At the entrance of Konoha Village, Kakashi and his team looked at Naruto in complete speechlessness.
Sakura went out of her way to point at the watch on her wrist.
“How are you guys all here already?
I thought Kakashi-sensei would be an hour or two late, so I purposefully came half an hour late myself.
Oh, right—I got lost on the path of life!” Naruto scratched his head in embarrassment, offering Kakashi’s usual excuse.
Sasuke threw out a cold remark from the side.
“Idiot.” “Naruto, you idiot!
You made us wait for half an hour!” Sakura swung her fist and brought it down on Naruto’s head with a loud *thud*, serving up a fresh, piping-hot bump.
“Sorry, my bad,” Naruto muttered, curling his lip in discontent, clearly not genuinely sorry.
Tazuna looked at Kakashi with a completely exasperated expression.
“The brats you brought are so unreliable.
Are you sure you can get me to my destination safely?” “Don’t worry, I’m here.
Naruto, you really don’t know how to read the room or weigh priorities, do you?
All right, everyone’s here.
Let me Lead the way.” Expressionless, Kakashi snapped his book shut without a trace of hesitation and took the lead.
“The Land of Waves!
A major mission!
Yours truly is finally gonna become famous across the Ninja World!
I’m gonna become the Fifth Hokage!” The gates of Konoha Village gradually shrank into a small dot behind them.
Carrying a stuffed, bulging backpack, Naruto bounded along the main road like an untamed wild donkey.
In the consultation room, Hoshi sat watching the projection relayed by Katsuyu on the desk.
On the other side was a live feed of Tsunade wheezing with laughter, complete with synchronized audio.
Hoshi was on the verge of bursting internally, while the nurse sitting nearby assisting with records was also desperately holding back her laughter.
Lying on the hospital bed in front and to the left of the desk, the patient finally couldn’t take it anymore and barked angrily, “Hey!
Is my illness that funny?
I’ve been in here for eleven minutes, and you’ve been laughing at me for a full ten minutes!
Do you have a problem with me?” “Sorry.
We’re trained professionals and don’t usually laugh…
unless we can’t help it.
Sir, if you don’t like my consultation, I can transfer you to another department—*pfft*.” Hoshi had just wiped the smile off his face and replied with a serious expression, but then came the absurd live feed: Naruto had drunk expired milk, started blasting farts while scrambling for a bathroom, and knocked Tazuna unconscious right behind him.
“Hahaha!” Tsunade’s boisterous, wild laughter echoed through Katsuyu.
The patient lost it completely, slamming the bed in anger.
“Hey!
I’m going to file a complaint against you!
No, against all of you!
I came in for hemorrhoid surgery—is that so hilarious?!” “Are you doubting my professionalism?
Look, outside the window—there’s a cat wearing black tights dancing.” Hoshi pointed out the window.
Taking advantage of the patient’s distraction, he knocked him out cold with a single palm strike.
He then applied Palm Healing Jutsu to the man’s back, stimulating cellular activity to tighten the relaxed sphincter tissue.
He had zero interest in touching another man’s rear.
“Your excuses for treatment—oh man, guys, I’m dying of laughter.
You go ahead and work; I feel like my luck is turning, so I’m going out to try my hand at gambling.” Fearing she might die of laughter at home, Tsunade cut off the connection with Katsuyu.
The two young nurses in the room finally burst out laughing as well, though they didn’t stop their work.
A while later, the patient groggily woke up and demanded, “You lied to me!
There was no cat in black tights dancing at all!
I’m going to complain!” With a mischievous smirk, Hoshi joked, “Oh, congratulations!
The surgery was a total success.
You’re now a top-tier auntie.” “Aah!” The patient hurriedly reached down to feel and check inside his pants, roaring furiously, “Kid, you better have good insurance, or I’m gonna beat you so bad your own mother won’t recognize you!” “Oh, my mom’s been gone for a long time.
Now beat it!” Hoshi landed a swift punch to the patient’s stomach and called out to the nurse, “Next patient!” This sequence of actions stunned the young nurses in the room.
*Lord Hoshi is definitely not someone to mess with…* Clutching his stomach, the aggrieved patient slunk out of the room.
Outside, the waiting patients were politely offering each other the turn to go first…
The nurse walked to the doorway and called out, “You’re up.
Come on in.” “Ah, me?
I…
I suddenly feel better, no need!” But catching the nurse’s fierce glare and menacing expression, the patient chickened out immediately.
“Actually…
I suddenly feel sick again.
I need treatment…” Meanwhile, as Kakashi’s group pushed through a dense forest along the Land of Fire’s border, an unremarkable puddle on the ground caught Kakashi’s eye.
Despite clear, sunny weather for several consecutive days, this puddle stood out conspicuously.
*Swish!
Swish!* A sudden attack erupted!
Two black figures burst out of the puddle, barbed chain cables instantly tearing Kakashi’s body into shreds.
“Number one!” Kakashi shattered into several pieces.
The Demon Brothers of Kirigakure emerged with sinister grins.
“Kakashi-sensei!” Naruto gasped in horror.
Drawing a kunai, he mindlessly rushed forward to fight them hand-to-hand.
The Demon Brothers coordinated seamlessly, effortlessly side-stepping Naruto’s reckless charge and kicking him into the air, sending him flying.
“Next up, the cute little girl.” The Demon Brothers whipped their chains toward Sakura.
Standing in front of Tazuna, Sakura didn’t dare dodge.
She nervously drew a kunai and adopted a defensive stance.
Beside her, Sasuke launched a flying kick, heroically intervening to defuse the crisis before locking in battle with the enemy.
Seeing this, Sakura gripped her kunai and lunged at the other enemy to ease the pressure on Sasuke.
“Damn it!
I’m gonna avenge Kakashi-sensei!” Naruto jumped to his feet and crossed his fingers into a seal, his aura shifting dramatically.
“Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!
Everyone, charge and avenge Kakashi-sensei!” A horde of Narutos mindlessly rushed forward again.
Bursts of white smoke erupted around the Demon Brothers as Shadow Clones popped one after another.
The accumulated injuries rebounded onto Naruto, shredding his clothes in an instant.
Sasuke took advantage of the moment, using Shuriken Manipulation Technique to bind an enemy, then teamed up with Sakura to defeat the other.
“Alright, Sasuke and Sakura performed very well.
Naruto, you still lack a ninja’s sharp observational skills and composure.
Don’t let anger dictate your actions so easily.” Kakashi stepped out from behind a tree, closing his book, and glanced at the captured attackers.
“Speak up.
Who sent you?
Your target is Tazuna, right?
I didn’t step in earlier because I was figuring out who your target was—and giving them some training.” “As expected of Konoha’s top technician, Kakashi Hatake.
How did you spot us?” the Demon Brothers asked in confusion.
“Who besides that idiot would believe there’d be two big puddles on the road on a clear, sunny day?” Sasuke struck what he thought was a cool pose, showing off.
Sakura chimed in, swooning over Sasuke, “Mmhmm, only a fool like Naruto wouldn’t notice!” Naruto felt his whole world crumbling, turning half-gray in despair, feeling like the world was full of malice toward him.
Seeing this, Kakashi quickly brought the conversation back on track.
“I’ll go deal with these two first.
Keep Mr.
Tazuna safe until I get back.” Kakashi led the Demon Brothers a short distance away to execute and bury them.
He then pulled out his pack and said solemnly to Katsuyu inside, “Lady Katsuyu, please notify Hoshi in Konoha to be ready.
We might run into trouble and need backup.”