CRACK!!
The world answered with silence-shattering force.
A deafening boom echoed across the training field as Iruka's wooden sword cut through the air—and the air split back. A sharp pressure erupted outward, slamming into the ground like an invisible blade.
A long gash tore through the earth—deep, clean, and undeniable. Dust and debris launched into the sky. The trees shuddered. Even the birds fled.
For a second… no one said a word.
Sasuke's eyes widened, his usual cool expression completely shattered.
Kakashi's hand froze mid-page, his visible eye flickering between confusion and curiosity.
Sakura clutched her hands over her mouth, eyes bulging in disbelief.
Even random chunin and genin nearby stood frozen in place, jaws slack.
And then—clink.
Hiruzen's pipe slipped from his mouth and hit the ground.
Total. Silence.
The dust slowly settled, revealing the long scar in the ground—a perfect reminder of the raw force behind that one swing. No chakra, no flashy technique. Just pure swordsmanship.
Naruto blinked… and then exploded.
"SEE?! I TOLD YOU!!"
His voice shattered the stillness like a kunai through glass.
"That was even more awesome than before!! I'm totally gonna do that someday too—Dattebayo!!" He threw his head back and laughed, vibrating with excitement.
Iruka lowered the cracked wooden sword. "...I overdid it."
Hiruzen bent down slowly, picked up his pipe, and chuckled.
"You didn't expect that yourself, did you?" he said, a glint of humor in his eyes.
Iruka scratched the back of his neck. "...Not really."
Hiruzen smiled. "Then this will be good for both of us."
"Huh?"
"Tomorrow," Hiruzen said, slipping the pipe back between his lips. "You and me. A spar. Just a light one. It's been a while since I held a blade myself, but… I think it's time we both got a little more familiar with it."
Kakashi gave Iruka a look—part impressed, part intrigued.
Sasuke continued staring at the gash in the earth like he was mentally measuring it.
Sakura still hadn't taken her hands off her mouth.
Naruto pumped his fists. "I'm gonna train so hard tonight even my clones are gonna quit on me!"
Iruka let out a tired chuckle, patting Naruto on the head.
"Come on. Let's go pick up our mission."
And for once…
Naruto followed without a single complaint.
[Scene: Mission Assignment Hall – Moments Later]
As the courtyard slowly returned to normal—people still whispering in awe, and Hiruzen calmly picking his pipe off the ground—Iruka cleared his throat.
"Ahem… Hokage-sama," he said, keeping his voice neutral. "About our mission…"
"Ah, yes," Hiruzen chuckled, still eyeing Iruka with a mix of amusement and curiosity. "You'll be assisting the Inuzuka clan today."
Naruto tilted his head. "Wait, what do they need help with?"
The mission desk clerk spoke up from behind the window with a too-cheerful smile as she handed Iruka the scroll.
Mission: Clean the Inuzuka Kennels
Difficulty: D-Rank
Estimated Suffering: Extreme (for Naruto only)
Naruto blinked.
Then he looked at Iruka.
Then back at the scroll.
"…No."
Iruka opened the scroll and nodded. "Yep. Looks like we're on poop duty."
"Nooooooo!" Naruto dropped to his knees. "I just wanted to cut the moon in half! And when people asked what happened, I'd pose all cool and say: 'Nothing happened.'"
He looked at the scroll again like it had personally betrayed him.
"But why… why is my reward… POO?!"
Iruka patted his shoulder, entirely unsympathetic. "You wanted a real ninja mission. This is how it starts."
"I changed my mind!" Naruto wailed. "Bring back the mud garden! I'll eat weeds!"
But Iruka was already walking toward the door, scroll in hand like it was a treasure map.
"Let's go, future Pirate King of Poop. This is your East Blue!"
Naruto blinked. "Wait, what's an East Blue—?"
Behind them, Hiruzen's eye twitched. His pipe nearly dropped again as he froze mid-puff.
"...Pirate King? East Blue? What the actual fu—"
Kakashi looked up from his book. "Honestly, I kinda like it. Has a ring to it."
Sasuke muttered under his breath, "Tch… lame."
Sakura blinked. "King of what now?"
And one random chunin nearby said, "...Low-key sounds kinda cool."
[Scene: Inuzuka Kennels – Later That Day]
The air was thick.
With smell.
Naruto held his nose with both hands, gagging dramatically as Akamaru barked at him from a safe distance.
"There's no way this is legal!" he shouted. "This should be ranked A for Awful!"
An Inuzuka handler dropped off a bucket and mop with a grin that belonged on a villain. "Don't miss the corners! Some of the pups had a rough night."
Naruto looked at Iruka, eyes sparkling with hope. "Sensei… you must have a secret jutsu for this, right? Right?! Come on, tell me!"
Iruka said like a sage. "I do."
Naruto leaned in excitedly. "Tell me, tell me!"
Iruka held back a chuckle. "Hard. Work."
Naruto recoiled in betrayal. "TRAITOR!!"
Now armed with a mop, bucket, and enough regret to drown in, Naruto entered the battlefield of barking, growling, and suspicious puddles.
His hands trembled. His eyes were dead.
"This... this isn't training," he whispered. "This is a war crime."
Akamaru barked cheerfully from a clean platform above the chaos, tail wagging.
Kiba walked in with a huge grin, clearly enjoying the show. "Yo, Naruto! What are you doing? Trying to awaken your new poop-style jutsu?"
Naruto glared with dead fish eyes. "Laugh it up, dog boy. I'll remember this when I become Hokage."
Kiba burst out laughing. "You look like you lost a bet with life! And smell like it too!"
Akamaru yapped in agreement, then sneakily lifted a leg near Naruto's bucket.
Naruto gasped. "YOU WOULDN'T!"
Akamaru would. And he did.
"NOOOOOOOO!" Naruto backed up into a pile behind him, slipped, and fell with a squish. He froze. A single tear escaped his eye.
"…I want to go back to bed."
From behind a nearby fence, a quiet giggle slipped out.
Naruto looked up to see Hinata, clutching her hands to her chest, watching the whole scene unfold.
"Hinata?!" Naruto jumped up, flailing to hide his stained clothes. "D-don't look at me like this! This is not the cool hero moment!"
Hinata quickly shook her head, blushing. "I-I was just… passing by…"
Kiba smirked. "Sure, passing by with snacks and sitting on a fence."
Hinata nearly disappeared behind her coat.
Naruto, now fully standing—albeit smelly—puffed out his chest. "Y-you laugh now! But wait till you hear what happened today!"
Kiba raised an eyebrow. "What, did you discover a new mop style?"
Naruto smirked. "Iruka-sensei cut the ground in half. With a wooden sword! No chakra!"
Kiba blinked, about to laugh again—but then his smile faltered.
"…Wait. You said Iruka-sensei cut the ground in half?"
Naruto nodded with a big grin. "Yup!"
Kiba's eye twitched. "…With a wooden sword?"
Another nod.
Suddenly, Kiba stood straighter. His body stiffened. Goosebumps rose along his arms.
"…You mean like the one time during training… when he made that huge scar in the practice field?"
Naruto's grin widened even more. "Bigger."
Akamaru, who had been wagging his tail just moments ago, froze mid-bark. The tiny pup started to tremble, slowly backing behind Kiba's leg, whimpering softly.
Kiba's eyes went wide. "Wait—bigger than that time?! That one shook the whole ground!"
Naruto struck a proud pose, completely covered in dog hair and mystery gunk. "I'm telling you, it was like watching a god cut reality. The old man dropped his pipe! Kakashi-sensei's visible eye twitched! Even Sasuke looked like someone slapped him with shock!"
He leaned forward, whispering like he was passing on a forbidden legend.
"And tomorrow, Iruka-sensei is gonna spar with the Hokage himself."
Kiba's mouth opened. No words came out.
Akamaru curled into a ball, eyes wide, ears drooped, tail between his legs.
Naruto, finally soaking in their reactions, nodded smugly. "See? Told ya. My sensei's not just cool—he's legendary."
Kiba muttered, still stunned. "And you get to train under him…"
Naruto looked at the mop in his hand. Then at the poop on his clothes. Then at the shocked expressions on his friends' faces.
"…This is just my trial arc," he said solemnly. "The poop… is temporary. Greatness… is forever."