Two Days Later, Training Ground Seven

  "What?! Naruto, you’re leaving the vilge to train?!"

  Sakura Haruno's face was filled with shock. "What about Sasuke and me?"

  Yes! Yes! Yes! She nearly jumped with joy in her heart.

  Without Naruto, the "third wheel," she might finally have a ce to get closer to Sasuke, maybe eve married...

  "Hey!" Naruto shouted, pointing at the strange, blushing smile on Sakura's face. "Pervy Sage, I don’t want to leave for training anymore!"

  Whack! Jiraiya expertly bonked Naruto on the head. "What’s wrong with you, brat? Don’t back out on what you’ve already agreed to."

  "Do your best, Naruto~," Kakashi said with a smile, waving one hand while holding a fresh, unreleased volume of Icha Icha Paradise iher. "Make sure you learn a lot from Jiraiya-sama."

  "Seriously, Kakashi-sehat’s so me!" Naruto grumbled, clearly unhappy with his sensei's betrayal.

  Sakura, meanwhile, had a different thought. This white-haired guy seems really strong...

  If even Kakashi-sensei, who called him "Jiraiya-sama," respected him, then he must be amazing. Sasuke was already so much stronger, and now even Naruto...

  That meant she would be the weakest link, uo keep up with her teammates.

  She lowered her head, looking despo.

  Suddenly, a hand nded gently on her head.

  "Sakura, I think you have a lot of talent isu," Kakashi said as he ruffled her hair. "I’m not very skilled at it, so I’ve arranged for someone else to teach you."

  Not very skilled? A three-tomoe Sharingan user g that was almost ically humble.

  Sakura looked up at her teacher’s kind smile, feeling deeply moved.

  From now on, no matter how much you read those dirty books, Kakashi-sensei, I won’t say a bad word about you!

  Standing nearby, Sasuke, retly discharged from the hospital, asked calmly, "So, does that mean our team only has two people now?"

  He seemed more ed about how missions would proceed with one member missing.

  "And why, exactly, are all of you here disturbing my training?" Link, standing off to the side, asked with a touch of irritation.

  He had been training peacefully until this impromptu gathering turhe quiet Training Ground Seven into a bustling market.

  "Link, I’ll miss you," Naruto said dramatically, pg a hand on his shoulder and wearing an exaggeratedly sorrowful expression.

  Link gave Naruto an incredulous look. " you answer my question first? And besides, you’re just leaving for training, right? You’ll e back eventually."

  "Well..." Kakashi, still engrossed in his Icha Icha Paradise, answered zily. "Sasuke likes to e here every day, and Naruto and Sakura just get lonely without him."

  "Sensei, what are you even talking about?!" Naruto excimed, his face turning red.

  Why are you blushing?! Link wondered.

  Sakura, meanwhile, csped her hands in front of her chest, gng shyly at Sasuke.

  "B." Sasuke turned his face away, dismissing the whole iion with two words.

  Link gri them. Sasuke, for all his aloofness, you do care a bit, don’t you?

  Once filled with vengeance, Sasuke had bee a slightly awkward but determined youth thanks to Link’s intervention. It was satisfying to see.

  Jiraiya stroked his thoughtfully. "Naruto, we o leave quickly. Otherwise—"

  "Otherwise—?" Naruto and Sakura looked at him expetly.

  "We’ll miss the m sales at Fun Fun Street," Jiraiya said seriously.

  "You're the worst, Pervy Sage!" Naruto pined loudly.

  Fun Fun Street? Isn’t that...

  Sakura remembered hearing some gossip a her expressioral, though internally, she was screaming. Naruto’s teacher is even more of a pervert than he is?!

  Her small jealousy over Naruto’s eacher dissipated entirely amidst the otion.

  "Everyone," Naruto said sincerely, "I’ll miss you all."

  "Safe travels," Link replied warmly.

  "Don’t embarrass Team Seven," Sakura said, crossing her arms.

  "Good luck~," Kakashi said, waving absentmindedly.

  "That’s so half-hearted, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto protested.

  Sasuke, under everyone’s gaze, hesitated for a moment before saying, "Safe travels."

  Naruto stood with his hands on his hips. "Sasuke, when I e back, I’ll be strong enough to beat you! And then—"

  "Let’s go, brat," Jiraiya interrupted, pushing him forward with a ugh. "Goodbye, everyone."

  "Hey, Pervy Sage, let me finish!" Naruto yelled as the two left, bickering like father and son.

  Watg them disappear into the distance, Sasuke seemed momentarily lost in thought.

  Kakashi broke the silence. "Speaking of which, someone new will be assigo our team to fill Naruto’s spot."

  "Huh?" Sakura looked surprised.

  Sasuke snapped out of his thoughts but said nothing.

  I just hope it’s not someone who’ll slow us down.

  …

  Later That Afternoon, Hokage’s Office, Jonin Ready Room

  "Haaah..."

  Anko Mitarashi yawned in boredom, flipping through a magazine.

  Jonin without missions or team responsibilities often waited in the ready room for orders from the Hokage or to respond to emergencies. However, with the ret peace talks with the Sunagakure, most Jonin were idle.

  Having just experiehe Konoha Crush, the vilge wasn’t expeg any emergencies.

  It was dull.

  Creak.

  Link pushed open the dng around the spacious room. A few Jonin were scattered about, minding their own business. No one paid much attention to the newer.

  It was his first time here. Normally, as a mediinja, he wouldn’t o wait in the Jonin ready room. But an Anbu had informed him that the Hokage had a special mission for him.

  What kind of mission requires me specifically?

  "Link!" a cheerful voice called out, drawing attention as Anko practically leapt at him, enveloping him in a hug.

  Why does this keep happening? he wondered, resigned.

  Bleam