Naruto pushed aside the bushes.
A plump Snow Rabbit was crouching there, with the kunai he had thrown earlier stuck in its chest.
Naruto grinned so hard his eyes narrowed to slits as he grabbed its ears and lifted it up.
"We're having roast rabbit tonight."
Sasuke and Sakura finally caught their breath.
Sakura said nothing on the surface, but Inner Sakura was already roaring—Why'd you throw a kunai at one lousy rabbit?! You scared the soul out of me!
Karin blinked her big eyes, her voice soft enough to drip water.
"Rabbits are so cute. How can you eat rabbits~?"
Naruto's face darkened.
"...Get lost! Speak normally!"
Karin immediately changed her tune and licked her lips.
"Braised, with extra chili peppers."
She even winked at Naruto after saying that.
Naruto burst out laughing.
"What are you winking for? I'm not blind."
He carried the rabbit over to Sasuke and Sakura.
"Did you notice anything?"
The two exchanged a glance and hesitated for several seconds.
"Spicy rabbit heads are pretty good."
"I still want barbecue."
Naruto rubbed the corners of his eyes hard, the veins on his forehead practically about to burst.
"Were you two studying nothing but food during your six years at the Ninja Academy?"
Sasuke and Sakura both froze.
"What do you mean?"
Naruto raised the rabbit higher with a speechless look on his face.
"This is called a Snow Rabbit. It's only completely white during winter, when daylight is short. What season is it now?"
The two answered cautiously, "Summer?"
Looking at these two teammates who seemed mentally deficient, Naruto finally understood why newly graduated Genin had to start with D-rank missions.
Sakura, who had ranked first on the written exam, and Second Pillar, who carried the title of Uchiha "genius," were no different from idiots