Naruto had once considered recruiting Haku as an ally. After all, once he became a rogue ninja, the protection afforded to him by the great tree that was Konoha would disappear.
The Shinobi World was fraught with danger, and his status as a Jinchūriki meant Akatsuki would never stop hunting him.
An extra helping hand was always welcome.
But Naruto quickly abandoned that unrealistic assumption.
Haku was kind by nature, but that did not mean he was naive.
Haku had long since completely brainwashed himself into being Zabuza Momochi's tool. Since they were protecting Tazuna, he and Zabuza could only be their enemies.
Relying on his knowledge of the original story and using their information gap to kill Haku and Zabuza was the safest choice.
The time Kakashi was unconscious was Naruto's best opportunity to deal with the two of them.
Naruto would not have to worry about Kakashi seeing through his disguise, and he only needed to deal with Haku. As for Zabuza—turning his fake death into a real one would greatly reduce Naruto's pressure in battle.
Compared to Haku, a Kekkei Genkai ninja who had already chosen Zabuza and whose replacement could be found at any time...
Naruto had always been clear about his most crucial objective in the Land of Waves Incident.
It was to make Kakashi judge, through this unconventional mission, that Team 7 had reached the standard required to take the Chunin Ninja Exams.
So that he could reasonably come into contact with Karin, who would be coming to Konoha for the Chunin Ninja Exams.
Karin, who could help Naruto control the Nine-Tails and was highly likely to become his companion during his life as a rogue ninja, was the person Naruto valued most at present—and someone irreplaceable.
And that objective had long since been achieved.
Anyone with a functioning brain would know what to choose after weighing the benefits.
Naruto quickly discarded the ridiculous idea of recruiting Haku.
If he tried to recruit Haku, he might lose more than he gained and be unable to contact Karin again.
He might also accidentally expose the disguise he had maintained for the past two years during the process.
But choosing to kill Haku and Zabuza was far easier than recruiting them.
All those potential problems would vanish in an instant.
He also would not need to fear Zabuza, whom he had let go, suddenly emerging from the mist one day with Haku to kill him.
After all, no one wasted energy worrying about "dead people"—
—even Kakashi.
Kakashi did not know that Zabuza and Haku had already been secretly dealt with by Naruto.
A week later, Kakashi had fully recovered. When Gato personally led a group of warriors to attack the bridge workers, Zabuza still did not appear.
Kakashi remained on guard against Zabuza making a comeback, but in the end, nothing came of it.
As for Gato, the chief culprit behind the Land of Waves' poverty, Kakashi dealt with him during the attack.
Once the employer paying them to commit murder was dead, the wandering warriors scattered like birds and beasts.
Tazuna's protection mission thus returned from B-Rank to the C-Rank he had originally reported to the Hidden Leaf Village when he hired its ninja.
News that Gato had been dealt with by Hidden Leaf Village ninja soon spread throughout the Land of Waves.
Without the oppressor's tyranny, the goodwill Tazuna had accumulated in the Land of Waves over the years finally showed itself.
The sea-crossing bridge connecting the islands of the Land of Waves was completed earlier than expected.
Although Naruto felt somewhat reluctant that his rare, unmonitored life of freedom in the Land of Waves had ended early...
There were benefits as well...
After Gato died, the workers who came to help build the bridge all hoped for a brighter future for the Land of Waves, and most worked without pay.
That saved Tazuna a considerable sum in construction costs. Although the mission was officially recorded as C-Rank, the final payment was calculated according to B-Rank standards.
Kakashi and Tazuna discussed the exact amount. After all, Kakashi was a Jōnin with abundant mission experience, so his quote was naturally reasonable.
Even so, the Land of Waves' sea-crossing bridge was not completed until mid-June.
There were only a few days left until the Joint Chunin Exams began in July.
Team 7 finished its mission in the Land of Waves and returned to the Hidden Leaf Village.
June 24th, Konoha.
Naruto stared at the calendar by the window, lost in thought.
A week had passed since they returned from the Land of Waves. On the day they returned to the village, Kakashi had disbanded Team 7 and allowed its three members to move freely.
Naruto guessed that Kakashi had gone to report the Land of Waves mission to the Third.
After all, it had truly been a B-Rank mission in difficulty.
Although the Land of Waves mission had ended happily for everyone, none of the proper procedures after a mission could be skipped.
Moreover, Team 7 included the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki and Konoha's last Uchiha. As a result, Kakashi's reporting process would be even more complicated than that of an ordinary ninja team and consume a great deal of time.
Just as Naruto had guessed, after allowing Team 7 to move freely, Kakashi did not gather everyone again until the day after they returned to the village.
After Kakashi gathered Team 7 again, Naruto used the Wind Caress Dawn Technique to conduct counter-surveillance on the Root members monitoring him in the village.
Danzo had not assigned additional people to watch him, which showed that the precaution Naruto had left with Kakashi in the Land of Waves had worked.
After that, Team 7 returned to its routine from before heading to the Land of Waves, carrying out D-rank Missions.
An ordinary, boring morning arrived on June 24th.
But Naruto knew very well that today would definitely be interesting.
Naruto remembered that in the original Naruto, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had clearly revealed the start date of the Chunin Ninja Exams.
It was July 1st.
And today happened to be the day foreign ninja entered Konoha for the Joint Chunin Exams, hosted by the Hidden Leaf Village of the Land of Fire and attended by ninja from multiple nations.
The day I flee Konoha is getting closer and closer.
With that thought in mind, Naruto silently reminded himself that the more critical the moment, the more cautious he needed to be.
Naruto had been preparing for his escape from Konoha ever since he had transmigrated.
This Chunin Ninja Exams would end with the deaths of the Third Hokage and the Fourth Kazekage. The forces involved included Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Danzo... and Akatsuki, which would appear in Konoha not long after the Chunin Ninja Exams.
When facing people like them, even the slightest mistake from Naruto could turn all his preparations into fleeting bubbles and ruin everything.
But danger and opportunity were equal.
Only amid such a complicated crisis could Naruto completely break free from Konoha's restraints.
Opportunities have always been hidden within danger.
Having made up his mind, Naruto put the forehead protector representing his identity as a Konoha ninja on his head and walked out of his home.
Later that day, noon, Hokage Office.
Though the Hokage had busy work every day, he could usually complete it alone in an orderly fashion.
Days like today, when the village's Chunin, Special Jōnin, and Jōnin gathered in the office, were rare.
The village's ninja had come in answer to the Hokage's summons.
"Looks like everyone is here."
The Third reached up to straighten his Hokage hat, then briefly swept his gaze over those standing before him.
The Konoha ninja had been urgently summoned before the Hokage, yet none showed any expression of anxiety or concern.
"Judging from your expressions, you should already know why I summoned you here, correct?"
The Third asked.
Faced with the Third's question, the ninja gathered in the Hokage Office chose a representative to answer from among the Jōnin standing at the front, ranked from highest to lowest.
The Jōnin with silver hair, a Konoha forehead protector covering his left eye, and a black mask hiding half his face stepped forward.
"This is about the Chunin Ninja Exams, isn't it? Quite a few Daimyo have come to the village recently, so I assume you invited them—"
Kakashi answered, though he still had a question. "But when exactly will the exams be held?"
"One week from now, on July 1st, Konoha will officially begin the Chunin Ninja Exams."
The Third's words startled all the ninja.
"I didn't expect it to be so soon."
Among the Jōnin, the man with a black bowl cut, extraordinarily thick black eyebrows, and a green bodysuit that looked like a bizarre costume expressed his surprise at how soon the Chunin Ninja Exams would be held.
"Guy!"
Beside this strangely dressed Jōnin, another Konoha Jōnin spoke up to remind Guy that his remark was inappropriate. He had a beard and a cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth.
"It is fine, Asuma."
The Third stopped the cigarette-smoking man from making a fuss.
"It is normal for Guy to have questions. Based on my own plans, the Chunin Ninja Exams would probably not have been held for another month or two."
The Third stated his original plan.
"If that is the case, Lord Third Hokage, why are you holding the exams ahead of schedule?"
This time, it was the female Jōnin standing beside Asuma who spoke. She had long black hair, striking red eyes, and lipstick on her lips.
"This was a request from the Fourth Kazekage."
The Third explained the reason.
After speaking, his gaze settled on the four Jōnin who had just spoken. "Then, do the four of you have any thoughts about these Chunin Ninja Exams? According to the rules, as long as Genin have completed enough missions, you, as their supervising Jōnin, may recommend them for the Chunin Ninja Exams."
Among the four, the Jōnin in the green bodysuit spoke first. "I, Might Guy, recommend Neji Hyuga, Rock Lee, and Tenten of Team 3 for these Chunin Ninja Exams."
Guy's decision did not surprise anyone. The three Genin under his Team 3 had graduated from the Ninja Academy last year and had long been qualified to take the Chunin Ninja Exams.
But the Genin led by the other three had only graduated from the Ninja Academy in March of this year.
Only a little over three months had passed since they became Genin.
Just as everyone thought Guy would be the only one sending his ninja team to the exams this time...
Kakashi also chose to send his team. "I, Hatake Kakashi, recommend Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno of Team 7 for these Chunin Ninja Exams."
Immediately afterward, Kurenai Yuhi, the supervising Jōnin of Team 8, also recommended her three Genin: Hinata Hyuga, Shino Aburame, and Kiba Inuzuka.
Asuma Sarutobi, the supervising Jōnin of Team 10, also recommended Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi, and Ino Yamanaka from his ninja team.
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