The silence in the fog was heavy, damp, and suffocating; it had drowned out every sound in the forest. The eight Konoha ninja remained in their defensive circle, back-to-back, forming a hedgehog of kunai amidst a tension so thick you could feel it in the air.

“Anyone see anything?” Naruto whispered, his voice unusually restrained, his knuckles white from how tightly he gripped his weapon.

“Don’t be an idiot, Naruto. If we could see anything, we wouldn’t be like this,” Kiba retorted in a tense hiss. Akamaru whimpered softly, pressed against his leg. “Am I the only one who gets a bad feeling from this place? Akamaru won’t stop shaking.”

“You are not the only one,” Shino confirmed, his voice a monotone murmur that was somehow more unsettling than the silence. “My kikaichū are agitated. They cannot fly in this fog, and they sense an overwhelming chakra presence, but it is… diffuse, without a clear origin.”

Hinata had her Byakugan active, the veins around her temples bulging from the strain. Her white eyes swept across the milky opacity, searching for a chakra flow, a signature, anything that would betray the source of the bloodlust that still chilled their skin.

“It’s everywhere and nowhere at once,” she murmured, her breath catching. “It’s pure killing intent, but it has no definite origin. I’ve never felt anything like it.”

Kakashi didn’t answer immediately. His single visible eye was narrowed, moving methodically from side to side. Beside him, Kurenai remained perfectly calm, a hand resting lightly on Hinata’s shoulder in a gesture of silent support.

“Hold the formation,” Kakashi ordered, his low, calm voice cutting through the rising anxiety. “Do not break the circle for any reason. Kurenai, on my signal…”

“Understood,” she replied.

Sasuke remained silent He wasn’t going to waste chakra until there was a clear target. Still, the pressure was real. It reminded him of the night of the massacre, that feeling that death was an imminent certainty. He hated it.

And then, as abruptly as it had arrived, the sensation vanished.

It wasn’t gradual. It was as if someone had flipped a switch. The pressure in the air dissipated, and the bloodlust evaporated. The fog, that unnatural white wall, began to recede, dissolving into lazy tendrils, revealing the trees, the path, and the afternoon sun that was still shining as if nothing had happened.

The birdsong returned, timid at first, then in a cheerful chorus that seemed to mock their panic.

They stood motionless for a long second, confused by the anticlimax.

“What… what the hell?” Kiba blurted out, looking around. Akamaru let out a hesitant bark.

“It’s gone,” Hinata whispered, deactivating her Byakugan with a sigh of relief. The effort left her slightly dizzy. “The presence… it’s completely disappeared.”

Naruto straightened up, lowering his kunai. “Just like that? Did it get scared of us and run away?”

Sakura shook her head. “I don’t think so. This wasn’t a retreat. It was deliberate. Like they were testing us.”

Kakashi and Kurenai exchanged a look over their students’ heads. Their stances didn’t relax; they were still on high alert. That hadn’t been normal. A shinobi with that level of control over their killing intent, capable of projecting it so broadly, was a high-level jōnin at the very least. Or something worse.

It was then that a loud, mocking laugh shattered the tension.

“AHAHAHA! And all this fuss for that!”

Tazuna, who had been huddled behind Sakura, got to his feet, dusting off his pants with a smug grin on his sake-flushed face.

“A little river fog! That’s all it was!” he exclaimed, his voice echoing in the now-peaceful forest. “And you, the great and mighty ninja of Konoha, nearly pissed your pants in fear!”

Kiba glared at him. “River fog? Old man, that was no river fog! There was a killing intent out there that could cut steel!”

“Bah, ninja exaggerations,” Tazuna interrupted him, waving a dismissive hand. He turned to point at Naruto, who still looked bewildered. “Especially you, the one in the orange suit. You almost fainted! I saw you shaking! You’ve probably never left your cozy little village, have you, kid?”

Naruto’s face tightened. Confusion morphed into pure rage. After two days of putting up with the old man’s complaints, his constant smell of alcohol, and his sarcastic comments, that insult was the last straw.

“SHUT UP, YOU DRUNK OLD MAN!” he roared, taking a step forward that made Tazuna instinctively back away. “IT WASN’T JUST FOG! THERE WAS SOMETHING OUT THERE! A KILLING INTENT! AND IF YOU DIDN’T FEEL IT, IT’S BECAUSE YOU HAD TOO MUCH SAKE IN YOUR BRAIN TO FEEL ANYTHING BUT YOUR OWN HANGOVER!”

“Naruto, calm down,” Kakashi said, his voice quiet but firm, placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder.

But it was too late. The fuse was already lit. Before Kakashi could intervene, another voice joined Naruto’s, clear and sharp.

“Stop bothering him!”

Everyone turned to look at Sakura. She was standing in front of Tazuna, hands on her hips and a fire in her green eyes that surprised everyone, especially Naruto. Her expression wasn’t one of irritation, but of cold fury.

“Excuse me, young lady?” Tazuna tried to sound intimidating.

“I said leave him alone,” Sakura repeated, not backing down an inch. “We are ninja trained to detect danger, and there was real danger out there. You don’t have the faintest idea what we felt. Naruto is right. The only reason you’re still breathing is because we were here to protect you from that ‘river fog.’ Instead of mocking us, you should be grateful that we take your safety so seriously.”

The fierce and unexpected defense left Naruto speechless. He could only stare at her, his mouth slightly agape. Tazuna blinked, the arrogance vanishing from his face, replaced by genuine surprise at the pink-haired girl’s vehemence.

Hinata, though she didn’t speak, took a silent step to stand beside Sakura, her normally timid gaze now fixed on the bridge builder with disgust. It was an act of solidarity that went unnoticed by no one.

“Well, well, what a temper…” Tazuna muttered, suddenly feeling outnumbered by a group of teenagers.

“Enough,” Kurenai said, her tone serene but with an edge of steel that ended the argument immediately. “Caution is a shinobi’s greatest tool. Overconfidence is what gets people killed in our world, Mr. Tazuna. The incident is over. Let’s move on.”

They resumed their journey, but the atmosphere had changed. The tension from the danger had been replaced by an odd mix of irritation and a new camaraderie. Naruto kept stealing amazed glances at Sakura, who walked with her head held high, pretending not to notice. Kakashi and Kurenai remained vigilant, their senses extended, knowing that had only been a warning. The enemy knew their position and had decided to play with them before attacking. The real fight was yet to come.

****

An hour later, they stopped in a sunny clearing for a well-deserved break. The tension from the fog incident had dissipated, replaced by the murmur of a quiet afternoon. Naruto, unable to stay still for more than five minutes, had already invented a game.

“It’s called ‘Kunai-Leaf’!” he announced, holding up a wide, green leaf. “I throw it in the air, and we have to stick a kunai in it before it hits the ground! Whoever does it the most times wins the title ‘King of Marksmanship’!”

Sakura rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “That is the stupidest name I’ve ever heard in my life, Naruto.”

“It’s a cool name! It’s direct and to the point!” he replied proudly. “Come on, play! I bet you can’t beat me. You too, Hinata!”

The two girls exchanged an amused look. Hinata nodded shyly.

“Alright, but if I win, you have to stop calling it ‘Kunai-Leaf’,” Sakura agreed, pulling out a kunai.

“You got a deal!”

The game was simple, silly, and surprisingly fun. Naruto threw the leaves with battle cries, his kunai often just grazing the edges. Sakura was precise and methodical, cleanly splitting the leaves in half with an elegant motion. Hinata, to both of their surprise, demonstrated flawless aim; her throws were silent and always hit their mark.

“Whoa, Hinata! You’re amazing!” Naruto exclaimed after she split a leaf he had missed.

She blushed. “It’s just… just practice, Naruto-kun.”

Kiba, too proud to join in such a “childish” game, pretended not to be interested while sharpening a kunai, but he shot furtive glances over whenever he heard an exclamation. Akamaru, however, had no such self-control and barked excitedly with each hit, wagging his tail frantically.

At one point, Naruto turned toward the solitary figure practicing at the other end of the clearing. Sasuke was standing on a puddle, perfecting his chakra control to remain on the water’s surface.

“Hey, Sasuke!” Naruto shouted, waving a hand. “We’re playing Kunai-Leaf! Wanna join? I bet you can’t beat me!”

Sasuke paused. The water rippled beneath his feet. He looked at Naruto, at Sakura and Hinata laughing as Sakura teased Naruto for a bad throw. The sound of their laughter filled the clearing. A strange sensation, a pang of something that was neither anger nor disdain, shot through him. It was… isolation. For the first time in a long time, he didn’t feel superior and separate by choice. He just felt… out. Excluded. And he didn’t like it.

He looked away, focusing back on the water. “No, thanks,” he said, his voice surprisingly neutral, devoid of its usual venom. “I’d rather train.”

The “thanks” was so subtle, so unusual, that it almost got lost in the air, but Naruto noticed. And he grinned widely. It wasn’t an acceptance, but it wasn’t the insult he expected either. It was progress.

“Your loss, you jerk!” he yelled, before tossing another leaf. “This is the deciding one, Sakura-chan!”

****

Meanwhile, deep in the woods, the atmosphere was not one for games.

Zabuza Momochi sat on the root of a massive tree, wiping non-existent blood from the blade of his Kubikiribōchō with a cloth. His one visible eye was closed, but fury emanated from him in silent waves that made the air around him feel colder. Haku stood beside him, silent, waiting.

A rustle of leaves announced the arrival of the two men Zabuza least wanted to see at that moment. Gōzu and Meizu, the Demon Brothers, appeared in the clearing, their steps hesitant.

“Can you tell me what the hell you’re doing here?” Zabuza’s voice was a low, dangerous growl, without him even opening his eye. “I was about to cast my Hidden Mist Jutsu. I had the Konoha team right where I wanted them. My ambush was perfect. Why did you interrupt?”

“Orders from Gatō, Lord Zabuza,” Gōzu said, in a tone that tried to be respectful but failed to hide his own nervousness. Zabuza was far more terrifying than their boss.

Zabuza stopped cleaning the blade. “Orders?”

“He said the operation is called off for now,” Gōzu continued, swallowing hard. “That the situation has changed.”

Zabuza slowly opened his eye. It was a slit of pure, contained fury that fixed on the two chūnin. “Changed? Gatō is a cowardly civilian who hides behind his money. He doesn’t give orders to a shinobi. I decide when and how to attack. I’m the one risking my neck out here, not him.”

“He… he said he’s called in a new ally,” Meizu explained, his voice barely a whisper. “Someone to help us. To deal with the two jōnin. He said we should wait for his instructions and not act on our own until they arrive.”

Zabuza froze. His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword so hard his knuckles turned white. A new ally. To help us. The idea wasn’t a relief; it was an insult of the worst kind. It meant that Gatō, that insignificant worm, didn’t trust him—Zabuza Momochi, the Demon of the Hidden Mist—to do the job alone. His professional pride, the only thing a rogue ninja had left, had been trampled.

He stood up, his imposing figure casting a shadow over the two brothers. “So the little tycoon thinks I need help taking care of Kakashi of the Sharingan and a mind reader,” he hissed. “He thinks his money can buy loyalty and dictate strategy.”

Haku took a step forward, placing a gentle hand on Zabuza’s arm. “Zabuza-sama, perhaps it would be wise—”

“Wise is killing Gatō when this is over and taking all his money,” Zabuza interrupted. “Damn Gatō… And damn Kakashi… When the time comes, I’ll kill them all. The Konoha team, the new ‘ally,’ and our pathetic employer.”

****

Back in the clearing, the game was over. The group was resting, regaining their energy while eating some rations. Kiba, as always, was looking for conversation, and his gaze fell on Naruto, who was sitting unusually close to Hinata, sharing his water bottle.

“Hey, Naruto,” he began, a mischievous grin forming on his face. “I’ve been thinking.”

“That’s dangerous, Kiba,” Sakura replied without looking up from her gear.

Kiba ignored her. “You haven’t left Hinata’s side for a second since we left the village. You’re acting like her personal bodyguard. What’s the deal, huh? Is she your girlfriend?”

Naruto, who was about to take a drink of water, choked and started coughing violently, spilling liquid on his jacket. “What?!” he squawked, his face red.

Beside him, Hinata, who had been calmly watching a butterfly, instantly turned the color of a ripe tomato. Her hands flew into her lap, twisting nervously.

Naruto recovered and stood up, puffing out his chest with completely unwarranted pride and an expression of utter seriousness.

“She’s not my girlfriend!” he declared, his voice echoing in the clearing with a conviction that made everyone fall silent. “It’s much more serious than that!”

Kiba stared at him, incredulous. Sakura raised an eyebrow. Shino tilted his head. “More serious?”

“We’re married!” Naruto claimed with such unwavering conviction that for a second, just one second, it almost sounded believable.

The silence that followed was total and absolute, so thick you could have cut it with a kunai.

Kiba’s jaw dropped, and he blinked. Akamaru tilted his head, letting out a confused whine. Sakura, who had been sharpening a kunai, stopped and stared at him as if he had grown a second, orange, whiskered head. And Sasuke, who was trying to meditate on a nearby tree branch, snapped his eyes open at the sheer stupidity he had just heard and nearly lost his balance.

Hinata, for her part, seemed to have transcended blushing and entered a state of spontaneous combustion. A small, choked sound, like a frightened kitten, escaped her throat. “Na-Naruto-kun…”

“MARRIED?!” Kiba finally managed to shout, breaking the spell. “You’re completely insane! You can’t be married! We’re too young!”

“Of course we are!” Naruto insisted, crossing his arms, completely oblivious to the general disbelief. “She gave me a kiss on the cheek! That’s what people do when they get married! The hero saves the girl, she gives him a kiss, and boom! It’s a sealed pact!”

The logic was so absurd, so perfectly Naruto, that Sakura couldn’t take it anymore. She dropped her kunai and burst out laughing. Not a giggle, but a loud, open-throated laugh, tears of pure amusement streaming down her cheeks. She doubled over, clutching her stomach. “Oh my god, Naruto! You are unbelievably stupid!”

It was Kurenai, who had been watching the scene with a mixture of horror and amusement from a distance, who finally intervened. She approached the group, trying to suppress a smile that threatened to betray her.

“Naruto…” she began, her voice taking on a motherly, patient tone, as if she were explaining chakra theory to a very small child.

“Yeah, Kurenai-sensei?” he replied, still completely serious and awaiting validation.

“A kiss on the cheek…” she said slowly, choosing her words with the care of a bomb disposal expert, “…is a sign of affection. Of fondness. Sometimes, of gratitude. It is not a marriage proposal. Trust me.”

Naruto stared at her, his brain working at full speed to process this new information. Genuine bewilderment appeared on his face, and his eyebrows furrowed.

“Oh… it’s not?” he blinked. “Are you sure? It seemed really official in the books.”

“Completely sure,” Kurenai confirmed, nodding her head.

“Wow,” Naruto said, scratching the back of his neck with an expression of foolish realization. “Well, then I guess we’re just super-duper-best-friends! Which is almost like being married, so I wasn’t that far off!”

He turned to a nearly fainted-from-embarrassment Hinata and smiled at her with all the brilliance of the midday sun.

“Don’t worry, Hinata! We can still get married for real when I become Hokage! It’s a promise!”

That was the final straw. With one last, sharp “Eeeh!”, Hinata’s eyes rolled back into her head and she slumped gently to the side, falling onto a still-laughing Sakura who barely managed to catch her.

Kiba just shook his head, muttering, “unbelievable, this guy’s unbelievable.” Kakashi, from his tree, lowered his book just enough to observe the chaos. He exchanged a look with Kurenai, who was now smiling openly with affection. He offered her an almost imperceptible shrug, thinking that, perhaps, this was going to be the most troublesome and entertaining team he’d ever had.

*******

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