Loyalty Should Not Be Wasted

Back at their temporary lodgings, Naruto placed the tiny porcelain bottle on the table.

He unscrewed the stopper, and a crisp herbal fragrance drifted out.

He dipped a fingertip into a little of the ointment and held it to his nose for a light sniff.

The ointment's ingredients were not complicated—common plants used to stop bleeding, reduce inflammation, and promote muscle recovery.

But the proportions were practically perfect.

Any more would be wasteful; any less would be ineffective.

That required an extraordinarily deep understanding of pharmacology, along with extensive practical experience.

That "girl" named Haku not only possessed willpower as steadfast as a glacier, but also such masterful knowledge of medicine.

More importantly, Haku had casually given such precious ointment to a "stranger" met by chance.

That kindness was so pure that it contained not the slightest impurity.

But in Naruto's eyes, that was precisely Haku's greatest "weakness."

Pure kindness in the face of brutal reality was like an ice crystal beneath the sun—beautiful, yet shattered at the slightest touch.

And that ultimate loyalty, without a sufficiently powerful will to guide it, would ultimately become nothing more than fuel for tragedy.

Naruto replaced the stopper and put away the porcelain bottle.

He had better medicine, but he accepted this "kindness."

On future battlefields, it might become an interesting variable.

The atmosphere in the living room was oppressive.

Sasuke was wiping his Kunai over and over again, his movements mechanical while his gaze remained hollow.

What Naruto had said that day about the definition of "revenge" had lodged deep in his heart like a thorn.

His right to revenge had been absorbed by that man with an unquestionable forcefulness.

From then on, every swing of his blade and every hand seal would no longer belong entirely to him.

They would become part of a plan called "Naruto."

He raised his head and looked at Naruto by the window.

That figure was clearly smaller than him, yet seemed like an insurmountable mountain, its shadow enveloping everything in his life.

"You seem very uneasy."

Naruto's voice came without him turning around.

Sasuke's body instantly tensed, as though his thoughts had been seen through.

"I'm merely considering how to kill enemies more efficiently."

He used his usual cold tone to conceal the turmoil in his heart.

"Is that so?"

Naruto turned around and walked over to him.

"You're afraid."

Naruto stated it as a fact.

"You're afraid that your revenge, your power, even your existence, have all become unimportant."

Sasuke's pupils abruptly contracted.

"Bullshit!"

He practically growled the words.

"Today, in the forest, I met Zabuza's companion."

Naruto ignored his rebuttal and changed the subject.

"Was he strong?"

Sasuke asked, knowing Naruto would not bring it up without reason.

"No."

Naruto shook his head.

"He was 'pure.'"

"Pure?"

Sasuke could not understand the word.

"His sole purpose in existing is to serve as Zabuza's weapon. For Zabuza, he can unhesitatingly offer up everything he has, including his life."

Naruto looked into Sasuke's eyes.

"His loyalty is his greatest strength. Because of that loyalty, he will not be lost, he will not waver, and no emotion can interfere with him."

"But you, Sasuke Uchiha, are filled with impurities."

Naruto's words were like a sharp scalpel, once again cutting open Sasuke's pride.

"Your hatred may seem powerful, but it is mixed with attachment to the past, confusion about the future, and anger and resentment over your own weakness."

"All those things are constantly draining your energy, preventing you from focusing one hundred percent of your strength on a single point."

Sasuke's breathing became hurried. He could not refute it.

Because every word Naruto said struck directly at his weak point.

"A pure soldier will always be more threatening on the battlefield than a commander torn by inner conflict."

Naruto rose to his feet.

"Before you learn how to cleanse your will, you will never surpass that man."

"And you will never kill Itachi Uchiha."

The name "Itachi Uchiha" struck Sasuke like a bolt of lightning.

He shot to his feet and stared fixedly at Naruto.

"You..."

"Grow stronger, Sasuke."

Naruto left those words behind and turned away.

"Grow strong enough that your will can bear your hatred, rather than be devoured by it."

Sasuke slumped back down. The Kunai in his hand fell to the floor with a clear clang.

For the first time, he began to think about things beyond hatred.

Will.

Loyalty.

Those vague, intangible words seemed to possess tangible power when Naruto spoke them.

In the room on the other side, Sakura was carefully studying the notebook Naruto had given her by the light of an oil lamp.

The anatomical diagrams inside were so precise that even she, a top student in theory classes, felt ashamed.

The methods for treating various wounds were even more unheard of.

For example, when treating extensive burns, the notebook described an ointment made from specific herbs mixed with animal fat. It could keep the wound moist to the greatest possible extent, prevent infection, and stimulate the growth of granulation tissue.

This had already gone beyond the scope of basic first aid. It was more like some lost secret technique.

The more she read, the more shocked and fascinated she became.

It was as though she had opened the door to a new world.

Medical ninjutsu was not merely green chakra light.

Behind it lay such a vast and intricate body of knowledge.

For the first time, she felt that she was not merely dead weight who could only scream from the rear.

She, too, could possess power.

A power that could save her companions, determine life and death, and belong to her alone.

Kakashi leaned against the doorframe, silently watching it all.

He watched Sasuke sink into thought and watched Sakura study without rest.

His two students were undergoing transformations at a pace he could never have imagined.

And the one responsible for all of it was that blond boy.

He walked over to Naruto and lowered his voice.

"You went to the forest today to meet that masked ninja on purpose?"

"Yes."

Naruto admitted it calmly.

"Why?"

Kakashi did not understand.

"Reconnaissance, evaluation, and... testing."

Naruto answered lightly.

"A qualified commander must grasp information on every piece that can be used before the decisive battle, whether ally or enemy."

"Pieces?"

Kakashi frowned.

"Sensei, don't you think it would be wonderful if a soul capable of such pure loyalty could be used by Konoha?"

Naruto asked in return.

Kakashi froze.

Naruto's insane and audacious idea had left him speechless.

Recruit the enemy?

And someone as dangerous as Zabuza's companion?

This was no longer tactics. This was playing with fire.

"You're gambling, Naruto."

Kakashi's voice turned stern.

"No."

Naruto shook his head.

"I never gamble. I only make investments I am certain of."

"I trust my judgment, and I trust my methods."

Kakashi fell silent.

He realized that he was understanding this student less and less.

Naruto's way of thinking had completely surpassed the limitations of being a ninja. He was more like a sovereign who planned strategies from behind the scenes.

He viewed the entire world as his own chessboard.

And all of them, friend or foe, were merely pieces upon that board.

The feeling gave him a faint chill, yet also a strange anticipation.

He wanted to see what kind of game this student would ultimately play.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

The morning of the decisive battle arrived as scheduled.

Thick fog rolled in like a tide, and the bridge was instantly swallowed by a sea of Haku mist.

At the bridgehead, the four members of Team 7 had already taken their positions.

Sakura was stationed in the middle section of the bridge. Beside her lay neatly arranged bandages, disinfectant, and various sorted herbs.

The panic she usually wore was gone from her face, replaced by an unprecedented focus.

Sasuke stood at the bridge entrance. His Sharingan had long been activated, two Tomoe slowly turning in his eyes as he vigilantly scanned every corner of the dense fog.

His breathing was steady, his heart still as water.

Naruto's words had shown him a new path.

Before he killed Itachi Uchiha, he first had to become a qualified blade—the sharpest blade, one that would not be swayed by emotion.

Kakashi stood behind Naruto, looking at the backs of those two students with countless emotions stirring in his heart.

How long had it even been?

They had already grown from fledglings needing his protection into warriors capable of standing on their own.

And all of it stemmed from the Genin in front of them who seemed least like a Genin.

Naruto stood at the center of the battlefield with his eyes closed, as though taking a light nap.

Yet his senses were like an invisible giant net, covering the entire bridge.

He was waiting.

Waiting for those two familiar presences that belonged to the enemy.

At last.

Two figures gradually emerged from the dense fog, one tall and one short.

Momochi Zabuza still carried the massive Kubikiribōchō on his shoulder, his eyes cold as blades.

At his side stood Haku, wearing a white mask.

"Looks like you didn't run away."

Zabuza's voice echoed through the dense fog, carrying a trace of mockery.

"Konoha's ninja have more backbone than I expected."

Kakashi stepped forward. Beneath his forehead protector, his Sharingan had already locked onto Zabuza.

"We are only carrying out our mission, until the bridge is completed."

"Then we'll see whether you still have the lives to see that day."

Zabuza gave a cold snort, and killing intent burst forth.

"Haku, these brats are yours."

"Yes, Zabuza-sama."

Haku's voice remained clear, yet devoid of all emotion.

"Kakashi-sensei." Naruto did not turn around. "Proceed according to the plan. Sasuke, Sakura, Formation Three."

As the words fell, the three instantly scattered. Sakura leaped to Tazuna's side, a Kunai glinting coldly in her hand. Sasuke crouched slightly, his Sharingan slowly turning in the mist.

A silver flash pierced through the fog, aimed straight at Tazuna's throat.

Sakura's body reacted faster than her thoughts. She stamped her foot and triggered the chain of Explosive Tags Naruto had set up beforehand.

Boom!

The blaze of the explosion instantly lit up the mist. The Senbon were knocked off course by the shockwave in midair and embedded themselves in the bridge railing.

"Not bad reflexes." A cool voice rang out as a white figure emerged from the fog.

It was a slender young man with long, waterfall-like hair and an ice crystal mask over his face. His slight frame concealed deadly danger.

Sasuke's Sharingan locked onto his movements.

"Fire Release: Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

The fireball roared toward a specific point. It was not meant to kill, but to evaporate the mist and restrict Zabuza's room to move.

"You little brats have some decent coordination." Zabuza leaped out of the firelight, his Kubikiribōchō cleaving down at Kakashi.

Kakashi raised his blade to block, and the colliding weapons erupted in dazzling sparks.

"But the game is over." Haku flashed forward, appearing at Sasuke's side.

Sasuke's pupils contracted as his Sharingan caught the path of Haku's attack. He twisted aside and slashed back with his Kunai.

Haku easily evaded it, his hands rapidly forming seals.

"Secret Technique: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals!"

Ice mirrors rose from the ground and rapidly joined together in the air, forming a sealed circular cage. Sasuke was trapped within.

"Sasuke!" Sakura cried out.

"Don't move recklessly." Naruto's voice remained calm. "Sensei, focus on Zabuza. Don't get distracted."

Kakashi's heart sank, but he silently followed Naruto's words.

Inside the ice mirrors, Haku's figure was reflected in every surface. Senbon rained down upon Sasuke.

Sasuke gritted his teeth and dodged, his Sharingan desperately tracking Haku's movements. But Haku was too fast.

Blood dripped from Sasuke's arm, and multiple wounds had already been carved across his body.

Was this his limit?

The pride of an Uchiha was ruthlessly crushed by reality at that moment.

"Sensei, the first phase of testing is complete." Naruto looked at the ice crystal cage and said to Kakashi, "The data on Sasuke's performance limits has been collected."

"Naruto, what are you talking about?!" Kakashi roared as he fended off Zabuza's attacks. "Sasuke is your comrade!"

"Precisely because he is a comrade, his combat parameters must be assessed accurately." Naruto stepped forward. "Now it is time to collect the other data."

"Careful! That ninjutsu is dangerous!" Kakashi wanted to stop him, but Zabuza held him tightly at bay.

Ignoring the warning, Naruto walked straight toward the Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals.

"Don't come closer!" Haku's voice carried a warning from within the mirrors. "Take one more step, and I'll kill this Uchiha!"

Naruto stopped and tilted his head.

"Kill him?" Naruto let out a soft laugh. "Do you really want to kill him?"

Haku's movements stalled for an instant.

"Or are you merely carrying out an order to 'create a threat without inflicting fatal injuries'?" Naruto continued forward. "Your Senbon have all struck nonlethal areas. Was that a tactic Zabuza taught you, or your own choice?"

Haku's breathing quickened. How could this blond boy know such things?

"You are confused." Naruto's voice carried a detached calm, as if he saw through everything. "Because you have realized that you do not truly want to kill a boy around your own age."

"I... I am Lord Zabuza's tool! A tool does not need emotions!" Haku's voice trembled slightly.

"A tool?" Naruto reached out and pressed his hand against one of the ice mirrors. "Then tell me, why would a 'tool' choose to defy orders when its master faced mortal danger?"

A trace of chakra mixed with the will to judge flowed into the ice mirror. Haku felt a chill from the depths of his soul, more piercing than his own Ice Release.

What was this? This oppressive feeling... it was like facing some indescribable existence.

Haku's movements completely froze.

Seizing the opportunity, Naruto flashed forward and entered the encirclement of the Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals.

"Stand down." Naruto ordered Sasuke. "Your task is to observe and record."

Sasuke clenched his teeth. Again. Once again, he was being treated as useless baggage that needed protection.

Yet he still stepped aside, his Sharingan fixed firmly on Naruto's every movement.

"Now." Naruto stared directly at every reflection of Haku in the ice mirrors. "Let us talk about your loyalty."

All of Haku's reflections looked toward Naruto, their eyes filled with shock and confusion.

"Your loyalty is wasted in a place like this."