The Konoha's Gate was already visible up ahead.
Team Guy and Team 7 were walking together on the road, having completed their mission to aid the Land of Wind. After bidding farewell to the Sunagakure's Ninja, they were now returning to the village.
Tenten, who always carried a large scroll, stretched lazily, "Ah, we're finally back in the village. I can't wait to soak in a hot bath."
"Oh, Tenten? Are you already dreaming of a life of comfort back home? If that's the case, then what a shame."
Guy suddenly jumped in, carrying an oversized black backpack that looked several times heavier than normal. Then, he spoke in his usual mentor-like tone, full of enthusiasm, "Plenty of free time is the perfect opportunity for training! A hundred push-ups, a hundred squats, a hundred sit-ups, and a ten-kilometer run… these are just the basics! Keep at it, and before long, you'll… Youth is meant to be burned!"
By the end of his speech, Guy, whose hair was still thick and full, was so moved that tears filled his eyes.
"You're absolutely right, Guy-sensei!" Lee sprang to his side, equally fired up. He pulled the shoulder strap of the backpack. He adjusted the straps of his backpack, which was clearly designed for training rather than carrying actual supplies, "After hearing your words, I can't wait to start sprinting!"
Even as the group continued walking at a normal pace, couldn't hold back and began doing high-knees in place.
Tenten: "...Alright, I get it. But can you two put down those ugly black lumps you're carrying? If you're so eager to train, why not carry everyone else's stuff too? My back's killing me here."
'Seriously, was it so hard to do something simple like help out a girl?'
Guy's eyes gleamed with determination, and he exchanged a lightning-fast glance with Lee mid-air.
Lee flashed a thumbs-up and flashed his white teeth, "Too light!"
"..." The corner of Tenten's mouth twitched, and she finally showed her helplessness and disgust, "Never mind, forget I said anything."
When the 'Youthful Story' between the thick-browed master and disciple was already in full swing, there was no way it would end with just a few words.
After yet another motivational line struck a chord, the two suddenly hugged each other and burst into tears.
"Action speaks louder than words! Lee, our target is the Konoha's Gate… full-speed sprint!"
"Yes, Guy-sensei!"
"First one to reach the finish line wins! The loser washes socks for a week!"
"Yes, Guy-sensei!"
Having a hype man really made things more exciting.
"Neji, can't you do something about them?" Tenten's face burned with secondhand embarrassment as she nudged the only sane member of their team beside her.
Neji's white eyes flicked over indifferently.
"Hurry up!" Tenten urged. After all, this was beyond humiliating.
She then glanced nervously at Team 7, who were walking alongside them, 'Sure, these two idiots and their random bursts of enthusiasm were a daily occurrence for our Team Guy, but there were outsiders present now!'
'Wait, why wasn't Naruto joining in…? Thank goodness.'
Tenten shuddered at the thought.
"Hmm…"
Under Tenten's expectant gaze, Neji finally spoke in his usual calm tone, meeting her eyes steadily.
"We just completed an S-Rank mission."
Tenten nearly facepalmed at this. She hadn't expected that response, realizing he had completely dodged the topic.
'Why was he so smooth about it? And so nonchalant?'
Neji looked up at the soft, fluffy clouds.
"So this is what an S-Rank mission feels like…"
Tenten slumped in despair, her expression drained, 'Life was unfair. When would this team ever disband?'
Guy and Lee had already dashed off in their race, full of energy, leaving behind a trail of green enthusiasm.
"Ugh." Tenten wallowed in her misery for a while, but soon, she felt something was wrong.
'Why was Team 7 so quiet?'
"Sigh."
A soft sigh reached Tenten's ears, making her focus, 'Stealthy observation mode activated.'
After the thick-browed master and disciple left, the atmosphere had grown noticeably more subdued, with the faint gloom more apparent.
Tenten frowned, and noticed that all three members of Team 7 were unusually silent.
She immediately activated her detective skills, 'Kakashi-sensei, Naruto, Sakura… Their expressions seemed normal, but there was a forced quality to them, as if they were pretending everything was fine. They were walking, but their gazes were lowered or turned to the side… a sign of distracted thoughts. Their energy was faint, their faces dull, like defeated roosters.'
'On the surface, they seemed fine, but compared to the loud antics of our Team Guy earlier, something was clearly off.'
Tenten couldn't help but wonder, 'The weather was beautiful, the sun shining brightly. Beneath our feet was solid earth, and just a few hundred meters away stood the grand gates of our village. The engraved words and the lazy gate guards were almost clearly visible from here.'
'If they were worried about the mission… Sure, the trip to the Land of Wind had its twists and turns, but they had overcome them all. Aside from the slight regret over Chiyo-sama's sacrifice to save Gaara, everything else had been a complete success.'
Clearing her throat, Tenten seized an opportunity to approach.
"Sakura, is something wrong?" Tenten asked. Since they were both girls, it was easier to communicate.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Sakura looked up as if snapping out of a daze.
"You guys seem kind of down..."
Sakura glanced at Naruto and Kakashi, paused for a moment, then forced a smile, "It's nothing."
Ever since returning from Sunagakure, they had indeed been distracted. And the reason for their distraction, naturally, was their former Assistant Instructor from Team 7.
Each of them had their own encounter with him… some had spoken, some had exchanged words, and some had even fought.
But when they looked back, Logan's figure lingered in their minds a little longer than expected.
The mission was complete, yet he remained as free as the sky and the sea. It was frustrating. Perhaps… Sasuke and Logan would always be the bonds they carried on their path of growth.
Sakura was troubled too, but overall, she remained optimistic. They just needed to grow stronger… after all, Logan had even praised her.
"Really?" Tenten still seemed unconvinced.
Sakura smiled and said, "Really! If you don't believe it, let me call them over and you'll see."
After saying that, Sakura turned to her teammate and called out sweetly.
"Naruto."
"..."
"Naruto, I'm talking to you??"
Naruto, who was called, didn't respond, with his head still hanging low.
Afraid of a sudden awkwardness in the atmosphere, Sakura forced another smile and told herself to calm down. She then turned to the steady and reliable Kakashi, "Kakashi-sensei?"
"..."
There was also no response. It was as if he hadn't heard anything.
The mood was so gloomy that no other word could describe it. Seeing this, Tenten was really worried and said: "See? I told you…"
Sakura's kind expression stiffened, and black lines appeared on her forehead. This time, her tone was no longer gentle at all.
The more she looked at them, the more infuriated she became. She clenched her fists fiercely and took a deep breath, 'Calm down, calm down...'
Bang!
A teeth-gritting impact rang. Sakura's fist, brimming with rage, slammed straight into Naruto's head, "Hey! I'm talking to you, you idiot!"
Thud!
Naruto, who is completely clueless, was sent flying.