Why Does She Know?

Outside Ichiraku Ramen.

When Naruto rushed to their agreed meeting spot, he found that Sasuke and Sakura had already arrived.

Sasuke still wore that cool expression, his hands in his pockets as he leaned against the wall beside the ramen shop with his eyes half-closed, seemingly indifferent to everything around him. However, the slight darkness beneath his eyes made it clear he had not slept well last night.

What surprised Naruto was that Sakura was not glued to Sasuke's side as usual, chattering away nonstop like a piece of sticky candy.

Instead, she stood several steps away from Sasuke with her hands behind her back, pacing back and forth anxiously. Her emerald-green eyes kept darting toward both ends of the street, as though she were searching for someone.

Is she looking for me?

Naruto's heart suddenly skipped a beat!

He instinctively recalled that incredibly vivid dream from last night.

Sakura had confessed to him on her own initiative and even called him "Lord Naruto"...

Could it... could that dream have been real?

Sakura, she... she really...

An uncontrollable surge of ecstasy rose in Naruto's heart once more, washing away the bitterness of being hated by the villagers earlier.

The disappointment on his face was instantly replaced by an incomparably brilliant smile.

Just then, Sakura, who had been looking around everywhere, finally spotted Naruto racing toward them.

Her body visibly stiffened. Then, blazing fury instantly ignited in those beautiful emerald-green eyes.

"Na—ru—to—!!!"

The murderous roar made several early-morning passersby nearby shudder.

Sakura practically vanished from where she stood, charging toward Naruto like a streak of pink lightning.

"Eh? Sakura..."

Seeing Sakura rushing straight at him, her face wearing what Naruto saw as an adorably bashful expression, Naruto's sense of happiness reached the peak of his life.

He instinctively raised his hands, the brightest smile on his face as he prepared to welcome Sakura-chan's embrace—or perhaps... a kiss?

However...

What greeted him was neither a fragrant kiss nor a hug, but—

"Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!"

A barrage of pink iron fists filled with a girl's fury rained mercilessly down on Naruto's head.

"Ow! Ow ow ow! It hurts, it hurts!!"

Naruto was instantly beaten senseless. Stars swam before his eyes, and several round lumps rose visibly on his head at an alarming speed.

Clutching his throbbing head, he crouched on the ground and looked tearfully at Sakura, who was radiating a terrifyingly sinister aura. He had no idea what was going on.

"S-Sakura... w-why are you hitting me?!" he asked pitifully.

"I'm hitting you?!"

With her hands on her hips, Sakura glared down at him and gritted her teeth. "Naruto! You super-duper idiot! Tell me, what kind of damn dream did you have last night?!"

"Eh? A dream?" Naruto froze, then his cheeks reddened slightly. He subconsciously glanced at Sasuke, who was still leaning against the wall and acting cool, and lowered his voice. "W-what dream...? I-I don't remember..."

Of course he remembered.

He remembered it perfectly clearly!

In the dream, Sakura had confessed to him with a red face.

Could it... could she... know what happened in my dream?!

No way, right? How could anyone else know about something that happened in a dream?

Naruto felt a wave of guilt, and his eyes began to dart around.

"You don't remember?!" Seeing how guilty he looked, Sakura grew even angrier and raised her hand, intending to smack his head a few more times.

She forcefully suppressed the urge to beat him up and said viciously, "Hmph. You'd better really not remember. If I catch you having those... those shameless stupid dreams again, I'll beat you to death."

Sob... she really knows. She actually knows.

But... why? This is terrifying!

Naruto clutched his head, on the verge of tears.

Seeing how idiotic he looked, Sakura could not be bothered to argue with him anymore. She snorted, turned her head away, and ignored him.

Since Sakura was ignoring him, Naruto could only turn a pleading gaze toward Sasuke.

However, when his eyes met Sasuke's, he discovered that Sasuke was also studying him with a strange look.

Sasuke recalled yesterday's test. Although Naruto had acted like an idiot, he had come up with a coordinated strategy at the critical moment and had even successfully launched a sneak attack.

Perhaps this dead last was not as simple as he appeared.

Feeling Sasuke's scrutinizing gaze, Naruto became even more guilty. He gave an awkward laugh and quickly changed the subject, trying to break the uncomfortable atmosphere.

"Um... Sasuke, where's Kakashi-sensei? Is he late again?"

Sasuke withdrew his gaze and gave a calm "Mm," his expression and tone equally composed.

"Kakashi-sensei is late again."

"What the heck!"

The moment Naruto heard that, he immediately found an outlet for his complaints. Jumping up and down, he shouted, "How many times have we even met? He's late every single time! Is there even any point setting a meeting time, huh? Kakashi-sensei is way too unreliable!"

However, Naruto had truly misunderstood Kakashi this time.

Kakashi had actually arrived long ago.

He was hiding in a large tree at a street corner not far away, observing them.

He had even activated his Sharingan, taking in all of their earlier interactions.

Sure enough, Sakura and Sasuke's reactions both prove that what happened last night was real.

It wasn't just my own hallucination.

And judging from how Naruto looked both stunned from the beating and guilty afterward, he seems unaware that his dream was broadcast live.

That rules out the possibility that he deliberately used some secret technique we don't know about.

After confirming this, Kakashi's frown deepened.

It wasn't Naruto's doing...

Then what kind of entity possesses such a terrifying ability?

It silently pulled Team Seven, including me, into a shared dream space.

It precisely captured and played the dreams of specific people...

This ability had already exceeded his understanding of the known ninjutsu system.

Was it some unknown genjutsu?

Or some special barrier that surpassed even space-time ninjutsu?

Or perhaps some even more inconceivable power?

Kakashi felt that his usually calm mind was no longer enough to process it.

The strangeness of this matter had far exceeded his imagination.

No... I have to report this to the Third Hokage!

But... how am I supposed to explain it?

Say that I dreamed about Naruto's mother and dragged two students into it as well? What would the Third Hokage think? That recent missions exhausted me? That guilt toward Naruto drove me insane?

And that mastermind's ability is so bizarre. Would reporting this rashly alert them? Could it even bring greater danger to the village?

Kakashi considered it from every angle but could not think of a suitable solution, leaving him caught in a dilemma.

He lowered his forehead protector, covering his Sharingan, and temporarily suppressed the alarm and unease in his heart.

I'll wait and see for now.

At the very least, I need to figure out what they want first.

Having made up his mind, Kakashi no longer concealed himself.

He silently appeared before the three members of Team Seven, wearing his ever-present lazy smile as he raised a hand in greeting.

"Yo~ Good morning, everyone."

"Ah, Kakashi-sensei!" The moment Naruto saw Kakashi, he immediately forgot his earlier troubles. Pointing at him, he loudly complained, "You're late again! You're the worst!"

"Well, well..." Kakashi still had that perfunctory attitude, casually making up an obviously unreliable excuse about "meeting an old lady who needed help" on the way.

Then, with no sincerity whatsoever, he pressed his palms together and apologized. "Sorry, sorry. I'll pay attention next time."

His eyes swept over the three kids. Seeing the obvious lumps on Naruto's head, Sakura's still-pouting face, and Sasuke's indifferent expression as though none of this concerned him, he could not help shaking his head inwardly.

He cleared his throat and changed the subject. "All right, save the complaints for later. Have you three eaten breakfast? We're starting official missions today, and working on an empty stomach will affect your efficiency."

Before Naruto could answer, his stomach let out a protesting "Grrrumble."

He scratched the back of his head sheepishly and gave a foolish grin. "Um... I woke up late, so I only had some milk..."

Sasuke's complexion was still somewhat poor. Clearly, that absurd dream from last night had also affected his sleep. He coldly said, "No."

Sakura stuck out her tongue and touched her flat stomach. "I'm watching my figure..."

Though what she was really thinking was that Naruto's idiocy had made her too angry to have any appetite at all.

Looking at these three kids in their various states, Kakashi helplessly clapped his hands.

"All right, all right, since none of you have eaten..." A lazy smile appeared on his face. "Then, to apologize for being late, this 'terrible' teacher will treat you to breakfast today! I'll take you to Ichiraku Ramen!"

"Whoa!!!"

The instant Naruto heard they were going to Ichiraku Ramen, his eyes turned into stars!

Every last bit of his little grievances flew straight out of his mind.

He was the first to cheer, leaping up with both arms raised. "Awesome! Ichiraku Ramen! Kakashi-sensei is the best!"

Sasuke and Sakura had no particular fondness for ramen, but since their teacher was treating them, there was no reason to refuse.

Thus, amid Naruto's excited cheers, the four members of Team Seven lifted the cloth curtain bearing the words "Ichiraku" and entered the legendary ramen shop.