Author's Note:
I'd really appreciate it if you could share your thoughts on this chapter in the comments—whether you liked it, disliked it, or noticed any strengths or weaknesses.
Your feedback helps me understand what works and what needs improvement, and it also creates a space for readers to discuss the chapter and its events together.
Feel free to be honest and speak your mind. This story grows with you and because of you.
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Jiraiya gazed deeply at the political clash between Danzō and his teacher, Hiruzen… He could feel it clearly—Danzō's jealousy, and his desire to sit in the Hokage's seat instead of his teacher.
'Fortunately, the Third Hokage is my teacher… not that lunatic Danzō,' Jiraiya thought inwardly before averting his gaze and refocusing on the events of the chapter.
On the other hand, Mito looked coldly at both Danzō and Hiruzen, who were arguing noisily like adolescents.
"Both of you, stop it. You're disturbing everyone," she said flatly.
"…"
The Third Hokage looked at the elderly woman, who appeared to be a young lady due to her unusual seal. He couldn't refute her at all. He nodded with a stiff smile and fell silent.
"Hmph."
Danzō snorted coldly, then also fell silent and returned to reading the remaining pages.
'Hmm… this child feels shame. Excellent. Shame and jealousy are fuel—fuel that makes a shinobi perfectly suitable to be used in the most effective way possible.'
Danzō thought with a cold smile as he observed what Naruto did when he felt the mission might end because of him.
…
[—
"We aren't ready for this mission. Let's quit! We will need medicine for Naruto's wound. We should go back to the village and take him to a doctor…"
Upon hearing Kakashi tell Tazuna that the mission's classification was now beyond C-rank, Sakura grew anxious and suggested returning to the village to treat Naruto.
"Hm…" Kakashi looked at Naruto, then sighed. "This might be too much…"
Then he decided, "I guess we should return to the village to treat Naruto."
Hearing that, Naruto's expression grew even more dejected.
—
"You failed?!!"
Elsewhere, a short man in a formal suit appeared, yelling at shinobi from the Hidden Mist Village.
"I paid you a lot of money because I heard you were very strong former ninjas!"
"..." One of the shinobi felt irritated and silently drew his massive sword.
—
Back where Kakashi and the others were, Naruto suddenly did something shocking—something that left the four present utterly stunned.
He drove a kunai straight into the back of his poisoned hand. Blood burst forth like a fountain.
'Why is there such a huge difference?'
'Why am I always… damn it!!'
"Naruto!! What are you doing?!" Sakura screamed, unable to comprehend why Naruto would do something like that.
'I should be getting stronger… I've completed many missions and even practice jutsu every day on my own.'
'I'm not going to need saving ever again… I won't be afraid and try to run… I won't lose to Sasuke…'
'I swear it on this pain in my left hand.'
"With this kunai…" At last, Naruto spoke aloud, breaking free from his inner thoughts.
"I'll protect the old man."
Naruto looked at them with a terrifying smile while gripping the kunai embedded in the back of his hand, then continued:
"We're continuing the mission!!"
—]
The eyes of the readers in Konoha widened at that moment… Naruto's reaction sparked a wave of sharply divided responses.
The Academy children shivered, especially at the final page where Naruto declared that they would continue the mission.
...
"Huh~ impressive," Shikaku Nara smiled, praising Naruto's spirit that refused to accept defeat.
"It seems he suffered a positive setback…" Choza Akimichi said with a smile as he devoured fried potatoes.
Aside from his deep love for the fried potatoes sold in this art store, he also felt himself becoming increasingly addicted to the manga's unfolding events, one after another.
"I see. He used a crude method to expel the poison from his body by reopening the wound," Inoichi Yamanaka said, impressed by Naruto's rebellious spirit against weakness.
"And not only that—he used pain to remind himself never to weaken again… What a kid. To think our village could produce such a child in the future… I look forward to it," said Inwi Yamanaka, Inoichi's father, with absolute admiration.
He had liked Naruto before—now he liked him even more.
"But Sasuke is still better than him," said Hekitsu Nara, Shikaku's father, from a short distance away.
"You, kid—go buy me another bag of potatoes…" Houzhou Akimichi swallowed hard while staring at his empty bag, then promptly kicked his grandson to go buy another.
…
"Naruto truly surprised me."
Fugaku Uchiha was genuinely astonished by this dramatic development.
What surprised him most was Naruto's final words—We're continuing the mission—blatantly ignoring Sakura's obvious attempt to use him as an excuse to return to the village.
"It seems Sasuke-kun pushed him to grow further…" Mikoto said with a smile.
Though she was still a genin at fourteen, she was perceptive enough to see the strange bond forming between Sasuke and Naruto at that very moment.
In her eyes, the bond of rivalry between the two was forged precisely in this chapter.
'And it seemed that with his mocking words, Sasuke had unknowingly created an unparalleled rival for himself,' she thought.
"Oh, the jinchūriki brat managed to salvage a bit of dignity. At least he didn't continue acting cowardly. He won't hinder Sasuke's growth—good," Hugaku Uchiha said with an approving smile.
Better late than never.
…
"Naruto-kun is amazing!"
Young Kakashi's eyes sparkled, almost filled with stars.
"Using pain to remember moments of weakness and overcome them… I have nothing to say except that this is my favorite Naruto scene so far," Sakumo praised Naruto sincerely.
…
"What is a true shinobi?"
Maito Dai asked the question—then answered it himself, broadening his son's horizons.
Dai knew his son was just like him, having inherited his pitiful chakra reserves… Yet this never discouraged him. Instead, it strengthened his resolve to become a true shinobi.
If he failed to pass this on to his son—who would face countless shocks and setbacks as he himself had endured—then he would fail as both a father and a mentor.
At this moment, Naruto's scene reminded him of himself. How many "Sasukes" had he encountered in his early years as a shinobi?
How much ridicule had he suffered—far more than Naruto ever had?
Maito Dai could not count all those moments of mockery; they were simply too many.
But did they affect him?
'Not at all!' Dai roared inwardly.
Young Gai looked at his passionate father, wanting to know what a true shinobi really was.
"A true shinobi does not fall at the moment of failure, but rises and continues forward. If he feels fear, he replaces it with courage. If he feels sorrow, he replaces it with passion. If he feels weak, he uses pain to crush that weakness and turn it into strength."
Dai flashed a brilliant smile at his son.
"Naruto is a true shinobi!"
Young Maito Gai's eyes widened. At that moment, an overwhelming passion surged within him. He wanted to become like Naruto when he grew up… He wanted to become a true shinobi.
Little did he know that in the future, he himself would become the only shinobi openly acknowledged by all as a true shinobi.
…
Kushina's hand trembled as she followed the chapter up to Naruto's moment of resurgence.
"He… why did he do that?"
Her heart ached for some reason when she saw Naruto hurting himself.
"He's rising… standing back up," Minato replied with a gentle smile.
"I love it! Hahaha! Excellent—this is the Naruto I know!" Jiraiya laughed loudly, displaying exaggerated joy over Naruto's actions.
"Tsk, as expected of an Uzumaki… giving up is not in our nature," Mito said with a smile, her earlier irritation now gone.
"Oh… so our little fox has this kind of spirit… I thought he was just a troublemaker pulling pranks—a childish kid."
The Third Hokage smiled as well. He truly enjoyed seeing Naruto finally act like a shinobi of Konoha.
"Good."
Danzō said a single word. He was the first to witness this scene—and the first to think that Naruto could be used to serve the village's interests if he continued like this.
Beside him, both Homura and Koharu also smiled in admiration.
"Heh~ it seems our villages have crossed paths on opposing missions."
"The shinobi of the Hidden Mist have a mission to eliminate that bridge builder."
"And our village's shinobi have a mission to protect him… And so, unknowingly, two paths have crossed on the same mission."
"But it seems the client who wants Tazuna dead hired former shinobi from the Hidden Mist… which means the mission has become far more complicated than it appears."
The Hokage, Danzō, and the others continued analyzing the situation with questioning eyes.
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Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
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Chapter 62: The Appearance of Momochi Zabuza!
Chapter 63: The Copy Ninja, Kakashi of the Sharingan!
Chapter 64: Kakashi vs. Zabuza – An Astonishing Battle!
Chapter 65: Leaf Village Ninja, Uzumaki Naruto!
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