They all had gathered up in the dining room. It was a small place yet it had just the right amount of places for them to sit. Naruto and Kakashi were seated next to each other, they were one of the first people there. Sasuke was seated there for a considerable amount of time. A boy younger than the pre-teens was present as well, they presumed he was the grandson the bridge builder was talking about.

Tazuna himself was sitting there.

A dazed Sakura walked in lastly.

She looked off.

Then again, everyone seemed uneasy. Except for the ones who weren't there and Tazuna, who was a generally care-free man. He could only be described as the ice-breaker. Throughout the time they'd gotten back, he would laugh it off and speak about anything. Squeeze an insult in. Sasuke would ignore him and Naruto would be his selective-oblivious self.

He chose to act as if nothing happened. Maybe it was just that; he really didn't think much happened. It was kind of scary to think he was oblivious to that kind of thing, Kakashi was used to it, though, and understood that it was just a thing that happened. Everyone just chose not to speak about it, at least, not with the oblivious boy around. There was also the pressing matter team seven had to deal with — the mission.

"You all know that Zabuza is still alive. He's going to attack us again," Kakashi stated almost lazily, his eyes were the only thing giving off the seriousness of the situation. The lunch wasn't just lunch, it was a meeting on their next moves. What were they going to do next?

"Yeah," Sakura nodded, "he seemed genuinely injured though, so he might not come immediately, right?"

"Not to mention that hit to the neck," mentioned the Uchiha. 

"It pierced through. The approximate time the enemy would recover completely would be close to five days, possibly in less time," Naruto added, being his nonchalant self even when explaining. It could've been a habit he'd picked up from Kakashi Hatake. He did remember him being very cold and stoic when he was younger.

"That's precisely it. You're all right." Kakashi shifted in discomfort. His body was still tired from the fight with Zabuza. 

"What are we going to do until then?" Sakura questioned.

"You're training," Kakashi answered.

The blonde Jinchūriki didn't move or react. That was something frequent he would do when people were explaining details; he would seem like he was daydreaming, and indeed he was. His gaze was directed towards the family photo in this house. Not much went on in his mind, but he noticed how clear that hateful gaze was. That hateful glare directed at them and who was doing so.

"Do you have something you wish to say?" Naruto said in a bored tone, still not making eye contact with the younger boy. The boy didn't seem fazed either. Everyone's attention was on the two's exchange of words the second Naruto's quiet state crumbled.

"There is no way you can actually pull this off. You're all just going to die too! You guys think it's that easy just by training! Don't go playing the hero! There is no such thing!" the outburst was sudden. Of course, it would be that way. The male was only a kid who went through traumatic experiences, not only that, but a child who would have naturally had temper problems.

His mother was quick to scold the boy, "Inari! These people are our guests."

Naruto's eyes finally tore away from the picture. "Hero?" he questioned, almost directing it at himself. "No. Indeed, I am not a hero. I am nothing near that of a hero."

I am a monster. Not a hero. That's what he said.

Sasuke could see that certain look in his eyes again. It was different, though. Naruto's blue eyes were dull and dangerous. Yet there was something else to it that made them less... deadly. The child noticed the look and aura Naruto gave off and almost found himself backing up. "Nonetheless, you have no right to say what we cannot do," Naruto said as he stood up. "I will take my leave. I am guessing we will meet in the forest."

Kakashi nodded slowly.

The atmosphere went from tense to awkward when Naruto left the house with Inari leaving for his room, the woman sighed and apologized. Kakashi only brushed the matter off.

"Sensei," Sasuke called. His onyx eyes met with another. "I have a question."

What is with everyone asking me questions today? "Go ahead, Sasuke." Kakashi sighed for what seemed like the millionth time that day.

"What was wrong with Naruto back then?"

There it was. The question of the decade. Of course, they would figure out there was something wrong with Naruto eventually. They were his teammates, after all.

Kakashi shifted again. "I'm not one to tell."

Sakura cut into the conversation with another award-winning question, "Then... can you tell us about his sudden change in personality since the academy?" She seemed very determined to find out the answer.

"I wouldn't know much about that either, my turn to question. Do you know what a persona is?" Kakashi asked.

"Wait, you didn't even answer our questions properly," Sakura said, dumbfounded. Tazuna and his daughter were probably more lost than Sakura.

"Wait, what are you talking about? That shrimp? I'll admit he's a bit crazy, but what are you talking about changing? Wasn't he always like he is now?" Tazuna asked, confused.

"No, he wasn't," Sasuke spoke slowly and simple with his words.

"He was different and it wasn't too long back either. Almost as if it were a..." Sakura took a moment to pause, putting the puzzles together, "... persona?"

That doesn't add up though.

Sakura would imagine he was acting. He put on a completely different persona, a mask that was hiding his true colours. The question, then, would be why he did so.

"Is this Naruto, the present Naruto, the true personality? Was he pretending to be a fool all this time?" the green-eyed pre-teen stared wide-eyed at her Sensei. 

In addition, Sasuke caught on to the theory fast. "If Naruto's been hiding his actual capabilities the entire time, why now? Why right after failing the examination?"

Kakashi scratched the back in his head in a gesture showing that he was somewhat nervous. Something close to nervous, at least. "I guess it was a change of heart, but this Naruto and the goofball Naruto..." he paused as his eyes narrowed in a solemn way, "both of them is not what I remember. Naruto changed a lot since I saw him last when he was younger. Meaning, I can't say much about his personality."

"This is so complicated!" Sakura exclaimed, holding her head with both hands.

[--]

Slow steps.

Slow breathing.

Yet racing thoughts steadily increasing.

Everyone was bothered by his presence. Did he do something wrong?

In conjunction with that question, he was confused. That was the reason behind his scattered actions. Such as not talking; more than usual, at least. He'd gotten back to his habits of daydreaming and drifted off topics. Sudden thoughts came back to him, because of his weak focus after what happened. He didn't like his state of mind currently.

He found himself thinking back to what happened to try to figure out everything.

They gathered together, looking at the unconscious body of Zabuza. One of them neared to check if he was, indeed, unconscious. Before that could be done, however, Zabuza lifted himself up swiftly. It would be a lie to say he got up effortlessly. He was injured and weakened by the battle. That was probably why he easily fell back down — face first — when something pierced through his neck.

There was barely enough time to react to the sudden scene.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, still being composed throughout this happening. Kakashi kept his guard up even as he looked nonchalant about the whole thing, he was exhausted as well and kept himself from fainting. He overused his Sharingan, resulting in his condition.

"What just happened?" Tazuna questioned.

Their heads turned towards the source of the person, who the team supposed, threw those senbon. Sasuke looked bothered once he saw the person in yet another mask. The only difference was the mask covered the entirety of his face, it had the marking of the hidden mist. That being said, it was obvious where he was from and what his occupation was.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, having the same thought as Sasuke. "He's the same age as us," Sasuke mumbled.

"You're an ANBU from the mist, I presume?" Kakashi decided to inquire. 

The boy nodded, "Thank you for finding him and taking care of him. I'll take the rest from here as we were tracking this rogue ninja for quite some time."

Kakashi nodded. Honestly, he was too tired to comprehend the situation. He couldn't think straight after the battle and Naruto knew that. The blonde assumed that Kakashi was too exhausted to come to the conclusion that Zabuza was merely put in temporary death. Nonetheless, Naruto didn't say a thing even when Kakashi checked Zabuza's pulse — then assumed he was dead.

It was rare, but maybe he'd planned to keep Zabuza alive for interrogation. Maybe that was it.

"He's dead. I will be taking him in as an ANBU of the mist," the masked nin said.

The people present seemed to buy it.

"Either you are an amateur or you are doing this on purpose," Naruto said while putting his hands in his pocket.

"Excuse me?" Naruto had the ANBU's undivided attention. That attention only decreased slightly after Naruto shrugged his shoulders, dismissing the topic.

"What was all that about Naruto?" Sakura whisper-shouted, facing the said boy. He didn't reply.

"Just what do you mean?" Sasuke was the one to ask this time. The blonde still didn't budge.

Kakashi knew that wasn't something Naruto would just say without reason. In truth, he wouldn't say anything unless it was necessary. The silver-haired teacher trusted Naruto to be at a point where he didn't question what he was about to do.

Maybe it was too soon to trust him.

Naruto walked closer to Zabuza's body and the ANBU doing the same. His dull blue eyes watched the scene play out as if waiting for something. The boy lifted Zabuza's body up, but stopped mid-way. The reason for that was Naruto's cold aura as he said: "Do your job in place."

"What?" the boy asked once again. He was becoming more impatient at every second near the blonde.

Naruto's deadly aura didn't leave this time. It stayed solid. "I believe that is what you are supposed to be doing. Work on his corpse right here. If you are worried about the children here, you are a child yourself. Nonetheless, an ANBU is trained to have no emotions when getting the job done." The blonde took slow steps towards the ninja.

The fellow pre-teen was silent. Speechless to say the least and the same could be said about the others watching. Kakashi might've been the only one with a calm face, that is until he heard the next words coming from Naruto.

"Put the corpse down," he instructed, pointing to the ground. His voice was low but still audible.

At that moment Sakura was sure. She was sure that her eyes weren't deceiving her when she saw Naruto's eyes. They were dull, dark and full of danger. Just a glance at his emotionless expression made her shiver. Sasuke recognized that look. It was the same look Itachi Uchiha gave him that night.

"Why should I do such a thing?" he inquired, seemingly a bit bothered at the boy.

"I will do your job for you if you do not, I will behead him to make sure he will not get up again."

That's when Kakashi became anything but calm. His eyes grew wide, which was a typical reaction. A child was saying he would cut a man's head off. That was sick! It was disturbing to all of them.

"Naruto," Sakura said shakily, "what are you saying?"

Naruto turned around — not taking his focus off that 'mist' ninja — only to see a horrified look on the young girl's face. She had fear in her eyes, something Naruto was used to seeing in most people who saw him. Fear was something he'd always seen on people's faces when they looked at him. He was acquainted with it quite well.

He glanced at Sasuke. The Uchiha's was shocked and it was clear in his face.

"I said it clearly," he said, facing the raven-haired ANBU, "if you hesitate to do your job here, I will have to do it for you. Finish the job. You only pierced through his neck and he is temporary dead."

Naruto took a step forward and took out a kunai. "A stab through the throat or heart would be sufficient, since I don't have the right materials to completely decapitate the corpse."

"Wait, Naruto!" Kakashi called. Albeit, he didn't respond to his Sensei. Either way, Kakashi couldn't think of anything to say at that moment. Nothing about what Naruto said was in the slightest incorrect. What Kakashi was doing was trying to stop him, not from a logical standpoint, but an emotional one. Still, it felt wrong.

What they were about to witness felt wrong.

Naruto made his move to stab the body. Jut as Naruto was about to stab Zabuza a senbon hit his injured hand, this resulted in the unstableness of Naruto's hold on the kunai. He lifted his head to see the ANBU nearing them with all speed. "Not so fast," the masked boy said. He took the body before Naruto could do anything and disappeared.

Thinking back, Naruto wavered his movements remembering how Sakura looked at him. The way Sasuke and even Kakashi looked at him. He couldn't help, but imagine what would've been his friends' reactions; Shikamaru, Hinata and Danny. He couldn't understand why or what he was feeling. It made him feel like his old self. After a while, Naruto came to a conclusion.

He felt hurt.