He looked back at the village gate, the bustling street, and the Hokage Mountain carved high in the distance, and a myriad of emotions welled up in his heart. *This is the real beginning,* he thought. *From here, I will continue to advance, step by step, towards my dream of becoming Hokage! Just you wait, everyone!*
"Naruto, hurry up and catch up," Kakashi said, his eye still on his book.
"Oh!"
Along the way, the drunken Tazuna told them everything that had happened in the Land of Waves. It was a poor island nation with no shinobi, relying on the sea to make a living. They weren't wealthy, but they managed. All of that changed with the appearance of a man named Gato. Nominally the president of a shipping company, Gato was actually a corrupt tycoon with connections to both legitimate and criminal enterprises. He used his immense wealth to hire ninja and thugs to smuggle drugs and contraband, cutting off the Land of Waves' maritime trade and strangling their economy. The bridge Tazuna was building was their only hope, a connection to the mainland of the Land of Fire that would give them a new lifeline. Naturally, Gato would not allow that to happen and had secretly arranged for assassins to kill Tazuna.
Naruto was filled with righteous indignation. "Damn it! If I ever run into a scoundrel like that, I'll beat him so badly his own mother wouldn't recognize him!"
Tazuna clearly didn't believe him. He took another sip from his flask, his old face flushed, and glanced at Naruto with disdain. "Kid, don't talk so big. Gato has thousands of henchmen under his command. You think you can defeat him, you little brat?"
"Hey! You drunk old man, you're underestimating me again!" Naruto roared.
"No, Mr. Tazuna, Naruto-kun is very strong," Hinata added in a low voice.
Tazuna just shook his head and looked at Sasuke. "I think this one is the strongest." His words were like a lit match to Naruto's temper.
"Idiot! Sasuke just puts on a cool act! I'm the real strongest!" Sasuke, of course, just snorted in response.
Kakashi continued to walk and read, but he was also listening, his senses attuned to his surroundings. "Well, young people should be energetic. However, we are currently on a mission. Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, protect the client and be vigilant at all times. I have a feeling this mission may not be so simple." He glanced at Tazuna, who quickly took another gulp of his drink.
Naruto, however, was overjoyed. *Not so simple? That's great!* He was looking forward to a B-rank mission, not only to hone his skills but also to complete his system task. Sasuke clearly shared his anticipation, eager for a life-or-death struggle to sharpen his strength and will. Hinata, hearing Kakashi's words, quietly activated her Byakugan, calmly observing everything around her.
As they walked, they passed a puddle on the otherwise dry road. Kakashi's eye met Hinata's for a brief, knowing moment. After they passed, a head suddenly emerged from the water. The man's eyes were cold and ruthless, and he wore a gas mask over his mouth and nose. The forehead protector he wore had the Kirigakure symbol crossed out.
"Where's the enemy?" Naruto muttered, looking around. "Why haven't they appeared yet? I can't wait to show off my skills!"
Kakashi smiled slightly. "Don't worry, Naruto. You probably won't even need to lift a finger."
Naruto was about to speak when suddenly—*Clang!* Two chains covered in thorns and spikes flashed out, binding Kakashi's body! The two ends of the chain were held by two fierce-looking ninja, who pulled the chains tight. In an instant, the sharp spikes cut through Kakashi, cleaving him in two at the waist. Blood gushed out, splattering across the ground.
Naruto was dumbfounded. "Kakashi-sensei!"
But there was no time for shock or grief. The two ninja worked together seamlessly, retracting their chains. "You deal with those brats!" one shouted to the other. "I'll take care of Tazuna!"
The ninja flew towards Naruto, his chain flashing towards him. *So fast!* Naruto thought, his mind racing. This was his first real life-or-death battle, and his Jonin leader had just died on the spot. *Just how strong are these two?!* But through the shock, a surge of anger rose within him. It wasn't just because of Kakashi's death. It was because the enemy had targeted him first, meaning they saw him as the weakest of the three.
"You jerk!" he roared. "Don't look down on me!" His chakra and power exploded as he leaped into the air. "Konoha Cyclone!" With a powerful kick, he blasted the incoming chain away, the force so great that it sent a shockwave back up the chain, making the enemy ninja's hand bleed.
"What?!" The ninja was shocked. He never expected the unassuming blond kid to have such terrifying power. Naruto may have lacked real combat experience, but he had engaged in hundreds of battles every night in his dreams. He was far more experienced than his peers.
With a powerful kick, Naruto shattered the chain and immediately charged forward. "Konoha Strong Cyclone!" Taking advantage of the enemy's surprise, he twisted his body and unleashed a violent kick with his heel. The blow was too much for the ninja to resist, and he was sent flying.
"What's going on?!" his partner shouted. "You can't even handle a kid?!"
These two were the rogue ninja brothers from Kirigakure, Meizu and Gozu. At the same instant Gozu attacked Naruto, Meizu launched his chains toward Tazuna. But Hinata was prepared. "Guardian Gentle Fist!" she declared, striking the chain's weakest point with pinpoint accuracy and sending it flying back towards Meizu.
"What? This brat, too..."
At the same time, Sasuke unleashed his own ninjutsu. "Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique!" A thick, blazing flame shot out like a fire dragon. Meizu was completely dumbfounded. *How could this brat use such a ninjutsu?!* He hurriedly dodged, but Sasuke had already calculated his retreat and instantly closed the distance, thrusting out his kunai.
With the client protected, Naruto and Sasuke, as if in a competition, both charged toward the two brothers. Naruto, believing Kakashi to be dead, was consumed by rage and unleashed one of his trump cards. "Wind Style: Whirlwind Fist!" Powerful wind chakra enveloped his fist as he slammed it into Gozu's stomach. The power, strong enough to destroy stone, erupted instantly. Gozu screamed as his body was sent flying, his internal organs severely injured. He crashed to the ground and lay motionless.
Seeing this, Sasuke also became anxious to prove himself. "Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique!" The raging flames transformed into a gigantic, roaring dragon head and shot towards the remaining brother, Meizu.