"I don't know, Goten. I think until we actually try the fusion, we won't know if it'll work or not."
"I know my body well. If we've made mistakes even at full strength, then in my current condition, it'll be even worse…"
Trunks knew it. Those hopeful words were nothing but empty gasps for reassurance. He also believed they'd be in trouble if they didn't carry out the fusion. Cooler was bound to be very strong.
"I don't get it…" He lowered his gaze, staring fiercely at his fists. The feeling wasn't new—just distant. It had been years since the last time he felt like this. "I'm supposed to be excited, but no matter how hard I try, I can't calm down! Could it be…?"
"It's because our fathers aren't here." Goten's words hit like some obvious truth, as if he'd just discovered warm water. "Your dad and mine are always there in case things go wrong. This time, everyone's counting on us."
Trunks clenched his teeth so hard his jaw muscles stood out. Goten was right. For a moment, fury surged through his body. He walked toward the wall, raised his fist, and nearly slammed it through—stopping just millimeters before impact. They'd already destroyed enough. The last thing they needed was to bring down half the hospital.
"Damn it! Maybe we should've never come here. Because of us, these people are in danger. They don't deserve this." He took a breath, then turned to face his friend with a hardened gaze. "You need to recover fast. There's no way of knowing when that bastard will show up. Could be a month, a week… three days…" The last words made Goten shiver. "Promise me something, Goten. Promise me you'll give it everything in that fight. And you know what that means…"
"W-well, maybe I should practice a few techniques first. Some of them might be useful and—"
"No. What you need is rest. The important thing is recovering quickly. That wound will reopen if you try using Kaioken." His eyes drifted to the broken window, staring out at the dark, starry sky. "If things get bad and we can't use fusion, you'll have to use Kaioken, no matter the cost."
At another time in his life, Trunks would've criticized himself for being such a buzzkill. As a kid, his strategy would've been to let the opponent hit him, scare everyone watching, then reveal his true power or pull out fusion at the last second, crushing the enemy in moments—all for the sake of creating suspense, just like he and Goten once tried against Majin Buu. Some called him arrogant, but the truth was, he'd grown up. At least in that regard, he wasn't the same as before.
"By the way, I wanted to ask a favor." This time it was Goten who grew serious, his expression sharp enough to catch Trunks off guard. "Since everyone says I should rest, I want you to train Sakura for me while I recover."
Trunks almost fell backward. Was this idiot really serious? Sometimes Goten was too simple for his own good.
"Why the hell would I do that? You know what I think of her—she's a pain!" He crossed his arms after standing back up. "Besides, I've got others to train. I don't have time for her."
"Then… could you at least train Tenten? You'd be doing me a huge favor!"
A bead of sweat slid down Trunks' neck. Was Goten ignoring everything he just said? He wasn't dumb—he just picked out whatever he wanted to hear.
"I wouldn't mind training Tenten." That girl was dangerous. She'd already scared him once with her scolding. But that didn't make her nearly as crazy as Sakura. In fact, he respected Tenten a lot more, saw her as much more useful. "With the right physical training, I could get her to throw weapons with insane power. Her opponents wouldn't even see them coming. But Sakura…"
"Don't say that. With the right training, you know Sakura could surpass us both in focusing and channeling energy. That alone could boost her a lot. And if she trained physically, she'd be stronger than anyone. She has power she can't even imagine."
"Tsk…"
That tongue-click was the only sound he made. He hated to admit it, but Goten was right. Sakura's "uselessness" came down to her lack of effort in physical training—all because she wasted too much time worrying about her hair, as if Sasuke would care. Trunks had to admit, in hand-to-hand combat with no jutsu or tricks involved, Sakura could crush Ino with ridiculous ease—if only she got the proper training.
"Fine, I'll help her a bit. But if she starts whining or making excuses about my training being too rough, I'm done. Clear?"
"Yeah, deal!" Goten grinned like he was the one getting trained. "It'll just be a few days, then I'll take over. Don't worry—I won't have to do much! Training won't affect me. I'll just supervise and make sure Sakura does it right. I've already got some ideas."
"It better be that way. You shouldn't be training yet. And honestly, I don't know if it's worth it for me either. If I push myself too hard, Cooler might show up and find me exhausted. I'll just stick to light exercise to keep in shape."
Something was off. Trunks was pacing restlessly, like a caged tiger. Even Goten noticed it right away.
"What's wrong? Still thinking about the fight?"
"Yes—well, no. Not exactly." He stopped before he tied his tongue in knots. Pressing a hand to his forehead, he sighed. "It's about Naruto. Have you ever felt that… 'other' presence from him?"
Goten understood instantly. That same day, he'd sensed the dark chakra spilling out of Naruto during his fight against Neji in the chunin exams.
"Not just that. It looks like Gaara has a demon inside him. That's what caused all the chaos earlier. I'm afraid Naruto might have something similar…"
"And how do you know Gaara has a demon inside him?"
As kids, maybe Goten would've lit up with wonder at hearing something like that—it sounded like a fantasy story. But now, he was just as serious as Trunks.
"I heard it from his sister. She's in the room next door. Kakashi and Asuma-sensei grilled her for hours, and they let me stay since I saw that thing firsthand. She told us the whole story." He paused, struggling to go on. "That's not the point. What I can't believe is how hard that boy's life has been. Maybe he didn't go through the same things you and I did, but honestly… his life's been a thousand times worse."
And he was right. At least Goten and Trunks always had each other, almost like brothers, and they grew up in "normal" families by comparison. Gaara couldn't say the same. Not even his own father wanted him alive.
The subject was unavoidable. Trunks told him everything. With each sentence, Goten's face twisted in horror. He couldn't believe it—especially the part about Naruto and Gaara having such similar pasts.
"I-I didn't know nobody wanted to be Naruto's friend…"
"That's why I think he has a demon inside him too. Not just because of the rejection he suffered as a kid, but because of that dark energy I sensed today—something almost identical to Shukaku's."
"So what?" Goten's eyes widened as he threw out those simple words. "That doesn't change anything. Naruto's our friend. I'm not going to see him any differently. Actually, I think it's awesome. If he controls that power, he'll be the best!"
Trunks deeply admired that about his friend—the way he could shrug off things like this with ease. Where Trunks' mind would spin endlessly, Goten wouldn't be bothered at all. By tomorrow, he'd probably have forgotten the details completely.
Yes, his simplicity could be frustrating, but sometimes it felt like a blessing. Sakura, for one, was grateful for it the day he forgave her as if nothing had ever happened—just like his father once did.
"You're right, Goten. I don't care either. Actually, I think it's an advantage. And now Naruto has friends. The rest is all in the past."
"You know… these people are amazing!"
"W-what do you mean?"
Trunks had a hunch, but Goten's sudden huge smile still caught him off guard.
"I mean they've accepted us despite everything. In our world, we're forbidden from showing our powers. Here, people seem to be getting used to it."
He was right again. Sure, they kept surprising everyone, but back home, nobody except their families and close friends would ever want them around. They were like little monsters. But in Konoha, people seemed familiar with their powers—especially the younger ones.
Lee's eyes always shone with admiration when he looked at them, like they were a goal to reach, a mirror of what he wanted to become—a motivation to train harder and harder.
Naruto radiated pure joy being around them, maybe because they were some of the very few who didn't treat him differently from the start or look at him with cold hatred. That's why he swore to himself never to reject or judge them, no matter how overwhelming or terrifying their abilities might seem.
Perhaps the one most shaken that day was Neji. Beaten by Naruto, who in turn shattered his belief in destiny. Learning the truth about his father's death, then hearing of how Goten and Trunks fought for them against a threat that could've wiped out humanity… Neji, the Hyuga prodigy, had been wrong about everything—including his opinion of the Saiyans.
Even Sasuke couldn't see them the same anymore. He was tangled in countless conflicting emotions—ghosts of his tormented past, the endless weight of living in his brother's shadow, his obsession with vengeance and power. But despite it all, he respected the Saiyans as warriors. He saw them now as combat prodigies, and above all, he was grateful to have them on his side—just as Kakashi had explained to him the night before the exam.
"Did you really have to remind me?" Trunks sounded slightly irritated with Goten.
Thinking about it only piled on more stress. The weight of having to do the impossible to protect the people of this new world was crushing him—even though both of them already knew what it was like to carry such responsibilities.
"These people don't deserve this… we have to do something…" Trunks finally gave in, deciding to leave it at that for now. He let out a big yawn, glanced at the clock on the wall, and saw it was just past 10. Not too late, but after such a hectic day, he definitely needed rest.
Without another word, he walked to the door, pressed the lone switch on the wall, and turned off the light. He sat down on the floor, leaning his back against the door. Arms crossed over his chest, head tilted forward—he would sleep right there. No one would enter without him noticing, unless they came in through the window.
"Trunks, you don't have to stay. You can go home. I'm sure Kurenai-sensei will come by later to keep watch."
"Right… I forgot." Still in the same position, without lifting his head or opening his eyes, he answered, "Our building was near the village walls, so it was one of the first things destroyed. We don't have a home anymore. Now get some sleep. I've got things to take care of early tomorrow."
"It's no secret the situation's delicate," Shikaku muttered as he downed his twentieth cup of sake. Of all the places destroyed in the village, the tavern wasn't one of them, and even on a night like this, it dared to open its doors. Still, customers were scarce. Aside from the two jōnin at the bar, the place was nearly empty. "Word travels fast. I heard the Kazekage's body was found—already days into decomposition. Almost certain Orochimaru was behind it."
"That's why Suna already sent a letter of apology, claiming they were victims of betrayal. The blow hit them harder than us," Inoichi replied, matching his friend in cups though redder in the face thanks to his fairer skin. "But that doesn't change the fact that they attacked us. The other nations are waiting for our response, but I'd bet anything the council will accept the apology and relations will return to normal."
"Yeah… it's the sensible choice…"
The faint creak of the tavern's worn wooden floor reached their ears. Shikamaru and Ino had arrived, sent by their furious mothers to collect their fathers.
"Dad, it's late." Shikamaru's tone mirrored his irritated expression. He stood there, unimpressed, watching the two men slouched at their usual spot at the bar—the only thing missing from the sorry scene was Chōza. "I was comfortable at home, but Mom made me come find you. You know how she gets when she's mad."
"Yeah, your mother is complicated," Shikaku grumbled, clumsily pouring himself another cup, spilling sake as his hand wavered. "Women in general, I'd say. But I got off easy compared to others, huh, Inoichi?" He gave his friend a mocking look before tossing back another drink.
"You're telling me. At least you and Chōza got sons." Ignoring the sour look on his own daughter's face, Inoichi mimicked his friend, finishing yet another cup and moving on to his fifth bottle.
"Hello?! The daughter you're complaining about is standing right here!" Ino snapped, hands planted firmly on her hips, foot tapping hard against the wood floor. "I don't care if you drink two or ten bottles, but Mom wants you home! If you don't go, she'll come drag you herself—and trust me, you don't want that!"
"See? I told you, you've got it worse," Shikaku smirked, making the blonde nearly choke on his drink with laughter fueled more by alcohol than humor. "Still, nothing compared to Kizashi. Forget Mebuki—his daughter's the scary one."
"Shame. The guy loves telling jokes."
"Even if they're awful. I only laugh out of pity."
"STOP TALKING NONSENSE!" Ino finally lost it. It was nearly midnight, and she was done tolerating the drunken stupidity. Shikamaru was used to dragging his dad home now and then, but for her this was new. "There's so much to do tomorrow, and you two are here, reminiscing about things nobody cares about but yourselves!"
"If Chōji's dad were here, this would go on all night."
At those words, both jōnin sobered slightly, reminded of the bitter truth. Ino glared daggers at Shikamaru, but it was too late—her father was already starting up again.
"Yeah… if not for that Trunks kid, Chōza would still be here with us." Inoichi's tone grew heavy as he said the saiyan's name. He tried to drown the thought with two more cups in rapid succession, exhaling hard afterward. "That reminds me—I need to see Lord Hokage tomorrow. The line'll be long, but this can't wait."
"What are you planning to tell him?" Shikaku slurred, already nodding off. Shikamaru sighed—he'd definitely be stuck carrying him home.
"That they need to remove that little monster from our children's team."
"Isn't he the one your daughter likes?" Nara's distracted remark made the blonde stiffen. "I remember you mentioning Trunks a couple weeks back, saying you didn't like how much Ino was talking about him with her mother in private. You said it gave you a bad feeling."
"I—I said that?" He darted a glance at his daughter, paling at the sight of her furious face. "I don't remember that… maybe you've had too much, Shikaku."
"No, I remember it clear as day. You said you'd never let Ino date before sixteen. And when she did, it'd be with Shikamaru or Chōji—no one else."
Shikamaru covered his face with his hand. His father had really stepped in it this time.
"YOU SAID WHAT?!" Ino's face burned even redder than the drunkards'. Her fists clenched so tight the veins stood out on her hands. "You can't decide who I can and can't date! THAT'S MY CHOICE!"
"But honey, you're still too young!" Inoichi waved his hands, plastering on a nervous smile. "You shouldn't be worrying about that yet! Focus on your missions, on the upcoming chunin exams! That's what matters!"
"Don't try to change the subject!" She crossed her arms, glaring at him with fire in her eyes. "And you spied on my conversations with Mom! I bet she won't be too happy to know you're planning my love life behind my back. Good luck going home tonight!"
She stomped out so hard the floorboards nearly split, fists tight, shoulders stiff, knees lifted high with each furious step.
But once outside, her anger melted into something else—worry. Her face was now filled with unease. She didn't want the Hokage listening to her father and removing Trunks from her team. He'd already nearly been cut once before, and there was no predicting what the higher-ups might decide.
"I've got to talk to Asuma-sensei and ask for his help. He'll defend him…"
And that was only the first of her problems. Her planned ice cream date with Trunks was in jeopardy now, too. She'd always known her father was protective, but not to this extent. Hearing all that confirmed he'd never let her go out with him—not just because of her age, but because of his distaste for the Saiyan.
"Well, too bad! I'll see him even if I have to sneak out. A guy like Trunks doesn't come along every day…"
As soon as the first rays of sunlight touched the stone faces of the Kages (or what was left of them), a peculiar melody echoed through every corner of the village: the symphony of construction. Hammers, saws, drills, and chisels all played their part in the busy orchestra.
Every resident of Konoha had a role to play, whether fixing their own homes or helping others repair theirs.
A large number of shinobi were also assigned to the rebuilding efforts, working as if they were ordinary laborers. Some used dozens of shadow clones to speed up the process and handle multiple jobs at once. This was where jutsus proved far more useful than any destructive ki technique.
CRAAACKK!
"No, not like that! Careful, you useless worm!" Anko yelled, lounging in a beach chair under a parasol, lazily fanning herself with one hand while sipping a soda—complete with a tiny umbrella. "If you break one more damn wall, you'll regret it!"
In situations like these, Trunks' strength was more a curse than a blessing. When he tried hammering a nail into the wall, he put too much force behind the strike, sending cracks racing across the entire surface until the wall collapsed like fragile glass. For the third time, he stood frozen, staring at the rubble while still holding the nail up in the air like an idiot.
"ARGHHH! Damn it!" he growled, clenching his jaw and the hammer handle so hard it nearly snapped. Kicking one leg back for momentum, he hurled the tool into the sky with reckless force.
The poor hammer vanished into the clouds in an instant—probably destined to land somewhere in Gaara's country or some faraway land.
Still lounging in her chair, Anko lowered her sunglasses with one finger to take a better look at the ridiculous scene. She was impressed by his strength, though she hid it flawlessly behind her smug tone.
"You're a worthless brat! Looks like all you're good for is breaking things, not building them!"
"And why aren't you doing anything?!" Trunks shot back, furious. "You're just sitting there drinking and yelling at me! I bet you're the only person in this entire village not lifting a finger!"
"I'm supervising your work. That's my assignment." She slid her glasses back up, masking the mischievous glint in her eyes, though her sly smile betrayed her delight at pushing the Saiyan's buttons. "And so far, I'm the only one actually doing my job. You, on the other hand, keep smashing everything like the dumb brute you are."
"That's it. I'm done. I'm leaving." He muttered, turning his back—only for a kunai to strike the back of his neck. On anyone else, it would've been fatal. On Trunks, it was little more than a mosquito bite, though it left him even angrier.
"Trust me, if you leave, it'll be a lot worse. You'll do it a thousand times if you have to, until you get it right. Otherwise…"
—"Otherwise what?"
"I heard Inoichi's planning to talk to Lord Hokage about your place in Team 10." She smirked as Trunks froze, clearly hitting a nerve. "So, if you refuse to follow my orders, who knows… maybe I'll support his motion. And trust me, plenty of chunin owe me favors. They'll back me up in a heartbeat. Do you get it now?"
His defiance died on the spot. That fire in his eyes dimmed, his arms dropped to his sides, and his stance faltered. The Hokage would never actually remove him from the team just because of Anko's meddling, but Trunks didn't know that.
"Fine… I'll try again…"
"That's better! But before you get back to work, bring me another soda. And some dango too," she added, clearly enjoying how he sighed in frustration, holding back the urge to storm off. "Ichiraku's stall sells the best ones. Don't think you can fool me either—I'll know if you bring me cheap ones. Their flavor is unmistakable."
When Trunks opened his mouth to complain, she cut him off.
"And don't even think about asking me for money. You'll pay for it yourself. I don't carry a single damn ryō."
"Yeah, whatever…" He checked the coin pouch Asuma had given him on his first day in the village. Nearly empty. He'd be skipping lunch again.
"And hurry up with this wall," Anko added casually, stretching her shoulder with a grin. "I need a back massage."
"WHAT? No way I'm doing that, you crazy hag!"
"Your choice," she teased. "Back or feet."
When Trunks' eyes dropped to her toes peeking out of her sandals—and saw her wiggling them just to taunt him—his face went pale. She even crossed one leg over the other, pretending to take off a sandal.
"The back! I'll do the back!" he blurted out in horror.
And so, the days dragged on, with poor Trunks reduced to Anko's personal slave. She had him fixing everything broken in her house, cleaning rooms long abandoned to dust and cobwebs.
His only break came when Anko was finally assigned a mission, leaving him under Kakashi's supervision instead. And though Kakashi didn't lift a finger either, he was infinitely easier to deal with than that lunatic woman.
Meanwhile, Goten was still recovering at the hospital. Sakura visited him daily, and—oddly enough—he only let her handle his injections. But she didn't mind; in fact, she enjoyed it. Spending time with him, chatting about simple, trivial things, gave her an excuse to escape her home responsibilities for a few hours.
"I brought you apples this time!" she chirped, entering his room. Goten, caught doing sit-ups on the floor, scrambled onto his bed so quickly it was suspicious. The last time Sakura had caught him training against the doctor's orders, she'd spun him around the room by his tail until he nearly blacked out. "I'm glad you're finally resting like you should. Looks like our last talk worked."
It wasn't a talk. It was an execution. She'd caught him doing one-finger pushups and muttering, "four thousand something." After that, she lost it.
"Of course! Just been lying here in bed, nice and quiet, haha…" he said, terribly unconvincing. His ravenous stare, however, locked immediately on the basket she carried—at least thirty perfect red apples. "Thanks, Sakura!"
She smiled and set the basket on the bedside table before sitting beside him.
"Don't thank me yet. I'm not peeling them this time," she warned, flexing her wrist with a slight grimace, remembering how she'd peeled fifty apples last time and paid for it with two days of wrist pain. "You're big enough to—"
Her words trailed off as she watched, dumbfounded, while Goten shoved whole apples into his mouth like a starving beast. She grimaced but held her tongue. This time, she'd let it slide.
Despite the mess, she realized she enjoyed these visits. She didn't have to overthink her words or tiptoe around subjects with Goten like she would with Sasuke. With Goten, it was simple—refreshingly simple.
Oddly, she even found herself liking the way he ate. Sure, it was disgusting, but there was something strangely charming about how utterly happy he looked doing it. For that moment, nothing else existed for him but food.
And when he finished, he'd beam at her like she'd given him the greatest treasure in the world.
"Thanks, Sakura! That was amazing!" he said, hugging her briefly but warmly. "You saved me. The food here tastes terrible."
"Thank Kurenai-sensei, she sent them," Sakura said, scratching the back of her neck with a faint blush. Lately, Goten's reactions had a strange effect on her. "Oh! I almost forgot—I brought you a surprise."
"What is it? Tell me! Come on, Sakura, don't be mean!" He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her with sparkling eyes, the same look he'd had years ago when Videl told them about a magician named Babidi.
"If I tell you, it won't be a surprise," she laughed, freeing her wrists. "Wait here, I left the bag at the entrance. Couldn't carry both things."
"Hurry!"
His excitement made her smile. He really was easy to please. She left and returned moments later with a bag hidden behind her back.
"Here, open it."
He snatched it instantly.
It wasn't wrapped—there was no point. With Goten, any wrapping would just end up shredded.
"WOW! My gi!" His eyes went wide as he pulled out his familiar orange uniform, identical to his father's, perfectly restored. "H-how? It was trashed before!"
"It was a group effort. Naruto chipped in some money. Lee, too, since he felt bad for using part of it as bandages. The shop warned us it might not look the same, but they did their best—"
She froze, words cut off.
Goten had ripped off his hospital gown on the spot, standing stark naked before her, just so he could try on his new gi.
Sakura saw everything.
"The pants fit fine, perfect size!" he said cheerfully as he slipped them on, twisting his torso to check the fit. "Haha, they even cut a hole for my tail!"
BAAAAMMM!
"AAAGGGHHH! What happened—what did I do?!" The hit was so strong he immediately crouched down, clutching his head with both hands. A faint wisp of smoke rose from Sakura's fist.
"What do you mean, what did you do, you idiot?! That's what bathrooms are for! You didn't need to strip naked in front of me!" Her face was as red as her dress. She wanted to strangle him for being rude, indecent, and a shameless exhibitionist. "I'm a girl! The least you can do is show me some respect!"
"I—I still don't get it. What did I do wrong?" His eyes welled up, tears threatening to spill. When he finally pulled his hands away, a big, throbbing bump—still faintly smoking—was visible on his head.
That's when Sakura remembered. It was just like that time in the Forest of Death, when he'd relieved himself right in front of her… and she'd ended up seeing everything.
"Y-you really don't know?" She couldn't wrap her head around how Goten could be so clueless. "You honestly don't know that getting naked in front of people is wrong?"
"Ohhh, so that's what this is about! My mom always scolds me about that—same with my dad. But don't worry, I don't feel embarrassed. I don't care if you saw me naked."
"But I do care!" Sakura's yell made the young Saiyan jump and throw his arms over his head in panic. She even stepped forward and raised her fist again, only to stop herself mid-swing. Breathing hard, furious and mortified, she tried to calm down. Bit by bit, the redness faded from her face until she regained her composure. "Listen. Maybe it doesn't matter to you, but it does to other people. You can't just strip in front of them like it's nothing. Understand?"
"Right… I remember now. My mom said it's because a bad person might try to take advantage of me."
Sakura felt a drop of sweat slide down her neck. Of course—his mom must have had to scare him with that story, because clearly the whole concept of shame just went straight over his head.
"Just… forget it, okay? I have to go. My mom's waiting for me to help out with something. And make sure you put your gown back on. You can't stay in the hospital dressed in your gi—" She cut herself off when she saw him grab the waistband of his pants, already about to pull them down. "WAIT UNTIL I'M GONE, YOU BIG IDIOT!"
"Oh, right! Don't worry, though—I know you'd never take advantage of me. You're totally safe." He gave her the trademark Son family grin, even throwing in a wink.
Goten really was hopeless.
Meanwhile
"It looks like they managed to survive… barely." The taller of the two spoke with mocking amusement. "And to think Konoha is hailed as the greatest of the Five Ninja Nations. From what I see, they don't live up to the title."
His companion, shorter and silent, said nothing. He only stared at the battered outlines of houses and buildings below, his view made clear by the immense walls surrounding the village—walls now cracked and half-destroyed themselves.
"What's wrong? Why so quiet?" A twisted grin of sharp teeth split the rogue shinobi's face. "Don't tell me you miss your old home, Itachi."
From under the straw hat, a pair of blood-red eyes glimmered. Three black tomoe circled the pupils—an unmistakable, fully-mature Sharingan.
"…No. Not at all."
For the last five days, he had been buried in missions, without a single chance to meet with his team. Naturally, that meant he hadn't seen Ino either.
He was finishing the work fast so that he could be free and meet his team, espcially Ino. He was about to go when suddenly, a chill shot through him. He felt it instantly—life draining away, a presence fading.
"Kakashi-sensei!"
He stopped & blasted into the sky in a flare of golden light, vanishing in seconds.