Team 7 continued down the road.

Naruto's face was flushed with excitement. He hopped along, chattering nonstop as they walked.

After all, Kakashi-sensei had told him that the man he had just defeated was a jonin!

Beside him, Sasuke walked with his arms crossed, acting indifferent to Naruto's noise. Occasionally, he let out a dismissive "hmph" to show his annoyance.

But in truth, Sasuke's heart was anything but calm.

His own strength had grown tremendously as well.

If he hadn't learned advanced illusion techniques from Itachi in his dream, there was no way he could have performed so well against Zabuza.

The thought made his eyes burn with determination. Next time it's my turn in the dream... I'll have Itachi teach me even stronger ninjutsu.

Because they had just encountered a dangerous opponent like Zabuza, the entire group was now on edge.

After that life-and-death clash, everyone stayed sharp, ready to counter any attack that might come.

But the rest of their journey passed surprisingly smoothly.

No powerful enemies appeared. Not even small-time harassment.

Only a few crows crossed the twilight sky, their cries echoing through the forest.

Such uneventful progress left Naruto restless. He had been brimming with energy, ready to prove himself again, but instead, disappointment gnawed at him.

As the sun sank beyond the trees, Team 7 stopped to camp in a clearing.

Naruto poked listlessly at the firewood in his hands, grumbling, "Why haven't we run into a single decent enemy?"

"It'd be perfect if a few more strong ones showed up, so I could stretch my muscles! I'll prove that even without Sasuke's help, I can take down ten enemies all by myself!"

Dazna nearly jumped out of his skin. Waving his hands frantically, he pleaded, "Little brother, don't say such scary things! Isn't it best if the mission finishes peacefully? Please, no more enemies this old man's heart can't take it."

The poor builder wiped cold sweat from his brow, utterly shaken.

Kakashi sighed, shaking his head. "Naruto, don't be so eager to show off. The best outcome is making sure Mr. Dazna arrives safely. Don't forget, you three are still my students. If stronger enemies show up after Zabuza, it might force me to protect you with everything I've got."

Sakura smacked Naruto on the head, glaring. "Kakashi-sensei is right. I really don't get what goes through that head of yours..."

Sasuke turned his face away, fighting to hide the smirk tugging at his lips. His voice was cold as he muttered just two words.

"Idiot."

"Oww, Sakura, go easy, that hurt!"

Naruto clutched his head, then rubbed his stomach.

"Ugh, I'm starving. I'll go check if the ramen's ready..."

Sakura sighed helplessly at his carefree expression.

Soon, darkness blanketed the forest.

As Naruto crawled into his sleeping bag, he muttered, "Really, Sakura hit way too hard... it still hurts..."

But despite his grumbling, the day's exhaustion and a full meal quickly lulled him into a deep sleep.

Outside the tent, the campfire crackled, casting flickering light across half of Kakashi's profile as he stood watch.

Once he confirmed everyone was asleep, Kakashi leaned back against a tree trunk. He relaxed slightly, gazing into the dark night with his single visible eye, lost in thought.

Then, without warning, he stood up and performed a summoning.

The night deepened.

Naruto felt as though he had only just closed his eyes when his consciousness stirred awake again.

Blinking in the darkness, he yawned and muttered, "Hmm? Today..."

But before he could finish, he froze.

The tent, the sleeping bags, his teammates all gone.

Instead, towering before him was the now-familiar Dream Theater.

The massive hall loomed in silence, pitch-black and empty.

Naruto stood in the vacant corridor, glancing down at himself. He was still dressed in the same clothes he'd worn to bed.

"Tch, here we go again!" Naruto realized instantly where he was. He couldn't help but groan. "Damn it... and it's not even my turn today!"

As he sulked, a startled voice called out behind him.

"Where is this place?"

The voice was high and feminine panicked, but also endearing.

Naruto stiffened, then spun around.

There, among the empty seats, stood a slender girl with long, pale blonde hair. She scanned her surroundings warily.

She wore lavender sleepwear, soft silk pajamas that hinted at her curves. Her golden hair was tied back in a high ponytail, loose bangs falling messily across her forehead and framing her clear, lake-blue eyes.

Her delicate face was full of confusion and tension.

"Ino?!"

Sakura's voice rang out in shock as she arrived.

She blinked twice, hardly able to believe her own eyes.

Standing before her was none other than her closest friend and fiercest rival since childhood: Yamanaka Ino.

Sakura never expected Ino would be pulled into the audience this time.

"Ino, why... why are you here?" Sakura rushed to her side, scanning her up and down in disbelief.

"How should I know where this is?" Ino let out a shaky breath. Seeing Sakura calmed her nerves a little, but her panic was still plain on her face. "Sakura, is this some kind of prank?"

She was clearly rattled.

One moment, Ino had been fast asleep in her own bed. The next, she opened her eyes to find herself in a pitch-black, eerie theater. The sudden shift had terrified her.

Running into Sakura was the only thing keeping her from losing it completely.

Sakura groaned and rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Ino-pig, how could I possibly do something like this "

After saying that, Sakura realized the two of them had slipped back into their usual bickering. She stopped herself, forcing her temper down.

Now wasn't the time to quarrel with Ino. Taking a deep breath, she spoke more seriously.

"Listen, Ino. We've all been brought here by some unknown force. For several nights in a row, we've ended up in this strange theater. Each time, we're made to watch... someone's dream. And tonight... it's Sasuke's turn."

Sakura quickly explained everything she knew their suspicion that this was some kind of powerful jutsu or barrier, that they hadn't found any way to escape, and the strange dreams they'd witnessed over the past few days.

She kept her words concise but clear, doing her best to help Ino grasp the situation.

Even though she felt annoyed with Ino, she still explained it thoroughly, sticking to her principles.

At first, Ino's face was clouded with confusion. But the instant Sakura mentioned "Sasuke's dream," her attention sharpened like a kunai blade.

"You mean... we get to see Sasuke-kun's dream here?!"

Her voice trembled with excitement.

....

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