[ANBU Division Briefing Room --- Hidden Leaf Village]
The room was bare. Concrete, clean, and silent—designed to strip away emotion and focus only on facts. A single desk stood in the center. Behind it, a handler in plain black sat with a folder, eyes unreadable behind an unmarked porcelain mask.
Naruto stood across from him, posture relaxed but firm. His cloak was folded over one arm, gloves tucked into his belt. His mask was off.
"Target?" the handler asked, voice flat.
"Neutralized," Naruto replied. "Confirmed by secondary."
"Collaterals?"
"None."
"Complications?"
"One aide showed signs of sealing jutsu training. Intervened before activation."
"Clean?"
Naruto nodded. "No trace. No witnesses."
The handler didn't respond. Just flipped a page in the file. The scribble of pen on paper filled the silence.
"Operative 'Canary' filed behavioral notes. Filed detailed psychological stress markers, post-operation."
Naruto blinked once. "And?"
"Noted sustained undercover performance. Emotional contamination: minimal. Operative recommends further integration into assassination support detail."
Naruto gave a small nod. "She earned it."
The handler didn't respond. He stamped the mission file with a practiced thunk.
"Your next assignment is pending. Evaluation flag on chakra usage remains lifted."
"Still not reinstating monitoring?"
"Not necessary," the handler said flatly. "Control remains stable."
That word again. Control.
Naruto said nothing. Just waited.
"Danzo-sama will request a direct report. Tomorrow morning. You're dismissed."
Naruto nodded and turned to go, but paused before stepping through the exit.
"…Did the target's name ever make the internal rotation?" he asked.
The handler looked up. "What do you mean?"
"Was he ever logged in the system as a diplomatic liaison? Or was that just a cover?"
A beat.
"Irrelevant," the handler said. "The mission has been closed."
Naruto stared for a moment longer, then left.
---
[Training Ground 7 --- Outside Hidden Leaf Village]
The sky had softened into a dusky blue by the time Naruto arrived. Training Ground 7 sat quiet under the shifting light, the air tinged with warm grass and old wood.
Sakura was already there, leaning against a weather-worn training post with her legs stretched out and her gloves tossed beside her. Her hair, still tied in a loose combat bun, swayed with the breeze. Her kusarigama lay coiled nearby, metal glinting faintly in the fading sun.
She looked up as he approached.
"Well well, look what the wind dragged in," she said with a lazy grin. "Fox himself, slinking back to the village like a stray."
Naruto offered a faint smirk. "Just passing through."
"Uh-huh," she said, tapping her heel against the post. "Let me guess. You painted another red signature somewhere no one will see?"
"Clean job," he said simply. "Debriefed. Done."
Sakura raised an eyebrow. "They keeping you busy, huh?"
He sat down next to her with a quiet sigh. "Same as always."
She glanced down at her hands, flexing her fingers slowly. "I had five today. Border rats. Not even a good warm-up."
Naruto looked over at her. "Still not enough?"
Sakura exhaled through her nose. "Nope."
There was a pause, the wind rustling the leaves above them.
Then she asked, voice soft but casual, "You ever feel like that too? Like it's never enough?"
Naruto was quiet for a moment. Then he nodded, eyes fixed on nothing in particular.
"…Yeah," he said. "Every time."
She turned toward him, curious. "Why?"
He let out a breath, slow and steady.
"Because it's never quiet in there," he said, tapping his temple. "He's talking. Whispering. Telling me to tear deeper, slice harder. Sometimes it's about drinking blood. Sometimes it's eating what's left."
Sakura blinked, then leaned back, smirking. "Geez. And here I thought I had issues."
Naruto glanced sideways at her. "You think it's funny?"
"Kind of," she said. "I mean, all this time, I thought I was the one with messed up instincts. Maybe I should've been the jinchūriki instead."
Naruto gave a sharp look. "Don't say that."
Sakura waved him off, grinning. "Relax. I'd make a fantastic demon host. I'd braid Kurama's fur and make him wear eyeliner."
Naruto groaned. "Now I understand what Sasuke went through."
Sakura laughed.
He stood after a moment, brushing grass from his pants.
"I'm heading back. Need to rest. I've got a report with Danzo in the morning."
"Then what? Out into the shadows again?" she said, standing too.
"Maybe."
"Be safe, Fox."
Naruto gave her a sideways glance. "You too, Mouth."
"Tell anyone I was being nice, I'll gut you."
He smirked as he walked away, vanishing into the trees like smoke.
Sakura watched him go, her smile lingering just a bit longer than she meant to.
Then she turned toward the dummies, flexed her fingers, and threw a practice strike for old time's sake.
Just to feel something clean.