"Naruto, please help me!"
Looking at Sasuke's desperate eyes, Naruto felt genuine concern. Had his friend pushed himself too hard in training? Had he gone too far and damaged his mind?
Naruto gently pried Sasuke's grip loose and spoke with warmth. "Sasuke, you're my friend. Of course I'll help you with anything. Don't worry. Let's sit down and talk this through calmly."
He pulled Sasuke over to sit on a wooden stump near the training yard.
Sasuke lowered his head for a long moment. When he finally raised it again, his eyes were bloodshot, clearly the result of days and nights of relentless practice. He opened his mouth and the words tumbled out.
"Naruto, I don't know why, but these past few days, I've had this overwhelming urge to get stronger. Fast."
His hands clenched into fists on his knees. "I'm completely lucid. I'm not going crazy or anything. But I feel like something important is about to happen to me. Something I need strength to face."
He took a shaky breath. "I've been stuck at the threshold for so long. I can't break through no matter how hard I try. So the only option I can think of is to improve my Sharingan."
Sasuke's gaze locked onto Naruto's. "And the way to improve my Sharingan... depends on you, Naruto."
After Sasuke finished speaking, Naruto sat in silence.
He knew exactly what method Sasuke was referring to. Once, during one of their sparring sessions, Naruto had used Opening the Netherworld on Sasuke—one of the three forms of Heavenly Ascension Fist.
Opening the Netherworld was a spiritual attack, similar to genjutsu but far more brutal. With a single strike, it could shatter a person's mental defenses. The victim would be forced to face their deepest fear, their worst trauma, over and over until their spirit broke. Those who couldn't endure it would collapse completely, becoming little more than empty shells.
For Sasuke, the thing he most feared facing was the Uchiha massacre. His beloved brother slaughtering their entire clan with his own hands. For Sasuke, this was an unbearable agony that he buried deep inside.
Under Opening the Netherworld, Sasuke's spirit would be dragged back into the night of the massacre. He would be forced to relive his clan's annihilation. It was torture of the cruelest kind.
Last time, Sasuke had survived. Barely. And only through sheer luck.
But people couldn't always rely on the god of luck to save them.
That time, the trauma had strengthened Sasuke's Sharingan. So now, desperate to increase his power, Sasuke was asking Naruto to help him. But Naruto felt this wasn't about whether he was willing to help. It was about the tremendous danger Opening the Netherworld posed to Sasuke's sanity.
Naruto couldn't guarantee Sasuke's safety. All of it would depend on whether Sasuke's spiritual will could endure the torture.
"Sasuke, you can't rush training like this." Naruto's voice was gentle but firm. "Doing this will only hurt you. You're my best friend. How could I just watch you fall into an abyss you can't escape from?"
He placed his hand over Sasuke's clenched fist. "Don't worry. Train slowly, steadily. You will become stronger. And if anything happens, anything at all, I can help you deal with it."
Hearing Naruto's words, Sasuke slowly felt his racing heart calm.
"Thank you, Naruto. I was being too impatient." Sasuke took a deep breath. His friend was right. Since Naruto said he'd handle anything that came up, then Sasuke would rely on him if something went wrong.
That's what friends were for.
"Dinner's ready, Naruto! Sasuke!" Kurama's fox head poked out from the doorway, shouting loudly.
"Let's go eat." Naruto stood and gestured for Sasuke to follow him inside.
Though there was still a month before the Chūnin Exam, everyone had begun intensifying their training. All of Naruto's friends—Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, Hinata, Neji, Shino, Kiba, Sakura—had signed up for the exam.
Everyone was making full use of their time to improve.
The least urgent ones were probably Naruto and Sasuke. Naruto didn't care about the Chūnin Exam at all. He was only participating to make friends. And Sasuke, after that conversation, had also returned to a steadier training pace.
Throughout Konoha, security had tightened considerably. With daimyo and genin from other villages arriving to participate in the exam, the village needed to maintain strict order. Of course, this was the Security Force's concern and had nothing to do with Naruto.
After shoveling the last load of manure for the day, Zabuza found Haku and said, "Come with me. We're meeting with Terumi Mei-sama. I need to inform her about Naruto's assistance so we can arrange future plans."
Haku had just finished singing to the calves, watching them settle into peaceful sleep. He stood and nodded. "Understood, Zabuza-sama."
The two set off, leaving Konoha's borders. As farm employees, Naruto didn't restrict their movements. After work hours, they could do whatever they wanted.
After a while, Zabuza stopped in a forested area outside the village. "Haku, we'll wait here."
Haku nodded. Deferring to Zabuza's decisions was a habit he'd formed long ago.
After waiting about ten minutes, Zabuza spoke quietly, "They're here."
Hearing this, Haku looked up. Three figures approached through the trees in the distance.
One woman and two men. The woman clearly led them, positioned in the center.
She wore an off-shoulder blue dress that revealed pale shoulders and an elegant collarbone. Black lace barely contained her impressive figure beneath the low-cut neckline. Black shorts covered her lower half, and fishnet stockings wrapped around her long, shapely legs. Long brown hair cascaded over her shoulders, with her right eye partially obscured by her bangs. She radiated mature, confident sensuality.
This was Terumi Mei, the woman Zabuza had spoken of.
To Terumi Mei's right stood a young man barely reaching her shoulder height. He carried two swords on his back, had gray-blue short hair, and wore glasses that gave him a shy appearance. This was Chojuro, wielder of Hiramekarei, one of the Seven Ninja Swords.
On Terumi Mei's left stood an elderly one-eyed ninja. His long blue hair was tied up high by his forehead protector, with talisman-like ornaments hanging from both ears. This was Ao.
Both men were Terumi Mei's trusted confidants.
The three stopped in front of Zabuza and Haku, studying them carefully.
Zabuza wore simple work clothes, his massive executioner's blade nowhere in sight. Haku wore a sleeveless dress for casual wear, his face unmasked, revealing delicate features.
"Zabuza, where's your sword?" Chojuro asked, noticing the missing blade. For the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, their weapons were extensions of themselves, never to be separated.
Zabuza ignored Chojuro's question and bowed to Terumi Mei. "Terumi Mei-sama."
Terumi Mei looked Zabuza over, then her nostrils flared slightly. "Zabuza, why did you send me that signal? And..." Her nose wrinkled. "What is that smell on you?"
"Huh?" Zabuza looked confused. "What smell?"
He raised his arm and sniffed his sleeve, then understanding dawned. "Oh, that's pig manure."
"Pig manure?" Terumi Mei stared at him in disbelief. When had Zabuza started working with pigs?
"That's right." Zabuza nodded matter-of-factly. "I work on a farm now. My daily task is collecting manure. It's not surprising I smell like pig shit."
Collecting pig shit?
The moment those words left Zabuza's mouth, Terumi Mei, Chojuro, and Ao all stared at him in stunned silence. This was the man who'd been ambitious enough to assassinate the Mizukage? Now he was shoveling pig manure?
But looking at the simple, almost peaceful smile on his scarred face as he showed his sharp teeth, they had to believe it.
"Terumi Mei-sama, I came here to tell you something important." Zabuza's tone grew serious. "I've secured an ally. He'll take action against Yagura when the time comes. But his condition for helping is that after we overthrow Yagura, he receives half of all the spoils."
"Half the spoils?"
All three shouted simultaneously.
Terumi Mei's expression hardened. "Half the spoils? Absolutely not." She shook her head firmly. "One person wanting half? What an enormous appetite!"
It wasn't that she was being stingy. Under Yagura's rule, Kirigakure had suffered tremendously. The economy was in ruins. Overthrowing Yagura would leave them with a massive mess to clean up, and they'd be desperately short on funds.
Now someone was demanding half of everything? Terumi Mei wouldn't agree.
"Terumi Mei-sama, giving him half the spoils is absolutely worth it." Zabuza held up his hands placatingly. "Because he's incredibly strong. If he joins us, we can reduce our casualties by at least half. In fact, if he goes all out, we could overthrow Yagura's rule without losing a single soldier."
Hearing this claim, Terumi Mei's first reaction was disbelief. One person overthrowing the Mizukage's entire regime without casualties? Even if all five Kage from the other villages attacked together, they wouldn't dare make such an outrageous boast.
"Who are you talking about?" Terumi Mei asked.
"My boss. I work on his farm. His name is Uzumaki Naruto."
"Uzumaki Naruto?" Terumi Mei searched her memory but couldn't find any famous ninja by that name. She knew of the Uzumaki clan, but they were essentially extinct.
Could the Uzumaki clan have hidden some ancient powerhouse? "Is this Uzumaki Naruto some old monster the Uzumaki clan kept secret?"
Hearing her guess, Zabuza shook his head and laughed. "He's only twelve years old."
"Twelve years old?" Terumi Mei's eyebrows shot up, her expression darkening with anger. "Zabuza, are you trying to make a fool of me?"
Chojuro and Ao both glared at Zabuza as well.
Zabuza had expected this reaction. He didn't bother with further explanations. "How about this, Terumi Mei-sama: find some time to test Uzumaki Naruto's strength yourself. After you test him, you'll definitely want him to join our plan."
Seeing Zabuza's confidence, Terumi Mei had no choice but to agree. "Fine. I'll contact you with a time and place. Bring him. If he's truly as you say—if we can overthrow Yagura without losing soldiers—then half the spoils might not be impossible."
"I'll await your message, Terumi Mei-sama."
The meeting concluded. Terumi Mei departed with Chojuro and Ao. Watching their retreating backs, Zabuza smiled. "I'm looking forward to seeing Terumi Mei test Naruto."
Haku nodded. "Anyone who judges Naruto-kun only by his appearance will suffer a serious fall."
Haku deeply understood Naruto's true strength. If you were deceived by Naruto's handsome appearance and assumed he lacked power, you'd be shocked by the monstrous capability hidden beneath that friendly exterior.
Three days later, Zabuza received word from Terumi Mei. She was ready to meet Naruto at the same location as before.
At dusk, Zabuza found Naruto and explained the situation.
"In that case, let's go." Naruto followed Zabuza and Haku to the designated meeting spot.
From a distance, Naruto spotted three figures standing on a hillside, their backs turned. As they approached, the three turned to face them.
Naruto waved cheerfully at the newcomers.
"The woman in the middle is Terumi Mei-sama. She's the leader of this plan. The two beside her are Chojuro and Ao..." Zabuza provided introductions as they closed the distance.
By the time Naruto stood before them, the explanations were complete.
"Terumi Mei-sama, this is Uzumaki Naruto." Zabuza gestured to the blonde genin.
Terumi Mei's beautiful eyes studied Naruto carefully. He stood over 1.7 meters tall, with long golden hair flowing behind him. His azure blue eyes seemed to radiate light constantly. His face still showed traces of youth.
That was Terumi Mei's first impression.
However, if you think good looks alone are worth half the spoils, you're not qualified.
"Hello, I'm Terumi Mei." She extended her hand.
"Hello, big sister. My name is Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto took her hand lightly, shook it once, then released it. His gaze briefly, almost imperceptibly, flickered to her impressive figure before meeting her eyes again. "Big sister, you're very beautiful."
Hearing Naruto call her "big sister," Terumi Mei's eyes curved with pleasure. She smiled happily. What a sweet talker. And he's handsome too. Her affection for Naruto increased immediately.
Of course, this was based on Naruto's attractive appearance. A handsome person calling her "sister" was endearing. If some ugly guy tried it, Terumi Mei would punch his head clean off for daring to flirt with her.
Pleasant as the interaction was, business still needed to be conducted. Terumi Mei's expression grew more serious. "I heard from Zabuza that you want half the spoils as your condition for helping."
"That's right. Why, doesn't big sister think I'm worth that price?" Naruto's confidence was absolute. "In that case, big sister can test my strength here and now. I think after trying it, you'll feel that half the spoils is more than fair for my assistance."
"Oh? Little brother is quite confident. Well, I had the same idea anyway, so I won't hold back."
After Terumi Mei finished speaking, everyone else retreated, giving the two combatants space.
"Big sister, please attack first." Naruto settled into a relaxed stance, his tone calm.
For half the benefits and Kirigakure's future, Terumi Mei wouldn't show mercy. "Then be careful, little brother. I won't hold back."
"Water Style: Hidden Mist Jutsu! (Suiton: Kirigakure no Jutsu!)"
Instantly, thick mist poured from Terumi Mei's mouth, spreading in the blink of an eye to blanket the area. Vision blurred to nothing.
Naruto found himself surrounded by fog, unable to see Terumi Mei's figure. But he wasn't concerned. He could sense her position through Ki and blood detection.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet! (Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu!)"
Having released the concealment mist, Terumi Mei changed positions and launched a water dragon directly at Naruto. Under the cover of her Hidden Mist, Naruto couldn't see her, but she could lock onto his position perfectly.
This was her strategy.
Through the thick fog, Naruto stood quietly. Suddenly, a massive water dragon burst from the mist and charged toward him. Without panic, Naruto simply punched it. The water dragon exploded, spraying water everywhere.
"That didn't work? No matter. I have more..."
Despite Zabuza's high praise, Terumi Mei remained cautious. She hadn't arrogantly expected to defeat Naruto with a single technique.
"Lava Style: Melting Apparition Technique! (Yōton: Yōkai no Jutsu!)"
Terumi Mei spat burning acid from her mouth. The substance was highly corrosive and sticky. Any contact would melt flesh from bone.
Standing in the fog, Naruto sensed Terumi Mei constantly shifting positions while launching ninjutsu attacks. He muttered to himself, "It's not good manners to let a woman do all the work. I should take the initiative."
Naruto moved.
"What? So fast! I can't lock onto him!" Under the mist, Terumi Mei suddenly lost track of Naruto's position. Her expression changed drastically.
The next second, she felt wind behind her.
Wind? The moment she sensed it, Terumi Mei knew Naruto had closed the distance. She jumped to evade, but just as she left the ground, she felt herself caught in a burning embrace.
"Mountain Embrace!" Naruto's voice whispered from behind her.
A pair of powerful arms wrapped tightly around her waist. Terumi Mei clearly felt herself being compressed, her ribs creaking under the pressure.
"Body Flicker Technique! (Shunshin no Jutsu!)"
She immediately tried to use the escape technique to break free.
In the next instant, Terumi Mei felt high-frequency vibrations emanating from both arms. Under this rapid oscillation, her entire nervous system went haywire. Her nerves, subjected to the intense vibration, became completely unresponsive. Her vision blurred. Her body went weak.
She felt something warm and moist threatening to escape her control.
"Stop! I surrender!" Terumi Mei struggled to maintain her composure, begging Naruto for mercy.
Seeing her submission, Naruto released his grip and vanished instantly. When he reappeared several meters away, he watched in confusion as Terumi Mei launched another Water Dragon Bullet—aimed at herself.
The water drenched Terumi Mei completely from head to toe.
The fog dissipated. Terumi Mei shot Naruto a resentful glare. As for why she'd used a Water Dragon Bullet on herself at the end, it was because in that final moment, she'd lost control of certain... urges.
The water dragon was to hide the evidence.