Konohagakure No Sato :
Forest OF Death ( Central Tower ) :
Gekko Hayate called for the medics as he watched The Pink GEnin still in shock after the match and with no signs of moving .
"Get the medics down there. Now," Hayate Gekkō spoke again. He didn't need to be a mind reader to see the visible irritation radiating off Tsunade.
The arena was dead silent as the medics scrambled onto the floor. Even after the match was officially over, Sakura couldn't even manage to push herself up. This time, nobody was laughing or throwing insults. The mood had shifted the second Senju Tsunade, the Slug Sannin herself, had roared her disapproval.
Everyone knew the score. Sure, Sakura was an embarrassment to the Hidden Leaf, but the person who just dismantled her was also from the Leaf. Between Ino, Sasuke, Shino, Hinata, and Neji, Konoha was clearly dominating the bracket. Every village has a few bad apples, and it was becoming painfully obvious that Sakura was the "rotten" one in a batch of elites.
( well even with that embarrasment ....Leaf is still dominating the chunin exams )
Looking at the remaining lineup, there were still four Konoha Genin waiting to fight, with only two foreign ninja left in the wings.
The crowd watched in silence as Sakura was hoisted onto a stretcher and carried toward the infirmary. But the girl still seems to shocked as her eyes kept shut , refusing to open them to see the world .
Suddenly.
A proctor dropped down beside Hayate, whispering something urgently into his ear.
Hayate nodded, then turned back to the crowd. "*Cough*....... The Chunin Exams will take a thirty-minute break. We'll resume shortly."
A wave of confused murmurs broke out. Thirty minutes wasn't a long time, but a mid-session break was unusual. People started gossiping about the previous matches, but the Jonin were focused on something else. They noticed the messenger proctor heading straight for the Team 7 balcony after Hayate.
Asuma, Kurenai, and Guy watched as the man approached Naruto.
"Uzumaki Naruto. You've been summoned by Tsunade-sama."
The Genins around them looked baffled, but the Jonin already had a pretty good idea why. Naruto just let out a long, heavy sigh.
(I figured I'd be questioned ,but later at night ... not right this second........ whatever. Let's get it over with.)
Naruto shook his head and gave a small nod. "Understood. Lead the way."
As he started to move, a hand gripped his own—tight. Naruto turned to see Ino looking at him, her eyes filled with genuine worry.
"It's okay, don't worry about it," Naruto said softly.
"Let me come with you—"
"No."
"But Naruto—"
Naruto squeezed her hand back, grounding her. "Seriously, it's fine. I'm not in trouble. Just stay here and relax. I'll be back before you know it."
While Hinata, Karin, and the other Genin traded confused looks, Naruto gently loosened Ino's grip and started walking. He hadn't gone ten feet before he realized Kakashi was tailing him.
"Sensei?"
"I'm a little curious myself, Naruto," Kakashi said, his tone casual but his eye sharp.
"Oh. And..... Asuma-san?"
Asuma was right there too, leaning against the corridor wall with a fresh cigarette lit. He exhaled a cloud of smoke and shrugged. "Same reason as Kakashi. Plus, my team was also involved... so I'm naturally interested."
Naruto looked at Asuma's face. There wasn't any anger there—just a mix of curiosity and a little bit of protective worry for Ino. Naruto nodded, then looked at the one person who seemed interested but was still staying behind.
"You coming, Sasuke?" Naruto asked. Being a good teammate meant at least extending the invite.
Sasuke scoffed, leaning back against the railing. "This is about Sakura, right?"
"Probably."
"Then I'm not wasting my time."
"............oh"
They moved through the stone corridors, but ran into a familiar face coming from the opposite direction—a Genin with fresh bandages and a slight limp.
"What's the deal, Naruto? Asuma-sensei?" Shikamaru asked, eyeing the small procession.
Asuma took a long drag of his cigarette. "Good timing. Come along, Shikamaru. I might need that Nara brain of yours for this."
Shikamaru immediately slapped a hand over his face. "Ugh...... I should've kept my mouth shut and stayed in the infirmary."
He fell into step behind them anyway, grumbling under his breath.
(Definitely something troublesome. Me and my big mouth......)
Soon They reached the top floor and entered a large office. Tsunade was seated behind a heavy oak desk, her elbows propped up and her knuckles shielding her mouth.
The only thing visible were her eyes—and they were furious. The sheer pressure in the room made Naruto feel like the air had turned to lead. As soon as the group entered, Tsunade signaled with her eyes to the guard at the door.
BOOM.
The heavy door slammed shut, and the atmosphere got even heavier. Shikamaru started sweating immediately. Asuma began smoking at double speed, and even Kakashi lost that usual lazy vibe of his.
Naruto stood directly in front of the desk, flanked by Anko and Shizune. Shizune looked like she was vibrating with anxiety. Naruto just sighed. He knew what was coming.
"Explain yourself," Tsunade said. Her voice was calm, but it was the kind of calm that precedes a hurricane.
Tsunade already knew Ino had acted on Naruto's instructions. She hadn't summoned Ino because she figured that was a conversation for Inoichi to have with his daughter.
But Naruto? The Main culprit , He will be questioned personally .
The duel had been a disaster. In a tournament that happens every few years, you're bound to get some lopsided matches, but this was different. This was two ninja from the same village, one utterly humiliating the other in front of every major and minor power in the elemental nations.
It was a stain on Konoha's reputation.
Something that Tsunade can't accept even with reasons
If it were anyone else, Tsunade probably would have started throwing punches first and asking questions later. But since it was Naruto, she was giving him exactly one chance to justify it.
(This brat....... already playing shadow games like Old Man and plotting against his own comrades like that Rotton Danzo........ If he doesn't give me a damn good reason for this..)
*crack*crack*
The room was silent. Guards, proctors, Jonin—everyone was waiting for the excuse. Naruto took a breath and started laying it out from his perspective.
Naruto didn't sugarcoat it. He spoke about Sakura's obsessive "fangirling" over Sasuke, how she prioritized a boy's attention over her own survival. He pointed out her total lack of tactical gear—no mesh armor, no extra supplies—and her refusal to develop any meaningful skillset beyond the bare minimum required to graduate.
He walked them through the Wave Mission, the incidents in the Forest of Death, and how she consistently treated being a shinobi like a game of "playing house" while on high-stakes missions.
Techinically every mission is a date with Sasuke with two Extras .
Every Mission , an opportunity for Sakura to make sasuke fall in love with her .
And all growth forgotton in the way , without any thoughts of being a shinobi or anything .
As Naruto spoke, the vibe in the room shifted from "angry" to "uncomfortable." It wasn't just Tsunade; Kakashi and Asuma looked genuinely floored by the details. Even the hidden ANBU guards were probably raising their eyebrows.
They had seen Sakura fail today, sure. But listening to Naruto describe her entire career, they realized she wasn't just a "weak" Genin.
She was a fundamental failure as a shinobi. In a world where one mistake meant a body bag, Sakura was walking around with a death sentence signed in pink ink—and she was too busy swooning over a teammate to notice.
Naruto finished his explanation and stood there, waiting for the judgement hammer to drop. Tsunade had taken her hands off the desk and was now massaging her temples in exasperation .
(....A fangirl. A literal, lifelong and Obsessive fangirl.)
Tsunade remembered the academy girls from her own day—how they used to flock around that creep Orochimaru like he was some kind of prize. But the difference was that those girls grew up the second they graduated. The ones who didn't?
(.....They died. Simple as that.)
She finally started to see the dilemma Naruto was describing and the reason for his actions .The pink-haired girl wasn't just annoying; her obsession was a tactical liability that may even one day become a reason for a whole Team wipe-out.
Based on what happened in the Wave Mission and Forest of Death, it was a miracle that the girl was even breathing till now .
(The girl is only alive because of ..........pure, dumb luck, isn't she?)
As Tsunade cooled off, Kakashi finally found his voice. He wasn't okay with this.
"What you're saying makes sense, Naruto, but that doesn't justify what happened today.... There are a dozen better ways to handle a teammate's lack of progress."
Naruto shook his head, looking almost tired. "Kakashi-sensei, do you honestly think I haven't tried those 'better ways'?"
Everyone in the room locked onto him.
"Since the day this team was formed, I've tried everything. Joint training, getting the group together, subtle hints during missions, direct advice during spars....... I've talked until I'm blue in the face....... Sakura is weak and Sasuke is strong, but mentally? They're the same. Zero teamwork. At least Sasuke tries before he gets bored and goes solo again to prove whatever he wants "
"...."
" But Sakura? Without Sasuke, she doesn't even care about being a ninja. Have you really not noticed their growth—or lack thereof—in the last few months? "
Kakashi went quiet. He remembered the bell test, how he'd passed them on the "spirit" of teamwork. But looking back, whenever things got real, the team dynamic crumbled. Sasuke wasn't a liability because he had the skills to back up his ego, and Sakura survived because Naruto was always there to bail her out.
Sakura treated missions like dates.
Sasuke treated missions like solo power-leveling sessions for his goals
"...Kakashi," Tsunade's voice cut through the silence.
"Yes?" Kakashi's thoughts were inturrupted as he looked back at the sannin
"Tell me what you think.... as their sensei."
Kakashi felt a wave of guilt wash over him. He realized how much he'd missed. But the memory of Obito and Rin flickered in his mind, and he wavered.
"Naruto might be right about the issues, but I still think the execution was wrong. They're only twelve years old afterall "
Tsunade nodded. Even if Sakura was a failure as a shinobi, the humiliation felt excessive for a kid. "Naruto, your observations might be spot on, but the process was messed up. They're twelve. They have time to grow. You should have consulted Kakashi—"
Naruto tuned it out. His Mind-Hub skill was already processing the room. He realized that Tsunade and Kakashi were looking at this through a "normal" lens. They saw kids who needed guidance. They didn't see what he saw.
(They actually think I'm just a kid too....... They think I need a lecture because I 'schemed' against a comrade in my arrogance of the So called RIGHT Mindset ........which may develop into bad habit )
As the lecture continued for another ten minutes—with Asuma, Shizune, and Anko all adding their two cents about "the right way to do things"—Naruto's mind sharpened.
(No. I'm not wrong. They don't understand Sasuke's darkness, and they definitely don't understand the scale of Sakura's delusion... And they sure as hell don't see the future coming for us.)
Naruto took a deep breath. It was time to establish himself as something more than just a "talented kid." He needed to show them his vision for his plans , not like some kid who is justifying his wrong actions or asking for a reward for it .
"I UNDERSTAND."
The room went dead silent.
"I hear what you guys are saying, and I'll be more careful with how I handle things in the future," Naruto said, his voice level. "But I still don't think you guys grasp how serious this is...... You're looking at twelve-year-olds and I'm looking at obsessions that are going to get people killed."
"Naruto—" Kakashi started.
"Just let me speak," Naruto interrupted, catching Shikamaru's worried glance and Tsunade's tense stare. "Because if I don't say this now, it's going to be too late."
"Speak," Tsunade commanded.
"Uchiha Sasuke. His entire existence is built on a single goal: killing his brother, Itachi. The man who slaughtered his clan in front of his eyes. That obsession is deep, Tsunade-nee..........The Obsession , It's so strong that Sasuke will do anything for revenge........ Anything."
"What are you implying?" Asuma asked, leaning in.
"I mean everything. If someone offers him power or information on Itachi, he'll take it. Even if it means going rogue. Even if it means stabbing his own teammates in the back. Sasuke is capable—"
"ENOUGH!" Kakashi roared, the sheer disbelief vibrating through his mask. "Do you even hear yourself, Naruto?"
The room felt like a pressure cooker. Tsunade looked at him with narrow eyes. "Naruto, do you understand the weight of what you're saying? You're accusing a teammate of future treason."
Naruto didn't flinch. "It's not just Sasuke. It's Sakura too. She is so obsessed with him that she would follow him into the mouth of a volcano........ If he betrays the village, she'll go with him without a single question. That's how deep the rot goes...... Even if Sasuke leaves her behind because he thinks she's useless, she won't wonder why he betrayed the village. She'll just wonder why he didn't take her with him."
"Naruto, these are baseless accusations," Kakashi said, sounding hurt. "I've watched them. They need guidance, not a verdict."
"Sensei, I've observed them for six years. Since the Academy. I've seen more than you have. I'm just telling you what I—"
*SLAM*
Tsunade hit the desk so hard it cracked.
"Enough"
Tsunade looked at Naruto, her eyes cold wit disappointement
( He's grown arrogant. Accusing his own team of being traitors without a shred of evidence...........almost like Danzo ....and now he is even arguing and justifuing himself without a single evidence but his own voice )
"Do you have anything else to say, Uzumaki Naruto?"
Naruto realized he'd overplayed his hand and lost control , Speaking about the defection this early was too much for their "comradeship" mindset. He needed to keep things down ,
(I should have stuck to the Sakura stuff. Defection was too big a jump for them...........forget it , Time is my ally )
Realising his mistake , Naruto shook his head and dropped into a perfect, 90-degree bow.
"I apologize. After reflecting on your words, I realize I was out of line. Not just with my thoughts on my teammates, but with my actions against Sakura and for dragging Ino into my mess..... I'll accept any punishment you deem necessary. I take full responsibility, and I hope Ino isn't blamed for just following my lead."
"Anything else?" Tsunade asked, her voice softening slightly.
"I apologize again. I'll make sure nothing like this happens again—not the accusations, and not the schemes."
He sounded tired, which was genuine. He understood that by bowing now, he was playing a role. But he had planted a seed. He knew Sasuke was going to leave. And when that day came, every single person in this room would remember this conversation.
(So Naruto was right.... we should have believed him.) That was the goal from the beginning.
Influence. Power. The ability to make decisions without being questioned.
A Power that one gains without any seat or any ninjutsu or anything , something that will sway the whole village , because this mouth escape will affect the future leaders of the village and everyone who remember or know about this conversation .
( Uzumaki NAruto is mostly correct ) a thought or seed that make everyone turn their head , considering his future knowledge and his future actions , Naruto decided to start now , to make things easier for the future .
Tsunade sighed. Seeing Naruto bow and apologize made her relax. She didn't think he'd magically changed his mind, but at least he was showing respect and undestanding .
"Alright, stand up," she said. "We'll finish this talk after the exams. For now, get back out there and focus on the duel "
"Understood." Naruto turned on his heel and walked out.
The room watched as NAruto opened the door and left The Office , Seeing Naruto gone , Tsunade massaged her head and spoke
" THis stays here , not a word outside "
" Understood " X shinobi
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Central Tower ( Corridor ) :
Naruto was halfway down the empty corridor when he heard the familiar crunch of footsteps. Kakashi had followed him out.
"Naruto , wait "
"....Sensei."
"I know you have issues with how Sasuke and Sakura act," Kakashi said, catching up. "But you can't turn your back on your comrades."
Naruto stopped and looked at him. "Kakashi-sensei, I perfectly agree with that statement."
"Then why...?"
"Because I don't consider Sakura and Sasuke my comrades."
Kakashi actually recoiled. "Naruto.."
" I would give my life to protect a comrade," Naruto said, his voice chillingly calm. "But only those who earn it , Hinata, Ino, Karin, Shikamaru, Choji.... My friends, Grandpa, Tsunade-nee..... even you, Sensei. I would die for any of you without hesitation. But I'm not going to do the same for a girl who treats me like a nuisance/Tool or a boy who views me as a stepping stone........anytin but a comrade or even a friend "
"Listen to me—" Kakashi tried to diffuse the situation as e realised that Naruto was going astray
"No, you listen," Naruto cut him off. "Put your hand on your heart and tell me: what would Sakura and Sasuke do if I were in a life-threatening situation?.... Sasuke would chase his revenge and move away , and Sakura would either follow him or sit there and cry. That's it."
"....."
"Giving someone your lunch during a test doesn't make you a comrade for life, Sensei. That's a symbol, not a reality." Naruto looked Kakashi right in the eye. "And honestly, why didn't you address this? I wouldn't have had to do what I did today .....if you had taken being a teacher seriously."
Kakashi's eye widened. It hit him like a physical blow. He had seen the cracks in Team 7, but he'd assumed they would just "fix themselves" over time.
( I thought that with missions and arships together they will develop the comradrie and fix everything due time ......was I wrong ,......or Should I have addressed them earlier as their Sensei ?? )
Kakashi flinched at the reaslisation . He hadn't realized that Naruto had been the only bridge holding the whole mess together, and that bridge had finally snapped under the weight of his own neglect , not just his own but from his whole team .
(Did I put too much pressure on him? No....... the team dynamic itself was the pressure cooker. And I just let it boil....didn't I ...........losing sharingan and other things ...... did I really fail as a teacher ?? )
Naruto didn't wait for a reply. He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked away, leaving Kakashi standing alone in the trance-like silence of the hallway.
Asuma and the others walked out of the office a few moments later. Asuma took a long drag of his cigarette and fell in beside Kakashi.
"You okay, man?"
".....Did you hear that?" Kakashi asked hollowly.
"....Your talk with Naruto? Yeah, we all did."
"So you think it was my fault too?"
Asuma exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Maybe not 'fault,' but definitely an oversight. You got a bit too comfortable, Kakashi."
Tsunade walked past them, scoffing as she spoke . "Just look at Sakura," she said without looking back. "Regardless of today's actions ........, you definitely failed as a teacher there. That girl still acts like she's in a classroom, not a war zone or even a mission "
Kakashi didn't argue. He couldn't. Between the "prodigy" Sasuke and the "Sensei's capable child" Naruto, he realized he had completely ignored the girl in the middle. And the signs had been there the whole time.
( No ....... not just Sakura and Sasuke ........I ignored Naruto's circumsatnces too )
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Central Tower ( Genin Area ) :
Naruto trudged back to the Genin area, his shoulders slumped and his eyes lacking their usual spark. The lecture from Tsunade and the heavy conversation with Kakashi had drained him more than any physical workout .
( well at least the plan is in motion )
As he approached his friends, he could feel their collective gaze—a mix of relief, worry, and burning curiosity—locking onto him.
Naruto scanned the group, noticing one conspicuous absence.
"Wait.... where'd Ino go?" he asked, his voice sounding flat.
Choji looked up from a fresh bag of chips. "Hmm. I think she headed out to visit Sakura-chan in the infirmary."
"Huh? Seriously?" Naruto blinked, a small frown tugging at his lips.
"Most probably," Choji added with a shrug.
Shikamaru, who had arrived a bit later than Naruto and was still piecing things together, stepped forward. "Alright, can someone actually tell me what went down while I was getting patched up? ......I got the gist from Asuma-sensei, but I want the real story."
Without waiting for Naruto to answer, Shikamaru pulled Choji aside. Kiba, never one to miss a chance to tell a dramatic story, hopped over to join them, his hands moving wildly as he started describing the "catfight" with way too much excitement.
( hmm , Maye it stings becasue Tsunade nee or others didn't believe a single word from mouth )
Naruto watched them go, knowing Shikamaru would have the whole thing dissected in about two minutes. He leaned against the railing, letting out a long, weary breath.
"So," a calm voice spoke from his side. "Are you getting punished?"
Naruto didn't even have to look to know it was Shino. The bug user had definitely put the pieces together. Naruto caught the expectant looks from Hinata, Karin, and even a side-eye from Sasuke.
"....Only after the exams are over," Naruto replied, shaking his head.
"Was it actually necessary?" Shino asked.
Naruto looked at the expressions on their faces—Hinata's quiet concern, Karin's worry and Sasuke's sharpness. He realized Shino had likely already explained the "why" behind the fight to the others.
(Ugh.... people with brains are exhausting.)
Naruto leaned his head back against the cold stone. "At first? Yeah, I thought so. But now? I'm starting to think it wasn't."
"Naruto-kun.." Hinata whispered, her heart aching at the bitter tone in his voice.
"I think it probably would've been better if I just worried about myself," Naruto continued, his voice dropping. "I shouldn't have bothered with all these troublesome things. It's a lot of work for a result that just makes everyone miserable."
"Is that so, Naruto?" Shino adjusted his glasses, his tone as level as ever.
"Hm?"
"Just so you know... I would be happy if my friend cared enough about me......enough to do something like that," Shino said. He paused, his gaze drifting toward the arena floor.
"But I also think you shouldn't waste your energy on people who don't care about you—or even themselves."
"Shino's right, Naruto," Kiba chimed in, walking back over with Shikamaru and Choji.
Sasuke, who had been silent through the whole exchange, just let out a sharp snort. In his mind, an elaborate scheme just to "wake up" Sakura was a total waste of time. If she was weak, she was weak. Simple as that.
( That nuisance is not just weak , she is mental too )
Naruto looked at Shikamaru. "Shika... be honest. Was I too excessive? Should I have just kept my nose out of it?"
Shikamaru paused, rubbing the back of his neck. He hadn't seen the fight, but he had seen the fallout. "The process was definitely.... not great. Not 'wrong,' exactly, but not okay either. It was messy."
"Oh."
"But," Shikamaru added, looking Naruto dead in the eye, "in my book, if Uzumaki Naruto feels like he has to bend this far and scheme like this just to get a message across, the fault definitely isn't yours. It's on the people who weren't listening in the first place."
"Exactly!"
Ino's voice cut through the air before Naruto could respond. She walked back into the circle, her steps heavy and her face clouded with frustration.
"Ino... how's Sakura?" Naruto asked.
Ino shook her head. "She wouldn't even talk to me. Wouldn't even let me in the room. I ended up just talking to the door."
Ino hadn't mentioned Naruto's name to her—she knew that would only make things worse. Instead, she had tried to explain her own worries about Sakura's future and the danger of her mindset on real missions.
Ofcourse , Silence was the only reply she got.
Ino looked at Naruto, her expression softening. "Sakura is Sakura, Naruto. She's not going to change just because we want her to. Don't overthink it."
"Is that so..." Naruto murmured, looking down at his hands.
The "hush-hush" gossip in the arena suddenly died down as the proctors, the Jonin, and a very stern-looking Tsunade returned to their seats.
( The break is over huh..!! )
Gekko Hayate stepped back onto the center stage, coughing into his hand as the massive digital screen began to whir and click behind him.
"Now then," Hayate announced. "Let's see the participants for the 8th Round."
The names flashed across the screen in a blur of neon light before finally slamming into place:
ROUND 8
DOSU KINUTA VS. KIBA INUZUKA
"Alright, Akamaru!" Kiba grinned, the tension of the previous moment vanishing as he cracked his knuckles. "Finally, our turn. Let's show 'em how a real team fights."
Naruto watched Kiba jog down to the arena floor, Akamaru barking excitedly from his hood. He felt a weird twinge of envy—Kiba's world was so simple. You see a target, you hit it, you win or you lose.
There were no messy lectures about "comradeship," no deep-seated psychological rot to fix, and no crushing guilt over a plan that felt more like a mistake with every passing second.
( If only I can live like that too )
He was exhausted. Not the kind of tired you get after a hundred laps around the village, but the kind that makes your bones feel like lead. But the exams and this world didn't care about his mental health.
( ah , i forgot that )
Something was still gnawing at the back of his mind, though. He turned his head slightly, catching Ino's gaze.
"Ino," he said quietly.
"Hmm? What's up?" she asked, tilting her head.
"Sorry."
The word hung in the air for a second. It wasn't just Ino; the whole group—Shikamaru, Choji, even Shino—looked at him in surprise. They all knew Naruto had been the architect behind the scenes, but they hadn't expected him to feel like he owed an apology.
Ino blinked, her expression softening before she immediately tried to brush it off with her usual flare.
"Ugh, don't be like that," she said, waving a hand dismissively. "Don't go thinking I only did that because you told me to.... I made my own choice down there, okay? I'm my own person, Naruto. Give me some credit."
Naruto didn't look convinced. The weight in his chest didn't budge. "Regardless..... I am sorry. For putting you in that position."
Ino rolled her eyes, though there was a flicker of something in them. "Shut up, dumbo...! Seriously, don't flatter yourself.... You aren't that big of a deal that you can just 'make' me do things I don't want to do. Got it?"
Naruto managed a tiny, weary nod. "Hmm."
He turned his focus back to the arena floor, watching Kiba square up against the guy from the Sound. He didn't feel any better, but he let the conversation drop. He just wanted to sit in the silence for a while, even if the silence was currently filled with Kiba's shouting.
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Author's notes :
Hmm , a chapter about actions and consequences .
A chapter without a fight , but full of nonsense .
Well the chapter was simply to make a fact establish among everyone's brain that Naruto is mostly right , a seed , a beginning , something for future.
afterall , If Naruto wants to move village with just words , his words definitely should have weight and trust in them ,
a common sense type of thing .
Just like how you won't believe a beggars's words about stock market .
but believe a traders words more , even if he is a failure in it
I don't know if you guys noticed , but I have been dropping hidden hints since graduation .
I am gonna reveal it before chunin finals though .
Can you guess it ??
3 fights left
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