The Mission Ends and Training Begins: The Rasengan Is the Goal

"Sasuke Uchiha...

I hope that when we meet again, we will be friends rather than enemies!

Most importantly, never throw away the bonds you cherish...

That was the key to your victory over me today, and also the most precious thing you possess."

Seeing that they were about to leave, Haku forced himself to perk up and looked at Sasuke with a complicated expression.

If he could have helped it, he truly had not wanted to kill them before!

Unfortunately, the strength Sasuke had unleashed had forced him to go all out.

Now that things had turned out this way, he was sincerely offering them comfort...

[Haku's advice detected. C-rank Reward triggered.

Mission: Protect Bonds; Reward: 0.3 cards of Chakra...]

Sasuke's previously indifferent pupils contracted, and his gaze toward Haku grew even gentler...

At this moment, he was immensely grateful for the fickleness he had once despised so deeply!

The world of Hokage truly deserved its reputation as a place overflowing with talk-no-jutsu...

"You don't need to worry about that...

Sasuke-kun will certainly protect our bonds!

And besides, he won't like you..."

Just as Sasuke was about to speak, Sakura stared warily at Haku and beat him to it.

She had seen the change in Sasuke's expression perfectly clearly just now...

She could not let Sasuke-kun get whisked away by this beautiful, powerful female ninja!

Sasuke's mouth twitched slightly at her words, but he nodded in tacit agreement.

"Is that so?

I see, you like Sasuke, don't you!

But...

You're jealous over nothing. I'm a boy!!"

Haku froze for a moment, then burst into a weak laugh.

Sakura and Naruto's eyes both bulged out...

They stared at that somewhat disheveled yet beautiful girlish face, questioning their entire lives...

"Let's go, Haku..."

Zabuza said coldly without changing expression, carrying Haku toward the underside of the bridge without looking back.

"That Zabuza guy failed the mission and he's still so arrogant...

And how is such a pretty girl actually a boy??

That's way too ridiculous..."

Watching their backs disappear, Naruto complained as he clutched his hair in confusion.

He was obviously such a pretty girl...

"Exactly..."

Sakura hurriedly nodded along, deeply suspicious that Haku was lying.

[Mission completed. Reward obtained: Ninpō: Mist Body Flicker...]

[Mission completed. Reward obtained: 0.3 cards of Chakra...]

While the two of them exchanged gossiping looks, system rewards also rang out in Sasuke's ears.

His Chakra, already strengthened by the Two-Tomoe Sharingan, surged dramatically once more...

Sasuke secretly glanced at his personal attributes. His Chakra had risen from 0.6 cards to 1 card.

As for Mist Body Flicker, it was exactly what its name implied...

It was a Body Flicker Technique that used mist for high-speed movement. Combined with the concealment of mist and Silent Killing Technique, it made attacks even more unexpected!

"Well, you two really are bored..."

Kakashi smiled helplessly at the gossiping Naruto and Sakura, then turned toward Tazuna.

"Now that Gato is dead, no one will come interfere with the bridge's construction anymore...

Mr. Tazuna, you really got lucky this time!

The Land of Waves is finally about to welcome hope..."

Kakashi lowered his forehead protector over his Sharingan and sighed lazily, secretly letting out a breath of relief.

Now I can finally get a good night's sleep...

After this battle, both Sasuke and Naruto had improved rapidly. This C-rank Mission had not been a loss after all!

"Grandpa, we came to help..."

Just as Tazuna was about to speak with a smile, he saw his grandson Inari rushing over with the villagers, who were waving farming tools and weapons.

"Now, hope has truly arrived..."

Looking at the high-spirited crowd, Tazuna spoke with heartfelt comfort and conviction.

Evening

After a lavish dinner, Sasuke went to Kakashi's room.

"Sensei, I want to learn that Lightning Style ninjutsu you used today..."

Facing Kakashi's strange look, Sasuke did not beat around the bush and got straight to the point.

There was still some time before the bridge was finished. He had also awakened the Two-Tomoe Sharingan, and his Chakra had increased!

With the right time, place, and circumstances, he naturally wanted to strengthen himself...

"Chidori??

That's a high-difficulty A-rank Lightning Style technique. It requires both Chakra nature transformation and shape transformation.

It's still too much for you right now..."

Kakashi frowned and refused without even thinking.

He had finally gotten a little time to rest. He did not want to take Sasuke off for special training.

For Chidori training, he had to personally guide him and could not relax for even a moment!

Well, it was not that he did not want to teach it.

He was simply lazy...

Kakashi's attitude immediately made Sasuke's vision go dark...

He had planned to learn Chidori ahead of time and gain another trump card against Orochimaru, but this was it??

"Uh, you've awakened the Two-Tomoe Sharingan too!

Then starting tomorrow, I'll guide you in Sharingan Genjutsu...

If time allows, I'll teach you a B-rank Lightning Style technique as well."

Seeing his beloved student's dark expression, Kakashi gave an awkward smile and proposed a compromise.

"Fine..."

Sasuke did not press the matter and nodded in agreement, though other thoughts arose in his mind.

It was better to rely on himself than others...

If Chidori was out of the question, then what about the Rasengan??

Boruto's Lightning Release: Rasengan was a Compression Rasengan that could vanish.

That was a clearly defined training direction...

Yeah, I'll learn the Rasengan first while I have the time!

Time flew by...

In the blink of an eye, more than a month had passed...

During this time, apart from taking turns guarding the bridge every day, Sasuke's group spent all their remaining time training.

After seeing Kakashi personally guide Sasuke's training, Naruto and Sakura began competing with even greater intensity!

Naruto spent more time mastering Wind Style: Great Breakthrough, while using the rest of his time to train Water Walking.

At Sasuke's suggestion, Sakura had Kakashi teach her the C-rank Water Style: Hidden Mist Technique.

When Kakashi learned that Sasuke wanted it to complement his Silent Killing Technique, he readily agreed...

As for Sasuke, after learning the D-rank Genjutsu Hell Viewing Technique and the C-rank Genjutsu Fox Heart Technique,

he used mastering his existing techniques as an excuse to refuse Kakashi's B-rank Lightning Style ninjutsu.

Over the following month, he secretly began training the Rasengan...

Unfortunately, a true one-handed Rasengan was not as easy as he had imagined.

Although Sasuke knew every step and trick to training the Rasengan, he still got stuck at the final stage, just like Naruto.

In fact, without Shadow Clones to help him,

Sasuke could not use Shadow Clones to complete the Rasengan as Naruto did.

It left Sasuke incredibly frustrated...

"Alright, this is where we say goodbye!

Thank you, Mr. Tazuna, for your hospitality these past few days..."

Standing on the newly completed bridge, Kakashi waved farewell to the people across from them.

At his side stood the fully prepared Sasuke and Sakura...

"Hahaha...

When you put it that way, I should be the one thanking you!

Thanks to you, this bridge was successfully built."

Tazuna scratched his head and laughed awkwardly, immensely grateful to them.

"Inari..."

"Big Brother Naruto..."

Nearby, Naruto and Inari looked deeply into each other's eyes with tears in their eyes, reluctant to part.

During their time together, the two had indeed formed a connection...

"We're leaving...

Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura."

Kakashi nodded to everyone once again, then turned and called out.

Sasuke and Sakura immediately followed behind him...

Naruto waved goodbye to Inari with tears in his eyes, then gritted his teeth, turned around, and followed...