Chapter 29: The Climbing Tree
After returning to Sakura's side, Naruto glanced briefly at Kakashi.
The Jōnin was still standing alert, his crimson Sharingan sweeping the fog-shrouded surroundings for any sign of Zabuza. Neither he nor the others seemed to have noticed that Naruto had been absent for several minutes.
Not that Naruto was surprised. The fog was thick enough to obscure vision at close range, and on top of that, Naruto had used Kidō to mask his presence while Zabuza's killing intent had kept everyone focused outward. Under those conditions, no one would have sensed his departure.
Satisfied, Naruto raised his hand. With a subtle pulse of chakra, the dense mist began to dissolve.
Slowly, visibility returned. The fog thinned, then dispersed entirely, leaving the forest clear and bright.
Sakura let out a shuddering breath when she saw her teammates standing nearby, her hand pressed to her chest in relief. Sasuke and Kakashi, however, immediately scanned their surroundings, searching for their vanished enemy.
No one else was there.
Sasuke's jaw tightened. "Where did he go?"
"Perhaps he left," Kakashi said, though his tone was thoughtful. His eye had caught something in the distance—the remains of a battle. Broken branches. Scorch marks. Disturbed earth.
He walked over to the site, examining the ground carefully. Sasuke followed, his eyes narrowing.
"There was a fight here," Sasuke observed.
Kakashi nodded slowly. "I sensed chakra clashing nearby while the fog was up. It seems someone engaged Zabuza." He paused, considering. "Possibly the Hidden Mist's hunter-nin. They've been tracking Zabuza for years. It's not surprising they'd eventually track him here."
"But… wouldn't that be good?" Sakura asked hopefully. "Maybe they caught him?"
Kakashi shook his head. "The Demon of the Mist isn't that easy to capture. If he were, he wouldn't have remained at large for this long." He straightened up, forcing a lighter tone. "For now, the immediate threat has passed. We should focus on getting Tazuna home safely and preparing for whatever comes next."
Sakura's face fell, but she nodded.
——
They escorted Tazuna the rest of the way to his home without further incident.
The bridge builder's house was modest but warm, with smoke curling from the chimney and the scent of cooking wafting through the air. Tazuna's daughter, Tsunami, greeted them with a polite bow and ushered them inside. Her son, Inari, sat sulking in a corner, his arms crossed, glaring at the Konoha ninja with open hostility.
"So you're ninja?" Inari sneered. "You don't look so tough. You'll probably give up and run away as soon as things get hard."
No one bothered to respond. Naruto didn't even glance at him.
After a brief rest and a meal, Kakashi gathered his team.
"We need to prepare for the possibility that Zabuza will return. Follow me."
He led them deep into the forest surrounding Tazuna's property, stopping only when they reached a clearing with several tall, straight trees.
"Sasuke. Sakura." Kakashi pointed at one of the trees. "Your first exercise is tree climbing."
He demonstrated: channeling chakra to the soles of his feet, he walked straight up the trunk of a tree—not running, not jumping, but walking, step by step, until he stood horizontally on a high branch looking down at them.
"This technique requires precise chakra control," Kakashi explained from above. "Too little chakra, and you won't stick. Too much, and you'll blow yourself off the tree. The goal is to reach the top without using your hands."
He jumped down, landing lightly beside them.
Sasuke went first, eager and impatient. He took three steps up the trunk before his chakra faltered and he tumbled backward, landing hard on the ground. He growled in frustration and immediately tried again.
Sakura, by contrast, approached the task more cautiously. She placed her foot against the trunk, concentrated, and began to walk. One step. Two steps. Five. Ten. She made it nearly halfway up before losing her footing and sliding down. But she landed on her feet, unharmed.
Kakashi nodded approvingly. "Good control, Sakura. Keep practicing."
Then his gaze shifted to Naruto, who had been standing apart from the others, watching without moving to join the exercise.
"Naruto," Kakashi said quietly. "You already know how to do this, don't you?"
Sakura and Sasuke both stopped, turning to stare at Naruto.
Naruto shrugged. He couldn't deny it—not without looking foolish. So instead of answering, he simply walked to the nearest tree and began to climb.
He didn't struggle. He didn't falter. He walked up the trunk as easily as Kakashi had, his stride confident and unhurried, reaching the highest branch within seconds. He stood there, looking down at the others with an expression of mild boredom.
Then he jumped down, landing silently beside Kakashi.
Sakura's jaw hung open. Sasuke's fists clenched so tightly his knuckles went white.
Of course, Sasuke thought bitterly. Of course he can already do it.
Kakashi didn't look surprised. He had suspected as much.
"Naruto, come with me," Kakashi said. "You need something more advanced." He glanced at the other two. "Sasuke, Sakura—keep practicing. Don't stop until you can reach the top."
As Naruto followed Kakashi deeper into the forest, Sasuke turned back to his tree with renewed, furious determination. He would not be left behind. He would not be the weak link.
Sakura watched Naruto's retreating back, her eyes shining.
Who are you really, Naruto? she wondered. What else can you do?