One month later.
The Hokage's office.
"For you newly appointed Genin, D-rank missions are enough."
"(งᵒ̌皿ᵒ̌)ง⁼³₌₃ Grandpa Hokage, I'm not that kid who only knew how to play pranks anymore! We already know lots of ninjutsu. Stop giving us missions like finding cats!"
Sakura grabbed Naruto and covered his mouth. "Naruto! Don't speak to Lord Third like that!"
"Mmph, mmph, mmph!"
Sasuke said, "What an idiot."
Hongshi was almost as tall as Kakashi. Standing at the back, he watched Naruto and Sakura fool around. "(´-ι_-｀)..."
The Hokage looked at Hongshi, a bead of sweat running down his forehead. "(≖_≖) Kakashi, has this child fallen asleep?"
Kakashi: "..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi said, "(•́ω•̀٥) He really does seem to be asleep. But is it really okay for him to sleep standing up?"
Naruto broke free of Sakura. "Come on, Grandpa Third! Hongshi might be like this, but he's really strong in a fight!"
Over the past month, Hongshi had been guiding Naruto and Sakura's training. Both were already much stronger than they had been in the original story.
Sakura in particular, with her perfect chakra control, had now increased her chakra reserves to another level. Combined with extensive combat practice, her overall fighting strength was even greater than Sasuke's.
After a brief stalemate, the Hokage finally spoke. "I understand. In that case..."
"Huh?"
"Then I'll assign you a C-rank mission. You'll be protecting someone."
"Who, who?! A daimyo or a princess?!!!"
"Haa..." The Third exhaled a puff of smoke. "You really are impatient. I'll introduce him now."
With that, he gestured to the Chunin beside him. "Let him in."
The door opened, and the first thing that came into view was a liquor bottle. "Uh... what's this? Why are they all brats?"
Reeking of alcohol, Tazuna glanced at Naruto. "Especially that short little runt in the middle. He looks like an idiot. Are you really ninja?"
Naruto looked at Sakura and Sasuke standing on either side of him. "Hahaha! Who's he calling a short little runt and an idiot..."
Sakura: "→_→" Naruto: "_" Sasuke
Naruto said, "∑(￣□￣;) I'm going to kill you!!!"
Kakashi grabbed Naruto. "He's the person we're supposed to protect, you idiot!"
Tazuna looked at Hongshi. "Hey! That big guy in the back looks pretty good... hmm? Is he asleep???"
Hongshi: "(-ι_-)Zzz."
Tazuna said, "Hey! Is it really okay for him to sleep like that?"
Kakashi handed Naruto over to Sasuke and Sakura, having them hold him down, then turned back with a wry smile. "It's fine, it's fine. May I ask your name?"
"I'm Tazuna, the renowned master bridge builder. Please put your lives on the line to protect me until I return to my country and finish building the bridge."
Kakashi nodded. "Right, then let's meet at the village entrance in an hour. Everyone, go home and prepare what you need. We'll set off once you've eaten."
Hongshi said, "(͡°͜ʖ͡°)✧ Is it time to eat?!"
Tazuna said, "Seriously? I'm a little worried!"
An hour later.
Konoha's main gate.
Naruto said, "Let's go!!!"
Hongshi said, "Let's go!!!"
Sakura looked at the excited Hongshi. "It's rare to see you this excited, Hongshi-kun!"
Kakashi nodded too. "It really is."
Hongshi chuckled. "It's my first time leaving the village. Of course I'm excited!"
Tazuna said, "Hmm, that's pretty good. Your build looks very reassuring! But is that shorty really up to this?"
Kakashi gave a wry smile. "Don't worry, don't worry. You've still got me, a Jonin, here!"
Naruto was about to jump up, but Hongshi caught him with one large hand. "Naruto-kun, calm down."
Kakashi settled his backpack on his shoulders. "All right, let's head out!"
Tazuna said, "Right!"
Naruto said, "Let's go, let's go!"
Sakura said, "All right!"
Sasuke: "..."
Hongshi said, "Let's go!"
Three minutes later.
Kakashi glanced back. "Huh?! Where's Hongshi?"
In those three minutes, Hongshi had covered less than a hundred meters. "(˘̩̩̩ε˘̩ƪ) You're walking too fast!"
Tazuna said, "Hey! How long is this going to take?!"
Naruto stamped his feet in anger. "Idiot! How did we forget how slowly you walk?!"
Kakashi looked at Naruto. "In that case, Naruto, since your fundamentals are the weakest, you can train along the way!"
Naruto: "Σ(°△° )︴???"
Naruto staggered along with Hongshi on his back. "Damn it!!! Why am I the one carrying him?!"
Hongshi's enormous frame looked like a small mountain on Naruto's back. "Naruto-kun, keep it up!"
Naruto nearly spat blood. "Why are you so heavy?!!! I can't carry you much longer!"
Hongshi said solemnly, "Naruto-kun, you're going to become a heroic ninja who surpasses all your predecessors. You can't give up!"
Hearing this, Naruto instantly fired up. "Yeah! I'm going to get stronger!"
With that, Naruto picked up his pace, soon catching up with Kakashi's group ahead and continuing onward.
Tazuna failed to react in time. "What just ran past us?"
Sakura's eyes widened. "Is Naruto really going to be okay like this?"
Kakashi said, "Having a goal gives you motivation. We need to work hard too! Sasuke (≖_≖), you need to keep it up as well."
Sasuke: "???"
Carrying Tazuna on his back, Sasuke shouted at Naruto ahead of him, "Idiot, I'm not going to lose to you!"
Tazuna laughed. "Oh!!! Young people should be full of energy like this!"
Hongshi said, "Naruto-kun, keep going! Sasuke's about to catch up!"
"What?!"
Sakura walked leisurely behind them with Kakashi. "Kakashi-sensei, are they really going to be okay like this?!"
Kakashi held his hands behind his back. "Young people need a little drive. Besides, training with weights is also a very good way to train... probably. By the way, Sakura, what's your dream?"
Watching Naruto and Sasuke's running figures from behind, Sakura thought for a moment. "To become a ninja who can stand on her own, I guess. I can't stay behind them forever!"
Kakashi nodded. "Yes, you and Naruto have already been improving very quickly under Hongshi's guidance lately."
"Kakashi-sensei, you knew?"
"Well, as your teacher, I can't slack off. I've been watching from the sidelines whenever you train. Hongshi has very solid fundamentals, and his methods are quite distinctive. He's no worse than me at teaching you. Besides, only Hongshi can get Naruto to settle down and study."
Sakura looked at Hongshi, who resembled a small mountain on Naruto's back. "Just who do you think Hongshi-kun is?"
The question stumped Kakashi too. "Lord Third Hokage has investigated extensively as well. He's just an ordinary child who grew up in Konoha, with nothing particularly unusual about him. But I feel he'll become a legendary ninja."
"A legendary ninja?"
"Yes. I have that intuition-a very strong intuition."
Sakura clenched her fists. "Then I need to work hard too. I can't fall behind!"
With that, Sakura started running as well. "You guys, wait for me!"
Before long, Sakura overtook Naruto and Sasuke, running at the front.
Naruto said, "(╬◣д◢) Sakura! You're cheating!"
Suddenly, a gust of wind shook loose a few withered leaves, which drifted past Kakashi. He stopped, watching the three figures running ahead. "Rin, Obito, how are you doing over there?"
In his eyes, Naruto became Obito, Sakura became Rin, and Sasuke became his younger self, bickering, laughing, and running.
Before he knew it, a warm tear fell to the ground.
"I'm starting to like you a little."
The Lord God said, "Bro, if you really don't know how to write a touching scene, just don't."
"Get the hell out!"