"Sasuke, are you alright?"
After the matter with Gaara had come to an end, Naruto returned to Sasuke's side. Together with Sakura, he helped support him as they headed toward Konoha.
"I can't believe you beat that monster."
Sasuke had already returned from that world-shaking battle to reality. He gave Naruto a complicated look. This time, Naruto had handled the trouble perfectly well without his help, and he felt somewhat unwilling to accept it.
"Sasuke, you worked hard. If you hadn't drained so much of Gaara's stamina, I probably wouldn't have been able to beat him either. I mean, the fight after that monster disappeared."
Naruto seemed to know what Sasuke was thinking and naturally thanked him. Neither Shukaku nor the Nine-Tails was truly their own power. With both removed from the equation, Naruto probably could not have broken Gaara's absolute defense. From the Cursed Seal on Sasuke's body, he could tell just how desperately Sasuke had fought to defeat Gaara. It was Sasuke's efforts that had opened Gaara's heart.
"Hmph."
"Naruto, what was that fox?"
Sakura finally could no longer restrain her curiosity and asked Naruto.
"That was a Summoning Jutsu. I summoned it. It looked like a fox, but it was actually a toad."
Naruto could not lie. Trying to bluff his way through was even harder than fighting Orochimaru, and he had only barely managed to come up with such a bizarre answer.
"A-a toad?"
Sakura's eyebrow twitched. Naruto's lie was far too obvious. How bad would her eyesight have to be to mistake a toad for a fox?
"Sakura, don't ask."
Sasuke shook his head. Everyone had their own secrets, and Naruto likely had more secrets than most. But none of that mattered. As long as Naruto was still his companion, that was enough.
"Okay."