The Tale Of Naruto Uzumaki

Chapter 9: Courage

The day was peaceful but weighed down with unspoken tension. Sakura sat under the shade of a tree, her legs stretched out before her as she yawned, a light breeze rustling the leaves above her. Her training was on hold for the moment, and although she would have liked to join her teammates, she had been assigned to guard Tazuna, the bridge builder.
"You're always this lazy?" Tazuna's voice broke her train of thought, his amused tone making her frown.
"I'm not lazy," Sakura snapped, irritation lacing her words. "I'm just tired."
Tazuna raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Sure, sure. Anyway, where's the weird blond kid? The one with the weird attitude?"
"They're out training with Kakashi-sensei," Sakura said, flicking a piece of grass in her hand. "Yesterday, they finally mastered water walking, but today Kakashi wanted one-on-one training with them."
Tazuna crossed his arms, eyeing her. "Training, huh? Is it too much for you?"
Sakura bristled. "No, actually, I'm the best. I already knew how to water walk months ago. That's why Kakashi-sensei sent me here to guard you," she said, her voice filled with a sense of pride.
Tazuna blinked, looking skeptical. "You're joking."
Sakura narrowed her eyes, her cheeks flushed with frustration. "I'm not joking, Tazuna.
Before Tazuna could reply, a man approached, looking nervous. "Tazuna, I need to talk to you," he said, out of breath.
Tazuna wiped the sweat from his forehead and gave the man a tired look. "What about?"
The man, Ghechi, looked torn. "I've been thinking a lot about the bridge. And... I've decided I've pushed my luck far enough. I want out."
Tazuna's face darkened immediately. "Now you're going to quit on me just like that? You're kidding, right?"
Ghechi's face hardened. "You know I stayed on because of our friendship, but I'm putting my life on the line every day. Gato's thugs will show up eventually, and when they do, they'll kill you. The bridge will never get finished. It's a lost cause, Tazuna. Why don't we stop now, while we still have a chance?"
Sakura clenched her fists, her face growing more and more furious. She stood up and glared at Ghechi. "You're not going anywhere! This bridge is going to help your homeland no matter the cost! You need to stay and help build it. We're putting our lives on the line for you, so this is the least you could do!"
Ghechi looked stunned, caught off guard by her passionate outburst.
Sakura's voice was unwavering. "Am I right or what? Leave if you want, but you'll be a coward in my eyes-and in the eyes of my teammates. You bum!"
Tazuna stepped forward, his face set in determination. "Ghechi, there's no way I'm stopping now. This bridge will connect us to the mainland-commerce, trade, and hope. That's what we're building here."
Ghechi sighed, shaking his head. "There's not going to be much hope if we're all dead."
Tazuna's fists clenched tightly. "It's already decided," he muttered, looking away. "Let's break for lunch."
Ghechi looked as if he wanted to argue further, but he didn't. He just shook his head and walked away. "Tazuna, let's not end it like this," he called over his shoulder.
Tazuna didn't respond, but as he turned back toward Sakura, his expression softened slightly. "Save your breath. And don't bother coming back for lunch, Ghechi."
Sakura let out a deep breath, still angry at the man's cowardice. "Well, since I have time, I'm going to explore this place," she muttered under her breath.

Training Session: Team 7 vs. Kakashi
Meanwhile, Naruto and Sasuke were busy training with Kakashi, giving it everything they had. They had tried to double-team Kakashi, working together to land a hit, but every time they attacked, Kakashi seemed to slip past them with ease. Both Naruto and Sasuke were winded, their breath ragged as they backed off.
Naruto was the first to speak, frustration evident in his voice. "Damn it! This isn't fair!"
Sasuke grunted, wiping sweat from his forehead. "We've been at this for hours, and we still can't land a single hit."
Kakashi, standing a short distance away, looked unbothered. "Naruto, Sasuke, I'm going to give you another try. But you need to sync up, focus your minds on what you're going to do before you do it."
"I'm ready when you are," Kakashi said calmly, adjusting his headband slightly.
Sasuke gritted his teeth. "Let's go, dobe."
Naruto scowled, not backing down. "Alright, teme."