Naruto: The new beginning

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Sakura frustratedly ruffled her long pink hair and complained, "I've been living in the hospital for days, barely getting any sleep at night, just to treat and care for those patients. How can I have such an unreliable teacher…?"

Naruto remained silent. He couldn't help but feel that Konoha's higher-ups often left their subordinates in difficult situations.

The advisors from the previous generation clung tightly to power, making things harder for everyone else.

Just then, Sasuke arrived, noticeably late, with a faint, smug smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Sasuke-kun~!" Sakura immediately composed herself, smoothing her hair in mere seconds. She clung to Sasuke's arm and began recounting her tale of woe.

Sasuke replied nonchalantly, "You've worked hard."

That short acknowledgement made Sakura's heart leap, leaving her feeling as refreshed as if she had sipped ice-cold lemonade on a sweltering summer day.

[Sakura's thoughts: Sasuke-kun actually comforted me…! What should we name our child in the future?]

Naruto, unimpressed, teased, "What's with the grin, Sasuke? Did Uncle Fugaku finally praise you, or did Itachi take you on vacation?"

Instead of answering, Sasuke pulled away from Sakura's embrace and bit his thumb. Forming a few hand seals, he slammed his palm to the ground.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

A snake about three to four meters long appeared in a puff of smoke, flicking its tongue as it respectfully greeted, "Master Sasuke."

Sasuke nodded in satisfaction, his pride evident as he awaited Naruto's reaction.

Naruto, genuinely surprised, exclaimed, "Wait, is this one of the snakes from Ryūchi Cave?"

Sasuke smirked and nodded proudly.

Sakura, initially startled by the snake, quickly regained her composure upon realizing it was Sasuke's summon. Curiosity piqued, she asked, "I thought Orochimaru's summons came from Ryūchi Cave? How did you manage to form a contract with them?"

"This was a gift from my brother," Sasuke began. He then recounted the story behind it:

The chain of events began when Naruto helped Izumi Uchiha capture Mizuki.

During Mizuki's interrogation by the Konoha Police Force, they discovered the location of a hidden Orochimaru base that even his Sound Four guards were unaware of.

After reporting this to the Hokage, Minato assigned Itachi, Shisui, Izumi, and Anko to investigate. Their mission was to confirm whether Orochimaru had faked his death.

The team successfully raided the base, rescuing several captives, eliminating guards, and seizing valuable items.

Among the findings were Orochimaru's forbidden ninjutsu scrolls, the Ryūchi Cave summoning contract, and a mysterious ring engraved with the kanji for "Void."

The scrolls were sealed away, the contract was entrusted to Anko, and the ring was handed over to the cipher-decoding team for analysis.

At Itachi's special request, Sasuke was granted permission to sign the summoning contract.

Now, after days of training, Sasuke eagerly showcased his newfound summoning ability to his teammates.

Naruto's impressed expression made Sasuke feel the effort was worth it.

However, Sasuke omitted one detail from his story his earlier feelings of inadequacy. After witnessing Naruto's strength during their last mission, he had been brooding by a small lake, tossing pebbles in frustration.

Itachi, noticing his younger brother's distress, approached him. "What's wrong, Sasuke? Did the mission not go well?"

"No, the mission was fine," Sasuke admitted. "But… I didn't contribute much. Naruto fought at a level I can't even reach yet. I'm still too weak."

Itachi, ever the supportive elder brother, picked up a flat stone and skimmed it across the water. "Sasuke, battles like those often rely on partnerships. For example, summoning a powerful beast can level the playing field in situations like that."

"Where can I find such a partner?" Sasuke asked, his determination rekindled.

"Leave it to me," Itachi replied with a smile.

Later, Sasuke practised stone-skipping alongside Itachi, though his attempts didn't quite match his brother's skill.

Regardless, the sunset painted a warm glow over the two Uchiha brothers as they headed home, their bond as strong as ever.

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Back in the present, Naruto inspected the snake and asked, "Does it have a name?"

Pleased, Sasuke nodded, and the snake answered, "I am called Aokusa."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Alright, Aokusa, do you know whether Orochimaru is truly dead?"

The snake flicked its tongue, responding cryptically, "Only the winds of Ryūchi Cave know for sure."

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