"Exactly." Haku's voice carried quiet certainty. "I've experienced Naruto-kun's strength firsthand. I don't think he was even using his full power, and yet—" He paused, searching for the right words. "Even at that level, he completely surpasses Yagura."
Zabuza's visible eye narrowed, considering.
"If you want to overthrow Yagura's rule," Haku continued carefully, "I think starting with Naruto-kun might be the key."
"Ask Naruto to help?" Zabuza turned the idea over in his mind like a stone, examining it from every angle. "It's feasible, I suppose. But will he agree?"
Haku had clearly thought this through already. "That's why you should work hard here, Zabuza-sama. Take care of the farm sincerely, build trust. Maybe after seeing your dedication, Naruto-kun will agree to help you as a favor." He paused. "And if that's not enough, we can offer payment. After all, everyone needs money to live."
Zabuza looked at Haku—really looked at him—and saw the hope shining in those dark eyes. His student actually wanted this. Wanted the peace, the quiet life, the chance to build something instead of destroying it.
"Haku," he said slowly, "that's actually a good idea. I'll do it. I'll manage this farm properly."
It was like a weight lifting from his shoulders. The farm wasn't a prison anymore—it was a strategic position. A chance to forge an alliance with someone powerful enough to change everything.
"We should find a good spot to build our house," Zabuza said, his tone shifting from defeated to practical. "Somewhere with a view of the mountains, maybe near water."
Haku's smile was like sunrise breaking through clouds.
They walked off together, already discussing construction plans. After all, ninja techniques weren't just for battle. Earth Style could dig foundations. Water Style could mix cement. Fire Style could cure wood and forge nails. A shinobi with the right skills could build a house in days.
Naruto found Shikamaru in the pigsty.
The Nara heir stood outside the fence with his eyes closed, singing softly. The melody was simple, almost a lullaby, and it drifted across the pen like a gentle breeze.
Inside, the pigs had arranged themselves in content heaps—white and fat, lying on clean straw with their eyes closed. They looked healthier than Naruto remembered, their skin glossy and their breathing deep and even.
The song ended on a soft note.
Naruto started to speak—
"Shhh!" Shikamaru's hand flew to his lips, his expression urgent. He gestured emphatically at the sleeping pigs, then beckoned Naruto to follow him away from the pen.
They walked a good distance before Shikamaru felt safe speaking. "Sleeping pigs gain weight fastest. Can't wake them during optimal growth periods."
He said it with the absolute conviction of an expert, and Naruto felt a rush of genuine pride in his friend.
"So, Naruto." Shikamaru's face broke into a rare, unguarded smile. "What do you think? How's my farm management?"
It was almost shocking to see Shikamaru this animated. The boy who'd famously considered everything "too troublesome" was practically glowing with enthusiasm.
"Kurama wasn't wrong about you," Naruto said warmly.
"Hey, fox." Shikamaru addressed Nine-Tails directly, nodding at the creature perched on Naruto's shoulder. "I delivered on my promise."
The memory was still vivid in Shikamaru's mind—that night when the orange fox had appeared at his window, tapping on the glass. He'd gone outside to investigate and nearly had a heart attack when the fox spoke.
"Pineapple hair boy," it had said in that cultured voice. "I need your help managing Naruto's farm while we're on a mission. Will you assist us?"
Of course he'd agreed. Naruto was his friend. And the fox—clearly some kind of summon or spirit animal—had been polite about asking.
Then it had given him books. So many books..
At first, Shikamaru had struggled. The theory was one thing, but application was another. He'd made mistakes, miscalculated feeding schedules, stressed over sick animals.
But slowly, as he'd read more and practiced more, everything had clicked into place. And then something unexpected had happened.
He'd started to enjoy it.
Watching the animals grow healthy and strong under his care—it created a sense of accomplishment that was surprisingly addictive. These creatures depended on him, trusted him. He'd become invested in their wellbeing like they were his own children.
"You did excellent work, Shikamaru," Nine-Tails said, genuine approval in his voice. "This fox recognizes quality when he sees it."
"It's nothing special." Shikamaru tried to look modest, but his smile gave him away. "Just paying attention to details."
"Shikamaru, I owe you big time." Naruto clapped his friend on the shoulder. "I brought back two new employees. Think you could help train them?"
"Those two guys you came back with?" Shikamaru had noticed Zabuza and Haku, of course. Hard to miss a bandaged swordsman and a beautiful young man. "No problem. Leave it to me."
He glanced at the sky, noting the sun's position, and suddenly his eyes widened. "Ah! Naruto, I have to go—it's time to bathe the cows. Hot weather like this, they're prone to heat stroke. Need to keep them cool and check for mosquito bites."
He was already moving, his walk becoming a jog as he headed toward the cattle enclosure.
Naruto opened his mouth to say that heat stroke wasn't necessarily a problem—they could just eat the cow if it died—but Shikamaru was already too far away to hear.
Let him have his moment, Naruto thought with amusement. He's found his calling.
Meanwhile, across the village, Sakura had also wanted to accompany Kakashi and Sasuke to the Hokage Tower. But Kakashi had gently dismissed her.
"You're carrying a lot of cash, Sakura. You should take it home to your parents. Let them be happy about your success."
Sakura had considered arguing, but Kakashi was right. Her parents were civilians—shopkeepers with modest income. They'd probably never seen this much gold in their lives. They might even worry the money came from somewhere illegal.
Better to go home and reassure them. Show them their daughter was thriving as a kunoichi.
She'd bowed politely and headed off, her portion of the mission payment heavy in her pack.
Once her figure had disappeared around a corner, Sasuke turned to his sensei. "You want to ask me something, don't you? Kakashi-sensei?"
Kakashi had never been good at hiding his feelings from perceptive people. Sasuke was many things, but oblivious wasn't one of them.
"Yes," Kakashi admitted. "I do."
"Go ahead." Sasuke's tone was carefully neutral. "I'll answer what I can."
The qualifier was deliberate. Since the Uchiha massacre, Sasuke had learned to be cautious with trust. The only person he could speak to completely freely was Naruto. Everyone else got carefully measured responses.
Even Kakashi, who'd been his sensei, who clearly cared about him.
"Sasuke," Kakashi said quietly, "who taught you Flying Thunder God and the Rasengan?"
"Oh. That." Sasuke relaxed slightly. This wasn't about clan secrets or the massacre. Just technique origins. "Naruto gave them to me. Five years ago, when Naruto was seven, he met his parents. They were manifested as chakra constructs—some function of the seal, I think."
He watched Kakashi's expression carefully as he continued. "They taught Naruto everything. All their techniques, all their knowledge. But Naruto's following a different path—Ultimate Taijutsu, not ninjutsu. So he passed the techniques to me instead."
Sasuke paused for effect. "Did you know Naruto's parents were the Fourth Hokage and Kushina Uzumaki?"
The words hit Kakashi like a physical blow.
So Naruto knows, Kakashi thought, his chest tightening. He met sensei and Kushina-san. Which means he probably knows about me too. About my connection to his father.
That comment at the Summer Festival suddenly made terrible sense. "Some people see but choose not to act." Naruto had been talking about him. About how Kakashi had known who he was but had stayed away, too lost in his own pain to help his sensei's son.
Kakashi's mouth twisted beneath his mask into something that might have been a smile if it weren't so bitter.
He deserved that resentment. He'd earned it through years of cowardice dressed up as grief.
The trauma had started with Obito—watching his teammate die, receiving the Sharingan as a final gift, carrying the guilt of survival. Then Rin's death, dying by his own hand through circumstances he couldn't control. Her blood on his fingers, her last words echoing in his nightmares.
He'd sunk deep into despair after that, barely functional. Visiting the memorial stone became his routine, though he could never bring himself to look at Rin's name directly. The guilt was too heavy.
Things had finally started to improve—slowly, painfully—when sensei and Kushina-san had died sealing the Nine-Tails. And Kakashi had fallen into the abyss all over again.
He'd been assigned to protect Kushina during her labor. He'd failed. Couldn't save sensei from sacrificing himself. Couldn't prevent another irreversible tragedy.
Just like he couldn't save Obito. Just like he'd been forced to kill Rin.
The pattern is always the same, he'd thought during his darkest hours. I'm not strong enough. If I had the power to crush any threat, these tragedies wouldn't keep happening.
But knowing that didn't make it easier to move forward.
"I already knew," Kakashi said quietly, breaking the heavy silence. His voice carried resignation and old pain. "About Naruto being Fourth hokage's son, I mean."
Sasuke's expression shifted to surprise. "You knew? But then why—"
"The Fourth Hokage," Kakashi interrupted, meeting Sasuke's eyes with his single visible one, "was my sensei. Minato Namikaze was the jonin who led my genin team."
The words hung in the air between them like a confession.
"Which makes Naruto..." Sasuke's eyes widened with understanding. "Your sensei's son. Your sensei's legacy."
"Yes." Kakashi's voice was barely above a whisper. "And I failed him for years. Stayed away when he needed someone most. Because I was too broken to be what he needed."
Sasuke looked at his sensei—really looked at him—and saw the weight of accumulated failures pressing down on those shoulders. Saw the guilt and regret carved into every line of Kakashi's posture.
"So what are you going to do about it?" Sasuke asked bluntly. "Now that you know he knows?"
Kakashi took a deep breath, straightening his spine. "I'm going to keep trying. Keep being his sensei, even if I can never make up for the lost years. Keep moving forward instead of backward."
He looked toward the Hokage Tower, where they still needed to file their mission report.
"It's past time I stopped hiding from my failures and started facing them."