Naruto:Dark Return

These were the ideas Naruto had come up with after reflecting all night.

Since Ichiro couldn't be changed, Naruto resolved to start with himself.

"I'm not the smartest," Naruto admitted to himself, "but I can at least try to avoid situations where Ichiro has to come out to fight."

He sighed, then continued speaking aloud, addressing Ichiro within him. "Look, I won't stay mad at you for what happened. Let's just call it even, okay?"

Naruto waited, his heart pounding with anticipation. When no response came, a wave of disappointment washed over him. Just as he was about to give up, Ichiro's soft voice finally resonated in his mind.

"Fine," Ichiro replied tersely. "You're the main personality; you get the final say."

Hearing those words, Naruto broke into a wide grin, jumping up from his chair and dancing around the room.

"I knew you wouldn't stay mad forever, Ichiro!"

Naruto's stomach growled loudly, interrupting his excitement. He realized he hadn't eaten all day due to the argument with Ichiro and collapsed onto his bed, clutching his belly.

"I'm starving! I really want some ramen," Naruto whined, glancing out the window at the darkened village. Most of the shops were closed, and the idea of venturing out didn't appeal to him.

Seeing Naruto ready to resign himself to another night of hunger, Ichiro interjected, "Isn't there some dried noodles in the fridge?"

Naruto blinked, confused. "Dried noodles? Oh yeah, I think I bought some a while back… but they're not tasty."

"Let me take over," Ichiro said, exasperated. "I'll make something edible."

Naruto perked up at the suggestion. "You can cook? Awesome! Okay, go ahead."

He handed over control of his body, watching curiously from within as Ichiro deftly prepared a simple yet flavorful noodle dish. As Naruto enjoyed the meal, he shared his thoughts on Kakashi and the upcoming survival exercise.

The next morning, Naruto woke up to his alarm. He yawned and stretched, his mind groggy but his stomach satisfied from the previous night's dinner.

As Naruto walked through the streets toward the training ground, Ichiro noticed an unusual increase in Anbu presence.

"They've doubled the patrols," Ichiro observed. "Sarutobi Hiruzen must be worried after yesterday's incident. But this also means Danzo hasn't given up on us yet."

Naruto nodded silently. He couldn't argue with Ichiro's logic.

When Naruto passed a small shop, Ichiro reminded him, "Don't forget to eat breakfast. Kakashi's instructions were just a bluff."

Naruto quickly bought three fried noodle breads and three cartons of milk from the store. The shopkeeper didn't dare scold him or give him expired goods, wary of Naruto's notoriety.

When Naruto arrived at the training ground, Sakura and Sasuke were already waiting. They both stared in disbelief as Naruto jogged over, juggling fried noodle bread in one hand and milk in the other.

"Naruto!" Sakura scolded, her expression exasperated. "Didn't Kakashi-sensei tell us not to eat breakfast? What if you fail because of it?"

Naruto, chewing on his breakfast, shrugged. "He said we might feel sick if we eat. He didn't say we couldn't eat."

Then, holding out the extra portions, he asked, "Want some? I bought extras for you."

Sakura turned her nose up at the offer. "I'm not eating that. If Kakashi-sensei says it'll make us fail, I'm not risking it!"

Naruto shrugged, then turned to Sasuke. "What about you?"

Sasuke hesitated, his sharp eyes scanning their surroundings. He had been silently observing Kakashi's absence and had a theory.

After another long moment, Sasuke nodded and took the food. "Thanks."

Sakura's jaw dropped. "Sasuke, what are you doing? You're going to fail!"

Sasuke glared at her. "Eat when you're hungry, don't eat if you're scared. It's that simple."

Naruto grinned and handed the remaining food to Sakura. "Here, just eat it, Sakura. It'll be fine."

"But…" Sakura hesitated, clutching the bread and milk. Her stomach growled audibly, betraying her hunger.

Seeing her reluctance, Naruto puffed out his chest. "Kakashi-sensei's plan is easy to figure out. He's not trying to make us fail; he's testing us."

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked, confused.

Naruto smirked, adopting a confident pose. "Think about it. Kakashi-sensei is super strong, right? If he wanted to fail us, he could do it easily. There's no need for him to mess with our breakfast."

Sakura still looked unsure, so Naruto pressed on. "This is all part of the test. He's probably trying to see how we handle teamwork under tough conditions, like being hungry or stressed."

Naruto paused for dramatic effect, then added, "If we're too scared to eat, we'll be too scared to pass this test.

Naruto's explanation left both Sakura and Sasuke stunned. They had never seen this side of him before—confident, logical, and even a little inspiring.

End of Chapter

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