C18 Sand Ninja

After Hirome left, Danzou and the two advisors also took their leave in succession.

The notion that such a peculiar ability could be gained simply by eating a fruit was an irresistible temptation for ninjas who craved power.

Once they had departed, Kakashi's expression was grave (though only one eye was visible, it conveyed the gravity of his emotions).

"Hikage Lord, I vouch for Haruno Hirome. He is not a foreign spy. Should there be any oversight, I will take full responsibility," he declared.

Hirome would have been astonished to learn of this; he would have thought Kakashi's concerns were solely for Naruto and Sasuke.

Sarutobi Hiruzen took a leisurely drag of his cigarette, his face obscured by the smoke. As the smoke cleared, he spoke calmly, "No need to worry, I trust the boy. You may go now."

"Yes."

After Kakashi exited, Sarutobi Hiruzen gazed at the documents on his desk, Hirome's smile radiating warmth and brightness.

Lost in thought, Sarutobi Hiruzen reminisced about years past when Hirome, with a gentle demeanor, had stood at the podium sharing his aspiration to become a skilled Medicine Ninja like his father, healing his comrades.

With a light tap on the desk, Sarutobi Hiruzen murmured, "Haruno Hirome truly embodies the Fire Will."

"Haruno Choo, as a seasoned Medicine Ninja, should assume greater responsibilities."

"It seems Hirome has caught the eye of Rizu's eldest daughter, and likewise, Harano's daughter seems fond of him. It's time for a discussion with both parties."

Recognizing Hirome's potential, Sarutobi Hiruzen intended to bring him into the fold, a maneuver well within the seasoned Third Generation Hikage's political acumen.

Meanwhile, on the commercial street, Hirome, enjoying a cozy shopping trip with Hinata, was unaware of Sarutobi Hiruzen's plans.

Yet, if he were to find out, he wouldn't be upset; in fact, he'd be delighted.

...

After dining with Hinata, Hirome meandered without purpose.

Around the corner, he saw Naruto, Konohamaru, Wu Dong, and Meng Huang dash by. Puzzled, he scratched his head, and before he could make sense of Naruto's antics, Sakura appeared, fists clenched, in hot pursuit.

"Seriously, Naruto is as impulsive as ever, and Sakura is right there with him, caught up in the madness..."

Hinata, trying to stifle her laughter at Hirome's visibly annoyed expression, suggested, "Mr. Hirome, why don't we go check it out too?"

With a nod, they set off in the direction the others had gone.

Only a few steps in, Hirome had an epiphany and slapped his thigh, realizing, "That's right, this is just like when they encountered the Sand Ninja siblings!"

He quickly recognized the familiar scenario.

"Huh? What's wrong, Mr. Hirome?" Hinata asked, puzzled by his sudden gesture.

"Er, it's nothing... Let's hurry and see what's happening!"

Hirome was hesitant to explain further, so Hinata, though curious, didn't press the issue. She allowed Hirome to take her by the hand as they hurried after Naruto and the others.

Rounding the corner, Hirome spotted Kankurō holding Konohamaru and grumbling about something.

Pausing, he decided to wait and see how Naruto would handle the situation.

It wasn't long before Naruto charged forward.

Watching this unfold, Hirome sighed in resignation, "He's still as headstrong as ever!"

But this time, Naruto was far from the underdog he once was. Thanks to Hirome's training, his Physical Technique had become formidable.

Without the need for the Eight-gate Escape Armor, even Lee was no match for Naruto.

This relentless drive was precisely why Sasuke was constantly brooding and training hard.

Kankurō attempted to use his Chakra Line to stop Naruto's advance.

But it was clear that subduing Naruto wouldn't be so simple.

Naruto disregarded Kankurō's Chakra Line and delivered an aerial kick.

Caught off guard by the ineffectiveness of his Chakra Line, Kankurō, in a moment of shock, used Konohamaru as a human shield.

It was a despicable act.

Naruto, taken aback by such a cowardly move, panicked and forgot to pull back, nearly hitting Konohamaru.

Just in time, an ice wall rose in front of Naruto.

His kick shattered the thick ice wall, dissipating his momentum.

A beam of light pierced through the crumbling ice and struck Kankurō, rendering his movements extremely sluggish.

"Naruto, why haven't you rescued Konohamaru yet? What are you waiting for?"

Hirome grasped Hinata's delicate hand and stepped out from the street corner, addressing Naruto, who stood there dazed.

"Ah, oh!"

Naruto finally snapped to attention and wrested Konohamaru from Kankurō's grasp.

Fear was evident in Kankurō's eyes.

"Hmph, Ice Escape: Ice Ball Technique!"

An ice ball materialized in front of Kankurō, knocking him into the air.

He floated gently upwards, then slowly drifted backward.

Temari, standing nearby, was dumbfounded by this bizarre power.

It wasn't until Kankurō was sent flying that she came to her senses, pointing at Hirome and shouting, "Bastard, what have you done to Kankurō?"

Hirome was quite pleased with her shocked and angry expression, chuckling, "Hehe, defeat me and I'll tell you!"

Temari reached for her fan, knowing the mission was critical, but she couldn't just stand by while her brother was in trouble.

Just then, Sasuke, who had been hiding in a nearby tree, appeared beside Temari, his kunai pressed against her neck as he said coolly, "I'd advise you not to make any sudden moves!"

"When did..."

Temari was startled by Sasuke's sudden appearance. She glanced at the handsome young man beside her, wondering if all Konoha's Low Ninjas were this formidable.

"Sasuke, you're incredible!"

Watching Sakura swoon, Hirome could only facepalm in resignation. Having such a lovesick sister was truly embarrassing!

Beside Hirome, Hinata touched her flushed cheeks, thinking to herself, "Mr. Hirome is definitely the strongest!"

The only one who believed Naruto was the greatest was his little fan, Konohamaru.

"Boom!"

Kankurō, previously soaring through the sky, plummeted to the ground.

"Haha, that's what you get for picking on me!"

Konohamaru pointed at Kankurō and laughed uproariously.

Kankurō, unable to tolerate being ridiculed by a kid, released his crow and, disregarding the earlier peculiar attack, was determined to take down the little brat who dared to mock him.

"Kankurō, stop this at once!"

"Don't bring shame upon our village here!"

Gaara, standing on the fence behind Sasuke, was stoic, yet his dark-rimmed eyes unmistakably glinted with murderous intent.

"When did..."

Sasuke was seething with frustration. He had finally managed to muster some bravado, only to have his face figuratively slapped.

"Enough, Sasuke, come back now."

"Gaara, let's leave it at that. I'm aware you're here in Konoha for the Middle Ninja Exam, but let's not overstep our bounds in someone else's village."

With that, Hirome took Hinata's hand and they both walked away.

"Hmph, I go by Gaara. And your name is?"

"Haruno Hirome..."

Hirome's voice trailed off into the distance.