Naruto was crouched on the ground, panting heavily, arms aching like hell.
After hours of nonstop training, he still couldn't make the rubber ball explode the way it was supposed to.
"Damn it!" he growled through gritted teeth, frustration written all over his sweaty face. "It didn't feel this hard in the dream!"
He inhaled sharply, placing the rubber ball in his left palm again and covering it tightly with his right hand.
That newly awakened chakra within him gathered at his palm under sheer willpower. Naruto focused hard, trying to recall the technique he'd mastered in the dream the night before—willing the chakra to swirl like a vortex.
One second. Two seconds...
His hand began to tremble slightly. Chakra pulsed beneath his skin, sending subtle ripples across the ball's surface. For a moment, it looked like it might finally work.
But then—fshhh—the chakra collapsed again, losing all shape and momentum.
The rubber ball bounced softly back to its original form, springing once in his palm, still perfectly intact.
With a groan of defeat, Naruto flopped backward onto the ground, his arms too sore to lift anymore.
He sat there gasping for air, staring at the stubborn rubber ball as if it had betrayed him.
"Seriously… why is chakra control so much harder in the real world?" he muttered, lips pouting in exhaustion.
He thought back to the dream. In there, he'd breezed through the first phase of the training like it was nothing. But now, trying to break into the second stage? He'd been grinding away for half a day—and had made zero progress.
Nearby, Sakura and Sasuke had already paused their own training. Both of them stood watching, completely absorbed by Naruto's very public struggle.
Sakura couldn't help but giggle as she saw Naruto fuming like a kettle.
"Pfft… Naruto, give it a rest," she said with a playful shake of her head.
Hearing her laugh, Naruto blushed in embarrassment and shouted back, "You'll see! I'm mastering a super badass secret technique! Once I learn it—Sakura-chan, you're gonna be blown away!"
Sakura scoffed, clearly unimpressed. "What secret technique? Isn't it something you 'learned in a dream'? Come on, Naruto. Wake up. A dream is just a dream."
Naruto's face went redder. "It's not just a dream! The guy who taught me the jutsu—he was… he…"
He stopped mid-sentence, biting his tongue. Then quickly changed course.
"Whatever! I'm gonna get it down, no matter what!"
Just then, a lazy, familiar voice drifted over from the trees.
"Yo~~ Sorry, sorry. Kept you all waiting, huh?"
Everyone turned toward the sound.
Kakashi strolled into view, hands stuffed casually into his pockets, his silver hair gleaming in the midday sun.
His headband was tilted as always, covering his left eye. His face half-hidden behind the black mask. But his visible right eye was curved in an unmistakable crescent: he was smiling.
"Ran into a little trouble on the way here," he said nonchalantly. "My bad for being late."
"Kakashi-sensei!!" Sakura exploded, eyes blazing.
"Do you even know what time it is?!"
She jabbed an angry finger at the blinding sun above. "It's already noon! Late is one thing—but this is next-level ridiculous!"
"Yeah, totally!" Naruto sprang up in agreement. "We've been starving out here!"
Kakashi scratched the back of his head, clearly unbothered. "Ahaha… yeah, sorry. You see, on the way over... I kinda got lost."
"…Lost?" Sakura and Naruto blinked in unison.
Kakashi nodded solemnly. "Yeah. Lost on the path of life."
Both of them stared blankly.
What kind of lame excuse was that?
They exchanged a look, too bewildered to keep scolding him.
Off to the side, Sasuke let out a low tch and muttered, "There he goes again with that crap."
Kakashi laughed, seeing none of them bought it. "Alright, alright—how about I make it up to you? Lunch is on me. Anything you want."
"Seriously?!" Naruto's eyes sparkled like twin suns. All his anger vanished in a heartbeat.
"Sweet!! I want Ichiraku Ramen! Tonkotsu with extra chashu! Like, a lot of bowls!"
He took off running toward the village, pumped full of energy again. "Let's go let's go! I'm gonna eat so much this time!"
Sakura still looked like she wanted to complain some more, but Naruto was already gone.
She sighed and rubbed her temples. "Ugh… that idiot. What am I supposed to do with him…"
Kakashi watched Naruto's retreating figure with an amused smile, totally unfazed by their earlier complaints.
But as soon as Naruto vanished down the forest path, that smile quietly faded.
He turned, facing Sakura and Sasuke with a seriousness they had never seen in him before. Gone was the lazy mask—replaced by quiet intensity.
"Sasuke. Sakura."
Kakashi's voice was low and calm, but firm. His visible eye locked onto theirs.
"I need to ask you something. About the dream last night—did either of you… tell anyone else about it?"
Both froze.
The sudden change in Kakashi's demeanor left them caught off guard.
They glanced at each other, eyes flickering with unease and confusion.
"…No," Sasuke replied first, shaking his head. "I live alone. Who would I even tell?"
Sakura nodded hurriedly. "Me neither! My parents are just civilians. And besides, you told us not to say anything, remember? I wouldn't dare!"
Kakashi exhaled softly, visibly relieved by their responses.
He nodded and lowered his voice further. "Good. Make sure it stays that way. Don't tell anyone—especially not the details of what you saw in that dream."
Sakura blinked. She still didn't understand why a dream had to be treated like some top-secret mission.
Sasuke didn't say anything—but his expression had turned tense and focused.
Kakashi looked at both of them with quiet approval.
"I can't explain everything right now," he said. "Just trust me on this—that dream wasn't normal. Whatever happens, keep it to yourselves. Understand?"
"Yes, sir!" they replied in unison, still exchanging uncertain looks. But the gravity in Kakashi's tone left no room for debate.
It was the first time they had seen him this serious. That alone told them: this was bigger than they imagined.
"Good."
Kakashi's usual smile returned, albeit softer this time.
He reached out and gave them each a gentle pat on the head—then slipped right back into his laid-back self.
"Come on. If we don't hurry, Naruto's gonna eat all the chashu."
With that, he turned and began walking casually after Naruto.
Sakura was still trying to process everything, but Kakashi's voice made her chuckle. She shook her head and quickly followed.
Sasuke lagged behind for a moment.
He glanced back at the empty training field, Kakashi's words still echoing in his mind.
"If the dream really meant nothing… then talking about it wouldn't matter. But if Kakashi-sensei's trying this hard to silence us…"
Then it meant those wild, impossible dream images—weren't just in Naruto's head.
There was something real behind them.
Sasuke's hand tightened into a fist inside his pocket.
"Sasuke? What are you doing? Let's go!"
Sakura's voice snapped him back. She was waving at him up ahead, already near the trees.
Kakashi and Naruto had vanished into the distance.
"…Coming."
Sasuke pushed the thoughts down for now, quickened his pace, and followed.