The Familiar Feeling Remained

After seeing Kakashi vanish just like that without offering so much as an extra word of explanation, the other three did not react much, but Sakura felt as though her whole inner world had gone Spartan. He could do something like that!?

What did he mean by the last task? Teacher Kakashi, you had to explain yourself before leaving!

Sakura felt an indescribable knot in her heart, even a faint sense of collapse. She truly had not expected their assigned jonin instructor to be such an unreliable person. Did Team Seven really have a future? Would it truly be nothing but darkness ahead?

"Brother Kakashi, that guy!"

Naruto gritted his teeth as well.

However, he had long grown used to Kakashi's personality. Getting him to act serious was harder than climbing to the heavens, wasn't it?

So the question now was whether they really had to go to the Second Training Ground at five tomorrow. Based on Naruto's understanding of Kakashi, that guy would definitely be several hours late for most things!

Of course, he would not be careless when it came to important matters like missions or summons from the Hokage. Looking at it from that perspective...

"Tomorrow should be fine, right?"

Naruto muttered.

"Huh? Naruto-kun, what did you just say?"

Sakura Haruno turned to Naruto with a puzzled look and asked.

"I mean, Brother Kakashi is a habitual latecomer, just like today. I'm wondering whether, for tomorrow's meeting, Brother Kakashi might deliberately make us wait there for a long time again!"

Naruto said with a deeply troubled expression.

"Huh? Really!?"

Sakura's eyes widened instantly upon hearing Naruto's words.

Sasuke, who had already risen to his feet, frowned as well.

"But no matter what, we still have to gather at five, don't we? After all, it is an order from our superior. Don't forget, we're no longer students at the Ninja Academy. We are official ninjas now!"

Menma spoke calmly from the side.

Menma knew this part of the Original Work far too well. Kakashi had not been late either time. Rather, he had arrived early and hidden nearby to secretly observe them. This was Kakashi's first truly meaningful test for Team Seven.

Therefore, Menma would not bother considering whether Kakashi would be late or not. As for breakfast, there was no need to listen to Kakashi about that. Eat when it was time to eat, drink when it was time to drink. He could not make himself suffer!

As the others heard Menma's words,

Sasuke and Naruto were briefly stunned before slowly nodding. Only Sakura was still half a beat behind. She seemed not to have fully processed it yet, nodding along as though she only half understood.

"Well, tomorrow is important after all. Brother Kakashi probably won't be late!"

Naruto said with a grin.

"Well, the timing's pretty good right now. How about the four of us go get something to eat together? We can celebrate the formation of Team Seven?"

His gaze clearly shifted toward Sasuke and Menma as he asked.

Sakura Haruno's eyes immediately lit up. She looked at Menma and Sasuke with hopeful eyes, especially the latter.

"No, I'm not going. I have other things to do!"

Sasuke shook his head in refusal with a calm expression.

Whoosh!

Immediately afterward, he leaped from the rooftop and swiftly disappeared into the distance by way of the surrounding roofs.

"Well, there will be plenty of opportunities later. Let's leave it at that for today. I'll be going too, Naruto, Sakura."

Menma also smiled and shook his head in refusal. After giving a slight bow,

his figure flashed, and without giving Naruto a chance to say another word, he too left and headed back toward his home.

"Hey..."

Watching Menma and Sasuke vanish one after the other,

Naruto put his hands on his hips and revealed a helpless expression. Still, this was not the first time such a thing had happened.

Hadn't Menma and Sasuke also skipped the graduation dinner last time?

"Those two are way too antisocial. 'There will be plenty of opportunities later,' my foot. Seriously!"

Naruto said indignantly.

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it. Sakura, since those two aren't going, it would feel kind of strange if only the two of us went. Let's wait until next time, Sakura!"

Naruto turned to Sakura Haruno and said.

"Mm, I'm fine with anything!"

Although Sakura also felt very disappointed and was already screaming in frustration inside, she still tried hard to put on a ladylike expression as she nodded in response.

"See you tomorrow, then!"

After smiling and waving to Sakura,

Whoosh!

Naruto's figure flashed as well, and he leaped down from the rooftop, racing off in a different direction from the other two.

As she watched Naruto's departing back,

Sakura Haruno's face fell at once.

This was supposed to be such a happy, blissful day!

So why did she feel so utterly empty now!?

No, Sakura Haruno, you have to pull yourself together. This is only the first day. You're a capable girl! Right! You have to keep it up!

Sakura lightly slapped her cheeks with both hands, encouraging herself.

After taking one last deep look in the directions Sasuke, Naruto, and Menma had each left in, Sakura Haruno took a deep breath, clenched her small hands into fists, and gave them two little pumps before finally turning around and leaving the Ninja Academy.

The plot was still unfolding without any ripples. For now, it could not be called good or bad, but for Menma, the absence of surprises was the best thing possible!

Next came the real countdown!

Menma silently thought to himself.

The next day, at 4:20 in the morning.

Menma got out of bed right on time. After washing up briefly and eating breakfast, he set out for the Second Training Ground.

By the time Menma arrived, there were still a few minutes before the agreed time. However, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura had all reached the Second Training Ground before him. Sasuke did not show it outwardly, but Naruto and Sakura clearly looked a little listless.

"Oh! Menma, good morning!"

However, upon seeing Menma,

Naruto still mustered his energy and greeted him in his loudest voice.

"Mm, good morning, Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke!"

Menma smiled faintly and greeted them softly.

"Good morning, Menma-kun!"

Sakura seemed to snap awake from her groggy state at once. She lightly brushed back her hair and replied.

Sasuke, leaning against the trunk of a large tree, merely nodded faintly with an indifferent expression as his response.