Surprises and Plans

"Forget it, I won't talk about you anymore," Naruto sighed, tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You go back and review it carefully."

He wondered if he had been too harsh on Sasuke or if he was just overthinking things. After all, Naruto was aware of his unique advantages: the strongest tailed beast, Kurama, inside him, and the vast Chakra reserves of the Uzumaki clan. Plus, he had his system, and possibly the Chakra of Asura. Sasuke, on the other hand, had the Chakra of Indra, the Sharingan, and outside influences like Uchiha Itachi and Orochimaru's curse seal.

In the grand scheme, Naruto mused that Sasuke's early growth in strength was average. It was no wonder he sought more power under Orochimaru's guidance. Moreover, Sasuke's own "cheat" wouldn't allow him to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan until the 'Pacific Battle'—a thought that lingered in Naruto's mind as he pondered Sasuke's future.

Just as Naruto was considering a career plan for Sasuke, the Uchiha spoke first. "Naruto, open the door. I will go back to the river to practice."

"That..." Sakura interjected timidly, drawing both boys' attention. "Can I practice with you? After all...we are teammates too."

Naruto glanced at Sasuke, leaving the decision to him. "Casual," Sasuke replied nonchalantly. He didn't mind the pink-haired girl joining as long as she didn't interrupt their training.

Naruto didn't care either. He threw open a space door, and Sasuke was the first to step through, followed by a hesitant yet eager Sakura. She was thrilled at the chance to train with Sasuke.

"Hey! You two remember to take pictures today! Kakashi-sensei said they're due tomorrow!" Naruto shouted after them. The light door vanished, and he wasn't sure if they heard him. With the thought of becoming an official ninja tomorrow, a wave of excitement washed over him.

Naruto raised his hand towards the sun, a grin spreading across his face. "Wait then... Uchiha Obito, just wait until the day I kill you!"

He harbored a deep-seated grudge against Obito, who had caused his parents' deaths. Although Naruto had never seen them, the resentment lingered. His only glimpses of his father were through the Hokage Rock's Fourth Hokage statue, which didn't even clearly show his face. Yet, Naruto's sense of duty, shaped by his past life's ethics, demanded vengeance for his parents. Moreover, the life-threatening situation Obito had put him in as a newborn still haunted him. The fear of dying before truly living his new life had been palpable.

Recalling those memories, Naruto's resolve strengthened. "Okay! Let's take a photo first! Then, go to Ōtsutsuki Ichiraku and try ramen!"

With his day's schedule set, Naruto took leave of the big fox and opened a space gate, heading to find Hinata.

Hokage Office

An empty bottle sat in front of the Third Hokage.

"Is everything you said true?" The Third Hokage asked, pipe in hand.

Kakashi, his hand covering his eyes, responded with a sigh, "Yes... When I drank the potion, I found that my arm had recovered. I immediately went to the hospital to check the situation. The medical ninja said that not only did my arm recover, but even the hidden injuries on my body were gone."

Kakashi was genuinely shocked by the potion Naruto had given him. Initially, he hadn't taken it seriously, knowing Naruto's Bloodline Limit conjured odd items, few of which were useful to ninjas. He had only drunk the potion out of thirst, and to his amazement, it healed his injuries. Realizing the gravity of this, he reported the incident to the Third Hokage after a thorough medical check.

The Third Hokage took a deep puff from his pipe, exhaling slowly. "Kakashi, what do you think about this?"

Kakashi paused, contemplating. How else can I watch? I use the Sharingan to watch it! He felt conflicted about his miraculous recovery. A part of him had hoped for a few months' rest to keep Team 7 from causing trouble, especially with Naruto out of the village. But now, fully healed, he was bound to continue their missions.

Finally, he replied, "This potion that Naruto took out... It has a Chakra with yin and yang properties. The moment I drank it, I felt much better, both mentally and physically. But I don't think Naruto has many of these. Otherwise, he would've used them before."

The Third Hokage nodded, agreeing with Kakashi's assessment. Reports from Anbu had noted Naruto's numerous near-death experiences while practicing the Wind Style and Bloodline Limit techniques. Despite being a Jinchūriki and an Uzumaki, the boy had spent considerable time in the hospital. If he had more of these potions, he would've surely used them.

"Fur—" The Third Hokage puffed on his pipe, then spoke thoughtfully. "I'll instruct Anbu to keep this a village top secret. You should ask Naruto about the potion."

"Understood, Lord Third," Kakashi acknowledged.

The Third Hokage was about to dismiss him when he realized something crucial. "Wait!? Kakashi, did you say... Naruto injured you during the assessment?? And broke your arm??"

Kakashi's face twitched. He had hoped to keep his pride intact, but now the cat was out of the bag.

"Yes," he admitted, eager to leave and rest.

The Third Hokage looked at Kakashi in disbelief, stunned into silence. After a long pause, he finally spoke, "Kakashi, you've been a bit lazy these years... Your father and Minato wouldn't want to see you like this."

Kakashi: ...

Do you want to see how strong Naruto has become?? It's not even a fair fight!

Feeling unjustly reprimanded, Kakashi realized he would need to up his game to keep up with his students.