In Naruto: Reborn with a Chat Group

Tazuna felt the cold steel of a sword pressing against his neck.

A shiver ran down his spine, and his entire body tensed with fear. 'W-When... when did he get behind me?!'

His throat went dry as realization sank in. 'So this... this is the speed of a true ninja...'

[Uzumaki Kushina: Well done, Makoto! Some people only learn their lesson after getting a proper scare! How dare he insult my baby?!]

[Namikaze Minato: Makoto, didn't I give you top-tier chakra control techniques before? Just use Rasengan to break a few of his bones, he won't die, probably...]

[Senju Hashirama: Uh... Minato, don't you think that's a bit much? He's just an old man. Honestly, if Makoto just releases a bit of his chakra pressure, the guy will probably faint.]

[Uchiha Madara: Hah! You're still too soft, Hashirama. Makoto was absolutely right. These civilians know nothing about ninjas yet keep ordering them around like servants. If this were anywhere else, that old fool would've been cut down already.]

[Uchiha Izuna: Exactly. I don't get it, since when did ordinary people get so bold? Just because he's the employer he thinks he can talk to a ninja however he wants?]

Back in the real world, Kakashi quickly reacted, appearing beside Makoto in an instant.

He placed a hand on Makoto's shoulder and let out a casual laugh, glancing at Tazuna.

"Hahaha... Don't take it too seriously. We leaf ninjas love to joke around. But Makoto does have a point. You can't judge a ninja's strength by their age."

"Take Makoto, for example, he's still young, but even I, Kakashi of the Sharingan, an elite Jonin, have to admit... this kid is probably stronger than me."

Tazuna felt the cold steel leave his neck and let out a deep sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

His legs were still trembling slightly from the fear.

Meanwhile, Naruto and Sasuke were completely stunned. They had always known Makoto was strong, far stronger than them. But this was on a completely different level.

But now, Kakashi had actually admitted that Makoto was probably even stronger than him. Even though they knew deep down that it was probably true, they struggled to wrap their heads around it. After all, the three of them had graduated at the same time, yet Makoto was already in a league of his own.

Naruto jumped up, fists clenched. "Makoto! Since when were you that strong?! Damn it! But don't think I'm just gonna sit back and accept it! I'll catch up to you for sure! Just you wait, believe it!"

Sasuke clenched his fists tightly, his eyes narrowing. 'I won't let you get too far ahead... No matter what, I'll be right there beside you. And when the time comes, I'll kill that man with my own hands. I am an Uchiha... and I will restore my clan's honor.'

Naruto clenched his fists and glared at Tazuna, remembering the old man's earlier insults.

"Oi, old man! Don't mess with ninjas, and don't look down on me! I'm awesome!"

He flashed a wide grin. "The name's Naruto Uzumaki! Remember it! One day, I'm gonna be a super elite ninja, the Hokage!"

"I'll do whatever it takes to make it happen! And when I do become Hokage, even a grumpy, drunk old geezer like you will have to admit I'm the real deal!"

Unlike in the original storyline, after hearing Naruto's declaration, Tazuna didn't dare to mock him again. The memory of that cold blade against his neck was still fresh in his mind, sending a shiver down his spine.

[Senju Hashirama: Haha! Naruto's got so much energy! I really like his spirit!]

[Senju Tobirama: Hmph. Always so loud and excited...]

[Uchiha Madara: Heh. At least he's interesting.]

[Uzumaki Kushina: That's my boy! Naruto, Show them what you're made of!]

[Namikaze Minato: Naruto, my pain is greater than yours!]

[Uzumaki Kushina: Oh, shut up! Adamantine Sealing Chains!]

[Namikaze Minato: AAAHHHHH~~!]

With that warning still fresh in his mind, Tazuna wisely kept his mouth shut as the group of five continued their journey toward the Land of Waves.

For Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, this was their first time leaving the village for a mission, and the experience felt both exciting and unfamiliar.

At one point, Sakura walked up to Kakashi and asked, "Kakashi-sensei, are there any ninjas in the Land of Waves?"

Kakashi lazily opened his half-lidded eyes and sighed. "No, there aren't any ninjas in the Land of Waves. But most other countries have their own cultures, and many of them have hidden villages where ninjas do exist."

After answering, he paused for a moment before deciding to explain more about the structure of ninja villages and how they operated. As they continued walking, a puddle appeared in the middle of the road.

[Uchiha Madara: Kid, you sensed it too, didn't you?]

[Senju Tobirama: Hmph. Looks like things are about to get interesting.]

[Hyuga Hizashi: Something's wrong! Wasn't this supposed to be a C-rank mission? Why are there ninjas here?!]

[Senju Tobirama: Definitely suspicious! If this is related to the mission, then that old man, Tazuna, must have lied about something important!]

[Uchiha Madara: In that case, he's just asking to die! Lying about mission details and deceiving the ninjas, he's lucky if they don't kill him on the spot!]

[Senju Hashirama: Whoa, whoa, let's not jump to conclusions! It might not even be related to him. Let's see what's really going on first!]

Makoto immediately sensed the two chakra signatures. Kakashi calmly narrowed his eyes, already aware of the situation.

Meanwhile, Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke remained completely oblivious, walking forward without the slightest hint of suspicion.

At this moment, Kakashi couldn't help but sigh internally. 'Since when did every small-time thug think they could mess with me? Has the nickname "Kakashi, the Copy Ninja of the Leaf" lost its reputation or something?'

Despite noticing the threat, Kakashi didn't warn the group.

He was curious to see what these small-time attackers would do next. But before anything could escalate, Makoto suddenly placed a hand on both Naruto and Sasuke's shoulders.

"Hey, Naruto! Sasuke! I just learned a new Fire Style Technique. You two wanna see it?"

Sakura and Tazuna blinked at him in confusion.

Kakashi gave Makoto a knowing glance. 'Ah... so he noticed it too.'

On the other hand, Naruto and Sasuke exchanged puzzled looks, completely clueless.

________________________

Sparky's Note: "Sword of the Thunder God" has been changed to just the sword used by Tobirama.

It's no longer the one that works like a lightsaber.

I've already edited it out, but if you still spot it being referred to as the "Sword of the Thunder God," just leave a para comment.