Chapter-123

(Northeast limits of Yugakure)

The sun slowly set on the horizon of a large forest, where four figures could be seen leaping between the branches of the tall trees. They were Team 4, led by Haruma Tenko, consisting of Hado Takashi, Tohara Kimi, and Uzumaki Naruto. The four Konoha ninjas halted as they reached a small town.

"By Kami-sama..." Kimi covered her nose at the foul stench of the numerous corpses hanging from trees or houses. Horrified, she had to look away to keep from getting sick. Takashi, too, nearly lost his lunch at the sight.

"..." With a grave expression, the seasoned shinobi approached the body of a young girl hanging from a metal stake. She appeared to have been stabbed and left to bleed out. Beneath her lay a drawing in blood—a circle with a triangle inside. With a grunt, the ninja stood up.

"Who could have done this?" Naruto asked sadly, summoning clones to lower the bodies for a proper burial. He glanced at his sensei, who was still studying the symbols scattered around the town.

"The sect of the sick, who worship a supposed God named Jashin..." Haruma recalled the chaos caused by this dangerous sect. "They revel in death and suffering, believing it pleases their god. They are a threat because they even recruit shinobi as sacrifices. If there's a shinobi among them, following this religion... they could be incredibly dangerous," Haruma explained grimly, eyeing the bodies with disgust.

"I see..." Naruto frowned, repulsed by the monstrous acts of this group. Spotting footprints leading into the forest, he noted, "There are at least eight people... and judging by the bodies' condition, this happened recently. They must be close..." With that, he joined his waiting companions.

"..." Tenko studied his students intently. "Uzumaki, it's time to see if you're ready to lead. As you're close to becoming a Jounin, you need to show leadership." ...you're in charge..." With a step aside, he signaled Naruto to take the lead in finding those responsible for the massacre.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto felt the weight of his team's trust. Turning to Takashi, he requested, "Can you scout the area and gather information on our targets?" Takashi nodded and set off to gather intel. Turning to Kimi, Naruto instructed, "Kimi-chan, set traps around the forest. We can't let anyone escape. Once done, join us and be ready to provide medical aid if needed. Your safety is crucial."

"Hai!" Kimi acknowledged and swiftly disappeared into the forest. As minutes passed, Naruto leaped onto a cliff, observing the camp where their targets were located. Before he could proceed, his team joined him.

"..." Naruto hesitated, feeling the weight of his new role. But his teammates landed beside him, ready for action.

"Ready, Taicho... I've located our targets precisely," Takashi reported confidently, showing his trust in Naruto's leadership despite their age difference.

"I've set traps and secured the area, Taicho," Kimi smiled, showing her faith in Naruto's leadership.

Satisfied with his team's readiness, Naruto smiled. "Once this is done, Ramen's on me." Turning to Takashi and Kimi, he asked, "Do you trust me?"

"Of course, we're Team Whirlwind!" Kimi's cheerful response was echoed by Takashi's nod.

"Whirlwind Team?" Naruto chuckled at the nickname, feeling a surge of determination. "Let's get to work..."

"Hai!"

….

"..." Sitting on the roof of the tallest tower on Island I, Naruto only smiled slightly at the gentle breeze brushing his face. Glancing to his side, he saw All Might and Midoriya approaching him. "Do you have any questions?" she asked softly as he slowly stood up.

"Yes," All Might was gradually regaining his muscular form, preparing to assume his heroic persona when he heard several of his students approaching. "Young Uzumaki, you have much to explain to us," he said, noticing David being attended to by medical personnel.

"Sensei…"

"Tell me, Naruto. I've told you many times," growled the shinobi, clutching his right arm in pain from his Raiton attack and exerting his inner strength.

"..." Izuku frowned at the blonde, who was now searching for his jacket he had left behind. "That last attack, what was it? How strong are you, Naruto?" he thought doubtfully, moving to assist his struggling teacher.

"Guys!" The attention of both teenagers turned to their classmates, led by Momo. "By Kami-sama! We need to get them medical attention!" the black-haired girl urgently exclaimed, concerned about two of their companions.

"He's..." before anyone could react, Bakugo stumbled upon the villain's body. "You guys?" he exclaimed with disbelief and anger, a sentiment echoed by others, who looked to the shinobi for answers, only to receive a shrug.

"He defeated us, and All Might had to intervene. But in doing so, the villain triggered a suicidal attack," Naruto explained briefly, then moved towards the stairs to leave.

"..." Blinking in confusion, Izuku was observed by his classmates, seeking answers. "It's true," he asserted more seriously, defending Naruto's account, which convinced most of their classmates. As minutes passed, everyone helped their two injured companions to receive medical attention.

In the following days, Naruto's version of events was circulated by the media. The villain, known as 'Wolfram', had engaged in battle with Midoriya Izuku and Uzumaki Naruto. Both teenagers had to be rescued by All Might, who arrived to confront the threat. 'Unfortunately', the villain perished when the Shield David prototype failed, causing an electrical explosion that burned his body. Everyone accepted this version, as...

What other version could there be?

….

"Friend, you're burning the meat..."

"My mom does it this way."

"Well, your mom, she's a terrible cook." If glares could kill, Kirishima would be buried by now.

"Don't mess with my mom," growled Sero, who was tending to the meat on the grill, meant for all of class 1-A, who were spending time together on one of the beaches of Island I. It had been a few days since the tower incident, and now everyone was enjoying each other's company during this short vacation.

"Girls, I've got the ball!" The invisible figure of Toru dashed over with a beach ball in hand, heading towards where several of her friends were gathered, ready to play volleyball. Meanwhile, other students sat around a large table, patiently awaiting dinner.

"Midoriya?" Sitting beside his friend, Iida noticed Midoriya lost in thought, gazing in the direction of Naruto, who was effortlessly carrying a large cooler with the help of Shiori, who carried lighter items for dinner.

"..." Ignoring Iida's voice, Midoriya remained fixated on his sensei, the recent conversation with All Might fresh in his mind.