The sun hung low over the Land of Waves, its light softened by the ever-present mist. The damp chill clung to everything, from the wooden beams of Tazuna's home to the sleeves of Team 7's uniforms. After their tense encounter with Zabuza Momochi and his masked companion, Haku, the team had finally found a brief moment of rest.
Inside Tazuna's modest home, the warmth of a freshly prepared meal filled the room. Tsunami, Tazuna's daughter, moved gracefully between the small kitchen and the wooden dining table, setting down bowls of rice, fish, and broth. Her smile was kind, but it was stretched thin—the strain of living under Gato's grip had worn on her.
"You must be tired," she said gently, her eyes lingering on Kakashi's bandaged side. "Please, eat. You've done more for us already than we could ever ask."
"Thank you," Kakashi Hatake said, his usual lazy tone softened with genuine appreciation. He shifted carefully, his body still sore from the water prison incident. His eye, however, stayed sharp, watching Raven Kamizuki as she took her seat. He trusted her skills, but there was always that creeping thought of Sayuri Arata's wrath lingering in the back of his mind.
If anything happens to Naruto… Kakashi thought, imagining Sayuri looming over him with a pizza peel like a greatsword. He shuddered.
Naruto Uzumaki was the first to dig in, inhaling his food as if he hadn't eaten in days.
"This is amazing!" he mumbled through a mouthful of rice. "Almost as good as ramen!"
Raven smirked, her violet eyes glinting with amusement. "Tsunami, you should try making pizza sometime. A little dough, sauce, and cheese… perfection."
Naruto's head snapped up. "Oh no, not this again! Ramen is the ultimate food!"
Sasuke Uchiha rolled his eyes. "Do we really have to do this?"
Sakura Haruno sighed but smiled despite herself. "Here we go…"
Raven leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, grinning at Naruto. "Pizza nourishes the spirit. It fuels revolutions."
Naruto pointed his chopsticks at her. "Ramen is the food of heroes! It keeps you warm on the coldest nights and gives you strength to never give up!"
Raven leaned in, smirking. "Heroes don't need soup—they need substance. Cheese and crust—that's where legends are made."
Naruto slammed his hands on the table. "Ramen saved me when no one else would!"
Raven's grin softened for a moment, catching the emotion beneath his outburst. She knew his pain all too well, even if he didn't realize it.
"Fair point," she said, but the competitive spark in her eyes remained. "But I'll win this battle."
Before Naruto could respond, a new voice cut through the room—bitter and low.
"Heroes don't exist."
All eyes turned to Inari, Tazuna's grandson, standing in the doorway. He was a small boy, his dark eyes filled with pain far beyond his years.
Naruto blinked. "What… what do you mean?"
Inari stepped closer, his fists clenched at his sides. "People like you… you talk about heroes, but you don't understand. Gato will kill you. He'll kill all of you. And we'll be the ones left to suffer."
The room fell into silence.
Tsunami's smile wavered, and Tazuna looked away, his face etched with guilt.
"What happened to you?" Naruto asked, his voice quieter now.
Inari's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "My stepfather… Kaiza. He was our hero. He stood up to Gato. He tried to protect us. But Gato… he… he had him executed. Right there, in front of everyone."
The air in the room grew heavier.
"They made us watch," Inari whispered. "And no one could stop them."
Naruto's hands curled into fists, his face twisting with anger and sorrow. "That's… horrible."
Raven's smirk had long since faded, replaced by a cold, calculating look. She'd seen this story before, in different villages, under different tyrants. Powerless people crushed by greed and fear.
"But we're here now," Naruto said, his voice regaining its strength. "And we're not gonna let Gato win."
Inari shook his head, his voice trembling. "You can't beat him. He's too powerful."
Naruto stood, his eyes blazing with determination. "Watch me. I'll become Hokage one day, and I'll protect everyone. I won't let people like Gato win!"
Inari looked away, tears spilling down his cheeks. "You'll just die like Kaiza."
The room was silent again, but this time, it was Raven who broke it.
"Pizza," she said softly.
Everyone turned to her in confusion.
"Inari," she continued, her voice steady but warm, "I know you don't believe in heroes right now. But sometimes… we just need something small. Something to remind us that not everything is bad."
She reached into her pouch, producing a small storage scroll, and with a flick of chakra, a single slice of pizza appeared—fresh, hot, the aroma filling the room.
"Try it," Raven said, holding it out to Inari.
Inari hesitated, but the warmth of the slice drew him in. He took a bite, his eyes widening slightly.
"It's… good," he admitted.
Raven smiled. "See? Sometimes, change starts small."
Naruto huffed but grinned. "Alright… you win this round. But I'm still making him try ramen later."
The tension in the room eased, if only slightly.
Later that evening, as the house grew quiet, Raven stepped outside, the cool mist brushing against her face.
Yuumi's voice echoed in her mind.
You really do believe in this pizza stuff, huh?
Raven chuckled mentally. Nah… but I believe in giving people hope. Even if it's wrapped in cheese.
She gazed into the forest, her thoughts shifting to Haku and Zabuza.
"We're going to change this world," she whispered to herself. "One slice at a time."
The mist swirled around her, carrying her words into the night.
And the revolution moved forward.
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