nyslfriends Chapter 105 If Father were still alive, none of this would have happened!
Chapter 105 If Father were still alive, none of this would have happened!
Chapter 105 If Father were still alive, none of this would have happened!
This is quite different from the situation in a dream.
Naruto couldn't help but recall the Neji he had seen in his dream.
In his dream, Neji grinned and wrapped his arms around his neck, affectionately calling him "brother-in-law," his eyes filled with genuine ease and joy.
But now, when Naruto saw Neji on the stage, his face filled with hatred and murderous intent, he felt a tightness in his chest.
His fists clenched tighter and tighter involuntarily.
"If Father were still alive, none of this would have happened!" Naruto's knuckles turned white from clenching his fists. "It's all that wretched, mysterious masked man's fault!"
Another highly anticipated match is Rock Lee versus Gaara of Sunagakure.
Rock Lee, having shed his burdens and opened the Eight Gates, truly surprised Naruto and Sasuke; his terrifying speed was even difficult for the Sharingan to detect.
However, even someone as strong as Rock Lee was unable to break through Gaara's almost absolute sand shield.
This result left Naruto and Sasuke looking rather grim.
They originally thought that with their current strength, passing the Chunin Exams would be a piece of cake.
But it was only at this moment that the two of them truly realized this.
Among the genin in various villages, there are still many geniuses they have never known.
Gaara of Sunagakure was a far more terrifying opponent than they had imagined.
After the preliminary rounds, all the selected candidates were given a one-month rest period to prepare for the upcoming third round of formal examinations.
However, so-called rest does not mean relaxation.
For anyone aspiring to win the finals, this precious month is a crucial period for intensive training and skill enhancement.
As soon as the preliminary rounds ended, the three members of Team 7, along with Xiang, immediately sought out their team leader, Kakashi, hoping that this experienced Jonin senior would provide them with special training.
"Kakashi-sensei! We'll work hard for the entire next month! Please give us special training and help us become stronger!"
Naruto's eyes were firm, and his fighting spirit was high.
Sasuke stood to the side with his arms crossed, nodding slightly. Although he didn't speak, the expectation in his eyes said it all.
Even Sakura, who wasn't usually very enthusiastic about training, clenched her fists and chimed in, "That's right, Kakashi-sensei! We must give it our all in the final match and not let you down!"
Hearing the disciples' spirited requests, Kakashi surprisingly showed a hint of difficulty.
He scratched his messy silver hair, unsure of how to begin.
He had already received orders from the Third Hokage, and everything had been arranged long ago. This was for the sake of the village and also for Naruto. After a moment of contemplation, Kakashi finally decided to speak: "I'm sorry, Naruto."
"You won't be able to train with us for the next month."
What?!
Naruto was shocked to hear this and stared at Kakashi with wide eyes in disbelief.
Since graduating from the Ninja Academy and forming a team, Team 7 has always been inseparable, fighting side by side.
Why did Kakashi-sensei say he couldn't train with them at such a crucial moment, right before the final?
"Why?!" Naruto couldn't help but raise his voice, a surge of grievance welling up inside him. "Kakashi-sensei, what did I do wrong? Why did you have to send me away alone?!"
Sasuke and Sakura, standing next to Naruto, also looked bewildered.
All three of them passed the preliminary rounds smoothly, and Naruto's performance in the competition was no worse than Sasuke's.
Why are you treating him differently right now, excluding Naruto?!
Kakashi sighed inwardly at the questioning looks from the three kids.
He certainly understood Naruto's feelings.
But the matter was of great importance, and he could not reveal the truth to the students.
Orochimaru has set his sights on Naruto Uzumaki, a fact currently known only to him and a very few high-ranking officials, including the Third Hokage.
If we told Naruto, it would only add to his fear and pressure.
Moreover, this was a decision made personally by the Hokage.
The purpose of concealing Orochimaru's whereabouts was both to ensure the village's stability and to lull Orochimaru into a false sense of security.
Thinking of this, Kakashi patted Naruto on the shoulder and tried to comfort him gently: "Naruto, don't overthink it. This isn't your fault, nor is it meant to distance myself from you."
"Actually, the village has already arranged a more powerful mentor for you. He will come to find you soon."
"For the next month, you just need to stay here and diligently follow that teacher in your training, understand?"
Upon hearing this, Naruto was speechless, unable to say anything more.
He lowered his head, gave a sullen "Oh," and remained filled with disappointment.
This feeling of being treated differently brought back memories of a time he least wanted to recall.
He hadn't done anything wrong, yet he was isolated and ostracized by the entire village.
Are we going to relive the nightmare of the past?
Seeing Naruto's dejected look, Xiang felt bad for him too.
She hesitated for a moment, then quickly walked to Naruto's side, carefully reaching out to grasp his slightly cold hand: "Naruto—don't be sad, I'll always be with you."
Naruto was taken aback, then looked up and met the girl's concerned red eyes, and felt a warmth in his heart for no reason.
Yes, he is no longer the lonely child he once was.
At least for now, Xiang is still willing to stand by his side and support him.
Thinking of this, Naruto felt a little better and forced a grateful smile.
The atmosphere eased somewhat.
Seeing this, Kakashi breathed a sigh of relief and took out a document and a set of keys from his pocket, handing them to Naruto.
He pointed to Xiang and said reassuringly, "Oh, right, there's one more thing. The village has already taken care of this girl's identity. From now on, Xiang is a member of Konoha. You don't need to worry about the Land of Grass; they won't cause any more trouble."
"Really? Really?" Xiang covered her mouth, her voice trembling with excitement.
Kakashi nodded.
"Okay. From now on, you can stay in Konoha without worry."
Upon hearing this, Xiang felt a surge of emotion welling up in her eyes. She clutched the document that proved her identity tightly, as if afraid that this was just a dream and she would wake up at any moment.
Naruto, who was standing nearby, was genuinely happy for Kaori, but he was still somewhat downcast.
After taking the documents from Kakashi, he simply handed them to Kaoru for safekeeping and then said nothing more.
Kakashi saw everything, sighed silently, and then placed the bunch of keys in Naruto's palm.
"And this too," Kakashi smiled. "With Kaori by your side, you can't keep letting girls squeeze into your little apartment, can you? This is the key to your new house."
Naruto paused, then instinctively opened his palm to examine it closely.
It was a string of old copper keys, its surface covered with mottled rust.
"What kind of key is this for the new house?" Naruto scratched his head, looking puzzled. Kakashi, seeing this, smiled slightly: "That's right. From today onwards, you won't have to go back to living in that cramped, dilapidated studio apartment anymore."
He patted Naruto on the shoulder, a hint of reminiscence in his eyes, "This house was specially secured for you by the person who will be guiding you next."
"As for the address—" Kakashi paused, then chuckled softly, "I think you should be familiar with it."
A thought flashed through Naruto's mind, as if he had realized something.
His body jolted violently, and he stood frozen in place. After a long pause, he stammered, "Could it be—"
"Alright, that's all for now."
He waved to the three of them, then turned and left the training ground with Sasuke and Sakura.
Before leaving, Sasuke glanced calmly at Naruto and said in a deep voice, "Naruto, don't let me leave you behind."
Sakura raised her fist in encouragement, saying, "That's right! Naruto, you do your best too! See you in the finals!"
In the empty training ground, only Naruto and Kaori remained.
Even after Kakashi's figure disappeared from sight, Naruto remained standing there, unable to come to his senses.
Naruto lowered his head, looking at the cold key in his hand, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
The cold, copper key lay in his palm, but Naruto could inexplicably feel a faint warmth emanating from the metal.
Suddenly, a strange "thud, thud, thud" sound came from not far away, as if it were the sound of some wooden object hitting the ground.
Naruto suddenly looked up and gazed in the direction from which the sound came.
A tall figure was walking slowly toward us, with his back to the light.
The man had long white hair, a strong and slender build, and wore tall wooden clogs.
The golden rays of the setting sun bathed his back, gilding him with a dazzling golden edge—