The world I hear is completely different from yours.

At this moment, Naruto is not trying to surpass Sasuke, nor is he trying to show anyone anything; he is simply trying to fulfill his promise to never back down again!

"Kakashi-sensei, is Naruto really alright? It's been a whole day already. Can his body handle such frequent chakra extraction?" Sakura asked, worried about her companion's safety.

Kakashi squinted at Naruto in the distance: "It's alright, Naruto is a strong kid, I believe in his determination and ninja way!"

Meanwhile, perhaps spurred on by Naruto's efforts, Sasuke, after hastily finishing his dinner and warming up, quickly ran towards the beach, ready to continue doing extra push-ups and sit-ups on the water.

Time passed slowly, and the bright moon hung in the sky, illuminating the entire sea. On the shimmering surface of the sea, two boys were training hard, striding forward on their own paths towards their dreams—this was their youth.

..........................

A few days later, a passenger ship destined for the Land of Waves finally appeared slowly on the distant sea, emitting rings of black smoke, and slowly sailed into the port of the mainland amidst bursts of roar.

"I didn't expect this ship to arrive so quickly! I thought we were going to have to walk all the way to the Land of Waves!" Naruto Uzumaki stood steadily on the sea, which was occasionally splashing with waves, and said as he looked at the ship in the distance.

Finally, even with the occasional interference from the Nine-Tails' chakra, Naruto still managed to learn to walk on water through his own perseverance and persistence!

Sasuke, standing to the side, didn't say anything, but steadily completed the last set of push-ups and sit-ups on the water. His once-handsome body was now full of muscles, perfectly embodying the saying "skinny but muscular."

"Sasuke! Naruto! Come back soon! We've already bought tickets for this ship, and we'll be boarding soon!" Sakura waved and called out from the shore.

"Coming! Coming!" Naruto shouted back, and he and Sasuke ran swiftly across the water towards the shore. Behind them, the rising sun was slowly illuminating the world.

Chapter Thirty-Six: Sorry, I'm going to take a shower now. Talk to you next time.

As the ship carrying Kakashi's team slowly approached the port of the Land of Waves, the first thing that caught their eye was the unfinished cross-sea bridge, and a large number of workers busily working on it.

Looking at the workers busily constructing the bridge, Kakashi Hatake narrowed his eyes and asked one of the crew members beside him, seemingly casually, "Didn't they say that Gato, the big merchant who bought the entire Land of Waves, had banned the further construction of this bridge? How come everyone is able to continue working on it now?"

"Oh? You know about the great merchant Gato, so it seems you're quite knowledgeable about the situation in the Land of Waves!" The crew member was immediately intrigued by Kakashi's question and enthusiastically explained, "But your information is outdated! Just a few days ago, Gato and those officials from the Land of Waves were all executed by some kind-hearted passersby for their numerous evil deeds. The new lord of the Land of Waves is the widow of the hero bridge builder, Kazuna, and therefore, after taking office, she immediately decided to gather the strength of the entire nation to continue building this bridge."

A coup and a new lord? Kakashi Hatake was startled, then recalled the information about the relics mentioned in the Konoha intelligence report. It seemed that the headless corpse's name was Kazunari? In that case, the target of this mission should be the new lord, right?

It seems we'll have to pay a visit to the new lord of the Land of Waves later! Kakashi thought to himself.

Beside her, Sakura asked the crew member with a puzzled look, "But what if, after this bridge is built, although the transportation conditions in the Land of Waves will indeed improve, won't your ships' business suffer a lot? Why don't you seem worried at all?"

"Because I'm also from the Land of Waves!" the optimistic sailor said with a grin. "Seeing my hometown get better is more important than anything else! Besides, that bridge is mainly for people's convenience and can't carry too heavy cargo, so large caravans still have to rely on ships!"

"Uncle, your awareness and vision are so high!" Sakura exclaimed in surprise.

Seeing the look of surprise and admiration in Sakura's eyes, the crew member scratched his head sheepishly and continued to explain, "Actually, I didn't think of that at first either. It was only later that the lord specially sent someone to explain it to us crew members, and that's when we realized it."

Is it that new lord again? Kakashi listened silently to the conversation between Sakura and the crew, and secretly raised his opinion of the new lord by one point. The fact that he knew to send people to spread public opinion before implementing policies showed that the new lord was quite politically astute, or that he had a very good assistant by his side!

After passing through the bustling streets of the Land of Waves, Kakashi's team arrived at the lord's house. After a brief interrogation by the sentries at the door, the Konoha ninjas met the new lord of the Land of Waves for the first time, who was also the target of Kakashi's team's "return of relics" mission.

Although the new lord tried his best to appear as a seasoned manager, Kakashi Hatake's meticulous observation made it easy for him to see through the lord's true nature: she was just an ordinary housewife!

In other words, she was merely a puppet lord placed on the surface and controlled by others.

As for the mastermind behind it all, Kakashi Hatake squinted at the assistant named "Sui Hyogetsu Haku" standing behind the lord, and observed the occasional display of agility unique to ninjas, revealing a thoughtful expression.

After successfully returning the relics to the new lord, Kakashi's team walked along the bustling streets of the Land of Waves, curiously observing the unique scenery and local customs around them.

At this moment, Kakashi Hatake, who was walking at the front, suddenly spoke up: "Since we still have a little time left in this mission, let's stay in the Land of Waves for one night before going back. You can also take this opportunity to experience the unique scenery of the Land of Waves, which can be considered an extra perk of this mission!"

"Oh, really? Then I'm going shopping tonight!" Sakura jumped up excitedly after hearing Kakashi's order. Then, looking at Sasuke beside her with anticipation and a touch of shyness, she asked, "Sasuke-kun, would you like to come to the night market with me?"

"Sorry, I have to train tonight!" Sasuke, the straight-laced guy, replied, completely oblivious to Sakura's girlish feelings.

Just as Sakura was looking dejected, Naruto hurriedly stepped forward and volunteered, "I really want to go to the night market! Sakura, let's go together!"

"No, I'll rest at the inn tonight. I've been a bit too tired these past few days, so I'm going to take a shower now." Sakura lowered her head and swiftly used the shower excuse that many goddesses in later generations used to deal with losers, ending her conversation with Naruto.

Naruto was left alone, pouting, walking towards the market. His lonely, single figure looked so desolate that one could almost hear the mournful howl of a defeated dog.

.........................

That night, Kakashi Hatake silently infiltrated the lord's residence. As a Konoha ninja, upon discovering that the surrounding small countries might be secretly falling under the control of other major powers, Kakashi naturally decided to stay and investigate the truth so that Konoha could take timely countermeasures based on this information.

In a room within the mansion, Kakashi saw his assistant, Haku, who was whispering to another strange man covered in bandages.

"It's Zabuza, the Demon of Kirigakure?!" Kakashi's eyes widened in astonishment. As one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and a renowned demon of Kirigakure, Zabuza's appearance was naturally etched in the minds of many Jonin. Especially after Zabuza's failed assassination attempt on the Fourth Mizukage, his ability to escape Kirigakure alive further heightened the threat level of various major powers.

"Have you seen enough after watching for so long?" Zabuza suddenly glanced at Kakashi's hiding place with dissatisfaction and asked in a low voice.

Had they been discovered? Kakashi tensed up, then walked out confidently: "I never imagined that Zabuza, the demon who defected from the village, would secretly plot to seize the Land of Waves?!"

...............

Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Fourth Mizukage You'd Never Guess!

"Isn't this the famous Konoha technician Kakashi? I didn't expect you to start doing peeping too!" Zabuza said lazily, looking at the poised Kakashi opposite him, without revealing much hostility in his words.

Faced with Kakashi's probing question, Zabuza didn't argue, but casually tossed him a bound document: "Since you're here, Kakashi, please take this document back to Konoha for filing. I remember your Anbu does have such a requirement, right?"

Kakashi cautiously watched the flying document bag, and only after confirming there was no danger did he reach out and take it.

"It's actually a file from Konoha's Anbu, and it even has the Hokage's personal seal on it?!" Kakashi stared at the document in his hand in disbelief, his heart filled with doubt and confusion. However, the unique Konoha identification marks contained in the paper and seal kept proving its authenticity to Kakashi.

After a long while, and only after Kakashi had repeatedly confirmed the authenticity of the files, he put the file bag into his pocket and walked outside without a word. For Kakashi, as long as he was certain this matter wouldn't pose a significant threat to Konoha, he didn't care about anything else.

As for why a rogue ninja from Kirigakure would join Konoha's Anbu, and why Konoha would allow this rogue ninja to secretly control the Land of Waves, Kakashi neither cared nor wanted to know. His only responsibility was to bring the files back; how they were handled afterwards was a matter for the Konoha leadership.

After years of experiencing life's trials, Kakashi has come to understand a crucial truth: curiosity killed the cat, so never delve into things you shouldn't know.

Just as they were about to reach the door, the silent Kakashi suddenly stopped and asked in a low voice, "Zabuza, let me ask you a question. Rin... is she alright?"

"How rude of you!" Zabuza Momochi replied coldly. "How dare you address her by her name? According to the rules between ninja villages, you should address her as the Fourth Mizukage!"

In the more than ten years since Amemori left the Naruto world, the plot that Amemori had changed has been reversed again by some people with ulterior motives. However, even so, the methods that Amemori left behind have ultimately succeeded in changing the fate of some tragic characters!

In the original story, Rin Nohara, Kakashi Hatake's former teammate, was implanted with the Three-Tails on the battlefield in the Land of Water, forced to become the Three-Tails' jinchūriki, and controlled by the Kirigakure ninja to attack Konoha. Ultimately, she was manipulated by Madara Uchiha and died in Kakashi's Lightning Blade, used by Madara as a pawn to provoke Obito's descent into darkness.

This time, however, Rin Nohara simply betrayed Konoha and went on a killing spree. She eventually entered Kirigakure as the perfect Jinchuriki of the Three-Tails. With her formidable personal strength, she miraculously gained the support of some Kirigakure high-ranking officials and bloodily slaughtered several ninja clans that opposed her. In the end, she ascended to the throne of the Fourth Mizukage over countless corpses!

For many years, Kakashi Hatake had been trying to gather information about Rin Nohara. However, Kirigakure was always secluded, and Rin, after becoming Mizukage, rarely appeared in public. Therefore, Kakashi had no idea what Rin was like now, which is why he suddenly asked Zabuza this question.

However, perhaps because he felt that he would be a ninja from the same village as Kakashi in the future, and needed to establish a good working relationship with Kakashi in advance, Zabuza Momochi, after much consideration, decided to reveal some things about Kirigakure to Kakashi.

"Although everyone says that I organized the assassination attempt on the Fourth Mizukage, in reality, I only threw a shuriken at her from 800 meters away, and did nothing else. Because I wasn't the one who organized that assassination attempt at all; I was just an ordinary nobody in that assassination attempt!"

Zabuza Momochi calmly revealed the unknown truth of the past: "Many senior members of Kirigakure came out of seclusion for that assassination attempt. But no one expected that the Fourth Mizukage's strength was simply too great! None of us could even get close to her!"

"In just a moment, all those who rushed in front of me were dead! Among them were many experts whose combat power was far superior to mine!" Zabuza Momochi continued to recall the scene, his whole body trembling slightly as he did so. "And the Fourth Mizukage's casual attack afterward turned me into this ghostly figure who has to be wrapped in bandages at all times to survive!"

"I thought I was doomed, but for some reason, when the Fourth Mizukage recognized me, she suddenly let me go. She didn't even send the Kirigakure burial squad to hunt me down. Instead, she announced that I had organized the assassination, which gave me a lot of empty fame!" Zabuza continued to recall everything he knew about Nohara Rin.

"So, Rin... she's become this strong?" Kakashi Hatake murmured to himself. He then nodded to Zabuza, indicating that he remembered the favor, before silently turning and leaving.

...........................

In the bustling night market of the Land of Waves, Naruto Uzumaki walked alone down the street, listlessly observing the surrounding scenery. Although he had indeed wanted to come to the night market, since his goddess Sakura wasn't willing to come with him, what was the point of coming alone?

"Selling plush toys! Selling plush toys! These are the most popular organ-themed plush toys right now! Everyone come and take a look!" The voice of an uncle next to him caught Naruto's attention.

Internal organs series dolls? Naruto walked over curiously and saw the strange dolls displayed on the shelf.

These dolls are all shaped like cute animals with wide-eyed stares, exuding a unique and endearingly cheeky charm. Unlike other dolls, these dolls all have some internal organs exposed on their abdomens as decoration.

"Uncle, how much is this doll?" Naruto immediately took a liking to a fox doll with its intestines sticking out and asked the stall owner.

"You mean this nine-tailed fox that committed seppuku? It's a really nice doll, young man, you have excellent taste! We're having a grand opening sale today, I can give you a 10% discount!" the stall owner said enthusiastically.

"I'll buy it!" Naruto said, pulling out his wallet. For some reason, he felt that this fox plushie with its intestines sticking out was exactly to his liking, so he bought it without hesitation.

I need to take a day off; I have the flu and need to get an IV drip.

I need to take a day off; I have the flu and need to get an IV drip.

This unpredictable weather is really unbearable. I caught the flu out of nowhere, and now I'm dizzy and lightheaded, and I don't have any inspiration for typing.

A part-time doctor nearby suggested that it would be best to get an IV drip at a regular hospital, so I made an appointment to go to the hospital today.

That's all. No update today, I'll make up for it when I have the chance. I'm really sorry.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Alluring Ghost Story and Naruto

That night, Naruto didn't spend much time at the night market. He quickly looked through it from beginning to end before heading back to his inn with his Nine-Tailed Fox plushie. After all, what's the point of even the most bustling night market without his goddess by his side? He'd rather go back and continue his training!

Setting aside the nine-tailed fox doll, Naruto did a flurry of push-ups and sit-ups, then took a hot shower before crawling into bed. He remembered how Iruka-sensei used to tell his students about the benefits of going to bed early and waking up early, saying things like "the early bird catches the worm," a sentiment Naruto wholeheartedly agreed with.

However, one clueless guy muttered, "Isn't that early bird just a fool delivering food to the birds?" This caused everyone around to burst into laughter, and he was later punished by having to run ten laps around the track.

"So, wasn't that you who was blind back then? Right, little Naruto?" a seductive female voice said. This seductive voice was full of spring-like charm, sounding like a melodious love song that was captivating. If some lecherous men or otaku who were obsessed with the voices of anime girls heard this voice, they would probably become slaves to this voice in an instant.

Half-asleep, Naruto turned over in a bit of annoyance and mumbled, "Stop messing around... I'm sleeping..." before falling back asleep.

"Tsk, not interested in mature older sister types? You little brat who hasn't even grown up yet!" the female voice muttered unhappily. Then her voice changed, and her originally charming voice became unusually crisp and energetic, just like the unique tone of a childhood sweetheart next door!

"Naruto-nii, come play with me~ It's okay~" the girl said coquettishly, as if a slightly shy but energetic girl was gently tugging at your clothes, looking at you with teary eyes, and blushing slightly, gesturing for you to follow her to play some "touching" games.

If the person who hears this voice is a gentleman with a sister complex, he would probably fall for it immediately.

Naruto, who was fast asleep, did not react. Instead, he shrank slightly, as if he had instinctively sensed some danger. He probably remembered that when Naruto caused trouble during missions in the past, Sakura would smile and say it was okay while suddenly swinging her iron fist of love.

"Tsk! The older sister doesn't love the younger sister, could this brat be some kind of sadistic lolicon?" the female voice said, increasingly annoyed. Then she changed her voice again, speaking in a childish, high-pitched tone, "Big brother Naruto~ I'm sleepy now, I want a hug~~"

Naruto was fast asleep, completely unresponsive, not even bothering to reach for his diaper.

"Sisters, little girls, and lolis don't eat this. Is this guy a member of the legendary Grandma's Club? Ugh, this is too perverted!" The female voice was silent for a few minutes, then said somewhat reluctantly in an old woman's voice, "Little Naruto, hello there. Could you come and help Grandma cross the street?"

Naruto remained motionless in his sleep, showing no intention or thought of doing good deeds like Lei Feng, and no intention of upholding the spirit of Konoha's ownership and persistently helping others.

This time, the female voice seemed a bit helpless, and finally tentatively asked in Sasuke's voice, "Naruto?"

"Idiot is gay!!!" Naruto shouted Sasuke's name and jumped up from his sleep! Then, completely bewildered, Naruto looked around the empty room, quickly ran over, opened the window, and peered at the roof opposite.

Yes, that's right, Sasuke is sitting there.

Under the bright light of the full moon in the sky, Uchiha Sasuke, who suddenly couldn't fall asleep, lay alone on the rooftop, gazing thoughtfully at the moon, lost in thought.

A lonely moon in the dark night, a beautiful young man with a lonely face—if a light rain were to fall from the sky, it would surely be a very beautiful, very moving, and very fashionable scene.

This also shows that Sasuke's art of showing off is still not up to par. He doesn't know how to add a touch of charming rain to his background with Water Release beforehand. In terms of skill, he is still no match for Itachi, who is known as the number one cool person in the Uchiha clan. He doesn't have Itachi's spirit of dedication, even if he is sick, to insist on getting rained on without an umbrella for the sake of fashion.

"Was that just an auditory hallucination?" Naruto muttered to himself, still dazed. He then closed the window, crawled back into bed, and fell asleep again. However, the oblivious Naruto didn't notice that the ripped-open nine-tailed fox doll had vanished without a trace the moment he woke up.

This time, Naruto didn't hear any disturbing sounds and went straight into a sweet dream, entering the scene he had dreamed about repeatedly since childhood.

It was a vast cell, the floor flooded with ankle-deep water. In this dark, damp cell, a massive iron gate, made of countless thick iron pillars, stood before Naruto. Numerous cursed seals were affixed to this enormous iron gate, and behind it lay endless darkness.

In the past, whenever Naruto entered this strange dream, he could only stay there alone until he woke up. But this time, something different appeared in the darkness behind the large iron gate.

Those were huge, blood-red beast eyes, glaring fiercely at Naruto, accompanied by a soaring killing intent! This killing intent was mixed with endless fear and evil, instantly scaring Naruto so much that he fell to the ground. If Naruto hadn't already experienced bloody battles, he probably would have been startled awake immediately!

Then, the enormous beast spoke, its hoarse roar deafening, its voice filled with displeasure: "What are you looking at?!"