calmly.
"Don't.Naruto's strength… he's far beyond anyone here now.Even if we tried, we couldn't stop him."
He looked out toward the trees, deeply unsettled.The fact that Naruto had learned Sage Mode meant he had reached—or surpassed—the level of a Kage.
Sage Techniques weren't just advanced jutsu.They required both immense talent and the ability to harmonize with natural energy.Very few shinobi in history had ever achieved it.
When did Naruto…?
Kakashi didn't waste time.He quickly took out a communication scroll, wrote down the situation, and sent it back to Konoha with one of his ninja dogs—addressed to Lady Tsunade.
Once done, he turned to the team.
"Everyone except Naruto will continue the mission to pursue Sasuke. Let's move out."
Hinata glanced one last time in the direction Naruto had gone.
Naruto-kun… I'll be waiting for you. Come back soon.
With that, she turned and followed the rest of the team.
Meanwhile, deep in the forest—Naruto, now in full Sage Mode, moved like a whisper through the trees.
His sensory range was vastly extended, and he could differentiate people by their chakra signatures.
Then—he felt it.
He stopped. Pivoted.
Something wasn't right.He adjusted his path, heading in a new direction.
"…Found you."
Naruto dropped down from the trees, landing softly on the forest floor.He stared into the underbrush ahead.
"Come out, Uchiha Itachi."
A long pause.
Then, beneath the shadows of the trees, a pair of glowing crimson Sharingan eyes opened.
With a soft rustle, Uchiha Itachi stepped from the shadows.