"Is the battle over already?"
On a large tree branch not far from the battlefield, four figures perched precariously. Chojuro, Ao, Zabuza, and Haku crowded together, their combined weight bending the branch dangerously. It groaned and swayed, threatening to snap at any moment.
"I think... I heard Terumi Mei-sama begging for mercy." Haku looked down at the mist-shrouded clearing below, then lifted his gaze to Chojuro and Ao. His voice was soft, almost apologetic.
"Impossible!" Chojuro's reaction was immediate and fierce. As a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, his temper ran hot, especially when it concerned Terumi Mei. "Terumi Mei-sama would never beg for mercy from some brat!"
His admiration for Terumi Mei was well-known. The very suggestion that she'd been beaten into submission by an unknown boy was intolerable. Chojuro's hands clenched the branch beneath him, knuckles white.
Ao, older and more experienced, kept his thoughts to himself. Even if he didn't believe Terumi Mei could lose to that young man, he was wise enough not to say it aloud. Instead, he studied Zabuza and Haku's expressions carefully.
What he saw gave him pause. After Haku had suggested Terumi Mei's defeat, Zabuza's face showed absolutely no surprise. In fact, his expression was completely natural, as if he'd known the outcome before the battle even began. As if victory for Naruto was simply inevitable.
Could that boy truly be as powerful as Zabuza and Haku claim?
"It's too early for conclusions," Zabuza said, his voice carrying an edge of indifference as he glanced at Chojuro. "Just wait. The result will reveal itself soon enough."
The moment Zabuza finished speaking, the fog below began to dissipate.
The figures of Terumi Mei and Naruto slowly emerged from the thinning mist.
They stood more than ten meters apart. Naruto's face was calm, his breathing steady and even, as if he hadn't participated in any battle at all. He looked exactly as he had when he'd first arrived—completely relaxed, utterly composed.
Terumi Mei, on the other hand, was drenched from head to toe. Her face flushed pink, her eyes unfocused and glazed. Her chest rose and fell violently, the impressive curves of her figure drawing the eye despite the situation.
Seeing Terumi Mei's condition, Chojuro and Ao felt their stomachs drop. Did Terumi Mei-sama truly lose? To this unknown young man?
Zabuza and Haku remained much calmer. They'd both experienced Naruto's power firsthand. They'd never doubted he would win.
All four figures dropped from the tree simultaneously. The bent branch finally sprang back up with a relieved creak. Zabuza and Haku landed beside Naruto while Chojuro and Ao rushed to Terumi Mei's side.
"Terumi Mei-sama, are you alright?" Chojuro's voice carried genuine concern as he took in her trembling form.
Ao said nothing, but his single eye studied her with equal worry. Terumi Mei held tremendous importance in their hearts. She was their leader, the one who would overthrow Yagura's tyranny. They couldn't afford to lose her.
"I'm... fine." Terumi Mei's breathing gradually steadied as the numbness in her body faded. She straightened, meeting their gazes with effort.
"Then, Terumi Mei-sama..." Chojuro leaned forward eagerly. "What was the outcome?"
"I lost." The admission came without hesitation, without shame.
Chojuro's eager expression crumpled. The defeat of someone he so deeply admired was difficult to accept.
Ao sighed, though not because of the loss itself. His mind worked through the political implications. Terumi Mei's defeat meant accepting Naruto as an ally, which meant ceding half their spoils. Under Yagura's rule, Kirigakure's economy had collapsed. Even with complete victory, rebuilding would be nightmarish. Giving up half their resources would make that nightmare exponentially worse.
For Terumi Mei, defeat was simply defeat. She wasn't someone who made excuses. But seeing Chojuro and Ao's heavy expressions, she glanced down at herself.
The water dragon she'd used to cover her loss of control had left her completely soaked. Her off-shoulder dress clung to her fair skin like a second layer, the fabric transparent enough to reveal far more than intended.
Realizing this, Terumi Mei quickly formed hand seals. Chakra flared, generating intense heat that evaporated the water into steam. Vapor curled up from her body in thick clouds.
When the steam cleared, Terumi Mei walked toward Naruto, her expression serious and professional. "Naruto, I lost. According to our agreement, half the spoils will belong to you. Zabuza discussed this with you already, correct?"
Naruto nodded. "Yes, he explained everything."
Terumi Mei studied the young man before her. It was difficult to imagine someone so young possessing such tremendous power. Who could have trained such an exceptional ninja?
Curiosity got the better of her. "Naruto, who is your sensei?"
Naruto saw no reason to hide the information. Kakashi wasn't someone to be ashamed of, and his identity wasn't exactly top secret. "My sensei is Hatake Kakashi."
"Hatake Kakashi?" Terumi Mei's eyes lit up with recognition. "The Copy Ninja of Konoha?"
"That's him." Naruto confirmed.
"I never would have imagined Kakashi could train a ninja as exceptional as you." Terumi Mei's eyebrows rose thoughtfully. "Though honestly, with your abilities, I'm more inclined to believe the saying: the master shows the path, but the student walks it themselves."
"Haha, you're absolutely right. My overall strength really doesn't have much to do with Kakashi-sensei." Naruto laughed, admitting it without embarrassment.
The truth was, Kakashi hadn't taught Naruto much of anything. In Kakashi's eyes, Naruto no longer needed conventional instruction. The boy had already surpassed what Kakashi could offer.
As the saying went: teach the student to surpass the master. But Kakashi hadn't taught Naruto, yet the boy already had the strength to defeat him. If Kakashi tried to teach him now, he'd probably just embarrass himself.
Not that Kakashi was unwilling to help. It was simply that Naruto had committed himself entirely to the path of Ultimate Taijutsu. He didn't need ninjutsu instruction.
"Naruto, I have a request." Terumi Mei's expression grew serious, almost vulnerable. "I don't know if I should ask this, but..."
She took a breath. "Your strength is unquestionable. But when the day comes for real action, I hope you'll go all out. That will reduce casualties among my Kirigakure ninja."
Her eyes dimmed, voice heavy with old pain. "Under Yagura's rule, so many were slaughtered. Now, every single Kirigakure ninja is precious to us."
"Don't worry about that," Naruto said firmly. "I'll take the lead when the time comes."
After a moment's thought, he asked, "When are you planning to act?"
Terumi Mei gestured toward Zabuza. "Zabuza works at your farm now. When the day comes, I'll have him inform you in advance."
"Sounds good. But wait until after my Chūnin Exam."
"The Chūnin Exam?"
All three—Terumi Mei, Chojuro, and Ao—exclaimed in unison, their voices overlapping in shock.
This guy is taking the Chūnin Exam?
Seeing their exaggerated reactions, Naruto smiled wryly. "Yes, the Chūnin Exam. This time, it's being held entirely in Konohagakure. You knew about that, right?"
"We knew." All three nodded. As Kirigakure's upper leadership, they were well aware of the exam.
"So I'm participating. After all, I'm still just a genin."
Still a genin?
"This is Konoha's standard for genin?!"
The faces of Terumi Mei, Chojuro, and Ao went through a spectacular range of expressions. Terumi Mei's reaction was the most dramatic. With this level of strength, he'd be comparable to a Kage in most villages. And Konoha calls him a genin?
She couldn't help but complain, "Naruto, with your strength, taking the Chūnin Exam isn't just participating. It's massacre! You're not planning to give other candidates any chance at survival, are you?!"
Chojuro and Ao nodded vigorously in agreement.
"Well..." Naruto coughed lightly, looking somewhat embarrassed. "You don't actually think I care about passing the Chūnin Exam, do you? That's not why I'm taking it."
He met Terumi Mei's gaze directly. "When the exam begins, ninja from every major village will gather in Konoha. That's my real goal. I want to meet them. Become friends with them. That's what I'm there for."
Hearing this explanation, Terumi Mei's expression softened with understanding. That makes sense. But it raised another question. "Naruto, why do you like making friends so much?"
The question seemed innocent enough, but Terumi Mei's mind was already working through the political implications. If Naruto genuinely loved making friends, she wouldn't mind arranging for some Kirigakure ninja to befriend him. Building goodwill now could lead to deeper cooperation later.
Such was the nature of adult diplomacy.
"Yes." Naruto's expression grew serious, his voice carrying quiet conviction. "Making friends is my dream. My life's dream. I want to have many, many friends. Starting with Konoha, and eventually expanding to the entire ninja world. That's my ultimate goal."
His blue eyes seemed to look past them, seeing something distant. "When I was young, I didn't have any friends. I was completely alone. No one to play with. No one to talk to. Back then, I swore that when I grew up, I'd have so many friends I'd never feel lonely again."
The simple words, spoken without self-pity or drama, hit Terumi Mei like a physical blow. Her heart softened immediately, maternal instinct rising unbidden. She wanted to pull this poor child into her arms and comfort him. Such simple words, yet they conveyed such profound pain.
People were like that. The older you got, the more you experienced, the softer certain things made you. Sometimes a single sentence could break through all your defenses.
Terumi Mei found herself deeply moved. Beneath such tremendous power, behind such a handsome face, this unknown suffering had been buried all along.
Then she remembered the vibrating technique Naruto had used on her moments ago. The thought of embracing him while that power was active made her reconsider. I'd probably end up as brain pudding.
Instead, she offered encouragement. "Little Naruto, your dream will definitely come true."
"I know." Naruto's smile returned, bright and genuine. "The number of friends around me is already growing."
Hearing this, Zabuza's mouth twitched involuntarily.
"Alright, we've discussed everything important." Naruto clapped his hands together. "When you're ready to act, just send word through Zabuza. I'll come help immediately."
"Understood. Then let's part ways here. I'll send a message when it's time." Terumi Mei sensed the conversation had run its course. If they kept talking, certain people would probably grow impatient.
Naruto departed slowly with Zabuza and Haku, their figures gradually disappearing into the forest.
Watching them leave, Chojuro's expression remained troubled. "Is that Naruto really as strong as it seemed?"
Terumi Mei observed until the three vanished from sight entirely, then turned to Chojuro. "Do you think I lost too quickly?"
The question was precisely what bothered Chojuro. The entire battle had lasted only minutes. The four observers hadn't been able to see the specific details at all.
To answer both Chojuro and Ao's doubts, Terumi Mei began explaining patiently. "My Water Style: Hidden Mist Jutsu )—you both know its capabilities. Even Sharingan and Byakugan can't see through my mist. But Naruto..." She paused, shaking her head. "He could locate my position perfectly no matter where I moved. He pinpointed me with complete accuracy through the fog."
Her expression grew thoughtful. "So I'm certain that Naruto possesses some ability more powerful than Sharingan or Byakugan. Something that allowed him to track me through complete concealment."
"An ability more powerful than Sharingan and Byakugan?" Chojuro and Ao exchanged uncertain glances.
Terumi Mei was actually overthinking it. Naruto's eyes were perfectly ordinary. He'd located her through Ki and blood sensing. All living people had Ki and blood flowing through them. Only the dead lacked it.
Just as Naruto had sensed Haku's position and even distinguished Haku's gender through Ki and blood patterns, he'd done the same with Terumi Mei. In fact, with her more... substantial figure, Terumi Mei had been like two bright lanterns in the darkness. Impossible to miss.
Sometimes, being well-endowed had its disadvantages.
"That's not all," Terumi Mei continued. "Naruto's speed was incomprehensible. He was beside me before I could even react. I couldn't see his movements at all. I don't think even Sharingan or Byakugan could track speed like that."
She paused meaningfully. "Now, think about Naruto's appearance. Doesn't he remind you of someone? A man who once nearly conquered the entire ninja world?"
Chojuro and Ao began recalling Naruto's features. Long golden hair. Blue eyes. Suddenly, realization struck them simultaneously.
"You mean Yellow Flash? Namikaze Minato, Konoha's Fourth Hokage?"
"Exactly." Terumi Mei nodded. "Only the Flying Thunder God Technique (Hiraishin no Jutsu) could produce that kind of speed. The surname Uzumaki. Long golden hair. Blue eyes. Incomprehensible velocity. All of it points to one conclusion: Uzumaki Naruto is the Yellow Flash's son."
"That explains everything," Chojuro and Ao said in unison, their doubts finally resolved.
"Moreover, Naruto's true strength is definitely greater than what I witnessed." Terumi Mei's voice carried absolute certainty. "I could tell from fighting him. He wasn't trying his hardest."
She straightened, gesturing back toward Kirigakure. "Anyway, let's return."
"Yes, Terumi Mei-sama." Chojuro and Ao fell into step behind her as they headed home.
After returning to Kirigakure, Terumi Mei went straight to her residence. The first thing she did was change clothes. Even though she'd dried the dress with chakra, wearing it made her deeply uncomfortable.
Because every time she looked at it, she remembered that strange feeling.
Better to just change.
Actually, she went further than that. Terumi Mei took a full shower before emerging.
Standing before her full-length mirror, she studied her reflection. Though she'd changed into loose home clothes, her excellent figure was still evident. Her damp hair fell randomly across her shoulders. The post-bath glow gave her an ethereal quality.
She reached up, touching her lower lip with one finger. Unbidden, her mind returned to that sensation during the battle. That feeling of losing control, of something fundamental shifting.
As a strong, independent woman, Terumi Mei had remained unmarried at thirty-one. Naturally, she'd never experienced... certain things. After fighting Naruto, it felt as though he'd opened the door to an entirely new world.
A world she couldn't stop thinking about.
"You can't fall into this, Terumi Mei," she told her reflection sternly. "You still have so much to accomplish. You haven't saved Kirigakure yet."
But then another thought crept in, softer and more tempting. "However... after Yagura's rule is overthrown and Kirigakure is back on track, maybe I could learn that powerful technique from Naruto."
The possibility seemed reasonable. Plausible, even.
"Knowing Naruto's personality, he'd probably charge me a fortune for teaching it." Terumi Mei's lips curved into a small smile. "But that's fine. After I learn that vibration technique, I can handle things myself. Self-sufficiency and all that."
Her mind made up, Terumi Mei nodded at her reflection, already planning her future negotiations.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Writing takes time, coffee, and a lot of love.If you'd like to support my work, join me at [email protected]/GoldenGaruda
You'll get early access to over 50 chapters, selection on new series, and the satisfaction of knowing your support directly fuels more stories.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~