Chapter no.79 In the Shadows We Serve

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•••••••••••••••••.  Dragon hadn't expected much from Naruto Uzumaki. To him, the boy was simply a tool, a means to an end—the end of Danzo. However, that perspective had swiftly changed when he received news: Naruto Uzumaki had taken down one of Danzo's top men.

Looks like everyone underestimated you.

This revelation shifted the entire dynamic of his plan.

Initially, Dragon's strategy hinged on Hiruzen following a trail of breadcrumbs that would inevitably lead to Danzo and expose his machinations. But now, with Naruto's unexpected triumph, a new opportunity—Plan B—presented itself.

Danzo, ever the coward, would undoubtedly retreat further into the shadows to avoid any direct confrontation, especially now that Naruto had displayed such formidable capability.

This would buy Dragon time, time that was precious and could be used to fortify this new strategy.

Naruto needed to be positioned in such a way that he couldn't be easily exploited. There's something about you that Danzo desperately wants... Dragon thought, reflecting on the fact that Naruto had defeated a top Root ninja as a mere Genin. Whatever that 'something' was, it was evidently powerful, and it was far safer away from Danzo.

Turning his thoughts to practical matters, Dragon considered the various ANBU teams.

Ah, this will do.

...

A cloaked figure entered the ANBU Commander's room, his presence marked by the soft rustle of fabric. He was masked, as were all his peers, his identity concealed beneath the visage of a tiger. The mask was striking, outlined in bold red with claw-like whiskers and a mix of crescent and flame patterns around the eyes.

Tiger, Captain of an ANBU Squad 0 and a master of ninjutsu and close combat.

"You called for me, Commander."

"I did, Tiger."

Dragon gestured towards a chair opposite his desk. "Sit."

Tiger moved silently to obey, his movements fluid and respectful. He settled into the chair, his posture straight yet relaxed.

"Your squad has been lacking a member for a while now, Tiger."

Tiger merely responded with a concise "indeed," the minimal acknowledgment that politeness demanded under the circumstances.

"Luckily I have a potential recruit for you."

Tiger remained still for a moment, then nodded slightly and leaned forward with interest.

It was highly unusual for the commander of all ANBU to personally introduce a recruit. This was not completely unprecedented, however.

Tiger recalled that Itachi Uchiha had also been scouted directly by the commander, an exception made for exceptional talents.

"His name is Naruto Uzumaki," Dragon announced, a trace of mirth detectable in his voice. "You might have heard of him."

Tiger nodded.

It was nearly impossible not to know of Naruto Uzumaki.

"You know what he is, of course, and why you of all people were chosen as his commanding officer," Dragon continued, his eyes locking with Tiger's.

Again, Tiger nodded.

Wood Release was very effective against a Jinchuriki like Naruto.

"If I may, Commander?"

"Go ahead."

"If I am not mistaken, the boy is a fresh Genin."

"Indeed."

Tiger paused, considering his next words carefully. Normally, one had to be an experienced Chunin to even be scouted for ANBU, with the rare exception like Itachi, who had been a fresh Chunin when scouted. What made Naruto so special? Despite his curiosity, Tiger knew better than to question the commander's decisions openly.

"Your command?" he asked instead, seeking clarity on why he was summoned.

"Naruto will be given one month of training starting from the basics of the academy."

This revelation left Tiger even more puzzled. They were training a blank slate? "Permission to speak my mind."

"Proceed."

"I believe one month is very short, especially if we are starting from the basics of the academy."

"Well, I am sure you'll be happy to learn that Genin Naruto was able to learn two A-rank jutsus in an hour and was able to defeat a bloodlusted Chunin in combat."

Tiger was both intrigued and bewildered. If Naruto possessed such talent and power, why start from the academy basics?

"We have found active sabotage of academy students, particularly Naruto Uzumaki."

Tiger clasped his hands together, a gesture in ANBU sign language, silently querying about their mission.

"Your team will be actively moving throughout the Fire Nation while training Naruto."

Tiger took a deep breath, processing the implications. Normally, recruits underwent training in boot camp, but moving actively across the Fire Nation suggested that Naruto wasn't safe in Konoha, not even within the ANBU's reach.

Tiger looked at Dragon and nodded.

"Are we to investigate the saboteurs?"

"No, that is already being handled by your senpai."

Tiger felt a twinge of relief—or was it annoyance?—at the mention of Kakashi Hatake, glad for the mask that hid his expression.

"I'm at your command, Commander, but my teammates will probably voice a complaint."

"It will be duly noted and ignored. Naruto Uzumaki will be treated like any recruit and if the boy does not make the cut, he will be outed."

"Very well. When do we meet him?"

"He will be brought to you on the first rotation, today."

"Hai. By your leave?"

"Dismissed."

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In the ANBU headquarters, each squad had its designated meeting room. These rooms were spartan in their setup, containing only the essentials: a simple, sturdy table surrounded by chairs.

Tiger idly picked up a few cashews from a bowl on the table, slipping them into his mask as he surveyed his teammates.

Cat, a purple-haired woman wearing an ANBU cat mask, sat poised with an air of quiet authority. Dog, the shortest of the group, fidgeted under her ANBU dog mask, her youthful energy palpable even in the stillness of the room.

"What's the mission this time, Captain?"

"The Commander found us a recruit to break."

"Again?" Dog whined. "They keep sending them, and they don't fit! We work well enough with three!"

"It might be the case, but an ANBU team is comprised of four ninjas," Cat chided gently.

"Pff, I know that."

"Doesn't change the facts," Cat continued. "He will be submitted to the same process as any recruit. If he doesn't fit, he takes the boot."

"Anyway, the commander was clear, this is non-negotiable, so prepare to give a newbie some hell," Tiger added, his voice dipping into a slightly darker tone. He rarely let his control slip, except when discussing torture, training, or, oddly enough, gardening.

"Alright, captain. When do we receive him?"

"Today at first rotation," Tiger responded crisply.

"So soon!?" Dog exclaimed, nearly choking on a cashew.

"Do we know who he is?"

Tiger took a deep breath, bracing himself for the reactions he knew were coming. Mentally, he prepared his defenses, reinforcing his eardrums with a layer of protective chakra.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

The room fell into an unexpected silence, catching Tiger off guard. He relaxed his chakra just in time to hear Dog's incredulous cry.

"What!? The squid is barely a ninja!"

The captain winced slightly at the volume of Dog's outcry but chose to remain silent, knowing well that his young teammate needed a moment to vent her frustrations. Tiger patiently waited for Dog to finish her string of expletives.

"I should wash your mouth with soap, young lady," Cat scolded with a stern voice.

"Whatever, Cat. You're not my mom."

Tiger rapped his knuckles on the table, calling for order. "Attention, please."

"Hai," both Cat and Dog responded, albeit reluctantly.

"This squad is under my command, and as long as it is, we will obey orders," Tiger continued firmly. "The commander gave us the responsibility to haze the boy, so we will haze the boy. And if we gain a teammate, all the better."

"Tch, as if."

"Don't dismiss the child before even seeing him," Cat interjected. "That isn't fair to him. Everybody has a fair chance to join—"

"But he is just out of school, Cat! He was in the same class as my idiot brother, and he was second to last if not dead last!"

"A severe bias toward Uzumaki has been identified in his teachers," Tiger explained evenly, trying to provide some context before his voice took on a more authoritative edge. "And anyway, the commander scouted him himself, so end of argument."

"Pff, fine. He won't make it anyway."

"We shall see."

"Also, we will be starting a new mission."

"Weren't we training the recruit?"

"He will be trained on the field."

"You have got to be kidding me."

Tiger calmly placed a mission scroll on the table.

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[ Uzumaki Estate ]

Tenten stood over the sink, splashing her face repeatedly with cold water as if each handful could wash away the surreal haze clouding her mind.

She was trying desperately to awaken from what felt like a relentless nightmare.

With each splash, she hoped reality might shift, that the harsh truth of her father lying in a coma might somehow change.

But the cold water did little more than chill her skin and momentarily distract her from the pain.

As the water dripped down her face, the dam within her began to break.

The initial shock that had numbed her emotions gave way to a profound grief.

A realization that this was not a dream from which she could simply awaken.

Tenten tried to hold back the tears, to remain strong, but they came anyway—unrelenting and fierce. They streamed down her cheeks, mingling with the splashes of water. Her heart felt as though it were being squeezed, the pain almost too much to bear.

"Tenten," a voice softly called out.

Startled, Tenten began to splash her face again, more vigorously this time, as if the water could hide her tears and the raw pain that caused them.

"Please stop," Hinata said as she placed a hand on Tenten's shoulder. Tenten stopped splashing and looked down at the floor, her body trembling slightly from the effort to control her emotions.

"You saw the quest window, right?" Hinata tried to reassure her friend, enveloping her in a warm hug. "Everything will be alright."

"Yeah," Tenten replied, her voice distant and hollow, disconnected from the reassurance Hinata tried to provide. It was clear the words reached her ears but failed to penetrate the fog of her despair.

"What's wrong?" 

"This system is evil, isn't it?" Tenten chuckled, but her laughter was devoid of any real humor. Hinata, puzzled, struggled to follow Tenten's train of thought.

"What do you mean?"

"The first confrontation with Root agents resulted in me getting poisoned," Tenten explained, raising her magical ring as a symbol of her ordeal.

It seemed to her that the system knew what was going to happen.

Hinata was silent, her mind grappling with the possibility.

Could it really be a mere coincidence?

"We wanted Naruto to not rely on the system, and what did the system do? It gave us a carrot on a stick."

Hinata pursed her lips, the implications of Tenten's words sinking in.

"What now?"

"We become hypocrites," Tenten stated bluntly.

"What?"

"We bite the bait that the system gave us until Dad is okay."

"But what about Naruto?"

Tenten clenched her fist, turning her gaze away.

"The system hasn't harmed him up until now, right?"

Hinata could see the inner conflict tearing at her friend.

Did they even have the right to demand Naruto's safety when Tenten's father, her only family, was on the line?

"We can be hypocrites and still save Naruto."

Tenten turned back to Hinata, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, clearly distraught by the decision they were facing. "H-How?"

"By becoming stronger, someone he can trust to have his back... People he could rely on alongside the system," Hinata suggested, trying to offer a silver lining.

"That doesn't eliminate Naruto's blind loyalty to the system."

"It doesn't, but it's a first step."

Tenten nodded.

As they opened the door to leave, they were startled to see Naruto standing there. Both women instinctively jumped back, a jolt of surprise sending their hearts racing.

How much had he heard? They both wondered anxiously as Naruto rubbed the back of his head, oblivious to the gravity of their previous conversation.

"Let's eat."

Hinata and Tenten exchanged a glance, sighing in relief as they moved.

Naruto, meanwhile, looked back at the girls and then to his system, his expression blank.

Blind loyalty, huh?

...

The trio settled around the table where Naruto had prepared bowls of steaming ramen. He cracked an egg with a practiced ease, then skillfully sprinkled in a spice packet and a dollop of mayonnaise, stirring vigorously as he added the water and finally the noodles. Hinata and Tenten watched, then mimicked his actions, each adding their ingredients in a similar sequence, though with less flair.

They began to eat, the room filled only with the sound of slurping noodles and the occasional clink of spoons against bowls. Naruto dove into his ramen with gusto. Hinata ate with a careful. Tenten ate mechanically, her thoughts elsewhere as she chewed.

As they continued, the silence among them grew comfortable.

"What's the plan?"

"Eat and sleep for the next few hours and then go to the anbu. Try to become as strong as I can, share whatever I can with you two."

"I think I can make some powerful items," Hinata chimed in, drawing the attention of the others. "The dungeon reward — Unicorn Horn and Mandrake Root, I think I can use them to make use of them."

Naruto perked up at this.

"Well, we do have a health potion recipe,"

Tenten just hummed in response, her mind clearly preoccupied. "I can make use of the items to upgrade our gear."

"Let's go sleep," Naruto suggested cheerily, springing up to fetch some sleeping bags.

Hinata smiled gently as she glanced at Tenten, sensing the weight on her friend's shoulders. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I... forget it." Tenten's response was abrupt as she stood up and left the room quickly. Hinata watched her go, exhaling a deep sigh.

...

The trio lay in sleeping bags sprawled across the lush lawn of the estate, under the vast expanse of the night sky.

"Naruto, wouldn't it be better if we slept in the rooms?" Hinata suggested, her hands gently brushing down Florence who was currently enjoying the form of a soft, fluffy ball.

"And miss this great view?"

Tenten lay between them, her expression unreadable, staring up at the stars until they suddenly vanished. She blinked in confusion as the moon transformed, revealing what looked like two buttcheeks, and then emitted a bizarre visual of a fart that sprayed a sea of stars across the sky.

"Balls of gas," Naruto chuckled at his own prank, watching the artificial stars twinkle.

Hinata giggled softly at the joke, her shoulders shaking with quiet laughter. Meanwhile, Tenten's expression grew tense, her eyebrows knitting together in visible irritation.

"Naruto, remove this genjutsu," she demanded, her voice low and menacing.

"Can't take a joke?"

Normally, Tenten would have let such a comment slide, but this time her patience frayed. The stress of the day, the worry for her father, and the strain of their mission had all accumulated to a breaking point.

"Joke? You think this is a time to be joking?!" Tenten yelled, her voice cracking with emotion. Florence, caught by surprise by the loud outburst, whimpered and nudged closer to Hinata for comfort.

"What, I was just trying to lighten the mood?"

"I don't need you to lighten my mood. Dad fell into a coma a few hours ago, the last thing I need is to lighten my mood. Not everything has to be happy!" Tenten yelled, her emotions spilling over in a turbulent wave.

"Then what? Get angry and frown like we are emos!"

Tenten's nose flared, her breathing heavy and uneven. "There is a time and place for everything, and I would at least like you to take this seriously!"

"I am taking this seriously," Naruto countered, his voice cracking under the strain. "I'm thinking of plans and what to do and how to do them. I'm thinking of how to get stronger the fastest. I am thinking—and just because I am not trying to show the world I am angry and upset, doesn't mean this doesn't affect me." His voice dropped, laden with emotion. "Mr. Higurashi was someone that acknowledged me in this damn village, and you think I don't feel guilty, knowing that maybe if I hadn't met him, that maybe if I had played it smarter, that maybe..." He paused, his lips trembling as he fought back tears, "that maybe he would be awake."

Tenten paused, her anger cooling as she took in Naruto's grief-stricken face, his eyes glossy with unshed tears.

"Naruto," she began, her voice softer, but Naruto cut her off.

"Let's just go to sleep," he said. "I was wrong in thinking that maybe it's better to have hope, to keep our mood high—that yes, we will save Mr. Higurashi. But if you want to go be an emo, then go be one." He grabbed his sheet, turned to the side, and covered himself, his body curled up tightly as he faced away from them.

Tenten looked helplessly at Hinata, who sat quietly, absorbing the heated exchange.

"Let's just sleep, it's been a long day."

Tenten gave a slow nod, settling back into her sleeping bag.

'Not everyone processes things like you do, Tenten. Everyone has their own way of dealing with pain and stress, and you know that.'

The realization stung, adding a layer of guilt over her earlier outburst.

'I was too harsh on Naruto. He's hurting too, just in his way. I should apologize.'

Tenten remained silent for a few minutes, carefully gathering her thoughts and allowing the tension in the air to dissipate somewhat. Eventually, she broke the silence.

"You awake?"

~Woof~

Florence barked in response, eliciting a playful poke on the nose from Hinata.

"You heard her, Naruto," Hinata said softly.

"The dog or the emo?" Naruto grumbled, his voice muffled by the sleeping bag, still turned away from them.

"Naruto, I'm sorry about lashing out," Tenten admitted, her voice tinged with genuine regret.

There was no response from Naruto.

"And you don't have to feel guilty about what happened to my dad," she continued, trying to ease the burden she sensed he carried.

Naruto froze for a moment.

"Why not? If I had—"

"Don't blame this on yourself," Tenten interrupted. "These people, these Root ninjas, this Shimura Danzo bastard—he's the one to blame. You didn't tell them to target Dad and me, you were just their target."

"But—"

"But what, Naruto? If you tried to be more secretive with the system, if you tried to be this and that—at the end of the day, those are just ifs, regrets. We can't change the past, nor can we blame ourselves for things other people have done. So don't feel guilty. We have our targets, we have the people that need to pay. Let's go after them and not chase some hypothetical scenarios that could have been." Tenten's words were firm, carrying a conviction that seemed as much for her own reassurance as for Naruto's.

As she spoke, Tenten envisioned a genjutsu of her dad smiling at her.

I am proud of you and I know you'll succeed.

Her lips quivered at the image, even knowing it wasn't real, it provided a momentary solace.

"Naruto, can I ask you a question?"

"Hmm."

"Do you use this genjutsu on yourself, like with your mom beside you?"

"Sometimes, when I can't sleep, I use a genjutsu of my mom to sing me a lullaby."

"I think we need that lullaby," Hinata suggested gently.

As the illusion of Kushina appeared beside them, a soothing presence filled the air. The soft melody of her lullaby gently flowed around them, a comforting sound in the quiet night. Slowly, their eyes began to close, each note easing the tension from their bodies.

In that moment, it didn't matter that it was an illusion.

They needed this brief escape—a chance to feel safe, as if held in the loving arms of a mother. It was a precious pause from their troubles, a chance to forget the weight of the world.

As the lullaby continued, they drifted into sleep, wrapped in the warm embrace of peace, finding solace in the simple comfort of the song. The troubles of the day faded into the background, and for a brief time, all was well.

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[ Morning ]

The gentle, insistent knock on the door jerked Naruto from his sleep, slicing through the tranquility of the early morning. He blinked away the remnants of his dreams, his eyes focusing on the still-dark sky outside; the sun had not yet risen.

With a sense of urgency, Naruto scrambled to his feet and hurried to the door. Standing in the frame was ANBU Bee.

"Follow me, Uzumaki-san."

"Can I change or eat?" Naruto asked, his mind still foggy from sleep.

"Food will be at the ANBU headquarters, but you'll have to change."

"So, like, you want to come in?" Naruto ventured, half-hoping for a few more moments to gather himself.

"No, I'll wait outside," Bee said, pausing as he noticed Hinata and Tenten beginning to stir from their sleep on the lawn.

"The Hokage has summoned Uzumaki-san," Bee announced, just as Naruto opened his mouth to speak but then thought better of it.

'Let's not reveal that information,' he thought to himself, choosing discretion over openness as he slowly closed the door behind him.

Turning back, he saw Hinata sprinting to the kitchen while Tenten dashed into their temporary outdoor sleeping area to gather his stuff.

Florence yawned expansively as she glanced up at the blueish-black sky, giving Naruto a pointed look.

"Not my fault." 

~Whoof Whoof~

Florence curled up and promptly fell back asleep, unbothered by the morning's unfolding events.

Naruto could only manage a sheepish grin, a single bead of sweat trickling down his forehead.

Hinata emerged with a sandwich she had hastily made and Tenten appeared clutching all his clothes and gear.

"Thanks, but..." Naruto started, only to be met with their urgent looks, prompting him to comply quickly. He grabbed the sandwich, taking a large bite, and then grabbed his clothes to go change.

A minute later, Naruto emerged fully dressed, his gear in place. He looked at Hinata and Tenten.

"Guess, I'll see you soon," he said, giving each of them a quick hug. He patted the still-sleeping Florence, his hand lingering a moment on the puppy's soft fur before turning to join Bee at the door.

Naruto was halfway out the door when Tenten called out, "Naruto, you forgot something." He turned around, puzzled, just in time to see Tenten stepping forward with a mischievous smile. Before he could react, she leaned in and quickly pecked him on the cheek.

"W-What?!" Naruto exclaimed, his face instantly flushing a deep shade of red.

Tenten just smiled, stepping back and playfully nudging Hinata's leg with her foot. Hinata, already blushing from witnessing the scene, felt her heart racing.

Oh no?! What?! K-K-KI-KISS?!

But how can I just kiss him out of nowhere?

As Hinata's thoughts spiraled into a panic, she caught sight of Naruto touching the spot on his cheek where Tenten had kissed him. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she tried to muster the courage to follow suit. However, the idea of a direct kiss still overwhelmed her.

In a compromise between her shyness and the urge to show Naruto kun affection, Hinata came up with a different approach. She kissed her two fingers and then gently patted Naruto's cheek with them, not just once but repeatedly. Each pat was a light tap, as if she was playfully asserting that she, too, had given him multiple kisses, even if indirectly.

"T-Thanks," Naruto managed to stutter, still red-faced as he glanced sideways to see Bee watching the entire exchange.

"Go," Tenten urged, giving Naruto a gentle push out the door before slamming it shut behind him.

"What happened?" Naruto asked the older ANBU, still reeling from the sudden show of affection.

"You got kissed and kicked," Bee remarked dryly.

"Do girlfriends always kiss you and kick you?"

"Yes, and they always get your money."

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"No."

"What? You can't make a girl your friend?"

Silence fell between them for a moment before Bee replied, "You don't know what 'girlfriend' means."

"What does it mean?"

With a puff of smoke, Bee produced a dictionary from seemingly nowhere.

"Why do you have a dictionary on you?"

"Entertainment," Bee replied nonchalantly as he opened the dictionary to the right page and handed it to Naruto.

....

Tenten's heart raced, thumping audibly in her chest as she relished the playful yet confusing moment she had initiated. Suddenly, she felt a firm hand on her shoulder, making her jump slightly. Turning around, she faced a sight that truly alarmed her.

Hinata stood there, her Byakugan activated, veins bulging around her tense, pale eyes.

"Mind explaining what happened?" Hinata's voice was low and intimidating, an unusual tone for her, which only added to the gravity of her gaze.

"I see why you like him."

"W-What?"

"I like him too."

"But what about Neji?"

"That crush is long since dead," Tenten admitted, shrugging slightly. "But you said you'd help me with Naruto-kun."

"Well, now you have competition."

"Tenten, what game are you playing?" Hinata's eyes narrowed slightly, trying to gauge if her friend was serious.

"Nothing, I am serious. I like Naruto, but I don't want our friendship to end over something like this. So, let's agree that whoever Naruto chooses, we will respect his decision."

"I'll win."

"You couldn't even kiss him," Tenten smirked back.

Hinata's eyes narrowed even more.

"You won the battle; I'll win the war."

"Good luck then," Tenten said, extending her hand.

Hinata shook it, her grip firm, just as Naruto's yell cut through the early morning calm. "That's what a girlfriend means?!"

Both girls turned towards the sound, then looked at each other and giggled.

~Whoof~

Florence sighed from her spot on the lawn, clearly exasperated by the human drama that had disturbed her beauty sleep.

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Bee led Naruto through the quiet streets of Konoha. The dawn had not fully broken yet, and the eastern sky was slowly transitioning from dark night to a lighter blue. The air was crisp, and the streets were silent except for the occasional team of chunin and older genin patrolling the city, their movements stealthy and silent as they leaped from roof to roof.

Naruto took a deep breath, enjoying the rare sense of peace. The only sign of movement came from the quick, precise jumps of the patrollers, their presence only noticeable because they were the only things stirring in the predawn quiet. Being out at this hour was unusual for him, given that no one typically chose to wake so early. However, as a ninja, he knew his future held many more nights of patrols and sleep-deprived vigils.

His contemplative walk came to an abrupt halt when he found himself standing before a simple civilian office building. Naruto frowned; his expectations unmet.

"Expecting more?"

"Yeah, I guess it's not the hidden secret society I was hoping for."

Bee could only sweatdrop at that. The boy certainly had an active imagination.

"What do you think is the scarier aspect of an ANBU?"

"Skill?"

"No, the mask of anonymity," Bee corrected him, his voice low and serious.

Anyone could be behind that mask.

Naruto nodded, his understanding deepening. The idea struck him more profoundly as he stared at the ordinary building before him—a place where day-to-day civilian tasks were likely carried out, yet it served as the base for Konoha's deadliest protectors.

"Enter, Uzumaki-san."

As Naruto stepped through the doorway, he was enveloped by complete darkness.

He paused, allowing a few moments for either someone to greet him or for his eyes to adjust to the lack of light.

"Anyone here?" Naruto called out tentatively, his voice echoing slightly in the enclosed space. Receiving no response, he closed his eyes and used the Mind's Eye to perceive his surroundings.

It didn't take long for him to realize that he was caught in a genjutsu.

Just as he prepared to break the illusion, a single candle flickered to life near him, its small flame casting a weak glow around the room.

Turning around, Naruto saw figures that seemed familiar—Tenten, Hinata, Konohamaru, even Hiruzen—reaching out to him from the shadows. The sight was unsettling, their forms blurred and distorted as if part of a dream or a trick of the mind.

"The shadows we serve."

[ Alert: World Quest ]

[ Quest Title: The Shadows We Serve ]

[ Description: Player is being tested on their resolve, challenging them to choose between the light or the darkness. ]

[ Objective: Blow out the Genjutsu Candle. ]

[ Rewards: ]

- [ Title: "ANBU Recruit" ]

- [ Item: Blank ANBU Mask ]

- [ 100 Experience Points ]

- [ ANBU Grade Gear ]

[ Failure: ]

- [ Removal from ANBU ]

- [ ? ]

- [ ? ]

Naruto took a deep breath, steadying his nerves as he approached the lone candle. Reaching the candle, he paused for a brief moment, taking in the scene one last time, then gently blew out the flame.

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[ Author's Note:

Sorry for not uploading as often—I'm currently under the weather and college demands aren't making things any easier, but I'm doing my best to stay consistent. Thank you all for your patience!

....

Now, onto my random author note that you all seem to enjoy and engage with for some reason:

.....

1-Emotional Rollercoaster: We've experienced a range of emotions from sadness to joy to jealousy. I hope it was entertaining because the goal was to test the relationships and highlight each character's stake in what happened to Mr. Higurashi.

Tenten: She's understandably upset and prefers a more somber atmosphere.

Naruto: He's grappling with guilt and anger but tries to stay cheerful as he feels the alternative doesn't help the situation.

Hinata: She's affected mainly because Naruto and Tenten are, so she strives to be the voice of reason.

About the kiss: This moment has been in my mind for a while, and the resolution for Hinata and Tenten to respect Naruto's choices is something I deeply appreciate. I dislike forced drama, and given how Tenten and Hinata are characterized—alongside their evolving relationship from friends and mentors to rivals—a simple rivalry feels natural and more enjoyable.

.....

2-Florence, the Puppy: Aww, I hope you enjoyed the cute moments with Florence! Yes, I have big plans for Florence and Hinata. Can you guess what they are?

.....

3- ANBU Presentation: In many fanfics, the ANBU often seem like a secret society, but I find the concept of them being more ordinary—like the villain who looks like an average Joe—far scarier. That's why I chose to portray the ANBU with bases in ordinary office buildings and shops, where the average worker could be a deadly ninja. This ordinary appearance, in my opinion, makes them more intimidating.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this approach. Please share your opinions in the comments!

....

4- Lastly, Naruto's training will be mostly conducted outside of Konoha but what mission do you think they will be conducted for like a month?

Hint: It's one of the movies.

So, which Naruto movie do you want me to cover?

....

Thank you for your continued support and engagement with my work. Have a blessed day, and I look forward to reading your thoughts in the comments!