Land of Fire - Konoha
The afterglow of the sun shone on the Training Ground, casting long shadows of the three men.
Tears streamed down Rock Lee's face, his fists clenched tightly, as he shouted towards the Heavenly Screen, "Naruto--! That was awesome!! When you come back, I'm going to treat you to a hundred bowls of Ichiraku Ramen!! No, two hundred bowls!!"
He was so excited he almost jumped for joy, nearly doing a backflip and falling into the ditch beside him. Tenten Tian, quick as a flash, grabbed his belt and sighed helplessly, "Idiot, calm down..."
Even though she knew the projection on the Heavenly Screen was only a possibility of the future, her fingertips still trembled uncontrollably when she saw Teacher Kai's carbonized body. (If that really happened...) She dared not think any further and could only slap her cheeks hard.
"Anyway... it's good that Teacher Kai is alright."
Neji stood to the side with his arms crossed, his Byakugan fixed on the final image that froze on the Heavenly Screen — Naruto in Sage Mode, his entire body enveloped in golden Chakra, his confident demeanor truly befitting the title of "Child of Prophecy."
(Could this guy really become the one to change the Shinobi World in the future?)
But the next second, his thoughts suddenly jumped to the earlier content of the sky screen—Hinata confessing her love to Naruto, while in reality Naruto was like a block of wood, completely unresponsive.
Click.
Suddenly, several thin cracks appeared in the stone slab beneath Neji's feet.
(This guy is at the very bottom...)
Several veins bulged around the Byakugan of his eyes.
Tenten keenly sensed that something was wrong. She turned her head and immediately felt her hair stand on end— Neji, though expressionless, was radiating Chakra that was practically boiling water!
"Ne... Neji?" she asked cautiously, "Are you alright...?"
Neji took a deep breath and closed his Byakugan.
"It's nothing," he said calmly. "I'm just considering whether to prepare a 'welcome gift' for Naruto upon his return to the village."
Completely oblivious to the danger, Rock Lee excitedly leaned closer. "Oh! What is it? Is it some kind of youthful, high-energy training?!"
Neji smiled slightly, a smile that made Tenten unconsciously take a half step back.
"A gift that is even more 'profound' than that."
In the distant woods, several birds suddenly took flight in fright.
Under the shade of the trees, Ino rested her chin on her hands, her eyes shining as she stared in the direction where the Heavenly Screen had disappeared.
"Wow--! Naruto's last save was absolutely awesome!" She swung her legs excitedly, "Although it's still a little bit less impressive than Sasuke-kun's ~"
Choji stuffed a handful of potato chips into his mouth and mumbled, "Mmm! Guy-sensei was so scary just now... When Naruto comes back, I'm definitely going to treat him to barbecue! And there'll be plenty of the Akimichi Clan's secret sauce!"
Shikamaru leaned lazily against the tree trunk, a faint smile playing on his lips. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on his face, obscuring his eyes.
(This guy... really has the makings of a protagonist.)
He recalled Naruto's determined profile in the Heavenly Screen —a stark contrast to the current village resident who constantly proclaimed, "I want to be Hokage."
(It can turn an idiot into that...)
Shikamaru's thoughts suddenly drifted further away. He remembered the last time he saw Naruto before leaving the village: the blond boy, carrying a bulging ninja tool bag, waved goodbye casually, his smile so bright it was almost blinding.
The Naruto in the Heavenly Screen had something heavy weighing on his eyes.
(The only thing that can drastically change a person is the loss of someone important...)
This thought caused Shikamaru's fingers to clench unconsciously.
"Hey, Shikamaru!" Ino suddenly leaned over, interrupting his thoughts, "What are you daydreaming about? Are you jealous that Naruto is more handsome than you?"
"Ugh? This is such a pain..." Shikamaru scratched his head, deliberately drawing out the words, "I was just thinking, when that guy gets back, he's going to cause chaos all over the village again..."
Choji suddenly stopped chewing and said seriously, "But if it's Naruto like that... it'll definitely be fine."
The three of them looked up at the sky simultaneously.
A gentle breeze swept by, carrying away a fallen leaf. Shikamaru caught it, stared at its veins for a moment, and then suddenly chuckled.
(Well... who can predict the future?)
He casually flicked the leaf into the air, watching it swirl and fly into the distance.
On Konoha's main street, the crowd had not yet dispersed, discussing in twos and threes the final scene in the Heavenly Screen.
Kiba, arms crossed behind his head, grinned, revealing a row of sharp teeth. "Damn it! Naruto's last kick was so cool! He was just like the protagonist of a shonen manga!"
Akamaru perched on his shoulder, barking excitedly twice, its tail wagging like a propeller.
"Haha! Akamaru, you think so too, right?!" Kiba ruffled Akamaru's hair, then pumped his fist with high spirits. "Just you wait! In the future, I, too, will become a hero who turns the tide!"
Hinata stood to the side, her hands unconsciously twisting together, a faint blush on her cheeks. Her gaze was still fixed on the spot where the Heavenly Screen had disappeared, her mind filled with the resolute profile of Naruto when he saved Guy-sensei.
(Naruto-kun... he's always so dazzling, no matter what...)
She pursed her lips slightly, and a gentle smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.
Kiba suddenly looked around, as if he had finally realized something was wrong. "Hey? Hinata, where's Shino? How come he disappeared in the blink of an eye?"
Hinata snapped out of her daze and blinked. "Ah, Shino- kun said... he's going to see the Lord Hokage."
"Huh?!" Ya's eyes widened. "When did this happen? How come I didn't notice at all?!"
Akamaru tilted his head and made a "Huh?" sound, clearly unaware of when Shino had left.
Hinata lowered her head somewhat embarrassedly. "He just... slipped away quietly while everyone was looking at the Heavenly Screen."
Ya scratched his head, looking speechless. "This guy is still the same old elusive fellow! Can't he tell us if he needs anything?"
Hinata gently shook her head. "Shino- kun... he probably has something important to do."
Shino stood on the steps of the Hokage Building and adjusted his sunglasses.
The image of Naruto saving Guy in the Heavenly Screen finally eased some of the tension in his shoulders.
(Thankfully... Teacher Kai is alright.)
But at that moment, he had another important matter on his mind.
He looked up at the window of the Hokage's office, took a deep breath, and stepped up the stairs.
(Lady Tsunade... she'll probably agree, right?)
He had been thinking about this matter ever since the last family meeting. Now, he had finally made up his mind.
(Torune...)
(It's time to see you.)
Several jet-black Kikaichū silently fluttered their wings from his sleeve, as if responding to his determination.
Under the lights of the medical ward, Sakura's pen scratched softly on the paper.
The light and shadow of the Heavenly Screen had long since dissipated, but the image remained vividly in her mind— Naruto's dashing rescue, the moment he kicked away the Truth-Seeking Orb, his Sage Mode expression serious.
(Naruto... he's become so reliable.)
The pen suddenly stopped, and the ink smudged onto the medical record, leaving a small dot. She recalled the Heavenly Screen image: the battle between Naruto and Sasuke, in which she had only managed a few dry words at the beginning. That feeling of powerlessness pierced her heart like a thorn.
"Smack!"
She suddenly closed her medical record, startling the nurse next door who was tidying up the equipment.
"Sakura?"
"It's nothing." Sakura forced a smile, and after the nurse left, she suddenly slapped her cheeks with both hands. Red marks immediately appeared on her fair skin.
(Why am I being so down?!)
The glass window reflected her biting her lower lip, and Kakkō gradually ignited in her emerald green eyes.
(Lady Tsunade said, medical-nin are the last line of defense on the battlefield--)
(Since there are no Tailed Beasts or Sharingan...)
She suddenly opened the drawer and took out a treasured scroll. It was a secret manual sent from the Shikkotsu Forest last week, containing forbidden techniques that even Senior Sister Shizune had not yet mastered.
(Let's use these hands to pave the way!)
As she gripped the pen tightly again, fine cracks appeared on its barrel. The shouts from the Training Ground drifted in from outside the window, mingling with her whispered vow:
Just wait and see... I will definitely not be a burden to anyone in the future.