Chapter 77: Overplayed His Hand
Seeing Naruto's exhausted state, Sakura and Sasuke exchanged a helpless glance.
The two of them carried Naruto to the bed.
"Let Naruto get some proper rest first."
Sakura said softly.
Her gaze swept past the bedside and noticed several scrolls lying open on the floor, covered in complex jutsu annotations.
While carefully rolling them up and putting them away, she gently tugged the pillow—nearly slipping off the corner—back into place beneath Naruto's neck and patted it until it sat just right.
Sasuke stood by the bed, watching the frown still etched on Naruto's sleeping face. He nodded, voice equally low: "We'll talk about the mission after he recovers."
At their level, it was always the same—catching cats, walking dogs, farming, escorting…
Sasuke could finish those alone.
Once Naruto was settled, Sakura rolled up her sleeves and began tidying the room.
She briskly sorted the scattered scrolls, cleaned the living-room and kitchen, moving softly so as not to wake the newly sleeping Naruto.
Meanwhile, Sasuke dashed to the rendezvous to report to Kakashi.
After hearing the account, Kakashi narrowed his eyes in understanding. "Then let Naruto sleep a little longer."
He closed the mission scroll and motioned to Sasuke. "Let's go meet the client first."
The two walked into the cinema.
When Sakura finally had the living-room and kitchen sparkling, the trash bagged and set by the door, she breathed a soft sigh of relief.
She prepared to head out for groceries so she could cook something for Naruto when he woke and for Sasuke when he returned.
She tiptoed to Naruto's bedroom and eased the door open a crack to peek inside.
Noon sunlight poured generously through the window, forming a warm pillar of light that happened to enfold Naruto's sleeping face.
The frown had smoothed out at some point, his expression unguarded and peaceful—something long unseen.
Cheeks dulled by exhaustion seemed to regain a hint of color under the sun's gentle touch.
The room had returned to its usual neatness; dust had settled, items were in place, and the air carried a reassuring calm.
And her teammate—usually a bundle of energy like a little sun—lay immersed in the deep, precious slumber bought by utter fatigue.
A tender curve lifted the corners of Sakura's mouth. After a lingering look at his serene face, she carefully closed the door; the soft click sounded like a perfect period to this quiet moment.
She left the apartment on light feet, leaving the roomful of sunlight and quiet to guard the sleeping boy.
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"Really sorry…"
Naruto forced open eyelids that felt glued shut, rubbed his throbbing temples, and mumbled hoarsely.
His just-woken voice was raspy, like sandpaper scraping wood.
Heavy fatigue wrapped him like a soaked quilt; even lifting a finger felt hard.
'Really overdid it this time…'
The thought flashed through his groggy mind.
To master that arcane Flying Thunder God Technique, he had gone on like a man possessed, pulling who-knew-how-many consecutive all-nighters.
Exhaustion from Shadow Clones handling missions plus more clones studying the jutsu stacked up relentlessly.
At first Naruto still cooked; later he had clones buy meals; finally he just wolfed down Soldier Pills, losing all sense of time until "heaven and earth blurred."
Now the backlash of overtaxed mind and body hit him in waves—dizzy, vision swimming, thoughts sluggish.
'Next time… never again push this hard.'
He chided himself inwardly, annoyed.
But another voice piped up: 'But… it's the Flying Thunder God!'
Just as Danzo couldn't resist the Hokage's ceremonial robe, Naruto couldn't resist the allure of Flying Thunder God.
"No worries—eat first."
Sakura's voice pulled him out of self-reproach.
She set a warm bento box on the low table in front of him, tone gentle as a spring breeze, without a trace of blame.
"After eating we need to find Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke."
"Thanks."
Naruto gave her a grateful look and took the bowl.
An appetizing aroma wafted up—Char-siu Rice!
With each bite he felt fatigue melt away.
Sakura sat quietly on a nearby stool, watching him eat without rushing him.
Noticing he was wolfing it down, cheeks puffed, she softly reminded, "Slow down, Naruto—don't choke."
She nudged a cup of water closer to his hand.
A full stomach and restored stamina left him feeling much better.
——————————
Sasuke leaned against the wall with crossed arms, looking irritated; Kakashi stood nearby, his single visible eye full of helplessness.
"What's wrong? Mission didn't go well?"
Naruto, sensing the odd mood, looked to Kakashi with concern.
"Yeah."
Kakashi sighed, the sound dripping with "it's a long story," and scratched his trademark silver hair.
"The client won't cooperate."
His tone carried clear vexation.
"Won't cooperate?"
Naruto and Sakura blurted in unison, confusion written on their faces.
Why post a mission and then refuse to cooperate?
"It's an escort mission,"
Sasuke said coldly from the wall, impatience flashing as he glanced at a closed inner door. "But the one to be escorted—"
"refuses to go to the designated location."
It was a sheer waste of Ninja time and efficiency.
"Kidnapping?" Naruto frowned instinctively.
Memories of news reports on abductions and scams from his past life flashed through his mind, putting him on alert.
But that shouldn't be right!
Konoha wouldn't take such a job.
"No-no-no, how could it be kidnapping!"
A bespectacled middle-aged man hurried out from the inner room, mopping sweat from his brow.
"I am Asama Sandaifu, Miss Yukie's manager."
Adjusting his glasses, he continued, "In fact, we wish to hire Konoha to escort us to the Land of Snow for film location shooting. But Miss Yukie seems quite resistant to returning to the Land of Snow…"
Land of Snow? Escort mission?
Naruto's heart stirred—could this be the plot of Snow Princess' Ninja Scroll?
"Miss Yukie?"
Sakura's eyes lit up instantly, her voice brimming with disbelief and excitement.
"Could it be Fuji Fuuyuki, the actress who plays Princess Fuun?"
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