Naruto: Drop System

"Alright, Team 7 is back in action!"

A voice full of determination rang out in the Hokage's office.

Three years had passed, and Naruto, now standing at 166 cm tall, still wore his signature orange jumpsuit. Beside him stood Kakashi Hatake, who looked unchanged, and Sakura, who had switched her outfit to a white jacket similar to Hinata's usual attire, though she remained modest in figure. The three stood before Tsunade, requesting permission to search for Orochimaru's hideout to prevent him from taking over Sasuke Uchiha's body.

Confident after winning the bell challenge against Sakura yesterday, Naruto declared, "This time, we'll defeat Orochimaru and bring Sasuke back to the Leaf Village!"

Seeing Naruto's spirited attitude, Tsunade crossed her arms, a look of approval on her face.

She had watched the Team 7 bell test the previous night. Sakura had not disappointed her; she had grown immensely, almost rivaling Karin, a distant Senju relative with an advantage in Sealing Techniques and chakra release, and Hinata, a well-rounded Taijutsu expert with her own unique style.

Of the four kunoichi, Sakura, despite her humble background, had excelled beyond Ino, who came from a clan of shinobi.

This was due not only to talent but also to hard work.

Naruto had also grown significantly, possessing a vast chakra reserve, far surpassing even Tsunade, who carried the Senju bloodline. Additionally, as the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki, Naruto's chakra, if he fully unleashed it, would make him an unstoppable force, save for Yagyu and Karin.

Recalling Jiraiya's report upon his return and the horrifying scars he bore, Tsunade's expression turned serious.

However, a glance at Kakashi, with his forehead protector covering his left eye, reassured her somewhat.

After a moment of thought, Tsunade opened a drawer, took out a kunai, and tossed it to Kakashi, saying, "I'm allowing Team 7 to search for Orochimaru and Sasuke. Keep this kunai on you at all times, and if anything goes wrong, have Sakura use the Summoning Technique to report back to me."

"This is..." Kakashi caught the kunai, eyes widening at the sight of Yagyu's symbol carved on it.

"Kakashi-sensei, is something wrong?"

Noticing Kakashi's reaction, Naruto leaned in curiously.

Kakashi quickly stowed the kunai and shook his head. "Nothing. Now that the Hokage has approved, let's get moving."

"We're short on time before Orochimaru's next reincarnation, so we need to find their hideout soon."

"Prepare yourself; this is going to be a long mission, so let's stock up on rations."

"Yes!"

Team 7 left the Hokage building, gathered supplies, and obtained their exit permit, finally departing the Leaf Village.

However, their efforts were destined to be in vain.

Three days after Team 7 had left the Leaf Village…

A young woman appeared at the village gates.

"Please sign me in; I need to speak with the Fifth Hokage."

"You… you're…"

The woman had short blond hair styled in a sleek bob parted to the right and wore a blue sleeveless qipao over black ninja pants, with a large fan strapped to her back. Her dignified and cool demeanor was unmistakable.

Glancing at her forehead protector, which she wore as an armband, Izumo Kamizuki asked cautiously, "Are you Lady Temari, who came here a few months ago to request a mission?"

"Yes."

Temari gave a faint smile, taking out a badge and handing it to Izumo. "But this time, I'm here as the Sand Village's envoy."

"I understand. I'll register you immediately."

Upon seeing the badge marked with the character for "envoy," Izumo's expression turned serious as he quickly completed the registration. He then gestured politely, "Lady Envoy, I'll escort you to the Hokage."

"Thank you."

Temari nodded gracefully.

---

"So, after three years, the Sand Village has finally chosen a Fifth Kazekage?" Tsunade asked, seated in the Hokage's office and speaking with Temari.

"Yes," Temari replied respectfully. "Lady Chiyo, our acting Kazekage, asked me to extend her greetings to you."

"Chiyo, that old hag, actually sent greetings?" Tsunade remarked with disdain. "She's always speaking ill of me behind my back. I half-expected her to take on the Kazekage role herself after holding onto power for three years."

"Heh… heh…"

Temari let out an awkward laugh.

Clearly, these two formidable kunoichi knew each other well enough. Tsunade and Chiyo, one a poison master and the other a medical expert, had clashed countless times on the battlefield.

"Though it's certainly significant news that our ally has appointed a new Kazekage, it doesn't seem important enough to warrant a personal visit." Tsunade leaned back, crossing her arms as she accurately guessed the truth. "And you didn't bring an envoy team with you. You must have a personal reason for coming here."

"That's… correct," Temari, usually composed and confident, blushed slightly, looking a bit shy. "I came to invite Yagyu to attend the inauguration ceremony and to thank him for creating an oasis in the Land of Wind recently."

"Oh…" Tsunade grinned at seeing the usually cool Temari turn shy, teasing, "You came all this way to invite that kid from my family. Could it be that you have feelings for him?"

"No… no…" Temari stammered, her cheeks flushed as she waved her hands in denial. "It's just… after the incident in the Land of Wind, Yagyu said that if Gaara became the Fifth Kazekage, I should invite him to the ceremony."

"Alright, alright, you don't have to explain," Tsunade said, winking playfully. "Just a heads-up, though: that kid's hard to catch. He's got a whole crowd of beautiful girls around him, including a few childhood friends."

"If you're interested in him, you'll need to take the initiative; otherwise, crossing borders and strict check-ins will leave you at a disadvantage against them."

"I… I'll take my leave now."

Mortified, Temari excused herself quickly, forgetting even to bow.

Once outside the Hokage building, she found a secluded spot and patted her cheeks.

After calming herself, she resumed her cool and collected demeanor, then took out a mirror, adjusted her Yagyu-suggested bob haircut, and took a few deep breaths.

Then, she began heading in the direction of Yagyu's home.

---

Read 40+ Chapters ahead of WN:

Patréon.com/RoseWhisky